Losing fat and gaining muscle

[peterroyal]

Hi People, this is my first post.

I need to lose weight and hopefully gain a bit of muscle, I currently weigh 101kg and would like to get down to about 85 kg by May (I'm getting married!).

I'm going to be doing four spinning classes a week and I plan to do an extra session of just weights, I want to do a 30-40 min weight session before each spinning class. Does anyone have any tips for me please? Would low weight high reps be best or lift heavy low reps?

I'm not new to gym work, I was ill in the summer and had along lay off work and ate loads of rubbish. I need a plan that i can stick too and I WILL stick to it.
Any advice gratefully received!

Cheers

[lenny89]

ad say weights after spin classes go jogging do the weight watchers diet 1500 cals day your sorted

[peterroyal]

Cheers Lenny, if I do the weights after the spinning should I do low weight high reps?

[lenny89]

yip light, try and do deadlifts and squats

[Zeigler]

Do you enjoy spin or do you go because 'it'll help you lose weight'?

If you dont enjoy it, or even if you do, put all your gym time into resistance training and you will see significantly better results.

[peterroyal]

I do enjoy spin and I know it will help me lose weight, perhaps 4 times may be too much and three mat be ideal.
I don't want to just do one or the other and my time scale is rather short. I may do three sessions of spin with high rep-low weight and two sessions of heavier lifts. I intend to do plenty of pull ups as I know they're good and I actually enjoy them and a good test of strength.

[Dolphinski]

What is happening in this thread?!

Lenny and OP, weights first cardio after! Hit the weights heavy, build strength and do your cardio afterwards. I'm not exactly a cardio expert but I'm sure treadmill action is the best way to go rather than spinning if you want the best return for your effort. Light weights and high reps for the next 5 months is a ridiculous idea. You need a routine that let's you build strength and muscle progressively while you're dieting.

OP, if you want to hit your goals, you're going to need to work your @ss off. You need to get your diet in check, choose a good weights program and hit the cardio hard. From what you've said, weight loss is the primary concern, building a bit of muscle is secondary. What lifting experience do you already have and what does your diet look like? What changes are you planning on making to hit your goals?

Ziegler I'm surprised you're advising against cardio when his main goal is weight loss!

[peterroyal]

Some of my ideas may have been 'ridiculous ' to you, but that is why I'm asking for advice!
I do eat relatively well and I know where I have to tweak that. As I said I am prepared to work my backside off, the only person who can get this done is me!
Spinning will be better for me as I find the treadmill boring and spinning is a high intensity. I've used weights regularly until I got ill in the summer (pneumonia) and I was unable to do anything at all until recently. I also moved home and had to find a new gym.
Should I do my weights on a different day to my spinning?

[Zeigler]

Quote

Ziegler I'm surprised you're advising against cardio when his main goal is weight loss!

I didnt advise against anything, I said focusing on resistance training would be more beneficial than 'spinning'

I'd just stick to resistance work and fasted brisk walking a couple of mornings, OP. If you find yourself with some spare time in sessions, just finish it off by brisk walking/incline walking on the treadmill.

Id suggest posting your proposed weight programme as well, just so we can see if it's geared towards your goals.

[Dolphinski]

You could do, or you could do a weights / lighter cardio day then a more intensive cardio day on your rest days. And I wasn't calling your ideas ridiculous mate, just Lennys suggestion of doing light weights.

Can you post up your diet and what sort of weights you can handle though? Would probably be a great help.