Getting back into shape...

August 21, 2011 10:46 PM

Need help getting back into work-out routine with the goal to lose weight and meets some physical fitness requirements... Any suggestions on how to get someone who used to be an athlete back into shape so that he can meet his goals????

I'm 6' 2", currently 290 lbs

Background: I played Soccer and other sports in high school, was recruited to play in college, but decided to hang up my cleats and focus on school. Within first two years of college gained about 100 lbs... played some soccer, tore my ACL, but stayed about same shape for the past few years... overweight, technically Obese.... now, i have two kids, little time for a workout, and really looking for a way to get back into shape with limited resources and limited time....

I'm planning on transitioning to a job (federal agent) that has some physical fitness requirements,
run 2 miles in 15 min, some weight lifting, flexibility, etc...

I've never been well motivated in a gym environment, never really motivated to run, other than having a coach tell me what to do, i do want to get into shape, but need to figure out a way to get off my butt, and more motivated...

any help with this? Any help getting back into shape, particular workouts that might work, should i just get a personal trainer to work my butt off... any help would be great.

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (7 answers total)

This might be too obvious a suggestion, but maybe you can start by making it a goal to fulfill the physical fitness requirements for your new job. Will this give you some motivation to practice running in the short-term?

I've never had a personal trainer but I've lots of people say it is motivating, especially the part about having them waiting for you when you've made an appointment. I bet a good personal trainer will be able to help you figure out what kinds of exercise you enjoy which is essential for keeping up motivation.
posted by bearette at 11:37 PM on August 21, 2011

I'd suggest something like the Couch to 5k program, but you say you need a coach to kick your butt into shape. What about something like Team In Training, where you have a coach and a group of fellow trainees all training for a race? You also raise money to fight cancer.
posted by salvia at 1:14 AM on August 22, 2011

I'm with bearette. Get a personal trainer. I have never had one until recently and it is great for just this type of stuff, as they will tell you exactly what to do both in the gym and outside of the gym (ask for a fitness plan for your off days).

Another option is to join a spinning/kung fu/etc. class to help get that motivation. Having to go to class always motivated me to go and actually do the workout.
posted by chiefthe at 2:03 AM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Look into CrossFit. I was in something very like your position a couple of years ago, and it got me turned around pretty quickly. The workouts are short (but high intensity) so they're relatively easy to fit in to a busy schedule, and they're always different, so they don't get boring. You can do them on your own, but I find much more motivation in working out with a scheduled class at a CrossFit gym.

It's also very popular in the military and LEO communities and is, IMHO, the best way to prepare for their physical fitness tests.
posted by Zonker at 3:11 AM on August 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yes since you're working toward a police/military fitness test then Crossfit sounds perfect.

I come away from my weekly Spinning class sweaty. I come away from my weekly Crossfit class sweaty, sore, dirty, grinning from ear to ear, feeling like a badass and telling my partner 'you'll never guess what they had us doing this week, it was awesome'.
posted by Ness at 6:04 AM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

For some people self motivation when it comes to working out is hard. I think that personal trainers are well worth the money to set up work out plans and goals, but in the long run they can be really expensive if used on a regular basis. Of course the advantage is that it's a lot harder to skip a workout with a scheduled personal trainer session then it is when it's just you on your own. So if you have the money, higher a personal trainer. But if you don't want to spend tons of cash, perhaps find other options. The key to staying in shape, is find something you enjoy doing that's also a great workout. You say you played soccer? Are you ok to still play? If so, you might be able to find leagues near by. Many areas have all year leagues via indoor soccer. The martial arts is another great option. Although it can also be pricy but it's an amazing workout. It will also serve you well in your field of work. Legitimate martial arts schools are usually willing to work with people's budgets. Some schools are run by people who aren't in it for the money and therefor charge much more reasonable rates. I know you say that you hate running. These days I do more speed walking then running only because it's less impact on the body. Both running and speed walking are great ways to get in shape and lose weight at little to no cost. Sometimes having great music to listen to while you run or walk can make all the difference and keep things interesting. Also where you run can make a difference. One of the things I love about running or speed walking is just being able to look at everything outside and take in the scenery. Try different routes. You're gonna need to get into shape for work and you should wanna get into shape for your own personal health. Once you get into a routine and start seeing some results I think you'll find yourself a lot more motivated to continue. The hard part is actually starting and sticking to it. You just have to force yourself whether it's through self motivation, a personal trainer, or another instructor...but you can do it!
posted by ljs30 at 9:25 AM on August 22, 2011

Parkour, Yoga, and Skimble free workout app - really, check them out.
posted by doorsfan at 10:51 AM on August 22, 2011 [2 favorites]