Source
r/TwoXChromosomes•
AnnaRKey

Looking for some advice to help with getting healthy...

I know I've been making a lot of posts lately, and you're all probably getting really tired of that AnnaRKey chick, and trying to find the end of her epic posts so you can skip over the babbling. But I'd really appreciate some advice. :)

I'm finally feeling motivated to really push myself and stick to a diet, and try to get healthy again. I use to be really fit a few years ago, but after heavy partying, stress and being depressed for so long, I'm not as fit as I use to be. I quit smoking a few months ago, and already I feel better. Now that I'm over the "OMG food tastes amazing again!" hump, I'd really like to get back into shape.

I'm already working on a calorie budget, exercise goals, weight goals, and a journal to help me keep track of progress and to see if my original plan is going to work or not. I'm planning on focusing on portion control, and keeping complex carb consumption and sugar to the beginning of my day, and focus on veggies and protein at night. I already prefer to cook at home, and I'm super picky about where my food comes from and the health factors in things. I'd also like to try to not cut out the odd sweet (hense the calorie tracking) as well as red wine, beer, and the occasional cocktail.

Any advice on motivation, or exercise routines to try, or tips on cooking and snacks, or tracking the weight-loss etc are welcome.

Here's where I really need some advice. I have a hard time getting up in the morning. I'm a night owl, but I've been getting myself into bed around 12-1am every night. I only need 5-7 hours of sleep to feel refreshed in the morning, but I just don't want to get out of bed. Anyone have any tips on how to get my butt out of bed and going in the morning? I'd like to try to exercise in the mornings, since it's the most beneficial for fat loss that way.

Edit Thanks for the wonderful replies! Don't worry, I'm not "dieting" so much as being more aware of food. I'm mostly trying to find good exercise and motivation to do so and figure out how much and how often at this point. :)

Posted Mar 26, 2010, 3:51 AM UTC · edited

741
[deleted]•

Okay, first things first: you're an awesome person. You had the drive to decide that certain things need to change and you're asking for help. So high five!

Okay, so you're starting to plan your new fitness routine out AND you've got a journal. Excellent steps taken already. I can't help too much with dieting because I'm working on that myself. One diet tip though: DRINK WATER AND ONLY WATER. It will boost your metabolism, make you feel full when you think you're hungry and keep you feeling refreshed.

Onto to exercises. What were your fitness levels like before this? What exercise (if any) were you doing before? For both men and women, it is highly highly highly (HIGHLY) recommended that you do both weight lifting AND cardio.

Weight lifting is important because it will burn fat that is between your muscles (and making them look leaner) and it burns calories over all. I know that weight lifting can be intimidating for women especially. I didn't start weight lifting and training until a month ago and honestly, it's the best addition I've made to my fitness routine. As a novice weight lifter, you will notice results fairly quickly if you keep to a healthy diet. This motivates you like nothing else, so seriously. Weight lift.

This website has a list of all the different muscles in your body and exercises to strengthen them. For now, since you're just starting out, I would recommend not focusing on the details of human musculature and wondering what exercise to do for the tiny muscle that's buried deep in your abs. For now, just go for the exercises that cover more general areas of your body: Arms/Shoulders, Chest/Back, Abdominals, Legs. Just go through the site; mimic the exercises without weights so you can get a feel for them and then at the gym, just try them with actual weights. It's very hard for someone to come up with a specific routine. Only you know what and how your body will react.

As for cardio, have fun with it. Personally, I'm a runner. I like to pretend I'm running away from a mob of zombies or that I'm a detective chasing after a suspect. It makes running more enjoyable for me. And since you're starting out, try different things. Go swimming one day and then jump on your bike the next. Experiment and see what YOU like to do to get your heart going.

Finally, as for getting out of bed, have you tried putting your alarm clock on the floor in the far corner of your room? I put mine behind my bookshelf and the damn thing gets me out of bed every morning. By the time I turn it off, I'm awake from having to struggle to reach around. If something like that doesn't work, then try reminding yourself WHY you should get up early. You want to exercise, you want to better yourself, you want to change your life. Anything. And repeat to yourself until you're awake.

Damn, this is a long post so I'll stop there. I hope this was helpful and seriously, I think you're amazing just for taking the first steps to make your life a better one. Tell us how it goes. :)

Edit: I can't believe I forgot this!! Join r/fitness and r/health if you haven't already. ;)

10
InfinitelyThirsting•

Personally, I'm a runner. I like to pretend I'm running away from a mob of zombies or that I'm a detective chasing after a suspect.

I love you.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Haha, Mp3 player + Zombie/ spy music (preferably the Matrix Soundtrack dun-dun-dun) would be key to making this more awesome.

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[deleted]•

Haha!! Yeah I have the "28 Days Later" theme on my iPhone. It's fun to run to.

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InfinitelyThirsting•

So when I see someone run by, earbuds in, screaming and flailing like a speedy windmill but with no one in visible pursuit, I know who to blame.

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artifactos_ohio•

I listen to the James Bond theme sometimes when I run. Yes, I'm female.. but I still find it awesome.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Internet high five for 007

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[deleted]•

I guess I'm the only one who does this? I always do this in my head: turn mundane things into dramatic and/or suspenseful situations. That's what I get for watching too many movies. :P

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InfinitelyThirsting•

Oh I've done the spy stuff for sure. It's the zombie horde that makes you special. :)

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Thanks for the wonderful reply :D

I use to be a kick boxer, so I'm no stranger to weight-training, and cardio. I'm not much of a runner, due to asthma (I know, what a moron for smoking, right?). I can handle short stints of vigorous cardio, and obviously enough to bounce around a ring and lay into people. I do plan on weight-training, and my boyfriend has a few weights that need dusting off. Currently we've been trying to go for walks, go on outings more, beach trips happen sometimes, and we recently bought some tennis rackets and balls to go mess around with. Eventually, I would like to try to start running, but I'm not there yet, lighter cardio (I sound like an old lady) stretching, general bouncing around, and some weights are my first step at the moment.

As for the alarm thing, I'd honestly probably just go lay back in bed. >.> But you're right on the mind-set, and it's also a matter of retraining my body to sleep for the amount I really need, instead of over sleeping in my comfy bed, because I feel like there's no reason to rush. :P

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[deleted]•

Wow you used to be a kickboxer?? That is so cool! Bleh I was never into anything like that or martial arts. Used to be a swimmer and figure skater. Now it's just me and my sneakers. Anyways, I also wanted to possibly suggest yoga. It places a lot of emphasis on your mentality and your mind as well as your physical well-being. Yoga might be a good idea for you since you're wanting to focus on both too.

The mind is everything, though. I recently saw an article in r/fitness that said the mind dictates whether or not your muscles are tired, not the muscles themselves. The mind is absolutely everything. Try giving yourself a pep talk, either mentally or out loud. I don't know if you smoke weed, but it enhances everything you experience and when I gave myself a pep talk while high once, I felt so damn empowered. I guess the point of this part of my post is to tell you that your mind governs you, not your physical body.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

I don't know if you smoke weed, but it enhances everything you experience

I'm a seasoned professional in the art of the smoke. Unfortunately, being a foreigner in my current country, I've been extremely hesitant in seeking out indulgence of this kind. I've been drinking a lot of tea though, and the effects of some of the compounds inside tea have a mild, but similar psychoactive effect on the brain that THC has. It also helps you stay positive and focused. So that works for me for now. I also think not putting anything into my lungs is helping them recover from all the damage I have caused to them with cigarettes. Fortunately, I'm young enough, and only smoked for a short time, so the damage is lower, and I have a higher chance of being able to recover lost lung capacity.

I'm also a big hippy, so meditation isn't new to me either, and I actually enjoy it. I have been checking out some yoga videos on youtube. I'm a little annoyed that my TV is at my SO's parent's place now that I might have a use for it -_-.

And yea, kick boxing was a blast. I was doing it back around when I was 18/19ish, and did some minor competition with my school/ other local schools. It ended when I went to University...

On that note too, while I'm not a stranger to exercise, I've never had as much excess weight as I do now, so I'm not use to losing weight.

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meismariah•

Just a note about the yoga: be careful. I recently became a certified yoga teacher and you'd be surprised the number of things that can go wrong when you don't have a teacher or you try things that aren't for beginners. I would suggest finding a nice studio with a beginners class and going to that at least a few times before trying anything on your own. i don't mean to freak you out or anything, though! yoga is amazing, especially if you're interested in the philosophy behind it!! :)

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pax_mentis•

For me eating healthier became easier when I started to look at it as a lifestyle change instead of a "diet." Diet just sounds so temporary and appearance (not health) based.

Also, I don't suggest calorie counting as a long term change, it's too hard to maintain - it'd drive you crazy! That said, looking at the nutrition info pretty regularly for 2-3 weeks is useful. I know so much more about what I'm eating and can make much better estimates about calorie content, sugar, fat, etc, because of a brief period of always looking at nutrition info.

I can't wake myself up either, so I won't give you advice there. :)

Good luck! :D

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Yea, there's no way I'll be interested in calorie counting for long. It's mostly just to make myself more conscious of how much I am eating, and to make the necessary adjustments. I really don't feel that food is my problem, I already eat really healthy, there's just a few minor adjustments to make. It's mostly exercise motivation.

Thanks for the input though!

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pax_mentis•

ahh yeah, that makes sense :) I agree with some other posters on starting to do weight training - that's where I saw the biggest results the fastest and that was reinforcing in and of itself.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Definitely, I was pretty blown away by how much my muscle has gone on vacation. But, I really shouldn't be surprised.

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meismariah•

Cooking tips: Don't use ANY SALT AT ALL. It helps so much, and you get used to it. If you're food absolutely needs to be a bit saltier, add it on the plate. Most of the flavor gets cooked out anyways, especially when the salt is in the form of soy sauce or something. Also, check the sodium counts on everything you buy and try to get the brand with the lowest sodium

About the cutting out carbs and eating more veggies: Veggies are great for you but everyone is different and for me personally, My body needs carbs to get by. I eat a lot of rice, oatmeal, potatoes, pasta etc. I try to eat as many veggies as I can but fruits are more appetizing to me. so listen to you're body and eat what's right for YOU, even if a book says something else is healthier. (also i don't eat a lot of meat. just lots and lots of carbs, lol)

Getting up in the morning: put you're alarm clock across the room. I tried this the other day and generally it worked, but I had two alarms: one was on my touch and that was set for 6.45, across the room. another was on my phone next to my bed set for 7.15. the ipod one never wakes me up for some reason though, even at full volume.

sorry for the wall of text :) hope this all helps

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Good point with the sodium. My SO's dad has heart problems, so he's super cautious about salt content. We don't cook with salt, I rarely put it on my food, and if we use salt, we use natural sea salt, or pink salt, which is rich in minerals. I'm not a big salt fan, and figure there's enough salt in the food I'm eating alone. I prefer pepper, herbs and chillies to add zing to my food. I've honestly been eating a lot healthier in the past 4 months than I have in the past 3 years.

I use an iPod touch for my alarm, but I should probably just buy an alarm clock. I've noticed that the touch doesn't wake me up, so much as it's an annoyance that I swat in my sleep.

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meismariah•

Yeah my dad has high blood pressure and I have stupid kidneys that give me back pain when i have a lot of diuretics, so we pretty much completely cut out sodium.

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tanglisha•

I've been following The Fit Female Breakthrough for diet. It also contains a really nice workout, but I'm continuing with the workout plan I was on before.

The diet in this book is more like a different look at food. It follows most of the clean eating rules. While losing, you have a goal of 90% compliance following some basic rules:

  • Protein with each meal
  • Veggie and/or fruit with each meal
  • No caloric drinks
  • No carbs at all. This includes rice, pasta, and bread.
  • No processed foods
  • No sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, or other sweeteners
  • Eat 5 meals a day

90% compliance at 5 meals a day means you get 3-4 cheat meals in a week. Skipping a meal counts as a cheat meal.

Once you hit your goal in bodyfat, you can back off to 60% compliance.

I've really changed my outlook on food after following this for a while. Mostly because eating so many times a day means you eat less at a time. The protein fills you up quickly. I feel great! On days when I have been very bad and eaten my cheats all in one day, I end up feeling weighed down and uncomfortable. Days I follow with 0-1 cheats, I feel light and energetic.

I have tried the starter workout in this book, it's quite good. You can get started with minimal equipment.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Sounds about what I've been planning. Veggies aren't an issue, as all I eat is veggies. Cutting carbs completely isn't going to happen. I've done some research on the topic, and it's common for cutting carbs completely to cause your body to not respond as you'd like it to. Protein is important as well. But what I've learned, and from what I already know, the biggest part of weight loss is portion control and calories in vs calories out. A small amount of the right kind of carbs, especially in the morning, and especially if you do some exercise in the morning, can actually help give your body a nice boost, and get things running smoothly. The big argument against cutting carbs completely, is that is what your body is use to processing as energy. Reducing intake, atleast initially, seems to be the most recommended method. Of course, everyone is different, and it seems obvious that cutting out carbs is the best way to make your body start burning stored energy.

The 5 meals a day thing is suppose to be healthier and follows our body's natural rhythm better than 3 meals a day. 5 meals a day is difficult to keep up with though. I have acid reflux and this was a suggested way to keep up with this, and to constantly keep a balance inside my stomach so I do not cause greater problems. I think this might be worth a shot, once I get the calorie and portion control under wraps.

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isendra3•

I would suggest starting with a more sustainable plan. While you will lose weight by cutting out all carbs, all processed food, all salt, all sweeteners.... It not sustainable for the majority of people. Those people that say "I lost 50lbs and then gained back 65..." this is how that happens.

I would suggest that you start just cutting back on these things, and focusing more on fresh greens and vegetables, and leaner meat, and smaller portions.

Don't "diet", try to create a new method of eating that you can follow forever.

Also, you don't lose more weight exercising in the morning than you do at night, or afternoon. That's one of those exercise myths that just won't die. If you are not a morning person, pick some other time of day. Pick a time when you will do it every time, as opposed to forcing yourself in the morning and losing the fight some days. And check out r/fitness

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HungLikeJesus•

I second r/fitness. It's my favorite subreddit (though r/Austin and r/TwoX are close seconds).

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Really? I thought getting your muscles warmed up and active in the morning helped you burn more calories during the day.

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tanglisha•

This doesn't actually cut carbs completely since it allows for cheat meals. I believe you're also supposed to have carbs post-workout, I don't remember what the content of the shakes is. She has a section on carb timing, I'm not quite that advanced.

The protein thing at each meal is to keep you from losing muscle and to fill you up. She also encourages eating some fat with each meal, like olive oil or butter. I'm eating less calories in an average day while doing this combination, because I feel full faster. In addition, she says that protein makes your body acidic and veggies tend to make it alkali - I may have these backwards, my copy is currently loaned out. So, eating both during a meal helps keep your body at a steady ph.

On a side note, I've never dealt with acid reflux, but do occasionally get fairly bad heartburn. A tablespoon of vinegar (rice wine vinegar is mild) calms it almost immediately. Might be worth a shot to try some extra vinegar on your next salad.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Ah, you have the acidic and alkaline right (I'm pretty sure). I also have an option of having a meal replacement shake for one or two meals during the day, and it's based on a 3 meals a day diet plan. My problem with this is that while it's full of nutrition, and has been formulated by a trusted naturalpath in the local area, I never quite feel satisfied with it. I've had it on days when I just don't have time for breakfast or dinner, but I'd rather focus on food, rather than a diet that consists of supplements.

Vinegar is acidic, it seems sort of silly to add acid to the acid that's already bothering your stomach. Someone mentioned apple cider vinegar to me before as a remedy, but it didn't make sense to me. I do eat vinegar though, and I rarely get acid reflux issues, as long as I keep my body in balance. My acid reflux mostly responds to stress, emotionally and physically, instead of food.

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tanglisha•

The acid/acid thing doesn't make a ton of sense to me, either. Unfortunately, I can only find angelfire type sites claiming that it makes your body more alkali. All I know is that it works for me.

I have the same issue with meal replacement shakes, and only use them as backup in situations where I'm in a hurry and need to eat NOW. Adding some peanut butter and/or ground flax seeds makes them more filling, as does mixing them with milk. I don't know what kind of protein is in those shakes, but a scoop of whey powder might take care of your issue. I use a powder that largely consists of whey, and find it to be disgusting but filling :)

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HungLikeJesus•

I believe you're also supposed to have carbs post-workout, I don't remember what the content of the shakes is.

Chocolate milk is supposed to have about the right ratio of carb/fat/protein for post-workout, and tends to be way cheaper than packaged exercise shakes.

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tanglisha•

Absolutely right. I plan on switching after I run out of powder, but those tubs are big :)

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emmster•

I'm a big proponent of the HAES plan. Hell, it's not even really a plan. It's just three goals.

This is absolutely the only thing I've ever been able to stick with and not have it trigger eating disorder behaviors. So simple. Learn to eat normally in response to actual hunger, and not emotions, find physical activities you enjoy, and love yourself. They're not always easy to accomplish, it takes some practice. But, it's so much more sustainable than a diet with a bunch of wildly impractical rules.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

I'm not really keen on following rules, or doing anything like that. I'm just restructuring what I eat, how I eat and how much. I'm really in need of some strict exercise regime though, and I'm going to have to force myself to get moving until I find it more enjoyable.

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psychminor01•

I suggest hitting the pool. I can write out a workout for your fitness level if you tell me what your swimming experience is. If you're interested, PM me. Swimming is one of the best ways to burn calories and get in shape. It will help you get some of those nice lean muscles too and is a full body workout in itself. Really only need to supplement it with some crunches if you want to build abs or something.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Heh, I wish. I've already looked into the pool option. There really isn't anything close enough, or open long enough for swimming to be a viable option. Hopefully my SO's parents get a pool installed. For now it'll be simple exercises, focus on core strengthening and gradually working my cardio.

Thanks for the offer though. It makes me really wish there was a pool I could go to. :(

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psychminor01•

Yeah, pools are pretty expensive, and good lap pools are tough to find. Best bet is a College if there's one in your city - lots of times they have community hours.

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Yea. Well, my SO's mom has been told she needs to do more weight lifting, and general exercise to help pick up her bone density. She's a fairly slim woman, but she's got really bad joints, and a crappy back. Going to a swimming pool was the highest recommended option. So we'd go together, but neither of us can legally drive for different reasons. Maybe once I get my Aus licence it'll make it easier for the both of us to get stuff done on our schedule, instead of relying on our men for rides.

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penfin•

Congrats on your choice! I'm working on getting healthier too, and I'm actually having really good luck with an iPhone/iPod app called "Lose It." You tell it how much you weigh, and how much you want to lose per week. On a daily basis, you enter in foods you eat and exercise done, and it gives you an allowance for calories for the rest of the day.

As for getting out of bed, it's tough. I have a little notebook of things to motivate me that I read when I have a hard time with things. For example, my family has a history of diabetes, so I have a page of the health implications for that disease, and reasons I don't want it. It helps most of the time.

Also, I recommend asking yourself the classic "What would Michelle Obama do?" Yep, she'd get out of bed and get to sculpting those fabulous arms of hers.

Good luck!

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AnnaRKeyOP•

Also, I recommend asking yourself the classic "What would Michelle Obama do?" Yep, she'd get out of bed and get to sculpting those fabulous arms of hers.

Amusing. :D

And thanks for the app name, I was actually wondering if such a thing might exist.

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