Health & Physical Fitness/Training Thread

Not to discount Om's thoughts - obviously, it's working for him - but I will tell you most research out there says fasting is generally terrible for you. I'm not an expert, just putting out there what most physicians will tell you. Fasting slows your metabolism down, tells your body to revert to gluconeogenesis (breaking down body tissues for glucose production when you don't eat), and the tissues most easily broken down are muscles. That doesn't mean that you can't lose weight fasting, but it may be counter-productive long-term. Then again, that's just what I've always been told from 'medical professionals' and I've learned the medical 'take', even from physicians isn't always correct.

The primary reason you are probably gaining weight, and unable to shed it, is that you're getting older brother. It's rather shocking how precipitously one's metabolism slows at a certain age. I used to be able to look at a bike or a set of weights and lose weight. Not anymore. Like you, my weight crept up. I'm only 5'9" and I was up around 205 late last year. That's WAY too heavy. I carried it well because I have a stocky muscular frame. But I had to do something. I don't believe in dieting - because I think it's unsustainable. But I have changed my diet significantly. I pretty much eat only proteins, vegetables, and fresh fruit during the week. No bread, pasta, carbs at all (except for plain rice occasionally). No processed food or sugar, and very little dairy. No beer or sodas. And I am exercising about an hour a day after work. Down 15 lbs so far and in much better shape than I was. If I were smarter, I would start eating breakfast, as even that 'fast' between last night's dinner and lunch is a metabolism slower. But I'm just never going to be a breakfast guy. Now that biking season is here, I expect to drop at least another 10 lbs. And I also am easing up on the weekends, more or less eating what I want but trying to be moderate even then.

I'm sure there are a lot of ways to skin a cat, but I think bottom line is aerobic/continuous exercise daily, doing whatever you can to boost metabolism, and eating smarter.

what I have noticed about fasting (I used to fast from Palm to Easter Sunday every year) was that you lost a lot of water weight and some fat but as soon as you went back to your normal eating routine you gained it back and then some. Your body is tricked in to thinking it is starving so it is eating away at the inside so when it does get food it thinks it needs to store it faster and more of it.

I also did the medifast bit last year right when my son was born and it was amazing how much weight I lost and how fast I lost it. But, like fasting, when you go back to your normal lifestyle of eating it creeps back on. With medifast your body went in to "keetosis"(sp) and tells your metabolism to use its own fat instead of looking to food that wasn't coming to do it.

I remember the biggest thing for me when losing weight was cutting back on beer, giving up most junk food, and eating healthier snacks that also have a tendencies to give you energy like blueberries, apples, shit like that. I also know better than to think to say stuff like "I am done with cookies, beer, ice cream altogether" because that is just never going to be the case. If I tried to do that I would resent it and go back to it like a starving man to a buffet.

I see A LOT of people doing that T25 thing right now...it seems to be a shit ton of cardio and some weights involved in it as well. It sounds like P90X to me, but I don't know enough to tell for sure. I do know that once my wife spits out this last kid she is going to really want to get back to being her normal hot self. I will be back to running and hopefully lifting heavy again. I miss the gym.

Boone, thanks for that. I did read a lot about the muscle-breakdown concerns before trying IF ... I agree that got my attention. I had tried one of the other fasting protocols last year--2 days a week I'd limit calorie intake to 600/day. It seemed to work in terms of quick weight loss, but it didn't "feel right" after a couple of weeks, so I stopped. The 8/16 thing seems to be just enough to get the weight coming off slowly, but not making me feel overly hungry or tempted to binge on days after.

I've been careful to get plenty of protein on weight-lifting days, and at least to date, have noticed no loss of strength or mass (using the term advisedly). The weight seems to have come off the places I needed it to most ... thighs, arse, belly. Once I've hit the target of 178 that I set going in, I'll be going to using the 8/16 fast cycle just once or twice a week for maintenance mode. I have realistic expectations about the kind of ripitude I can expect at 54.

Your underlying message about proceeding with caution on fasting is very well taken, however. Anyone thinking about trying it shouldn't base in on my experience or anyone else's. Do your research, fit it to your goals and needs, and monitor not just the scale, but what you see in the mirror, and most importantly, how you feel.

Work has a gym in the building that I'm allowed to use and a track outside for walking/running. So, I go in there to see what they have and get a session in. Kind of bummed but will make it work. A lot of elliptical equipment and the dumbbells only go up to 50s. I curl that so chest day is going to be a strange day.

But it is nice to have that lactic acid burning in my legs again.

You will get a better chest workout then doing high rep pushups than with 50lb dumbbells.

I do more reps with more than 50. Not trying to brag but I push 110s when going for power. 50 is going to be too light.

But you can't look a free horse in the mouth, right?

Made my son do a burpee only workout on Monday with me. Goal was to do 100 in sets of 20. Let's just say we called it good at 70, atleast til we get back into it.

Think I'm gonna quick pace walk my dog tonight, weather is ridiculously nice today. I know a walk isn't that much of a workout but is good for the mind as well IMHO.

Here's my walking partner...only ended up going like 3/4 of a mile but beauty of a day.

Had to settle doing 3 sets of 20 with the 50lb dumbbells. I felt stupid.

Anyone working out still?

It's 100 out today and I decided to go for a 1 mile run in it.

That. Hurt.

Down 46lbs and 4 away from my second goal. I thought it would be a lot harder than this...but once I got through the first portion of being extremely strict and then just established a good routine of eating it has been pretty simple. I fluctuate but I am still going downward and that is all that matters.

Breakfast is now nonfat yogurt, granola, and some raspberries instead of the normal 3 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, and hash browns. I allow that once a week. I still get my beer time on the weekends but no more during the week.

I hit a personal best on the rowing machine...2000km in 8:49. I am happy with that but want to get it down further.

Yep needed to get off my fat ass and do something. Did T25 'cardio' and holy cow I'm out of shape.

Gotta start somewhere right! Operation fatass has commenced in the shock n awe phase.

I've been stuck at the 205-215 range for far too long, and have finally decided to do something about it. Santa brought me a FitBit, and I have doubled my average steps each day this week, while maintaining my regimine at the Y. I'm dropping Weight Watchers since after three years I have a good handle on it and am going to be in shape by the Summer. My target for then is 190, my target this time 2016 is 180. Gonna happen!

So what all does the fit bit count? I thought it was only a heart rate monitor?

It counts heartrate and all that, but I mostly use it to count steps. Before I got it, I hit on average about 5-7k steps a day. I'm up to 12k most days now, which is a fair amount of extra exercise that will add up quickly. Plus my oldest daughter got one also and she and I have had one duel (I beat her because I'm stupidly competitive, never let my kids win at anything) where we count steps against each other.

I'm psyched!

That sounds pretty cool, and awesome you have family helping out as well.

2 nights in a row doing T25. Feels like Shawn T kicked me in the nuts with cleats on.

Well, I made it down 50 and then my birthday/holidays happened. In 3 weeks I put on 7 pounds....

my wife is doing some "fit girl club" food eating thing she found, so naturally I am too. this morning I had an 8oz mason jar full of oats, almond milk, and strawberries. I had 15 almonds for a mid morning snack with yogurt and granola, and for lunch I had some baked chicken breast, rice, potatoes, asparagus/mushrooms/kale mix.

i had to cut a makeshift notch in my belt because my pants were starting to fall off my ass. It looks tacky if you can see it but its like a badge to me of accomplishing something. I'm gonna be back in the gym now as well 4-5 days a week for an hour a day and hopefully as a family we are going to get back to running 5Ks.

......