The Official Exercise/Fitness Thread v. Run Forest, Run!

[SchecterShredder]

I tried implementing some of the Athlean technique. The grip and 'pull your hands together' advice is helping a bit, but my bar is too low to go rigid in a comfortable way. For me to do proper extended pull-ups i need to lift my feet about 5-6 inches, so I've always done the cross leg move (which Jeff C. specifically points out as awful in his video lol)

[jingle.boy]

Same here.  My bar is bolted into my ceiling/floor joists, so it's at least higher than a doorway (how I used to do it).  Back then, I practically could be on my knees and reach my pullup bar!  Current setup, I can't have to extend my legs out at about a 30^o angle.  That's the only way I can keep everything tense.  It does help more than a bit.

[ReaperKK]

What scale do you guys use? My fitbit scale died after 5 years and I want get something new. I just need something with weight and bf%. I know bf% can vary wildly but I'd still like to track it to see if I'm trending downwards.

I use Renpho.  Syncs/tracks a bunch of data points with an app, and has a rechargeable battery.  Zero complaints.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07NK8LBPC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fantastic price. Ordered.

[jingle.boy]

Probably even a better price on amazon.COM.

[ReaperKK]

yea lol, paid $34 for the scale

[H2]

Has anyone used Beachbody on demand? They've got Insanity, P90x, and a bunch of other great programs. Great for a time like this, and very efficient yet effective workouts. I'm working through Insanity these days, probably work through the various P90x programs after that.

[jingle.boy]

I own both P90X and Insanity, so no... no point in BBOD for me.

[Heretic]

Started a new PPL routine today, liking it thus far. It's pretty intensive, and each workout takes around 1hr45mins, so I'm enjoying it.

Also been running 3mi every other day for the past few months, trying to maintain some semblance of running fitness until our soccer league is allowed to resume.

[ReaperKK]

What scale do you guys use? My fitbit scale died after 5 years and I want get something new. I just need something with weight and bf%. I know bf% can vary wildly but I'd still like to track it to see if I'm trending downwards.

I use Renpho.  Syncs/tracks a bunch of data points with an app, and has a rechargeable battery.  Zero complaints.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07NK8LBPC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fantastic price. Ordered.

Thanks again for the recommendation, I got the scale yesterday and it works great.

[jingle.boy]

 

[Kotowboy]

I went several weeks of being super healthy and doing a half marathon (walk) every day more or less.

But I didn't seem to lose one single lb.

Yes I am constantly reminded that muscle weighs more than fat...

But - how are you supposed to know if literally anything is happening if you're exercising like fuck and eating healthy for weeks and you can't see any changes ?

Ok my clothes are no tighter on me but apart from that I have nothing to show for it

...

maybe a touch more definition? I dunno...


If anyone is wondering - i'm 5 ft 7 (170cm) and around 12 stone 0 = 168 lb so i'm not really overweight.

And yes I know to ignore the fk out of the BMI because when i was 154lb it said I was overweight and I could clearly see in the mirror I was a stick.

[Chino]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

[wolfking]

I went several weeks of being super healthy and doing a half marathon (walk) every day more or less.

But I didn't seem to lose one single lb.

Yes I am constantly reminded that muscle weighs more than fat...

But - how are you supposed to know if literally anything is happening if you're exercising like fuck and eating healthy for weeks and you can't see any changes ?

Ok my clothes are no tighter on me but apart from that I have nothing to show for it

...

maybe a touch more definition? I dunno...


If anyone is wondering - i'm 5 ft 7 (170cm) and around 12 stone 0 = 168 lb so i'm not really overweight.

And yes I know to ignore the fk out of the BMI because when i was 154lb it said I was overweight and I could clearly see in the mirror I was a stick.

You are not in a caloric defeceit.

The whole thing of people saying 'muscle weighs more than fat is bullshit.  If you are staying the same weight, you are eating around maintenance.

[wolfking]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit. 

[The Walrus]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

It's all sugar but the sugar in fruit is not like the sugar in a pack of Hostess snack cakes. I'm pretty sure you can eat a shitload of fruit every day and be perfectly OK. I eat avocados and bananas literally every day, apples almost every other day, and melons and berries all the time - all very very good for you. You should really think about adding some fruit into your diet, especially some citrus. I'm surprised you don't even eat bananas considering how hard you go on your cardio.

Obviously I'm not a nutritionist but I'm pretty certain you could technically eat 6 bananas every day and be okay and still lose weight as long as you've got the rest of your diet in check and aren't taking in sugars elsewhere. They might be one of the less healthy fruits out there 'cause of all that sugar but damn do they give me energy.

[jingle.boy]

By and large, it is simply a matter of math.  Burn more calories than you consume, and you'll lose mass.  However, don't discount the importance of the *kinds* of calories you're consuming, water intake, type of exercise etc...  All that will have a play on your metabolism and satiation.

Per my post a couple weeks back, the body is a fickle mistress.  I was up almost 4lbs last week.  I didn't eat horribly bad (it was jingle.kids' birthday in there, so there were a couple nights of cake and drinks), and I skipped one workout.  That in no way could have accounted for a 14,400 calorie surplus in those 7 days.

Whatever ... it's the gains in the workout room, and the look in the mirror that matters to me.

[SchecterShredder]

Berries are good for regular fruit consumption, but they have little sugar. I definitely eat fruit everyday, but usually just a single apple for a snack, and a banana that gets chopped up and added to my plain greek yogurt at breakfast. Occasionally I'll eat some of my kids' grapes or watermelon. Nutrition is one area where CrossFit is pretty bang on. Their eating philosophy: Meats and vegetables, seeds and nuts, some fruit, little starch, no sugar.

I agree that fruit sugar is significantly better than refined sugar, but you can easily go without it. As for the citrus fruit, you can get those nutrients in most other foods (you'd be surprised how much vitamin C is in your regular foods).

Wolf, I disagree about the fat vs. muscle weight being bullshit (well, slightly disagree). I'm basically walking evidence since my weight has been consistently between 195-200 lbs for about 3 years now, but I'm considerably more lean now than I was back in '17. However, you can definitely tell just by looking that I have more muscle and less fat than I did a few years back, so it's not at all a case of "I haven't lost any weight but I think I've put on muscle so everything is fine". I make a concerted effort to exchange the fat on my body and replace it with lean muscle , and it shows in the mirror. I also track my food, exercise and weight daily, so I'm never left wondering why I'm gaining or losing weight. It's pretty evident in the data.

[Evermind]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

Said the guy who eats ice creams and chocolate on weekends. I get most of my sugar (which isn't a lot) from the fruits/berries. It's sweet cherry season now and I'm an absolute sucker for these. Honeycrisp apples are also a godsend.

Weekly update: finished Week 3 of my running program, doing good so far. I don't think it's pushing me to my limits (so far) as much as steadily builds me up for longer runs. Next two weeks have the most drastic increase of running time though, according to the program, in 14 days (end of Week 5) I should be able to run 20 minutes without walking.

[jingle.boy]

I agree with Shredder.  I think the notion is BS for people that don't lift, and want some form of validation as to why they're gaining weight, but don't physically see or feel different.

[wolfking]

I agree with Shredder.  I think the notion is BS for people that don't lift, and want some form of validation as to why they're gaining weight, but don't physically see or feel different.

This is where I was coming from.

[wolfking]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

Said the guy who eats ice creams and chocolate on weekends. I get most of my sugar (which isn't a lot) from the fruits/berries. It's sweet cherry season now and I'm an absolute sucker for these. Honeycrisp apples are also a godsend.

Weekly update: finished Week 3 of my running program, doing good so far. I don't think it's pushing me to my limits (so far) as much as steadily builds me up for longer runs. Next two weeks have the most drastic increase of running time though, according to the program, in 14 days (end of Week 5) I should be able to run 20 minutes without walking.

I probably should specify.  I just don't like fruit, that's why I don't eat it mainly not because of it's sugar content.  I know it's healthy and all but people I think fall on fruit more when they are talking about eating healthy when vegetables are neglected.

[jingle.boy]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

Said the guy who eats ice creams and chocolate on weekends. I get most of my sugar (which isn't a lot) from the fruits/berries. It's sweet cherry season now and I'm an absolute sucker for these. Honeycrisp apples are also a godsend.

Weekly update: finished Week 3 of my running program, doing good so far. I don't think it's pushing me to my limits (so far) as much as steadily builds me up for longer runs. Next two weeks have the most drastic increase of running time though, according to the program, in 14 days (end of Week 5) I should be able to run 20 minutes without walking.

I probably should specify.  I just don't like fruit, that's why I don't eat it mainly not because of it's sugar content.  I know it's healthy and all but people I think fall on fruit more when they are talking about eating healthy when vegetables are neglected.

Yeah, I mean... there's no such nutrition plan where anyone would call themselves a "Fruititarian".

That probably means something totally different!   

[wolfking]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

It's all sugar but the sugar in fruit is not like the sugar in a pack of Hostess snack cakes. I'm pretty sure you can eat a shitload of fruit every day and be perfectly OK. I eat avocados and bananas literally every day, apples almost every other day, and melons and berries all the time - all very very good for you. You should really think about adding some fruit into your diet, especially some citrus. I'm surprised you don't even eat bananas considering how hard you go on your cardio.

Obviously I'm not a nutritionist but I'm pretty certain you could technically eat 6 bananas every day and be okay and still lose weight as long as you've got the rest of your diet in check and aren't taking in sugars elsewhere. They might be one of the less healthy fruits out there 'cause of all that sugar but damn do they give me energy.

As Chad said, it's all calories and simple maths.

And I eat spinach and broccoli everyday, so my vitamin c levels are fine.

[wolfking]

Are you creating a big enough calorie deficit in your diet? AKA, are you using more calories than you're consuming?  You can eat healthy and still consume more calories than you're burning, especially if you're putting meats and cheese in salads and stuff. You don't seem out of shape at all, so even given the mileage you're doing, your body might not be working all that hard, especially if your heart is in a good shape. I remember a buddy of mine complaining that he was eating tons of fruit and not losing any weight. The dude was eating six bananas at a time. That's like 700 calories 

People overestimate the healthiness of fruit.  It's all sugar.  I never eat fruit.

Said the guy who eats ice creams and chocolate on weekends. I get most of my sugar (which isn't a lot) from the fruits/berries. It's sweet cherry season now and I'm an absolute sucker for these. Honeycrisp apples are also a godsend.

Weekly update: finished Week 3 of my running program, doing good so far. I don't think it's pushing me to my limits (so far) as much as steadily builds me up for longer runs. Next two weeks have the most drastic increase of running time though, according to the program, in 14 days (end of Week 5) I should be able to run 20 minutes without walking.

I probably should specify.  I just don't like fruit, that's why I don't eat it mainly not because of it's sugar content.  I know it's healthy and all but people I think fall on fruit more when they are talking about eating healthy when vegetables are neglected.

Yeah, I mean... there's no such nutrition plan where anyone would call themselves a "Fruititarian".

That probably means something totally different!   

There's a Tim joke in there somewhere isn't there? 

[The Walrus]

 

I love eating fruit and veggies for a meal. Last night I had a mix of grapes, melons, watermelon, apples, and I roasted some carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. Had some baked beans on the side to get a little protein. Felt full but not bloated. Other than seafood and chicken, I don't eat much meat anymore. I miss steak so much but it's worth it for not feeling like death every time I eat it.

[cramx3]

I'm so picky when it comes to fruits and veggies, but I have found the ones I enjoy the most and my fridge is filled with those.  Spinach, butter lettuce, scallions, onions, tomatoes, peppers (of all sorts), zucchini, strawberries and bananas are my goto.  I've been loving my progress to eat more natural and less packaged goods.  Even my gf noticed last time she was over "wow your fridge is so green". 

Prepping all my veggies for toppings for taco tuesday now actually.   

[The Walrus]

Wait, you have a girl again, Marc? Awesome!

Today I learned about 'butter lettuce.' Also, the onion is an underrated food, imo. Extremely popular and a staple food, but that's why it's underrated. Onions... mmmmm

[cramx3]

Wait, you have a girl again, Marc? Awesome!

Today I learned about 'butter lettuce.'

Yea, it's a long story for lonely hearts probably. 

And butter lettuce is SOOOO good, but its more expensive for less so I almost never buy it but after our recent power outage, that was the only lettuce available that didn't go bad at the local super market so I fell in love with it again.

Also, I'm now a huge fan of Lidl.  They built one a year or so ago close by to me but I never went until recently and I really love their selection and prices.  I guess that's kind of off topic, but I'll be doing most of my grocery shopping there for now on I think.

[Kotowboy]

I don't see how I was eating too much. I was literally interspersing short sprints with my walks or running uphills til I was wheezing - and I did that several times a day for a few weeks.

I only ate when I needed to and even then it was like very small portions and a decent small home cooked meal in the evening - usually chicken and leaf salad stir fry.

I exercised so much I think I made myself unwell.

I hope i've just not reached that age where you have to murder yourself every day just to keep the weight down.

( i'm 42 in November btw ).

[SchecterShredder]

I don't see how I was eating too much.

Do you track your food and calories? If not, then you don't actually know if you're overeating. The very first question in the "Why am I gaining/losing weight" flowchart is "Do you track your food?", followed closely by "if you do track food, do you weigh your food with a food scale?". Lots of people think they know how much they eat, but once they actually start tracking they soon realize how much more they eat than they think.

[SchecterShredder]

Also, on the importance of using a food scale to aid in a weight loss program...




...as you can see, this could add up really quickly.

[Chino]

I wish peanut butter and cheese were vegetables. I love/miss them so much.

[SchecterShredder]

I wish peanut butter and cheese were vegetables. I love/miss them so much.

PB is my ultimate vice. I eat it by the spoonful, and it very much sabotages my efforts lol.

[cramx3]

I wish peanut butter and cheese were vegetables. I love/miss them so much.

PB is my ultimate vice. I eat it by the spoonful, and it very much sabotages my efforts lol.

I won't buy it otherwise I'm eating the spoonfuls as well.

[Kotowboy]

I don't see how I was eating too much.

Do you track your food and calories? If not, then you don't actually know if you're overeating. The very first question in the "Why am I gaining/losing weight" flowchart is "Do you track your food?", followed closely by "if you do track food, do you weigh your food with a food scale?". Lots of people think they know how much they eat, but once they actually start tracking they soon realize how much more they eat than they think.

No but I know i'm not overeating as I find eating a chore and literally only eat when i'm about to black out. Literally. Even then it's just enough to stop feeling dizzy.

Plus as I said I was exercising like crazy. I don't know how true it is - but I did read somewhere if you do too much strenuous exercise - your body does hold onto water and

other things in order to do repairs. So you need to rest a lot as well - which I wasn't doing. But I checked this morning and i've dropped like 3lb so something's happened.

---

Oh and I don't eat bread or cheese and very very rarely eat potatoes or pasta. I try and eat as much fruit and veg as I can depending on where I am.