Getting Fit - Advice welcomed!

Breezey

Hello everyone. (:

I’m a 21 year old female from Ireland and have recently been motivated to change my lifestyle. While I’m not massively overweight, I rather slim down a bit and tone up. Last time I weighed myself (Mid-February 2012) I was 10.2 stone (142lbs) and I’m 5’1. My plan is to be about 8st (112lbs) by the end of the summer (August 2012). I was looking for advice on how well my new fitness workout (don’t know if that is the best thing to call it lol).

I decided to start walking now the evenings are longer and it’s been lovely out in the evenings too. So I did out two routes which are displayed in the picture below. I would start with the black route A to B and I was thinking come the summer and when I’m finished college for the year, no more stress of exams, I would make it longer, starting off in the black route and going into the red route and back to the black route just around the corner from my house. I understand that this might be hard to follow, but this is a diagram of my town and routes to walk.

According to google maps route A to B is 3.4km (2.11 miles) and should take 41 minutes. Tonight was my first time doing this and I did it in just about 35 minutes.

The second route which starts at A and then cuts off into the red and then goes back into the black route and back to my house. This is 9.8km (6 miles) and should take about 2 hours. I don’t image it would take that long, I’d reckon about an hour and a half. Only time will tell though! :P I’m hoping to start doing this route around May time.

Drinking wise, I’m going to start drinking JUST water. I do bring water to college with me but at home I tend to drink fizzy drinks or juice. So I’m going to try cut them down and eventually out! Food wise, I tend not to eat breakfast ever so what I might start doing is bring a piece of fruit (maybe an apple or orange) and eat it on the way to college in the mornings. I will bring my own lunch which will probably be a ham sandwich on white bread (perhaps brown might be a better alternative?) and more fruit. Later on, I’ll have my dinner. This could range from a roast dinner to something simple like pizza and chips, however I’ll cut out the pizza and chips and fast food as much as I can. I would try to have it maybe once a week as a treat or something. With the way I return home from college, I will more than likely go for my walk after my dinner because I get home between 6pm and 8pm Monday to Friday. So it’s easier to have my dinner and then head out for my walk. I think it would be better to have my dinner earlier rather than later also. I do have a weakness for junk food – especially chocolate! I find it hard to have something like fruit rather than chocolate so I don’t know if I’ll be able to survive without chocolate.

So, I’m curious to know what you think of my plans and how realistic they are. Personally I feel it’s pretty realistic. Although cutting down on the junk food might be a weakness! Is there any advice you can give me or any recommendations you could suggest? Should I be eating something else? Should I do more than just walking?

Thanks so much for your help! It will be very much appreciated.

Here is the picture of the routes I would take:
http://oi40.tinypic.com/30xdca9.jpg

Oryx

First, read the stickies about diet and nutrition.

Everyone struggles with motivation at the start, so you will have to work at this until the sugar cravings go and the exercise becomes a habit. Don't give up on the tough days.

Would you consider trying some other forms of exercise as well? Walking can get pretty dull making it hard to stick at. See what classes are available to you or if your college has a gym or pool you can use. Or take up a sport. Making your activities varied and challenging will help you keep them up.

Devia

You seem a bit too complacent about your diet. If I was you I'd go to over to the nutrition forum and read up on what you're supposed to be eating.... plenty of good advice there on the stickies. Not having a plan in place is only going to hold you back. Really need to start eating breakfast and cutting processed foods out of your diet. If you're serious about reaching your goals you need to sort that out because your walking won't be much use otherwise.

Breezey

Thanks very much I'll be sure to have a look at those stickies.

I was trying to avoid having to use the gym or going to the likes of classes such as weight watchers, unislim or slimming world (while I have heard great things about each other them), I don't have the money to be going to those regularly. So with walking, I can pop my earphones in and just head out. Like you said, Oryx, it may get boring after a while, but it's probably the best kind of exercise going for me right now. Sports wouldn't really be my thing but I was considering doing weights or exercises like pull ups, push ups etc. Alternatively, my friend has Zumba for the Wii so I could borrow that. My cousin's fianceé has lost a lot of weight going to Zumba classes.

Burkatron

Breezey wrote: »

Thanks very much I'll be sure to have a look at those stickies.

I was trying to avoid having to use the gym or going to the likes of classes such as weight watchers, unislim or slimming world (while I have heard great things about each other them), I don't have the money to be going to those regularly. So with walking, I can pop my earphones in and just head out. Like you said, Oryx, it may get boring after a while, but it's probably the best kind of exercise going for me right now. Sports wouldn't really be my thing but I was considering doing weights or exercises like pull ups, push ups etc. Alternatively, my friend has Zumba for the Wii so I could borrow that. My cousin's fianceé has lost a lot of weight going to Zumba classes.

Focus on your diet, you'll lose the majority of your goal weight loss if you get this part right! You don't need to spend money on classes & the like BUT they do help some people!

For the moment just start by cutting out crap & replace it good quality food! Meat,fish, veg, Fruit, nuts are the way to go! Add breakfast in (start with a piece of fruit but you should be aiming to get good quality meal in first thing in the morning), get your 3 meals a day with a couple of snacks (fruit,nuts or seeds) Try this for a month, see how you feel then start tinkering with it! But at the moment any change like the above you make will benefit

PauloConn

OP, defo focus on diet as has been mentioned above. Start with walking but move to jogging then running. This will make that 35 minute walk about 15-20 minutes but look to increase the distance from there to still get at least 30-45 minutes of good exercise.
With the money you will save from not buying takeaway's you could use this to get bootcamp/zumba classes which will keep the whole thing interesting.
It can be tough to keep motivated but i found writing your goals down on small cards that you carry with you always are a great way to get you out training when its raining or cold and not to buy the chocolate bar in the shop.....
Best of luck

Stench Blossoms

Set up an account on Myfitnesspal.com and log your food to make sure your diet is in check.

I have similar goals to you. I'm 5'1, started out at 135 and goal is 110. If you want you can add me as a friend on mfp.

I'd defo recommend progressing from walking to jogging to running. Maybe look into the couch 2 5k program.

knowit12

OP...
I'm 21 also... female ! I've lost aprox 4 stone over the last couple of years....

first of all walking/jogging is not enough, if you want to tone you need to do a full body work out, which means working on different parts of the body each day. I'd recommend you join a gym. I try go to the gym 3-4 times a weeks, I go to verious classes such as spin (excellent class for all over body workout), kettle bells, fitball tone and rebounding. Walking/jogging good also for a change, and fresh air to.
If the gym is not an option buy some weights and look up different excersises.

As for food a breakfast is must - try eating whole grains , such as porrige ,weekabix , with fruit. Or eggs.
Lunch and dinner should consist of proteins which will fill you for longer and help build mussel/tone.
Plenty of veg. and have small snack during the day like a low fat yogurt,nuts,popcorn,fruit. You should be eating 6 small meals a day.
I generally have breakfast,small snack,lunch,small snack, then dinner.

Your saying your going to cut out pizza, chocolate etc, dont cut it out totally, you need to treat yourself once in a while. I allow myself a takeout once a week, and a little chocolate every now and again If you don't treat yourself , you will miss the foods so much that you will end up indulging, causing you to gain weight.

IM no skinny mini and dont by far have a perfect body (yet :P) but trust me you will start to notice a difference after a few weeks. I find when I stick to the plan i've more motivavition and have so much more energy and also feel better about myself. It's a long and quite a hard process to maintain.


Good luck