Losing weight without a gym

[CountryGirl]

Hey everyone I'm 23 yrs old 5'2" and about 175lbs. I start school to be an EMT-I / Firefighter in august and I would like to be in better shape by then but I don't have the money for gyms, exercise plans, meal plans etc. So I was wondering the best way to get in the shape I need to be in by august? Any help would be awesome!
Thanks

 

[MrBrown]

Three words: Eat to Live

 

[CountryGirl]

Eat to live? What's that mean?

 

[Handsome Robb]

You don't need a gym. Body weight exercises like pushups, pull ups, bench dips, jogging, things of that nature.

And eat healthier, you don't need a specialized eating program, search around on the net for diet plans to get yourself started.

 

[abckidsmom]

Its summer, so its cheap: eat more than 80% fruits and veggies, the more raw the better. Stay hydrated, and only eat as many calories as you need for life. Make sure you're getting enough protein if you'll be working out hard, though.

If you aren't already running, check out couch to 5k (search C25K on google)...its a great intro running plan.

Also, if you're serious about the body weight exercises, go to 100pushups.com and follow their plan. They have setups, too, and when I faithfully push myself on those plans I see a lot of improvement. A friend made it all the way to 130 pushups not long ago, just by adding more in their pattern. She's short and light, and totally ripped, though.

 

[mycrofft]

Common subject, check SEARCH too.

All of the above is good. If you can't run, walk and walk and walk, get up early to avoid the heat at first or fit around your schedule.
Shifting your diet away from fat and excessive starch/sugar can be done cheaply by eating less at table and munching on veggies and drinking tea or juice betwen meals. (Watch the juice, lots of sugar and limited nutrients). You do not need special muscle supplements unless you have metabolic trouble like gastric bypass etc.

Lifting/upper body is neceesary for fire school. Ditto lifting technique and leg strength, you are going to be doing some ladders and stairs with loads. Look it up before you plunge in, and do not burn yourself out. (Watching inmates make "home gyms" from empty bleach bottles and trash bags and water plus running and situps/pull ups, I'm pretty sure it isn't beyond anyone's reach. One gallon water equals 8.33 lbs, you'll need that for fire school too).

Maybe a local high school coach or park coach or someone can help you set a regimen to follow and be your "Jedi Master"?

If you are "punching it", especially at first you will need to rest the muscle groups you are working to allow anabolism to overtake catabolism (e.g., after you use up muscle fiber, your body will replace it with even more, given rest and diet for a day or two).

Keep a little journal, you can check your day's goals as you warm up, then record your accomplishment during your cool down period.

Been there, done that. Good luck.

 

[ArcticKat]

I used to weigh 250lbs. Then I cut out junky snack foods like chips and popcorn and started walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Worked from 10 pushups the first week to 30 within the month, 30 situps to 100. I've lost 6 inches off my waist and 40 pounds since the new year. My goal is to reach 200 and stay there.

 

[abckidsmom]

I used to weigh 250lbs. Then I cut out junky snack foods like chips and popcorn and started walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Worked from 10 pushups the first week to 30 within the month, 30 situps to 100. I've lost 6 inches off my waist and 40 pounds since the new year. My goal is to reach 200 and stay there.

Good for you!

 

[ArcticKat]

Thanks mom. What I like best about it is that I can still eat what I want for regular meals. I just had to cut out the crap between meals food.

 

[Too Old To Work]

All good advice. You're young, so now is the time when it will be easy to lose weight and teach yourself healthy eating habits. Fresh fruits and vegatables, low carb foods.

Exercise every day. Get a cheap bike (and a helmet) and ride. It's good exercise and easier on your joints than running is. 30 minutes a day every day to start.

 

[CountryGirl]

Thanks!

 

[VirginiaEMT]

Thanks!

If you eat a low card diet you will lose about 1/2 pound a day. Low carb doesn't mean you have to eat fatty foods like the old Atkins diet used to push.

Daily I eat:

Breakfast- usually an omlette with GP,Onions,Bacon
Lunch- Some type of green salad with grilled chicken(a big one,salad that is)
Supper- some type of meat, and cooked vegetables,

Lay off of the breads, potatoes, rice, etc. However, don't force yourself to be hungery because that is something that you can't continue as a lifestyle change.Heck, eat some cake every once in a while if you want to.

Here's the beauty about Low Carb, after a week or two you hunger will diminish and you will lose the desire to snack. If you do get hungery, eat nuts, fruits, or vegetables. Every morning when I wake up, I weigh 1/2 pound less that the day before.

 

[VirginiaEMT]

Thanks!

If you eat a low card diet you will lose about 1/2 pound a day. Low carb doesn't mean you have to eat fatty foods like the old Atkins diet used to push.

Daily I eat:

Breakfast- usually an omlette with GP,Onions,Bacon
Lunch- Some type of green salad with grilled chicken(a big one,salad that is)
Supper- some type of meat, and cooked vegetables,

Lay off of the breads, potatoes, rice, etc. However, don't force yourself to be hungry because that is something that you can't continue as a lifestyle change. Heck, eat some cake every once in a while if you want to.

Here's the beauty about Low Carb, after a week or two you hunger will diminish and you will lose the desire to snack. If you do get hungery, eat nuts, fruits, or vegetables. Every morning when I wake up, I weigh 1/2 pound less that the day before.

 

[Too Old To Work]

If you eat a low card diet you will lose about 1/2 pound a day. Low carb doesn't mean you have to eat fatty foods like the old Atkins diet used to push.

Daily I eat:

Breakfast- usually an omlette with GP,Onions,Bacon
Lunch- Some type of green salad with grilled chicken(a big one,salad that is)
Supper- some type of meat, and cooked vegetables,

Lay off of the breads, potatoes, rice, etc. However, don't force yourself to be hungry because that is something that you can't continue as a lifestyle change. Heck, eat some cake every once in a while if you want to.

Here's the beauty about Low Carb, after a week or two you hunger will diminish and you will lose the desire to snack. If you do get hungery, eat nuts, fruits, or vegetables. Every morning when I wake up, I weigh 1/2 pound less that the day before.

I follow a similar diet, but I eat a bit more in the way of carbs. That's personal choice and like you I've cut out snacks other than nuts, an occasional granola bar (pretty high in carbs), and fresh fruit.

The problem with fad diets is that once you go off them (and you will) you'll put weight on faster than you took it off. That's the problem with "no carb" diets and any of the other rapid weight loss diets.

Exercise is a great supplement to diet. The typical recommendation is 30 minutes three times a week. I've been trying to do at least 30 minutes per day, usually 45 minutes or more.

 

[VirginiaEMT]

I follow a similar diet, but I eat a bit more in the way of carbs. That's personal choice and like you I've cut out snacks other than nuts, an occasional granola bar (pretty high in carbs), and fresh fruit.

The problem with fad diets is that once you go off them (and you will) you'll put weight on faster than you took it off. That's the problem with "no carb" diets and any of the other rapid weight loss diets.

Exercise is a great supplement to diet. The typical recommendation is 30 minutes three times a week. I've been trying to do at least 30 minutes per day, usually 45 minutes or more.

I eat more carbs than I used to. I like to hike and fortunately I live 2 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive.
Last night I had a craving for banana soft serve ice cream so I ate some but I just don't do it everyday.

 

[Too Old To Work]

I eat more carbs than I used to. I like to hike and fortunately I live 2 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive.
Last night I had a craving for banana soft serve ice cream so I ate some but I just don't do it everyday.

You can treat yourself like that once in a while. There are a ton of foods that I like, but I know that they are not that great for me. I'm likely older than you, and as you get older, it gets harder to lose weight.

Exercise is good.

 

[Kingsley]

There is no need to join a gym in order to lose weight.
You can try exercises and with only exercising can lose as much weight as you want.

 

[MrBrown]

This

 

[Leanne]

What I did for a little while was use Youtube to look up P90x videos to work out to and I did Google searches for the diet/fitness plans. It seemed to work, but it probably would have worked even better if I had stuck with the diet plan. I am definitely stronger.

 

[Kingsley]

What I did for a little while was use Youtube to look up P90x videos to work out to and I did Google searches for the diet/fitness plans. It seemed to work, but it probably would have worked even better if I had stuck with the diet plan. I am definitely stronger.

Can you share that video ?