Hit a Gym or exercise at Home

Jason

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
277
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(
 

Lamb

God's Lil Lamb
Community Team
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
31,560
Age
57
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(

While working out is great and builds muscle the important part is actually restricting your caloric intake and if you can reduce the carbs you eat then that's even better. I work out every day in one form or another and it does not help me to lose pounds! I know I need to restrict my calories but it's hard when I'm hungry all the time and in the back of my head I know my doctor doesn't want me to lose weight because of my past cancers so I use that an excuse to not even lose 5 pounds.

I prefer working out at home because I don't like being around other people when I'm exercising. If paying money for a gym means that you'll discipline yourself enough to go ever day then do it.
 

Jason

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
277
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Thanks @lammchen for your input on this. I also not prefer exercising around other people. I am thinking of getting a dumb bells set and do some exercise.
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,083
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(

If you go the gym you'll have access to a much wider variety of equipment. Of course that's only useful if you actually go to the gym and use the equipment - it's remarkable how many people sign up for a year at the gym in January and then go 12 times during January, 4 times during February, once in March and then quit, while still paying for the year's membership they signed up for.

The best thing to do first of all is watch what you eat. If it doesn't go in you don't have to burn it off. It's remarkable just how many calories you can find in everyday foods - a single slice of bread can contain 100+ calories and so many things are loaded with sugars and fats. Then you can combine eating less and eating more sensibly with taking appropriate exercise considering your goals.

If you can take regular exercise that doesn't even have to be particularly intense you can gradually tone and enhance muscles. I like to hike in the woods when the weather is reasonable, although given my go-to hikes typically take 2-3 hours it's not necessarily the sort of thing everyone can fit in to the regular schedule. I have another walk around town I like to do with my wife that takes about 50 minutes. It's a lot less strenuous but means we both get at least some exercise. When it's icy outside we don't do the walk, and if it's 100+ degrees we typcally don't bother, but as long as the weather is even bearable we like to be out.

One thing to be aware of is your exercise intensity and the number of calories you actually burn off. It's easy to do a lot of intense exercise that burns up a lot of your blood sugar only to leave you hungry - if that happens and you start eating after exercising you can undo all the good work you just did. The number of calories burned is a tricky one because a lot of machines give estimates and a lot of them are insanely high. A friend of mine posted a bicycle ride she had done with an estimated calorie burn of something like 1200. Knowing her size and seeing the distance and terrain of her ride I could tell her actuall calorie burn was less than 600 and probably more like 3-400. Of course if she thought she had burned 1200 calories and then took on 500 calories as a "reward" then she would have just undone all her good work. (I've got a good idea of how many calories are actually burned cycling because I have an indoor trainer with a power meter that tells me exactly how much energy I have put into the pedals.)
 

Jason

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
277
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
[MENTION=62]tango[/MENTION] i 100% agree with you on paying the Gym for 1 year and going only few times and the rest is a waste. I have started to manage my diet, less to no junk foods. Fruits, less rice and less calorie intake are the ones i am following now.
 

vince284

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 15, 2015
Messages
300
Location
USA
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(

I lost over 230 LBS, I guess that would be over 100 Kg. It was a lifestyle change, I had done various diets, and exercise programs but nothing worked for long. I changed just about everything in my life. I learned portion control, I learned about carbs, about sleep, about the amount and the right exercise. I don’t know what triggered it, but I can tell you no one telling me to lose weight worked. I had to do it on my own.

The little things I changed without much effort was to eat something raw at every meal. No engineered foods (HFCS, PHO) no processed foods, nothing in a can. No Teflon, only heavy iron skillets (when lifting and cleaning it’s a workout, but then you appreciate the food you’re making in them) I went from 2 -3 huge meals to 6 little meals. I always carried a snack with me.

Only after I lost 100 pounds did I really start looking to exercise. I started at a gym, and I was there every weekday for 2 years and sometimes on Saturday mornings if I was bored at home. But I really started to tone up exercising at home to some intense video programs for 9 months. In the middle of all that I got a very nice road bike, and with another friend who lived near we encouraged each other and that helped a lot to have people around that have the same mental attitude. I was often riding 200 miles a week, along with my gym activities.

I don’t want to discourage you, but it’s been a struggle, and it will never end. I went from a comfortable size 54 waist pants to one day I had some 501 Buttonfly Jeans that I had forgotten about for about 25 years. I found them and put them on, the fit was perfect, size 28!
 

vince284

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 15, 2015
Messages
300
Location
USA
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
While working out is great and builds muscle the important part is actually restricting your caloric intake and if you can reduce the carbs you eat then that's even better. I work out every day in one form or another and it does not help me to lose pounds! I know I need to restrict my calories but it's hard when I'm hungry all the time and in the back of my head I know my doctor doesn't want me to lose weight because of my past cancers so I use that an excuse to not even lose 5 pounds.

I prefer working out at home because I don't like being around other people when I'm exercising. If paying money for a gym means that you'll discipline yourself enough to go ever day then do it.

You are so right!
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,083
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
[MENTION=62]tango[/MENTION] i 100% agree with you on paying the Gym for 1 year and going only few times and the rest is a waste. I have started to manage my diet, less to no junk foods. Fruits, less rice and less calorie intake are the ones i am following now.

I cut out a lot of cheese from my diet, not to mention chocolate and other general junk. Then I added more walks in the woods, although I do a lot of those anyway both for exercise, a sense of solitude and being alone with my thoughts. I still enjoy good food, just not so much of it. I'm down about 35lb in five months. During the winter I won't get to go hiking in the woods because of the snow and ice (it's hard enough seeing the forest floor under a bed of fallen leaves, let alone a few inches of snow) so I may just fire up my indoor bicycle again. I don't like that so much - part of what I want is to move through my surroundings rather than just working my muscles without going anywhere - but when the temperature is way below freezing it's probably the best option I have.
 

MOJS4545

Active member
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Messages
28
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Methodist
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(

How long have you been working out? I think it is important to be patient. Change comes slow. There are benefits to working out at home such as not paying a gym membership. But you may get more of a variety of workouts at a gym
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,083
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
One other thought, if you're working out don't get too preoccupied with your BMI. As a guide it can be useful but it's a very poor master.

When I first started working out I lost four inches from my waistline before the scale budged at all. My clothes were looser, people kept saying how much weight I'd lost but the actual amount I'd lost was.... nothing. It's just that I'd been burning off fat and laying down extra muscle. Muscle is denser so my body was getting physically smaller (i.e. less fat, better toned) but the total weight was the same. Then came some kind of tipping point - I have no idea what suddenly triggered it but a whole load of weight pretty much fell off in a short time.

If you get too preoccupied with BMI you end up thinking you'd doing something wrong in a situation like this. Weight is just one metric to look at.
 

Jason

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
277
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I have been working out for 2 months. Ordered for 3 Kg Dumbbell and looking forward working out with it.
 
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Messages
13
Age
32
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I find the gym has more options to keep my engaged and entertained. At home it is a bit unmotivating!
 

Jason

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
277
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
[MENTION=1177]briantheroomie[/MENTION] so you hit the gym daily? I am fine with exercises done in home.
 

Spikey

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2020
Messages
12
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
In Relationship
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I have had a gym membership for the last few years and am still loving it! It's a good way to meet people too I have made a few friends at the gym.

I go to the gym about 4 to 5 times a week.
 

Lamb

God's Lil Lamb
Community Team
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
31,560
Age
57
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I have had a gym membership for the last few years and am still loving it! It's a good way to meet people too I have made a few friends at the gym.

I go to the gym about 4 to 5 times a week.

Which is your favorite piece of equipment?
 

Josiah

simul justus et peccator
Valued Contributor
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
13,647
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I am bulk and chubby guy. Loosing weight is tough for me now, i do around 40 minutes of various exercises. I am not able to tighten my muscles, they are flabby. Do you think i should continue to try new exercise at home or is it best to hit gym?

I weight 115 Kg, age 33. Very bad BMI :(


I'm 32. 6-0. 170 pounds.

While I have a membership at a Fitness Center (and get there a couple of times a week), I mostly work out at home. When I was a teen, I wanted at least "definition" (um, for the girls, lol) and working out WILL build muscles (for guys anyway) whether that's a goal or not. Now, I'm just interested in keeping my energy up and weight down. I do 30 minutes.

Accountability is HUGE. If you are struggling, I strongly recommend a coach. All fitness centers offer coaches, and they tend to be very affordable (occasionally, INCLUDED in the membership upon request). Set up a regular weekly appointment with him/her (heads up: Guys work harder when the coach is a pretty girl, lol). The accountability factor ALONE makes a big difference. Also, get to know people at the center. Many have a very regular schedule. There's much to be said for the support and accountability that comes from friends engaged in the same thing. Before our son was born, my wife and I always went to the center together.

Story: I'm fairly young and in good shape, but next door is a high school boy, a senior on the basketball team at school. He likes to do some one-on-one and since he lives just with his mom and there are no teen guys in our gated community, he comes knocking on MY door. And I'm usually willing. But he knows how to play this..... he knows he can wear me out, and then walk all over me, lol.


Good luck!


Josiah




.
 
Top Bottom