Fatty at the gym

[ShouldITellHimToDoOne]

Right! I'm a big fatty. I'm 19 stone. I was 21.5 stone 18 months ago. I was 16.5 stone 6 months ago. So, I'm going up and down... but still in the big fatty range. I want to get back on it. I have a baby and I'm 40 and I'm on my own. I don't want to die and leave her an orphan. I don't care what I look like, I just want to be in the healthy range and away from the whole risk of diabetes and heart attack and blood pressure issues. I know how to do it. I cut carbs and sugar. Eat good stuff. Move. It comes off. I have joined a gym. I was mortified going in there with all the beautiful people, but I realise that they look more at themselves than at me, so I'm over it. It's done. I've been three times. BUT, it's all very confusing. There are personal coaches there, but I'm on a budget. I just want to pay my monthly sum get it there and do it. So far, I've just been doing cardio. I can hack it. One hour (bike, ski thing, treadmill). Will that be enough to see some weightloss or should I be pissing about on those weight machines? I know I'm never going to "get into" this. It's not something I think is brilliant. But, I am going to do it. I just want it to be straightforward and uncomplicated. I can't have apps and fitbits and a load of messing. Sorry for the moaning. Any suggestions as to how I can do this thing?

OP - Personally (I know lots of people swear by it) I think logging calories can be crazy making and your approach sounds much healthier as it focuses on what you know is good for your body. If you cut out sugar and processed carbs, exercise regularly and practice eating intuitively I think if you have weight to lose then it will come off and it becomes a much more natural way to live than trying to stick to an arbitrary number of calories which = being on a diet which for 90% of people is unsustainable. Learning the nutritional value of different foods and how to gauge your hunger and satiety are much more valuable skills than knowing calorie counts.

Gosh well done on your weight loss already!! A weight loss journey is never a straight line... Never. And don't believe people who tell you it is.

The difficulty is this. There are so many balls to juggle. Healthy food, planning and prep, exercise, cardio, weights. It's alot. It's alot to take in.

So small steps are key.

Any gym instructor should give you a tutorial of the weight machines and give you a plan to stick to. For free.
They should ask you what your goal is - whether that's to lose weight, maintain or add muscle.

Definitely go for the weights. Did you know if you do weights you still burn calories in your sleep whilst your body tries to repair?

A little bit of cardio is always good too. But it's not necessary to do hours of it if you don't enjoy it.

Foodwise... small steps again.
Drink plenty of water.
Cut back on sugar slowly
Small adjustments to your meals too.
Make sure you eat enough - not too much, not too little. Just a small calorie deficit of about 300-500 should be fine.

I struggle with having faith. I struggle with having faith that the process works. It took a long time for me to get where I am now. And I still find it hard.

It is necessary to make mistakes and regress. Without doing so, you don't learn. And this journey is all about learning. So don't be hard on yourself. Be determined. And be proud that you have lost a lot already!

Well done for going to the gym! It’s not easy!

Weights plus cardio is key. The gym should have staff who can help you with a programme and show you the machines etc. You could then get them to update it every six weeks or so.

Personally I find with classes I’m too busy trying to keep up with the pace that I am not necessarily doing the moves correctly.

With regard to food - it’s bloody hard. Cutting out carbs and crap is key. If you don’t want to count calories (although I found MFP great) how about a portion plate? Might be called diet plates. I got one on Amazon. Some are melamine but I got a ceramic one. Helps with portion control.

I started by googling the phrase that described what I aspired to, “slim and toned” that kind of thing, and that got me in to lifting heavy weights (body pump is cardio in comparison).
I started off with Strong Lifts 5x5, it’s all free on the Internet and it meant that I knew just what to do/ask when I got to the gym.

I would keep up with the cardio you enjoy, it’s vital for healthy heart and lungs.

Cancel membership

But some weights from Argos or amazon

Download Aaptiv

I joined my gym because I couldn’t afford the weights at home (and my floors are timber!). I stayed for the yoga

Thankyou @sleepwhenidie and @TwitterQueen1

I need to get my act together and start on weights.

Well... I had some surprise surgery today. I had a lump removed from under my arm. I thought it was just an appointment today, but the surgeon got straight down to it (I also suspect I might not have been listening to him last time I saw him - I'm in France and although I speak the language, I switch off sometimes).

So, now I have a big hole and a bandage in my armpit... so I'll be laying off the gym for a few days. This is really NOT what I wanted to happen so early on. I might go down and go on the leg pushing machines (I don't know any of the proper names yet) and I suppose you don't really need two arms for the bikes and treadmill.

You've all been so nice on this thread! I'll go slowly on the food. But, I know what's what. I MUST drink more water. I'm so bad at that.

Also, my dishy neighbour said he'd help me with the machines and won't let me stop going to the gym. I might send him a FB message and tell him about the hole in my arm. Always a good chat up line, I find. :-)

ooh that sounds like some surprise! I think it does rather hamper your fitness plans for the immediate future- though you must do what you can to keep in with your new gym buddy!
Maybe focus on your diet until your fit to exercise properly again.

Have you tried using your home elliptical machine while listening to audiobooks or watching TV? (TV/video on a tablet or laptop, as moving the machine or the telly may be impossible.) You get to exercise at the same time as watching or listening to something you've been wanting to get round to, *and possibly not needing a babysitter if the baby sleeps through the sound.