I'm trying to come up with a plan to get back into shape. Well, let's actually say to create a shape since I've never been over-thrilled with the ones that I've had. I'm mid 40s, follow the food pyramid, am able to do moderate exercise, don't smoke, drink or have any addiction or illness. What would your recommendation(s) be for starting a weight loss muscle building regimen ?
join a gym. Develope a habit of going. It can be ackward at first, but soon you begin to recognize the people there, doing exactly what you're doing. Do 20 minutes of aerobic, and 20 minutes of light lifting. It may not seem much, but a little will go a long way. Many gyms offer personal trainers who can get you started, usually for a minimal fee.
dont follow the food pyramid, doing so is like saying you trust the government or the FDA. eat more fresh organic fruits and veggies, whole grains(certain cereal, bread, and crackers and some other stuff), and soy foods(soymilk, fake meat, tofu, tempeh, etc etc etc...) gotta bike? ride it to work, or to the grocery store or some place close, then eventually ride it to work, youll be savin oil too and feel damn good if you follow the diet and really excercise everyday... maybe not damn good, but hella better.
eat 8-10 servings of fresh fruit and veggies a day. Eat enough fiber to fill you up and eat enough protein to keep your muscles growing and your waistline slimming, protein and fiber are harder to break down than carbs and so they burn more calories.. Be careful not to binge on a regular basis and try to live a more active life... biking and walking are great ways to start...
exactly, fiber is in whole grains i mentioned and fruits and veggies, and protein is in soy foods as well as fruit and veggie skins : ) avoid hydrogenated oils in all food you buy too...
If you haven't got a bike, walk. I lost 30lbs in a month, not by starving myself, but by eating all of the above foods ('eat right 4 your type' offers a healthy diet) and walking everywhere, short walks first, then building up to 25 miles a week. Or half an hour aerobic exercise you'd get on a video which in uk you can get cheaply from a charity shop, do that 3 times a week and you'll see weight loss and feel healthier. If you're blood group A you'd be best with cycling or walking as high impact aerobic exercise or excessive gym work is too much for A's. Eating foods that burn more calories by digestion than the calories in the food is a clever way to lose weight without much exercise, like celery, leeks, green peppers etc You needn't go hungry if your body's getting all the nutrition it needs, and beware your mind wanting empty calories at first, what it really wants is nutrition. Tamsyn
I have an alternate plan: I am going to continue to gain weight until they give me amphetamines or gastric bypass surgery.