Major newbie - Need advice

[Beckio]

Hi all! I'm at a real low point right now. Im 23 years old, I once weighed 9 stone and was fairly toned (although i'd never worked out in my life). I had a baby 3 years ago and I never lost that baby weight, instead I added to it. I now weigh a massive 14 stone, and counting. I joined a gym 8 months ago, I went around 5 times before I lost interest as I did not have a single clue where to start. This time, i'm really determined, i'm so depressed and fed up with my weight I really have to do something ASAP. I don't understand almost everything posted on here. eg. macros(?), i'm not even sure what amount of calories I should be having per day, nor do I know what to be eating to lose weight. I really would appreciate every single bit of advice you throw at me.

My goal is to lose around 3/4 stone and then tone/bulk up and actually like myself again.

If anyone knows any sort of routine to do at the gym or even at home as I have some equipment at home ready to try.

Thankyou so much!

[xsquid99]

You don't need a gym to lose weight, you need to get your diet in check and be in a caloric deficit, you can't out-train a bad diet. Read the stickies in this forum and the nutrition forum, they will pretty much answer your questions.

[Beckio]

You don't need a gym to lose weight, you need to get your diet in check and be in a caloric deficit, you can't out-train a bad diet. Read the stickies in this forum and the nutrition forum, they will pretty much answer your questions.

I know I don't need a gym to lose weight, but the gym would give me something to do and something to do as a hobby. I'd love to be someone that enjoys the gym and without knowing what do do I just look like a lost cause. I'll read some stickies, Thankyou

[WolfRose7]

I know I don't need a gym to lose weight, but the gym would give me something to do and something to do as a hobby. I'd love to be someone that enjoys the gym and without knowing what do do I just look like a lost cause. I'll read some stickies, Thankyou

NUTRITION

This is the largest factor in your success, learn the basics to get started and then move into more advanced if needed.

BASICS

Spoiler!

Calculate calorie needs: First get your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), then multiply by an activity factor to get your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

BMR= 370 + (21.6 x LBM (Lean Body Mass), Where LBM = [Total Weight (KG) x (100 - Body Fat %)] /100

Next take that number and use an activity factor to get TDEE (more active, use a higher number and lower number for less active) but remember this accounts for all activity and not just exercise (busy job/active life, choose a higher value)-
1.2- Sedentary (desk job and little exercise/activity)
1.3-1.4- Lightly Active Light daily activity, light exercise 1-3 times per week)
1.5-1.6- Moderately Active (Moderately active, moderate exercise 3-5 times per week)
1.7-1.8- Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle, hard exercise 5-7 times per week)
1.9-2.2- Extremely Active (Endurance athlete, very hard physical job)

Now that you have the TDEE, get your macro-nutrient needs (fat, protein, and carb needs). Fat has 9 calories per gram, and protein/carbs have 4 calories per gram, alcohol is 7 calories per gram count it as a carb when fitting it into your macros).

Protein- .8 grams per pound
Fat- .4 grams per pound

Meet those MINIMUMS and then fill out remaining calories as you want with carbs, or more protein and fat, or any combination. Remember to track properly too, use a food scale (measuring cups can be very inaccurate due to density); track everything, each little bit adds up (sauces can be quite calorie dense).

Next decide your goal and eat at a 10-20% caloric deficit or surplus, deficit to lose weight and surplus to gain. For gaining go for ~.5-1 pound per week and when losing aim for 1-2 pounds per week. Reach your macro needs with mostly whole foods and a wide variety to ensure enough vitamins and mineral, but remember to practice common sense and moderation- enjoy life.

Sources and More Information

Spoiler!

Nutrition-
Calculating Calories
Pre, During, and Postworkout Nutrition
How To Ask For Diet Critique
Discretionary Calorie Allowance
Macro/Micro Nutrients Explained
Why 'Clean Eating' Is a Myth
Clean Eating Myth 2
Insulin and Fat Loss
Insulin and Fat Loss 2

Protein-
Protein Needs
Protein Needs 2
Protein Timing

Fat-
Fat Needs
Fat and Testosterone

Meal Timing-
Meal Timing 1
Meal Timing 2

Micro-Nutrient Guide-
Micro-Nutrient Guide

TRAINING

Start with a solid beginner routine, these are designed to get the most for you; they are designed by professionals and use progressive overload. Read through them and pick the one you like most, follow it as it is written.

Why You Should Not Make Your Own Routine
How To Perform Basic Lifts

Routines
Fierce 5
Viking's Bare Bones
PL2W Novice
GreySkull LP



Youtube Videos

Spoiler!

[SouthpawClinch]

You don't need a gym to lose weight, you need to get your diet in check and be in a caloric deficit, you can't out-train a bad diet. Read the stickies in this forum and the nutrition forum, they will pretty much answer your questions.

true, but training can make it easier if you have a decent or good diet. and she already said she has trouble following what is talked about on these forums so telling her to look at the sticky's isn't really helping her any

to the thread starter, do you have any interest in martial arts by chance? I have very rarely seen anyone start training in something like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and NOT lose a good bit of weight. just a thought.

can you tell us what all equipment you have access to (and what kind of time you can dedicate in a week to training) after that we can look at diet tho I personally will be more help with the training side I have a bit of dietary knowledge

[SouthpawClinch]

I know I don't need a gym to lose weight, but the gym would give me something to do and something to do as a hobby. I'd love to be someone that enjoys the gym and without knowing what do do I just look like a lost cause. I'll read some stickies, Thankyou

this response makes me double sure BJJ would be good for you. it can be a bit pricy tho so Judo or Boxing are also both good options or Muay Thai. You don't need to compete or anything just train regularly.

[xsquid99]

true, but training can make it easier if you have a decent or good diet. and she already said she has trouble following what is talked about on these forums so telling her to look at the sticky's isn't really helping her any

to the thread starter, do you have any interest in martial arts by chance? I have very rarely seen anyone start training in something like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and NOT lose a good bit of weight. just a thought.

can you tell us what all equipment you have access to (and what kind of time you can dedicate in a week to training) after that we can look at diet tho I personally will be more help with the training side I have a bit of dietary knowledge

There is nothing more simple to understand than the "dont look past the basics" sticky, its written so anyone can understand it.

[Beckio]

true, but training can make it easier if you have a decent or good diet. and she already said she has trouble following what is talked about on these forums so telling her to look at the sticky's isn't really helping her any

to the thread starter, do you have any interest in martial arts by chance? I have very rarely seen anyone start training in something like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and NOT lose a good bit of weight. just a thought.

can you tell us what all equipment you have access to (and what kind of time you can dedicate in a week to training) after that we can look at diet tho I personally will be more help with the training side I have a bit of dietary knowledge

Thank you for your patience!

I’ve not really thought about martial arts in all honesty. I just wanna lose my flab, get toned and a healthy lifestyle. Maybe once I’m fit/healthy I’d like to start kick boxing with my son.

At the moment I have full access to a gym and around 2 hours free for going. At home I just has some dumbbells, kettlebells, skipping rope and resistance bands.. but again not sure how to put them to the best sort of use for my aim.

Do I focus primarily on weight loss right now or do I try and tone/muscle along with it?
I don’t want to lose weight and be really skinny/loose skin if that makes sense?

Thanks again :]

[spradish]

Thank you for your patience!

I’ve not really thought about martial arts in all honesty. I just wanna lose my flab, get toned and a healthy lifestyle. Maybe once I’m fit/healthy I’d like to start kick boxing with my son.

At the moment I have full access to a gym and around 2 hours free for going. At home I just has some dumbbells, kettlebells, skipping rope and resistance bands.. but again not sure how to put them to the best sort of use for my aim.

Do I focus primarily on weight loss right now or do I try and tone/muscle along with it?
I don’t want to lose weight and be really skinny/loose skin if that makes sense?

Thanks again :]

Read the "Don't look past the basics" post that is at the top of the forum.

[ON3M4N]

A lot of this stuff was over my head too when I started and I hated going to the gym. After lurking around the boards and doing some research, I actually started to enjoy the gym and appreciate what I was doing while I was working out. My best advice is just try to learn something new everyday and understand/accept that you're going to make a mistake at some point, so don't let any minor setback frustrate you.

[Beckio]

A lot of this stuff was over my head too when I started and I hated going to the gym. After lurking around the boards and doing some research, I actually started to enjoy the gym and appreciate what I was doing while I was working out. My best advice is just try to learn something new everyday and understand/accept that you're going to make a mistake at some point, so don't let any minor setback frustrate you.

Thank you so much for the advice! It’s so daunting but I really want to make a change so badly. I’m trying to figure out how to start my calorie deficit but so different online calculators give me different answers 🙈 hopefully I’ll get there in the end with the help of you guys on this forum

[xsquid99]

Thank you so much for the advice! It’s so daunting but I really want to make a change so badly. I’m trying to figure out how to start my calorie deficit but so different online calculators give me different answers 🙈 hopefully I’ll get there in the end with the help of you guys on this forum

Paralysis by analysis... If you seriously haven't started because of calculators then the issue is with you, not with online calculators and different answers.

[Beckio]

Paralysis by analysis... If you seriously haven't started because of calculators then the issue is with you, not with online calculators and different answers.

What is your problem? Not everyone knows the ins and outs to this. I’m merely pointing out that different things give me different answers and since calorie intake is such an important factor to a calorie deficit, I would like to make sure I get it correct before I start. I’m not gonna dive headfirst into something I’m not 100% certain of, I’m doing research hence my post for advice and joining this forum.

[dipatel13]

What is your problem? Not everyone knows the ins and outs to this. I’m merely pointing out that different things give me different answers and since calorie intake is such an important factor to a calorie deficit, I would like to make sure I get it correct before I start. I’m not gonna dive headfirst into something I’m not 100% certain of, I’m doing research hence my post for advice and joining this forum.

No calculator is going to be 100% accurate. Pick a calorie target, stick to it for 3 weeks, monitor your weight, then make adjustments as necessary.

[xsquid99]

What is your problem? Not everyone knows the ins and outs to this. I’m merely pointing out that different things give me different answers and since calorie intake is such an important factor to a calorie deficit, I would like to make sure I get it correct before I start. I’m not gonna dive headfirst into something I’m not 100% certain of, I’m doing research hence my post for advice and joining this forum.

My problem is that you can't "math" your way to a solution with an online calculator, everyone's body responds differently and therefore no calculator will be entirely accurate. At the end of the day a sustainable, well balanced nutritious diet and exercise is all thats necessary to lose weight. Make some changes, stick with it for 3-4 weeks, and then re-evaluate based on your bodies reaction.

[laura983]

Hi Beckio,

I was new around here back in October and agree it can be a lot to take in for a complete newbie.

The stickies are a really good starting point, but take it in small steps, make notes, and really try to understand it.

The [invaluable] advice given to me was to start with a TDEE calculator and work out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. If the calculators are giving you different figures, take an average from them and use that for the time being. Start with a calorie deficit of between 10-20% of that figure. Stick with it for 3-4 weeks and see how you get on. You want to aim for around 1-2lbs loss per week. If you are losing more than that, increase your calories. If you lose slower, decrease them. You will need to give each level around 3-4 weeks to really see a consistent change. Remember that its not a race, and the more consistent you are, and more time you give to this, will make it more successful in the long run!

As you lose the lbs, you may need to adjust your calorie intake to account for your new weight. Have a re-jig every 10-20lbs or so (as time goes on, you should notice a pattern to your loss).

You need to be absolutely meticulous in calorie counting - get yourself a good food scale and weigh EVERYTHING. There are various apps/websites to log food. I use Myfitnesspal which has a barcode scanner. Just be sure to check the numbers against the actual food labels as sometimes they can be out and a few calories here and there can really add up! Be honest with every snack, softdrink, sugar in tea/coffee etc.

Working-out whilst eating at a calorie deficit will help to ensure you retain existing muscle (i.e. you will lose body fat, rather than both fat AND muscle). This will help you achieve a nice slim & toned look, rather than skinny fat. There are some brilliant workout suggestions on this forum. I'm on Stronglifts 5x5 and absolutely love it. You don't need to be doing 2 hours each day - find something you enjoy and will stick with, thats more important! Cardio is good for general health, but it doesn't need to be a priority - get some in after lifting a few times a week.

Macros, in a nutshell, are the proteins, fats, and carbs that make up your total calories. There is much debate around how much protein you should consume per day, but around 0.6-1g per lb of weight is generally agreed. So for you, that would be around 117-196g of protein. Fat plays an important part in our general health and, again, whilst there is some debate on levels, 0.4g per lb of weight is generally agreed as a good starting point, so that would be around 78g of fat. The rest of your calories can be made up of carbs/more protein/more fat. That said, generally agreed figures don't work for everyone so its important to do your own research on this and adjust levels where necessary. The stickies go into much more info with supporting data on macros so be sure to read them!!

I know all the info can seem overwhelming and daunting, but take it from a fellow newbie - once you get into the swing of things, it becomes really easy!

[xsquid99]

Best advice I got when I started, please watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0eWbk-0qdg

[Beckio]

Hi Beckio,

I was new around here back in October and agree it can be a lot to take in for a complete newbie.

The stickies are a really good starting point, but take it in small steps, make notes, and really try to understand it.

The [invaluable] advice given to me was to start with a TDEE calculator and work out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. If the calculators are giving you different figures, take an average from them and use that for the time being. Start with a calorie deficit of between 10-20% of that figure. Stick with it for 3-4 weeks and see how you get on. You want to aim for around 1-2lbs loss per week. If you are losing more than that, increase your calories. If you lose slower, decrease them. You will need to give each level around 3-4 weeks to really see a consistent change. Remember that its not a race, and the more consistent you are, and more time you give to this, will make it more successful in the long run!

As you lose the lbs, you may need to adjust your calorie intake to account for your new weight. Have a re-jig every 10-20lbs or so (as time goes on, you should notice a pattern to your loss).

You need to be absolutely meticulous in calorie counting - get yourself a good food scale and weigh EVERYTHING. There are various apps/websites to log food. I use Myfitnesspal which has a barcode scanner. Just be sure to check the numbers against the actual food labels as sometimes they can be out and a few calories here and there can really add up! Be honest with every snack, softdrink, sugar in tea/coffee etc.

Working-out whilst eating at a calorie deficit will help to ensure you retain existing muscle (i.e. you will lose body fat, rather than both fat AND muscle). This will help you achieve a nice slim & toned look, rather than skinny fat. There are some brilliant workout suggestions on this forum. I'm on Stronglifts 5x5 and absolutely love it. You don't need to be doing 2 hours each day - find something you enjoy and will stick with, thats more important! Cardio is good for general health, but it doesn't need to be a priority - get some in after lifting a few times a week.

Macros, in a nutshell, are the proteins, fats, and carbs that make up your total calories. There is much debate around how much protein you should consume per day, but around 0.6-1g per lb of weight is generally agreed. So for you, that would be around 117-196g of protein. Fat plays an important part in our general health and, again, whilst there is some debate on levels, 0.4g per lb of weight is generally agreed as a good starting point, so that would be around 78g of fat. The rest of your calories can be made up of carbs/more protein/more fat. That said, generally agreed figures don't work for everyone so its important to do your own research on this and adjust levels where necessary. The stickies go into much more info with supporting data on macros so be sure to read them!!

I know all the info can seem overwhelming and daunting, but take it from a fellow newbie - once you get into the swing of things, it becomes really easy!

Wow thank you so much for the in-depth answer and advice. I’ll take a picture and refer back and forth to it no doubt! This will definitely help me I’m sure

[laura983]

Wow thank you so much for the in-depth answer and advice. I’ll take a picture and refer back and forth to it no doubt! This will definitely help me I’m sure

No problem at all - I hope it helps!

I also meant to say - remember you don't have to go hungry or feel deprived. I'm guessing your TDEE number is somewhere around the 2200 calorie mark, which means you'll probably reduce down to around about 1750 calories a day. In these early days, put in the effort to do some decent meal planning and really concentrate on maximising the calories. Have a good breakfast to set you up for the day. Spread your protein over as many meals as poss, so think about things like egg for breakfast, chicken salad/wrap for lunch and fish with veggies for dinner. You'll then have room for a snack between those meals - fruit, carrot sticks, ricecakes etc. If you have 'spare' calories, use them to make sauces/marinades - it'll make a difference!

Good luck!