Getting into shape

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Freed Roger
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Freed Roger »

Good luck Lombard. Start easy. Cardio work tends to naturally keep you in check, that is, if you stay in slow pace that actually is cardio -conversation pace. Try not to let a treadmill,.walk/run, or bike drift into anaerobic very often But with weights/anaerobic exercise sometimes you can remember what you used to do, and thus try more than you should, and leads to injury and/or too much recovery time.

Freed Roger
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Re: Getting into shape

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As for me, i think i put on about 6lbs over the holidays, half of my weight gain the prior yr. But my family and me got whacked with the flu for a week, so my fitness took a step back.

Diet wise, I feel i got a handle, and path on what to do. A little less junk, and a bit more real food. I really control the cravings way better than i used to.

Have a lot of fun things to get fit for, my circuit of local winter spring trail races. Signed up for the MR340 (Paddle across MO) in August.

Thus, dry January has started for me. Hoping to do more morning runs and workouts, a routine I hope to take on every year but havent thus far...BUT THIS IS THE YEAR. I am pretty sure the AM routine gives you more bang for the buck - metabolism kicks in, and starts your day with a positive.

tlombard
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by tlombard »

Yeah, I'm definitely easing back into it so I don't do too much one day and then hurt for a few. If I do that then I won't ever really get into a routine and fall off. So to start I'm just going and doing what I can every other day to get into that routine and then will hopefully build from there. I'm not even worrying about a specific workout plan or routine at the start either, knowing myself I just need to get into the routine of actually getting my butt into the gym on a regular basis first. Hopefully the girl I'm still seeing (4 weeks tomorrow actually) will renew her membership to the YMCA soon and we can start going together. She's been sick for the last few days since I joined and hasn't gotten around to it yet but hopefully soon.

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GeddyWrox
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by GeddyWrox »

I decided to try a dry January too.

My weightloss has been stalled for a long time and over the holidays I put on 5+ lbs. After losing 100+ lbs over a 2 year span, l barely lost any weight at all last year. Been stuck at around 255 for a long time. Want to get down to 225 still. Might not get there, but I'd like to get close. I'm hoping cutting out whiskey for a while will spark another period of loss for me.

Freed Roger
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Re: Getting into shape

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GeddyWrox wrote:I decided to try a dry January too.

My weightloss has been stalled for a long time and over the holidays I put on 5+ lbs. After losing 100+ lbs over a 2 year span, l barely lost any weight at all last year. Been stuck at around 255 for a long time. Want to get down to 225 still. Might not get there, but I'd like to get close. I'm hoping cutting out whiskey for a while will spark another period of loss for me.
It can't hurt. I tend to crave sugar without the beer. Not sure if skipping whiskey does the same.

Btw- a serious congrats on basically holding steady last year after your big weight loss. Most people I have known that lost a lot a weight have had trouble keeping it off.

Maybe for the alcohol curtailment thread, but
Other counter-intuitive notes from dry January, at least at first I have a bit more trouble falling asleep (sleep helps my weight loss fwiw).. I seem a bit unmotivated lethargic during this span, (i recall this same the last time). i am unsure of causation -alcohol is a depressant, but I think my mild dependence gave me a bit of dopamine or whatever, and actually a boost, ..or alternatively that its absence leaves a void that downs me a tad.
. From experience, i realize that is short term, once i clear this week it should level out.

Again, a lot of oddball variables this time of year, with the way I feel and pegging it on on thing or another- like short days, illnesses passed around, inside more, no baseball, going into busy season at work, not as much the fun natural things happening soon to amp me up. Thus dry january a positive. Part of mixing it up plowing thru.

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33anda3rd
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by 33anda3rd »

GeddyWrox wrote:I decided to try a dry January too.
Same, plus I'm doing a keto diet from 1/1 - 2/12 when I go on a trip that will involve a lot of drinking and eating. I've gone from 204 on New Years Day to 197 this AM.

I'm probably the strongest I've ever been, but I have been carrying about 12lbs of flab I'm not happy with, largely in the midsection. This came along the last 15 months or so and is probably due to a combination of both age and working in booze/wine and consuming a lot of alcohol calories, while also eating out a lot with clients. It's a slow time of year for work so I've said in addition to the keto diet and the dry month I'll also not eat out.

My workout routine is pretty solid, I've been on it since Feb of last year.
Monday ~ 2 hours basketball
Tuesday HIIT bike (:30 hard / 1:00 easy X 12 with a 3-minute warm-up and 5-minute cool down) then weights / upper body
Wednesday lower body lots of squats and lunges and kettlebells and such w/ a core finisher
Thursday HIIT bike then upper body / core
Friday ~ 2 hours basketball
Saturday full-body cross-training, a bit of lower body, bit of core, bit of upper body, some cardio,
I use the Nike Fitness app on my iPhone and enjoy it, it runs through your headphones and the lady tells you what to do and they've got everything from a 6-minute stretch to a 45-minute high-intensity full-body workout. It's basically like having a PT but without paying $100/hour for it. There's one on there that Kyrie Irving provided, his full-body workout for staying in shape, and that one is my Saturday every week.

Despite doing that workout consistently since 2/11 of last year, I got stronger while my weight, due to the flab, went up. Just cutting out booze, carbs and sugar (mostly consumed in the form of rum, vermouth, amaro and other cocktail ingredients) for 6 days I took off half the weight I'd gained and dropped my body fat from 21.3% to 20.5%. My goal is 188lbs and 18% body fat.

Also, as Freed said: congrats on keeping the weight off. You made it this long! That's really awesome.

Freed Roger
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Freed Roger »

So how's the week been without booze 33rd? Other than the weight loss, anything of note? From my ramble above on my drynuary -too many other things different going on now for me to make observations.

Also, Re: your basketball example: doing something you enjoy that is a fitness activity/hobby is a major aspect for fitness. I find that I actually want to hit the gym or do some structured workouts, because it helps me in my enjoyment/performance at the more sporting activity. The gym/workouts make me crave the other stuff more. They feed off each other.

Foe me, It is has gotten more important when getting older to mix it up, shift gears, find new things to do that are active. Some time i will take on yoga, maybe get a mountain bike.

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33anda3rd
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by 33anda3rd »

Haven't noticed anything as far as the alcohol thing so far but I'm a light drinker. My job involves doing tastings, staff trainings, presentations, cocktail development and education, but I'm largely spitting everything out, like 80%. Now it's 100%. I was someone who would have a drink before dinner and a glass of wine with my meal and be done drinking by 8-8:30 so it's not really impacting my sleep or other. Just a few hundred empty calories I'm not consuming a day and 2100 calories a week is something like 2/3 of a lb, so it's a small part of my weight loss. I think the biggie is the keto.

I hate boring exercise. I can't do a treadmill, full stop. That HIIT routine on the bike takes me to 26 minutes and at that point I'm bored to death and ready to get off the damn thing. I try to go when there's a Bulls game or something on the TV to keep me from being completely brain-dead bored. Basketball keeps me engaged and I really enjoy it.

tlombard
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by tlombard »

R. and I went to the YMCA yesterday for a couple of hours and I realized just how freaking out of shape I am yet again. I was ready to die after ten minutes on the elliptical this time (so was she) so then we walked a few laps and then hit the hot tub. And then we hit the pool or about 30 laps. The problem was that it was about 30 laps of the little lazy river and the whirlpool with all of the kids splashing around in it so it isn't like we really got a workout in there LOL. It was fun though and we still felt like we'd gotten some kind of a workout from the bit on the elliptical and walking. Having somebody who wants to go all of the time is really going to help me get there though. I am great at planning on going in the morning before work and then coming up with excuses as to why I don't make it but will the next morning. With her wanting me to go with her, those excuses are a lot harder to come up with.

She also talked me into getting a Fitbit Versa from Facebook Marketplace on Saturday so now I'm wearing that and am constantly reminded of how lazy I am. I was also pleasantly surprised and disgusted at the same time when I got on the scale. A few months ago I was at 302.6 or 306.2 pounds. I can't remember which. Yesterday I weighed in right about 296 so I have lost some weight over the winter. Even though I'm less active in the winter, my booze consumption is also much less so losing weight in the winter is normal for me. My goal before softball starts in April is to be 275 or under and then go from there. I think I can do it pretty easily by just simply eating better and being at least a little more active.

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Re: Getting into shape

Post by tlombard »

I actually made it to the Y again this morning by myself. I only put in 20 minutes on the treadmill but it was better than I've been doing before. Even though I was running late for work by putting in that 20 minutes, I did let myself use that excuse for a change.

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