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

[TAC]

What is use the fucking google?

[Harmony]

LoL, click on the link.

It won't take you anywhere scary, promise.   

[wolfking]

You guys know about www.usethefuckinggoogle.com

Right?

Umm.......no...

[wolfking]

LoL, click on the link.

It won't take you anywhere scary, promise.   

Is it Rick Astley?

[jingle.boy]

Fuck Kade. Even Tim knows what Groypon is. You should feel shame. Lots and lots of shame. 

[Harmony]

LoL, click on the link.

It won't take you anywhere scary, promise.   

Is it Rick Astley?

Maybe if you put Rick Astley into the search engine.... but generally, no.

[jingle.boy]

@Harmony …. Glorious.

[wolfking]

Fuck Kade. Even Tim knows what Groypon is. You should feel shame. Lots and lots of shame. 

Wait, I thought we were talking Groupons?  Now you throw a Groypon at me?! 

[wolfking]

You guys know about www.usethefuckinggoogle.com

Right?

 

I'm never googling again.  Everything I don't know in the history of mankind and the universe I'm asking to DTF.

[jingle.boy]

You guys know about www.usethefuckinggoogle.com

Right?

 

I'm never googling again.  Everything I don't know in the history of mankind and the universe I'm asking to DTF.

Tim v2

[TAC]

You guys know about www.usethefuckinggoogle.com

Right?

 

I'm never googling again.  Everything I don't know in the history of mankind and the universe I'm asking to DTF.

Tim v2

I mean, who wouldn't want that?

[wolfking]

Well, Tim's in the exercise thread, so we're both pulling our weight here. 

[jingle.boy]

 

You two really should both change your avatar to an image of Waldorf/Statler in the balcony.

[WilliamMunny]

Here's a little left-field rant for everyone:

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

As a working/touring musician in my mid '20s, I lived on a diet of fast food and energy drinks. While I wouldn't say I was ever overweight, I was about as far from 'fit' as it gets.

Fortunately, I focused on getting in shape in my late '20s (for a variety of reasons) and have stayed that way ever since.

All of that said, it continues to blow my mind just how much of an uphill slog this whole 'working out' thing has become.

At this stage in my life, flirting with my mid-'40s, I'm devoting an average of 7-10 hours a week to running, lifting, stetching, and yoga. This is easily twice the time I spent ten years ago. Add to that my meticulous diet, and maintaining a desired body-fat percentage is literally a part-time job.

Now, if I were single, I suspect this whole thing would be so much easier to wrap my head around, but with a 9-month-old baby crawling around, and a 14-year-old who literally needs a ride 'somewhere' three times a day, carving out time to workout has me waking up at 4:45 in the morning.

Based on my current trajectory, I suspect this investment will only continue to balloon. Staying in shape is a massive priority for me, so it is what it is. That all said, anyone else experiencing what I described?

[gmillerdrake]

Here's a little left-field rant for everyone:

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

As a working/touring musician in my mid '20s, I lived on a diet of fast food and energy drinks. While I wouldn't say I was ever overweight, I was about as far from 'fit' as it gets.

Fortunately, I focused on getting in shape in my late '20s (for a variety of reasons) and have stayed that way ever since.

All of that said, it continues to blow my mind just how much of an uphill slog this whole 'working out' thing has become.

At this stage in my life, flirting with my mid-'40s, I'm devoting an average of 7-10 hours a week to running, lifting, stetching, and yoga. This is easily twice the time I spent ten years ago. Add to that my meticulous diet, and maintaining a desired body-fat percentage is literally a part-time job.

Now, if I were single, I suspect this whole thing would be so much easier to wrap my head around, but with a 9-month-old baby crawling around, and a 14-year-old who literally needs a ride 'somewhere' three times a day, carving out time to workout has me waking up at 4:45 in the morning.

Based on my current trajectory, I suspect this investment will only continue to balloon. Staying in shape is a massive priority for me, so it is what it is. That all said, anyone else experiencing what I described?

100% this, especially as you age. It just becomes cumbersome to maintain it all. I've recently been on a real good kick of getting back into running and watching my calorie intake. First week of May my wife and I started focusing on exercising more and watching our intake. I've been maintaining at least 4 days a week of running 5 miles a day plus I play ice hockey on Sundays....been VERY active. I reworked my lunches to where I'm only doing 400 calories for lunch and then I basically eat a 'normal' dinner of 1500 calories or so...so, I'm staying around 2000 calories a day. I'm not tracking it down to the calorie but I've been pretty careful to stay within reason.....basically I'm doing my own version of the whole intermittent fasting thing. My first food is lunchtime and I don't eat past 8:00pm or so.

So the more controlled food intake and getting back to a more normal exercise schedule helped me go from 196lbs in May to now this week I'm at 179lbs. Looking to drop another 5lbs or so, which....I know I'll do BUT it's then maintaining that. It's truly another job! I feel better about myself now and feel good to be running and active again, but man....you really have to stay after it because it doesn't take long to lose all your gains. 

[jingle.boy]

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

Dear God this is so accurate.  I was in the best shape of my life last year, let my diet slip a little in December (as it always does), got back to working out in Jan, really jammed my right shoulder by lifting too much/too hard, and then slipped into a bit of a depression (for many reasons) in Feb/March.  Tried to get back at it, but then caught COVID at the beginning of May.  Now summertime has found most of my disposable time enjoying the outdoors - either with household projects, or just trying to relax in the good weather. Virtually all of my gains from 2020/2021 are gone, and I'm having trouble (again, for many reasons) finding the motivation and desire to get back at it.

But yeah, fitness is a journey - not a destination.

[Harmony]

I agree with both of you.

Motivation is difficult with setbacks.  I know that drill myself.

I'm really going into my new (3 weeks in as of last Sunday) routine with my eye on the long game.  It used to be cut calories drastically and move a little more and hope to see numbers on the scale drop quickly.

MISTAKE

Now I hardly ever weigh myself but instead am taking measurements.  I'm focusing on fueling my body with veggies, fruits, proteins but not cutting out entire food groups or doing drastic low calorie days that just send me off on a binge.  And I'm working out consistently 5 days a week.  Yesterday I kind of felt like crap for some reason but I forced myself to do an easier cardio session and damn if I didn't feel 100% better after moving my body.

I'm appreciating the small wins...clothes are fitting better, sleep is much better, mood is much better.  And I'm not pressuring myself (lose X number of pounds by X date).  Maybe what they say about finding a lifestyle you can live with forever is really the best way.  It will take longer.  That's ok.  I know I'll feel better next week, next month, next year.

[SchecterShredder]

I actually log my weight daily. And it fluctuates crazy amounts, as well (to the tune of 6 or 7 lbs over 2-3 days depending on water retention/salt consumption). For me it's about the data point, and less about the actual number., so it doesn't bother me if it's up or down. Nor do I make any adjustments to my routine based on the number any given day. If my weekly avg. trends up consistently I might reign in my late night peanut butter excursions, but otherwise it's business as usual.

I don't take measurements (which would certainly be more accurate), but I do log a progress photo once per week. My weight has been steady in my range for about 3 years now, but I can clearly see that I'm much leaner over the same time period. The progress photos have also given me a time lapse of my beard over the last 2 years. It's pretty neat.

[Lonk]

It's encouraging to read the stories in this thread. I never been a "workout" type of person. My exercise used to come from biking and basketball, and I haven't done either of those things in 5 years. I bought a spin/exercise bike and I've gone through phases of using it constantly for a few weeks, even months, and then not using it for 3-4 months.

I started again a few weeks back and so far I'm sticking to it. I'm telling myself it's one step at the time. My goal right now is to continue getting on the bike for 3-4 days a week for 30 minutes. Then increase the duration little by little. I just hope I don't lose the routine once September hits and I'm back into grad-school stress.

[SchecterShredder]

Back in my university days I would actually try to plan "easier" studying sessions around cycling. I found i could do readings while doing moderate stationary bike sessions. That likely differs from student to student though.

[wolfking]

Here's a little left-field rant for everyone:

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

As a working/touring musician in my mid '20s, I lived on a diet of fast food and energy drinks. While I wouldn't say I was ever overweight, I was about as far from 'fit' as it gets.

Fortunately, I focused on getting in shape in my late '20s (for a variety of reasons) and have stayed that way ever since.

All of that said, it continues to blow my mind just how much of an uphill slog this whole 'working out' thing has become.

At this stage in my life, flirting with my mid-'40s, I'm devoting an average of 7-10 hours a week to running, lifting, stetching, and yoga. This is easily twice the time I spent ten years ago. Add to that my meticulous diet, and maintaining a desired body-fat percentage is literally a part-time job.

Now, if I were single, I suspect this whole thing would be so much easier to wrap my head around, but with a 9-month-old baby crawling around, and a 14-year-old who literally needs a ride 'somewhere' three times a day, carving out time to workout has me waking up at 4:45 in the morning.

Based on my current trajectory, I suspect this investment will only continue to balloon. Staying in shape is a massive priority for me, so it is what it is. That all said, anyone else experiencing what I described?

100% this, especially as you age. It just becomes cumbersome to maintain it all. I've recently been on a real good kick of getting back into running and watching my calorie intake. First week of May my wife and I started focusing on exercising more and watching our intake. I've been maintaining at least 4 days a week of running 5 miles a day plus I play ice hockey on Sundays....been VERY active. I reworked my lunches to where I'm only doing 400 calories for lunch and then I basically eat a 'normal' dinner of 1500 calories or so...so, I'm staying around 2000 calories a day. I'm not tracking it down to the calorie but I've been pretty careful to stay within reason.....basically I'm doing my own version of the whole intermittent fasting thing. My first food is lunchtime and I don't eat past 8:00pm or so.

So the more controlled food intake and getting back to a more normal exercise schedule helped me go from 196lbs in May to now this week I'm at 179lbs. Looking to drop another 5lbs or so, which....I know I'll do BUT it's then maintaining that. It's truly another job! I feel better about myself now and feel good to be running and active again, but man....you really have to stay after it because it doesn't take long to lose all your gains. 

This is a crazy low calorie intake for your output Gary.  What's your maintenance calories going to look like after you've dropped the last 5 pounds?

[wolfking]

What Munny wrote is bang on, it is a job in itself staying in shape and keeping fit.  I'm finding that out as I get older too.  I really love it though so it's not a chore.  At the moment I'm weight training 5 days a week and running 7 days a week.  5-8km through the week and usually 10-15kms on the weekends. 

With food, I kind of just eat what I want.  I hate cooking and prep and at the moment, I'm really doing an OMAD kind of diet.  I'm sitting with a cup of coffee this morning before work and sometimes I may have a protein bar through the day but most of the time, this is all I'll have until my post workout shake around 7pm and then I cook and eat a large meal for dinner.  At a guess, I'll aim for over 2500 calories a day.  Weight is starting to drop and felt pretty weak in the gym last night so need to add more food again. 

[TAC]

What is OMAD?

Are you saying that you won't eat until after 7PM, except for a protein bar?

[gmillerdrake]

Here's a little left-field rant for everyone:

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

As a working/touring musician in my mid '20s, I lived on a diet of fast food and energy drinks. While I wouldn't say I was ever overweight, I was about as far from 'fit' as it gets.

Fortunately, I focused on getting in shape in my late '20s (for a variety of reasons) and have stayed that way ever since.

All of that said, it continues to blow my mind just how much of an uphill slog this whole 'working out' thing has become.

At this stage in my life, flirting with my mid-'40s, I'm devoting an average of 7-10 hours a week to running, lifting, stetching, and yoga. This is easily twice the time I spent ten years ago. Add to that my meticulous diet, and maintaining a desired body-fat percentage is literally a part-time job.

Now, if I were single, I suspect this whole thing would be so much easier to wrap my head around, but with a 9-month-old baby crawling around, and a 14-year-old who literally needs a ride 'somewhere' three times a day, carving out time to workout has me waking up at 4:45 in the morning.

Based on my current trajectory, I suspect this investment will only continue to balloon. Staying in shape is a massive priority for me, so it is what it is. That all said, anyone else experiencing what I described?

100% this, especially as you age. It just becomes cumbersome to maintain it all. I've recently been on a real good kick of getting back into running and watching my calorie intake. First week of May my wife and I started focusing on exercising more and watching our intake. I've been maintaining at least 4 days a week of running 5 miles a day plus I play ice hockey on Sundays....been VERY active. I reworked my lunches to where I'm only doing 400 calories for lunch and then I basically eat a 'normal' dinner of 1500 calories or so...so, I'm staying around 2000 calories a day. I'm not tracking it down to the calorie but I've been pretty careful to stay within reason.....basically I'm doing my own version of the whole intermittent fasting thing. My first food is lunchtime and I don't eat past 8:00pm or so.

So the more controlled food intake and getting back to a more normal exercise schedule helped me go from 196lbs in May to now this week I'm at 179lbs. Looking to drop another 5lbs or so, which....I know I'll do BUT it's then maintaining that. It's truly another job! I feel better about myself now and feel good to be running and active again, but man....you really have to stay after it because it doesn't take long to lose all your gains. 

This is a crazy low calorie intake for your output Gary.  What's your maintenance calories going to look like after you've dropped the last 5 pounds?

I really don’t know and honestly…….that’s where I’ve failed in the past. I’ve been able to drop weight before but it was always on efforts like I described. Then, I’d tell myself I’d “be better” at watching what I eat going forward then end up falling off and putting the weight back on.

It usually always comes down to my lunches. Was on a real bad kick the past couple years of taking in a lot of calories at lunch, then at dinner as well and so I couldn’t combat it with just a couple days of running and a night of hockey.

Certainly open for suggestions or advice.

[Harmony]

Gary have you calculated your TDEE?

https://tdeecalculator.net/

FTR, I've always been told to use sendentary as activity unless you are physically active for hours a day - like folks who do strenuous jobs for a living.  Working out an hour or so a day isn't it.  YMMV

Well...I upped my weights today.  My muscles are doing the shaking thing.  LoL

[wolfking]

What is OMAD?

Are you saying that you won't eat until after 7PM, except for a protein bar?

One Meal A Day.  Pretty much yeah.

[wolfking]

Here's a little left-field rant for everyone:

It's one thing to get in shape, but it's another thing entirely to maintain it.

As a working/touring musician in my mid '20s, I lived on a diet of fast food and energy drinks. While I wouldn't say I was ever overweight, I was about as far from 'fit' as it gets.

Fortunately, I focused on getting in shape in my late '20s (for a variety of reasons) and have stayed that way ever since.

All of that said, it continues to blow my mind just how much of an uphill slog this whole 'working out' thing has become.

At this stage in my life, flirting with my mid-'40s, I'm devoting an average of 7-10 hours a week to running, lifting, stetching, and yoga. This is easily twice the time I spent ten years ago. Add to that my meticulous diet, and maintaining a desired body-fat percentage is literally a part-time job.

Now, if I were single, I suspect this whole thing would be so much easier to wrap my head around, but with a 9-month-old baby crawling around, and a 14-year-old who literally needs a ride 'somewhere' three times a day, carving out time to workout has me waking up at 4:45 in the morning.

Based on my current trajectory, I suspect this investment will only continue to balloon. Staying in shape is a massive priority for me, so it is what it is. That all said, anyone else experiencing what I described?

100% this, especially as you age. It just becomes cumbersome to maintain it all. I've recently been on a real good kick of getting back into running and watching my calorie intake. First week of May my wife and I started focusing on exercising more and watching our intake. I've been maintaining at least 4 days a week of running 5 miles a day plus I play ice hockey on Sundays....been VERY active. I reworked my lunches to where I'm only doing 400 calories for lunch and then I basically eat a 'normal' dinner of 1500 calories or so...so, I'm staying around 2000 calories a day. I'm not tracking it down to the calorie but I've been pretty careful to stay within reason.....basically I'm doing my own version of the whole intermittent fasting thing. My first food is lunchtime and I don't eat past 8:00pm or so.

So the more controlled food intake and getting back to a more normal exercise schedule helped me go from 196lbs in May to now this week I'm at 179lbs. Looking to drop another 5lbs or so, which....I know I'll do BUT it's then maintaining that. It's truly another job! I feel better about myself now and feel good to be running and active again, but man....you really have to stay after it because it doesn't take long to lose all your gains. 

This is a crazy low calorie intake for your output Gary.  What's your maintenance calories going to look like after you've dropped the last 5 pounds?

I really don’t know and honestly…….that’s where I’ve failed in the past. I’ve been able to drop weight before but it was always on efforts like I described. Then, I’d tell myself I’d “be better” at watching what I eat going forward then end up falling off and putting the weight back on.

It usually always comes down to my lunches. Was on a real bad kick the past couple years of taking in a lot of calories at lunch, then at dinner as well and so I couldn’t combat it with just a couple days of running and a night of hockey.

Certainly open for suggestions or advice.

Tracking daily is a pain in the ass.  I did it but have become pretty intuitive with my diet and how much I can eat depending on what I do.  That's kind of why I restrict most of my eating til later in the day.  I hate eating small and regularly, so putting down most my calories later in the day makes me satisfied and I can eat a bit more of what I like.  It's easier to combat if you have a couple of days over your calories.

Gary have you calculated your TDEE?

https://tdeecalculator.net/

FTR, I've always been told to use sendentary as activity unless you are physically active for hours a day - like folks who do strenuous jobs for a living.  Working out an hour or so a day isn't it.  YMMV

Well...I upped my weights today.  My muscles are doing the shaking thing.  LoL

These calculators are always good for a guide.  The issue is sticking to the numbers it gives you or properly tracking everything to hit the numbers daily.

[Harmony]

Well the numbers it gives you is your basic daily calorie expenditure number.  Depending on your goals you just go down or up from there.

I don't find tracking difficult.  Where I sometimes go off the rails is eyeballing things instead of measuring with my food scale.  I mean....who eats 1 tablespoon of peanut butter?  LoL

[wolfking]

Well the numbers it gives you is your basic daily calorie expenditure number.  Depending on your goals you just go down or up from there.

I don't find tracking difficult.  Where I sometimes go off the rails is eyeballing things instead of measuring with my food scale.  I mean....who eats 1 tablespoon of peanut butter?  LoL

Exactly, 2 is a minimum. 

That's true, I've done enough to eyeball most things also, so I can gauge within a pretty good range of how much I'm eating.

[SchecterShredder]

Nor do i find tracking difficult.  I have a 2,411 day log streak in Myfitnesspal (MFP). It's synced with my garmin devices, so exercise is automatically logged. As for the food, i spend less than 5min each day in the app, and usually probably closer to 2. I can barcode scan foods i don't usually eat,  the database of restaurant entries is vast, and i have saved meals for my commonly eaten foods (i do all the cooking for my family, so it's easy to keep it consistent). I find the whole process simple and 100% effective.  Used this process to lose about 50lbs, and have maintained the same weight since.

[TAC]

What is OMAD?

Are you saying that you won't eat until after 7PM, except for a protein bar?

One Meal A Day.  Pretty much yeah.

How do you maintain your energy during the day? That seems impossible.



Anyway, I marvel at everyone's commitment to running, lifting, etc... I mainly come in to see the convo about dieting and that sort of thing. As a diabetic, I find it an interesting topic.

[WilliamMunny]

What Munny wrote is bang on, it is a job in itself staying in shape and keeping fit.  I'm finding that out as I get older too.  I really love it though so it's not a chore.  At the moment I'm weight training 5 days a week and running 7 days a week.  5-8km through the week and usually 10-15kms on the weekends. 

With food, I kind of just eat what I want.  I hate cooking and prep and at the moment, I'm really doing an OMAD kind of diet.  I'm sitting with a cup of coffee this morning before work and sometimes I may have a protein bar through the day but most of the time, this is all I'll have until my post workout shake around 7pm and then I cook and eat a large meal for dinner.  At a guess, I'll aim for over 2500 calories a day.  Weight is starting to drop and felt pretty weak in the gym last night so need to add more food again.

This is a really good point that I failed to mention.

Staying in shape is and has been a part-time job, but it's one that I enjoy, hence my ability to stay relatively fit (within a couple points of body fat) for the better part of a decade.

I think the thing that's beginning to mess with me is the obvious and unwavering downward trajectory. I get it, we all get older, but understanding and accepting are two very different things. Each year that goes by, I'm lifting a little less heavy, and my tempo runs are getting a few seconds slower. Oh, and don't even get me started about how many times I wake up to pee every night!

[wolfking]

Nor do i find tracking difficult.  I have a 2,411 day log streak in Myfitnesspal (MFP). It's synced with my garmin devices, so exercise is automatically logged. As for the food, i spend less than 5min each day in the app, and usually probably closer to 2. I can barcode scan foods i don't usually eat,  the database of restaurant entries is vast, and i have saved meals for my commonly eaten foods (i do all the cooking for my family, so it's easy to keep it consistent). I find the whole process simple and 100% effective.  Used this process to lose about 50lbs, and have maintained the same weight since.

Outstanding.  I did use the app for a while and it was handy, and did become time saving once regular meals were saved.  I just couldn't be assed sticking it out.  Eyeballing for me is good enough but probably why I've never reached the physique I've always wanted.  That streak is incredible.

[wolfking]

What is OMAD?

Are you saying that you won't eat until after 7PM, except for a protein bar?

One Meal A Day.  Pretty much yeah.

How do you maintain your energy during the day? That seems impossible.



Anyway, I marvel at everyone's commitment to running, lifting, etc... I mainly come in to see the convo about dieting and that sort of thing. As a diabetic, I find it an interesting topic.

Fasting is a tool I've used for years once I started to lose weight.  It becomes a mental battle and a challenge but your body gets used to it.  Not sure how it would work with your diabetes mate so it's probably not a wise thing for you I would imagine.  I'd assume you'd need more constant food intake to stabilize everything.  Again, I'm not too cluely on all that.

I've found I'm fine with fasting but once I start snacking and eating through the day, it leads to over eating.  Usually though, with the amount I eat at night, I'm not hungry until later in the day.  Plenty of water and coffee helps during the day, although I try and limit the coffee.

[wolfking]

What Munny wrote is bang on, it is a job in itself staying in shape and keeping fit.  I'm finding that out as I get older too.  I really love it though so it's not a chore.  At the moment I'm weight training 5 days a week and running 7 days a week.  5-8km through the week and usually 10-15kms on the weekends. 

With food, I kind of just eat what I want.  I hate cooking and prep and at the moment, I'm really doing an OMAD kind of diet.  I'm sitting with a cup of coffee this morning before work and sometimes I may have a protein bar through the day but most of the time, this is all I'll have until my post workout shake around 7pm and then I cook and eat a large meal for dinner.  At a guess, I'll aim for over 2500 calories a day.  Weight is starting to drop and felt pretty weak in the gym last night so need to add more food again.

This is a really good point that I failed to mention.

Staying in shape is and has been a part-time job, but it's one that I enjoy, hence my ability to stay relatively fit (within a couple points of body fat) for the better part of a decade.

I think the thing that's beginning to mess with me is the obvious and unwavering downward trajectory. I get it, we all get older, but understanding and accepting are two very different things. Each year that goes by, I'm lifting a little less heavy, and my tempo runs are getting a few seconds slower. Oh, and don't even get me started about how many times I wake up to pee every night!

Not sure how old you are mate but that's something that would be mentally challenging, hence the reason more work is involved to stay in shape I guess.  I know with how I am I'll push harder and harder to stay the same or better but that then leads to injuries and the like.  It's certainly a balancing act.