It should probably be mentioned that running long distances carrying any significant amount of weight is an excellent way to give yourself knee problems, which I suspect is the reason that firefighter requirement is walking, not running.
Am I getting enough protein in my diet and if not what should I do to increase the amount?
I start off each day with cereal or oatmeal mixed with wheat germ and occasionally walnuts.
For lunch on weekdays I eat out, most of the time buying pizza or something from Subways or Quiznos.
In the afternoon I have a banana and either another fruit, avocado or yogurt.
Dinner is almost always rice with vegetables and curry.
I don't eat any meat on Fridays.
Also I drink protein shakes each day; two scoops after working out and one on non-workout days. Is that enough or should I take more?
I started working out a few weeks ago and I'm 5'9" and weigh around 150.
truthfully yes. as you just started working out I wouldnt worry about excess protein intake until much later. Eat a considerable share of food and try to make choices that are higher in protein, but once again for now just workout and get into the rhythm
Just had my first rowing cardio session. I'm following a beginners progression (kind of like Couch to 5K but for rowing). First chore: 5k. I managed to do it in 22:22, which I'm pretty sure is right around average.
I chose rowing because of the total body workout in addition to the low-impact benefits. Running on a track is the only other thing that has ever gotten my heart rate up so easily...elipticals and excersise bikes are a load of Fail for me.
However, I definitely have two huge calluses on each hand now. Maybe I need some workout gloves (not for lifting, just for rowing)?
Just had my first rowing cardio session. I'm following a beginners progression (kind of like Couch to 5K but for rowing). First chore: 5k. I managed to do it in 22:22, which I'm pretty sure is right around average.
I chose rowing because of the total body workout in addition to the low-impact benefits. Running on a track is the only other thing that has ever gotten my heart rate up so easily...elipticals and excersise bikes are a load of Fail for me.
However, I definitely have two huge calluses on each hand now. Maybe I need some workout gloves (not for lifting, just for rowing)?
Sounds like a very decent time (to me!). I normally do 2k and average about 9 mins, so you're well ahead of me!
Does your machine have a resistance setting? I generally set mine to 7 (out of 10).
No I just sat down on it and started rowing. I can't remember the brand machine off the top of my head, but I know it's very common...begins with a "C" maybe? As soon as I started producing watts it displayed distance, time, stroke, and my 500m time all at once. It also had one of those graph things to show what I assumed to be my fluctuations in stroke speed. All I know is that after 500m I wasn't sure that I'd even be able to finish, so I'm proud of finishing.
Google-fu had revealed this website to me. That's the plan I intend to follow.
I started running 3 days ago, after haivng done next to no cardio in my life, i'm satisfied with my weight and do not wish to lose anymore or gain, but i could probably do with gaining 5 or 6 pounds i guess.
If i keep running every day and not eating more than i usually do am i just guna keep losing more and more weight?? (for the record my primary goal is not to gain weight, it's simply to get fitter, i want to be able to run a couple miles in under 15mins at least) I guess i should mention that im 6' 1 and weigh about 150pounds.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Normal as long as it's relatively mild. Make sure there are a couple of days a week where you don't run so that you can adequately recover.
I started running 3 days ago, after haivng done next to no cardio in my life, i'm satisfied with my weight and do not wish to lose anymore or gain, but i could probably do with gaining 5 or 6 pounds i guess.
If i keep running every day and not eating more than i usually do am i just guna keep losing more and more weight?? (for the record my primary goal is not to gain weight, it's simply to get fitter, i want to be able to run a couple miles in under 15mins at least) I guess i should mention that im 6' 1 and weigh about 150pounds.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
could be your form. i'm not a runner so i couldn't critique unfortunately. if it persists i'd look into it more.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Normal as long as it's relatively mild. Make sure there are a couple of days a week where you don't run so that you can adequately recover.
I was planning on taking sunday off probably, do something else instead, being at home instead of uni for a while means no gym access, so probably end up just doing pressups and crunches.
My calves felt a bit better today after doing some swimming in the morning and a bit of stretching, but having just done a run they are aching again, i think its just that my legs arent used to moving more than from my house to my car...
Don't run for a couple of days and see if it goes away completely. There is such a thing as overtraining, and it's easier to do when you're just starting out. If you don't run for a couple of days and it persists, you may have injured yourself as opposed to just doing too much, too fast.
The fact that light exercise relieves the ache suggests it's just ordinary fatigue. If you really must do something active, walk instead of running for a day.
Just had my first rowing cardio session. I'm following a beginners progression (kind of like Couch to 5K but for rowing). First chore: 5k. I managed to do it in 22:22, which I'm pretty sure is right around average.
I chose rowing because of the total body workout in addition to the low-impact benefits. Running on a track is the only other thing that has ever gotten my heart rate up so easily...elipticals and excersise bikes are a load of Fail for me.
However, I definitely have two huge calluses on each hand now. Maybe I need some workout gloves (not for lifting, just for rowing)?
Sounds like a very decent time (to me!). I normally do 2k and average about 9 mins, so you're well ahead of me!
Does your machine have a resistance setting? I generally set mine to 7 (out of 10).
Set the damper somewhere from 3-5, that mimics the water the best.
Check out that website, they have a lot of form/safety tips which is very important when rowing. It's easy to hurt your back if you aren't doing it correctly.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Normal as long as it's relatively mild. Make sure there are a couple of days a week where you don't run so that you can adequately recover.
Not normal actually, Jyardana posted some information about splint shins that really tackles this problem
hectorse on
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
edited July 2009
Is T. Nation as good a place as any to order creatine? Link.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Normal as long as it's relatively mild. Make sure there are a couple of days a week where you don't run so that you can adequately recover.
Not normal actually, Jyardana posted some information about splint shins that really tackles this problem
The dangers of giving advice on a message board on the basis of a one sentence description. I was getting that it was just a general ache in the calf muscle, rather than shin splints. I suppose I should have added the usual dislaimers about not being a doctor, etc.
I was under the impression that if it was shin splints the pain would be.. in the shin? The ache isn't even the front of the calf, just the back. I didn't run yesterday and the ache is practically gone, it's just very tense. I am going to run again today and i'll see how it feels.
Yeah, shin splints is pain in the muscle that runs down the front of your shin, and it's excruciating. If it's bad there is also numbness and tingling in your foot.
I still reckon you should give your calves another day before running on them if they're still not feeling right. Not recovering fully from minor injuries is an easy way to turn them into major problems.
Yeah, shin splints is pain in the muscle that runs down the front of your shin, and it's excruciating. If it's bad there is also numbness and tingling in your foot.
So, that sounds exactly like the pain I get anytime I try to do something on my feet that involves getting my heart rate up. I tried searching for posts by Jyardana and Shin Splints and didn't seem to come up with much. Does anyone have a link to said post or better information?
Generally if you're getting it you're either overtraining, your shoes aren't appropriate (if you're running), or your form is off in some fashion (I've had it from riding bikes when I've set my cleats too far forward from the ball of my foot).
Thanks for the article. It looks like my flat-feet fail me again. I get splint pain just from playing DDR in socks, on a soft-pad, on carpet. Though, as I go on playing more often, I seem to be able to play longer before I start to feel the pain and I usually stop when I do since it hurts so much.
Thanks for the article. It looks like my flat-feet fail me again. I get splint pain just from playing DDR in socks, on a soft-pad, on carpet. Though, as I go on playing more often, I seem to be able to play longer before I start to feel the pain and I usually stop when I do since it hurts so much.
Hopefully those stretches will help as well.
alos sometimes you get shin splits from just not running in a long time, but if you get them constantly it might be time to try different shoes.
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Alfred J. Kwakis it because you were insultedwhen I insulted your hair?Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
Hey guys, I have two quick question that I hope you could answer me:
1) What sort of excercise can I do with dumbbells? No seriously, I only know of maybe half a dozen.
Remember, spot reduction is a filthy lie. Although you do pack on the pounds in different areas as you go along and may lose them in roughly the opposite order.
Want to be lean and strong? Lift heavy and eat better. Cardio does its place in a lifting program, but unless you're an energizer bunny already, marathon training can be a bummer. Work hard to taste.
Now, exercises? Right here, my man. You can do pretty much anything you could want with dumbells. Probably shouldn't for the sake of convenience if nothing else, but you can.
The whole pressing and pulling family? You bet. Almost every barbell exercise has a much harder dumbell twin. Just look at em. Kettlebell stuff can be a bit awkward, but you can do that too. Bodyweight work is a whole new world of pain when you've got a dumbell hanging off your belt or clutched between your thighs or in your hands
'Course, you can also do a lot with a length of notched wood and two buckets. Or just two buckets. Or a big rock. Bags of cat litter, even.
I just got my creatine in the mail and it didn't cup with a measuring cup. It says 5 grams or 1 rounded teaspoon, what is that like two small spoon fulls? Also should I take creatine every single day? I only drink a protein shake after my workout. Also the creatine says to mix with water or juice, is it alright to use with milk? I want to mix it in with my post workout shake.
I'm 31. I'm a typical gamer who's gotten old, apparently overnight. I'm a shade over 6 feet and now a shade under 200 lbs, the most I've ever weighed in my life. My lower body is well proportioned and fairly toned (says the wife), but my upper body feels like a mess to me. My arms are still skinny, and most of the excess weight that I've got is right where you'd expect it to be on an ex-fraternity boy - right in the belly.
I've got a specific set of goals as far as my fitness is concerned, I'm making a career switch into law enforcement. My first step is to be able to pass the agility test pre-hire. This entails running 2 miles in 12 1/2 minutes, a situp goal and a pushup goal. After that is one of those obstacle course tests, get over a 6' wall, a pursuit run, a force resistance machine. Et cetera.
My first question is: roughly how long should I plan on training to be able to meet these goals? I know it's impossible to be exact, but a rough estimate from a knowledgable source would be helpful. I'm not a huge slug, I'm just not a person that's had any regular exercise in the past...ten years.
Secondly, I have a question about colon cleansing. Is it something that I should look into, and if so, what do you recommend? I would like to shed about 10 pounds by the time my transformation is complete, so strict weight loss isn't a necessity. What I want at the end is to have traded my beer belly for some toned muscle, and not necessarily a six pack.
The idea of pooping for two-three days straight fascinates me, and I want to know if there are any sort of real positive effects or negative side effects to taking something like evercleanse or colonblow.
Thanks in advance!
Chases Street Demons on
"Sometimes things aren't complicated," I said. "You just have to be willing to accept the absolute corruption of everybody involved."
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
I just got my creatine in the mail and it didn't cup with a measuring cup. It says 5 grams or 1 rounded teaspoon, what is that like two small spoon fulls? Also should I take creatine every single day? I only drink a protein shake after my workout. Also the creatine says to mix with water or juice, is it alright to use with milk? I want to mix it in with my post workout shake.
Well either spend $15-$25 on a digital scale that unless you use illegal drugs will be pretty useless, or measure the volume of the creatine (V) and take V / (Number of grams in the container / 5)
I just got my creatine in the mail and it didn't cup with a measuring cup. It says 5 grams or 1 rounded teaspoon, what is that like two small spoon fulls? Also should I take creatine every single day? I only drink a protein shake after my workout. Also the creatine says to mix with water or juice, is it alright to use with milk? I want to mix it in with my post workout shake.
You'll want to use it every day to get the benefit
It's not a supplement that's 'good for you' (like fish oil, for example), but one that allows you to lift more (among other things) when it is present in high quantities. Taking it every once in a while will likely do nothing for you.
You're also going to want to drink like a fish when using it, and will put on a few pounds as a result. But this additional water weight is a good thing from a performance perspective.
There was a good article on creatine on t-nation a while back. I think this is it.
I'm 31. I'm a typical gamer who's gotten old, apparently overnight. I'm a shade over 6 feet and now a shade under 200 lbs, the most I've ever weighed in my life. My lower body is well proportioned and fairly toned (says the wife), but my upper body feels like a mess to me. My arms are still skinny, and most of the excess weight that I've got is right where you'd expect it to be on an ex-fraternity boy - right in the belly.
As a baseline, legs tend to do more 'work' than any other part of the body in day to day. Walking, getting up from sitting, etc. Most males tend to carry their fat around their bellies.
I've got a specific set of goals as far as my fitness is concerned, I'm making a career switch into law enforcement. My first step is to be able to pass the agility test pre-hire. This entails running 2 miles in 12 1/2 minutes, a situp goal and a pushup goal. After that is one of those obstacle course tests, get over a 6' wall, a pursuit run, a force resistance machine. Et cetera.
My first question is: roughly how long should I plan on training to be able to meet these goals? I know it's impossible to be exact, but a rough estimate from a knowledgable source would be helpful. I'm not a huge slug, I'm just not a person that's had any regular exercise in the past...ten years.
It depends entirely on how stringent you are on your diet, what your exercise regime is like, how careful/stupid you are when it comes to technique/form, and basically how much you want this.
Couch to 5k (google it) will help you get into running shape. Depending on the person, situps are best improved by a whole bunch of other exercises that utilise and strength your core (most free weight exercises use your core for stabilising, for example). Pushups are relatively easy to target, but I'd recommend not doing a program like the 100 pushups thing that was flying around D&D a few months ago.
Without knowing the numbers, what you can do now and how much you want it, it's hard to make any kind of estimation even if I was an expert (definitely not). Any plan you come up with needs to be incredibly generous, because you will almost inevitably a) get sick, b) hit a plateau or a multitude of other problems. However these mean nothing as long as you stick to it and keep your eye on the goal.
Secondly, I have a question about colon cleansing. Is it something that I should look into, and if so, what do you recommend? I would like to shed about 10 pounds by the time my transformation is complete, so strict weight loss isn't a necessity. What I want at the end is to have traded my beer belly for some toned muscle, and not necessarily a six pack.
The idea of pooping for two-three days straight fascinates me, and I want to know if there are any sort of real positive effects or negative side effects to taking something like evercleanse or colonblow.
Thanks in advance!
Just stay away from colon cleansing. You basically consume a whole bunch of junk that comes out as junky shit. It's got nothing to do with having a blocked ass or whatever.
The rough outline of what you need to do is:
A) get your diet in order. Lots of vegetables, fruit, meat. Eliminate soda, limit sweets (have to keep sane, but don't keep cheating), white breads, etc. Eat regular meals, eat after working out, don't skip breakfast, try to keep your carbs (breads, sugars) in the morning and early afternoon.
b) get your running in order. couch to 5k works for people who don't have physical limitations or an inability to follow simple instructions.
c) lift weights, have situps and pushups in your routine if you have to but don't make them a major part of it. Weighted crunches, cable crunches, planks, leg lifts will help build up your abdominals. Barbell bench press, dumb bell bench press, cable flies, any pressing motion will help build up your pushups.
If you want to stay motivated, get your wife to take pictures of you (near) naked now. Front, profile, back. Flexed, unflexed. Take a new set every week or two. Don't worry about weight too much; by the sounds of it you need to build muscle, so you will be trading fat for muscle if you do things correctly. But keep track of it if you want another indicator, as long as you keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat and your weight will plateau.
What are the push-up and sit-up requirements for army/police etc. like these days, anyway?
It really annoys me how sit-ups are still regarded as a fitness staple. Crunches, too. That whole family of exercises has so little transference it's laughable.
Bad for you, too
Still, I'm interested to see how I measure up :P
edit: Chases - You're not a typical gamer. You're a typical person. Most folks hit their 30s and find things going downhill.
Devoir, thanks for the advice. My wife and I are focusing on changing our diets first. They're pretty hideous right now as a result of us working two different shifts. It's easier to just grab chinese than to go grocery shopping.
Sunday, the fitness requirements vary for each jurisdiction. Arkansas State police, for example, have to be able to do 17 push ups and 24 situps, along with a 300 meter run in 78.4 seconds. That's just to get into the academy. Once you're in the academy, it's up to the drill instructors. Those numbers aren't tough at all, I could probably do them without training. However, the departments I'm looking at have a widely divergent series of tests. So at this point it's a crapshoot and I can tell that I'm going to be better off with a general routine rather than having a sharp focus.
Posts
I start off each day with cereal or oatmeal mixed with wheat germ and occasionally walnuts.
For lunch on weekdays I eat out, most of the time buying pizza or something from Subways or Quiznos.
In the afternoon I have a banana and either another fruit, avocado or yogurt.
Dinner is almost always rice with vegetables and curry.
I don't eat any meat on Fridays.
Also I drink protein shakes each day; two scoops after working out and one on non-workout days. Is that enough or should I take more?
I started working out a few weeks ago and I'm 5'9" and weigh around 150.
truthfully yes. as you just started working out I wouldnt worry about excess protein intake until much later. Eat a considerable share of food and try to make choices that are higher in protein, but once again for now just workout and get into the rhythm
I chose rowing because of the total body workout in addition to the low-impact benefits. Running on a track is the only other thing that has ever gotten my heart rate up so easily...elipticals and excersise bikes are a load of Fail for me.
However, I definitely have two huge calluses on each hand now. Maybe I need some workout gloves (not for lifting, just for rowing)?
It's also handy at work when we have to move heavy comms gear around.
Sounds like a very decent time (to me!). I normally do 2k and average about 9 mins, so you're well ahead of me!
Does your machine have a resistance setting? I generally set mine to 7 (out of 10).
Google-fu had revealed this website to me. That's the plan I intend to follow.
If i keep running every day and not eating more than i usually do am i just guna keep losing more and more weight?? (for the record my primary goal is not to gain weight, it's simply to get fitter, i want to be able to run a couple miles in under 15mins at least) I guess i should mention that im 6' 1 and weigh about 150pounds.
Also no matter how much stretching i do before and after, every day since i started doing these runs my calves ache a helluva lot especially after sitting down for a while. Normal right? Just run anyway ignoring the aching?
Normal as long as it's relatively mild. Make sure there are a couple of days a week where you don't run so that you can adequately recover.
could be your form. i'm not a runner so i couldn't critique unfortunately. if it persists i'd look into it more.
I was planning on taking sunday off probably, do something else instead, being at home instead of uni for a while means no gym access, so probably end up just doing pressups and crunches.
My calves felt a bit better today after doing some swimming in the morning and a bit of stretching, but having just done a run they are aching again, i think its just that my legs arent used to moving more than from my house to my car...
The fact that light exercise relieves the ache suggests it's just ordinary fatigue. If you really must do something active, walk instead of running for a day.
Set the damper somewhere from 3-5, that mimics the water the best.
You were most likely on a concept2 rower: http://www.concept2.com/us/training/basics/damper_intensity.asp
Check out that website, they have a lot of form/safety tips which is very important when rowing. It's easy to hurt your back if you aren't doing it correctly.
My ankles are 16 degrees off the 180 degrees they should be when standing flat on the ground.
Well, at least it'll fix the pain I've been having with running and allow me to get back into parkour.
Not normal actually, Jyardana posted some information about splint shins that really tackles this problem
Dunno what creatine tends to cost in the US, but that looks alright. Should do the job.
Ignore their 'loading period' advice.
The dangers of giving advice on a message board on the basis of a one sentence description. I was getting that it was just a general ache in the calf muscle, rather than shin splints. I suppose I should have added the usual dislaimers about not being a doctor, etc.
I still reckon you should give your calves another day before running on them if they're still not feeling right. Not recovering fully from minor injuries is an easy way to turn them into major problems.
So, that sounds exactly like the pain I get anytime I try to do something on my feet that involves getting my heart rate up. I tried searching for posts by Jyardana and Shin Splints and didn't seem to come up with much. Does anyone have a link to said post or better information?
Generally if you're getting it you're either overtraining, your shoes aren't appropriate (if you're running), or your form is off in some fashion (I've had it from riding bikes when I've set my cleats too far forward from the ball of my foot).
Hopefully those stretches will help as well.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/index.html is my favorite to buy stuff. You get it in like literally 2 days from the order.
alos sometimes you get shin splits from just not running in a long time, but if you get them constantly it might be time to try different shoes.
1) What sort of excercise can I do with dumbbells? No seriously, I only know of maybe half a dozen.
2) Belly fat - how do I deal with it?
Belly fat:
Watch what you eat, focus on cardio, develop a strong core.
fixed
Want to be lean and strong? Lift heavy and eat better. Cardio does its place in a lifting program, but unless you're an energizer bunny already, marathon training can be a bummer. Work hard to taste.
Now, exercises? Right here, my man. You can do pretty much anything you could want with dumbells. Probably shouldn't for the sake of convenience if nothing else, but you can.
The whole pressing and pulling family? You bet. Almost every barbell exercise has a much harder dumbell twin. Just look at em. Kettlebell stuff can be a bit awkward, but you can do that too. Bodyweight work is a whole new world of pain when you've got a dumbell hanging off your belt or clutched between your thighs or in your hands
'Course, you can also do a lot with a length of notched wood and two buckets. Or just two buckets. Or a big rock. Bags of cat litter, even.
And that site is just what I was looking for, Basil.
I'm 31. I'm a typical gamer who's gotten old, apparently overnight. I'm a shade over 6 feet and now a shade under 200 lbs, the most I've ever weighed in my life. My lower body is well proportioned and fairly toned (says the wife), but my upper body feels like a mess to me. My arms are still skinny, and most of the excess weight that I've got is right where you'd expect it to be on an ex-fraternity boy - right in the belly.
I've got a specific set of goals as far as my fitness is concerned, I'm making a career switch into law enforcement. My first step is to be able to pass the agility test pre-hire. This entails running 2 miles in 12 1/2 minutes, a situp goal and a pushup goal. After that is one of those obstacle course tests, get over a 6' wall, a pursuit run, a force resistance machine. Et cetera.
My first question is: roughly how long should I plan on training to be able to meet these goals? I know it's impossible to be exact, but a rough estimate from a knowledgable source would be helpful. I'm not a huge slug, I'm just not a person that's had any regular exercise in the past...ten years.
Secondly, I have a question about colon cleansing. Is it something that I should look into, and if so, what do you recommend? I would like to shed about 10 pounds by the time my transformation is complete, so strict weight loss isn't a necessity. What I want at the end is to have traded my beer belly for some toned muscle, and not necessarily a six pack.
The idea of pooping for two-three days straight fascinates me, and I want to know if there are any sort of real positive effects or negative side effects to taking something like evercleanse or colonblow.
Thanks in advance!
Well either spend $15-$25 on a digital scale that unless you use illegal drugs will be pretty useless, or measure the volume of the creatine (V) and take V / (Number of grams in the container / 5)
Or just take a teaspoon full.
You'll want to use it every day to get the benefit
It's not a supplement that's 'good for you' (like fish oil, for example), but one that allows you to lift more (among other things) when it is present in high quantities. Taking it every once in a while will likely do nothing for you.
You're also going to want to drink like a fish when using it, and will put on a few pounds as a result. But this additional water weight is a good thing from a performance perspective.
There was a good article on creatine on t-nation a while back. I think this is it.
As a baseline, legs tend to do more 'work' than any other part of the body in day to day. Walking, getting up from sitting, etc. Most males tend to carry their fat around their bellies.
It depends entirely on how stringent you are on your diet, what your exercise regime is like, how careful/stupid you are when it comes to technique/form, and basically how much you want this.
Couch to 5k (google it) will help you get into running shape. Depending on the person, situps are best improved by a whole bunch of other exercises that utilise and strength your core (most free weight exercises use your core for stabilising, for example). Pushups are relatively easy to target, but I'd recommend not doing a program like the 100 pushups thing that was flying around D&D a few months ago.
Without knowing the numbers, what you can do now and how much you want it, it's hard to make any kind of estimation even if I was an expert (definitely not). Any plan you come up with needs to be incredibly generous, because you will almost inevitably a) get sick, b) hit a plateau or a multitude of other problems. However these mean nothing as long as you stick to it and keep your eye on the goal.
Just stay away from colon cleansing. You basically consume a whole bunch of junk that comes out as junky shit. It's got nothing to do with having a blocked ass or whatever.
The rough outline of what you need to do is:
A) get your diet in order. Lots of vegetables, fruit, meat. Eliminate soda, limit sweets (have to keep sane, but don't keep cheating), white breads, etc. Eat regular meals, eat after working out, don't skip breakfast, try to keep your carbs (breads, sugars) in the morning and early afternoon.
b) get your running in order. couch to 5k works for people who don't have physical limitations or an inability to follow simple instructions.
c) lift weights, have situps and pushups in your routine if you have to but don't make them a major part of it. Weighted crunches, cable crunches, planks, leg lifts will help build up your abdominals. Barbell bench press, dumb bell bench press, cable flies, any pressing motion will help build up your pushups.
If you want to stay motivated, get your wife to take pictures of you (near) naked now. Front, profile, back. Flexed, unflexed. Take a new set every week or two. Don't worry about weight too much; by the sounds of it you need to build muscle, so you will be trading fat for muscle if you do things correctly. But keep track of it if you want another indicator, as long as you keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat and your weight will plateau.
It really annoys me how sit-ups are still regarded as a fitness staple. Crunches, too. That whole family of exercises has so little transference it's laughable.
Bad for you, too
Still, I'm interested to see how I measure up :P
edit: Chases - You're not a typical gamer. You're a typical person. Most folks hit their 30s and find things going downhill.
Sunday, the fitness requirements vary for each jurisdiction. Arkansas State police, for example, have to be able to do 17 push ups and 24 situps, along with a 300 meter run in 78.4 seconds. That's just to get into the academy. Once you're in the academy, it's up to the drill instructors. Those numbers aren't tough at all, I could probably do them without training. However, the departments I'm looking at have a widely divergent series of tests. So at this point it's a crapshoot and I can tell that I'm going to be better off with a general routine rather than having a sharp focus.
http://www.topendsports.com/testing/forces-police.htm
Some other police requirements by jurisdiction.
If you can do a couple of push-ups, you can probably manage 15 in two minutes
Cheers for the link
edit: Montana uses a sit and reach test. What does my hamstring flexibility have to do with anything?