Lazy, lethargic and addicted to the internet.

[Jackd]

This is more general fitness related, but it does tie in with the gyne, I am saving for surgery but it can't hurt to get in shape in the mean time as it's going to be a while before I can afford the op.

I want to get fit, I need to get fit, I have every reason to get fit and toned, but I don't?

I joined a gym, £40 a month, I haven't been for 2 months. I have a £200 mountain bike but last time I rode was 2 weeks ago. I have a garage with a punch bag and a weight bench and I do know different exercises to do etc but I just can't get motivated to do it, despite the fact I really want to change physically.

I eat badly and don't drink enough water, I have insomnia due to depression and probably the bad diet and lack of exercise. I think this is the cause of my problems, as I am tired all the time. I am now taking sleeping tablets, double dosage does help me sleep and for the past few nights I've had a decent amount of sleep. I don't feel much better for it yet, but I'm going to keep with it trying to get at least 7 hours a night. I am also trying to drink more water (well, with some squash in as I don't like plain water) I am drinking less fizzy drinks and this past week I've not eaten /as much/ junk as usual, work lunches are my downfall as I'll spend £6/7 a day on rubbish, expensive and bad.

I also am starting to think I am addicted to the internet, it sounds a bit sad, but I think I am? No not porn  just general use, forums and ebay. Often I'll sit here waiting for someone to sign on MSN or waiting for posts on a forum. I'm in such a bad routine, get home from work, sign on net, eat dinner at pc, sign off net, go to bed.

Has anyone had this sort of problem, if so how is best to get around it?

Any advice on motivation would be great, although I know its only me that can make the difference.

I am hoping that a few weeks of 7+ hours of sleep a night, more water daily and a slightly improved diet will improve things a lot.

I am also considering cycling to work a few days per week, but I have to be there for 7am and I struggle to get there in time when driving, let alone cycling. I work on the tools in a trade, I am on my feet all day, lifting, working etc.. to be honest I can't understand why I am fat, my diet isn't amazingly bad compared to how much time I spend on my feet during the day 

[Jackd]

Some good points well made thanks, I think I stopped going to the gym because I over done it a bit going every day and then I worked away for 2 weeks and haven't been back since. I need to cut it to 3 times a week on set days. The gym is close to my work so maybe I should take my gym gear with me and go straight from work then theres no excuses. It's annoying because I almost always felt a lot better after a workout, and after a couple of weeks of going every day I did notice my sides were a bit trimmer and felt generally better.

I think that I am also going to say no internet until 8pm. I have no reason to come online other than for entertainment value, same for TV. I'd rather be sat at the PC using my brain a bit rather than watching TV gormlessly, just sometimes I feel I should be doing other things.

When I did go to the gym, I would do approx 60/70 mintues of cardio and either no weights, or a small circuit set up by one of the trainers there. This bored me a bit spending so long on the machines? Would you or anyone be able to reccomend a shorter workout that would produce better results (in the long term if need be, I don't expect a quick fix) I've read about HITT training http://www.sgfitnessonline.com/017-Burn%20Fats%20Fast%20With%20HITT%20Training.htm this sounds like it might be more ideal?

[Jackd]

Okay, I think i'll cut the cardio down to 30 mins, 15 on the cross and 15 on the treadmill doing interval program thats set to the machine. That would cut my workout times down and be less boring, I'll try and make it a bit more intense so I'm not just doing it for the sake of it, and putting some effort in. Then I'll do two circuits of my set weights routine.

Thanks for the advice, lets hope I stick at this! I'm going to try and stick to this as minimum, and on the non-gym days I'll try and get out mountain biking, bit of boxing on the punch bag and so on.

[wildman]

Wow!  You've made a lot of positive steps lately!  Be patient with yourself though.  Your condition/problems didn't happen overnight and they can't be fixed overnight.  Rome wasn't build in a day.

One thing that helped me is to set a daily, weekly, and monthly goal.  Write them down on a scrap of paper and keep it in your pocket.  Look at it a few times a day to keep it in your mind and consider what progress you have made toward those goals.  Start out with small, realistic, attainable, and preferably measurable goals.  Pretty soon you'll be in the habit and after a few months you'll be able to look back at all the progress you've made.  Writing them down is important.  I'm not sure why it helps so much but it does.

Like most of the people on these boards you've got a long road ahead of you.  You've already made a lot of progress in the right direction.  I think there is a Chinese proverb that says: "The journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step."

Keep up the good work.

[AnonNZ]

Exercise is self-reinforcing. Give me 3 days without a decent workout and I'm cranky and depressed, I don't sleep right, and I'm all constipated - not to mention lethargic as hell! It's SO easy to just go every day when you're in the zone and your body is hydrated properly from yesterdays workout. Even if you tell yourself you're only going to do a light 30 minute workout, it's better then nothing and I often end up staying longer and ALWAYS feel better for it =)

ALWAYS do your weights first (after a quick warmup), and ask the coaches and instructors the reps, techniques and weights you should be using. You want to rev up your metabolism so when you jump on the bike you've already burned 400 calories - the next 20/30 mins of cardio is all 'cream'. I think they consider a fat-burning workout to be at least a 300 calorie expenditure, though I push for much more. Also the golden rule I try to stick to is vary the training constantly. Your body gets used to a routine very quickly, and will naturally adjust the muscles around the area to use less energy - this equates to less overall fat loss or muscle gain. Change your routine as often as you can - eventually it becomes quite fun to go to the gym (I just decide what I'm doing when I get there).

Oh, and eat lots of protein and much less carbs!

[manic91m9]

good news! you can make many changes that will improve your overall fitness and wellbeing. i have a feeling the sleeping tablets aren't helping with the lethargy. if i were  you i would look at making this as convenient as possible for yourself. routine makes things easier.. for instance if you change your lunch to something healthy like a salad wrap with chicken or something similar and only make small variations day to day that is one good meal that you are going to eat every day that will make a huge difference and lower your caloric intake. fast foods make you feel good while eating them but shit about 30 mins later. they are addictive in this way and you will find that you are probably snacking unhealthily to take away the depressing effect. if you make a routine for yourself of what days you are going to the gym then i think that makes it easier as if im at work and i think should i go to the gym today in the morning and i make that decision ahead of time it makes it much more likely that i will go rather than getting home then deciding. if you make your basic routine simple and easy to maintain then you are more likely to stick with it. you can always supplement your basic routine with extra exercise or cut out extra junk from your diet if  you feel you can, but don't set yourself up for failure by trying to go from not exercising at all and eating junk then stopping altogether because you couldn't stick with a strict routine straight away.

as for internet addiction lol. im on here before and after work and internet is never off in our house so i dunno what the answer is but i don't find it to be an issue as its not as if im on the internet instead of doing anything i should be.
another thing i found helpful is to make a list of your favorite foods or meals that you commonly eat and identify the healthiest meals you like to eat and the least healthy. for me eating higher quality gourmet foods helped keep me eat healthier without sacrificing flavor to much.

[Era]

Dam this sounds a lot like me. I put in 4 stone after my surgery (now 2 years later). I am always tired even though i get 8 hours sleep a night, i usually cant function unless i have 12 hours on the weekend, and like say i go bed at 12 i dont wake up until lunch time the next day so i must need it.
That talk about the forums and stuff really is like me too, since my gf left me i have had 0 social life. Like i have a darn buddy who comes round and stays over once a week and apart from that i work then come home and sit on my computer chair. I have no network of friends to get back out there as i moved away from home to try to make it work with my gf. Really these past 2 years have been really shit, the sad thing is ive adjusted to it now and dont really feel lonely that often. Its not the kind of life a 25 year old should be living, ive never had a proper life really as i was with my gf since i was 16 and i have never once been to a club or out with lads because my gyne crippled my confidence so bad.