*synth* I WORKOUT

[Yw-slayer]

Post your fitness/exercise stuff here (apart from cycling-specific stuff which should probably stay in the Cycling thread kthxbai).

[thesameguy]

I got a second piece of birthday cake, which requires going downstairs.

[Yw-slayer]

I just spent 15 minutes looking at Vitamix v Blendtech reviews. I feel like such a tool.

[Random]

:toolbox:

[thesameguy]

It occurs to me the other stair-related activity I engaged in recently was repairing a phone line. One of my employers built a multi-million dollar house in Tahoe on the side of the mountain. Street level - where the phone lines come in - is the garage. Down one flight of steps is the living area. Down another flight of steps is the sleeping area. Down another flight of steps is the rec area and phone closet. I went up and down those four flights probably two dozen times on Tuesday, and 20 times last Thursday. I started Tuesday with sore legs, and ended in pain and winded. :sadbanana:

[Leon]

I do a $hitload of group fitness classes, so things like "pump" (lifting weights), combat (where you pretend to punch and kick stuff), step (where you step), and a couple of others.

I also do the occasional weights only session in the gym, but unless I have a gym buddy to do the programme with, I get so bored that I want to kill myself.

Basically I need music, and somebody shouting at me, otherwise I get bored exercising.

Outcome of which, I'm at the gym probably 6 days out of 7, for either one, or two hours. Yes, I'm one of *those* people. But on the positive side, it does mean that at age 41, I'm in very good shape. Which the ladies like. ;)

[lostnight]

I'm no runner, not in shape either, but I plan to run my first 5k on Monday morning, should get a free shirt. Will jog the whole way, slowly. Looking at a leisurely 36 minute time, maybe a cut under.

[Yw-slayer]

I do a $hitload of group fitness classes, so things like "pump" (lifting weights), combat (where you pretend to punch and kick stuff), step (where you step), and a couple of others.

Les Mills Kiwi pride, AMIRITE??


I also do the occasional weights only session in the gym, but unless I have a gym buddy to do the programme with, I get so bored that I want to kill myself.

Basically I need music, and somebody shouting at me, otherwise I get bored exercising.

Music, yeah, but I think technique and focus are more important.

6 out of 7? You nut.

[Godson]

Just started prepping for my first 5k which is next saturday. I just started with a 1.5mile jog and netted it in 11'49 sec.


Which translates to a 7'46 mile.


My goal next Saturday is to be under 20 minutes for my 5k. I should have enough prep time to pull that off.

[Leon]

Actually I don't go to Les Mills ... they're a bit over priced (near double what I pay).

The instructors are pretty good with technique, because most of them are now mates, so I've had a few specific technique training sessions with them.

Yeah 6-7 is a bit mad, especially as while I'm unemployed, I've done a lot of days of morning, and evening classes. Ah well.

[Yw-slayer]

Major First World Problems.

[sandydandy]

Started Shaun T's 'Focus T25' a few weeks ago. Not as easy as it may look...in fact it's very tough.

Had a rough start...punked out halfway through the first week, then skipped the following week and then tried it again last week and completed week 1. Got on the scale over the weekend and was discouraged to see I didn't lose a single pound, so I decided to skip it again this week. Over the past couple of days, without working out, I noticed that I dropped a couple of pounds for no reason. I reckon there's some sort of delayed reaction to the weight loss...so I shouldn't have punked out this week. I'll get back at it next week...back to week 1 for the third time. LOL.

[Jason]

I'm doing a highly irregular P90x schedule, along with basketball, and loads of walking about.

I should probably up my game.

[JSGeneral]

About 19 months ago I got a bad case of plantar fasciitis. I've had it before so I stopped running and rested/waited. Got new orthotics and then started trying to run again (this was now about 15 months ago.) Suddenly, pain in my knee occurred that I've never experience before. I did the usual stop and wait it out strategy... but it didn't go away. It felt like it got worse. I wasn't running at ALL and it would hurt sitting too long, going up and down stairs and sometimes really hurt if I pushed off on it to quickly rush across the street or something like that. I wasn't running and it wasn't getting better. I was vexed and about 50 pounds heavier.

This went on for a whole year and then I went to see the doc. Told me it was "Runner's Knee". Showed me some stretches to do. Thankful that it wasn't a blown tendon or something... I immediately started getting into a running program again. Started with 3 mile runs 5 days a week. A month ago, I've upped those runs to now 5 miles a pop. Some nights I'll jump on the elliptical machine for another workout for 60 to 100 minutes. It is VERY rough work getting back in shape (and losing weight) but I'm well on my way. My plan is by end of summer to be at where I was before these injuries took place: 5 miles a day M-F and then one or two runs of 16+ miles on the weekend.

Also, I've started my runs ALOT slower and gradually build up the speed so that I'm at pace after the second mile. This seems to have REALLY helped. My knee hasn't felt this good in what seems like an eternity!

[G'day Mate]

All I do is cycle :(

[Yw-slayer]

That's what I wish I could do more often (for exercise AND leisure).

Leon - you might as well give up your passport and move West then. ;)

[George]

This is my first week in a different office building. I work on the eighth floor and I don't use the elevators. I used to work in this building on the seventh floor and know I can maintain my anti-elevator status indefinitely. I climb eight floors all at once in the morning, at lunch when I go for a walk and/or to get lunch, and I'm 15 steps away from the door to the stairs so I can go climb up and down anytime I get the doldrums from sitting down too long. I really enjoy that. This week I've noticed I can ride my bicycle five miles to work, the last half of which is mostly uphill, and I arrive feeling GREAT. I'm sweaty, sure, but ready for more. I gotta say, the stairs are worse than the bike ride, unless I take my time on the stairs, which I don't. I do admit to standing outside the door to my floor while I catch my breath so no one calls an ambulance for me from my gasping - but that's after a fast climb after the bike ride and before my shower. I climb them a little more calmly during the business day.

I realize climbing stairs isn't the same as running or being a gym-rat or riding centuries on a bike but I figure climbing stairs is better than not climbing stairs. Any of you guys who would like to come out here to over a mile above sea level and climb stairs with me are most welcome. Bring yer oxygen tanks!

[Kchrpm]

I go to the gym for an hour or so whenever I can get one of my lady friends to go with me.

[Yw-slayer]

Climbing stairs can be pretty hardcore, dude. I don't laugh at it.

[Godson]

Yeah, especially when you are at a mile. I experienced that first hand when I was in Guatemala. Walking around was a chore when I had to walk everywhere. By the second week, I wasn't getting muscle fatigue or out of breath.

I came back to KC and 1000ft and felt like I had been working out like crazy. Blood stores had increase during my 17days.



MLR of the story. You take away oxygen stores, then climb stairs, and you have a pretty decent workout.

[Kchrpm]

Sounds like you were doping. You're suspended for 8 games.

[GreatScawt]

That's why you see (at least I do) a bunch of knuckle heads wearing those altitude masks. They look ridiculous and don't really simulate a high altitude environment.

[Cam]

I ride my bike about five miles a day. (Not much, I know. :o )

[Leon]

whatever exercise you do is good, because it's exercise, and may slightly help us not die from our decadent first world lifestyle and calorific foods :)

[stephenb]

Les Mills Kiwi pride, AMIRITE??



Music, yeah, but I think technique and focus are more important.

6 out of 7? You nut.

Gym membership isn't cheap, gotta get value for money! I normally go 5 times a week.

Monday evening: Bodypump/spin
Wednesday evening: Bodycombat
Thursday evening: Bodycombat/spin/stretch class
Friday evening: swimming
Saturday morning: Bodypump/Bodycombat

Tuesday is rest day, Sundays I'm now trying to get out on my real bike followed by a run, of which I'll need to start doing more as I've got a sprint triathlon in July. It's fair to say I'm addicted :lol:

[Rob]

DDP Yoga at least 3 times a week and as many 3+ mile walks as I feel like.

[Yw-slayer]

I did the Turbulence Training "bodyweight punisher" and "Quad Domination" workouts today, back to back.

PROS:
Easy and quick to do without equipment, hence good for traveling (which is why I did them).
It's full-body Interval training of a sort, I guess.

CONS:
Difficult to motivate yourself when you're apparently in better shape than both trainers on the vid and have enough energy to laugh at both of them for giving grats when you are blasting the guy demoing the exercise
Needed to do 2 sets to feel some proper effort, hence negating time savings.
Hilarious dialogue (ensuring more laughs). Total Body Extensions are a secret ninja move that are a TT signature that everyone is only now discovering? Dude...

VERDICT:
Good for clueless and/or time-pressed, yet sedentary people with limited access to gym equipment.

[Godson]

So, I ran monday and twisted my ankle in the first quarter mile, I ran through the pain which lasted about 0.5 mile further. I only planned on running 2 miles that run anyway. My time was not very good as I had asthma issues during the run also. Time was not very good and I did not feel great during the run after the twisted ankle episode.



I let the ankle rest for workout sake, and didn't run until today. Originally planned to run 2.5 today but instead I just ran 3 miles as the street I ran on had an intersection at the 1.5 mile mark. Ankle was no issue, but I had a weird asthma like issue where it felt like all of the muscles in my chest tightened up. I had never experienced that before so I walked a half mile to the intersection as planned, then ran the remaining 1.5 without an issue.


I felt pretty good about the run, especially the 1.5. my 5k is on Saturday at 2pm, which is going to hot and uncomfortable. Going to start hitting the water, avocados, and bananas hard to prevent possible cramps. Originally was aiming for a sub 20 5k, but with the late start to prep and the ankle twist, I think a sub 25 minute time is a safer bet.

[speedpimp]

I started DDP Yoga last night and ended up sweating like a whore in church. Did it again today and followed it with a two mile walk.

[Leon]

I started DDP Yoga last night and ended up sweating like a whore in church. Did it again today and followed it with a two mile walk.
Good stuff!

[21Kid]

I try to go to the gym at work on my lunch break. It's tough when it's busy and I don't take a lunch though.

[FaultyMario]

http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/538f5ee56bb3f7891d722536/obama%20gym%203.gif

[speedpimp]

I want to see BO doing DDP Yoga.

[sandydandy]

Started Shaun T's 'Focus T25' a few weeks ago. Not as easy as it may look...in fact it's very tough.

Had a rough start...punked out halfway through the first week, then skipped the following week and then tried it again last week and completed week 1. Got on the scale over the weekend and was discouraged to see I didn't lose a single pound, so I decided to skip it again this week. Over the past couple of days, without working out, I noticed that I dropped a couple of pounds for no reason. I reckon there's some sort of delayed reaction to the weight loss...so I shouldn't have punked out this week. I'll get back at it next week...back to week 1 for the third time. LOL. Just saw that I used the word "week", in different variations, ten times in this post.

Anyway, sad to say I didn't follow through with T25...but am now looking for a new exercise routine to follow. Just looking to get some help here.

I've been searching on the web for exercise routines, but most of the ones I found require a lot of equipment. The only equipment I have is a treadmill, barbell, bench, dumbells, resistance bands, and a chest expander. I'm sorely lacking a pull up bar.

Anyone know of a good daily routine I can follow using just this equipment? Looking to get some fat off, tighten up my chest, flatten my stomach, and build my arms. I'm going to Vegas in 60 days so I kinda wanna look good...or at least better than how I look now. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :cool:

[speedpimp]

DDP Yoga. All you need is a tv, dvd player and a yoga mat.

[sandydandy]

I've heard a lot about that...but I prefer to do something that makes me feel more manly. :P

[Yw-slayer]

Well, you could start with a modified version of one of the training programs in Muscle and Fitness, or perhaps Ironlife (although the latter is more about techniques than actual programs).

I find that one useful resource is T-Nation. Some of the articles have some suggestions. Combine them with Youtube for some tips on techniques and you should be set. You can also get advice from sites such as strengthsensei.com but, again, that's usually more specific.

Depending on what you want to achieve, a program would include things like:

Mon: Shoulders and Back
Wed: Chest and Bis/Tris
Fri: Legs and shoulders

IMO it sounds like (assuming you control your diet) you're pretty set if you want to pump some iron in order to look good. A pull-up bar, a squat rack, and somewhere to do dips are probably all you need. In a pinch, you can use dips bars as a de facto squat rack.

Focus on time under tension, and feeling the muscle, for that muscle growth. Or else go heavier and do less reps if your aim is strength.

I hadn't heard of DDP Yoga, but I have done yoga before. I know you were being tongue-in-cheek, but wouldn't say yoga, done properly, is not manly! It's enjoyable, it just doesn't really do what I want to do, hence I prefer to spend my time lifting, rowing, or cycling.

[sandydandy]

Sounds good, thanks for the suggestions. I do control my diet well (for the most part), in fact I lost over 75 lbs a few years ago from just eating right. I've put on about 20 lbs since.

I was only joking about the yoga. I haven't done the DDP type, only regular...and only once. My friend had a yoga studio and would host free classes so he invited me over. After being turned into a human pretzel I decided it just wasn't for me. I will look into it again in the future.

[tigeraid]

Perhaps dragging up a dead thread, but now that it's basically my life, I feel the need to discuss it.

I've been kinda keeping to myself the past few months, not going out a lot, because I was diagnosed with Diabetes back in April as well as blood pressure so high I was about to have a stroke.

At age 34 that's pretty goddamn terrifying. I've always been active, but stress was slowly killing me, as was a shitty diet. Obviously a wake-up call though, and time to stop making excuses, time to stop listening to people who say "oh just have a slice of pizza it won't kill you" (yes it will), and "oh you're not fat you're just a big guy." I'm fat. Hideously fat.

So, since my diagnosis, I've lost nearly 60 lbs, in a little under 4 months. No more bread, no more pasta, no more sweets and junk food. I'm taking it serious, even to the detriment of my social life, because I am not taking insulin and have no plans to unless absolutely necessary. My blood sugar is under control every day.


I'm staying active, and feel better than I have in over a decade. I walk/jog over an hour ever day, and lift weights a few times a week. I sleep better, I breathe better, I have no more nosebleeds... All the supposed "allergy" symptoms I had are now gone. I see veins in my arms I haven't seen since I was 18.

I'm now on heart medication (embarrassing but necessary) and my pressure is almost back to normal. Who knows how many years it was that bad.

Anyway, selling the house has kinda been a blessing in disguise--with the place staged, I basically just come home, eat, exercise, sleep, and repeat. No working on cars, no going out for beer, very little gaming, not much TV. I have another 25 lbs to go to feel like I'm at the weight I want to be, and it seems doable. Best part is I can still eat good food, it just needs to be low carb, low salt and low sugar.

So my life has changed, and with a silver lining.

Coincidentally, I just watched That Sugar Film (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3892434/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1). Holy shit is it spot on. This guy WAS eating healthy, paleo-style, and decided to go ON the typical sugar of an average person. Despite eating the same calories, and exercising the same, he gained 20 lbs, felt like shit, and immediately showed the signs of pre-diabetes and liver disease. We've been living a lie since the 70s that fat is bad, calories are bad and sugar is good. It's the exact fucking opposite. Cut sugar and carbohydrates out of your diet, don't worry (much) about calories and don't worry about fat, ignore all that stupid diet shit and low-fat shit, and suddenly your body works properly. It's staggering the difference I've experienced.

I'm really looking forward to the point I hit my target weight (200 lbs) so I can then bring high protein calories back into my diet and try to add a little muscle with weight training. I'm still a little concerned about belly fat, the dreaded "spare tire" that causes metabolic syndrome... I've gone from a 44 waist to a 36, but I still have flab there I can grab a hold of, and I'm not sure If I can "zero in" on it with any particular exercise.

[Cam]

Great job. Keep it up. :up:

[SportWagon]

I thought someone on this board did some Dragon Boat racing?

[Random]

YW did/does.

[SportWagon]

tigeraid, did you have any problems with circulation to your extremities (feet) and then possible budding diabetic ulcers?

[Yw-slayer]

Nice one tigeraid. Keep it up man.

SW, yes, I do.

[tigeraid]

tigeraid, did you have any problems with circulation to your extremities (feet) and then possible budding diabetic ulcers?

Already been to the specialist, who did the poking test and it checked out. I have re-occuring athlete's foot issues during the summer, and some peeling skin, but no, no bleeding or open sores or anything like that.

EDIT: and for what it's worth I've already cut my foot on broken glass and ripped open a toe by stubbing it on furniture, and both healed normally. So, knock on wood, those symptoms are far away if ever.

[Godson]

That's good. Any tingling of toes, etc?

[tigeraid]

On a regular basis no, not really. Occasionally after a long jog or walk, but I suppose it's as much an ache.

[Godson]

Ok good.

[George]

Sounds like tigeraid is kicking some serious ass! Good for you, sir. Keep it up.

[SportWagon]

Thinking about people as if they are computer systems, one might wonder if high blood pressure was the body's way of ensuring circulation to extremities.

[Yw-slayer]

I'm now in a German Body Comp phase.

[JSGeneral]

Here's a relevant video that I use for a pick-me-up when I stumble or struggle with keeping up with a workout routine...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26U_seo0a1g

Good luck to you Tigeraid and keep it up!

[tigeraid]

Thinking about people as if they are computer systems, one might wonder if high blood pressure was the body's way of ensuring circulation to extremities.

Well. That's a depressing thought.

[Fogelhund]

Well. That's a depressing thought.

Good Luck to you in getting in the shape you want to be. I have a couple of conflicting goals at this moment, and haven't decided what to do for now.

Goals - sub 18 minute 5km, in a race
Goal 2 - bulk up muscle wise.

[George]

tigeraid, do you have a bicycle? If not, consider getting one, if I may be so bold. A bike has made a tremendous difference in my life the last two years. I was never much over 220 lbs. at my fattest, but I was almost there again this past long, cold winter while I wasn't riding, and now I'm staying between 195 and 200 during riding season. I'd be even lighter if I rode to work five days a week without fail instead of when it's easy and convenient and good weather, and if I rode more on weekends, too. Once in a while, while huffing and puffing and sweating up a long hill, I'll think "ugh, this is a lot like actual exercise", but the other 99% of the time I'm like a little kid going "Wheeeeee!" as I happily ride along and wondering why all those people in cars aren't riding bikes too. I can't think of many other things that are so much fun and healthy at the same time.

Yet with all this alleged good health from cycling, and from lifting dumbbells in my basement too - not quite a gym-quality workout, but much better than nothing at all - I'm currently concerned about some pain I've been having lately, and a lump I discovered on Friday. I'm headed back to the doc (again) tomorrow morning to get it checked out. This is one of the reasons I've been acting strangely lately, if anyone noticed. I've been dealing with this for at least a month. Fear sucks, and so does losing my job and excellent health insurance later this year if things happen on the schedule they've announced. Sure, I'll get another job - I always do - but the uncertainty of these situations right now is unpleasant.

[tigeraid]

Well, first off, I would say that I actually really enjoy walking and/or jogging. I even look forward to it, every evening, just loading up my favourite podcast and walking out the door. If it's a good podcast, I get lost and before I know it it's an hour later. It's worked for me.

From about age 17 to age 20, I competed semi-seriously in XC mountain biking. Despite an absolute shit diet I did alright, because I guess when I was that young it hadn't caught up to me yet. So about 3 weeks ago, weighing around 230, I tried a buddy's bike for the first time in almost a decade. Now, I know that frame height and saddle selection are super important, but I found it IMMENSELY uncomfortable, and could only make it a block before my taint, my ass and my hips were killing me. Cardio was not an issue at all, simply SITTING on it was.

Having said that, I really miss biking, so next Spring when I've hit my goal, I'm gonna give it another try, at least go to the bike shop and take it for a spin with a soft gel seat and the correct frame height. I would certainly love to get back into it, yeah.

[George]

Cool!

Don't mind me, I just have a fevah, and the only cure is more cowbell! Um, or more bicycling. In college I ran a lot, mostly not by choice, and I have run a few 5K and one 10K race, but not since my early 30s. These days running doesn't appeal to me at all, but I'm glad to hear at least a couple of you guys are into it, and Fogelhund appears to be so fast that I imagine his shoes probably catch fire toward the end of the race.

Went to the doc today and was told I'm not dying, despite a variety of strange pains that have been bothering me for a while now, and scheduled a full physical in a couple weeks, including a bunch of lab testing. A recent blood test showed everything normal in the Hepatitis C, liver, kidney, and white and red blood cell departments, but I guess there is more than they do, such as a urine test and testing for testoterone levels.

Apparently the lump I found in the shower the other day is not lymphoma or a terminal hemmoroid, but a cyst, most likely from cycling. I went on a longer than usual ride last week on the world's hardest cycling saddle (inside joke there, but it's true) in the middle of a hot day, and then I didn't shower right away as I normally would because I needed to mow the lawn and do some other work in the yard. I did get out of my cycling shorts right away and put on underwear and regular shorts, and the guess is being sweaty in that area for so long, combined with the pressure and friction of cycling, caused a cyst in a hair follicle or sweat glad. I need to soak my backside in hot water in the tub for ten minutes twice a day and I'm told it will go away with no complications. Sadly, I forgot to ask when I could ride again!

[Yw-slayer]

Yo, if anyone has time, they should check out That Sugar Film. Obviously a relatively extreme example, and it's sort of preaching to the converted anyway, but maybe you can swing a few heathens around with it. I think it's very useful for those with small kids.

[tigeraid]

Woops. Suppose I should post an update.

I am now down to 195 lbs (hovering between 195-200). More importantly, my diabetes is effectively in remission, my A1C hovering around 5.5. In other words, it's like I never had it. Even when I occasionally cheat, with a few slices of pizza or a donut, my blood sugar doesn't move above normal human levels. It's not "cured" but basically, as long as I continue to eat intelligently, it's completely dormant.

Winter's gonna be tough for me, as I'll have to try my best to use our new gym at home, instead of jogging like I did all summer. Gotta maintain my focus. But I'm gonna severely cut back on extreme exercise, because I've beaten the shit out of my body... Lotsa muscle ache, tears, etc.

[Godson]

Good fucking news!!!!

[Cam]

Yeah, friggin' A! :up:

[21Kid]

:D:toast:

[speedpimp]

Congrats.

[George]

:D:toast:

No, no, no. That needs to be a glass of water, and perhaps a carrot stick on the side for a healthy snack! :lol:

Seriously, though, tigeraid, great job! It's amazing what people can do when they put their mind to something.

[Yw-slayer]

Good stuff, mate.

[tigeraid]

http://blinkerfluid.org/gtr2/Odds%20And%20Ends/weight.jpg

[George]

:eek: What a hunk!

Tremendous work. That's not something most people do in a lifetime.

[tigeraid]

Hah. A hunk with lots of weird stretch marks and sags. Not sure those will ever go away. Look good with the shirt ON, anyway. :lol:

[Godson]

How old are you again?

[Yw-slayer]

That's awesome bro. The first step is to look good with the shirt on. That's the new normal. Then you can look good with it off. Then that becomes the new, new normal. Once you've gotten to that stage you'll never get fat again.

[G'day Mate]

Nice job!!

[tigeraid]

How old are you again?


Just turned 35.

[Godson]

Your body us still young enough that the skin can remodel a touch.

[Yw-slayer]

Yup. Your skin will adapt.

[MR2 Fan]

I'm currently 260 lbs...and definitely need to lose weight, but I've been saying that for years too.

I just came back from 2 weeks in Japan...walked over 100 miles, felt like crap, but kept pushing with a friend/co-worker who was with me and is also overweight...he kept saying "We're too fat, we need to diet".

I'm also starting to really believe this Sugar is the killer mentality. My life is filled with sugar stuff, though I'm not diabetic, it's in all of our processed foods it seems like (or corn related things). I am addicted to soda, even in Japan I was picking up grape sodas and cokes sometimes, even with all of the other drinks they have there.

My main focus now is to consume less sugar overall and workout more frequently, doing whatever, walking, biking, weightlifting.

[tigeraid]

Exercising will only get you so far--it's important to do it from an overall health standpoint, and it will AID in fat burning, by improving cardio, circulation, etc.... But to put it in perspective, an hour long walk burns about 400 calories... So if you're eating 3000 calories a day at your size, when you should be eating 2000 or so, that 400 calorie dent is virtually meaningless.

---

It really, really is about lifestyle, and willing to make a big change. I have tried for nearly 10 years to lose weight, and never really succeeded, mostly because of diet. Because I would just try to eat "good food," while ignoring my portion size, and still eating tons of bread and pasta and sugar.

Now, extra veggies, keeping carbs (sugar) to a minimum, reasonable fat, no processed shit, and calorie counting took maybe 2 weeks to get USED to, to not be pissed off all the time at the lack of food... And then it caught on. Now I use MyFitnessPal and track everything, and realize it's really not that hard.... But it's not HARD because I've literally changed my life; I go to work, I come home, I make a healthy meal, I exercise, I sleep, I repeat. I find a little time fit in some TV or fit in some wrenching on the car or fit in a video game, and that's that. My life now revolves around the planned meals and minor exercise. The only time it gets challenging is going out with friends.

For me, the realization was my kickboxing routine. Even back when I was almost 300 lbs, I hit the heavy-bag regularly as I have since I was a kid. I often use Bas Rutten's 7 round, ~30 minute kickboxing routine, and it's a motherfucker. Even at my best back then, I would be RUINED halfway through Round 3, and could rarely finish. Now, I do all seven rounds and only barely breathe heavy, and wonder what else I can do when I'm done. THAT was the smack in the face that made me realize this was working and I was getting healthier. The change in cardio and fitness is immense.

But you HAVE to be honest with a food tracker. I've been told plenty of stories of trainers and doctors who look into why someone isn't losing weight even though their tracker says they're eating xxxx calories... Then find out, going through the person's daily routine, that they have three cans of Coke they didn't record, or eat a whole pack of Jolly Ranchers they didn't record, or a big Iced Mocha Latte in the morning, or whatever other sugary garbage they thought "didn't count."

I would never advocate an Atkin's style no-carb diet, because you need carbs to live. But reducing them reasonably makes a shocking difference. Just the juice and soda pop, most bread, and all pasta. MODERATE calorie restriction is fine too, sure, but you can lose weight without restricting much at all, if you cut carbs to reasonable amounts.

It all falls into place if you restrict reasonable carbs, anyway--by eating your food on a plate instead of a hoagie, you have less calories and less fat and less carbs. By eating your meat sauce on a spaghetti squash instead of a bed of noodles, you have less calories and less carbs. And of course, you reduce calories and fat if you're not drinking iced mocha lattes and Dr Pepper all day. And so on.

I'm standing here as proof of concept, although I understand completely that that isn't a scientific truth, it's anecdotal. But I mean, I was checking blood sugar after every meal, even when my A1C went back down to normal levels. In other words RIGHT NOW I basically "don't have diabetes," but when I occasionally check blood sugar, it goes up slightly when I eat carbs, and when I don't, it doesn't. If my plate has a steak and some steamed veggies on it, with butter, my blood glucose literally doesn't move. If I have a slice of bread, it moves.

Basically, carbs "take a shortcut" through the blood stream, and many scientists theorize that that's why sugar caused the obesity epidemic. I'm not an expert or a doctor, it's just the way the scientific community is slowly turning, and it certainly worked for me. The ones that aren't lobbyists for Coca-Cola, anyway.

And for fuck's sake get your fibre. If your gut works right, weight loss happens easier. Plus you feel WAY better. A fair bit of vegetables, but you can also cheat with Fibre-1 or All-Bran cereals. I get 45 grams of fibre every day.

Once you break into ketosis (the mode your body goes into after going cold turkey on carbs and sugar), you will suddenly lose the cravins, you'll suddenly feel more full from eating fats and proteins, and sugar won't taste nearly as intoxicating to you.



"That Sugar Film" puts together a good case for it. Worth a watch.

[sandydandy]

Good job, Tiger. Keep it up.

BTW I'm going to take another shot at Shaun T's Focus T25.

[MR2 Fan]

Update here, had a few life things like moving to a new apartment recently, but since that's all done, I can focus more on eating low carb, low sugar and working out.

I've been doing low carb/sugar for about 2 weeks now and so far the cravings are gone! I can go home and not be hungry at all after work.

The weight hasn't gone down much yet, but I haven't done a lot of cardio yet, just weight lifting so far....I need to mix it up.

[LHutton]

3 times a week - Run 2 mile, cycle 5 miles, 15 minutes weight/strength training, 15 minutes straight blast.

Once a week - Swim a mile.

Regular long walks but I don't regard that as exercise.

[tigeraid]

While your calories are not SUPER important, don't neglect them entirely. Going low carb/sugar is generally enough to limit your overall calories just by default, but you may still be eating more than you should, without realizing it. Try using myfitnesspal, you might be surprised. But keep it up, even if the fat doesn't melt away right away, you'll feel better.

As for exercise, well, 1 hr walks with intermittent jogging worked for me, is all I can say. With occasional 15-20 minute interval training using dumbells.

[tigeraid]

Winter update for me: I gained a total of 3 lbs over the holidays, and have been hovering around 197-198 without much exercise since the end of November. I hope to ramp the work back up when the warm weather comes back... I've been cheating occasionally, a burger here, a donut there, but keeping it all very realistic, and still shying away from as much bread and sugar as possible. I have not touched a single bite of pasta or one can of pop since April. Feeling pretty good.

[MR2 Fan]

side note: I've been to my father's fiancee's house a few times and she would offer me root beer (before my diet started) and she just told me that it's DIET root beer...I never even noticed since it tasted really good. It's Diet A&W.

I am not a proponent of any diet sodas as they can still be bad for you, but as a transition point away from regular sodas, it helps and I don't get to the point where I want to drink full cans of it, just a bit.

[LHutton]

While your calories are not SUPER important, don't neglect them entirely. Going low carb/sugar is generally enough to limit your overall calories just by default, but you may still be eating more than you should, without realizing it. Try using myfitnesspal, you might be surprised. But keep it up, even if the fat doesn't melt away right away, you'll feel better.

As for exercise, well, 1 hr walks with intermittent jogging worked for me, is all I can say. With occasional 15-20 minute interval training using dumbells.
A few less potatoes always works. As regards running, if just starting, run for 30s, walk for 4:30 and repeat 4 times. Rest a day then run for a minute, walk for 4 and repeat 4 times and add an extra 30s of running each time. Also good when recovering from wounds and operations.

[Godson]

Avoid the diet sodas, there have been studies showing a link between suppressing the "full" feeling you get. If you are trying to lose weight, you really should just make the jump and only drink water. Juices should be avoided do to the high sugar count.

[LHutton]

side note: I've been to my father's fiancee's house a few times and she would offer me root beer (before my diet started) and she just told me that it's DIET root beer...I never even noticed since it tasted really good. It's Diet A&W.

I am not a proponent of any diet sodas as they can still be bad for you, but as a transition point away from regular sodas, it helps and I don't get to the point where I want to drink full cans of it, just a bit.
I actually noticed a decent difference switching to Pepsi Max with no side affects, except that I come across as a jerk at times.

[MR2 Fan]

I just wanted to update and say I watched "That Sugar Film" as it's on Amazon Prime.

While much of it wasn't surprising to me, I was really put off by those stupid rednecks who give their babies Mountain Dew at age 2-3....I mean seriously WTF??

[tigeraid]

Yup. :smh:

[Yw-slayer]

Yeah. We felt really sorry for those kids. Almost as sorry as for the parents of that Chinese kid who insisted on drinking petrol so he could be like Optimus Prime and who has suffered brain damage as a result.

[LHutton]

I just wanted to update and say I watched "That Sugar Film" as it's on Amazon Prime.

While much of it wasn't surprising to me, I was really put off by those stupid rednecks who give their babies Mountain Dew at age 2-3....I mean seriously WTF??
Speaking of sugar, just watched something on Costco and Starbucks lattes. Holy shit! 2-3 Coke-cans-worth of sugar in each.

[21Kid]

I use to drink soda exclusively during high school, and for quite a few years after. With nachos for lunch and candy for dinner. I wish my parents would have explained how it was bad for me, any why it would effect my health. :smh: Trying to eat better now, and explaining to my kids why they want to try and eat healthy.
I still let them have candy once in a while. And soda, maybe once a week. But, they already know why it's important to eat healthy, and usually try to eat better on their own.

[MR2 Fan]

so I'm back on another major workout/eating healthy plan.

I've never been great at doing both at the same time, it's always been one or the other.

So this time, with some new home recipes, going home at lunchtime since I now live 10 mins away from my job and utilizing some good workout equipment I hope to make some serious changes.

The other reason why I'm bumping this thread is about the idea of "healthy" weight loss, and it's led me to a conundrum I bet a LOT of people face.

Experts say the safe way to lose weight is 1 to 2 pounds per week. The problem I have with that is, when we weigh ourselves, we're in various states of weight, whether we've eaten and drank and not dispensed of it for a while, etc. The scale can fluctuate by a few pounds anyway.

I think the ideal thing for people who are dieting is not even weigh themselves for every TWO weeks, to really see what is happening.

[Random]

Or plot the daily measurements and look at the trend line.

[Yw-slayer]

Weigh yourself at the same time everyday and after having done the same thing. In the morning after probiotics and fish oil and a dump is usually a good time.

[tigeraid]

Correct. I suggest morning. Naked, before your shower, but after you piss. Water weight and bladder account for a significant amount of that "fluxuation." During my weight loss, I would SOMETIMES see it go up by 1 pound or so, but rarely more than that. The trend over the course of a week was 1.5-2.0 lbs lost.

And if you haven't already, for god's sake use MyFitnessPal or a similar tracker, and be honest with it. It works. It WORKS.

[SportWagon]

I can (or, at least, sometimes used to) temporarily lose about seven pounds during a bicycle ride. Which might not be ideal, but it was what I observed.

[Yw-slayer]

Tonight I realised that the renovated gym in our clubhouse now has a BARBELL, and the smith machine has teeth on the outside, so it can be used as a SQUAT RACK or to BENCH!! No need to join a shitty commercial gym and put up with weirdos and poseurs!!

[tigeraid]

Is there any reasonably easy way to tell if you're gaining muscle instead of fat? After four straight weeks of a new weight-training routine, I've put on about five pounds. Visually I look about the same, clothes all still fit the same. But my routine, at least I THOUGHT, was mostly cardio and trying to tone up, rather than putting on muscle. I've stuck with the same 20 lb dumbells and one 35 lb kettlebell, I haven't ramped up the weight, which I thought is what you needed to do to gain appreciable weight.

At the SAME time, due to winter, I've gone from running 5-7km two or three times a week to just a couple 30 minute runs on the treadmill. Maybe I'm just not burning the calories I do in the Summer.

I'm not PERFECT diet-wise, but I'm sticking reasonably well to it, so I don't think I'm overeating....

[Cam]

I've heard that muscle is about twice as dense as fat. (I'm sure the doctor/nurse members here can correct me.) If you are putting on muscle, it would not be as noticeable as fat.

Lori was hitting the gym for a while before going to Antarctica. She didn't lose weight, but she certainly changed shape, for the better, of course. :D

[21Kid]

Certain scales (https://smile.amazon.com/Balance-Accuracy-Digital-Accurate-Measurements/dp/B019928F74?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=bone%20density%20scale&qid=1486066732&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1) can tell your fat/bone/muscle density.

[tigeraid]

Hmm.

[Godson]

General rule of thumb is the same amount of area of 1lb of fat is equal to 5 lbs muscle.


I don't know how accurate that is, but it is definitely more dense.

[balki]

5/6 is more like it: muscle is 15-20% denser than fat (they're both mostly water)

[Cam]

As y’all know, I am tall and slim. In the last month or so I have been doing little home workouts. I normally wear medium-sized shirts. I have a couple of button-up shirts I wear often and they fit pretty good... until now. They are now too small around the chest. I am bummed I cannot wear them anymore, but hey, muscles! :lol:

[tigeraid]

Nice. Went up to the 1g-of-protein-per-lb rule over the last three months or so myself, along with a more pragmatic workout routine a personal trainer friend suggested. I sorta have visible abs now! Noticeable improvement in upper body/shoulders/chest too. New to the whole muscle training thing, but hopefully progress continues... Turns out when you go the low-carb route to lose massive amounts of weight, it tends to remove muscle too. I have work to do.

[novicius]

:up: :up:

[G'day Mate]

I'm still built like a Tyrannosaurus rex - huge legs but no upper body

[GreatScawt]

Nice. Went up to the 1g-of-protein-per-lb rule over the last three months or so myself, along with a more pragmatic workout routine a personal trainer friend suggested. I sorta have visible abs now! Noticeable improvement in upper body/shoulders/chest too. New to the whole muscle training thing, but hopefully progress continues... Turns out when you go the low-carb route to lose massive amounts of weight, it tends to remove muscle too. I have work to do.


Awesome!

I've always found it extremely tough for the 1g protein / 1 lb weight rule. Congrats on sticking with that :up:

And yeah, if you are going to be working out regularly, carbs are important to make sure you can get a good workout in.

Just a tip if you're new to muscle training... make sure you really try to feel the connection to what you're trying to work out. If you're benching and you don't really feel it in your chest, re-evaluate your technique or weight on the bar. You might be compensating for too much weight by recruiting muscles you don't want to work out.

[Godson]

Per the 1g/lb of protein. I'm currently running close to 1.5g/lb.

It isn't terrible. Meal prep is king

[CudaMan]

"I've been doing little workouts for a month and now I'm too sexy for my shirt."
:D

You people that can make such progress make me sick! Good for you though. Some guys would wear those same shirts anyway these days. Gainz bro.

[tigeraid]

Awesome!

I've always found it extremely tough for the 1g protein / 1 lb weight rule. Congrats on sticking with that :up:

And yeah, if you are going to be working out regularly, carbs are important to make sure you can get a good workout in.

Just a tip if you're new to muscle training... make sure you really try to feel the connection to what you're trying to work out. If you're benching and you don't really feel it in your chest, re-evaluate your technique or weight on the bar. You might be compensating for too much weight by recruiting muscles you don't want to work out.


I find the 1g per lb rule deceptively easy. I already tracked obsessively with MyFitnessPal for the last two years anyway, so all I did was adjust the macros and kept on going. I find that if you plan out that 200 grams (in my case) over the course of the day, the remaining calories for your day tend to work out to "just the right amount" of carbs and fats that you can't really cheat or go overboard eating bad stuff, without ruining the whole thing. So in a way it keeps you honest.

Maybe, just maaaaybe a hint of abs? It's a start. I read somewhere that guys who lose a bunch of weight tend to show their upper abs first while the bottom still sags, because of the loose skin. Might be a while before any of that lower stuff comes in. But it's a very visible difference in only 4 months of lifting.


http://i.imgur.com/1OyHz6a.jpg

[Cam]

Dude, you have made a very commendable transformation. :eek::up: Awesome job.

[novicius]

Great work Tiger -- keep at it! :up:

[tigeraid]

Thx.

[speedpimp]

:up:

[Yw-slayer]

Great progress mate.

[tigeraid]

I'm actually kinda wanting to expand my lifting (bro) ability, but I'm hampered by a fucking stupidly cold winter, and my tiny little home gym. Things like a Farmer's Carry just consist of me walking in a tiny circle in the room until my arms feel like they'll fall off. Once I have access to my backyard, I plan to build a little carrying rig so I can walk laps out there instead. And a variety of other strength routines I can't do indoors.

I really should just go to a gym, but until Tara gets her goddamned license and I can stop being a chauffeur for life, I'm tied up after work every night.

[Fogelhund]

I don't know what your life schedule is, but I converted to mostly going to the gym before work in the mornings. It gets the workout done and out of the way, plus the gym isn't nearly as busy.

I've gone through a transformation myself over the past two and a half years. I was mostly just running, and doing pretty well for my age. Managed to run a 5k in 18:03, and 39:12 10km... but, I didn't like the way I looked, too thin at 165lbs, and 5'10.5. So I went back to doing weights, and I'm at 205 now. There is a bit of extra weight, but there has been some great muscle growth. I'm back to running, as well as 5 days a week of weights, so I hope to slim down to a trim 190lbs or so.

[tigeraid]

I'll be honest, I DESPISE working out in the morning. Even running, I just feel like I don't wanna be there, I don't have the energy, it's more of a slog, etc etc...

And yeah, having a 45 minute commute in the morning, there's no way that'd work out anyway.

[Yw-slayer]

I'll be honest, I DESPISE working out in the morning. Even running, I just feel like I don't wanna be there, I don't have the energy, it's more of a slog, etc etc...

I'm not fond of it either - I'd try a few supplements, though, see if that helps? Tyrosine, CoQ10, Carnitine 15-30 minutes before you start work for me.

Winter and living far away from a gym suck. But man, great result without even going to a gym!!!


I've gone through a transformation myself over the past two and a half years. I was mostly just running, and doing pretty well for my age. Managed to run a 5k in 18:03, and 39:12 10km... but, I didn't like the way I looked, too thin at 165lbs, and 5'10.5. So I went back to doing weights, and I'm at 205 now. There is a bit of extra weight, but there has been some great muscle growth. I'm back to running, as well as 5 days a week of weights, so I hope to slim down to a trim 190lbs or so.

That's great stuff! Awesome!!

[Fogelhund]

Nobody likes working out in the morning... but then... most people don't like working out, or running at first either... it's one of those things that you have to adjust to over time.

[tigeraid]

Well, what can I say, I value my time after work. If I worked out in the morning, that would mean waking up at roughly 5:15 AM. Which means I'd have to somehow get to sleep at like 10 pm.

[balki]

I'm still built like a Tyrannosaurus rex - huge legs but no upper body
Weren't you able to do 100 pushups straight?

[Leon]

There isn't a magic exercise regime that works for everyone.

I've likely said it before, but the BEST exercise regime, is one that you enjoy. That means you want to do it, rather than you feel obliged to do it.

If my body would cope with two hours a day of gym classes seven days a week, I'd do it.

[speedpimp]

Fogey, at 205 you're three lbs lighter than I am.

[George]

Are you guys a bunch of quitters? :D

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/112374226937-0-1/s-l1000.jpg

[Godson]

I'll echo the statement about a workout that works best for you is one you want to do.

Working out in the AM for me would not be possible. I'm up at 5-515 every morning to get breakfast and be to work on time. I'd need to be attending he gym at like 330 at the latest. Fuck that noise.

[tigeraid]

As Jeff Cavaliere says, 100 pushups don't mean shit. All that matters with a push-up is form. You get more burn out of 10 properly executed pushups, with a hold at the top and a hold at the bottom, than 100 of those stupid military ones.

(/rant)

[tigeraid]

I've gone through a transformation myself over the past two and a half years. I was mostly just running, and doing pretty well for my age. Managed to run a 5k in 18:03, and 39:12 10km... but, I didn't like the way I looked, too thin at 165lbs, and 5'10.5. So I went back to doing weights, and I'm at 205 now. There is a bit of extra weight, but there has been some great muscle growth. I'm back to running, as well as 5 days a week of weights, so I hope to slim down to a trim 190lbs or so.


Speaking of... Do you find the lifting has negatively impacted your running/cardio, or vice versa? There seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions in the industry on whether excessive cardio (that is, a 1hr run as opposed to 20 minutes of HIIT) hurts your muscle gains, and if the extra weight of muscle gain hurts your running endurance. I notice when I spent the majority of last winter lifting weights, I could no longer do long running sessions without having to throw 60 seconds of walking in between spurts of running. Then again, I hadn't done my research at the time so I wasn't eating even remotely enough protein to work WITH the weight training, so it wasn't exactly correct anyway. I'm cautiously optimistic that this Spring when I get back to regular running that my stamina will still be there.

[Fogelhund]

Speaking of... Do you find the lifting has negatively impacted your running/cardio, or vice versa? There seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions in the industry on whether excessive cardio (that is, a 1hr run as opposed to 20 minutes of HIIT) hurts your muscle gains, and if the extra weight of muscle gain hurts your running endurance. I notice when I spent the majority of last winter lifting weights, I could no longer do long running sessions without having to throw 60 seconds of walking in between spurts of running. Then again, I hadn't done my research at the time so I wasn't eating even remotely enough protein to work WITH the weight training, so it wasn't exactly correct anyway. I'm cautiously optimistic that this Spring when I get back to regular running that my stamina will still be there.

No, the lifting hasn't negatively impacted my running, or ability to do cardio at all. That being said, I'm quite a bit heavier having built up muscle... the extra weight certainly does make me slower, and takes more endurance. I'm just getting back to running, and my cardio takes a while to build, but I'm easily doing 4-5km, on trails, in the snow.... so, I'm not too bad. We shall see once it warms up, and I regain my cardio, how much slower I am. Running doesn't affect any upper body workouts at this point, though it's hard to do squats the day after a hard run, in the snow. Once the snow clears up, and I'm running fit, it shouldn't be a problem.. With the weights, it doesn't matter how hard I do legs, I'm no longer sore the next day at all.

[tigeraid]

:up:

[Cam]

I put on one of my old t-shirts this morning and I thought, "I don't remember this t-shirt being this snug." :lol: :hard:

[tigeraid]

Just as long as it's not snug around the belly. :p

[Cam]

I should have specified around the chest. :D

The weird thing is, I am not doing anything crazy, just push-up, sit-ups and a few things with hand weights.

[balki]

hand weights = shake weight? :D

[Cam]

I don't get it.

[Fogelhund]

I put on one of my old t-shirts this morning and I thought, "I don't remember this t-shirt being this snug." :lol: :hard:

Good Progress is good. Congrats.

I'm having issues fitting in some XL shirts, depends on the brands... long sleeved casual/dress collared shirts.... Short sleeved is less an issue. I'm not very big really, I have no idea how big guys fit in clothes.

[Cam]

Being slim and lanky has always been a problem buying clothes. Everything is always baggy and/or too short, unless I am lucky enough to find a "slim fit" or "athletic cut" piece of clothing. Not only that, shirt sleeves are almost never long enough, at least in casual clothing stores. Very rarely does a store have tall sizes, unless it's a big and tall shop. However, big and tall shops are just that; big AND tall shops, not big OR tall shops. This problem perplexes me because I see plenty of people built like me. Surely there is a demand for tall, thin, dudes clothes. :? If I can't find a size that fits me, the usual response from sales reps is, "You can buy your size online." or something like that. I would rather try clothing on first before buying.

Lori has had a similar problem pretty much her whole life. Being a woman over six feet tall makes it very difficult to shop for clothes. Nowadays, she has to buy almost everything online because there are no shops that stock sizes that fit her. Once we were in a mall and we walked into a women's clothing store. As soon as we came in, one of the sales ladies said, "Thank you for coming in, but I can tell you right now that we are not going to have anything that fits you." :lol: Lori's sister is 6' 4". :eek:

[TheBenior]

I really doubt that there are all that many people of your height and weight. A 6'4" man is in the 98.9th percentile for height in the US. A 6'5" man is in the 99.58th percentile for height.

Mind you, that's before we get into being tall and thin.

Even I have problems finding clothes that are cut for how lean I am. Unless slim/athletic fit, most collared shirts bag quite a bit in the waist.

[speedpimp]

Even at 5'6 you have a hard time?

[TheBenior]

Most guys my height weigh more than 145 lbs.

T-shirts generally aren't an issue, as extra waist room helps conceal pistols.

[speedpimp]

No ankle holster with your skinny jeans?

[Leon]

Did my annual "how many hours of gym classes can I do in a day" mission.

I normally do that on my birthday (as I try to take my birthday as a day off), but I couldn't this year as I was backing up a role at work that day.

Managed to do 5 hours of gym classes yesterday.

6am weights. 9am step. Then three hours of back to back with step, weights, then dance.

Must be said I didn't have a lot left in the tank after that lot. But hey, I'm 45, so that level of exercise without dying is pretty reasonable.

Oh ... and I'm off to the gym again in 45 minutes. But I'm only doing the one class today ;)

[balki]

Is that how they celebrate birthdays in the Southern Hemisphere?

Upside down world indeed

[G'day Mate]

Running is stupid.

[balki]

x2

I think it's reserved for those god-damn drug addicts trying to get runner's high

[George]

Tough crowd here today. :lol:

[Yw-slayer]

Running is stupid.

x3

[Godson]

I can't run :(

[Yw-slayer]

Better to swim.

[Ashie]

I love running. My next half is on the 6th and then onto summer 5k's.3022

[balki]

'half' ... mile?
5,000 ... steps?
I'm willing to do train for that if means I'll be tripping balls enough to see a cat riding a unicorn :up:

Jokes aside, how close should running outside and on a treadmill be? Feels like with a little training I could go 5km < 30min on a treadmill but maybe not even break a mile non-stop outside, on a level surface. WTF!?!

[George]

'half' ... mile?

Half century. Fifty miles. A nice warmup before the real ride begins.

Cheers,

G’day Mate

[G'day Mate]

Half marathon I'd say. I have one next month, then I need to do a full marathon, then I'm done with running because it's so stupid.

[Ashie]

The "dreadmill" as I call it, is great for speed workouts, if you can't find a track. I have a hard time using it to simulate running outside, so I don't trust my splits between miles. Sure you can add resistance and elevate the ramp, but it's not the same as running outside. I'm not trying to PR this half considering the last 8 months of my personal life was shit, but I do want to finish under two hours. My best is 1:46:37. As for a full, I want to run Boston some day and then I'll never run a full again. It takes a lot of training and food dedication. I mean, I love bacon, burgers, chips, etc. That all goes away when I'm seriously training. Good luck with your half next month though.

[G'day Mate]

It's my first, and I'm hoping for sub two hours as well.

[Ashie]

Your first, excellent. Is the course flat or hilly?

[Yw-slayer]

I love running.

No-one is perfect.

[G'day Mate]

Your first, excellent. Is the course flat or hilly?

Mostly flat, but with a few lumps and rises.

[Yw-slayer]

Do it a bit at a time. I hear that it's easier that way.

[dodint]

It's my first, and I'm hoping for sub two hours as well.

My first was a 1:53 and I'm a bit of a plodding runner, you should be able to achieve that. When I ran the marathon the first half of that was also under 2:00. It isn't bad, just mentally lie back and think of England and you'll be okay.

[SportWagon]

Half marathon I'd say. I have one next month, then I need to do a full marathon, then I'm done with running because it's so stupid.
Yes I sort of ran myself out after doing one marathon. The next winter came, and I couldn't keep up the training. The next spring and Duathlon season came and I sort of quit doing them. I guess I'd just gone from age 35-39 to 40-45, too. A problem is that as the age categories get higher, the proportion of serious athletes tends to increase. (though, of course, unlike me, G'day is a serious athlete).

I guess after my marathon I did do a "Horror Hill 30K". Near Erbsville, of all places. Someone (knowledgeable spectator of some sort) actually commented on my plodding slow-and-steady pace.

But I remember sort of too, my first half-marathon done, after an 80+km bicycle ride. I hadn't really prepared for the running distance (probably up to about 10K runs), hoping long bicycle rides would see me through. But there's more than just aerobics involved, and about half-way through the half-marathon I sort of forgot how to run, and finished the event in a brisk walk. Feeling sort of odd at the finish. In a sort of robotic mode so that I couldn't even break into a jog to cross the finish line, but did my 4 to 5 mph stride all the way through the finishing "arena".

Actually, because of a tendency towards knee and foot problems, I needed to reduce my number of runs from recommendations; hardly ever running two days in a row. To train for my marathon, I basically used Galloway's 1984 book, with that modification. Having a group to run with at lunch helped a lot, too. And then alternating weekends were my builder-upper runs. (That is, the intervening weekends were the "easy" ones; "just a half-marathon").

~50 minute 10Ks, and sub-two hour half-marathon (apart from that first) were sort of my pace. My marathon was just over 4 hours because of an emergency serious bathroom break (ick).

[Ashie]

Mostly flat, but with a few lumps and rises.

Yeah, you got this. Just make a great playlist and go with the flow. My problem is taking races too seriously. I have a better time and pace when I go in less competitive.
However, hard for me to do since my track/cross country days.

[G'day Mate]

Ran 10kms at a steady 5:20/km pace today ... that's on track for 1:45 if I can keep it up.

[G'day Mate]

though, of course, unlike me, G'day is a serious athlete

Not really. I've only ever entered one actual competitive bike race, and making vast quantities of my own beer doesn't aid performance ...

[SportWagon]

It's not actually the making of the beer which affects performance, I would guess.

[Ashie]

Ran 10kms at a steady 5:20/km pace today ... that's on track for 1:45 if I can keep it up.

:up:

[tigeraid]

I'm stuck in this weird purgatory right now, as I somehow tore the shit out of my upper back during a workout a couple months ago. Bad pain, loss of strength, etc... Left it alone for a while, then went to physio, who thought it was a bulging disc... After trying to rehab that and not getting much anywhere, I switched to a Functional Movement specialist (where my workout routine originated) for physio, who felt it was a tearing of the stuff between my ribs and spine, rather than anything to do with the spine itself.

So she gave me a bunch of different stretches and exercises to do instead, and is slowly trying to encourage me back into my prior lifting routine... But I'm still experiencing a bit of pain, so I'm constantly doubting myself while I do even basic stuff like squats or pushups, worried I'm gonna tear it again.

At the same time, weather sucks shit and we're in the process of trying to tie everything up in London before we move up to Huntsville, so I haven't had any inclination to go running, either.

It's bugging the shit out of me, because the lifting routine, and the noticeable gains I was making, was really addictive, and I can't really get back to it. :(

[Leon]

As much as it sucks, don't ignore the advice of specialists, and try to rush your recovery :(

[tigeraid]

On the bright side, I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time in 2 months, since the injury. Shocked to find I haven't gained a pound. Elated, even.

[Yw-slayer]

Take care mate.

[Ashie]

Take it easy on yourself and I hope your tear heals soon.

[Ashie]

Not my best half since I lacked any real training, but I had fun with my college running friend. Hopefully my July race I'm back on track and more motivated. 3030

[tigeraid]

Cool! I kinda hope to work up to a marathon of some kind some day, even though I focus more on weight training lately.

[G'day Mate]

Just did 18.8kms at 5:00 pace. Ran the first 15 quite sensibly around 5:00-5:10 then sped up for the last three why not.

Anyway, that puts me in with a shout of doing a 1:45:00 half marathon ... which I'm pretty sure is quite fast. I started wanting to beat the two-hour mark, now 1:50:00 looks likely and, as I said, 1:45:00 if everything goes right.

[dodint]

My best is 1:53. Ash is in the low 1:40s for PR I think.

[G'day Mate]

Nine days out from my half marathon and I've somewhat inconveniently contracted a case of hand, foot and mouth disease from Jonah's childcare centre. Currently barely ambulant ... this may slow me down a little.

[Ashie]

Oh no!!! I hate getting sick before a race. Feel better soon.

[G'day Mate]

This is going to pan out more like an injury than sickness I reckon, but I know what you mean. When I was training for Three Peaks and Revolve24 I was afraid to the point of being paranoid about falling ill.

[Ashie]

I agree it's the worst training all that time then getting ill/injured. I need to get my butt back in gear and run again.

[G'day Mate]

Well, looks like I'll be lining up for another half marathon on Sunday week. It's a completely flat course and I seem to be able to hold 5:00/km fairly well so I'm eyeing off a time of 1 hr 45, which I'll be pretty happy with.

[dodint]

Nice, my best was 1:53. Ash was in the mid 1:40s.

[G'day Mate]

Ever run a full marathon?

[dodint]

Yeah, in Afghanistan. 4:33. Not my best shot at it given I was working 12hr a day 7 days a week, but was allowed off crew four hours early to attend the race. :lol: I was at 2:00 even at the half mark.

Ash has too but she got injured and ran a poor time.

We have a 6.6k coming up in October. Hoping to run it in under 40 minutes, age is a bitch. I ran 4 miles in under 40 minutes for the first time since 2013 tonight, very happy with that.

[G'day Mate]

I did my best estimated (by Strava) 5kms yesterday in a 7.4km run, which was 21:41.

Looking good for Sunday!

[G'day Mate]

1:41:41 unofficially. Ok for a first go I think

[Ashie]

1:41:41 unofficially. Ok for a first go I think

Congrats! That's a great time.

[JSGeneral]

About 19 months ago I got a bad case of plantar fasciitis. I've had it before so I stopped running and rested/waited. Got new orthotics and then started trying to run again (this was now about 15 months ago.) Suddenly, pain in my knee occurred that I've never experience before. I did the usual stop and wait it out strategy... but it didn't go away. It felt like it got worse. I wasn't running at ALL and it would hurt sitting too long, going up and down stairs and sometimes really hurt if I pushed off on it to quickly rush across the street or something like that. I wasn't running and it wasn't getting better. I was vexed and about 50 pounds heavier.

This went on for a whole year and then I went to see the doc. Told me it was "Runner's Knee". Showed me some stretches to do. Thankful that it wasn't a blown tendon or something... I immediately started getting into a running program again. Started with 3 mile runs 5 days a week. A month ago, I've upped those runs to now 5 miles a pop. Some nights I'll jump on the elliptical machine for another workout for 60 to 100 minutes. It is VERY rough work getting back in shape (and losing weight) but I'm well on my way. My plan is by end of summer to be at where I was before these injuries took place: 5 miles a day M-F and then one or two runs of 16+ miles on the weekend.

Also, I've started my runs ALOT slower and gradually build up the speed so that I'm at pace after the second mile. This seems to have REALLY helped. My knee hasn't felt this good in what seems like an eternity!


It was over 4 years ago when I wrote this. Reading this today makes me feel like Judd Nelson, punching the sky in victory at the end of The Breakfast Club. This was the start (restart) for me, when I finally got back into running.

I was forced to take a hard look at myself and face some truths:

I'm getting older?
Yes.
So, I can NOT expect to run as fast as I once did?
Yes, that makes sense.
Then why do it? What goals do you have for yourself? You can't hit those times that you fondly remember! When you try for it, you have been injuring yourself. Injuries that are taking MONTHS to recover from! Why do it?!
I... just want to run.
... What?
That's it! I just want to run. I want to run every day. I don't care about the times! I just want to be a runner.
Ok! Let's just take it slow every day and do just that...

So that's what I've done. For over four years I've run everyday. Only exceptions are when I go on vacations. Slow every day. If something is sore, I go slower to heal. As you can imagine, running consistently for such a long time has had results. My weight has dropped. During my first post all those years ago, I was over 200 lbs. Today I am around 175. (Google ate my first post attempt in which I had gone into much more detail about what has transpired over the past year... and I'll be damned to type that all over again... so yada yada yada) I'm back into marathon form once again, and running my 3rd marathon in less than a year! Making fun trips of them too. This weekend, my wife and I fly out to Scotland where I'm running the marathon along Loch Ness! After that, we'll spend the week relaxing and enjoying one of our favorite countries.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj_vjHyYec0

Whatever goals you have, make sure you have fun along the way.

3132

[dodint]

Wow.

I haven't reconciled the idea that I'll never get back to the pace I used to run so easily ten years ago. I think I'll give up at 40 but until then it's still my goal.

[speedpimp]

Uhm, isn't JS General deceased? I'm a little confused.

[G'day Mate]

That's it! I just want to run. I want to run every day. I don't care about the times! I just want to be a runner.
Ok! Let's just take it slow every day and do just that...

I still don't really like running. Had a very painful trot today which was a bit of a loosener following the half marathon. I probably won't do it much more after I tick a proper marathon off the bucket list.

[Yw-slayer]

No, BrianJ is deceased. JSG is still ll here.

[Godson]

:(

[Godson]

In other news, I haven't been able to hit the gym since middle of April. Failed implant in my right arm forced more surgery, and not being able to do much with my legs, gym time was full of frustrating times and disappoinment.

I wasn't able to push as hard as I had, or make any gains. I was stuck.

So I wait until I get the clear to get back to the weights. The left of the gravity pulling against my body is severely missed.

Hope to change that come February.

[tigeraid]

My injury certainly wasn't as bad as yours, but I feel some of your pain, at least. What sort of implant, if I can ask?

Only recently, with the help of a trainer, am I finally getting my back into shape. Consistent lat pulldowns on the machine really help, something I couldn't do in my home gym.

Of course, now I'm realizing just how much of a disaster my knees are, so there's a lot of light step-ups and split squats to try and get my hips and knees back into functional line. :smh:

[speedpimp]

No, BrianJ is deceased. JSG is still ll here.

I know Brian J is deceased, been six years now. Who was the member in California who passed away, he was way into riding bikes?

[dodint]

overpowered

[JoshInKC]

My injury certainly wasn't as bad as yours, but I feel some of your pain, at least. What sort of implant, if I can ask? He got some tits put on his arm for sh*ts & giggles. :lol:

Of course, now I'm realizing just how much of a disaster my knees are, so there's a lot of light step-ups and split squats to try and get my hips and knees back into functional line. :smh:
My knees are a complete trainwreck. Fully bone-on-bone in the right, while the left still has a little cartilage, which floats around and occasionally gets wedged weirdly and locks the joint up. FUN TIMES FOR OLD MAN!

[Godson]

A long plate and 8 or so screws. Non-union had me putting all of the load I was lifting into the plate and screws. Screws had wallowed their respective holes loose to the point the threads weren't engaging anymore.

[speedpimp]

Tired of looking like a melting Shar-Pei. Doing something about it.

[tigeraid]

A long plate and 8 or so screws. Non-union had me putting all of the load I was lifting into the plate and screws. Screws had wallowed their respective holes loose to the point the threads weren't engaging anymore.

That sounds..... EEEEEEEECH.


My knees are getting better, but I still wonder if I should be being some kind of fancy knee braces when I do these movements. I suppose there's one belief that if you use a brace, the knee won't actually strengthen and fix itself.

[G'day Mate]

Ran hard again on Wednesday for the Corporate Cup (a thing our workplace is signed up to where you go for a run every other week and try and improve your time). After not running for three weeks I did 7.5 km at 4:10/km

No idea how I can improve on that in a fortnight's time. Drugs maybe?

[SportWagon]

Train hard the first week. Rest the second? Or would that be cheating?

Ah. But upon reflection I realize 4:10/km is already close to 15km/hr; pretty fast for a casual runner. 7.5km is an odd distance. So you're closing in on half an hour? (31:15?) Where did you "place" in the group?

Could you aim for a small gain, like 2 seconds a kilometer to do an even 31:00? You don't have knee, foot or other issues, do you? As you know, intervals are supposed to be how you gain speed.

And then derive a means of pacing. That's probably most important.

[Godson]

Started back at the gym Saturday.

I've been 2 days, back and biceps was the last day, dropped weight by 30%> Now I can't lift my elbows above my shoulders.

Ugh.

[tigeraid]

After rehabbing my shoulder for near 6 months, I went back to the gym a couple months ago, this time with a personal trainer.

She's helped me along, baby steps and strengthening exercises, focusing on balance and mobility first. So I get under the bar again for the first time about a week ago. Starting with 105 lbs. I've done two sessions, four sets of 10... And now that same twinge in my shoulder is back. :smh:

It's not ungodly severe pain, the "oh shit I really tore something" feeling, just a general ache in the same spot, so now I'm terrified of doing it all over again. Worse is that the pain never occurs when lifting, only a day or two after. Even though the PT said my form was good. I dunno wtf is going on. Maybe 20 years of being fat and sedentary somehow messed up my scapulae.

I'm gonna try one more session tonight, with only three sets, and see if the pain comes back.


EDIT: on the plus side, the stability exercises have helped a lot, and I now have fairly visible abs AND visible quads for the first time.

[Godson]

Did you do anything to strengthen the shoulder back up?

External shoulder rotation, etc.

105 is quite a bit

[mk]

Few months ago I did few thousand general back rotations while storing few metal plates.
After that I found few new muscles and a si-joint.

[tigeraid]

Did you do anything to strengthen the shoulder back up?

External shoulder rotation, etc.

105 is quite a bit


Lots of rotator cuff strengthening, lat pulldowns (going slowly on the up), incline Y-Raise with light weights, and a bunch of band exercises they suggested. I know I've improved, that's for sure, because my Y-Raise was a disaster with 5 lb dumbells to start, and now I can do 8 lbs for 10 reps fairly smoothly. And my form with those exercises improved. She felt I had shown enough improvement through all of those movements to go back on the bench press.

I tried again last night with 5 lbs less, and only three sets. No pain so far today, so maybe I was just overdoing it.

Just hard to be a 200 lb guy benching 100 lbs while the skinny little high school kid next to be is doing like 150. My ego is struggling more than my shoulder. :mad:

[Yw-slayer]

My bench has always been my weakest of the big lifts.

[Godson]

I know the feelings about feeling feable.

I'm currently down to squatting 20lbs. That's it.

Bench press has dropped to 65 pounds.

Most of this is due to my restriction from may until this past week. Just stay the course and remember if people are judging you, it's because they are shallow and don't know what it's like to have to battle.

[tigeraid]

I don't think anyone's judging me. But I'm judging myself. :|

I just really want to build my upper body in particular, because my pecs still look flabby from the weight loss, so this particular lack of improvement is frustrating. My legs and core have improved quite a bit, measurably.

[Godson]

Ahhh.

Well, I keep an Excel document to keep notes on etc about what I'm doing to aid in seeing differences. It helped quite a bit when I felt like I wasn't making any headway.

I looked at the numbers I had started with 2 years ago and even now I am still ahead from where it all began.

[SportWagon]

Ran hard again on Wednesday for the Corporate Cup (a thing our workplace is signed up to where you go for a run every other week and try and improve your time). After not running for three weeks I did 7.5 km at 4:10/km

No idea how I can improve on that in a fortnight's time. Drugs maybe?The fortnight must have come and gone now.

How did you do?

[G'day Mate]

The baby decided to come, so no run, phew!!

[SportWagon]

Congratulations.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't suppose a large number of the other office run participants are training for a marathon.

[Cam]

Lori and I just put this thing together.

3154

[tigeraid]

Nice! So jealous. I'm hoping to find a way to build a rack and an Olympic bench that I can easily fold up/move out of the way in my garage. I just don't have the room for a real one in the house, and I'd like to eventually stop paying for the gym.

[George]

The baby decided to come, so no run, phew!!

Congrats! :toast::toast:

As for me, I bowled four games on Saturday, and then shot some pool.

A bowling alley counts as a gym, right?

[speedpimp]

Were you doing 12 oz curls? If so, then yes.

[George]

Nah. I was there with my son for something to do on a cold Saturday. I don't bowl very often - maybe once every couple/few years. I thought I'd be sore from so many frames but turned out I wasn't.

Bowling balls are heavier than I remembered.

[tigeraid]

Aaaaand I hurt my shoulder again. This is so fucking infuriating. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Same situation as before, bench press, ramping up the weight safely, no breakdown of form, no failure, not struggling, feels great. Feels great after the workout, feels great yesterday. Today, bad rhomboid pain.

Not nearly as bad as last time mind you, so I'm quitting cold turkey for a week to see if it goes away. Or else all that fucking training and physio was for nothing.

[tigeraid]

On a more positive note.

Five years ago, I participated in Wayne's Christmas snowshoe hike. I was 300 lbs, and barely made it, with chest pains, constant shortness of breath, and a twisted ankle. This year I started Christmas Eve with an hour of weight training, then did the 3hr, 8km uphill hike again, at -10 Celsius, through a foot of unbroken powder. I didn't even break a sweat, carrying a 30lb pack. Fuck being fat and lazy.


http://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49172688_2160334864017232_5800658254451179520_o.jp g?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&oh=6cfb1206f6c03fb13f2a380c86dc8453&oe=5C97D174

[Cam]

:hard:

[G'day Mate]

:up:

[Leon]

Way to go man!! :) Great effort

[tigeraid]

I should not have worn jeans though. Soaked to the bone about an hour in.

[George]

Looks like Jeremiah Johnson shaved his beard. :up:

[George]

I should not have worn jeans though. Soaked to the bone about an hour in.

That reminds me of some anti-Trump bumper stickers I've seen here in Colorado:

TRUMP SKIS IN JEANS

:lol:

[tigeraid]

:lol:




:(

[balki]

What fitness tracker/watch are you guys using/would you recommend?
Apple's Fitness app is pretty cool and am looking for a step up (Heart Rate monitor, sleep thing?). Looking for something fairly simple to set up, track and log.

[Godson]

I honestly have zero recommendation.

[Yw-slayer]

I guess the Garmin one is fine. I have a Vivofit 2, but it's just easier to wear my Fenix3 most of the time. Either the FruitCo option or a Garmin with wrist HRM sensor should be fine.

[Ashie]

Nathan and I both have Garmins and love them.

[G'day Mate]

Just ran a half marathon before work ... will be an interesting day today

[tigeraid]

I will be attempting my first-ever race this Summar, the Limberlost Challenge 7km.

https://thelimberlostchallenge.com/course-description/

I have a feeling I'm going to die. I like trailrunning but I've never done it competitively.

Any suggestions on working my way up cardio-wise? Just spent a whole winter weight training with only occasional snow-shoeing and dog walks. I was thinking of doing something like a Couch-2-5k to work my way up. I don't want to stop the gym work either, though.

[IMOA]

Finish any weight session with 20-30 minutes of cardio. When doing the cardio do intervals between a couple of paces, one where you can just recover and one that you can't sustain, that will push up your 'baseline' pace. Then make sure once or twice a week you do ~45 minutes of cardio to build up your endurance.

[Ashie]

Runners world has a program called smart coach. It mixes cardio workouts with sprints, endurance, and off days. It's free if you are looking for a schedule.

[MR2 Fan]

Sooo...venturing into this thread.

I have 3 months before I can see my fiancee again (She's in the Philippines) and she's pushing me to lose weight and get stronger. I've accepted the challenge.

I want to do mostly weightlifting and cardio. I've also changed my diet, eating lots of chicken, peanut butter, vegetables, vitamins, etc.

Anyway, I've also been watching training videos on youtube and found a killer move that's super basic and only requires one thing: Kettlebell Swings.

I have a 15 pound kettlebell and tried about 10 of these and I felt absolutely destroyed after....meaning two things: I'm really out of shape and this move is insane!

For the few weeks prior I'd been lifting weights and doing light cardio, but this really kicked my @$$

I plan to do this 3 days a week and slowly build up more reps and more weight. Apparently most people get up to 35 pound kettlebells or more and do about 70 reps...saying it's one of the best cardio PLUS muscle building you can do.

[tigeraid]

Kettlebell Swings are one of the true fundamentals, if you don't have full gym access. In my previous program, I used it as a warmup, 40 lbs with three sets of 20.

Just make sure you're really, really focusing on your form. It's a hinge action, no different from a deadlift. If you don't get the hinge action, you don't get glute and hamstring activation, which means all you're doing is a sloppy cardio workout.

But worth it, once you get the hang of it.

[Leon]

If you're looking to drop weight, count calories. Because weight loss for almost everyone happens in the kitchen, not in the gym. Peanut butter is really high in calories :). It has some good fuel in it, but it's going to be an alarming amount of calories if you're counting.

[MR2 Fan]

Kettlebell Swings are one of the true fundamentals, if you don't have full gym access. In my previous program, I used it as a warmup, 40 lbs with three sets of 20.

Just make sure you're really, really focusing on your form. It's a hinge action, no different from a deadlift. If you don't get the hinge action, you don't get glute and hamstring activation, which means all you're doing is a sloppy cardio workout.

But worth it, once you get the hang of it.

Yes, I'm making sure I have the form done correctly...it can be tricky at first

[tigeraid]

If you're looking to drop weight, count calories. Because weight loss for almost everyone happens in the kitchen, not in the gym. Peanut butter is really high in calories :). It has some good fuel in it, but it's going to be an alarming amount of calories if you're counting.

This. Times ten. No amount of kettlebell swings will outrun overeating.

One tablespoon of peanut butter is 90-100 calories. And most people put more than that in a PB sandwich. ;)

[IMOA]

In regards to eating I generally recommend the book 'A Fat lot of Good' by Dr Peter Brukner. If you're serious about dropping weight, ensuring you don't get type 2 diabetes and resolving issues like fatty liver then this book goes into the science behind nutrition to give you some proper advice. You really should read it and certainly from the people who I know that have and generally followed it both their weight and overall health (bloodwork, fatty liver and diabetes indicators etc) have improved out of sight.

For exercise if you're trying to lose weight and get some fitness back hiit tends to work best, you should be incorporating at least some in your weekly exercise regime and its the sort of thing that can easily be done at home. personally I found https://www.fitnessblender.com/ worked really well for me.

I personally wouldn't put a lot of trust into a single exercise, you need need to get a balanced routine working all areas. My best improvements came when I started going to the gym regularly with a balanced routine with enough other things like hiit and cardio for fitness. You should try different things though because you need to find the things you enjoy as you have to enjoy it for it to be sustainable.

I injured my knee about 18 months ago and that combined with heavy travel led me to a very bad place healthwise. I'm currently about 70lbs down on where I was 6 months ago with miles better fitness and while I've obviously made some changes in my life I still travel and eat out regularly and I still love my cocktails and wine (though now I have to be a lot more careful with those because I can't drink half as much as I used to).

[MR2 Fan]

I'm not ONLY doing those exercises, just saying, for the amount of time required it's a really effective workout from what I've seen ;)

I don't want to JUST do cardio as many people do. Muscle building is important

[Yw-slayer]

YES. MUSCLES

[tigeraid]

Confirmed by my doctor yesterday: after 18 years, I am cured of sleep apnea. No more goddamn CPAP machine.

[Leon]

Good outcome :)

I'm still hard out doing gym group fitness classes, 8 years and counting now. Fitness levels are satisfying, given that I'm 46 now. I tend to do an hour hard out 6 - 7 days a week, every second week I'll do a few 2 hour a day gym missions rather than 1.

Once a year, I try to see how many hours I get in on one day. On Sunday, over 7.5 hours, I managed 6 hours worth of gym classes, and didn't die.

Which means I'll probably be really fit, for when I randomly become terminally ill with cancer, like most of my family tends to do :)

I don't tend to share all that many "me" pics, and because it's a photo with the kids in it, it's not a FB photo, but I'll put it up here. Since it's fitness related. Not for distribution elsewhere.
So yeah "exercise classes for women" work really well.

3258

[MR2 Fan]

Confirmed by my doctor yesterday: after 18 years, I am cured of sleep apnea. No more goddamn CPAP machine.

Good job. I'm hoping for the same outcome as I too am stuck with one of those stupid machines right now.

[Yw-slayer]

Good outcome :)

I'm still hard out doing gym group fitness classes, 8 years and counting now. Fitness levels are satisfying, given that I'm 46 now. I tend to do an hour hard out 6 - 7 days a week, every second week I'll do a few 2 hour a day gym missions rather than 1.

Once a year, I try to see how many hours I get in on one day. On Sunday, over 7.5 hours, I managed 6 hours worth of gym classes, and didn't die.

Which means I'll probably be really fit, for when I randomly become terminally ill with cancer, like most of my family tends to do :)

I don't tend to share all that many "me" pics, and because it's a photo with the kids in it, it's not a FB photo, but I'll put it up here. Since it's fitness related. Not for distribution elsewhere.
So yeah "exercise classes for women" work really well.

3258

Decent results, man. :up:

[SportWagon]

Was YW really doing stand-up paddling, or was that the closest fit in strava to dragon-boat racing?

[Yw-slayer]

Yes, it was the closest fit. I just renamed the profile in my watch.