Just starting
 

So a month ago I got a "total gym" and while I like it... I am having a few problems.

1. I am in serious pain. I have been doing it just like every other day and I don't work the same thing every time but I am really weak. I feel like I have to really stop as I am in pain. Is this normal for someone who is really weak? I got the TG because I knew I was weak.

2. I have been doing this for a month with reducing calories about 200 under my RMR. And I have lost zero on the scale. In fact I am gaining. I am trying to keep in mind that the weight lifting process probably can make me gain about 5 lbs or more but I am wondering when I will know for sure that something is happening.

3. I have been checking measurements but I don't see any change. Admittedly I have long sucked at that. But I don't notice any change in clothing either.

i'm no expert, but have also started using weights a few months ago, and whilst I also enjoy it, agree it's very hard to get actual numbers that measure the benefits.
I guess the best way to know if something is happening is if you're able to move heavier weights now than you could at the start.

Is your pain 'good' pain? I'm normally reminded that I did some work in the gym when I start to go up a flight of stairs or something and I can feel my hammies or quads, but I quite like that, and it goes away if I do the exercise for a few minutes. I guess if you're feeling a 'bad' pain for example in your back or something then you need to stop for a bit and review your technique.

If you're after weight loss though, it's all about controlling food food food. Forget about the exercise impact for weight loss (or weight gain) - exercise is for being healthy and strong, it's really not going to have much impact on the weighing-scale in either direction IMO.

Well I have decided that I want to minimize cutting the food back. For 30 years I have cut the food back at it only leads to reducing my metabolism so that once I have lost weight I can easily gain it. So I refuse going forward to reduce calories that much. Even if it takes 4 years to lose 30 lbs. If my RMR is 1700 (I had it tested) and I am eating 1500 per day, I should be losing. But I suspect that it is going to take some time to show up on the scale because weight lifting is going to obscure it for a while. If 5 months down the line I haven't lost any weight then I might drop it slightly.

To me the pain isn't great. For instance my knees are killing me. Yesterday I was sitting -- sitting - in a chair and I tried to push the chair slightly sideways and I got such a shooting pain in the knee. Also I feel like I am not able to make gains because when I use the weights I am already exhausted before even starting so I get like 4 reps.

I am not an expert here, but after reading all this, I felt that you are pushing yourself beyond the capabilities. Moreover, if you don’t have regular habit of performing physical activities then it is obvious to have pain in the muscles after performing this much initially. Well, I think that you should perform on alternate days until working out becomes your habit. It is mandatory to have food with good nutritional value. I will also suggest you to try the weight loss vacation spas too because they are very enjoyable. The weight will be lost without even feeling that you worked out in form of fun activities!

Sadly I was doing that a. I gave it a break. I am now doing it 1x per week. I will go up to 2xs soon.