need help

daddyorchips

So here's my situation when I was in my early and late teens I was never fit but I wasn't a big guy I used to walk everywhere and pretty much never gained any weight but then I met my girlfriend and got comfertable I gained 7 stone in two years so I went from nine stone to to sixteen and at five foot six inches I feel crap all the time I also smoke which I know is a contributing factor to my bad health, I Have a little girl and she is just starting to walk and I love chasing her around the house and having fun with her but I get breathless very quickly. I have finally decided enough is enough and I want to lose weight I dont want to lose it overnight and I know it will be hardwork I just cant seem to get motivated is there anything I can do that will help me to reach my goals slowly but surely without causing to drastic of an opposing factor on my health I want to be genuinly healthy not just look healthy. Any advice would be appreciated I know what im saying may not make the best sense so I hope some people can make a little sense of it.

Crea

First things first. - get off the fags. They are most likely the reason for your breathlessness. Your motivation is your child. The chemicals on your breath and clothes are damaging to her health.
As for your weight - try stopping eating between meals and start walking everywhere again. I put on a shed load of weight after my 3rd child, i'd a major craving for lemon cake. Cut the cake, biscuits and stuck to my 3 meals and 1 tea and toast snack and started walking. Back to normal in 6 months.

daddyorchips

Crea wrote: »

First things first. - get off the fags. They are most likely the reason for your breathlessness. Your motivation is your child. The chemicals on your breath and clothes are damaging to her health.
As for your weight - try stopping eating between meals and start walking everywhere again. I put on a shed load of weight after my 3rd child, i'd a major craving for lemon cake. Cut the cake, biscuits and stuck to my 3 meals and 1 tea and toast snack and started walking. Back to normal in 6 months.

I know your right about the fags there disgusting and I dont dream to smoke around the little one and i will take your advice on board cheers

desertcircus

After knocking the cigarettes on the head, the next best thing you can do is start exercising. Given that you're having trouble motivating yourself, you'll need to start off small - if you have a smartphone, the Couch To 5k app has a great reputation for getting people going from a baseline of effectively zero fitness.

One thing that I found when I started trying to get fit was that the best kinds of exercise were the ones that could become a part of a routine. If you live close enough to work, start walking rather than driving or getting the bus - if it's further than that, think about cycling instead. I found that kind of exercise easy to keep going with, because it cost me no additional time or planning - if your commute is exercise, then you're doing something without having to make room for it.

If you find you don't get any fun out of a particular type of exercise, then give it a couple of tries and move on once you're sure it's not for you. I tried doing weights and using rowing machines for a while, and couldn't have been more bored - if it feels like a chore, you won't do it. Try different things and stick with the fun stuff (social five-a-side football leagues are a good bet, not least because a decent proportion of the people playing will be in a similar boat fitness-wise).

Last but not least - it's absolutely worth doing. It may take a while, but it'll make a huge difference to the quality of your life. I was in a similar situation (minus the cigarettes) four years ago and bought a bike to see if I could cycle into work, and now I'm training for an adventure race in August and hoping for a sub-six-hour time!

daddyorchips

desertcircus wrote: »

After knocking the cigarettes on the head, the next best thing you can do is start exercising. Given that you're having trouble motivating yourself, you'll need to start off small - if you have a smartphone, the Couch To 5k app has a great reputation for getting people going from a baseline of effectively zero fitness.

One thing that I found when I started trying to get fit was that the best kinds of exercise were the ones that could become a part of a routine. If you live close enough to work, start walking rather than driving or getting the bus - if it's further than that, think about cycling instead. I found that kind of exercise easy to keep going with, because it cost me no additional time or planning - if your commute is exercise, then you're doing something without having to make room for it.

If you find you don't get any fun out of a particular type of exercise, then give it a couple of tries and move on once you're sure it's not for you. I tried doing weights and using rowing machines for a while, and couldn't have been more bored - if it feels like a chore, you won't do it. Try different things and stick with the fun stuff (social five-a-side football leagues are a good bet, not least because a decent proportion of the people playing will be in a similar boat fitness-wise).

Last but not least - it's absolutely worth doing. It may take a while, but it'll make a huge difference to the quality of your life. I was in a similar situation (minus the cigarettes) four years ago and bought a bike to see if I could cycle into work, and now I'm training for an adventure race in August and hoping for a sub-six-hour time!

thank you for your kind advice, i have decided to join the local gym so i can make the most of my spare time but i have never been in a gym before i dont know what to expect i just want to lose the excess weight and tone up really is there any certain machines you could maybe reccomend ? If your allowed

treccie

Take it steady and change a small thing at a time, that way it is more sustainable and you can build on your success. Sometimes we try to do too much and the result is that we convince ourselves it's not doable. If you were to pick something like 30 mins exercise twice a week to start off and build from there. Make it doable and build. The same works for the fags. I started by not smoking in the house, then I added not smoking in my car, bit by bit I cut out the cigarettes and haven't smoked for 4 years. I did the same for take aways and alcohol and now just have a balance. It sounds cheesy but making a list of goals can be really helpful, e.g. going for a walk with your child and not feeling out of breath, being fit enough to kick a football with them, being able to run 1km, then 2, then 3, whatever works for you. Fair play to you for deciding you need a change, stick at it and enjoy.

Gatling

Motivation she's in front of you seriously you want to be around to watch her grow up ,
Work on your diet and get back out walking for a start maybe look into something like weight watchers or similar place called if I'm correct motivation weight loss Google it ,
Fags nobody needs actually to tell you your killing yourself,

LegacyUser

Hi Daddyorchips
I know just how you feel at the moment as I have been there. I did not smoke but I was very unfit even walking a short distance would have me puffing like a train.
Last year I joined Slimming World after trying a number of different diets over the years.
Since then I have lost over 4 stone in weight.
With Slimming World you can eat proper food. One third of your plate is rice or pasta or potatoes, one third meat and one third veg. Also because your eating well you don't feel hungry.
You have a limit on the amount of low fat or skim milk you can drink each day along with the amount of bread/cereal you can eat.
You can also eat fruit and no fat yogerts ( some of these have syns)
Also you have 5 to 15 syns a day ( a syn is 20 cals). In the back of book you will get in the slimming world class it gives a syn value for a lot of items so you could still have an odd takeaway or beer. You need to eat at least 5 syns a day.
I also when I started in Slimming World I started to do a small amount of walking each day.
In slimming world you can work towards a bronze, silver and gold award in regards to exercise so you build up your fitness level over the space of a few months.
Today I can do a 3k walk without feeling like I am about to die.
I knew a few men who joined my group and they have all done very well. Also I would advise you to stay for the class as you will pick up tips which can help you out.
As a member you have free access to the members section of the slimming world website where you can get recipes, find out the syn value of food, ect.
To find out your nearest class look up www.slimmingworld.ie.

I would advise you to join slimming world and give up the fags at the same time.
By Christmas you will be looking and feeling better. Also as you lose weight you will have more energy. One day I lifted up a child I know who weights 4 stone and being honest I would not have carried them to far but I was carrying this weight around all the time before I joined slimming world.
What I would say is the first step is the hardest but in a few months time you will look back and say I am so glad I did this. Also it is nice to hear from people that you have lost weight as well it fitting into old clothes that you once wore. It is even nicer buying new clothes because everything you own has gone to big for you.

desertcircus

daddyorchips wrote: »

thank you for your kind advice, i have decided to join the local gym so i can make the most of my spare time but i have never been in a gym before i dont know what to expect i just want to lose the excess weight and tone up really is there any certain machines you could maybe reccomend ? If your allowed

Not sure if there's anything in particular I'd recommend - I found it hard to keep the motivation going in the gym, so I ended up taking up rugby instead! From what I know, rowing machines are exhausting but excellent in terms of results - it works more of your body and burns more calories per minute than most of the machines.

daddyorchips

Does anyone know where I could get a good fitness program that will show results also does anyone know the negative affects of smoking cesstation I have googled but I get alot of contradicting information

jamesbondings

Im in the same boat at the moment man. I find motivation in the gym is hard to come by unless you have a training partner. Im trying to organize a personal trainer in a smaller gym. He will give me a diet to follow but also private training sessions where he will push me hard. That coupled with tag rugby and auzzie rules during the summer and rugby in August (pre season) should have the weight fall off me. Maybe its something to look into. Where you based? Could put you in touch with the trainer if you would like.

Lorna123

Doing exercises and going to the gym is an excellent idea. Usually you can get a programme drawn up for you at the gym to tailor your needs.

I also think that giving up sweet things is crucial because if you eat one bar of chocolate it encourages you to eat more and more. Those kind of sweet treats are very addictive and have ingredients in them that have you coming back for more and more. They destroy your blood sugar level and this causes sugar cravings. It is all a vicious circle so you are better off steering clear of them altogether. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables as much as you can and drink plenty of water. Fizzy drinks are as addictive as chocolate so bar those as well.

The beauty is that getting slim is within your power, so wishing you all the best.

LegacyUser

There are Men-Only Weightwatchers classes all up and down the country. I'm a woman but our Leader tells us that a lot of guys that attend are really really big. Much bigger than you. But the weight just drops off them oftentimes, cos she says once you give men a set of guidelines to lose weight they get REALLY into it. No half measures. And they have amazing results.

She has one guy (she never gives any identifiers, don't worry) who went to college & his weight zoomed up by 10 stone in two years. All due to pizza and Chips and beer. He lost about two stone in the first month on WW. In fact, they were worried about it! But it stabilised after the first month. She said he's only been doing it 6 months and you wouldn't even recognise him now.

So look up men only classes in your area. Its weightwatchers.ie. I find it very good, I find I can eat a good bit and can have drink etc in moderation and it's not too hard.

December2012

Motivation weight clinics can help you with tools to control your behaviour. Contact them for help.

anewme

Dont waste your money on Motivation. It's expensive and restrictive. There is a thread already on it on the Health & Nutrition Board if you read it including details of former members who put all the weight on when they stopped it.

A male friend of mine did Slimming World after Christmas. Without any major changes to his diet (more or less cut the crappy foods and off drink!) lost over 2 stone in 3 months. He looks like a different person and is 10 years younger looking and says he feels great.

Great post in this thread and so true of exercise. If you are not into it, you wont do it! That is so true. I've tried lots of different ones and because I was not into them, would not stick at them. I love Spin classes, so while it is not perfect for toning everywhere I want, I do it because I love it and know I will do it.

Good Luck! Trying to kick the fags and the eating you will need a lot of will power. Try and do it in baby steps. Week at a a time. When I was losing weight I did it in batches of half stones. So, only a half stone to lose. When I got there, I started again with another half stone. It was easier to do when it was broken up that way.

Ososlo

Google and download couch 2 5k. that's all you need. the rest will fall into place. just stick to the programme. great time of the year to start getting out there and getting fit. changed my life! replace one addiction for a healthy one. best of luck!

Joesh82

The strange thing is that once you start exercising, you feel great, you feel strong and positive and that motivates you to do more. The hardest step is the first. If you are walking/doing cardio in the gym have good music playing and it wont feel so boring.

With the bad eating, what helped me was getting a rough idea of what it takes to burn 100cal off, and next time you pick up a bar or whatever look at the nutritional info and realise the amount of effort it will take to burn that for something that small and which lasts 2 mins. Fags and drink are oddly a bit easier as you quickly realise how much money you can save (which you can spoil your little one with )

I am a bit worried about how negative you are even before you have started though. You have to really focus and set targets here and just challenge yourself. As others have said, you have a child, a girlfriend and most importantly yourself who you owe it to get out of this rut and get back some pride and confidence and I promise you the energy and drive you'll get from being really fit and healthy will completely change your life.