getting fit... heres my progress

positivenote

Hi guys,
ive started to try and get fitter a few weeks no but in the last 2 ive taken it a little bit more serious.
I'm 5ft 9 and weigh in at approx 91k. Its all around my midrift. So i started a jogging/walking programme and ive stuck with it for the lst 2 weeks.

last week: 3 sessions of 1min jog 1.30min walk for a total of 20 mins after a 5 min brisk walk warm up.

this week: 1 session (so far) 1.30min jog, 2min walk for a total of 20mins ( i plan to complete another two session this week on alternate days)

i am also lifting a barbell approx 80-100 reps per day of 10kilos

My partner this week has decided to cut down on the carb intake drastically so i am also going to try this...

i will keep posting updates any advice welcome

Naos

Hey there,

May be worth giving some more details such as your diet, how often you can spend exercising and if you're male or female (which I presume you are).

Diet is key if you want to lose the fat.

positivenote

hey there, male is what i am.
today i completed 2.87km in 20mins... im not really after an improved time or anything, just trying to get a further distance covered without killing meself

im eating rice krispies for breckie with coffee

luch is usually small bowl of pasta done in a chicken stock for flavour

dinner can be anything from chicken/steak and veg (usually carrots/spuds/corn) or rice/pasta

cups of tea throughout day (max 3) always with low fat milk and a small suger

thats really it.... but im looking to cut down on the carbs big time as my other half is trying to also...

all alternative food recomendations welcomed (although i hate
sauces/spices
cheers guys

Naos

Morning.

You're eating 3 meals a day, ideally you should aim for 5 - 6 small meals every 2 - 3 hours, this will help to regulate and improve your metabolism.

Ideally you should try keep the carbs to breakfast & lunch for weightloss.

I know you said you're not looking to improve time but it would be a good idea to try and set yourself a goal so you've something tangible to work towards.

Have a read of the stickies in the main fitness page, there is lots of useful information regarding nutrition & fitness there, points such as including nuts & seeds in your diet etc.

Hail 2 Da Chimp

As mentioned above, setting a goal for yourself is a great way to stay motivated and keep track of your progress. I know where I live there are lots of 5K-16K road races, maybe entering one of these would be an idea. Entering a 5K run is a very realistic / doable goal for someone starting off.

Also there is a diet and nutrition forum Rec > Food & Drink > Diet and Nutrition, which has a whole load of information on it.

positivenote

Just completed my second workout of jog 1.30min walk 2 mins for a total of 20 mins today. This time despite thinking that i done quite well and worked up more of a sweat i only covered 2.71k in the time... bit freaked tbh.

anyhow i'll be doing my barbell curls tomorrow before doing another similiar joging workout on sat.

as always comments and advice welcome

Naos

Would you be interested in joining a gym to avail of better weights equipment?

Or perhaps looking at purchasing some more for yourself, a 10kg barbell is not enough in my opinion.

positivenote

hi there,
i wouldn't join a gym tbh. I have loads of small weights that go on the barbell so i could up that a bit...

Hail 2 Da Chimp

What exercises are you doing with the bar bell? Is it just curls? There are loads of exercises you can do with them, you only mentioned you are doing 100 reps. 100 reps of bicep curls alone means, the weight is too light and you should be working other parts of your body. Legs, back, chest, triceps...

positivenote

Just completed my third workout of jog 1.30min walk 2 mins for a total of 20 mins today. today once again the pedometer is saying that i have covered less distance, despite putting more effort in during the jogs... 2.36km covered this time. I may have this worked out wrong but im covering less distance each time despite feeling as though im pushing myself more each time...
anyway i shall solder on. This week its the following workout for 3 alternate days:
jog 90sec/walk 90sec/jog 180sec/walk 180sec

this is doe twice in the workout.
i have to say i am noticing that i can manage each session better at end of the week, so maybe this is an improvement... if only slight
as always coments and advice always welcome.

Macha

You really need to get going on the resistance training, ie weights if you want to lose weights. The more muscle you have on you, the higher your metabolism. You can do really good resistance workouts outside the gym for example with squats, lunges, deadlifts, pushups, press ups etc.

I wouldn't focus too much on ab work as the best abwork is done while doing other exercises like squats. Good work on the running but remember that the body interprets impact as pain so you may just not enjoy the running (I know I don't). I feel much better, and my joints thank me for it, if I go for a cycle instead.

Seriously - get going on the weights but the type of reps & sets you want to be doing are probably somewhere around the 3 x 8 mark (definitely not 100!!)

daftdave

if you would like to work out your distance ran/walked a bit more accurately try www.mapmyrun.com , i find it to be a brilliant site and you can workout lots of different runs in different areas to break the monotony of it.

there is also a workout calculator on the site which will give you calories burned, your minute/mile time etc.

best of luck with your training buddy, stick with it and you will be running 5k in no time.

positivenote

i'll check it out dave, thanks. Biggest headeache at the moment is this poxy torential rain.. i dont fancy getting soaked to the skin to keep up my alternate day routine. Im not afraid of jogging in the rain but in the current downpour it would just be unhealty..

daftdave

positivenote wrote: »

i'll check it out dave, thanks. Biggest headeache at the moment is this poxy torential rain.. i dont fancy getting soaked to the skin to keep up my alternate day routine. Im not afraid of jogging in the rain but in the current downpour it would just be unhealty..

its grand if you have a nice hot shower afterwards, dont hang around in damp clothes for obvious reasons, i actually dont mind getting wet while out running, it cools me down, maybe not so much in the winter time though !

also drink plenty of fluids i.e water , 2-3 hours before you train, it helps a lot having your body well hydrated .

positivenote

well got absolutely soaked to the skin. Just back after my wrkout (see previous post) and covered 2.75k this time. The second 3min jog nearly killed me i have to say... but im delighted i did it. now for a quick hot shower.. or maybe not so quick

feel as though i can go out in any conditions after that (thanks for the little encoragment daftdave)

dv6

Hi postive note, as mentioned earlier id try to introduce some better resistence training in aswell and you'll be flying. Check out exrx.net, there you can map out a full body workput with the equipment you have to do 2/3 times a week and you will really notice a difference. all the best.

positivenote

how long should a full body workout last. Ive currently increased the weight on the barbell to20kg and am doing 3 reps of 8 curls for strength in my arms. i do this over a period of about ten mins... on the day after i have gone for my jog. Thanks

dv6

Without been smart, its like asking how long is a piece of string. Look up the following barbell exercises, Squat, Deadlift, Bench, Bent over Row, Military Press - these are all good compound exercises which will be more benficial than bicep curls. Once you've these done you can move on to isolation exercises. Again as mentioned earlier exrx.net have clips and descriptions on how to do all these. If you want youtube is full of videos aswell though be careful there as some have bad form.

The_boat

Hi, I've just started my own training regiem (journey abck to my old self). Well done on progress so far.
From previos experience the reason your pedometer is saying you did less distance is because your stride is improving - i.e your covering more distance per step.

positivenote

thanks for the little encouragement. Yeah i was thinking that about the pedometer... but i have to say its strange that you can go from getting out of breath from a brisk walk to being able to jog for 3min (i know its not much) in only three weeks just by getting your head into it and saying f*ck it ...
good luck with your own workout

positivenote

just back from my workout... shattered. Routine for the second time was:

jog 90sec
walk 90 sec
jog 3min
walk 3min

repeated twice.

Only covered 2.32k, this is my lowest distance so far
Still i will solider on.

positivenote

just finished my final workout of:
jog 90sec
walk 90 sec
jog 3min
walk 3min

repeated twice.

covered lowest distance so far 2.30km, but am noticing that i can manage the second 3 mins easier than the first time doing the workout (logical i guess).
anyway, start my fourth routine tomorrow :
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5 min
walk 2.5 min
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5min

just typing it there im realising that its a huge step up from what i have beeing doing so far, not sure if i will be able to complete it

i will give it ago in anyway and post how i get on.

as alway, advice tips etc alway welcomed

daftdave

positivenote wrote: »

just finished my final workout of:
jog 90sec
walk 90 sec
jog 3min
walk 3min

repeated twice.

covered lowest distance so far 2.30km, but am noticing that i can manage the second 3 mins easier than the first time doing the workout (logical i guess).
anyway, start my fourth routine tomorrow :
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5 min
walk 2.5 min
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5min

just typing it there im realising that its a huge step up from what i have beeing doing so far, not sure if i will be able to complete it

i will give it ago in anyway and post how i get on.

as alway, advice tips etc alway welcomed

even if you dont complete it the way you want, walk for a bit and go at it again when you feel ok, it gets easier the more you do it

positivenote

pkay so tried to start my wrkout today and as i started my knees and bottom of my calfs were in bits... i decided to go for a brisk walk for a total of 3.69k instead.
i presume that i havent done two days consecutive jogging before and the legs are still adjusting to the exercise. i'll give it ago again tomorrow and see how i get on..

positivenote

just back from my workout. First time attempting :
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5 min
walk 2.5 min
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5min

was going well but the last 5min jog i couldnt complete, was absolutely shattered, legs were like lead so i slowed to a walk... then approx 15-20 sec later my beeper went and the 5 mins had elapsed... so near and yet so far

anyway i continued to walk for approx the same total distance, by no means pushing it and completed 4.43k. Up untill i stoped jogging i had done 2.46k (still cant figure out how jogging more is covering less distance than previous wrkouts) But i'll give it a go again day after tomorrow and try and push it for the extra 20 secs to complete the wrkout.

Tired but determined.

positivenote

just completed my 2nd workout of:
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5 min
walk 2.5 min
jog 3min
walk 90sec
jog 5min

and actually pushed as hard as i could to get it completed and done it

shattered is not the word to describe it, but still done it. Covered 2.71k furthest in a while...

positivenote

final session of the work out completed today. On the last 5mins i felt that i could keep going ... so i did only for another min or so, as my calf wer getting sore, but nonetheless its a gradual improvement.

On relfection over the last 3 weeks or so i have to admit that i feel happier in myself doing this. I dont feel as though i am fit, nowhere near compared to my days of playing football but i am glad that im doing this. When i say i am jogging i am doing it at a 'comfortablr' pace, which i think is acceptable as my goal is to get fitter little by little.

this week its a new workout :
jog 5min
walk 3min
jog 5 min
walk 3min
jog 5min

slowly incresing the amount of jogging.

all responses and advice welcome

Odysseus

Well done fair play to you. Your certainly increasing the amount of time your running, so your getting there. Can I ask why are you taking your walking breaks, do you really need them?

You metioned something about your legs getting tired/heavy in your of your posts it it due to this? Don't get me wrong I think your doing great and there is no shame in taking a walking break if you need one. However, I just wondering if you physically need one or whether its a psychological barrier you just need to break through.

As suggested by another poster I would recommend signing up for a 5k run. I always have a few runs planned ahead; it helps to keep me focused. Best of luck with the training.

positivenote

i dont know why but in the 9 week schedule that i downloaded it claims to get you from 'the sofa to 5k' in 9 weeks. I have been doing it strictly for 4 weeks now and am starting the 5th workout this week. I do it on alternate days generally... and the walks are part of the scheduled workout. I do find that they provide me with a pyschological 'mini goal'... along the lines of 'if i can keep jogging i know that im resting for X amount of mins while im walking.
I do start to get pains in my calfs but i have found that since ive switched to running on grass it has eased up a little...

re:a 5k run... the pace i go i would feel embarresed to enter to be honest... but when the full 9 weeks are complete i hope to be running 5k each work out and i can think about increasing my time and possibly jogging 'in public'... although id need to loose some of the belly first

Thanks for the encouragment all the same

daftdave

positivenote wrote: »

i dont know why but in the 9 week schedule that i downloaded it claims to get you from 'the sofa to 5k' in 9 weeks. I have been doing it strictly for 4 weeks now and am starting the 5th workout this week. I do it on alternate days generally... and the walks are part of the scheduled workout. I do find that they provide me with a pyschological 'mini goal'... along the lines of 'if i can keep jogging i know that im resting for X amount of mins while im walking.
I do start to get pains in my calfs but i have found that since ive switched to running on grass it has eased up a little...

re:a 5k run... the pace i go i would feel embarresed to enter to be honest... but when the full 9 weeks are complete i hope to be running 5k each work out and i can think about increasing my time and possibly jogging 'in public'... although id need to loose some of the belly first

Thanks for the encouragment all the same

have you purchased a good pair of running runners, they help a lot and can prevent injuries from developing ,

positivenote

i got a decent pair of asics from Mick Dowling sports down in and around tempologue. They seem spot on tbh

positivenote

Finished my workout today, this was it:

jog 5min
walk 3min
jog 5min
walk 3min
jog 5min

completed a total of 2.83k, this is the most i have done. During the second and last 5min jog i start feeling sore in my calfs but kept going and it dissapeared. I also found at the end of my last 5min that i wasnt that tied so i kept going for another min and a half or so. Couldnt believe that i was able. I took a rest in a friends house for a while and then joged home, which was another 5mins or so... really happy with the progress, even if it is only gradual.

Next work out is 8min jog, 5min walk, 8min jog.... gradually getting longer jogs into the schedule...

as always comments advice welcome

SUNGOD

really well done on your progress so far.
you said its only gradual but its still progress and thats the important thing. being consistent is key to any training plan and you are ,so you will see the results you want.
as regards a 5k race i think a goal could really help and give you something to aim for and remember everyone has a first race.
whatever you decide good luck and keep it up

positivenote

thanks sungod.
re: the 5k race, as ive posted previously, im gonna wait till i finish this 9 week schedule which brings me up to jogging about 3miles befor i even think of doing any race in public ...

daftdave

positivenote wrote: »

thanks sungod.
re: the 5k race, as ive posted previously, im gonna wait till i finish this 9 week schedule which brings me up to jogging about 3miles befor i even think of doing any race in public ...

dont be daunted by the word "race"

its called that, but lot of people do it "just to do it"

no set time , some people race to win, some run for a set time, and others do it for the fun of it, so the word race should be viewed very loose'ly (bad spelling i know !!)

positivenote

completed my workout for today. A longer jog this time of:
8min jog,
5min walk,
8min jog

Found it tiring but i have to say that the 8min were not as daunting as i had thought. But i did need the 5min walk inbetween, i thought about starting to jog again after 3mion but de3cided i was still tired after the 8min and had a feelig i wouldnt complete the seconmd 8min..
covered a total of 2.51km during it... but thats no reflection as i think this is the most trhat ive sweated.
Going on the piss the weekend to a stag so it'll be tuesday before i get back into it....

help advice etc always welcome...

positivenote

progressed to my longest, timewise, jog today. After a weekend of serious alcohol abuse i was a little bit worried, but i completed my scheduled 20min jog today. This was the first time i have jogged without any walking breaks. I covered a total of 2.57k which isnt as far as i thought it would cover but i am delighted to have got to the stage where i can go for 20 mins wiuthout having to walk in between.
During the jog i was pretty tired but by calfs and knees (for the first time) were a bit sore, and it was this reason that i start walking at the 20min mark rather than pure tiredness.
Only four more weeks to gone on my schedule

advice comments always welcome.

positivenote

todays workout was:
Jog 5min
walk 3min
jog 8mion
walk 3min
jog 5min

completed a total of 2.86km in theworkout which i was pretty happy with. Towards the end i did start getting soar calfs again which is a bit worrying as its happening a lot. I also start getting pins and needles in my feet which i hadnt experienced before.... if anyone can suggest why d be greatfull.
Happy with my progress at the moment.

Comments and advice always welcome

positivenote

todays workout was:
jog 10mins
walk 3 min
jog 10mins

completed this workout without any stiffness or pains and covered a total of 3.09km, this is the furthest ive covered on any workout so far.
next workout i am due to jog 25mins without any walking or rest. It seems a long time but i'll give it my best...

positivenote

completed 25mins jogging today, yes 25mins... cant believe it tbh. Covered 3.75k which is also the furthest distance.
I joined a gym for 3 months and have completed the last 2 workouts on a treadmill as i couldnt motivate myself to going out to run after work, whereas this is alot more accessable. im going to complete my routine, only 3 weeks to go, to get up to 5k jog and then i'll be looking for some advice regarding using the gym to its full potential.
Next jog on schedule is to jog 25min again.

advice tips etc... always welcome.

SUNGOD

great progress keep it up

The_boat

Congrats on the 3.75 km. I find the treadmil a great motivator to keep the speed up - stops you from slowing as you get tired.

I think we started psoting around the same time - you are on a more structured program i just try cover 5km every day i train and to up the distance ran compared to the distance walked.

As far as the gym goes...first you'll need to decide what do you want? want to move to a fast 10km run? want to bulk up or simply want to tone upper body?

what ever you do keep it up.

positivenote

completed my last 2 routines without much bother on the treadmill in the gym. 25min jog and both times i covered 3.78k. I have to admitt that i am finding it easier to complete the time and im even able to increase my speed on the treadmll for an extra min or two at the end of the 25min.
i have 1 more 25min jog before doing 3 sessions of 28mins and finally 3 sessions of 30mins constant jogging...
I also have myself booked in for an assesment in the gym where they check your weight, heart, stamina, bmi etc... and you state what you want to achieve and they set up a program for you. If im honest i'll let them know that i want to keep the jogging going and improve the distance i can cover as well as building up some muscle to eat away at the weight that i still have around areas i dont want it...

thanks for the advice so far and keep it coming

positivenote

completed the first 28min jog on the treadmill and covered 4.07k This is a big milestone for me as i never thoght id get this far. I have even been runnin for an extra two mins at an increased speed just because i feel that i can. Ive two more 28min jogs, but im gonna try and increase the speed that im jogging to see if i can sustain it for the 28mins.
advice etc always welcome

positivenote

completed my first ever 5k completion today. Absolutely delighted guys. I briskly walked for five mins and then jogged for 30, this brought me up to approx 4.40Km so i felt well able to continue... i upped the pace and ran untill i reached the 5km mark. Know i know that i did walk for the first 5 mins, but i have to say i am now looking forward to completing a 5km routine based solely on distance instead of time and all jogging.

showry

well done,
I can still remember my elation at doing 5k for the first time a couple of years ago,
that's a serious achievement, keep it going you won't look back,
what I love about running is that you do get rewarded for effort,

The_boat

hey, hope your still getting out and running, if you dont keep it up you'll slip backwards, i know i have.

well done on 5km, maybe change your goals go for a 10km or a fast 5km but keep it up