Hey everyone - would like advice

[arneycl]

Hello everyone. I will be 38 years old on January 15th. Since I was about 25 I have been overweight. However, I just hit the 200 pound mark and I am devestated. I am 5'6". I am ready to get this under control. I would like any and all advice.

I have access to a gym at work but I'm not really the gym type of guy. IF I have to go I could probably do it but would rather not. I know absolutely nothing and I mean nothing about lifting weights. Don't know the equipment and don't know how to do them.

I've been on Weight Watchers and Atkins and have done well with both. I lost about 35 pounds with each of those diets in about a 2 month period.

As you can tell from my attached photo most if not all of my weight is carried in my stomach. I desperatly want to have a flat stomach. I'm not wanting to look like Arnold Swartz but I wouldn't mind being toned. However, my main objective at this point is to just lose the weight and more specifically lose the stomach.

I would really appreciate any advice you all can give me in regards to what type of exercises to do, for how long and what type of food to eat.

By the way, this was very difficult for me to post this photo of myself. YIKES. I look horrible.

Thanks everone.

 

[g8r80]

Hello everyone. I will be 38 years old on January 15th. Since I was about 25 I have been overweight. However, I just hit the 200 pound mark and I am devestated. I am 5'6". I am ready to get this under control. I would like any and all advice.

I have access to a gym at work but I'm not really the gym type of guy. IF I have to go I could probably do it but would rather not. I know absolutely nothing and I mean nothing about lifting weights. Don't know the equipment and don't know how to do them.

I've been on Weight Watchers and Atkins and have done well with both. I lost about 35 pounds with each of those diets in about a 2 month period.

As you can tell from my attached photo most if not all of my weight is carried in my stomach. I desperatly want to have a flat stomach. I'm not wanting to look like Arnold Swartz but I wouldn't mind being toned. However, my main objective at this point is to just lose the weight and more specifically lose the stomach.

I would really appreciate any advice you all can give me in regards to what type of exercises to do, for how long and what type of food to eat.

By the way, this was very difficult for me to post this photo of myself. YIKES. I look horrible.

Thanks everone.

Welcome Arney!

First, congratulations for stepping up to the plate. That takes guts.

Second, how badly do you want to be in better shape? If you say, so so, then no one here can help you. It has to come from within. If you say, Hell Yeah, then, this forum has a lot to offer you!

Third, if you have ever watched "The Biggest Loser", those contestants and their trainers who stand to benefit financially by winning, follow a three-pronged approach to losing weight / getting into shape:

1. Control the diet. To do this, read the stickies and ask away. Derwyddon is an expert on this as is Chillen and a bunch of others whose names I am forgetting (I am 48 after all) and to whom I apologize.

2. Weight training - build that muscle and simultaneously burn calories. Read the stickies - they will tell you what to do. If you have questions about how to do the weights, post your questions here. You don't know how to do a bench press after reading the sticky? Ask. There are a bunch of experts on this forum here.

3. Cardio. Burn those calories and improve that cardiovascular function. Read the stickies. I am 48 and my morning resting heart rate is 54 (and will be in the 40's in '08). I am preparing for sprint triathlons on 3/9/08 and 6/7/08 and an Olympic length tri in the latter half of '08. There are lots of cardio experts here. I know a little about this so feel free to ask me, Flyinfree, Sparrow, Wrangell or others about cardio workout. I do cardio 1 - 3 hours / day.

If you're ready, jump on board. Read the nutritional stickies, the weight training stickies, the cardio stickies, and start a journal. Normally I recommend posting your pic, but you have already done that.

Now, let's get going!

 

[arneycl]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am VERY serious about this. My biggest obstacle is knowing what to eat and how much and of what type of exercise to do. For the food part, I have no idea what to eat for breakfast, lunch and supper. I'm seeing where I should eat about every 3 hours. I'm assuming that means something light like yogurt, an apple, etc. But what would be a typical meal for breakfast, lunch and supper?

As for exercising, cardio, like walking? How about walking with weights?

 

[philsaigon]

Hello everyone. I will be 38 years old on January 15th. Since I was about 25 I have been overweight. However, I just hit the 200 pound mark and I am devestated. I am 5'6". I am ready to get this under control. I would like any and all advice.

Hey Arney, welcome! I am 39 and started getting back in shape a year ago. It has been a great decision for me and I hope for you as well.

I have access to a gym at work but I'm not really the gym type of guy. IF I have to go I could probably do it but would rather not.

I'm not meaning to be a smartass here, but maybe this is why you're in the shape you're in. Find the activity you like and do it. For me it's lifting.

I know absolutely nothing and I mean nothing about lifting weights. Don't know the equipment and don't know how to do them.

I didn't either, but I have learned and come to love it and look forward to lifting. I wish I had focused more on it right when I started my weight loss plan a year ago. I recommend you start a good weight training program at the same time you start cutting the weight - that way you will lose fat, but not too much muscle. The program that I've been following is called New Rules Of Lifting, and I recommend it.

As you can tell from my attached photo most if not all of my weight is carried in my stomach. I desperatly want to have a flat stomach. I'm not wanting to look like Arnold Swartz but I wouldn't mind being toned. However, my main objective at this point is to just lose the weight and more specifically lose the stomach.

This is going to take time, you can't spot reduce. I'm still working on this...



Best of luck to you!

 

[Ted M]

Congrats

Hey,
I say congrats cuz it sounds like you've made a decision to do this, and that's where it starts.
I'm 48, 6'3", 205, 7%BF, 60BPM HR, cholesterol 110, etc. etc. I had let myself go up to 265 at one point in my life, then I made the decision, same decision you have made.
#1: diets don't work!!!! They make you do things you're uncomfortable with and ultimately you won't stick with it, or you're miserable. Instead you need basic life style changes, determine what your nemesis is, for me it's bad carbs, ie. cake, pie, candy, white bread, potatoes, etc. and I have nbeen very happy replacing these things with things I like, such as whole wheat bagels with natural peanut butter and no sugar added fruit spread, etc.. Trust me whern I tell you, 6 pack abs are 85% diet (not A diet but your overall diet).
#2: Exercise is important! I recommend full body cicuit training until your body fat is where you want it (most guys won't see their abs till they are at 10% or below). You don't need a gym menbership, or a bunch of fancy equipment, just some dumbells and some space. I do all my workouts either in a hotel room or my garage. You can get all the exercise you need in 30-45 minutes 3 times per week + interval style traing on the alternate days for a total of 6 exercise days a week. Also, I don't do any traditional aerobics or cardio, they can cost you testosterone, and that's not good. We are all trying to boost our T and studies prove that extended cardio reduces T levels. However, interval training boosts T levels. For example, sprinting at 85% max effort (where holding a conversation is nearly impossible) for 30 seconds and then jogging for 2 mintues at a slow pace, do this 5 times per dayt on non wieght traing days to begin and work up to 10. There;s another way to get cardio and boost T without ever running an inch! Japanese researchers showed that doing circuits of pushups, situps, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burns more calories and stokes your metabolism for up to 24 hrs, almost as much as weight training! The method is do 20 seconds of any of these exercises then rest 10 seconds, mix them up and continue for 4 minutes, and you've just done the equivilant of running 5 miles!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! in the words of Winston Churchill....

"Whether you believe you can, or, you believe you can't, you'r right!"

If you would like a great fat burning weight circuit I use, I will add it later, but I'm done typing now, lol. Or, feel free to email me at tmahoney@freedom-corp.com.

 

[Ted M]

1 More thing...

Hey,
I'm not sure if it's ok to say this in here, but the last guy plugged a book so..... if you want great advice and workouts and nutrition, menus all of it, go to menshealth.com , they even have a virtual personal trainer, I use it and have been since july 07. Also,I recommend "The Abs Diet," I used it in the begining to get to 10%BF, it's available at their website. Good Luck.

(Also, you can find me in the community forum at the personal trainer under Ted M)

 

[mcquaid]

Greetings arneycl,
Yes, congratulations in your first step to health and well being! What Ted M had said seems like good information for you. As of now you can start a plan of action and your own fitness journal to follow. Diet is nothing more then just a word! Everyone has a diet they are following, whether it be a good one or a bad one. So as a start, as you learn more about the types of foods you are going to eat and when, you can start some changes today! Start eating for fuel and not just to eat. Your body is going to want to burn something for energy. Start by making portion size meals. A portion is about the size of your palm or a closed fist! Every two and a half to three hour you should be eating something as for fuel and energy.

You are going to have to find the foods you are going to want to eat for breakfast,lunch,and dinner. Eat a good snack food in-between. By eating smaller portions, or just until your content and not full is a good start as you begin to learn about which foods you are going to eat. Stay away from starch type foods, Like white pasta. (White is bad. Brown is good!) Brown pasts is better then the white. The same goes with the bread.

As you change your eating (diet) you are going to start a fitness program that you will enjoy. However it should be something that will benefit your efforts! Learn about training! As a beginner,train but don't over train. You will be getting sore,however this will go away with time. Twelve to seventeen days! I call this your growing pains. It's ok to have some soreness, bur if you have some real pain stop what your doing. The sayings no pain no gain is a wrong statement! If there is any real pain, something may not be right!

Start slow, easy, and work your way into a full blown work-out. Cardio work-outs such as walking,biking,jogging with a weight lifting program as you change your diet will increase your weight lose program.

It is ok to start each program, cardio, and weight training by doing something small and work your way up into it.10 to 15 minutes each, and progress up as you go. If you haven't been doing this, don't make it as you won't because of the effort that is needed. Understand what I'm saying? Fitness is a life style! Welcome to it. I have made some post here that may help. ( Become all that you ever wanted to be!) They should help as a start! There are lots of good people here in this forum. You should be able to get the help your looking for!
God Bless,
Franklin McQuaid

 

[g8r80]

Also, I don't do any traditional aerobics or cardio, they can cost you testosterone, and that's not good. We are all trying to boost our T and studies prove that extended cardio reduces T levels. However, interval training boosts T levels.

This is a profound statement. Do you have any references? Even T-nation condones cardio workouts. TESTOSTERONE NATION

 

[Ted M]

Clarification...

I'm sorry, I should have said steady rate long duration cardio reduces T, if you just make it interval style cardio the formula changes and you will boost T (and your metabolism, whereas steady rate long duration cardio only burns calories while exercising and for maybe an hour after). I subscribe to the Mens Health Personal Trainer and have followed the TNT plan quite successfully, in this plan this is spelled out more clearly. Being an engineer by profession, I of course did do alot of research before subscribing to this concept (after years of running 5m), and since I began in July 07, my body fat has dropped to 7% and my weight has gone up 10lbs, you do the math. I'll do some searching for my research references and will post them to their own topic.

By the way, the original thought behind this is (if anyone cares, lol) for 100's of thousands of years men were to burst-kill-rest, burst-kill-rest, and the better you burst-kill-rest the more you eat and the stronger you get. Women on the other hand, are designed to go long distances at a steady pace (foraging for nuts berries and such) and so they should do aerobics and long distance jogging, etc. For us? We need to do sprints and stairclimbers, etc.

One of my favorite ways to do cardio is at the hotel I stay at alot in Miami, it's a 7 story hotel and the stairway is 14 flights, I run up as fast as I can and jog down, I do this for about 30 minutes and I'm 48yrs old and have a 7% BF at 205lbs so something is working, lol.

Keep Movin Metal!
Ted M.

 

[Chillen]

Congratulations on the weight loss and welcome to the forum!

I wish you the best of luck in all that you set out to do! Im 46 years old (see avatar pic of proof one can reach the goal plans at nearly any age!)

ROCK youself!


Best regards



Chillen