Details first.

6' 205lbs. 37 years old. Ex smoker

I'll have the opportunity to go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week but it will be stacked. Consecutive days. Anything else will be from home.

Not much of a runner, never have been.

The good news is I've never had an obesity problem, dont really do sweets or cokes.

The diet portion I'll be able to iron out fairly quickly. I love all meats, fish, fresh vegetables. No problem killing all carbs.

I'm wearing some bubblegum on my front from disrespecting the amount of calories I've gotten from beer. The older I get, the more apparent it is.

So step one will be 100% prohibition from brain tonic.


My setback is the workout routine itself. The internet is so overloaded with Info that I may as well google "where does Jesus live?"


Goals: loose the gut, then worry about gains.ive always been a slim man and just want to get there first, then may e build some muscle. I walk an average of six miles a day but also 12 beers a night, unless I'm celebrating, then, well whatever.

I'd just hate to be at the gym wasting my time on ineffective techniques.


Any tips or good leads would be appreciated.

My suggestion is to begin here.   https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738?tag=vglnk-c102-20

How can anyone drink 12 beers a night???

It's not been without consequences. Same with smoking . Hence....the change.

Ever worked construction?

I know multiple people that drink over a case a night almost every night of the week, miserable old bastards all of them.

I actually walked into a conversation at the hardware store once (it is also the grocery store...we only have one store in town) and a younger guy I know that has swelled up like a balloon the past few years was down there talking about his room mate and how he was lucky because he could eat all he wanted an not gain a pound, but said he couldn't help but gain weight.

He said this as he was buying an 18 pack of lager on a Wednesday night. The kid was basically drinking a loaf of bread most nights of the week and couldn't figure out why he was getting fat.

I am personally not an advocate of cheat days when you are dieting.
Set 3 clear REALISTIC goals for yourself, a short term (within the next two weeks), a medium term, "by 6 months" and a long term "9-12 months".
examples:
short term- get to the gym 3 days this week/
medium- lose x lbs, lift x weight, run x miles
long term- lose x body fat
Dont be afraid to adjust these if it looks like you will hit the marks too easy or early.

further advice...
never reward yourself with stuff that hampers your goal. Dont have cheat days that set you back. You need to stay focused.
Get my fitness pal app and start logging all your food, log a normal day of eating. Look at your macros and you may see where your problems are. Dont drop yourself from 3000 calories to 1200, drop yourself in intervals every few weeks. you need to give yourself room. Use exercise to help further the calorie deficit.
If  you are really serious about losing some weight, go Keto and fast alot.

Exercise- Everyone is going to say to lift heavy things. I agree. But I am also a believer in finding a routine you enjoy. no sense in dreading the gym. If your goal is to just burn and you like lifting maybe look into stronglifts 5x5 as a start with some kettlebell swings to finish the days off. Try and keep the big lifts in whatever routine you land on. Bench Press, over head press, deadlift, squat.

To OP, if you can hit the gym start a barbell program that you enjoy (there's lots to choose from).

And beyond that get your diet in check to lose the gut.

Thanks for the advice. I agree that starting too hard will result in frustration and failure. I'm in it for long term results and eventually muscle building.

I'm confident that bad habit shedding will give me the weight loss fairly quickly. It's the gym that's confusing.

Half of the internet says run till you die, the other half says lift 10000000 jizzawatts daily.

I'm looking for an actual workout routine instead of going. Fucking around uselessly on 3 machines, then staring at the zoomba chicks for 30 minutes.

Starting Strength like linked above, or Stronglifts are dead simple.

SS lays it all right out from technique through progression, just follow the instructions.

Read the starting strength  book. It's boring as fuck. But is very informative.

Then do the starting strength program or 5x5 stronglifts, these work. And are easy to do.

Not to derail your thread OP, but this is a prime example of why I think BMI needs to go away. I'm 6', if I weighed what you do I'd look sickly. Hell at 240 I was wearing L scrubs and at 235 ppl said I was starting to look sickly because my face was sinking in lol. And to be honest I think I've gained some lean mass between then and turning into a whale. Granted I'm working on my blubber

this is the best bet, but most people aren't willing to take the time to read it I have found.

Next best bet IMO is to download the 5x5 strong lifts app and just do that.

Good tips. I've downloaded the app and will start there. Thanks again.

I wish I started with that for a couple months when I first bought a barbell and weight.

I ended up pretty much back to basics a year later anyway, although slightly different. Still, a focus on a big compound for 3x5 to start every workout.

As a former smoker, you'll likely need to build up a cardio base so you can have the lungs to do big compound lifts.  And 12 beers a night is nothing to scoff at, this is first thing I would address, if even to lower your risk of starting smoking again.  Beyond that, a case of beer every night is going to negate anything you accomplish at the gym.