TOTALLY new, no idea how to proceed. X_X

C

Capri2007

0
:newbie:

Hey guys and gals! This is my first post here, but hopefully not my last! :p As the title says I'm very new to the workout and weight loss scene and I'm looking to get active. I am 18 years old, 6'0, and 195 lbs. I'm looking to slim down, I'm NOT looking to get ripped, but being a bit more "tone" would be welcome for sure!

My problem is that I just don't know how to get started! I have NEVER been active before and so even lack muscle for some of the more basic work outs. (aka I can BARELY do 3 or 4 push-ups) I would like to really like to get with a workout/running buddy on campus, but as it is it's really embarrassing having to ask them to stop and walk because I can barely keep up at a light jog, so I'm trying to improve a little bit alone before I start asking around for a partner.

One of the biggest problems is that my time between classes and homework is also very limited and sporadc. Thy gym on campus is often full on the RARE occasions I have free time and it's open, so it's not a very reliable option. So far I've just been watching my food intake and trying to walk around as much as possible, but the weight-loss has kind-of evened out and I'm looking for that next step.

Are there any ideas people care to toss out? I'm not sure what all I need to include and this feels to long already so yeah... haha! :) Thanks so much in advance!
 
You can't build a house without a solid foundation...since you have time to educate yourself, this book will give you some seriously excellent insight into the dynamics of weight-loss as well as a great mild/moderate exercise program that you can do on your own w/o a gym!



195 at 6' ain't too shabby. These are some of the best years of your life, you won't regret getting in shape for them....besides being good for your health, it'll do wonders for self-confidence as well.
 
I spent 8 years in college (getting 2 degrees, not just 1:D) and worked in two universities and am very familiar with the university atmosphere.

Do not go to the university gym at this time. There will be jock studs there and you will feel worse about yourself.

If you can find a workout partner with the same high desire as you and in similar physical shape - great! But, I doubt it. I recommend you do stuff on your own until you are in better shape and, more importantly, feel better about yourself. (I rode my bike by myself for 2 - 3 months until I was sure I could ride with a group and be competitive).

That said, there are all kinds of things you can do right now. First, as a u student, you probably already have a bicycle. Ride it. A lot. 50+ miles / week. This will build up your endurance and your leg strength. Second, continue running until you are winded, stop running, walk, catch your breath and resume. Keep track of how far you can run before stopping and keep working on improving it. Third, keep working on those pushups. You might want to do them with your knees on the ground until you can do 10 of the regular style, then do them regular style. Find a chinup bar and start doing them. You probably won't be able to do any at first, so put up a bench so your legs can rest on them and you don't have to lift all your weight.

As BSL said, these are glorious years and you want to feel good about yourself at this time.
 
g8r80 said:
As BSL said, these are glorious years and you want to feel good about yourself at this time.
Click to expand...

Ha!!...what a loser, you read BSL!!! D'oh!!!! ;);)

Biking....GREAT suggestion!! Those are the biggest muscles in your body and can really burn some serious calories while getting you in shape.

I had the most fun being a sophmore, those were some of the best years!!:D

Btw, just today I took a spinning class at the gym. I had previously figured it was kinda a light-weight sort of thing...but no way: that's some super-serious calorie burning!!! Worst part is they don't run the fan. Over 1 hour & 20 minutes I went through 2 quarts of water and had to put a towel under my "bike". After class when I took my shoes off, my socks were drenched. My legs are feelin' it too. On the upside, everybody in bikes behind me never got close to passing me!! :D

On the TMI side of things, I think I have a crush on the instructor....there's just something about a chick who can out-perform ya.....ohhhhhhhhh, that's good spinning!!!!!! :D :D I seriously wonder how she'd do on a real bike grinding some of those 12% hills I run?
 
BikeSwimLaugh said:
Ha!!...what a loser, you read BSL!!! D'oh!!!! ;);)

Biking....GREAT suggestion!! Those are the biggest muscles in your body and can really burn some serious calories while getting you in shape.

I had the most fun being a sophmore, those were some of the best years!!:D

Btw, just today I took a spinning class at the gym. I had previously figured it was kinda a light-weight sort of thing...but no way: that's some super-serious calorie burning!!! Worst part is they don't run the fan. Over 1 hour & 20 minutes I went through 2 quarts of water and had to put a towel under my "bike". After class when I took my shoes off, my socks were drenched. My legs are feelin' it too. On the upside, everybody in bikes behind me never got close to passing me!! :D

On the TMI side of things, I think I have a crush on the instructor....there's just something about a chick who can out-perform ya.....ohhhhhhhhh, that's good spinning!!!!!! :D :D I seriously wonder how she'd do on a real bike grinding some of those 12% hills I run?
Click to expand...


1 hour and 20 min spin class? There is a perception that spinning classes are "girly" but they are a mutha! Absolutely HIIT!

I, too, had wondered how these spinning instructors, all 85 pounds of them, would do on a real bike. They do just fine! I was talking to a new spinning instructor and she rides on one of my fast Saturday rides.
 
Thank you guys so much for the wonderfully helpful/supportive replies! :D I'm thrilled!

I guess I forgot to mention that my college is in Maine, aka ice and snow EVERYWHERE, so it's difficult to walk on roads and damned near impossible to bike due to all the black ice! But I do like the suggestions! I'll go look around and see if I can find a biking friendly area this time of year! I'm glad to see that people understand that it's difficult to find someone my-pace at the moment, and that really helps a lot! :D It's nice to feel like people see that it's a problem and it can still be worked through! Woohoo for not being hopeless.

As far as the pullups go... I dont understand that? How am I supposed to use a bench to not pull myself up on pull ups? X_X I'm not getting how I just stand there? And where do we recomend I do such pull-ups?

the "gym" at my college is all lower body (bikes, treadmills, and stair master things) but I've never been able to find anything for the upper body.

Also, how do you recommend I keep track of how much I bike a week? I have horrible distance estimation. Are there things for bikes than you can use to measure distance?

That article was great by the way! :D I know for sure that eating at college is a pain some times (half the meals prepared are things that disgust me to even look at, let alone eat) so I'll just start getting more healthily creative! :D Any suggestions? (I assume whole grain or wheat for bread vs. white, and skim/2% for milk vs. whole, but is there any thing else I don't know about?)

I'll keep looking up more ideas myself, but I thought I'd just say thanks and give a bit more information for any more ideas! :D

Best,
~Matt

Edit: Also, what are some good things to eat for sandwiches? I've heard peanut butter isn't that good to be eating, and I no bologna isn't good... so to be honest I've never really had anything else so don't even know what to try! :D Is there a place with ideas for healthy alternatives in food choices somewhere? (I've looked around but am having problems finding anything online!)
 
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g8r80 said:
1 hour and 20 min spin class? There is a perception that spinning classes are "girly" but they are a mutha! Absolutely HIIT!

I, too, had wondered how these spinning instructors, all 85 pounds of them, would do on a real bike. They do just fine! I was talking to a new spinning instructor and she rides on one of my fast Saturday rides.
Click to expand...

When I ride my mountain bike, I always wear a heart-rate monitor....it's calibrated to my gender, weight, age and perhaps a few other things. I mention this to lend some credit to it's accuracy. It also counts calories and pretty much, I gather, does so entirely by counting heart-beats against time. I didn't expect spinning on a stationary bike to compare to grinding a real mountain....but it does! In fact, my heart-rate average is considerably up (due to no downhill or flat roads) and I'm just drenched with sweat.

I know this sounds rather inconceivable....but today I rode for 1 hour & 22 minutes, my average heart-rate was 156 and the indicator said I burned 1,205 calories. That's like 14.7 calories per minute....IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE????????

Anyways, I hear a lot of people in those classes fake it...they don't have the knob turned-down much and I see plenty of people spinning slowly. Another clue: few people are sweating very hard. Me and a few others are just glistening with sweat rolling off our faces & arms....but some of these people are barely damp. Well, either way....I'm not gonna worry about others. I know what I get out of the class.

The other thing I enjoy is swimming right after the class. After slamming the legs I do 50 laps in the 25-meter indoor pool....followed-up with 5 minutes in the steam room. Ya walk out of the gym just feeling amazing!!!!!!!!!

Oh...as for the OP. Yeah, diet is important. Calories are calories, but by-in-large you'll do better with healthy food. Whole grains, lean protein, very limited amounts of sugar & refined products! Good healthy fuel will give you good energy & building blocks AND keep you feeling full longer!
 
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