For example, your goal may be to lose 10 lb (4. 5 kg) or gain 5% muscle mass. Talk to your doctor about your weight loss goals to see if they have any comments or concerns. Different goals, such as running a marathon or powerlifting, require different body types and training strategies. Make sure you have smaller goals that work toward what you want to achieve overall.

For example, if you wanted to lose 10 lb (4. 5 kg), you can set your goal between 5-10 weeks. If you wanted to gain 3 lb (1. 4 kg) of muscle, set your time frame for 6-12 weeks. Gaining muscles mass is easier when you first start training, but becomes more difficult over time. Your age and body type can affect how fast your muscles develop while you’re training. People who are younger can develop muscles faster than someone in their 40s or 50s.

Make sure to write down specific portion sizes to see where you’re overeating. Many apps are available to help you track your daily intake and nutrition.

Some free apps that you can try are MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Lose It!

You can calculate your BMR with an online calculator here: http://www. bmrcalculator. org/. Your BMR is also affected by how active you are during the day. BMR readings can be inaccurate since they’re based on just your height and weight and don’t take your bone structure into account.

For example, if your BMR is 2,000 calories, then aim to eat about 1,500 calories each day. Use a calorie-counting app to help determine what you can eat each day. Avoid overeating by only consuming the portion sizes listed on the food’s packaging.

If you enjoy eating butter, you might replace it with vegetable oil butter. Avoid processed snacks or fast food since they may have hidden sugars and fats. Look at the nutrition labels on all the foods you buy to see if they are good for you. Look for lean recipes online or through weight-loss apps.

Vegetables and fruit are also great sources of complex carbs.

Avoid sugary drinks, like sodas and fruit juices, and replace them with water instead.

Avoid drinking fruit juices since they’re sugary and don’t have the same nutrients as eating a piece of fruit. Bring a piece of fruit with you as a snack to avoid buying any junk food. If you get easily tempted by snack foods in vending machines, don’t bring any cash with you to use on them.

Make sure to drink water during and after an intense workout when you’re sweating.

Once you start feeling comfortable with the weight or number of reps you do, try increasing the weight or doing more reps for each set. Spread your workouts throughout the week rather than doing them over consecutive days. Leave at least 1 day between each of your weight training workouts.

Set aside 1 rest day during the week so your body has time to relax. Use cardio as a short warm-up to a heavier workout, such as a 10-minute jog before a weightlifting routine.

Make sure your body is warmed up before you start interval training or else you could stress or damage your muscles. Additionally, cool down after your workout to slowly bring down your heart rate.

If you’re overweight and want to build muscle, aim to eat fewer calories to lose weight first. You may want to slowly increase your calories so you can figure out how many you need to eat to get the results you want. If you eat too many added calories, you’ll gain fat.

For example, if you weigh 150 lb (68 kg), then you should consume 120 g of protein daily.

You can also find complex carbs in many types of fruits and vegetables, like cauliflower and spinach. Avoid or cut back on alcohol because it has calories with little nutritional benefits. Additionally, it can slow your metabolism, impair your judgement, and lower your self-control.

Make sure to use a weight you’re comfortable with when you’re lifting. The weight should be low enough where you can finish all of your reps but high enough so it’s challenging. Increase the weight and number of reps when you start feeling comfortable with your routine.

For exercising your legs, try doing barbell squats, leg presses, and deadlifts. [19] X Research source To work out your chest and back, practice dumbbell rows, pull ups, and lateral raises. [20] X Research source If you want to focus on your core muscles, practice sit-ups, Russian twists, and wood chops. [21] X Research source

Give yourself at least 1 rest day each week so you give your body time to recuperate. It’s safe to do cardio and strength training workouts on the same day.

If you don’t want to join a class, you may be able to find similar workout routines online.

Watch videos online to follow along with a virtual instructor.