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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4379 Registered: May-05 | I started talking about this in another thread, but decided to post this here in its own thread. In the last year or so, I've lost about 40 lbs. And honestly, it wasn't too difficult. I was 235 on May 1st last year, which was the day I started working out and eating sensibly. My dietary changes consist of a few very simple things. I cut out soda and all other sugar-laden drinks, I paid attention to portions (4 or 5 slices of meat on a sandwich instead of 8 or 9), and I swapped deli flats for regular white bread. The deli flats are 100 calorie smaller round bread that are whole grain. Made by Arnold's and Pepperidge Farms. I'm not a whole grain/multi-grain bread guy at all; these are whole grain white, somehow, and they taste pretty good. I eat a sandwich everyday for lunch (I always have), so it helped me shave some calories. Before cutting out soda, I was drinking three 20 oz. bottles of Pepsi every day. That's 750 calories and about 68 teaspoons of sugar a day. I was borderline diabetic last year. I can't remember the exact numbers, but I think 130 is the cutoff point, and I was 129. I remember it was 1 under the cutoff point. My doc said if I didn't do something about it, next year's annual physical will be all about how to manage diabetes. I just had blood work done again Wednesday, and am waiting for the results. Losing about 40 lbs, eating/drinking minimal amounts of sugar, and exercising should have taken care of the issue, but the only way to know for sure will be the results of the test. I worked out from May through August last year, and lost 35 lbs. I put the exercise on hold for a while due to moving, my wife being in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and the birth of our daughter. I didn't gain or lose any weight during that time. I've been working out the last 3 weeks, and have lost almost 10 lbs. For anyone looking to lose some body fat, I've got a few pointers that may help... Figure out what's making you fat. Sounds simple enough, but it's really not that simple. Pay close attention to what you're drinking. Vitamin Water, Gatorade, Iced Tea drinks, etc. are basically soda minus the carbonation and caffeine. Just look at the ingredients and nutritional information labels. Watch your condiments. It's very easy to destroy a great salad, sandwich, etc. with them. The serving size for most salad dressings is 1 tablespoon. Ever see anyone use that amount? Either have I. I was never really a condiment guy. If you need to use condiments, either use them very sparingly (serving sizes are also typically 1 tablespoon), or use mustard. Mustard has no calories, so go crazy with it. Slow and sustained cardio exercise doesn't burn fat like it was touted to do a while back. The 65% of maximal heart rate (look at the charts in gyms) was theoretical, and it made a ton of sense, but it just doesn't work. According to the latest exercise physiology research, the best way to burn fat is interval training - alternating high intensity cardio with low intensity. For example, jog at a low intensity pace for 1 minute, then run at an almost maximal pace for 30 seconds. Repeat that for 20 minutes or so. The times and intensities vary by author, but the results are basically the same. I haven't tried the interval stuff, as I've been doing great with weight training, which I'll get into in a paragraph or two. I have done the slow and sustained cardio while monitoring my heart rate and it never worked. I did it by the books, with no result. I always thought I was doing something wrong. For further evidence, look around at the treadmills at a health club. You'll see a ton of people on them, jogging at a light pace for what seems like forever. Have any of them lost any weight to speak of? Very, very few in my observation. I've had great results with strength training. Not muscle head type stuff, but functional exercise. I try to use as many muscles as I can for every exercise. The bench press is the most over rated and useless lift IMO. What I do is use pulleys. I get down on one knee with the weights behind me, and do a single arm chest press. Being on one knee instead of laying on my back forces me to keep my torso straight. While doing that, I strengthening my back and abdomen. I do rowing exercises in a similar way - pulley, one arm, and standing. If I can't do the exercise without turning my torso, I'm using too much weight. Sounds easy, but boy is it tough! The best way to strengthen your spine and abs isn't flexion and extension (sit-ups, back extension), its stabilization - resisting movement. I do 5-7 different exercises, 4 times a week. I super set everything, which means I do one set of an exercise, then immediately do the next exercise without any rest. After I do a set of all the exercises, I rest for a minute or two, and start over. I do three sets total. I split my routine into 4 different workouts - 1 day of pushing/pressing exercises, 1 day of pulling/rowing exercises, 1 day of legs, and 1 day of strictly core exercises. I'm in and out of the gym in about 30 minutes on a long day. A very good principle is for every pushing exercise you do, you should do a pulling exercise (doesn't mean you have to do them the same day). While every exercise I do get my core (pushing, pulling, and legs), I still devote a day to just core exercises. No sit-ups, leg lifts, etc. Stuff like planks, hip ups, and wood choppers. I started out using a Total Gym. It's a great machine, and a lot of what I'm now doing is the same stuff. I can't really use it anymore, as I have a 4 month old, and anything I do for more than 5-10 minutes gets interrupted. I work at a college, so now I drop her off at day care, hit the fitness center on campus, and then head to the office. Between working out and showering, it takes me about 45 minutes. If anyone's looking for a way to work out at home, look into the Total Gym. It's a great machine. Here's a great way to get one cheap... Order the cheapest one on their website. They'll send you the most expensive one. Know why? Because the most expensive one is the only one they still make! I found this out by calling customer service and asking about the differences and how much accessories would cost. After about 10 minutes of questions, the guy finally got tired of me trying to figure out how much what I wanted would cost and told me that. The cheapest one was about $350 a year and a half ago. It's now $600. Not cheap by any means, but I think the top model (that I have) is worth it. It's worth it if you use it anyway! Please don't take this thread like I'm bragging. If you saw me, you'd know I have no reason to brag at all! I'm 5'8 and was 198 when I weighed myself this morning. I've still got a ways to go. But having been successful so far has kept me very motivated. It's made working out and eating healthy fun. A great resource for health related stuff is Men's Health magazine. Their contributing authors are all very well regarded people in their respective field. Being a health care professional, I own books by several contributors to the magazine. I owned those books a long time before I picked up the magazine, and was surprised that they were writing in it. That was a big reason for my subscription. Men's Health also has e-mail newsletters you can sign up for. I get the Eat This, Not That updates and a few others. If you're not familiar with the Eat This, Not That series, it analyzes nutritional contents of popular restaurant foods and fast food, and supermarket stuff too, depending on the book. It's very eye opening as to what the food really consists of. The e-mail newsletter just sent an article titled 20 Salads that are worse than a Whopper. I know one or two others have lost some weight in the last few months. I'm not mentioning names, in case they don't want it discussed. The main point in this thread is to help people out. Help me, I'll help you. You know the routine. Hopefully we'll get a lot of people participating in the thread. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14210 Registered: Feb-05 | 12/19/09 I changed my diet and increased my exercise. I haven't missed a day of brisk walking since that day nor have I missed one of my Tues/Fri workouts since then. I quit eating ice cream (daily or even having it in the home) and slightly cut portions. I weighed 270 then, I weigh 212 now. I'll be 51 7/4/11. Was managing diabetes, last blood test shows 3 in a row clean. I am officially no longer diabetic. It's simple. Less in, more out = weight loss. The fallacy is that you can achieve sustained weight loss by one or the other and not both. As we age our metabolism changes...too many folks believe that eating less is all that's required, remember that at some point less will have to equal none in order to keep up (or down...lol) with your metabolism. Where I work a whole bunch of folks have opted for bariatric surgery to lose weight (office workers). To a one they are all more sickly now than they were when they were obese. Sure they are thin, but they miss more work than ever before. None of them have the energy to work out and in the case of my daughter the combination of Gastric Bypass and alcoholism has left her terminally ill at the ripe old age of 30. So many folks want a short cut...there isn't one. Less in, more out = weight loss. Repeat this and it will be sustained. Doesn't require a gym or a single piece of exercise equipment to get active, all that's required is desire. The streets await your eager feet...hop to it. Sorry Stu, I had to give the poor man/woman, non expert route to a better life thru diet and exercise. Look at your plate...eat just a bit less at every meal than you used to...no need to change anything about your meals main course. Keep dessert to a minimum and avoid ice cream, soda and cakes except for rare treats and don't have them in your home. Exercise daily. My motto is simple. Walk or die...period. Many folks at work and in the neighborhood know my story and are inspired by that level of committment. Exercise daily. I have a very bad back. Broke it when I was a young man and three weeks ago I injured it and was out of work for a week...I had to pull myself up from the floor using anything I could...I walked every day (albeit slowly and I almost fell several times). I'm back to full speed now. I walk to live. Get yourself on a streak and enjoy breaking your own record every day. Good on you, Stu. For the rest of us, it doesn't matter your age you gotta start somewhere and sometime. Put down the remote and let's go for a walk. BTW Stu...I use the little flat breads as well. I've come to love 'em. I use them for everything from sandwiches to burger buns and they come in a number of varieties. We buy the Orowheat brand. Stu, since when is telling a wonderful true story bragging. You worked hard and your story may help inspire others. I would encourage anyone who has worked hard to improve their health to tell everyone. It will make a difference to someone, somewhere. Peace out! |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4380 Registered: May-05 | Thanks for sharing, Art. And congrats on losing weight and staying on task. We've got different methods, but as long as we're achieving our goals, or at least on track to do so, that's the important thing. Everyone's body is different, as is the way if responds to deit and exercise. You really hit the nail on the head with less in and more out = weight loss. My motto is there's no substitute for hard work AND smart work. Some people work out like animals and aren't much better off, others work very intelligently, but the effort is severely lacking. You don't need to go all out, as Art will attest to. It may seem like I do in the gym, but I don't either. I used to feel like I didn't do enough if I could still lift my arms after a workout. When I was 17 that might have been ok, but at 34, it's not the smartest way to go about it. People think strength training is for younger people, and it's for betting big. Not so. Actually, strength training is at least as important, if not more important as we age. It keeps us from losing muscle and bone mass. It helps us walk better. It keeps our spines straighter and more erect. It helps us get out of our chair and bed easier. It helps us tie our shoes easier. I could keep going, but I think anyone who's paying attention gets the point. People looking to lose weight solely through diet will end up losing some muscle mass in the process. Not a good thing, as no ones getting any younger. Most people who lose weight by restrictive diets alone end up putting it back on, and then some. Did I mention that increased muscle means burning more fat? I guess if anyone's taking anything away from this, the main points are strength training and body building aren't one in the same. It's not only for teens and 20 somethings. Regardless of what route you take in losing weight, the main thing is wanting to. If you don't have a real desire to do so, it'll be short lived. Art - I'm sure you've seen the bariatric surgery patients lose muscle, hair, and their immune system. I'm not saying it's all bad, as theirs a time and a place for everything. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14212 Registered: Feb-05 | You've got that exactly right, Stu. I also agree that there is a time and a place for everything. For some bariatric surgery may be the only alternative but at present the medical community are doing the procedure to anyone who asks and jumps through a few hoops, too bad. In most cases the same lack of discipline (for whatever the root cause) that led to the problem will to lead greater health concerns post surgery. I certainly wished I had continued strength training into my 40's but once I was seriously injured I gave up athletics and by the time I returned to it a bunch of damage was done...none the less as I stated before it's never too late, and I have struck a balance of two short and strength training routines per week. Like Stu they are multiple exercises in 3 sets per muscle group (two, three set routines) done without break between exercises and with just a minute or two between sets. More times per week and I was causing damage so I simply listened to my body and cut to twice per wk. |
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Gold Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 1010 Registered: Dec-06 | I've always been interested in this topic. Let me first say congrats Stu, that is quite the accomplishment. I am also 5'8" and I'm about 210 lbs. I got up to 215 lbs but have taken 5 lbs off. It's a start. I want to lose 30 more, at least. I'm no scientist, but a buddy of mine at work espouses limiting carbs, and I am on board. Well, I should say limiting carbs at dinner. I don't try to limit them during the day. Luckily for me, I've never had a problem eating whole grains. If I eat bread it is whole grain. I usually buy Country Harvest. I love their whole wheat bread. It sure doesn't look white, but it is nice and soft like white bread. And I eat high fiber whole grain cereal in the morning (usually Nature's Path), with unsweetened almond milk rather than cow's milk. I try to get a few servings of fruit during the day. At dinner I like to have plenty of vegetables and lean pork or chicken. Then have a low carb/low calorie dessert of some sort. Far as I understand it we don't need carbs before bed, when our energy needs are low. We don't need a rise in blood sugar and glucose/glycogen levels, which will be converted to fat if unused. What do you guys think about diet pop? I have one can a day at work, simply because I tend not to drink enough otherwise. I never go over a can though and don't drink it on weekends. So I get 5 cans per week. Stu, I echo your comments about the Total Gym. it's a great machine. I wanted to buy one, and I think the one they sold on TV was $200. Reading about it online suggested it was cheaply made. The heavy duty versions were over $1,000, if memory serves. I found a company that makes the same kind of machine. It's called the Total Trainer and is made by Bayou Fitness. I ordered the DLX-II (at the time it was $420, now it's $489). Saved a lot of money even after Fed Ex lugged this heavy machine up from Louisiana to Toronto. http://www.bayoufitness.com/Total-Trainer/Total-Trainer-Home-Gyms.htm Great build quality and it works perfectly when I use it. I only have to start using it more. One other thing - proper sleep is so important. My sleep habits are terrible, and I'm now establishing a better routine. Lately I've been getting more sleep, and during one particularly solid week, I actually lost 3 lbs without working out. I can only attribute that to sleeping more. When lacking sleep, we all know that we are a lot more sluggish. I can only imagine that also applies to my metabolism as well. No more sleep deprivation during the week and trying to make up for it on the weekend. The body doesn't work that way. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4381 Registered: May-05 | Dan, You've got to lose 5 lbs before you can lose 30. Keep that in mind if/when you doubt yourself. Looking at pics of your machine, I don't see any realistic differences between what you've got and what I've got. If you're lacking motivation in using it, just keep it simple. That worked and still works for me. I used to try to do too much, and would get burnt out after a few weeks. I limit myself to 5-7 exercises, depending on what body part I'm doing and my mood. Working out the way I described above, I was always done in under 30 minutes. Not that that'll work for everyone, but give it a try if you're in a rut. I have zero complaints about my Total Gym XLS. I tried out an early model back in the day at a sporting goods store, and thought it was cheaply made. The pulley cables were ropes, there was little cushioning on the board, and it wasn't smooth at all. Yours could actually be the same as mine, except the cosmetics. The reason I say that is because Total Gym doesn't actually make the product. They're a company who's hired to market and sell it. The people spoke to at Total Gym were a bunch of clowns who were pretty pushy about me buying the XLS vs the entry level model, so I called the manufacturer support number I found somewhere. That's how I found out they weren't the same company, and after a lengthy conversation about differences, the guy told me to order the cheapest one, and I'll get the XLS, because that's the only one that's been made for the last few years. I paid about $350 for the one they're selling for $1k. But that's neither here nor there, as you've got what you've got. I doubt it's really any different, even if it's not the same manufacturer. I wouldn't pay $1k for the XLS. It's definitely worth what you paid. If you're looking for some advice as far as what exercises to do, I'll share what I did. Another thing I did was keep a log of my workouts. I made an excel sheet that I could hand write in the exercises, incline, date, time it took, etc. It really helped me stay on task, and helped me keep track of what I did, how I progressed, and so on. As far as sleep, there's a ton of biological/physiological process that go on in your sleep. I'm no sleep expert, but I know that proper sleep is essential to weight management, among other things. I saw a stat somewhere that compared average sleep amounts and body fat. The less sleep, the higher the body fat of people, and it was an alarming rate too. What else... Diet soda? Not sure. I'm not a fan of the artificial sugar, but the jury's out as to if it's good or bad. I hated the taste of diet soda, so I never drank it. |
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Gold Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 1012 Registered: Dec-06 | If you can get their $1K model for $350, that's the way to go. The second I looked at the Total Gym website and found out that I had to pay $1K for a well built machine, I passed. So I didn't even bother calling, never thinking that the XLS was the only model they made. I'm happy with the Total Trainer, and I do use it. I'm not lacking in motivation, it's just tough to use it during the week. Using it Saturday and Sunday isn't quite enough. Adding Wednesday, say, is what I'm going to start doing. Weight training three days a week, and more during those weeks that I have days off work, is pretty solid. Do you know about kettle bells? I eventually want to start working out with those. It's definitely taking things to the next level, so I'd like to achieve a better level of fitness before I make that move. I actually like the taste of diet cola, but until very recently I hadn't had one in years. I find that Diet Pepsi nowadays does not have that artificial sweetener taste to it...it's like they actually figured out how to make it taste more natural. I guess the jury is still out on aspartame, especially over the long run. However, one scientist who has a radio show in these parts says that nothing has gone through more testing than aspartame. It's safe. I tend to agree. Personally I will put my trust in all that research over conspiracy theories, but who knows for sure? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4382 Registered: May-05 | I agree with research over conspiracy theories. The kettlebell craze has a lot to do with marketing IMO. You can get a great workout with them, but honestly, 99% of the stuff you do with them can be done with dumbbells. A good friend/coworker's wife owns a small studio and teaches kettlebells almost exclusively. I've worked out with him a few times at work with kettlebells, and it's a good change, but it's more a change than a better workout IMO, and again, the stuff can be done with dumbbells. Some exercises feel better with them, while others feel better with dumbbells. Kettlebells have the same downside as dumbbells, which is you need a lot of them. Some exercises require a lot of weight, while others can't be done with much weight at all. I think they're comparable in price to dumbbells, so it's pick your poison. I don't have enough space for a rack of dumbbells or kettlebells, nor do I have the money. Individually they're cheap, but getting 20 or so adds up. Keep in mind you need 2 of each weight. Something I've looked into is the adjustable dumbbells. I think it's bowflex that makes the most popular one. That and a bench will set you back a few bucks. For the money and convenience, what we've already got is very hard to beat. The only thing I've added is a medicine ball and a physio ball. I do a med ball core routine once a week. Google Men's Health UNC workout. I do that one with a 10pm ball, and some other stuff afterward like planks, hip raises, back extensions, etc. My wife used to use the physio ball, hence why I have it. I'm done rambling for a little while. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4383 Registered: May-05 | Maybe not... After looking closer at your machine, it's different than what I've got. I don't think it's better or worse, it's just not the same machine. Total Gym's website has a lot more exercises than your machine's website does, if you're interested... http://www.totalgym.com/learn/exercises.html |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4384 Registered: May-05 | Not a fan of the leg cuff exercises at all. They just don't feel right to me. I do a lot of body weight exercises that feel so much better. |
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Gold Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 1013 Registered: Dec-06 | Thanks, I'll check out those exercises, Stu. The Total Trainer actually came with a booklet that contains 54 different exercises. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3493 Registered: Oct-04 | Congrats J.R., and thanks for sharing your story & advice. After sustaining a severe spinal injury, subsequent depression, and medicating myself with food & liquor, I ballooned to a staggering 226 lbs on a 6' frame. Today I weigh 184 lbs. largely due to the elimination of bulk-carbohydrates and an adherence to a high-intensity, brutally intense, 20-min/3X-week strength training routine, NO deliberate "cardio" exercise is incorporated into my exercise routine at all (BP & Cholesterol levels are excellent); however I do try to do something of a demanding physical nature most every day, as it believe it helps me maintain healthy blood-glucose levels & deal with stress. I am fortunate to have access to some very useful strength training tools, but agree that they are not essential. Use what you have access to or can afford to build your strength & corresponding metabolism (keep meaningful records), don't eat crap (i.e. cow feed), move, be physical, but not stupid (see: jogging), and deal with stress, and you will be doing most of what you can do to improve your health. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14221 Registered: Feb-05 | I'm 6 foot, and you ain't seen staggering until you see the other side of 280 lbs. I was only under 226 lbs twice since 2000 and that was in 2002 (briefly) and since about mid last year until now. Before 1998 (37 yrs old) I never weighed more than 195 lbs. Once it starts it can snowball and you mentioned some of the reasons why, Chris. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 3449 Registered: Jun-07 | Congrats everyone. Chris- Would you say that some of the best workout regimes do not even use equipment? Core training and Plyometrics(spelling) and such? I am 5' 10" 165 pounds(mind you I am only 29). The problem I have is sort of the opposite. If I do not do weight training I become a skinny fat guy. Out of shape, but skinny. Being 280 pounds doesnt mean you are out of shape. Some of the best athletes I have seen are up in that range. About two months ago I started doing P90x. After one month I was able to put on a few pounds of muscle while toning up. Then I had a few other things become priority and I stopped. Lost it all within two weeks. Once my basement is re-finished and I have my system back I will start doing the P90 videos again and see if I can keep my dinner down the first few nights. It is rough going. Hard to find time with a 10 month year old as well. |
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Gold Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 1295 Registered: Jul-07 | Great stuff guys. There are as many approaches to success with fitness or weight loss as there are people you ask. Some people use a brisk walk as the centerpiece to fitness, others run, lift, play a sport, etc. It's all good. Do what motivates you, and what feels right, and don't let anyone tell you what you're doing is wrong. One thing I believe, based on the science that I've read, is that an ideal fitness regimen includes aerobic, anaerobic, and weight training. They are all important for different reasons, and engage different processes in the body. Many sports will engage both aerobic and anaerobic processes when you play them, like hockey, biking, and soccer.....as they mix low intensity (jogging, gliding,etc) and high intensity (sprinting, hill climbing) intervals. If you can find a regimen that engages all three of these that's ideal IMO. But doing anything consistently is excellent, and if what you're doing is working then rock on! If you start to get bored with it, then just change it up for a while....find something else that's fun.....but for heaven's sake don't stop. Keeping a log is a great idea and something I just started doing. It keeps you honest, and ensures you don't overdo it. I keep track of not only what I did, but how I feel...so that I can look back and see what I was doing when I felt my best. I should keep track of what I eat too, but I haven't started that yet. I run 4 times a week and weight train 2 times. I get one long run in on the weekends 10+km (except for the winter), but keep my runs indoors on a treadmill during the week. Over the years I've been inconsistent with my routines, and add a few pounds around my waist....which p!sses me off enough to get back at it. I've been back at it consistently since xmas, and hope to stay at it 6 days a week until 90+. That's the reward in all of this.....an active, healthy last third of your life....as opposed to the last 20 or 30 years (or much less for some) that most people live. We work all our lives looking forward to our retirement years, and then aren't fit or healthy enough to really LIVE IT! There's no free ride. Sedentary lives and shopping malls are not what we were designed for. We're designed to run, hunt, walk, fight, and love. Fifty thousand years ago we needed it to survive. In a way, we still do. But it's the opposite threat. Instead of starving, North Americans are eating themselves to death. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3494 Registered: Oct-04 | "Chris- Would you say that some of the best workout regimes do not even use equipment? Core training and Plyometrics(spelling) and such?" Absolutely not Nick. "equipment" is a very broad category, ranging from a chin-up bar to MedX® machines, and like any tool, they are as useful or dangerous as the hand which weilds it. "Core" training, whatever that is, is one of those catch-all phrases for exercise/sports/health proffesional too lazy to memorize the names & functions of muscles of the spine IMO, and plyometrics is non-sensical for a host of reasons too long to get into here, and wildly dangerous to boot. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4386 Registered: May-05 | Like you said, Christopher, any tool is as good or as bad as the user. Plyos can be great, or can be pretty harmful, depending on who's teaching them and watching you perform them. No one does them perfectly, especially at first. A good strength & conditioning coach will be able to spot faults before they become serious. I like plyos, but they're really for well conditioned people/athletes IMO. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 3450 Registered: Jun-07 | I did some Plyos last night. Have no idea if I did them right but almost puked.lol My cardio is pretty bad. I use to pitch over 30 innings on one weekend and still be ready for more. I threw 100 pitches on the weekend and almost fell over. I took a year off from Ball last year because Ava being born but have been asked to play this summer. So in the Gym I go to start getting back into shape. Got asked to play in a pro paintball league this summer too so I might take that up to get the cardio back. I did a day last summer of Paintball for my bros Bachelor party and I couldnt walk right for a week my legs hurt so bad. Chris- Are you not a conditioning guy? Stu- Are you a physio guy? Your type healed me up a few seasons back when I tore my arm up bad pitching in the World Jr NAFA's. Got me all fixed up. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4387 Registered: May-05 | NIck, I'm an athletic trainer. Not sure what you guys call us in Canada. Athletic therapist? I'm not a physical therapist, not a personal trainer. I'm more or less a combination of physical therapist and EMT. I do injury recognition, treatment and prevention for college sports teams. I'm the guy who runs onto the field when someone's hurt. I also evaluate the injury and rehab it. |
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Gold Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 1230 Registered: May-05 | Hey guys, Congrats to all. I'll share. For most of my life, I was athletic, played two sports in college and ran and worked out after college, maintaining my weight within 5 pounds of my college weight. I was 5'9" and about 175 lbs. for most of that time. 18 years ago I injured my knee and saw a ortho. He said I probably tweaked the cartilage and I could keep doing sports but probably should cut down on my running. I have never biked or swam so I continued running and it worked for about 10 years then the left knee began to cause pain, getting excruciating at about a mile on what used to be 4-5 mile runs. So, I cut down running and started weight training and fast walking on a treadmill. I got another few years out of that. 7 years ago, I was playing City league volleyball and landed on a guy's foot, putting my right ankle bone to the floor. Tore 2 ligaments and burst the capsule in the ankle. Now, no right ankle and no left knee, LOL. I started gaining weight after the injury and in the last 5 years gained even more quickly. 2 years ago, I tried microfracture surgery on the knee but it failed. By last October, I was up to 220 lbs. I decided it was time to do something about it, I just started moving a little more, watched portions and went from beef 3-4 times a week to once a week and introduced fish and skinless chicken into our diets. I've lost about 17 1/2 lbs. but I've plateaued so I know it's time to get back to weights to increase muscle mass and my metabolism. That's my story and I'll let you know how it turns out. I suggest that we have a biggest loser competition, meet at someone's house and make Nuck fix BBQ for everyone. LOL Dave |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 3451 Registered: Jun-07 | Stu- This is Canada not China. LOL!! We call you the same bud. That is very cool. You were the guy that would rub our arms down, ice us, and run us out before and after game for warm up and stretch. That is cool. Now your the guy who would pick me up off the ground after running the bases once. LOL! I know who to ask about injury prevention moving into more advanced exercises. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3495 Registered: Oct-04 | Nick, I wouldn't call myself a "connditioning guy", as that implies some sort of specific sports or leisure based goal IMO. I am more of an Exercise Hygienist or Tech, I've worn many hats, currently I earn my keep as a Personal Trainer, but to use an arcane term, at best I fancy myself a Mechano-Therapist, meaning that I specialize in the use of machine-based therapy for the treatment of muscular-skeletal desease & injury. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 3453 Registered: Jun-07 | Thats very cool Chris. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14294 Registered: Feb-05 | Met with the GI doc yesterday and after a Endoscopy/Colonoscopy as well as a full set of bloods she said that I am prime evidence of the value of exercise and diet (though she knows that my diet ain't all that). All cholesterol measures were better than excellent, no diabetes...heart attack risk minimum...as my Pops used to say, damnit find something wrong with me, all the healthy people I know are dead! She did find reason for concern over liver enzymes, especially from 2004...I explained that I had CMV then and she understood, however she still wants to watch. Frankly she's gorgeous and can watch all she wants. Well, time for another glass of wine! |
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Diamond Member Username: WingmanaliveWww.stainles... .ecrater.com Post Number: 24609 Registered: Jun-06 | From my late grandfather who grew his own grapes and made his own wine, and drank it for years, native from Italy. Eventually he died from lung cancer from the coal mines he worked in the US. I knew him as a youth as a very caring fellow but he died much sooner than I wished As with all past family members I have so many questions. Don't we all? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4393 Registered: May-05 | Congrats on the results, Art. Makes you feel like you're actually doing something right and helps you stay on track. I got my results back a week or two ago as well. Everything was "excellent" - doc's words. My blood sugar was perfect- A1C. My cholesterol was "textbook" as far as amount and HDL:LDL ratios. That's always been very good, but it hot a bit better. Funny thing about cholesterol - my father and his side of the family have cholesterol problems. Several are on meds for it. When my father was first diagnosed with it, he went on his own restricted diet for a full year - he literally ate nothing but salad with lemon juice and pepper as dressing for lunch and dinner everyday, and Product 19 cereal with fat free mile for breakfast. The only times he ate anything else were on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Easter. And he didn't over do it on those holidays by any means. When he went back to the doctor, his cholesterol didn't budge. It was the exact same amount and ratio. The doctor didn't believe him when he told him what he ate. I was in the office with him. My father looked the doctor in the face and said 'Why would I make that up? Lying to you isn't going to change anything.' Through a few other tests, it was discovered that his liver naturally produces too much cholesterol. Nothing he's done or taken since has changed the amount, for better or worse. Everyone's body does what it does. Some things we can change through lifestyle, other things we have no control over. Guess we've all gotta play the cards we were dealt. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14295 Registered: Feb-05 | Well said, Stu. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16082 Registered: May-04 | . http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine& pagewanted=print "According to the latest exercise physiology research, the best way to burn fat is interval training - alternating high intensity cardio with low intensity. For example, jog at a low intensity pace for 1 minute, then run at an almost maximal pace for 30 seconds. Repeat that for 20 minutes or so. The times and intensities vary by author, but the results are basically the same. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17exercise-t.html?ref=magazine&sr c=me&pagewanted=print . |
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Gold Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 1301 Registered: Jul-07 | IMO, the "best" exercise is the one you're willing to do everyday. |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1539 Registered: Apr-05 | I was about to post that NYTimes article that Jan did before I scrolled down here. I highly recommend reading it. It's a bit long, but well worth understanding the chemical and biological effects of sugar so you can make a proper choice. I have always been raised on a mentality of moderation in all things, but as the age goes up and metabolism comes down than we have to reevaluate what moderation is. In my case I got rid of the lunchtime habit of eating out (very hard to do with all the choices in the downtown chicago) and instead now concentrate on better breakfast at home and a bowl of oat meal at around 1:30 to hold me over until dinner (at home). I cut out sodas years ago and now drink tea instead of coffee with creme and sugar. I am 5'9" and have lost 10 pounds to become 169 now for the past 3 months. congrats to Stu and Art and others on your endeavor. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14302 Registered: Feb-05 | Thank you, Stof and good job on your weight loss and on understanding that time requires changes in our habits. Well said, Chris. The best exercise is the one you are willing to do everyday. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16083 Registered: May-04 | . "I eat healthy, and I don't snack between meals; why can't I lose any weight?" A colleague--I'll call her Mary--was in my office recently, complaining about her body with just those words. I listened, nodding sympathetically, because I couldn't speak--I had a mouth full of almonds and was washing them down with chocolate milk. Mary stared at me as though I'd just backed over her dachshund. "You eat all the time, and you never gain weight!" she exclaimed. "What, is there a picture in your attic that gets fatter while you stay thin?" "I never gain weight because I eat all the time," I explained, reaching for a napkin. "Not snacking is exactly the wrong thing to do!" Our bodies evolved to graze; when food gets scarce, we start to retain fat as a way of protecting ourselves from famine. "That's exactly what happens when you don't snack between meals," I told her. "Your body doesn't know where its next meal is coming from, so it's afraid to shed the extra pounds." Worse, you wind up eating more than you need at every meal. That's why snacking is so important: In fact, when Penn State researchers fed subjects just one humble apple before mealtime, the subjects consumed nearly 190 fewer calories." http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/6-best-worst-snacks http://health.yahoo.net/videos/healthination/tip-muscle-foods . |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1540 Registered: Apr-05 | The snacking method didn't work for me. Perhaps something with my metabolism or way of living. I realized plain and simple that I just don't need as much calories in daily basis based on how active I am. One more killer habit is eating late at night. If you're watching a movie or listening to music late at night, make sure to put away that chip or ice cream or whatever or perhaps reserve it for for special occasions. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16084 Registered: May-04 | . "IMO, the "best" exercise is the one you're willing to do everyday." In the context of that particular article, IMO, what will be "best" for any individual is whatever they can manage without injury and with a commitment to repeating. So, there I agree with you, Chris. However - and I may be quite unlike you guys out there, I see a problem with the concept of "exercising" and doing it "everyday". I understand there are personalities who prefer to work out hard but this is also where most injuries occur. My neighbor did the whole weights, aerobics and running thing for years, egged on by his partner who wants to be very competitive about such things. Finally, Michael was placing a weight back on the rack when he was tired and he threw his back into spasms. Four years later, at 44 years of age, he is no longer lifting weights but he is still seeing chiropractors and getting steroid injections whenever the injury flares up. It doesn't help that in his job he is on his feet most of the day though no one would ever accuse Michael of doing hard physical labor. For many the idea of "exercise" is a non-starter for whatever reason they might have. This aversion to exercise then leads to, "Is Sitting a Lethal Activity?"; http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?ref=magazine This becomes an increasing problem with each passing year in someone's life. Those of us who are approaching 60 look on at the activities of those of you who are still to hit 30. Injuries begin to take longer to heal and often remain as nagging reminders of what has passed at about 40-45, balance starts to go at about 55, I think it best not to put Xmas lights on the roof nowdays. Creaking joints are what we all have to look forward to - I can no longer pull myself up from a deep, full squat without the assistance of putting my knee down first. Just being active is IMO the best thing anyone can do at any time in their life. Garrison Keiller had a joke in one of his News From Lake Wobegon stories about the woman who fell over dead at age 99 while planting her spring tomatoes. I had an aunt who was very much the same in her outlook towards life. At age 89 she decided she would finally allow someone to prepare her garden beds for the first time in her life. She drove until she was 94. Good genes definitely helped but she finally ran out of relatives (with those same genes) to bring fresh vegetables to in the summer. For me "exercise" is brainless. Not that there aren't times when I want brainless. There were many times while I was working the retail floors that I would take part of a day off to dig a hole. I dug a hole, I put something in it to grow and then I filled that hole back up. During that time I had to think of nothing other than digging a hole and developing a concept of what the future would be like for whatever I was placing in that hole. How fast it would grow, what care it would require, how it would look or fare along with the other plants in the yard or garden, had I protected it from Foster my one dog who was always in competition with me for each tomato I grew and what would be the final benefits of whatever I had planted. Even when you're cleaning away the old plants each fall, you're thinking about what wll replace them the next spring. At the end of the day I hadn't thought about the rest of the week or month or year on the retail floor, my entire focus was and had been on the accomplishment of that hole. I couldn't get the same results from lifting weights or running when I knew I would have the same thing facing me at the end of the exercise as I had when I had started - and then I would do the exact same thing tomorrow and the next day and the next day. For me - and this isn't you - I'd rather walk my dog for an hour three times a week than lift weights for twenty minutes everyday. Even on the same basic path I see something new every time we walk and I might find a neighbor to talk to. Fortunately, I live in a community that allows me the choice of numerous routes for each walk so I'm never bored. The garden or the yard always needs something done, the dogs are always ready for another walk and this 90 year old house I own could always use some repair of just some fixing up. Unfortunately, a few years ago my neighbor to the North finally just began to sit in one place watching TV and now he's in a senior care facility. I see my neighbors to the South slowing down and not being in the yard as much as I remember. I do their lawn for them now just as I had done for my neighbor to the North. Whenever I visit with them they have a new ache or pain to report. IMO the "best" thing anyone can do is to remain active rather than to "exercise". Find those things that reduce stress in your life and those that keep you mentally active even if it's just noticing the change of seasons happening around you. If those are the things you can do not everyday but for the rest of your life, then you stand a good chance of running out of relatives to bring fresh vegetables to in the summer. . |
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Gold Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 2269 Registered: Oct-07 | Try reading 'Younger Next Year'. good stuff My friends Granny did a tandem parachute jump....on her 90th. |
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Gold Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 2270 Registered: Oct-07 | ART, Did what is your A1C read? Your story is terrific....just read your post. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14303 Registered: Feb-05 | I don't remember now but it was way below the threshold for diabetes. Every marker was excellent. I went from high risk for heart attack to the off the radar. A lot of folks wee telling me that they have rarely if ever seen someone turn it around to the level that I have. Kind of reminds of something my Dad used to tell his Doctor, "you had better find soimething wrong with me, all the healthy people I know are dead". Pops lived to 87. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4395 Registered: May-05 | Staying active is definitely the key. And there's a huge difference between exercising and staying active. If you sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, you're not very active, even if you exercise for an hour or so everyday. Not that everyone has control over that. My great grandmother, whom I looked up to more than anyone, lived until she was around 95 - she was an Armenian genocide survivor who's parents were killed before she was old enough to know how old she was. My great grandmother was constantly on her feet and doing household stuff like cooking, cleaning, and even watching children. I remember asking her "when are you going to sit down and relax? You need to start taking it easy.". She replied "If I stop doing what I do, I'll die." When she passed away, it came as a shock to us. I know it's difficult to believe someone dying in their mid 90's is a shock, but she was fully alert mentally, and only had a few very minor health problems. What everyone here is saying about exercise makes a lot of sense. There's no one best way of exercising; what works for one person and keeps them constantly motivated may not work for the next guy, and he may despise it. A lot of people love to run. I think it's the most monotonous thing there is. I don't have the motivation to take a long walk everyday, no matter how varied the route can be. The weightroom/Total Gym motivates me like nothing else. It's something I can measure and get tangible feedback from - I can tell if I'm getting stronger pretty easily. That doesn't mean that my focus is lifting an absurd amount of weight or that I'm chasing unrealistic goals. I like the feeling I get after what I consider an intense workout (without overdoing it), and I like being able to do everyday things easier. My job has some physical demands, and it aggravates me when I don't feel strong enough and/or don't have the endurance to get the job done the way I think it should get done. I was raised with the mentality that 'good enough' isn't really good enough. The "best" exercise (or physical activity) that you can do is the exercise that benefits you, doesn't injure you or predispose you to injury, and keeps you motivated. And to add, when I was discussing interval training, I meant that more and more studies are showing that it's the most efficient way of reducing body fat. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 14304 Registered: Feb-05 | "The "best" exercise (or physical activity) that you can do is the exercise that benefits you, doesn't injure you or predispose you to injury, and keeps you motivated." Well said again, Stu! |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4397 Registered: May-05 | Here's a good NY Times article on interval training... http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/fashion/03Fitness.html?pagewanted=2 Explains it far better than I can. My back is killing me after spending the night on my in-laws' guest bed on Saturday. I did some interval stuff today, and it's not exactly easy. A great workout nonetheless. |