I have become a couch potatoe and have gained about 100 pounds, how to I begin exercising again?
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Answers:
The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:
*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity minus the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). A website that explains this formula in more detail and will help you determine how many calories you need to reach or maintain a certain weight is at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/calsburned.htm
Get an online, desktop, or cell phone diet and fitness calculator. This will allow you to easily calculate the above formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.
Set realistic goals for your ideal body weight. Here are two websites that will calculate a suggested body weight:
Adults: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Teens/Children: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/exercise/weight/bmi.html
It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than one or two pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week you will lose one pound. If you burn through exercise 500 more calories per day for a week you will lose one pound.
Here are two articles on how to break through a weight loss plateau:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/86/99147.htm
http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/18/102117.htm
*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.
Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html
The following are food pyramids and several articles on what you should eat everyday:
Food Pyramids:
http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d
http://www.mypyramid.gov/
Antioxidant Superstars - Vegetables and Beans:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107638.html
Antioxidant Loaded Fruits:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107640.html
Good Carbs Mean Better Weight:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/100/105783.htm
The Benefits of Protein:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/85/98824.htm
Some Fats Are Good For You:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/49/40075.htm
Antioxidants in Green and Black Tea:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107641.html
What You Should Eat Daily:
http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_201.jhtml
Best Foods to Fight off Disease and Keep You Healthy:
http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_101.jhtml
*3) Perform cardiovascular, core, and/or strength training on most days. Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure you're doing all exercises correctly.
The following is a website and numerous articles on cardiovascular, core, and strength training:
Exercise Prescription on the Net
http://www.exrx.net/
Starting an Exercise Program:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/startexercise.htm
Strength Training Basics:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/trainbasics.htm
Cardiovascular Machine Workouts:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/cardiowork.htm
Balance Your Way to a Stronger Body:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/64/72314.htm
Understanding Your Training Heart Rate:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/thr.htm
Exercise Errors:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/errors.htm
Getting a Flat Stomach:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/71/81365.htm
Weight Lifting - Does Order Matter:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96440.htm
Encouraging Exercise in Your Kids:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103524.htm
Strength Training Safe and Effective for Kids:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/32/1728_81005.htm
*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.
*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com
Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier.
Send me an email or yahoo instant message to "gainbetterhealth" if you have any questions and good luck!
*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Other Answers:
EXCERSIZE!!!!!!!...
One potato chip, two potato chip, three... and so on.
Or you could go on a "Stem-Fast" diet! Look it up, you probly have a good corner near by.
by taking your dog out
Go out early in the morning and walk. Start with light weights around the house, every pound of muscle you add burns an extra 50 cals a day.
Try swimming - you will positively get results in Two WEEKS!
try walking at night
Well, dont u think you shud be asking urself why it happened in the first place. for a high school athelete to suddenly turn into a couch potato and gain 100 pounds is rather strange. I think you need to delve deeper and find out the real reasons. Once those issues are resolved, you can start on a weight loss program and stay at it. Dont waste your youth away like this..Hope this helps.
I too have grown somewhat lazier in life after being in a head on collision which almost took my life. I have found if I sit and never excersize for too long, it means I must be depressed. Just try to think of any posotives in your life, and get up and move around, excersize thinking of them.
Shut off TV, get off couch and walk, and do some weights, because it is muscle that burns fat.
Drink water all day, and eat 6 small meals with NO
snacking.
Start slow. Don't stress your body out. Walk to the end of the block. Walk to the store to get a couple groceries. Join a bowling league. Play some frisbee golf.
Don't be ashamed of just doing a little bit of activity a day. Your body will need a chance to get back up to speed.
gym
you can begin by
THROWING AWAY your COUCH
and than if you can't
THROW away your TV set
no point talking and asking how?
I would start slow and either join a gym but if you don't want to go broke or have to leave the house, get some workout tapes that you'll like. It's important to find something that YOU will like because different things work for different people. The only thing that gets me moving is kickboxing. I'm not into jogging or running unless something is chasing me. I love walking but I know as soon as I step out into my yard, a dog is going to bite the sh!t out of me.
Work with what you have and don't stress over it. Eat as healthy as you can without dieting and move more. It works. Don't punish yourself and just have fun. Think of it as a challenge that you are in control of and set small goals.
Walk, don't run. Walk at nite or at the mall. Try a nature walk in a woods or private area. Walk in a museum or public place in a crowd. Walk to enjoy it..as a chore you'll stop.
I was 350 and walked off 80
start out by simplygetting a treadmill or a stationary bike and sustaning a light pace for about 5 minutes a day. when you think you caan handle that, move up to ten minutes. continue each phase until doing the excersize doesnt cause you to be out of breath, then extend the time. eventually, you can increase the pace as well. you need to take it slow. it took you a long time to add the weight, it will take a long time to lose it.
start today.
with food overload, you don't physically
feel well enough to exercise.
but start today. and keep going.
work your arms.
eat less.
walk. walk. walk.
you can do this if you want to.
in a week, you will notice improvement.
small improvement, but improvement.
eat healthier food choices.
add steps to your day where ever you can.
add joy and brightness to your life
fish tank, a dog, flowers
you can do this, IF YOU WANT TO.
Start out slow, early morning is good, and take short walks, say during comercials, then again after dark, when no one can see you, then as you see improvements, go for longer walks. That's a start anyhow.
First start off with a little a day. Loose about 10 pounds. Then you can start exercising more. Try to follow those diet things or use weight watchers. Be busy and try not to spend a lot of time on computer or watching tv. If you dont have a job then u should start to babysit.
I suggest you get yourself a personal trainer, they will give you a programme suited to your needs and help keep you motivated.
And if people stare at you, let them, it's their problem, you would be doing something good for yourself.
Diet will help you a ton. Start eating clean. Oh here is something I just found out about. It is called the ABS DIET. Im serious. You eat like 6 times a day, but good food like meat, nuts, milk, yogurt, cheese, beans, bread, fruit, veggies, etc. (and it gives lots of recipes) and the exercise is like a total of 1 hr a week, and it produces amazing results. Seriously, get the book (i got it at target) or order it online, and just live it. Start, and dont look back at the old you. Just move forward to a healthier life.
OK...-If you really MEAN IT, - Then go to a Doctor & ask him to put you on a good diet & a sensible excersize plan. And NO Excuses!!! -The life you SAVE- will be your OWN! There!- I helped you. Now it's time you help yourself. Get on the phone & make that Appointment with the Doctor. Good luck!
You definitely have to motivate yourself to start going to the gym or some sort of excercise routine. Usually, the first two weeks are the hardest, because it is really easy to lose motivation during that time. Just force yourself to do it, and afterwards, if you don't...you'll feel like crap. Personally, I like joining a gym, just because you financially "commit" yourself to working out...you're paying the money, might as well use it up. I'm sure some will disagree on that one though. The other thing is you really have to watch your diet...what you're eating, and how often you eat (more often...small portions). Probably one of the better books that I have read more recently is from the publishers of Men's Health, called Abs Diet (bright orange book). If you haven't read it, its definitely worth checking out. It is very realistic and doable, with plenty of good tips in there.
100 pounds is a LOT of weight. Talk to your doctor before you take anyone's advise on how to excercise. You don't wanna have a heart attack just cause you overdid yourself. If you don't go to the doctor then start real slow and do what feels best for you. Try home workout tapes/dvd. It sounds mean but if you really felt uncomfortable with yourself, you would be already doing something and not here online asking people what THEY think.
Run like 20 minutes a day before work. This will give you energy for the rest of the day. This will also "kick-start" your metabolism and you will burn more calories the entire day. The best advice is JUST DO IT
this would take alot of hard work and determination on yr part. this article has some great weight loss and exercise programs that will help you out and much more
get motivated by looking at yourself in the mirror and making that decision, you don't want to be like this anymore. it takes a partner to help someone who could walk with you or should i say support. meet john bi stow, no seriously, you have to want to do it. take a Walkman out and walk around the block turn the TV off unless you are gonna put a video with aerobics or taebo in it. it helps me. everyone needs to make up their own mind as to motivation, but it helps with a buddy. train your mind and do your time with it.it will become a habit once you start. you have to just start.
don't use any transport to go any where
Carry on with your life.
Its yours!
First things first - get off that couch and just MOVE it. If you don't feel good about being under public stares, hey I feel the same way. Stay at home and work on your "secret weapon". See it as a way to stun everyone with your major transformation. You can join the workout plans with www.self.com, www.glamour.com, www.allure.com and I mean, what you do at home isn't open for the public to see, that's what the doors are there for, so good luck and hopefully you'll be happier happier and much healthier soon!
since you find it difficult to go out. you can always do indoor exercise. maybe you can try skipping. but start slowly (e.g start skipping 100 per day after that work on it.). dont be overambitious because you will find it tiring and you may not want to do it.
you should also cut down the amount of food you take. my method is to have smaller meal. but i take more meals compared to the past about 5 meals.
you can also get some dumbbells at home. do it when you are free. you can also do sit up. all these exercises, you can do it at home.
once you have lost some weight and feel more confident. go out and exercise.
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