How long should I spend at the gym and what should I do?

I'm pretty much a beginner at the gym, despite having attended many times.

Usually, I spend about 30 minutes running on the treadmill and another 30 minutes using the weight machines, while taking a few short breaks to catch my breath. I'm not sure if this is the correct method of working out for me.

I'm 17, overweight (72kg) and my height is between 5'6" or 5'7" (168-170cm), last time I checked. My main goal is to lose my chubby fat, have a defined jawline and build a somewhat masculine physique so that I can fit into slim fit clothes that won't show off my belly when I sit down. However, I have no idea how to go about this.

I've tried to undertake intermittent fasting and doing cardio on an empty stomach but I don't know whether it's having a significant enough impact on me.

How could I go about burning fat at a fast rate without the scale having to remain at the same point all the time? What kind of exercises should I do and for how long? Any useful advice is appreciated.

Reply 1

Angry cucumber

Ok, so basically you want to build muscle and for that you should learn to lift. There's lots of how tos on the internet and basically the more you read and watch, the better you will be informed on how to lift.

Fasted cardio has no real benefits over not, it's a personal preference.

You'd do well to read the FAQ which will answer all your questions and more https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3014757

If you have anymore questions after reading that; feel free to ask below :smile:

Reply 2

TheIncredibleZ

Eating the right food is just as important (if not more) than going to the gym i would make sure you spend at least one day a week focusing on cardio and the other two should be weights. You should never do any isolation lifts at this stage (machines with the exception of pull ups) just work on the major muscle groups by doing stuff like bench press, squats and dead lifts etc if you want to build muscle fast. Before you do all this though you should learn how to lift correctly because even if you did be doing everything else right if your technique is slacking you wont make any gains.

Reply 3

VerumThrowaway

Original post by Angry cucumber

So cardio on an empty stomach won't help me burn fat? Bummer. I just really want to lose chest fat and belly fat at a fast rate.

Reply 4

Profesh

Original post by VerumThrowaway

So cardio on an empty stomach won't help me burn fat? Bummer. I just really want to lose chest fat and belly fat at a fast rate.

Unless you're prepared to approach this with a modicum of scientific rigour, you're wasting everyone's time including your own; "I did some running and lifted some weights" tells us absolutely nothing of any quantifiable value.

If you're willing to engage your brain as well as your biceps, I'd suggest starting here.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

Greg Jackson

Original post by VerumThrowaway

So cardio on an empty stomach won't help me burn fat? Bummer. I just really want to lose chest fat and belly fat at a fast rate.

No, he means doing cardio specifically in a fasted state won't help you burn fat any better than doing it in a fed state, your overall caloric deficit will determine how much fat you lose, cardio will add to your deficit or allow you to eat more and be at the same deficit, so basically do it when you want. Also read the stickies they will tell you everything you need to know to reach your goals.