The Forum Fitness Thread

[rugerpc]

Hans got us going with this challenge:

The-Fat-Guy-Thread

Let's keep it going. Feel free to post your starting weight, your current weight and the percentage of your original weight that you have lost. For the purposes of real motivation, go ahead and use your heaviest weight in 2013 as your starting weight as some here were at it before Hans' challenge.

Kudos and thanks to Hans and everyone who took up his challenge. I invite the rest of the members to join us here.

Post your workouts, skinny meals and anything else that helps. It could help others here too.

 

[justmund]

I find goals really help my motivation. My next one is to run 10km (6.2 miles) in under 40 mins. Have a sore foot now from the half marathon last Sunday but as soon as I'm healed I'll get straight into it. Benchmark run first...

 

[Mike Duncan]

I'm biking about 6 miles a day and doing that My Fitness Pal app...I've gained weight. WTH?

 

[aristotle]

Definitely a good idea for a thread for where I'm at now....

My starting weight: 211
My final weight: 164 (165 was my goal)
Total weight loss: 47 lbs
Percentage loss: 22 percent
Current weight: 169
Total duration just over 4 months

Sounds like a ton of weight, and I guess in one sense it is. Depending on how you look at it, I'm fortunate or unfortunate in that I tend to put weight on all over...so I don't think that I ever really looked "overweight". Not super trim for sure, but not super big either. The unfortunate part is that it's easy for me to not worry about weight gain from a vanity perspective (unless I'm at the beach) which makes the motivation tougher to maintain. And for better or worse, vanity (mixed with pride) is definitely part of the motivation for me beyond just the health part.

So, my goal is to keep things under 180 indefinitely. No way I can maintain 165 forever since at my height (6') the lifestyle required is just too much of a full-time job, and I already have one of those. In the past, I've just figured that I can let myself go until I get over 200 and then hit the reset button (it doesn't take all that long really to lose even close to 50lbs). Gonna try something new this time though and see if I can settle on some middle ground and maybe slim down once per year in the spring. We'll see.... I've got the weight loss exercise and diet dialed in, but I'm not real sure about a maintenance thing. In theory, I can calculate calories for maintenance, but it's tougher to do that when you want to add in things like a Trolley Burger #3 with fries and a beer. 1200 calories? 2000? Who knows? But I definitely want my Trolley burger on occasion. It'll be a learning experience I guess.

All I know is that when I pick up a 50 lb dumbbell, it's hard to imagine that I could be carrying around that much extra weight and not have it mess me up.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I'm biking about 6 miles a day and doing that My Fitness Pal app...I've gained weight. WTH?

You're adding muscle weight (and Shamrock Shake weight) LOL

Definitely a good idea for a thread for where I'm at now....

My starting weight: 211
My final weight: 164 (165 was my goal)
Total weight loss: 47 lbs
Percentage loss: 22 percent
Current weight: 169
Total duration just over 4 months

Sounds like a ton of weight, and I guess in one sense it is. Depending on how you look at it, I'm fortunate or unfortunate in that I tend to put weight on all over...so I don't think that I ever really looked "overweight". Not super trim for sure, but not super big either. The unfortunate part is that it's easy for me to not worry about weight gain from a vanity perspective (unless I'm at the beach) which makes the motivation tougher to maintain. And for better or worse, vanity (mixed with pride) is definitely part of the motivation for me beyond just the health part.

So, my goal is to keep things under 180 indefinitely. No way I can maintain 165 forever since at my height (6') the lifestyle required is just too much of a full-time job, and I already have one of those. In the past, I've just figured that I can let myself go until I get over 200 and then hit the reset button (it doesn't take all that long really to lose even close to 50lbs). Gonna try something new this time though and see if I can settle on some middle ground and maybe slim down once per year in the spring. We'll see.... I've got the weight loss exercise and diet dialed in, but I'm not real sure about a maintenance thing. In theory, I can calculate calories for maintenance, but it's tougher to do that when you want to add in things like a Trolley Burger #3 with fries and a beer. 1200 calories? 2000? Who knows? But I definitely want my Trolley burger on occasion. It'll be a learning experience I guess.

All I know is that when I pick up a 50 lb dumbbell, it's hard to imagine that I could be carrying around that much extra weight and not have it mess me up.

Dude, that's awesome! I have to admit maintaining the weight is very difficult, sometimes I just want to breakdown and eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. I'm down 30 pounds and 4 inches off my waist since last Experience and I've added quite a bit of muscle, so I can only imagine how much actual fat I've lost. I now weigh what I weighed when I was 17 years old and I'm in better shape than I was back then.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I was way over 220 in December (but rarely weighed myself especially when I knew I was fatter) and I'm now down to 175-ish. I used to live with a foodie and we lived to eat rather than the other way around. Red wine is probably my favorite thing in the whole world but I had zero willpower over it, open a bottle and I'm not finished until it's gone. Tours would be awesome and I could lose weight then because I'm an "at home party" drinker, the second I came home it would be all over and the weight would come back. Having a young girlfriend who was an enabler and had a quick metabolism sucked for me body-image wise.

I started exercising for the first time in my life (which I absolutely hate) I eat once a day, switched to mixed drinks (easier to say no to) and the pounds fell off pretty quick. I try really hard to not have anything to munch on in the house 'cause late night snacking was a real problem for me. I don't weigh myself too often because I don't really care about the weight as much as I care about how I'm lookin'. I still need to work on my tits and my gut, unfortunately the juicy booty I had is gone, now replaced by that white dude ass that looks as though its eating itself.

I'm tryin' to learn how to "maintain" for the first time in my life... It's hard.

 

[László]

I'm too old to remember "fitness."

 

[markie]

I actually got off my fat azz & walked 13 miles over the last 3 days. I even jogged (slowly) 2 of those miles.

Not likely to make this a habit though :tongue:

 

[aristotle]

Dude, that's awesome! I have to admit maintaining the weight is very difficult, sometimes I just want to breakdown and eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. I'm down 30 pounds and 4 inches off my waist since last Experience and I've added quite a bit of muscle, so I can only imagine how much actual fat I've lost. I now weigh what I weighed when I was 17 years old and I'm in better shape than I was back then.

That's fantastic! For most people's builds, waistline is the real measure anyway and 4 inches is significant...particularly if you've added muscle.
I suppose moderation will be the key for maintenance, which I'm not all that good at.

I was way over 220 in December (but rarely weighed myself especially when I knew I was fatter) and I'm now down to 175-ish. I used to live with a foodie and we lived to eat rather than the other way around. Red wine is probably my favorite thing in the whole world but I had zero willpower over it, open a bottle and I'm not finished until it's gone. Tours would be awesome and I could lose weight then because I'm an "at home party" drinker, the second I came home it would be all over and the weight would come back. Having a young girlfriend who was an enabler and had a quick metabolism sucked for me body-image wise.

I started exercising for the first time in my life (which I absolutely hate) I eat once a day, switched to mixed drinks (easier to say no to) and the pounds fell off pretty quick. I try really hard to not have anything to munch on in the house 'cause late night snacking was a real problem for me. I don't weigh myself too often because I don't really care about the weight as much as I care about how I'm lookin'. I still need to work on my tits and my gut, unfortunately the juicy booty I had is gone, now replaced by that white dude ass that looks as though its eating itself.

I'm tryin' to learn how to "maintain" for the first time in my life... It's hard.

I guess I never really thought about touring musicians relative to weight. Many aging rockers seem pretty thin, so maybe there's something to that. In my line of work for my day job, travel is hell on fitness. Lots of events and dinners....and some alcohol, which isn't great for the willpower. Regardless, 55 pounds is a bunch to have lost. Amazing that you could do it without a rigid plan.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I was way over 220 in December (but rarely weighed myself especially when I knew I was fatter) and I'm now down to 175-ish. I used to live with a foodie and we lived to eat rather than the other way around. Red wine is probably my favorite thing in the whole world but I had zero willpower over it, open a bottle and I'm not finished until it's gone. Tours would be awesome and I could lose weight then because I'm an "at home party" drinker, the second I came home it would be all over and the weight would come back. Having a young girlfriend who was an enabler and had a quick metabolism sucked for me body-image wise.

I started exercising for the first time in my life (which I absolutely hate) I eat once a day, switched to mixed drinks (easier to say no to) and the pounds fell off pretty quick. I try really hard to not have anything to munch on in the house 'cause late night snacking was a real problem for me. I don't weigh myself too often because I don't really care about the weight as much as I care about how I'm lookin'. I still need to work on my tits and my gut, unfortunately the juicy booty I had is gone, now replaced by that white dude ass that looks as though its eating itself.

I'm tryin' to learn how to "maintain" for the first time in my life... It's hard.

Those are terrific result Sergio, keep up the good work! Results bring motivation.

That's fantastic! For most people's builds, waistline is the real measure anyway and 4 inches is significant...particularly if you've added muscle.
I suppose moderation will be the key for maintenance, which I'm not all that good at.

Thanks man! I would recommend the "My fitness Pal" app to anyone looking to get fit or maintain their current level. The app counts calories which isn't the best way to determine a healthy diet, but if done right, it does make you aware of what you're eating and drinking. For me, my caloric intake is marked at 2090 calories per day. If I add exercise to my day, I add more calories to my total calorie bank. For example, I worked out this morning which gave me an additional 349 calories to "spend". Again it isn't perfect, but something is better than nothing.

I actually got off my fat azz & walked 13 miles over the last 3 days. I even jogged (slowly) 2 of those miles.

Not likely to make this a habit though :tongue:

That's great Mark, you should keep it up. You have wonderful grandchildren and you want to stay active with them as they grow. I know I've posted this before, but I think it is sound advice and easy enough for everyone to follow.

 

[garrett]

You're adding muscle weight (and Shamrock Shake weight) LOL




Dude, that's awesome! I have to admit maintaining the weight is very difficult, sometimes I just want to breakdown and eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. I'm down 30 pounds and 4 inches off my waist since last Experience and I've added quite a bit of muscle, so I can only imagine how much actual fat I've lost. I now weigh what I weighed when I was 17 years old and I'm in better shape than I was back then.

Yeah, it's pretty common to gain some weight when you start a routine due to the muscle you're building.

You can (and should) have the occasional cheat meal, Shawn! The key word is occasional. :wink:



I started the year in the low 140's, but went over 150 (I'll give the disclaimer that I'm 5'8" with a small frame, so low 140's is a lean, healthy weight for me) in Feb. I was out of cycling for two months due to an injury and I went on a cruise, so that result was no surprise. Once I was rehabbed, I picked up a good routine of circuit training, running and road cycling and have been maintaining about 145 for about six months without trying too hard.

I've fallen off the other training in the last month though, and have just been cycling. This is a bad habit, because the other training keeps me fit for riding the bike, which is my real fitness passion. I'll be cruising for another injury if I don't keep myself strong. Hoping this thread will keep me feeling accountable and give me some other cross-training ideas. Keeping up with that is always my challenge because, well, it's hard! And it's not my favorite activity.

 

[garrett]

And I also recommend My Fitness Pal. I've used it off and on to get a feel of how I'm doing. It's a great app.

 

[rugerpc]

Start: (my real start at 209 lbs)

today

record low so far: 188.5
max loss -20.5 lbs. (9.81%)

today: 191.8
total: -17.2 lbs. (8.23%)

 

[veinbuster]

I've followed pretty much the same pattern for 20 years, which was a small variation of a pattern for 10 years prior to that.
My weight has varied up or down a couple of KG. If it goes up, I eat less junk, if it goes down, I eat more pie.
Upper body weight training 3 times a week with some exceptions allowed on vacation where there are no facilities.
Ride a bike 3-5 hours a week - more when I work less.
Flexibility daily for about 10 minutes - generally before I do anything else.
If I go anywhere within a km of where I am I walk - that probably averages to 10-15 km a week.

Most vacations include 10-20 hours on a bicycle - so I burn enough calories to eat whatever I want - which is usually a lot.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I guess I never really thought about touring musicians relative to weight. Many aging rockers seem pretty thin, so maybe there's something to that. In my line of work for my day job, travel is hell on fitness. Lots of events and dinners....and some alcohol, which isn't great for the willpower. Regardless, 55 pounds is a bunch to have lost. Amazing that you could do it without a rigid plan.

I know some of the band members I've played with have had serious troubles with gaining weight on the road, crappy food, free drinks, and a whole lot of sitting around will do that to you, it's even worse if it's a successful tour that's actually making money. Part of the reason it's easier for me to lose weight on the road is due to the fact that I don't eat any meat, fish, or chicken, vegetarian places in the mid west and the south are pretty hard to come by especially when I'm the only one with those dietary requirements.

I was pretty amazed as well, I was always skeleton-skinny and this was the only period in my life that I ever got "fat". Even though I'm not on a Weight Watchers style program or anything, it seems like a rigid plan to me! God, do I miss doughnuts and ice cream! Exercise sucks too, but I would rather "put the fork down" than go jogging or something. :redface:

Those are terrific result Sergio, keep up the good work! Results bring motivation.
]

Thanks buddy! Motivation brings results! I don't hang out with too many fitness type people, there is something about my punk rock/skateboarder upbringing that won't allow me to join a gym or even talk about working out without feeling like a goon. The best thing that could've happened to me was finding a supportive person with the same goals. My "manager" (not that there's a whole lot to manage these days) has been trying to slim down as well. We don't work out together, but we do keep tabs on whether or not we did our exercises every day. He has been an incredible help, there is nothing like the feeling of letting someone down to keep me on track.

 

[strat63]

I find goals really help my motivation. My next one is to run 10km (6.2 miles) in under 40 mins. Have a sore foot now from the half marathon last Sunday but as soon as I'm healed I'll get straight into it. Benchmark run first...

That's a pretty good clip and leads me to believe you must be in great shape already. At this point in my life, I enter running events and am happy not to finish near the back of the pack. I ran 3 half marathons in 2012 among other things and was feeling pretty good physically. Almost exactly 1 year ago, I suffered a very serious ankle injury. After 1 surgery and lots of rehab, I'm ready to get back on the horse. Not being able to run for the last year has been difficult. Getting the motivation to start again has been even harder.

I have a feeling that those that meet me at the Experience would find it hard to believe I was once a distance runner. Maybe tomorrow is the day.

 

[alantig]

The stationary bike 4-5 times a week has done well for my fitness if not my weight. I really notice it when I ref soccer - some of those kids can move, and that's even before you get up to U17 and such. But if I'm off the bike for some reason before the season starts, I really feel it. Did three games Sunday (all 30-minute halves), and other than being REALLY thirsty afterwards (very humid here that day), no real aftereffects. Which is much better than being stiff for a couple days.

 

[justmund]

That's a pretty good clip and leads me to believe you must be in great shape already. At this point in my life, I enter running events and am happy not to finish near the back of the pack. I ran 3 half marathons in 2012 among other things and was feeling pretty good physically. Almost exactly 1 year ago, I suffered a very serious ankle injury. After 1 surgery and lots of rehab, I'm ready to get back on the horse. Not being able to run for the last year has been difficult. Getting the motivation to start again has been even harder.

I have a feeling that those that meet me at the Experience would find it hard to believe I was once a distance runner. Maybe tomorrow is the day.

I'm definitely fitter than I've ever been in my life, although my love of beer has be about 6lbs heavier than what I'd like to be at the moment (I also do a lot of body weight resistance training, so the heavier I am, the harder that is!). I find these days I put on weight really easily these days, but also lose it very easily too. I think this is because I've honed in on my body's preferred fuel, carbs make me store fat, fat and protein make me use my own fat storage. I don't calorie count, I just carb count, under 200g per day I'll maintain, under 100g I'll lose a lb a week, under 50g and I go into ketosis and drop 2lb a week no worries.

What sort of times were you running for the half? I'm not going to do one again, I found it too boring and training for it takes up too much time! I ran the first half of the half in 52 mins (at about 75% max HR), the next 1/4 quicker then the last 1/4 much slower as I did something weird to my ab muscles. Epic cramp (not a stitch) that is still sore to the touch over a week later. Ended up 1:53 but should have gone sub 1:45. I'm going to stick to trail running and fast 10kms on the road now.

Sorry to hear about your ankle, being injured sucks, especially when you're really motivated and doing really well with the training and reaching your goals.

I find after a break, you just gotta break the seal. Go for one small run, one hard walk, one training session or whatever and the motivation floods back. You get that endorphin hit and you remember how awesome it feels to exercise again!

Which is much better than being stiff for a couple days.

Usually you gotta take some pills for that! (yeah I went there)

 

[jfb]

I'm going to make a continued push to get in better shape after this contest.

Hulk!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

IThanks buddy! Motivation brings results! I don't hang out with too many fitness type people, there is something about my punk rock/skateboarder upbringing that won't allow me to join a gym or even talk about working out without feeling like a goon. The best thing that could've happened to me was finding a supportive person with the same goals. My "manager" (not that there's a whole lot to manage these days) has been trying to slim down as well. We don't work out together, but we do keep tabs on whether or not we did our exercises every day. He has been an incredible help, there is nothing like the feeling of letting someone down to keep me on track.

I'm not much of a "gym" guy either so I don't have a gym membership. You should give Yoga a try. It's a hell of a lot harder than it looks and it puts you in a nice mental state of mind as well as exercising your body. Oh and as an added bonus, Yoga Pants. Seriously though, youtube has a ton of yoga videos you can do at home.