The physical fitness encouragement and accountability thread.

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Yesterday I did my daily 30 minutes on an excercycle, followed by a 30 minute proper bike ride for work and an hour of pacing back and forth down a hallway.
Suffice to say my legs hurt.
 
the wool cap I bought in Ireland.
I suddenly urgently want know if this is some tasteful high-end Blarney Wool Mills type item, or a KISS ME I'M IRISH type from Dublin airport shop. :smile:

And good job on the run! Just thinking about doing six miles makes me want to take to my bed...
 
Sounds like you've caught something or other. Hopefully nothing major. When the body says rest, rest is what you do :sleep:
Unfortunately my body says "sit down on the couch" at pretty much all times it's not saying "we need to go to the store for food" or "sleep now".
 
I'm 5' 10".

Not sure what I "should" weigh per BMI, but BMI is a hot mess of a measurement anyway. Especially for athletes. According to BMI, peak era Marshawn Lynch was obese, and there's no possible way that's true.
Yup. It's not even the correct power law -- people aren't 2d -- so it also breaks down significantly for people at the Marie Kondo and LeBron James ends of the height curve. And frame size and muscle mass are significant variables too, though maybe not quite as much as some "but you wear it well!" enablers might tell others. :smile:

Another variable is "fit for what?" Better to look like Kenenisa Bekele for people who want to run a half-marathon nice and briskly. You want to look like Beast Mode if your runs average about five yards, and are contrary to the physically expressed will of eleven other gentlemen, who are also on the large side, wearing a different-coloured romper suit.

I set my goal weight at 165 because that's what I pretty consistently weighed up until about eight years ago, when I started going pretty steadily up, topping out a little over 190. Never quite hit 200. I'm not sure if 165 is actually a realistic goal for 45-year-old E-Rocker, but it's at least a target to work towards. Incidentally, I had a physical last week and my doctor wants me to get down to 171.
I think you get to pat yourself at the back BMI-wise at 179. Which likely brings you well under the bodyfat ratio, too.
 
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You want to look like Beast Mode if your runs average about five yards, and are contrary to the physically expressed will of eleven other gentlemen, who are also on the large side, wearing a different-coloured romper suit.

Just wanted to say, that was some very clever phrasing. :smile:
 
With it being Presidents' Day in the US today, most government institutions, including my workplace, are closed, which means I got to work with my personal trainer at 9 am instead of the usual 6 am! Soooo much better!!

Got my trap-bar deadlift up to 160 lbs, which is a personal record, at least as far as working with this trainer. I think I had gotten up to either 170 or 175 with my pre-Covid trainer, but that was a long time ago now and I didn't write it down anywhere, so I'm not totally sure.

Anyway, 160 gets me closer to my 2023 goal of deadlifting my bodyweight, especially considering that my bodyweight has come down a bit since I set that goal.
 
Did another 2 miles by the river. Finally broke with what my bariatric nurse said and weighed myself. Since I started this journey and learned intuitive eating, I've gained 20 lbs. I have been eating roughly 1500 calories a day, so it's not from overeating- definitely something wrong. I know that I'm not supposed to worry about that now, but I have 3 more months until surgery and I can't go at that pace of gain, so I have to figure something out...
 
I did 10 loops today, just to keep it going. Maybe I might do 8 more later.
What's a loop in this context? Getting a slight mental image that you're in a biathlon and you've hit nothing. :grin:

But mainly... tiiiiired. Maybe some low-end discretionary/high-end aggravated shopping tomorrow.
 
What's a loop in this context? Getting a slight mental image that you're in a biathlon and you've hit nothing. :grin:

But mainly... tiiiiired. Maybe some low-end discretionary/high-end aggravated shopping tomorrow.
He explained it in this post:

 
OOps forgot Dr Visit. Scrubbed morning walk. Maybe something in the afternoon.

Still sick, but my heart is okay, so only did six loops this afternoon.
 
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After the operation: I've graduated to using an elastic band now! The lightest one - 5 kgs pull - but it's still something, right:tongue:?
I'm doing the basic pulls - pulling behind the back (kinda like rowing), stretching the arm forward, lifting it sideways...

OK, I'm not about to lose weight with it, not anytime soon (3-4 sets of 8-10 from each ain't cutting it). So I still need to watch out for it. But...the food...it is calling to me...:gunslinger:


I'm 5' 10".

Not sure what I "should" weigh per BMI, but BMI is a hot mess of a measurement anyway. Especially for athletes. According to BMI, peak era Marshawn Lynch was obese, and there's no possible way that's true.
...OK, that's an entertaining example:grin:!

Unfortunately my body says "sit down on the couch" at pretty much all times it's not saying "we need to go to the store for food" or "sleep now".
I was just going to ask about that. Sometimes the body just wants All The Food:shade:!

This was a grievous mistake. I'm still sore.
Magnesium is your friend.
 
OK, I'm not about to lose weight with it, not anytime soon (3-4 sets of 8-10 from each ain't cutting it). So I still need to watch out for it. But...the food...it is calling to me...:gunslinger:
You know what they say, do what you can Within The Comfortable Range. You may not be able to dent the BMI immediately, but maintaining a base of muscle tone and (if possible) aerobic fitness should make it easier to build up when you're more able to.

I was just going to ask about that. Sometimes the body just wants All The Food:shade:!
I've been that soldier, though my metabolism seems to be fairly forgiving of it. Of late it's swung way towards just being generally low-energy.
 
I've been that soldier, though my metabolism seems to be fairly forgiving of it. Of late it's swung way towards just being generally low-energy.
Having said which... this evening very much turned into an exercise in, if I'm going to bother with more than minimal meal prep, set portion size to Maximal Feasible.

I really had better burn some of it off tomorrow, I guess...
 
Yesterday and today were snow days.....

I have done 20 minutes on the elliptical at high intensity both days.
 
Illness and the weather have really been messing with my swimming. I'll get back into my habit of 3-4 days a week, then I got mildly sick, not bad but an outdoor pool in cold weather seems a bad idea when already under the influence of illness. Got back to 3 days a week, and then we got a good streak of really cold weather. I'll still swim down to about 40 degrees (4 C), even high 30s if I'm motivated, but mid 30s or less is a bit to nipply for me. We actually got 3 days of snow this past week, it snows here about once every 10 years, so 3 days in a row is very abnormal.

Still I've been making it at least once a week, sometimes twice. I went today and saw they will be doing some work and closing the pool for 1-2 weeks, and then I'm scheduled to work for 2 weeks about the time it will reopen. :tongue:

At least my improved eating habits are paying off, even with the reduced swimming I'm maintaining or maybe even dropping a little weight.



I wish food and diet wasn't so over run with fads and hype. No carbs, all carbs, protein only, all veggies, just drink a shake.

You've never seen a fat caveman... That's not diet, that is an active life style being chased by carnivores, frequent food shortages and an average life expectancy of 30 years.

Even the FDA food pyramid bowed to lobbyist pressure.

Bleh. :weep:


So personal question if you don't mind? How tall are you? Reason I ask relates to discussions I've had with my doctor about weight, which seem to be completely unreasonable. For example, I'm 6'3" tall, and I weigh around 185 pounds, give or take a few pounds either way. My doctor seems to think I should weigh 165 (!) which is nearly impossible for me, considering the weight lifting and ice hockey that are my exercise routine. I feel pretty fit overall (well getting back to it after knee surgery anyway) so I don't worry about what the doctor says about weight anymore...

BMI is a fraud, at best a very general guideline. BMI was never intended to be used to measure individual fitness, it was a mathematical model made in the 1800s to help governments measure community health, not individual health. Ironically a big concern was underweight people as that indicated food shortages.

Lobbyists for diet companies pushed for its recognition as a medical tool in the 1970s. It takes no account of activity, or build so somebody with an active job like construction will rate high on the scale because they have a higher than average muscle mass, saying they are obese when most people would say they were in great shape.

I am 6'2" but have always had muscular legs and a broad build. BMI says I my ideal weight is 160-180. My weight in my prime (in the fire academy and working as a life guard) was 210-220lbs, which put me into the obese category. At 190-200lbs people thought I was too skinny. In high school I was 165 and I was thin as a rail and kind of sickly looking desperately trying to put on weight. Ironically I was that weight because I was sick, and spent several years in and out of the hospital until they removed a bad section of intestine.

I need to lose weight, but 40-50lbs would be great, not the 100+ BMI says I should lose.

Did another 2 miles by the river. Finally broke with what my bariatric nurse said and weighed myself. Since I started this journey and learned intuitive eating, I've gained 20 lbs. I have been eating roughly 1500 calories a day, so it's not from overeating- definitely something wrong. I know that I'm not supposed to worry about that now, but I have 3 more months until surgery and I can't go at that pace of gain, so I have to figure something out...

Weight is a good indicator as a maintenance tool, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

Do you feel like you've gained weight?

The first 6 months I felt like I was going nowhere because my weight was barely changing, but then I noticed my pants were getting shorter. I'd actually lost 2" in waist size so I was wearing my pants higher, rather than my legs getting longer but I had only lost 10 lbs as muscle displaced some of the weight of lost fat. About 8 months in I was down 25lbs and have been kind of hovering around that point the past couple months.

Don't know what is going on in your case and certainly not something to ignore but you might consider that exercise can increase weight before it starts heading down. Certainly worth watching and talking to the medical people you are working with, but it is possible that it isn't a terrible sign.
 
Do you feel like you've gained weight?
Yes. I felt much better this time last year when I was in my way to the 260 mark... endurance improving joints not hurting waking up rested not overheating etc. I weighed myself because I could feel it happening again. I know that I couldn't maintain that caloric intake long term (700 - 1100 before exercise factored in) and the 1500 is healthier but my body gains on 1500 for some reason.

The NP said that with those signs something was going on and I was a great candidate for the surgery which is why I'm looking forward to it. It's just what to do in the meantime.
 
I wish food and diet wasn't so over run with fads and hype. No carbs, all carbs, protein only, all veggies, just drink a shake.

I had a kinda funny experience with this at my recent physical.

Doc: You should lose about 15 lbs.
Me: Great! How do I do that?
Doc: I suggest a low-carb diet.
Me: I'm training for a half-marathon.
Doc: Never mind the low-carb diet.

Speaking of the half-marathon, today's training run was 10 miles and went pretty well through mile 9. Mile 10 was more walking than running. The main complication today was that the "dirt trail" was more of a "mud trail" thanks to recent weather. But I still got it done!
 
Yesterday, I had a guy at the BJJ gym climbing and kneeling on top of my chest while I was waiting for the kids' practice to stop. Turns out, he had forgotten I'm recovering and thought I'm not going to practice due to laziness...:shade:

I took the day off and today, I am considering whether to stick to the elastic band or to get another day off:thumbsup:.
 
Rain and Hail (plus cold - but not as cold as a few days ago). I don't think walking is an option. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical at a good pace.
 
Rain and Hail (plus cold - but not as cold as a few days ago). I don't think walking is an option. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical at a good pace.

Yep. While the rest of the world laughs at us (because a little rain goes a long way out here), the west coast is getting so much rain we're wondering if we should start building an Ark....you know, just in case lol
 
Yep. While the rest of the world laughs at us (because a little rain goes a long way out here), the west coast is getting so much rain we're wondering if we should start building an Ark....you know, just in case lol

As I mentioned a few posts/ pages back, the local lumber yard is out of Gopherwood and it is all back ordered.

Now I am worried about a few more days of this (which are scheduled) and mudslides down the mountain.
 
As I mentioned a few posts/ pages back, the local lumber yard is out of Gopherwood and it is all back ordered.

Now I am worried about a few more days of this (which are scheduled) and mudslides down the mountain.

Stay safe, and hopefully no mudslides. We are definitely at that point, especially with all the fire damage from the previous 3-4 summers.
 
Tuesday. I managed eight loops before I realized it was too cold.

Yesterday was two attempts at walks, each was worth four or so loops. The wind was fast and arctic (in source). I managed to try, but bailed out.

Today was warmer, by a good ten degrees (F) and no wind. I managed to do 15 loops (1.5 miles with 15 up and down 150 foot altitude gain and drop).
 
Yesterday was 8 loops called on count of BP. That hasn't happened in a while, so okay.

Today I am looking for a gap in the rain, or I might be on the elliptical again.

I did 30 minutes of elliptical this afternoon.
 
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Walked through downtown and through the local college campus for a history tour. Not sure how long the whole thing was as we were stopping for history so didn't cue my watch up, but walking straight back without the meandering it was about a mile and a half, so probably at least 3.5 - 4 miles.
 
Sunday I did 12 loops before packing it in.

Monday, I found a warm gap in the afternoon. I did 20 loops (2 miles with altitude gains and losses of 150 feet each loop).

Today back to inconvenient sprinkles, so I did 30 minutes of elliptical while doing 15 minutes of abdominal crunches.

I did another 20 minutes at full speed, full intensity elliptical. Then I collapsed and took a nap for a few hours.
 
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Sunday went on a pretty intense hike - only 3.5 out and back, but some pretty intense elevation gain. Also my first time using hiking poles and glad I had them.
 
City of Chicago institutions were closed today for Pulaski Day, so it seemed like a fine time to go out to one of the suburban running trails and get this week's long run of 11 miles in! Pace was 12:35 minutes/mile, which is about one minute per mile faster than I expected, and is the fifth-fastest pace I've done on a 9-13 mile run, according to my Runkeeper. Also burned 1,404 calories! So I'm very happy with how that turned out! Did need a nap for a couple hours after my shower, haha.

There are just two more long runs (and a handful of short runs) left in this training cycle: 12 miles, and the half-marathon itself, of 13.1 miles. My trip to Hawaii is going to disrupt the training schedule a little bit... but I think a trip to Hawaii is worth it. :smile: :shade:
 
Getting back into exercise after a hiatus (had slowed down a lot, then we had a burst pipe and ended up at my folks house where I didn't do any fitness stuff for over a month). I went to my apartment and picked up weights, but couldn't take everything, so I opted for the 30 pound dumbbells and 2 pound dumbbells (I have a full set at home but where I am at I can't risk anything that would damage the house as it is the middle of a sale).

But I also think the 30 pound and 2 pound helped simplify my options and keep me focused. I realized this time around I want to focus a lot less on things like gaining muscle mass and much more on health and fitness in general. So I have mostly been alternating between back-shoulder and arm and leg days. For chest I am having to get a bit creative with the dumbbells and do a lot of push ups as I don't have my bench or heavy enough weights. The two pounders I am using for shadow boxing. I am annoying my wife every morning with the routine as I get up earlier than her and everything is all in the room we are sleeping in. Today I went for my first run in a long time.

Generally this is going well. I am about five days in to the routine and the lighter weights are actually making my recovery much better (I am not as tired or in pain the next day like I am when I am using the 45 pound dumbbells). It is important for me to get the resistance and the cardio for some of my health issues. I've noticed a great improvement with my lungs this week so that is good.
 
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