Getting fit - advice needed

Spizz

Spizz

Goat Botherer
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Hi folks, let me give you a quick rundown of my situation as it was a few weeks ago

I'm 45, have been smoking since school, drink a few beers a week, more beers and some hard stuff on weekends and probably have about 20 kilos to lose. About 1,87m and probably about 103kg.

Basically, I've been pretty unfit and since I stopped playing soccer regularly about 8 years go, have no structured exercise and weight has gradually crept in.

I decided to change that and stopped smoking on 21st December, and started a calorie controlled diet along with no alcohol on 15th January. At first to help with the smoking, now it's overtaken the smoking to become about getting fit and losing weight.

I should add I work in north central Africa, it's generally 40 degrees outside and I have no scales to weigh myself. I know calorie controlled diet has it's critics, but it's the only way I can keep track. I eat what I am given, there is no choice. The country is the 3rd poorest in the world and our cook put food on the plate, I eat a big lunch, small evening meal. The shops have nothing, there are no shops. I think though I have lost about 7 or 8 kilos so far. Everyone is commenting and my belt has gone in a couple of notches. I think I'm about 95 kg now. I use myfitnesspal.com btw.

So I started jogging using a program I saw online. It's a 20 minute excercise, 4 minutes walk, 1 minute jog x 4. Then when comfortable, it's 3 minutes walk, 2 minutes jog and so on until a 20 minute jog after some weeks. You do this exercise Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

So now I've managed a 3 minute walk and 2 minute jog x 4 after a few weeks of walk 4, jog 1. Sounds quite pathetic, but carrying the extra kilos and getting rid of the nicotine, it's been harder than I thought to get to 3 and 2. I'm actually quite pleased with myself, I could maybe go 2 walk 3 jog next week.

Problem is, I'm exhausted. I just want to sleep and go to bed early and can't open my eyes in the morning. I ran on Sunday, and sit here now meant to run this evening but I've hardly got the energy for a days work. I work on site so am moving about a lot.

2 weeks ago I got sick, just a cold but it knocked me out a bit and I think it might be with overextending myself, i.e. running when my body is tired. Is this possible. I stopped running that week but am now back into it and have run twice since being sick.

So how do I get over this exhaustion? Do I keep on running and keep to the schedule, or do I wait for my body and mind to catch up, maybe taking into account my body screaming 'wtf is going on'?

Sorry for the long post, I want to continue with the exercise, but I don't want to make myself sick again if I'm running when I should be resting. I really think it's just a shock to the system but should I exercise through it or take it a bit easier maybe running every 3rd or 4th night?

Any advice gratefully accepted.
 
Exhaustion is most likely caused by lack of sleep, poor nutrition or both. I would recommend sorting your diet out and ensure you are getting what your body needs to shorten your recovery time.

Eat right, train hard, get enough sleep and you will feel alot better.

Good Luck.
 
Get a multivitamin if possible. Seems like your diet is missing something.
 
Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated. A bit more info though...

I'm on 1620 calories a day. If I exercise, it gives me another 200 cals to play with.

I take a centrum multi vit everyday day and last week when I had the cold, I started taking a 500mg vit C tab. Not sure if this is a good idea but you know what it's like when you feel like schit :)

Generally, I have either a yoghurt or 2 eggs for breakfast.

Lunch is usually a starter of some kind of salad, then chicken and rice or spag bol or steak and chips kind of thing. Usually quite a big lunch of qbout 7-800 calories.

Then in the evening I'll have a tuna sandwich or something similar. Usually tuna though, it's all you can buy here.

But yeah, I usually get about 7 hours a night sleep, last night 8, so maybe I should be thinking about increasing this? It's a bit more than I used to take, usually about 6 or 7.
 
Spizz said:
Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated. A bit more info though...

I'm on 1620 calories a day. If I exercise, it gives me another 200 cals to play with.

I take a centrum multi vit everyday day and last week when I had the cold, I started taking a 500mg vit C tab. Not sure if this is a good idea but you know what it's like when you feel like schit :)

Generally, I have either a yoghurt or 2 eggs for breakfast.

Lunch is usually a starter of some kind of salad, then chicken and rice or spag bol or steak and chips kind of thing. Usually quite a big lunch of qbout 7-800 calories.

Then in the evening I'll have a tuna sandwich or something similar. Usually tuna though, it's all you can buy here.

But yeah, I usually get about 7 hours a night sleep, last night 8, so maybe I should be thinking about increasing this? It's a bit more than I used to take, usually about 6 or 7.
Click to expand...

your calories are way to low, below your bodies basic metabolic needs
 
D3x! said:
your calories are way to low, below your bodies basic metabolic needs
Click to expand...

Oh really. I seem to have kept within the number 'allowed' fairly easily and have not gone over the limit at all.

So you think I should up them a bit? Any idea of the number I should aim for. I was thinking maybe fill them with more carbs? I have a tin of Game drink that I don't use because it seems to be high in calories. Maybe a glass or two of that on exercise day?

I should say, I have to drink a shed load of water here and have a sachet of 'rehydrate' once every week or two because the weather is so hot and oppressive. I brought Game with me thinking mineral and salt replacement, even though I know it's mostly sugar.
 
Spizz said:
Oh really. I seem to have kept within the number 'allowed' fairly easily and have not gone over the limit at all.

So you think I should up them a bit? Any idea of the number I should aim for. I was thinking maybe fill them with more carbs? I have a tin of Game drink that I don't use because it seems to be high in calories. Maybe a glass or two of that on exercise day?

I should say, I have to drink a shed load of water here and have a sachet of 'rehydrate' once every week or two because the weather is so hot and oppressive. I brought Game with me thinking mineral and salt replacement, even though I know it's mostly sugar.
Click to expand...

you get calculators online that do it but i would say your basic metabolic rate should be around 1800cal. this is just for your body to function without including your training , working etc

you get other calculators that can then incorporate how active you are etc.

Personally i do not like this way and i rather listen to what my body "tells" me but each to his own.
 
Spizz said:
Oh really. I seem to have kept within the number 'allowed' fairly easily and have not gone over the limit at all.

So you think I should up them a bit? Any idea of the number I should aim for. I was thinking maybe fill them with more carbs? I have a tin of Game drink that I don't use because it seems to be high in calories. Maybe a glass or two of that on exercise day?

I should say, I have to drink a shed load of water here and have a sachet of 'rehydrate' once every week or two because the weather is so hot and oppressive. I brought Game with me thinking mineral and salt replacement, even though I know it's mostly sugar.
Click to expand...

I think maybe try having a yoghurt and those eggs for breakfast and a slice of toast.
 
Well thanks for the links and advice chaps. It make sense that I'm consuming too few calories and although it's good to lose the belly and pull the belt in another notch, patience is the key.

So I think I need to up my calorie intake and consume a few more carbs than I am at present. Yoghurt and eggs for breakfast is a good place to start I think. Get more food in earlier when I have the chance to get the metabolism working during the day in the heat and dust. Makes perfect sense.

Really, cutting down on the alcohol, chips and choccies is probably enough to lose the weight I need to shift. No point getting excessive with it.
 
Spizz said:
Well thanks for the links and advice chaps. It make sense that I'm consuming too few calories and although it's good to lose the belly and pull the belt in another notch, patience is the key.

So I think I need to up my calorie intake and consume a few more carbs than I am at present. Yoghurt and eggs for breakfast is a good place to start I think. Get more food in earlier when I have the chance to get the metabolism working during the day in the heat and dust. Makes perfect sense.

Really, cutting down on the alcohol, chips and choccies is probably enough to lose the weight I need to shift. No point getting excessive with it.
Click to expand...

good man, going under your intake needs will show results at first but will be bad for you in the long run and the results wont keep showing.
 
ingeon said:
calorie-calculator
Check this link out. Scooby`s website is mostly focussed around people who want to
exercise and loose weight without gym`s etc.

www.askscooby.com over 40`s
Perhaps ask here
Click to expand...

Scooby has me down as...

Basic Matabolic Rate 1996

Basic calories to maintain weight 3094

Based on my goals 2475 calories a day.

So no wonder I'm tired, gotta up the calories :)
 
D3x! said:
good man, going under your intake needs will show results at first but will be bad for you in the long run and the results wont keep showing.
Click to expand...

Excellent. I have new direction and the spring in my step has been recharged. I think I'm a bout 7 or 8 kilos down already, so time now for phase 2.

Man, I can't wait to see my wife's face when I get back to CT at the end of March. Might have to send the kids off to Ouma's for the night ;) :D
 
Spizz said:
Excellent. I have new direction and the spring in my step has been recharged. I think I'm a bout 7 or 8 kilos down already, so time now for phase 2.

Man, I can't wait to see my wife's face when I get back to CT at the end of March. Might have to send the kids off to Ouma's for the night ;) :D
Click to expand...

hahahaha :D
 
I am gonna add my two cents here on the exercise thing. I reckon try to set yourself an event as a goal, which is bit that hard if you are running. 5 years ago I was fat and lazy, and the wife and I set ourselves the goal of doing comrades, neither of us were ever all that athletic in our lives. We have now done 2, and training comes super easy now. sty yourself an iron man or something similar as a goal, really helps the motivation on the days when you just don't feel like it.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
 
if you already have a myfitnesspal account, then you can access their BMR and BMI calculators on the website, I use it as well, my daily target is 1360 which is also below my BMR of 1750, it's all about balance and how quickly you want to shed the weight tied in with your exercise level.
 
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