Favorite Workouts?

[ResidentEvil7]

I'll be 42 in about 6 weeks and I'm heavy (274 pounds) and out of shape starting out my workout journey. What kind of exercises does everyone here like to do that's both enjoyable and effective to burning fat of each muscle group?

For me:
Chest: cable flys or cable crossovers
Shoulders (Delts): Dumbbell press
Back: Cable Rows
Triceps: Triceps cable extension
Biceps: Standard dumbbell curls
Abs: None because it makes my fat gut cut off my breathing
Legs: (quads) Bike riding
Legs: (hamstrings): Leg curls

If I had the money and enough space, i would love to get this cable machine: https://www.fitnesssuperstore.com/Fr.../ffs-5smjg.htm

What does everyone here like to do as far as fitness? Any information about losing weight would be highly appreciated, because I want to look and feel my best before I become old, gray and saggy.

[Barkworm]

To lose weight, you need to change your diet (very little sugar, no deep fried food, relatively low carb, lots of protein and Omega 3 fats) and do lots of cardio training. Go running three times a week, start with 15 minutes and add five minutes every week.

My fitness training is very basic, I go running and do pushups, wallsits, planks and crunches a couple of times a week.

[Andrew NDB]

You have to REALLY commit to cardio if that is your preferred way to lose weight, which isn't even really the best way. And you have several ways to go about it. One way is to get a little "soft" (or if you're a little soft already) go ahead and go hard in the weights and turn everything into muscle. Go hardcore. Take a day off every other day to recuperate. Take your vitamins and creatine if you can be disciplined about it (if you're going to drink ANY alcohol while you're at it, don't bother).

My gym garage setup:

[ResidentEvil7]

Thanks for finally responding. I thought you guys just didn't care.

Anyway, I have 2 pairs of dumbbells (10s, 15s) and a bag full of resistance bands (the ones with the handles). What I wish I had the money and space for is a cable machine with 2 towers and a bar between them for cable crossover. I also want a Bowflex PR1000. I want to look like the BowFlex guy, Randy Potter, who did commercials in the 90s for BowFlex.

My big problem is motivation to want to workout. My mom thinks it has something to do with my medications; I used to bike ride 2-3 hours a day, but since 2 years ago, I don't. Tuesday I talked to my mental health doctor about it and he reduced my medications in half. We shall see what that does. We hope it doesn't interfere with my mental health, because it was working to keep my autistic symptoms minimal.

I eat healthy 95% of the time. I eat fruits for a snack, vegetables with chicken for dinner. Last night, I made homemade stir fry with glass noodles from Thailand and with orange sauce. The only time I don't eat healthy is on Saturdays and that's when my mom and stepdad take me out to the bar for burgers and curly fries and a water to drink. I also take supplements such as Amino Energy and ISO-100 protein. Good stuff.

Lastly, Andrew, I like your gym, but it looks kind of crowded.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

I'll be 42 in about 6 weeks and I'm heavy (274 pounds) and out of shape starting out my workout journey. What kind of exercises does everyone here like to do that's both enjoyable and effective to burning fat of each muscle group?

Do you like doing swimming for exercise?

[ResidentEvil7]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Do you like doing swimming for exercise?

Not in a public pool, but I don't mind it in an indoor lap pool. The problem I have with any pool is that the water is too cold and I feel that cold shock on my privates when I get in, but once I'm in for about a minute, I'm fine. Just don't go into a hot tube first then the pool, because it then feels VERY COLD.

[Roseangelo]

I just do karate.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Walking everyday helps. Fresh air, you can walk with a loved one or you can listen to podcasts/music while you walk.

Me and my friends always share our daily steps in a group chat, its a fun way to keep being competitive.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo

Walking everyday helps.

Not much. Unless you're going up and down steep hills a lot.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Not much. Unless you're going up and down steep hills a lot.

Fair enough. I live in a hilly area so I guess I'm burning many more calories than the average flat-land walker.

Also, I love standing desks in my office. It may not be alot, but the calories burned standing up do add up over the long term.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

Not in a public pool, but I don't mind it in an indoor lap pool. The problem I have with any pool is that the water is too cold and I feel that cold shock on my privates when I get in, but once I'm in for about a minute, I'm fine. Just don't go into a hot tube first then the pool, because it then feels VERY COLD.

Sounds like what happens when showering during winter, when the water is warm, and the body is cold, and it takes a while to acclimate.

The last time I did swimming was in Year 10 in secondary school. That was rather awkward since I was the only one in the PE group that couldn't actually swim. Fortunately, we didn't have to do it the following year, since there wasn't time in the PE schedule

[ResidentEvil7]

I hated PE class because I never liked sports and PE pretty much is sports games that switch up every 3 weeks. The only time I liked PE was in my senior year in high school, because it was the only time in PE I did a great job lifting. I mean I was able to lift the whole cable stack on the cable row machine, plus a 10 pound plate added on top; and I was able to leg press 250 pounds. I was in good shape back then; now 23 years since, I gained a lot of weight and became focused on real life.

I'll be 42 on September 4th and I'm hoping I could spend the next year getting in better shape and being healthy like I was 24 years ago.

The only problem I have is getting that drive to want to workout. My mental health doctor reduced since it was originally making me less motivated, and so far it showing signs of change: I'm eating less, sleeping less and I'm much calmer.

To try to get that motivation is I watch workout videos of my favorite YouTube athletes (Rob Riches and Scott Herman) shirtless and fantasize about looking as sexy as them. My YouTube video has shirtless scenes of my favorite former Disney actor, Ryan Merriman (Luck Of The Irish; Smart House; Final Destination 3) and I want his upper body type. Sexy as hell. I also check out sexy wrestlers that wear the brief trunks. I wish I could get my 19-year-old b body back.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

I hated PE class because I never liked sports and PE pretty much is sports games that switch up every 3 weeks.

We had basketball - skins and shirts, running around a cold gym during the winter months. Some of the other stuff was more fun such as playing on trampolines.

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

I'll be 42 on September 4th and I'm hoping I could spend the next year getting in better shape and being healthy like I was 24 years ago.

I've done weight loss. That was from approximately 180 lbs to 126 lbs. That took around three years. I was weighing myself daily and keeping track of weight on a spreadsheet, which seem to help keep myself accountable.

[ResidentEvil7]

I'm glad and disappointed that my high school didn't have skins, because some of the guys were hot as hell, but you also had fat guys that were 350-400 pounds of lard. Instead we had reversable shirts; black on the front and golden yellow on the inside. The Glenbard North Panthers. I'm the class of 2001.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

I hated PE class because I never liked sports

Did you like school in general, other than disliking sports?

[ResidentEvil7]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Did you like school in general, other than disliking sports?

No, I hated school. It wasn't the school work I hated; it was being bullied and terrorized by the other kids all because of my autistic traits. It was so bad that I began hating people and is very selective of what jobs to apply for, because I won't be harassed outcasted again just because I'm different from "normal" people.

[Stephen]

Did the school actually do anything about people harassing you?

[ResidentEvil7]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Did the school actually do anything about people harassing you?

Hardly anything. The deans would sit me and the bully down and talk things over and end with a handshake. Then about 2 weeks later, it would start up again and again. The schools are a joke. One time I was beaten up at the start of a school day, and when I went to report it, again, they sit us down and talked it over and the dean gave us both suspension, in the same room together for a day. That punch was so hard, I couldn't breath.