That's fair enough. Maybe I might not go nuts on the weights right away but even if I made a start by introducing some pushups, squats, situps, lunges, etc to my fairly rigorous cardio routine, that'd get the process started wouldn't it, or are you suggesting I really ought to be getting into the weights now?

For some vitals, I started out my long road to 'redemption' in August weighing 104 kg. I now weigh about 90 kg (could have been lower but yo-yo'd at times). My final goal is 76 kg, so I'm bang on halfway.

Yeah, true enough

Ah yes. I forgot about that.


I should add also, if (and when) I'm adding weights to my regime in order to improve the toning of my weight loss, how 'heavy' do they need to be? Can I achieve good toning on a bit of resistance, just enough to make me have to put some effort into the push/pull, but not enough to have me straining muscles?

I should add that I'm not lazy, I put a lot of effort into my running and sports - I just fundamentally don't like or enjoy weights, never have done! (although that may be a result of my years of thinking it'd add 'bulk' to my frame, although I now know that isn't necessarily in the case in my calorie deficit situation - still much prefer simple running and sports though lol!)

Bodyweight stuff is a fair starting point. You simply want to make sure you progress from there.

Once you're adjusted to bodyweight training, the only way to progress is to increase reps. The problem with doing a billion reps is it turns resistance training into cardio, thus, you miss out on the true effect you're after in relation to weight lifting.

While dieting, weight training is important for someone at your stage in the game for the simple reason of providing your body a stimulus/reason to hold onto the muscle it currently has. High rep weight training generally won't do this. High reps means light weights. Light weights don't provide strong enough a stimulus for muscle preservation.

Congrats.

Thanks. It's a been a long, hard road and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to re-motivate myself anew each and every day. But the journey has been worth it so far, I've learned so much about myself, and am determined to succeed, no matter how long it takes...

Tbh, increasing my activity levels hasn't been a problem. I've always enjoyed playing football, and as for the running and gym work, you just gee yourself up, tell yourself it'll be over soon, and get out and do it. It's the dieting that's been the hard part, because that's a day-long struggle, every day, to not pig out.

Being calorie-conscious means you know how quickly they can add up when one late night bowl of cereal turns into a second and third helping, on top of the chocolate bar you picked up on the way home from work, on top of the packet of crisps you had with your lunch, and so on. Eating right has definitely been the hardest part up to now! But I'm doing good on the willpower front, and long may it continue.