You don't need to pay £140 a month for anything mate, as there is enough information out there readily available free of charge. First of all, I would do your weights before cardio, as I can't see you having the energy afterwards. Even if you do, you won't have as much as before, so won't be hitting the muscles as hard as you could. You'd be better of with a pait than a personal trainer. Someone who will be with you for the journey, if they get into it.

Protein shakes are basically a meal replacement. So if you had 6 meals a day, four of those could be cooked meals and two of those could be shakes. Example:

8:30 - Protein shake with some wholemeal toast.

10:30 - Chicken and rice.

12:30 - New potatoes with chicken.

3:00 - Protein shake.

5:30- Chicken and rice.

8:00 - Protein shake.

You can change that around so you are getting your carbohydrates in before you train, and you can also change the meat to turkey, tuna, fish etc. I have chicken breast because it's what Paul off here put me on, and it just so happens I like it the most. You also don't need to have any protein shakes, and could have all meals. But protein shakes can be cheaper, and also quicker. If you are in college or work and don't have a long break, you can make one fairly quick and drink it as you go much easier than a meal. I take meals to college in a tupperware box, which is OK as I have three good breaks.

When it comes to the training you don't want to just use the machines, you can use the free weights too. You could do Shoulders and Arms one day, Back the next, Chest another and then legs another. The thing to remember is nothing happens over night. I've not noticed a difference in the 9 months I've trained, and then last week I looked at an old picture of myself and thought 'Woah; look at the size of my shoulders'.

So:

Monday - Chest.
Tuesday - Back.
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Legs.

You could also train every body part twice a week for a while as you're new to it and will only be doing ligther weights.

You could avoid accessive alcahol. I don't have any at all, but that's more to do with me not being a massive fan of it to begin with. Although I am sure it has made a nice difference. You certaintly don't need to live like a monk though, as the lad I train with is a respectable size, and he throws 25 + pints down his neck on a Sunday. Chocolate and junk food are the obvious to avoid, but if you're not majorly overweight I wouldn't worry too much about it.


Get lots of sleep, 8 hours and diet well. I have a little break off the diet on a Sunday, as my mum does a roast dinner and I save myself to scoff it down as I love them.

I'm kinda' new to all this myself, so I can't go too much into detail.

Last of all, search for Scoobys Workshop on google, this man has lots of good advice and loads of videos with different excersises.

I hope this helps, but like I said I am no expert myself.

Benni.