Weights

TerrorFirmer

Firstly, sorry for the sheer lack of knowledge on my part....everytime I create a thread I feel like I'm asking daddy about grown up stuff..:o

But seriously. I'm buying some weights this weekend, a bench etc, not sure exactly what but my father, being previously big into weights, said he'll give me a hand with that side of things.

I go to the gym three times a week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, usually for 90 minutes of exercise bikes, walkers, that sort of thing. What I'm primarily wondering is, would it be better to alternate, and do weights on the days I'm not in the gym? (The gym is great but weights always too busy to use comfortably) Or would it be better to do weights when I get home from the gym on those same three days?

I'm not sure exactly what weights I'll be using, but for a complete beginner, how long for and what weights should I be lifting? I'm 6ft and just under 12st.

Finally, protein shakes - somebody like me, who will only be doing weights 3 times a week, is there any point in me taking them? When does one take them? And if I don't do enough weights, will the excess protein turn to fat? I don't want to end up getting fat - not really the aim of the exercise!

Also - this is completely unrelated, but I'm not creating a new thread over it - how does one approach bloating from a fitness perspective - I don't want to have to take those crappy pills. I suffer from it really badly, for example last night, my stomach was almost flat going to sleep, and when I woke up, it was literally protruding like I'd eaten a huge dinner. this happens to me alot and is quite offputting and on occassion, it makes me look really fat...:o

Thanks.

Transform

Too many questions break it down, need your stats

Age

Current program and diet (in detail)

Superdub2

got the jist, most definitely do the weights and the cardio on different days and worse come to worse do the weights first and the cardio after

mloc

the question is what kind of goal are looking towards? do you want to put on weight? lose weight? tone up? deciding your goals is the most important thing to do

TerrorFirmer

Thanks for the replies. Current 6ft, just under 12st, age 18. Looking to tone up.

Diet wise,

Breakfast - Weexabix Cereal with toast and butter, glass of milk.

Lunch - Chicken sandwich or chicken wrap and sald or crackers, fruit and scone, it varies.

Dinner - Usually pasta and meat, potatoes and meat, etc, with glass milk.

Snack - chicken, or an alpen bar or the like. I drink plenty water during the day.

mloc

well your diet isnt too bad, what i would recommend is to probably throw another meal in there between lunch and dinner. It's a good idea to try and eat small meals every 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours. This increases your metabolic rate and makes sure your body always has the protein it needs.

Talking of protein, you might want to consider adding a few egg whites (cooked any way you like, though preferably poached) to your breakfast to increase the protein content. As far as protein supplements are concerned, that really depends on you. IMO, if your aiming to tone up and maybe put on a bit of mass, a protein supplement might be a good idea. I'd get advice about what kind of protein supplement based on your personal tastes and needs.

As for what weights you should be lifting, try and keep your sessions to around 45 mins initially. Lift a weight that you can do 8-12 reps with. The most important thing for starting out, and I can't emphasise this enough, is to do the exercises properly, no matter which exersises you do or with what weight you do it at. If you don't use good technique, not only will your safety be compromised, but you'll find you won't really go anywhere.