Hi. I’m Chris and I need some help...

pal2tech

Hi everyone.

I’m Chris.

I just turned 50. And in the worst physical shape of my life. Having grown up in California, I had an active lifestyle in my teens/twenties/thirties. I spent a number of years trekking/backpacking around the world and was in great shape. I never really 'did' regular gyms though.

But as the years went by: work, kids, mortgage, and other stresses have caught up with me and I rarely make time for myself or fitness anymore. The most exciting trip I take now is to Target to buy some paper towels. For the past several years, I've resigned myself to the fact that this is what happens when you hit middle age: Your life doesn't always turn out as planned and you kind of hit a rut and end up stuck in circles - too busy to really focus on yourself anymore and going round-and-round taking care of everything else.

Currently, I'm 5' 10" and 175 lb. Not too overweight...yet. But I can barely touch my toes because I am not flexible or fit, I absolutely hate looking in the mirror, and my lower back hurts most of the time. I just feel like crap. I get winded playing tag with my kids (ages 8 and 10), and they complain about it when I have to stop after a few minutes. I feel incredibly unattractive and about as physically desirable as a Pet Rock. I've been to a physician and cardiologist and, besides some high blood pressure, there's nothing else wrong with me, except for the fact that I never exercise and my diet is horrible (which it is: sugar/salt/fat). To make matters worse, I'm a lead app/web department director at a large organization -- and have a heavy travel schedule of sitting around airports and one hotel after the other (though I do notice they do have nice empty gyms).

I want to get back in good shape -- and that this would make a world of difference. I really want to feel better physically. I want to have more energy. I want to sleep better. And above all else, I want to be the kind of dad that can totally keep up with his kids. I have such a narrow window and then they are grown up and gone.

So....here we are: about to start 2018. And I just joined this community. I'm nervous about using MyFitnessPal and my new Fitbit for this sort of thing, but I really want to give it a try. Clearly, I need to both get in shape through exercise, as well as seriously overhaul my crappy diet. I can't be the first person who has had this problem here.

I was hoping to see if you had any tips or suggestions either right here or via PM, about using this app in your life, as well as paired with a Fitbit. I do have a gym membership -- and am open to trying out any Apps, trackers, etc. that you think would be helpful, as well as connecting to other groups/Facebook people whatever. Heck, I'll howl and bark at the moon if that helps. At this point, I'll also try anything diet-wise. I want to take up jogging again. My 10 year old daughter wants to run with me in a 5K in April -- and it would me the world to me to be able to do that for her and not give out 1/2 way through. I've never really trained for a 5K before. So, yeah, I kinda have an endpoint goal here.

I'm hoping that some inspiration/motivation/accountability would be a help. I'm really busy as hell with major work projects, but can make a effort to get on here regularly and 'check-in' to connect and see latest tips, etc. Ironically, I actually conduct seminars on Time Management -- so know all about keeping a calendar, schedule, etc. But for some reason, getting into fitness lately has been a no-go. It is not about the time. I get that.

Feel free to friend me and we can support each other and give motivation!

How do you get into a routine and stick with it? Is the effort worth it? Do you feel better? More attractive? Or is that just a myth to sell more stuff. Anything to watch out for? Any good food/drink tips? Best practices for regular exercise? From reading the other posts, it seems like this is a great community of people and I'm open to suggestions, advice, serious nagging or whatever! Just go somewhat easy on me, as I've beat myself up enough already about being out of shape for so long -- and stupidly allowing my best fit/healthy years to erode away.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

nickylee76

First off.... great introduction. Usually you see the typical one liner of “I need help”. It does get harder as we get older... responsibility and all that nonsense of everyday. I’m restarting again this year. I’ve been successful in the past but a little over a year ago we moved across country and I took on a new very demanding job and I fell into bad habits again. I can feel myself becoming the tired lazy version of my previous self and I hate it. So I’ve had enough. I’ll add you. By the way. Couch 2 5k is a great program to start running. I used it in the past.

Shimmy2017

Hi Chris. I have been out here since July 13, 2016. In the first 90 days, I surpassed my goal. Throughout 2017 I managed to gain a few pounds back & as of today, I am sitting a the high end of my personal weight limit. So, I am at a place where I am trying to figure out how to successfully maintain. I can tell you that getting and being in shape and being healthy is the best thing you can do for yourself and those around you. The success you seek starts in your brain and your thoughts. You obviously have the thought to be healthy, now you have to believe you can do it, take it a day at a time and you will be the version of yourself you desire to be. I'll throw out a friend request to you....I have a few connections out here that I think you will find very motivational and helpful. Cheers to a Happy, Healthy & Successful 2018!

Amybcb

I can completely relate. I've been here since 2011 and go up and down the same 10 pounds (so not very encouraging but that is my own fault). It is definitely harder as we age and put our priorities to kids, home, work. I'm trying to balance and give myself some time so I can get healthier too. agree couch to 5k is a great program, I almost finished it a few years ago but my knee kept acting up so I wasn't able to complete it. There are so many motivational success stories, check out the success stories section. I love it! Sent you a friend request. Good luck!

billb3672

Great intro Chris! I am 75 years old and we travel full time in a motorhome and winter in Floridda, so working out is difficult for me. When we were living in our home I worked out daily, and was in good shape for an old guy. When we stopped traveling for the winter I commmittted to get into shape, so I got in touch with a guy I use to train with that has a Kickboxing school and started Kickboxing Cardio. I has been 2 months and I am getting back in shape. These 1 hour classes are really doing the job. I lost 13 pounds and can do 50 pushups without stopping. My suggestion is find a Karate or Kickboxing school and workout with them. Its fun and will get you back in shape because you are working your entire body. Good luck

sijomial

You are two years ahead of my drive to get fit and in shape, my fitness was OK but I had 30lbs of blubber to lose and my knee and back injuries were dragging me down. Felt old, tired and restricted. Also wanted to set a good example to my family.

Suggest with your skills you treat your fitness quest as a project. Plan it, schedule it, most importantly make it a priority. With an irregular schedule planning and flexibility are important. You might not be able to be consistent at the gym but body weight exercises are completely portable for example.

Move more in daily life, not just a thing you do when exercising. Make sitting down the last thing you do, a step counter tracker may be a motivator for that - just cutting down on TV time makes a difference. A lot of my training was late at night because that's the only place I could fit it in, all I missed out on was the conversations at work with people "who don't have time to exercise" but kept up to date with a multitude of TV series.

How do you get into a routine and stick with it?
It's a priority and important. What made it easier for me is that I enjoy exercise and am ridiculously self-competitive and goal driven.

Is the effort worth it? Do you feel better?
Oh yes!
I feel great. At 57 I'm ridiculously fit, my injuries trouble me far less, I'm full of energy, I'm very healthy. I also simply have a sense of satisfaction that I achieved something that eluded me for 20 years. I've not felt this good since my 20's.

More attractive? Or is that just a myth to sell more stuff. Anything to watch out for?
Strange women are always throwing themselves at me. (OK that's a lie - they would have to be very strange indeed!).

Any good food/drink tips?
Think of your overall diet not so much individual components of your diet. Make it enjoyable, sustainable and with a majority of good nutritious foods but with some space for treats eaten purely for pleasure and the enjoyment of nice food. Never drink bad wine - it has the same calories as good wine.

Best practices for regular exercise?
A balance of strength training and cardio is optimal.
Build up slowly - older bodies take longer to adapt (muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments...)
Push yourself but sensibly.
Enjoy your exercise.
Try everything then you might find that one thing that works for you. (I've always had a cycle but only got serious about cycling in my 50's and I simply love it. It's a sport/pastime you can do into old age. I do long distance events and there's people far older than me doing 100 mile days in beautiful countryside with a smile on their face.)

pal2tech

Hey nickylee76, thank you!! I'm checking out Couch 2 5K right now. I appreciate the great tip!!

pal2tech

LOL, hey sijomial!

I spit coffee at my monitor just now when I read "Strange women are always throwing themselves at me." Hahaha! Too funny!

Thank you for all the great advice.

You're awesome, man!!!

-- Chris

estherdragonbat

pal2tech wrote: »

Hi everyone.



How do you get into a routine and stick with it? Is the effort worth it? Do you feel better? More attractive? Or is that just a myth to sell more stuff. Anything to watch out for? Any good food/drink tips? Best practices for regular exercise? From reading the other posts, it seems like this is a great community of people and I'm open to suggestions, advice, serious nagging or whatever! Just go somewhat easy on me, as I've beat myself up enough already about being out of shape for so long -- and stupidly allowing my best fit/healthy years to erode away.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

Hi, I'm female, 45, started MFP on Oct 30th, 2016 at a weight of 254lbs (height 5'3"), BMI 45. As of today's weigh in, I'm 157.6, BMI 27.9.

I think in my case, a medical issue and some reverse psychology came into play. I lost the roulette spin and got an obesity-related complication. Chronic venous insufficiency, aka the veins in my legs collapsed under the weight of too much 'me'. This stressed my lymphatic system and blocked some of the ducts. Which led to first cellulitus and then lymphedema. And while I was waiting for an appointment with a vascular surgeon to assess the problem (and dealing with daily dressing changes on a weeping wound on my calf), I was ordered to stay off my feet. As in, my doctor's office is six blocks away and they wanted me to take a taxi to get there; I don't drive. So, by the time the surgeon diagnosed the CVI and cleared me for walking, I was champing at the bit.

At first, it was just pushing myself to get out and walk for at least 25 minutes every day. Once a week, I already walked for about 2 hours to do grocery shopping, but I decided to stop 'rewarding' myself with an extra treat at the bakery or Chipwich. I dusted off the fitness glider in my basement and started doing that on days when I couldn't get outside. Last March, I started strength training with resistance tubes. Then, in May, I bought a book that focused on light dumbbells, included progressive exercises for full-body workouts and lot of pictures and step-by-step instructions. I work out at home. I don't currently belong to a gym and don't have a reliable spotter, so lifting heavy isn't something I'm trying at the moment. (I'm also currently lifting up to a pair of 15lbs, but I'm working up to 20s). But even so, I've noticed muscle definition on my upper arms, shoulders, and legs. And I had surgery not too long ago. In recovery, the nurse complimented me on my trunk muscles when I was able to sit up unaided. Clearly, something's improved under the belly fat!

I do feel better, stronger, and more energetic. Mostly, it's been a question of finding stuff I can handle and sticking to it. I've got some hand-eye and motor coordination issues that used to make gym class a nightmare for me. I avoid team sports, dancing, etc., but walking, gliding, a home gym? Totally doable.

As far as eating, I'm a kosher vegetarian. Nothing magical about either; I got to 254 lbs that way and got to 157.6 that way. But I realized that I wasn't going to stick to any program that demonized foods and made me feel guilty for having dessert. I eat mostly healthy, keep my homemade desserts to 200 calories/serving or fewer, and pre-plan my treats. But I make room for indulgences within my calories, focus on hitting protein and iron, and let the rest fall where it falls. (Which generally means around 50% carbs, and lower—not "low"—fat.) Satiety varies from person to person, so experiment and figure out what works for you.

You've got this. Good luck!

Alzzi76

Hello,
After reading your post i thought it sounded just like me only im a mum... feeling the pinch of get old. I've decided today to break my bad habits ive takin on in the last the yrs and start over. 1200 cal plan and walk at least round the block b4 bed. I used to be a sport teacher assist and i miss it. Being fit always helped to forget your age.