Suggestions for those trying to get in shape?

[KestrelLowing]

Well, my doctor has warned me that I am a VERY good candidate for being pre-diabetic. There's a history of diabetes in my family, my blood sugar gets a little out of whack occasionally and I have PCOS. After detailing what I commonly eat, he said that it's mostly fine (except for my occasional candy or potato chip binges ) and has suggested some things to integrate into my diet that will 'health-ify it'. I don't need to lose weight and I think I can manage the changes he suggested, so I'm not too worried about that.

However, he said that I should really focus on attempting to get more into shape. I have NEVER been in shape. I have no clue where to start. About a year ago I attempted the couch to 5K training program and hated every moment of it. Despite doing it regularly for 3 months, I never got past week 4. I also tend to get headaches when I do more strenuous physical activity (I forgot to talk about this with my doctor...maybe that warrants a call), particularly when I'm in the sun. I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day. He also suggested swimming, but I don't have access to a pool currently.

My current physical activity is laughable. I go rock climbing in a gym once a week - but that's 2 hours away near my BF so I can't increase how many times I go. Other than that, I don't really do anything. Normally at school I walk just about everywhere but I currently live too far away from things to walk. My bike got stolen last year and I don't have the funds to replace it right now (my laptop just crapped out, so that took priority!) My BF and I also take occasional backpacking trips, but we can't do those very often.

Does anyone have any suggestions for beginning activities? Unfortunately I don't have access to a gym until September when I go back to school. Minimal expense would also be good. And I know I'm being picky here, but I tend not to enjoy team sports because I'm too worried that I'm letting everyone else down because I'm out of shape and I have horrible hand-eye coordination. Thanks!

[broken_escalator]

If you enjoy dancing that can be a very good cardio workout. You'd probably want a dance video (probably able to find free online), since dance exercise isn't quite the same as dancing for pleasure. Also I heard some dances are really physically demanding, like bellydancing.

[Роберт]

I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day.

Aren't you in Michigan?

My current physical activity is laughable. I go rock climbing in a gym once a week - but that's 2 hours away near my BF so I can't increase how many times I go. Other than that, I don't really do anything. Normally at school I walk just about everywhere but I currently live too far away from things to walk. My bike got stolen last year and I don't have the funds to replace it right now (my laptop just crapped out, so that took priority!)

Thrift store bike?

[webzter_again]

I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day.

Aren't you in Michigan?

Not sure where OP is in Michigan... but in mid-michigan its currently 86, expected high of 94. Humidity around 54%. Sweat just stays on you at that level and the air starts to feel stifling. Mornings (before 9) are pretty tolerable around here though.

Well, my doctor has warned me that I am a VERY good candidate for being pre-diabetic. There's a history of diabetes in my family, my blood sugar gets a little out of whack occasionally and I have PCOS. After detailing what I commonly eat, he said that it's mostly fine (except for my occasional candy or potato chip binges )

Add more fiber, more whole grains, cut carbs, add more veggies, add in some bitter melon, add in some fenugreek (you can get both of these at a local Indian or Asian grocer). Get a blood sugar monitor and check regularly.

You may find more frequent, smaller meals during the day helps balance your blood sugar out. Alternately, you may find that more protein combined with intermittent fasting works better for you.

However, he said that I should really focus on attempting to get more into shape. I have NEVER been in shape. I have no clue where to start. About a year ago I attempted the couch to 5K training program and hated every moment of it. Despite doing it regularly for 3 months, I never got past week 4. [...] And I know I'm being picky here, but I tend not to enjoy team sports because I'm too worried that I'm letting everyone else down because I'm out of shape and I have horrible hand-eye coordination. Thanks!

Find something you love and do more of it. For me, this was running. For you, it might be kayaking, working in more rock climbing (or look for bouldering courses in your area). You already walk a lot, but consider walking more and upping the pace when you walk. A friend of mine does a lot of cardio by swing dancing (so I second the dancing suggestion). If nothing else, there is some evidence that even something as simple as some sprinting sessions will help immensely.

Don't let hand-eye coordination keep you from joining in sports. There's one way to get better and that's through practice.

[KestrelLowing]

I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day.

Aren't you in Michigan?

Don't let the northern-ness fool you! It gets HOT here too (I'm currently in southern Michigan) and more humid than any other place I've been but Florida.

And I have been looking for bikes on craigslist, etc. but around here any of the ones that actually work are the road bikes where you're leaning over the bars and I really don't feel comfortable with that when riding on roads.

I've never danced, but that's an interesting thought....

[freakish777]

Don't let hand-eye coordination keep you from joining in sports. There's one way to get better and that's through practice.

There's also sports that don't require any eye-hand coordination at all! [cough]Soccer[/cough]


There's also less serious sports (like kickball) that you can generally find summer leagues for (these leagues are typically set up with 20 somethings who want meet new people in mind, so if you're watching what you eat, you probably want to politely decline the bar crawl that is happening after a game).

[Роберт]

I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day.

Aren't you in Michigan?

Don't let the northern-ness fool you! It gets HOT here too (I'm currently in southern Michigan) and more humid than any other place I've been but Florida.

I looked up the temperatures before I said that. I guess my point was it actually tends to cool off to below 80 in Michigan, so it should be doable. Compared to say, Houston, where it's super humid and doesn't go under 80 for months.

[KestrelLowing]

I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day.

Aren't you in Michigan?

Don't let the northern-ness fool you! It gets HOT here too (I'm currently in southern Michigan) and more humid than any other place I've been but Florida.

I looked up the temperatures before I said that. I guess my point was it actually tends to cool off to below 80 in Michigan, so it should be doable. Compared to say, Houston, where it's super humid and doesn't go under 80 for months.

Right, but then you have to factor in the fact that humans tend to acclimate to temperature range in their specific environment. I have no problem with sub zero temps and will wear nothing more than a flannel shirt and jeans until it hits freezing. At that point, I throw on a sweatshirt or fleece. The people I've met from Texas don't have issues with high temps but are freezing when it drops below 40F. As I spend 8-5 in air conditioning, I don't have a chance to acclimate to the increased temperature and therefore my body doesn't know how to deal with it effectively.

I'm also just highly prone to heat exhaustion. I've spent entire days throwing up because of it.

[Роберт]

The people I've met from Texas don't have issues with high temps but are freezing when it drops below 40F. As I spend 8-5 in air conditioning, I don't have a chance to acclimate to the increased temperature and therefore my body doesn't know how to deal with it effectively.

I'm also just highly prone to heat exhaustion. I've spent entire days throwing up because of it.

Very good point. My office stays the same temperature year round (give or take) but I wear a jacket in the office when it's summer, because I do seasonal acclimation. I've met people from Florida who would be wearing a jacket AND GLOVES and complain about how could it was when it was over 60 deg F.

It sounds like your best bet is to try early morning stuff before it has a chance to heat up, then shower. Running is super boring but cheap. So you could try that again, but maybe focus on speed rather than distance. So basically run for 5 minutes in the morning before your shower. Over time, try to get farther with that 5 minutes.

Dancing is fun but I don't think it's a great way to really kick your body into gear. You want something that gets you breathing hard quickly.

Jump-rope is cheap and you can probably find a place to do it indoors so you have A/C during the summer. It's actually incredibly good for you. Maybe try that?

[raike]

I second the jump-rope recommendation. I also suggest looking into some bodyweight exercises / workouts--I'm currently away from my university and its free gym (and don't feel like shelling out for a membership locally), and so have been doing nothing but bodyweight workouts and running/biking depending on my mood and knees. It's certainly effective at tiring me out and making me feel sore the next day!

Edit (adding on): If you can get to a tennis court, and you've a willing friend, tennis is a fairly fun workout (and rackets aren't overly expensive, if I remember). I'm quite rubbish at it, having piss-poor hand-eye coordination, but it's still a good time.

[freakish777]

Dancing is fun but I don't think it's a great way to really kick your body into gear. You want something that gets you breathing hard quickly.

Dance can in fact make you breathe hard very quickly. Something like Ballroom Dancing will not. Something like the more popular Body Pump or Zoomba stuff that is at various YMCAs and gyms will if you do them right. Really it all depends on how much leg movement is involved.

[morjax]

I've personally had the best luck with The Hacker's Diet. It broke things down in a way that made a lot of sense to me. The book primarily centers on developing the proper feedback system to lose weight, but I've found the contained exercise regiment to be very doable. It's a modified version of the Canadian air force routine, and can be done indoors, with very little space or time and no equipment whatsoever. I have tried a number of things for keeping in shape, and this has been the thing I always come back to and stick to the longest (it's been hard with most other things for me to keep doing them past a few weeks).

The whole thing is focused on building up slowly, getting to where you want to be, and staying there indefinitely, with less than 15 minutes put in each day. I know it probably sounds a bit gimmicky like that, but it's worked quite well for me (I don't want to exercise for hours and hours, kill myself with huge levels of intensity, or spend mountains of cash on equipment).

I hope you find something that works for you - best of luck!

Cheers,
Morjax

edit: spelling

[nightbird]

Does anyone have any suggestions for beginning activities? Unfortunately I don't have access to a gym until September when I go back to school. Minimal expense would also be good.

Eat less (but don'T starve yourself = which doesn't mean "ooooh don't go below xxx cals you'll kill your metabolism", it just means "don't be miserable". I recommend Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat).

Move more. If you're obese or close to it, anything will work. Go for a walk each morning, do push ups every night... Just move more.

[Роберт]

I don't need to lose weight and I think I can manage the changes he suggested, so I'm not too worried about that.

Just in case this was missed.

[nightbird]

Then what the hell does being in shape mean here? More endurance? More muscle? Many non-athletic people think there's no ned at all to lose weight unless you're obese.

[madd0ct0r]

maybe his weight is about right but his fat percentage is too high?

in which case he needs to maintan weight but convert fat into muscle. - so pretty much any exercise, as long it gets you breathing hard and sweaty and you keep dong it long enough.

[Nath]

I realize you probably didn't mean it literally, so I guess this is pedantry, but 'converting fat to muscle' is impossible. You can lose fat while gaining muscle (especially if you start out fat and weak), but that's not quite the same thing.

Also, not all forms of exercise are helpful to muscle gain, and some are actively counterproductive. Low-intensity endurance exercise, for instance. Marathon running and the like.

[KestrelLowing]

Yes - my body weight is appropriate given my height/build (Note I'm female and 5'10", have a generally medium to small frame, and I typically weigh 145-150 lb). Basically, it's just that my goal isn't to lose weight, but rather 'get in shape'. As to exactly what that means, I don't know.

Currently I doubt I could even run a half mile without stopping. I can walk/hike all day without much problem, but anything that gets my heart pumping a bit more is difficult.

[Роберт]

Then what the hell does being in shape mean here? More endurance? More muscle? Many non-athletic people think there's no ned at all to lose weight unless you're obese.

I'm baffled at your response.

@Kestrel: I was serious about jump-rope. It's really good for you, and you can do it indoors, and it's inexpensive.

[philsov]

Then what the hell does being in shape mean here?

On a guess, it'd be to increase health metrics -- that is, lower blood pressure/heart rate, lower blood sugar level, lower cholesterol level... whatever else shows up in the basic battery. The solution to which is... just about any form of physical activity done over a prolonged period of time. It's just a matter of either finding something you enjoy and sticking to it, or calling it a grind, slapping on a pair of headphones (<3 audio books) and just freakin' doing it.

As for the specific activity, my only advice is make sure it's something you can always do -- stuff that requires friends/pairs like tennis is less than ideal because if your partner is out, you're also out and you need to exercise. Pretty much anything basic (swimming, running, biking) is fun enough for me, since I can keep logs and estabish a self metric. If I ran a mile in 8:30 (e.g.) last week, then this week I want to make it less than 8:30. Bootstrapped progress is the best motivator for me.

[AngrySquirrel]

I third the jump-rope suggestion. It's pretty brilliant for increasing general fitness and also a good way to get better hand-eye coordination. It doesn't require a lot of space and a rope isn't much of an investment.

I am in a similar situation as you, I don't have access to much any equipment and for a majority of the time it's too cold/rainy to do any outside exercises (also self-conciousness is an issue). I do however manage to keep in pretty decent shape. My current quick-exercise regiment is as follows:
5-10 minutes of jump-rope
3x10 pushups
3x40 situps
3x10 deep jumps
+whatever else I feel I want to add that particular day.

Pushups are a brilliant body-weight exercise due to the many, many different ways to do them. If you're not particularly strong, start off doing them from your knees. Varying your grip width will change what muscles you use. If it's too easy start doing the heavier forms, jumpers, clappers, backclappers, from a handstand position etc. Try them out a bit and see if you can find something that fits you.

Like pushups, situps can also be varied immensely. Straight ones, crossers, legs in 90 degrees, legs hovering over floor, with weights (books, medicine balls, bottles of water are all decent replacements for weights) and so on.

Deep jumps also can be switched around as you progress. From the basic bum-in-ground-knees-in-chest to holding something heavy while doing them or trading them for grasshoppers.

I follow this plan on days when going outside is not an option and I haven't got much time. It rarely takes me more than 30 minutes, and if I feel like getting a heavier or more varied work-out it's not a problem to add a couple of extra exercises. It targets the largest muscle groups + a bit of cardio added from the jump rope. It's also easy to scale up or down if required.

[Sytri]

By in-shape I'm thinking that you want to gain a little bit more stamina, lose some fat and gain a bit more muscle that will help you feel a bit more energised in daily life and less lethargic. You need to bear in mind that it will need to be a lifestyle choice and not something to do over the summer so you really need to find something you enjoy doing. I myself found climbing and love it, I'm also into running so alternate the two so I don't get bored.

Have you thought about some sports like kick-boxing, judo, karate, etc? As you would be a new-comer I doubt you'd get into any sparring or serious sparring at least; it'd be more like slow-pratice of moves but they would be intense sessions and you'd be able to do some of the drills in your other days off. Plus you could pay for one class a week and spend the rest of the time going through what you learned until the next class.

If you get the headaches regardless of where you are, all the time, then you should definitely consult your doctor about it as it could be a symptom of something else (IANAD but when your body gives you pain its a sign something's awry)

The headaches could be down to a lack of hydration, remember that if you're drinking when you're thirsty it's already too late to rehydrate whilst exercising. I saw that you did the C25K but only got to week 4 because of headaches and the heat (aswell as hating it, but I'm wondering if that's down to the pain and heat). That could be down to lack of fluids, you need to drink a lot in the hours before you run and keep consuming to stay hydrated. Also, if you were to go back to it, go for early morning runs as the temp is generally colder and you'll suffer less from the heat. But if running isn't for you then ignore that

If all else fails then just walking more and at a faster pace will help you out to start with and skipping rope is definitely a good recommendation.

Hope some of that helps and you find something you like doing

[KestrelLowing]

Well, I now own a jump rope, but due to this fun, fun weather, it's all I can do to not overheat while sitting still (I don't have air conditioning, and I live on the second floor so even if I did my downstairs neighbor wouldn't be terribly fond of me jump roping inside). Therefore I haven't really made any progress. Hopefully next week is cooler so I can actually start on this, as even at 6 am it's been 85F+.

[JudeMorrigan]

Dancing is fun but I don't think it's a great way to really kick your body into gear. You want something that gets you breathing hard quickly.

Dance can in fact make you breathe hard very quickly. Something like Ballroom Dancing will not. Something like the more popular Body Pump or Zoomba stuff that is at various YMCAs and gyms will if you do them right. Really it all depends on how much leg movement is involved.

Dancing is one of those things that you get out of it what you put into it. Sure, I'm perfectly capable of dancing most anything in such a fashion as for it to not be a workout at all. But when I'm doing it properly, there are few things that will kick my butt as quickly as a slow waltz. And, well, if a full-tempo jive doesn't leave you gasping for air, you're doing something very, very wrong.

That said, it definitely has its downsides as a primary fitness activity. I actually run as well as dance, in no small part because it's so danged hard to sustain the dancing long enough to get the workouts I really need. A lot of that due to dance practice being mentally draining and requiring focus of a sort that running simply doesn't, at least for me. Additionally, it takes time to build up to the point where you're really moving while dancing. I think every beginner starts out clomp, clomp, clomping through the dances, which isn't especially physically demanding.

[Роберт]

Well, I now own a jump rope, but due to this fun, fun weather, it's all I can do to not overheat while sitting still (I don't have air conditioning, and I live on the second floor so even if I did my downstairs neighbor wouldn't be terribly fond of me jump roping inside). Therefore I haven't really made any progress. Hopefully next week is cooler so I can actually start on this, as even at 6 am it's been 85F+.

Blegh. I hate it when it never dips below 80. It's supposed to cool off at night, you know? My ideal whether is like 55 in the morning and heating up to like 80 in the evening.

[Joeking231]

Well, my doctor has warned me that I am a VERY good candidate for being pre-diabetic. There's a history of diabetes in my family, my blood sugar gets a little out of whack occasionally and I have PCOS. After detailing what I commonly eat, he said that it's mostly fine (except for my occasional candy or potato chip binges ) and has suggested some things to integrate into my diet that will 'health-ify it'. I don't need to lose weight and I think I can manage the changes he suggested, so I'm not too worried about that.

However, he said that I should really focus on attempting to get more into shape. I have NEVER been in shape. I have no clue where to start. About a year ago I attempted the couch to 5K training program and hated every moment of it. Despite doing it regularly for 3 months, I never got past week 4. I also tend to get headaches when I do more strenuous physical activity (I forgot to talk about this with my doctor...maybe that warrants a call), particularly when I'm in the sun. I did mention to him that I tend to overheat a lot and he just said to work my way up to things as my body would likely work it out, make sure to stay hydrated and to exercise in the cooler parts of the day. He also suggested swimming, but I don't have access to a pool currently.

My current physical activity is laughable. I go rock climbing in a gym once a week - but that's 2 hours away near my BF so I can't increase how many times I go. Other than that, I don't really do anything. Normally at school I walk just about everywhere but I currently live too far away from things to walk. My bike got stolen last year and I don't have the funds to replace it right now (my laptop just crapped out, so that took priority!) My BF and I also take occasional backpacking trips, but we can't do those very often.

Does anyone have any suggestions for beginning activities? Unfortunately I don't have access to a gym until September when I go back to school. Minimal expense would also be good. And I know I'm being picky here, but I tend not to enjoy team sports because I'm too worried that I'm letting everyone else down because I'm out of shape and I have horrible hand-eye coordination. Thanks!

I know I'm new here, but this interested me. I'm a generally fit person myself (5:30 mile time, 11:30 two mile, and a 19:46 5k) but I generally get lazy about half the year. That means for at least a month out of the year I'm getting back in shape. I know how you feel.

Here's my suggestions-

1. Drink more liquids. This is by far the most likely reason for your headaches, the overheating, sensitivity to sunlight, and will cause even greater problems down the road in the form of cramps and spasms. It's you body telling you that you don't have enough to lose. I'm around 200 pounds and if I don't drink two gallons a day, I'm screwed.

2. Give running another shot, anything else you do is going to require endurance, and running is the accepted as the best. (Screw you jump ropers and your damn hand-foot coordination) Plus it only costs a pair of shoes.

3. Spread things out. Exercise is not some thing you need to do all at once. If wake up and do two miles in the morning, and two miles at night, that's four miles, but it will only ever feel like 2. One exercise that has gotten popular with Navy Seal trainees is doing 200 push-ups a day. If you can only do 20 at a time, you do 20 push ups a hour for ten hours. Set a timer so you can do it on the hour. This sometimes works so well that people report doubling to 40 push ups within the second week of doing it. I tried it with hammer curls and it worked like a charm.

4. Don't be afraid to take breaks, The greatest runners in the world are the Kenyans, and while they have that blasted leg up with the high-altitude training, they only work out every other day. They take half the week off, and still win. It's nuts, but it keeps you from having injuries from working to hard (Which is common in everything)

5. Commit to it, no matter what you do, this is going to take a while, perhaps the rest of your life. But the rewards are many, and well worth it.

6. Find something you love to do, I love trail running with a passion, I'm happiest when I'm four miles out in the middle of freaking nowhere running at a 9-10 minute pace. I love the birds, the trees, the shade, and the fresh air. Some people don't enjoy the bears, but I've only run into them once, and I heard the cubs a mile away. Yes, they were cute.

7. Make some friends, I find only competitive runners are ever really really solitary when their running, but most runners are a lot like you, and are just trying to not get diabetes, or prove that cancer diagnosis WRONG, or prove that legs broken in 8 places can still heal, or asthma don't mean SHIT. You get the picture, there are cool people out there, just waiting share stories. Friends make everything easier, and also provide a little competitive edge and encouragement, even though your not really competing.

8. Ice! if it hurts, Ice it! If it's sore, Ice it! Ice can go a long way to getting rid of both if they're from training. Just put a ice pack on the sore spot for 15 minutes and then put it somewhere else. You can even read web comics while you do it. It helps a lot, I promise.

Well, that's my two bits.

P.S. You can map out running routs on Google earth. I suggest keeping to parks and local bike trails, though. I just prefer the scenery.

[madd0ct0r]

Well, I now own a jump rope, but due to this fun, fun weather, it's all I can do to not overheat while sitting still (I don't have air conditioning, and I live on the second floor so even if I did my downstairs neighbor wouldn't be terribly fond of me jump roping inside). Therefore I haven't really made any progress. Hopefully next week is cooler so I can actually start on this, as even at 6 am it's been 85F+.

it's 100F+ where I am, and has been for 3 months.

yes, i can overheat just sitting still. Yes, when I first started exercising i would collapse from overheating within a few minutes, sit infront of a large fan till i got my breath back and try again.

3 months later, I can go much longer, much harder even though I'm sweating enough to make the concrete slippery. It helps if you have someone else to exercise with, but it does improve with time. Starting level matters less then long term improvement.

[TheKrikkitWars]

Make some friends, I find only competitive runners are ever really really solitary when their running, but most runners are a lot like you, and are just trying to not get diabetes, or prove that cancer diagnosis WRONG, or prove that legs broken in 8 places can still heal, or asthma don't mean SHIT. You get the picture, there are cool people out there, just waiting share stories. Friends make everything easier, and also provide a little competitive edge and encouragement, even though your not really competing.

I can't dispute that company is nice, but if you can talk comfortably during exercise, you're not exercising anywhere near hard enough; you're getting less than the full benefit from your exercise...

[KestrelLowing]

Well, I now own a jump rope, but due to this fun, fun weather, it's all I can do to not overheat while sitting still (I don't have air conditioning, and I live on the second floor so even if I did my downstairs neighbor wouldn't be terribly fond of me jump roping inside). Therefore I haven't really made any progress. Hopefully next week is cooler so I can actually start on this, as even at 6 am it's been 85F+.

it's 100F+ where I am, and has been for 3 months.

yes, i can overheat just sitting still. Yes, when I first started exercising i would collapse from overheating within a few minutes, sit infront of a large fan till i got my breath back and try again.

3 months later, I can go much longer, much harder even though I'm sweating enough to make the concrete slippery. It helps if you have someone else to exercise with, but it does improve with time. Starting level matters less then long term improvement.

I have to be really, really careful. If I go remotely past my limits when it comes to heat, I will spend the day with a massive headache and possibly throwing up. I actually did this last Sunday - it finally wasn't over 100F and I figured I'd try to do some exercise. Went rock climbing (gym isn't air conditioned) and some fast hiking/trail running. I couldn't go to work for two days because of headaches that are surprisingly resistant to aspirin, etc. Granted, it still was 93F or so, so it was still pretty dang hot.

Basically I just have to be very conscious of what I can do. Especially as it's supposed to get nastily hot again. Damn you global warming!!

[SpaceFrank]

I think this has been mentioned already, but how much water do you drink in an average day?

Since I started working out, I've been keeping a glass of water on my desk at all times. At home and at work. I also try to limit myself to one cup of coffee a day, as caffeine is a diuretic. I don't get nearly as many headaches as I used to. The only times I get them now are when I drink alcohol for an extended period of time (because if I've got a beer in my hand all day I don't have a glass of water), or when I don't drink enough water during the day and then do a particularly heavy exercise, like a max weight lift or something.

I know the heat sucks (I'm in Houston), but if you're exercising right, you're going to be pouring sweat anyway. Like madd0ct0r, I'm leaving wet spots on the mat when I do crossfit. Just stay hydrated and try to get through it. If you're honestly drinking 8+ glasses of water a day and still getting bad headaches, tell your doctor.

[Tounx]

Do the little things right, become masters of them, then move on to bigger things. You can do it. The best thing you can do is learn how to cook, because if you can cook healthy, tasty food, it won't seem like you are dieting.