I need to get fitter and I need help!
Discussion
Hi,
I am what you would probably call slightly over weight. About 5'8", 34" waist, work in an office, eat a little too much, not that active etc. Probably like a lot of people out there. I don't consider myself 'fat', but every so often I will see a photo of myself and it will horrify me. (I get the feeling that there are many others reading this that can relate)
So, I have decided to get fitter, but I have a few issues, and need some help solving them.
I am what you would probably call slightly over weight. About 5'8", 34" waist, work in an office, eat a little too much, not that active etc. Probably like a lot of people out there. I don't consider myself 'fat', but every so often I will see a photo of myself and it will horrify me. (I get the feeling that there are many others reading this that can relate)
So, I have decided to get fitter, but I have a few issues, and need some help solving them.
- I don't have much time, I work a lot and have two kids, so workout time is severely limited. This also makes getting to a gym tough.
- I started P90X a while ago, and have also done running before, but during both I have injured myself in the past, partly due to not warming up properly and partly by doing too much too soon. My fault, but these injuries persist. Which means knees and elbows. So I can run a little (<10K) but push ups are out of the question.
- I CAN control my eating, although it is a pain, because if I start eating completely different meals to everyone else then that's two things to cook. Plus I have little time to prepare, especially in the morning, so convenience often wins.
- So I need some sort of plan that is short bursts of exercise (but not injury prone), combined with a 'general' eating plan. Something like no carbs after 3pm sort of thing, so I don't have a strict menu but more of a guideline.
Very similar position about 13 months ago.
I just took it steady, started running around the block, about 400 yards, absolutely exhausted, could hardly walk the next day. Mind over matter just did it the next day, and the next etc etc.
Introduced body weight exercises after 2 weeks, press ups, pull ups, crunches. Gradually changed techniques on these as I got better, bought dip bars.
Food, I just started by eating less, yes your hungry but it works......don't over complicate things to start with.
Treat it as a long term goal, 0.5 kg eack week soon adds up to a lot over a year.
I now run 40km a week, 10km run is no problem, still do body weight exercises but these have evolved into hanging knee ups, V lifts and more, 10% bodyfat. Diet is a bit more involved these days but honestly as a general rule if you put less in than you use up you will lose weight.
I also didn't have time but honestly you do, it becomes a hobby, squeeze a bit in here and there, get up an hour earlier, you will have so much more umph.
I just took it steady, started running around the block, about 400 yards, absolutely exhausted, could hardly walk the next day. Mind over matter just did it the next day, and the next etc etc.
Introduced body weight exercises after 2 weeks, press ups, pull ups, crunches. Gradually changed techniques on these as I got better, bought dip bars.
Food, I just started by eating less, yes your hungry but it works......don't over complicate things to start with.
Treat it as a long term goal, 0.5 kg eack week soon adds up to a lot over a year.
I now run 40km a week, 10km run is no problem, still do body weight exercises but these have evolved into hanging knee ups, V lifts and more, 10% bodyfat. Diet is a bit more involved these days but honestly as a general rule if you put less in than you use up you will lose weight.
I also didn't have time but honestly you do, it becomes a hobby, squeeze a bit in here and there, get up an hour earlier, you will have so much more umph.
Would have thought something like the Insanity workouts would be a good place to start for the fitness side of things. Very intense 40 min workouts to begin with, increasing after a month. Mostly focuses on core and leg work, less than p90x on upper body development. Lots of pliometrics, so you'll feel the effects very quickly. If you can't do pushups yet, then this is something you'll have to work on - there's no point going near a bench press if you can't do a pushup. Maybe swimming would help a bit here as a recovery exercise?
Diet plan - just focus on portion control rather than cook different meals (unless your diet really is that bad).
From there, cut down the carbs as much as you can, so pasta is pretty much out and just have a handful of chips instead of half a plate. Bulk it up with your favourite veg. Cut out bread for the time being, look at introducing whole meal bread later on. Same with rice - small portions (no more than half a chinese takeaway portion and preferably about 1/4 of that max) is ok, but if you're cooking it yourself, then look at brown rice. Cut back on the alcohol, switch to something like vodka, soda and lime or gin and tonic or something when you're out rather than beer or wine (pt of lager is 300 cals).
Food diaries help.
Diet plan - just focus on portion control rather than cook different meals (unless your diet really is that bad).
From there, cut down the carbs as much as you can, so pasta is pretty much out and just have a handful of chips instead of half a plate. Bulk it up with your favourite veg. Cut out bread for the time being, look at introducing whole meal bread later on. Same with rice - small portions (no more than half a chinese takeaway portion and preferably about 1/4 of that max) is ok, but if you're cooking it yourself, then look at brown rice. Cut back on the alcohol, switch to something like vodka, soda and lime or gin and tonic or something when you're out rather than beer or wine (pt of lager is 300 cals).
Food diaries help.
It's an intense workout, but it's circuit based, no weights and it incorporates good stretching routines too. Shouldn't break you! There's a separate thread on here about it.
As for the carbs thing, drink more water when you're hungry, and there's nothing wrong with bigger portions of veg and meat. Watch the fruit though - there's a ton of sugar in things like oranges and it's still calorific. Bananas are better, fibrous things like apples and pears good.
As for the carbs thing, drink more water when you're hungry, and there's nothing wrong with bigger portions of veg and meat. Watch the fruit though - there's a ton of sugar in things like oranges and it's still calorific. Bananas are better, fibrous things like apples and pears good.
Bob_Defly said:
How do you cut out carbs without feeling hungry all the time?
You don't feel hungry without carbs. For starters, post cold-turkey you never get a sugar craving. And you never get the post lasagna with chips and garlic bread "kill-me-now" feeling. You just stay comfortably in the middle: eat if you are hungry, don't if you are not.otherman said:
Bob_Defly said:
How do you cut out carbs without feeling hungry all the time?
Well, if you want to lose weight you have to feel hungry some of the time. You have to engage with feeling hungry as being a good thing - its the feeling of pounds dropping off.
You get used to it. Hunger's just a feeling. Like part of the payment to achieving your goal. Like when you studied at school to get your grades.Thanks for the help everyone. Part of the reason I need to get fit is that I also have a bad back (bulging disk). So, I've started eating less, less carbs, and also doing 40 mins of yoga, with a light run afterwards. I'm starting to see a little result, just need to stick with it.
Pretty hungry but it goes away. Sometimes just the lack of energy really kills me at night, fast asleep after putting the kids to bed!
When doing P90X I actually found the yoga DVD to be one of the most difficult, and seeing as I have a weak core I decided to start there. It's actually pretty tough for anyone who is not used to it. I am also doing barefoot running (vibram 5 fingers), but only a very small amount so as not to injure myself. It's tough on the calves to begin with, but really good for building strength in the ankles are knees (knees being a weak point of mine).
I'll let you know how I progress. Thanks again for the motivation!
Pretty hungry but it goes away. Sometimes just the lack of energy really kills me at night, fast asleep after putting the kids to bed!
When doing P90X I actually found the yoga DVD to be one of the most difficult, and seeing as I have a weak core I decided to start there. It's actually pretty tough for anyone who is not used to it. I am also doing barefoot running (vibram 5 fingers), but only a very small amount so as not to injure myself. It's tough on the calves to begin with, but really good for building strength in the ankles are knees (knees being a weak point of mine).
I'll let you know how I progress. Thanks again for the motivation!
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