Which workout should I start with? Need advice!

The goal is simple: strip the fat off my stomach, tighten up the glutes, and kill the cellulite on my legs... basically, I’m chasing that flat belly, lean leg, lifted booty look. I'm 33... what do you guys think is actually going to work best: hitting the gym, pilates, aerobics, swimming, yoga, squash... or maybe something else entirely? What's been working for you all lately??

There’s an endless variety and enough to go around if you can handle it. 😁

Everything regarding fitness, aerobics, Pilates... and just about everything else
you can find over at http://www.us-fitness.com

Look, if you want my take, go with a mix of swimming, cycling, and running. Honestly, pretty much any sport is going to help you out—as long as you actually give a damn and put in the work. I’m big on solo sports, though. You don't have to rely on some buddy showing up, and more importantly, you can't use "my partner bailed" as an excuse to sit on the couch.

Look, lady, just sign up for a gym membership, mix in some weight training, and go ask the actual pros there about what you should be eating.

Listen, nothing—and I mean NOTHING—is going to drop your body fat percentage faster than getting your diet dialed in. Seriously, just ignore all that other advice above.

Oh, please, give me a break 😁
Look, lady, if you just start running three times a week, you’ll practically melt away right before our eyes

ivana333 said:My goal is to lose belly fat... tone my glutes... and get rid of cellulite on my legs...(I want a flat stomach, slim legs, and a lifted butt)....I'm 33 years old....what kind of workout do you think would be most effective: gym/fitness, pilates, aerobics, swimming, yoga, squash......or................???..what are your general experiences??...

Seriously, how many times have you opened this exact same thread? 🤣

Are you just exercising your fingers now? 🙂

You can shed those extra pounds doing anything from a light jog to, I don't know, water aerobics or something similar.
But, and this is a big "but," you’ve got to actually stick to some basic nutritional rules:
1. Don't go overboard and overeat.
2. Try to wrap up eating by 6:00 PM.
3. Instead of just hitting two massive meals, try eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day.
4. Drink plenty of water.
5. If you can, cut back on the heavy carbs—think things like potatoes, pasta, and bread...

Olivia Jackson91 said:You can drop some weight just by doing basic stuff like jogging or even water aerobics.
But you gotta follow certain nutritional rules if you actually want results:
1. don't overeat
2. stop eating after 6 PM
3. try having more frequent meals instead of just two massive ones
4. drink tons of water
5. if possible, cut out carbs: potatoes, pasta, bread....

1. fine
2. total bullshit!!!!
3. whatever
4. sure
5. lmao

2. Just grab some cereal with milk, oatmeal, or some fruit in the evening... That way you won't be starving!

5. This is honestly so stupid. Do you even have a clue what you're talking about?

copperpuma96 said:1. fine
2. complete nonsense!!!!
3. fine
4. fine
5. lol

2. Just have some cereal with milk, oatmeal, or fruit in the evening... then you won't be starving!

5. This is seriously stupid. Do you even know what you're talking about?

Oof, things are getting heated in here. Personally, I’d say I’m pretty qualified to weigh in on nutrition and training—or at least I spend enough time debating it with people who actually know their stuff.
I wouldn't recommend hitting the cereal and milk at night; if you need that, stick to breakfast.

2. I totally agree that you should eat whenever you're hungry and never let yourself get ravenous. But sometimes when people say "eat," they think they can just smash two pork chops after 6 PM and call it a day. I really meant I should have said just apples or fruit—not bananas—after 6 PM.

5. LOL, and yeah, LOL because looking back at what I wrote, haha.
Regarding proteins: YES. I actually meant to write carbohydrates instead of proteins, but given the list I provided (potatoes, pasta, bread), anyone with half a brain would realize it was a typo since those are carbs, not protein.

My bad again on the typo.

Look, I honestly don't care what someone eats or how much they consume—provided they’re actually burning it off through some form of sport or active recreation. The body is intuitive enough to react to that kind of regimen on its own. All those complex, over-the-top theories regarding "athletic nutrition" should really be left to the professionals—you know, the elite athletes who do this for a living. Once you start trying to force a casual hobbyist into a rigid lifestyle where they're obsessively tracking every gram of protein or counting carbs just to stay in shape, they’re going to hit a wall. It leads to total burnout, and before you know it, they'll just give up entirely.

George Morgan3 said:Honestly, let people eat whatever they want, as long as they’re burning those calories through some kind of sport or active hobby. The body will adapt to the workload regardless. All those complex theories about "sports nutrition" should really just be left to the pros. Once an amateur starts trying to follow strict diets or obsessively counting every gram of protein and carbs, they hit a wall. Most casual gym-goers will just burn out and quit way faster if they try to live like a nutritionist dictates.

I’m on board with that, but there’s a limit. A regular guy isn't going to sit down and crush two pounds of bacon, two pizzas, a pound of steak, and three pork chops alongside a loaf of bread. Even elite athletes couldn't pull that off. Like you said, a recreational athlete can eat what they want if they're staying active, but I think most people would agree that you simply can't survive on massive, unhealthy meals just two or three times a day.

Take this for example: I don't think any amount of exercise—not even for the world-class pros—would lead to success or a great physique if they were eating nothing but McDonald's.
No matter how hard they trained, they'd probably end up sick rather than fit.

Olivia Jackson91 said:I agree with this—look, a casual gym-goer isn't going to be able to crush two pounds of bacon, two pizzas, a pound of beef, three pork chops, and a loaf of bread all at once. That kind of volume is reserved for a traditional roast dinner or a pro athlete. A recreational lifter can eat whatever they want as long as they burn it off—which is what you’re suggesting—but I think most people would agree that you just can't sustain massive, unhealthy meals two or three times a day and expect anything good to happen.

Let me give you an example: no amateur, and honestly, I doubt even a top-tier pro athlete could maintain success or a decent physique if their diet consisted entirely of McDonald's.
No matter how hard they train, they’d end up sick rather than fit or successful.

At this point, we aren't really talking about sports specifically anymore—this is just a general conversation about nutrition... basically, what counts as healthy versus what doesn't.

I honestly don't get the whole hype around, like, fitness culture? I mean, seriously—people actually pay money just to go sweat their lives away😕 😕. It feels like such a massive "see and be seen" thing to me. It’s just what’s trendy right now, so if my friend is doing it, then I guess I have to go too🙂 .
Anyway, I hit the gym myself, and while I'm there, I see women of all ages just sort of "jogging in place" and barely breaking a sweat—which, honestly, is kind of gross, sweating like that😕. But wait, how are you even supposed to lose weight if you aren't sweating? Maybe those "miracle gadgets" they sell on late-night infomercials that promise results in just 5 minutes a day?
Maybe I'm just rambling aimlessly here since millions of people across the US are obsessed with fitness, but still...
If you ask me, you're way better off taking that cash and spending it on a pool membership, or even better—just head to a local park or somewhere similar and run a few miles a day (maybe 45 mins or so). If you pair that with a solid diet, the pounds will just melt off effortlessly. No need for all that intense sweating!
Here are a few classic nutrition tips for you guys:
1. Eat smaller meals, but more frequently throughout the day—at least 4 times (like 8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm...)
2. Breakfast is non-negotiable! (try to eat within 1 hour of waking up)
3. If you can, grab some multivitamins
4. Swap white bread for whole grain; cut back on sugar (brown sugar is better than, say, cane sugar); watch the salt; stick to water and low-fat milk (for the calcium) as your main drinks; stay away from sodas and alcohol (beer); and load up on fruits and veggies; plus, try to eat fish at least twice a week
Diet is absolutely everything—it really just comes down to willpower...
Anyway, there's a ton of info out there on the internet, so just give it a quick Google search👋

Let me give you the lowdown on squash:

Anyone can play this game, regardless of age, because they have four different ball types based on speed.
You just pick one that matches your skill level.

Seriously, BRING someone who actually knows how to play.
The swing technique in squash is its own beast,
and if your form is off—like if you try hitting it like you’re playing tennis—the ball won't even move right.
Don't sweat the rules too much at first.

If you're playing a competitive match, take your body weight, multiply it by 12, and that’s roughly how many calories you'll burn in an hour.
Most people tap out after about 15 minutes.

Here’s why it kicks your ass so hard:
The game is incredibly fast-paced and full of sprints, plus those rallies can go on forever.😉
On top of that, you have to hit the ball pretty hard.
The ball stays "relatively" fast 🙂 and tends to stay low, which puts massive strain on your glutes (that's where you'll feel the burn most at the start).
You can definitely tweak a knee or an ankle with all those sudden changes in direction, though I haven't had that happen to me personally.

Since you're playing off all the walls, the ball stays live for a long time, and combined with the constant sprinting,
you'll figure out pretty quick if it's your thing or not.😎

Between squash and cleaning up my diet, I dropped 33 pounds in 11 months.
I even know a guy who lost 22 pounds in just three months.

But man, you really have to grind through it.😛

ivana333 said:My goal is to lose belly fat, tone my glutes, and get rid of cellulite on my legs... I want a flat stomach, slim legs, and a lifted butt. I'm 33... what kind of workout do you think would be most effective: fitness, Pilates, aerobics, swimming, yoga, squash... or...? What have your experiences been like?

Just find the biggest guy at your local Gold's Gym, tell him you want to lose weight, and leave it at that. He'll get you sorted. 😎
Diuretics and all that stuff. 👍
A little cash, a lot of willpower, and you're done. 😁
Joking aside.
Cut back on the carbs and bump up the protein.
Make sure to take some multivitamins and minerals every day.
Stay hydrated... aim for about two liters a day.
Eat more frequently, but stick to smaller meals.
Cut out the junk—things like processed spreads, chips, white bread... just get rid of it.
You actually have to join a gym. Typing on an internet forum isn't going to burn any fat.
Besides... go to the gym. That's where you'll get the real advice. 👍

Olivia Jackson91 said:You can burn off fat just by doing basic jogging or maybe some water aerobics.
But there's a catch. You actually have to follow some nutritional logic:
1. Don't overeat.
2. Stop eating after 6 PM.
3. Try eating more frequent meals instead of just two massive ones.
4. Drink plenty of water.
5. If possible, cut out proteins: potatoes, pasta, bread....

1. Eating six small meals a day is the standard advice, sure.
2. Total nonsense.
3. Fine.
4. Whatever.
5. Wait a second. You listed "potatoes, pasta, bread...." under proteins? You messed up pretty bad there. Those are carbohydrates....

ivana333 said:my goal is to lose belly fat.. tone my glutes.. and get rid of cellulite on my legs...(I want a flat stomach, slim legs, and a lifted butt)....I'm 33...what kind of workout do you think would be most effective: gym, pilates, aerobics, swimming, yoga, squash......or................???..also, what have your experiences been like??..

1. You can definitely do stuff at home—like crunches, squats, and some glute exercises (they look a bit weird, just Google them)
2. Swimming is probably the most well-rounded option and will definitely help.
3. Cardio—specifically running—is pretty much essential. I guess the key is picking a pace and sticking to it, maybe something like interval training where you go 2 mins slow and 2 mins fast? I'm no expert runner, but if you find someone to show you the right technique, losing that extra weight is basically a guarantee.

Eating 5-6 times a day helps—smaller, varied meals (you'll probably want to cut back on the high-fat stuff). And try to drink at least 2 liters of water a day—not all at once, obviously.

I don't really get all that Zen/meditation stuff, but I suppose it might help with energy flow or something... or at the very least, it works as a good way to stretch out muscles and tendons you didn't even know you had. 😁

Swimming is killer for burning off fat, provided you actually have decent technique.
If your stroke is sloppy, though, you’re mostly just doing anaerobic bursts instead of getting that steady aerobic burn.

When you're running, stay on your toes—literally. You want to push off the midfoot and land on the balls of your feet.
It feels a little weird at first, and honestly, your Achilles tendon might complain for a bit.

Cycling is also a solid way to lean out if you want variety.

Generally speaking, stick to low-glycemic foods.

Swimming is killer for burning fat, provided you actually have decent technique.
If your form is trash, you’re basically just doing anaerobic training instead of getting that aerobic burn.

When you're running, stay on the balls of your feet—hit off the toes and land light.
It feels super weird at first, and honestly, your Achilles tendon might kill for a bit.

Cycling is also a solid way to lean out.

Stick to low-glycemic foods in general.

If you want to build a better backside, hit up squash, badminton, or go for some steep incline walks—really stretch those strides out.
Squats are key, but keep your stance wide with your whole foot planted firmly.
Try to move through the squat as slowly as possible.👋

Enjoy the grind.😎