So since the last 2 days, I’ve been building the courage up to start doing exercises. I’m starting with weights that were just collecting dust so thought “hell why not, never too late to start getting fit”
Now I’m being realistic knowing that starting off you’re not gonna be shredded like a wrestler but I’m just tryna get leaner and fitter body wise.
Is it reasonable for absolute novices to never go to the gym for their exercise and fitness journey? I feel like would be saving some dosh even though I could be missing on some equipment they use there.
A penny for your thoughts?
For me, the hardest at-home part is the motivation. It’s so easy to “skip”. Finding things like pre-plans or games like Zwift on a bike trainer help, because it sets my schedule.
I also found it handy to pick an audio book, podcast, or show I liked, and only do that while working out.
For me, the effort of going somewhere to exercise is a big impediment, and I’m self-conscious exercising in front of people. The low barrier to start a daily workout wins, hands down.
Others find camaraderie just having other people involved in the same process, or really enjoy the variety of machines and options of a well-equipped facility.
You have to figure out which type of person you are. The most important thing is just to do something. (Unless you have specific, Jason Momoa-type goals in mind)
Unless you have specific, Jason Momoa-type goals in mind
Lets just call it what it is. Aquaman. If you goal is become Aquaman, you should focus on largely aquatic gym tasks, such as lifting extra heavy weights deep underwater, swimming (lots) of laps, and defeating gigantic sea monsters. This is the quickest path to eventually become Aquaman (well, at least in some ways. There can be only one True Aquaman, but you can strive for it).
Lets just call it what it is. Aquaman.
Except, of course, when it is Khal Drogo.
I agree with this. For me a lot of the brain game is reducing the barriers I have to beginning.
- I use an app so I don’t have to think about what to do (fiton, highly recommend) \
- I plan what time I’m going to do things throughout the week, but sometimes I even ‘plan’ for flexibility. Eg. Monday Wednesday before work, Saturday and Sunday I’ll do xyz at some point before dinner.
- I look for opportunities to blend active time with other enjoyable things (like watching a TV show while I’m on the treadmill, or listening to podcasts)
As a long-term non-exerciser, routine and coupling it with a reward was definitely key. I started out just walking, and walking to get lunch was a key motivator. Upgraded to a rowing machine, and it doesn’t even feel like a chore to sit on the machine and watch a movie in parts or a show, going on 5 years.
Still have to figure out how to get some strength work in there. Just can’t seem to find a system to consistently do a few push ups, pull ups, and stand ups.
For me, the effort of going somewhere to exercise is a big impediment,
For most of my adult life I was the exact opposite: I needed somewhere to go as part of my routine. Now that my car’s been on loan to my mom and dad for a year, and I’m pretty sure I’m never getting it back, I had to get home equipment and adapt by necessity. Luckily I enjoy lifting, so it’s been less difficult to stay consistent than I expected.
During covid I built a home gym (power rack, barbell and plates) never having touched any of it before in my life, and built a wrestler’s physique. It is absolutely possible to go this route. The amount of information available online now is incredible, and in some ways you would be better off teaching yourself versus going to a personal trainer in the gym. They tend to baffle you with BS, and “manage” your program for you with all kinds of wacky exercises.
The recipe is deceptively simple. You don’t need a gym full of machines, a barbell at home can get you yoked. If you are interested in going this route let me know I can point you in the right direction
Kettlebells! Kettlebells are a great tool to have for home workouts. You might want to start with a lighter one–even if you’ve worked out some, you can still wear yourself out with even a 35 lb. kettlebell.
You can absolutely workout at home with almost no equipment. You will need something for pull ups and that’s pretty much it. Google “calisthenics” - that’s what bodyweight exercises are called. It’s a whole world of knowledge with books, blogs and YT channels covering the topic. Many would argue that this type of exercise is actually healthier than using gym equipment.
I started doing this 4 years ago and I can highly recommend it. I hate public places like gym and I don’t like wasting time for getting there and back so exercising at home is perfect for me.
I’ve exclusively worked out from home for the last 5 years using only an adjustable dumbbell set and a foldable bench (I recently got a exercise bike too but that is a new addition). I’m not huge or anything but I get compliments on my physique fairly often. For me when I tried getting a gym membership I found myself missing days a lot because I didn’t feel like going anywhere. I can force myself to work out or I can force myself to go out but apparently not both at once. Just doing everything at home I almost never miss a day. The only downside is space. I’d like to get a squat rack but I don’t have room for it.
Your goals sound very achievable at home. I would say I am “lean and fit”. I will also say the lean part comes from your diet so make sure you are mindful of that as well.
Personally the home workout route never worked for me. I’m sure there are a ton of people that it has worked for but I need a routine. Having a set time to go to the gym without distraction is really what broke through.
It your looking for apps to track progress check out fitnotes for exercise tracking and OmNom Notes for diet tracking. Took me a while to find good non sleazy apps
Can someone reply to this comment with pointers or guides on high-protein vegan/vegetarian diets for reducing body fat?
Well, vegan foods with lots of proteins include: Beans, lentils, peas, nuts, peanuts, tofu, soy.
Personal favorites are red lentils (cook pretty quickly and don’t need to be soaked before) and pre-cooked white beans (I just have a jar of those in the fridge and will scoop a spoonful into all kinds of meals).Proteins are cool, because they stick around in your stomach for a while, but they’re bad at filling you up. For that, salads and veggies are the best. Sometimes, I’ll eat an entire bowl of salad, which is not a lot of calories, but still fills me up.
I would also recommend slowly changing your diet over. Your gut microbiota need time to adjust to a different diet. If you don’t give them that time, they can kill your will pretty effectively.
CaloriesIn - CaloriesOut = WeightChange
Fat forms using spare calories. Any diet that involves eating fewer calories than what you burn will reduce your body fat.
As long as you have that part right, you are free to add any other requirements on your diet you wish.
Realistically, people aren’t going to attain their goals trying to do a Twinkie CICO diet though, even though it might be theoretically possible.
I wish people would just move on from posting about CICO already, it’s long since outlived its usefulness as a concept
it’s long since outlived its usefulness as a concept
It is the critical basis on why all diets work. One can eat as healthy as they want, but if they eat more calories than they expend, they will gain weight. Tossing aside such a fundamental concept is fraught. Instead, build upon it.
OP wants to design a diet that has the following requirements: reduce body fat, vegan, high-protein. Vegan limits it to plants, and high-protein further limits it to things like beans and tofu. Now, OP needs to figure out how much beans and tofu he can eat to achieve his goal, and this is where calories in - calories out becomes critical. Eat the right amount and the diet works.
It’s the thermodynamic basis, but not the clinical basis. The carbohydrate insulin model of obesity is far more clinically relevant.
The human body is a hormonal machine, the hormones keep everything in check. As long as the hormones are functioning properly hunger and fullness will regulate body weight optimally.
To gain 1 lbs in a month it’s a 30 calories difference per meal. I don’t care how good your calorie tracking is, there is no way you can measure down to 30 calories per meal correctly.
It’s far easier to eat food that doesn’t spike insulin, and let the bodies normal feedback mechanisms regulate hunger.
I’ve trained calisthenics, plyometrics and power yoga at home for years and I’m very happy with the results. Just search on Youtube for advice and workouts you like. Use your common sense: look for people focusing on tried-and-true ideas and don’t use performance enhancing drugs.
My favorite channels are Athlean-X, Calisthenicmovement, The Stone Circle and Breathe and Flow.
Also, get a mirror or film yourself to check your form, or have someone watch you. After a while, you’ll start feeling whether something is right or wrong, but at the start it’s useful to have a visual check.
The Athlean-x program is a great general fitness program. I have heard that there’s some controversy about Jeff inventing problems to make videos on, but the program is solid.
Basically everything is out of the physical therapy handbook.
You never need to go to a gym to get fit. It could help, for some people, but it is not a necessity by any means!
You don’t even need weights or equipment; calisthenics are valid.
The biggest issue with working out at home is that people simply don’t do it. They think they do but they dont. I’ve yet to meet a fit person that doesn’t go to gym, but hey - maybe you’re the first one. Or maybe you should just go to the gym.
I’m a fit person who doesn’t go to the gym, but my house has an outbuilding that I converted into a nice home gym.
So you do go to gym
I have a friend who got VERY fit mainly with Beat Saber.
I have another friend who did the same with Supernatural (the game, not the show)
Weirdly, they’re the only two people I know who got in shape with VR…and they have the same first name.
When it comes to exercise the struggle isn’t doing it, it’s finding a routine that works for you. That’s the key, figuring out something you can do and make a habit of it so it becomes routine, like brushing your teeth.
I bought a collapsible bench and hand weights in late 2024 so I could cut the gym membership from my budget, and I’ve been able to maintain my usual habit of lifting 3-4 times a week. The added benefit is that it’s nice not to have to deal with other people or wait for equipment. You can learn better ways to work out from professionals for free on Youtube, and you can add equipment to your home gym over time.
It’s definitely reasonable to be new and never go to a gym.
I started with yoga and did it for over a year before I started going to the gym again. Fully doable
Yeah I exercised with only my body weight for many years. I was pretty fit. Now I started going to the gym and one thing I discovered was that i never exercised certain muscles before. I had wide arms but small shoulders. This is because at home, you usually dont have all the equipment to exercise all parts of the body.
This may be fine though. For me it was fine for many years. But now I wanted a larger upper body and that means shoulders and back and biceps.
Very reasonable approach to start at home. You can get absolutely shredded doing just a small handful of body-weight resistance exercises: pushups, pull ups, squats, lunges, and maybe sprawls. That’s literally all you need. Add in some yoga or pilates routines occasionally to strengthen your core further, a ton of material for that on YouTube. Congrats on the big step of starting your fitness journey!
