Work out routine / Keeping fit

[james8547]

I'm not fat (no really, I'm not...lol). My waist is around 30-32". I'm 145-150 lbs. and 5'11 tall. I'm skinny. But, I feel like my metabolism is slowing down. My days of eating 2 family pizzas without gaining anything are at their end. I sit all day at work. And I do more sitting on the weekends (either in-front of the PC or in my car). I eat beef, pork, rice, & sweets. Snickers are killing me at work.

I don't want to fight an uphill battle so I'd like to start working out now. I started walking for 15-20mins. in the morning, and another 15-20 mins. in the afternoon (I stopped driving my car to the bus stop and started walking it). I try to do at least 22 push-ups and 30 crunches on a daily basis.

My goal is to be fit (lower my risk for health problems), and to minimize a beer belly / love handle. I don't plan to bulk up in muscles or to get a rock hard ab. It would be nice to have those but it's too much hassle.

I never had any physical strength or endurance in all of my life. Back in high school, I couldn't even do a push-up even if I try to do it on my knees. So I started doing it slanting on the kitchen counter. I could barely do 20 of those Now I can do 22 normal push-ups. I'm going to try doing push-ups with my backpack on (with my tax law book inside).

Next Saturday, I plan to walk around the 'hood in the morning. I know I can't run straight for 1.5 miles or for 10mins. (1.5 miles seems to be the magical minimum running mileage). Hopefully, I'd start out as walking, then eventually work my way up to running & jogging. I could do this only on the weekends due to time. I leave @ 7am, and arrive back @ 6.30-7pm on workdays.

I think I'm babbling on. Anyways, I'd like some suggestions on how to keep motivated doing this, and any tips on how to improve my workout. For example, I know I can do 60 crunches. But most of the times, I just want to stop at 30 when my abs are starting to feel it and I start getting headaches. I don't have the determination to eat properly. I usually have a cream cheese bagel and a hotdog for breakfast. I'll eat cheese steak for lunch, and pork or beef with rice for dinner. Plus, snickers & chips every hour at work.

Any suggestions, specially about ab workouts, would be helpful. What do you guys used to do when you're in the military?

[zach1288]

Try this for a few weeks:

In the morning have some eggs and fruit

Then between breakfast and lunch have fruit or a protein bar just to keep you from getting hungry untill lunch (No snickers or junk food)

Lunch have maybe a turkey sandwich or salad and chips

Then between lunch and dinner have a protein bar or fruit again (No snickers or junk food)

Then for dinner have pork and rice or whatever but add some vegetables.

After dinner take a walk or jog for 30 mins

Dont eat anthing after that walk unless its healthy

If you have time take a walk in the morning too.

The best thing to do is eat in moderation, which means dont have just 3 large meals space things out with healthy snacks in between.

Try this for a few weeks and tell me what happens

[castlef]

My personal opinion.. is that if you want to do something that you will keep up for a long time.. then what you should do are compound exercises. THey recruit more muscle fibers than anything. The best workout is the Squat(the best form is ass to the grass... it puts less pressure on your knees, although you will use a lower weight. dont be macho :P ).. and you should get a power rack and weights so you can do it at home... which will make you more inclined to be consistent. I say the best workouts are:

Squats
Deadlifts
Lunges
Push ups / bench press
Pull ups
Dips

and since you are interested in ab exercises... you dont really need any equipment but those exercise balls can help you work more of the muscles.

Exercises 3 - 4 days a week only... work out 3 - 6 hours a week (aerobic and anaerobic) .. rest at least one day... dont exercise for more than an hour at a time. FOr aerobic exercise you might want to stick with something fun.. something that you like. I like roller blading. but if you want the most time efficient way to aerobic exercise do a search on interval training. FOr weights... 3 sets of 5-7 reps is the best. Pushups (calisthenics) where you use your body weight is different . you shouldnt do them every day. 3 days a week tops.

Oh yea another thing.. you would be surprised how good regular sessions of stretching/yoga make you feel >:P

ANd for a changeup.. try eating a couple of raw eggs a day. You should feel an increase in your performance immediately.

edit: note im not trying to make you bulk up or anything. doing squats recruits the most muscle fibers and gives you the largest boost of testosterone of any exercise. it wil give you more sexual/physical energy and make you feel better all around.

[Punked Out Comp]

First of all, raw eggs are no better than cooked eggs, and can actually have diseases that you get rid of when you cook them.


You should probably go to

www.bodybuilding.com and
www.forum.bodybuilding.com

Even if you dont want to be a huge muscle man, these people have been working out for years, know the body very well, and can help you. Especially the forum. Alot of it is in the way you eat. Oh, yeah, and drink as much water each day as you possibly can.

[castlef]

Originally Posted by Punked Out Comp First of all, raw eggs are no better than cooked eggs, and can actually have diseases that you get rid of when you cook them.

Would just like to clear this bit of misinformation up.

Firstly, the "disease" he is talking about is salmonella

Secondly, the chances of salmonella infecting an egg is 1 in thirty thousand

thirdly, if you buy your eggs from "Free range" then the chance is reduced even further because chickens are healthier when they are not confined to a cage and salmonella comes from chickens that are sick.

Fourthly, you can inspect the egg before consumption and can usually tell if it is a bad egg... by smelling it.

Fifthly, even if you do ingest an egg with salmonella in your life time, Salmonella Is Generally a Benign Self-Limiting Illness In Healthy People. that means the worst you will get is generally a short case of the runs.

Sixthly, if you have a healthly digestive tract with good micro flora (good microorganisms) then it will protect you from "bad microorganisms) . that simply means you can prevent getting salmonella even if you eat one ... by eating yogurt or kefir or some other probiotic.

It is kind of ironic that people are so germ phobic when they themselves have about 5 pounds of microorganisms in their bodies helping them survive. Unless they have taken anti biotics which kill those off (at their own expense) .

I have eaten raw eggs for about two years. Has been a good experience so far. THe health benefits outweight any small risks. Also if you are allergic to eggs you might find that its just cooked ones.. and that you can handle raw ones. As for increased performance I noticed when i switched from cooked to raw. You might too. Did you know that creatine is actually present in raw animal foods and gets "cooked out" when you heat them. Anyways here are some articles if you are insterested:

http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/13/eggs.htm