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This is going to sound like an awful excuse but I don't want to let the team down. I've been playing football for 25 years straight now, but retired last summer. Within a month however, all other goalkeepers barring one had left the club, so they asked me to help out for the rest of the season, and I somewhat foolishly said yes. Basically, if any other position has an injury, it's easy to get another player to cover, but in goal, it's so specialised that it's impossible to do. The way I see it, I have seven games left to play, and then I'm retiring for good this time. For me and my body, I know it's the wrong thing to do, but I'm just not programmed to leave people in a mess, which is what I'll do if I decide to stop right now That being said, there are hings I can do to make it less strenuous, which is watch my diet, exercise smarter, and limit my football to their bare minimum, all of which I'm doing On an aside, I'm not fussed about what happened to my shoulder. It's been debilitating today and has stopped me going to the gym unfortunately, but it was a freak incident. Just as likely to hurt yourself falling over in the shower, so it's just one of them things

Thank you kind stranger! Genuinely means a lot After I decompressed after work (and after my binge eat) I came to the realisation that I'm not letting a rubbish few hours at work evolve into a rubbish 24 hours. That was ultimately what made me go to the gym, I'm not letting my progress be hindered or defined by people around hindering me I came out of the doctors yesterday with really clear guidelines on how to get better, so we'll see how that goes The pain and lack of strength were both all the time, now the pain has subsided and it's just the lack of strength which persists. As I just posted about though, me barely using the muscles will cause them to atrophy. I mean, just exercising with them for 2 hours on a Saturday isn't going to stop the muscles weakening. I think of it similar to a builder who hurts themselves and stops working for a period of time. That person will lose the extra strength and benefit they have for activities outside of work, and when they return to their job, they have already lost strength and can now longer work without rehabilitation. That's the bit I've neglected, the rehabilitation to get me back to the gym, to then improve my quality of life In regards to being strong/fit enough for football, it's more a "mind over matter" element for me. I do what I need to do and get through the pain threshold mentally, at no small cost to my body. Essentially, the point I start to hurt is incredibly early compared to everyone else! Hope that made sense!

Day 5 of 32 - 22/02/2020 Back Pain A big day on this front. I had my doctors appointment t 0930, and normally they're running behind on their appointments, so get rid of you within about 10 minutes. The doctor had a lot ore time and we spent a good half hour going through it. This felt like a really specific problem to me, but the doctor was telling me it's really not as uncommon as it sounds. I was going to skip through this, but have decided I'll go into a little detail in the event that it might help some stranger in the future. Essentially: Active person becomes inactive through an extended injury or their schedule changes That persons job also becomes sedentary On recovery, active person attempts to exercise as they used to and "over does" things Injury occurs Person is now inactive again Rinse and repeat According to the doctor, the effect is atrophy within certain muscles, especially within the back. As treatment, I was told to lose weight, and that the manner in which I'm going it is correct (light but regular exercise). I also need to stay away from weights (if my back can't support it's own weight, I don't need to add additional resistance), and have been given some stretches to do twice daily. I'll do these and add an extra section to this to track it. Finally, I've been given some stronger painkillers should and when I need them, but truthfully, the pain is subsiding anyway, it's just the lack of strength. Overall, I feel a lot more positive about this and feel we're on track to resolve going forward Gym No gym today, but I did have footy. This is the only high impact exercise I can't get out of, and felt my back seizing up towards the end. I also picked up a freak injury to my left shoulder. Basically I slid on the ground (which was pretty soft) to claim the ball, only to hit some firmer ground mid slide, spin over and land on my forearm, which then jolted my shoulder. Sometimes you just got no luck! It's going to hurt for a few days but won't stop me doing what I need to be doing, and I did have a long bath which loosened it up. Still, we won and I got 2 hours of exercise in Food Porridge for breakfast, a protein shake before footy and pasta and mince for lunch. I did try another meat free burger for dinner, but it was awful. I ended up binning it and just having a chip sandwich. I think the meat free diet is not for me at the moment, as I can only really stomach the mince in pasta etc. Still though, I'm not eating for the sake of it now! Back Exercises I did 4 of the 5 exercises with no problem. The fifth I skipped as it requires use of my arms, and I though that would be a bad idea after hurting my shoulder. it's all very light stretching, so we'll have to give this a week or so to see if it works Disappointed to hurt myself today, but as my shoulder is not part of my exercises, I'm not intending to use it as an excuse for not working out. I'm also really pleased to make some progress on my back and we'll see how this evolves over the next week or so

Day 4 of 32 - 21/02/2020 Food Porridge for breakfast, nuts and fruit for lunch, pizza for dinner. I always go to my brothers on a Friday for a few drinks and pizza, and whilst I've not stopped the habit, I'm eating and drinking less whilst there. Even the vices I don't want to give up, I can reduce, which is what I did here Back Pain No real news on this. I have my doctors appointment the next day, but I wasn't in much pain. That being said, I still lacked strength Gym Day of from the gym. I felt like I could have gone, but with football the next day, and having exercised the previous 3 days (4 actually before I started the challenge), I think its worth having a rest. I don't want to go into a match fatigued, but if it was called off, I would have gone to the gym Feels like I've not achieved much this day, but I've done this before and it's about improving the trend each day. Ok, I didn't spend an hour at the gym, but I also drank and ate a lot less than I normally would!

Day 3 of 32 - 20/02/2020 Ok, a bit of a stumbling block today, with some light at the end of the tunnel! The travelling I've done in the past two days made me super tired, so I overslept and wasn't able to go to the gym in the morning. I then had a garbage day at work, so was really not in the mood to be behaving myself on watching what I eat. After having a mini pig out though, I realised that a bad day at work is not going to stop me doing what I want to do! Food Some porridge this morning, following by nuts and some fruit for lunch. Again, not much, but its better than having nothing which is what I tend to do. After a few arguments at work however, I then came home and had two of those "cook in 90 second" microwavable chicken burgers. I was in a bad mood so had to do something, and even though I feel I let myself down a little, that's 1 out of 9 meals I've not behaved myself on. Actually, all 9 meals would have been like that last week, so I'm not going to be too harsh on myself Back Pain After two days a row at the gym I thought my back would be in agony. Nope! Still sore, but actually it's feeling pretty good all things considering. There feels like a huge lack of strength, I have to push myself back up from a leaning over position, but the pain has certainly subsided. Still need to book in to the physio and chiropractor though. Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow Gym As mentioned previously, I was supposed to be seeing my friend tonight, so when I overslept, that was my chance of going to the gym gone, or so I thought. After I came home and indulged on chicken burgers, my friend cancelled. I made a conscious decision that a bad day at work is not a write off for me though, so after letting my food settle for 2 hours, I was back at the gym. Another 20 minutes on the elliptical and another 20 on the stair master. 3 days in a row, one of which I was not expecting to do, so super pleased on that front! I feel in a lot better mood now, so Im hoping to watch my food tomorrow. I play football at a relatively high standard on Saturday's, so probably won't go to the gym tomorrow. I think 4 days, and then high impact football, is a bad idea. It may be called off tomorrow though, so if it is Ill go to the gym again Really pleased that, despite a bump in the road, I was able to stay on course. 10% of the way into the challenge already too!

Day 2 of 32 - 19/02/2020 Woke up in the morning expecting some pretty severe back pain...which there wasn't!!! Don't get me wrong, it was still stiff and had no strength, but the usual, eye watering, morning after work out agony, was nowhere to be seen! The theory as that low impact exercise would have this result, but to see it having it's desired effect is encouraging. I don't think it's a fix by any means, but I can now exercise without worsening the problem. Result! Gym For the first time in years, I did two days in a row at the gym! Only did 40 minutes, 20 on the elliptical, 20 on the stair master. I would have gone to the full hour, but my partner was with me and she wanted to go home. The target is to go to the gym and do 30 minutes minimum, so it's another pass! I don't feel in any sort of pain either, and certainly had good workout. Burnt another 350 calories. Not bad progress considering I normally wouldn't be back at the gym for a week! Food A night away in a hotel means one thing; big, full English breakfast. With extra pastries added because why not! Well, not today. A small breakfast, admittedly with 2 sausages and 2 bacon rashers, but about half what I would normally eat. Put it this way, I usually go for 5 sausages! I ended up missing lunch because traffic meant I got home two hours later than planned, so only had time for a protein shake, but it's better than nothing or chocolate etc After the gym I had a couple of these "Beyond Meat" sausages as a hot dog. Not a fan, but still ate a reasonable portion instead of my ridiculous binge eats! Back Pain Didn't have much time to sort, but booked myself into the doctors for this Saturday! Hoping to get a few moments to book a visit to the physio and chiropractor this week too Felt like I maintained a good trend on all three areas today! Tomorrow may end up being a rest day from the gym as I'm seeing a friend straight after work tomorrow, and may struggle to go before work as I have a busy day! Still, if I'm up early enough I'll go, and if I don't, I need to go on Thursday! Doesn't mean its a rest day from the other two goals though

Thanks so much @Lady Morbuks! Genuinely means a lot! I've never used the stair climber before, but I think it's fantastic! A low(ish) resistance and it builds up a huge sweat without me having a cardiac arrest!

Day 1 of 32 - 18/02/2020 Woke up and had a horrifically stiff back. I was expecting this though as I played football the previous night. I play in goal, so the diving around and having a ball fired at me is pretty high impact. I've dialed it back as much as possible without letting people down on previous commitments. It's not ideal, but it's a lot better than it was Weighed myself, 14'10, officially the heaviest I've ever been, about 2 and a half stone more than I should be! Didn't even pig out the night before, so this is a genuine weight as a starting point Had 8 hours of driving to do for work. I tend to travel one or two days a week, so extended periods of sitting down aren't uncommon, although it's usually no where near this much. I got to the hotel at 7pm, so normally would go and eat way too much, have a couple of ciders, and go to bed. Not this day though! Food I managed my food portions far better than usual. I tend to skip breakfast, which is a habit I need to get out of, however I didn't go and have a huge lunch and dinner like I normally would do. Low calorie veggie options for both meals with plenty of greens. Certainly felt good for doing it, and was not hungry afterwards Gym Ended up spending an hour at the gym, which is a lot more than I planned. It was was super low intensity compared to what I'm used to though. After 20 minutes on each the elliptical, stair master and bike, I had built up a good sweat, but was in no pain whatsoever. I actually really enjoyed myself too, whereas I'd normally have to endure my workout. Something I hadn't planned on, but my heart rate stayed within 140-160, but previously I always tended to be at 170+ when doing cardio. It further confirms my suspicion that low intensity, low impact work is what I need at the moment. That being said, I burnt 500 calories over the 3 machines, so it was no walk in the park! Back Problems As work was so busy, I didn't have an opportunity to ring anyone to book appointments, but I have time tomorrow morning so hope to do it then Really pleased with day 1. Lets see what day 2 brings!

Hi All 10 years ago, I had the fitness and strength to do pretty much any sport to my hearts content. Football/Soccer being the main choice, with plenty of energy left in the tank after 90 minutes. If not that, then running, squash, badminton, tennis, cycling. Anything available, I could pick up and get competent at relatively quickly because I was just so damn fit. Even day to day life wasn't an issue for me physically, cycling 45 minutes either way to work, before coming home and being able to renovate the family house etc. I was never particularly strong, but my vast reserves of energy helped me overcome most obstacles Last week, I could barely tie my shoelaces. I'm 30, my back hurts, and I am out of breath minutes within starting an activity The decline has been rapid. Back pain, a loss of fitness and a lack of drive has seen me pile on the pounds, which then worsens the back pain, loses me even more fitness, makes it harder to maintain drive. You see where I'm going with this! I posted for advice on the below thread and got some fantastic guidance. One thing has stood out to me however; regaining fitness is a radically different beast to maintaining fitness. I can't just go out and run a 5k like I used to. Yes I tried, and it took the best part of a week to recover So, whats the plan? As the title suggests, to stop the rot and get myself on the road to regaining my former glory. A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but this goal is solely to take the single step! It's taken the best part of half a decade to realise this, but my first step is to get myself in a position physically and mentally to be able to be regularly exercising. I'm less concerned about how hard I worked at the gym at the moment, more, did I go in the first place. Get the habit sorted, then build from there. So, enough rambling, what are the specifics? Main Goal To prepare my body and build a routine for regular exercise Individual Goals Gym - Build a routing of going to the gym. Specifically, WITHOUT overdoing it. I go to the gym, work so hard I can't go for another week. Little and often 5 gym sessions a week, minimum of 30 minutes each (I would normally do less visits but more intense workouts, but I'm expecting this to limit the strain on my body) Limit myself to low impact exercise which works for me, specifically Elliptical Trainer Cycling Stair Master Pain - I have back pain, and I've done very little about it. I've gone to the doctors once, and that's about it. This limits my exercise options, so lets get this fixed. Understand what is causing this by visiting a doctor, chiropractor and physio. Is it a pull, nerve, a lack of strength etc. Maybe it's my posture Visit Doctor Visit Chiropractor Visit Physio Nutrition - I eat too much. Simple Manage portions. Eat to when I'm no longer hungry, not when I'm full (I've done this before and lost a stone and a half through dieting alone!) Bonus goal: reduce meat intake. More for my partner, who's vegetarian, than for me, but I eat a lot of meat. Whether it's the ethical side of things or not, I eat so much, that reducing this will help me manage my portions anyway I've started this challenge a couple of days late. Still, 32 days is ample (I actually started yesterday!) Lets see what I can do! Andy

Wow, a lot more advice than I ever thought I'd get, thanks so much everyone! Can't say I've ever done yoga Sloth, but my understanding is that you usually need to go to classes etc for this, is this right? My work sends me all over the country, so I'd really struggle if so. That being said, I understand it's super low impact, so would be ideal for me, but I don't really see how it benefits? It can't help from a cardio or strength perspective, so is it all about core? Really surprised at this, as kettlebell swings do my back more harm than good! That being said, maybe my form is just completely shoddy! I find the forward leaning actually helps me, cycling is one of them exercises I can maintain without having to stop due to general aches and pains Let me tell you, as someone who sits around too much, that would be amazing! Wouldn't work for me right now, but I'm sure in a few weeks time I'll be in a position to tackle something like this I doubt it'll help people who can't swim like myself lol Thank you. I've had a quick look at the challenges, am I right in thinking it's essentially just outlying your goals and updating on them? I find this (specifically the peer pressure it brings!) to be super helpful to be honest! It's a marathon, not a sprint, and after digesting the above, I think there's two steps I need to take to start progressing to where I want to be: Sort my back out. I've just got off the football pitch (or soccer depending on where you're from), and my back is in tatters. It might be a lack of strength, or a nerve/muscle etc, but either way, I need to get it sorted. Doctors haven't helped, but if I'm honest, I've not really pushed. I'll chase an answer from the doctors, and at the same time consult a physio and chiropractor. Between the three of them, I'm sure I'll get advice on what I'm doing wrong, and hopefully get a fix sorted. The answer may be that I just need to strength it, but lets rule out 100% that there is some sort of underlying issue first Get used to regular exercise. I'm really nervous about lifting weights at the moment, but I also don't want to wait a month for my back to be sorted (when I may just need to strengthen it anyway!). My work taking me around the country is a hassle for going to classes etc, but all the hotels I stay in have gyms, so there is no excuse. I'm going to aim for 4 work outs a week, mainly focusing on cycling and the elliptical trainer, each session being 30-45 minutes. It's not long, but it's a starting point. These seem to be the most common, and readily available, low impact cardio exercises I can pick up. I may even get some HIIT on the bike towards the end of the month! Like everyone, I have long term goals, but I think the above are the first two big steps, as it'll remove pain as an excuse to not achieve my immediate goals Thanks so much for the guidance, and I'll be sure to keep you all updated

Hey Defining, thanks for the reply. Certainly took a while to go through, but would rather have too much information instead of too little! Lots of really good tips here, but I feel this is more geared towards weights, which is something I'd rather avoid until my back is sorted! Still will absolutely use these tips when I do get round to weights! Completely forgot about this but you're absolutely right! I tend to get 7 hours sleep a night, but when I was dieting, I was getting 8/9. Its just an amazing way to refresh your willpower! Will start this again immediately This was probably the biggest takeaway for me. The doctors have been super unhelpful, and I've been to a physio before who just said I have less flexibility than normal in my lower back (although I have more flexibility than most in the upper back, just the genetic luck of the draw!) That being said, I've never spoken to anyone about my posture, maybe that could be an underlying cause considering I'm either at my desk or driving 10 hours a day Really appreciate the guidance Defining. As is always the way, it's raised some extra questions too! I'm shying away from any lifting, although this may be the wrong thing to do! Or should I just put up and get cracking, push through the soreness etc! You've given me lots to consider, cheers pal

Hi All I've been researching different workout plans online, but ultimately there are so many different ways and guides that I'm finding it difficult to find whats right for me. I'm new to this forum, but thought I'd ask for some help from people who know a lot more about this than I do! First though, let me give you some background I'm 30 years old, UK male, 5"10, 14 and a half stone. Its not muscle either, I have a 44" gut which, whilst there are worse, it's not great!!! I was extremely fit up to my early 20's, but a couple of back to back freak injuries (torn right quad and surgery on my left shoulder) put me out of commission for the best part of 12 months. That, coupled with a move to a sedentary job, and driving to work as opposed to a 45 minute cycle each way, and I predictably put the pounds on Now I'm no stranger to fitness and dieting. I used to be extremely active in the past, playing every sport available or just going to the gym, and have successfully dieted relatively recently, losing 20 pounds through dieting alone a couple of years back So, all in all, it feels like I should have little difficulty going out and getting myself back into shape. I've tried educating myself, but ultimately, I've been struggling to get over two main obstacles for some time now I only really know how to work out based on what I did in my teens and early 20's. So mentally, I go into a work out session, work hard, get frustrated that I can't do what I used to do, and am ultimately so sore I can't work out again for a number of days. It's not an excuse, but this makes it so hard to retain the motivation to continue Minor injuries, specifically back pain. Long story short, my lower back hurts a lot, and the doctors are saying there's no real problem with it. I can live with that, but just like the above, it makes working out and keeping motivation that much harder. I also don't know what to prioritise to help with this. Do I need to strengthen my back? Do I need to lose weight first? Will that then allow me to exercise more frequently and effectively? I have goals in mind for my fitness, but ultimately at this moment, I have a couple of minor goals in mind. Increase cardio fitness, lose the gut, and ultimately be in less pain. I think all three targets are aligned and have the same resolution, but frankly, I'm not 100% sure what it is. Basically, it's not muscles I'm after at the moment, just a quality of life improvement! I have gym membership, and have no problem going for runs or working out at home (I've done all three), so equipment and location isn't really a problem With all the above in mind, I'm thinking something with low impact on my back and joints, with more shorter workouts (little and often) as opposed to 2 hour gym sessions. That being said, I'm happy to be told I'm wrong! So, that's me and my situation. I, like many people no doubt, have started exercising and subsequently stopped a dozen times in the past half decade. I think it's just the injuries and back pain make me feel worse after a workout, not better If anyone could advise on what they think is the best way of going about things, I'd be really grateful. Any help or guidance will be massively appreciated! Cheers. Andy