Health Concerns & My Weight

AsgardW0lf wrote: »

Remember 2 things.... 1) Reaching out and asking for help takes guts! Pure and simple!! And 2) Even the most competent and experienced gym user was a newbie at one time! Everyone who walks into a gym for the first time will look at some of the equipment and not have a damn clue on how to use it!

Haha thank you

Yeah I think it’s almost more about the physical set up of the room. All of the weight machines are in a circle of cardio machines facing inward :P

jgnatca wrote: »

With the leg problems see if the bike or the recumbent bike works better for you. Try swimming or jogging in the pool.

Yes, that’s my plan! I need to brave the pool as well - another new/intimidating space. Once I go the first time I’ll be okay.

mxjasperm wrote: »

Hello,

I can't imagine your physical ailments complicate your progress, but I'm glad to see that you have enough motivation and optimism to analyze your options, as well as ask for help. Health and fitness goals are so personal, and it's hard to communicate your situation to, essentially, total strangers. It's also nice to know that I am not the only one who has been on-off with my MFP activity.

Though I don't have physiological conditions that hinder my health and wellness plans, my mental health and life circumstances have severely derailed me since 2016. I'm finally at a point that I can focus on the next step of my recovery, which includes becoming active again and focusing on my art career.

While I cannot offer medical advice or tips to aid your journey, I can offer my support. If you wish to correspond on here regularly I would be more than happy to supply encouragement

I hope you reach your goals, and more.

Thank you! I never expect medical advice from MFP, don't worry. Support is always welcome.

AsgardW0lf wrote: »

kiela64 wrote: »

AsgardW0lf wrote: »

So what do you aim for when you go to the gym!? Cardio or Resistance (weights)!?

As I am recovering from my leg injury I’m limited to 25min if walking or biking. I was hoping to try weights, I’ve used the gym machines at previous gyms. But things look different so they are intimidating.

The 4 hour body by Tim Ferris. It's on Amazon and Kindle. Have a look at chapters The slow carb diet and The perfect posterior! Sounds mad but the diet and exercises are easy to follow and you can do them at home. It uses Kettle bells again which you can get from Amazon. I don't know how tall or physically strong you are still so I don't know what weight you would need, I bought a 24kg one but I'm 6'2" and built like a brick our house?

Thank you for the recommendation. I will keep it in mind! I would probably go for the physical copy as I prefer reference manuals to be in print, novels in epub format.

However I would like to use the things currently at my disposal without paying extra money. I have one set of 10lb dumbbells, a yoga mat, my foam roller, and a gym membership. I am pretty weak, so the 10lbs is heavy to me. I'm also exactly a foot shorter than you, lol.

For at home I will probably try to learn some more body weight exercises, once my physio is a little easier (currently I need to raise my body weight to foam roll my calves twice a day and it leaves me with shaking arms and very sore wrists, which discourages me from lifting anything at those times). I currently walk outdoors some days now it's nice and do my physio.

At the gym I am aiming to use the pool, stationary bike, and the weight machines. I do not know proper form with free weights so I am not going to try those things until I am significantly stronger (in which case I would ideally ask a friend with experience to show me around and help me out, if not a professional). Except the lighter dumbbells, which I have used in classes in the past. But again I'd need to look up some more correct form/exercises to do with them. The machines are something I have used in the past. Or, at least I've used about 5 different kinds of machines. My current gym has many more, and the style of them is different/newer and there will be a learning curve. But I think less chance of injury.

That's my plan right now. I can make general plans for when I'm stronger (by which I mean functional, basic strength to walk for 30+ min without injury, the 10lb dumbbells don't feel extraordinarily heavy, I feel better and able to do more and less afraid of injuring myself walking a short distance to a location from the subway or doing "too many stairs" in my day, etc). But first I need to get there.

The things I'm interested in pursuing at that point come from MFP. I have looked longingly at the Couch to 5k program, but I am not yet at their beginning point. I would also ideally work with a strength training program, maybe the one you've suggested. Maybe if I spend the next two months eating at a deficit (thus putting less strain on my body in activity), increasing functional strength, and increasing my ability to do light low-impact exercise like the bike, swimming, and walking - then I can say I'm ready to start doing these things. But of course I need to make sure my body is ready for these things. So all of those plans are tentative, and contingent on my success right now.

AsgardW0lf wrote: »

Sounds a solid plan!! Machines are great to start with as you don't have to worry about form too much! Check out this program, it might not be exactly what you're after but the site does have a massive database of videos on gym equipment!!
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/best-beginner-weight-training-guide-with-easy-to-follow-workout.html. I'm also an alternative therapist (Reiki, crystal healing, meditation, mindfulness) which I use to manage my Bipolar if you're interested in anything like that that might help the emotional side of things? Throw me a friend's request if you like!?

Thank you! I'll check it out. Videos are always helpful

No thank you, you're welcome to add me but I'm not really interested in alternative things. Meditation and mindfulness are cool - I do yoga once a week and I think they're useful and good. But for therapy and healing I stick with more traditional routes. Thanks though!