Rotund Desk Jockey Flagging on T-25 workout

[ivanpetrovski]

Hey everyone, this looks like a supportive and fun place for a massive nerd to get some feedback on getting into shape, so it seems like I'm gonna join the fray.

I'm a 250 pound, 6'3ish" 27 year-old guy who's been doing some T25 these past couple of months. I feel noticeably stronger and fitter, but I've only lost around 5 pounds in 2 months and I don't feel as if I'm making enough progress to move on to the beta phase of the workout regimen - I still can't make the full 25 minutes on most of the days (usually dying by the 18-20 minute mark) and all the jumping and squatting seems to be taking its toll on my knees.

 

I can't afford a gym membership or even a pair of dumbbells as I'm not in the best place financially at the moment, and paleo which seems to be the official diet of these forums also seems like something that would put a dent in my wallet. I know these sound awfully like excuses, which is why I'm gonna ask the following question:

What's the most budget friendly and effective way of getting fit and losing weight? Maybe a body resistance training thing? Some food that's not imported from across half the world and marketed as a b/s superfood?

I would really appreciate some tips. I have never been a sporty person (this is my first serious attempt at getting into shape) and I would really like to keep this up until I get some real results. Any kind of tips would be welcome.

 

Thanks in advance everyone! Glad to be part of this awesome place

[Raincloak]

The most budget friendly way of dieting is cooking your own meals. I don't even care what you cook, if you make it yourself chances are it's going to be better for you AND cheaper than whatever you get in a plastic wrapper or from a restaurant.

The most budget friendly exercise is bodyweight workouts and going for walks. Though really, if you want to lift weights, that is fine and good and you can make weights out of anything.

If you want weights cheap, get a couple plastic gallon jugs of water, they cost a dollar. It even has a nice handle (don't drop it or it will crack and get water all over your floor). Or better yet, buy gallons of milk, then drink the milk and rinse and refill the jugs. Load up a sturdy duffel or tote bag with a bunch of books. When you want to go heavier, replace the books with cans of food or cheap bricks. I made 50 lbs. worth of sandbags with duct tape, Ziplock baggies, and $2 sack of gravel from the hardware store. When I was ready to upgrade, I picked up some old iron barbell plates from a thrift shop. I don't have room for a weight rack, but the plates are in a tidy little heap in the corner, and the sandbags live in my workout bag or stacked in a bucket when not in use. I try not to put them in the closet because then I'd never use them. Pullup bars are also good; you can get one when you're ready to invest $20.

Paleo is optional; a lot of people here love it but not everyone does. (I tried it and concluded it was not for me, but I adopted some relevant points, such as less bread and more protein.) However, don't think that paleo means you have to buy expensive superfoods. You really don't. It's just a matter of more meats and veggies, less sugar and grain (and sometimes less dairy). That's about it.

The superfoods business is promoted by people who want to make a buck selling you kale or blueberry juice or god knows what, but they naturally have a motive to convince you to give them money. Don't fall for that. Kale is highly nutritious and tasty, but it's cheaper frozen, and spinach is cheaper still. So you can afford spinach, eat the spinach. Grassfed beef is very expensive. So eat regular beef if you must, or have free-range eggs instead. Sweet potatoes got expensive too, but squash (including pumpkin) is a bit cheaper, and white potatoes are pennies a pound. Yeah, the paleo folks don't love white potatoes, but they're still better than bread.

And if you are starving for energy and your potatoes all went rotten (it happens), the paleo police will not come and ticket you for boiling up some rice. Top it with an egg or some ground meat, or beans if you must, and some veggies and a spoonful of "good" fat (coconut oil etc.) and you'll be way ahead of instant ramen or McDonald's for lunch.

[ivanpetrovski]

The most budget friendly way of dieting is cooking your own meals. I don't even care what you cook, if you make it yourself chances are it's going to be better for you AND cheaper than whatever you get in a plastic wrapper or from a restaurant.

The most budget friendly exercise is bodyweight workouts and going for walks. Though really, if you want to lift weights, that is fine and good and you can make weights out of anything.

If you want weights cheap, get a couple plastic gallon jugs of water, they cost a dollar. It even has a nice handle (don't drop it or it will crack and get water all over your floor). Or better yet, buy gallons of milk, then drink the milk and rinse and refill the jugs. Load up a sturdy duffel or tote bag with a bunch of books. When you want to go heavier, replace the books with cans of food or cheap bricks. I made 50 lbs. worth of sandbags with duct tape, Ziplock baggies, and $2 sack of gravel from the hardware store. When I was ready to upgrade, I picked up some old iron barbell plates from a thrift shop. I don't have room for a weight rack, but the plates are in a tidy little heap in the corner, and the sandbags live in my workout bag or stacked in a bucket when not in use. I try not to put them in the closet because then I'd never use them. Pullup bars are also good; you can get one when you're ready to invest $20.

Paleo is optional; a lot of people here love it but not everyone does. (I tried it and concluded it was not for me, but I adopted some relevant points, such as less bread and more protein.) However, don't think that paleo means you have to buy expensive superfoods. You really don't. It's just a matter of more meats and veggies, less sugar and grain (and sometimes less dairy). That's about it.

The superfoods business is promoted by people who want to make a buck selling you kale or blueberry juice or god knows what, but they naturally have a motive to convince you to give them money. Don't fall for that. Kale is highly nutritious and tasty, but it's cheaper frozen, and spinach is cheaper still. So you can afford spinach, eat the spinach. Grassfed beef is very expensive. So eat regular beef if you must, or have free-range eggs instead. Sweet potatoes got expensive too, but squash (including pumpkin) is a bit cheaper, and white potatoes are pennies a pound. Yeah, the paleo folks don't love white potatoes, but they're still better than bread.

And if you are starving for energy and your potatoes all went rotten (it happens), the paleo police will not come and ticket you for boiling up some rice. Top it with an egg or some ground meat, or beans if you must, and some veggies and a spoonful of "good" fat (coconut oil etc.) and you'll be way ahead of instant ramen or McDonald's for lunch.

 

That's amazing advice. Thanks!

I'll give it all a whirl and see where it gets me.