[Kihaji]

Hi all, I need some help and wasn't sure where to turn to. I am, what I consider, to be in the worst shape I have ever been in my life. I'm not fat, 5'6" and around 135-145lbs, but I have no energy and no endurance.

My goal is to get back down to a good weight for me, ~125lbs, and get my mile run times back down to 630 or so, and be XC race ready next summer(graduating College here in December, and get a real life after), problem is I don't know how. For my workouts I've always had them dictated to me, be it on a team in High School, or in Basic/morning PT in the Army. I've tried to make my own up, but I usually end up over-extending myself/burning out of lack of variety that I actually do myself more harm. The nutrition front is the same, I've never had to prepare a menu to eat, it's always been dictated to me, and my eating habits are pretty destroyed after being in the Army, I eat once a day, if that, and its usually real calorie heavy.

The help I need is a good resource thats not a fad diet/workout, that gives me enough variety and a good set of sequential goals that I can go through, basically need it dictated to me again.

Anyone able to help?

 

[Serial Midget]

At the risk of sounding harsh... it seems that you already have plenty of experience and should already know what to do - you just need the will to do it. No one can help you with that.

For my workouts I've always had them dictated to me, be it on a team in High School, or in Basic/morning PT in the Army. I've tried to make my own up, but I usually end up over-extending myself/burning out of lack of variety that I actually do myself more harm. The nutrition front is the same, I've never had to prepare a menu to eat, it's always been dictated to me, and my eating habits are pretty destroyed after being in the Army, I eat once a day, if that, and its usually real calorie heavy.

 

[Snacks]

At the risk of sounding harsh... it seems that you already have plenty of experience and should already know what to do - you just need the will to do it. No one can help you with that.

Ugh....the will! I hate the will :mumble:

 

[Kihaji]

At the risk of sounding harsh... it seems that you already have plenty of experience and should already know what to do - you just need the will to do it. No one can help you with that.

It's not so much the will, right now I am riding every day at least an hour, and I push myself. My problem is I've never had to make a workout or menu. In the Army I did pushups situps chinups and run, because that was the focus of our tests, food was prepared for me. I know the basic rules of a balanced diet, just lack in the execution.

I guess what I am asking is where can I find some good information on menu's and workouts that are varied but not fad.

 

[The Toninator]

joe freil has a couple of good books out.

 

[fanatical]

My amateur opinion:

Try finding some books on nutrition and healthy eating either at the library or used bookstores. Stay away from fad diets...instead try and follow the new food pyramid from Harvard when you put together meals. I just got a book called Perfect Vegetables (a steep $20 ) to give me some ideas, you could try the same thing.

Eating right will help you with your energy, I lift 3 days a week, bike on days I don't lift, take Aikido and do yoga once a week. I'm sure I would die if I wasn't eating right but I do and my recovery and energy level is great!!! Don't worry about being able to run 6:30 miles if that’s your personal best, at least not initially. Work your way back to that pace slowly and don't get discouraged. I used to run sub 5 in the mile in High School and a couple years ago I was interested in getting that pace back. I got close but gave up because I found biking a hell of a lot more fun.