Quote:
Originally Posted by polak
Time to bump this.
So after playing some soccer and volleyball this summer and realizing how out of shape I actually am, I've decided to switch my focus from getting bigger to getting more fit.
I have been trying to gain mass since high school and it's absolutely futile. I just don't have the discipline to force myself to eat past the point of being full. I actually HATE doing it and it routinely makes me sick, especially when I combined it with any sort of suppliments. Without being able to adhere to the diet requirements, not only am I not getting bigger, I'm also avoiding cardio which is making me in even worse shape. I'm done, it's just not meant to be.
Now that I have let go of any dreams of being anything other than skinny, I'm going to try and get back into as good of shape as possible. In all of grade school I was one of the kids that could run forever. Ran cross country, last one standing in the beep tests, etc... I want to get as close as I can to that level of fitness. This summer, when I play soccer again, I want to actually be able to run a full game. I want to at least feel fit.
Now does anyone have any ideas of some starting off points? I'm looking for a nice balance of cardio and strength training. Mass goes out the window. I'll eat enough to maintain my weight and if I gain anything, great, but that's no longer the goal. As for suppliments, I'll stick with protein. Everything else I have tried has given me stomach issues so I don't really want to #### around with that.
As always, any help is appreciated!
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A good beginner program is SL 5x5. Great for beginners and it focuses on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups all at once rather then isolation workouts (bicep curls etc) that only work on 1 group. It's the perfect beginners program and really builds a base for you to move forward with.
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
As for cardio, find something you like. I like using the lunge strider as it mimics skiing movements and that thing burns the calories like there's no tomorrow.
It's interesting you say that weight gain is no longer your goal. If you've never worked out before, you can expect to make some pretty big noob gains without even changing your diet. I gained 12 lbs right away and that was before I started logging my food with Myfitnesspal. I suspect you'll gain 10lbs at least no problem while on that program consistently. It's easy to say you want to maintain your weight. But once you start seeing those gains and working out becomes a routine, you'll like what you see and it gets addictive to watch the gains pile up. Set your goals small and work from there. The goal isn't to lose weight or gain 30lbs of muscle. The goal is to live an active healthy lifestyle.