New and seeking some advice!

[Atmosphere]

Hey everyone, my name is Michael. I started reading on this forum and decided to make an account and start participating!

I just recently turned 16 and I decided it's time to stop procrastinating and start getting more fit. I'm 5'9 and weigh ~165, my target weight is 140. I don't have a time goal yet basically because I don't know what's realistic. I know losing weight doesn't come fast and I'm ready to make a long time commitment.

I hear it's a bad idea for teenagers to go on diets, so I don't plan to go super healthy and counting all my calories. There's a few basic rules I plan to follow~

1) Water water water, no more sodas or juice. Just water.

2) No fastfood

3) No junkfood (chips, candy, ect)

4) Fruit for snacks.

I would like to know some good food choices for breakfast.. I don't eat breakfast but I know it's important so I'm going to start. Dinners are usually cooked by my mother and are pretty healthy.

I barely do any physical activity (don't participate in any sports). I think this is where the root of my weight problem is, and also the cause for my high blood pressure. I can't run well at all and get short of breath easily. So I plan to lose weight and become healthier by running everyday.

I don't know where to start though.. I'm going to keep logs of how much I run each day but I don't know how much to start out with and how often I should rise the intensity. Is running once a day enough to help someone lose weight? Am I being realistic?

Oh, and I'm also going to join a gym in the near future and incorporate weight training to go along with my running.

Any suggestions are very appreciated as well!

 

[KaraCooks]

Some of my favorite breakfasts are pretty simple: yogurt and fruit or oatmeal and fruit. I tend to eat the same thing every day, which keeps things simple. But you can also try eggs (boiled eggs are nice and portable), peanut butter on whole grain bread or toast.

For the running, I'd suggest the Couch to 5k program. It helps you to start slow and build steadily until you can run 3 miles (5k).

 

[MGR1]

Hey everyone, my name is Michael. I started reading on this forum and decided to make an account and start participating!

Hiya Michael, welcome aboard and best of luck in your endeavors.

I just recently turned 16 and I decided it's time to stop procrastinating and start getting more fit. I'm 5'9 and weigh ~165, my target weight is 140. I don't have a time goal yet basically because I don't know what's realistic. I know losing weight doesn't come fast and I'm ready to make a long time commitment.

From personal experience I think your goals are a little off, and here's why. I am 5'9" and have been since high school and I would say I have a medium frame. I did play soccer, but I didn't carry a lot of muscle mass and since I didn't eat 100 percent clean I carried a small bit of baby fat/pudge. Unless you are a small frame I think 145 as an endgoal is too low.

You might cut down to 145, but I suspect that as you ditch some fat and build some muscle you will be happier at or near your current weight. I could be off as everyone is different, but bear it in mind.

1) Water water water, no more sodas or juice. Just water.

2) No fastfood

3) No junkfood (chips, candy, ect)

4) Fruit for snacks.

Careful with the fruit hombre. 2,000 calorie diets are recommended to get 2 servings of fruit and 5 of veggies. A serving is 1/2 cup except: juice (3/4 c.) and stuff with lots of water (1 cup). That would be melons and greens mostly. Further, fruit is heavier on the calories and easier to overdo. Eat a little bit, but cycle in more veggies too.

I'd also be careful saying no anything. Moderate choices win in the long term as most humans cannot go forever without eating a pizza or a burger, and you don't wanna set yourself up for failure. Limit that stuff to under 20% (really, 10% sounds better, but you get the point) of your intake and you can still be fine.

I would like to know some good food choices for breakfast.. I don't eat breakfast but I know it's important so I'm going to start. Dinners are usually cooked by my mother and are pretty healthy.

You want to refuel smart and prepare for the day with this meal. I like clean protein in good doses and some smart veggies or fruit. Eggs are - IMO - a must. They are the gold standard of natural protein sources in terms of available and usable grams of protein per ounce. And omelets are darned tasty and flexible. Also, easy to make (so are scrambled eggs). Stuff em with some canadian bacon and some veggies and a little mozzerala or lowfat cheddar for the win. O0o0o0, learn to make fritatas (sp?) too.

Add in a bowl of cheerios with lowfat milk and an OJ or fresh fruit and maybe a slice of whole grain toast and you really have a breakfast of champions.

Or throw in a fruit smoothie with the eggs. They are simple: 1.c yogurt (plain or vanilla, lowfat not fat free, greek is best), 1 c. fruit (frozen works like a charm here), splash of fruit juice, handful of ice, blend. Throw in protein powder, flax, almonds, oat bran, etc for health and texture benefits.

Don't think you have to break your fast with "breakfast foods" either. I make pots of chicken chili a lot and like to grab a bowl for breakfast many days. It's how I started today off: low fat, almost even mix of good carbs and protein, and nearly 400 calories by itself.

I barely do any physical activity (don't participate in any sports). I think this is where the root of my weight problem is, and also the cause for my high blood pressure. I can't run well at all and get short of breath easily. So I plan to lose weight and become healthier by running everyday.

I don't know where to start though.. I'm going to keep logs of how much I run each day but I don't know how much to start out with and how often I should rise the intensity. Is running once a day enough to help someone lose weight? Am I being realistic?

If you are that unfit you might consider every other day. And regardless of when you get to consecutive days please still take 1 or 2 days a week off to rest. Your body needs time to repair and getting over trained or over fatigued will sabotage your efforts. Yes, once a day is realistic to help with weight loss. It's also plenty for what else you want from it, which is cardiovascular conditioning.

As for intensity and raising it you will just have to learn that one on your own. If there was a formula to break it down it would most likely be too complex for us because of all the individual variables. Start with what you can do and go from there. I personally found the following advice I read to be true: focus on time early on.

An example: I started back to exercising roughly 3 or 4 months ago. At first, I just walked my very hilly neighborhood for 45 minutes. After a few weeks of doing that (at 5 sessions per two weeks) I got to itching for the cross country trail that I can pick up from 1/2 mile uphill from my apartment. So I walked it a few times, then started doing intervals of jogging with my walking. Maybe 30 seconds of jog, 90 seconds of walk.

A few weeks later it's even splits of 30 seconds. Now it's like jog for 5 minutes, walk for 1-1/2. jog for 2 minutes, walk for one; still for the 45 minute mark (although some days I take an extra 10 either way). Someone smaller than me weight-wise, or in a better starting shape, might have gotten to where I am faster, but my point is to listen to your body and push it out slowly.

Oh, and I'm also going to join a gym in the near future and incorporate weight training to go along with my running.

Any suggestions are very appreciated as well!

Read around a lot. I think there are some constraints on safely lifting at your age and I don't know them. The generic advice is 2-3 sessions a week, lift heavy for low reps, and use the bigger compound muscles for best results. This is more applicable when you are losing weight (e.g. in a calorie deficit), which is what you want to focus on for now. Also, don't work the same muscles two days running, they need that rest more frequently.

Lift safe, lift smart, and don't let your pride be a stumbling block to your progress. Form is everything and don't worry about slow progression as long as there is progression.

 

[jzero]

Yes, Michael, no junk food, no fastfood can keep your body healthy and against weight gain ... But you don't have to force yourself not to eat those food at all. Just keep those junk food, fastfood at a low ratio.

And MGR, thanks for your long article, I find it useful and informative. Thanks a lot.

 

[FattyMcgee]

i eat scrambled egg whites with tomatoes mixed in and 2 slices of turkey bacon. It's low in fat and high in protein, plus it keeps me full for about 4 good hours.