Starting to exercise to get myself in shape..........HELP!!!!

[Vash the Stampede']

OK, I'm tired of looking at myself in the mirror and feeling disappointed, disgusted, whatever you want to call it. I want to start into some sort of exercise program mainly focused on helping me lose weight.

But I honestly have no idea where to begin or how to start!

Can anyone provide me with some help for this dilemma?

 

[purpleflamingo]

I know its not an exercise program, but I have had great success with the Bodytrim diet:

Eat 6 small meals a day consisting of 100-150 grams of protein.

only eat green vegetables with it for dinner. no potato, tomato or carrot.

the first three days of the diet, dont have any carbs at all (this is difficult, but its only 3 days. If you get past this, the rest is easy.)

The best part:
Once a week, you get a 'free' day, where you can eat as much carbs as you want. This sounds crazy and gimmicky, but its so that your body doesnt get used to the diet and plateau.

After the free day, have a protein only day. This is to contrast the previous day, and keep your body guessing.

Its really easy to stick to (once you get past the first 3 days (you get MAAAD cravings on the 3rd)) and it works really well.

Apparently its based on the diet of the Inuit (spelling?) diet, who eat only fish for 6 months of the year. Dunno if i buy into that though...

Chicken and Fish will be your friends =D

 

[Erana]

I know its not an exercise program, but I have had great success with the Bodytrim diet:

Eat 6 small meals a day consisting of 100-150 grams of protein.

only eat green vegetables with it for dinner. no potato, tomato or carrot.

the first three days of the diet, dont have any carbs at all (this is difficult, but its only 3 days. If you get past this, the rest is easy.)

The best part:
Once a week, you get a 'free' day, where you can eat as much carbs as you want. This sounds crazy and gimmicky, but its so that your body doesnt get used to the diet and plateau.

After the free day, have a protein only day. This is to contrast the previous day, and keep your body guessing.

Its really easy to stick to (once you get past the first 3 days (you get MAAAD cravings on the 3rd)) and it works really well.

Apparently its based on the diet of the Inuit (spelling?) diet, who eat only fish for 6 months of the year. Dunno if i buy into that though...

Chicken and Fish will be your friends =D

My mother is a Registered Dietician, and from her continuing education what-nots, high-protein, low-carb diets are typically pretty successful at losing weight.
Though some people enter ketosis, the state the body goes into during a low-carb diet that is responsible for the body fat burning, more easily than others. If you go this route, it would be a good idea to get test strips that can determine the levels of ketones in your urine to make sure that it is working.

Keep in mind, a high-protein, low-carb diet is best used as a lose-weight-quickly diet, and not one that you want to maintain for more than six months. There are variants of these diets designed for long-term use, but when you get after six months, some people can begin to have long-term negative effects.

If you need to lose weight fast, go ahead and give it a go. But this does not excuse for educating yourself on proper nutrition. Read up on how to eat a balanced diet. And if you don't do the high-protein, low-carb diet, look into trying to retrain your palette. If you learn to like vegitables, you could replace, say, a popsicle with some frozen brussel sprouts as an icy treat.

Still, if you've never done regimented physical activity before, then the biggest thing you can do for yourself is to normalize more exercise for the sake of exercise. Set an alarm on your phone for every hour or hour and a half of your usual waking time, and if it won't disrupt things much, stand up and stretch your entire body.
And be gentile with yourself! Don't pulse or try to reach to the point that it hurts. Just slowly build up your movement until you've achieved your full range of motion.
People always seem to underestimate how important it is to take care of one's joints and work on one's flexibility. This will make you more flexible, make you more conscious of your body, and most importantly, you will be much less likely to hurt yourself.

To start things out, you need 30 minutes of high-intensity workout at least five times a day. I can't remember the exact range, but there's a formula to find out how fast your heart rate should be.
The big thing in this is that you need to find an activity that you can enjoy. For my cardio, I like a solitary action such as a stationary bike or water aerobics so that I can jam out to music while I work. And despite its reputation as being something for old people, water aerobics is *great* for flexibility and low-impac. Old people just like it because its easy on the joints. I am predisposed to swimmer's ear, so I prefer it over lap swimming so I don't have to get my head too wet. And if you choose swimming as your main cardio venue, I totally recommend investing in a waterproof MP3 player. You work much harder when you have music.

You may be more interested in sports, so find out if there's something like soccer or fencing around your area. Or get a DDR mat.

Some people don't ever necessarily take to excercise, and often simply not feel like it. That's where discipline comes in. But shopping around for what can best get you up and moving is a good way to not have to test it.

Good luck!

 

[Burs]

Good for you! =3

unlike the other two posters I cant offer any dietry advice but as someone who's waiting to do a Sports science degree and a qualified Sports leader I can help with exercise advice!

First things first:
Walking; walking is light cardio but an extra half an hour's or more brisk walking a day seriously helps as well as climbing stairs rather then an escalator or a lift.

Swimming or Aquarobics; good cardio and light resistance workouts but you can go as fast or as slow as you want or just play around in the pool with friends, if you want to try something harder tread water for a minute.


If you want to do resistance training but dont have any light weights good replacements are water bottles filled with water or sand.

Aerobics or Pilates videos are good but make sure you get a basic one since the differance is pretty damn severe.
If you want to start running start off with small runs around your block or to jog a small distance slow to walking pace then pick the speed back up, do this until you pick up the endurance to go a little longer.

And as always, exercise always burns a little but it should'nt put you in agony. If you start hurting stop and if it hurts after you've ceased the activity see a doctor.

 

[Chris Barber]

I actually lost weight and kept myself decently in shape just playing DDR regularly with a friend. Met some new people going that route too by going to the arcade regularly. Not saying it's the best plan ever; but it was about the only way I could motivate myself to "work out" and it didn't really feel like working out while playing.

 

[purpleflamingo]

Play the drum kit on rock band or guitar hero like you would at a concert.

I find going hard on my kit brings up a good sweat. And its fun!

@Erana
I like you. Your a good forum go to.

 

[Scar05]

Idk how much help or advice I can offer, and everyone is different, but I just recently learnt from my cousin (a professional body builder and personal trainer) that:

Carbs = sugar, Fruit = sugar, thus Fruit = Bad for weight

Egg whites = chicken, Egg yokes = fat and nutrients for chicken, thus Yokes = Bad for weight

Also, for some reason tuna / fish is supposed to be really god for you (?) - my cousin practically lives primarily just on that stuff. But yea, pretty much what Earna says

Good luck man, I know how you feel - the important thing is once you get going, don't stop - it can get really hard sometimes and it is easy to lapse out but just stick to ur guns and follow the whole thing though to the end - its worth it

 

[Gaiseric]

Start slow so you don't burn yourself out, then build.

Watch your portions.

Don't eat unless you are hungry and eat until satisfied not until uncomfortably stuffed(this is a problem I have).

Mix cardio/aerobic with weights.

Find a workout buddy as it makes things easier when you have someone with you and it helps to keep you motivated.

Find your motivations and remember them.

Make your workout a routine.

Talk to your doctor before you start(I found out I had high blood pressure D.

Be prepared to have bad days and set backs. It happens, it's no biggy.

Keep a positive attitude before, during, and after your workout because a negative attitude can screw you over(happened to me).

edit: make sure to stretch before and after you workout

 

[vxicepickxv]

Start with basic muscle group building exercises, such as push ups squats, lunges, and arm dips.

Muscle burns energy more efficiently than fat.

Also, I've found that a lot of information for military recruits to get in shape helps, at least a little bit.

http://www.navy-prt.com/files/pre-conditioning.pdf

This one is pretty basic, and covers a lot of general needs. I would suggest finding a buddy who wants to lose weight with you.

 

[Mr. 47]

I actually starting exercising more lately as well, not to get ripped, just to lose a little flab. I just fastwalked/ran an hour a day, lost about 20 pounds in two, three months.

 

[dmase]

I'm not good with diet, I've never needed it. I need exercise to keep my muslce non stop or else i'll turn to skin and bones but working with my chubby boss start with walking. Doing low calorie and decreasing your carbs seems to work. If you can work yourself up to 3 miles running and still do upper body excercise to a point a general point you are healthy. You should not try to extend yourself to the point where you hurt yourself.

Using your weight, height, sex, and exercise routine look up the amount of calories you should eat a day and put your goal calories at least 400 below the given. Unless of course this makes you feel tired ( not normal tired but I can't function tired) and stick to that. If you feel like a nap is needed push through it, not I hurt tired, you have to judge this yourself no one else.

My boss is doing the atkins where there are few to no carbs and mostly meat but he is shedding pounds quick enough you would be satisfied with mostly excercise. So lets start the exercise routine below.

Start by walking 2 miles down a road and back a day. 4 miles total seems like a lot but if a over 40 year old man can do it and feel better so can you. You should be sweating perfusely no lie there. Once you work yourself up to feeling like you can jog in spurts with your final goal being to run three miles without stopping. Speed is less then a factor. If your having a problem breathing remember that you can breath as heavily as you want and long distance running is 90% mental. You need to put your mind somewhere else.

To give basic self weight exercises do regular pushups, wide pushes, and triangle pushups followed by a stomach exercise like regular crunches which are raising your body up not forward. I don' expect you to read this because at this point most advice seeking people stop looking but if you are interested i could give you a more specific plan just expect some delay before my response. And the upper body exercises are meant to be ones that are meant to be done in sets of three. Between each set a small break about a minute, like i said for more specifics message or quote me.

 

[Loner Jo Jo]

Really, you can eat almost anything in moderation. It's best to stay away from as many processed foods as possible and of course, too many sweets. When it comes to exercise, be sensible and don't try to overexert yourself because you will burn out. You (probably) won't be able to run a straight mile the first go around so don't try. Mix up aerobic exercise and strength training. (The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn on average.)

The best person to talk to would be your doctor. They know your history and will be able to tell you the best diet and exercise routine for your body.

 

[scar_47]

Easy better diet more exercise, smaller portions with more protien and veggies than carbs smaller more frequent meals will increase your metabolism, exercise start off slow you'll quit if after day two your so sore you can barely move start walking/running slowly increase your distance no more than 10% a weak while doing basic strength training push ups sit ups some weight training if you can, try to vary your routine and push yourself after the first few weeks this will keep weight loss up and keep it interesting. I'm in the same boat and have done plenty of research the most important thing is making these changes part of your life otherwise yo'll eventually stop and gain the weight back.

 

[lettucethesallad]

My brother-in-law went on a crazy diet scheme where he'd eat whatever one day, and hardly anything the next. Your metabolism will be high to deal with the day with a lot of food, and will burn a lot of fat on the day when you don't eat much at all. It's not really good for your body though, but he lost a good few pounds quickly.

If you want something that's healthier and leads to a better lifestyle, eat whatever you want, but in moderation. Stop eating when you're about 80% full. Go for a walk. Go swimming. Anything you find fun that'll make you move about a bit. As long as you're burning more calories than you're consuming, you'll lose weight.

 

[Vash the Stampede']

Thanks alot everyone, I really appreciate the insight you're all providing here. I have asthma and I'm kind of a lazy bastard who has a hard time sticking to things I don't really enjoy but I promise you all I'm going to work at it.

 

[robert01]

Most people have covered a lot of good information for you, but I am surprised that this wasn't mentioned.

Most people confuse thirst for hunger. If you ever feel hungry try having a glass of water. After drinking the glass of water if you still feel hungry than eat. IF the hunger goes away you were just thirsty.