Couldn't decide if this would better go in the No S or Shovleglove forum, but what the heck, better to be wrong than double post!
I've been stalking these sites for a few months now, but took the leap and registered to be able to use the HabitCal to track my progress. Bit of a bio for anyone who cares:
I'm a soon-to-be second year college student who only recently "got religion" about fitness, and in a big way. Up until my senior year of high school I'd eat what I wanted, when I wanted and never done any form of exercise. Sure I couldn't run up stairs or play ultimate Frisbee for more than a few minutes without getting winded, but I convinced myself that most other people were like that, too. Looking back, I now figure I was at or over the BMI threshold for Overweight. That's when I started getting chest pains, where my heart would hurt every time I inhaled. After the third instance of the "one time thing," I abruptly realized that what I was doing was not in any way normal for an 18 year old, and I resolved to make a change.
That summer, I volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity site, working outdoors nine hours a day for three days a week. That's when I also realized just how heavy those sledgehammers really are, and how much effort it would take to do that every day (;)). I also committed to walking to the base and back of the huge hill I live on. While this didn't have any huge effect on my fitness or looks, it got my health far enough from the brink that I could take the next step.
Once in college, I joined the Taekwondo club, and it soon became a running joke how
dedicated I was. The instructor would only start class when I showed up, because he knew that only severe illness would keep me away. I'm pretty sure I only missed three sessions the entire year.
With my faith in my will power restored, I started a running program this summer, with
coaching from the dorm's resident hardcore triathlete (actual quote: "I'm having such a lazy summer, only ONE race every two weeks!"). My first 5k, the motivator I've had since May, is this Sunday. My practice races have been in the 25:30-26:00 range, we'll see if I can manage that in competition, though...
I'm planning to continue the running when I get back to school, along with my TKD. Getting
plenty of Cardio without any diet change (I've managed to swear off soda and drink more
water, but that's it so far) or weight training will only be one third of the job, however.
That's why I'm so excited to see simple and doable solutions to both problems, with the
icing on the cake a new, easy way to keep track of it all!
My main concern is piling too much on my plate. Last year I could do the TKD every weekday, but fell apart trying to hold to a jogging plan at the same time. After three months of working on it, I'm very sure I could now run and also do the martial arts back at school, but I'm worried about adding on two new lifestyle changes at the same time. There's a group of folks on campus who are all planning to start shugging together, I know that the community will help me make that a habit. Seeing as I'm no longer in the danger zone, figure it's a good time to start trial and error-ing to see what works for me to get even healthier.
Yet another introduction
Welcome! Sorry for the very delayed response, but I was on vacation and offline last week.
No soda is not a small thing. Depending on your weight, and your exercise, it might even be enough. (If not, there are a few more esses I could suggest
)
The other little changes you describe (walking up your hill) can have a big cumulative effect -- if you're consistent about practicing and give them plenty of time. Moderate behaviors are the way to go, but the risk is they don't seem serious enough to adhere to rigorously. Explicitly formulating them and tracking them on the habitcal or some other way can be a big help in taking them seriously. I did a podcast on "extreme moderation" a while ago that I guess is kind of relevant, but I think I like the term "hardcore moderation" better. Not quite as jarringly oxymoronic, but jarring enough, and with truer connotations ("extreme," honestly, is almost always something bad).
Please do give details on the shugging club!
Reinhard
No soda is not a small thing. Depending on your weight, and your exercise, it might even be enough. (If not, there are a few more esses I could suggest
)The other little changes you describe (walking up your hill) can have a big cumulative effect -- if you're consistent about practicing and give them plenty of time. Moderate behaviors are the way to go, but the risk is they don't seem serious enough to adhere to rigorously. Explicitly formulating them and tracking them on the habitcal or some other way can be a big help in taking them seriously. I did a podcast on "extreme moderation" a while ago that I guess is kind of relevant, but I think I like the term "hardcore moderation" better. Not quite as jarringly oxymoronic, but jarring enough, and with truer connotations ("extreme," honestly, is almost always something bad).
Please do give details on the shugging club!
Reinhard