Can't seem to get started

[marlah21]

I joined Nerd Fitness a couple years ago now and still can't seem to really get started. My goal, as unrealistic as it may be, is to compete on American Ninja Warrior, and to just be healthier overall. I just don't know where to start.

 

I'm not overweight, but I wouldn't consider myself in shape (I'm very weak). The problem I'm having is that I work two jobs, one from 10 AM - 6 PM and the other from 8 PM - 2 AM. So naturally my sleep schedule is not the greatest. And when I do have time off, I usually just tend to sleep or sit around the house. I also have no idea how to cook ANYTHING and end up eating out for most of my meals, usually fast food. And on top of all that I struggle with a medical condition that causes chronic pain and depression, so I tend to not have much motivation to work out or learn how to make healthy meals. I've started playing basketball once a week, an activity that I really enjoy, but other than that I just can't seem to figure out where to start to get myself headed in the right direction. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I really want to make this healthier change in my life and hopefully meet my goal, I just have no idea where to start.

[Happytin]

Hey there,

 

I'm sorry to hear you're finding it hard to get off the starting blocks. The good news is that, even just from the information you've given in your first post, I can definitely see some specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-restricted (SMART) goals to get you moving on your epic quest as a ninja warrior.

 

To help us help you, I'm going to ask you some questions so we have the best possible picture of your situation.

 

Can you keep a log for 7 days of your sleeping and eating for us?

Sleep tracking: when you go to bed, roughly when you fall asleep, when you wake up, when you get up, how well rested you feel.

Food tracking: when you eat, what you eat

 

The reason for this is so you can start to understand any patterns. Don't worry if you forget one day or it's not exact.

 

Also, to get you into the habit of exercising, how about just doing a warm up each day? 5 minutes and it's done. If you're in pain then you do it slower. Depressed then it's five minutes and you can go back to bed. Thoughts? My thinking here is that 0-ninja is a really massive step so you need to build exercise into your daily routine slowly.

 

Questions

 

What kitchen equipment do you have? cooker? microwave? pots?

What food do you ENJOY eating?

Are you seeing a doctor for your medical condition?

What do you like about playing basketball?

 

[Evicious]

Hi marlah21, and welcome to the Rebellion!

 

And I have good news! You've already gotten started!

Quote

I've started playing basketball once a week, an activity that I really enjoy

 

It may not look like much to you, but this is actually a great step forward on many levels. You've found a way of moving (aka, exercising) that you enjoy so much that it's become a part of your weekly schedule. And take a look at how basketball improves your body on multiple levels:

Spoiler

• Burns calories: Running, jumping and quick lateral movements done in basketball provide a significant amount of aerobic exercise and can burn a great deal of calories. For each hour of competitive basketball, a 165-pound person can expect to burn around 600 calories, while a 250-pound person can burn up to 900 calories.
• Great for cardiovascular health: Basketball can help you develop cardiovascular endurance, depending on how many times play stops. Keep moving and you’ll keep your heart rate up. Building endurance can help keep your heart healthy, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.
• Develops concentration and self-discipline: Like every other sport, basketball has rules to follow, and breaking them can result in penalties not just for you, but for your team. Practicing self-discipline helps one become more competitive yet fair and clean in their game and focused in succeeding.
• Builds bone strength: Jumping and other physical demands of basketball help develop and improve bone health. The stronger your bones, the less likely they are to break. Weight-bearing physical activity causes new bone tissue to form, making bones stronger. Bones and muscles both become stronger when muscles push and tug against bones during physical activity.
• Better motor skills and coordination: Free-throw shooting and jump-shooting are particularly helpful for training hand-eye coordination. Rebounding missed shots is another skill that requires a great degree of full-body coordination. The third basic basketball skill, dribbling, requires a finer degree of coordination. When first learning basketball, dribbling trains the hand-eye coordination; once that skilled is mastered, a player will no longer look at the ball while dribbling and the skill will become a pure motor coordination task.
• Strength training: Basketball provides an excellent full-body workout and can help develop useful, lean muscle. In this physically intensive contact sport, basketball players are highly reliant on effective body positioning and the ability to maintain that position when an opponent is pushing against him. Playing good defensive basketball can develop your deltoids, traps, neck, lower back and core muscles. Strong legs aid in shooting and running, while the finer movements such as dribbling and shooting are good for strengthening your arms, wrist flexors and hand muscles.
• Improves spatial awareness: Spatial awareness is knowing where your body is in space and time. Ever wonder why a cat always lands on its feet? Body awareness. It helps keep you in balance.
• Mental development: Basketball requires a wide range of physical skills, but it is also a fast-paced mental game. Research on the mental aspects of basketball has revealed that players must develop a great deal of attention to quickly and accurately process what’s happening on the court and make effective decisions with the ball and on defense. During a fast-paced game, you must train yourself to constantly observe your teammates and opponents and evaluate what course of action to take in response to their actions. This can translate to helping you make quick decisions on the job and in other real-life situations.
• Reduces stress and boosts the immune system: Decreasing your stress will help you focus and have more energy to complete tasks. Playing basketball and other sports helps reduce stress and gives players the opportunity to socialize. People who are social are less likely to have depression, and also tend to have a stronger immune system.
• Enhances confidence: Basketball truly improves anyone’s confidence. Making good shots and being a part of a good team can increase your self-esteem and help gain more confidence. A confident person has more faith in his or her skills and can face life with a better disposition.

 

Now, you do have a couple of things you need to work around:

1. Your sleep schedule
2. Your diet
3. Your medical condition

 I'd advise you work on sleep first, for a couple of reasons: a) It affects every aspect of your life - physical, mental, and emotional, b) It, unlike your medical condition, is optional - and therefore, can be changed in a variety of ways to better suit your lifestyle. 

 

I can commiserate - I've been in the 2 jobs situation, and it can be really tough to view anything as worth doing in your limited time off, other than lounging around and sleeping. Steve Kamb (founder of this glorious Rebellion )wrote a very thorough article on ways to tackle the various sleep issues, as well as one about staying in shape when you work weird hours, but I'd like to add a few things to it:

 

- Given your work day schedule (10:00 - 02:00), your best chance to get quality sleep is between 03:00 and 09:00. That's a total of 6 hours in dreamland, which is 2 hours less than the recommended amount. The scientific jury is still out regarding whether or not it's possible to "catch up" on sleep, but one thing has been agreed on: if you're feeling sleepy, you need rest.

- So one of the first things you need to do is take a look at your work schedule, and identify the hours you have during your days off that best coincide with getting a little extra pillow time. In my experience, it was easier on my overall schedule to go to bed earlier during my days off and keep my normal wake-up time, than it was to go to bed at the same time and sleep in for just that day (or two). And as much as I LOVE naps, I find it difficult to go to bed on time if I've had one; so I try to avoid them unless I'm genuinely brain-dead. It may take a couple of weeks to figure out what works for you, so be patient.

- I suggest you keep a simple sleep log to help you determine your best possible options: just a notepad to jot down...

• when you go to bed
• when you wake up, and
• how well you slept.

Try to stay in a routine for at least a week so your body has a chance to adapt before changing your times around.

 

Establishing a solid sleep schedule (say that 10x fast!) will help you reduce the sleep-munchies, too. Which is in line with #2 on the list: your diet.

 

It is possible to eat out and still eat healthy. It is even possible to eat fast food and eat healthy. All it requires is a little bit of preparation beforehand, and then 20 seconds of courage to follow through. There are lots of phone apps that will tell you what the healthiest menu choices are for any major chain restaurant, but the general rule of thumb is to order salads when you can, and to skip the fries and sugary drinks.

 

You can avoid the temptation of fast food by making your own meals ahead of time to take with you to work. That sounds like it would take up any free time you have left after sleeping, but you can actually make an entire week's worth of a meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) in 4-8 hrs with a crockpot. Despite the iconic pot roast's domination of the crock pot's reputation, you can cook damn near anything in it - lasagna, minestrone soup, chicken fajitas, beef & broccoli, philly cheesesteak, honey pork and apples, baked potatoes, stuffed bell peppers... the list is almost endless. The crockpot will cook while you're asleep, at work, or anywhere else at the time: it needs no attention from you, just a power outlet. If you feel like getting really fancy, you can splurge on a rice cooker - or you can use your crockpot for that too (although you will actually have to be present to stir it every half hour or so). The best thing about a crockpot, in my opinion, is that after it's made my food for me, I don't even have to store it in a different container (unless I want to cook something else): I can put the entire pot in the fridge, and just portion out what I want directly from there. If you're looking to save time and money, your easiest way to accomplish both is to get a crockpot.

 

Now that we've covered sleep and diet, I'll move on to the next issue on the list: your medical condition. Chronic pain and depression are like a tiger chasing it's tail: it's a no-win situation, regardless of the outcome. Unless the medical community comes up with a cure for the root cause of those conditions, the fact is that you're going to have to find ways to work around them. And I'd like to point out first and foremost that that means acknowledging you're going to fail some days. It sucks, yeah - but the more at peace you are with the idea of some days just being plain sh***y, the easier it will be to recover from them when they happen.

So! The next thing to do is work out your If > Then list. You're going to make a list of things you want to do and the things you can do now to make them happen. Like this:

If                                                                                    Then

   I want to compete on American Ninja Warrior                   I have to be able to: jump, climb, hang, swing, judge distance accurately, know where my

                                                                                              body is in space.

   I want to be able to jump                                                    I have to practice jumping (both for height and for distance)

   I want to be able to climb, hang, and swing                       I have to have develop strength in my hands, forearms, shoulders, and torso

   I want to be able to judge distance accurately                   I need to practice hand-eye coordination, and footwork

   I want to be able to know where my body is in space        I need to practice spatial awareness

   I want to practice jumping                                                  I need to find things to jump over, and jump up on

   I want to develop strength in my hands (etc.)                    I need to do strength training exercises to work those specific muscles;

                                                                                              I need to find a gym with a climbing wall/a bouldering class/a rock climbing club

   I want to practice hand-eye coordination (etc.)                  I need to practice things like catching, throwing, jump rope, soccer ball drills, etc.

   I want to practice spatial awareness                                  I need to practice things like shadow-boxing, partner dancing, running through spider webs, etc.

 

You get the idea.  Basically, you just keep breaking down all the things you want/need to do until they're small enough steps that you've made stairs. Then it's just a matter of moving on to the next step... after step... after step... You don't have to hurry, either. You can spend as much time on each step as you need before continuing on.

 

Once you have your list of steps, you can more accurately fit them into your already-tight schedule. I imagine that getting to the gym in-between jobs (assuming a minimum commute time of 30 min) would be pretty difficult, not to mention maintaining the mindset that the time and energy spent there was worth it. So instead of that, maybe you could keep a set of dumbbells/kettlebells/exercise bands in your office to do arm & shoulder exercises with before/after your shift. Or keep them in your car. Or just do bodyweight exercises. There are lots of different ways to work towards accomplishing your goals; training isn't limited to the gym.

Ok, this response turned into a book. I'll quit while you may still have some brain cells functioning. Any questions you have, feel free to post them! The Rebellion is always happy to help however we can.  

 

 

[Happytin]

I particularly like the If...Then... breakdown here. I was trying to figure out how to word it myself and got stuck, so I'm really glad you made it so nice and clear.

[madviolinist]

You've got some awesome major goals. That's great. But as has been said, try to break it down into smaller goals. Get those goals happening and make it permanent. I really liked Steve's latest blog, which states that

Quote

Regular people, with regular jobs and regular responsibilities (kids, a social life, etc.), can implement a simple yet long-term solution that really works. It involves looking at your life and the changes you will make through the lens of permanence and balance.

As Evicious said, work out what the goals that you need to break down to get to ANW and start implementing them. If you're not sure, start tracking what you're currently doing, and what you're currently able to do, and see how that needs to change to get on ANW. Work out what your quests are going to be. Break them down smaller and smaller into bite sized chunks. Then start working on them.
You can do it. You're going to have to commit to it. You're going to have to push through the drudgery, and the point where it's boring, or hard, but if it's something you want, then when you get through that drudgery, it will be worth it.

[Mitchilich]

You're going to paralyze yourself analyzing all this info and do nothing - or bounce around doing BS at random for no gains.  I recognize how you wrote what you wrote.  As well meaning as replies can be, you need to clear your head.  I preach the same sermon always.  First, you have to make the time.  No one can help you there.  Then, a basic, compound move oriented strength program.  Strength is foundational to all things.  A squat, a bench OR overhead press, and a deadlift or some other kind of compound pull.  Nothing else.  You're on the starting blocks.  Now is not the time to analyze what types of drills you need to do, or skills you need to assess to be a ninja.  Now is the time to lay the foundation of everything to come, but which could stand on its own as well, and that is basic strength.  Real ninjas don't start by scaling walls with tabi boots and throwing shuriken while doing a backflip.  They start in hour after hour of the horse stance or some other uncomfortable position to develop what?  Oh yeah.  Strength. 

 

Get starting strength, or the 5x5 app, or 5/3/1, or power to the people, or Korte 3x3... it doesn't really matter.  Don't major in the minors.  If you're doing compound lifts and able to progress linearly, just grab one you identify with and do it.  Should take you no more than 45 minutes 3x per week.  Do this for one year minimum before even considering changing the ingredients to this cake.  You are on the starting blocks.

[Happytin]

I disagree with Mitchilich. I think strength training is not the place to start. I think sleep, food and building the habit of some form of workout into your day is the place to start. I think that going from 0 to 45 mins of lifting 3 times a week, with depression, pain and poor sleep is unsustainable and a recipe for failure.

[Evicious]

I see where Mitchilich is coming from; I agree, it's too easy to get stuck collecting underpants:

Quote

The Underpants Gnome

The Problem: Have you ever seen the episode of South Park where Underpants Gnomes sneak into people’s bedrooms and steal their underpants? These gnomes spend all of their time collecting underpants, which is Phase 1 of a three phase plan. Phase 3 is profit, but NOT ONE of them have any clue what Phase 2 is…so they just keep collecting underpants!

In the world of fitness, Underpants Gnomes are people that would read a document like this, and then continue spending all of their time reading hundreds of other articles, carefully analyzing and worrying about the best possible plan, only to act on NONE of the things they’ve learned. They continually collect underpants, but never move on to the crucial Phase 2: putting all of the knowledge into action. They’re so afraid of picking the wrong workout plan or eating the wrong food that they end up overwhelmed and do nothing.

Don’t end up with a pile of underpants. Take action.

The Solution: Start. Today. Now. Pick a plan and follow it.  Here’s the secret: There is NO perfect workout plan – any website that tells you otherwise is lying to you. The perfect workout plan is the one that you follow through with, consistently, for months and months. So here’s the method:

1. Pick a workout plan.
2. Follow through with it for 8-12 weeks.
3. Track your progress.
4. See how your body changes.
5. Make adjustments
6. Repeat steps 1-5 ad infinitum

I’ve covered this topic extensively on the site, because underpants are no laughing matter. Wait, yes they are. Underpants, tee hee.

 

That's from a 2013 article Steve wrote, 5 Mistakes Newbies Make Trying To Get Healthy.

 

marlah21's initial post does indicate significant trepidation. It would be very easy to skim the novel I posted and feel too overwhelmed to actually start doing anything. As Mitichilich pointed out, doing something is better than doing nothing: everyone has to start with the basics.

[Mitchilich]

19 hours ago, Happytin said:

I disagree with Mitchilich. I think strength training is not the place to start. I think sleep, food and building the habit of some form of workout into your day is the place to start. I think that going from 0 to 45 mins of lifting 3 times a week, with depression, pain and poor sleep is unsustainable and a recipe for failure.

 

I'm not even sure where to start with such an uneducated statement.  Should I start a list and begin name-dropping all kinds of successful trainers, athletes, and medical professionals who would disagree with you?  Basic strength training is a constituent remedy for the depressive symptoms, poor sleep, and maybe even some of the pain.  I'm not telling him to go balls out at 1RM weight. I'm saying a strong body is often a healthy body.   What's 'unsustainable' is continuing to wallow in the mire of do-nothingness and expect results.  "Some form of workout" should be oriented to strengthen the body.

 

I'd love to see video footage tracking the results of a basic three point physical fitness test on anyone who says what you said. I haven't seen good comedy in a while.

 

Re: depression:

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fighting_depression.htm

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/life-goals/2014/07/treat-depression-naturally-with-strength-training/

https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/comments/2vsxi1/weightlifting_saved_my_life/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/07/10/is-exercise-the-best-drug-for-depression.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/natural-treatments

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495

 

...want me to go on...

 

How about for sleep:

 

Go through all these results:

https://www.google.com/search?q=strength+training+to+cure+depression&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#safe=off&q=strength+training+helps+sleep

 

What about pain:

 

https://www.painscience.com/articles/strength-training.php

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/proof-that-functional-strength-training-cures-low-back-problems-and-pilates-wont

http://phys.org/news/2008-01-strength-neck-muscles-relieves-chronic.html

 

The benefits of strength training on overall health and well being are nearly unquestionable in how established they are, and how thoroughly they have been studied.  You need to know your material before you start offering advice.

 

*edit:  If this seems adversarial, that's because it is.  I offer no apology.  The author of this topic is looking for help.  You're telling him not to do what legions of others have found to be the most helpful for his situation, and on a topic that is so well researched all you had to do was spend two minutes on google.  I find that offensive and lacking regard for the person seeking help.

[marlah21]

I greatly appreciate all the wonderful feedback!

On 6/16/2016 at 11:17 AM, Happytin said:

What kitchen equipment do you have? cooker? microwave? pots?

What food do you ENJOY eating?

Are you seeing a doctor for your medical condition?

What do you like about playing basketball?

To answer your questions, as far as cooking goes, I do have a crockpot and pretty much all basic cooking equipment, I've just never used it. I'm an extremely picky eater, so I try to keep things plain and simple, but I know there are plenty of options for me to cook. I don't see any doctors because they tend to just want to medicate me with things that don't help the pain and just increase other symptoms. And basketball has just always been a constant in my life. I haven't played competitive basketball since high school but it's always been a really effective stress reliever for me.

 

I'll definitely start the sleeping and eating journals this week (although I'm kind of terrified to see my bad habits written out like that). And I'll definitely look into the strength training stuff too. Is there a certain program or workout that seems to work best? Everybody's input is greatly appreciated!

[Sarah Rose]

Hey Marlah! So much of what you said speaks to me and my situation. I'm almost a total newbie and it's really hard to know where to begin. From my experiences with cooking though, keeping it as simple as possible is key for me. Almost all my meat is cooked in the oven. I really just throw some spices or a little sauce on it and bake it. My vegetables I cook from frozen bags or just chop up fresh ones and roast or boil/steam... Again with some spices if I like. Prewashed salad in bags is also great. For snacks I also keep them simple... Fruit, nuts, nut butter, veggies & hummus, sometimes yogurt. Even my eggs I bake in muffin tins and I have breakfasts for a few weeks! I'm just keeping it as simple as possible in my beginning phases, then I can phase up the complexity as I go.

 

 

As for exercise, I think strength training is absolutely awesome, but again, in the beginning phases, you just have to start with something... Which you have! Right now I'm just walking at least 15 minutes as my main form of exercise, but I've always wanted to try strength training so I am working with dumbbells too. Again... Keeping it simple and then slowly phasing it up as I feel ready. 

 

Wish you super luck... And if you're looking for a buddy then I'm always open for new friends! 

[Mitchilich]

Threw this in my "phylactery" log today as a rant.  Reposting here after all this hate on strength training I've been reading.

 

Quote

Strength training is foundational to all things physical.  I accept this as an irrefutable truth.  Countless other athletes, trainers, medical pro's, therapists, and gym rats agree to that, and it is proven both anecdotally and through research.  Running is not cardiovascular alone.  Strength is required to propel the body through space, and more strength makes it more efficient.  Ditto for walking.

 

To become flexible, your muscles have to be strong enough to recover from stretched positions, otherwise your nervous system would not allow you to get into that position in the first place.  Disagree?  Research the frozen shoulder phenomenon, where doctors can move your shoulder, or hip for that matter, through all ranges of its motion as allowed by the joint.  Yet you can't do that while you are awake.  Or what about the splits phenomenon.  Your legs have independent suspension, there is no muscle or tendon going from the inside of one thigh to the inside of the other.  You can put one leg up on a chair and 90 degrees to your side, but when you try to do the other one, your muscles tighten up and you cannot.  Why?  Because your CNS knows you do not have the STRENGTH to recover from the position.

 

Little babies develop strength first as they try to stand and walk.  Is balance a factor?  Yes.  But a baby standing up for the first time needs the strength to do so, and the strength to correct themselves when they come out of balance.  In fact, I might say the first time standing is like a 1RM squat.

 

Yet, I have seen time and time again, people scoffing at strength training.  This is because they invoke images of bodybuilders or powerlifters with 40 inch thighs.  Get that out of your head right now.  Strength training means the familiarity with ones body to move through any range of motion against resistance.  There is no other method of training that positively effects the metabolic rate of the human body more profoundly, or for as long after the movement ceases as strength training.  These metabolic changes also positively impact sleep, mood, energy levels, and mental fortitude.  That last has to do with dealing with other negativity in life.  It will be hard to get you down after the endorphins of a successful strength training session are in your bloodstream.

 

You do not need to start out at any particular weight.  Mehdi, in his 5x5 dissertation, advises starting with nothing but an empty barbell - learning the moves, teaching your body range of motion, and developing a good foundation.  Your volume, intensity, and frequency (see Hans Selye's biological stimulus research) will determine your archetype.  If you don't want to develop too much hypertrophy, then don't train for 8 sets of 6-10.  Instead, use 75 to 85% of your 1RM and do 3 sets of 5.  It's all in the programming.  The commonality however is the training with resistance. 

 

If anyone says 45 minutes, three times per week is "unsustainable", then they might as well not even work out.  That's such a minuscule investment - almost laughable.  Yet that small investment can have profound changes on your body composition, and many other things biological and psychological. 

 

Should you run and stretch.  Yes.  But develop strength as a baseline to these things.  Don't build your house on sand.

 

Caveat; I don't care one way or the other what anyone does.  Other peoples' lives are neither my fault nor responsibility.  What lights me off however, is all of the bogus theories and armchair opinions that get thrown around by those who have done no homework whatsoever, and have no long term experience.

 

Marlah, I truly wish you the best in your endeavors.  I too have struggled with depression, and know how much it sucks to get going on something.  I tell you with full honesty, strength training saved me, and has done more for me mentally than any therapist or any drug I have ever been given, which include at least 3 different SSRI's, 2 MAOI's, and anything illegal I could get my hands on over the years.  "The pride of strength" - not being huge, but being strong - cannot be explained.  It has to be experienced.  You become the master of your environment... a subtle mental shift... that has lasting effects.  I believe this very, very deeply.  If I did not, it would not rub me the wrong way when people try to dissuade you from even considering picking up anything heavy.

 

I've said my peace.  Mitch, Out.

[Evicious]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 0:00 PM, marlah21 said:

I greatly appreciate all the wonderful feedback!

To answer your questions, as far as cooking goes, I do have a crockpot and pretty much all basic cooking equipment, I've just never used it. I'm an extremely picky eater, so I try to keep things plain and simple, but I know there are plenty of options for me to cook. I don't see any doctors because they tend to just want to medicate me with things that don't help the pain and just increase other symptoms. And basketball has just always been a constant in my life. I haven't played competitive basketball since high school but it's always been a really effective stress reliever for me.

 

I'll definitely start the sleeping and eating journals this week (although I'm kind of terrified to see my bad habits written out like that). And I'll definitely look into the strength training stuff too. Is there a certain program or workout that seems to work best? Everybody's input is greatly appreciated!

 

Hey, marlah21! In answer to your question about getting started strength training, Steve wrote several articles directly addressing the nuts and bolts of it:

 

Strength Training 101

Strength Training 101: Equipment

Strength Training 101: Finding the Right Gym

Strength Training 101: Where Do I Start?

Strength Training 101: How Much Weight Should I Be Lifting?

Strength Training 101: How To Squat Properly

Strength Training 101: The Overhead Press

Strength Training 101: The Deadlift

Strength Training 101: The Benchpress

 

There are several popular strength training programs linked in the above articles, which I encourage you to look into as well. If you have any more questions, feel free to post them here! As you can tell, NFers are a diverse group - but we're all passionate about leveling up, and helping others level up their lives too.  Remember, there are no stupid questions!

[Mitchilich]

Evicious's links to Steve's articles are the perfect place to start - in particular the 'where should I start' article.  I bias my strength training toward barbells, and some dumbbells, but again, there are many ways to skin a cat while keeping true the fundamentals.  A squat with a barbell is not superior to a bodyweight squat or a bodyweight pistol (a one legged squat).  A bench press is not superior to dips or ring pushups.  A loaded carry is not superior to a deadlift.  They're just tools.

 

Barbells offer me the most bang for my time, and I like them.  Just my preferred way.

 

People spend WAY too much time overthinking this stuff.  You lift things (weight, bodyweight, odd objects, whatever) and you do so with progressively more resistance (more weight, added band or chain resistance, more lead shot, etc).  Do not major in the minors.  Lift, shower, do what your grandma said and eat your veggies, then go have fun.  It should not consume your life, it should add to it.  It should be just as easily sustainable as brushing your teeth.

 

** last thing... don't psychologically "minimize" yourself.  This is not too advanced for you.  You do not need to spend time working up to a basic strength training routine.  If you start with an empty bar, or regressions of bodyweight moves, that's exactly what "working up" is.  You don't need to spend 4 weeks walking or clapping your hands before you ever touch a weight.  That's fools talk.  You can do this.

 

 

 

 

[nighteyes]

On 18/06/2016 at 4:56 AM, Mitchilich said:

 

I'm not even sure where to start with such an uneducated statement.  Should I start a list and begin name-dropping all kinds of successful trainers, athletes, and medical professionals who would disagree with you?  Basic strength training is a constituent remedy for the depressive symptoms, poor sleep, and maybe even some of the pain.  I'm not telling him to go balls out at 1RM weight. I'm saying a strong body is often a healthy body.   What's 'unsustainable' is continuing to wallow in the mire of do-nothingness and expect results.  "Some form of workout" should be oriented to strengthen the body.

 

I'd love to see video footage tracking the results of a basic three point physical fitness test on anyone who says what you said. I haven't seen good comedy in a while.

 

Re: depression:

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fighting_depression.htm

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/life-goals/2014/07/treat-depression-naturally-with-strength-training/

https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/comments/2vsxi1/weightlifting_saved_my_life/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/07/10/is-exercise-the-best-drug-for-depression.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/natural-treatments

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495

 

...want me to go on...

 

How about for sleep:

 

Go through all these results:

https://www.google.com/search?q=strength+training+to+cure+depression&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#safe=off&q=strength+training+helps+sleep

 

What about pain:

 

https://www.painscience.com/articles/strength-training.php

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/proof-that-functional-strength-training-cures-low-back-problems-and-pilates-wont

http://phys.org/news/2008-01-strength-neck-muscles-relieves-chronic.html

 

The benefits of strength training on overall health and well being are nearly unquestionable in how established they are, and how thoroughly they have been studied.  You need to know your material before you start offering advice.

 

*edit:  If this seems adversarial, that's because it is.  I offer no apology.  The author of this topic is looking for help.  You're telling him not to do what legions of others have found to be the most helpful for his situation, and on a topic that is so well researched all you had to do was spend two minutes on google.  I find that offensive and lacking regard for the person seeking help.

 

Whoa, this reads like a super uncompassionate response to Happytin. I think they meant that strength training is great but in some contexts (maybe including this one), it's something that needs to be built up slowly, possibly benefitting from some habit-building prep.

 

They weren't saying they didn't like you, or that strength training was bad, just that they didn't agree with you in this context.

 

marlah21 - I have fibromyalgia and OCD, and find it a tricky balance between progressing and making sure not to overdo things. I really hope that Nerd Fitness works out well for you

[Mitchilich]

I'll post my log here today:

 

Quote

1. Warm-up; Richard Simmon's sweatin' to the oldies with my nightgown length sequin tank-top.

2. Prepare to prepare to lift the empty bar.

3. Prepare to lift the empty bar.

4. Experience self doubt as to whether I am ready to lift the empty bar, but take a chance.

5. Lift the empty bar.

6. Hold myself back until I get used to lifting the empty bar regularly.

 

 

[PettyMort]

Whoah whoah whoah, folks, let's play nicely and keep this forum as supportive as it usually is. 

 

You all have excellent points but I think maybe emotions are preventing you from seeing the value in each others' contributions. Let me sum up what I see so far (in how everyone here has contributed excellent advice): 

 

1. Strength training is of great benefit to your mind as well as your body, and there's a lot of evidence that puts it up as more beneficial than other exercises. 

However, bodyweight training (which is a legitimate and beneficial way of building strength) is excellent too, and for someone who is just starting out, who is anxious or self-conscious, maybe that's a less intimidating place to start than the weight rack. 

 

2. Starting small and building up is a big part of Nerd Fitness and is a proven way to building long-lasting habits. A lot of us can speak from experience that jumping in at level 20 can be overwhelming and difficult to sustain. If you're going from a point of 0, then maybe your level 1 is a 5 minute walk every day, and there is NO shame in that. It's an achievement if it's better than what you did yesterday. Tiny achievements throughout the day are what helps me pick myself up out of depression most of the time - even if it's just something like "I didn't burn the toast this morning! Hooray!" or "I changed a goddamn lightbulb!" - they're successes and they count. 

 

3. It is good to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone as that is how we level up. Generally working at a level of you + 1 is a good way to keep growing. 

 

4. Find what works for you. If weight training terrifies you, then maybe try something more fun, like a team sport, laser tag, whatever. That sounds tough with your schedule though - maybe you need something you can do on the spot without equipment, anytime you have a free moment.  If your ultimate goal is ninja warrior, then maybe look at the kinds of movements required for that (lots of hanging, sprinting, climbing, balance and jumping) and maybe focus on building your workouts around that. In your case, then, I think maybe trying calisthenics would be an excellent place to build the kind of strength and flexibility you're looking for, and it's kinda ninja-warrior like already, so even when you're starting out you feel like a bad ass. If it's fun, you'll keep doing it. Alternatively, maybe rock climbing appeals to you. Try it out, see how it goes. Maybe you like doing hand stands in your back yard. Who knows? Not you, until you try it. 

 

5. In the end, this is a supportive community and there are so many different people doing different things to get to their different destinations. What works for one might not work for everyone. Let's keep it civil and try to be nicer to each other, mkay?

 

 

[nighteyes]

Um, a post from Mitchilich seems to have been deleted, here, accusing me of hijacking the thread, and suggesting I should have PM'ed him.

 

On hijacking - I'm sorry, Marlah21. I wanted to make it really clear to you that that sort of response (i.e. the one to Happytin) isn't characteristic of these forums. And I know what it's like to be in a position where, physically, even the basic bodyweight exercises can be exhausting and painful.

 

I like to think that this is a safe, supportive community, and I felt that 1) the response to Happytin didn't fit with that; and 2) it's important to call out things that feel unsafe/unsupportive. This isn't "hijacking", it's making it clear that some behaviour is not tolerated.

[Happytin]

Now the drama llama has been led back to its pen (thank you everyone for your participation in the llama wrangling, sorry for letting it loose), let's talk CROCKPOTS!

 

Crockpots are a beautiful invention. You bung a load of ingredients in the pot, with no skilll involved, you go to work, and when you get back there's a meal waiting for you! It's like having a housespouse, without any bickering. Most crockpot recipes are quick, don't use a lot of ingredients, and can be prepared the night before and then put on to cook in the day so that it's ready when you return home. Then all you need to do is steam/boil some vegetables and you're ready!

 

Here are three recipes that I like, which are simple, that you might like to try. If you can, try one of them. That's one meal made for possibly four days. You've started your healthy cooking journey. As Evicious says, you can start making small healthier choices when eating out too. Swap out your pasta or bread for rice, potatoes, and as you miss them less go for full veggie power. So your food journey is well on its way!

 

Crockpot Pulled Pork by 100 Days of Real Food

Crockpot Roast Chicken in Gravy by Nomnompaleo

Slow Cooked Pork and Kale by The Gracious Pantry

 

The NerdFitness forums also have a whole recipe section, including this thread, which you might like: Easiest Paleo Slowcooker Recipes

 

In terms of strength training and other exercise, see if you can work some movement and lifting heavy things into your routine to start with. I'm quite close to the beginning of my journey still, and here's the process I've started with. You may find something similar works for you, but you may want to fiddle around and see how it goes. If you find yourself getting set back, that's okay, rein things back and start smaller.

 

I use Habitica to help me build habits and give myself tasks to do every day, every x days etc. I find this REALLY helps me in levelling up. I included the following:

• A 5-10 minute warm up routine every single day, regardless of whether I was busy or tired or upset or what.
• Doing at least 1 minute of hand stand practice every day
• Doing at least x seconds of a plank every day (this has slowly increased)
• Take the stairs at work (positive)/ Take the elevator (negative)
• Bodyweight workout twice a week (including warm-up this takes less than 30 minutes)
• Swimming once a week (this is my equivalent of your basketball)

 

I also included some non-fitness things about training my cat, playing piano for 10 minutes a day, stretching my neck and shoulders, and meditating.

 

I found this a good starting place because I could fit everything in at odd moments throughout the day, I didn't have to spend money joining a gym that I would feel guilty about if I didn't go, and I was building much more movement into my day as part of my activity rather than setting aside specific "exercise time". Does this idea appeal at all?

 

[marlah21]

Thank you everyone again for all the great ideas and input. It's very clear that everyone here is passionate about this.

 

Happytin, I actually just went grocery shopping (the first time I've ever bought ACTUAL groceries and not just snacks) and bought the stuff to make pulled pork in the crockpot, so I will definitely be using that recipe! I just looked up Habitica and I absolutely love the idea of that! I will definitely be using it to help me stay on track. I've gotten the kids I work with during the day involved with my exercise routine and they're all super excited to get to work out with me, so I have a feeling that they'll be keeping me on track too!

 

[Mitchilich]

Bodyweight training is a form of strength training, salambander. 

 

Nighteyes might think this is 'unsafe' (LOL), but there seems to be a reading comprehension issue here.  The term 'Strength Training' is not limited to barbells.  Further, any of the basic strength programs that I recommend can be modified to not use external resistance.  I thought I made this clear in my posts. 

 

My abrasive responses come from the fact that this is evidently not being understood, and the default position is to hold people back.  The development or adoption of a strength training program, for an absolute beginner, is the very essence of preparation.  You start with the empty bar, or regressive bodyweight moves (pushups from knees, etc), or mini bands, etc, and you work up from there.  That is your starting point.  That is the preparation and the 'work up' phase that a couple of you keep clamoring about.  That is, in and of itself, beginner level strength training.  You don't work up to be a beginner, my non-sequitur forum offendees.  You start as a beginner.

[PettyMort]

14 hours ago, Happytin said:

Now the drama llama has been led back to its pen (thank you everyone for your participation in the llama wrangling, sorry for letting it loose), let's talk CROCKPOTS!

 

Crockpots are a beautiful invention. You bung a load of ingredients in the pot, with no skilll involved, you go to work, and when you get back there's a meal waiting for you! It's like having a housespouse, without any bickering. Most crockpot recipes are quick, don't use a lot of ingredients, and can be prepared the night before and then put on to cook in the day so that it's ready when you return home. Then all you need to do is steam/boil some vegetables and you're ready!

 

In terms of strength training and other exercise, see if you can work some movement and lifting heavy things into your routine to start with. I'm quite close to the beginning of my journey still, and here's the process I've started with. You may find something similar works for you, but you may want to fiddle around and see how it goes. If you find yourself getting set back, that's okay, rein things back and start smaller.

 

I use Habitica to help me build habits and give myself tasks to do every day, every x days etc. I find this REALLY helps me in levelling up.

 

I haven't tried using a crock pot yet. I just don't have that kind of patience... If I batch cook, I eat the whole batch. So generally I just find stuff that is incredibly quick and easy to do, like this baked chicken and asparagus I made on Tuesday.

 

 

I also tried habitica and liked it. It works amazingly for lots of people. But in the end I just wanted all the gear so I started making dumb goals just to get xp faster; I like winning more than working. I got a bit obsessive about it and ended up spending more time on the app than actually working on the goals. Like I said, what works for some doesn't work for everyone. But it's worth trying and maybe you guys have better self discipline than I do.

 

 

The thing that's really made a difference for me this month is having a personal trainer come to my house. The financial commitment is a bit... Intense... But my mom said she would pay for it because she's desperate to see me get back to how healthy I used to be. It is a big step to accept that kind of generosity... We actually fought about it because I thought I was doing fine on my own following the YAYOG program. In the end she was right though.

 

He's helping me with form and adding strength slowly to my exercises. The biggest benefit is that he has shown me that my mental limit is way lower than my physical limit, which was stopping me from making any progress in YAYOG.

 

The first week (about three weeks ago) I could barely do ten burpees; this week I'm doing 100 in one go every day (to crush the mental block against them). Because we don't have a whole weight rack here, just one 5kg dumbbell, he's been showing me how to adapt kettlebell and medicine ball movements using it.

 

Generally my workout goes something like this :

 

Warm up (reach and squat 30 x 3)

3 different compound movements (eg squat and one armed shoulder press, kettlebell swings, med ball slams) with the weight, about 3 sets of 20 each depending on what movement it is.

Some endurance building bodyweight compound movements (eg bear crawling across the yard, burpees etc)

 

A little cardio (this week I'm doing 25 sprints the distance of my yard)

OR

Some core work (crunches, planks, sit ups etc)

 

Cool down (walk the dog)

Stretching.

 

But we built up to this from nothing. He comes once a week and I repeat that workout two more times that week. It is HIIT which works for me. My boyfriend hates it though - he says it is boring and repetitive and feels like he's in prison; his workout is totally different, focusing on building flexibility and running. We also like to hike together.

 

Learning how to make habits stick has been really useful though. Rather than collecting underpants, setting up routines that I can tie new habits to (eg I do burpees after feeding my pets at the crack of dawn) is way more effective than relying on willpower alone. Like Happytin said, build it into your day, and make it non-negotiable.

 

Some folks don't have that habit of prioritizing exercise, so making it a habit to do that is really good for you, even if YOUR beginner level is just getting off the couch and going for a walk every day. It helps to make it something that's not a choice, not something you don't do if you don't feel like it. Apathy is a huge problem for me when I'm in a depression, but if I have these routines built in then I can set myself on autopilot as one step triggers the next and so on and get it done (plus the juicy juicy endorphin rush afterwards).

 

If you already have routines built into your day, tying a workout to one of them will make it easier to stick to. Regardless of what that workout looks like.

 

(sorry for the essay!)

[DarK_RaideR]

On 22/6/2016 at 10:00 AM, salambander said:

Whoah whoah whoah, folks, let's play nicely and keep this forum as supportive as it usually is. 

[...]

In the end, this is a supportive community and there are so many different people doing different things to get to their different destinations. What works for one might not work for everyone. Let's keep it civil and try to be nicer to each other, mkay?

 

 

This pretty much sums up the Code of Conduct round these parts. It's ok to disagree and argue, but name-calling and fighting isn't. This is one of the many things that makes this place so special, unlike most of the Internet so please think twice before posting.

 

[Mitchilich]

I think we can all agree, one must eat food.