Official Workout/Fitness Thread (Re-born)

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Starting in November or so I stopped taking an hour and a half of work time to work out, so good for me, I guess, except I topped 190 by New Year's. Have since dipped below 190 but wow, my goal of 165 is a long way off and I don't know how I would overcome the lethargy that comes from dieting to be productive at work in the six months it would take me to get there.

Think what I'll do is focus on being an alert and productive 185 or so rather than a half-zombie 173 perpetually unhappy at being unable to dip below 170. My 43rd birthday didn't help matters much.

Zonker. I just turned 53. On the subject of weight, I no longer step on the scales.

When I move towards better health that's the way I feel better. I know I still have plenty to lose, but I have been told by my former trainer and others that I am losing a lot of weight. My 11-yr old said "Dad, you look taller".

The pressure of the scales and how much weight is something I can do without.

I can tell by my energy level and my muscle tone, I am getting fitter.

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[Induveca]

Get a fitbit force, great devices....makes you hit the treadmill or elliptical at 11:30 at night out of guilt if short of your steps/mileage goal.

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[pancakes3]

Get a fitbit force, great devices....makes you hit the treadmill or elliptical at 11:30 at night out of guilt if short of your steps/mileage goal.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Word has it that the iwatch coming out in October will blow fitness bands out of the water. At least that's what I tell myself to keep me from pulling the trigger on one of those things.

[Induveca]

Get a fitbit force, great devices....makes you hit the treadmill or elliptical at 11:30 at night out of guilt if short of your steps/mileage goal.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Word has it that the iwatch coming out in October will blow fitness bands out of the water. At least that's what I tell myself to keep me from pulling the trigger on one of those things.

119 bucks only, dirt cheap. If it helps you maintain a healthier lifestyle.....why wait 8 months?

That's about 250 days, or 47 cents per day. Stop being a cheapskate.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[pcbothwel]

I never post in this thread, but I really appreciate this board so I figure ill drop in and give my 2 cents. I'm not going to bore you with detailed studies, neurological pathways, and systematic adaptation. This is not a bodybuilding forum, some of you guys just want some general input on how to keep unnecessary weight off and keep muscle tone without getting too in the weeds.

1) Diet: Google "Intermittent fasting". http://www.leangains.com/
While this method makes it harder to bulk, I have never found anything as good for cutting. After the first couple weeks it becomes easier. After the first 2-3 months, you'll wonder why you never did this earlier. I routinely go 20 hours without eating and workout fasted.

2) Workout: Focus should be on intensity and frequency. Dont worry about how many reps or the "tricking your muscles" crap that P90X spouts off about. I personally suggest working in the 12-15 rep range to build up endurance and cardio, and then moving in the 10-12 range after a few months. While not my exact workout, this thread(s) will give you a ton of info. There is a reason the thread was stickied and has been at the top of the most popular workout forum in the world for the last year and half.
OG Version, but describes principles: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthrea ... =146471313
Revisions: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthrea ... =157587143

3) Mental: The part is optional, but it might provide some with the most satisfactions in ones life...Mediation. I know some of you have visions of some hippy saying "hummmmmmmmm", but it is anything but. Take a leap and you may find that daily stress and social anxiety are gone..
Another informative thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthrea ... =143525223

Those are my 2 cents...enjoy

[pancakes3]

Get a fitbit force, great devices....makes you hit the treadmill or elliptical at 11:30 at night out of guilt if short of your steps/mileage goal.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Word has it that the iwatch coming out in October will blow fitness bands out of the water. At least that's what I tell myself to keep me from pulling the trigger on one of those things.

119 bucks only, dirt cheap. If it helps you maintain a healthier lifestyle.....why wait 8 months?

That's about 250 days, or 47 cents per day. Stop being a cheapskate.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

::sigh:: let me pull up my amazon...

1) Diet: Google "Intermittent fasting". http://www.leangains.com/
While this method makes it harder to bulk, I have never found anything as good for cutting. After the first couple weeks it becomes easier. After the first 2-3 months, you'll wonder why you never did this earlier. I routinely go 20 hours without eating and workout fasted.

Yeah, I asked about this a couple months ago. I tried it in earnest for a few weeks back in September/October. Now I effectively do it during the work week because I'm skipping breakfast and dinner from being too lazy/busy. I question the science behind the starvation theory and I'm pretty sure it "works" because you're limiting your caloric intake.

There's no way around it. Weight loss is almost entirely based on calories in - calories out. Everything else amounts to less than 25% of it.

I am having a difficult time coming up with a better lunchtime meal though. I usually have a buttload of white rice and 2-3 meat/veggie dishes that I make or get from the asian grocery hot bar. I know that white rice is the devil, but a) it's what I know and b) sandwiches aren't fulfilling enough. Sometimes I mix up the culture but a burrito is componently the exact same thing.

[Induveca]

Brown rice/chicken and broccoli is always a winner. Or baked potato and chicken for lunch.

I had gotten up to 250, mostly muscle but actually trying to drop down to 220 again. This has involved dropping my weights about 30 pct. and increasing reps dramatically.

Also been tempting injury with fasting 6mph jogs on an ultra forgiving treadmill for 3 to 5 miles 5-6 days a week. Down 10 pounds in less than a month. Feel weaker but after being on the bodybuilder regimen for many many years feeling lighter is nice. Just getting too old to carry over 235 pounds regardless if it's mostly muscle.

[pcbothwel]

Word has it that the iwatch coming out in October will blow fitness bands out of the water. At least that's what I tell myself to keep me from pulling the trigger on one of those things.

119 bucks only, dirt cheap. If it helps you maintain a healthier lifestyle.....why wait 8 months?

That's about 250 days, or 47 cents per day. Stop being a cheapskate.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

::sigh:: let me pull up my amazon...

1) Diet: Google "Intermittent fasting". http://www.leangains.com/
While this method makes it harder to bulk, I have never found anything as good for cutting. After the first couple weeks it becomes easier. After the first 2-3 months, you'll wonder why you never did this earlier. I routinely go 20 hours without eating and workout fasted.

Yeah, I asked about this a couple months ago. I tried it in earnest for a few weeks back in September/October. Now I effectively do it during the work week because I'm skipping breakfast and dinner from being too lazy/busy. I question the science behind the starvation theory and I'm pretty sure it "works" because you're limiting your caloric intake.

There's no way around it. Weight loss is almost entirely based on calories in - calories out. Everything else amounts to less than 25% of it.

I am having a difficult time coming up with a better lunchtime meal though. I usually have a buttload of white rice and 2-3 meat/veggie dishes that I make or get from the asian grocery hot bar. I know that white rice is the devil, but a) it's what I know and b) sandwiches aren't fulfilling enough. Sometimes I mix up the culture but a burrito is componently the exact same thing.

The science can be debated as far as the fasting, but there is no denying a few thing.
1) You feel so much better throughout the day when your not in a carbohydrate fog from eating to heavy in the morning /lunch.
2) It is much easier to restrict calories when your not trying to pinpoint 5-6 meals a day.
3) Peace of mind in not having to plan so much.
4)...Eat your white rice...like you said. Calories in vs calories out...don't over think

[dckingsfan]

OK and now to add in some of the dreaded science. Any exercise helps the metabolism and increasing the metabolic rate increase fat burning throughout the day. But one specific set of long endurance per week will really up the metabolism. Long endurance for aerobic athletes that I coach is a minimum of 2:45, 4:00 is preferred.

CCJ, you could do a combination of spin/elliptical/swimming and that would be fine. Try to increase the duration of one of your workouts until you get to 2:15, preferably 2:45 or longer. You will need to eat during the workout, 30 grams of carbs per hour + drink water (obviously) - cold water is preferable for gastric emptying. Endurance athletes tend to consume 60 to 90 grams of carbs per hour.

If you can get a HR monitor, that would be helpful to determine your endurance zone. If you do get a HR monitor, I can give you a test to determine your zones.

So, maintain your current workout schedule and build in one long set per week. I will stay away from the diet side of the equation, my athletes work with nutritionalists - some of them take in 5-6K calories per day to break even... I know!

[Zonkerbl]

That's useless advice... who in the world has time for a three hour workout? Unemployed, or part time workers. Or someone who doesn't have kids.

Look, if I didn't have kids, I'd still be at 165. Not helpful man!

Shoot, when I was in college, I would get out of class and lift for an hour and then go play basketball for two hours. Every day.

[pancakes3]

OK and now to add in some of the dreaded science...

I don't know if
"You should exercise. A lot. And at least once a week, you need to exercise a crap-ton. 4 hrs worth. Yeah, devote 25% of your waking hours for that day needs to be devoted to high-intensity exercise and you'll lose weight. Guaranteed."

counts as dreaded science. Dreaded, but not very science-y. I was hoping for something along the lines of "One weird tip that trainers HATE"...

Hopefully if I can put this into writing, I'll actually start but the workout plan that I envisioned for myself going into this year is:
Pushups in the morning (Cumulative 100)
Lift at lunch
Run at night. Basketball on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

I haven't ran outside at all this year because there's permafrost over the sidewalks. Weak excuse.

addendum - Pushups. How on earth do you people (those of you that do anyway) do pushups with your elbows tucked in and arms parallel to the body? That seems absurdly difficult, borderline impossible. Mine are splayed the side.

double addendum - Another thing that not only I'm incapable of (plenty), but looks like downright magic? Standing up from an indian position without pushing up with your hands. Freaks.

[Zonkerbl]

Starting in November or so I stopped taking an hour and a half of work time to work out, so good for me, I guess, except I topped 190 by New Year's. Have since dipped below 190 but wow, my goal of 165 is a long way off and I don't know how I would overcome the lethargy that comes from dieting to be productive at work in the six months it would take me to get there.

Think what I'll do is focus on being an alert and productive 185 or so rather than a half-zombie 173 perpetually unhappy at being unable to dip below 170. My 43rd birthday didn't help matters much.

Zonker. I just turned 53. On the subject of weight, I no longer step on the scales.

When I move towards better health that's the way I feel better. I know I still have plenty to lose, but I have been told by my former trainer and others that I am losing a lot of weight. My 11-yr old said "Dad, you look taller".

The pressure of the scales and how much weight is something I can do without.

I can tell by my energy level and my muscle tone, I am getting fitter.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

See, now this is useful advice.

[Higga]

Boxing is the best exercise. Works out the entire body and great cardio. Highly reccomended.

[dckingsfan]

OK and now to add in some of the dreaded science...

I don't know if
"You should exercise. A lot. And at least once a week, you need to exercise a crap-ton. 4 hrs worth. Yeah, devote 25% of your waking hours for that day needs to be devoted to high-intensity exercise and you'll lose weight. Guaranteed." counts as dreaded science. Dreaded, but not very science-y. I was hoping for something along the lines of "One weird tip that trainers HATE"...

First, it was one session of long endurance per week not high-intensity - and no, it doesn't guarantee weight loss but it gets you a long way toward your goal. Second, hopefully 2:45 is not 25% of your waking hours - then again... Lastly, and this is for CCJ, the long endurance could be divided into swimming, spinning, elliptical and as just mentioned - boxing. Try to mix it up so that it is fun...

No, the fun part isn't science but endurance work is...

[dckingsfan]

That's useless advice... who in the world has time for a three hour workout? Unemployed, or part time workers. Or someone who doesn't have kids.

Look, if I didn't have kids, I'd still be at 165. Not helpful man!

Shoot, when I was in college, I would get out of class and lift for an hour and then go play basketball for two hours. Every day.

But it doesn't have to be every day... and most can do there one long workout on a weekend day (if you are working 7 days per week, skip this) and you would be surprised how many kids would go for an hour bike ride with their dad, just follow that up with a short run and you are getting close. Just saying, it isn't impossible... but you have to plan.

One other thing, don't know how old your kids are but... think about having their sport be an endurance sport like swimming, cycling or running... most swimming programs have open lanes for parents, lots of kids are riding 2 hours in rock creek park by 12 and young runners can go on 45 minute walk/runs with their dads. Enroll them in basketball or soccer and you sit on the sidelines

[Zonkerbl]

Actually my son has straight up asked me to bike the trails that circle dc.
Like, to do the whole circle.

[jackiewright]

I watched Forks over Knives last weekend. Considering taking veganism out for a spin for a month, just to see how it goes.

Get a fitbit force, great devices....makes you hit the treadmill or elliptical at 11:30 at night out of guilt if short of your steps/mileage goal.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Running on treadmill causes knee pain and join problems, so I would advise you to do running on a plain ground as it avoid knee problem. Running makes a person healthy and fit.


full report

[dckingsfan]

Actually my son has straight up asked me to bike the trails that circle dc.
Like, to do the whole circle.

There you have it - you now have your long endurance ride

How old is he?

[Zonkerbl]

He's 15

[dckingsfan]

He's 15

OK, he will be able to hang - or crush you

Just make sure he has a properly fitting bike (if he is too fast just add lead weights inside the frame) - you could do a ride in the park when it warms up before doing the entire circuit - 20 some odd miles (or about 2 hours).