Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

OK, I'll admit it. I don't go to the gym much...Actually, at all. I tried during my time when I was unemployed and sitting around the house hoping the job market would improve, but having to get paratransit to take me (or having to beg rides) limited how I could do it (definitely could never do it to my preference); once I started school again, too, the idea of the gym was just laughable - I soon after canceled my gym membership, $35/month when I wouldn't be able to find time (or if I had time, I couldn't get a ride) was an insane waste of money - had been for a while, I hadn't actually gone to the gym in months by that point, but after I started school again it became a blatantly obvious waste of money.

Truth is, I'm the kind of person who, as a kid, who hated gym class - for a lot of reasons, and it only got worse when I was placed in special education gym, which started for me in elementary school. I have, so far as I know, always been "pudgy" (to say the least). When I was a kid, you could wave it off as maybe I'll grow into a decent body. Now, not so much, y'know? It really doesn't help that I am, effectively, a shut-in when not at school: There aren't sidewalks where I live, and the white cane gets ignored so often by drivers when I do try to go for walks that I just don't feel safe, even ignoring that I'm blind at night. I have a Wii, even have Wii Fit, but found I got bored really easily by it. I know I need to lose weight, probably a lot of weight, but with my disabilities I have zero idea what's practical or even safe. I'm depressive by nature, I have a fairly good idea that the medication I'm on probably doesn't help my weight...And oh yeah, when I'm alone (which is often) and I'm bored, or depressed, or whatever...I eat. Not tons in one sitting, but it adds up.

About that relationship with food...I live with my parents. Paying rent sucks when you're on SSI disability, but at least I get free food and utilities and stuff. My dad is usually the one who cooks, and he tends to cook healthy. Not his fault I'm a carnivore more than anything else. (Before you ask: I can't cook. I've only barely learned how to be safe in the kitchen with my disabilities.) Funnily enough, I don't eat a lot of snacks or drink a lot of soda, generally speaking - soda is maybe 2 or 3 cans of Coke Zero a week, if that.

But enough venting. I'll post up what self-statistics I can recall, my goals, and ask some questions.

Stat block:

Gender: Male
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 230-250 lbs. (I haven't been able to find a scale I could *see the numbers on* in years, but from my last doctor's appointment I remember my weight being in that range...It's lame, it'd probably be embarrassing as hell for me in use, but I wish they made talking scales. I could possibly use the Wii fit balance board, but no idea how accurate that scale is.)
Age: 26
Body type: Hard to say. I've never, so long as I can remember, not been what I now acknowledge to be a fairly fat kid. I do not know, do not have the foggiest idea, what my body type and structure would be like if I were at a better weight.
Waist (just to be honest and show where I am): On most clothes I seem to wear between a 44 and 46. Pardon me while I wince in utter shame, the numbers keep going up despite my efforts.

Run out of stats I could think of that seemed relevant...

Lifestyle: OK, yeah. I am sedentary. The puppy my parents got for themselves has me moving a little when I'm watching him or playing with him, but that's not much. School (for now) dominates my fall and spring, and winter/summer aren't great for me either, at least they haven't been. My likely profession (at least I hope it's likely) is one defined almost 100% by office work - research, writing, that sort of thing; who knows if I'll ever get a job though, or what 40 hours a week in an office (at least I'm hoping for 40 hours a week) will do to whatever fitness routine I get into (if any).

Goal: No time goal. Honestly, the goal for me is to get down to a weight that's at least vaguely healthy - I doubt I'll ever look anything good or attractive, and while that makes me despair, it's something I'll live with. (I'd love it if I could carve away at the belly fat, but...Doesn't seem likely.) I'm not dumb enough to think that a cripple like me can ever look muscled, or that I'd look good muscled, and that's really not my goal. Point is that the goal for me is simple: Lose the damn weight, and find a situation where I can keep it off. I figure I *should* lose close to 100 lbs, given my height, but that just doesn't seem reasonable. Help figuring out what *would* be reasonable is welcome.

Questions:

1. Calorie intake - I hear a lot about calorie counting. It'd be hard, but OK. Problem is - I have no idea at all how many calories someone in my situation burns or can expect to burn, never mind the impact of workouts. How do I figure out those numbers?
2. In my situation, money is tight - rent paid to parents takes most of my monthly SSI check, and school (also paid for by parents, but I chip in what I have) takes the rest. That said, hopefully the job market will take me on once school is done, and I can successfully get out of the income straight-jacket SSI puts you into, and actually spend money once again, but for now I'm used to thinking "free stuff definitely preferred". Would looking for a personal trainer even be worth the effort, once/if I do get into a point where I can pay for things again, or do my disabilities mean most trainers couldn't work with me?
3. If I get a flow of money going again, and If I can find time again...Is a gym something I should be looking into? (Heck, what should I be looking for if I do look for a gym?)
4. Probably related to 3, but...Should I be thinking treadmills/stationary bikes/aerobic sorts of exercise? Should I look a lot at weights?

Weight loss is all about math.

If calories burned > calories taken in, then you lose weight.
If calories taken in > calories burned, then you gain weight.

Aerobic activity is the way to go when weight loss is the goal. You can do it with the treadmill / stationary bike / rowing machine, or you can run in place / jump rope / do other calisthenics at your apartment if money doesn't allow for one of the above. Craigslist usually has pretty good deals on the equipment used if you want to go that route.

-Citicop.

Okay, that answers one question. Now for the kicker, how do I figure out the calories being burned?

Holy thread resurrection, Batman.

GymRage: Thanks for the advice.

GymRage-

Welcome to the forum.

That message was completely inappropriate for several reasons.

1.) You did not provide an intro so we know nothing about you or who you are.
2.) You violated the TOS with the profanity in your post.
3.) Despite Penta's polite response, you completely failed to take into account that he has some physical issues that make your advice less than ideal in his situation (these are detailed in his first post).

If you intend to stay here, create an intro in the appropriate area, loose the profanity in the public forums, and have a little respect for the other members here.

-Citicop.

Holy thread resurrection, Batman.

GymRage: Thanks for the advice.

You're such a class act, bud. Now for the kicker question.....have you played any of that music Citicop and I suggested?

I closed the thread for rather obvious reason. However, should it not be apparent enough, this is an old thread and the recent posts are not responsive to the thread topic.