Official Workout/Fitness Thread (Re-born)

[Induveca]

If you are a complete fatbody, no muscle and no fitness level there could be drawbacks. Otherwise I've found it to be excellent.

If you're taking in 1000-1500 calories a day in juice (not all sugary juices) there are zero issues.

[dobrojim]

ran 6 miles last night in heat with humidity you could cut with a knife.

[Zonkerbl]

For whatever it's worth I'm right at 40. For anyone looking to keep weight off or reduce, I'd suggest a once a month 3-4 day juice fast. 5 days if you can handle it. And don't break the exercise routine.

It's pretty much what Nate is doing, but a different approach. Really helps with mental discipline.

Hitting forty was like hitting a wall for me. I'd spent my entire thirties on-again, off-again working out and ignoring my diet completely and I could pretty much get back into shape whenever I wanted.

Then after my fortieth birthday, pow! Everything changed. All of a sudden I could work out all I wanted - was doing hour long workouts on the elliptical, burning something ridiculous, like 700 calories per workout, and nothin'. Every calorie I burned working out I made back in the lethargy I felt the rest of the day.

At the time my ex had convinced me that I was broken and needed fixing, in that I "must have" ADD and somehow I convinced a psychiatrist to prescribe me basically speed for five years, until I let a doctor know about this and he informed me that at my age I was at risk of dying suddenly and I might want to reconsider.

Weird thing is, once I came off the speed I immediately gained 20 pounds, but also felt a ton more healthy than I had in the previous five years. I can be 180 and miserable or 200 and pretty much ok.

[dobrojim]

40 is still young. You can work out and recover quickly for another workout.
That becomes increasingly difficult as you move from 40 closer to 60.

My peak running performance was when I was 45 having begun serious running when I was about 37.

[Zonkerbl]

Well I've been lifting weights and playing basketball pretty seriously since I was in HS and I can say without a doubt that between 39 and 42 I experienced a huge decline in my recovery rate.

But I've also been taking longer and longer breaks from working out because of my job. Coming back from not working out for like a year is reaaaaaaally hard. I kept injuring myself, especially because I tried to work out like I'm 27.

I've really focused lately on working out at a forty year old level. I at least haven't gained any weight but I think if I want to get serious about weight loss I'm going to have to set some really limited goals at first.

[dobrojim]

well of course coming back from a year of not working out is going to be a sloooow process.

I celebrated the day Sunday with a morning of exercise aka The Reston Triathlon, a race I
have now completed 22 consecutive years. I'm not weak as a kitten on the bike but actually
did okay in the swim despite minimal training time in the water. I was so far back at the start
of the run that I did not get passed by anyone during the 10K run. I was slow in the first half
of the run which is more uphill and while I was getting my running legs under me after biking
but ran well in the 2nd half.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Glad to know that you're getting back in the swing of things, dobrojim.




"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin,"
"Be the change you want to be."

[dobrojim]

2013-2014 was a difficult time for me in a number of areas. But that's now in the rear view mirror.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmB7oBQSQyw[/youtube]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

2013-2014 was a difficult time for me in a number of areas. But that's now in the rear view mirror.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmB7oBQSQyw[/youtube]

Yep, making some homemade soup sounds like recovery to me. I was proud of myself for making two really nice salads over the weekend. (soup and salad, i think i feel a theme here in the fitness thread)

That guy's a real good singer!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For me fitness extends to mental wellness, in addition to the physical. My conditioning and fitness level goes hand in hand with how I'm feeling and what kind of eating habits I have. I can go extreme, either way ...

Like dobrojim, I'm back in the swing of things. Personally, I'm feeling and looking much younger these days as I'm getting back into working out and more importantly, eating right. (See Dr Fuhrman, below)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHDMP_P21_s[/youtube]

1. My diet now consists of a lot of raw foods...(GOMBS diet-inspired)

Lots of berries and nuts, especially raw almonds and raw (unsalted) sunflower seeds. I eat peanuts now and then. The berries I eat are strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries. I really do think an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I love sliced apples. I'm not really into the green, sour Granny Smith's, but I mix those in with the red delicious apples. I also like baby carrots. Those I eat a lot of times with celery. I also enjoy clementine oranges. Along with the berries, nuts, and seeds, I eat a lot of leafy greens. And I love boiled cabbage. I even eat raw cabbage a lot, too. I eat plenty of onions in my salad. And mushrooms, which are surprisingly good for you.

I get my protein, and this is where I'm weakest, from chicken, fish, and pork. I know I should do skinless breast but I don't have much money these days. I get a family pack of chicken thighs. I do the same with pork chops. (YES. CCJ IS THE ONLY GUY MENTIONING PORK AND DIET). I grill one real small pork chop and that's it. I put the thighs in a slow cooker. I like to throw a couple thighs in the slow cooker and just dump some salsa on top. Salsa verde works very well. On top of that, drop in a quarter of a cabbage, cut. That's it. It's really tasty. Another easy way for protein is to get canned salmon and throw that in with a salad.

What I don't eat is any fast food. Simple.

2. The single biggest change I've made is what I drink...

Or, what I don't drink. Absolutely no sugary sodas! No more coffee with a ton of cream and sugar. I just say NO to my favorite: Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, Venti. I drink black coffee now. Okay, once in a while I will put ONE sugar in there, especially with a very small cup, that way it IS sweet! I also drink green tea. Unsweetened. I replaced my sodas and sweet coffee with the obvious, better choice: Water. Bottled waters that I can grab and go work better for me. I can also remember to drink 3 16.9 fluid ounce bottles early, before I get going. Makes sure I'm hydrated early. I drink water throughout the day, especially before, during, and after my workouts. (I occasionally partake of various low carb/low fat energy drinks when I'm at a fitness club, and just have money to spend.)



The above in just 10 days has dropped so much off of me that it's AMAZING.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIYS5XG4zwA[/youtube]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Dancing is an easy way to lose weight. Putting on some music that makes you want to dance is one way for the less-fit, not high endurance athlete to get fit.

This video might make some want to dance.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6omUxqhG78[/youtube]

[dobrojim]

Darrell Scott is a remarkable singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He is the real deal.
Not sure there is anyone better at delivering a one person show. He's also a really nice
down to earth person. Not sure a live version is on YouTube but his song Full Light from
Theatre of the Unheard just blows me away with the craftsmanship.

I did a series of downhill repeats last night. Happy to report I think I am seeing real progress.
That said, the progress probably won't be in time to run the kind of time I'd like to at the
Steamtown marathon Oct 11.

[dobrojim]

Ran about 10K last night. Good solid run. Sunday is the club's traditional National Airport to Reston run (~21 miles).
I've not run that far on pavement since Boston 2013 - yeah, that year. My first marathon since 2013 is coming up.
I've no idea how well or poorly this may go.

[Kanyewest]

I finished up my 4th 10k in the past 4 weeks and doing some interval training in between. I decided it probably isn't the best idea to do weights right before these long runs but I will try to combine weights and cardio on other days of the week.

While I am trying to improve my 10K time, I am trying to build more muscle by doing weights (arm extension, palms-up wrist curls, pull up, push ups, squats, calf raises). I may have to change up my diet a little bit.

[nate33]

This is a good exercise that originally helped me rehab my torn ACL and now I use it for hamstring strength and ankle strength.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhg7PFdRLKI[/youtube]

[dobrojim]

Reston Runners has a traditional fall run from National Airport back to Reston which I had done many times eventually
developing my own even longer version of the run, from around 21 miles to 29 miles. But it has been at least since 2011
that I have been able to attempt this run but I signed up (just to let the organizers estimate transportation needs) and
showed up yesterday morning for the ride to Natl. I had not talked to anyone about it but was so pleased when I showed
up to see 3 other Jims that I have known for close to 15 years or more. Really wonderful that all 4 of us were still able
to attempt and complete this run. My chances for a modestly successful Steamtown in 3 weeks seem somewhat better.
It took me about 3:45 to do what I was told was 21.7 miles.

[dobrojim]

(my FB post from yesterday re a 10K I ran)

Very frustrated right now after the almost Perfect 10K this morning. This was my first 10K in 4 years and I needed to run one in order to benchmark my fitness and conditioning for Steamtown Marathon in 2 weeks. If it had been an 8K, it would have been perfect but with about a mile to go and running better than I anticipated (~7:30 pace) my chronically troublesome left calf said enough of this crap. Very disappointing as far as timing goes just 2 weeks before my first marathon since Boston 2013. Also looking at the race results, I was either in 3rd or in position to challenge for 3rd in my AG (edit to add, I was almost certainly in 3rd but I had no idea, final edit- I've not won many AG awards in the past so that would have been nice). Dang. Hope this heals quick.

[nate33]

I've been ramping up my long runs over the past two months. I ran 15 miles Saturday, holding an 8:30 pace. It's weird, running at about an 8:10 pace seems just as easy as running an 8:30 pace, so I just run at 8:10 and then take a short walk break each mile so that I maintain an 8:30 pace on average. It seems to work for me.

The Columbus Marathon is too soon (3 weeks), I'm not going to be in shape for it. But I might try and enter a marathon in November.

I'm torn. Right now, I'm not over-fatigued. I have the time and energy to lift twice a week and play ball once a week while still running 20-25 miles a week. If I'm going to enter a marathon, I really need to commit to it by scaling back my lifting and basketball and putting in 40 miles a week. I'm not sure I want to do that. But it seems like a waste to get myself into shape to run 15 miles and not go all the way and do a marathon.

[dandridge 10]

Any serious bikers out there? Given re-occurring knee injuries, I am thinking about buying a nice road bike to replace running. I have done a ton research and I am looking at a Trek Domane 4.5 or 5.2. Not looking to race, but would like to 25-50 miles a week on the road, and possibly more. Want a comfortable bike that also can get some speed. The Domane's are expensive, but I want to get something that will make me want to ride. Any thoughts or recommendations? Any thoughts on clipless pedals v. flat?

[dobrojim]

I'm not sure how well I really qualify for a serious biker but it sounds like a good plan BobbyD.

Clipless pedals rule, assuming that means what I think it means ie special shoes that lock
into the pedals similarly to how ski boots lock into bindings. Takes a little getting used to
for the uninitiated but once you get used to the concept of unclipping as or when you stop,
they are absolutely fabulous.

Treks are really good bikes.

All that said, sometimes when I ride for more than about 2 hours, my knees are more
achy than if I had run. OTOH, when my left knee had reached the point where I really
wasn't close to being able to run anymore (before I got an osteotomy) I could still bike.
I love biking. Did a modestly challenging century ride in August for the 6th time. But I've
become weak as a kitten as far as being able to really hammer down and ride fast and hard.
Part of that may be no longer bike commuting on a regular basis. Part of that is being old
as dirt.