Hi Vince, your in great shape man. If I could
have any physique it would be yours. I'm 5'9, 180 pounds with a 36
inch waist. In recent years I've completely let myself go. I'm
completely new to exercising, any recommendations on getting
started? thanks for your time. Paul
Thank you for the compliment, I really appreciate that.
Paul, with your being new to the whole exercising thing, you
should first consult with a personal trainer at a gym that you
choose to get you on the right track as far as learning the
exercises and how to use the equipment, or of course be sure to look
at the exercise videos on this site and familiarise yourself with
the form and execution. But, more importantly, let's start out with
the basics in setting some goals for yourself and staying focused
and dedicated to achieving these goals. This is exactly what I did
years ago when I was on a quest to look like Marky Mark....remember
him? Actually he's better known today as Mark Wahlberg the actor.
Yeah, I know your probably chuckling right now, but that's what
helped me way back when I was first getting started. Here's my
advice to you to get you on the right path:
- set a long term goal perhaps with an image that you have for
yourself, but approach it with short term goals along the way so you
feel a sense of accomplishment, motivating you to continue.
- figure out a workout schedule that coincides with your personal
and work schedule, and stick to it no matter what.
- diet is at least 70% of achieving your physical goals, so
approach this with not only setting a daily calorie intake, but also
a good balance of proteins/carbohydrates/fats. I personally eat 5-6
small to moderate meals which are mainly protein based. This allows
my body to keep lean muscle with little fat, since I take in more
than 1 gram of protein per pound of my bodyweight.
- keep motivated to reaching your desired body....you definitely
can do it!
Trust me Paul, it took me years of trial and error to finally get
it all right. Its a matter of being in touch with your own body,
understanding what works best for you. Don't ever think of this as a
"diet", or "new years resolution", etc....this is a way of life now,
that's what my motto is. Everything that I do with my normal diet
and training regimen is just a part of life for me, something that
is just as normal to me as breathing or going to work everyday,
etc...
Good luck with your endeavour Paul, and remember always to
believe in yourself. I always envisioned myself looking like some
guy on the cover of a fitness magazine, knowing that at worst I'd
get a decent looking body. Well, wouldn't you know upon turning 40
years old, I finally reached my desired goal, and then some.
PS. You should start out with at least 3 days of 20 minutes of
cardiovascular exercising, with mixing in resistance weight training
either during this time, or on another day. At my level, I weight
train 4 days per week, about 1 hour per each workout, going at a
pretty fast pace.
Vince
