Diet and Exercise Questions!

[Rush]

.. Okay. So my New Year's Resolution this year, like so many other people's, is to try to shape up my body a lil' bit.

Now before the peeps who've seen me, or at least know what I look like, start flipping out about it -- I am NOT joining a gym, I am NOT startin' a psychotic diet to lose weight, or anything like that. I simply want to start eating better and to get back the muscle tone I used to have a few years back.

So .. what does everyone recommend? What kind of diets do you have? What kind of workouts do you do?

To give a more specific idea of what I'm looking for .. I'm trying to figure out what the 'good' foods to eat are. Are there certain kinds of fruits, veggies, and meats that are notoriously nutritious and healthy? And also, the specific areas of my body I'd like to whip back into shape are the typical feminine sections -- around my stomach (specifically the lower abs), along with my tush and thighs. What kind of exercises target those areas? Please note, I have NO gym access and NO exercise equipment.

Thanks for the help!

 

[RODSCALIP5]

Morning- Oatmeal, 2 hard boil eggs(no yolk), wheat bread

Mid-Morning- Oatmeal

Noon- 3 mile run, Mon, Wed, Fri- Chest, Tricep, abs workout, Tues, Thurs, Sat- Shoulders, Bicep workout, throw some leg workouts in there

Lunch- Chicken, salad, veggies etc.

2 p.m.- a good snack, fruits, nuts(almonds etc.) oatmeal

5 p.m.-dinner, something healthy

6 times a day is ideal, it gets hard to eat six healthy small meals but it can be done, cardio everyday will help.

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

who the heck has time for a schedule like that?

 

[ronin12]

who the heck has time for a schedule like that?

try to eat more, but smaller meals, it will keep you feeling full. drink lots of water. do an aerobic exercise 15-20 mins a day(walking, jog, jump rope) anything to get your heartrate going and remember not to get discouraged at the beginning, it takes a little while before you start to see results. it is something that you have to want to do cause if you don't want it you will find excuses not to do it. I lost about 80lbs and quit smoking at the same time, no particular plan it was what worked for me, I would like to say that I kept the weight off, but over the years(4-6)the weight has slowly crept back into the neighborhood(not all 80 but enough for me to know it is time to do something) Hope it helps and good luck (thumb)

 

[Ryoga28]

don't eat...as much

keep active.

 

[girth]

Eating right is for pussies. All you need to do Rush is simply start a Pilates "core" workout. It will tone what you have, is a very easy commitment to make, and you will see results within a couple months easily while eating whatever you want since you basically don't gain weight. I started pilates about a year and a half ago and it even took my old body and got it in shape.

 

[gapeachsp5]

Join a gym

Haha...j/k....

First off, I am a girl as well, and I HATE going to the gym, but I've gotten much more into it lately. Before I joined, though, I bought a dvd at Target that worked very well. It's called QuickFix, and it's specifically for women. The great thing about it is you get to target whatever areas you want. I LOVE it!!! The ab section works wonders...

Other people have more experience with the best things to eat, but the best advice I've heard is, if you start to feel hungry but know you shouldn't be (i.e. you just ate two hours ago), drink some water. That, and keep carrots around; they're a great snack that can fulfill many cravings.

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

Eating right is for pussies. All you need to do Rush is simply start a Pilates "core" workout. It will tone what you have, is a very easy commitment to make, and you will see results within a couple months easily while eating whatever you want since you basically don't gain weight. I started pilates about a year and a half ago and it even took my old body and got it in shape.

pilates? lol

 

[gapeachsp5]

pilates? lol

Ever tried pilates? It's very difficult and effective, for both men and women.

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

I'm sure it is.

 

[girth]

pilates? lol

Yup. You know a guy has balls that clank when he's so manly he's not threatened by trying something like pilates...which does have a typical "chic" stigma to it. It's undeserved though - after you try it an it kicks your ass for a week, then starts building noticable definition in your muscles, you realize it's not such a "gay" thing. Be comfortable with your "manliness" and try it.(glare)

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

No thanks, but I will have another beer. lol

 

[Lil Freek]

yoga is great.
any martial art keeps you in shape
just stop shoving s*** in your mouth and you'll be good.
my goal for this year is 60lbs by June...
I just bought my gym membership, need to buy some sneakers and an ipod nano and i'm good to go the gym is 2 blocks from my work, i drive by it every day... the guilt of not going, now, is killing me.

if you're not comfortable going to the gym, go during off hours 9am-11am, 2pm - 4pm, 6pm - 10pm
i'm planning on going from 1pm to 2:30pm, 6days a week. I'm going to do strictly cardio (eliptical) for 6 weeks.. that'll drop me about 20lbs right there and give me some stamina to work with for the rest of my daily workout plan.

my hardest thing to get around is the fact that i manage a fish&chips restaurant... so it's like, the WORST food in the world... i eat a lot of fries cuz they're everywhere.. that's hurting.

 

[CommieSpeed]

What has worked great for me was doing a high fiber / high protien diet. So primarily veggies and lean meat, and I eat tons of Kashi products and Boca and Gardenburger products too. If you havn't tried the newer vegetarian products lately, they do a good job of simulating meat nowadays. The chicken tastes like chicken, and Boca Burgers rule. All are high in protien and Fiber. Kashi "Go Lean" Crunch rules, best cereal evar. Morningstar Farms also makes Veggie stuff that is bangin. I still eat meat, just not every meal of the day. After I started eating lke this is shed 25+ lbs instantly and kept it off no prob. Lean muscle mass FTW. And as far as having no exercise equipment, Girth was right about the Pilates thing. You can probably look up a full workout description online in 5 min, and all you need is a floor to do most of the exercises.

 

[BOOSTR]

Exercises to help you with your target areas would include reverse crunches, side crunches, standing twists, and sqauts. Include some push ups for balance. Start out slowly and confine the exercise to every other day so you'll stick with it and give your body a chance to adapt to its new routine. You can have a great workout and transform your body without weights or gym access.

Try to eat balanced meals. You don't want to skip meals. Beef packs on weight. So do pastas, rice, and breads. So if you can instead eat poultry or fish and cut back on the starches, you'll find it easier to stay lean. Also, try to consume at least a half to a gallon of water a day.

Good luck!

 

[Iceman112k3]

suddenly the north american wide health mania has given everyone some misconceptions about eating correctly although many valid points were made above

5 smaller meals a day instead of 3.

You need to eat a balanced diet no matter what anyone tells you, carbs are not teh devil, just excessive eating is.

If your going to eat carbs just try and keep it to whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal instead of complex carbs like processed white bread and "white" rice.

The rule of thumb for foods made easy is simple you don't want anymore the 5-6 g of fat per 100 g of the food.

Fish is great for you, theres a reason why Icelantics live longer then the rest of us (by 7 years average!) I personally reccomend tuna ~ 26 g of protein to 1.5 g of fat.

Healthy eating is also alot about variety to make sure your getting everything you need.

Water is very good for you, I personally drink about 8 L a day.

WHen it comes to working out its not that hard. a Target heart reate for somone like you would be between 110-135 to burn fat, thats just a slow jog. If your having trouble breathign and your pulse is blasting through your neck your running to hard and your burning the food you last ate rather then your fat stores.

lower abs.... leg raises, plank, bicycle.
butt - squats and lunges, you dont even need weights, just throw on a backpack with some of your school books in it, thats plenty.
thighs, the running will take care of them for you pretty much.


If you need anymore help fire me a PM

 

[ariana]

I like yoga and pilates. Because after having 2 kids your back and posture gets screwed up. As for losing weight I just don't eat much anyway as long as can fit a size 2 I'm a happy girl!

 

[65racecoupe]

Eat stuff the way God (or whoever) put it on the earth - i.e. whole foods.

Don't be a pussy during your workouts.

That is to the point. It isn't rocket science but it takes a lot of hard work to truly be in shape.

 

[GrandBelialKey]

Eat stuff the way God (or whoever) put it on the earth - i.e. whole foods.

yeah, boiling and microwaving foods is the best way to destroy nutrients, carrots are green beans are good for you, but once you heat them, they're basically just fiber...

 

[vashthestampede]

Stay away from candy! Its junk! (thumb)

I eat plentiful meals and work construction, thats my workout. But those with desk jobs should def stay active and think about a gym. Gotta be healthy!

But I must say, your lookin fine and fit in those photos from the other thread. (yes)

Vash-