I'm fat - for now...

[h2otom]

Hi there, I'm Tom. I'm 42 years old. My Dr has been on me about my weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. I've come to grips with the fact that I'm fat and out of shape and I need to do something about it. I've drastically changed my diet and bought a new Concept 2 Model D. The rower arrives the end of this week.

As I said, I'm 42. I'm 6'1" and 250lbs. My goal is to get down to 200lbs before the end of the year and eventually I'd like to hit and maintain 195lbs.
I've rowed in the past many moons ago when I did CrossFit and when I was a member at a local gym that had C2 rowers. The last time I rowed, about 3 years ago, I was rowing a 23min 5k, so I know I can do this again.

I'm looking for some tips that will get me started and set a solid foundation for my journey to fitness.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

[Ombrax]

I'm looking for some tips that will get me started and set a solid foundation for my journey to fitness.

Hi Tom - welcome to the forum.

Here are some random ideas from a non-expert:

1) Be sure your technique is good - you don't want to start off with bad habits that then become ingrained.

2) Start easy and keep at it, say a minimum of 3, preferably more workouts per week.

3) If you're the type who's more likely to keep at it and push yourself if you have a structured plan, then look into the various options out there. For example, Google "beginner's pete plan" as one choice.

4) If you don't like a specific plan then do what works best for you, but be sure to keep at it and push harder so you improve.

Good luck - as you probably already know, the rower is a great workout and if you're willing to put the time and effort in you will see results.

[Dangerscouse]

I agree with what Ombrax said. A heart rate monitor will be worthwhile too. At a total guess based on your age, 130bpm would be a good target to aim for when you row. I recommend a Wahoo Tickr as they are relatively cheap and will easily link up to the C2.

50lbs is a helluva lot to lose in five months so you will have to stay dedicated and really push through when you want to stop. If you can afford the time you need to be doing a minimum of 45 mins steady state session, preferably up to 60 mins if you can. You will lose weight quite quickly to start with and then it will plateau as you adapt to it. Diet is a big factor in losing weight; you can't out train a poor diet. Really consider what you eat and make the necessary changes otherwise you'll train in vain

Stick to a low drag factor and don't default to 10 on the damper. I think 3 is a good starting point but have a play around and see what feels best for you.

Best of luck and enjoy the ride

[mdpfirrman]

I was you before I started working out around 10 years ago. I had destroyed my right knee and couldn't walk and was around 245 @ 5'10". What started as rehab to walk again grew into a renewed interest in fitness and losing weight.

You can't out exercise a bad diet. I lost my weight (nearly 70 lbs) in less than one year. Very simple stuff. Just move more, eat less. Use a calorie app like Loseit or Myfitness Pal. Track calories for a month and just put in what you eat. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't have tried to monitor calories, just record them for a month or so. This teaches you your current habits. Sometimes just learning what are "calorie bombs" matters to much. I ate relatively healthy and then would eat 2/3 PB&Js every darn night! Nothing like eating 1000 to 1200 calories every night right before bed to add weight to you!

Be gradual and consistent in your workouts. Take a day off if needed but get right back to it as soon as you can. Consistency is king. Both in monitoring your calories and working out. I was over 40% body fat and couldn't walk and was depressed about it around 10/11 years ago. Docs even thought I might need a knee replacement but I was too young. Now I'm around 18% BF and I'm going on 54. Though my times are decent, not that great. But I workout around 6 plus hours a week and I feel fantastic. My relationship with food is totally different now. It's about nourishment and health, not emotions or just stuffing food down. I haven't tracked calories in around four years. It's all become habit forming.

You can do it for sure, just stick to it and be consistent. One powerful thing I read last year that was science based about habits. If you try to change one thing at a time, you have around 80% chance of success. Do one thing for a month before you try to change anything else. When people try to change multiple things at the same time, the chance of success is less than 40%. Do one thing, for example, row 5 times a week for a month or so. Then add in tracking calories the next month (not changing your diet). Then add in (perhaps) removing the highest item in calories from you diet (or not buying it and taking it home). It's a LOT simpler concentrating on one thing at a time.

Would love to have you on the Pete Plan thread doing the BPP (beginner Pete Plan).

[Erik A]

Welcome Tom

like Mike i was you about 8 months ago... actually i was more than you at 280lbs (127kg) ive dropped to about 114kgs now and am on the rower at least 3 and usually 4 or 5 times a week for 40 - 60 mins. I started with a 6 week crossfit program to break my bad habit of couch cuddling then moved to a regular gym to continue with the rowing which i re discovered doing the crossfit program after about 15 years of inactivity. my diet still bothers me and i need to get that under control to lose the remaining 14kgs that i want to get rid of.
I did the interactive weight loss https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/training/interactive this puts you on a slow start depending on the parameters you enter
the rower does take a bit of getting used to and it WILL hurt you do get a bit OCD about the PM and my personal hate is seeing the 2:00.0 appear on the split times. I like a 1 first
I often get weird looks at the gym when im literally on the floor gasping for breath and sweating like a beast after a session. but hey thats what you get when on the erg.
if you have any questions about anything to do with erging then ask away as there are some very helpful and knowledgable guys/girls here

[RayOfSunshine]

I bought my C2 late last year and started on the Beginner Pete Plan (BPP). I gradually changed my diet. The more I improved on the C2, the more I thought of my meals as fuel.

https://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/

Also, there are usually a handful of people doing the BPP and posting on the PP Thread (below) along with another handful of people doing the regular PP (which I'll be doing soon)


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