[Journey] Getting in shape/exercise/healthy after a LONG break

I never made a real journey on here about making money. I guess I don't need a journey to keep me accountable, because the almighty $ keeps me accountable. And I also don't need a journey to get help, because all the info is already out there, you just have to look, and connect dots, and be creative, and experiment, and yall know the drill.

But it's time for me to start looking after my health a little. I was planning to join some exercising/nutrition/supplement forums and take a stab at it, but after a bit of googling it's almost like there's very few forums out there, about anything. Whatever happened? Go back 5 years and there were 1,000 ACTIVE forums on any topic.

Well anyway, it is what it is, I'll just do it here. I NEED YOUR HELP!

Backstory:

Age 0-15 - always outside running and playing, later on the school's football team, and basketball team, and running team, breakdancing on the side, super active.

Age 15-23 - working 10-15 hours a day, mostly as a waiter. Always standing, always moving around, always being active

Age 23-25 - pretty much bed ridden (for all intents and purposes, 0 exercise)

Age 25-30 - pretty much chair ridden (for all intents and purposes, 0 exercise)

Today:

So here I am, 7 years of NO exercise whatsoever, and it's about damn time I start moving. My muscles are gonna atrophy, I'm gonna start getting sick, and then it's hard to go back.

For now I just need some light exercises, and to make them routine. I found this and did it, and I like it:


I know it's children's play, but it heated me up, it got me breathing, I moved. I think I'll start doing this every ? days, and also running for ? amount of time every ? days.

3 questions:

Can you fill in the question marks for me? (taking into account I'm getting out of 7 years of total inactivity, but I do want to push myself).

Thank you

Well, lotsa support I see, thanks guys

Anyway, this - https://www.active.com/running/articles/how-far-should-you-run

Beginning runners should start with two to four runs per week at about 20 to 30 minutes (or roughly 2 to 4 miles) per run. You may have heard of the 10 Percent Rule, but a better way to increase your mileage is to run more every second week. This will help your body adapt to your new hobby so you don't get hurt.

All right. I'll go for a 30 minute run. 15 minutes away from home, and 15 minutes back.

When I get back I'll put on my to-do list to run 3 times per week. And I'll also do the exercises in the video every other day. If I put it on the to-do list, there is no scenario other than death or coma for it to not get done

That's good enough for now. . . . .

You bumped up your own post under 49 minutes? Anyway ask @davids355 for fitness tips

Mr Positive said:

You bumped up your own post under 49 minutes? Anyway ask @davids355 for fitness tips

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Well, yes. It took me 49 minutes to get a bit of work done and decide to go for a run and find the information I needed on how to start the running and put it in my head and visualize the future with it and how I'm gonna put it on my to-do list and what im gonna wear and which direction im gonna run to and... yeah

All I will say is this - first of all if you havent done any fitness for a long time then it will come as a shock to your body. Sometimes you don't feel the shock until two days after you have done the actual training. So be prepared for that as well.

And in my personal experience, the most important thing is consistency - you are not going to change anything in days or weeks, you are going to change in months. And you wont notice it at all. All of a sudden you will just look at yourself and realise you are fitter, you can run further, you don't get out of breath, you are stronger, more flexible etc.

But you have to keep consistent - put in the work on a regular basis over a long period of time. So, to that end its much better to do less regularly than to try and do too much then burn yourself out.

Good luck!

Also, look at eating healthily as well because the more exercise you do, the more important your diet becomes - as the saying goes, you can't out run a bad diet. And further more, if you are not eating healthily then you wont have the energy, or motivation to sustain your workout routine.

davids355 said:

All I will say is this - first of all if you havent done any fitness for a long time then it will come as a shock to your body. Sometimes you don't feel the shock until two days after you have done the actual training. So be prepared for that as well.

And in my personal experience, the most important thing is consistency - you are not going to change anything in days or weeks, you are going to change in months. And you wont notice it at all. All of a sudden you will just look at yourself and realise you are fitter, you can run further, you don't get out of breath, you are stronger, more flexible etc.

But you have to keep consistent - put in the work on a regular basis over a long period of time. So, to that end its much better to do less regularly than to try and do too much then burn yourself out.

Good luck!

Also, look at eating healthily as well because the more exercise you do, the more important your diet becomes - as the saying goes, you can't out run a bad diet. And further more, if you are not eating healthily then you wont have the energy, or motivation to sustain your workout routine.

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Thanks, agreed.

I'll taking a 3,5 aspect approach to this.

-diet
-supplements
-exercise
-elimination (this is the half, because I don't have much to eliminate cuz I don't do much of anything. But I can reduce smoking, stop consuming sugar completely, etc)

On the supplements. How do you feel about probiotics? I'm getting a lot of conflicting info online.

Scorpion Ghost said:

Thanks, agreed.

I'll taking a 3,5 aspect approach to this.

-diet
-supplements
-exercise
-elimination (this is the half, because I don't have much to eliminate cuz I don't do much of anything. But I can reduce smoking, stop consuming sugar completely, etc)

On the supplements. How do you feel about probiotics? I'm getting a lot of conflicting info online.

Click to expand...

I saw a lot of things online about probiotics too, but not sure if I will take probiotics. I am also not on the right track when it comes with exercising as I am really busy with online work. Planning to buy a treadmill, since the covid is still out there.

pureseogmbrank said:

I saw a lot of things online about probiotics too, but not sure if I will take probiotics. I am also not on the right track when it comes with exercising as I am really busy with online work. Planning to buy a treadmill, since the covid is still out there.

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I dont know man. Running on the treadmill at home or in a gym feels kinda wrong. I feel as though its just not the same. Its like running outside from a to b youre actually moving. Running on a treadmil from a to a youre just standing still. Im probably just ignorant ans paranoid, but there you go

For supplements im thinking probiotics, vitamin d and fish oil. And i already supplement with vitamin c. In any case ill report back on what i decide. Hopefully this journey will last for a long time and progress nicely.

So i went for a 30 minute run. The results are embarassing. First of all i went for a run on a 12 in the afternoon heat. Fucking genius right. I managed to run for about 15 minutes, and walk the other 15. When i got home i felt like puking for a split second, and then i felt like dying for 2 minutes.

Now im in bed and the fan is blowing cool life back into me

Anyway. Ok. Good enough. Ill do a run like this 3 times per week until i manage to run the full 30 minutes. And ill also do the exercises in the video every other day for a while and then ill start doing some harder ones and longer.

Now im gonna eat a banana, im starving

IF you are totally coming back from a 0 fitness scheme and want to get into something "serious" i.e where you have a set goal I would honestly start with looking at one of the 100 press up challenges they do a sit up and squat one as well. https://hundredpushups.com

IF you want to start running couch to 5k is going to be your best bet to start off with https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/

This way it's easier for you to manage than coming back and forth.

If you want a calisthenics work out I can give you one (i.e no weights just body movement) but you might die Just start in sets of 3 x 10 or 5 x 5 train every other day at the start you need the rest. No point going 100% flat out then spending a week off to recover might as well just go 80% effort for a longer period of time.

Running or calisthenics training once your done have a hot shower and then turn it down to cold and stay in for as long as you can. Will aid recovery a little.


Your diet is going to be just as important and learning to eat right / cook. Remember them beans and that thread that followed? Get a cook book.

Don't do too many things together at first.

Start small and focus on developing the habit to have a slot of time per day dedicated to working out.

Start with some joints mobility routine, that's the best way after a long time no moving.

It'll make you feel much more flexible, connected and grounded within a month.

Stamina is the other pillar.

Run or skip the rope.

How long?

Give yourself a goal. Like 45 minutes running/20 minutes jumping rope.

The first day do it until you're out of breath.

See your time. Now you have you're starting point.

Just add 1 minute every day, or whatever.

Be consistent for two months and enjoy results and the new habit.

Hell yeah man I started working on myself too. Huge part of it is actually the diet, its the fuel that you give your body so eat clean and feel clean. Are you in good shape? or do you have a ways to go?

Either way best of luck man

t2van said:

IF you are totally coming back from a 0 fitness scheme and want to get into something "serious" i.e where you have a set goal I would honestly start with looking at one of the 100 press up challenges they do a sit up and squat one as well. https://hundredpushups.com

IF you want to start running couch to 5k is going to be your best bet to start off with https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/

This way it's easier for you to manage than coming back and forth.

If you want a calisthenics work out I can give you one (i.e no weights just body movement) but you might die Just start in sets of 3 x 10 or 5 x 5 train every other day at the start you need the rest. No point going 100% flat out then spending a week off to recover might as well just go 80% effort for a longer period of time.

Running or calisthenics training once your done have a hot shower and then turn it down to cold and stay in for as long as you can. Will aid recovery a little.


Your diet is going to be just as important and learning to eat right / cook. Remember them beans and that thread that followed? Get a cook book.

Click to expand...

I'm not looking to get into something "serious," I'm just looking to start. I mean, I don't see the benefit of having a goal of doing 100 push ups. I'm more comfortable with the goal I've set so far, the running and the basic exercises from the video in my OP.

I like the second link though, I may do that one. For now I'll just do a basic 30 minute run 3 times a week, see how that goes.

I don't even know what calisthenics is. Okay, I googled - Calisthenics are exercises that don't rely on anything but a person's own body weight.

Okay. So which exercises exactly? Push ups? Give me a 1/2/3 instructions.

Hm, good one on the shower, I'll try to do that.

BlueCatServices said:

Don't do too many things together at first.

Start small and focus on developing the habit to have a slot of time per day dedicated to working out.

Start with some joints mobility routine, that's the best way after a long time no moving.

It'll make you feel much more flexible, connected and grounded within a month.

Stamina is the other pillar.

Run or skip the rope.

How long?

Give yourself a goal. Like 45 minutes running/20 minutes jumping rope.

The first day do it until you're out of breath.

See your time. Now you have you're starting point.

Just add 1 minute every day, or whatever.

Be consistent for two months and enjoy results and the new habit.

Click to expand...

Yeah that's pretty much what I'm doing, taking it easy to start.

I'll run, I won't skip rope. I don't have rope but I'm not a big fan of the rope thing.

dotc0m said:

Hell yeah man I started working on myself too. Huge part of it is actually the diet, its the fuel that you give your body so eat clean and feel clean. Are you in good shape? or do you have a ways to go?

Either way best of luck man

Click to expand...

I have waaaays to go man. I'm in very bad shape. I'm not overweight, more like underweight. But I'm in bad shape, and I'll be working on it. Thanks.

---

So I put the running and exercises on the to-do list.

I'm finishing up some sweets I have. I can't throw away food, I just can't, so I have to eat what little candy I have and then put a stop and never buy candy/sugar again.

I always have bananas at home, it's the only fruit I eat all the time. Now that I won't be having any candy or nutella, I'm gonna get canned pineapple. I always liked the canned pineapple. I mean I know it's not as good as fresh pineapple, but fuck it's better than candy right. It's an improvement. I mean shit, even bananas are horrible for you according to some chinese traditional diet I think. I can't really win, there's nothing that someone isn't gonna say it's bad for you. But, I'll do what I can.

You post asking for fitness advice I give you advice but you don't see the point in it? When you first start training or "working out" you need some kind of target to keep the focus and interest going plus it takes around 3 weeks to develop a new habit.

If you give your self a program where you need to do something on a specific day then you have more of a chance of doing it.

I already mentioned that calisthenics was a body weight exercise - you want me to suggest some well if you click on the 100 challenge there is one for sit up and squats those 3 combined are the basis of any calisthenics work out routine.

The site gives you 1-2-3 instruction. If you need to be spoon fed that badly with it then you are going to be doomed to failure either just give up now as you will quit after a few weeks because you don't see the results you want quick enough or you need to hire a local trainer / join a gym IF any are open.

Theres zero point creating a "list" and just throwing something on there.

IF you don't see the point in trying to aim for a goal thats going to get you generally fit along the way I can't help you.

Just going cold turkey on process sugars and trying to replace with natural ones is not going to work, if you remove all the temptation then you might have some or little success BUT the first time you hit a low point and you will.

You will be out buy a snack and bang, you hit that cycle all over again. Eating all the candy now to remove temptation is going to do nothing for you in the long run if you can't manage your relationship with food or learn to control yourself - like all things it's good in moderation.

Good luck on your journey.

t2van said:

You post asking for fitness advice I give you advice but you don't see the point in it? When you first start training or "working out" you need some kind of target to keep the focus and interest going plus it takes around 3 weeks to develop a new habit.

If you give your self a program where you need to do something on a specific day then you have more of a chance of doing it.

I already mentioned that calisthenics was a body weight exercise - you want me to suggest some well if you click on the 100 challenge there is one for sit up and squats those 3 combined are the basis of any calisthenics work out routine.

The site gives you 1-2-3 instruction. If you need to be spoon fed that badly with it then you are going to be doomed to failure either just give up now as you will quit after a few weeks because you don't see the results you want quick enough or you need to hire a local trainer / join a gym IF any are open.

Theres zero point creating a "list" and just throwing something on there.

IF you don't see the point in trying to aim for a goal thats going to get you generally fit along the way I can't help you.

Just going cold turkey on process sugars and trying to replace with natural ones is not going to work, if you remove all the temptation then you might have some or little success BUT the first time you hit a low point and you will.

You will be out buy a snack and bang, you hit that cycle all over again. Eating all the candy now to remove temptation is going to do nothing for you in the long run if you can't manage your relationship with food or learn to control yourself - like all things it's good in moderation.

Good luck on your journey.

Click to expand...

I just don't see the point on working towards 100 push ups. Why not 100 pull ups? Why not 100 seconds of standing on my head? I'm not looking for a particular exercise to give me bigger muscles or lose weight or anything specific. I just want to work everything and do exercises for general health. Which reminds me, I'll check if there's a 24-hour swimming pool anywhere nearby. As far as I know swimming is a good exercise that exercises every muscle in the body, which I would need. So I'll add that to my weekly routine:

1. Running
2. Home exercises
3. Swimming

I have a target. It's on the to-do list right now. That's the target. Do what's written on the to-do list. That's the target. Then I just populate the to-do list with the proper things, and it all works.

Cold turkey works. I quit coffee for a year a few year ago. I didn't have a sip all year. I went back to it because coffee actually helps me give me that extra push to go a little longer when I'm really, really tired. But I quit it, and it worked. I also did it with meat, and sugar, and candy, and milk.

I don't have attachments to anything. There is only 1 thing I haven't managed to let go, and that's smoking. I can quit anything else cold turkey and not feel a thing about it. Of course, it helps to NOT have whatever that is at home. But that's easy. I live alone, I shop alone, I decide what's in the home and what's not. So I can quit anything, cold turkey, dust off my shoulders. You'll see

Also I tend to always have a few bags of chips at home. As soon as I eat the ones I have, I'm not buying any again.

I don't plan on stopping coffee, but I can't drink coffee without milk (or substitute) and sugar (or substitute). I'm probably gonna switch from milk to rice or almond drink, and from sugar to honey or xylitol.

Great journey and not just money.. All the best..

I have a tip for you brother!

First option! You can do the Saitama mode trainning
100 push-ups
100 squats
100 abs
and run 10km

OPTION 2
Download thenx app and choose the beginner workout is quite similiar to that one you post the video..

Wish you all the best and luck!

Okay, a few more changes.

I don't eat a lot of salt, but I'm switching from regular salt to Himalayan salt. I actually used to use Himalayan salt a few years back, and I still have a large jar left. It doesn't spoil, so it's all good. I'll be switching to it as it's much healthier, and I find tastier, and better looking

When I run out of sugar (have about 1kg left) I'll be using Honey and Xylitol as sweetener. This will increase my costs significantly actually, because nothing is cheaper than regular sugar. But Xylitol is particular is expensive as fuck, talking about $1+ per 100 grams and shit. The other problem is, I went to a health store an hour ago and the biggest package they have is only 300grams. I also checked ALL the websites that sell it for my country, and 300 grams is the biggest package I found. Jesus christ, stupid backwards fucking country. Anyway I'll either find a bigger package somewhere, or I'll just settle on the 300grams package. And I'll alternate between honey and xylitol, because xylitol is really expensive, but also get some diversity going

For milk alternative I've chosen oat milk. Frankly, I don't like to call these plant-based drinks "milk." It's oat drink, rice drink, almond drink, makes more sense to me. In any case, when I run out of the cow milk I have already, I'll finally make rice drink with some rice I have in the kitchen, get out the blender, get used to the process. And when that's all finished I'll buy 1kg of organic oats (About $7 bucks), and from then on I'll be making my own oat drink. From some research I did, 1kg of oats should make me about 10 liters of drink/milk. So $7 for 10L, cheaper even than cows milk, so that's good.

That's it for now.

The main thing is desire and opportunity. And everything will turn out

Scorpion Ghost said:

I don't eat a lot of salt, but I'm switching from regular salt to Himalayan salt.

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Actually, sea salt is better than Himalayan salt. That's because Himalayan salt is digging and it must go through a lot of chemical processes and filtering to come to you. On the other hand sea salt is getting in a natural way. But, it doesn't really matter what type of salt you are using.

Scorpion Ghost said:

When I run out of sugar (have about 1kg left) I'll be using Honey and Xylitol as sweetener.

Click to expand...

Why not using it now? If I were you, I will throw this sugar in a trash can.

Scorpion Ghost said:

For milk alternative I've chosen oat milk.

Click to expand...

Do you know that you could make oat milk in a natural way? Google this a little bit and you will find a recipe.

After all, I was Nurmagomedov and I know everything about nutrition.

magiCSolver said:

Actually, sea salt is better than Himalayan salt. That's because Himalayan salt is digging and it must go through a lot of chemical processes and filtering to come to you. On the other hand sea salt is getting in a natural way. But, it doesn't really matter what type of salt you are using.



Why not using it now? If I were you, I will throw this sugar in a trash can.


Do you know that you could make oat milk in a natural way? Google this a little bit and you will find a recipe.

After all, I was Nurmagomedov and I know everything about nutrition.

Click to expand...

On the salt, from the reasearch I did years ago I came to the conclusion that Himalayan is best. So I'll trust in the younger me and just go with it.

But I remember why Himalayan was superior. One reason it has more minerals. Sea salt has 78 and Himalayan has 130, or something like that. And the other is that the seas are polluted, with shit and piss and plastic and everything. But the Himalayan salt is protected from pollution because of where it comes from. So that's why I go with Himalayan

I can't throw away food man. About 7 years ago I was laying in bed with a jacket and gloves and all the covers I had because it was cold, because I didn't wanna turn on heating/electricity, to save money, to make sure I have money for rent and bills. So I just can't throw food away, I can't.

Well, I do plan on making oat milk in a natural way. I checked out some recipes, all you really need is oats, water and a blender. Pretty natural if you ask me. The only thing is the oats best be organic, because the non organic ones are heavily sprayed with pesticides and fungicides and whatever else. And some also recommend for the oats to be gluten free, but I don't care about that. I'll get organic oats and go with it.

Conor McGregooooooooooooor