Unfit guy exercise

LegacyUser

Hi,
Embarrassed by fitness so anon So I am about 15kg past having a BMI of 22 and basically need to sort this out. Yes Diet is number 1 and makes 70+% of the difference. I don’t mind eating healthy its just I get bored/depressed a lot and that sends me into a 3 choc bars in a row spiral.

To combat the boredom I try to exercise and it generally helps. This is my problem, the only exercise I remotely feel comfortable with is walking and being honest I hate it. But its the only I can force myself to do everyday for the last 2-3 months. It's Ireland, so I am either walking into drizzle and getting soaked, or getting soaked in sweat since its almost impossible to predict the weather/humidity out there. And lastly my time for walking is after work, so basically I have to be happy that all my work shirts/pants get soaked in sweat. I probably sweat more than average, for example its pretty common for me to have to stop mid walk on a warm day since i can no longer see with sweat running into my eyes People must think im about to have a heart attack

I know this sounds like a total moan, but is there any ideas for exercise that would suit me better. I have zero interest in sports and the last time I joined a gym I went twice and that was €350 gone. Atm I am still fairly unfit, so i think joining a gym cold I would not last more than 5min and just get extra depressed about the whole thing.

MrStuffins

Jiu Jitsu dude, Jiu Jitsu. Where are you? There's bound to be a gym close to you. You'll love it. You'll be losing weight, exercising and learning to choke people into submission all at the same time!

Pat Mustard

Could be Jiu Jitsu or it could be squash. In any case, I think that you could do with a pastime/hobby/sport. If you find something that you like, it will require little effort to keep doing it.

If you like the outdoors, you could go hillwalking but you would be better off using hillwalking gear, with proper boots, walking trousers, etc. A lot of hillwalking gear is breathable and water-repellent or even waterproof. This means that you shouldn't get wet from either the rain or sweat. The most important gear is a good pair of boots, followed by good waterproofs.

There are some great forums on this site dealingl with Nutrition and Diet and Health and Fitness, and you could pick up a lot of information there.

I'm no expert on diet but you know that three choc bars in a row are torpedoing your diet. You say that the chocolate is due to boredom/depression. I would be well out of my depth if I tried to advise on depression but as regards boredom, you have to make a decision to find something that interests you. That is not just going to fall into your lap. You'll have to find different hobbies/, try different sports, and see which ones you like and which you don't. That will take weeks or months of effort on your part. But it'll be worth it if you find a sport, pastime, hobby that you like.

In my opinion, the thing about the gym is to develop a routine. Sometimes, you have to have a night off or a couple of nights off but otherwise, you are better off sticking to your routine/plan. That works for me because if I have a plan and stick to it, I don't have to muster up the energy to decide whether or not I'm going, because the decision has already been made.

il gatto

Where do you live? Can impact what's suitable or doable.
Get a dog. It's a reason to walk more.
A rowing machine is a good buy. Great way of burning calories and uses more muscles than a bike. When you achieve some level of fitness start cycling maybe.

il gatto

And a bmi of 22 is quite low. Below 24.9 is normal.

paulmclaughlin

il gatto wrote: »

And a bmi of 22 is quite low. Below 24.9 is normal.

fatmannomore wrote: »

So I am about 15kg past having a BMI of 22

...

Just so you know, you can still be very fit and overweight. A lot of Jiu-Jitsu guys I know would technically be overweight but would be much fitter than your average Joe.

lazybones32

You are going to have to 'endure' some discomfort in order to achieve better health.

Walking is excellent exercise and the cheapest. Don't worry about rain - your skin is waterproof.

il gatto

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

...

Just so you know, you can still be very fit and overweight. A lot of Jiu-Jitsu guys I know would technically be overweight but would be much fitter than your average Joe.

But how many past 24.9? It's seems a more realistic goal than 22 to start off with.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Do not use BMI as a target. It's a very bad calculation for determining how fit/unfit/overweight that you are. I just checked online and my BMI is over 26, however I don't have a belly at all and my waist size is 32. The reason my BMI is so high is because I'm 80kg from weight training a couple of times a week. I'm in the gym 3 or 4 times a week, every week. I'm quite strong between weight training and playing rugby most of my life, and I'm also quite fit (despite a dodgy knee!). I do cardio training every time I'm in the gym and can happily run up to 10km without dying! But according to the BMI calculator, I'm overweight :rolleyes:

paulmclaughlin

il gatto wrote: »

But how many past 24.9? It's seems a more realistic goal than 22 to start off with.

Assuming he's 180cm, 26.9.

BDJW wrote: »

Do not use BMI as a target. It's a very bad calculation for determining how fit/unfit/overweight that you are.

Generally, it's a very good indicator. For the average Joe, it works just fine. You may be ripped and that's throwing your BMI off but the OP has admitted he is not so it's most likely a good measurement.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

Assuming he's 180cm, 26.9.



Generally, it's a very good indicator. For the average Joe, it works just fine. You may be ripped and that's throwing your BMI off but the OP has admitted he is not so it's most likely a good measurement.

Unfortunately, I'm not ripped....I like too much unhealthy food and drink !

But generally BMI calculations are considered very poor indicators. And that goes for everybody, not just people who are fit/strong.

LegacyUser

Hi, OP here,
Thanks for all the replies, just to clear some stuff up - I do not plan to live and die by a BMI score, and I am an average guy it is a pretty good indicator of my weight. If im down to 75kg and dont see a belly I'll be happy.
I am not interested in sports, and honestly don't have any hobbies - the rowing machine sounds good, I had one before from Argos ( €50 ) the seat hurt my ass after 10min and was painful to use - I guess you get what you pay for ? How do people feel about exercise bikes ? swimming ? I could trial a pay as you go gym to see what i like.

lizzyman

Cycling is a great form of exercise. Easy on the joints and feels (to me anyway) like much less of a slog than walking or running.

il gatto

BDJW wrote: »

Do not use BMI as a target. It's a very bad calculation for determining how fit/unfit/overweight that you are. I just checked online and my BMI is over 26, however I don't have a belly at all and my waist size is 32. The reason my BMI is so high is because I'm 80kg from weight training a couple of times a week. I'm in the gym 3 or 4 times a week, every week. I'm quite strong between weight training and playing rugby most of my life, and I'm also quite fit (despite a dodgy knee!). I do cardio training every time I'm in the gym and can happily run up to 10km without dying! But according to the BMI calculator, I'm overweight :rolleyes:

Yes. We all know people who weight train dissing bmi, and while it's not perfect, and no indicator of fitness, it does give a general goal to people who are just starting to shed some weight. I knew a guy who did weights, martial arts, rugby and running. Insurance company told him he was obese. But for people who've been inactive, it's not that far off the mark.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

lizzyman wrote: »

Cycling is a great form of exercise. Easy on the joints and feels (to me anyway) like much less of a slog than walking or running.

It's also easier to push yourself to burn more calories in a 30 minute cycle than it is in a 30 minute walk too

il gatto wrote: »

Yes. We all know people who weight train dissing bmi, and while it's not perfect, and no indicator of fitness, it does give a general goal to people who are just starting to shed some weight. I knew a guy who did weights, martial arts, rugby and running. Insurance company told him he was obese. But for people who've been inactive, it's not that far off the mark.

What about the people who are naturally strong and have muscles, but never train? What about the people who simply have heavy frames but are quite thin?
BMI calculation is not good for them either. The reason BMI calculation is considered a poor indicator is that there are far too many variables in it. And those variables go for everybody, not just people who play sport/weight train/work in manual labour jobs

squiggledash

Have you tried lifting weights? If you don't want to go to the gym. You can get a kettlebell for $50. 15mins swing that thing a day and you'll lose the 15kgs pretty quick.

il gatto

BDJW wrote: »

It's also easier to push yourself to burn more calories in a 30 minute cycle than it is in a 30 minute walk too



What about the people who are naturally strong and have muscles, but never train? What about the people who simply have heavy frames but are quite thin?
BMI calculation is not good for them either. The reason BMI calculation is considered a poor indicator is that there are far too many variables in it. And those variables go for everybody, not just people who play sport/weight train/work in manual labour jobs

But we're talking about somebody who specifically stated he's inactive, carrying excess weight and has a bad diet. I know the pitfalls of bmi as I am around 24.5 ish but to lose much more weight would be wrong as I have a fairly strong build. Once you feel you're not far off your ideal weight, whether you use the bmi or not, body fat would be a more accurate indicator. It's just a loose guide for someone who's not "into" fitness. It shouldn't be taken as gospel but can be a useful tool to get started with.

OldRio

Firstly, fair play to the OP in realising he needs to get himself fit.

As for BMI ? It really depends on your frame. I'm 6 feet 3 inches and broad. According to the bmi index I should be 14 stone 5 pounds. The last time I was that weight I was about 17 years of age, skinny and unfit. and I'm nearly 60 now.

Swimming or walking are the cheapest and best for you at the moment. All you need is commitment for these to work. You will lose the weight and feel better.

I would also look at something like beginners Yoga. It will help you stretch out those under used muscles. Anyway good luck to you and believe me, you will feel much better in the medium to long term.

Pawwed Rig

From a practical point bring a change of clothes into work with you. That is what I do as I run home every day. I have been rained on less than 5 times in the last 5 months. People always think it rains here a lot more than it actually does.

If you are very inactive, I would definitely look into doing Couch 2 5K. It's a running program, specifically designed for people who are as inactive as you say, that is aimed towards getting people to run 30 minutes or 5K nonstop over a 9 week program, that you'd do 3 times a week (at least). You can download an app for it to your smartphone, which tracks your runs. Buy comfortable running clothes and good running shoes.

Once you feel yourself getting fitter, also look into doing High Impact Intensity Training (HIIT), which is a fantastic way of burning fat.

But something that has been explained to me time and time again is; muscle is gained in the gym, fat is lost in the kitchen. Go on to Eat This Much, which is a fantastic website that will generate various meal plans based on various daily calorie counts. You can also input how much you want to lose in weight and in what timeline and will give you a calorie count based on this.

Download the MyFitnessPal app to your smartphone, which will track your calories and can also track your exercise as well.

Before I started doing this back in March, I was just over 14 stone (at 5'11) at my heaviest. Now I am 13 stone and have lost a noticeable amount on my waist. It's still not perfect, but I feel so much better in myself and how I look.

mzungu

Deleted User wrote: »

But something that has been explained to me time and time again is; muscle is gained in the gym, fat is lost in the kitchen. Go on to Eat This Much, which is a fantastic website that will generate various meal plans based on various daily calorie counts. You can also input how much you want to lose in weight and in what timeline and will give you a calorie count based on this.

OP if you take on board any advice at all from this thread, then let it be what is in bold up above. There is no point lifting weights or doing cardio unless you have a proper diet regime going on. Time and time again i've seen it with lads in work who start in the gym with the best of intentions of losing a few pounds only to have all their good work wasted by a bad diet.

One chap I knew was giving it socks five days a week and after half a year he had barely lost anything. He ended up packing it in altogether because it was not working. Thing was, he was still eating pizza's, burgers etc on a daily basis so all his gym work was wasted. On the other side of the coin I knew a chap who followed a strict diet and fitness regime from Monday to Saturday evening. He would hammer in 15 odd pints with the customary kebab Saturday night then have take out the following day. Once again it was a case of minimum gains and he packed it all in within the year. It's the one essential piece of advice, unless the diet changes, then the gym will not be of much benefit.

The fact that you are looking to change is a crucial and positive step. I wish you the very best of luck with it.

MoreSunshine!

Give yoga a try. It's taught to match your abilities and progresses from there, and the only equipment you need is a mat. A lot of places charge per lesson too, so you only pay if you show up. It exercises deeper muscles than most aerobic exercises so you burn more energy and tone up quicker.

il gatto

And drink lots of water. Keeps the system running smoothly and keeps the appetite at bay so you eat less.

H3llR4iser

fatmannomore wrote: »

...
I know this sounds like a total moan, but is there any ideas for exercise that would suit me better. I have zero interest in sports and the last time I joined a gym I went twice and that was €350 gone. Atm I am still fairly unfit, so i think joining a gym cold I would not last more than 5min and just get extra depressed about the whole thing.

Wrong attitude, if I may. What you are looking for is a complete change of lifestyle and it has to be done in steps, certainly, but also requires you to make uncomfortable choices - while still remaining within the envelope of what you can realistically do.

I had avoided gyms all my life, and when it became necessary to join one, I was severely overweight (140kg, roughly, for 1.86m) and unable to run for 1 minute straight; 8 months later, I weighed in at 95kg and could go forever - 45 minutes continuous running at a decent pace were no issue at all.

Of course it's not Olympics winning stuff - most people could still do better than I did, but still it was result I would have never imagined being possible at the beginning; And of course, there was a controlled diet involved, carefully put together by a specialist in nutrition based on monthly visits. At the time I was 27, so still young but not exactly a child.

Based on my own experience as a "reformed couch potato", I will say the gym is the way to go: you exercise essentially alone, so you can go at your own pace. Joining a class while completely out of training most likely won't bring you anywhere - you'll find yourself struggling to keep up with everyone else, failing to do so, will feel embarrassed and most likely give up after two or three lessons.

It can never be too cold or wet to go to the gym, and that takes away two of the most common excuses thrown around.

You just need to find good motivators, and by that I mean people who'd follow you through the process: a good trainer and maybe a nutritionist.

The power of having people to "report to" and essentially not wanting to look pathetic in their eyes will do wonders - much more than anything else you could try to impose on yourself.

eviltwin

Find something you enjoy, it could be running, the gym, dancing, swimming. Too many people exercise doing things they hate, no wonder they give up. Take your time to try new things and find what you like and go from there.

Discipline is key, I'm lazy and would never get out only that I schedule my life around my exercise rather than exercise around my life. So each week I look at how I'm fixed and I make appointments to exercise. For instance I know tonight I'm out running from 8:30, nothing and nobody is going to stop me doing that. If I hadn't scheduled that I know I'd be still sitting in front of the box at that time. I also change into my work out clothes early so I'm ready to go, no excuses. Its a lot harder to justify sitting on the sofa when you're fully kitted out.

lizzyman

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Wrong attitude, if I may. What you are looking for is a complete change of lifestyle and it has to be done in steps, certainly, but also requires you to make uncomfortable choices - while still remaining within the envelope of what you can realistically do.

I had avoided gyms all my life, and when it became necessary to join one, I was severely overweight (140kg, roughly, for 1.86m) and unable to run for 1 minute straight; 8 months later, I weighed in at 95kg and could go forever - 45 minutes continuous running at a decent pace were no issue at all.

Of course it's not Olympics winning stuff - most people could still do better than I did, but still it was result I would have never imagined being possible at the beginning; And of course, there was a controlled diet involved, carefully put together by a specialist in nutrition based on monthly visits. At the time I was 27, so still young but not exactly a child.

Based on my own experience as a "reformed couch potato", I will say the gym is the way to go: you exercise essentially alone, so you can go at your own pace. Joining a class while completely out of training most likely won't bring you anywhere - you'll find yourself struggling to keep up with everyone else, failing to do so, will feel embarrassed and most likely give up after two or three lessons.

It can never be too cold or wet to go to the gym, and that takes away two of the most common excuses thrown around.

You just need to find good motivators, and by that I mean people who'd follow you through the process: a good trainer and maybe a nutritionist.

The power of having people to "report to" and essentially not wanting to look pathetic in their eyes will do wonders - much more than anything else you could try to impose on yourself.

Great post. Sounds like an incredible transformation. Do you mind me asking what kind of diet/calorie range you were eating? I'm having an awful hard time as almost every calculator I've tried gives me a different result.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Did you ever hear of Fitbit? It's like a fancy pendometer that links to your smartphone. You can get one that goes on your wrist or (the one I have) called a Zip which clips on your belt. Gimmick? I thought so too but it does make walking a lot more fun. I've had mine for a year and try to do 10k steps per day. You can link with friends (that you know or on fitbit community and do challenges. They cost about 60 euro - worth every penny IMO. My fitness pal also very good- fitbit links with it.

pavb2

I signed up for 12 spinning classes and then got a spinning bike, the discipline and intensity of the classes followed by spinning podcasts worked for me.

H3llR4iser

lizzyman wrote: »

Great post. Sounds like an incredible transformation. Do you mind me asking what kind of diet/calorie range you were eating? I'm having an awful hard time as almost every calculator I've tried gives me a different result.

The basic idea behind the diet was to avoid cravings at all costs, so it was nothing of the fad or crazy things you see thrown around. It comprised of everything, from a good dose of carbs to fuel exercise (pasta and bread were still staples; Pizza permitted once a week - although I was in Italy, and a pizza there is worth only 1/5th of the calories you get from, say, Domino's!), to fats and of course, protein. Some of the meals (like breakfast or the afternoon snack) could occasionally be replaced by a treat - so if, say, somebody had a birthday at work I wouldn't be the one going "no cake thanks, I'm on a diet!".

If I have to be honest, I have to say that very rarely I experienced hunger or frustration while on the diet, a thing that is even more meaningful taken in context - for the previous 27 years, I would just go and eat something any time I felt remotely peckish.

Every month, based on the results measured from the previous one via body composition analysis, the diet would be slightly modified - increased a protein component, for example, if there was muscle loss and so on. I am not sure about the calorie count, but I think the initial one was around 1600/1700 and it was increased over the months as my base metabolism went up - it very low initially,I seem to remember it was around 2000 cal/day and went up to nearly 2500 by the 8th month...I am not sure about the exact figures, but there was a marked difference between the two values.

In the first couple of months I lost nearly 20kg total, then went down to losing 4/5kg per month. The last couple of months the weight stayed the same on the scale, but the 4/5kg of fat loss was still happening - only it was being replaced by equal amounts of muscle mass, which again was easy to attain as I had done zero weight work in my life before.

ancapailldorcha

eviltwin wrote: »

Find something you enjoy, it could be running, the gym, dancing, swimming. Too many people exercise doing things they hate, no wonder they give up. Take your time to try new things and find what you like and go from there.

Discipline is key, I'm lazy and would never get out only that I schedule my life around my exercise rather than exercise around my life. So each week I look at how I'm fixed and I make appointments to exercise. For instance I know tonight I'm out running from 8:30, nothing and nobody is going to stop me doing that. If I hadn't scheduled that I know I'd be still sitting in front of the box at that time. I also change into my work out clothes early so I'm ready to go, no excuses. Its a lot harder to justify sitting on the sofa when you're fully kitted out.

This. So much this. I briefly took up weightlifting in Manchester. I was going on my own and it got to a stage where I realised that I wasn't going to stick at it. If you enjoy it you will. The only thing I've really stuck with is going on long walks which isn't a great way of exercising.

Zen65

MoreSunshine! wrote: »

Give yoga a try.

Yoga, Dance classes, martial arts, cycling, hillwalking, swimming etc . . all excellent ways to burn calories without having the "sport" feeling about them.

iptba

Perhaps of interest. July 12 article from the UK:

Men and obesity: where’s the help with weight loss?

Two thirds of men are overweight and at risk of premature death as a consequence. But all the support is aimed at women. One desperate man set out to change that

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/12/men-obesity-weight-loss-help

Author has a conflict of interest (I'm presuming he's making money from it)

After failing to find any real support, I started a crowdfunding campaign to launch manvfat.com, a project that offers free support to men who want to lose weight.

H3llR4iser

Yeah, it's actually a very long and convoluted subject. I think there was a discussion, maybe here on the Gentleman's quarters.

In a nutshell, a man will be called on it all the time - mildly concealed insults hurled at him on a daily basis are the norm, most people feel they have the right to tell him to "go on a diet!", remark about his weight all the firggin' time and generally be arseholes. Women will mostly make it very clear they aren't interested because of how he looks like and generic "health" arguments will be flung about incessantly. Been there, done that, went through the...full fat experience :D:D

I have to say - the whole constant, incessant, relentless ridicule had a big share in making me start move my arse; Not that it makes it all right - I was/am lucky that my specific character sprung a reaction, but there are other people who just get more and more depressed and make the situation worse.

pwurple

Dude, my exercise is mainly gardening and DIY, with the odd jog chucked in. The gym never suited me (although I do like a swim!)

Cutting a hedge by hand takes an hour and is serious exercise. Wedding, digging, turning over soil, flipping compost heaps. Even painting your house. Tip tip tip away at keeping very busy with loads of jobs. Even if it's not burning shed-loads, at least it's creating value in your house, and preventing you from sticking the chocolate bars in your gob.

Pawwed Rig

pwurple raises a good point. If you incorporate exercise into your life rather than it being a separate activity then you are mjore likely to keep at it. I have replaced a commute home with a run home. So now there is zero time cost for me in doing my daily exercise (there is a saving actually). This is easier to maintain by having a separate activity of going out to the gym which for an hour in the gym the real cost is 2 when you take into account getting there and home along with shower etc.

SVJKarate

fatmannomore wrote: »

I have zero interest in sports and the last time I joined a gym I went twice and that was €350 gone. Atm I am still fairly unfit, so i think joining a gym cold I would not last more than 5min and just get extra depressed about the whole thing.

Gyms can be full of people who are very fit, well-toned, and hell-bent on getting a great workout. That's not a great atmosphere for somebody who dislikes their own physical shape and is unfit. There are cheaper, less competitive or sweaty environments to train in where the people around you actually motivate you rather than make you feel inferior.

Have you tried looking in your local community centre for activities? Anything from swimming, yoga, hillwalking, badminton, tennis, or martial arts for beginners would all be good for helping you get back into shape. These are usually quite cheap by comparison to a gym. Moreover there is an element of letting you exercise at your own pace, but with gentle encouragement to improve every time.

I agree with others when they talk about non-gym exercises, but I've always found that without the support of a group of like-minded people those routines do not stick.

fatmannomore

Quite a few of the replies to this thread for obvious reasons have focused on excercise ideas for losing weight. So I thought I would weigh in - or feedback - on some of the more tangential issues implied in the OP.

The OP has not returned yet - and most of my post is going to take the form of questions - so hopefully the OP is still out there or a lot of my post is going nowhere

As a self-testimonial for the OP - as quite often advice needs to be prefaced with such things - I went up to and including most of college in most of my life as a lazy unfit sugar eating and drinking lay about. I changed a lot of that quite dramatically - as people who know me on here will know - in many ways. But a lot of how I did it might be helpful or inapplicable to the OP - so I would love to learn more about him before I dispense my own version of the Sunscreen Song

fatmannomore wrote: »

Embarrassed by fitness so anon

Embarrassed by your level of it - or by the subject itself?

fatmannomore wrote: »

I get bored/depressed a lot and that sends me into a 3 choc bars in a row spiral.

This needs some exploration. Why do you think you are bored? Depressed? What are the symptoms - factors - causes - stimulants of these things? Perhaps the weight issues and so forth are not the issue but the symptom here. Quite often these things are highly connected and worth exploration on their own.

In terms of diet - is the boredom an issue there? Are you bored by food itself? Cooking or preparation? The act of eating to sustain yourself? The idea of food? Do you enjoy any aspects of food in general other than sugar hits? One avenue to explore with boredom binge eating is of course eating the wrong foods - but another avenue is to explore ways to ignite or reignite your love of food itself - preparation, rituals, education and more can be very stimulating if done right and combat that boredom heavily. So if you come back we can explore this one too!

fatmannomore wrote: »

the only exercise I remotely feel comfortable with is walking and being honest I hate it.

Two obvious things here worth exploring. What other things have you tried and what was uncomfortable about them? And what is it about walking you hate? I have a host of suggestions and advice but as above I could do with a lot of feedback before I know which ones might be useful to dispense - and which ones would be horrifically irrelevant for you. But if one is - for example - bored with walking - there are innumerable ways to change that. One does not simply have to walk for the sake of walking - but there are innumerable ways to incorporate walking into something that you actually are not bored by.

fatmannomore wrote: »

But its the only I can force myself to do everyday for the last 2-3 months.

Describe how you feel when you "force" yourself to do this stuff. Do you feel lazy and lethargic? Sad? Bored? Upset? Angry? Hopeless? What are the negatives that you feel when you feel the need to force yourself? What are you combating exactly?

fatmannomore wrote: »

It's Ireland, so I am either walking into drizzle and getting soaked

Something which many of us are conditioned to hate. After all we spend our early lives with our parents calling us in when it rains - and then much of our later lives trying to get from place to place staying dry. But actually one thing I have learned to do is love the weather. And there are times when I notice that feeling arising in me "Ah crap now im getting rained on and wet" and in those moments I make myself stop and think "So what?" and then just stand there - not rushing to go get shelter or worry about how quickly I can get to my destination with as little wetness as possible - and just let myself get wet - and allow the sensations of rain and wetness - for want of a better word - wash over me.

So youre wet. So what? Its actually a lovely feeling. We are 90% or so water - its our element - learn to enjoy it

fatmannomore wrote: »

my time for walking is after work, so basically I have to be happy that all my work shirts/pants get soaked in sweat.

This sentence jumped out at me over the rest. I am intensely curious why the idea of bringing a second set of clothes and changing in work before you leave work has never occurred to you - or if it has - why you vetoed it? I quite often cycle to work for example. So my morning is putting on my cycling clothes - going to work - and changing there. On Monday I usually bring 5 sets of clothes with me to work. So I have outfits for every day already there for my arrival.

fatmannomore wrote: »

i can no longer see with sweat running into my eyes

Have you considered head bands? I see so many people wearing them, especially joggers - so its not some rare thing that one need be embarrassed about. They are highly common.

fatmannomore wrote: »

I know this sounds like a total moan

Not at all. There is very little negative I could take from your post. One thing I do take from it however is that you seem to let small hurdles - like a change of clothes or a sweat band - turn into mountains on your life path. Which is why I wonder if things like boredom and depression are not the main issue here - rather than health or weight or activity. There are a few red flags here which make me thing the things you are addressing in the OP are symptoms and not issues. And there might be more going on here than you are addressing directly.

But then again - I am remarkable prone to melodrama and over thinking things so I might be talking nonsense - but either way I do hope you come back to the thread and explore some of this with our willing ears to listen and fingers to reply!

fatmannomore wrote: »

I have zero interest in sports and the last time I joined a gym I went twice and that was €350 gone.

I am totally anti gym myself too - for me I mean not anti the idea or concept or anyone else using them - I simply dislike them on more levels than you might guess - and my recent posts about gyms on this very area of the forum if you look them up will show you my dislike was compounded by some weird experiences in one too. Gyms can be great for many - but like ready made dinners - they are a quick fix solution in a modern world for things that there are genuinely better - although resource consuming - alternatives for.

fatmannomore wrote: »

Atm I am still fairly unfit, so i think joining a gym cold I would not last more than 5min and just get extra depressed about the whole thing.

What would be your targets if you were to do a gym or anything else? A certian BMI? A certain level of fitness? Maybe a mile stone goal like running a half marathon or climbing some mountain or other?

Simply "get fit" is a nice goal but rather vague. It can sometimes be very helpful and stimulating to have a fixed goal - or set of mile stones - to actually aim for. One of the depressing things about gyms can be there is no end goal - you just keep going on and on - slowly getting better and better. And sometimes you can wonder what it is you are working FOR.

So lay out your targets and ideals. Where are you now? Where do you want to be? And THEN you can worry about the ways to get from A to B.

DavidRamsay99

Go for long walks whenever you can.
If you can cycle to work or you can swim start doing it.
Stop eating sugary snacks and fried food.
Don't drink as much booze.
Eat plenty of fruit and veg.
Don't eat large portions and stop when you feel full.
Get a book on basic exercises - sit ups, squats, crunches, pushups etc in your local bookshop or library.
And if you have a wife or girlfriend have more sex.
The weight will fly off with no hassle.

Confucius say

Join a gym and use cross trainers. They are low impact and totally sweat the bejaysus out of you. From my experience it's probably 90% diet though. Just eat less and eat clean and it will fall of you.

ancapailldorcha

If your diet's poor then it's going to severely constrain any progress you might make. As such, ditching snacks, drinking more water, eating more fruits/veg, etc should be your main priority. Putting on a bit of muscle can help you lose weight but it's going to do no good if your diet is poor.

VisibleGorilla

You will lose insane amounts of weight through diet alone.

1. Find out the number of calories you need to eat to sustain your current weight and drop that by 25%.
2. Track all of your calories, you will be surprised by just how much you're actually eating.
3. Go to a gym and do low impact cardio 5 days a week.

Follow that plan for a minimum of 3 months re-adjusting calories and then introduce heavy weight training.

don ramo

id recommend joining a weight lifting gym with a good trainer, its expensive but well worth it in the long run, and the expense drops as you get fitter, im 5 foot 5 inches tall, i was 90kg 2 years ago and about 33% body fat, im now 72kg and 21% body fat, and thats just taking it easy, i earned good money for years as i piled on the weight, good times and all that, but when i was 29 i said **** this **** and started actually paying attention to my body,

i didnt make it my sole focus in life, thats probably why im not 16% body fat at this point, i started with 8 one on one session with a trainer each month, learned proper technique on the big lifts, deadlifts, squats, bench press ETC, cost me 280 a month, in a period where i was in probably my lowest paid job since i was the school, but within a year i was training 16 times a month, and only twice with a trainer, and the cost dropped cause its the one on one that cost money,

i still lack the focus to hit my goals in an adequate amount of time, but im in a much better place regardless, i find life much easier with a fit body to get me about the place on a daily basis, i live in a very hilly town, my house is 174meters up a hill from the townfront, so taxis or driving were very common, whereas now i just walk, a 5-6k walk each day after training are no bother either,

theres a 59 year old in the gym im in, and hes raves thats hes fitter now than he was when he was my age, im 31,

i really think having a solid muscle foundation is essential in any form or exercise you do, its also low impact exercise, itll strengthen all your joints, and muscle burns a lot more fat than fat will, your body will thank you for it,

24 Hours From Tulsa

exercise bike is the best thing i ever bought

boobar

If you can avail of the cycle to work scheme, buy a bike.

Great exercise..you don't need to get a road bike either...I bought a hybrid, great on rough roads and dirt tracks but much lighter than a mountain bike

gk5000

boobar wrote: »

If you can avail of the cycle to work scheme, buy a bike.

Great exercise..you don't need to get a road bike either...I bought a hybrid, great on rough roads and dirt tracks but much lighter than a mountain bike

I second this.

I just started cycling to/from work and its great as I don't have to exercise for exercise sake, but just to get home!

Go slow in the morning in work clothes, so not too sweaty, and then change into a t-shirt and regular shorts on the way home. Was really tired the first few days,but started feeling better towards the end of the first week.
Start with a cheap second hand bike and see how you get on.

Again, its great because you don't have to exercise - you have a purpose.

the_syco

A BMI score means jach sh|t. Once you're over a certain height, you're pretty much automatically obese :mad:

The bike... can pretty much depend on the saddle sometimes. Depending on your legs, some saddles can cause chaffing his is hugely uncomfortable. Just keep this in mind if you didn't think cycling is for you because of the chaffing.

As for cycling to work, check if your place has a shower.