Beginners: Why weights?

Hi i'm Alex i'm 38yrs old, i'm 5'11 and i was 16st 8lbs on the 1st of May then started a complete new diet and joined the gym and already i weigh 15st 9.
I've always been quite well built due to my job 20 years running my own removal business so good strenous work day in day out. The removal industry  was hit hard by the recession so more time was spent at home doing very little. Then i developed a taste for real ale so obviously the weight started piling on but only really around my gut but started to show a nice pair of titties lol.
 
In November of last year my wife gave birth to our beautiful son whose's turning out to a real tank of a boy. I didn't realise how unfit i had become till i was carrying my baby around the shops and my back started to ache arms felt heavy and felt slightly breathless. This made me think i needed to change my ways and as i feel that at 38 i'm quite old to be a new dad again and wife saying she wanted more kids in the future. So i have started on the path to a healthy life style so i get many years with my son and any new little uns.
 
No doubt i'll have many a stupid question to ask all you members on here.
P.S love the sight and already taken lots of motivation from here.
 

Why weights.... olympic lifting in order to increase speed/strength for muay thai, BJJ and MMA.... BUT..... I am just starting to get the bug... and it could potentially become my thing!

Started for the attention women give the bigger guys when I was like 15.. now 22 and one of the best decisions of my life was to get into the gym scence got into very good shape always get asked have I took steroid (I havnt) As im sure alot of the guys on here will relate to when your mates and there mates comment on how great your shape is and what are you taking etc.. its a cracker feeling :D
 
And not to mention I do ok with the ladies now adays too :D

I cant give the excuse that im new to the gym because iv been going a while but i did shy away from asking advice over the counter because i was afraid of the costs, my budget is probably the biggest aspect affecting my results!  however training alone and making it up as i went along has yielded some muscle gains, i seem to remember being 14 and a half stone ish not that long ago, at six foot one, i'm more like 16 and a half now, and definitley not fat, but tho i m told i am strong and look quite good by other regulars in the gym i have not yet mastered the dieting or loss of body fat that is needed to look at yourself and think 'yes, this is good!'....i mean i know that a lot of the people in there who look amazing are taking stuff that i have not thought about using, and it is funny that i am often much much stronger than they, but i AM a tad jealous of the low bodyfat and good definition they have!  anyway that is my story, i am hoping to take what i've got and smash it harder!

Hi im Paul 5'7 and around 11 st. I first hit the weights in young offenders but now since sorting my self out and getting a job have just decided to gain a good healthy attractive physique plus its a hobby as good as any I guess.

Hi i'm 24, 6'1 and weigh 12.5 stone. I lost around a stone last year as I was travelling, and then went through a stressful final year at uni. I didn't have time to workout and was eating whatever rubbish was in the library vending machines during those late night study sessions! At my lowest I went down to about 11 stone so have recovered from the year nicely thanks to more free time, eating better food and training regular for the last few months.
 
I've lifted weights on and off since I was about 20, but never stuck to it so I'm hoping to build on the last few months now. Putting on another stone would be great, but I'm more interested in increasing my strength. Looking for a more healthy shape really. I don't have mates who are into the gym so this site looks great for motivation. I'm from the north birmingham area if anyone is local!

I think i still fall in the range of beginners :)
Age: just 18, trying to lose weight and maintain the current mass in muscle i have LOL...
Currently lost a few kgs by cutting calories ...
I weight lift cause i have a chance to do something to my body eg gain muscle, and also its the sport of all centuries LOL - it keeps me sane when i need to stop doing my homework, or watching films - weightlifting is doing something different and gives you a stronger focus on things - from weightlifting so far i've enjoyed most it as a learning curve but it has also taught me to be a grounded person - when everything starts making you feel like king - u go weight room and (Bam...) Just like a child training again :)

Tbh, I'm 5'9", just about 9 stone, borderline underweight on the BMI scale, but I've got a dead small frame so that kinda makes up for that... I was less than 8 stone in january, moved into a house with my girlfriend, landlord left his gym in the basement so I just got on the weights and put on a stone in 4 months :)   
 
I split up with her about 4 months ago, now I just kinda feel like I'm losing it again, size and definition.  I know if I got back on it again, I could be 10st 6lb at least by June next year, but I know it's gonna be hard work.
 
I guess I just wana look better than I do now really. I dont want people to notice how thin I am, just how well defined I am :) 

Hey, I'm 33, 6", and 254lb.  Very much overweight, but recently putting a lot of effort into reducing my calorie intake and I've already lost about 14lb over 6-7 weeks.
 
I really am a total newbie when it comes to weights, but wanted to get rid of my man-boobs as soon as possible, so figured why not try some weight lifting as well.  I bought a bench+basic dumbbells from Argos and have just been taking it slow.  I've been focusing on flat press and flat flys so far, but enjoying the routine so may focus on other areas as well.

i used to be a big guy -close to 200lbs and fairly ripped but been boxing at down to 60kg but im looking like a skeleton,not sure wether to start building again due to getting robbed in my last fight

I've decided to get into weight training as I am really unfit and not as healthy as I would like to be!
I mentioned in my hello thread that I am so unfit I can only do 2 press ups! I really am starting from scratch! I'm not kidding myself, it's gonna be hard work, but so worth it!

To give myself something to work towards I've been looking at famous fitness models and I much prefer the solid look rather than the skinny totally ripped body! So my aim is something similar to Jennifer Nicole Lee.

I know this is gonna be a long process before I see significant change, but I want to be able to look good in 5/10yrs time! I'm not in for a quick fix!

I'm up for toning, not mass weight loss!

Stats atm...

26yrs
Female
5' 6"
128lbs/58kg
Body fat 20.2%

Age: 20 years old
Gender: Male
Weight: 64KG
Height: 5'10
 
I'm looking to bulk up and less body fat too

Hello I'm Andy 25 I am 5'9" I weigh 168lb
I quit smoking late last year and have put weight on which I wanted to do.
But now I am at a point where I want to start building some real muscle and gain more weight.
What I want from this is to be bigger than I am as I feel small and weak.
I want more energy and I am hoping it helps my confidante.
I need advice on routines I can do from home I have a bench and weights along with a curling bar and dumbbells. Al so advice on anabolic steroids. I have bein looking at buying thermo grenade tablets.

Help and advice please

Much appreciated

Monday 9th I plan to start

Hello :) My name's Mar, I'm 19 years old, 5'10'' and 80kgs.
 
I've been on and off training for about 3 years now.
 
I have just recently joined the gym, bout 5 months ago and have lost 4 stone! Now I want to lose more body fat and build lots of muscle ;)
 
I want to weight train to:
 
Gain more strength, increase fitness, have a better looking body.
 
Thanks! :)

Hi
I am 5'10" 23-24 stone and been training since 1988, I started training to look like arnie lol. Competed in Bodybuilding at a national level and still hoping to do the same in strongman. Bodyfat.......unsure but you can make out my abs lol

Hi,
 
I am 5'11" and weigh 11.8 stone. I am looking to put on another stone or so. I am new to training and like the idea of getting fit too.

I'm 35 and always been toned but thin, I lost my job 2 years ago and started working on the doors. I quit smoking last year and thought its time to get fit and bulk up. So far alls going well and lifting weights is my new addiction and when i`m on the doors I now look more like a doorman. (and the misses seems happy with the results so far)

Thanks for sharing, guys.  Keep them coming!

I've always obsessed over how I look, but have never found the motivation to workout again and again. 
I worked out for about 3 - 4 weeks and noticed literally no improvements. I feel this may be down to my diet, as I eat a lot of crap, junk food throughout he day. I'm pretty skinny though, infact, slightly underweight, and I eat enough, but having a fast metabolism doesn't help either.
I want to turn my body around, I look at it in the mirror 10 times a day at least, and I imagine how much more masculine it could look. I hide my body away as acne has appeared over my chest and back, and has been present for around 2 years. I think that a better physique would help me get away that shyness, and stop me hiding my body away, even on a hot day I'll wear long sleeved tops to hide away my scrawny arms, which I despise. 
Despite all of this, I can never put on muscle, which destroys any small motivation I have left.
Anyone reckon they could motivate me a little more? please? 

thegamingkiddo,
 
I know how you feel, I struggled with being extremely lanky through most of high school.  Once I decided, I mean truly decided, that enough was enough, that's when things started to change.  I remember telling my mom in high school that I wanted to start cooking my own food to get bigger.  I remember Mom would bake carrot cakes and all kinds of tasty stuff, but I told my self that for eight weight...through hell or high water...I was going to workout the best that I could for eight weeks straight. The results were nothing short of phenomenal.  My junior year in high school, I came back bigger stronger, and everyone noticed. I felt confident enough and strong enough to even weight train with the football players, I was starting to get into working out just as much as some of them.  You know the difference between you and I...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!  I could do it, so can you.  If you love junk food, make a cheat day for yourself, but I challenge you to get a basic plan together, simple is fine. Stick to a super clean diet and and honest workout plan.  Just make sure when you're training, your muscles are truly feeling it.  Make sure you're getting sufficient protein everyday, too.  Just try it for eight weeks and I KNOW you'll get the results you're looking for.  Sorry to write book as a reply, but your commented brought back some personal memories.  You can do it! I'm not even joking, you really can.  Please don't give up.