Anybody here workout? Got any tips for a noob?

[BigJohnny]

I'm 32 and in about as good a shape as Homer Simpson, at 6'3" 250Lbs I'm a fairly large guy, but I also have a big ass gut and man boobs that would probably fit a B cup.

Don't get me wrong, I have a very large frame so I'm not exactly rotund, but it's been bugging the shit out of me lately. I've always been a large guy and want to be bigger, just not width wise.

I pretty much spend my days sitting on the couch and barely going anywhere, I'm a loner and an introvert so doing shit with people isn't really my thing to begin with.

Yesterday for whatever reason I decided that it's time to do something about it. I picked up a couple 10lb dumbbells and found a pretty decent beginner upper workout routine I can do in 15 mins/day to get me started and tone up a bit.

Today it has me in a great deal of pain, the good kind, but I realize that I don't know jack shit about actual exercising.

I was wondering if anyone here happens to workout and has some tips on stretching or other routines I can do with the dumbbells.

My physique is more of the strongman type than the body builder type so I'd really just like to turn some of this fat into muscle. I don't really so much want to lose weight as I want to convert the weight into more dense muscle instead of fat.

 

[D. B. Doober]

Google may have some results. Dumbbells are good, try bench presses laying back, bicep curls sitting down...stuff like that. Remember health and safety is important.

 

[BigJohnny]

I've been looking, but being completely and totally new it's hard to determine what I should or shouldn't be doing or what's relevant to me.

 

[Featherfoot]

You won't lose much weight lifting weights, you need to do running or cycling; running is better. If you can't run then go walking.

They say weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise, so don't expect much from your weight lifting unless you address your diet as well.
No coca cola and the like, no beer and no fast food, eg. fries and fried chicken.

 

[Bmac1]

You won't lose much weight lifting weights, you need to do running or cycling; running is better.

That is just plain hog wash. Weightlifting is great for losing weight and gaining/retaining muscle mass. If you want to look like skin and bones with no muscle mass, sure start running. If you do start running, learn to do it proper and get the proper shoes because as a fellow big guy, your knees are going to hate you if you just start running.

The best results are definitely going to come from what you do in the kitchen, not in the gym. You need a life style change, not a "diet" that has a beginning and an end that usually involves depriving yourself till you snap and fall off the wagon.

Start slowly, removing things from your diet like processed foods, sugar etc. If you eat a lot of fast food and or soda, cut that out and add some more good food (lean meat, veggies, fruit and complex carbs). Dont try to do it all at once, its a grind and you just need to stay the course.

As for weightlifting, with the help of the internet, there is no shortage of info out there on programs from powerlifting to bodybuilding, beginner to advanced and everything in between. Start a moderate program that has you lifting 3 times a week to start. Learn the compound lifts and how to do them properly before you start trying to impress anyone with weight lifted.

Anyone who says weightlifting isnt good cardio, isnt doing it right. I am by no means anti cardio, just that running is not a great way in itself to get in great shape. A great compliment to a solid meal and workout plan for sure just not the base of one.

 

[Bmac1]

Tnation has some good content as well as youtube. There are endless workouts on there and the visual instruction is a great tool.

 

[Protea]

I'm a skinny guy so I can't offer any good advise on lifting.
But I'm a stoner in my mid 30s that started to exercise about a year ago. And for me it has been all about finding the actual joy of doing sports, finding a routine that I like, for me it's steep uphill running ( I live in the Alps, so there are plenty around) this is something I even do stoned now. But for you it's probably strong man stuff like lifting and pulling. Just find something to lift and give it you best, and see how you like the actual exercise, if you get to sore tone it down a bit. Or stretch abit more. Find the instructions you like on YouTube/Internet, and don't over do the equipment, you can lift anything, it don't need to come from a shop.
And walk after you lift if you have a chance it's great for ridding your body of aces and small pains.

 

[stoned-trout]

I hike and kayak a lot ..no need for weights... I also do cash work that gets me a good workout.....yeehaw...isometrics ,isotonics sp?

 

[snuggles]

eat clean
train hard
rest well

REPEAT!

make sure you don't overtrain
make sure you build muscle mass, don't be the skinny fat dude with no power and energy, trust me i did it wrong, i had to learn it the hard way. went from 260 lbs to 124 pretty fast, but did only cardio and yoga, no weights...end result was a too skinny me, which i wasn't happy with.
the scale isn't the end of it all, it's also how it looks and feels...imho.

first priority should be your eating habits and how you can eat better and cleaner and smarter!
for strength. start with body weight training (pushups, crunches, pullups, dips, etc.) and leave the weights be. after you've acquired some form of fitness and strength, then you can look into weight routines.

also stretching/yoga/pilates is a great way to speed up muscle regeneration and flexibility.

good luck and lots of fun on your journey from an ex-fatty!

 

[snuggles]

You won't lose much weight lifting weights, you need to do running or cycling; running is better. If you can't run then go walking.

simply not true.
building muscle mass boosts metabolism and alters your caloric intake numbers.
more mass=more calories you can consume.

don't spread this kind of misinformation

 

[unclefishstick]

get a bike,start by riding 15-30 minutes a day,add 10 minutes to your ride time each week...after about 6 weeks it should stop sucking so much and start getting easier,thats when i would add the weightlifting parts to your workout...but getting past the first 6 weeks is the toughest part,if you can get over that first hump you usually start feeling better and you start to want to workout rather than having to force yourself...
the real kicker is its all in your mind,everything thats stopping you from getting out is just your brain telling you "its gonna hurt" or "its too hard"....its not,and it is at the same time...but once you convince yourself you can do something,you can....

 

[stoned-trout]

I did 40 oz curls all last night ..really hurtin today......yeehaw...real men kayak...nothing like running a river avoiding boulders and hitting some whitewater...badass..i sold my mountain bike long ago...looking for a street bike with decent tires...

 

[BigJohnny]

You won't lose much weight lifting weights, you need to do running or cycling; running is better. If you can't run then go walking.

They say weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise, so don't expect much from your weight lifting unless you address your diet as well.
No coca cola and the like, no beer and no fast food, eg. fries and fried chicken.

eat clean
train hard
rest well

REPEAT!

make sure you don't overtrain
make sure you build muscle mass, don't be the skinny fat dude with no power and energy, trust me i did it wrong, i had to learn it the hard way. went from 260 lbs to 124 pretty fast, but did only cardio and yoga, no weights...end result was a too skinny me, which i wasn't happy with.
the scale isn't the end of it all, it's also how it looks and feels...imho.

first priority should be your eating habits and how you can eat better and cleaner and smarter!
for strength. start with body weight training (pushups, crunches, pullups, dips, etc.) and leave the weights be. after you've acquired some form of fitness and strength, then you can look into weight routines.

also stretching/yoga/pilates is a great way to speed up muscle regeneration and flexibility.

good luck and lots of fun on your journey from an ex-fatty!

My eating habits are completely fucked, most days I don't eat anything all day until about dinner time, then I'll end up having a really large meal and probably not eating for the rest of the night.

Sometimes I'm hungry a few times a day or I just end up eating a lot of smaller not so good stuff all day long.

I almost never eat breakfast except for maybe on the weekends after a night of hedy drinking.

I'm not an outdoorsy type person and never have been, I've never played sports nor do I take any interest in sports, I'm an engineer and enjoy all things technicial.... not a lot of physical work involved lol.

I can't exactly afford a bike right now which is part of the reason I only spent $20 on some weights.

Like I said though I'm not so much looking to lose weight, but I want to turn some of that weight into muscle mass.

Given my frame, my body could support a very large mass of muscle.

I'll definitely have to work on my diet and eating habits, I know they're bad but my current line of work involves being away for a few days at a time, and I have to survive on fast foods, then when I'm home it's more about healthy eating being expensive to have any kind of variety in your daily meals.

I have been motivated though, I could barely move when I woke up this morning and still managed to want to continue the routine even though I almost couldn't finish it.

I'm really curious to see how it'll turn out just doing this routine for a couple of weeks

 

[M.R.GT]

Join a no contract gym. $30 a month for a single membership quit if you hate it no obligation.

Next find a gym partner. the right gym partner can make all the difference. Should be someone near your size and strength level not your wife. Push each other !!!! Cant stress how important a good partner is.

most home equipment ends up as a clothes hanger or clutter sold for a fraction of what you paid for it. They work for some but for most its just a waste. If your bound and determined to go the home equipment route check you local paper, shopper or Craig's list as there is always tons of it for sell where someone bought it and the farthest it made it was the corner and never touched again.

Going to an actual gym will focus you on the task at hand along with your partner. If you go to the gym try and avoid the social gathering environment. there will always be people there who are just hanging out wanting to talk try and avoid this pit fall. When you walk in the door focus yourself and attack you workout with gusto. I live by the adage of "get in and get out". Works for me.

a standard push pull work out is the simplest. push for chest, triceps, and deltoids. Pull for back, biceps, I usually do legs on the 3rd day.

Warm up 15 min cardio, treadmill, stair stepper... what ever floats your boat.

Monday push Chest primary. Bench flat, incline, decline. Peck deck fly's or dumbbell fly's largest muscle group first the secondary muscles triceps , French curl, dumbbell extensions, cable push downs....

Tue Back primary. Lat pulls front and back, seated rows, pull ups, secondary biceps. straight bar curls, preacher seat curls, dumbbell curls, hammer curls

Wen legs, squats, leg presses, extensions, stiff leg dead lift, lunges, donkey calf raises. Secondary deltoids and traps. seated overhead presses in front and behind the neck, deltoid ext machine or dumbbell, traps upright rows, shrugs...

Finish every workout with a min of 20 min cardio at 80% max training heart rate for maint of cardio respiratory endurance or 40+ min at 60% for fat burning.

Thur repeat Mon
Fri repeat Tue
Sat repeat Wen
Sun rest.

As you develop exercise will have to be changed to keep the muscle groups in shock. basically when you don't get sore anymore its time to try some new exercises to shock your muscles.

A high protein low fat diet is important as well.

A combination of cardio and strength training is the right way to reach peak condition.

Initially strength training may cause you go up in pounds but lose in waist size. Muscle weighs more than fat. Eventually you will level out and the additional muscle mass will turn your body into a fat burning machine.

The most important thing is consistency. You have to make yourself work out on your schedule no matter what. If your consistent and push yourself you will see results, just don't give up in the first 30 days. If in 90 days you haven't seen any results then revaluate your program but getting in shape doesn't happen over night.

Hope this helps.

Peace
GT

 

[blastfrompast]

OK Here is my advise after watching my wife drop 60lbs in 8 months.

Eat Smart....Small meals starting in the morning, don't eat a huge dinner, and add veggies to your diet...High protein is great also....Just watch the extra calories....no chips, no empty calories especially in the beginning.

Then it is just a simple matter of calories consumed vs calories burned.

My wife does 10-13 miles on her bike 5 days a week. Got herself one of those big yoga balls and some light free weights....

Lots of stretching Before and after the workout.

There are also suppliments that can help, Garcinia Gambogia (sic) etc. They seem to regulate your blood sugar mostly.. My wife didn't go this route but her friend did and it seems like you can workout less and still lose the weight..

Now the one thing that is important is to feed your body the right stuff. My wife will scarf down a chicken breast for a snack after a 13mile -alps setting bike ride...she craves the protein....need protein to rebuild the muscle right but very little calories if you cook it right.

 

[Pro Headies]

@ Big Johnny- ive been lifting/body building pretty seriously (3-5x a week) for 7 years or so now. my advise to you is fix your diet. Diet is number one! Calorie count is what counts more then protein,carb, fats ect. If your looking to change your body into a muscular look i recommend 5x5 compound lift program 3x a week. Hit me up if you need help.

 

[Mikell]

Agree on the diet.

I like a kettle bell myself. There are countless varieties of sets to do, and even a 20 to 30 minute aerobic work out (stretching, Tai Chi movements, no snapping joints, weights at arms length) will make most sweat bullets, especially the dumb bellers used to doing curls with heavy weights.

And kayaking does kick ass, though I'm somewhat doubtful on the merit of riding around on a bike with a 40 of malt.

 

[watts]

Good advice here. From experience, your "diet" will be the hardest part to change. You will miss pizza, snacks, beer, etc. but once you find some healthy foods and you can accept it mentally, it gets easier. Just do it and don't think about it too much. For your size you shouldn't go lower than 1200 calories a day to lose weight. Try to get around 1500-2000 healthy calories each day.

As far as weights, do the basic stuff and learn proper form before lifting heavier stuff. I recommend squats, push ups, dips, bicep curls, pull ups, just the basic stuff for the first year. 3-5x a week. You could do 20-30 minutes of cardio on the days you don't lift. Keep it simple and just do your best, whatever you do. It'll get easier and you will figure out what works best for you.

 

[shithawk420]

Oh boy.first of all,no two bodies are the same.you do what works for you.but only you can figure that out.my advice is to start juicing in the morning for one.juice fruits and vegetables.ESPECIALLY EAT KALE!!!it has more protein and calcium than meat with little calories.go to Bodybuilding.com.its not just about bodybuilding but about all types of exercises and diets.but im telling you right now you need to start cutting with wieght lifting smaller wieght and higjer reps.and martial arts for the cardio.i promise you do that for 3 to six months you will feel like a new man.good luck it not gonna be easy but you can do it

 

[floralheart]

I'm 32 and in about as good a shape as Homer Simpson, at 6'3" 250Lbs I'm a fairly large guy, but I also have a big ass gut and man boobs that would probably fit a B cup.

Don't get me wrong, I have a very large frame so I'm not exactly rotund, but it's been bugging the shit out of me lately. I've always been a large guy and want to be bigger, just not width wise.

I pretty much spend my days sitting on the couch and barely going anywhere, I'm a loner and an introvert so doing shit with people isn't really my thing to begin with.

Yesterday for whatever reason I decided that it's time to do something about it. I picked up a couple 10lb dumbbells and found a pretty decent beginner upper workout routine I can do in 15 mins/day to get me started and tone up a bit.

Today it has me in a great deal of pain, the good kind, but I realize that I don't know jack shit about actual exercising.

I was wondering if anyone here happens to workout and has some tips on stretching or other routines I can do with the dumbbells.

My physique is more of the strongman type than the body builder type so I'd really just like to turn some of this fat into muscle. I don't really so much want to lose weight as I want to convert the weight into more dense muscle instead of fat.

First, you can work out all you want, but if you don't eat right, it won't matter.

Second, walk 2 miles a day.

Last, all parts of the body are important - so, don't favor your arms, or whatever you might favor.

you could probably be in great shape with 30 minutes a day in the morning.

stop eating 4 hours before bed time. good luck, being a smoker.