I need to get back in shape...

[Bloodseeker]

I remember a few years ago. My mind was usually clear, I could run at least a straight mile without getting too winded, and despite the fact that my muscles were neither neither very big nor very firm, I was still stronger than most average people my age.

I'm just now really beginning to see the effect of my lifestyle for the better part of the past three years. My mind has become dull recently, to the point where I can't really hold my own in a serious argument anymore. My stamina sucks. I can't run a full mile without throwing up. And while I'm not [b]weak[/b], I'm not able to slam my friend anymore when we wrestle, and I'd be willing to bet that he hasn't gained more than 10 pounds since I was able to. And while I'm still not really fat yet, I'm starting to get a little chubby.

Further more, I've got a few events coming up that I'm going to need to get in shape for if I don't want to be downright miserable. Namely, the make up for the scuba-diving (I couldn't equalize), our next trip to Yosimite, and sight-seeing in Japan.

I suppose that this post alone is a somewhat of a reminder and motivator by itself. Actually, I picked up those weights that I have sitting under my table and curled 20 pounds 30 times for each arm, did 20 of those tricept curl things with 15 pounds (I don't even know what they're called), and then went and did 20 push-ups right when I thought of making this thread. Yeah, shut up. I told you that I'm out of shape.

Anyways, I'm sure that you know what I'm about to ask. To those of you that feel obligated to stay in shape, and do so, what routines do you use? How did you get yourself started? How did you stay motivated?

[eleanor]

[color=darkslateblue]

For me... I got DDR and I play it everyday until the workout mode says I ran 6 miles. A lot of people think it doesn't count as excercise or something, but that's really a bunch of BS. It works out your legs and stomach a [i]lot[/i] and by the time you've done an hour of Heavy mode songs, you'll be sweatin'. In other words...I look good in a bikini now.

Also, I don't drink soda, I only eat any chips/processed snack foods/pizza/junk food/etc. about twice a month and I eat lots of protein and good fats.

Motivation... *shrugs* I'm a girl and I like looking good. And I love clothes shopping, so if you stay in shape you can wear anything and look good in it. [/color]

[Kamuro]

I'm not in horrible shape, but truth is, I'm not incredibly strong lol. I doubt I could run a mile in a good amount of time, or do a certain amount of push-ups on direction. But I'm not fat, so I guess as far as that goes I'm not extremely healthy, but healthy enough to eat my donuts without the weezing :cool:

[jean_san]

I stick to the treadmill and work certain areas I want to build up (chest, abdominals, arms) at my local gym. I don't recommend it too much because it's easy to lose motivation fast. Lunox's method sounds more productive because it's fun which you always need if you want to stay motivated and driven to reach your goals. Hehe, I'm thinking about taking up DDR myself. :D

[Pumpkin]

[quote name='x kakashi x']I'm not in horrible shape, but truth is, I'm not incredibly strong lol. I doubt I could run a mile in a good amount of time, or do a certain amount of push-ups on direction. But I'm not fat, so I guess as far as that goes I'm not extremely healthy, but healthy enough to eat my donuts with the weezing :cool:[/quote]

This is kind of true for me also. I'm actually not in the best shape right now, and funny thing is was thinking on going on a diet tomorrow. I've never been considered "Fat" or "Chunky" but every once in awhile I can get out of shape. I usually run on my treadmill for about an hour or two hours a day for a week and stop drinking soda and junk food really helps. It helps to cut down your midnight snacks too which I've seriously been munching on the worse stuff, potatoe chips and peanut butter. Candy is a no-no, hard to say no to that stuff. It only takes a week for me to get into shape if I really try hard enough, I really need to work out my arm muscles, infact I think I'm going to go do all that right now! Laters.

[Juu]

[size=1]I run two miles every other day... or at least power-walk three miles every other day because cardio's what gets rid of tummy flab. Today I ran an 8 mile marathon and still ran to the car. I don't feel comfortable eating if I don't burn at least some of it.[/size]

[James]

[color=#737373]The only thing I still do at the moment is sit-ups. But I have to say, it's probably not good enough. I certainly felt better when I was exercising more often.

I find that motivation usually comes from other people. My sister has said that she'd like to go to the local gym with me, which is great, because it means we'll be there to spur each other on. Plus, it kind of becomes a social thing then...the time always goes faster when you have someone to talk to. ^_^

This was also true in high school when one of my friends was my gym buddy. We pretty much used to just talk the entire time, while we were exercising, which really helped. It's great when someone else is going through the same thing, it really gives you added motivation. So I think that is a big recommendation for those who want to exercise more often; see if you can find someone to exercise with you![/color]

[Bloodseeker]

[QUOTE=Lunox][color=darkslateblue]

For me... I got DDR and I play it everyday until the workout mode says I ran 6 miles. A lot of people think it doesn't count as excercise or something, but that's really a bunch of BS. It works out your legs and stomach a [i]lot[/i] and by the time you've done an hour of Heavy mode songs, you'll be sweatin'. In other words...I look good in a bikini now.[/color][/QUOTE]

There's an idea. I've been looking for an excuse to try out the Eye-Toy.

[Delta]

[COLOR=#95005E][SIZE=1]Help around.
It's really good alterative for people who refuse to be bothered with gym membership fees and such. I find that (literally) running errands, lugging furniture and lifting groceries are good for toning muscles. Try to make these tasks part of your daily routine (and it'll keep you in good terms with everyone!).

Another trick is to try and get as much activity from stuff you love to do...like windowshopping. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[James]

[quote name='Bloodseeker']There's an idea. I've been looking for an excuse to try out the Eye-Toy.[/quote]

[color=#737373]Yeah, this is actually a really good idea. A way to make exercise fun. ~_^

Actually, I have recently taken to wrestling my two siblings using bean bags. That definitely keeps me active. :animesigh [/color]

[Bloodseeker]

I've got that Eye-Toy ordered (lots of the reviews said that its a good work out), and I'm going back to restricting myself to two sodas a day. Yeah, I'm a little addicted. I'll ease off the caffeine.

I might get a job this Tuesday (the assistant manager told me that I have a really good chance), and once a pick up a barbell, I'm going to try to start an arm and shoulders... chest and back... legs routine. (arms first day, chest second day, legs, third day, start over the next, use Sunday to recover)

[Kamuro]

DDR is the only game I've found that actually makes me sweat. Of course, I don't have the eye-toy, so I can't really speak for it. I was sort of on a DDR streak where I would play it every day for hours, around 5 usually. This got me pretty well in shape. Plus I'm in a band and such, so I'm always jumping around and dancing and stuff.

I think its all about finding what works for you rather then what works for everyone else. All these diets and stuff, they might work for some, but for the average person like you and me I find it hard to accomplish and obide all the rules every minute of the day. But if you find something you like to do and it actually helps you lose weight, its a lot easier to exercise and actually get in shape.

[Bloodseeker]

Interesting note considering diets... scientific studies have been done that reveal that people on diets tend to have a habbit of gorging of themselves if they get off their diet even a little bit. Having a mom that tried to diet before, I can believe it. "Oh well. I'm already passed my carb count, so what do you say we go out and get some pasta?" God knows how many times I've heard statements like that.

Why? The way that the studies described it, people that aren't dieting eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full. When you start dieting, the statistics take over and the stomach is set on the wayside. When they pass the limit, their mind says "screw it" and they eat until they feel like their about to explode.

[AzureWolf]

[quote name='Bloodseeker']Interesting note considering diets... scientific studies have been done that reveal that people on diets tend to have a habbit of gorging of themselves if they get off their diet even a little bit.[/quote] [COLOR=blue]The thing about dieting is that you have to not only reduce your caloric intake, but you also have to change foods almost completely. When a person eats something that is (for lack of a better word) nostalgic to him/her, his/her body does not become satisfied until the usual amount is ingested.

So, if you plan on dieting, you don't have to abandon everything you've ever eaten, but you'll have to eat those things less frequently because you'll have a hard time satisfying yourself with a smaller amount.[/COLOR]

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f]I'm pretty much the right weight, but I get very tired very easily. I have a really high heart rate. I can't even run once around the track with out collapsing in the end. I really need to work cardio excercises.

I have a question in regards to diet. If you want to lose weight, is a diet consisting mainly of vegetables a good idea? Everyone talks about low carb diets, but I know vegetables definitly have carbs. So what is the best diet? Low fat or low carb?[/COLOR]

[AzureWolf]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']I have a question in regards to diet. If you want to lose weight, is a diet consisting mainly of vegetables a good idea? Everyone talks about low carb diets, but I know vegetables definitly have carbs. So what is the best diet? Low fat or low carb?[/COLOR][/quote] [COLOR=blue]I haven't the slightest clue, but here's what I know.

Vegatables tend to take twice as much energy to digest than they give. The cellulose shell makes it harder for your body to extract the nutrients, so in an effort to grab those nutrients from the undigestable cell wall, more enzymes and hormones are secreted and produced. Vegetables don't have [i]that[/i] many carbohydrates, especially when you compare them to things like fruits, which are almost exclusively carbs.

Also, what types of fats you eat are important. You don't want to eat trans or saturated fats. Those are the most stable types of fats and therefore the hardest to breakdown (and therefore the longest lasting). Trans and saturated do mean what they mean in chemistry, so it should come as no surprise.

However, if you plan on dieting for an extended period of time (months), I would not recommend going off fats. A small portion of fat everyday is a good thing. It really all comes down to the calories, so even if you ingest a bit of fat in place of a large amount of carbs, the carlorie amount is the same and you will have the same dietary result. Anyway, if you go off fats for an extended period, your liver will experience atrophy (inactivity), since it does not need to produce things like bile. This can (and does) lead to problems later on.

Also, if you are strict with your dietary regimen at the beginning, you will see a markedly loss at the beginning. Something like losing two pounds in two or three days, and it will be very noticeable. People take this as a good sign and celebrate or reward themselves with more food since they can afford it. [B]Do not do this![/B] There is an immediate glycogen reserve, which is a more accessible form of storage than fats and is the first thing used when energy levels are low. The size of this glycogen reserve is about 1 kg (2.2 lbs?), and lasts less than 24 hours when someone experiences starvation.

Anyway, you will see a quick loss in weight, but if you reward yourself at the beginning, that lost weight will return (glycogen reserve is quick to recover after a meal). This tends to make people depressed, and quit.

Working out is easier to stick to than changing your meal plan. However, if you can manage both, you'll lose weight faster. Dieting alone is tough, since your body will increasingly refuse to lose weight the farther you progress (a survival mechanism).

Hope that helps.[/COLOR]

[eleanor]

[i]I have a question in regards to diet. If you want to lose weight, is a diet consisting mainly of vegetables a good idea? Everyone talks about low carb diets, but I know vegetables definitly have carbs. So what is the best diet? Low fat or low carb?[/i]

[color=darkslateblue] Neither, really. If you went on something like the Atkin's Diet (an extreme low-carb diet), you'll live the rest of your life eating bacon and steak. If you went on a low fat diet, um...that would sort of just suck, lol.

So, um... the big secret of dieting (if there ever was one): eat a balanced diet! :D Of course, you'll still have to cut back on the amount of carbs you eat, and junk food and soda and etc. But really...just make sure that you eat well-proportioned meals that consist of 1) Protein 2) Carbs and 3) Fats. [b]And take this note[/b]: there are two types of fat. One if a bad fat and one if a good fat. Foods that have good fats are things like fish, nuts, avocadoes (I love this things, I usually just eat them as a snack), seeds, and various oils (like olive oil). Bad fats are all the fried foods, refined vegetable oils, margarine, and other such things that you can pretty much figure out on your own.

Seriously, learn to love fish. Fish is good. You [i]love[/i] fish. More specifically, you love salmon.

Carbs, well, everyone loves carbs, right? Just don't eat white breads. Try and stick to whole wheats...and as opposed to this really insane and untrue rumor, rice is not 'good' for you. It's just as fattening. Less fattening, but still fattening. Why are a lot of asians skinny? Dunno. We eat kimchi. lol. I really have no idea. And... mangos, watermelon, and really sweet fruit has lots of carbs. Usually for snacks I just eat strawberries smothered in cottage cheese and it evens out.

Protein: red meats, cottage cheese, fish, nuts, seeds, fish, red meat, fish.

Eating a lot of fish gives you nice skin, too.

But seriously, if you want to lose weight, read the Zone Diet book. It helps. *A lot* When I first started dieting, I lost 12 pounds in two weeks. It's nice, really.

Other tips: don't eat after seven PM, don't excercise for three hours and not eat, don't think that eating a lot less with make you loose weight (you actually gain some because your body gets worried), drink lots of water, and you don't have to stick to your diet like you're going to die if you don't. I don't know about everyone else, but *after* I started losing weight *regularly*, I sometimes just ate some foods I loved (soda, lots of carbs, etc.) and it really didn't make a difference. You wouldn't loose weight, but you'd stay the same. Just make sure you don't do these 'rewards' everyday, lol. I usually do it twice a month.[/color]

[Fall]

I wouldn't say I'm in shape, but I also wouldn't say I'm out of shape. I run 5 days a week, usually about 20-30 minutes, and that's enough for me.

[Hevn]

[COLOR=DarkOliveGreen][SIZE=1]I need to lose 10 pounds and I still can't. lol

I don't really like in dieting because I love to eat and I can't discipline myself. I think what people should do is find the right type of exercise for them.. or the one that they feel is really fun and doesn't feel like a work out activity. Exercises buddies do well. *nods*

As for me, I've been trying different kinds of exercise lately since my exercise buddy/bestfriend got pregnant, and therefore can't do any exercise stuff. I tried going to the gym, exercise at home, jogging, pilates etc., but so far my body only accepts walking and swimming.

Window shopping and cleaning the house are good too.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Guest Sean]

[SIZE=1]I play guitar, that's realy the only exercise I get. Well, apart from Physical Education at school where we get made to hit balls at each other. ~_^

But to get fit, all you need to do is:[list]
[*]Eat Healthy Foods
[*]Keep Constant Exercise
[*]Visit A Gym From Time To Time[/list]

And that's all I can think off...>>;;[/SIZE]

[Momiji Love]

[SIZE=1]Prepare yourself for tons of ramblings that are semi-off the subject from [I]moi[/I]!
Also ones on subject! Just to keep myself from being kicked off the boards!

Now I am not "fat".My friends are constantly reminding me when I complain about being cold that it's because I don't have enough body fat to keep myself warm.But most of them haven't seen me in a bathing suit.My tummeh is a bit pudgey. XP
-slaps self for hypocrit-ness-

But thats beside the point.I am in absolute horrible shape.I hate running and much strenuos (sp?) activity.A few people have told me I'm built to run or play tennis,but I have no strength what-so-ever.Just for an idea,I sometimes have to use a butter knife to open a can of soda. -Bad example-

But its mainly in the spring and summer when everyone participates in all the "GO GO GO!" activity when I can't breathe from all the pollen,dust and mold.So yeah.I can run just fine in the winter and late fall.Which is inconvieniet.

I love eating.I could eat all day if I wanted to.Most people say they really can't tell by looking at me,but its true.But that would be sorta disgusting.So yeah.My favorite foods are fruits and vegables.I love them to death.I just had a peach and two cereal-sized bowls of plain lettuce.But I also love Dairy Queen and any form of ice cream... :animeswea So I gotta eat right when I get older.Its going to be a hard habit to break,going to Dairy Queen or eating ice cream at least once a week.

For all of y'all talking about losing weight,I can say this.Eat your fruits and vegables (thats what I said) and actually try in gym class if your still in school.Ride bikes to places that are close enough (I'd say 5 miles is far enough) and even walk.I love walking.Just not running.

-End ramblings and tidbits of meaningful stuff-[/SIZE]

[Retribution]

[SIZE=1]I'm on the eat less, exercise more diet! Forget the carbs, or the calories, just eat healthier in general, and exercise, and the world will come to you. Of course, there are [I]always[/I] a few people who just can't lose weight due to problems of one kind or another. Anyway...

My metabolism lets me eat like there's no tommorow, and not gain a friggin pound. So I'm pretty skinny. And I play soccer, which requires alot of training, so I usually run around four miles in prep. when the season is closer, but a two mile run is standard. *sigh* Back in my 'prime' I ran a 4 miler, a 6 miler, and then a 4 miler again in three days, and I could run two miles in 13 minutes.

But alas, no more. Perhaps this summer...

*goes off to eat a donut*[/SIZE]

[dMage]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Firstly, I really want to thank you for posting this thread up. I was arguing with myself whether or not I should go to the gym today, and on seeing this, have decided I should.

Getting toned can be a hard thing, but with perseverance, and didligence, it will become a reality. I think the hardest thing about getting/staying in shape is the fact that you need some motivation. I thnk we should all encourage each other, and hopefully that will help us all stay on target.

Bloodseeker stated:
[QUOTE][B]Bloodseeker stated[/B]:
(arms first day, chest second day, legs, third day, start over the next, use Sunday to recover)[/QUOTE]

That sounds like a pretty good plan, but I have just a few suggestions. I think it might help if you did something like arms/legs/ and then chest, just to let your tri's recuperate a little more. Also, if you plan to work out your back, either superset in conjunction with your chest, or devote a whole singular day to it.

Personally, I found this method, (which I used when I was pretty serious about toning up and getting into shape) the best. You do the following muscle sets once a day:
Day 1: Bicep and Triceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Chest
Day 4: Calves and Abs (though you should do some light sstuff every day with both these muscles, devoting a whole workout session to them is also really good)
Day 5: Back
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: rest yourself up.
rinse and repeat[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Mykul]

Ok I'll go ahead and confess that the ONE person who says they can run a marathon straight through is me. Please don't think I'm big-headed though, I'm just a runner, and here's my take on physical fitness.

[B]First off I've always disagreed with dedicating one day to one portion of the body, for reasons such as:[/B]

- A body part worked the day before can become sore overnight and not be usefull if it is needed as a support for the next days workout. (Ex. It's not fun doing push ups with really sore abs, nor is having a stiff back good for sit ups.)

- Doing a workout for a muscle only ONCE a week gives it WAY too much recovery time, lengthening the amount of time it takes to efficiently build muscle mass.

[B]I've found that for me, keeping in mind that i have to stay muscular but small, being a runner, working out for an hour and a half to two hours a day, anywhere from 3-5 days a week is right on. Also, a good tip is to end your workout with an excercise that kind of mixes cardio and regular muscle strength (PC's, Full Boddy Bridge. PM me if you want to know what these are).[/B]

[B]Best advice I can give is RUN! R-U-N, RUN![/B]

- Running increases your level of cardio-vascular fitness immensley.

- Running lowers your resting heartbeat.

- Running actually forces your body to grow more capalaries.

- Accentuated abs come after a few months of running, no situps required.

[Retribution]

[SIZE=1][QUOTE=MehrLicht][B]First off I've always disagreed with dedicating one day to one portion of the body, for reasons such as:[/B]

- A body part worked the day before can become sore overnight and not be usefull if it is needed as a support for the next days workout. (Ex. It's not fun doing push ups with really sore abs, nor is having a stiff back good for sit ups.)

- Doing a workout for a muscle only ONCE a week gives it WAY too much recovery time, lengthening the amount of time it takes to efficiently build muscle mass.[/QUOTE]
I disagree with you partially. Yes, it's not good to give a muscle a week to recover, but it needs at least a day. You actually cause microtears in the muscle tissue, and not giving yourself some recovery time will just destroy your muscles. So, by resting and [B]eating protein[/B], your muscles will rebuild in tighter, stronger tissue patterns. No protein = no way 'building blocks' for your body to use.[/SIZE]