Getting (and staying) Fit

[EMT2B]

Hello All~
I will be taking my first EMT-Basic course starting in August of this year. I am not in the best physical shape, and I want to change that. I have started Nutri-System and have lost close to 20 lbs in the two months I have been on it. I want to get into better shape and start NOW so as to have a "leg up" on my fitness before entering the EMT-B class.

[A quick bio of my fitness level: I am approx 5'10 and weigh in excess of 300 lbs, though most people think I weigh a lot less than I do. I can walk for about a mile (of flat or downhill terrain) before I am too exhausted to continue. Because I am without a car, I ride my bicycle most every place. I have pitifully little upper-body strength, but my lower body is in pretty good shape (carrying around all this weight has made my legs quite strong). I can prolly manage about five bent-knee pushups, and maybe 10 crunches. I cannot, however, manage even one chin-up/pull-up, even with assistance from an exercise machine. :unsure: ]

While I realize there are oodles of exercises that I can do at home with little or no equipment, I find I am rather "gadget-oriented." I saw some DVDs at my local Target store that looked fairly interesting, but I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for. :huh:
I was wondering what (if any) DVDs and/or exercise videos have worked for you? Also, has anyone had any success with balance/exercise balls (those giant kickball-looking things)? Any other routines/gadgets/whatevah you would recommend to friends/family? Anything that can be done whilst I'm watching my nightly programs? I also have a gym membership through my health insurance, so if anyone has any ideas of what kind of routine I could do at 24-hour fitness, that would be appreciated as well. Thanks all in advance!

 

[phideux]

Before you worry about any gadgets, get yourself down to a "normal" weight, and build stamina. Strict diet, lots of cardio stuff/walking. You need to drop about a third of your body weight before you need any gadgets.
As far as losing weight/getting in shape/exercising, most gadgets are useless gimmicks.

 

[IAems]

Don't Over-Do It

phideux is right. You need to learn new habits. Most people go to the gym for a few months and then return to old habits. Start small. Give yourself clear benchmarks and goals (like: "I want to pass the CPAT" or "I want to lose 15 lbs", not "I want six-pack abs" or "I want to be healthier")
Here's a great regimen that worked for me: Go to http://www.joinlapd.com/#, the joinLAPD website, and download the Fitness Log at the bottom of the page. It will start you out as though you have very sub-par fitness and work you into the kind of shape that you can start applying to police and fire academies (if that's your thing). It's a really great way to achieve all-around fitness by reaching simple and clear goals. Once you've mastered that, then move on to the "gadgets" which are more for focus on specific muscle groups.

 

[EMT2B]

Start small. Give yourself clear benchmarks and goals (like: "I want to pass the CPAT" or "I want to lose 15 lbs", not "I want six-pack abs" or "I want to be healthier")

IAems~
I have small fitness goals. My main one right now is I want to lose 20lbs. I also want to be able to walk from my brother's house uphill to my mum's house without becoming winded and having to sit and rest for 20 minutes just to catch my breath!

Here's a great regimen that worked for me: Go to http://www.joinlapd.com/#, the joinLAPD website, and download the Fitness Log at the bottom of the page. It will start you out as though you have very sub-par fitness and work you into the kind of shape that you can start applying to police and fire academies (if that's your thing). It's a really great way to achieve all-around fitness by reaching simple and clear goals. Once you've mastered that, then move on to the "gadgets" which are more for focus on specific muscle groups.

Thanks! Thats pretty much what I was looking for. B) My class starts in approx ... *counts* 11 weeks. I think I can do the LAPD program. It seems simple enough. I will have to look for a "shock absorbing surface" nearby. There is a high school close by, but it has a dirt track. Is that considered a "shock absorbing surface"? There is also a college nearby that has an astroturf-type track. Is that a "better" shock absorbing surface? Otherwise, I just have asphalt to walk/jog/run on.

Thanks everyone! ^_^

 

[IAems]

Treadmills will work when starting out

If you have a gym membership, treadmills are great for low impact (just put them at a 1% incline to mirror running on surface streets). Treadmills are generally viewed as "easier" (hence the "no treadmill" warning on the fitness log) but they are a great way to build up cardiovascular strength before hitting surface streets. P.S. Research your target heart rate and try not to surpass that, you don't want to end up a patient before you get a chance to treat one! Best of luck, man, you'll do great.

 

[Euclidus]

Changing your lifestyle is the most important thing. You aren't going to want to be on nutrisystem forever, so it will be important to learn new ways to cook, and new recipes that are both nutritious and good tasting. It can be especially hard in EMS; I try to pack a few small meals for my shifts because if I don't go in with a game plan, the game plan usually defaults to chipping in for a pizza or a fast food run or something. The take-out options when you're in EMS are almost never healthy unless you can eat Subway every single day.

Regular exercise is great, but the key to lasting weight loss is being more active overall. For me, I ride my bike instead of driving to places any and every time it's practical. My boyfriend and I play racquetball or go for walks or bike rides instead of watching tv. You'd be surprised how many different ways you can increase your daily calorie burn. Any time I've needed to lose the last ten pesky pounds or so of winter weight, I've used fit day because it's a free online weight loss journal and really makes you think about what you're eating and where your activity level is.

As far as a fitness routine, if you have access to a trainer at 24-hour fitness, meet with one (even just a couple of times) and ask for some simple weight-training exercises. As you build muscle mass, you turn your body into a fat burning machine. More muscle mass will increase your metabolism as well as enable you to do your job more safely! Cardio is great, but regular resistance training with weights/dumbells will help your body become a more efficient machine. I'm not talking about bulking up or anything, just developing a higher percentage of lean muscle mass. Good luck on your journey!

 

[mintygood]

Anyone who considers running on a tredmill easy needs to reevaluate their workout plan. Alternating incline/speed is the key. I typically run between 3-5 miles with alternating inclines. Also, if you're wanting low impact, consider road cycling. It is quite expensive for all of the gear (typically entry level bikes can be found for 500 on craigslist) but it is a great investment. I've been riding for a few years and I love it. Not only do you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the back roads, but you will get in great shape.

 

[Aerin-Sol]

First, props on starting to work on your fitness!

I'd recommend that you start lifting weights, at a gym. StrongLifts 5X5 is my preferred beginner's program, here's why:

*you'll see steady progress as a beginner -- it was really motivating to watch my lifts go up once or twice a week
*weight-training is very effective for losing weight
*you can set obtainable goals: I want to squat X lbs, I want to bench Y lbs
*it's great for heavy people -- low-impact, and like you said, you already have some strength from hauling yourself around
*you need strength more than cardiovascular endurance for this job

but since you said you want stuff you can do at home, what I do is 10 push-ups & 10 ab exercise reps during commercials, and stretch/do leg lifts while the show's on

The only gadget I really use is my yoga mat. You don't need gadgets or DVDs or anything like that.

Anyone who considers running on a tredmill easy needs to reevaluate their workout plan. Alternating incline/speed is the key. I typically run between 3-5 miles with alternating inclines. Also, if you're wanting low impact, consider road cycling. It is quite expensive for all of the gear (typically entry level bikes can be found for 500 on craigslist) but it is a great investment. I've been riding for a few years and I love it. Not only do you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the back roads, but you will get in great shape.

I think the point was that for someone who is overweight & just starting, treadmills on low settings are better than pavement.

$500? Wow. I got one for $100!

 

[JohnJ]

Your best bet is to correct your diet and to implement some good cardio into your routine. Crunches are a good exercise but don't expect it to remove fat from your stomach, as spot fat removal does not exist; furthermore, if you work out on a Monday (weight training, whether it be actual weights or body-weight exercises) then you should not work out on Tuesday (I am not speaking of cardio) -- your muscles will need time to heal.

Do NOT waste your money on ANYTHING you see in a commercial. The ab workout machines and similar machines are absolutely a waste of money. You will see better and cheaper results with crunches and other typical exercises.

With the exception of P90X, everything you see on TV is useless. If you want some good advice from people with plenty of experience, check the forums at www.bodybuilding.com.

 

[EMT2B]

I am looking into getting a couple of sessions with a trainer at the gym. I seem to do better when I have "guidelines" for lack of a better word. I looked up the LAPD link that was suggested, and just need to print it out. I went to a babysitting job interview today, and if I get the job, it will involve a good bit of uphill walking. I'm also looking for a good, quality jump rope and some more resistance bands . I have one band that I got from PT for osteoarthritis in my ankle. I'm planning to go to the thrift/second-hand store tomorrow to look for some inexpensive bands and/or exercise tapes/dvds. I am most awake at night, so an exercise tape/dvd seems like a good idea.

Since April 14th, I have lost 22 pounds. That is the MOST weight I have EVER lost at one time. This is really exciting!

 

[jccilm]

Congrats on the weight loss.

I've lost 27 pounds since I decided to pursue EMT/Medic.

What I've been doing is this.

I've calculated my BMR for my prefered weight...that is what I should weigh, which was 165 pounds. The reasoning for this is that once I get down to a 165 pounds I want to be able to maintain the weight. My BMR at 165 pounds for my age would mean I should be eating 1700 calories. Thus I'm not really dieting but eating a diet balanced to what my normal need would be.

Next I log all my daily activity in one small note book, physical activity, and food and I keep a running count of my calories during the day. I try to eat several meals during the day at least 3 hours apart.

As to my daily activities...like you I'm just starting up my fitness routine and I get winded also. I've found that if I keep my goals simple I actually able to do enough activity to build up my endurance and flexibility.

Some of my activities...
Walk for 1 hour
Hike (with weighted pack) for 90 minutes
Bike for 1 hour
for the above speed and distance are not a factor, its really more of a time to get up and enjoy the day. If my hour walking is an hour shopping at Wal-Mart then that's it. If it's mowing the lawn for an hour with a push mower then that's it.

40-60 minutes per day in a sport activity
This is really stuff I do for fun. Not really about doing anything but staying active. This might be swimming, shooting a basketball, kicking around a soccer ball. Really its finding an additional activity that I enjoy.

20-60 minutes strength training. Mainly rotating between Arms (tricep/bicep) and chest, Abdomen and Back, maybe a short session on legs.

Stretching and yoga is good too, usually I stretch for 5 minutes per session, sometimes one stretching session lasts me through the day (sort of).

I've had some set backs (ankle and foot strains), some days of over eating, some days where I didn't exercise. The thing though for me was that I used to punish myself for these let downs, get frustrated, and eventually quit.

My new mantra though is to do my best. I keep the EMT Oath pasted to the front door, closet, bathroom door, and refrigerator along with pictures of things that motivate me (EMT-P patches, shiny ambulances, services I'd like to work for, certifications, a BRAND NEW CAR...okay a used VW Wagon and pictures of my kids.

I am making progress and will make it to my goal. But I keep it simple, simple activities, simple diet, motivation, and study. I'm looking forward to the day where I can add run for 1 hour. It would be cool to get back into running a 5k race every now and then.

I'm glad that I'm going for EMT and Medic, and I'm glad that the job pushes me intellectually and physically. At 40 years old I'll probably be in the best shape of my life since I left the Army nearly 20 years ago.

The best advice I can give is to enjoy life, enjoy your accomplishments and celebrate them, and to enjoy your routine.

 

[joness]

first of all congratulations on starting a new career and knowing that it requires a life style change! in terms of walking around, maybe put light weight ankle weights on throughout the day, that will help with overall leg strength (which is a huge help when lifting a heavy pram). also if you have to do a workout by yourself at the gym start with cardio, weights, abs, and end with cadio and STRETCHING! stretching will help with muscle soreness, and will help prevent injuries. I would also suggest seeing if your 24 hour fitness offers Spinning classes. I know they can seem intimidating at first, but you can adjust your level on the bike so you don't have to push as hard, they make you sweat like crazy, and you don't realize how tired you are till you are finished with the class. best of luck! Keep us all updated!

 

[Aerin-Sol]

I've calculated my BMR for my prefered weight...that is what I should weigh, which was 165 pounds. The reasoning for this is that once I get down to a 165 pounds I want to be able to maintain the weight. My BMR at 165 pounds for my age would mean I should be eating 1700 calories. Thus I'm not really dieting but eating a diet balanced to what my normal need would be.

I weigh 135 pounds, I'm steadily losing weight, and I eat more than 1700 calories a day!


Maybe I'm missing something but your BMR isn't the calories your body would normally need; it's how many calories your body needs just to stay alive. You need to eat more (high-quality) calories, especially if you want your weight-lifting to lead to any muscle gain -- and you do, if you're lifting for EMS purposes.

I am looking into getting a couple of sessions with a trainer at the gym. I seem to do better when I have "guidelines" for lack of a better word. I looked up the LAPD link that was suggested, and just need to print it out. I went to a babysitting job interview today, and if I get the job, it will involve a good bit of uphill walking. I'm also looking for a good, quality jump rope and some more resistance bands . I have one band that I got from PT for osteoarthritis in my ankle. I'm planning to go to the thrift/second-hand store tomorrow to look for some inexpensive bands and/or exercise tapes/dvds. I am most awake at night, so an exercise tape/dvd seems like a good idea.

Since April 14th, I have lost 22 pounds. That is the MOST weight I have EVER lost at one time. This is really exciting!

Going to a personal trainer is a great idea; make sure you get someone with real experience and not just someone who happens to work at the gym.

Also, check out your library for exercise DVDs.
Netflix has some but the last time I checked their selection was dreadful.

 

[jccilm]

I'm eating a good quality 1700 calories. I try to mix in a low fat yogurt with most of my meals, milk, and lean meats, as well as whole grain breads and cereal, vegetables, and quality fruits. I understand what you're saying about quality calories though.

 

[fit4duty]

Congrats on the decision on the career aspirations and changing your life. Interesting advice offered thus far however at your weight and activity level I think there is a more productive course:

1. See you doctor and get complete physical with a lab work up so that you know where you are, what’s already good and what needs improvement.
2. Start with increasing your activity through a graduated walking to running program that gets you running 30 minutes continuously – see this thread: http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=16635
3. STAY OFF THE TREADMILL – they suck to begin with but at your weight, the change in gait (excessive heel striking) that comes with treadmill usage especially if you try to run on it will cause more harm than good.
4. Take an honest look at your nutrition and your behavior of eating – that must change if any weight loss you achieve is going to remain permanent.
5. Do not read any of the popular media concerning training, nutrition, lifestyle change etc. It can be frustrating, contradictory and in many cases just plain wrong – for you.
6. Don’t worry about buying gadgets, equipment, gimmicks or dvds as your body weight provides more than enough resistance and your primary goal at this point is to become more active on a consistent basis and fix your nutrition.
7. Eat real food – fresh is best then frozen primarily - vegetables and fruit, a modest amount of protein and limit the starchy carbohydrates to a minimum – eat clean.

Document your nutrition and activity in compliance to the 7 steps above for the next 21days then it will be time to advance to the next phase – Consistency, Discipline and Commitment is all that’s required.

 

[EMT2B]

So, I went to the local gym today and signed up for my free membership. I got one free meeting with a personal trainer, which will be this Monday at 5pm. I also found some exercise VHS at the second hand shop. I got Tae Bo and Yoga. The last thing I need to find is a jump rope. I printed off the whole LAPD thing, and will be starting it on Monday. As for the running part, I think I'm just going to have to just jog/run in place. We've had some uber-crazy weather patterns lately. Today it was POURING!! Crazy!

One of my friends has the P90X system, and I am going to ask her if I can borrow it to see if its worth the investment.

 

[Sandog]

Agree with fit4, before you start any workout program you should get checked out by a doctor. Your S.O.B. while walking can indicate an underlying cause. I can not strongly emphasize enough that you should consult a physician before starting any workout program. You sound like a good person and I am sure someone would miss you if you were gone, sure it is inconvenient, but it will give you and your loved ones a piece of mind.

I too suffered SOB while doing activities. Doc, found my problem, gave me some meds, and I was able to get thru a USFS fire academy at age 50. So see a Doc.

 

[EMT2B]

Agree with fit4, before you start any workout program you should get checked out by a doctor. Your S.O.B. while walking can indicate an underlying cause. I can not strongly emphasize enough that you should consult a physician before starting any workout program. You sound like a good person and I am sure someone would miss you if you were gone, sure it is inconvenient, but it will give you and your loved ones a piece of mind.

I too suffered SOB while doing activities. Doc, found my problem, gave me some meds, and I was able to get thru a USFS fire academy at age 50. So see a Doc.

:blush: Forgive me, I forgot to mention I *have* seen my doctor. :blush: I was given Rx's for Singulair, Nasonex, Qvar (an inhaler), and Albuterol. I take the Singulair HS, the Qvar and the Nasonex BID, and have the Albuterol on me for PRN use. My doc said thats its all right for me to begin a mild exercise program, just don't push it. If I find myself winded in the middle of a workout, I am to walk (possibly in place, if I'm in a class or something) until I get my second wind. I'm pretty good at knowing my limits. I don't figure on jumping rope for more than a few minutes at a stretch when I first start out.

Does anyone have any experience with super sweatiness? I've not been dx'd with hyperhidrosis or anything, but due to my weight, (and genetics) I tend to POUR sweat when I get warm. I've tried sweatbands (terry cloth) and cotton bandanas (or handkerchiefs) around my forehead, but I still get sweat in my eyes. Anyone here have any other ideas on how to keep the sweat out of my eyes? My older brother has the same sweatiness problem, and he is in no way overweight. Thus far, we've just both taken to keeping hankies with us in warm (and even not-so-warm ) weather. I'm hoping my excessive sweating will decrease as my weight does.

 

[IAems]

Just be careful

The most difficult part of getting fit is longevity; so far you've got:
1.) jump rope
2.) Tae Bow
3.) Yoga
4.) Personal Trainer
5.) LAPD Fitness Training
6.) P90X
7.) Exercise VHS's

What you've got listed is a lot of stuff, and it will be really hard to maintain that level of intensity for the rest of your life (almost impossible). Keep it small and simple. I would suggest picking one of these (e.g. meet with a personal trainer twice a week or start going to yoga or start the fitness log). By the way, if you do the LAPD fitness log, read the whole thing , don't just jump to the fitness log part at the end; read the entire packet. I say this because fit4 is right and most the stuff said is already mentioned in the preliminary LAPD fitness log packet. You've done really well, and it would be a shame to lose all that hard work because you push yourself too hard. Remember, your post said getting and staying fit! As for the sweat, I'm the same way, genes are genes; what can you do.

 

[Aerin-Sol]

:blush: Forgive me, I forgot to mention I *have* seen my doctor. :blush: I was given Rx's for Singulair, Nasonex, Qvar (an inhaler), and Albuterol. I take the Singulair HS, the Qvar and the Nasonex BID, and have the Albuterol on me for PRN use. My doc said thats its all right for me to begin a mild exercise program, just don't push it. If I find myself winded in the middle of a workout, I am to walk (possibly in place, if I'm in a class or something) until I get my second wind. I'm pretty good at knowing my limits. I don't figure on jumping rope for more than a few minutes at a stretch when I first start out.

Does anyone have any experience with super sweatiness? I've not been dx'd with hyperhidrosis or anything, but due to my weight, (and genetics) I tend to POUR sweat when I get warm. I've tried sweatbands (terry cloth) and cotton bandanas (or handkerchiefs) around my forehead, but I still get sweat in my eyes. Anyone here have any other ideas on how to keep the sweat out of my eyes? My older brother has the same sweatiness problem, and he is in no way overweight. Thus far, we've just both taken to keeping hankies with us in warm (and even not-so-warm ) weather. I'm hoping my excessive sweating will decrease as my weight does.

Where'd you grow up? People who spent the first two years of their life in warm climates sweat more. There's really not much you can do about it, but if I'm at the gym I'll carry a towel around with me and dab my forehead.

The most difficult part of getting fit is longevity; so far you've got:
1.) jump rope
2.) Tae Bow
3.) Yoga
4.) Personal Trainer
5.) LAPD Fitness Training
6.) P90X
7.) Exercise VHS's

What you've got listed is a lot of stuff, and it will be really hard to maintain that level of intensity for the rest of your life (almost impossible). Keep it small and simple. I would suggest picking one of these (e.g. meet with a personal trainer twice a week or start going to yoga or start the fitness log).

I disagree. He didn't say what intensity he's going to spend doing those exercises, & he said several of them he was just doing once or twice to see what they're like.. I do weight-lifting, long-distance running, intervals, cycling, yoga, several forms of dance, jump rope, gymnastics, skating, volleyball, body-weight exercises, etc -- but I rotate. Longevity is increased if you have a variety of activities to do.