Official Workout/Fitness Thread (Re-born)

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I just bought an ice cream maker for the wife. I'm going to experiment with various high-fat, low-sugar combinations to see if I can find something that'll taste good but minimize the sugar. (There's nothing wrong with fat.)

nate, I'm with you on sugar being the killer. Not fat.

[Nivek]

By the way, if you want the feeling of eating bread, but don't want the carbs, Mission has a carb-control wraps/tortillas. One wrap is about 10 net carbs, and they taste pretty good.

[W. Unseld]

Just finished my third work out in lieu of lunch session. Each time I've had a million excuses why I can't do it and each time I've felt better afterwards though it does add about 20 minutes to the lunch hour. I think the work out lunch is best b/c you feel like you're stealing time. Once you're actually there, you're excited to be there and no you are on a very short schedule before you have to get to work so it makes you workout in a fast, no non-sense manner. I am skimping on the cardio right now but I hope to work that in as brief interval training. Today two suicides were enough to get me plenty winded.

[nate33]

You are doing great, W.Unseld.

Cardo is overrated. Just lift weights and do a bit of high intensity sprint work that gets you up to at least 90% of your max heart rate. (You should warm up at lower intensity though.)

All you really need to get yourself in better cardio shape than 90% of the population is to work out about 15 minutes, 3 times a week in the following manner: 5 minutes easy warm up. 4 x 1-minute sprint at 90-95% max heart rate with 1 minute rest in between (rest can be a total stop or an easy pace). 2 minute warm down. This can be cycling, running, row machine, stairmaster, elliptical, swimming, whatever. It doesn't really matter.

Add some weight training a couple of times a week and you're set. Maybe throw in some additional core work if you have back trouble.

Dietwise, just cut back on your carbs and sugars, and drink a protein shake after your weightlifting sessions. The easiest thing to do is to replace carbs at breakfast with protein: eggs, bacon, protein shake, protein bar, chicken salad, whatever. That'll keep you feeling full much longer and reduce hunger cravings. Also, take 5000 I.U. a day of Vitamin D during autumn and winter (you don't need Vitamin D in the spring and summer if you get a fair amount of sunshine). You might want to take a krill oil or fish oil supplement if you don't eat much fish or flax in your everyday diet. You need the Omega 3's to offset the Omega 6's that dominate the American diet.

Those are my shortcut tips to provide maximum health with minimal effort.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Posting this just for another recently divorced poster, who I won't name.

Today, I had a lady notice me while I was interacting with my kids at a local coffee shop (They like plain bagels with cream cheese and I like they only cost 1.75. I had a banana and some ice water). Looked well-dressed, well-to-do. To make a long story short she was impressed with me as I was doing things most men don't/won't/can't do for their kids. I explain for the most part I'm dad and mom, and I'm used to it. After we talk briefly, I go back to going over a few school problems with the kids. She goes back to where she was sitting and briefly talks with a very distinguished looking guy, duly well-dressed, who sat to speak to her.

I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt. No more gut, broader shoulders. I am totally not expecting what happens next. As I leave with my sons, they walk in front of me and I approach the lady to say goodbye and wish her the best. She tells me the guy was trying to get her number, and then she whips out her business card and says she wants to "hang out with me and the boys". I wonder what she means by that????

Whatever the heck I'm doing in the gym and with my diet and with my change spiritually seems to be working.




To be totally honest, I haven't slept with anyone since my ex-wife. Didn't sleep with her the last few months of the marriage. I still occasionally dream about having sex with her, even though she dogged me and the kids out badly. I miss the sex, definitely not her or her ways. (I am learning a valuable lesson about putting God on the throne of my life, not lust for sex). The bottom line is that working out and fitness is really getting me through this, and making me thrive, not just survive. I don't drink, drug, or smoke. And as I admitted--I'm not getting any. (Now you know why I can do 3 sets of 12 reps of dips with a weighted vest on! ) But for the most part, I am happier and happier each day.

God is good.

About the lady giving me her number and others who seem to be interested: Just know that I'm too busy to get sidetracked and I am much, much, much more selective about any woman I might get to know. That and I have to do it God's way this time. No matter how hard they try to throw it, I'm in the Word. I am just a man, and I get really lonely but there's too many people out there playing games. I am not one of them. 1 John 3:3

In the right time, things are going to work out fine.

[dandridge 10]

I am now 5 months into my strength training program that I got from the book, New Rules for Lifting. I basically do strength training Wed, Fri, and Sunday (based on the programs in the book), play basketball or run Tuesday nights, and do interval running, cycling on Thursdays. Monday and Saturdays off. I am not on any particular diet, but try to eat lots of protein, fruits, and vegetables. I occasionally eat low fat ice cream or yogurt, but in small quantities. I avoid baked goods like the plague. I try to eat more often during the day, but less amounts. In five months, I'm down to from 180 to 172 (I'm 5'9""), feel the strongest I have ever felt, and actually have pecs for the first time of my life. For anyone that is looking for a strength training program but don't want to spend the money for a personal trainer, I would highly recommend New Rules for Lifting. After I'm done with the New Rules for Lifting book, I plan on doing his second book New Rules for Lifting Abs, which has a lot of the same lifting exercises, but focuses a little more on core exercises.

[nate33]

Dandridge, care to expound upon the New Rules for LIfting? Give me the Cliff's Notes synopsis.

Also, what is your rationale for avoiding baked goods?

[nate33]

Dandridge, care to expound upon the New Rules for LIfting? Give me the Cliff's Notes synopsis.

Nevermind. The first chapter of the book is available here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=g5dLXX ... &q&f=false

[dandridge 10]

Dandridge, care to expound upon the New Rules for LIfting? Give me the Cliff's Notes synopsis.

Also, what is your rationale for avoiding baked goods?

You can google the book name and find a better description and reviews but basically focuses on 6 basic movement exercises (squats, deadlifts, lunges, push, pulls, twist), with variations within each movement. He has various programs with the book (Break-in, Fat Loss I, II, III, Hypertrophy I, II, II, Strength I, II, III) and you can mix and match to design your own program. It also gives suggested year long programs for The Eternal Beginner; Skinny Guy trying to gain weight, Fat guy trying to lose weight etc.). I am on the Eternal Beginner program. It gives good illustrations of the excercises, tells you exactly how many sets/reps to do, how much rest between exercises and sets, and how fast to lift weights). I think it is perfect for beginner and intermediate lifters, like me. Its not for wusses though. Go through the Fat Loss II Program B workout with deadlifts, t-push ups with weight, bulgarian split squat with overhead press, chin ups, romanian deadlift, and low-body Russian twists and you basically crawl out of the gym.

Regarding baked goods, I mean cookies, cakes, pies, etc (high in fat and sugar and no nutritional value at all).

Hope this is helpful. Not to sound corny at all, but I feel the book has changed my life. I never lifted before in my life and now I am addicted to it. I also like it because it has many exercises that you don't normally see people do in the gym (like bulgarian split squats).

[dandridge 10]

Dandridge, care to expound upon the New Rules for LIfting? Give me the Cliff's Notes synopsis.

Nevermind. The first chapter of the book is available here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=g5dLXX ... &q&f=false

Whoops, posted mine before I saw yours. I woudn't buy just based on the intro. The real gold in my mind is the programs, which is later in the book. I would check it out at your local bookstore and if you like it, buy it off of Amazon used.

[Induveca]

Dandridge, that's great. Compound exercises are indeed excellent and really will get even the most experienced lifters extremely sore the next day!

If you like doing exercises you don't see much in the gym, check out some of the iPhone apps out there, the most popular ones have an amazing array of exercises. After you get the compound stuff down you'll eventually want to move on to isolation exercises, just a matter of evolution as you become a serious lifter.

[dobrojim]

good workout day yesterday

first time back on the track in several months...tried not to get too crazy
since although I feel pretty good, I'm sure my legs are still recovering from the 100.
Did 2-4 x 200, 3x 400, 4x 200. Was able to hold my previous pace of 1:34/400
and did them all on half rest.

went home, had dinner, hit the pool for about 2000 meters - got a triathlon
coming up in Sept and a marathon in Oct.

was going to bike in today but when I went to get out the bike I had a flat
so my next bike commute will have to wait until tomorrow or Friday.

[nate33]

Rode the exercise bike last night. For the first time since the knee surgery, I was able to pedal hard and fast enough to get a cardio workout. I actually got my pulse rate above 150.

My hiatus from meaningful exercise is finally over!

[Induveca]

Nate did you lift during the downtime at least? While not sustained, a solid lifting regimen (sipersets/dropsets) can get your heart flying even on machines. It does require heavier weights however.

I'll put the sweat factor on my t shirt after a workout up next to anyone on traditional cardio machines.

[nate33]

I took about three weeks off of lifting prior to and immediately after my surgery. I started lifting upper body again two weeks ago and I'm back to being about as strong as I was before my hiatus.

Right now, I'm benching 195, 6 reps, with no spotter; and I can do 6 pullups with 40 pounds of weight attached to me. Though as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm having shoulder problems so it's time to switch to other upper body exercises.

You're right that I'm at least getting some cardio during my weightlifting, but it's nothing like the heart workout you get while running, cycling or swimming.

[dobrojim]

I have a really hard time getting my HR during cycling to where
I can easily get it during running. It's not even close. The same
perceived level of effort on the cycle is easily 20 bpm under
what it would be running.

At my age, it requires an uncomfortable level of exertion
to hit 150 running. But I'm pretty sure I've never hit that
during cycling (or swimming for that matter).

[nate33]

I have a really hard time getting my HR during cycling to where
I can easily get it during running. It's not even close. The same
perceived level of effort on the cycle is easily 20 bpm under
what it would be running.

At my age, it requires an uncomfortable level of exertion
to hit 150 running. But I'm pretty sure I've never hit that
during cycling (or swimming for that matter).

I find it much harder to get my heart rate up while cyling as well. I really have to sprint all out to exceed 150.

I can maintain a 150 HR while running for miles and miles. It's work, but not really that hard. It's slightly faster than my long run pace but significantly slower than my tempo run pace.

I haven't really checked my HR while swimming, at least not since high school. In high school, I could get it above 180 during sprint sets.

[Induveca]

Had to share this, was introduced to these by a guy over here at the gym a few weeks back. I've seen massive improvement in pecs in just 2 weeks of doing them every other day.

20 Second Pushups!

Basically elevate your feet on a couch or stable chair. Then just do a pushup on the floor...but here's the catch.

Lower yourself down to the ground and hold for 10 seconds. Then elevate quickly to 50% of the way back up to the starting position, then take 10 seconds to slowly rise the rest of the way.

I have benched 400 pounds in the past regularly, and these things KILLED ME. I'm up to 10 now, and it's absolutely painful but really has strengthened my shoulders. Try them out!

[W. Unseld]

Induveca, those hurt like h*ll but I still like doing them more than burpees which kill me for cardio.

[Induveca]

I picked up that new rules for lifting for abs. They have some great exercises in there.......but they harp a bit too much on the obvious. Crunches are pointless to perform (barely help the abs anyways), and are very bad for your back. I think everyone realized that.