How many of you are trying to become healthier or lose weight? Please share your experience. I'm at a good weight but I tend to eat junk and don't exercise at all. How do you motivate yourself to exercise in the morning or after work? What kinds of work-outs are typical for you? Any recommendations from formerly unhealthy folks like me?
Diet & Fitness Support Thread
- Thread starter Witterquick
- Start date
Of course you might want to check with your doctor before starting a regimen.
I try to run at least thirty minutes if not more five days a week and I throw in weight training about four days a week. Plus I take my three miniature schnauzers on a forty five minute walk pretty much every day weather permitting.
I'd like to tell you it's easy but it's not. It is hard work and requires a tremendous amount of disciplne. I can tell you there are some days when I am not in the mood at all to exercise especially when I'm swamped at work or the weather is cold and overcast. But I just dig deep and force myself to do it. It really does come down to self-discipline and your own motivation.
And don't get discouraged if you don't have a lot of exercise equipment or can't afford a gym membership. You can buy resistance bands(they come in various levels--be sure you get the beginner) from Wal mart or your local sporting goods store for under ten dollars or you might be able to get a reasonable price on a weight set from a used sports shop.
I also eat healthy. You'd be surprised how many calories you can save yourself by adjusting your diet. I don't drink sodas. If I have to have one it is diet otherwise it is ice cold water. I also try to not eat big meals. I try to eat every four hours. I have cut out red meat. I eat salmon or some type of fish about three or four times a week. I eat a lot of skinless boneless chicken breasts--baked or grilled. I only use extra virgin olive oil. I eat lots of fat free yogurt. I eat a lot of raw fruit--peaches, oranges, pears, bananas, apples, avocados. Avoid the canned fruits they are swimming in high fructose corn syrup. I eat a lot of *natural* apple sauce--the kind without high fructose corn syrup and sugar. I eat a lot of raw or steamed vegetables-broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, acorn squash etc. I've pretty much cut out potatoes although sometimes I'll have them either baked or mashed.
Instead of regular bacon I eat turkey bacon. There is like only 20 calories per slice and I can't tell the difference. I also substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef in recipes like chili or tacos. You really can't tell the difference between them and regular ground beef once you season them. I also use them to make meatloaf. If you really don't like ground turkey or chicken then get the lean ground beef. My dad would only eat ground beef so I would prepare but drain it really well in a collander. You'd be surprised how much fat you can render and save yourself from ingesting.
You can also cut calories by eating healthier versions of your favorite snack foods. Instead of regular lays potato chips try the Baked version or eat Sunchips. I also love filling up on salsa--low calories virtually no fat and satisfying. Special K, unfrosted corn flakes, raisin bran or oatmeal are good cereals for breakfast. Instead of sweeting them with sugar I eat a banana which is naturally sweet and of course I'd recommend using skim milk. Some people say it is watery without the fat but I prefer it.
But remember it is okay to splurge and treat yourself to something greasy and not particularly good for yourself like once a week and there will be times when you'll lapse and that is okay. And when starting out with exercising or weight training don't overdo. Afterall you haven't exercised regularly so at first a little will go a long ways. Just don't give up. It'll be easy to get discouraged at first and results usually aren't instant.
Good luck!
I try to run at least thirty minutes if not more five days a week and I throw in weight training about four days a week. Plus I take my three miniature schnauzers on a forty five minute walk pretty much every day weather permitting.
I'd like to tell you it's easy but it's not. It is hard work and requires a tremendous amount of disciplne. I can tell you there are some days when I am not in the mood at all to exercise especially when I'm swamped at work or the weather is cold and overcast. But I just dig deep and force myself to do it. It really does come down to self-discipline and your own motivation.
And don't get discouraged if you don't have a lot of exercise equipment or can't afford a gym membership. You can buy resistance bands(they come in various levels--be sure you get the beginner) from Wal mart or your local sporting goods store for under ten dollars or you might be able to get a reasonable price on a weight set from a used sports shop.
I also eat healthy. You'd be surprised how many calories you can save yourself by adjusting your diet. I don't drink sodas. If I have to have one it is diet otherwise it is ice cold water. I also try to not eat big meals. I try to eat every four hours. I have cut out red meat. I eat salmon or some type of fish about three or four times a week. I eat a lot of skinless boneless chicken breasts--baked or grilled. I only use extra virgin olive oil. I eat lots of fat free yogurt. I eat a lot of raw fruit--peaches, oranges, pears, bananas, apples, avocados. Avoid the canned fruits they are swimming in high fructose corn syrup. I eat a lot of *natural* apple sauce--the kind without high fructose corn syrup and sugar. I eat a lot of raw or steamed vegetables-broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, acorn squash etc. I've pretty much cut out potatoes although sometimes I'll have them either baked or mashed.
Instead of regular bacon I eat turkey bacon. There is like only 20 calories per slice and I can't tell the difference. I also substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef in recipes like chili or tacos. You really can't tell the difference between them and regular ground beef once you season them. I also use them to make meatloaf. If you really don't like ground turkey or chicken then get the lean ground beef. My dad would only eat ground beef so I would prepare but drain it really well in a collander. You'd be surprised how much fat you can render and save yourself from ingesting.
You can also cut calories by eating healthier versions of your favorite snack foods. Instead of regular lays potato chips try the Baked version or eat Sunchips. I also love filling up on salsa--low calories virtually no fat and satisfying. Special K, unfrosted corn flakes, raisin bran or oatmeal are good cereals for breakfast. Instead of sweeting them with sugar I eat a banana which is naturally sweet and of course I'd recommend using skim milk. Some people say it is watery without the fat but I prefer it.
But remember it is okay to splurge and treat yourself to something greasy and not particularly good for yourself like once a week and there will be times when you'll lapse and that is okay. And when starting out with exercising or weight training don't overdo. Afterall you haven't exercised regularly so at first a little will go a long ways. Just don't give up. It'll be easy to get discouraged at first and results usually aren't instant.
Good luck!
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**Raises hand**
I still need to lose a few more pounds, for some reason the last little bit seems to be the hardest. I've lost about 90lbs so far, probably should lose 10-15 more. For exercise, often I just walk around campus for a bit. I really need to get back to doing regular exercising.
I still need to lose a few more pounds, for some reason the last little bit seems to be the hardest. I've lost about 90lbs so far, probably should lose 10-15 more. For exercise, often I just walk around campus for a bit. I really need to get back to doing regular exercising.
I'm going to try to get my lazy ass to the gym after work tonight. I need to drop about 15 or 20 pounds so my plan is to work my way up to running every morning and do weights after work on Mon-Wed-Fri. I'll also attempt an evening run on Tue and Thu but for now I'm just going to concentrate on getting to the gym at least 5 times a week, whether it be in the morning or evening.
If I can ultimately make it to the gym in the morning and the evening 5 days a week I'll be very happy.
If I can ultimately make it to the gym in the morning and the evening 5 days a week I'll be very happy.
I've started going to the rec center on a semi-regular basis (trying to go more often but it's too damn cold!) and I've quit drinking soda, both for potential health benefits and to see just how long I can go without one. Haven't had a soda in two weeks! Instead I drink fruit juice (usually apple with a bit of cranberry mixed in) or water, and I occaisionally indulge in a blue raspberry slushie (at least two of those a week) or a peppermint hot chocolate (maybe one or two a month). I haven't changed my diet otherwise, though I've started eating more salad. I do 30 minutes of cardio at the rec center whenever I go and eventually I'll start doing weights.
And I don't seem to have lost any weight yet... One would think going from at least two Mountain Dews a day to no soda whatsoever would've helped some.
And I don't seem to have lost any weight yet... One would think going from at least two Mountain Dews a day to no soda whatsoever would've helped some.
It might have to do with the fruit juice you are drinking People are lulled into thinking that just because it has fruit in its name that it is automatically good for you. However, a lot of the fruit juices contain as much or more sugar as a soda.
Well, it's what's available at the dining hall. Not too fond of just plain water or milk.
Watch out for the fruit juice (as others have said), it can be really calorific. Dilute it with water. I find that half and half with fruit juice and I really don't notice.
I think my friend does that with lemonade at the dining hall, but I thought it was because he found it too strong or something.
Or I could just start drinking skim milk instead... That's what we have at home, but I definitely prefer juice or soda over milk.
Oh, and I weighed myself on the scale at the rec center: I think I might've lost some weight! My scale in my dorm hasn't budged though...
Or I could just start drinking skim milk instead... That's what we have at home, but I definitely prefer juice or soda over milk.
Oh, and I weighed myself on the scale at the rec center: I think I might've lost some weight! My scale in my dorm hasn't budged though...
I've got a decent diet - I've all but cut out processed food, I don't drink soda (just water and occasionally milk or a small glass of juice), I eat my veggies raw, steamed, or lightly sauteed with cooking spray, I cook from scratch almost every night and I have plenty of chicken and fish in my diet -- but I still need to drop about 10 pounds and lose some inches around my mid-section.
I broke my foot back in December and just recently came out of the cast. As a result, my foot still hurts very much and I can't do any kind of high-impact exercise (running, jogging, dancing, jumping etc) for the next three months. I'm allergic to chlorine, so that puts swimming out of the equation. The forced sedentary lifestyle this injury imposed on me has added quite a bit of flab to my stomach areas and I've lost a lot of muscle tone. I mean, I couldn't even keep my legs in position for sit ups when I had the cast.
Does anyone have any tips I could use for getting in shape? I'm allowed to walk as much as I wish, but right now I can only do about 4 blocks before the pain in my foot becomes unbearable.
I'm thinking of buying myself an elliptical machine , since those burn a lot of calories in a short period of time and are low-impact. Anyone have recommendations for a decent elliptical machine that will fit in a studio apartment?
I broke my foot back in December and just recently came out of the cast. As a result, my foot still hurts very much and I can't do any kind of high-impact exercise (running, jogging, dancing, jumping etc) for the next three months. I'm allergic to chlorine, so that puts swimming out of the equation. The forced sedentary lifestyle this injury imposed on me has added quite a bit of flab to my stomach areas and I've lost a lot of muscle tone. I mean, I couldn't even keep my legs in position for sit ups when I had the cast.
Does anyone have any tips I could use for getting in shape? I'm allowed to walk as much as I wish, but right now I can only do about 4 blocks before the pain in my foot becomes unbearable.
I'm thinking of buying myself an elliptical machine , since those burn a lot of calories in a short period of time and are low-impact. Anyone have recommendations for a decent elliptical machine that will fit in a studio apartment?
That's great that the scale in the gym is down a bit!
I'd recommend weighing yourself only on one machine for the sake of consistency. Also, I've taken to not weighing myself more than once a fortnight. The fluctuations in weight over a week can be too much, especially for women. Given the option I'd say don't weigh more than once a month, but we need some encouragement along the way! 
Well I've been trying to be a bit healthier... I think like most peeps, I find winter a bit of a munchy time. Then all of a sudden when March nears (and spring) I think - oh no I want to feel 'fresher' if that makes senses. I've had no crisps, chocolate or biscuits for nine days now - yay 
Good Will Riker
Admiral
I have been running 4-6 days a week since right after Fourth of July 2007. It's been over 7 months, and I have lost over 40lbs.
It's those last few pounds that are hard to get rid of, and your weight can fluctuate just a little bit eventhough you constantly exercise based on your genetics/metabolism/diet, but I still keep at it, and motivate myself to go run at the gym 5 nights per week. I also do 150-200 frontal-abdominal situps, and 80 side-abdominal situps right before/or right after I go to the gym.
You really have to watchout what you eat and what you drink. I have decided to cut-out practically all sodas from my diet. I prefer to drink water, skim milk, green tea, and the occassional orange juice.
Stick to a consistent exercise plan and a consitent diet (Just leave room once or twice a week for a "cheat meal" or a "cheat snack."), and you will feel better, and it will certainly motivate you to get things done by getting off your butt and going out there to stay healthy and slim.
It's those last few pounds that are hard to get rid of, and your weight can fluctuate just a little bit eventhough you constantly exercise based on your genetics/metabolism/diet, but I still keep at it, and motivate myself to go run at the gym 5 nights per week. I also do 150-200 frontal-abdominal situps, and 80 side-abdominal situps right before/or right after I go to the gym.
You really have to watchout what you eat and what you drink. I have decided to cut-out practically all sodas from my diet. I prefer to drink water, skim milk, green tea, and the occassional orange juice.
Stick to a consistent exercise plan and a consitent diet (Just leave room once or twice a week for a "cheat meal" or a "cheat snack."), and you will feel better, and it will certainly motivate you to get things done by getting off your butt and going out there to stay healthy and slim.
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For you folks that run, is there a certain time of day that's easier for you?
I like running early in the morning before dawn because it's peaceful, but I hate getting up that early. I also love it because it kickstarts my day better than coffee and a bagel used to.
Another problem is I don't have an iPod, which I think would help a lot. Do a lot of you runners have some sort of music?
How do you do distance-wise. I run about two miles around my neighborhood. I try to keep a good pace to train my body to be able to run at a decent clip for long distances.
My biggest problem other than getting up early is endurance. How have people combatting endurance?
I like running early in the morning before dawn because it's peaceful, but I hate getting up that early. I also love it because it kickstarts my day better than coffee and a bagel used to.
Another problem is I don't have an iPod, which I think would help a lot. Do a lot of you runners have some sort of music?
How do you do distance-wise. I run about two miles around my neighborhood. I try to keep a good pace to train my body to be able to run at a decent clip for long distances.
My biggest problem other than getting up early is endurance. How have people combatting endurance?
I'm not a morning person. It takes me a while to come around and so I absolutely hate exercising in the morning and where I live the mornings are quite cold.
So I run in the late afternoon around 4 or 5. By then I'm alert yet not running low from a long day.
No, I don't listen to music when I run but I do when I'm weight training. When I'm running I use the time to collect my thoughts for the day.
I'm not sure. I just run intensely for about thirty minutes either on a treadmill or in my neighborhood.
From a physical point of view the best time for me to run is the morning but after I've been up for an hour or so. From a mental point of view I like running in the evening after work. I love the feeling that it's there waiting for me when I'm having a horrid day at work. I feel like I've got a secret rendez vous all set up that will set me free from the crap of the day. (Does that sound a bit hokey?
) Whenever I do it though, the first 10 minutes is awful!Personally, I have been attempting to "get back into" my old workout routine.
Currently, I do weight training four days a week. I use three of those days for a two-part split (chest/triceps, shoulders/legs, back/bicep). The forth day I do a forearm/ab split (with abs tossed in on the off days as well).
I have cut out all cardio in my routine, specifically due to my goal, which is to gain weight. My current bodyweight is 163. When I graduated from high school (roughly five years ago), I was around 140. My diet has been tweaked over the years to what it is now, in an effort to gain.
Personally, I use an iPod shuffle when I workout.
(Side note: Reading this post, I realize there is little flow or style to it. I am simply going to chalk that up to me being rather tired. At least, that is the lie in which I will tell myself...)
Currently, I do weight training four days a week. I use three of those days for a two-part split (chest/triceps, shoulders/legs, back/bicep). The forth day I do a forearm/ab split (with abs tossed in on the off days as well).
I have cut out all cardio in my routine, specifically due to my goal, which is to gain weight. My current bodyweight is 163. When I graduated from high school (roughly five years ago), I was around 140. My diet has been tweaked over the years to what it is now, in an effort to gain.
Personally, I use an iPod shuffle when I workout.
(Side note: Reading this post, I realize there is little flow or style to it. I am simply going to chalk that up to me being rather tired. At least, that is the lie in which I will tell myself...)
Hey, it's the ol' Fitness Chicken thread!
I've been finally getting back up to the speed I was before my surgery last year. It's taken a long time to get there, but I've been trying quite hard to eat better and still make it to the gym 5-6 times a week. I'm certainly feeling better for it! I'm still running about 2.7-3.0 miles a night. I don't like my new gym as much as my other ones though, lots of too-muscled guys on the machines in the weight room. They make me too self-conscious.
I've been finally getting back up to the speed I was before my surgery last year. It's taken a long time to get there, but I've been trying quite hard to eat better and still make it to the gym 5-6 times a week. I'm certainly feeling better for it! I'm still running about 2.7-3.0 miles a night. I don't like my new gym as much as my other ones though, lots of too-muscled guys on the machines in the weight room. They make me too self-conscious.
I missed my regular work out after work on Friday because my gym buddy was poorly, but I managed to get back to the gym on Saturday morning. I did an hour on the cross trainer - 30 mins fat burn and 35 mins cardio. I dunno, but it wasn't the best work out I've ever had. Maybe I'm just used to being at the gym after work when I'm knackered from the day.
Sometimes I find working out really frustrating. I try really hard and really put my back into it to get the best from my workout but on the way home I sometimes feel that I haven't achieved what I wanted to. Does anyone else get this odd sense of frustration, despite the fact that when you are in the middle of the workout you can't do more?
Sometimes I find working out really frustrating. I try really hard and really put my back into it to get the best from my workout but on the way home I sometimes feel that I haven't achieved what I wanted to. Does anyone else get this odd sense of frustration, despite the fact that when you are in the middle of the workout you can't do more?
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