Fat Guy Fitness
Fat Guy Fitness is how I fondly refer to my diet and exercise. Kind of tongue in cheek of course because you don’t normally think of fat guys and fitness in the same breath. Those two things are pretty much opposites right? What I mean is this…’normal’ exercise routines are geared toward people who are already in shape, same with diet programs. Sure you’ll have a god-like physique if you do the ’300′ workout. But for mere mortals like me, I’d probably just get a heart attack and a trip to the ER! What I need is something geared more for someone that doesn’t already spend every waking moment at the gym.
The Basics
Obviously, I didn’t get this way by eating healthy and exercising all the time. Something has to change and I’m not big on most vegetables which puts me at a bit of disadvantage. I’m looking for a diet that will give me more freedom in food choices than the usual fare. This is going to take some serious searching so let’s take a look at what else I’ve got planned.
Along with changing my eating habits, I need to get into an exercise routine. Now you may not realize this, but us bigger guys need to modify our workouts a little bit. Sure aerobics is great for losing weight, but man is it hard on the joints! I’m shooting for something low-impact and aerobic. I’ve tried running…ok ok..jogging, but my knees and shins let me know that I better find something else to do. Since I don’t care for going to gyms either, I’m going to look into bodyweight or simple free-weight type exercises. Light weights, high reps, and short breaks should get my heart rate up without over stressing my joints too much.
The Plan
What I’m going to do is document my progress here. If I find something that works, I want to let you know. If I find something that doesn’t work, I want to let you know. If I find a recipe that is healthy(-ish) and tastes great..you BET I’ll let you know! Making a lifestyle change like this isn’t going to happen overnight and it’ll be easier to do with support right?
What I ask is ‘Can YOU be that support?’
Do you already know of a workout or diet plan that has had good results for you? Let me know and I’ll look into it and maybe give it a try. If I like it, even if I don’t try it, I’ll post it up and give you the credit! Maybe YOU can help someone else too.
I’ll be updating with my progress so be sure to come back and check in on me once in awhile. I’m going to try and get a Twitter account or something so you can be notified of updates too. I’m not too up to date with the latest social media stuff so bear with me. 
Disclaimer Alert!
As with anything, you should consult your physician before undertaking any new diet or exercise program. I am not a physician nor dietitian. This is just what I am doing, your results may vary.
Hi Jon
I have been reading your articles on your website amd street articles and I am totally impressed with your observations of the real problem and cause obesity in our society. The only answer to maintaining a healthy weight and fitness is a sensible diet and exercise program .
Phyllis and I have been on that journey to a more healthy lifestyle over the last five years. It started with short walks around the neighborhood then we added exercise equipment at home (an elliptical, treadmill and recumbant bicycle). During the first four years we were up at 5am 4-5 days a week.That finally got very old and it went to maybe 2 days a week and thus I gained back about 15 lbs of the nearly 35 lbs that I lost. Phyllis also had a similar senario except that she had started doing outdoor bootcamps for women. That worked well for her except that 5am in December became rather challenging. Yes it does get below freezing in Albuquerque in the winter.
Finally she found an indoor bootcamp and lucky for me, it was coed. It is called Cedarfit Bootcamp and it the best exercise program I have ever been a part of. It is functional fitness and the only equipment involved is a jump rope,kettle bells and trx straps.We do a total of 36 minutes of a circuit that includes a multitude of exercises such as burpees, pushups, mountain climber jumping jacks each station lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on what kind of mood Cedar, our trainer is in.
We have been doing that for about 1 year now and I have lost 37 lbs of body fat and gained 10 lbs of lean muscle mass. Phyllis has had even better result and is at the lowest weight she has ever been since her teen years.
Yes, our clothes are smaller now and we don’t have to try to fit into a size smaller than we should be wearing to protect our ego. The ultimate payback however is improved health and hopefully beating that obesity gene and thus avoiding the heart disease and diabetes that seem to go along with that gene. My efforts in my medical practice have always been to encourage my patients to make changes in their lifestyles so that they don’t have to take that chemical to improve their health rather to maintain it with good nutrition and exercie. Now with my recent experience I hope to inspire more of my patients to follow my example and make changes that may improve their chances of a longer and more fruitful old age. Nursing homes are not the best places to end this journey.
I wanted to let you know how happy I am to see that you seem to have taken charge of your life and made changes that I beleive will allow you to live a more productive and exciting life.I also hope that you may have inspired other member of your family to make similar changes. It is never too late to start that process.
Best wishes to you and our family. Hope you have a healthy and peaceful new year.
Uncle Ed
That’s great news about your accomplishments! I’ve seen the FB updates about the bootcamps and was wondering how it’s been working out for you.
It’s been tough with the holidays and I’ve sort of plateaued, but I haven’t really gained anything back so hopefully I can get my butt back into gear. I get up around 5:30 or so too, but I usually wind up huddling under the covers, Indiana gets WAY too cold in the winter.
Dad, I THINK, is slowly coming around. He’s lost a little bit of weight and we’ve all tried to keep encouraging him to keep going. A lot of his health problems can readily be attributed to weight, but they also hinder him ‘getting started’. I’ve been trying to get him to stop comparing what he used to do in high school/college with what he can do now because it seems to discourage him. Like you and Phyllis, I told him to just start small…park a little farther from the store, take a short walk down the road, it doesn’t have to be anything monumental…just do SOMETHING to get/keep moving. Higher levels will come with time, but you gotta start somewhere.