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Gaa watcher to Gaa player

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  • 03-12-2018 7:35pm
    #1
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    As the name suggests i was living and working outside of the country for a number of years where my weight ballooned to 18 stone through a mixture of very little exercise , guinness and far too much indulgence of my sweet tooth . I have a massive interest in GAA and whilst i love watching i am 30 now so want to get back to playing a bit of football before im too old. My main aims are:

    1: Get myself up to a fitness level that i can manage to train with the juniors and eventually play.
    2: Lose weight along the way
    3. increase strength/skills in areas which would be beneficial to me possibly becoming a starting member of the team.


    To date i have started my journey by:
    1. beginning to watch what i eat and logging all meals in my fitness pal to hopefully be in a calorie deficit every day. (achieved for a week so far)
    2. Taking the poor jack russell for a 5k walk every night. Will commence small bits of jogging in a week or so (run a pole walk a pole)
    3. No beer

    I intend to:
    1. Join the local gym and get a lesson/programme on how to use the machines.
    2. Become better educated on what im eating.


    Any tips/advice etc would be greatly appreciated.


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    #2
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Things going well so far. under 1500 calories every day for the past week and doing a 5k walk with the dog in the evenings has me weighing 17 stone 11.5 lbs this morning. Am amazed how much i can actually eat and always feel full when eating cleaner.


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    #3
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,552 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    theemigrant wrote: »
    Things going well so far. under 1500 calories every day for the past week and doing a 5k walk with the dog in the evenings has me weighing 17 stone 11.5 lbs this morning. Am amazed how much i can actually eat and always feel full when eating cleaner.

    Do you find using MyFitnessPal a bit of an eye opener in terms of the content of some food?


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    #4
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Do you find using MyFitnessPal a bit of an eye opener in terms of the content of some food?

    Completely!! ill never eat a breakfast bar again


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    #5
    incentsitive
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭incentsitive


    Tip - keep er lit, keep doing what you are doing.
    Once you keep doing what your doing, you'll lose the weight easily enough.
    If you want real advice on what you are eating, go to visit a dietician or something like BBC good food. Don't mind any blogger or celebrity sponsored waffler about various diets.
    But don't be afraid to have a blow-out night where you go out and drink a load of pints or have a take away. If you don't treat yourself, you'll get bored of it and fall off the wagon - make it a treat to celebrate a milestone, e.g. running 5k in under a certain time, or running 10k without stopping, etc.


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    #6
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    incentsitive wrote: »
    Tip - keep er lit, keep doing what you are doing.
    Once you keep doing what your doing, you'll lose the weight easily enough.
    If you want real advice on what you are eating, go to visit a dietician or something like BBC good food. Don't mind any blogger or celebrity sponsored waffler about various diets.
    But don't be afraid to have a blow-out night where you go out and drink a load of pints or have a take away. If you don't treat yourself, you'll get bored of it and fall off the wagon - make it a treat to celebrate a milestone, e.g. running 5k in under a certain time, or running 10k without stopping, etc.

    Im actually enjoying it at the moment. Im not craving sweets or anything as of yet. Would you say id need to be able to run 10k to be fit enough to play?


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    #7
    incentsitive
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭incentsitive


    Probably not to be fair, I just threw it in as a suggestion. I've played ball with a lot of shapes and sizes so you'd be grand I'd say. Just be able to do a good bit of sprinting etc.


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    #8
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    10k should be manageable in time im hoping


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    #9
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Got a samsung gear watch from the girlfriend for christmas. Find the steps a constant reminder to keep on track. starting to notice clothes a bit looser now even though i did eat a bit of bad food over the christmas


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    #10
    incentsitive
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭incentsitive


    theemigrant wrote: »
    Got a samsung gear watch from the girlfriend for christmas. Find the steps a constant reminder to keep on track. starting to notice clothes a bit looser now even though i did eat a bit of bad food over the christmas

    Sure who didn't, good to hear.


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    #11
    Lu Tze
    Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭Lu Tze


    Fair play to you, considered it myself but thought I was too unfit, old (35), and too long out of the game, having been not particularly good when I was playing!

    Keep us updated.


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    #12
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Lu Tze wrote: »
    Fair play to you, considered it myself but thought I was too unfit, old (35), and too long out of the game, having been not particularly good when I was playing!

    Keep us updated.

    I wasnt particularily good either but have more of a gra for the game now than i had then so its one way to motivate me to do something. After moving home i definitely need to expand my social circle also so two birds with one stone. Im only hoping to make the c team so anything above that level is a bonus and making the a's is a pipe dream :p


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    #13
    Telo123
    Registered Users Posts: 134 ✭✭Telo123


    Ah lads.Jusr looked through this thread there. Dont worry about your fitness levels just get on the pitch with your local clubs and enjoy yourselves , there are many people out there in the same situation as ye playing away. Nobody will care if your not unbelivebaly fit.Respect for getting out there and moving though, great for the mental and physical health.


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    #14
    incentsitive
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭incentsitive


    Telo123 wrote: »
    Ah lads.Jusr looked through this thread there. Dont worry about your fitness levels just get on the pitch with your local clubs and enjoy yourselves , there are many people out there in the same situation as ye playing away. Nobody will care if your not unbelivebaly fit.Respect for getting out there and moving though, great for the mental and physical health.

    I'd agree with that lads. The GAA has survived for 125 years with lads who aren't in great shape, getting out and playing Junior B or whatever.


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    #15
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,552 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    To be fair, the lad is using it as a motivation to get in better shape so its not solely about getting a game


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    #16
    Consey
    Registered Users Posts: 410 ✭✭Consey


    Great start for you OP, well done on getting going. Don't leave it too long to get out and join junior training, great time of year for it, be plenty of unfit lads there! You don't need a high level of fitness for junior football, apart from a strong grip to keep a hold of the jersey of whatever young lad you're marking!

    Great to get back playing, you can't beat it and you've a few years left in you!


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    #17
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Consey wrote: »
    Great start for you OP, well done on getting going. Don't leave it too long to get out and join junior training, great time of year for it, be plenty of unfit lads there! You don't need a high level of fitness for junior football, apart from a strong grip to keep a hold of the jersey of whatever young lad you're marking!

    Great to get back playing, you can't beat it and you've a few years left in you!

    C's not back until march i think. Chairman has said hell let me know when they are. Down half a stone now!!


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    #18
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    5k of walking/jogging/crawling done last night. im now running a pole walking a pole. was under pressure for km 2 & 3 but then started to enjoy it.


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    #19
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Sooo.. this fell by the wayside and im back to the same story. Going to try again now


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    #20
    Bassfish
    Registered Users Posts: 903 ✭✭✭Bassfish


    Good on you, I joined Rugby Club in my late 20s having never played anything but tag. As expected, i was ****e and couldn't tackle a bag of chips but i really enjoyed it. Knowing i had training or a match that day forces you to eat right. You'd be hard pushed to do the same amount of cardio in a gym that you'll end up doing in training. Ended up making friends and being the fittest i ever was in my adult life. Don't let anything put you off and give it a crack!


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    #21
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Lost 3kg of fat and added 1.5kg of muscle according to the test they do in the gym. Feeling a lot better in myself and im out with the clubs c team this weekend. Doubt ill be playing but good to get started.


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    #22
    carltonleon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭carltonleon


    Well Done. That is a great achievement and should spur you on to bigger gains and to train even harder.
    I never played GAA in my life but played soccer . I ended up getting involved in the local club through mentoring my kids teams and ended up playing with the Over 40s (social) team once a week and really enjoyed it and I am closer to 50 than I am to 40 but I was pretty fit and obviously having played soccer I had a good idea of team sports so was able to not look out of place. I am probably the fittest I have been in 20 years and train about 5/6 times a week sometimes more but feel great so keep on with your path, you are only a young fella and once you get on the healthy track there will be something stopping you from going back on the unhealthy track again. It is all about consistency in relation to training and with nutrition it is not about dieting but about making a permanent change in your lifestyle.


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    #23
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Played midfield in a training match and went well for 25/30 minutes.


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    #24
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Match last Friday Night against the local rivals, Didn't get a game but still liking being involved for now.When im not getting game time im going to try increase my activity levels as anybody on the team is getting an hour more excercise than me and i need to close the gap.
    I did darkness into light saturday and then a 10k cycle sunday. Almost 29k steps over the weekend.


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    #25
    carltonleon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭carltonleon


    How long did the 10k cycle take ? That's not really much if I am honest, I probably wouldn't get on my bike if I wasn't doing at least 35/40km with some climbing.
    That's not a criticism by the way, but the reason I ask how long the cycle took you is that there would be a much more beneficial/efficient way for you to spend that 30mins if you are really looking for the fitness aspect and that would be a HIIT session which you can do at home.
    So I did Darkness Into Light on Sat as well and then at about 3pm on Sat afternoon I did 3 sets of 13x45 secs on 15 secs off HIIT. But the difference is that for the first 2 sets I did it wearing a 20kg weight vest and the last set I took it off. And Yes, it was absolutely ****ing savage and left me wrecked but even without the weight vest 3 sets of this would be more helpful in gaining fitness, in my opinion, than 10k cycling.
    This was done in my hall with the Seconds Interval Timer on my iPad.

    So my set looked like this -
    High Knees
    Mountain Climbers
    Jumping Squats
    Knees to Elbow Mountain Climbers
    Burpees
    Switching Mountain Climbers
    Jumping Jacks
    Lunges
    Russian Twists
    Isometric AB Boat Hold
    Step Ups (2 steps on Stairs)
    Plank Shoulder Taps
    Kick Throughs


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    #26
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    carltonleon wrote: »
    How long did the 10k cycle take ? That's not really much if I am honest, I probably wouldn't get on my bike if I wasn't doing at least 35/40km with some climbing.
    That's not a criticism by the way, but the reason I ask how long the cycle took you is that there would be a much more beneficial/efficient way for you to spend that 30mins if you are really looking for the fitness aspect and that would be a HIIT session which you can do at home.
    So I did Darkness Into Light on Sat as well and then at about 3pm on Sat afternoon I did 3 sets of 13x45 secs on 15 secs off HIIT. But the difference is that for the first 2 sets I did it wearing a 20kg weight vest and the last set I took it off. And Yes, it was absolutely ****ing savage and left me wrecked but even without the weight vest 3 sets of this would be more helpful in gaining fitness, in my opinion, than 10k cycling.
    This was done in my hall with the Seconds Interval Timer on my iPad.

    So my set looked like this -
    High Knees
    Mountain Climbers
    Jumping Squats
    Knees to Elbow Mountain Climbers
    Burpees
    Switching Mountain Climbers
    Jumping Jacks
    Lunges
    Russian Twists
    Isometric AB Boat Hold
    Step Ups (2 steps on Stairs)
    Plank Shoulder Taps
    Kick Throughs

    It took me 30 minutes with some steep hills included. I can appreciate you probably would have spent that time more effectively but as per my opening post im extremely unfit and doubt i would be able for a 40km cycle.


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    #27
    carltonleon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭carltonleon


    As I said theemigrant, it was not a criticism but I was taking it from one of your previous posts with the muscle gain and fatloss that you posted that your fitness had moved on so I was just trying to help you up that with a suggestion. It can be hard to gauge from people's postings what level they are at or have moved onto


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    #28
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    carltonleon wrote: »
    As I said theemigrant, it was not a criticism but I was taking it from one of your previous posts with the muscle gain and fatloss that you posted that your fitness had moved on so I was just trying to help you up that with a suggestion. It can be hard to gauge from people's postings what level they are at or have moved onto

    i feel like i have gone back in the last week or so. Got a bang in the ribs playing football and its been sore for almost two weeks. Coupled with my knees being extremely stiff first thing in the morning ive slowed down a bit this week


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    #29
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Lost a further 2kg in the past week. Delighted with myself as wasnt in the gym so much with the bad ribs. Went to the gym both yesterday morning and this morning. Starting to enjoy the gym sessions now.


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    #30
    carltonleon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭carltonleon


    theemigrant wrote: »
    Lost a further 2kg in the past week. Delighted with myself as wasnt in the gym so much with the bad ribs. Went to the gym both yesterday morning and this morning. Starting to enjoy the gym sessions now.

    Great .. Well Done ...
    Once you get on that healthy track, it is a great feeling.
    It is all about consistency and doing things regularly both in training and as regards nutrition.
    Keep up the good work


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    #31
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    First appearance tonight. Got 40 mins at full forward. Delighted


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