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Original poster

Is 30-40 minutes at the gym...

43 replies

fedupofillness · 03/05/2023 07:32

3 times a week enough to get fitter and loose weight and tone.

I'm doing 15 minutes treadmill and 15 minutes bike and sometimes the stepper and some weights.

I also walk a lot and most days but I'm stuck in a rut and trying get out of it

Thank you

OP posts:
wasacasa · 03/05/2023 07:34

I’m not sure you’ll lose much weight. I’d drop some of your cardio and do more weights.

AssertiveGertrude · 03/05/2023 07:35

are weights better for losing weights (novice gym goer here) and interested too

rainraingoawaay · 03/05/2023 07:35

Lifting weights will definitely help you tone if you incorporate a bit more of that 😊

wasacasa · 03/05/2023 07:37

If you want to lose weight you really need to concentrate on diet and being in a calorie deficit

houseselling · 03/05/2023 07:41

What PP said

You can't out train a bad diet.

Say you burn 500 calories in the gym. You may be overeating by more than 500 calories per day so will end up not losing weight just by working out.

You need to reduce your calorie intake.

TheOrigRights · 03/05/2023 07:44

How much effort on the treadmill, bike and stepper?

midgemadgemodge · 03/05/2023 07:55

Most people overeat after going to the gym - a biscuit or two reward - and then put on weight

Whochangedmynamec · 03/05/2023 07:57

Calorie count. It really helps your realise what is going in. Over time you will get more toned just with that level of exercise. You might find you start wanting to do more though.

Helenloveslee4eva · 03/05/2023 07:59

Exercise doesn’t loose weight. Calorie reduction does …. Basically.

DanceMonster · 03/05/2023 08:00

Depends what you’re eating. It will help, alongside a calorie controlled diet, but it won’t do much on its own.
I’d also incorporate more weights.

wwyd2021medicine · 03/05/2023 08:03

Do weights instead. Up your steps on the other days. That is for general fitness rather than weight loss.
Weight loss is calorie deficit
Also, muscles aren't visible and 'toned' looking if body fat is too high.

TheOrigRights · 03/05/2023 08:09

Helenloveslee4eva · 03/05/2023 07:59

Exercise doesn’t loose weight. Calorie reduction does …. Basically.

So if OP eats the same and increases exercise she will lose weight as well as gaining all the benefits exercise gives.

midgemadgemodge · 03/05/2023 08:11

If op eats the same ( takes discipline) and her weight is currently stable and she doesn't reduce movement during the rest of that day ( which is common - been to the gym collapse on the sofa ) then she will lose

midgemadgemodge · 03/05/2023 08:12

But the exercise is great

Just don't think it's failing if you don't lose weight you will still be getting healthier

Dozycuntlaters · 03/05/2023 08:20

Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. If you want to use your exercise to lose weight and tone up you need to drop the cardio down and do more weights. 35 mins won't be enough, it takes a while to get your body into the training zone so you are better off doing an hour or so. Of course, any exercise is good so as long as you're bang on it with your nutrition it will definitely help!

lunaloveroo · 03/05/2023 08:26

I don't think what you're doing would have. Huge impact. I'd recommend lifting weights or doing a high intensity class.

Ylvamoon · 03/05/2023 08:52

I agree, drop the cardio at the gym and do more weights for toning and strength.

Loosing weight only works through dieting- try cutting back/ out the junk food & snacking.

Make sure your meals are well balanced with carbs, protein and plenty of veg. Cut out (or reduce) sauces like ketchup * smothering veg in butter. Same for salt and redy mixed spices.

Skybluepinky · 03/05/2023 09:23

To lose 1lb through exercise u would need to do 7 hours full pelt, u lose weight through diet, u can build muscle/tone and improve metabolic rate by exercising.

Original poster
fedupofillness · 03/05/2023 09:42

I am currently on average reducing my calorie intake to 1200 each day, sometimes as high as 1400. I am doing my fitness pal and weighing my food. I've given up all processed foods and I'm now trying to kick start my weight loss. I have thyroid issues and it's incredibly slow for me to loose weight even in a calorie deficit so need to up my fitness too. I don't feel confident using weights I have been given some to do and I am trying too but find it very embarrassing at the gym as it is all super fit men around me using them so normally do a little but feel very intimidated so I don't think I am going to end up doing the weights. I've always been very shy about exercising in front of others. But I go to the gym at 6am to help with this as it is quieter, unfortunately I cannot do high impact exercise at all. But I am getting my heart rate up to 150-170 whilst running and on the bike and my resting heart rate on average is 60, sometimes 58-59. I don't then sit down for the rest of the day as I do my school run which is a 2 mile walk and have a very busy little one that keeps me on my toes, I did loose weight really well doing low impact hits at home and diet but unfortunately I cannot fit in those hits anymore without being disturbed so I knew I had to leave the house to exercise and the only time I get is before everyone else wakes up in the morning.

I will try and get braver with the weights though as I have heard it's key to loosing weight and toning it just may take me a while too build up to it.

OP posts:
EmmaStone · 03/05/2023 10:22

Could you book in with a PT for a few sessions to get you set up? They can teach you form for weights to help prevent injuries, and give you an idea of what weights you should be using and how. Even if you maybe see a PT once a fortnight/month for a review, that may be enough to keep you accountable in between, and then see some progress with each session.

There are loads of free (and paid!) resources available now too online, so once you've learnt some moves, you'd be able to use You Tube or whatever in between.

What you're doing is absolutely better than doing nothing, but I don't know if you'll see much difference. And annoyingly, your body gets used to the exercise, so you need to up the weights, or train harder for the same results. Grrr!

potatohead1 · 03/05/2023 10:27

Pedant me just has to put this out there. It's LOSE not LOOSE.

Anyway, you are likely burning way fewer calories than you think doing your cardio. Weight training will increase muscle mass and this will make you burn more. I would do a 10 min cardio warmup then do weights for 30-40 mins if that is the time you have. Not little 2-3 kg weights. Big weights. You'll need some lessons with a pt. It'll be worth it. And no, you won't go bulky

lljkk · 03/05/2023 10:38

Let us know how you get on, OP?

BogRollBOGOF · 03/05/2023 21:33

Yes, it's enough to improve your health, and it's a realistic, sustainable amount with recovery time.

Both weights and cardio have their advantages and it's well worth mixing the two up. Cardio is about boosting your heart and lung capacity for general health, and high impact cardio like running is a form of strength training in its own right- you're basically doing thousands of single leg squats in close sucession! Weights are good for boosting your whole body muscle mass which boosts your metabolism which aids weight loss and crucially, maintaining it.

I'd structure each session differently. Maybe on two do 15 mins cardio and 30 mins weights, and on the other session do a longer more gentle cardio session to boost your stamina and a shorter weights session.

Any exercise programme will need tweaking long term to maintain gains by increasing the weight/ intensity/ resistance.

I don't work out in conventional gyms, but have a very mixed exercise routine of running, weights classes and other exercise like swimming, cycling and yoga. Variety keeps things interesting.
DH goes to a gym and uses weights and cardio machines and is sucessfully losing weight at a sustainable rate, seeing his cardiovascular health improve and muscle definition improve. 6 months ago he went to parkrun after a bit of a break and having only done weights thinking he was fit, and was pretty horrified at how much harder it had become since he last went regularly- since then he's knocked about 4 minutes off and gone sub 30 mins by doing structured cardio around his weights sessions.

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 04/05/2023 13:41

You can’t out train a bad diet. You need to be in calorie deficit to lose weight.

The problems with cardio for losing weight are:
a) we generally don’t do enough or at sufficient high intensity to counterbalance calorie surplus

b) our bodies adjust to cardio/aerobic training so that the calorific expenditure reduces when you reach a level of fitness, so then you have to do more. And so on it goes

You could try HIIT - high intensity interval training - or metcon - metabolic conditioning. These are much better at getting you fit than steady state cardio.

But you have to go hard and fast for any effect!

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 04/05/2023 13:52

Having read your 2nd post (sorry should have RTFT) I think you’re maybe not eating enough, or maybe not the right macros for you. Can you see a nutritionist ?

Would more protein and cutting out simple carbs help? I don’t eat bread, pasta, noodles,!or rice except as treats. Nor do I eat cake, biscuits or chocolate except as rare treats - maybe once a month.

Agree with PPs about serious weightlifting. But you need to be on a progressive programme - that is, adding weight in a planned way. So if in one week, you can deadlift 40 kilos (including the weight of the bar) easily for say, 5 sets of 5 reps, the next week try 45 kilos or 50 kilos. And so on. You’re aiming to train to near- failure - that is, that you can maybe only just complete your final set with good form.

This builds your muscles, makes you fitter and stronger, and muscles burn more calories!