I need to loose 4 stone (and get fitter)

I need to loose 4 stone

Hi folks. I have lurked on here for some time, read the Stickies and similiar threads to my own. I don't expect to break new ground here, but mostly what I could do with is some Fitness & Exercise Advice/strategy.

Where I am

I am a 47 year old Dad of two teenage boys. I was never an athlete, but I was skinny as a whip until I turned 25. I smoked like a trooper. I'm glad to say, I'm off them 2 years now. After 25, the weight piled on, big meals & loads of pints. I now stand 6 feet tall and weigh 20 stone or 126KG. I am on Blood Pressure tablets, last checked 2 weeks ago 130/105. GP doubled my dose to 10mg Coversyl. I take Lipitor for high Cholesterol & a multivitiman tablet that turns my wee bright orange!

I have a stressful sedentery job & home-life. I avoid exercise and generally eat a fatty diet, although that is (has to) improve. I have cut the drinking way down. There is a history of Strokes in my family and I want to avoid that.

Basically, I am tired of being in my own way due to the weight I am carrying and I would like to get fitter to be a positive role model for my sons and live long enough to enjoy life with them. Saddest part is, my sons have followed all my bad habits, are overweight & unfit also. They both have given up on sport or staying fit. Often now, I come home in the evenings, wrecked after my day's work & fall asleep on the couch after dinner.

Resources to hand

I live in the coultryside, possible walks & cycling. I have purchased the following exercise equiptment recently set up at home for this endeavour:

PowerPlate Vibration plate
Multi gym
Rower
Cross trainer
Ab king pro
Basic Free weights
Polar Heart Rate Monitor
Air walker
Weight Watchers scales

Could somone give me some pointers regarding a basic starting programme utilising all/some of the resources above. I plan to keep a Fitness log on here also, which can be tweaked as I improve. Right now, I am looking at all this metal and wondering where to start??? Feel free to point me towards any other sites, links etc ... knowledge is power!

I intend to devote approximately 40 minutes morning & evening daily to exercise when I get my programme underway. It may seem a lot, initially, but I need to take fairly radical action to achieve my weight loss/fitness goal and I have used the Heart Rate Monitor in the past to ensure I don't overdo it.

I will be quiet happy with a Kg or two weekly weight loss, I just need to get started and get a programme underway.

Thanks in advance for any Tips or Advice

Mellor

Firstly, post up your daily diet, include everything.
A few changes there is worth hours in the gym.

Without making any assumptions on your diet, going purely on history of these threads I'd say you need to;

• Eat less carbs, esp bread and potatoes
• Eat more protein
• Exchange bad fats for healthy fats, in the right amount

TommyKnocker

Hi There

Can I assume, given your stated medical conditions (High BP & Cholesterol) that you have spoken to your GP about your proposed exercise routine or that he has advised you and given you the all clear to start into an exercise routine?

If not, then this should be the first thing on your agenda.

As for your "Resources to hand"

IMHO, the power plate, Ab King Pro and Air Walker, should be ignored. These devices are pretty much just gimmicks.

What kind of rower have you got?

Again IMHO, this type is of less benifit



than this type



Finally for now, if and when you do start your exercise routine (with medical clearance of course) then I would suggest that you take it slowly and build up. If you go at it as you stated, with 2 x 40 minutes sessions, you may find that too much at the start. Especially if you are starting from couch potato. Also expect some muscle soreness for the first few days, as your body adjusts to your exercise routine.

As Mellor has already said, you would notice significant results at the beginning just by getting your diet in check. This IMHO should be your initial main focus, as any physical exercise that you do, that you were not doing last week will be a plus.


Best Regards,

M

cowhands

I dont really have any advice that hasnt been said already. I just want to wish you well and good luck. It seems like a big hurdle to come across at that start but once you get into it you will soon see results. Just keep motivated and dont give up.

I need to loose 4 stone

Good morning all. Many thanks to Mellor, B-Builder & cowhands for the worthwhile advice and support. (I cannot "Thank" you properly, maybe I need to get to a certain number of posts??? I digress.

@ Mellor - Yes, I plan to track my diet with a Food Diary. I have lurked on here & read the Stickies. Massive resourse of advice & information. I take on board your advice re the basics. I will modify my diet accordingly and post it up here. I totally get that spending 40 minutes on exercice and then heading for the chipper is totally futile. The chipper is out of bounds!

I will be having water before I "warm up" on power plate for 20 mins, then 15-20 mins on X trainer @ 80% MHR. then stretches afterwards. Then a bowl of porrige, lo-fat milk & a nectarine broken into it.

I recently had a Blood Allergy test done and I discovered I am allergic to Pork. That ended the morning fry-ups - no sausage, bacon, puddings, ham slices, bbq spare ribs etc Just giving up that alone, I have already lost 4 kg.


@ B-Builder - Yes, I did get the "All Clear" from my GP to engage in a moderate exercise programme. I will be using my HRM and keeping HR to a max of 75% of Max.

Yes, it is the second type of rower (Oxford 2) model. I find it the toughest piece of equiptment to use and struggle to get past 2.5 minutes on it. Obviously, that will improve as I get fitter/stronger.

I plan to build up to 40 & 40 mins a day, hopefully by a mixture of different exercises using the different pieces of equiptment to hand.

I found an excellent link buried in the stickies last night: Transforms Beginner Programme (sample)

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055054745

I gives me a framework to work to, and guides me along to where I want to get to.

@cowhands - thanks for the support and advice, much appreciated.

Again, to all three contributors, many thanks for the support and words of caution. I have made a few attempts at getting fit in the past, using gyms etc, so I am well aware of the risks of overdoing it. I am also realistic enough to know that the road from larda*se to athlete is a long one and I cannot expect miracle results overnight. I plan to use Food & Exercise Diaries to help motivate myself (and others).

It has taken me 47 to get to this shape & size. I would like to think that in 12 months I should be close to my goal of being 4 stone lighter.

Here goes...