I need tips for getting in shape!

[ThisIsMyName]

If Medical Science can't help me, I'm not sure what can! Basketball starts November first! I'm 5'6" and weigh about 140 lbs... I need some tips for getting into better shape so I'm prepared. My boyfriend and I are about to start speed training and I know I'm going to end up throwing up (am I allowed to say that on these forums?). I'm trying to lay of the junk food but those Doritos just won't leave me alone! Does anyone have something like a... like a training program they can give me?? Maybe some foods that I should 100% avoid and some excercises that I should try?
And I heard of a list called "100 Worse Foods in the World" and I googles it but I couldn't find the list.... Anyone happen to have it?

[Tormod]

It is very easy. Eat more of the healthy stuff and none of the bad stuff. That means: Eat whole-grain bread, low-fat everything, drop the mayo, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, eat healthy meals (less pasta, more rice and potatoes), drink 2 litres of water per day. Eat fish.

Start with running as with everything else - slowly and not too far at first, then build up. If you're able to run 5K already then set up a training schedule of two 3K easy runs, 1 short 2K run, and a weekly long run (5K+).

The gradually increase, turning the 3K runs into one interval session and one hill running session, and the long run should grow every week. But every fourth week you kick back on everything and lower your mileage - ie a recovery week.

Eating healthy and regular exercise is really the only thing that will get you in shape!

Also remember that when you exercise you need more food. I'm 5'7" and weigh about the same as you, but I eat like a horse these days.

[Jay-qu]

Running, swimming, biking - anything to get your cardio-vascular system going. Basically eat fresh, non-processed foods with plenty of carbs and protein.

[ThisIsMyName]

Ick, I hate fish... I do three reps of crunches/sit-ups/and a couple other excersizes. And I love to play DDR!
When you say 3k and 5k and all those things with running, what does that mean exactly?
Oh, what's the best way to lose the "love handles"? I hear it's doing a ton of obliques.
What about diet pills (like cinnomon and Fahrenheit)? Anything natural that actually assists that won't cost me a ton of money?
Do protein shakes really work?
So many questions, so little websites that know!
What about steaks?? Am I allowed to have steak?
How important is breakfast for real?
And I've never ever come across an excersize for the inner thigh..... Any siggestions?
And diet sodas, good or bad?
If anyone can answer maybe a few of these I would be extremely appriciative! And if you think you could answer any more of my questions tell me please, hahaha!

[Jay-qu]

by k he means kilometers, thousands of meters. One km = 0.62 miles.

If you maintain a balanced diet and a good exercise regeime, you will tone you whole body and feel better. There is no easy way. Avoid doing one specific exercise, keep things mixed up.

Dont bother with diet pills. Protein shakes do work, but you wont need them if you are eating a balanced diet. Meat is a good source of protien and iron. Breakfast is the most important meal, you should eat the most a breakfast and the least at dinner. If you eat to much carbs going to bed, its not good. So cut down on the desserts.

An easy exercise for the thigh is to lie on you back, bring you knees up but keep them bent (sort of like a sitting position, but on your back) stick a pillow between you knees and the clench together on the pillow, hold for a while then release, and repeat.

Anything that says diet on it, has either cut out the fat or sugar or both. This is not such a bad thing, and are debatably better, but instead you will normally find artifical sweetners, additives, preservatives and normally artificial colours, all not so good for you.

[Tormod]

In general, just eat "normal" food. this means avoiding junk food and when you have an alternative, always choose the food you think is healthier.

Rule #1 should be "eat normally". Don't eat less thinking it will help you lose weight. To lose weight you need to eat *more* during a 24 hour period, but you also need to eat more often, so you can space out the food. I eat sandwiches or cereal for breakfast, a yoghurt before lunch, then a sallad or more sandwiches for lunch, some fruit between lunch and dinner, then a decent dinner (this is the main meal of the day), and also a light meal before you hit the sack - maybe an hour before going to bed to avoid raising the body metabolism just when you need to relax.

By eating regularly you "train" your body to work harder on turning food into energy, and you will feel stronger and more able to concentrate during the day.

It's really not hard at all! But it does pay off to ditch the donuts and just about all carbonated drinks (even diet ones). Drink water! Here in Norway we have a lot of bottled water flavored with fructose (ie, real fruit sugar), which is way better than Coca Cola...

I'd also not reach for any additives or proteins. In a normal diet you should get everything you need. You might want to drink milk to get enough calcium, and if you eat enough citrus fruit (or drink orange juice) you get C vitamins as well. D vitamins are good for body healing, and it is also a fat soluble, so make sure you eat something with that.

http://dietary-supplements.info.nih....s/vitamind.asp

I had to lose about 10 pounds a few years back because I was getting overweight. I took a course in healthy eating habits (note: NOT a diet course) and basically it turned out that I was eating the right kind of food - but not enough, and not at regular intervals. Changing the habits lost all the 10 pounds in six months.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

Breakfast is the most important meal, you should eat the most a breakfast and the least at dinner.

Seems we're in a slight disagreement here - lots of people get by with light breakfasts. I don't eat enough for breakfast (simply not hungry at 6:30am) so I need to bring some food with me to my job so I can catch up.

But for me dinner is the staple meal. You need to figure out what works best for you.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

Ick, I hate fish...

Fish is the best food you can get. By Norwegian Salmon! But if you REALLY can't stand it, get cod liver oil. You can get them in capsules which taste absolutely nothing.

And diet sodas, good or bad?

Diet sodas are better than regular soda but I don't recommend drinking it every day! They contain a phenylalanin source which *may* cause cancer (well everything can, it seems).

[Jay-qu]

Originally Posted by Tormod

Seems we're in a slight disagreement here - lots of people get by with light breakfasts. I don't eat enough for breakfast (simply not hungry at 6:30am) so I need to bring some food with me to my job so I can catch up.

But for me dinner is the staple meal. You need to figure out what works best for you.

I guess it does depend on the individual.. but I always followed the logic of eating most of your carbs in the morning gives your body the rest of the day to use them up.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

but I always followed the logic of eating most of your carbs in the morning gives your body the rest of the day to use them up.

Aah, that's the difference, then. My philosophy is to eat many smaller meals rather than one large, in order to help body metabolism round the clock.