Turning 30 this month...need your help getting in shape!

Do you have spare time to purchase some free weights? Perhaps something in the 10-20 lbs range?

 

Well, I have a degree in Sports Medicine and Human Performance. I also used to teach martial arts and used to spend 35-40 hours in a climbing gym. The best advice I can give you is to look for something that interests you and preferably something with a social component.

Not sure if all educators get this taught to them but we were taught about the concept of gateway drugs. (How alcohol and tobacco can lead to harder and harder stuff.) While I don't exactly completely buy into that theory for drugs necessarily, I find it does work for fitness. The key is just finding an activity that will make you want to keep coming back. If it has a social aspect to it, that's even better. I know you want to do stuff at home but trust me, it will be a lot easier with a little help. It'll be worth it.

There's something out there for everyone. Heck, even in the martial arts world there is a huge variety. Whatever activity you pick, just realize that you'll have to give it time. Your body is going to need to do a lot of changing and adapting.

Once you start getting into whatever it is that you find, at some point you'll hit a plateau. That's where you start diving deeper down the rabbit hole. Next thing you know, you'll be doing all kinds of crazy training you never thought you would catch yourself doing. What's even better is that 30 isn't too late. Heck, stick with whatever you find and you'll find yourself thinking, "I'm in better shape at 3* or 4* than I was at **!" The key is start now and keep at it.

 

everyone is busy... and say.. "I cant find the time.."

but if this is important to you.. you should be able find the time.

yes.. quit smoking is a great first step in the right direction.

then join a gym..
start very small and slow... you are way out of shape.
dont make it to hard at first.. you will only get hurt and quit.

keep up the good work!

 

i a member of 24hr fitness..

the best value.. if you have $$ up front..

buy and pay for 3 yrs in advance..$700 or something like that..
i think they throw in 1 yr free....

then after the pre-paid years are done.... you only have to pay $100 per year.
and you can go to any 24hr fitness .. at any time of day or night!

 

I just turned 30 last month.

Last summer I decided to make some changes. I was 310 pounds. From July 2010 to Dec 2010 I lost 70 pounds and have kept it off so far. One of the things I did was get a calorie counting app on my Droid and used it everytime I ate. There are plenty of eating healthy apps and exercise apps out there, just depends on what exactly you are looking for.

I still have another 60 pounds I want to lose and quit smoking also. I have been going through some things in my personal life lately that have made it difficult, but I am planning on getting back on track soon!

 

good job!

you 2 should keep each other motivated..

both want to be more healthy

 

Quit smoking.

 

cant help it..




i am on fire

 

Yo APDell,

So turning 30 huh? Well I am just a few months away from being 30 too... And there is no time like the present to get fit, and stay fit!

So I've been into fitness for some time now, 6'1", 200lbs and 13% body fat. I've maintained this level for almost 12 months, with 2-3 training sessions a week. One of which is with a personal trainer, which without I would have never achieved my goals.

So what I would recommend for you is:

• Quit smoking
• Set your goals
• Find a great personal trainer to help achieve these goals, its money worth spending (you're not getting any younger, and your body is worth investing in)
• Eat the right foods
• Excersise at least 3 times a week
• Train with a friend when not with your PT (you'll be 70% more likely to keep at it this way)
• Start learning about fitness, training, health and well being

I think you will get a lot of good free information from my PT's blog http://www.fitnessforever.com.au/ too.

Good luck and I hope you reach your goals!

 

Pshhh! Ain't got nothin on me brotha!

Spoiler

This is a joke

 

APD, im 35 and im in pretty good shape....first of all, i know it's gonna be hard but leave the cancer sticks alone. I'm 5 feet 7 inches also but im at 178 lbs trying to get about another 5 pounds of muscle on. 140 is pretty skinny and if you wanna gain you gotta eat right. First you wanna get yourself some kinda protein mix and start taking that dailey along with a workout routine. At your weight i'd advise you to stay away from any p90x or insanity workouts. That'll cut you up but also make you lose weight.

Whats your goals as far as getting back into shape, ie gaining weight, adding muscle, cardio?

 

they say.. quitting sigs.. you will put on weight...
that alone will make you stronger everywhere..

working out will make sure it is muscle not just fat you are adding. and tone the muscle you have currently.

your goals are very very do-able... the first and hardest step.. is quitting the sigs.

 

Awesome that you got something started already! The Y will also have other stuff that you can check out too. Are you near a large city or university town? (Don't need to answer that question here, just something I pose to you to give you food for though.) If so, you'll be amazed at what other activities you can find too.

As for the Insanity workouts and P90x, those have always struck me as the exercise bike of the 2000s. (You'll probably find a few dusty copies at garage sales sometime in the near future if you don't already.) I know a few people who have been on those programs and I haven't seen any changes that couldn't be accomplished just as easily other ways.

No need for protein shakes or other supplements, a good diet will do wonders despite what the "fitness" industry will tell you. I can tell you first hand that studies can be very slanted and rearranged. (I was in the control group of a supplement study during uni. They threw my results out because they toasted the results of those on the supplement.)

Height versus weight is another area that can be a little grey. Your height to weight actually isn't all that bad and I think you'll find you can add more than 2-3 pounds in the next year. That's just doing as you have laid out for us so far and eating a normal diet. Keep with it and I think you'll be amazed at what you see in one year versus now.

 

you definetly need to start in the gym. Simply routines in the gym could help:

Day one - Chest, Tri's (4 sets)
Day two - Shoulders, Back
Day three - Legs, Bi's

You wanna throw in cardio on the days you don't do legs and make sure you hit abs all the time

Protein will help you gain muscle. 2 or 3 shakes a day will help. Casin protein should be consumed prior before bed time since it's a slow digesting supplement. Also mix up the different types of exercises for each body part. You don't want your body getting used to the same exercise all the time. Start light and gradually work up the weight. Can't get big in one day buddy. Good luck!

 

Yeah, no really. I've got a degree in this stuff. (And not just some trainer's certificate.) He doesn't need protein shakes. A good diet will do just fine.

 

Wednesday i had a sig.. with a buddy... it has been 6 months since i had one.
it was really good.

i am a social smoker.. only smoke when in a smoking situation. really.

 

Realistically, you could probably still eat whatever you want. You probably still have a really good metabolism it sounds like. (It'll change in a few years but you might as well enjoy.) That said, yeah, I'd look towards leaner side for a majority of your proteins but I wouldn't totally cast out beef if you really like it. Everything else, just be sensible and balanced. I really do think that you'll be amazed how easily doable your physical goals are without a whole lot of fuss. And that's really want you want. Quitting smoking will probably be the hardest (but also doable) part. Other than the smoking, you're in one of the more enviable dilemmas to be in.