Tvtyrant
2020-01-06, 10:11 PM
Welcome to the third annual installment of Get Fit! This is a thread for fitness resolutions, supporting each other in them and asking for information.
Resources:
First Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?538695-Get-Fit-I-want-a-folding-vegetable)
Last Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?579154-Get-fit-2-Resolution-2K-19!)
Athlean X (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0TLA0EsQbE-MjuHXevj2A) - Explains what muscles you are working exactly and how you are targeting them.
Fitness Blender (https://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender) - Free cardio workouts, I use them frequently.
Darebee (https://darebee.com/)-Cool informational packets for exercises and diet, convenient poster designs.
Exrx.net (https://exrx.net/Lists/Directory) -Database explaining types of exercises and how to perform them.
Questions and Answers:
Question: When I try to get into exercise I hurt for days afterwards and then end up not going again. Is this pain normal?
Answer: This is a normal response to introducing new exercises to your body called DOMS (https://physioworks.com.au/injuries-conditions-1/doms-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness)(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.) It is marked by a reduced amount of muscle function and deep, painful soreness that starts 24 hours or more after the initial workout. If you continue to exercise it should fade after a week and not return.
Question: Is Keto a good diet for me? Does it really work?
Answer: Keto, also known as Atkins and sharing some space with Paleo, is a diet which focuses on reducing carbs below 20grams a day. It has been popular off and on since it was invented because it allows people to lose weight while maintaining a high degree of satiation (fullness,) which helps some individuals who otherwise yo-yo in and out of diets. It still has onerous restrictions and is detrimental for muscle growth and energy during vigorous activities. Keto may be a good diet for you if you can stay on it indefinitely, and helps with food addictions. It may not be good if you are in the very active range such as construction, weightlifting competitions, marathons or the like.
A quick guide for people totally new to exercise and dieting. Work in progress.
You have decided to get in shape. The first step is probably going to be to go see your doctor and make sure you don't have any health complications before you start a new diet or training regimen.
If you are like me a few years you probably don't know much about nutrition, what kinds of exercise are good for you, etc. There is a lot of information out there, and getting started is daunting. All of those people at the gym look like they know what they are doing, and you feel embarrassed when you go. That is all perfectly natural to feel, as it pertains to all of real life (see picture below.)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXP9ywBU0AAv0pa.jpg
None of the people at the gym started out being adjusted to working out in front of people or knowing what they are doing, and not all in shape people go to a gym. I disliked going to a gym for the first year I exercised, and I am now fairly acclimated even if I still prefer not going to one.
The easiest way to motivate yourself starting out is to get an exercise partner, someone who you can motivate and can be motivated by. A friend, member of a class, work colleague, the point is to have accountability and someone to focus on and not get too demotivated by fit people doing something that seems impossible to reach.
The next step is to pick a hobby and a diet. Some people reading this will be doing one or the other, but they are nearly always best together. Diet controls the nutrients your body needs, allowing you to build muscle, keep healthy vitamin levels and either grow or lose mass as you desire. There are several popular diets out there, from atkins/keto to fruit cleanses to high carb vegan diets. All of these are useful and are easily skipped if you are capable of eating in moderation and cutting out junk food and empty calories without outside assistance (I can't.) Looking at links in the resource section on them will help you decide which is best for you. The most important thing is to pick one that you can do indefinitely and doesn't feel like punishment, given enough time you will slip up if you find the diet tedious or difficult.
Why do I say hobby and not exercise? Once again you want something that will be easy to continue for a long time, and hopefully motivate you to exercise either as training or as part of the hobby. Hiking, canoes, marathons, tennis, weightlifting, all are hobbies that motivate participants to exercise outside the hobby and helps them enjoy that exercise. Personally I greatly enjoyed hiking so I started walking daily, then lifting weights, and then doing core exercises to improve my hiking speed and distance while minimizing injuries. If you enjoy exercise without needing a hobby then the hobby is unneeded, but personally my hobby motivates me both in general and also provides specific goals such as being able to climb a particular mountain or backpack with a specific weight.
Once you have a hobby and a diet plan picked out get started! As you get healthier you will find you enjoy those more, leading to a feedback loop that makes staying in shape easier as you go. Enjoying yourself is the best motivation there is.
About Me: I was formerly very overweight, I decided to make a change back in 2017. I went from 420 pounds down to 250, currently 280 (I have been bulking.) My weight loss came from hiking and setting a 10k step counter daily, then later moved to gym work and exercise tapes. I can now run three miles in 30 minutes, when at my worst I could barely walk three miles. My resolution this year is to climb St. Helen's and run a 5k.
Resources:
First Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?538695-Get-Fit-I-want-a-folding-vegetable)
Last Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?579154-Get-fit-2-Resolution-2K-19!)
Athlean X (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0TLA0EsQbE-MjuHXevj2A) - Explains what muscles you are working exactly and how you are targeting them.
Fitness Blender (https://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender) - Free cardio workouts, I use them frequently.
Darebee (https://darebee.com/)-Cool informational packets for exercises and diet, convenient poster designs.
Exrx.net (https://exrx.net/Lists/Directory) -Database explaining types of exercises and how to perform them.
Questions and Answers:
Question: When I try to get into exercise I hurt for days afterwards and then end up not going again. Is this pain normal?
Answer: This is a normal response to introducing new exercises to your body called DOMS (https://physioworks.com.au/injuries-conditions-1/doms-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness)(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.) It is marked by a reduced amount of muscle function and deep, painful soreness that starts 24 hours or more after the initial workout. If you continue to exercise it should fade after a week and not return.
Question: Is Keto a good diet for me? Does it really work?
Answer: Keto, also known as Atkins and sharing some space with Paleo, is a diet which focuses on reducing carbs below 20grams a day. It has been popular off and on since it was invented because it allows people to lose weight while maintaining a high degree of satiation (fullness,) which helps some individuals who otherwise yo-yo in and out of diets. It still has onerous restrictions and is detrimental for muscle growth and energy during vigorous activities. Keto may be a good diet for you if you can stay on it indefinitely, and helps with food addictions. It may not be good if you are in the very active range such as construction, weightlifting competitions, marathons or the like.
A quick guide for people totally new to exercise and dieting. Work in progress.
You have decided to get in shape. The first step is probably going to be to go see your doctor and make sure you don't have any health complications before you start a new diet or training regimen.
If you are like me a few years you probably don't know much about nutrition, what kinds of exercise are good for you, etc. There is a lot of information out there, and getting started is daunting. All of those people at the gym look like they know what they are doing, and you feel embarrassed when you go. That is all perfectly natural to feel, as it pertains to all of real life (see picture below.)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXP9ywBU0AAv0pa.jpg
None of the people at the gym started out being adjusted to working out in front of people or knowing what they are doing, and not all in shape people go to a gym. I disliked going to a gym for the first year I exercised, and I am now fairly acclimated even if I still prefer not going to one.
The easiest way to motivate yourself starting out is to get an exercise partner, someone who you can motivate and can be motivated by. A friend, member of a class, work colleague, the point is to have accountability and someone to focus on and not get too demotivated by fit people doing something that seems impossible to reach.
The next step is to pick a hobby and a diet. Some people reading this will be doing one or the other, but they are nearly always best together. Diet controls the nutrients your body needs, allowing you to build muscle, keep healthy vitamin levels and either grow or lose mass as you desire. There are several popular diets out there, from atkins/keto to fruit cleanses to high carb vegan diets. All of these are useful and are easily skipped if you are capable of eating in moderation and cutting out junk food and empty calories without outside assistance (I can't.) Looking at links in the resource section on them will help you decide which is best for you. The most important thing is to pick one that you can do indefinitely and doesn't feel like punishment, given enough time you will slip up if you find the diet tedious or difficult.
Why do I say hobby and not exercise? Once again you want something that will be easy to continue for a long time, and hopefully motivate you to exercise either as training or as part of the hobby. Hiking, canoes, marathons, tennis, weightlifting, all are hobbies that motivate participants to exercise outside the hobby and helps them enjoy that exercise. Personally I greatly enjoyed hiking so I started walking daily, then lifting weights, and then doing core exercises to improve my hiking speed and distance while minimizing injuries. If you enjoy exercise without needing a hobby then the hobby is unneeded, but personally my hobby motivates me both in general and also provides specific goals such as being able to climb a particular mountain or backpack with a specific weight.
Once you have a hobby and a diet plan picked out get started! As you get healthier you will find you enjoy those more, leading to a feedback loop that makes staying in shape easier as you go. Enjoying yourself is the best motivation there is.
About Me: I was formerly very overweight, I decided to make a change back in 2017. I went from 420 pounds down to 250, currently 280 (I have been bulking.) My weight loss came from hiking and setting a 10k step counter daily, then later moved to gym work and exercise tapes. I can now run three miles in 30 minutes, when at my worst I could barely walk three miles. My resolution this year is to climb St. Helen's and run a 5k.