One of the best ways to lose weight is to work out at the gym.If you are not a gym rat, you may not know where to start.In order to burn fat and build muscle, you need to do both cardiovascular and resistance workouts.You have to make sure you are eating a proper diet.
Step 1: A healthy weight-loss goal can be determined by talking to your doctor.
Not everyone needs to lose weight.Your doctor can tell you what a healthy weight range is for you based on your physical characteristics.This information can be used to set a healthy weight for yourself.If your doctor tells you that a healthy weight range is 150 to 160 pounds, you should set a goal for yourself to eventually weigh in at 155 pounds.It is unrealistic for most people to try to lose more than 2 pounds in a week.You should aim to lose 1 pound a week.
Step 2: To assess your fitness level, use push-ups, planks, and jogging.
Push-ups are a good way to test your strength and endurance.How long can you hold a plank?How long does it take you to complete a 1.5mi run to gauge your aerobic fitness?The tests can be used to determine how intense your initial workouts should be.A healthy 25-year-old man should be able to jog 1.5 miles in 11 minutes and perform 28 push-ups in a row.A 25-year-old woman should be able to jog 1.5 miles in 13 minutes and perform 20 push-ups in a row.A classic front plank should be held for 1-2 minutes by most healthy people.A safer and more effective way to build abdominal strength is through plank exercises.People under the age of 25 will have less intense fitness tests.
Step 3: You don't need to hold onto the handles to run on the treadmill.
Since you already know how to walk or run on the treadmill, it's one of the best ways to burn fat at the gym.You need to bear the bulk of your body weight in order to burn calories.If you can, don't hold onto the handles while you run.A good treadmill workout is to run at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes.Depending on the intensity of your run, you may be able to burn fat more efficiently.Interval training is what this is called.You should decrease your speed to a more comfortable pace if this workout is too intense for you.Try running at a faster speed if you want to increase the intensity.If you have trouble staying upright, you should only grasp the handles.If you are having trouble staying up, you need to get off the treadmill and get help from a member of the gym staff.
Step 4: On a stationary bike, do high-intensity intervals.
After a couple of minutes of high-speed cycling, do some slower cycling.Over the course of a 30-minute workout, you can repeat this process.Since there is less impact on your knees, this is an especially useful workout if you suffer from joint pain.
Step 5: If your gym has a pool, you can swim laps in it.
Your muscles are fighting against gravity to keep you afloat, so treading water is a good workout.For a more intense workout, swim laps at a fast speed for as long as you can.You should change your stroke style every couple of laps.If you just swam two laps using a breaststroke, do the next two with a butterfly stroke.Don't swim fast, at least not all the time.Aim for an intense but manageable pace that you can sustain for at least 30 minutes, if not an hour.
Step 6: The machine can be used to row.
Slow down for 1 minute when you row a set distance as fast as you can.Over a 30-minute period, repeat this process.This machine is great for working out your arms and legs.
Step 7: You can increase your metabolism by lifting heavy weights.
You can start with weights that you can lift up to 12 times.Gradually increase your weights over the course of several workouts.As you build more and more lean muscle, taking a gradual approach will greatly reduce the risk of injury.Although it may seem counterintuitive to build muscle if you want to lose weight, the added muscle mass will increase the amount of calories you burn.You will burn more fat as you gain more muscle weight.
Step 8: If your gym offers this service, you should work with a personal trainer.
If you work out with a professional trainer, they will give you guidance and feedback that will help you avoid injury or improper form.If there are trainers on staff that you can work with, ask a staff member.If your gym doesn't offer a training service, ask a staff member if the gym will allow you to hire an outside fitness coach and have them work out with you.Gyms now offer some form of fitness training.Many of them will charge a fee for these services.
Step 9: You should do workouts that you enjoy doing.
Since you will actually want to do these workouts, it will be easier for you to stick to an exercise routine.Try to find ways to make workouts more enjoyable if you want to incorporate them into your weekly routine.If you don't like running on a treadmill, listen to upbeat music while you run.Ask a friend to go to the gym with you.It is more enjoyable to exercise with someone else.
Step 10: If you want to work out with other people, sign up for group classes.
You can enroll in a class for a workout you already do, as well as the class that looks interesting and that you haven't tried before.You can introduce yourself to a new workout in an encouraging environment with this.It makes going to the gym a lot more enjoyable if you work out with others.If you have never done yoga before, sign up for a beginner class.It engages a lot of muscles that you haven't been able to work out with other forms of exercise.You can sign up for a class at the gym that includes the workouts you don't like.It is possible that performing these exercises in a group or under the guidance of a trainer makes them easier to complete.
Step 11: Resistance bands are a good way to strengthen your muscles.
Resistance bands allow you to work out both your upper and lower body at the same time.If you want to use the resistance to strengthen your muscles, you should either step on the band or have it tied to a pole.If you want to work out your arm muscles, stand on the resistance band and pull up on it with your forearm.
Step 12: You can incorporate a balance ball into your workouts.
Balance balls are large inflated balls that you can use to provide resistance to a workout or prop up part of your body.Adding a balance ball to your workout will make it more difficult and push your muscles a bit harder.If you already do push-ups on a regular basis, try completing them with your feet propped up on the balance ball.They are a lot more difficult to complete this way.The balance ball can be used to make exercises more difficult.
Step 13: Work out for at least 5 days a week.
If you want to ensure that your workouts will lead to weight loss over time, you should exercise on a regular basis.If you are just starting out, increase your exercise routine to 5 days a week.At the end of your workouts, you should feel a little exhausted.Do your exercises at a slower pace.Push yourself in every workout, but be careful not to hurt yourself.Your weight-loss efforts may be jeopardized by an injury.
Step 14: Give yourself a week of rest.
Each muscle group needs 24 to 72 hours of recovery time between workouts, so plan out your resistance training sessions so that you have time to rest.Allow yourself time to mentally and emotionally recover, as well.It's important to be able to stick with your routine over time.Even though you aren't going to the gym, stay active on your rest days.Don't just sit on the couch all day.If you want to keep yourself moving, take a walk around your neighborhood.If your muscles are sore after a full day of rest, don't work them out again until the pain is mostly gone.
Step 15: Track your progress with a fitness journal.
You can keep track of your workouts with an app on your phone.Refer to this journal every time you do a particular workout and aim to do more than you did last time.Write your weight in this app when you measure it each week.If you did 2 sets of 5 reps on a particular machine at the gym, try to do 2 set of 6 reps this time.Being able to refer to this journal will remind you of how far you have come.If you don't have a phone, use a small notepad and pen to keep track of what's happening at the gym.
Step 16: To maintain an energy deficit, eat less calories.
Losing weight is all about burning more calories through diet and exercise than you take in.How many calories you should be eating every day is determined by your Basal Metabolic Rate.Aim to eat 500 calories less than that.The BMR formula is used for men.5.8 x age in years is the height in cm.The BMR formula is for women.The height in cm is 1.7 x the age in years.
Step 17: A healthy diet is maintained.
Every day you should eat something from each of the 5 food groups along with healthy fats and limited amounts of sugar.Don't eat processed or otherwise bad food as much as you can, only indulge in these foods once in a while.Don't forget to drink plenty of water as well.It will help you to stick to a healthy diet.Measure your portion sizes so you don't over eat.
Step 18: It's important to get the right amount of protein to build muscle.
All of your exercises are meaningless if you don't have the strength you need at the gym.For every 1 kilogram of body weight, aim to consume 1.5 grams of protein.Greek yogurt, egg whites, fish, milk, and nuts are some of the best sources of lean protein to eat after a workout.If you are a vegetarian or vegan, nuts and tofu are good for you.