Posted: 10/23/2002 7:02:38 AM EDT
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I'm looking for recommendations to get started. My wife and I are chubs. We need to loose weight. That's all I'm worried about right now is getting into better shape before either of us even thinks about "bulking up" etc. So where should we start? We bought the ski-machine-turned-coat-rack. Never used it, then gave it away. I'm thinking about buying a simple bench and cheap set of weights. Then what? What about food? Any good pointers/websites? What's worked for you? What hasn't? What would aid my wife and I (and our 4 kids) to adopt a lifestyle shift into being more healthy? (We already don't have tv....) Thanks in advance for yo hep. Scott |
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You need a change of lifestyle. Change 1 or 2 things at a time to focus on the change. [b]Diet would be the first to change[/b] Stop eating junk food OFTEN. If you eat Mcs,fried food,etc 3 times a week, go only once a week initially and then drop them completely in exchange for broiled chicken breasts,broiled fish,etc. [b]Stop drinking sodas[/b].They have about 150 cal each. 5 a day would drop your cal intake by 750! Spread your cals into 5-6 SMALLER meals,to keep your insulin spikes to be too high---->store excess cals into fat. Start walking and eventually jog.A treadmill is as good as anything else for cardiovascular exercise,especially during winter weather. After you change your diet and have began jogging you can lift weights. We will help you with a program for you and the wife. Even the children can join in if they are old enough. We wouldn't want them to drop a weight on their toes! Check some of the links above at the top of the forum's main page. |
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Scottman: I'm definitely still "a work in progress" but I was about a year ago where you are now. I'm not where I *want* to be, but I've dropped over 20 pounds and can actually see things that look almost-kinda-sorta like abs. [:D] The hardest part for me was just getting started. The second hardest part was *staying* in motion once I got going. Although it isn't normally a good thing, the best thing that happened to me was getting laid off. Lots of free time. I pretty much went nuts - zero to 60 in a second - trying to get into shape. I started running, I went to a bunch of different dojos, basically tried to never stop moving. Diet-wise, I completely cut out the junk food, processed foods and any drink with sugar or alcohol. Good intentions, dumb moves. I did too much, too fast. I injured myself (repeatedly) and did the "junk food binge" while recuperating, which put me right back to square one. So, stuff that worked for me: - Listen to EdAvilaSr. - Start simple. Walk until you feel ready to jog. - Push your limits a little but don't let it become an ego thing - that's when you hurt yourself. - Stick to things that are at least a *little* fun - you'll be more likely to keep them up. - Moderation over cold-turkey. Cut down the crap food and drinks a little each week until you just flat-out don't *want* them anymore. - Give yourself a weekly "cheat day" once you're "clean". Doesn't mean you have to do anything about it but knowing there's an out takes some of the pressure off. It did for me, at least. - Get a treadmill or elliptical machine. I started to punk out on my walking/jogging when winter hit and the machine helped me stay on track until summer. I tend to ramble - look at any of my posts - so I'll stop there for now. Good luck! Keith C. |
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Thanks for the replies guys. We go out maybe 2 times a week. I'll cut that down to 1. As for sodas, we drink caffiene-free diet already. I'll start shopping for a treadmill. Gotta make a nice, inviting space in the basement where we won't mind going to walk for a little each day. Again, thanks! Scott |
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Quoted: I'm looking for recommendations to get started. My wife and I are chubs. We need to loose weight. That's all I'm worried about right now is getting into better shape before either of us even thinks about "bulking up" etc. Congratulations to you, for taking the first step. Not an easy thing to do, but you've definitely come to the right place. So where should we start? We bought the ski-machine-turned-coat-rack. Never used it, then gave it away. I'm thinking about buying a simple bench and cheap set of weights. Then what? Honestly, I like to keep it simple. Over 90% of the things you need to do can be done with a decent set of dumbbells and a good pair of cross-trainers. You get a lot of exercises for little money, and then you can branch out from there... What about food? Any good pointers/websites? What's worked for you? What hasn't? I'm a big proponent of the Body For Life book by Bill Phillips. Following the guidelines in that book, I've dropped about 50 pounds since the beginning of July (went from 335-340 to about 290), and went from a waist size near 50 to a waist size near 42. You don't need to spend the hundreds on supplements from EAS to get results....a decent vitamin, and following the food and exercise system is all you need for results. I like it because it's very mentally oriented, and it's simple. Plus, it's not overly strict (like all those you MUST eat this, MUST eat that, etc). It's flexible enough to fit any lifestyle. What would aid my wife and I (and our 4 kids) to adopt a lifestyle shift into being more healthy? (We already don't have tv....) Thanks in advance for yo hep. Scott My first thought would be to maybe get the whole family involved....it'll be a lot harder to cheat if you've got your wife and kids watching out for you. The more you can integrate a program into your daily life, the easier it will be to do it. Also, don't be afraid to start slow, and don't worry if you screw up. Take your time, move at your own pace, and you will see results. |