Maxprime
03-06-2006, 10:47 AM
I was originally just going to post up my workout suggestions, but after starting I realized I wanted to post up a lot more. I consider working out and getting your body in shape to be a work towards health (both physical & mental) - the best side effect and motivator is looking fantastic.
Your First 10 Steps:
1) Figure out and get comfortable with where you are now, where you want to be, and how long it will take. Be BRUTALLY honest with yourself - without a realistic plan you are going to get nowhere. get naked and look in front of a mirror (no sucking in!) and be brutally honest. I also suggest taking a picture (in undies) so you can remember how awful you used to be. Self-loathing is the best motivator. Think about how you feel at the beach or in the showers at the gym - think about how you want to feel and look. Now, get some numbers about where you truly want to be and put a time frame on it.
2) Get your diet straight. All the work in the world won't do a thing if you eat crap. Get a plan for how much weight you're going to lose (~3500 cals/pound of fat), in what time frame and figure out how many calories you can eat in a day. CONTROL PORTIONS - Americans eat way too much food. Too much good food is too much food. Period.
3) Take steps to support your efforts. SLEEP is key - your body repairs your muscles, breaks down some fats to get energy to the brain, for you guys - it's when you make much of your testosterone. Sleep is very key. Take a multivitamin - they cost nothing and it's easy to take. A multivitamin will fix gaps in your nutritional diet.
4) Get your head straight. Exercising will remove stress and make you feel better - but it's no cure. If you are stressed, your body produces cortisol. Cortisol is your mind's signal to your body that you are stressed. Your body responds by desperately packing away any energy it can in the form of fat - it also breaks down your hard-earned muscles for energy. Not eating enough WILL release cortisol and ruin your work. Eat proper portions of good food - treat your body well.
5) Cheat. Yes, I said it - cheat. If you kill yourself for 6 months to get into great shape and become happy with yourself, then quit - you've lost. You'll be back on these threads in 12 months. My cheating is beer - I love beer. I love going out and drinking beer. It's stocked full of terrible calories that turn into fat. Alcohol disrupts your sleep and suppresses your digestive system - making more fat. But you need a reward. When I've run 4 miles and say "that's a good job" - I think about how if I run 2 more miles I can have more beer! If you diet properly, work out, and then cheat your heart out at the end of the day - you should end up even on calories. I short 1,000 calories on days I work out - that's 10 beers I get to have. It's not good, but everyone needs to cheat to keep yourself going. Pick something that is worth it - cake, whatever - and every once and a while let yourself have some.
6) Cardio. Now we're getting somewhere. Cardio has a TON of wonderful things it does. Most importantly, it gets your heart into shape. For you gentlemen, lowering that blood pressure through exercise will preven the #1 cause of erectile dysfunction. High blood pressure will destroy your body over time. Best of all, you burn calories like crazy. Do as much cardio as your body will allow - but rest (see next point) to prevent injury, especially to knees.
7) Rest. This can be both the hardest and easiest thing to do. For some, not working out will make your skin crawl. For others, this is what it's all about. If you don't let your body rest, it won't have time to repair the damage you do. It will be under constant stress and release our ugly friend cortisol - more fat and less muscle will follow. Take time off - use that time you normally are stuck in the gym to do something great. Hang out with your family, whatever. If you don't rest, you will not see long term results. Mentally, you will come back to the gym ready to go and your body will respond.
8) Lift Weights. Muscular strength is very important to overall health. Resistance training not only strengthens your muscles, it strengthens your bones. You will get sore and it will suck - but after a while you won't get sore after workouts. Weight lifting elevates your heart rate and provides some extra cardio. Your brain will release endorphins to help with the pain of soreness, which will make you feel fantastic. Your physique will improve and as you cut away that fat it you will look fantastic. The opposite sex groping your chiseled abs will make all the pain seem worthwhile.
9) DRINK WATER! Few people realize how much water will help weight loss and overall health. Stop drinking sodas - that sugar is crap for you. Water fills your stomach and makes you feel more full. Nobody drinks enough - dehydration makes you tired, cranky, and gives you headaches. Drink water everywhere - every meal. Before every meal, drink 8 oz of water. Being thirsty (most people are dehydrated) is VERY often confused with hunger. If you feel hungry for a snack that you don't think you need, drink a huge glass of water. If you drink it all, wait a bit, and you're still hungry - eat a healthy snack.
10) Stick to the basics. We're not bodybuilders or olympic athletes. You don't need a fad diet or $300 of supplements a month. Eat healthy, work out, keep your head right and you will see success. You will be happier, look better, and feel better than ever before - I guarantee it.
I'll post more specifics below - but these are a great start.
Your First 10 Steps:
1) Figure out and get comfortable with where you are now, where you want to be, and how long it will take. Be BRUTALLY honest with yourself - without a realistic plan you are going to get nowhere. get naked and look in front of a mirror (no sucking in!) and be brutally honest. I also suggest taking a picture (in undies) so you can remember how awful you used to be. Self-loathing is the best motivator. Think about how you feel at the beach or in the showers at the gym - think about how you want to feel and look. Now, get some numbers about where you truly want to be and put a time frame on it.
2) Get your diet straight. All the work in the world won't do a thing if you eat crap. Get a plan for how much weight you're going to lose (~3500 cals/pound of fat), in what time frame and figure out how many calories you can eat in a day. CONTROL PORTIONS - Americans eat way too much food. Too much good food is too much food. Period.
3) Take steps to support your efforts. SLEEP is key - your body repairs your muscles, breaks down some fats to get energy to the brain, for you guys - it's when you make much of your testosterone. Sleep is very key. Take a multivitamin - they cost nothing and it's easy to take. A multivitamin will fix gaps in your nutritional diet.
4) Get your head straight. Exercising will remove stress and make you feel better - but it's no cure. If you are stressed, your body produces cortisol. Cortisol is your mind's signal to your body that you are stressed. Your body responds by desperately packing away any energy it can in the form of fat - it also breaks down your hard-earned muscles for energy. Not eating enough WILL release cortisol and ruin your work. Eat proper portions of good food - treat your body well.
5) Cheat. Yes, I said it - cheat. If you kill yourself for 6 months to get into great shape and become happy with yourself, then quit - you've lost. You'll be back on these threads in 12 months. My cheating is beer - I love beer. I love going out and drinking beer. It's stocked full of terrible calories that turn into fat. Alcohol disrupts your sleep and suppresses your digestive system - making more fat. But you need a reward. When I've run 4 miles and say "that's a good job" - I think about how if I run 2 more miles I can have more beer! If you diet properly, work out, and then cheat your heart out at the end of the day - you should end up even on calories. I short 1,000 calories on days I work out - that's 10 beers I get to have. It's not good, but everyone needs to cheat to keep yourself going. Pick something that is worth it - cake, whatever - and every once and a while let yourself have some.
6) Cardio. Now we're getting somewhere. Cardio has a TON of wonderful things it does. Most importantly, it gets your heart into shape. For you gentlemen, lowering that blood pressure through exercise will preven the #1 cause of erectile dysfunction. High blood pressure will destroy your body over time. Best of all, you burn calories like crazy. Do as much cardio as your body will allow - but rest (see next point) to prevent injury, especially to knees.
7) Rest. This can be both the hardest and easiest thing to do. For some, not working out will make your skin crawl. For others, this is what it's all about. If you don't let your body rest, it won't have time to repair the damage you do. It will be under constant stress and release our ugly friend cortisol - more fat and less muscle will follow. Take time off - use that time you normally are stuck in the gym to do something great. Hang out with your family, whatever. If you don't rest, you will not see long term results. Mentally, you will come back to the gym ready to go and your body will respond.
8) Lift Weights. Muscular strength is very important to overall health. Resistance training not only strengthens your muscles, it strengthens your bones. You will get sore and it will suck - but after a while you won't get sore after workouts. Weight lifting elevates your heart rate and provides some extra cardio. Your brain will release endorphins to help with the pain of soreness, which will make you feel fantastic. Your physique will improve and as you cut away that fat it you will look fantastic. The opposite sex groping your chiseled abs will make all the pain seem worthwhile.
9) DRINK WATER! Few people realize how much water will help weight loss and overall health. Stop drinking sodas - that sugar is crap for you. Water fills your stomach and makes you feel more full. Nobody drinks enough - dehydration makes you tired, cranky, and gives you headaches. Drink water everywhere - every meal. Before every meal, drink 8 oz of water. Being thirsty (most people are dehydrated) is VERY often confused with hunger. If you feel hungry for a snack that you don't think you need, drink a huge glass of water. If you drink it all, wait a bit, and you're still hungry - eat a healthy snack.
10) Stick to the basics. We're not bodybuilders or olympic athletes. You don't need a fad diet or $300 of supplements a month. Eat healthy, work out, keep your head right and you will see success. You will be happier, look better, and feel better than ever before - I guarantee it.
I'll post more specifics below - but these are a great start.