Getting into exercising

[Robby]

Hi everyone thanks for all the encouraging words many of you have given me on here. I'm doing a lot better. Taking things day by day and trying to get in a better frame of mind. I'm working on me more now. I've learned that working out and exercise really helps a lot, it's like a natural calming soothing effect. I'm not overweight, just out of shape. I'd like to start going to a gym and toning up and working out but I'm VERY shy about going where everyone is ripped & like adonis & looks like a God and me I'm a skinny boy with no muscle much. Not sure if I want to pay for a full membership yet nor could I afford one yet, just something I'm thinking about. I literally have no idea how gyms work, do you have to have memberships to them to use their equipment? Or do some have free use of equipment? And how would I go about maybe finding a workout buddy? I don't really have any friends and like I said I'm extremely shy and self conscious don't know if I could bring myself to go in one with all those gorgeous people. There is one point of interest the doctor ordered me to quit smoking and it's been a fu**ing nightmare but I think I've managed. I've smoked since age 14 and I've gone like 5 days now without one and nearly went crazy but have been exercising a lot although half the time I don't know what I'm doing. Thanks for any advice/input.

 

[Ste11aeres]

I'm pretty sure you need a membership.
However, don't worry about how "everyone is ripped & like Adonis." People in a gym are focusing on themselves and their own workouts, and they don't really care about you. Seriously, don't worry about not having muscle; it doesn't matter.

Okay, some tips; work out your whole body, don't focus on just one part. If you are insecure about lack of muscle, there might be a temptation to over-focus on the parts of your body that you think should look muscular. Don't. Work on your whole body.

Stretch after exercise, not before, because stretching temporarily weakens muscles and if done before working out, can lead to injury.

As far as weights go, don't lift more than 75% of the highest weight that you are capable of lifting.

Give yourself at least one day of rest between workouts.

Eat balanced meals that include all the macronutrients (healthy fat, carbohydrates, and protein). And of course micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are always important too. Don't villainize or over-idolize any single nutrient.

 

[Spiller]

I was anxious about the same things but wanted to give it a shot - there are plenty of people who are gym members, chances are there are people you can ask about what theirs is like and possibly find someone to tag along with..

Find gyms that allow a month by month payment, not a yearly contract, then you can easily try somewhere else if you don't like that one.
I've looked at gyms where everyone's a well ripped poser, not working up a sweat and chatting or talking on their phones, lots of facilities, expensive membership.

I found a small gym, family run, cheap, where everyone just got on with keeping fit - lots of sweat and red faces, a little light, friendly banter, coaches you could ask about excercises appropriate to what you wanted to achieve.

When I could afford it I went 3-4 times a week for an hour or so, worked up to a 5 mile run on the treadmill to build wind and stamina, tone my legs and alternated several flyweight and floor excercises to tone my arms, shoulders, pectorals and stomach.
Finishing with a sauna and shower was wonderful!
I also walk everywhere I can, jog a bit, take stairs two at a time and vault over fences - keep using your body, not just when you're working out.
All that's given me a reasonable, but not muscular physique and a more comfortable stance and walk.. honestly!

I still run 3 miles a day on the streets, do the same flyweights and floor stuff at home (a small set of weights are cheap enough and worth it, even if you are going to a gym).
I actually started this first so I'd be somewhat in shape already when I joined a gym - felt a bit less self-conscious then.

Decent diet, sleep, not too much alcohol - I'm drinking more than I should currently and I can feel the toxins being pushed out in my sweat like thick oil, not pleasant and I feel sluggish.. point is, you become much more in tune with your body and the effort, hard at first, starts to feel worthwhile.

 

[Warmheart]

How about the YMCA? What you pay is based on income. Plus, there's a pool to swim in any time you want! Often there's even an indoor track, too. They also have coaches to guide you in working out, and they're very friendly and encouraging. I don't know if help from the workout coaches costs extra or is included in membership. The staff is very helpful and friendly at the Y!

I'm going there tomorrow morning for my swim class! Not that I'm excited or anything!

 

[AsheSkyler]

I avoid gyms. Loud, noisy, bright lights, strange people... I stay at home and do a few full-body routines, sometimes with weights and sometimes without. Never been able to go at it solid, but the year here and there that I could I did end up with some nice muscle definition and a decent bit of strength.

 

[wyverary]

I've found exercise extremely beneficial throughout my life, especially when it comes to battling my wintertime depression.

I have never joined a gym, so I don't have any particularly specific recommendations. I will say, before you do anything else, and this is a repeat of advice I have heard over the years from both doctors and trainers, you should work on your cardio. Get a lot of walking in and, if your knees will allow it, eventually running. Such cardio workouts are really the core of a good therapeutic regimen; everything else (muscle tone, whatever) is, in my opinion, simply gravy. Not that those aren't good things to shoot for, of course.

 

[Warmheart]

Ms. Amygdala Freak-out here. I forgot to mention that using the pool at the Y is actually relatively sensory-friendly.
This Y leaves the windows open, so you aren't overwhelmed by chlorine smell.
I go when there's almost nobody in the pool, so no echo-y noises.
The lighting is gentle.
The water is 85 degrees. A-w-e-s-o-m-e!
For autism, swimming is great as an exercise in that it involves activity which "crosses the midline," as my OT says.
I finish each practice feeling happy-tired, excited, soothed, optimistic, and... hungry!
Me after a swim:

 

[Ste11aeres]

Turkey is a good source of protein and iron.

I'm glad that you mention an actual food as a source of micronutrients. Some people try to get their micronutrients from supplements (for instance from those pills that people refer to as "vitamins") but nutrition experts ask people to get their nutrition from food itself.

I've found exercise extremely beneficial throughout my life, especially when it comes to battling my wintertime depression.

I have never joined a gym, so I don't have any particularly specific recommendations. I will say, before you do anything else, and this is a repeat of advice I have heard over the years from both doctors and trainers, you should work on your cardio. Get a lot of walking in and, if your knees will allow it, eventually running. Such cardio workouts are really the core of a good therapeutic regimen; everything else (muscle tone, whatever) is, in my opinion, simply gravy. Not that those aren't good things to shoot for, of course.

I'm glad you mention that. I walk for so many hours each day with my dog that I forget that not everyone does, and I forget that walking can be a form of exercise.

 

[BlueConundrum]

I have had gym memberships for most of my life. I'm 37 and I got my first gym membership at 15. I've belonged to at least seven I can think of off the top of my head, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple.

I currently belong to my local YMCA and I need to start going again. The Y is cool because a variety of people go there. Fat people, skinny people, old people, children, visibly disabled people, and yes, skinny fit people. I promise you that everyone is busy with their own stuff and no one is going to think anything about your physique.

I am low-income and I get a discounted membership. I've never felt weird at a gym as long as I don't do a class, and I have actually done classes before. I unfortunately stopped working out regularly a couple of years ago and have struggled to get back to my old ways. I gained a lot of weight due to a medication and then I had an injury and anyway, I'm fat now. Again.

I don't like exercising with people, but that's just me. I would look at craigslist for a workout buddy, or it's possible that a gym would have some kind of group or club. The YMCA, for instance, has programs for people with different goals. They're usually for people who want to lose weight, which I know isn't your issue, but they might have something similar.

It looks like Spiller has some good advice up there. Definitely avoid gyms with contracts!

 

[Ste11aeres]

Find gyms that allow a month by month payment, not a yearly contract, then you can easily try somewhere else if you don't like that one.

It looks like Spiller has some good advice up there. Definitely avoid gyms with contracts!

I've heard stories of such gyms not actually cancelling the contract when the member requested such a cancellation, and of the member getting billed each month for a contract they had thought was cancelled...

 

[Keith]

Hi everyone thanks for all the encouraging words many of you have given me on here. I'm doing a lot better. Taking things day by day and trying to get in a better frame of mind. I'm working on me more now. I've learned that working out and exercise really helps a lot, it's like a natural calming soothing effect. I'm not overweight, just out of shape. I'd like to start going to a gym and toning up and working out but I'm VERY shy about going where everyone is ripped & like adonis & looks like a God and me I'm a skinny boy with no muscle much. Not sure if I want to pay for a full membership yet nor could I afford one yet, just something I'm thinking about. I literally have no idea how gyms work, do you have to have memberships to them to use their equipment? Or do some have free use of equipment? And how would I go about maybe finding a workout buddy? I don't really have any friends and like I said I'm extremely shy and self conscious don't know if I could bring myself to go in one with all those gorgeous people. There is one point of interest the doctor ordered me to quit smoking and it's been a fu**ing nightmare but I think I've managed. I've smoked since age 14 and I've gone like 5 days now without one and nearly went crazy but have been exercising a lot although half the time I don't know what I'm doing. Thanks for any advice/input.

Sounds great. I had surgery recently and my mom told me to walk across the backyard back-and-forth to get my legs back to full strength before a big trip I went on. I've tried to do walks each day ever since. It feels good.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Sounds great. I had surgery recently and my mom told me to walk across the backyard back-and-forth to get my legs back to full strength before a big trip I went on. I've tried to do walks each day ever since. It feels good.

I have never joined a gym, so I don't have any particularly specific recommendations. I will say, before you do anything else, and this is a repeat of advice I have heard over the years from both doctors and trainers, you should work on your cardio. Get a lot of walking in and, if your knees will allow it, eventually running. Such cardio workouts are really the core of a good therapeutic regimen; everything else (muscle tone, whatever) is, in my opinion, simply gravy. Not that those aren't good things to shoot for, of course.

I should add that, when I gave the advice about giving your body a day of rest between workouts, I was thinking of workouts that included weights/strength training, etc.
It would be good to do cardio every day. Since walking doesn't need a gym, that would be comparatively easy to do every day.

 

[Robby]

Hey everyone. I'm sticking with the exercising. I try and do a little each day. Even though I've always been slim, I found that I would get out of breath just moving around and was getting belly fat. For some reason I'd only put weight on my belly and nowhere else. I'm toning up more, still haven't gone to a gym yet, but I walk and run each day, play fetch with my dog, I moved up from 10lbs to 15lb weights for my bicep curls, and I try to do situps and crunches although I basically think those are pretty worthless you have to keep the fat off mainly.

Here's whats helped me more than anything so far..ELIMINATING regular soda! I can't stress this enough. For years I'd drink a can of coke with lunch just out of habit and while I drank plenty of water, the Coke just made me feel tired, lethargic, and gave me terrible palpitations. I've switched now to just one half of a Diet Coke instead of regular, and the difference is amazing! I have tons of energy, way way less palpitations, my belly has shrunk, and I feel better and not getting out of breath anymore.

Seriously I think regular sodas are just sugar water with a bunch of toxins in them. I realize now just how awful I had been feeling. I know diet coke isn't the best either, but at least it has zero calories. I also am making myself do brisk walking and exercises after a large meal. And I still drink 7-8 cups of water a day.

I tried some of the Whey Protein from the store mixing it in milk but it made me feel weird I got palpitations from it. I'm keeping it simple, no more regular soda, tons of water, fruits, veggies, and make myself walk some every single day.

I just can't believe how much better I feel since I switched to diet soda from regular. Not sure if it was the sugar in it or the extra caffeine but I'm betting the sugar since I can still drink a lot of coffee in the morning (black) with no issues.

I recommend anyone who wants to feel better to start by not drinking regular soda if you can help it, it's made a huge difference for me!