Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

[cidbahamut]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

So Fitocracy is a thing. I know a few folks who have enjoyed it, but I never really looked into it myself. I think it operates on the same principle as Chore Wars.

My doctor recently suggested I look into losing some weight as it might help with my back problems since I'm horribly out of shape and probably overweight. I've never really known how to get into it. Like Tak, I have issues with body image shame so joining a gym isn't something I am at all comfortable with. Jogging is also a miserable experience and has been since I first encountered it back in elementary school and it's only gotten worse with time and progressive neglect. I am on top of the walking however. Kind of. It's about a mile between my house and the office and I walk to and from work during the week, but that alone clearly isn't enough.

Since I've gotten into the routine of morning and evening exercises for my back pain, now would probably be an excellent time to introduce some more exercises into that routine to help get into shape, or at least keep me from getting any flabbier than I already am. The thing is, I don't really know where to get started with that, and I generally don't have time for a full blown workout. Ideally I could use two or three basic exercises to add to my routine that don't take too long but do a lot of good when added to a daily routine. I don't think I'm ever going to get into full blown workouts, but little things done on a daily routine I could probably handle, I just don't know if there's anything out there that fits the bill. Probably not, because if staying in shape were that easy I probably wouldn't be out of shape to begin with.

[DakAttack]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

I tried using pills to lose weight. Green tea, caffeine, ephedrine, and a few other concoctions that promise enhanced thermogenesis, appetite suppression, and mood support. They either don't work, outright, or screw with your mind/body in horrible ways. The green tea extracts gave me a generalized anxiety disorder, two years ago, which I still struggle with today. The ephedrine and caffeine, even though I took it at the lowest doses possible, made the anxiety double back after I had gotten control of it. Agoraphobia, the fear of being trapped in a public place when a panic attack is coming on, is only a stone's throw away from anxiety, and I've crossed that line.

What you need to do is get past whatever feeling is preventing you from working out around other people, even if that means Lexapro or something similar. Everybody knows everybody has to start somewhere, and while some people may judge you, it's not going to hurt you.

[Squiggs]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

As someone who used to go to the gym regularly before I had kids, I can tell you that I rarely looked at other people while I was there. What anyone else is doing there is not my business. That is probably how a lot of people go about their time in the gym.

[Satori]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

ephedrine nearly cost me my career before it even began.
You do know it's an amphetemine right? like speed and stuff.
We're you getting it from a doctor? for weight loss? seems odd. I've only ever dispensed it once to a lady with narcolepsy.

When I was a student nurse I was working in a gay bar over gay pride weekend and was pretty much dead on my feet. I was offered ephedrine and told it was like pro-plus "caffine energy tabletsyou can buy over the counter" Well 2 days later I was still awake. Then a few days later I was pulled in for random drug testing and ephedrine flagged up in my test. It was only then I learnt what it was. Needless to say I quit the gay bar.

[Raydeus]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

It's probably a cultural thing, but I've always found it odd that for every single issue there always seems to be a mention of a pill or two people can take to "fix it" in english speaking forums.

I just don't get it.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

It's probably a cultural thing, but I've always found it odd that for every single issue there always seems to be a mention of a pill or two people can take to "fix it" in english speaking forums.

I just don't get it.

It's easier to take a pill than it is to alter the way you live your life.

[Armando]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Since I've gotten into the routine of morning and evening exercises for my back pain, now would probably be an excellent time to introduce some more exercises into that routine to help get into shape, or at least keep me from getting any flabbier than I already am. The thing is, I don't really know where to get started with that, and I generally don't have time for a full blown workout. Ideally I could use two or three basic exercises to add to my routine that don't take too long but do a lot of good when added to a daily routine. I don't think I'm ever going to get into full blown workouts, but little things done on a daily routine I could probably handle, I just don't know if there's anything out there that fits the bill. Probably not, because if staying in shape were that easy I probably wouldn't be out of shape to begin with.

This page has a lot of really good info. The guy's an engineer so he takes a very practical approach to things, and is a big advocate of working out from the comfort of your own home - all his workouts involve either dumbbells, a pull-up bar, or nothing at all (e.g. pushups.) He covers everything from nutrition to workouts and posts Youtube videos of all the exercises he mentions. He even shows you how to work up the strength to do pull-ups if you can't do them yet. Not that I've done a whole lot of searching, but it's the best free resource I've found and the fact that it's maintained by just one dude makes me trust it more than any fancy bodybuilding sites or forums.

Anyhow the key is to stick to compound exercises - they work multiple muscles together and better simulate real life movements so you get a full body workout with just 4-6 exercises and leave no weak muscles. Isolation exercises are only useful for bodybuilders, to enlarge specific muscles*. Scooby's Beginning Workout Plan consists of just 4 exercises, no dumbbells required. If you have dumbbells another good alternative is The Golden Five (the exercises mentioned use barbells but you can do them with dumbbells too - probably a better idea if you're completely new to lifting weights.)

*For the record, you can't target specific areas for weight loss anyways. Focusing on nothing but abs won't give you a shortcut to a 6-pack, despite what those TV infomercials want you to believe.

EDIT: While we're on the subject, if you do cardio and weights consecutively you'll tend to do worse at whichever you do second. So if you can, leave 3-4 hours of rest between cardio and weights. If not, I like to leave cardio for second; doing strength training while tired is not cool.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

This is an outstanding resource Armando. I'm particularly enjoying the videos that demonstrate how to do some of these properly, which will actually be useful since it covers a few of my own back exercises. This guy is totally awesome for putting this site together. It actually makes me want to get in shape. But not body-building, fuck body-building.

[DakAttack]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

It's probably a cultural thing, but I've always found it odd that for every single issue there always seems to be a mention of a pill or two people can take to "fix it" in english speaking forums.

I just don't get it.

Since the times of snake oil, people have been marketing silver bullets and miracle cures for all of our problems. I guess it's been ingrained into our minds that there's actually something out there that can be such a quick and easy fix.

I bought the ephedrine from an online shop in Canada, and they sent it down to Maryland for me. It's used as a weight loss drug for many reasons, one being its ability to suppress the appetite, and that it works synergistic with caffeine to produce an enhanced effect. That's why I was using it, to lose about 40 pounds. I've never heard of anybody being up for days while on it, unless you took some huge dose. Typical dose after a full ramp-up is 20mg with 200mg of caffeine.

[Feba]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

I'm sure Satori's dose from a strange man at a gay bar was perfectly in-line with what one would expect from normal usage.



Dak has probably just built up an immunity from his many years at said gay bars.

[Satori]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

It was given to me by one of the managers of the bar/club.
It was given to all the staff. I was naive enough to believe it was caffine like in pro plus lol.

[DakAttack]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Dak has probably just built up an immunity from his many years at said gay bars.

Thanks for reminding me of a weird dream I had last night... Ugh...

[Takelli]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

So... Finally got my hands on a jump rope today.

2Lb weights in the handles, and I had to cut a foot and a half off it because it was 10 feet long. Used it for a few minutes, would have continued but... I was tired as hell and felt like crap. Got no sleep the night before, and was feeling sick.

I have never felt so out of shape until recently. Haha.

I'm going to use it for a few weeks, and slowly work my way up to 30 minutes non stop. Once that becomes easy, I'll start challenging my self by adding an ankle weight, ans slowly work my way up.

Edit: I also have changed my diet, but not too largely. Taking baby steps, not going to put my body into shock by over doing anything.

[Takelli]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

So... I am going to turn this thread into a health journal if no one minds. I think it would he good for me, so I can keep track of where I am, and how many days its been. Don't went to lose weight too fast, you know? I will weigh my self every three days for so, and keep it at that. Soooooo... Here we go.

Also.... Any feed back would be nice. I am planning on getting ankle and wrist weights later in to help with building muscle mass as well as that thing to measure body fat.... What was it called again, a caliber?

Day 1(yesterday.): weighed my self to get a baseline of where to start. Weigh 288.6, and am 5 ft 9. Got the jump rope, weighing 2 lbs in each handle bars. Used it for a little bit, then changed the length of it so I could use of easier (10ft it was.). Went out side and used it for a bit, but only for a few minutes. Became too exhausted to continue and covered in sweat, and hurt a bit lol.

Day 2: Woke up with my stomach hurting some. Felt tense, felt more firm, but I think that the pain is good, showing that I'm using my muscles more. Went out side, and continued again. Was able to go longer, but my muscles started hurting about 3 minutes in, but continued for a few more minutes. My arms, legs, stomach and hack are all sore, but its better than doing nothing. Weighed my self just for hahas, and was at 285.4, so I think I just lost a lot of water weight through sweat. My sides hurt when I bend to the side, as well as my right shin when I run. Just run up the stairs is the most running I do, along with the bottom of my feet. I am feeling a bit restless like I want to do more, but, I am tired.

[Armando]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Got the jump rope, weighing 2 lbs in each handle bars. Used it for a little bit, then changed the length of it so I could use of easier (10ft it was.).

Hold the handles next to your torso, step on the middle of the rope with one foot and move your hands up along your sides. Your hands should reach just below your armpits if the rope is the right length.

Went out side and used it for a bit, but only for a few minutes. Became too exhausted to continue and covered in sweat, and hurt a bit lol.

You should probably start off by walking fast until you can build up the stamina for jumping rope. For an exercise to be effective cardio it needs to keep your heartrate between 50-85% of your max for at least 20 minutes. As long as walking can get your heartrate up, you can stick with that. However, if you can't carry a conversation while doing cardio you're probably working too hard and won't be able to keep up that pace for the minimum 20 minutes.