Is 30-40 minutes at the gym...

[fedupofillness]

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

Honestly scrape cal counting, eat a whole balanced diet , eat good fat and high protein to feel full

Cut out the processed stuff out or reduce it , allow yourself a treat meal once a week

I agree weights are crucial, but you should invest in a few sessions with a PT to ensure that you are doing it correctly. Also check out Caroline Girvan on YouTube.

This is a total how long is a piece of string question.

It all depends on what you're doing for 30-40 minutes at the gym.

The only thing I do at the gym is weight lifting. It takes me 45 minutes to do three sets of supersets, with each superset comprising two or three different exercises and 4-5 sets comprising 8-13 reps, dependent on the lift/weight, (with 90 seconds of rest between each each set of reps).

Weight training increases muscle mass which in turn raises metabolism and burns (body) fat.

If you're walking outside of the gym, there's no point using the treadmill, stepper or bike. Do weight or resistance training as it will be far more effective in losing weight but it must be in conjunction with diet - losing weight is far more dependent on food.

Also, if your Apple watch/Fitbit/whatever tracker tells you you're burning x number of calories during your workout, it doesn't give you license to eat that number of calories in addition to whatever your daily calorie allowance is. This is a mistake many make.

Wow thank you everyone for taking the time to respond to me, this is all so helpful. Long gone are the days, when I did a simple diet and would shift all my lbs. I really do have to work harder now.

I have a small medical issue waiting for an operation (unfortunately at least a year on the NHS) that does restrict my use of weights but I can still use them but cannot use all of them and certainly not free weights or anything that would put pressure on my shoulder.

Today I tried to mix it up and I did 30 minutes of weight machines and wow it was very challenging. I still did a run also as well. It's very hard having sleepless nights and then being motivated to exercise at 6am but that's the only option I have currently.

I also think the PT is an excellent idea to get me on the right track and I am going to find out the cost involved and see if I can afford a couple of sessions.

I am also going to book into some classes to change it up as I think variety is the key.

Thank you everyone

How do you know how many sets and reps to do at the weights? I'm never sure, but know I need to add more into my gym sessions.

You can mix and match for interest / continence

So three sets of 12 is a common pattern

Three sets of 8 or less for bulking up/ get in stronger fast

One set of 20 on days when time is pressured or if stamina is your main goal

I often just do a minute of each exercise alternating lower / upper body

Two sets of 8 or 12 if you have just upped the weight

All should be hard by the end so more weight less reps - personal preference after that , as long as it's hard it's doing you good

Convenience

Pelvic floor crunches for continence !

Weightlifting and it’s toning results speed up metabolism.

Could you go to a strength training class? I went to 5 before I had the confidence to use the weights on my own. Not because the men put me off, they all seem focused on doing their own thing, but because I wanted to be happy with my form and know I wouldn't do myself an injury.

You need to eat less to lose weight. Cardio and weight training will help your fitness levels but only a calorie deficit will shed pounds.

I thought I'd been doing them entirely wrong for a moment!!

There’s not really such a thing as “toning” - it’s basically increasing muscle mass and reducing fat so muscles are more visible.

Cardio doesn’t really build muscle in the same way as strength and resistance training but is good for overall cardiovascular health.

PTs can be invaluable, even just a couple of sessions to safely teach you how to use weights either free weights or machines.

This is decent advice and wanted to add the following -

6-8 reps if lifting heavy and looking to gain muscle, 10-12 reps at a lower weight if not.

Personally, my minimum is usually 3 sets, but that's really rare. I mostly do 4-5 sets. I always start with 5 sets of deadlifts. Resting between sets is important too.

Lastly, always start with the biggest compound move as you won't have the energy to do big lifts like deadlifts by the end of your workout.

If you are exercising then you are using more calories then when sedentary so she can eat the same and still be in calorie deficit.

You need a deficit of 3500 calories over the week to lose 1lb - it is unlikely that would be burned from the gym alone.

Eating less calories is the best way to lose weight.

The exercise is a brucey bonus

A simple thing in addition to all the helpful ideas would be to buy some ankle and wrist weights to wear while doing the school run. You do walk quite a lot during the day and the extra weight might help with toning.

It sounds like your calorie intake is already too low to reduce it much further.

Also is there a swimming pool near you that you could take the kids to? Or you could swim/do exercises in the water while they're having lessons. I've been doing Aquafit and the exercise combined with water resistance is very beneficial for toning. For example having a woggle that you can push down/stand on and lift and lower etc.

@xcvbn I find I make better choices around food now I exercise between 6-8 times a week. I'm eating to fuel muscle growth and nourish by body. I'm also busier, so can't mindlessly eat. And I heard that the higher your muscle mass the more calories are burned at rest? So surely nutrition and exercise have more of a symbiotic relationship?