just got back from my first gym session.

[Dmoney]

cheers guys. seems like if i loose faith I can post here for some words of support.
tomorrow my plan is get up early and head down. maybe warm up at home a bit then go over the road and try the rowing machine for a few mins before getting in a good ride. monitor what im doing and keep an eye on the time.

[Jonny]

Carbs, protein before. Some carbs afterwards. Peckish - eat nuts.

Rowing machine - 200m, 3 runs, 1 minute countdown.

And like I said before, cycle 20, run (or 30)

Most importantly is your warm up and warm down. But also breathing of course, but I'm sure you know the method.

:)

[Plexi Ken]

[snip] Most importantly is your warm up and warm down [/snip]

Good point, I like to do dynamic stretching for warm-up; something like DeFranco's Agile Eight,
http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_08-10-03.html

I also use the foam roller for warm-down.

[Jonny]

I used an exercise ball, like lying on it, feet against the wall, body straight and do sort of reverse sit ups.

And the plank, gotta love the plank.

[MrBump]

The thing about fitness and exercise is that you should only do what you're prepared to maintain - otherwise it just becomes a soul destroying cycle of weight loss and weight gain.

The equation is pretty simple: eat less, move more.  However, that equation becomes more complex when you include "life".

I'm a little heavier than I need to be, but I still train regularly in Wing Chun, so I know that I'm realtively fit (or at least I get exercise...)  But the only way I can maintain that is by doing a form of physical exercise that I enjoy.  I wouldn't last a month at a gym, it's not my thing at all.

Find something that you enjoy doing that makes you sweat and gets your heart going.  Then eat a little less.  You'll be fine.

Mark.

[Alex]

I've been going to the gym somewhat regularly over the last ten to twelve years. Over the years, many people I knew decided they wanted to loose weight/get in shape/build up muscles blah blah blah... I usually think of these as New Year commitments and gyms are never fuller than in January.  :x 
The truth is, for most people, ironically including me, gym is NOT fun. It's really just about forcing yourself, making it a habit and sheer determination. Hence most people who I knew who started at some time stopped at some time, usually within the first 3 months. Typical reasons: doing way too much right from the start and then feeling like total cr@p/having unrealistic expectations about getting a bikini figure/sixpack in 2-3 months.
And the other thing is that after 3 months you will notice nothing, except maybe feeling a bit healthier. After 6 months you might see something. Worth the effort? Probably not. It is only after keeping fit over years that it will pay off one day in you looking better than the typical flabby guy your age (who does nothing in his life except handling the remote control and chugging down beers in the pub on Friday evening) and having a healthy heart & metabolism. I do it mostly for the latter. I'm surrounded by rather disgustingly fat people at work, that helps keep up my determination.  :) If that sounds harsh... you haven't seen them!

You must think of it as a long-term thing and should not expect it to be fun, more something that you have to do for your health!

[Dmoney]

I don't expect the time in there to be fun. If I do weights at home I really have to push myself. I do enjoy the aching feeling the next day though. Feels like I've done something. I'm also think I'm a bit of a mild masochist. I also quite like the experience of being tattooed, which isn't always pleasant.

I get paid to sit in a chair and watch TV for 10+ hours a shift. Everyone I work with has put on weight since they started.

I'm going to go do some rowing this morning and have a cycle.

[Mr. Air]

The equation is pretty simple: eat less, move more

Or eat the right things and stay away from the bad ones. I have totally given up on sweets and everything that contains a high amount of sugar and it really feels good. I think that losing weight is a matter of life style as well as a matter of physiacal training.

[_tom_]

Yeah it definitely needs a lifestyle change, hence why I cycle - don't really enjoy any other kind of sports/exercise but I love cycling so it fits in quite nicely. Only downside is I spend all my money and time on bikes now rather than guitars!

[Dmoney]

for sure. I used to have a MUCH healthier lifestyle. then it all went down hill.

Today I managed to use the rowing machine for the 1st time, I enjoyed that tool. I kind of went by ear and aimed for 2000m in roughly 10mins, at a fairly high resistance. At least I think that is what the wild readout was telling me. I did that 4 times with a rest between and felt pretty huge afterwards. Then I had a cycle and ended it all with a jog. I've noticed im weak at jogging. I feel better than I did yesterday post workout. I think this time I made more effort to take the odd short break and I tried to aim push myself evenly over a whole exercise rather than just wear myself out in the first 5mins. I also had some nuts and stuff a while before i went down today. Yesterday I went down on a totally empty stomach and felt pretty rough afterwards.

  

[ToneMonkey]

I've managed to loose quite a bit of weight.  Here's how:

First, get yourself a job where all the other people doing it are dropping like flies.  This means that you quickly end up doing two peoples work and the stress levels increase dramatically.

Then get yourself a baby, meaning that you're constantly knackered and stressed out.

Make sure you only have enough money left over to be eating toast for the week before payday.

This is the Tonemonkey diet.  Make yourself stressed out and poor and live off a diet of fags and fingernails.  You'll drop loads of weight.....

..... Actually I've put some back on as I've been on the beer for about two weeks and one of my mates keeps showing up at my house with a carrier bag full of cookies  :lol:

[Plexi Ken]

The equation is pretty simple: eat less, move more

Or eat the right things and stay away from the bad ones. I have totally given up on sweets and everything that contains a high amount of sugar and it really feels good. I think that losing weight is a matter of life style as well as a matter of physiacal training.

+1

While the phrase 'eat less, move more' is basically correct, there is a 'sweet spot' where the 'correct' amount of food & exercise produce a steady and long term fat loss. Eating 800 cals per day + 3hr exercise might result in initial rapid weight loss (notice I say weight loss not fat loss) but isn't sustainable.

[Alex]

Strange/unusual diets can have a very negative effect on your long-term health and immune system. Just eat healthy.

Measurement for progress can indeed be jogging. Pushups/Pullups are also a good measurement for arms/shoulders, you can see your progress there.

[Dmoney]

I hit the gym again today, although for less time. But, I still pushed it.

I can't push ups that good. I used to be able to RIP through them!
I tried some of those Agile Eight stretches and they really helped me feel good. So I'm going to do them more often, even if I'm not going to the gym. It worked out a lot of tension from bits I didn't really know how to hit with a stretch.

[Sifu Ben]

Lot's of people go down the "lose some weight then hit the weights" approach, but it's flawed. Doing weights will help you lose weight much more quickly, and doing large amounts of fixed intensity cardio training actually becomes counter productive. Resistance circuits and cardio interval training are the best recipe for losing weight. Also generates way more endorphins, so you feel better too.