I'm in real bad shape..

[Pyth]

So I took a look in the mirror about a month ago, and what I saw shocked me. I'm 27, 6' tall, and weigh roughly 225-230 lbs. I've had severe chronic asthma since I was a child, and had smoked a pack a day for the last 15 years. Maybe 6' 230 doesn't sound so terribly bad, it didn't to me for years now. "I'm not obese" I'd tell myself; "Just carrying around a few extra pounds, who isn't. Aint like I'm in heart attack country or anything!".

But the truth is, I haven't done anything that could be considered real exercise in maybe 10 years. I drink a dozen cans of Pepsi a day. 90% of my meals came from a food truck at work. I have no energy, and to be honest it seemed like my will to change had been entirely zapped. I had a vague notion in the back of my head that I should 'get in shape'. The same notion I'm sure most of America ignores the same as I was. The truth is, I was headed for a mid 30s heart attack and maybe an early grave and a bout with lung cancer and COPD if I didn't make some real changes in my life.

Well, I laid out a few goals for myself;

1. Quit smoking.

Done, that very morning I tossed my pack in the dumpster before I got in my Jeep to head to work, It's been 35 days today and I have not had so much as a single puff. I have very few cravings now, maybe 1 a week, and the craving has no power. It's weak and gone in seconds. More a passing thought. I will never touch another cigarette again in my life. Frig that shit.

2. Eat better and exercise.

A noble goal I guess, but after spending the last 5 hours reading articles here, one I've come to recognize as to vague, and not that helpful. So I have revised it.

2A. I want to be 200 pounds by the end of April.

Bit of a slow transition compared to some of the things I've read here, but there's a reason I'm taking it slow which I'll elaborate on later.

2B. I want to transition to a 100% Paleo diet.

I can't argue with the logic of this diet. Everything about it seems great, it's brilliantly simple yet appears effective. I don't want to count calories and grams of vitamin b2 or whatever all day. I think my time can be more productively spent then that and paleo seems to free me from doing it. I want to make this switch fully in the month of January.

3. I need to fix my lungs.

This is maybe my most important goal of all. As I mentioned above, I have very bad asthma. I spent the majority of the first 5 years of my life in a hospital. I've had my lungs collapse, been intubated, all that fun stuff. Now, I started to grow out of my downright life threatening asthma about the age of 10. It was actually well controlled then. But, well, as I mentioned about that pack a day habit. Funny the things a 12 year old nerd will do to fit in with people right? Dumbest thing I ever did. But no sense dwelling on that, what is done is done and now I have to fix it.

This also, is the reason I'm taking it slow on weight loss. I just did a round of the beginners body weight circuit posted on this site, and after one round of it I was in some pain. But, I think with proper cardio I can come a long way to bringing them back to 100%. The overall goal being to be able to run 2km at a jog by the end of April without feeling like I'm going to die.

So that's it, that's me. I really want to make this work. I'm not happy with who I am at the moment, and I want to be better!

[littlewings]

Good for you for taking the step forward to change your life! Quitting the smoking is awesome and I'm sure your lungs will thank you. Slow transition's not a bad thing, anyway! Also I'm with you on the paleo diet transition in January (although I might settle for primal), so you're not alone there. Are you planning on joining the next 6-week challenge?

[Pyth]

I may indeed join the next 6 week challenge. The idea of all around self improvement it looks like it promote appeals to me. There's quite honestly been a lot of that going on around here over the last month, not just on the fitness front. Financial, emotional and just all around betterment is the drug of choice in my house lately. So yes, 6 week challenge that gives me stats and levels, hell yes.

Whoever thought of motivating me towards bettering myself with stats and levels is brilliant by the way. Half of my recreational time has been spent chasing stats and levels for years, this fits right in haha!

[littlewings]

Yeah, the stats/class and levels gives it a fun twist, I'm also excited to join it! And I like how it forces you to condense your goals, makes it a lot more straightforward when working towards what you want. Have you already thought of what cardio exercises you're going to work on at first? (although I guess you're going to stick with the beginner circuits?) I'm still planning out on how I'm going to transition into the paleo diet too.

[Laureleye]

First - Yay for tossing the cigarettes. I agree with you - take it slow and easy building up. I'm twice your age plus have a bad knee, so I needed to do likewise. Some tips:

* You can do fewer reps on the beginner's body weight and shoot for more circuits. You probably tried to do 10 or so of everything. But if you tried to 4 reps went thru the circuit and rested for 2.5 minutes - you might have more energy to do more circuits and ultimately more reps. Either way is valid - so do which ever seems to work best for you. * If you can't do one of the exercises, substitute an easier one. Stretch after you finish.

* Only do the body weight every other day. In between days, take a walk. This will help ease soreness.

* try starting with only a few days a week, and a couple rest days. You can add more days (up to 6 per week) as you get going.

Good luck on your goals.

[Baelasar]

Amazing to walk away from a smoking habit cold turkey- woohoo! That was a major step. I'm new to this site but familiar with the challenges of asthma. PM if you want to talk.

[Mel The Hangry]

Good Luck    You can do it!

[sumdawgtwigg]

Very awesome on quitting smoking. That's a huge achievement. You will reach your other goals, I know it!