Just started going to the gy: questions.

[Smokescreen]

Jeff Cavalier AtheleanX on YouTube.

Jeff is a 100% natural professional trainer who took his cameraman (who has much of the same dimensions you do) and is training him to show his methodology works...and it has had some great natural results. Check him out. His instruction universally applicable, I look him up for fine tuning/treating injuries (like rotator cuff) and other tips all the time.

 

[14Accent]

Thank you so much for all the advice, everyone! I'm going to jot down some notes from this thread and look into everything that was said.

The diet part is the most difficult for me. I don't prefer to cook and meal prepping is definitely out, I just don't have the time or ambition. Salads are doable, but that gets old without some protein and a decent salad from the store is $6-$9 each, not exactly sustainable on a daily basis.

This should be a fun journey, though, and I'm looking forward to learning and progressing.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by 14Accent
Salads are doable, but that gets old without some protein and a decent salad from the store is $6-$9 each, not exactly sustainable on a daily basis.


I've started making tomato salads. Pretty filling compared to just greens. Forget the individual tomatoes which around here are tasteless and get the Campari style in the clamshell packages. Usually on sale for $3 a pound. Add some fresh mozzarella or crumbled feta and dressing of your choice. My current go to is Maple Grove Farms Asiago Garlic or fat free Caesar. You can always throw in some turkey deli meat for protein or beans.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted by 14Accent
Thank you so much for all the advice, everyone! I'm going to jot down some notes from this thread and look into everything that was said.

The diet part is the most difficult for me. I don't prefer to cook and meal prepping is definitely out, I just don't have the time or ambition. Salads are doable, but that gets old without some protein and a decent salad from the store is $6-$9 each, not exactly sustainable on a daily basis.

This should be a fun journey, though, and I'm looking forward to learning and progressing.

It's going to be hard if you don't cook. Chicken, beef, rice, vegetables, etc are not hard to cook. Baking boneless skinless breasts is incredibly easy.

 

[dave123]

I think you should follow this thread and people me included post meals. I never prep either I eat protein from lean meats fish eggs every meal. I can give you different dinners same greens different protein and you never get board. It just takes few weeks get use to it.

 

[Alfred_B]

Originally Posted by 14Accent
Thank you so much for all the advice, everyone! I'm going to jot down some notes from this thread and look into everything that was said.

The diet part is the most difficult for me. I don't prefer to cook and meal prepping is definitely out, I just don't have the time or ambition. Salads are doable, but that gets old without some protein and a decent salad from the store is $6-$9 each, not exactly sustainable on a daily basis.

This should be a fun journey, though, and I'm looking forward to learning and progressing.


Get a can of chickpeas or green peas, put some vinegar and olive oil and have that after the workout. Quick, cheap and easy way to get proteins. Just mind the total salt intake for the day.

 

[14Accent]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have an air fryer, I haven't tried to make chicken breasts in it yet but it can't be that hard. If I can make a steak in it I can make chicken.

I suppose I could just make a few 2-3 chicken breasts and cut them into strips, throwing them on top of a salad with some hard boiled eggs. I have no problem with veggies, I love a good salad with all the fixins'.

 

[vavavroom]

I don't care for going to the gym. Working out indoors does not appeal to me. I have a treadmill, weights, and a pull up bar in my garage that I make use of during the rainy season. Unless it's pouring I run at least 5 miles outdoors 5 times a week and I go surfing at least 3 times a week.

 

[Ws6]

I'd recommend hiring a trainer for at least a few months if you want to do more than the cardio machines. This will pay off huge in:

1)building good lifting habits
2)avoiding injury
3)creating an effective routine and avoiding over or under training
4)learning how to properly stimulate various muscle chains
5)other stuff probably

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

As the title states, 3 weeks ago I started going to a local gym. I didn't do it for any particular reason, although I know I need to exercise, I just decided one day off work to go sign up.

Anyways, I've never been to a gym before, or worked out on my own. Well, ok, I've hit a few hotel gyms when I was bored, but that's it. I'm truly enjoying it so far, I'm using it as an excuse not to go to happy hour after work.

So far, my game plan has been 30 minutes on the elliptical doing one of the "hill climb" programs. At the beginning, I struggled to do 20 minutes at 5 mph without my heart rate flying through the roof. I'm now breezing through 30 minutes at 6.5-7 mph steady.

Beyond that, I spend 30-45 minutes just roaming around and using different machines. I don't know enough about using free weights to not hurt myself. The diagrams are helpful, and they seem to encourage doing the exercise in the "correct form". However, I could be wrong on this since I have no frame of reference.

For the record, I'm not trying to "lose" any weight or turn into The Rock. I'm going more for health/strength training than body building. I've been attempting to go a minimum of 4 times a week, preferably 5. However, if I feel I'm going too hard I will skip a day to let my muscles heal a bit. I'm trying not to skip consecutive days, so far so good on that one.

Physical stats:

30 years old

5'10, 155-158 pounds

Relatively slender build, however I have been a full time auto tech for... 15 years and stay fairly active in my free time. Not hikes and bikes and all that, but active.

I have a rotator cuff injury from this past Super Bowl (drinking and ice-covered driveway aprons don't mix, as such) and I've had several severe back spasms over the years. Core strength and back strengths are a definite focus.

Diet is basically garbage, but at least I get home cooking now. Not really healthy home cooking, but not fast food as much.

So, that being said, here's a couple questions for those on here more knowledgeable than I:

1. In general, do I have a decent plan here? Anything I should be more focused on?

2. I'm trying not to load my shoulder too much as it still gets sore at extreme loads and range of motion. Not painful, but sore. What can I do to help this area in particular?

3. This one is COMPLETELY irrelevant, but how long should I think to expect some "visible" results? I was thinking 3 months should provide some decent improvement, as long as I can keep the diet in check. It's hard to not snack during MN winters (I detest the cold, and basically hibernate).

Thanks for any input! I'm kind of surprised I'm digging in with this, I've just never had the ambition to work out. Winter is a good time to start, however. I can't see myself doing 30 minutes of cardio after working in a 100 degree shop for 9 hours!

My advice, hook up with one of the staff trainers at your gym. Let him/her design a workout program based on what you feel your body needs/wants. After you're comfortable with your workout, branch out and explore other options.
When l used to work out l would do upper body one day, lower body next. I was on a every other day plan. This gave my muscles time to rebuild themselves.
At my peak (age 23-45) l was weighing 180-220 lbs. @ 5'10". I was wearing a XL to 1X shirt, but would squeeze into a M shirt when l went out.

 

[Snagglefoot]

You probably don’t need to read this but for those 50 and above read “ Younger Next Year” Basically a motivational fun read for those getting back into it.