Hm, am I too thin to work-out? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

PeteJB · 01-28-2007, 02:41 PM

So here's the deal - Last year I got pretty sick with some stomach issues, and essentially lost some weight - only about 5kg, as I've always been really thin, but had a fair level of fitness. After being sick, my fitness level dropped briefly - But because I was sick, that made me change much of my diet and lifestyle for the better, and in a sense I'm healthier and fitter now than I was a year ago. But the problem is, I weigh less. Currenly I don't do any form of exercise, although I do walk about 30-45 minutes per day, on top of daily routines such as walking around or doing random stuff. Recently I've been doing some basic toning exercises at home, including simple stuff like squats, lunges, etc. I've been doing those simply to warm up my muscles and joints.

So - Onto my question. I don't want to go to the gym because it's far too expensive for me, and I believe working out by myself (be it at home or anyplace ) should be good for now. I've already researched hundreds of techniques and routines for exercise without equipment, and my aim is to just raise my general fitness level, increase my stamina and build a little bit of muscle. Nothing fancy is required, but it really is an issue that I can't afford to pay for the gym - The local gym costs too much, and I'm saving money right now for travelling so need every penny. Here's the issue I have, I'm 186cm tall and weigh just 65kg. That being said, I do eat a normal amount during the day - I eat healthy food, and ofcourse sometimes the odd bit of junkfood as a treat. I have a fair sized breakfast, big lunch and dinner - and plenty of snacks. Yet I never gain weight.

What I'm concerned about it is.. If i start exercising more, doing home workouts, and even start jogging ... Will it work? Can I really achieve my goal of being fitter / having somewhat more muscle. Because I'm boney right now and it's irritating beyond description! I don't want to end up loosing more weight because of the exercise...

I guess, my main goals are to: Get some muscle on the chest, stomach and arms (my chest is pretty boney now...) while ofcourse, not going too far because I don't want to be muscleman. Just healthier looking (and feeling)

Naxis · 01-28-2007, 03:19 PM

It sounds like you have a pretty high metabolism so keeping the cardio to a minimum for health would be a good idea. The problem you may run into is that without weights, you may not be able to cause enough stress to your muscles to significantly grow mass. But even things like pushups, pullups and bodyweight squats are better than nothing. It will tone and possibly build some muscle, and certainly help prevent any further muscle/weight loss. Don't worry about accidentally getting a bodybuilder's physique. You would have to work very, very hard at it to end up that big.
Do you have any equipment? What sorts of exercises are you planning to do? How often and how long do you do strength training? Are you getting enough protein?

PeteJB · 01-29-2007, 12:51 AM

Plenty of protein. No equipment.

Er, I haven't done any major exercise yet. I've done some toning / warmup type exercises about twice a day so far to wake my muscles up. Er, I plan to do every type of home exercise there is really, starting from the basics and working my way up. Anywhere from 10-30 minute sessions twice per day.

Naxis · 01-29-2007, 10:32 AM

Your scheduling is not conducive for building muscle. What will cause muscle growth is fatigue and time under tension. 10 to 20 minutes isn't long enough to fatigue the muscles, and working them everyday does not allow for any recovery time. If you're going to do full body workouts (hitting all major muscle groups), you should aim for at least 30, ideally 45-60 minutes only once a day, 3 or 4 times a week.
If you decide to stay equipment free, you can slow down your reps (literally 3-5 seconds up, 3-5 seconds down) to make the workout harder and increase the intensity. You might also look into resistance bands. They are very versatile, very inexpensive, and take up almost no space.

PeteJB · 01-29-2007, 11:18 AM

Ok, hm so about these, either:

* 30 minute workouts 5 days a week, resting on weekends
* Or 30-60 minute workouts every other day, that way one day is workout, the next rest, then workout, etc.

Also - Since I like to walk/jog - What do I do about those? Shall I stick to walking or jogging... I've heard walking burns calories away, as opposed to jogging which burns the calories the "right way" - Any suggestions.