Getting Started

[Inspired421]

I am 34 years old and i have lost weight eight years ago, but i was drinking shakes and taking pills from Herbalife.. I no longer have the funds to do the same thing.. I would like to lose weight without Herbalife or any diet pills of a sort.. I am wondering how to get started.. I have the time since I don't start school until next year.. How do I begin??

[gymdandee]

Diet and do the following!
The Peak 8 routine it will quickly raise your heart rate 8 times for very short bursts, with a cooling down period in between. Ideally you’ll be sprinting or cycling full throttle for 30 seconds with a 90 second cool down in between each outburst. 

This is the fastest way to lose fat and build muscle in the body. Peak 8 actually stimulates the growth hormone in the body. I encourage you to visit Dr Mercola’s site to learn more about Peak 8 fitness because I personally feel that it is one of the best ways to exercise, especially considering the speed at which you can lose fat and build muscle. 

I highly recommend you read this article and watch the videos on the page. It will give you all the information you need to know about Peak 8 – Flood Your Body With This “Youth Hormone” In Just 20 Minutes 

What you eat after Peak 8 training does matter 

It’s recommended that you do not eat sugar or carbohydrate for 2 hours after the Peak 8 exercise because these foods can impact the release of the growth hormone in the body.  The link is below 
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/11/13/phil-campbell-on-peak-8-exercises.aspx 

Figure your heart rate by this formula 
The Karvonen Formula is a mathematical formula that helps you determine your target heart rate zone. The formula involves using your maximum heart rate (MHR) minus your age to come up with a target heart rate range (which is a percentage of your MHR). Staying within this range will help you work most effectively during your cardio workouts. 

an example of the Karvonen formula for a 23 year old person with a resting heart rate of 65 beats per minute (*to get your resting heart rate, take your pulse for one full minute when you first wake up in the morning or after you've resting for a while). This formula also includes an updated calculation of maximum heart rate (the previous formula was 220 - age, which has now been shown to be inaccurate): 

206.9 - (0.67 x 23 (age)) = 191 
191 - 65 (resting heart rate) = 126 
126 * 65% (low end of heart rate zone) OR 85% (high end) = 82 OR 107 
82 + 65 (resting heart rate) = 147 
107 + 65 (rhr) = 172 
The target heart rate zone for this person would be 147 to 172 

First thing in the morning before you get out of bed have a clock with a second hand and check your resting heart rate then figure your rate by the 
Karvonen Formula above.

You burn 30 percent more fat from doing cardio after a weights session as opposed to cardio on its own.

[JemimaPuddleduck]

Such good advice ducky406, that is almost exactly what I did, I am 39 and I have lost 22 kg over about 8 months, I do allow myself some treats though, just not every day, and I was inspired by a quote from Kelly Osbourne - something like "there's no magic fix, you have to eat right and exercise" and I changed my job too, to a happier one so I am not comfort eating anymore.

[ducky406]

Personally I find it easiest to start with diet. Make a plan that ensures you are getting enough calories and has a few healthy snacks included. Make sure you're drinking enough water and cutting out fatty and overly processed foods. For when you start school, you can make these meal a head of time (like during the weekend) so you aren't tempted to order out. I don't know if you have any children- but if you do make sure that their snacks and foods are healthy enough for you to eat too. May be a little more difficult, but look into recipes from Sneaky Chef and healthy cookbooks aimed at kids (or for just yourself) - A LOT of cookbooks can be found in the libraries so don't feel you need to spend a fortune on them.

Besides that, make sure you're getting your vitamins. Take a good balanced multivitamin aimed specifically for your sex, age, and needs. A pharmacist can help you pick out one.

Now pick a free time in each day of the week and just block it out. This is your time to exercise. Walk, run, bike, swim, etc. just do something active. This exercise is needed to help jump start your own metabolism. But it doesn't have to be very much at first. If you don't lead a very active life, just start smaller and work yourself up. Personally I find it easier to stick to a exercise schedule if it's at the same time and same days. I need that rigid structure though; do what feels right for you.