Need advice on Diet, Boxing-Exercise routine!!!

[Jared]

Well, I've decided that starting this coming Monday, I want to be "on the right track". I've decided that, as far as exercise goes, Boxing is going to be the way to go; I've always liked hitting things, and I already have a bag. Thing is, I've never really boxed before, so I could use some pointers to get started, to try and get the best workout possible.

The bigger question I have, though, is a Diet; frankly, counting calories has been ***ZERO*** help for me. I tried staying at 1000 or less with no success, and I tried 1500 and that didn't help either. The problem, I assume, is simply that I eat garbage, since a frozen burrito is only 310 calories but probably has no nutritional value. I'm literally starting at square-one here, so I'm going to try and keep an open mind. I would, however, like some in-depth explanations behind some of the diets, so I can get a good picture. I'll be buying in a whole new stock of groceries this weekend, so it's really important I pick one and stick with it.

I was also going to get a feel for the Paleo Diet, if any of you guys do it? I tried it before, and didn't see a *huge* amount of success, but then again, I also wasn't exercising much, which I intend to do. I'm horribly overweight, but I'm also extremely muscular, so "building muscle" isn't so much a priority for me. I know I need to be eating a lot more greens, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with Paleo; the closest I've ever done is a simple "No Carbs" diet, which left me feeling really... "nasty" all of the time, although I don't know how similar it is?

[Kishi]

Boxing properly is a fairly scientific thing. It involves a lot of different parts all working together in tandem. The best thing you could do for yourself as far as training goes is to find a coach in your area. The good news is that Boxing is a relatively cheap martial art as these things go. Failing that, Ross Training is a fantastic resource on the sport. If you want less fighting and more working out, the best thing you can do is pick up a jump rope for $5. It'll give you all the coordination and cardio you need.

I'm really not the man around here when it comes to diets and the like. I won't recommend any one way in particular, but what I would recommend is taking a notebook, recording what you eat for a couple of weeks, and then tweaking things one at a time and noting what results you get. Keep experimenting until you find what works for you.

[Pat G]

Second the notebook idea, if counting calories is not helping, just track what you eat and make the changes one at a time. In regards to the primal type diets (check out http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/) for info on that one.

[Jared]

Well, I'm not concerned about *really* boxing so much, as just hitting a punching-bag to get a good workout. I'll definitely invest in a jump-rope, though; wouldn't have even occurred to me that it would probably work up a good sweat.

I'm really clueless on a diet, though; as heavy as I am, it seems bizarre that I would have such a difficult time losing weight. Cutting calories alone isn't doing it, so obviously I need to actually be eating *better* foods, I just don't really know what that really includes.

[notanartmajor]

You still need to learn how to punch properly, if you don't already know. Otherwise, you're gonna damage your hand at one point or another.

[mandy75]

Cutting calories alone isn't doing it, so obviously I need to actually be eating *better* foods, I just don't really know what that really includes.

Real, whole foods is a could place to start. Drink water, cut out processed(premade) foods. Focus on protein and veggies

[Serenity]

I have no idea how big you are, but 1000 calories a day sounds impossibly low. You gotta eat to be able to move, you gotta move enough to break a sweat to actually improve fitness. Track what you *are* eating, now, honestly, every bite, and do that for a while until you want to change something you're eating.

As for boxing -- have you tried the Billy Blanks tae bo videos? It might be a way to build up to 30 minutes of cardio with collecting underpants.