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I have been going to the gym three times a week for the last 4 or 5 weeks. About an hour each time. I do 25 minutes on a running machine, then some weights and press ups and stuff. Haven't shifted a single damn kilo. Not one!



About 10 years ago I was super fit, ripped, doing muay thai etc. I used to do this thing called Blackjack - you do 21 press ups, 1 squat thrust, then 20 press ups, 2 squat thrusts, all the way until you do 21 squat thrusts and 1 press ups. Tried it yesterday and started on a ratio of 5 press ups to 1 squat thrust etc and still practically had a heart attack when I finished.

What am I doing wrong?

You are probably increasing muscle mass.

If you continue, you should lose weight.

Diet is also very important for weight loss.

My diet is pretty good. Eat rice quite a lot though. (But virtually no bread.) I don't drink much either - 1 or 2 small beers a night, never any more than that. I do drink about 3 cans of coffee a day - something I am intending to stop along with the cigs, down to 3 a day. Considering getting a vape but that doesn't seem to exist where I am.

I'd say diet is one thing you need to look at. Most people consume waay more calories than they think. I train 4-5 days a week (muay thai/boxing) and honestly the thing that keeps me at a healthy weight is mostly diet. alcohol once or twice a week in moderation, espresso coffees (no sugar) eating balanced meals etc.

Weight is calories in vs. calories out. If you go to the gym and try to lose weight, rice is not your best friend. You need to eat a lot of lean protein (chicken breast, egg whites, white fish, etc.) and cut bad carbs (rice, beer, noodles, any sauces, juices, coffee cans, anything sweet). When you age your metabolism slows down, i.e. your body consumes daily much fewer calories than 10 years ago, yet you probably eat the same as then. While you need to consume fewer calories now than 10 years ago, you need more essential nutrients, vitamins, microelements, because as the body ages, it gets less efficient with absorbing those from food.

So vegetables and protein as above are the key.

You may also feel hungry all the time (I do when I try to lose fat) and no energy - coffee (not can), green tea, and pre-workout stimulants usually work well to control that. Another method to try is to skip all meals during the day and eat a huge meal in the afternoon/evening, consisting mostly of raw vegetables and lean protein. Raw vegetables contain almost no calories but are very filling. You can also fast completely on some days (1 - 2 days a week when off the gym, don't eat anything just drink water, tea and black coffee). Look up intermittent fasting. It works.

Look also into Konnyaku noodles, (also called Shirataki) they are available in some supermarkets, taste similar to normal noodles but are fiber only (no calories). If you cook them they are filling and taste somewhat ok.

I also found weight loss pills that contain stimulants quite effective in the short term (to curb hunger and get your metabolism higher), but you may have issues sleeping if you take them in the afternoon.

For exercise, what do you do in the gym? If you just curl your biceps and use machines, you waste your time. Choose multi-joint, free weight exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, etc. and do them back to back. Round off your training session by some cardio. Try HIIT. training on alternative days (when you don't do lifting) - it works great for losing weight. HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training, you sprint for 30-60 seconds, then you walk 30-60 seconds then repeat 10 times - or run upstairs (or uphill) with a backpack as fast as you can then slowly walk back down and repeat.

Finally, know that for losing fat, diet is 80% and exercise is 20% - so don't underestimate the diet and focus on that first.

Mr. N has pretty much nailed it all - diet is usually the issue. Aside from the pill route, a simple increase in caffeine can also do wonders - and I mean a proper double espresso, maybe 2-3 per day, not that 3-in-1 instant Nescafe shite. Vary it on your tolerance, some folks just don't like coffee or can't drink a lot of it without adverse sleeping effects; I stop consuming coffee after I have lunch, perhaps 2pm.

You mention drinking a couple of beers each night - this is also a big issue. Your body is effectively poisoned and does almost nothing else with anything you're eating until it has resolved the alcohol issue. You can have as many salads as you like, if you're consuming alcohol every day, you won't see anything budge. When I started getting a bit of a podge (a miracle to those who know me), I dropped from 3-4 weeks a night drinking (I was also just 'a beer or two') to just loading it all up Friday night instead so I still had a social life & not just a gym rat. Business lunches can also be tough if a bottle of wine is ordered, but honestly it was no drama for me to just drink sparkling mineral water with a lime or whatever makes that less dull than plain old water; this is a quick win as there's nothing like the peer pressure to drink at lunch versus a night out with the lads.

Finally, I'd drop cardio out of the gym routine entirely and go solely for the higher calorie burn of the compound lifts on say Mon/Tue/Wed. If you're going to do cardio it is much more effective at fat burning in a fasted state - i.e. before you have breakfast. You don't have any carbs or whatever available for immediate use, so your body will dig into its reserves (fat) straight away - you'd probably get away with a 20 minute jog each morning, or even just on the Tuesday/Thursday when you're not hitting the gym. I'd stay clear of treadmills, they're not good on older knees - swimming or cycling are probably best for joint health, proper jogging on tarmac/grass also preferable if you must.

If you want to push yourself a bit harder in the gym, I suggest looking at Monkifit - the dudes there can be a bit more intimidating for gym noobs, but they're all there to work out - so you'll feel pressure to get in, get done & get out; you won't find the "Look at me (dude) in my Louis Vuitton vest checking my Instagram" like you do at The Place. If your 10-mirror-bounce-side-eye-stare is on point, there are also much better things to look at.

I have lost 3 kg in 16 days. Eat only between 2 and 9 pm, no sugar or alcohol. Low carbs.

First day was hard, got a headache.

Not much exercise, only a 30 minute walk.

I am obese so the weight loss may taper off after a while. Working well so far.

Mr.November wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:16 am Weight is calories in vs. calories out.

There is some truth in that but it's nowhere near as simple as this old trope though. It's 1970s era dietary advice along with other classics such as "eating fat is bad for you" and "don't eat too many eggs because we assume that eating cholesterol = cholesterol in your veins". All thoroughly debunked in this century.

The Seawolf wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:09 am I have been going to the gym three times a week for the last 4 or 5 weeks. About an hour each time. I do 25 minutes on a running machine, then some weights and press ups and stuff. Haven't shifted a single damn kilo. Not one!



About 10 years ago I was super fit, ripped, doing muay thai etc. I used to do this thing called Blackjack - you do 21 press ups, 1 squat thrust, then 20 press ups, 2 squat thrusts, all the way until you do 21 squat thrusts and 1 press ups. Tried it yesterday and started on a ratio of 5 press ups to 1 squat thrust etc and still practically had a heart attack when I finished.

What am I doing wrong?

My big question is,,,,,,, How do you go to the gym.