What first?

Hello . Well, thing is I started working out to lose weight (only cardio though, stationary bike for 60 minutes) early this year, but then I stopped . I'm starting again now, but this time I'm adding abs and weight lifting. My question is, what should I do first? Weights/abs or Cardio? I really like doing cardio, but I'm not that keen on weight lifting and crunches, although I know it's a big part of a losing weight plan.

Thanks for any reply!
 
An abs/crunches plan should not be a major part of your weight loss plan. However a full body workout should. Always do weights first before cardio....better yet do them on seperate days.

Do a search on the forum for full body workouts....there is heaps of info available. Keep your weights workout to around 45 mins. No longer than an hour. The exercises you do in the FBW will work your abs. If you wish you can isolate the abs after all compound exercises are completed but not necessary to do it 3xper week.
 
Hello . Well, thing is I started working out to lose weight (only cardio though, stationary bike for 60 minutes) early this year, but then I stopped .


How is your diet like? What is your goal? Are you currently overweight?

You should know that exercise alone won't do you much justice in weight loss. Most people think they should exercise more to lose weight. While this is true, it isn't the deciding factor in weight loss.

Your primary concern for weight loss should be your diet. It's calories in versus calories out. If you exercise, you could be burning that excess calories, but the benefits will be short lived since if you stopped exercise, then you'll regain that weight because of your diet.

I'm starting again now, but this time I'm adding abs and weight lifting. My question is, what should I do first? Weights/abs or Cardio? I really like doing cardio, but I'm not that keen on weight lifting and crunches, although I know it's a big part of a losing weight plan.

Who told you doing abs exercises will cause you to lose weight? You've been watching those infomercials haven't you? Well let me first tell you that if abs workout causes weight loss and having great abs, then every fat guy you see would have killer abs to die for. If you look around the gym for the best looking abs you'll see that person doesn't do a single crunch or abs workout.

You need to research how to do weight lifting and cardio. Stick with things like deadlifts, squats, bench, etc.
 
You have got to have your diet in order. And, have your diet complement your training routine:

Some Basic information that can lead you to tissue loss

Calorie calculation is an approximation science, remember this.

Through your journey WATCH, LOOK, and LISTEN, to your body..........it will TELL YOU if your doing the correct combination of things or the wrong combination of things-----adapt and learn from only thing that dont LIE.


○ Change your eating habits (below are some suggestion examples)

○ Substitute an artificial sweetener of your choice in the replace of refined white sugar (Refrain from Refined Sugar like you would a disease)

○ Try eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day

○ Balance your meals out during the day so in one day you have a mix of protein, carbohydrate and good fats

○ Drink lots of water during the day and before, during and after exercise

○ Simple Carb Examples: Grapefruit, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, Pineapple, etc

○ Complex Carb Examples: Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Oatmeal, Long Grain Brown Rice, Brown Pasta, etc

○ Good Protein Examples: White or Dark Tuna, Chicken Breast, Lean Turkey, Lean Ham, Very lean Beef, Quality Whey Protein Powder, Malto-Meal (Plain, whole wheat), etc

○ Good Fats Examples: Natural Peanut Butter, Various Nuts, Flax Seed, Fish Oils.

This is what you need to do:

This an approximation science, but you can narrow it down very close, if your meticulous in your vision when looking at the data.

Tweak your desire and passion by educating yourself on the basic requirements of losing fat tissue. With your age, sex, height, and weight, in mind, find your approximated base calorie needs (this is organ function, breathing, or bodily function needs). One can use the Benedict Formula.

Calculate your BMR:

The Harris Benedict equation determines calorie needs for men or woman as follows:

• It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, age and gender.
• It increases your BMR calorie needs by taking into account the number of calories you burn through activities such as exercise.

This gives you your total calorie requirement or approximated Maintenance Line (I call it the MT Line).

Step One : Calculate your BMR with the following formula:

•Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
•Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Step Two : In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

•If you are sedentary : BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active: BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (You exercise daily.): BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 1.9

Create a Calorie Deficit:

In order to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. It is easier and healthier to cut back your calorie intake a little bit at a time.

Every 3,500 calories is equivalent to 1 pound.
If you cut back 500 calories a day, you will lose 1 pound per week.
If you exercise to burn off 500 calories a day you will also lose 1 pound per week.

Apply this knowledge by backing off the approximated MT Line (approximated Maintenance line), say for example, a -500c per day, for about 1 week. Before the week begins, weigh yourself in the AM when you FIRST get up (do not eat yet) (remember your clothing, preferably with just underwear and t-shirt or like clothes). Note the time, and the approximated wgt.

Each day spread your caloric content out throughout the day (keep the body fed, with calories in the 300 to 500c approximated calories each meal), or a like division which mirrors your end caloric deficit limit (meaning MT-500c).

This way you have your entire day and body encircled with nutrition (I assume you already know to eat clean), which if your eating right, will give an approximated good energy (not optimal because your in deficit) to fuel your training and exercising schedule.

At the end of the week, on the same day, the same time, with the same like clothes, weigh yourself again. Note whether you lost or gained tissue (or weight I mean). To further assist you, I want to tell you that for every approximated caloric deficit of (-3500c), one could lose 1lb of fat tissue. (though some may not all be fat tissue, this information is for another question, and isn't presently suited here).

Now, in this example you were calculating a -500c per day deficit. There needs to be -3500c to lose approximated 1lbs of fat. Now lets do some basic math. -500cX7=-3500c. With all things considered equal, and you were meticulous and faithful on the diet, you should have been CLOSE to losing at least one pound of tissue in the week.

If this didn't happen, this means you need to make finer adjustments, and the MT line is not accurate, and you need to adjust this on your own.

Based upon the FEEDBACK your body is giving you, ask yourself how faithful you were on the diet, AND how faithful in training (whether you kept the training schedule (if you didn't, this would effect the caloric equation, no?!), AND how accurate you figured in your activities caloric wise.........but, you have the base information to begin making adjustments.

One can not spot reduce. Losing fat is like draining a pool. The shallow end seems to drain before the larger deeper end. One can't choose where to lose fat; it will be lost all over the body.

The Nutrients are an essential factor in the diet; however, the law of energy balance within the DIET, is the ultimate KING while the Nutrients can play in some decisions made within the body.

Do yourself a favor, figure out your MT line, adjust off of this, eat well balanced spaced out meals (DONT EVER starve YOURSELF), AND listen to your body for the results.

While you are trying to figure out your body, IT WILL PAY YOU BACK, I promise. You have to learn to MASTER yourself to become the master of weight loss for YOURSELF.

Best Regards as always,

Chillen
 
Last edited:
If you want to lose fat tissue, adjust your diet to the training you are doing.

Do NOT make the Ab/Torso Routine your staple. A full body workout appropriately scheduled during the week with proper rest is what you want.
This can include cardio.

For example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Rest Saturday and Sunday, and then repeat.

For example (for simplicity's sake), schedule a full body workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then rest on the weekend. The program should be complimenting the sort of diet you have and the goals you seek.

I recommend a writing down the exercises, weight being used, and then keeping track of the reps completed---to track progression, and if need be enable FORCE progression techniques. The KEY to training, is PROGRESSION. Trying with FULL THROTTLE to progress from one workout to the next (whether its an increase in reps or weight or both).

For example: you used 40lbs on Standing curl and did 8 reps. The next workout with the bi's you want to get 9 reps, and so on and so forth. If the target cut off rep range is 12 (for example), then you would increase about 5 lbs. This is progression in its simple basic form.

I believe you have to track progress because its CRITICAL to ones success and to strength and/or muscle gains.
 
How is your diet like? What is your goal? Are you currently overweight?

I need to lose around 22 lbs. I am currently overweight


Who told you doing abs exercises will cause you to lose weight? You've been watching those infomercials haven't you? Well let me first tell you that if abs workout causes weight loss and having great abs, then every fat guy you see would have killer abs to die for. If you look around the gym for the best looking abs you'll see that person doesn't do a single crunch or abs workout.

You need to research how to do weight lifting and cardio. Stick with things like deadlifts, squats, bench, etc.


Not a fan of informercials...but I know that weight lifting (not sure about abs though) helps you gain muscle, which makes the fat burning easier. I might be wrong, I don't know...

Thanks for all the replies :)
 
Not a fan of informercials...but I know that weight lifting (not sure about abs though) helps you gain muscle, which makes the fat burning easier. I might be wrong, I don't know...

Thanks for all the replies :)

What makes one grow muscle is this:

1. a caloric surplus (adequately provided to minimize fat gain),
2. weight training (it's the "stimulous" for growth)
3. rest and recuperation (where the REAL growth occurs).


Muscle grows outside the weight room not it it. And just like ABS are made in the kitchen, so is the muscle to a large degree.

Dont get me started on infomercials, lol. Im an old soon to be 46 year old windbag already, lol
 
Last edited:
You should know that exercise alone won't do you much justice in weight loss. Most people think they should exercise more to lose weight. While this is true, it isn't the deciding factor in weight loss.
 
If you want to lose fat tissue, adjust your diet to the training you are doing.

Do NOT make the Ab/Torso Routine your staple. A full body workout appropriately scheduled during the week with proper rest is what you want.
This can include cardio.

For example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Rest Saturday and Sunday, and then repeat.

For example (for simplicity's sake), schedule a full body workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then rest on the weekend. The program should be complimenting the sort of diet you have and the goals you seek.

I recommend a writing down the exercises, weight being used, and then keeping track of the reps completed---to track progression, and if need be enable FORCE progression techniques. The KEY to training, is PROGRESSION. Trying with FULL THROTTLE to progress from one workout to the next (whether its an increase in reps or weight or both).

For example: you used 40lbs on Standing curl and did 8 reps. The next workout with the bi's you want to get 9 reps, and so on and so forth. If the target cut off rep range is 12 (for example), then you would increase about 5 lbs. This is progression in its simple basic form.

I believe you have to track progress because its CRITICAL to ones success and to strength and/or muscle gains.
Hello Everyone

I m 5'10 and my current weight is 87 KG i know my weight is is lot more than wat i should have and on the top i hate that Tummy poping out like a gunny bag :(... As been working i dont get much time to socialize or to do some outdoor activities but then i finally got to the point of losing some weight and getting my body out of the sad and bad shape . i feel restless sometimes when i see my other firends in good shape and i wanna be fit too as i know i can do it.

I started goign to the gym since 3 days and i make sure i go to the gym everyday i knwo its difficult for me to go everyday but i have to pay a visit atleast for an hour.
Since 3 days i have been controlling my eating habbits mostly having salads/ Fruits and soups. I even stopped drinkking Coke/Soda and other stuffs.

Since 3 days i have been focusing on doing Cardio for atleast 30 - 35 mins and cycling for 20 mins in which i burn approximate 500 cal per day and i even stopped using the elevator and i started climbing the stairs. Damn and i live on the 5th floor (arrrghhhhhhhhh)..

Please advice me some good tips and allow me to be a part of this forum. I would be glad if you guys could guide me in losin some good weight and motivate me to get a nice body.

Would be looking forward to get replies from you all.
 
Snickers, welcome to the forum.

Starting to take the stairs instead of the elevator is one of those "lifestyle" changes that are wonderful. It's not all about just going to the gym and whatnot, but learning how to move your body more in your daily life.

You do not have to go to the gym everyday, in fact, it isn't really recommended. A.) Your body needs some rest, at the very least one day a week off, if not more

B) Setting a goal to go more days a week than what is reasonable for you to continue doing is setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. When deciding how often to exercise, you must consider your life and circumstances. If you aim to go 5 days a week, but that doesn't end up being realistic in your life, and you only end up going 3 days, it sets the stage for feeling disappointed and quitting. If you aim for 3 days a week to begin with, and can keep it up, then you feel successful and excited to keep going.

(also, don't be afraid to start your own thread)
 
I started goign to the gym since 3 days and i make sure i go to the gym everyday i knwo its difficult for me to go everyday but i have to pay a visit atleast for an hour.

That's very good. Doing 3 days is fine. It's not about how many times you go, but rather what you do each time you do go.

Since 3 days i have been controlling my eating habbits mostly having salads/ Fruits and soups. I even stopped drinkking Coke/Soda and other stuffs.

I'm glad that you stopped drinking soda and stuff. But ask yourself this: "Can I really ONLY eat salad / fruits for the rest of my life?" Probably not. Right now you're in what I call, "Salad Zone." It's a parallel dimension where sight, and sound of other food is clouded by the Salad. Yes, I believe you fell into the salad zone. Please, for the sake of "diet" do not eat a "salad" only diet. Yes a salad is good, but it isn't required eating when you want to lose weight.

Here's a good quote I have: "The secret? There is no secret. Most people just have to reduce their calories, get more physical, and simply use common sense when approaching their diet."

Diet is about life. Eat to live, not eat to starve. You are designed to eat... so do what you are designed to do.

At the end of the day, there is a magical scale. When your calories in outweigh your calories out, you gain weight. When your calories out exceed your calories in, you lose weight. When the scale drops too low or high, the opposite happens. For example, if you burn more calories than you consume (let’s say by you eat 1200 calories, and then burn 3000), your body will go into survival mode where it will become an efficiency warehouse where no energy escapes. In other words, you don’t really lose any fat doing this, which is the opposite of what you want.

It's all about the calories in vs. calories out. Food like salad isn't going to make you lose weight. To put it bluntly, salad is very low calories, therefore you will lose weight initially, however, in the end you always rebound and go back to your starting weight because you stopped eating salad, and started eating what you ate before.

Educate yourself in nutrition. In theory, there is no junk food, only when in excess. It's just that certain food has more calories in it than others, which will cause you to overeat, thereby increasing your weight. Also, not all food are created equal; some are more nutritional than others. Just remember to mix up your diet, go easy on the fast food, and such, and simply educate yourself in what to eat. Read the faqs here in the nutrition section to get an idea on what to eat.

Remember DIET IS THE KEY to any weight loss program. You will never succeed if you don't care about your diet. You may win one battle (i.e. loose X amount in a month), but you will lose the war with a strategy like, "I'm going to eat salad everyday now, and that's all I'm going to eat."

Here's what you do: find your BMR, multiply that with your activity level, and then subtract 500 from it. This will be the amount of calories you should eat per day to lose 1 pound per week. Eat smart, eat a mixed diet, and simply use common sense.

Since 3 days i have been focusing on doing Cardio for atleast 30 - 35 mins and cycling for 20 mins in which i burn approximate 500 cal per day and i even stopped using the elevator and i started climbing the stairs. Damn and i live on the 5th floor (arrrghhhhhhhhh)..

That's very good, but not the most efficient way to do it. You are going into exhaustion, which is bad. You need to find you target training heart rate. The recommended time is only 20 minutes for cardio. You can gain so much during these 20 minutes, than you would with 1 hour of uncoordinated exercises. Simply find your max heart rate (220 - your age), and use about 60% of that for beginners (always remember 5 minutes cool down, and warm up). Simply strive for that number while working out. After a while of getting used to 20 minutes at 60% of your max heart rate, it's time for interval training. In interval training, for example on a treadmill, do 5 minutes warm up, 1 minute jog, 2 minutes sprint, 1 minute jog, 1 minute walk, etc. This will cause you to lose so much weight, it’ll become ridiculous.

Doing interval training for 20 minutes is far better than doing 1 hour at some ridiculous pace. Not only will you get tired, but you'll just give up.


Remember, diet and exercise are the two most important factors in weight lost. Anyone guy can get up and go to the gym. It takes real dedication to change your diet and your lifestyle choices. You have taken the first steps, now it is time to get down to business, and seriously think this through. You need to take this as more than simply a weight loss goal. You need to take it as a lifestyle change.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top