The Return to Fitness... (without a gym)
I know I have created a few of these threads in the past, and something has always happened, either good or bad, that drags me off the straight n narrow. Most recently, it has been a year and a half of pain and agony from surgery and complications (nerve entrapment syndrome).
Because of this, I have, sadly, fallen prey to the vices of bad health, namely a general laziness about doing things and some improper eating habits.
Well, after a very heart to heart with a close friend of mine who did a 5 month gymless challenge and saw positive results, I am going to give it one more good ol college try, except this time I think I have the motivation to succeed.
My questions to the Beyond population are threefold. I have already asked about nutrition, diet, motivation, etc. My questions are:
1) For gymless training, that being no access to a gym or gym equipment, what forms of in-house exercise are available? I've been reading a lot about the amazing things you can do with a length of rope tied to the ceiling with a foot loop at the other end, just wanted to get the most comprehensive set of exercises possible.
2) My goal is not specifically weight loss. My goal is FAT loss. I know I have a strong frame and well developed musculature from years of martial arts, sports and activities in my teens and early twenties. However, I am still very clueless on the ideals of TARGETTED fat loss. My main areas of concern are my abdomen and chest, where I have accumulated a not-so-healthy amount of excess fat. So, what pointers, that DO NOT USE supplements, chemicals, or surgeries, do you all have to help me take down the fat and bring out the definition and tone I know is hiding under there?
3) The biggie: rotation and schedule. Every time I launch into this, I ask about it and get 15 different answers. Well, I want to consolidate, get those 15 answers again, and figure out what specifically works for me. So, for someone that has access to parks, bikeways, easy access to local swimming pools, and a large area for ground based exercises (pushups, situps, etc), what is a good way to find a schedule and exercise rotation that fits me?
I have decided to cut out, entirely, sodas. I fell off that wagon before, but this time it's for sure. If I need caffeine, it will come from natural sources such as mild teas and the like. I am not adverse to holistic approaches as well, via herbs and such that activate natural body chemicals to help with fat burning. I just don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars on supplements. I want to do it naturally, as the body intended.
Pursuant to this, I have started on a much more vegetarian based diet. I've cut rice down by almost three quarters of my regular intake (about 2.5 cups a week) to keep starches low. I am doing much more with green beans, kidney beans, black beans, all boiled or steamed naturally. Salts have been reduce by a drastic level. Meats, when consumed, are trimmed of fats and cooked with the fats that are locked into the meat itself drained as much as possible. My fiber intake is up, as is my water consumption (I'm at about 4-6 L per day now, up from about 2-2.5 L. I measure by keeping my water in 2L pop bottles).
I know that it's not the focused diet I need, but it's a general start.
And lastly, the motivation behind all this. At one point, I was keen on the military. I was all set and ready and then medical circumstances knocked me off that path. Well, now that I've struggled through it all, I'm 27, overweight, lazy and with a dim outlook for a career in my field unless a miracle decides to land itself squarely between my eyes. And so... I am looking at Signals and Intelligence in the military. It deals with computers, is a technical job, and can lead back to civilian careers if/when I leave the military.
Thing is... you need to be fit and healthy to join the Forces, and I am neither. However, I also cannot afford gym fees AT ALL, so all my exercise has to come from natural sources, be it my own body weight, natural resistances (gravity, wind, etc) and commonly available weighty objects around the house (I've heard 4 L milk jugs are great adjustable weights).
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soooo.....by exercising, it offsets all the high calorie stuff I eat. I won't get ripped because the diet isn't there but at least it keeps the fat in check! lol
