How effective are these workouts?

nimblehound55 said:you get there through cardio—like running, swimming, or cycling—and a diet that cuts out greasy foods, sweets, and most pastries
the second part is usually what trips people up😬

Not quite. It’s really about combining aerobic and anaerobic training. Honestly, you don't even need the steady-state cardio if your diet is dialed in... or you can just swap those endless, tedious cardio sessions for short HIIT workouts and actually see better results.

If you want visible abs, you need actual muscle mass and < a body fat percentage under 10%. Just look at people starving in Africa—they aren't walking around with six-packs. Doing nothing but crunches is just a great way to mess up your pelvic tilt. Here's the breakdown:

In my opinion, you should be hitting full-body workouts. My recommendation? Push-ups and pull-ups. If you can't manage a single pull-up yet—don't sweat it—just use a chair to pull yourself up and then focus on a slow, controlled descent. Throw in some squats with a medicine ball and some lunges. For core work, try this: and this: Set aside an hour for your training.
Work every muscle group evenly. Aim for 5 sets of 15 to 20 reps. Keep your rest periods between 30 seconds and a minute.

There are plenty of variations for pull-ups and push-ups—you can easily integrate dumbbells or resistance bands into your routine. Honestly, Google and YouTube are your best friends here.
P.S. Squats engage your lower back, so there's no need to isolate that area separately.

Dedicate one hour and get it done. For cardio, just go for a brisk walk.

I think I totally botched my original questions—what I actually need are full-body workouts. Mentioning abs was really just me giving an example of what I'd *like* to achieve if I focused there... clearly, I had no clue what I was talking about. 🙈 Thank god I asked though.

My diet isn't exactly "superfood" territory, but it's not junk food either. Please don't tell me that on top of all this sweat and effort, I also have to obsess over every single calorie even though losing weight isn't even my goal... 🙂

Right now, I'm doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, and then—instead of jumping straight into another one—I'll tack on maybe 20 or 30 minutes of something else... mostly stuff for my core and glutes, and occasionally throwing in some yoga or Pilates for 20 minutes or so. Is that enough?

Susan Jackson12 thanks. I had to extend things a bit because I was barely hanging on at first, and I definitely wasn't hitting it every day when I started. But I've settled into the program now. Honestly, this level 2 is so incredibly boring that I’m basically counting down the days until it's over. From what I've seen, Jackie Warner seems awesome, but I can't find her full program anywhere. I only have dumbbells, and since Cathe Friedrich requires a ton of extra equipment, I think I'll just skip her...

Chloe Morris12 those legs aren't bad, but I'm more into that lean look. 🙂

If you're looking for a solid no-equipment cardio session from Cathe, go with the Cardio Core Circuit. For those afterburn workouts, all you really need is some dumbbells, maybe some paper plates or even dinner plates... For anything requiring a barbell, just grab your dumbbells instead; there's always a dumbbell alternative for every barbell move. You might want a Pilates ball for certain routines, but honestly, it's a worthwhile investment. Nothing fires up the core quite like adding a little instability...

I’d also suggest varying your routine as much as possible. If you stick to the exact same level for too many days, your body just adapts, and you stop seeing results. It becomes less effective the longer you stay stagnant. If you can't find Jackie Warner or Cathe, give Kelly Coffey-Meyer a shot—she has some decent strength videos. Ilaria Montagnani is also good, though I personally find her a bit dull... Men's Health Belly OFF workouts (they have one bodyweight version and one with weights) are great too.

As for diet—if you actually want a toned physique, you have to watch what you eat. It's non-negotiable. Those "slender model" looks aren't built through exercise; they're built by starving yourself while doing high-rep, low-resistance workouts that don't do much...

So, I’ve started hitting the gym with two specific goals in mind: dropping 10 kg and toning up my lower body and midsection🙂. Here is my current routine:
Warm-up, 10 minutes on the stationary bike
Leg extensions, leg presses, and leg curls
Chest press, overhead press, lat pulldowns, and rows
Abs and lower back machine
15 minutes on the elliptical
Is this sufficient if I go twice a week? I am also considering adding some home workouts, unless you recommend something else. Every exercise is performed for 3 sets of 12 reps.

dustytrucker34 said:So, I finally hit the gym with a clear goal—drop about 20 pounds and tone up all these areas that feel a little too soft right now (my legs, glutes, stomach🙂). Here’s my current routine:
Warm-up, 10 mins on the stationary bike
Leg extensions, leg press, leg curls
Chest press, overhead press, lat pulldowns, rows
Abs and lower back extensions
Elliptical for 15 mins
Do you think this is enough if I go twice a week? I was also thinking about adding some home workouts, or would you suggest something else instead? I'm doing 3 sets of 12 reps for everything.

I actually used a pretty similar setup when I first started hitting the gym. I just did 4 sets of 12, picking two exercises for each muscle group (legs, chest, back, etc.) three times a week. Honestly, I was super happy with the results.🙂 I eventually moved on to free weights and some different movements after a couple of months, but a full-body routine was perfect for me when I was starting out.

You could always switch up the specific exercises between sessions so you aren't doing the exact same thing every single time you walk through the door.