Hi there =)

[Tegee]

Good evening all. My name is Chris, I'll be 23 in April, I just graduated from Texas A&M and landed my first job here in Texas... still... hehe, I really want to move where it's a bit cooler temp wise. I found you all when I was searching for different things to do aerobically. This is because I used to play racquetball on the A&M team, but since I graduated I'm back here in San Antonio and they've closed down many of the courts b/c they're too cheap to fix them.

That's where my dilemma comes in. I weigh 173 lbs and I'm 5' 6". I used to weigh 155'ish back in high school and have put on some weight in college from the stress from the engineering degree. =/ I would like to try and either get back down to 155 or at least make it so my stomach is somewhat flat (not necessarily showing the 6-pack).

I know I can achieve this if I can find an aerobic activity to replace the racquetball that I was once doing. I tried running back when I was in college along with racquetball and I lost interest in it really fast. Everyone keeps telling me it gets much better once you pass your 2nd mile or so, but my mom keeps telling me running is extremely bad for your knees from the impact (she works in the OR by the way). I find it hard to work out with my friends because they tend to slack and I can never convince them to come along. So if I can find something I can do solo and keep my interest, that would be sweet.

My eating habits have gotten so much better since the last 2 months of my college career. I saw the movie, Supersize Me, which really inspired me to stop eating fast food and it's been nearly 3 months now since I've eaten fast food. I'm trying to drink more water, I really am, but soda is the bane of my existence. Damn you Dr. Pepper! haha

Sorry for the long winded intro. But that's my progress so far in a nut shell. =) Can't wait to meet you all.

 

[M2M]

Hi Tegee,
Welcome to the WLF

Good for you for giving up fast foods - I did that last May, and I don't miss it a BIT! I also quit drinking soda, I was hooked on diet coke, and after learning how it screws up your bodies ability to recognize when it's full (something I NEEDED my body to know ), I figured I would drink the full leaded version, but got to the point where I was rarely willing to give up my calories for a drink

Have you considered doing some strength training? Can you join a gym?

 

[Tegee]

Hi Tegee,
Welcome to the WLF

Good for you for giving up fast foods - I did that last May, and I don't miss it a BIT! I also quit drinking soda, I was hooked on diet coke, and after learning how it screws up your bodies ability to recognize when it's full (something I NEEDED my body to know ), I figured I would drink the full leaded version, but got to the point where I was rarely willing to give up my calories for a drink

Have you considered doing some strength training? Can you join a gym?

Awesome, congrats on the soda, I envy you. I took a strength training class my last semester and liked it. I'm interested but I would prefer not to go to the gym b/c 1) People in the gyms here are either rude, inconsiderate, or yuppie and 2) Memberships are skyrocketing like crazy. We had a membership with Spectrum here (used to be Racquetball & Fitness) but ever since they took down the racquetball courts due to a tiny leak and then skyrocketing the membership, we canceled it and stopped going. Really the only thing I'd be missing from the gym is the bar for bench press or squats, I could easily get adjustable hand weights for home.

I know that muscles do help burn the fat, but aren't aerobic workouts key to burning the fat?

 

[M2M]

I'm not a big fan of gyms - but I'm currently looking at adding more strength training. Maintaining the muscle I have is a good thing

There are people better suited to answering your questions about the best way to burn fat.

I had been using steady state cardio (standard walking/jogging) at a consistant pace and there's information around here discussing HIIT (high intensity interval training) instead (do a forum search on HIIT - I know Steve has written info on it.

All that being said, I've lost 75 pounds reducing calories and walking at a fairly fast pace.

I should have started doing strength training long ago.