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I'm gonna blow the trumpet for Orange Theory Fitness. It's a coach led class style workout, about an hour per workout. I've been doing it for 4 years. Oddly I have not lost much weight, but I have gained a tremendous (for a 51 year old guy) amount of muscle, balance and stamina and I've lost a lot of fat. I'm not a six pack abs guy, but I look good in my clothes and my arms are pretty stout.
The workouts are fun, and they also have (how many per year depends on the membership you sign up for) a BMI index scale that will let you know your fat and muscle content so you can track your progress. You work out with a heart monitor and you can see the amount of calories, your heart rate, and the amount of time your heart is at 84% or higher, which is the "orange zone". It really helps to see what your body is doing as you work out. The studio I'm at is like a family. I go on the same nights every week so I have gotten to know many of the other members, and that helps for accountability as well. They also have consultations with the coaches, and all of our coaches really know their stuff.
Diet and routine is key. You can't outwork a bad diet. That's frankly been my biggest stumbling block. BUT...I don't drink nearly as much as I used to, and my wife and I both are eating clean and cooking at home. We rarely go out to eat, and if we do, it's even more rare that it's a fast food thing.
Basically, it ain't cheap, but if you consider how many times you go in a month and divide your cost by that, it's hella cheap for a coached workout in a friendly environment that gives solid results, IF you stick with it. There's probably a studio in your area. I highly recommend at least giving them a call. I think they give you a free workout so you can see what it's all about. I used to be a planet fitness guy, but I didn't really know how to push myself. I am now able to run (Never used to do that) and I am lifting much heavier weights than I ever used to. For what it's worth, they have an annual Transformation Challenge that they do, and this year, I took 2nd place...which was bloody amazing to me.
Give it a try and good luck!
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