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Comment by throw7 | Hacker News Reader

"Do mostly cardio, but also some weights."

Disagree. I'd recommend the opposite, do mostly weights and some cardio. You don't need to buy equipment, barbells etc., bodyweight exercises is weight/strength training.

However, both should be done! Cardio is good for your heart. But it's easy and healthy enough to maintain a good aerobic fitness just once a week. Weight training keeps you burning calories and I think strength is more practical/useful in our day to day lives, thus having a greater impact on your psyche.

Bottomline, something is better than nothing. And if you love running... go for it.

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Kettlebells are the perfect solution for this, in my opinion. It's insane how much exercise I get out of them in a short amount of time.

I second this. Something as basic as the simple and sinister program is all you need. Or HIIT-ish calisthenics if you don't have kettlebells.

I know that weights are better than cardio, but cardio has major benefits for me that I can't ignore. Stress melts off, and I feel much more clear minded + focused with regular cardio. It also seems to keep my metabolism really high. I'm in my late 30s and eat like a teenager (in quantity of food) while staying lean with decent muscle mass.

Agree with you both. I have 3 kettlebells (1, 1.5 and 2 poods) and a yoga mat right outside my back door and it eliminates all my excuses. Even on low motivation mornings I can still bang out 40 swings and some snatches. And it's the perfect thing before coffee/work.

You still should not confuse your own anecdotal experience with actual evidence. Of course some strength training is beneficial, but the majority of the studies that I've seen rather promote the claim that sufficient cardio exercise is the cornerstone of a long and healthy life. Some recent papers that immediately come to my mind:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28365296/

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/40/1/34/5193508

https://www.pnas.org/content/116/40/19905

Cardio gains diminish faster than resistance training gains, so the recommendation of "mostly cardio, some weights" is likely correct for general health, and I say this as someone who lifts weights more than I do cardio.

> I'd recommend the opposite, do mostly weights and some cardio. You don't need to buy equipment, barbells etc., bodyweight exercises is weight/strength training.

Is this, along with diet, sufficient to put on weight? I really need to gain 50 or so pounds at least and have never been able to do so. Even my brother, who routinely works out now is still pretty thin for his height. I've had a lot of people tell me you have to go to a gym for the equipment programs, but I'm not sure as it seems everyone tries to sell you something.

You definitely need proper diet to put on weight, and lift heavy weights. I was always skinny pretty much all my life, and I was able to gain 5-10 pounds of lean mass during last year (mostly summer). Because of Covid, I had to move outdoors, and discovered calisthenics. That changed everything. I feel so much more motivated to work out now. During the summer I used to go to Stanley Park (Vancouver) and stayed there working out for hours listening music/podcast. And here is the thing: you need to find some sort of exercise that you like to do, or you will stop doing it. Regarding gaining lean muscle, the general advice is to reach muscle exhaustion when doing the reps. I found that to be the key, not so much rep count (even though I follow the traditional 6-12 rep count). Anyway, you should find a lot of advice on the web.

And of course, the diet, which has been the most challenging for me. I have a hard time eating a lot of healthy calories. It's just too much food :P! I read some recommendations on drinking a lot of milk, but I guess we all have have a limit of lactose we can handle [citation needed], and it did not go well.

Anyway, I am trying to make it into a habit/hobby, studying my body and my mind, trying to find what works for me. Hope it helps.

Yes Lactose intolerance is very common. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534631/#:~:text=Resear...)

One of the things that changed my training in the gym(after many years of off-and-on) was doing college judo classes for two semesters, because it indicated what things were missing in my training program(mobility, shoulder strength, stamina) and I think the same is relatively true of body composition - there are a lot of ways to benchmark your physique and weight is one of the least reliable, a kind of "you get there when you get there" type of deal.

You can't expect physique to deviate hugely from your starting point without pharmecutical assistance(which is, defacto, how all the celebs are getting their transformations, on top of extensive training and nutritional oversight), but there are a lot of easily overlooked details that do compound towards a goal over time: how often and when you eat, as well as type and quantity. How well you sleep. Stress levels.

Sometimes it really can come down to just adding another meal or finding something to graze on.

I don’t think anybody ever _needs_ to gain weight. It’s only an indirect indicator of things that matter (strength, endurance), and even those are only indicators what really matters: health.

And yes, I think that applies to anorexics, too, although there, of course, the only way to gain strength or endurance and thus get healthier is to eat more and gain weight.

I also am aware that some people train in order to look strong rather than be strong, but I think that should be discouraged. I don’t know you, but given what you say about your brother, it probably is genetics, so accept you won’t ever look as strong as some others.

Certainly, if you’re as strong as somebody who weighs more, you’ll likely beat them in exercises where you need to move your body (swimming, running, cycling, mountain climbing, cross country skiing, rowing, etc)

Building muscle will take resistance training of some kind. The most effective way is with weight training at a gym, but it isn't the only way. Bodyweight training can definitely help you put on muscle, it will just be a bit slower. There are some natural limits to how far you can take it, but by the time you hit them you will be way more comfortable and aware of where to go next.

As a fellow hardgainer, as the industry calls it, I would recommend weight training if you want to get it done within the year, but if that isn't an option yet, get started with bodyweight stuff.

No one is trying to sell you anything with general weight training, it's tried and true. Just forget the paid programs. Forget supplements, just eat well and regularly, and be mindful that you can only grow as fast as you can recover so sleep and food are just as important. If you aren't able to eat enough, you can train a bit less. It's all a balance.

I've done calisthenics for a lot of my life, I'm lean and strong (6'1" 160lbs). 50lbs is a lot and would be a serious gain even with weights unless you're really thin. I would focus more on ability, can you do 10 pull ups? Can you do 10 sets of 10 pull ups in a day? Can you do 50 body weight squats? Can you do 20 sets of 50 body weight squats in a day? Get those numbers up rather than having a weight goal.

Maybe. I used to be a lot more active than I was before and my primarily sedentary life doesn’t help. I’m the same height as you, but 30-40 pounds less. I’m not sure how worried I should be at this weight.

Too add, while many people in are rather thin (I mentioned my brother). My father is pretty well built nowadays. Although he was also thin in his younger days, he managed to get into the Marine Corp later, so I imagine that helped.

If you're my height you can for sure get to 175 with calisthenics. It'll take a while but you'll be building amazing functional strength in that time.

I agree that weight is not a good a metric of fitness. Since the pandemic started I have had to stop my 1-on-1 kickboxing sessions. My weight hasn't changed much, but I have definitely lost muscle and gained fat. This became very clear when I tried on my swimming wetsuit. It went from tight around the shoulders and arms to tight around the waist!

If this is something that really concerns you, I would look to finding a good certified dietician if you can.

In my humble opinion, weight is not a good indicator of anything unless it's at the very extremes. I am hesitant to post my height and weight right now because that can be taken wrongly.

I think you are being proactive in YOUR health which is good! No one knows your body more than you. I hope this helps.

The way to gain weight is just to eat like crazy. You eat dinner and before you feel full you drink you gainer. Repeat for all meals and you should be able to gain weight fast. The hardest exercises are best: squat, chest press, deadlift, rowing etc.

If you're intention is to gain weight (not just muscle) you need to eat more than your BMR, no two ways around that. A decent surplus (say 200-300 calories above BMR) and a good program is key.

Yeah I need to figure this out. My appetite is pretty small and I’m very convinced I have some undiagnosed IBD (due to some rather specific symptoms). It doesn’t take much to make me feel close to vomiting if I eat too much.

Does feeling sick after consuming a lot apply to shakes as well? Only thing to keep an eye on with shakes is your appetite would be satisfied but you’d need to still take in your meals

Cardio is more fun for many people. That is big thing imo in regular exercising - whether you find the activity at least somewhat fun.

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