Want to tone up and get stronger

fits

I am 5'5 and about 63kg. Not a bad weight but I am very flabby and I would like to tone up. My diet is good, I eat very little processed stuff and cook most meals from scratch. I dont have a sweet tooth either.

Anyway, I have always preferred cardio exercise, but my back wont stand up to it right now. I am undergoing physio treatment for both upper and lower back issues, and my right shoulder is injured with RSI. Physio has advised me to lay off the cycling for a while (cos of neck position) and I cant run either.

In addition to this I am not in Ireland full time and the other country is non english speaking so joining a gym is not really feasible. The nearest one in Ireland is 20 km away (kilkenny). I can go to a pay as you go gym when abroad, but personal training isnt really a goer there due to language issues.

So I am thinking about starting a strength training program, but I have to be careful obviously, with the back and shoulder stuff. Any ideas where I could start? I am thinking a program from a qualified personal trainer who specialises in injury rehabilitation would be good. Any recommendations? I would go to Dublin for the right person.

(I have also enquired about pilates classes given by physiotherapists, but not sure my travel calendar will work with it. and they didnt get back to me)

CeannRua

Has your physio not told you what exercises you can and should not do for the present? I'd be asking him / her for a program rather than risk exacerbating the injury.

fits

Yeah he has and I am following what he says eg one exercise focussing on lower trapezius. but see no reason why I could not follow a beginners strengthening programme. He is not in Ireland either. My life is fecking complicated. And to be honest I am getting worse and worse all the time, I need to arrest it now.

fits

One year later and I am worse. My weight is now 69 kg. I am still eating well. I have just been diagnosed with PCOS which is probably causing this gain as it goes hand in hand with insulin resistance. Its got a bad feedback loop so getting the weight down a bit would really help.

Shoulder and back is still bad but under control. I sold the bikes. Am going to pilates classes once a week. Not doing much else other than walking. Going to try get in 30 minute walk per day in at least.

I have had a few stints where I have got in more exercise (walking) and the weight hasn't budged. In fact it still creeps upwards. I am watching the food all the time.

Today I had porridge with a spoon of honey and milk for breakfast. Yesterday's leftover jambalaya (chicken and chorizo with rice and celery and other veg for lunch 420 calories per serving apparently http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/prawn-and-chorizo-jambalaya/). A small homemade cake (very nutty and sugary, but it was small - 25 grams.). And two cups of coffee.

Ill have an apple now, and fresh salmon for dinner, not sure with what yet.

Yesterday I had the same breakfast of porridge.
For lunch it was green salad, homemade potato salad (small portion about half a medium potato) and homemade chicken curry leftover (again cooked from scratch, thickened with natural yoghurt)
and the jambalaya for dinner with a small glass of wine.
two cups of coffee and the same small cake. And an apple in there too.

Typically, I wouldn't be having much cake. I don't have much of a sweet tooth.
I know you are all going to tell me I need to cut back on carbs, and I guess that's the next step. Really need to get this down. Alcohol has to be cut way back too but we are on that already. We'd have takeaways once a month at most. Rare enough to eat out too, but I'll be eating out twice this weekend.

Am very frustrated!

jive

Go for a walk for an hour every evening, there's a fine stretch now as they say so when you get into the habit for these crapper months it'll be a pleasure to do in the summer.

Try walk at a pace that gets your heart rate elevated. Don't eat shíte and you'll do well just doing this because your diet seems pretty decent based on what you said. It ain't rocket science and this won't require any fancy gear or going to the gym, do it for a couple of months then reassess if you feel you want to do something at bit more exciting.

Dtp1979

fits wrote: »

One year later and I am worse. My weight is now 69 kg. I am still eating well. I have just been diagnosed with PCOS which is probably causing this gain as it goes hand in hand with insulin resistance. Its got a bad feedback loop so getting the weight down a bit would really help.

Shoulder and back is still bad but under control. I sold the bikes. Am going to pilates classes once a week. Not doing much else other than walking. Going to try get in 30 minute walk per day in at least.

I have had a few stints where I have got in more exercise (walking) and the weight hasn't budged. In fact it still creeps upwards. I am watching the food all the time.

Today I had porridge with a spoon of honey and milk for breakfast. Yesterday's leftover jambalaya (chicken and chorizo with rice and celery and other veg for lunch 420 calories per serving apparently http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/prawn-and-chorizo-jambalaya/). A small homemade cake (very nutty and sugary, but it was small - 25 grams.). And two cups of coffee.

Ill have an apple now, and fresh salmon for dinner, not sure with what yet.

Yesterday I had the same breakfast of porridge.
For lunch it was green salad, homemade potato salad (small portion about half a medium potato) and homemade chicken curry leftover (again cooked from scratch, thickened with natural yoghurt)
and the jambalaya for dinner with a small glass of wine.
two cups of coffee and the same small cake. And an apple in there too.

Typically, I wouldn't be having much cake. I don't have much of a sweet tooth.
I know you are all going to tell me I need to cut back on carbs, and I guess that's the next step. Really need to get this down. Alcohol has to be cut way back too but we are on that already. We'd have takeaways once a month at most. Rare enough to eat out too, but I'll be eating out twice this weekend.

Am very frustrated!

Carbs are not the enemy. That's a myth from the 80's. You need carbs for energy. You need to get the correct balance of carbs/protein/fat.
It's all about calorie intake too. Eat less than you use to lose weight, and do the opposite to gain weight.
There are some of the best personal trainers in the country in Dublin and a few are regular posters on here. They would be the ones to be talking to really. They can guide you through the nutrition side of things and the excersises that will suit you and your injury.

fits

I had the salmon (baked after marinating) with sweet potato mash (didnt flavour it enough - yuck!)

and then I went out and had two pints of guinness. The alcohol is going to have to go altogether I think, until I stabilise the weight.

fits

Im back at 66kg. Turns out that indeed I have a hormonal issue but its not PCOS after all. Cut way back on the alcohol, cut out coffee altogether. Cut out bread almost completely too. No refined carbs at all in the last month i think. Not been walking so much but am more active with hobby and gardening and still at pilates.