Somewhat of a Beginner, please help.

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Hi there, um, I'm eighteen, and I was wondering if anybody could offer me some pointers? I'm not terribly new, I've just had a real hard time sticking with anything.

I have had since, I'm going to say the age of nine, have had a real issue with my weight. I used to be quite skinny, but then gained a lot of weight after third grade, especially fourth grade and up, so all through middle school I was quite a chubby kid. Now, granted since then I've grown far taller (now bout 6'2) and have naturally lost a pant size since late middle school, bout a 36 now, and last time I weighed myself I was about 196-198 lbs. I still however am not very comfortable in my skin, and am extremely, extremely shy and self conscious about my body in public. I have a feeling most of it is still anxiety hanging on from the "chubby" years, but, I still feel far too large (and not very attractive) and ideally would like to loose fifteen to twenty pounds if not more. I don't care about muscle so much as I just want the weight off. I think I'm rather disgusting and it just needs to go.

In that case, I was wondering if anybody, by going by my pictures, could help offer some suggestions as to what I should do? One of my friends thinks all I have to do is a little bit of running, but I'm not sure. I've tried small sets of various exercises, stationary bikes, but I've never been able to really stay in with it or get results, and I'd really like to see if I can start something and like, by the end of the summer start to be able to feel somewhat remotely better bout myself.


Anyway, here are some pictures:





any ideas? I'd like to keep it simple really. Too much and I try to cheat myself, I think.
 
Just like one big meal doesn't make you fat, one session of exercise doesn't make you thin. Consistency is the only way to achieve results. Why can't you chose a program and stick with it?

What is your daily schedule like? What exsercise do you like to do?
 
Oh, I totally understand that. I'm just looking for ideas as to what needs to be attended to the most. I know there's no such thing as spot treatment, but more or less looking for " you should work on those, work on these," etc. I need some guidance.

I didn't mind doing stationary biking when I would do it, 30-45 minutes, sometimes an hour, but someone told me I shouldn't be investing my time with them and should do running instead. I do believe I carry a great deal of my weight in my upper legs, and I'd love to reduce it.

To be honest, I'm not very physical, never been, always hated sports and unfortunately my total disinterest really puts a hamper on trying to set up any type of plan. Sorta hypocritical there... but anyway, I'm pretty much a writer, I write a lot for my own enjoyment and to help build pieces for me to send to places, eventually, so it often involves lots of sitting. Same with a lot of my hobbies such as drawing and reading. Guess you could say I'm rather bookish.

Physical exercise of any kind comes from either doing yardwork, since I am extremely interested in plants/horticulture, and from my job, which requires me to be on my feet for 6 + hours and sometimes has me dealing with heavy carts to push.

I'd like to say I eat better than the average teen. Sodas, next to never. Been staying away from High fructose in drinks and am swearing off sweets, which are probably my only vice. Otherwise I eat great. Lots of fruits and vegetables, limit dairy, generally when it comes to meat I eat mainly chicken, and not of the fried variety.
 
Some of that info, when it comes to it, I know a lot about proper nutrition, but I've never done much with weights, ever...and that stuff kinda is a bit intimidating to be honest. The only people that really use them at the gym at the local JCC have always been either the muscleheads or people who I just don't want to make a fool of myself in front of. I've always stayed away from them.

Surely they aren't the only thing to help assist in weight loss. I'm really not looking for muscles or strength, I just want to be thin. Would rigorous cardio be appropriate?
 
weight training, is in my, and others, opinion the best way to lose weight.

it is possible to do so as well through HIIT, high intensity interval training, but I feel that straight up endurance cardio will not help you *edit* as much *edit* in weight loss.
 
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Danger_Dave said:
weight training, is in my, and others, opinion the best way to lose weight.

it is possible to do so as well through HIIT, high intensity interval training, but I feel that straight up endurance cardio will not help you in weight loss.
Click to expand...

Dave can you explain this?

Because standing alone, this ISNT TRUE.


Best wishes


Chillen
 
sorry, i was late for class, that was a hurried and (you are right in saying) untrue statement.

I meant to say that I feel straight up endurance cardio will not help you as much in weight loss than Weight Training and HIIT. I personally have no experience with endurance cardio, but I am aware that you can achieve weight loss with tihs, I just feel that there are better and more efficient options.

I believe cosgroves heirarchy of weight loss goes something like

1. Metabolic Resistance Training (lifting)
2. High Intensity Anaerobic Interval Training (HIIT)
3. High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training (ehh lesss intense HIIT i think)
4. Steady State High Intensity Aerobic Training (cardio)
5. Steady State Low Intensity Aerobic Training (walking)
 
Danger_Dave said:
sorry, i was late for class, that was a hurried and (you are right in saying) untrue statement.

I meant to say that I feel straight up endurance cardio will not help you as much in weight loss than Weight Training and HIIT. I personally have no experience with endurance cardio, but I am aware that you can achieve weight loss with tihs, I just feel that there are better and more efficient options.

I believe cosgroves heirarchy of weight loss goes something like

1. Metabolic Resistance Training (lifting)
2. High Intensity Anaerobic Interval Training (HIIT)
3. High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training (ehh lesss intense HIIT i think)
4. Steady State High Intensity Aerobic Training (cardio)
5. Steady State Low Intensity Aerobic Training (walking)
Click to expand...


I understand now, brotha! And, we are on the same page.


ROCK IT ON!


Chillen
 
Danger_Dave said:
1. Metabolic Resistance Training (lifting)
2. High Intensity Anaerobic Interval Training (HIIT)
3. High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training (ehh lesss intense HIIT i think)
4. Steady State High Intensity Aerobic Training (cardio)
5. Steady State Low Intensity Aerobic Training (walking)
Click to expand...

Why would #3 be more efficient than #4 at burning calories / losing body fat?

If both are done at the top of the aerobic range, then doing that intensity exercise continuously instead of dropping to a lower intensity for intervals will burn more calories in a given time period.

Cardio (steady state or HIIT) is most time-efficient for burning calories / losing body fat when it is doubled up on something else, like commuting or sports that you like doing. Suppose driving to work takes 15 minutes, but bicycling takes 25 minutes. You can get 25 minutes of cardio (steady state or HIIT, your choice) at a net cost of only 10 minutes if you bicycle to work.

Similarly, some situations present the opportunity for a mini workout at zero time cost, or even a time savings. For example, instead of waiting for a slow elevator, you can walk up the stairs, sometimes in less time than it takes to use the elevator.
 
In hierarchy of fat loss, cosgrove is not simply examining the calories burned at the time of activity, you look at metabolic rates. Besides, one could only assume that the intensity of number 3 is greater than that of number 4 because it is in intervals.

I assume you know HIIT is similar in effect to weight training in that it inreases metabolism? So while it may be true that number 4 burns the most calories during the time of actualyl doing the exercise (I believe this is in fact true) it does not overall burn more calories.

Did you read the link?
 
Danger_Dave said:
In hierarchy of fat loss, cosgrove is not simply examining the calories burned at the time of activity, you look at metabolic rates. Besides, one could only assume that the intensity of number 3 is greater than that of number 4 because it is in intervals.
Click to expand...

That would be the only way it makes sense, although it is not obvious from just the list. However, doing #4 at maximum aerobic intensity (instead of lower aerobic intensity like the so-called "fat burning zone") would likely burn more calories both during and after than doing #3 (where the "high intensity" intervals are only aerobic, not anaerobic like #2) for the same period of time.
 
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