100% vegan, 0% exercise

[daviddd]

Hey folks. My wife and I have been vegan for three years but our exercise/fitness regime has been shaky at best. We've done yoga in the past, I used to play squash a little and I was using a cycling machine for a while for physio, but that really is about it. I wonder if anyone here can recommend some starting routines?

I'm 28, 182cm and 77kg (I think). Some things I'd like to work on:
- Balance and co-ordination. Mine is awful. My wife's is better (but not great).
- Strength - I'd like to start lifting weights to improve my muscle strength and tone but I don't know how to begin. I've seen a lot of people recommending barbells over dumbells but it seems impractical for a home workout. Having said that, there's a gym in my building so could be an option.
- General fitness/cardio. Carrying furniture to my new apartment was eye-opening, and not in a good way. I live in Dubai so really anything outside isn't much of an option.

One of my concerns is fitting a routine into the day - I work from 7 - 5 as a primary school teacher and I feel shattered by the time I'm home. When do you manage to fit it in?

I'd like to have a goal in mind and I know that people dedicate themselves to fitness to see visible improvement, but it seems like there's a lot of information out there and I'd much rather get advice from a bunch of herbivores. If anyone could point me in the direction of their best resources, routines or equipment I'd really appreciate it.

 

[dawn16]

@daviddd I would highly recommend getting some kettlebells. My wife and I got some recently and it's amazing how much you can get accomplished in a 20-30 minute workout in your living room.

The kettlebells will help with balance, coordination, and strength depending on how you use them. There are tons of exercises and programs already created that you can follow or you can build your own. I have a high heart rate naturally but it generally gets up to around 190+ during my kettlebell routine with some light cardio added to the sets (30 seconds of pretend jump rope in place) without me feeling like I'm going to pass out.

My wife is also a teacher! She's a PE teacher and I work 9-5 at the university in town. We just do ours in the morning before work. We've found that it gives us a lot more energy throughout the day.

 

[daviddd]

@dawn16 Good to know! They've always seemed very daunting to me but happy to try them.

Yeah I think we'll exercise in the morning, it makes sense when we have the most energy I guess. Thank you!

 

[dawn16]

@daviddd I never used them before and they were surprisingly easy and fun! My wife bought a kettlebell and I bought a set of dumbbells. Returned the dumbbells the next day and got a kettlebell for myself.

 

[nezsruiz]

@daviddd I'd strongly recommend looking into "bodyweight strength training" - these are exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, crunches, etc. You need no special equipment, except for maybe a mat to make things more comfortable (you may already have one from yoga).

Not only does this build your strength, which was one of your goals, but it inherently incorporates at least some balance, coordination, and mobility work. So, you get those benefits as well. Lastly, it blends well with other no-equipment cardio exercises, like jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or burpees.

There are literally thousands of workout videos (free) on YouTube. It takes time to discover which teaching styles you like and also which videos don't have ads in awkward places that make you lose your momentum. I personally prefer to workout at classes or with a paid app - there is something about knowing you paid money for the exercise that makes me more likely to follow through with it!

Best of luck to you.

 

[emily333]

@nezsruiz I second bodyweight training. I have been doing the recommended routine from r/bodyweightfitness since march and have been getting very great results.
For balance, I'd highly recommend getting a slackline. Very fun and addicting and a fast way to get good balance. Of course, not everyone has space for that

 

[knowingjesusfellowship]

@daviddd Aside from the exercise suggestions mentioned here, you might want to look at your diet.

There are lots of vegan foods that are not good for you.

Focus on whole, unprocessed foods.

When I make a plate, I try to make it look beautiful. Lots of texture and color. Vegetables, fruit. Fresh or frozen. It doesn’t matter. Buy whole grains.

Be careful about oils and nut butters. That stuff can add a ton of calories to your food.

 

[evans4190]

@daviddd If you can find a place with a path or track, walking is a great way to start out, no matter how large or long terms your goals. The human body is designed to walk long distances and getting into a routine of even a few kilometers per day will yield results.

My family has a small round balance board that we use to help with core stability and balance. They are fairly cheap and readily available. The styles vary, so find one that will fit your space and your goals.

As far as a time commitment, I strongly suggest doing planks. They last only about 15-60 seconds, you need zero equipment or special clothing, and you can do them anywhere that is large enough to lay on the floor. Watch some videos and have someone watch you to be sure you are using good form. The full body benefits are extraordinarily when compared to the time investment.

If you have the space, jumping rope can be a high intensity work out that ramps cardio and burns fat. There are so many options on style and weight of ropes, with everything from just hopping over the rope to choreographed routines available for free online, depending on your fitness level and interest.

Finally, consider resistance bands for your toning and conditioning. They are versatile, take up very little space, are portable, and can be as easy or difficult as you could want. Again, I suggest watching videos and reviews and finding a system that appeals to you. Bands can be cheap and disposable all the way up to an expensive, professional athlete level.

Good luck!!!

 

[daviddd]

@evans4190 Thank you!! That's incredibly helpful advice.

I walk about 6000 steps a day in my work (although it's more like 60 now the summer holidays are here lol) and I've always kind of tricked myself into thinking that's enough.

I love the idea of a planks and a jump rope so will look into that for sure. We've got pretty high ceilings and enough room to try it. I've got resistance bands too from some physio I was doing, but I guess I've never really thought about how to use them. I'll have a look around for something I like the sound of. Thanks again!

 

[evans4190]

@daviddd You are so welcome!! Fitness is almost always achievable, but getting started can seem so daunting. I’m wishing you every success.

 

[joejord]

@daviddd Teacher here too! Yoga is great for balance and coordination. And you don’t have to go to a class in a studio if you don’t have the time or finances. There are plenty of people to follow either online, or on YouTube. Yoga with Adrienne is a good one to start with. Hunt out her 30 days of yoga. She starts a new one every January. I think her first one was 2015. It’s all on YouTube.

If you have access to weights or kettlebells, I like bodyfit By Amy. She also on YouTube.

Alternatively, there are HiiT classes such as Joe Wicks all on YouTube for free. You don’t often need any gear for his classes. And they are short.

https://youtube.com/c/TheBodyCoachTV

And at the weekends, I try to aim for long walks.

 

[daviddd]

@joejord Honestly I think we've tried Adrienne's 30 day challenges about 5 times by now but haven't stuck with it. Really need to try again! There's weights in our building's gym so that's doable for sure. I'll check out those videos, thank you!

 

[jusbnme6]

@daviddd I wake up at 5, workout till 6:30 or 7 and then go to work but I understand that this is not everybody's cup of tea.

I am a guy so my point of view might be a bit different.
In your case YouTube is your best friend. There are so many follow along workout videos out there that take all the guess work out. I've been working out for 10 years now and I still constantly do follow along workouts because they just push you more than just training yourself.
If you need a specific recommendation check out Connor Sloan on YouTube. He has a ton of full body / upper-lower workouts that take between 1 hour and 20 minutes. I do his routines every now and then when I lack motivation.

Don't worry about the rest. Get in the routine of doing sport and don't overthink it. You can worry about hitting specific muscles and the best amount of volume after a year or so.

 

[daviddd]

@jusbnme6 Thank you, that's useful. We used to wake up at like 5:30 for 20-40 minutes of yoga so I'd be happy to get back into that routine. I'll have a look at those videos - I agree that having someone to push you/talk you through exercises would be a good way to go when you can't find motivation yourself. Cheers!

 

[taylerc5]

@daviddd Calisthenics matches all of your criteria precisely. Exercise which uses your body as the weight has balance at its core, it will build strength and, if you watch your rest periods, it is also excellent cardio which is also built around functional movements. Movements you use naturally so it will strengthen you in a practical way as well.

I suggest You Are Your Own Gym which has a decent app which will kick your butt while requiring no more than about 40 minutes at a maximum. There is also Cali Move which is not an app' but a website with a ton of programs, videos, and information.

There are a ton of calisthenics-based programs out there, to be honest. You should have no trouble finding one to suit your needs. I just recommend those two because I like them. I also use exercise rings hooked into my ceiling for more variety. Once you get into a rythm, it can be addicting and with hundreds of exercises snd variations, it doesn't have to get boring either..

 

[daviddd]

@taylerc5 Sounds interesting! Thanks, I'll take a look.

 

[greatgrammyjean]

@daviddd I’ve just started following a routine from this sub r/bodyweightfitness called Recommended Routine and I am so happy. You can adapt each exercise to your own level, and you can do it at home almost without material. I highly recommend it!

 

[daviddd]

@greatgrammyjean I was just looking at that today actually, but it said I would need a place to do rows and I don't have that. Did you have somewhere to do it or do the bedsheet in the door frame thing?

 

[greatgrammyjean]

@daviddd I bought a pair of rings. If you can afford them you should buy them. Anyways they are not really expensive (at least in my country). There are some other ways to do rows in a “homemade” way (like in using a table or the bedsheets thing you said), but I guess you already read about on the sub.
There is also another routine proposal called minimal routine or something like that. It’s composed only by 4 exercises and some others as complements. Maybe is a simplest way to start.
In my opinion, is a huge advantage to follow a concrete routine, because it helps you to notice your improvement, and that’s the best way to stuck with exercise

 

[daviddd]

@greatgrammyjean Yeah makes a lot of sense to me if you want to see improvements. Thanks, I'll look into some rings