Fitness for the very lazy...

Zascar

When it comes to sport and fitness, I'm pretty lazy. I'm just not that into it. I used to go to the Gym regularity a few years ago but have not been at all in years. I'm lucky as I'm thin and can eat what I want - gaining weight has always been the problem really. When I did used to to the gym in my early 20's, I'd go mad at it for a few months, eat loads and train regularly, gain some good weight and muscle, but then if I did not keep it up, bam - its all gone and I'm back to my previous skinny state. So I never bothered.

However now I feel like I should start doing something. It's not really the fitness I'd just like to tone and bulk up on my chest, arms and shoulders mainly - but also just be more healthy really. I see friends who practically addicted and get ancy if they do not go to the gym or go for a run. That's just so alien to me. So I do want to get into it, but motivation is the issue. Has anyone here been able to turn it around from a similar situation? You guys may laugh but I have considered doing Educogym. A friend did it recently and because of the structure, guidance and basically forced commitment - the results were amazing. I'm thinking maybe thats what i need.

So any tips for someone who really is not the gym type person - to actually turn it around?

WhyTheFace

Find a fitness activity you actually enjoy doing. Then it will feel like less of a chore. If you don't like doing something you can never truly commit to it.

Also, just because you may have a fast metabolism and are lucky enough to be skinny it doesn't mean you can eat what you like. You may not put on weight but eating poorly can contribute to diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension.

Knawted

Hi Zascar,

I did Educogym last year (Just the 12 day programme) and lost 10 pounds, toned up a lot and finally had shape!! I then joined a regular gym and just eliminated (almost) bread/butter/sugar from my diet so it was easy to maintain the weightloss.

Lots of people give out about it but I found it very easy. I think the reason it worked for me was that it was so black and white. You CAN eat this and you CAN'T eat that, and 20 minute daily workout was tough but not impossible.

I found it was a great kick-start to get my weight down and tone up, and the quick results gave me motivation to keep it up. I wouldn't stay on any longer than 12 days purely because of the price and it's a very strict diet that they keep you on which didn't suit me as I'd prefer to just burn more calories than I eat without a strict long term diet plan.

The Educogym diet basically consisted of:

Breakfast

2 fried eggs, an avocado, handful of nuts

Lunch

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese with green salad (plus handful of nuts)

Dinner

Steak and asparagus/broccoli/spinach

Black tea/coffee/water


Give it a shot, but don't bother with the supplements and I wouldnt do more than 12 days, just join a regular gym afterwards!

Alf Veedersane

Knawted wrote: »

Hi Zascar,

I did Educogym last year (Just the 12 day programme)

thegreatiam

is educogym the one with a set program for x weeks and at the end of it you get told you lost 19kg of fat but gained 18 kgs of muscle so you lost 1kg overall.

Zascar

Thanks for that, good to know. I suppose the difference is I'm not trying to lose weight. I want to gain it if anything but moreso just tone up and build muscle. I'm sure many would say just get to a gym, get a program and just do it. But the motivation is the issue - so I'm wondering what are the best options for making myself commit - rather than going a few times and then getting lazy and not bothering - like so many do... The attraction of educogym is the personal 1-on-1 training and the fact you have an appointment to have to keep to.

Alf Veedersane

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks for that, good to know. I suppose the difference is I'm not trying to lose weight. I want to gain it if anything but moreso just tone up and build muscle. I'm sure many would say just get to a gym, get a program and just do it. But the motivation is the issue - so I'm wondering what are the best options for making myself commit - rather than going a few times and then getting lazy and not bothering - like so many do... The attraction of educogym is the personal 1-on-1 training and the fact you have an appointment to have to keep to.

Educogym don't have a monopoly on 1-on-1 PT sessions.

thegreatiam

Zascar wrote: »

But the motivation is the issue - so I'm wondering what are the best options for making myself commit - rather than going a few times and then getting lazy and not bothering - like so many do... The attraction of educogym is the personal 1-on-1 training and the fact you have an appointment to have to keep to.

Sack up and get it done, youre a grown adult no-one will do it for you.

Plenty of people out there who will sell you the idea that they can do it for you but ultimately the only person who can do it is you.

Save yourself a lot of time, effort and money and realise that early on. Quit looking for a reason to start and start.

If it helps what motivated me was that I don't want to be a weak arsed whiny bitch anymore.

The initial motivation for me wanting to get back in shape just over a year ago was stumbling on strong lifts 5x5 blog.

When I realised that to get fit didnt mean I had to spend hours on a treadmill or waste days lifting dumbells to get maximum pec growth while chugging protein shakes and shouting "bro" at my friends while they struggle to lift an 60kg bench.

Strong lifts made me understand that I can achieve measurable strength, and in turn better health. by using a simple progression, with some basic exercises.
from SL I found the original starting strength and that motivated me more.

Knawted

thegreatiam wrote: »

is educogym the one with a set program for x weeks and at the end of it you get told you lost 19kg of fat but gained 18 kgs of muscle so you lost 1kg overall.

That's what I had been told before I did it so I was quite wary.
I had lost 10 pounds of fat and gained 4 pounds in muscle, whether that's true or not didn't matter to me because the difference in my body shape was unbelievable. Stomach, arms, legs and waist all felt 'sucked' in. I had been a size 12 before doing the programme and ended up with a lot of clothes that didn't fit!

I saw the difference in my own body so whether they told me I'd lost weight or gained it I wouldnt have cared

Knawted

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks for that, good to know. I suppose the difference is I'm not trying to lose weight. I want to gain it if anything but moreso just tone up and build muscle. I'm sure many would say just get to a gym, get a program and just do it. But the motivation is the issue - so I'm wondering what are the best options for making myself commit - rather than going a few times and then getting lazy and not bothering - like so many do... The attraction of educogym is the personal 1-on-1 training and the fact you have an appointment to have to keep to.

I did the programme with a friend of mine. He was 10 and a half stone when we started and really just wanted to bulk up. Any excess fat he had on his body he burned and there was a big difference in his toning, he didn't have a 'sixpack' at the end but looked much firmer. We're actually both starting it again this Tuesday to do a bit of a top up on last year, think it was 149 for the 12 days - obviously that's crazy money for some but if you want quick results and a few weeks off the booze it's perfect!

Stench Blossoms

Knawted wrote: »

I did the programme with a friend of mine. He was 10 and a half stone when we started and really just wanted to bulk up. Any excess fat he had on his body he burned and there was a big difference in his toning, he didn't have a 'sixpack' at the end but looked much firmer. We're actually both starting it again this Tuesday to do a bit of a top up on last year, think it was 149 for the 12 days - obviously that's crazy money for some but if you want quick results and a few weeks off the booze it's perfect!

I'm pretty sure you can have a few weeks off booze without having to pay 149e.

Alf Veedersane

Knawted wrote: »

I did the programme with a friend of mine. He was 10 and a half stone when we started and really just wanted to bulk up. Any excess fat he had on his body he burned and there was a big difference in his toning, he didn't have a 'sixpack' at the end but looked much firmer. We're actually both starting it again this Tuesday to do a bit of a top up on last year, think it was 149 for the 12 days - obviously that's crazy money for some but if you want quick results and a few weeks off the booze it's perfect!

Not everyone translates quick results into a sustainable lifestyle though.

Better off just making the decision to do something and put that €149 towards something a little more long-term than 12 days.

AwayWithFaries

WhyTheFace wrote: »

Find a fitness activity you actually enjoy doing. Then it will feel like less of a chore. If you don't like doing something you can never truly commit to it.

This is the best advice here really. Try a range of activities to find one that you like.

Try joining a team or training with a partner. It forces you to go more often as you feel you are letting people down by sitting at home.

Knawted

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can have a few weeks off booze without having to pay 149e.

Of course I know that, but personally I found it very difficult to get motivation this time last year.. all this "I'll start on Monday" nonsense was going on and on and on.

I joined a gym and went a few times and then started to skip it a little too often, still had a few glasses of wine more often than I'd like.

It was Educo that shocked me into getting it together. Your appointments are set at certain times and they call if you're even 5 minutes late so there's no option to skip it today, they do a urine test halfway through that tells them whether you're following the diet to the LETTER so that pushed me to keep at it.

It might sound very easy to you guys to just 'do something you love' and 'save your 149 and go for a run' and all that but it's not the same for everyone. I had the 149 to spend, it worked for me and I'm delighted I did it as it showed me it was possible to get up and get out without making excuses for myself

Alf Veedersane

Knawted wrote: »

it showed me it was possible to get up and get out without making excuses for myself

How?

You said they rang you if you were late for an appointment so it took the decision making out of your hands.

Well, for the 12 days anyway.

Knawted

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

How?

You said they rang you if you were late for an appointment so it took the decision making out of your hands.

Well, for the 12 days anyway.

Yes, exactly. It scared me into getting off my ass and getting into the gym and after a few sessions I realized that I was getting results and that it wasn't as hard as I'd imagined it would be.

What works for some doesn't work for others, I'm well aware of that. "You said they rang you if you were late for an appointment so it took the decision making out of your hands." - I needed the decision taken out of my hands, and when it was all over I had the motivation I needed to keep going myself.

Oregano_State

If you stay in the mindset that you are 'lazy' you will never get anything done. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Going balls-out at training for a few weeks and then getting sick of it will achieve nothing in the end, you already seem to recognise this.

Results are all about consistency. That's consistent work. Work is difficult, even though the first few weeks it may not seem like it. But after a while, a point will come when it's freezing cold outside, you're tired after a long day, and you don't want to leave the house. If you don't think right now that you're capable of motivating yourself to train when you'd prefer to be lazy, then there's no point even starting because you won't get anywhere, and a year from now you'll most likely be in the exact same state health-wise, but with a year less of your life left to live.

Mellor

There's nothing wrong with going full clip for a few weeks to speed up results but if you need somebody to hold your hand you'll be at square one in a month

Knawted

Oregano_State wrote: »

If you stay in the mindset that you are 'lazy' you will never get anything done. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Going balls-out at training for a few weeks and then getting sick of it will achieve nothing in the end, you already seem to recognise this.

Results are all about consistency. That's consistent work. Work is difficult, even though the first few weeks it may not seem like it. But after a while, a point will come when it's freezing cold outside, you're tired after a long day, and you don't want to leave the house. If you don't think right now that you're capable of motivating yourself to train when you'd prefer to be lazy, then there's no point even starting because you won't get anywhere, and a year from now you'll most likely be in the exact same state health-wise, but with a year less of your life left to live.

I don't think you're listening

1) I was lazy, I was unmotivated and felt I could never finally do it
2) I forced myself to walk into Educo last January, and then THEY helped me to finish it.
3) By the end, I'd kicked that lack of motivation out of me and kept at the gym 3/4 times a week for the entire year (but took December off)

That is my experience. It worked. I'm fit.

Obviously you wouldn't need that kick start motivation, but I did.

Oregano_State

Knawted wrote: »

I don't think you're listening

1) I was lazy, I was unmotivated and felt I could never finally do it
2) I forced myself to walk into Educo last January, and then THEY helped me to finish it.
3) By the end, I'd kicked that lack of motivation out of me and kept at the gym 3/4 times a week for the entire year (but took December off)

That is my experience. It worked. I'm fit.

Obviously you wouldn't need that kick start motivation, but I did.

I was responding to the OP.

edit: Specifically, I was referring to the title of the thread.

Zascar

Knawted I'm 100% with you - thanks

Mellor

Knawted wrote: »

I did Educogym last year (Just the 12 day programme) and lost 10 pounds,

There's not a hope you lost 10 lbs of fat in 12 days.
You didn't build 4 lbs of muscle in 12 days. Outside extreme exceptions, it's pretty much impossible to do either of those things alone, not to mention together.

6 lbs difference on the scales. You might of lost 3 lbs of fat. And shed maybe 3 lbs of water (given the switch to an unprocessed, low salt, low carb diet).

I'm sorry to sound so negative, genuinely not trying to write off those 12 days for you as it sounds like you used it as motivation for the year. But they were simple lying to you, and this needs to be pointed out for the sake of people like the OP who are considering using these con-artists.

dor843088

Most of the weight you will lose on that educo diet will be water. And its one of the most unsustainable diets ever. More low carb nonsense. I thought we got rid of that rubbish years ago. For 120 euro youd almost get a years membership in a ben dunne gym . Beginner programme + controlled nutrition= great results . Simple as that there aint no shortcuts.

thegreatiam

For 100 bucks ill ring you at 6 am and yell at you to go to the gym for 2 weeks. For 149 ill sleep in the bed with you and push you out of bed.

siochain

Educo is rubbish but low carb is proven to get results and offer better health benefits.

Thanks Thud:)

Thud wrote: »

how-to-win-an-argument-with-a-nutritionist
http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-win-an-argument-with-a-nutritionist/

“Low Carb Diets Are Unhealthy”

Answer: This is simply not true. Since the year 2002, low-carb diets have been studied extensively and over 20 randomized controlled trials have been conducted.
They consistently lead to much better health outcomes than the typical low-fat diet. They cause more weight loss and improve all major risk factors for disease, including triglycerides, HDL and blood sugar levels.
Studies
1. Westman EC, et al. Low-carbohydrate nutrition and metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.
2. Hession M, et al. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat/low-calorie diets in the management of obesity and its comorbidities. Obesity Reviews, 2008.
3. Santos F, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of the effects of low carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity Reviews, 2012.

http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/

dor843088

siochain wrote: »

Educo is rubbish but low carb is proven to get results and offer better health benefits.

Thanks Thud:)


“Low Carb Diets Are Unhealthy”

Answer: This is simply not true. Since the year 2002, low-carb diets have been studied extensively and over 20 randomized controlled trials have been conducted.
They consistently lead to much better health outcomes than the typical low-fat diet. They cause more weight loss and improve all major risk factors for disease, including triglycerides, HDL and blood sugar levels.
Studies
1. Westman EC, et al. Low-carbohydrate nutrition and metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.
2. Hession M, et al. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat/low-calorie diets in the management of obesity and its comorbidities. Obesity Reviews, 2008.
3. Santos F, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of the effects of low carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity Reviews, 2012.

http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/

Strawman argument . You are not proving that low carb diets are healthy here you are merely comparing them to a low fat diet .

Stench Blossoms

This constant back and forth between the two of you actually makes my head hurt.

siochain

dor843088 wrote: »

Strawman argument . You are not proving that low carb diets are healthy here you are merely comparing them to a low fat diet .

go take a crash course on insulin and how to read and understand words and sentences.

Anyone with a basic understand of nutrition and physiology would tell you that the current over consumption of process carb's is playing a key part in driving obesity, CVD, diabetes......

Alf Veedersane

Will you two ever go get a room.

Zascar

thegreatiam I might take you up on that offer

thegreatiam

I might give you a discount