Buy a rower or join the gym?
Discussion
I need some advice please. My doc would like me to lose weight, well actually I would like to lose weight more! Ideally about 20kg. Currently I'm hovering around 100kg and am a stocky 175cm. I reckon 80ish kg would be better. I'm 57.
I hate walking or running, not keen on cycling and ambivalent about swimming (I get bored). I quite like rowing and had an old rowing machine that rhe local boxing club was ditching because the display wasn't working. I found half an hour a day was perfect and not a chore.
So, do I get a Concept2 (my doc says that's the one to get) which is about £1000 new or about £600 on the bay or do I join the local gym and vary my exercise? When I say local gym, it's about eight miles away, but is in a town that I'm in daily.
I'm not concerned about my food intake, it is quite healthy and alcohol is weekends only pretty much and rarely loads, bottle of red or three or four tinnies.I'm just not exercising enough.
Any thoughts? I'm leaning towards the Concept2 because I can do that day or night at home and I know I 'enjoy' it. I'm concerned the gym will become a chore and I'll not bother.
I hate walking or running, not keen on cycling and ambivalent about swimming (I get bored). I quite like rowing and had an old rowing machine that rhe local boxing club was ditching because the display wasn't working. I found half an hour a day was perfect and not a chore.
So, do I get a Concept2 (my doc says that's the one to get) which is about £1000 new or about £600 on the bay or do I join the local gym and vary my exercise? When I say local gym, it's about eight miles away, but is in a town that I'm in daily.
I'm not concerned about my food intake, it is quite healthy and alcohol is weekends only pretty much and rarely loads, bottle of red or three or four tinnies.I'm just not exercising enough.
Any thoughts? I'm leaning towards the Concept2 because I can do that day or night at home and I know I 'enjoy' it. I'm concerned the gym will become a chore and I'll not bother.
You should be concerned about your food intake as that is the only thing that will make you lose weight.
The gym and exercise is for health and fitness. A calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight and the calories lost from exercise are not large enough to lose the weight on their own, unless you are doing ultramarathons several times a week.
I workout every day for an hour, sometimes 2 and the weight loss only happens when I control what I eat.
I have a concept 2 rower, bike and Skierg in my garage and they are fantastic bits of kit. The rower actually requires a lot of technique to be used properly. I love it as an exercise though, the online records and leaderboards motivate me to improve.
The gym and exercise is for health and fitness. A calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight and the calories lost from exercise are not large enough to lose the weight on their own, unless you are doing ultramarathons several times a week.
I workout every day for an hour, sometimes 2 and the weight loss only happens when I control what I eat.
I have a concept 2 rower, bike and Skierg in my garage and they are fantastic bits of kit. The rower actually requires a lot of technique to be used properly. I love it as an exercise though, the online records and leaderboards motivate me to improve.
If you opt to buy a rower, I agree with doc, get a concept 2 and don’t be tempted to go for a cheaper option - it’s one of those things that no other company has got as ‘right’ as Concept2.
My opinion though is that you should join the gym. Fitness/losing weight is a lifestyle - it doesn’t end when you get to 80kg, it should continue your whole life. With that, if you can make an hour at the gym part of your day, your routine, your way of life, it will be easy. The day won’t feel complete without a little something in the gym.
Most gyms will have concept2 rowers, so you can indulge in there. Plus half an hour lifting weights, or walking on the treadmill listening to a podcast/music/news. Or half an hour on a mat on the floor stretching. Or chatting to the new mates you’ve made since joining.
Working out at home requires serious discipline, it might sound easier and more convenient but unless you have a dedicated space in the home, it’s a hard thing to stick to, in my experience.
My opinion though is that you should join the gym. Fitness/losing weight is a lifestyle - it doesn’t end when you get to 80kg, it should continue your whole life. With that, if you can make an hour at the gym part of your day, your routine, your way of life, it will be easy. The day won’t feel complete without a little something in the gym.
Most gyms will have concept2 rowers, so you can indulge in there. Plus half an hour lifting weights, or walking on the treadmill listening to a podcast/music/news. Or half an hour on a mat on the floor stretching. Or chatting to the new mates you’ve made since joining.
Working out at home requires serious discipline, it might sound easier and more convenient but unless you have a dedicated space in the home, it’s a hard thing to stick to, in my experience.
Thanks for the input so far. I think I'll checknout the gym and see what their set up is like.
I take the point about food intake and yes, you are right about being calorie deficient. Perhaps I should have phrased it better, I'm not concerned my diet is bad, just needs a little work. I don't want or need to lose the 20kg quickly, I want a steady decline and then maintain a healthy weight.
I take the point about food intake and yes, you are right about being calorie deficient. Perhaps I should have phrased it better, I'm not concerned my diet is bad, just needs a little work. I don't want or need to lose the 20kg quickly, I want a steady decline and then maintain a healthy weight.
I go the the gym because I like the atmosphere and I have the time, but if I didn't, I'd certainly by a C2 rower.
Anyway, in July this year I decided I wanted to lose about six kilos of weight. I'm 183cm and I was 93kg, and I'm 49. So, I a) got myself back into the gym and began to burn @ 500 kcals every session, minimum three days a week, sometimes up to five days a week. I'm active anywaybut I needed to kick it up at bit. I also b) decided to change my diet quite a lot because I knew there needed to be a substantial calorie deficit - and you will be no different.
It went like this:
Breakfast: 160g of Greek Yoghurt every morning, mixed with frozen but defrosted mixed berries, about 80-100g worth, and a banana, cup of tea/coffee
Mid morning Snack: Protein shake mixed with water or protein bar
Lunch: 2-3 egg either omelette or scrambled eggs with 100g of chicken, tomatoes, cheese. If not this then something with chicken in it, but no sandwiches!
Dinner: pretty much whatever I wanted, but if i was having rice/pasta I'd reduce my intake down from over 100g of rice to maybe 60-70g. Similar reduction in pasta.
Didn't do much else, didn't change my drinking habits all that much except maybe a couple less beers a week.
I did this six days a week, and on the 7th day (usually a Saturday) would eat and drink whatever i wanted all day - the "cheat" day.
So, two weeks ago I hit my 87kg goal - worked out losing about 0.5k a week with a few weeks where I screwed up - and now I can up my breakfasts/lunches to stabilise my weight around 87kg where I'm comfortable with how it sits on me.
You *will* need both; just hitting the gym will not get you were you want to be.
Anyway, in July this year I decided I wanted to lose about six kilos of weight. I'm 183cm and I was 93kg, and I'm 49. So, I a) got myself back into the gym and began to burn @ 500 kcals every session, minimum three days a week, sometimes up to five days a week. I'm active anywaybut I needed to kick it up at bit. I also b) decided to change my diet quite a lot because I knew there needed to be a substantial calorie deficit - and you will be no different.
It went like this:
Breakfast: 160g of Greek Yoghurt every morning, mixed with frozen but defrosted mixed berries, about 80-100g worth, and a banana, cup of tea/coffee
Mid morning Snack: Protein shake mixed with water or protein bar
Lunch: 2-3 egg either omelette or scrambled eggs with 100g of chicken, tomatoes, cheese. If not this then something with chicken in it, but no sandwiches!
Dinner: pretty much whatever I wanted, but if i was having rice/pasta I'd reduce my intake down from over 100g of rice to maybe 60-70g. Similar reduction in pasta.
Didn't do much else, didn't change my drinking habits all that much except maybe a couple less beers a week.
I did this six days a week, and on the 7th day (usually a Saturday) would eat and drink whatever i wanted all day - the "cheat" day.
So, two weeks ago I hit my 87kg goal - worked out losing about 0.5k a week with a few weeks where I screwed up - and now I can up my breakfasts/lunches to stabilise my weight around 87kg where I'm comfortable with how it sits on me.
You *will* need both; just hitting the gym will not get you were you want to be.
My reason for the gym is the environment it puts you in, once I’m there, there are no distractions and I’ll happily get on with my routine. If I try to do stuff at home I find myself getting too easily distracted, or sometimes not bothering at all. That might just be me though.
As others have said, you need to start watching your diet.
Do you have an understanding of calories and allowances? If not just start counting calories and you’ll most likely be surprised how quickly they add up.
As others have said, you need to start watching your diet.
Do you have an understanding of calories and allowances? If not just start counting calories and you’ll most likely be surprised how quickly they add up.
Yes, I have a good idea of my calorie intake. A slight adjustment to reduce carbs and intake sees me losing weight. I can easily lose a kilo a week as I did in lockdown by watching my food and rowing 30 mins a day. I was burning about 600 cal on the rower and ensuring no more than 1800 in and the weight fell off.
I don't eat much, but I do like my food. I tend to have a problem disciplining myself to drink enough water through the day though.
I don't eat much, but I do like my food. I tend to have a problem disciplining myself to drink enough water through the day though.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
I need some advice please. My doc would like me to lose weight, well actually I would like to lose weight more! Ideally about 20kg. Currently I'm hovering around 100kg and am a stocky 175cm. I reckon 80ish kg would be better. I'm 57.
Go steady. Fine to lose 20kg but if you do it quickly you'll look and feel crap, and you will put it back on. Slowly and by way of a lifestyle change is the way to go.Jordie Barretts sock said:
I hate walking or running, not keen on cycling and ambivalent about swimming (I get bored). I quite like rowing and had an old rowing machine that rhe local boxing club was ditching because the display wasn't working. I found half an hour a day was perfect and not a chore.
Rowing is good, if it suits you. The Concept 2 model C or D are the machines to have.Jordie Barretts sock said:
So, do I get a Concept2 (my doc says that's the one to get) which is about £1000 new or about £600 on the bay or do I join the local gym and vary my exercise? When I say local gym, it's about eight miles away, but is in a town that I'm in daily.
It depends what motivates you. Personally I struggle to use the Concept 2 that is six feet behind the PC I am typing on here in my office. I prefer to be in a gym, with other people about.Jordie Barretts sock said:
I'm not concerned about my food intake, it is quite healthy and alcohol is weekends only pretty much and rarely loads, bottle of red or three or four tinnies.I'm just not exercising enough.
You should be, because that is why you are overweight. You get fit in the gym, skinny in the kitchen etc.Jordie Barretts sock said:
Any thoughts? I'm leaning towards the Concept2 because I can do that day or night at home and I know I 'enjoy' it. I'm concerned the gym will become a chore and I'll not bother.
As above. If you like exercising alone buy a rower. If not, join a gym, which will also have weights, use of which is a very good idea.Exercise and diet go hand in hand. You need to consider both.
This is probably an over simplification but this is how I understand how things work:
If you diet by reducing your calory intake below your maintenance calory count, your body looks to make efficiencies. One of them could be by burning fat, but if you are not exercising and therefore not using your muscles, your body will get rid of those too because simply maintaining muscle is expensive in terms of energy consumption. That's why body builders eat such enormous meals, they need the calories just to maintain muscle, let alone build more.
So just dieting alone will mean you lose weight to start with but as you lose the muscle you're not using, your maintenance calory count goes down, you're not burning so many calories so dieting becomes harder to do.
Adding exercise so you maintain muscle mass or even build some, means that the only thing your body can burn is fat. So you are losing weight in a much healthier way. Quite apart from the fact that exercise is good for the rest of you including your brain.
As for where to do it, this will depend on you but I would favour the gym. When I first joined one I thought that it would be difficult to maintain the motivation to go and eventually I would get fed up with it and stop going but I found the opposite. I found the atmosphere and the sense that everyone is there for the same purpose, trying to get fitter in some way, motivated me more and I looked forward to going, But you may not in which case a Concept 2 from Ebay is a good choice.
This is probably an over simplification but this is how I understand how things work:
If you diet by reducing your calory intake below your maintenance calory count, your body looks to make efficiencies. One of them could be by burning fat, but if you are not exercising and therefore not using your muscles, your body will get rid of those too because simply maintaining muscle is expensive in terms of energy consumption. That's why body builders eat such enormous meals, they need the calories just to maintain muscle, let alone build more.
So just dieting alone will mean you lose weight to start with but as you lose the muscle you're not using, your maintenance calory count goes down, you're not burning so many calories so dieting becomes harder to do.
Adding exercise so you maintain muscle mass or even build some, means that the only thing your body can burn is fat. So you are losing weight in a much healthier way. Quite apart from the fact that exercise is good for the rest of you including your brain.
As for where to do it, this will depend on you but I would favour the gym. When I first joined one I thought that it would be difficult to maintain the motivation to go and eventually I would get fed up with it and stop going but I found the opposite. I found the atmosphere and the sense that everyone is there for the same purpose, trying to get fitter in some way, motivated me more and I looked forward to going, But you may not in which case a Concept 2 from Ebay is a good choice.
What’s the saying, you’ll never outrun (outrow) a mars bar.
You really need to do both - start dropping the colorific input for weight loss and go to the gym for fitness and toning.
I’m 59 so similar age to you, OP, and I do the above. You need resistance (weight) training at our age to maintain muscle mass as that’s going to pay dividends as you get older.
I’m still overweight by about a stone now (was 2 a few months back) but the weight loss so far has been all about the food going into my mouth. The gym (rowing and weights) is the bit that keeps me fit and strong.
Best of luck and ease yourself into it. I’ve been weight training for a few years but am acutely aware that at 59 I cannot lift the same weights I used to unless I want to do my joints some damage
You really need to do both - start dropping the colorific input for weight loss and go to the gym for fitness and toning.
I’m 59 so similar age to you, OP, and I do the above. You need resistance (weight) training at our age to maintain muscle mass as that’s going to pay dividends as you get older.
I’m still overweight by about a stone now (was 2 a few months back) but the weight loss so far has been all about the food going into my mouth. The gym (rowing and weights) is the bit that keeps me fit and strong.
Best of luck and ease yourself into it. I’ve been weight training for a few years but am acutely aware that at 59 I cannot lift the same weights I used to unless I want to do my joints some damage
it's not well advertised but the NHS have a 'fitness on referall' scheme. look into it. any physical or mental condition that they feel could benefit with exercise means they can give you 3 months of free membership at your local area gym/leisure center... provided you go a minimum of 2-3 times a week that can get extended another 9 months.
so gym is the no brainer option here.
so gym is the no brainer option here.
I think the Concept 2 is a great piece of kit and will undoubtably make you very fit if you have the time and good technique. However, they are expensive, have to have a dedicated space and can get a bit boring. I would personally favour a cross trainer combined with fast walking. Walking is a weight bearing exercise which is great for offsetting osteoporosis. In 2020 my wife and I started walking around two hours a day and without any changes to our diet, in around eight months managed to lose over seven kilos each.
All you need are a decent pair of shoes and socks, you get fresh air, see nature and can vary routes.
All you need are a decent pair of shoes and socks, you get fresh air, see nature and can vary routes.
The choice between training at a gym or at home is very personal, as a youngster I used to love the gym, trained 5-6 times a week, a bit of banter and there was always some totty about.
As I got older I became grumpy, it got to the stage where I didn’t need much of an excuse not to drive 25 minutes each way to the gym, particularly when I had to keep changing my routine as there always seemed to be somebody using the equipment that I wanted to use.
Now I have all the kit I need in the garage, concept 2, power rack, Olympic weights etc, I’m back to training 5 days a week, and it only takes me 30 seconds to get to the gym.
Choose whichever option means you will train regularly.
As I got older I became grumpy, it got to the stage where I didn’t need much of an excuse not to drive 25 minutes each way to the gym, particularly when I had to keep changing my routine as there always seemed to be somebody using the equipment that I wanted to use.
Now I have all the kit I need in the garage, concept 2, power rack, Olympic weights etc, I’m back to training 5 days a week, and it only takes me 30 seconds to get to the gym.
Choose whichever option means you will train regularly.
Join a gym that has a concept 2 and where you can do a range of activities cardio / weights / etc. If you get into rowing you'll probably end up getting a concept 2 too. Aim for a BMI of 25 or so. If you just use the rower - you'll need to do a ton of UT2 to burn off fat. Best to mix up your cardio and weights to lose weight if that makes sense.
Edited by Yahonza on Saturday 15th October 18:37
Yahonza said:
Join a gym that has a concept 2 and where you can do a range of activities cardio / weights / etc. If you get into rowing you'll probably end up getting a concept 2 too. Aim for a BMI of 25 or so. If you just use the rower - you'll need to do a ton of UT2 to burn off fat. Best to mix up your cardio and weights to lose weight if that makes sense.
Most Concept 2s in gyms are in need of a service and vary between rubbish and unusable.Edited by Yahonza on Saturday 15th October 18:37
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