Please Critique My Exercise Regime

[MTS1978]

Hi All,

I am 32 years old, 174cm tall, and about 84-85 kg (68.5" x 185lbs). That's a BMI of 27.9.

I don't consider myself to be "fat" per say, but I am certainly over weight. I have a "chunky" build (I had a 6 pack and a 16" neck when I was 18yrs old) - so I "carry" weight better than average - nonetheless I should be about 75kg if I wanted to come in at the very top of the healthy BMI range - that means I need to loose about 10kg (22lbs) or about 11-12% of my body weight. That is my goal. I have no ambition to look like Arnie - 6 packs and all that malarky, but I would not complain if my physical appearance was al least slim(ish). My first priority, by a large margin is health, but as I say I wouldn't mind looking a bit better either.

I carry most of my excess weight (I think) around my belly and chest.

I drink a bit too much, and I maybe I eat the wrong things too - but by far and large I think my biggest flaw is that I do not exercise. When I'm not rushing, I walk from the BTS to the office, and v.v. - which is about 1km each way. This is clearly not enough, not only for weight loss but also for fitness. So I have resolved to start working out a little bit at home. This is to comprise of:

• Fast walk / jog around the muban. It is about a 2.4km (2 miles) lap. I've done twice, and it took about 15-17 mins. I timed my pulse afterwards and it was about 150bmp.
• Sit-ups (crunches), press ups, and leg raises - I've started doing this 30/20/20 reps respectively, per day. This is about as far as I can go until it hurst and then pushing myself for a few extra.
• Altogether, from taking my first step - to catching my breath after the walk/jog, to completing the Sit-ups (crunches), press ups, and leg raises, it takes about 30 mins.

So - I am reading about work outs etc. and as with anything on the net, all the free stuff has something to sell, hidden in there somewhere. But generally, that are saying that for improved fitness and weightloss, one should aim for 3 sessions of exercise, 3 times a week, and each time should be 30 mins @ a maintained 131BPM i.e. (220bpm-age)*70%. From that, I am reading that the cardio section of your workout should be 30 mins long. To be honest, I would rather exercise for 30 mins every day @ 15 mins cardio and 15mins resistance exercise (crunches, push-ups, etc.). I find running, cycling, etc. very boring and in the past I have struggled to maintain motivation, because I just find it so boring. Moreover, a 30 min daily workout is easier for me to work into my schedule. I feel like I am more likely to keep up a daily 30 min routine than I am to do 1hr, 3 days a week.

So, with all the above in mind - I would really appreciate peoples opinions. To reiterate, I would be lying to say that I would not like to be rid of the m'oobs and belly, but my first concern is to improve my health and fitness. FYI - I have been reducing the frequency and duration of visits to the pub, and I have been trying to cut down on the carbs (rise, noodles, and potatoes) in favour of more salads, veg, and protient. But the main point of this thread is to evaluate the effectiveness of my fitness regime.

Many thanks,

MTS

Edited March 8, 2011 by MTS1978

[robblok]

A good post deserves a good answer.

First of all all the exercise in the world wont help you if you don't adjust your foods too. So you really cant have one without the other. You might start eating more to cope with the burning of extra calories. So it does pay to look this way too. I read you are doing that already so you will see some results. Alcohol is a killer it reduces your testosterone levels and then you get fat easier.

Secondly sit ups are nice but there is no such thing as spot fat reduction and your abs will only be visible if your body fat goes below a certain percentage. You could try squats without weight.

All the BS about hearth rates is true but useless because if you go higher in your heart rate you burn more calories less fat as a percentage but more in total. So if i were you i would not worry about that too much.

If i were you id do a longer routine more cardio and ad a few other body weight exercises so the total routine is a bit longer. Ideally id split it in 2 sessions.

Just slowly build it all up and start adding things.

[Luang]

A good post deserves a good answer.

First of all all the exercise in the world wont help you if you don't adjust your foods too. So you really cant have one without the other. You might start eating more to cope with the burning of extra calories. So it does pay to look this way too. I read you are doing that already so you will see some results. Alcohol is a killer it reduces your testosterone levels and then you get fat easier.

Secondly sit ups are nice but there is no such thing as spot fat reduction and your abs will only be visible if your body fat goes below a certain percentage. You could try squats without weight.

All the BS about hearth rates is true but useless because if you go higher in your heart rate you burn more calories less fat as a percentage but more in total. So if i were you i would not worry about that too much.

If i were you id do a longer routine more cardio and ad a few other body weight exercises so the total routine is a bit longer. Ideally id split it in 2 sessions.

Just slowly build it all up and start adding things.

Robblock is right about the abs and i wouldn't focus too much on those yet.

If your priority is weight loss then you really have to do more cardio i'm afraid, if you want to see results. You need a minimum of 30 mins x 3 days per wk. You don't need to be killing yourself straight away, build it up and set yourself targets. Ex. Run at a pace around 70-75 Max HR for as long as you can, then walk, run again etc. for 30 mins. Gradually build up the lenght of time you can run and stay committed with targets. Eventually as your fitness levels rise, you will find your speed will increase. The maximum benefits of a cardio workout kick-in after 20 mins, this is why you really need to aim for 30 +

Regarding resistance training, again 3 days per week for each muscle group. If i was you, due to time restrictions i would alternate days between cardio and weights if you only have 30 mins to spare. Don't go too heavy with weights again if priority is fat loss. 12-15 reps x 3 sets.

Muscle increases metabolic rate and burns more calories so always best to add to a fitness regime. Thats why i think your best way forward for you now are alternate days of cardio/weights. If you can mix up some days , then great!

Good luck and don't give up!

Edited to add that it looks like you don't have access to weights. If you can get to a gym or get some free weights, this would really help you.

Edited March 8, 2011 by Luang

[LeCharivari]

Sorry, but I think your deluding yourself if you think that a 15 minute warm up walk/jog followed by a few exercises which you do "until it hurts" and then "a few extra" is going to make more than a minimal visible difference to someone aged 32 with your apparent lifesyle.

Anything is better than nothing, true, but if you are expecting to see visible results before you get bored and lose motivation, as seems to have happened in the past, then I think you need to be realistic and honest enough to understand that you need to do more than that.

While BMI isn't everything particularly for those who are genuinely muscular, it is a good indicator. While 174 cms and 85 kgs isn't obese at a BMI of 28, it isn't "chunky" given your fitness level, its simply fat. Be honest. 15 - 17 minutes for 1.5 miles (2.4kms = 1.5 miles, not 2.0) is barely walking pace: 5 mph. Its half the time allowed for the basic fitness test for those in the British Army under 45 after they've done an initial 1.5 mile warm-up in 15 minutes, and that's including cooks, drivers and clerks as well as infantry!

Unless you have proper targets and a progressive exercise routine you simply aren't going to see the results before you give up (again). 30 minutes per day (not 3 times a week) can and will get you the results you want, but only if you follow a decent plan - there are plenty about, but you will have to find one which suits you. If you aren't into the "gym" thing, then you need to find something that you can do on your own, with a minimum of equipment. Try the 5BX plan as an example.

[robblok]

Sorry, but I think your deluding yourself if you think that a 15 minute warm up walk/jog followed by a few exercises which you do "until it hurts" and then "a few extra" is going to make more than a minimal visible difference to someone aged 32 with your apparent lifesyle.

Anything is better than nothing, true, but if you are expecting to see visible results before you get bored and lose motivation, as seems to have happened in the past, then I think you need to be realistic and honest enough to understand that you need to do more than that.

While BMI isn't everything particularly for those who are genuinely muscular, it is a good indicator. While 174 cms and 85 kgs isn't obese at a BMI of 28, it isn't "chunky" given your fitness level, its simply fat. Be honest. 15 - 17 minutes for 1.5 miles (2.4kms = 1.5 miles, not 2.0) is barely walking pace: 5 mph. Its half the time allowed for the basic fitness test for those in the British Army under 45 after they've done an initial 1.5 mile warm-up in 15 minutes, and that's including cooks, drivers and clerks as well as infantry!

Unless you have proper targets and a progressive exercise routine you simply aren't going to see the results before you give up (again). 30 minutes per day (not 3 times a week) can and will get you the results you want, but only if you follow a decent plan - there are plenty about, but you will have to find one which suits you. If you aren't into the "gym" thing, then you need to find something that you can do on your own, with a minimum of equipment. Try the 5BX plan as an example.

YOu are right that it wont do much if he does not change his lifestyle. Food intake and alcohol intake are much more important to control then exercise if you want to loose weight.

Also what he is doing isnt much, however it is better as nothing.

[nephron]

I think what you are saying to do is probably a reasonable place to start. I think people often aim very high when starting, keep it up for a week or two, and then stop adhering to it. But 15 min of warmup and 15 min of real exercise isn't going to achieve huge amounts (still better than nothing, so if you think that's all you'll stick to, go for it), so if you're able to build from that it would improve your results.

Starting off slowly is a good thing though.

[StateSix]

As people have already mentioned, diet is a vital part of reshaping your body. Lower your carb intake and increase protein. Eat smaller meals, but more often to help your metabolism. Drink more water and lay off carbonated soft drinks.

Start a basic weights program to increase muscle. It will also raise your metabolism and help burn fat. If you are working out at home, this will obviously be difficult, so I would recommend a gym. If you do go to the gym try a basic strength routine like Rippetoes 5x5. You do basic compound exercises for 5 sets of 5 reps 3 times a week. You have a proven, set structure with reps and weights and work the whole body. This is important for beginners who may otherwise end up wasting time in the gym doing endless bench press, curl variations with inappropriate rep and weight schemes.

If you don't want to go to a gym, you could start doing some complexes with bodyweight. Complexes are simply a set of exercises done for 5-10 reps with no rest in between, eg burpees, squats, pressups, starjumps. lunges. Put them together in an order that 'flows'. Do a set of all, rest then do again. Good for raising your metabolic rate and helping strip fat. Google for some example routines.

If you are going to do cardio, then I wouldn't recommend steady state, ie running for 30 mins at the same pace. Try interval training where you run fast for a set distance/time, then at a slower pace for a longer set distance/time, then faster etc. This has been shown to be more effective at burning fat and getting your aerobic capacity up. I like the Tabata based protocol of 20 seconds all out, 10 second rest done eight times, so 4 mins in total. It is not strictly Tabata, but I do on a treadmill, stepping on the side to rest or a stationary bike. If you go all out it is a killer and excellent at burning fat.

[robblok]

As people have already mentioned, diet is a vital part of reshaping your body. Lower your carb intake and increase protein. Eat smaller meals, but more often to help your metabolism. Drink more water and lay off carbonated soft drinks.

Start a basic weights program to increase muscle. It will also raise your metabolism and help burn fat. If you are working out at home, this will obviously be difficult, so I would recommend a gym. If you do go to the gym try a basic strength routine like Rippetoes 5x5. You do basic compound exercises for 5 sets of 5 reps 3 times a week. You have a proven, set structure with reps and weights and work the whole body. This is important for beginners who may otherwise end up wasting time in the gym doing endless bench press, curl variations with inappropriate rep and weight schemes.

If you don't want to go to a gym, you could start doing some complexes with bodyweight. Complexes are simply a set of exercises done for 5-10 reps with no rest in between, eg burpees, squats, pressups, starjumps. lunges. Put them together in an order that 'flows'. Do a set of all, rest then do again. Good for raising your metabolic rate and helping strip fat. Google for some example routines.

If you are going to do cardio, then I wouldn't recommend steady state, ie running for 30 mins at the same pace. Try interval training where you run fast for a set distance/time, then at a slower pace for a longer set distance/time, then faster etc. This has been shown to be more effective at burning fat and getting your aerobic capacity up. I like the Tabata based protocol of 20 seconds all out, 10 second rest done eight times, so 4 mins in total. It is not strictly Tabata, but I do on a treadmill, stepping on the side to rest or a stationary bike. If you go all out it is a killer and excellent at burning fat.

Tabata or HITT is good.. i do that too sometimes but y ou have to be careful don't do it more then 3 times a week because else you might overdo it.

Even if you got everything in place.. diet and training you still might have problems loosing weight. I know i have and i really know what i am doing and i know loads about diet. Some bodies just hang on to fat easier then others.I gained some weight recently when i stopped training because of an injury. Now im trying to loose it and i can tell you its hard. But others just do a little bit and it already works with them. We are all different there is no one solution that works for everybody.

[hhgz]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health. Exercising for 15 minutes is better than nothing, but it's not nearly what you need to lose weight and tone up. Tell me if you've heard any of this before: Stay away from cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Eat less fat. Exercise regularly and, faced with that or a movie on DVD, choose the exercise. Set a goal, and focus on it relentlessly. I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat. The reward may not be a longer life, but it will be a better one.

[cardholder]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health. Exercising for 15 minutes is better than nothing, but it's not nearly what you need to lose weight and tone up. Tell me if you've heard any of this before: Stay away from cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Eat less fat. Exercise regularly and, faced with that or a movie on DVD, choose the exercise. Set a goal, and focus on it relentlessly. I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat.

The reward may not be a longer life, but it will be a better one.

I know a dozen womanising alcoholics who are older than you who would disagree.

[cardholder]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health. Exercising for 15 minutes is better than nothing, but it's not nearly what you need to lose weight and tone up. Tell me if you've heard any of this before: Stay away from cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Eat less fat. Exercise regularly and, faced with that or a movie on DVD, choose the exercise. Set a goal, and focus on it relentlessly. I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat.

The reward may not be a longer life, but it will be a better one.

I know a dozen womanising alcoholics who are older than you who would disagree.

[up-country_sinclair]

Eat less, exercise more. You especially need to do more cardio. Walking 2 miles just isn't going to cut it.

[robblok]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health. Exercising for 15 minutes is better than nothing, but it's not nearly what you need to lose weight and tone up. Tell me if you've heard any of this before: Stay away from cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Eat less fat. Exercise regularly and, faced with that or a movie on DVD, choose the exercise. Set a goal, and focus on it relentlessly. I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat. The reward may not be a longer life, but it will be a better one.

You must have had an error somewhere because not even top bodybuilders have 3% body fat.

[LeCharivari]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Agreed - weights are not the way to go at this stage. At the start of a general fitness/health programme building muscle is not what you should be doing. The priority is losing weight and improving health, not putting on muscle bulk - that can come later (if you last that long) after you've got something to build on.

Spend some time and money getting a decent fitness programme, not just finding a few exercises you like which "flow". You must have set goals which you have to achieve regularly if you are to remain interested and motivated - unless you know what you are doing you can't set these for yourself, and if you knew what you were doing you wouldn't be asking about it here!

Does that mean you have to buy a book or pay for a programme? Almost certainly, yes. All you can get here are a few "pointers" which will be general, may or may not apply to your particular situation, and simply cannot contain enough detail and progressive goals and exercises to keep you going.

Consider how much time and money you've spent just this year to get and stay FAT, and a fraction of 1% of that could set you on the path to getting FIT - probably far less than just one night at the pub.

I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat.

hhgz, your body fat/BMI is about 21 (not 3!). For your age this is fine, but BMI becomes less and less relevant after 60 when the aging process inevitably means that muscle bulk is reduced; the bones, ligaments and cartilage simply cannot take the pounding that most muscle-building exercises require and the priority for the over 60's should be health rather than fitness (although you can't have one without the other) and BMI is a very poor measure of that..

[up-country_sinclair]

It is about a 2.4km (2 miles) lap

BTW, 2.4 km is only a mile and a half.

[Tolley]

I am going to put in my two cents worth as well.

I think you should do a general detox first.

There are a few detox programs you can buy in the pharmacy and that would be a good starting point.

Secondly look at your diet and follow the usual advice eg low sugar, small meals regularly,keep the carbs down and only low gi carbs, nothing white, no white rice, bread or potatoes.

Plenty of fresh fruit and veggies.Keep dairy to an absolute minimum, no cheese, no milk, no cream, low fat yougurt okay

Stick mainly to protein from beans,lentils, chicken,fish, small amount of red meat.

Exercise Cardio....try and find something you enjoy doing and that will make it easier to keep it up. Anything really that gets your body moving.

Exercise Weights...lift heavy weights using as many muscle groups as possible...this will boost testosterone and building muscle will also help with fat loss.

Ignore BMI....get your fat levels checked...BMI is useless what you want to see is you fat levels down to at least 15%-18&.

Finally look at dietary supplementation...vitamins,antioxidants, etc

Good luck.

[Fookhaht]

I am going to put in my two cents worth as well.

I think you should do a general detox first.

There are a few detox programs you can buy in the pharmacy and that would be a good starting point.

Secondly look at your diet and follow the usual advice eg low sugar, small meals regularly,keep the carbs down and only low gi carbs, nothing white, no white rice, bread or potatoes.

Plenty of fresh fruit and veggies.Keep dairy to an absolute minimum, no cheese, no milk, no cream, low fat yougurt okay

Stick mainly to protein from beans,lentils, chicken,fish, small amount of red meat.

Exercise Cardio....try and find something you enjoy doing and that will make it easier to keep it up. Anything really that gets your body moving.

Exercise Weights...lift heavy weights using as many muscle groups as possible...this will boost testosterone and building muscle will also help with fat loss.

Ignore BMI....get your fat levels checked...BMI is useless what you want to see is you fat levels down to at least 15%-18&.

Finally look at dietary supplementation...vitamins,antioxidants, etc

Good luck.

When I was in my 30's, I lost nearly 30 lbs. with just a change of diet, and walking 30 minutes a day. The diet was identical to that suggested above. I believe you'll see a faster weight reduction by a combination of diet and exercise, than exercise alone. There are a lot of fat guys who come to our fitness center daily.....and they remain fat. I suspect the diet hasn't changed at all.

[robblok]

When I was in my 30's, I lost nearly 30 lbs. with just a change of diet, and walking 30 minutes a day. The diet was identical to that suggested above. I believe you'll see a faster weight reduction by a combination of diet and exercise, than exercise alone. There are a lot of fat guys who come to our fitness center daily.....and they remain fat. I suspect the diet hasn't changed at all.

Not saying that im fat but i do have to loose some weight to get my muscles come out better. But for me its real hard to loose fat. I do everything right but it just does not work. Diet good just like the above.

Loads of weightlifting and cardio, still the results will come but real slow i have to fight for them lots more then others. So it wont be easy for everyone.

[nephron]

I think you should do a general detox first.

There are a few detox programs you can buy in the pharmacy and that would be a good starting point.

...

There is no reason to do a detox if your liver and kidneys are working- detoxifying your body is one of their primary jobs, and something they do continuously and very efficiently. If you truly needed a detox it'd probably be something you've heard of before- "dialysis".

Trust your body to do its basic functions.

[StateSix]

Building muscle is never bad, but you should concentrate on two other things which are more important: weight loss and cardiovascular health. Exercising for 15 minutes is better than nothing, but it's not nearly what you need to lose weight and tone up. Tell me if you've heard any of this before: Stay away from cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Eat less fat. Exercise regularly and, faced with that or a movie on DVD, choose the exercise. Set a goal, and focus on it relentlessly. I'm about your height, 62 years old, and weigh 64kg. My last assessment gave me a 3% body fat. The reward may not be a longer life, but it will be a better one.

You must have had an error somewhere because not even top bodybuilders have 3% body fat.

Agreed. You are not 3% body fat or you would likely be hospitalised as it is an unhealthy state to be in.

Eat less fat? Why? Fat does not make you fat. There are a lot of good fats that you should be eating. High or excess carbs, on the other hand, do contribute to making you fat.

[Atmos]

4 years ago I starting seeing someone . . . a dietitian, and I'd recommend it if you can find a good one.

I've been a competitive ocean swimmer and triathlete almost 20yrs, weight generally between 95-100kg (187cm tall) about the same as when I was playing rugby.

So not lacking in exercise, and never been called 'fat'; dietitian I chose had an Olympic athlete as a client, a good reference.

An individual diet plan for me, in reflection of the amount and type of exercise I was doing, and I stuck to it (she wasn't cheap).

Weight loss was slow, about 4mths and I was at 90kg, another 2-3 mths to 86kg.

#2 was continuing at my gym but getting a trainer for some sessions - admitting i didn't 'know it all' and changing my routines.

It was my 'summer of pain', completed 32 events in 26 weeks in NZ and 2 more Australia. A lot more training than 30 min per day, one day off a week; to be honest I was surprised how hard it was to lose those kgs but my exercise demanded I maintain the calorie intake.

I don't believe there is any quick fix, it'll never work if the person doesn't have the motivation. If running and cycling are 'boring' . . . no goals no achievement..

Eased off on the sport - no competition in Thailand - but happy I have maintained the weight (almost - 88kg now).

[hhgz]

Thanks for your input, cardholder. You did not have to post it twice.

"your body fat/BMI is about 21 (not 3!)."

Your belief that body fat is the same as BMI is absolutely incorrect. I never claimed that my BMI was 3. I posted that my body content was 3% fat. As another posted noted, even bodybuilders have higher body fat contents. I'm not a bodybuilder, and I never claimed to be a bodybuilder. Many athletes have a sub 5% body fat.

[robblok]

Thanks for your input, cardholder. You did not have to post it twice.

"your body fat/BMI is about 21 (not 3!)."

Your belief that body fat is the same as BMI is absolutely incorrect. I never claimed that my BMI was 3. I posted that my body content was 3% fat. As another posted noted, even bodybuilders have higher body fat contents. I'm not a bodybuilder, and I never claimed to be a bodybuilder. Many athletes have a sub 5% body fat.

So you still say you got 3 percent bodyfat ? You make me laugh you would be in a really bad state if you had.

Essential fat is the level below which physical and physiological health would be negatively affected. Controversy exists as to whether a particular body fat percentage is better for one's health; athletic performance may also be affected. The leanest athletes typically compete at levels of about 6-13% for men or 14-20% for women. Bodybuilders may compete at ranges even lower than these levels. Certified personal trainers will suggest to male bodybuilders that they aim for a body fat percentage between 2–4% by contest time[citation needed]. However it is unclear that such levels are ever actually attained since (a) the means to measure such levels are, as noted below, lacking in principle, and (3% is generally considered a physiological minimum for human males.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage

[StateSix]

Thanks for your input, cardholder. You did not have to post it twice.

"your body fat/BMI is about 21 (not 3!)."

Your belief that body fat is the same as BMI is absolutely incorrect. I never claimed that my BMI was 3. I posted that my body content was 3% fat. As another posted noted, even bodybuilders have higher body fat contents. I'm not a bodybuilder, and I never claimed to be a bodybuilder. Many athletes have a sub 5% body fat.

Who measured it, and by what method?

2-5% is considered essential fat only levels. I remember reading from some bodybuilder that when he was in competition state, ie 4/5% it hurt the soles of his feet when he walked.

What athletes generally have sub 5% fat?

174cm, 64kg, 62 years old. Using a rough estimate formula (from Wiki) of Adult body fat % = (1.20 x BMI) + (0.23 x Age) - (10.8 x gender) - 5.4, would put you in the region of 23% body fat. So unless you are very muscular, you are wrong.

[JAS21]

Just a thought for motivation...Sports City are offering one years membership for 8000Baht at present....whats on display in the gym should make you forget about all the pain and being bored

[SiamRose]

How do you calculate (10.8 x gender)?

[MTS1978]

How do you calculate (10.8 x gender)?

Gender:

Male = 1

Female = 0

[MTS1978]

Thank you so much everyone for your replies.

I know alot of what has been said can be googled - but I am afraid I just don't "trust" the web and it is intentionally generalised and generic...... It is much more reassuring and and feels much more tangible when it comes from one person, directed to another person, in the context of my actual details....... to be fair, my situation is very different from some 25year or 55 year old 120kg couch potato. So its good to get some still generic but targeted and subjected specific advice.

There is a lot of information here - some of it conflicting, although I don't think any of it is "wrong".

At this stage, my goals and objectives are not to get "rock hard abs" or "stone chiseled pecks" or anything of the sort. I am conscious of my belly wobbling and my tits bounching when I walk down the street, and I want that sensation to stop..... I want to get into a healthy BMI range and have a bit more energy and spring in my step. If I loose 10% of my body weight, I will of course be carrying around 10% less weight, and so that in itself will help..... and combined with better fitness, a healthier heart and lungs etc., then I'll b quite happy with that...... to start. Maybe then (if I stick with it) I will get the bug and start chasing the abs and all that.

Gym - well there are two obstacles to that: (1) is cost, and (2) there are none near me - I live in the suburbs, and going after work in the city is difficult to reconcile with family life. If that is what I need to do, then so be it...... but for now I would like to try some home basics and improved diet and see where that takes me.

Diet - really, I find it hard to eat "low carb" foods...... there are not many restaurants near my office and the ones they are there serve the usual thai offerings..... which is bascially something with rice or something with noodles...... and I can only imagine what they add to it - from MSG, salt and suger, to god knows what...... there are one or two things on the menu, but generally there isn't much to choose from. Help or other peoples experience on this issue would be great!

So - I am going to research the couple of fitness programs that were mentioned here such the 5BX etc. and I will look at trying to do 30 min cardio sessions. People are of course right who pointed out that 2.4km is 1.5 miles (not 2!)...... so maybe if I walk to the end of the muban, then run back, then walk down and run back again - that will be abou 5km and should take about 30 mins...... does that sound better?

The building muscle in order to increase metabolism etc. makes sense to me - and a bit of extra strength cannot hurt. So I'll do that.

Is it better to do the exercise at night, say about 8pm or in the morning before work / breakfast.

People mentioned about how some find it easier than others to loose weight. When I last tried, I droped about 5kg in about 3-4 months, and to be honest I put very little effort into that - just cut down on food, and did a few sit-ups / push ups every night before bed. So, I think I'll be able to loose it ok once I start. But this time I want to improve fitness too - as a seperate (although directly related) objective.

I am not adverse to professional help, in any form - I just wouldn't know where to look or ask..... especially in Thailand where it is harder to know what is "good" for you in terms of foodstuffs..... so a professional with local knowledge in that area might be a good idea. Recommendations?

I did the fat-calc test thingy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage) and I am 24.69%........... which puts me 0.31% under the "obese" catagory...... It ain't much, but its a start!

So, I am off to summarise the info herein - in the interim if anyone wants to add anything else, it is greatly received.

Thanks to everyone.

[robblok]

Just a piece of advice on food.

If you have to eat Thai food the boiled chicken is a safe thing to eat. There are almost no additives. You could even order a big portion of chicken without the rice (i used to do that if i could not get anything else)

Here there were also no gyms closest was cali wow.. 30-40 min trip.

So i bought equipment for my own gym. But this is only good if your going to stay here for a while and will stay exercising else its too expensive.

Edited March 10, 2011 by robblok

[LeCharivari]

There is a lot of information here - some of it conflicting, although I don't think any of it is "wrong".

Some of it is - Don't believe anyone who tells you that 3% body fat is good for you!

Is it better to do the exercise at night, say about 8pm or in the morning before work / breakfast.

Neither is ideal - in fact almost any other time of day would be better physiologically! The problem with early morning (pre-work/breakfast) is that your body is still waking up so you won't be at your best; personally I hate getting up early, but in the military in the Far and Middle East this was often the only practical time of day due to the heat and the dangers of heat exhaustion and even now I still cycle around 0630 to avoid the heat. 8pm is even worse; the advantage is that fewer people will see you (!), but the disadvantage is that your body is already tired so however motivated you may be you won't be able to put 100% into it; if you eat first then you should wait an hour and a half before exercising, and if you eat after then you will probably have a large meal before sleeping - not a good idea for someone dieting!

On balance you are a lot better off going for pre-breakfast, with a day-time session at the weekends (and take one day off a week). Getting up early may also limit the evenings out, and just cutting out the booze will probably have more effect on your wobbly bits than trying to stick to a perfect diet.

Edited March 10, 2011 by LeCharivari