As a birthday gift to myself, I went a head and got myself a gym membership on Monday, and to make sure that I don't flake out on going, I paid a full year upfront, it was a pretty penny, but now it will be on me if I let my money go to waste

Anyways, I have zero experience working out, aside from the treadmill I haven't really done anything else, what are some exercises or equipment that you would recommend as a beginner?

I don’t have much experience with the equipment at a gym either. I don’t use a gym but I was doing a cardio/ strength class at the community center that used all kinds of bars and balls and discs etc. I do know that many gyms have a trainer available for a fee and if they do they often give one free session. I would recommend you focus on strength training since your treadmill covers the cardio. If you get board with that you can change it up eventually but I Think the machines like elliptical and stair stepper are a little more self explanatory that the weights I mean if you can only get the one free hour and have to choose. I would really want someone to show me good form with weights that are more than your own body weight. It’s important so you don’t hurt yourself And that you are actually accomplishing what you intend. if you have any physical limitations I would consider a trainer before I did much more than walking even if I had to pay. I figure it’s just Not worth it to hurt myself and then be back on the couch instead of sticking with the new habit.

PS What a great birthday present to yourself!!

If there is the option of having a trainer do an intro session with you to gauge your levels and what you want to work I think it would be worth it to start off and have him/her create a plan for you.

I did the same as you once I was well enough to start exercising, I signed up to an expensive gym so that I would be sure to go. I discussed my surgery and the areas I particularly wanted to focus on and they gave me a plan, then change it up a bit for me every 12 weeks or so.

My current plan, as I'm trying to work on my legs and arms, includes bench weights, kettlebells for lunges, squats & swings, weighted ball for more squats, a leg press, abductor, another machine that is for rotational squats and then some mat work.

Edited August 3, 20251 yr by FifiLux

1 hour ago, FifiLux said:

If there is the option of having a trainer do an intro session with you to gauge your levels and what you want to work I think it would be worth it to start off and have him/her create a plan for you.

I did the same as you once I was well enough to start exercising, I signed up to an expensive gym so that I would be sure to go. I discussed my surgery and the areas I particularly wanted to focus on and they gave me a plan, then change it up a bit for me every 12 weeks or so.

My current plan, as I'm trying to work on my legs and arms, includes bench weights, kettlebells for lunges, squats & swings, weighted ball for more squats, a leg press, abductor, another machine that is for rotational squats and then some mat work.

It’s weird how all the names make it sound kind of intimidating. I think it’s like that with anything new that it takes a short while to even learn the lingo and by then your well onto your way with learning that thing. It’s been that way with every craft I’ve leaned at least. I always joke that The lingo is half the battle.

I have always been a huge fan of Group Exercise classes and my gym used to have a great variety of morning classes (that’s when it’s easiest for me to exercise) and then COVID happened. I used to love step (I would laugh at myself the entire time), Zumba, Turbo Kick, and my gym had a group weight lifting class that started out being called muscle blast but then they changed the name to rip.

Since COVID I’ve been mostly using the wellness center where I use the treadmill mainly because I don’t want any of the random dudes trying to ‘help’ me with the weights machines and theres no way I’m going to wander into the free weight room alone and start using the equipment. Once, I get the OK from my surgeon after my surgery, I plan on signing up with a personal trainer so I can get some help with the weight machines and the free weights.

Start out with a personal trainer, that would be the best thing to do so that you know how to do things the proper way and so that you don't hurt yourself. That is my suggestion. Once you are confident that you know what you are doing, then go at it on your own. It will also help you to get in a groove of going to the gym on a routine basis.

1 hour ago, WendyJane said:

Start out with a personal trainer, that would be the best thing to do so that you know how to do things the proper way and so that you don't hurt yourself. That is my suggestion. Once you are confident that you know what you are doing, then go at it on your own. It will also help you to get in a groove of going to the gym on a routine basis.

Oh yea that’s true. If you have “an appointment” and someone else is expecting you it will be harder to back out. Why is it that we are fine to let ourselves down but not others.

Years ago after my breast cancer treatments I joined a gym for a couple of years and used zero equipment, but took an awesome "yogalates" class that was basically, a cardio start, yoga in the middle, and then a pilates finish with an exercise ball. I LOVED that class. Unfortunately the teacher left the gym and they changed the class. I know my NP recommended some yoga for strength training or stretch bands. A personal trainer should be available at the gym even a one time free "session" to just go over the machines. I wish you luck @Bambi150 !

Thank you to everyone who replied, I took your advice and got a personal trainer, I have a free session with him on Saturday but I was hoping to book him for a month or so, if only to get myself familiar with the machines and how to use them properly

My hope is that once I'm more comfortable I can make my own work out routine that works with my schedule

I know this will be a lot of hard work ad a lot of strong mental will, lets just hope my body doesn't shut down the 1st session 😅

On 8/6/2025 at 3:03 PM, Bambi150 said:

Thank you to everyone who replied, I took your advice and got a personal trainer, I have a free session with him on Saturday but I was hoping to book him for a month or so, if only to get myself familiar with the machines and how to use them properly

My hope is that once I'm more comfortable I can make my own work out routine that works with my schedule

I know this will be a lot of hard work ad a lot of strong mental will, lets just hope my body doesn't shut down the 1st session 😅

It won’t shut down. You may or may not be able to do what you expect but just remember not to compare yourself to ANYONE else! And know that the trainer isn’t. They will be happy to watch you progress but they don’t care about where you begin! Like doctors, honestly they probably like a challenge.

If you are able to keep making progress and YOU are doing more than YOU could do last week last month or last year even if just a tiny bit more (as in today I finished my workout plus I was able to stop for gas after and don’t feel over the top wiped out. That’s progress and if you are doing more than you did before then you are improving your health, period!! The fact that you even joined the gym and made that appt with the trainer is more than you did last month, right?! I’m proud of you and you should be proud of yourself!!

On 8/6/2025 at 9:03 PM, Bambi150 said:

Thank you to everyone who replied, I took your advice and got a personal trainer, I have a free session with him on Saturday but I was hoping to book him for a month or so, if only to get myself familiar with the machines and how to use them properly

My hope is that once I'm more comfortable I can make my own work out routine that works with my schedule

I know this will be a lot of hard work ad a lot of strong mental will, lets just hope my body doesn't shut down the 1st session 😅

That is great to have lined up the trainer as it will help you with machines, what to set them for based what you can manage and especially important if you are going to be doing any weight work to be shown how to do it correctly.

It can be hard to get into the work at any time, I had to take a break for 5 weeks due to illness and only went back last week and it felt like day one all over again (after 10 months of three days a week most weeks) but I just did half of my plan and at lower weights and times and then gradually built up over the last couple of visits where on Wednesday I managed the full plan albeit it still at some lower weights and times. Today I will aim for the full plan again at full weight but still lower times. I think it will be a few more visits before I am back to where I was before my second sleeve leak.

I would focus on strength training. Dumbbell exercises, maybe some bench press exercises and of course leg exercises. Strength training along with cardio exercises will produce greater results.

water fitness classes were my main form of exercise when I was at my highest weight. I loved them. I still go to them - but now mostly in the winter when it's too cold to exercise outside or when I'm tired of doing things in the weight room or on machines.

Get yourself a personal trainer and practice doing strength training and weight lifting. As you lose weight, you lose muscle mass too, so be sure to eat your protein and work on the strength. It will do you wonders.

I will say is, don't lift too heavy. You might think that its not heavy but you will be a noodle a day or two afterwards LOL! I have learned the hard way. I have been weight lifting/cardio fitness life (however you wanna call it) for almost two years and getting into that routine really has changed my body composition. I have some routines that I don't mind sharing if you want them! :)