What should I do

[HomemadePie]

This is my first so I dont really know if this is in the right spot. A little about my background: I am 24 years old, I worked out 9-12 grade for football & track. Also played football and track in college so that was another year of working out. I havent worked out since 2013. I have gained 30 pounds over the past 5 years and currently 275 pounds. I want to get back to 245 pounds. I do work a full time job with overtime and working out can be rough especially when I cant be consistant. I ran for about two weeks straight a few months ago and lost about 7 pounds. My question is, is there something a person can take that will help them lose weight and give them a mild muscle tone (i know you have to lift some weights)? Every time I read on stuff like this they say its bad for your heart or raises blood pressure. Heart Disease runs in my family and my blood pressure now is like 130/80 so I really dont want to push that any more.

Maybe I am crazy but its hard for me to get going whenever I dont get to make it to the gym everyday.

Me:

Height - 6'3"
Current Weight - 275
Target Weight - 245

[5kgLifter]

Start by doing some exercise at home. tbh, people don't need the gym, unless they progress well beyond anything they have laying around the place that they're able to lift, whether that be actual weights or items that are able to stand in for weights. I did training for several years before even bothering to attend a gym and then I decided I was getting much better results at home, though the same may not be said for everyone as some people like the company of a gym setting.

Doing exercise at or around the home also permits more free time to be had as there is no travelling required and you can fit it into your own needs and times, no matter what time of the day it may be; I recall doing one workout at 11pm till midnight, that was a one-off though.

Bodyweight exercises are ideal as a start, keeping an eye on blood pressure, if necessary...slow and steady will get a person to where they want to be a lot faster than pushing things by going hard and heavy in the initial stages; then reassess thereafter once you feel that a change is required, either because you feel a lot fitter, need more resources, and so forth. Best wishes with your training.

[Jaryprest]

Hello,
Unfortunately there are no legal supplements that will help you burn fat. Fat burners are just packed with stimulants, which makes it pretty much a pre-workout in the form of a pill. Diet is huge when it comes to losing weight. I would just get used to replacing the "bad" foods with more healthy options very slowly. Going cold turkey will have your body going, "WTF." Also, if you can try to fit a good home workout or cardio in the mornings on an empty stomach. This will increase fat burning do to the fact that you have no food in your body to use for energy.

Good Luck!

[Arose]

HI, HomemadePie,
It is true that the only method which helps people to lose weight and gain stronger and leaner muscles are weightlifting and working out. Unfortunately, people with high blood pressure that is more than 160/110mmHg should not lift the weight. What happens is that weight lifting will temporarily increase blood pressure. The increase will depend on the weight lifted. This might spike your pressure and endanger your life. Luckily, you have said that your body pressure at the moment is 130/80 mm Hg. I think you are not badly off. You can engage in moderate weightlifting which will not only help you gain leaner muscles and lose weight but will also work on your blood pressure. However, before you embark on this journey, I would suggest that you talk to your doctor. The other thing I should mention which can help you control your weight is the type of food that you eat. Also, I would recommend that you talk to your nutritionist he should be in a position to advise on the right food to eat given your tight working schedule.

[Arose]

It is still unclear whether lifting is good for blood pressure or not. However, experts suggest that anyone whose blood pressure is 180/110 mm HG should stay clear from lifting. If it is above 160 Hg, you should check with your doctor. They will tell you whether it is safe to start weightlifting and advice on the precautionary measures to take. But it is a proven fact that weight lifting increases blood pressure temporarily. It has been shown that the more weight you lift the more the increase. But weight lifting has more benefits than the risks. Moreover, the spike in blood pressure differs from one person to another.