Hello all.

I'll be perfectly frank... I'm desperate to do this. I'm desperate to get healthy, to look better, to feel better. I've tried almost any and all programs on the market but all have a failing (at least for me personally) somewhere.

So, I've decided to forget the packages and do this for me.

But...there is so much information out there...

I read in one place "Cardio is the secret to weight loss -- do cardio till you pass out, then do some more!" The in another I read "Cardio is a very small part of weight loss/building muscle." In a third, "Cardio is a waste of time." I know a lot of this hinges on personal preferences, but the cardio is one small example.

Can anyone aim me in a direction to start? I know I need to educate myself extensively before I dive in, but there is just so much -- the food, the exercises, the life changes, the concepts, the techniques, the equipment, the supplements, etc etc etc.

I am willing to at least try any given path to my goal...

Quick about me: 23, male, 270+, smoker (already stepping myself down since cold turkey seems to not work for me yet...and I doubt I could successfully participate in either a weight lifting program or riding an exercise bike, etc, as long as I continue to smoke).

Thanks in advance. :)

Future Success Story,
JPB

all programs on the market have a failing (at least for me personally) somewhere.


the food, the exercises, the life changes, the concepts, the techniques, the equipment, the supplements, etc etc etc.

I am willing to at least try any given path to my goal...

Quick about me: 23, male, 270+, smoker (already stepping myself down since cold turkey seems to not work for me yet...and I doubt I could successfully participate in either a weight lifting program or riding an exercise bike, etc, as long as I continue to smoke).

JPB

While you should stop, Smoking won't stop you. The only thing that can stop you is your mind. Read John's story and the many others that have posted their stories here.

When you see them, you see many took different paths. The major thing that they share is they didn't quit. You can do without cardio or with it. The same with weights. You need to expend more calories than you take in to lose weight. The easy way to do that is cut calories on a diet and exercise so you don't have to cut as many.

In hours, you will recieve many answers. Nearly all will work and you can quickly turn things around. It is up to you and what you choose to do. My suggestions:

1. get on a clean diet of 2000 calories. Cut sweet and starchy carbs.

2. Work out your whole body with weights, MWF, 3 set of 8-12 reps, no more than 12 exercises. Train largest muscles to small ones. Use as much weight as you can.

3. Walk a brisk pace, 20 -30 minutes, TTF.

4. Get 6-8 hours sleep. Drink a gallon of water, a day. On weekends, stay active outside during the day as much as possible.

You definately have the right attitude about doing this for yourself. You wont find a more supportive forum with people anxious and willing to help. Put yourself together a diet and workout schedule with the information on this site and go for it. I found the 1st week or 2 kinda difficult to get use to the new way of eating, but Ive become strangely addicted to it. :D Good luck! Keep us posted.

Hey, welcome aboard, and I hope this community helps you as much as it's helped me in just the last couple of weeks I've been around.

Your story sounds similar to mine, except I DID quit cold turkey, and it just about drove me bonkers (see my online fitness journal). Still, I couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised the first time I bounded up a flight of stairs and didn't hack up a lung. I was still winded from being overweight, of course, but not as bad as I would have been as an overweight smoker. I actually LOST weight after I quit, because I was so nervous and freaked out about my health during that period, I made major diet & exercise changes immediately after quitting smoking.

Anyway, as you probably already know, the journey ahead of you isn't going to be an easy one. You're not in "fat prison", so there's no system of guards and wardens to make sure you stick to your program. That's one of the most vexing factors (that you're your own disciplinarian), but when it takes hold and your daily habits become healthy instead of detrimental, that's when it really makes you feel good. Right now, I'm not following a strict, by-the-numbers routine so much as I am making healthier choices at my own pace; changes that are drastic enough to make a difference, but not so drastic that I quickly tire of the idea and backslide so easily.

My advice (such as it is) would be not only to start and maintain healthy habits, but to keep an online journal here; that has been one step that has helped me tremendously in this latest effort, and the others in the community couldn't be more supportive and helpful. Good luck!

You have to be fully committed. Halting your smoking habit is the perfect step to better health. To loose weight, find something you enjoy to get movin', walking, swimming, biking.....my friend bought a stationary bike and plopped it down in front of the TV so everytime he watch TV he would peddle.

Diet is the make or break point of the goal. Like everyone has said, low fat 2000 calorie diet is a must. Eliminate fast food, take your lunch to work, salads for dinner, high fiber for breakfast. Try a few energy shakes for meal replacements or in betweeners.

good luck, john's website is the perfect model for success, listen to the forums, some of us are right occasionally.

one thing at a time, man. do not try to quit smoking, clean up your diet, and train/lift all at once, because it will be impossible unless you are SuperWillpowerMan (and if you were, you wouldn't be here).

I have done two of the three--I still smoke and while it may be limiting my cardio, I wouldn't know it. I can go 45min at full blow and not feel it. but I can't tell you what to do.

Thanks for the advice all. :)

For the smoking, it's going to be a gradual thing...maybe a few months even. When I tried slamming my body with 100% changes, the term "mental strain" doesn't even begin to cover it. lol

For right now, while I'm still feeling my way through all of this, I've decided to take a few preliminary steps to get going:

- Exercise bike. Pretty cheap one, but has programs on it that tells you to speed up or slow down depending on which one you're doing, and one is "Max Fat Burn." I do that, so far, for a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

- Freaking sit-ups. I'm sure every little bit helps, so I've been doing 100 crunches a night -- 50 regulars and 25 on each oblique.

- Pushups till I collapse. Right now that's around, oh, 20? :lol: But still working on it.

- Water water everywhere. No more sodas, just water and more water. And I have Diet Vanilia Coke (flat lol ) here as an absolute backup. Already resisted home made lasagna for a salad I might add.

- Dumbells. I only own 2 20 pounders and 2 25 pounders. So I do a few curls with the 20's for now sporadically just to give myself a "head start."

I know, it's not as much as it could (or should) be, but it's a step at least. :)

QUESTION ABOUT CALORIES: Basically I've found from formulas and whatnots that I should have 2000 cals a day to lose between 1-2 pounds a week. But, what would happen if I were to cut that to, say, 800 cals a day? (extreme example)

Thanks again for the feedback... I'll get there. :)

Dude, You have to read these two articles about smoking and bodybuilding...its a blunt perspective that lays out all the facts and im sure it will be quite usefull for you before you undertake your task, and as always :gl:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson26.htm

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