Some help for a new diver trying to get fit!!!

[tehkraken]

Hey, everyone, I am new to diving and I would like to slim up asbustantial amount. Could you all be of any assisstance? I would appreciate some helpful suggesstions and good recipes!!! Thanks, you guys seem pretty nice. Have a great day.
Cheers, Josh

 

[scuba_mike]

I still remember the expression my first dive instructor told our class: you don't dive to stay fit, you stay fit to dive.

For me, cycling works best. My part of the world gets snow in the winter so I use a stationary bike in the winter and go outdoors in the summer. I also cross-train with an eliptical machine. Both of these activities are easy on my knees which have acted up in the past from high-impact activities like running.

For a good post-workout snack, I suggest a homemade smoothie. Combine 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 cup low-fat milk, 1 banana and 1 cup of frozen berries (whatever you like) in a blender and voila! A shake that tastes great and is healthy to boot. I even have these as my lunch or with my dinner.

Cheers

 

[utnapistim]

Cycling works good enough

Depending on your conditions, you might also consider inline skating. Be careful though, I broke a finger while learning to skate so that was a 1 month surface interval .

If getting out is not that much of an option, you might consider a fitness club, or getting your own stepper (or symilar machine). Also, consider machines that give you a mild but constant effort (like steppers) instead of those wonder-abs type of gadgets (I'm not sure those are very efficient for fitness/stamina).

With exercising, the important part is finding something you like (even walking daily helps improve your breathing rate, but for me skating made the biggest difference ); otherwise you can get bored and give up.
I use my skates to go to office daily (~5km in the morning and 5 in the evening); In the beginning I had to make two or three stops along the way or I became sick from effort.


Also, take lots of opportunities to cary scuba tanks (and use them ).

Regarding eating habbits, there are a lots of aspects to consider, each of them affecting your weight and energy levels.

For example, here are a few of them:
- never mix sweet stuff (and amidone rich stuff like potatoes, bread and rice) with other food (other food being anything else ).
(that means don't eat meat with potatoes or beans, but keep an hour or two between them).

- never eat late at night; if you are very hungry in the evenings, it's better to eat something around 7-8 PM.

- salads means for me "all you can eat" (not combined with anything else though).

- don't eat complex sweets (like cakes, or milkchocolate) but lean towards fruit, or bitter chocolate (no milk).

- in general, try to stick to simple foods and eat them separately (and with 1-2 hours break between them).

- Try to eat more in the mornings than in the evenings.

- try to avoid heavy meat and lean towards birds and fish since they don't give you that much of a drowsiness afterwards.


Better, ask for a doctor / nutritionist's advice. I am neither, so take what I told you with a grain of salt.

 

[tehkraken]

Thank you very much you guys!!! DO you have anymore recipes? I am going to the grocery in the next few days.....THANKS!!!
Cheers, Josh

 

[Madrone]

the main thing guys tend to overlook is yoga. when you are heavy yoga gives you flexibility and strength, its quite hard, as you have to hold your own body weight. flexibility when trying to remove fins is very useful, next weight training, 4x a week all the muscles, rest one day in btwn each lift. Spinning classes these burn huge amounts of calories 380 in 40 mins, great for fat burn and cardiovascular conditioning. This is what I do to stay fit. Simple whole foods diet. If it is in a package it probably has sugar or salt, stick to veges, fruits and proteins of your choice, good grains.. good luck

 

[fishoutawater]

Kraken, Yoga is great. Just about any kind of physical activities are great, bicycling, pilates, martial arts. But for actually losing weight, the ONLY thing that really works for me, are programs like this one: http://www.crossfit.com/.
Admittedly, Crossfit isn't very attractive to a lot of people because it is just plain hard work, but in my experience I've found nothing better. It works if you work.

And as far as diet, I do a lot of what Utnapistim says, except I go a little further with it. I eat a small amount of lean meat, along with lots of green leafy vegetables, and a small amount of the right kinds of fats. For my fats, I use olive oil, and fish oil. For instance today my lunch is a piece of frozen Salmon (nuked), and a salad with olive oil and balsamic vinager for dressing. Unsweetened tea for a drink.
Pick up a copy of Dr Sears "Zone" diet book. It'll tell you a lot more than I can.
Basically, eliminate all sugars and simple carbohydrates from your daily intake. No sweets, no breads, no pastas, no sodas. When you grocery shop, avoid the inner isles of the grogery store. Stay on the outside, where all of the fresh produce and meats are. The only time I ever venture into the middle isles is to pick up a few cans of tuna. Basically, if it comes in a box, or a can (or through a drive up window), don't eat it. Most of the nutritive value has been processed out of it, and all you're getting is starch and sodium. All those kinds of food do is make you lethargic, and feel hungry again in an hour. Bear in mind, any food that comes in a box was designed by companies with the sole purpose of making money, and could care less about your health. General Mills didn't become a megabuck company by selling healthy foods. Neither did McDonalds.
I personally find it ironic that our government is pushing hard on the tobacco companies, but doing absolutely nothing about fast food companies, when it is well known that more people die every day from fat clogged arteries and heart attacks than they do from cancer.

I do eat a small piece of dark chocolate now and then though, (besides the fact that I love the stuff, I hear it actually has some antioxidants in it).

 

[Carolina Diver]

To lose weight you have to remember one simple formula:

calories burned > calorie intake (that simple)

How you do that is where all of the differences come in. In order to burn calories, you must elevate your heart rate. That means cardiovascular exercise. Weight training and stretching type exercises will not do this. (There are many overweight guys in my gym!)

Don't be gullible to the fad "pills" (Fat Burner, Fat Metabolizer, etc.) they don't work. :no It is the diet and exercise plan that accompanies the pills that work. A pesonal trainer is fine, but can be expensive. A motivated training partner can be just as effective. Someone that will hold you accountable to your goal. Which you should have. Don't just try to lose weight, set a firm goal to attempt to reach. Don't be too drastic, but push yourself a little.

For your diet, use common sense. Let's face it...we all know what we should and shouldn't eat. Coke or Diet Coke? Cheeseburger or grilled chicken? Salad or fries? It really isn't brain surgery and you don't necessarily have to be on a "diet" with specific items to eat. Those are generally considered "fad" diets and some can be dangerous to your health. Eat small and smart. One rule I always go by: "If it's greasy, it's bad"
If you have to have fast food, Subway not McD's.

You don't have to be too technical with strict guidebooks and special recipes. Read the ingredients on everything you buy. Keep the calories and sugar totals low and apply the common sense.

Finally, exercise. I agree to pick something you enjoy, but keep in mind that it needs to push you physically. You might even start with a staionary bike and work yourself up. I run, but I enjoy it. I enter races regularly to keep a training target in mind. Cycling is okay, but not everyone has a place to ride or a bike. All I need are a pair of good shoes. Experiment with different activities and get a routine with one or more. It's a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix.

 

[Giggi]

Don't I know it about most of that "common sense" approach. I was never really taught a lot of these things growing up. I joined Weight Watchers about a month ago, and have lost 10 lbs so far. I am learning things like eating my veggies first, and if something has a nice shine to it, it's probably covered in fat, and therefore not healthy (i.e. veggies that are coated in butter).

I'm learning about proper portion sizing as well as increasing my activity level. I have a great walking routine, but now that I've lost weight, I have to step it up in order to keep my exercise level on par with my body's needs (now that I'm lighter, I have to work harder to get my heart rate up and burn fat).

It's frustrating (as are many positive life changes), but I am worth it! While my reasons for starting my positive life changes originally centered around not wanting to feel humiliated by having to be pulled back on the boat by two little deckhands after diving, it has evolved into a sincere desire to improve my health and maybe stick around long enough to watch my kids grow up and to be a great partner for my very active husband of 13 years.

 

[Carolina Diver]

One thing that helps is your long term and short term goals. Identify both. Decide what you want long term and then setup some short term milestones to concentrate on. Sometimes people can get overwhelmed if they "bite off more than they can chew". (pun intended)

The other big problem is making it too hard. Don't get too caught up in the calorie calculations, protein-no protein, how many grams? shiny, not shiny, how many carbs did I have? It can become so confusing that it is easy to give up.

 

[Misplaced Priority]

We have a nice new bridge here and I put it to good use. The view is great and the climb will get the ticker pumping. I think the key to making an exercise sustainable is that you must find some pleasure in doing it. Otherwise, its just work.