You've decided to start lifting weights! First of all, I'll welcome you to the dark side!  Now that you're ready to start lifting some weights, you may want to know, should you start with free weights or on the machines? Whether you're at the gym or looking for equipment for at home, is one better than the other? What is the difference between free weights and machines? And does one really provide more benefits over the other? To  help make this decision a little easier, I will give clarity on both in this article. I will give you all the details so you can make the best decision for yourself and I will also give my recommendations based on my experience not only for myself in my own fitness, but as a trainer and what I do with my clients.  First, let's go over the basics, what exactly is a free weight and what is a machine? A free weight is classified as any workout equipment or weight that is not on a fixed track, machine, seat or cable. Examples of free weights  

  If you have a significant amount of weight to lose (or any at all really), it may seem completely counteractive to take a break from your diet, especially if you aren't at your weight loss goal yet. However, it is not counteractive at all, in fact, it may help you not only reach your goal but sustain it! Taking diet breaks can actually help you to not only achieve your weight loss goals but also be able to maintain your weight loss better. Weight loss can be a frustrating and long endeavour, so taking a break from a calorie deficit can be not only good for your mental wellbeing, but it can also help counteract the metabolic changes that eating in a calorie deficit for a long period of time can cause.  What does it mean to take a diet break? When I am saying "diet break", I am not referring to taking a break from a low-carb or another restrictive diet, because i deally, you are on a non-restrictive diet and you focus on eating habits that you don't need a break from.