Hey you guys. Pretty sure I just joined this 2 days ago. I use to work out 6 to 8 hours a day, and then I fell ill for over a year and basically could not move. I've lost most of my muscle and gained an overwhelming amount of fat. Since my medical issues are finally getting better I've started easing myself back into working out. I've been starting out the day with 20 minutes of cardio, and then maybe 30 to 40 minutes of the exersizes offered on here (like crunches, ect), and then I do a workout video that equals 5 miles with added in areobics.

My real issue is I think I have a short attention span or something. I get incredibly bored and its hard to keep doing the same things day after day. Any ideas on how I can spice things up? I just did my cardio for the day and I'm already stalling to do everything else because I'm so bored.

Also, what foods would you reccommend I eat for weight loss? I usually start out with eating oatmeal for breakfast and 2 plain rice cakes with a very thin spread of peanut butter.  For lunch I'll eat an egg (sometimes 2) and wheat toast. Dinner usually varies but I never eat potatoes and things like that. Usually its something chicken or pork shops and a very large side of veggies. I'll have 2 to 3 snacks a day that are usually wheat thins and fruit or yogurt.

Hello and welcome to Freetrainers :)

Yes, it is hard to get back into a fitness regimen and not get bored fast! You'll remember though, once you start seeing results it'll be much easier.

Circuit training sounds like something that may be of interest to you? To mix things up I used to take a workout off a crossfit website and follow it on my own - periodically redoing the same circuit to recheck my time. Looks like Freetrainers has a circuit training program available - I'm planning on using this too.

Also, keep a log of your improvements. Nothing keeps me more present during my workouts than trying to beat my last score. I don't just keep a notebook - I actually have a huge poster in my room with all my "personal best" ( time to finish the crossfit test, 1 RM of Bench press, # of pull ups etc).

The best advice I could give would be to find a partner that is just as committed to this as you are. Competing and feeding off the energy from someone else is a sure ticket to personal success. If you have the resources, look into joining a team sport or fitness group/club.

As for food - you sound like you're on the right track. There's a lot of contradiction when it comes to dieting and nutrition - so be sure to do your research well. Your plan should not only be based on weight loss but for general health as well.  Don't diet! If you're hungry - you'll be bound to fail eventually! Fill yourself up with good wholesome food - avoid simple sugars and processed foods like the plague! You know this already, but also understand that the benefits are more than just weight loss!

Great books that have helped me change my view on food : Anticancer, The China Study, Dr. Macdougall's Digestive Tune up.

http://www.anticancerbook.com/

Good luck and keep us posted on your results!