[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Yeah, torn as well.

I did a good amount of research on my own, so on one hand I'd say a personal trainer could save time, but only if they're good... I feel like there would still be things I'd go home and research if only getting one opinion on the matter.

My initial thoughts...
- Think an infinite game. Not "90 days to a better you" where you make a ton of huge changes all at once. It's one thing if you do have an immediate goal (lose 20 pounds for a specific thing), but so much of it is about balance and sustainability.

- If you're looking to gain muscle, it's all about progressive overload, and at least for a beginner, you don't need to lift 6 days/week. The general rule I've seen is anywhere from 10-20 sets per muscle per week, and much over 5 sets per muscle in one workout is excessive and probably has no more ROI. I personally did 3 days/week full body for a while with good results.

- Diet... again, sustainability. Don't deprive yourself, but look at moderation. Counting calories has always worked out far better than not for me when needing to lose a few pounds.

- Feed your good habits with things that keep you going down that path. Walked/jogged consistently for a couple months? Buy a better pair of running shoes or ear buds for jogging or a nice smart watch.
Lift for a few months? Buy some home gym stuff for new exercises or accessories for the gym.
Sure, reward yourself with a beer sometimes, just don't be too self destructive... and feeding the good habits has worked really well for me because it keeps things new and you don't want to waste the dollars invested once it becomes a habit (as opposed to spending $2k on a treadmill day one).

This is spot on.