Start exercise right away or eventually add it?

I know that it's important to exercise during a diet (and even when not dieting), but which way do you think is the best way? I've seen many different people go different ways with this, and I just don't know what I should do.  I'm fifteen, and I just started my diet this week.  I haven't exercised in about two months, but when I start back up I plan on doing what I was doing before---going to the gym 4x/week for 1 hour, and doing both weights and cardio. I'm also a bit concerned of what the exercise would do to my weight loss.  Would it help it or slow it down?

Advice please? These may be silly questions, but I just want to do this right and have great results :)

Thanks!!

hi hannikate,

The best thing to do is start slow if you are unfit. The aim for cardio is to get up to about 150 minutes each week (that's 5 days of 30 minutes) but if you find it hard to do 30 mins in a row start with less and build it up. High intensity cardio is way more effective so if you do sprints on the bike with rests inbetween that can really help. That's called interval training.

With strength training, it's much more effective if you do high weights with less repetitions than doing lower weights with more repetitions. Only do a strength train 1 - 2 times a week preferably the day before you have a rest day.

The first 3 months of strength trianing is the feel period where you feel the workout and the effects on your body but you won't see a great deal of results. It's after that 3 month mark of consistent strength training that you really start to increase your metabolism and see results.

I hope I have helped you,

Jemima

Thanks for replying, Jemima!! Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of doing.  I'm really looking forward to doing something with myself again! Hahaha

Would exercising get in the way with my weight loss, though??

No, any kind of exercise burns calories. When you're burning more calories than you're taking in, you lose weight/fat. When you exercise, you're more likely to burn fat than muscle, so you'll get better results.  Diet without exercise can lead to 'skinny fat' which according to my guy friends is NOT attractive.

Hahahaha we wouldn't want that, would we?? :P

Yeah, I'll eventually start back up, but I think I'll wait a few months.  Get my weight loss started, and then begin to push it a little bit more :D

Hey you two,

     Hannakate, one thing to be careful of as you begin to excercize and especially as you ramp up to heavier excercize is make sure that you eat enough protien or else you may actually metabloize some muscle. I noticed that I would be a hurtin unit if I did not get enough protien. For me I had to get it earlier in the day, like before 11AM.

Thanks for the advice captainbablam!! Yeah, last time I didn't eat as much protein as I should have....  But, I'm definitely going to get that in this time :D

when you start exercising, you'll more than likely see a weight gain. don't get discouraged though, it's NOT fat and is perfectly normal. after about a month or so, your body will be adjusted and you'll start shedding pounds. for now, i would try to avoid the scales and just use a measuring tape to track your inches lost. good luck :)

I think if you have alot of weight to lose, you shouldn't exercise like crazy to start out with. Your body will adjust to that amount of exercise and you won't lose any weight. I would try a little at a time (eat less first. hit a plateau. exercise lightly. plateau. do both. plateau. exercise harder. plateau. exercise harder and eat less) I think this would just last you longer.

but of course that's only if you aren't looking to drop severe amounts at once or something

I think that when starting out, its smarter to focus on ur eating(maybe add in some walks or whatever).. Once you get that down, then add in the exercise.. Its going to be pointless if ur working out but then coming home binging.. feel me?   at least thats what worked for me

Best way? Do whatever you can do at your current weight and fitness level. If you like to exercise, try...see what you can do and start from there.

I was 165.4 lbs (5'2") when i decided to change my life. I'd huff and puff after 20 min walk BUT i kept walking...and the got myself some dumbells. The got my mini stepper. At first I could barely do 3-4 min on it. Now  ( 130 lbs or so) I do at least 20 min , 5 times a week. Now I can also walk for hours (and i have during the summer when visiting Vienna).