New Start - Exercise/Diet

[buckeejit]

Hi all

I've went through a few things this year and I've decided I need a new start. First thing on the agenda is my diet...

Age - 22
Height - 6ft
Weight - 224lbs
Exercise - Barely any

I probably eat about 2800 calories a day and my downfall is fizzy drinks and chocolate/sweets. The only drink I drink in work is water but when I get home, I drink coke because it's there and I have a major sweet tooth.

I don't look big but I carry a lot of weight in my chest so that's what makes me look big if that makes sense?

Just wondering if someone can give me some tips/advise for where to start? I have no access to a gym but plan on going running/jogging. I started jogging about 4 months ago and lasted a week because it wrecked me. Suppose if I was to keep running, my overall fitness would improve.

 

[buckeejit]

Have you got fitted running shoes? That would be your first port of call.
As for times etc I'm sure there's a few more educated than me in the area but I'd say go for 30-40 min runs (If you cant run just walk/jog/run etc).
As for drinking too many fizzy drinks, try to cut down and switch them to diet varients when you do.

yeah, got a pair of fitted running shoes a few months back.

 

[buckeejit]

Welcome to the wonderful world of trying to start keeping fit .

Have a look at the stickies, Platypus has a great guide up for running and GordyR has likewise for weight training and diet. Try to read at least the first couple of pages of Gordys sticky as there is lots of good food advice. Have a browse through my 'getting fit' thread as lots of people have given some good advice there.

Ok, as far as the gym goes, are you very adverse to exercising with weights as well as running ?. Do you have room at home if you had the equipment ?. Is equipment cost an issue at the moment ?. You can do a lot of exercises at home if you put your mind to it. Pushups, situps / crunches, dips, tricep dips, squats and with a cheap pullup bar the pullups, chinups and even reverse rows are all available. Have a look at exrx.nets exercise directory for ideas of the different exercises and the form you should use.

If that sort of training really is not what you are willing to do then you can stick to running although you will be cutting out a large set of training that will speed up your fat loss and at least help you build up some strength without needing to build size.

As suggested, try doing a 30 minute route alternating between running and jogging. Stick to it for a week and then try and increase the run sections and reduce the jog sections a bit. Sticking to it you should see big changes in the first month as long as you can put your pride to one side and start slow however embarrassing it feels. After the first month the gains will slow but you will have a stronger base and so can work off that.

For the coke etc, take a photo at your worst, shirt off and put it somewhere (inside the wardrobe door for example). As well as being a starting photo for a log of progress, look at it whenever you feel the need for a coke or anything else not so healthy, Taking the pause and doing that is sometimes enough to stop people doing it. As you see more improvements it will be easier to resist when you see where you could fall back too. My starting photos are all in my head and are also in my thread here. Being able to remember my start point and now being able to think that the cheesecake I could get is another 20 minutes on the cross trainer is enough to stop me. The pictures do not have to be on display. Maybe in your wallet may be another place.

Keep a calorie log for the first month at the minimum. Record what you are eating and look up the values at one or more of the diet databases on the internet. This will help you get a feel for what you are eating and how it affects your diet. It should also help you to get used to looking at the labels on food in the supermarket.

Any questions or specifics onthe above and just ask. Friendly crowd in sports arena and lots of us at the beginning of the fitness journey .

RB

Good advice mate. thanks