I'm embarassed

**kato2274** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:20 PM

almost depressed actually.

I went to the gym today and had an appointment with the personal trainer to get the pre workout routine evaluation. It wasn't pretty. My heart rate is okay resting, but shoots to the moon, and takes way too long to come back down. My cholesterol is 316. the combination of working out, not eating today, and having the blood taken caused me to run to the bathroom lightheaded and yack. (well drive heave actually, nothing to yack up) my upper body strength was pathetic. and 33% body fat.

I feel like a complete putz. some ten years ago, I was mr jock. the winter and summer were basketball seasons (organized and pick up leagues) the fall and spring were soccer seasons (outdoor and indoor) plus I played a whole lot of pick up football and other stuff. I was 160 lbs at the time. Now I weigh in at 195

this really makes me sad, angry and scared all at once. How'd I get to this point? Getting involved with computers has been great overall, but I know it helped in my demise. It's easier to play NBA live on the computer than call some people and organize a game. plus I can stuff my face with meat lovers pizza while I play NBA live.

I feel really bad and completely embarrased.

**Archangel42069** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:27 PM

I wish I was still at 195.....when I graduated boot camp I weighed 149...now I'm at 210, and it ain't all muscle, that's for sure. Diet and exercise are the only things that will help though - that and slowing down on the 12oz curls.....

**Cleetus** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:30 PM

I know your pain all too well. Before I got into computers, I was in the low 190's, I worked in an ice factory as well as delivered it. I was much skinnier and I was ripped. Then I left and went into computers. Gained 40 pounds and lost a lot of muscle. Over the past year or so, I have changed my eating and gone back to weights. About 15 pounds have come off, but a butt load of muscle has been put on. Been lazy since Thanksgiving, getting all soft again. But still, I am nowhere near I was before I.T.

**geeksRus** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:31 PM

don't feel bad...when i take off my shirt i look like a shar-pei, or the Michelin man. i was 150 when i got married. if you were once in good shape you can get back there, the muscles remember. start slow...walk everyday and do some lite weight work until you arnt sore the day after a workout...then move up with the weight. if your cholesteral is that high you need to do something about that right away. a small change in diet will do wonders. we all need to get up from in front of these computers from time to time and move a little. i am one of the worst offenders...i am 55-60 pounds overweight. don't be depressed...a few small sacrifices now will pay off in the end. you dont have to give up much.

**Budd** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:35 PM

it goes fast huh. i'm in the same boat you are. the good news is it won't take that much to it back. just some hard work and sweat in the wieght room. i know its easier said than done. myself, i go through spurts. i'll work out, then stop. then start again, then stop again. at first i have a really hard time wanting to work out, but then as i start seeing the results, i get into more and more. i also see alot better results if i totally stop drinking pop and beer. damn thats hard to do

**MacGyver** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:47 PM

It takes dedication and perserverance to maintain your level of fitness. You might blame computers, video games, snacking on chips while watching TV, for your troubles. But keep in mind that as you get older, more and more distractions develop and can take up your time. Like girlfriend, wife, kids, home chores, work committments, etc. You didn't have any of those distractions in school. Now welcome to real life

First thing to do - consult your doctor before you embark on any action plan. If you go about this wrong, you can make yourself sick or hurt yourself.

Some simple things you can do - work exercise around your schedule. For example, in the summer I bike or walk to work. Biking is actually faster than driving for me because I can cut through a park. Or take the stairs instead of the elevator. I work on the fourth floor, so it's not that big a deal to take the stairs all the way. Even if you only go a few floors to begin with and take the elevator the rest of the way if your building is higher. Go for a walk every day at the very least. Don't bother joining a health club unless there are at least two other people you can go with on a regular basis, that way they will be able to encourage you and if one person has some sort of emergency, the other one can still go.

When going grocery shopping, make a list of healthy things in advance and stick with it! I prefer to do the grocery shopping because I'm more disciplined. If my wife (and I love her) goes grocery shopping, she comes back with all sorts of extra stuff that we don't need like chips, cola, chocolate, candy, etc. Then she complains she is gaining weight because I don't eat any of that crap and she eats it all. Don't even have any of that stuff in the house!

If you have any candy in your house (especially hard candy) get rid of it. It's empty calories.

Go grocery shopping on a regular basis so you always have healthy food in the house and you're not tempted to eat out or order in. I like to go at 8am on Saturday morning. That way all the meat, bread, fish, and produce is fresh. I'm more inclined to buy fresh stuff. Plus there aren't a lot of other customers or lineups at the checkouts. Avoid prepared foods like breaded chicken strips, frozen entrees, like the plague. If you don't know how to cook from scratch, take some cooking classes.

And a final word, NEVER eat french fries when eating out, get something else instead like a salad.

There's lots you can do, but you have to be disciplined. We're all pulling for you, kato!

**Cleetus** · January 3rd, 2003, 12:57 PM

Great post MAC!!!

I disagree with the finding 2 other people to work out with. Where as it does take a lot of dedication to initially start working out, and to keep with it in the downtimes, I refuse to work out with anybody. I push myself harder and faster if I am not talking with someone, or don't have someone pestering me to do something else. I just go, do my thing and leave about an hour later. Depending on how you do weights, you really don't need to go more then 2 times a week. Heck, I just do all my weights in 1 day a week, and am sore for almost 5. I really wish my back wasn't so fragile, or I would actually get somebody to workout with me so I could change it to a different regiman, that only requires once every 2-3 weelks but reguires ungodly amount of weight that I just won't do on my own.

Everything else is dead on, though. Just keep the junk out of the house, and do more.

**Stalemate** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:02 PM

I will also be embarking on am exercise/better eating regimen next week.

How about we have a thread where we can motivate each other, share tips?

I don't know about the rest of you, but if I'm watching my weight along with my wife (or anyone else), the motivation to do better keeps me going.

Anyone interested?

**kato2274** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by a d e p t
How about we have a thread where we can motivate each other, share tips?

I don't know about the rest of you, but if I'm watching my weight along with my wife (or anyone else), the motivation to do better keeps me going.

Anyone interested?

I had the same thought yesterday. I'm definately game, because if I don't have someone to answer to, I'll start skipping one day here, one day there and next thing you know, I'll be back to eating crap and getting fat

**Tacklebox** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:39 PM

Good thread Kato, It seems many of us are in the same boat. One thing though, don't get depressed, it'll only demotivte you. Motivte yourself by setting short term goals instead of unrealistic ones like "I'm gonna lose 50 lbs by Memorial Day" because it's not gonna happen like that. Instead try for a lb or two each week, increase your bench by 5-10lbs, extra five mins on the treadmill, etc. that's what works for me.
Also, there's alot of great advice here.

Good Luck

**+Daemon+** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:52 PM

well im fat too

Ive started doing more stuff outside now..

I got a gym member shipp woohoo

ive bought some hiking boots aive started hiking again woohoo

im playing golf twice a month.. get a little sport in woohoo

hope things stay or get more exciting

**STIGOFTHEDUMP** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:55 PM

The more you worry about all this exercize lark and if your getting inuf brocoli to eat, the worse you will feel mentaly,, who cares if half of us dont get a lot of exercize and just sit around playing computers, the main thing is to keep happy, if going down the gym makes you feel better then fine but if your dragging yourself down there when you dont realy want to go is that doing you any good either? besides whats the end objective? to live longer, to feel better,none of us are on this earth long enuf to worry too much about things like that, my humble opinion is to go with the flow and dont WORRY about anythin to much, yeah of course we were all fitter(and better looking) when we were younger,but like you say Mac "welcome to real life" MAKE THE MOST OF IT,KEEP HAPPY EVERYONE,and dont you guys strain yourselves down the gym!!

**kato2274** · January 3rd, 2003, 02:09 PM

Mac,

I'm right with you on almost everything you posted. My mom is going to give us one of those nifty food savers, so my plan is to shop and prepare food on the weekend for the entire week, vaccum seal it and freeze it. I'm currently compiling a list of entrees that I think I'd like and would be easy to reheat at school and work. chicken seems to dominate right now. Fish and the vaccum sealer really don't get along well and since I'm rarely home with school and work, I'll be having a lot of chicken. maybe some lean pork, ground turkey etc. Red meat is going completely Bye Bye at least for a little while.

portion control is a HUGE issue for me that I'm going to have to tackle head on. I just had 1 chicken soft taco from taco bell and a 20oz diet pepsi and I feel pretty much satisfied, yet I'll go out and routinely order 16 ounce steaks and the like and eat most of it just because it TASTES good, not because I'm not full. then I complain about how sick I feel

on school days I usually have 1 hour between work being finished and leaving for school. I figure to work out at the gym then since it is right here on the office campus then head to night classes.

plus when I am home, the dog will never complain about going for a walk

thankfully I'm still relatively young (28 I think - I kinda lost track after 24) so if I can be disciplined, I should be able to get healthier.

I'm much better at quick fixes than lifestyle changes, but I'm going to try.

**kato2274** · January 3rd, 2003, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by STIGOFTHEDUMP
The more you worry about all this exercize lark and if your getting inuf brocoli to eat, the worse you will feel mentaly,, who cares if half of us dont get a lot of exercize and just sit around playing computers, the main thing is to keep happy, if going down the gym makes you feel better then fine but if your dragging yourself down there when you dont realy want to go is that doing you any good either? besides whats the end objective? to live longer, to feel better,none of us are on this earth long enuf to worry too much about things like that, my humble opinion is to go with the flow and dont WORRY about anythin to much, yeah of course we were all fitter(and better looking) when we were younger,but like you say Mac "welcome to real life" MAKE THE MOST OF IT,KEEP HAPPY EVERYONE,and dont you guys strain yourselves down the gym!!

If I were single and didn't have a son on the way I might completely agree with you, but at this point I have to worry about more than just what makes ME happy. It's all about routine anyway. I'm in one now - I just have to try to get in different one.

I don't want to be "living it up" without a care in the world now, then in ten years be laying with my chest open while doctors are sewing veins from my legs around my heart. seen that too many times from close family (both mine and my wifes) no thanks, I think I'll make some sacrifices now.