Sedentary lifestyle advice

[wingnut0731]

I started work on an ambulance about 10 years ago, before that I was pretty active. I worked 48 hour shifts for those 10 years. Over time I've developed quite a few symptoms and I don't know if they're because I am too sedentary. I would wake up, sit in a chair/drivers seat for days, and then go to sleep. I would wake up and do it all over again. No exercise and a completely absent diet meaning I just wouldn't eat unless It was pop, cigarettes, or junk food. Now my legs constantly hurt and spasm, my back hurts and is constantly weak, my neck hurts, I have a 24/7 headache, I sit whenever I can, I feel dizzy randomly, I'm short of breath, my vision has suffered, my ears ring, and I am so tired all of the time. My blood tests are coming back normal, my brain scans are normal, and all of the other testing for the most part has come back normal. Is it possible for all those symptoms to be from 10 years of poor diet and not moving much? I've never been able to motivate to exercise so l've never been in "great" shape. How do l even start?

 

[jazideezap]

@wingnut0731 I think you know the answer to this is yes.

Start moving. Go for a walk. Do it again tomorrow, and the next day. Increase the amount of time and distance you walk little by little.

Start with little diet changes - cut out the pop, or switch to diet. Cut out or cut back alcohol. Learn the basics of how to cook things from the produce, meat, and dairy departments, and avoid stuff that comes in a box.

Start small, but do start.

 

[jerushac]

@wingnut0731 Maybe start by signing up for a gym. Get a trainer to introduce you and show you what to do. Start tracking your exercise in an app - I really like Gymshark's training app, it's all free and has a ton of resources. Down Dog is a great app for yoga. Nike has a good one for running. Go slow and try and figure out what you enjoy.

Until a few years ago, exercising was not something I did, simply because I hated cardio and kind of thought 'that's basically all there is' (lol), and the barrier to start just became higher and higher. Never, ever would have thought that I'd enjoy lifting weights as much as I do. Even started running now because of it, simply because I'm already at the gym anyways.

Get a cookbook that matches your time/money/etc needs and possibilities. It takes away the additional hurdle of having to go online and find recipes. Cooking doesn't need to be fancy, or expensive, and it can be so much fun. Frozen veg is just as healthy as fresh veg, even better sometimes because it gets harvested when it's ripe, not before. Legumes are cheap and so so healthy. Porridge made from oats with nut butter and (frozen) fruit is a cheap, quick, nutritious breakfast that can get you through half the day. Try staying away from pasta and the more processed/ready-made treats. You got this!

 

[carlwg]

@wingnut0731 I have not been sedentary for 10 years, but have had limited exercise for long periods of time in the past. What helped is to start small, like "wriggle the big toe", as the Bride did in Kill Bill. An example is one set of 12 reps for abs, one set of 12 reps for leg raises etc. As you feel more comfortable with exercise, you can add reps, or sets, or add a set for an adjacent area, like a set of crunches and a set for the lower abs.
Also, brisk walking is a great all around starter, especially if you remain conscious of your body movements and posture throughout.
A big part is deciding you need to get moving, which means you have already taken your first step to better fitness. Good luck on your journey!