Okay, so, yeah. It's been a while since I dusted off the ol' keyboard.
[counts on fingers]
EEK. Six months. Guess it was time to let y'all know I'm alive... So, to make up for a seriously deficient amount of posting, here's a noveletta..
Been doing a lot of thinking lately, about fitness/health-related issues. Y'see, for the past year and a half I've been walking/jogging/running just about every day as part of a general regime to help keep my weight and blood pressure down. Since the start of the year, I've been getting back into the (home) gym to lift weights, spurred on in large part by my son, who is getting into weight-training for basketball.
And, as these things often do, it caused a bit of introspection. For most of my childhood and a good portion of my adult life, I was overweight, sometimes bordering on obese, sometimes well into obese and damn near morbidly so. I went on and off diets pretty much on a yearly basis as a kid, and even well into adulthood struggled to keep my weight in check.
Through college I lifted weights quite a bit, having the good fortune of living in a dorm with a weight center in the basement. Getting to the gym was easy, and while I may have been heavier, it was more muscle than fat. I was running about 220 - 230 pounds, which on my frame didn't look too bad. In fact, it's the curse of the large frame--even at 250 I didn't look *terribly* overweight.
I remember going on yet another crash diet after I graduated from college, getting down to 205, which was the lowest I'd been my adult life (maybe even my teens). It was the same type of diet I had been on dozens of times--rice cakes and grapefruit, little else, until the weight came off. Once it did, I went right back to eating the same way I always had, and the weight slowly crept back on.
In 1996, at a physical, I weighed 253 pounds (it was my pre-marriage physical; I have no idea whatsoever why I remember the exact weight, but I do). In four years I had managed to gain 50 pounds, despite being in graduate school, not having a lot of money, and still getting a fair amount of exercise mountain biking, rollerblading, and camping/hiking. It's evident in the wedding pictures, despite my attempt to hide multiple chins with a beard and wearing a comically large tux.
In 2000, I had my first gout outbreak. At one of the followups to the outbreak, my doctor discovered borderline high blood pressure and put me on medicine to control it. At 28 years old, I was on two different daily medicines for weight-related problems. Granted, the gout medication was only as outbreaks occurred, but they would occur quite frequently in the coming years.
In 2001, I quit smoking before my son was born, and from there the weight kept piling on. I deluded myself for quite some time, thinking that being a non-smoker was healthier than the increase in weight. The highest recorded amount (doctor's visit) was 284 pounds. However, I know that was on the downswing -- at one point, I found my size 44 waist pants getting too tight, and started watching what I ate and getting more exercise.
In 2006, I decided that I didn't want my kids growing up with a morbidly obese father with multiple health issues. I sat down, chronicled what I ate every day for two weeks, then calculated my daily caloric intake. I don't remember the exact number, but it was north of 4,000 on more than a couple days. Mind you, this is for a guy who sat at a computer for 8 hours a day, not someone climbing up and down ladders painting houses or walking miles and miles mowing lawns.
After getting an idea how much I was taking in, I decided to slowly cut back. I made hundreds of little changes in my diet, changes i could live with for the rest of my life. I didn't want to go "off" the diet and go back to eating whatever the hell I felt like, because the weight would just come right back. I use my morning coffee as an example:
I used to drink it with cream and sugar, and a lot of sugar at that. I figured that, conservatively, I was putting in about a tablespoon of sugar and a couple servings of cream, for a total of 100 calories or so. Multiple that by two, and that's 200 calories a day. I cut out cream entirely and switched to artificial sweetener, and I've immediately saved 1,400 calories a week with little effect on taste.
I made hundreds of these little changes over the following year and a half. I started out dropping my caloric intake to 2,750 calories a day, then 2,500, then 2,000. At the height of my weight loss, I was taking in 1,500 calories a day and dropping 1-2 pounds a week--a goal I'd decided would result in safe, sustainable weight loss. Despite not spooling in any sort of exercise regimen, I continued to lose weight over 2006.
In January of 2007, I hit a significant milestone: I dropped below 200 pounds. It had been at least 20 years since I had been at that level. I decided to work some exercise into the mix, and started walking on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike and hitting a rowing machine as part of my daily workouts.
In May 2007, my doctor took me off blood pressure medication. I've been off ever since. I've had *maybe* three gout attacks in the past 11 years. The medical benefits are quite tangible.
Sometime in 2011, the exercise got dropped. I still stayed moderately active, riding a bike fairly often and taking walks when the weather was nice, but no longer adhered to a formal workout routine. For a few years, this worked just fine, until we moved to Virginia in 2013. While I didn't gain back a lot of weight, maybe 15 pounds at most, I noticed that it was slowly creeping back up.
In October 2016, I started walking daily. At first it was 3 miles or so, but over the past year and a half it's ramped up to close to 5. As I got more into the routine, I'd add in jogging/light running as part of the mix. If you'd told 25-year-old me that I'd be jogging, I'd have thought you were joking.
In November of 2017, we bought a used weight bench off a local Facebook classified group. My son had heard that weight training would help him in basketball, and was eager to try. As he progressed, I found myself joining him, first as a spotter, then as a partner.
I'm no Charles Atlas (kids, ask your parents), but I'm currently in about the best shape I've been in my entire life. Five days a week I walk/jog. Five days a week I lift weights. I just dropped to within 3 pounds of the goal weight I reached in 2007, and I continue to stay off meds. I haven't had a gout outbreak in more than three years, and as I come within sight of 47, I'm starting to think about things like protein intake and increasing reps vs. overall weight for strength or toning.
And, as a side benefit, five nights a week I get to bond with my son. We communicate on a peer level; in fact, quite often he's the teacher. He's taking a couple advanced fitness classes in high school, and they've covered proper form for various weightlifting exercises. Not to mention, he's a voracious consumer of information when it comes to things that interest him, so he's researched body building and weight training extensively. He advises on form and diet, and I am better able to spot for him as he gets stronger.
I guess this is in response to something I read online, where someone was claiming that you can't lose weight just by counting calories alone. Actually, I believe the claim was that you couldn't keep weight off by calories alone. I forget if this was pushing keto, or paleo, or Atkins, or whatever the flavor-of-the-month weight loss program was, but it so thoroughly pissed me off I decided to dash off a quick timeline of my own experience.
You *can* lose weight by counting calories, and you *can* keep it off. It takes a boatload of determination and discipline, mind you, and I'm shocked as anyone else I have been able to keep it off this long. It has been a long journey, and I hope to continue it as long as I can. I don't post this to brag, just to prove it can be done. Heck, if I can do it, *anyone* can...
Side note: I forget who it was, I want to say Nutrisystem or some other weight loss program, that for a while offered their meal plans. It always amused me, because the only way those work is if you are disciplined enough to *only* eat the meals they send. And if you've got that kind of discipline, you've got enough to pick up comparable meals at the grocery store and save 2/3 the cost...
I'll try not to let another 6 months go by between entries, but I'm not making any promises...
That is all.
Showing posts with label Fitness Fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitness Fun. Show all posts
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Monday, May 12, 2014
Seven Years...
Roughly seven years ago, might have been today or thereabouts (I don't remember the exact date), I hit my goal weight. After, literally, a lifetime overweight, I stepped on the scale and saw a healthy weight for my size and frame. For a year and a half I very carefully watched what I ate and changed my diet to both eat less, but also better food.
I went from a high over 300 pounds to my goal weight of 175 pounds in a year and a half. At first it was accomplished through diet alone, which took me to my first weight below 200 pounds in my adult life. Gradually I phased in exercise, because, well, that's what you're supposed to do, right?
Exercise has fallen off in recent years (although I am WAY more active now than I was, say, 10 years ago), but I'm still within 10 pounds of my goal weight (six and a half as of this past weekend, FWIW). It's been a long and difficult journey, but I see it paying dividends frequently - TheBoy has adapted his eating to include healthier snack foods, and asks my advice from time to time.
Skipping the birthday cake at work or ordering a more healthy entree at a restaurant isn't easy, that's for sure. There's times where I would love nothing more than going into a Five Guys and getting a bacon cheeseburger piled high with all the trimmings and a big honkin' boat of fries. But having been off blood pressure medication for over seven years helps keep me on track.
It can be done. It takes a crapton of work, even more willpower, and you've got to stick with it. Seven years later (eight and a half, if you consider my starting point), I still count calories every single day. No exceptions. I'll still go out and have pizza with friends from time to time, but it's far less frequent now, and I'll stick to one or two pieces, rather than four or five.
It's a matter of mind over matter - and what you put in your piehole really does matter...
That is all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I went from a high over 300 pounds to my goal weight of 175 pounds in a year and a half. At first it was accomplished through diet alone, which took me to my first weight below 200 pounds in my adult life. Gradually I phased in exercise, because, well, that's what you're supposed to do, right?
Exercise has fallen off in recent years (although I am WAY more active now than I was, say, 10 years ago), but I'm still within 10 pounds of my goal weight (six and a half as of this past weekend, FWIW). It's been a long and difficult journey, but I see it paying dividends frequently - TheBoy has adapted his eating to include healthier snack foods, and asks my advice from time to time.
Skipping the birthday cake at work or ordering a more healthy entree at a restaurant isn't easy, that's for sure. There's times where I would love nothing more than going into a Five Guys and getting a bacon cheeseburger piled high with all the trimmings and a big honkin' boat of fries. But having been off blood pressure medication for over seven years helps keep me on track.
It can be done. It takes a crapton of work, even more willpower, and you've got to stick with it. Seven years later (eight and a half, if you consider my starting point), I still count calories every single day. No exceptions. I'll still go out and have pizza with friends from time to time, but it's far less frequent now, and I'll stick to one or two pieces, rather than four or five.
It's a matter of mind over matter - and what you put in your piehole really does matter...
That is all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
SCIENCE! For The Geek In You...
Hey, *I* thought this was cool...
What Does 200 Calories Look Like?
When folks hear that I used to weigh close to 300 pounds, the big question is "How did you do it?" The answer is disgustingly simple, and yet so hard. I counted calories, plain and simple. When I started the diet, I took two weeks, ate what I normally ate, and counted every single calorie. The results were staggering: As a sedentary office-bound drone, I was shoveling down over 4,000 calories a day. No wonder even the "fat guy" pants were tight...
I started cutting back on what I was eating, basically making small changed I could live with for the rest of my life. I had gone on crash diets before, plenty of times. Eat grapefruit and rice cakes for a couple months, drop 25 pounds, then go right back to having a full size chocolate bar smothered in peanut butter for a midnight snack. Big surprise, the weight came right back, and then some. This time, I wanted to change how I ate, not simply what I ate.
It took time and a helluva lot of willpower, that's for sure. I don't have the weekly/monthly "office cake" every time it's someone's birthday/kid announcement/special occasion. Instead of a large regular from Dunkin Donuts, I have my own coffee, black, with Splenda - I went from ~ 200 calories between creamer and sugar to maybe 10 calories (coffee is just about no calories). Small steps. Over time.
It also takes knowledge. You've got to know what you're putting down your gullet, and things have gotten a lot better than they were even 20 years ago. Most restaurants have their nutritional information online; the vast majority I've found even have low(er) calories entrees that taste pretty yummy. Sure, it's not the same thing as going out and having a Bloomin' Onion for an appetizer with a bacon-and-cheese stuffed chicken breast for dinner, followed by a big bowl of ice cream, but then again, it makes those rare times you do splurge that much more special, right?
In any case, now you know what 200 calories looks like!
That is all.
What Does 200 Calories Look Like?
Some foods have significantly more Calories than others but what does the difference actually look like. Each of the photographs below represents 200 Calories of the particular type of food; the images are sorted from low to high calorie density. When you consider that an entire plate of broccoli contains the same number of Calories as a small spoonful of peanut butter, you might think twice the next time you decide what to eat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average adult needs to consume about 2000 - 2500 Calories to maintain their weight. In other words, you have a fixed amount of Calories to "spend" each day; based on the following pictures, which would you eat?They've got a whole bunch of foods and drinks in picture form, with items on the same white plate or bowl as appropriate. It's a nice pictorial on what, exactly, you're putting in your piehole with every 200 calories.
When folks hear that I used to weigh close to 300 pounds, the big question is "How did you do it?" The answer is disgustingly simple, and yet so hard. I counted calories, plain and simple. When I started the diet, I took two weeks, ate what I normally ate, and counted every single calorie. The results were staggering: As a sedentary office-bound drone, I was shoveling down over 4,000 calories a day. No wonder even the "fat guy" pants were tight...
I started cutting back on what I was eating, basically making small changed I could live with for the rest of my life. I had gone on crash diets before, plenty of times. Eat grapefruit and rice cakes for a couple months, drop 25 pounds, then go right back to having a full size chocolate bar smothered in peanut butter for a midnight snack. Big surprise, the weight came right back, and then some. This time, I wanted to change how I ate, not simply what I ate.
It took time and a helluva lot of willpower, that's for sure. I don't have the weekly/monthly "office cake" every time it's someone's birthday/kid announcement/special occasion. Instead of a large regular from Dunkin Donuts, I have my own coffee, black, with Splenda - I went from ~ 200 calories between creamer and sugar to maybe 10 calories (coffee is just about no calories). Small steps. Over time.
It also takes knowledge. You've got to know what you're putting down your gullet, and things have gotten a lot better than they were even 20 years ago. Most restaurants have their nutritional information online; the vast majority I've found even have low(er) calories entrees that taste pretty yummy. Sure, it's not the same thing as going out and having a Bloomin' Onion for an appetizer with a bacon-and-cheese stuffed chicken breast for dinner, followed by a big bowl of ice cream, but then again, it makes those rare times you do splurge that much more special, right?
In any case, now you know what 200 calories looks like!
That is all.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Run to the Hills...
Matt G. (no relation) has started running for his health.
Interestingly enough, so have I. In recent times I'd fallen off the exercise wagon, trading my early morning exercise for a couple extra hours of sleep, and I've been meaning to get back into the workout regimen anyways... Well, this past weekend, we got TheBoy his first pair of "real" sneakers. His shoe size is currently only two sizes below mine, and he's recently shot up a bunch, so we figured we were safe getting him a more expensive pair than the normal $20 Payless sneakers. He's been helping out a lot around the house (including yardwork, yay) so we treated him to a pair of Reeboks on clearance at the local Bob's Store.
While we were there, he exhorted me to try on a pair myself. The first pair he tried (and had been gushing over), I put on and was decidedly unimpressed. The second pair, though, were surprisingly comfortable - and one thing I've learned in my 40+ years on this planet is that when you find a pair of shoes that fits and feels good, you buy them. So now, TheBoy and I have matching sneakers (this was his idea, BTW, before we get folks concerned he'd not wear them because ZOMG my dumb dad bought the same sneakers!!!!).
Did I mention that they're running sneakers?
So, he says, "Dad. These are running sneakers. Let's go running!"
Add in that I'd been meaning to get back into a quasi-regular exercise program, and I eagerly agreed - I figured that exercise could only help both he and I, and having an exercise partner is always better than solo. So yesterday morning I found myself hitting the pavement with my son, going for a roughly 3 mile jog around our town. Not a bad way to start our Memorial Day. We stopped by the cemetery and paid our respects to the veterans interred therein while resting on the way home, and concluded our run by forcing ourselves up the steep, steep hill one street over from ours.
No, I have no idea what I was thinking trying to match stamina with an 11 year old boy - my legs feel like someone worked them over with a bat this morning...
That is all.
Interestingly enough, so have I. In recent times I'd fallen off the exercise wagon, trading my early morning exercise for a couple extra hours of sleep, and I've been meaning to get back into the workout regimen anyways... Well, this past weekend, we got TheBoy his first pair of "real" sneakers. His shoe size is currently only two sizes below mine, and he's recently shot up a bunch, so we figured we were safe getting him a more expensive pair than the normal $20 Payless sneakers. He's been helping out a lot around the house (including yardwork, yay) so we treated him to a pair of Reeboks on clearance at the local Bob's Store.
While we were there, he exhorted me to try on a pair myself. The first pair he tried (and had been gushing over), I put on and was decidedly unimpressed. The second pair, though, were surprisingly comfortable - and one thing I've learned in my 40+ years on this planet is that when you find a pair of shoes that fits and feels good, you buy them. So now, TheBoy and I have matching sneakers (this was his idea, BTW, before we get folks concerned he'd not wear them because ZOMG my dumb dad bought the same sneakers!!!!).
Did I mention that they're running sneakers?
So, he says, "Dad. These are running sneakers. Let's go running!"
Add in that I'd been meaning to get back into a quasi-regular exercise program, and I eagerly agreed - I figured that exercise could only help both he and I, and having an exercise partner is always better than solo. So yesterday morning I found myself hitting the pavement with my son, going for a roughly 3 mile jog around our town. Not a bad way to start our Memorial Day. We stopped by the cemetery and paid our respects to the veterans interred therein while resting on the way home, and concluded our run by forcing ourselves up the steep, steep hill one street over from ours.
No, I have no idea what I was thinking trying to match stamina with an 11 year old boy - my legs feel like someone worked them over with a bat this morning...
That is all.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Four Years...
Four years ago, roughly around this time, I hit my goal weight. After nearly a year and a half of intense scrutiny, deprivation, and willpower, I lost over 100 pounds, going from a high of 284 pounds to my goal weight of 180 pounds. Stepping on the scale this morning, four years later, I find my weight to be 182 pounds. Not bad for four years...
The motivation to work out every morning has been waning the past few months. Personal issues have prevented me from hitting the gym as often as I'd like, and the weather has not been cooperative for a noontime walk. I'm still hitting the free weights and doing situps and pushups every night, but I like at least a couple scheduled cardio outings a week to keep things in check. Fortunately, it's summer time, so raking the lawn, riding my bike with the kids, or just taking the kids for a walk around the neighborhood gives me an excuse to get out and move.
The biggest question I hear when folks find out about my weight loss is "How did you do it?" The hard part is giving the answer: I counted my calories very carefully, was honest with myself about what I was putting into my body, and limited my intake. It takes a ton of willpower - willpower that I still draw upon today - but the "secret" really is that simple. When I started the diet over five years ago, I took two weeks before I started and wrote down everything I ate in those two weeks. I then calculated the caloric content of everything, and tallied up my daily caloric consumption.
The figure was awfully close to 4,000 calories - for someone in asedimentary sedentary lifestyle. (Thanks Bob!)
I cut back to 2,500 calories a day. Then 2,000. Then 1,750. As more weight came off, I found it addicting to step on the scale and see the progress. I set a goal weight for myself of 220 pounds, this being my weight through much of college when I was lifting weights every day. My goal was to lose a pound a week - this was a long haul effort - by making small changes that I could live with even when I stopped dieting. I reached my goal weight after about 10 months (I started at less than 284; I think 272) and reassessed, bringing to 200 and eventually 180.
It's been a long, difficult road, but I have found it immensely rewarding. Several friends and co-workers have been alternately inspired and/or shamed into going on diets of their own - I've had friends tell me I inspired them to lose weight; and co-workers (and family members) who started their own weight loss program "because if Jay can do it, I had damn well better be able to"... It's all about setting a good example for my kids - eating healthy, exercising, getting my blood pressure under control (over four years without medication!).
I want to be part of their lives for a long time, and being an overweight lardass wasn't going to cut it...
That is all.
The motivation to work out every morning has been waning the past few months. Personal issues have prevented me from hitting the gym as often as I'd like, and the weather has not been cooperative for a noontime walk. I'm still hitting the free weights and doing situps and pushups every night, but I like at least a couple scheduled cardio outings a week to keep things in check. Fortunately, it's summer time, so raking the lawn, riding my bike with the kids, or just taking the kids for a walk around the neighborhood gives me an excuse to get out and move.
The biggest question I hear when folks find out about my weight loss is "How did you do it?" The hard part is giving the answer: I counted my calories very carefully, was honest with myself about what I was putting into my body, and limited my intake. It takes a ton of willpower - willpower that I still draw upon today - but the "secret" really is that simple. When I started the diet over five years ago, I took two weeks before I started and wrote down everything I ate in those two weeks. I then calculated the caloric content of everything, and tallied up my daily caloric consumption.
The figure was awfully close to 4,000 calories - for someone in a
I cut back to 2,500 calories a day. Then 2,000. Then 1,750. As more weight came off, I found it addicting to step on the scale and see the progress. I set a goal weight for myself of 220 pounds, this being my weight through much of college when I was lifting weights every day. My goal was to lose a pound a week - this was a long haul effort - by making small changes that I could live with even when I stopped dieting. I reached my goal weight after about 10 months (I started at less than 284; I think 272) and reassessed, bringing to 200 and eventually 180.
It's been a long, difficult road, but I have found it immensely rewarding. Several friends and co-workers have been alternately inspired and/or shamed into going on diets of their own - I've had friends tell me I inspired them to lose weight; and co-workers (and family members) who started their own weight loss program "because if Jay can do it, I had damn well better be able to"... It's all about setting a good example for my kids - eating healthy, exercising, getting my blood pressure under control (over four years without medication!).
I want to be part of their lives for a long time, and being an overweight lardass wasn't going to cut it...
That is all.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Always Look on the Briiiiight Siiiide...
...of shoveling...
Curious About Shoveling Workout
Given that I've shoveled about 50 hours so far this winter, I don't feel as bad about only working out 2-3 times a week this winter...
That is all.
Curious About Shoveling Workout
BOSTON (CBS) – One bonus this winter: all that shoveling is helping us stay in shape.
...
But Harvard Medical School researchers estimate that a person who weighs 185 pounds burns 266 calories for every half hour of shoveling.
Given that I've shoveled about 50 hours so far this winter, I don't feel as bad about only working out 2-3 times a week this winter...
That is all.
Monday, January 17, 2011
All This, And We're Fatasses, Too...
The World's Most Dangerous Librarian couldn't resist sending this tidbit to me:
Boston Debuts Ambulance for Obese Patients
I just hope this helps out TOTWTYTR a bit when dealing with the more, um, rotund members if the community...
That is all.
Boston Debuts Ambulance for Obese Patients
Boston’s emergency medical services department unveiled a new ambulance designed to help transport obese patients without injuring EMTs:It holds up to 850 pounds and - here's the best part - "The ambulance is likely to be needed two to four times a week". Apparently in addition to hating freedom, MAholes hate treadmills and anything marked "Lite"...Boston emergency services debuted a specialized ambulance designed to carry obese patients on Tuesday, and the retrofitted vehicle was promptly needed on two calls, authorities said.
I just hope this helps out TOTWTYTR a bit when dealing with the more, um, rotund members if the community...
That is all.
Monday, November 8, 2010
So Simple You Won't Believe It...
Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds
He actually lost weight faster than I did, but then again, I started out slower, too. This basic premise - a strict accounting of caloric intake - is exactly how I lost over 100 pounds. Before I started my effort to lose weight, I took about two weeks and carefully documented every single thing I ate. I then found the caloric content of every item (had to guess in some cases) and calculated what my average intake was in a day.
And then I cut it by almost a third.
Once I started losing weight, I adjusted periodically. I calculated pre-diet that I was consuming over 3,500 calories a day - this is pre-exercise, too, so I was taking in a lot more than I was burning off, hence the steady weight gain. I dropped it back to 2,500 calories a day and started losing. As the weight came off, I lowered the daily intake gradually and tapering off once the last of the weight had come off.
One long-term change that I made was to find acceptable substitutions for certain foods rather than just cutting back calories to lose the weight. I wanted to change how I ate, not what I ate, so that when I went "off" the diet I wouldn't just gain everything back. I'd been on and off diets my entire life, starting as young as 9 or 10, with varying degrees of success. I'd counted carbs. I'd gone the extreme "grapefruit and rice cake" deprivation. None of it worked. Well, all of it worked - temporarily. As soon as I went back to eating the old way, I gained everything back.
Those weight plans that were so popular a few years ago where you pay for meals always cracked me up. Of course you'll lose weight if you only eat the meals they send you - the trouble is NOT eating outside of the plan. If you're disciplined enough to only eat the meals that they send you, you're disciplined enough to come up with your own meal plan and stick to that without belonging to some fancy club or paying for exotic meals. Unfortunately, it all comes down to willpower - you have to really want to lose the weight and keep it off...
I thought the story was interesting - it obviously reinforces my own experience. "How did you do it?" is the most common question I hear - folks wonder if I did Atkins, or Weight Watchers, or any number of popular diet trends. They assume I cut out carbs entirely - not true - or that I had to have done "X" or religiously avoided "Y". The only thing I did was count calories - and made changes I could live with in the long haul. Really about the only universal thing was that I no longer eat "fast food" unless there's no way around it (like road trips); other than that, I still eat pretty much whatever I want - just in much smaller portions.
Even today, some three and a half years after I hit my goal weight, I still count my calories every single day. I keep a running tally in my head of everything I'm eating, guessing in some cases, doing research in others. Many restaurants have their nutritional information available online - it's pretty shocking how bad some entrées can be - and most have some sort of reduced calorie option. Sure, it's not a triple bacon cheeseburger with a double order of waffle fries, but a baked chicken breast on a wheat bun with honey mustard dressing has a quarter of the calories and still tastes pretty darn good. Everything comes with a price - you do sacrifice the "comfort foods" by and large - but the benefits are pretty substantial.
There's no magic bullet - yet - but I'm waiting for the day they perfect the "eat all you want and stay skinny" pill...
That is all.
(CNN) -- Twinkies. Nutty bars. Powdered donuts. For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate one of these sugary cakelets every three hours, instead of meals. To add variety in his steady stream of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Haub munched on Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, too.
His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most -- not the nutritional value of the food.
He actually lost weight faster than I did, but then again, I started out slower, too. This basic premise - a strict accounting of caloric intake - is exactly how I lost over 100 pounds. Before I started my effort to lose weight, I took about two weeks and carefully documented every single thing I ate. I then found the caloric content of every item (had to guess in some cases) and calculated what my average intake was in a day.
And then I cut it by almost a third.
Once I started losing weight, I adjusted periodically. I calculated pre-diet that I was consuming over 3,500 calories a day - this is pre-exercise, too, so I was taking in a lot more than I was burning off, hence the steady weight gain. I dropped it back to 2,500 calories a day and started losing. As the weight came off, I lowered the daily intake gradually and tapering off once the last of the weight had come off.
One long-term change that I made was to find acceptable substitutions for certain foods rather than just cutting back calories to lose the weight. I wanted to change how I ate, not what I ate, so that when I went "off" the diet I wouldn't just gain everything back. I'd been on and off diets my entire life, starting as young as 9 or 10, with varying degrees of success. I'd counted carbs. I'd gone the extreme "grapefruit and rice cake" deprivation. None of it worked. Well, all of it worked - temporarily. As soon as I went back to eating the old way, I gained everything back.
Those weight plans that were so popular a few years ago where you pay for meals always cracked me up. Of course you'll lose weight if you only eat the meals they send you - the trouble is NOT eating outside of the plan. If you're disciplined enough to only eat the meals that they send you, you're disciplined enough to come up with your own meal plan and stick to that without belonging to some fancy club or paying for exotic meals. Unfortunately, it all comes down to willpower - you have to really want to lose the weight and keep it off...
I thought the story was interesting - it obviously reinforces my own experience. "How did you do it?" is the most common question I hear - folks wonder if I did Atkins, or Weight Watchers, or any number of popular diet trends. They assume I cut out carbs entirely - not true - or that I had to have done "X" or religiously avoided "Y". The only thing I did was count calories - and made changes I could live with in the long haul. Really about the only universal thing was that I no longer eat "fast food" unless there's no way around it (like road trips); other than that, I still eat pretty much whatever I want - just in much smaller portions.
Even today, some three and a half years after I hit my goal weight, I still count my calories every single day. I keep a running tally in my head of everything I'm eating, guessing in some cases, doing research in others. Many restaurants have their nutritional information available online - it's pretty shocking how bad some entrées can be - and most have some sort of reduced calorie option. Sure, it's not a triple bacon cheeseburger with a double order of waffle fries, but a baked chicken breast on a wheat bun with honey mustard dressing has a quarter of the calories and still tastes pretty darn good. Everything comes with a price - you do sacrifice the "comfort foods" by and large - but the benefits are pretty substantial.
There's no magic bullet - yet - but I'm waiting for the day they perfect the "eat all you want and stay skinny" pill...
That is all.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
How's That Vacation Shaping Up?
For my last vacation, the April trip to Disney, staying on a workout schedule wasn't too big of an issue. Covering the vast Disney empire on foot ensures that one gets a pretty decent cardio workout, and even with the rich and calorie-intensive food they offer in the house of the Mouse, keeping the extra pounds at bay is fairly easy with all the walking. When we went down last year, the Mrs. was keeping a log of all her walking for a fitness goal, and had a pedometer on for our forays to the Magic Kingdom.
We walked at least five miles every day.
Needless to say, I made no effort to work out any more than that when we went to Disney. This trip isn't quite as intensive as Disney, although hardly lethargic. I'm bringing my running shoes and my bicycle - there's a 7½ mile access road along the canal that's closed to all vehicular traffic that is simply perfect for jogging or biking, and I've made it a point to start my day by biking the length of it or running a good chunk of it. It's an easy routine that means getting up about an hour before the rest of the family - simply because if I leave after the kids have woken up, I wind up with someone tagging along. As much as I love having my kids with me, they really cut into my peak heartrate time... :)
Exercising on vacation is often even easier than exercising at home. Most hotels have some sort of fitness center even if it is just a treadmill and a stationary bike, and a good number have indoor pools for a few laps. If your vacations take you to touristy places, there are often walking or self-guided tours of the attractions; obviously the usual caveats apply about walking alone in a foreign place and being aware of your surroundings. There are plenty of options available if you have the motivation to get out and get moving even on holiday.
There's no need to let keeping in shape stay back home with the answering machine and the local newspaper.
That is all.
We walked at least five miles every day.
Needless to say, I made no effort to work out any more than that when we went to Disney. This trip isn't quite as intensive as Disney, although hardly lethargic. I'm bringing my running shoes and my bicycle - there's a 7½ mile access road along the canal that's closed to all vehicular traffic that is simply perfect for jogging or biking, and I've made it a point to start my day by biking the length of it or running a good chunk of it. It's an easy routine that means getting up about an hour before the rest of the family - simply because if I leave after the kids have woken up, I wind up with someone tagging along. As much as I love having my kids with me, they really cut into my peak heartrate time... :)
Exercising on vacation is often even easier than exercising at home. Most hotels have some sort of fitness center even if it is just a treadmill and a stationary bike, and a good number have indoor pools for a few laps. If your vacations take you to touristy places, there are often walking or self-guided tours of the attractions; obviously the usual caveats apply about walking alone in a foreign place and being aware of your surroundings. There are plenty of options available if you have the motivation to get out and get moving even on holiday.
There's no need to let keeping in shape stay back home with the answering machine and the local newspaper.
That is all.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Exercise Blues...
Borepatch has 'em. I left a quick comment with a couple suggestions, but wanted to expand a bit. I've noticed the same thing - I started exercising regularly in January 2007, working out every single day either on the treadmill, stationary bike, walking, jogging, etc. Every single day. Over the years I've refined that to Monday through Friday, then Monday through Thursday. It gets harder and harder to drag my carcass out of bed to get over to the gym or out on the road.
In some ways, I'm a victim of my own success. I've been at my goal weight for over three years now; I've been off my blood pressure medication for even longer. Every check-up at the doctor's has been the same - blood pressure fine, weight stable, keep up the good work. What I'm finding is that maintaining is a lot harder than achieving - it's nowhere near as gratifying to do all this work just to sustain parity than it is to continuously improve. I don't know specifically about Borepatch's situation, but I know that I'm losing motivation the longer I stay at my goal.
A commenter suggested a workout partner, and this is a fabulous idea as long as the two of you are relatively evenly matched in the physical exertion department. If you choose a partner more active than yourself, you run the risk of over-exerting yourself and pulling muscles, etc. Obviously, a partner with a lower activity level isn't going to inspire you to push your limits; the key is to find someone at or near your level and develop a friendly "competition" between the two. Having a workout partner does two things: it makes the workout less monotonous, and it encourages you to participate on a regular basis - you don't want to let the other person down.
This was one of the key elements I used when starting to lose the weight, actually - in our immediate family, we had several other family members who wanted to lose weight as well, and we started the "pound a week" club. The goal being to lose, obviously, one pound every week; we would e-mail tallies at the end of each week to see who the "biggest loser" was for the week. Over time, folks dropped out one-by-one, until eventually I was the last loser standing. Fortunately for me, by that time I'd already gotten into a groove where I was competing against myself and continued the weight loss.
Competing against yourself is another method of keeping up the exercise, actually. I do cardio in the mornings and weight-training in the evenings. I do ~ 2 miles on the treadmill and ~ 6 miles on the stationary bike every morning, and 50 pushups, 50 situps, and 5 sets of 10 curls or butterflies with free weights in the evening. I've found that slowly and steadily increasing the speed on the treadmill, or the RPMs on the bike, or adding weight to the curls has helped to keep me focused on the exercise; although lately I do seem to have hit somewhat of a plateau.
What I'd like to do now is introduce more free weights to the routine where I lift 2-3 days a week and do cardio 2 days a week to keep up the heart rate and keep the blood pressure in check. This is an equipment - and therefore space - consideration; I need a weight bench of some sort at a minimum as well as a full complement of weights, bars, etc. for this next level. Another idea that has broad G. family appeal is a heavy bag of some sort - Mrs. G. can use it for kickboxing; TheBoy and BabyGirl G. can use it for karate; and I can use it for cardio (and anger management *g*). The biggest problem with a heavy bag is where to put it; we could either get a freestanding unit like they have at the dojo, which would require ~ 10' diameter circle or so and full ceiling height; or we could get a bag that hangs from the ceiling itself, which means basement (which is rather crowded).
Those of you who exercise regularly, please share your tips for remaining motivated for both Borepatch and myself...
That is all.
In some ways, I'm a victim of my own success. I've been at my goal weight for over three years now; I've been off my blood pressure medication for even longer. Every check-up at the doctor's has been the same - blood pressure fine, weight stable, keep up the good work. What I'm finding is that maintaining is a lot harder than achieving - it's nowhere near as gratifying to do all this work just to sustain parity than it is to continuously improve. I don't know specifically about Borepatch's situation, but I know that I'm losing motivation the longer I stay at my goal.
A commenter suggested a workout partner, and this is a fabulous idea as long as the two of you are relatively evenly matched in the physical exertion department. If you choose a partner more active than yourself, you run the risk of over-exerting yourself and pulling muscles, etc. Obviously, a partner with a lower activity level isn't going to inspire you to push your limits; the key is to find someone at or near your level and develop a friendly "competition" between the two. Having a workout partner does two things: it makes the workout less monotonous, and it encourages you to participate on a regular basis - you don't want to let the other person down.
This was one of the key elements I used when starting to lose the weight, actually - in our immediate family, we had several other family members who wanted to lose weight as well, and we started the "pound a week" club. The goal being to lose, obviously, one pound every week; we would e-mail tallies at the end of each week to see who the "biggest loser" was for the week. Over time, folks dropped out one-by-one, until eventually I was the last loser standing. Fortunately for me, by that time I'd already gotten into a groove where I was competing against myself and continued the weight loss.
Competing against yourself is another method of keeping up the exercise, actually. I do cardio in the mornings and weight-training in the evenings. I do ~ 2 miles on the treadmill and ~ 6 miles on the stationary bike every morning, and 50 pushups, 50 situps, and 5 sets of 10 curls or butterflies with free weights in the evening. I've found that slowly and steadily increasing the speed on the treadmill, or the RPMs on the bike, or adding weight to the curls has helped to keep me focused on the exercise; although lately I do seem to have hit somewhat of a plateau.
What I'd like to do now is introduce more free weights to the routine where I lift 2-3 days a week and do cardio 2 days a week to keep up the heart rate and keep the blood pressure in check. This is an equipment - and therefore space - consideration; I need a weight bench of some sort at a minimum as well as a full complement of weights, bars, etc. for this next level. Another idea that has broad G. family appeal is a heavy bag of some sort - Mrs. G. can use it for kickboxing; TheBoy and BabyGirl G. can use it for karate; and I can use it for cardio (and anger management *g*). The biggest problem with a heavy bag is where to put it; we could either get a freestanding unit like they have at the dojo, which would require ~ 10' diameter circle or so and full ceiling height; or we could get a bag that hangs from the ceiling itself, which means basement (which is rather crowded).
Those of you who exercise regularly, please share your tips for remaining motivated for both Borepatch and myself...
That is all.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Not Too Shabby...
Just stepped on the scale after a week of (relatively) diet-free eating and road tripping. With all the walking around we did, the damage was minimal - only 2½ pounds gained, which was rather surprising given how far off my diet I went... Let's just leave it that eating out every lunch and dinner, with dessert included, does not lead to healthy eating habits. It's not a big deal for one week, but when it becomes a lifestyle choice rather than merely a vacation indulgence it leads to problems...
Which probably explains the large number of scooters and other devices aplenty in the land of the mouse...
That is all.
Which probably explains the large number of scooters and other devices aplenty in the land of the mouse...
That is all.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Not Infuriating, but Sad...
The super-sized 43st mother who is determined to become the world's fattest woman
And, equally, I am free to mock as I see fit.
Look, I'm probably the wrong person to comment on this story. I'm prejudiced, in that I spent the vast majority of my life struggling with my weight, and continue to struggle even today. I hate being the "fitter than thou" smug jerkoff who looks down his nose at someone struggling with their weight, because I've been the overweight slob who made poor life choices.
Now, granted, my life choices never involved me getting so fat I was incapable of walking under my own power before I hit 45, but...
What saddens me is the example this woman is setting for her daughter. She's growing up with a role model for body and size image that's way beyond the six-sigma from normal. She's going to have a long road ahead of her in deciding what's normal for her vs. what's normal for everyone else. The single biggest motivating factor for me losing weight, working out, and generally taking better care of myself was to set a better example for my kids; this poor child isn't going to have that example.
Let's face it: You are not - cannot be - healthy if you cannot move more than 20 feet under your own power without stopping. She's lying to her health care providers, her family, and herself if she honestly thinks that she's "healthy" in any way, shape, or form. She's heading towards an early grave, a path lined with ridicule, derision, and contempt from those around her. And her daughter is going to suffer for it - she's going to bury her mother at far too young an age, and she's going to have to listen to jackasses (your humble host included) opine on the many ways her mom brought this on herself.
I don't think the government has any business inserting itself here. There's been recent news about attempts to limit salt intake, or to ban trans fatty acids, or any other number of stupid, bullshit intrusions on our personal liberties from the government in the name of saving us from ourselves. We should have every right in the world to eat, drink, or inhale any number of potentially life-shortening substances, provided the only person being hurt is the person making the bad decision.
Being stupid should hurt, but it shouldn't be illegal.
That is all.
Another interesting story sent to me by commenter PISSED.
Donna Simpson already weighs 43st, but she is determined to nearly double her size to become the world's fattest woman.Look, I support the right to make informed decisions. I even support the right to make uninformed decisions, so long as it doesn't affect me. This woman is an American, and as an American it is her right and solemn privilege to eat herself into an early grave. If she wants to bloat up to a thousand pounds - without hurting anyone other than herself - power to her. She's free to do just that.
The 42-year-old from New Jersey, U.S, is set on reaching the 1,000lb mark (71st) in just two years. Remarkably she insists she is healthy, despite now needing a mobility scooter when she goes shopping.
And, equally, I am free to mock as I see fit.
Look, I'm probably the wrong person to comment on this story. I'm prejudiced, in that I spent the vast majority of my life struggling with my weight, and continue to struggle even today. I hate being the "fitter than thou" smug jerkoff who looks down his nose at someone struggling with their weight, because I've been the overweight slob who made poor life choices.
Now, granted, my life choices never involved me getting so fat I was incapable of walking under my own power before I hit 45, but...
What saddens me is the example this woman is setting for her daughter. She's growing up with a role model for body and size image that's way beyond the six-sigma from normal. She's going to have a long road ahead of her in deciding what's normal for her vs. what's normal for everyone else. The single biggest motivating factor for me losing weight, working out, and generally taking better care of myself was to set a better example for my kids; this poor child isn't going to have that example.
Let's face it: You are not - cannot be - healthy if you cannot move more than 20 feet under your own power without stopping. She's lying to her health care providers, her family, and herself if she honestly thinks that she's "healthy" in any way, shape, or form. She's heading towards an early grave, a path lined with ridicule, derision, and contempt from those around her. And her daughter is going to suffer for it - she's going to bury her mother at far too young an age, and she's going to have to listen to jackasses (your humble host included) opine on the many ways her mom brought this on herself.
I don't think the government has any business inserting itself here. There's been recent news about attempts to limit salt intake, or to ban trans fatty acids, or any other number of stupid, bullshit intrusions on our personal liberties from the government in the name of saving us from ourselves. We should have every right in the world to eat, drink, or inhale any number of potentially life-shortening substances, provided the only person being hurt is the person making the bad decision.
Being stupid should hurt, but it shouldn't be illegal.
That is all.
Another interesting story sent to me by commenter PISSED.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Curry... Of the Non-Tim Variety...
Got creative last night. Rather than yet another rendition of spaghetti and meatballs for Sunday night dinner, I stretched my culinary legs, so to speak:
Om nom nom
It's a generic curry chicken dish, a tame (by my standards) offering served over rice. The really killer about this one, though, is that it serves four - for less than 400 calories per serving. Here's the recipe:
1 lb boneless chicken, cubed
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup sliced celery
½ red onion onion cut into thin wedges
1 cup chopped Golden Delicious apple
1 tablespoon cornstarch
And here's what you do with it:
Heat up a large saucepan. Put oil (I went with extra-virgin olive oil not because I have a crush on Rachel Ray but because I'm Italian and it's a law that we have a gallon tin of olive oil kicking around the house) in the pan, add curry, swirl around pan until well-coated.
Add chicken, cook over medium-high heat until browned. Add broth, celery, onion, and salt/pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer and stir occasionally for 15 minutes.
Add apple, stir, cover, let simmer another 5 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and water; add to pan and stir until sauce thickens. Simmer, covered, another 2-4 minutes.
Serve over rice and voila! For the maiden voyage, I stuck pretty faithfully to the recipe. My kids aren't exactly the most adventurous sorts in trying new culinary delights, so I didn't want to put them off with strong spices for the first try. BabyGirl G. took one look at it and refused to eat a bite (although she did clean all the apple and rice up eventually); TheBoy loved it, giving it a sold 3.5 out of 4. Quote of the night: "Daddy, this is my new favorite chicken dish!"
I took it as a matter of pride that there wasn't a spot left over - gonna have to double the recipe next time!
That is all.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Milestone...
I just realized that I've been off blood pressure medication for three years now. Three years. I'm at the point now where I only have to see my doctor once a year rather than quarterly; in fact, I have to get bloodwork done for my annual physical this weekend. If I can avoid going too nuts down in Disney next month and in Charlotte in May, I should mark my third year at my goal weight.
It's been tough; even now I'm still going without more than I'm indulging (which is good), but it starts wearing on a person after a while. I see all these delicious recipes posted by my blogging friends and I drool, knowing that I should only look, not cook. I know that one fat- and calorie-laden meal won't derail my efforts (and I have been enjoying things more often), but I still must maintain constant vigilance to ward off the return of the paunch.
It's all worth it, though, when something like this past weekend happens. We went to the local middle school for the annual sixth grade play on Sunday, and I ran into a friend of my sister's from high school. She married a guy I went to high school with, and the two of them didn't recognize me as I walked up to say hello. And I've seen both of them since high school, too - my sister has kept in touch with her friend - just not in the past 3-4 years.
It's been tough; even now I'm still going without more than I'm indulging (which is good), but it starts wearing on a person after a while. I see all these delicious recipes posted by my blogging friends and I drool, knowing that I should only look, not cook. I know that one fat- and calorie-laden meal won't derail my efforts (and I have been enjoying things more often), but I still must maintain constant vigilance to ward off the return of the paunch.
It's all worth it, though, when something like this past weekend happens. We went to the local middle school for the annual sixth grade play on Sunday, and I ran into a friend of my sister's from high school. She married a guy I went to high school with, and the two of them didn't recognize me as I walked up to say hello. And I've seen both of them since high school, too - my sister has kept in touch with her friend - just not in the past 3-4 years.
But really, not having to get that yearly prescription for Lisinopril is the greatest feeling I get from the lifestyle change...
That is all.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Music to Make You Move
Lissa mentioned music she liked to work out to, and asked:
There's a definitive preference for hard rock/metal in my listening pleasure for several reasons, not the least of which being that it's just damn good for getting the blood pumping. I used to disappear into the library the week before a big test with my Walkman and a bunch of Metallica/Iron Maiden/Judas Priest tapes (yeah, I'm that old) and listen to 'em all back-to-back-to-back at a volume just shy of pain threshold...
As the expression goes, I told you all that so I could tell you this. Here are some of my very favorite songs to work out to:
What songs get your heart kicking in the morning?So, naturally, being one who recognizes blogfodder when he sees it, I had to expound... *g* I've been working out daily for over three years now, adding in a daily workout component to my fitness regimen after a year's worth of weight loss. I started out with an iPod shuffle, the little teeny tiny (I call it "inhalable" form) weighs-as-much-as-a-bandaid form of Apple crack; then moving up to my present Nano (which actually has less music on it, because I am a lazy-assed bastard). I can't get through my workout with the tunes pumpin'...
There's a definitive preference for hard rock/metal in my listening pleasure for several reasons, not the least of which being that it's just damn good for getting the blood pumping. I used to disappear into the library the week before a big test with my Walkman and a bunch of Metallica/Iron Maiden/Judas Priest tapes (yeah, I'm that old) and listen to 'em all back-to-back-to-back at a volume just shy of pain threshold...
As the expression goes, I told you all that so I could tell you this. Here are some of my very favorite songs to work out to:
- Run to the Hills, Iron Maiden
- Anti-Social, Anthrax
- Unchained, Van Halen
- (You've Got) Another Thing Coming, Judas Priest
- My Town, Montgomery-Gentry
- Living in America, James Brown
- Thunderstruck, AC/DC
- How Do You Like Me Now, Toby Keith
- I Don't Wanna Grow Up, The Ramones
- Hair of the Dog, Nazareth
- Over the Eggshells, Mighty Might Bosstones
- Photograph, Def Leppard
- Magic Carpet Ride, Steppenwolf
- Bulls on Parade, Rage Against the Machine
- Stayin' Alive, The Bee Gees
So, what do you like to listen to when it's time to get the ol' ticker pumpin'?
That is all.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Pre-Turkey Day Dinner Weigh-In...
Let's see. Hopped on the scale just to see how bad I'm gonna be. 176.5 lbs. Given that my target weight is 175, and I've been within 5 lbs of that for two and a half years now, I'm pretty pleased with my weight-management program. It gets tough, during the year, refraining from indulging as often as I used to, but on special occasions it's nice to suspend the diet and eat what I'd like. I still watch the portions, but I don't get fanatical. If I do gain a few, they'll come back off. So in that spirit, with regards to the festivities beginning later today:
Let's see if we can get that over 180 by tomorrow...
That is all.
Let's see if we can get that over 180 by tomorrow...
That is all.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Fattiest Place on Earth...
One thing I noticed during our Disney vacation of a lifetime extravaganza was that the average denizen of the WDW Borg Collective weighed about as much as a small European car. A quick informal poll (admittedly unscientific) showed some 75% of the male guests to have a visible gut hanging over their belts (seriously. I counted 15 out of 20 guys who were noticeably overweight). The electric scooters were lined up as far as the eye could see upon entrance to any of the theme parks, waiting to convey their portly and/or lazy masters to the furthest reaches of Walt Disney's dream...
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have a bias. Four years ago I'd have been one of those lardasses (although I didn't need an electric scooter). Hard work, sacrifice, and personal motivation have brought me to a place where I no longer get winded brushing my teeth, and I prefer things this way. I'm also more critical than the next guy WRT weight issues - if *I* lose weight, anyone can. I'm also more than happy to admit that yes, there are certain people who, through no fault of their own, have sluggish metabolisms or other conditions that make weight gain a foregone conclusion.
But it's hard to ignore the double cheeseburger, XL fries, and chocolate shake on their plate as the most likely culprit for needed mechanical assistance...
Folks, if you've let yourself go to the point of needing an electric scooter to get around a theme park, it's time to take a long, hard look at your life choices. If you're not suffering from a thyroid condition or other legitimate medical issue, it's time to start cutting back. Yes, it's hard - the triple chocolate brownie dessert is very yummy, and it calls to us, yes it does, preciousssss... Been there, done that, got the stretch marks to show for it.
Mrs. G. had a pedometer that she wore while we were down in Disney. It's part of some "1,000 mile" program where if she walks a thousand miles in a year she gets a free pair of sneakers or something - basically, it's a wellness incentive from her work. We walked an average of five miles a day, most often in 90º+ heat and high humidity. I basically suspended my diet for the entire week, opting to choose healthier meals whenever possible but not skipping dessert and even having seconds at times. And I still managed to lose three pounds - that's what being active can do.
In any case, there's simply no excuse for letting yourself get so heavy that the wheelchair lift on the bus can't get your ample carcass loaded (this really happened). None. It's about damned time we started taking more pride in our appearance; it's time we started making better choices and taking better care of ourselves. And not just for our own personal betterment, mind you; things are going to get very ugly when we get "free" health care from Uncle Sucker and the .gov decides it's going to tell us how to live our lives (like they've told businesses how to operate in the wake of the bailouts...).
Those that have been bloating up nicely for the past few decades are going to have some rough going when it's decided that, since the .gov is picking up the tab for your health care now, you're going on a diet, fattie...
That is all.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have a bias. Four years ago I'd have been one of those lardasses (although I didn't need an electric scooter). Hard work, sacrifice, and personal motivation have brought me to a place where I no longer get winded brushing my teeth, and I prefer things this way. I'm also more critical than the next guy WRT weight issues - if *I* lose weight, anyone can. I'm also more than happy to admit that yes, there are certain people who, through no fault of their own, have sluggish metabolisms or other conditions that make weight gain a foregone conclusion.
But it's hard to ignore the double cheeseburger, XL fries, and chocolate shake on their plate as the most likely culprit for needed mechanical assistance...
Folks, if you've let yourself go to the point of needing an electric scooter to get around a theme park, it's time to take a long, hard look at your life choices. If you're not suffering from a thyroid condition or other legitimate medical issue, it's time to start cutting back. Yes, it's hard - the triple chocolate brownie dessert is very yummy, and it calls to us, yes it does, preciousssss... Been there, done that, got the stretch marks to show for it.
Mrs. G. had a pedometer that she wore while we were down in Disney. It's part of some "1,000 mile" program where if she walks a thousand miles in a year she gets a free pair of sneakers or something - basically, it's a wellness incentive from her work. We walked an average of five miles a day, most often in 90º+ heat and high humidity. I basically suspended my diet for the entire week, opting to choose healthier meals whenever possible but not skipping dessert and even having seconds at times. And I still managed to lose three pounds - that's what being active can do.
In any case, there's simply no excuse for letting yourself get so heavy that the wheelchair lift on the bus can't get your ample carcass loaded (this really happened). None. It's about damned time we started taking more pride in our appearance; it's time we started making better choices and taking better care of ourselves. And not just for our own personal betterment, mind you; things are going to get very ugly when we get "free" health care from Uncle Sucker and the .gov decides it's going to tell us how to live our lives (like they've told businesses how to operate in the wake of the bailouts...).
Those that have been bloating up nicely for the past few decades are going to have some rough going when it's decided that, since the .gov is picking up the tab for your health care now, you're going on a diet, fattie...
That is all.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
A Weighty Issue
Long-time friend and blogfather Ricky of Toys in the Attic was kind enough to send me a very detailed account of his weight training regimen in response to my query a while back.
Since he put so much time into it, I'll reprint it in its entirety:
Wrote this thing 7 different times & never was happy with it, but I figured I'd put enough effort in so here 'tis:
=================================================
A reminder of Jim's question: Can you recommend a weight lifting routine for at home. I have a set of weights for up to 40lb on a small dumbell. I've never lifted before, and would like to get into it, but a gym membership is not in the cards with the financial situation the way it currently is.
First, I'll say that gyms are going through the same financial situation that "we" are. Memberships are falling and fast; An example, my SIL was a long-time manager of a gym and personal trainer (she gives me a lot of workout/fitness information, BTW) who was 'canned' 2 weeks ago due to dwindling membership just a year after getting a *huge* pay raise for almost doubling the membership. So, the gyms are pretty desperate, too. If they're still trying to get you to sign up for some thousand-dollar fee on top of a $45/month contract, then yeah, they can take a hike. But, they're needing members - and fast - so don't assume that they're unwilling to change. My gym has gone to a $15/month-to-month system & they're a chain (Bodyplex, bodyplexofcartersville.com to be exact....wow, that web site looks darn good, whoever designed it must be a genius!). Ahem, anyway, you have nothing to lose by checking & $15/month (or, even up to $25) is an absolute STEAL. Even if someone lost their job for 6 months, that'd be only $90; can't beat it.
But, I'll go forward under the assumption that there will be no gym.
Next, what Unpaid Bill typed in the comments is pretty much spot on, which was: "If you want to hike all day with a load, then you want low(er) weight, and lots of reps. If you want mass and strength, but are ok with needing a rest after a short time, then go with lots of weight and low reps. If you want to burn more fat, then add muscle, which means high(er) weight and less reps. Trying to burn fat strictly through cardio is not going to give you results in a reasonable amount of time. Definition is almost entirely dependent upon body fat, which is heavily dependent upon your diet. I don't care how much muscle you have, and how many "definition" exercises you do, you'll never look ripped until your body fat % drops under 10% or so. So I guess the important question is: "What do you want to accomplish?" then build a workout to accomplish that."
First, an overview & tips: If the max dumbbell is 40 lbs., what you're not going to accomplish is building mass. Nope, nada, not going to happen.
You can get in great shape and have phenomenal workouts, but to build mass you must lift heavy, throw down the calories and push down around 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. I know first-hand because for ~ 7 years I did the high-rep/moderate-weight routing & had ripped abs (wow, hard to remember that time since they're now covered with a gut) and low body fat. But, I couldn't gain muscle mass and it didn’t matter how hard I tried. So, unless that happens, and I'm assuming that it won't based on the info given, my second ASSumption is that building mass won't be in the cards (with the definition of "building mass" to be gaining > 10 pounds of body muscle). So, we're going to go forward with light-weight workouts.
For Jim, right off the bat & before doing the first exercise, I'd say go purchase a pull up bar (~$40) or some straps to use for pull-downs (bought some for $20 at Wal-Mart) in order to work the back. Your chest & your back are your biggest upper body muscles, not the arms, so they're the 'big' targets. Not doing this is akin to trying to run a car engine with a cloggy fuel filter & air filter. Everyone likes the double bicep pose, but your chest/back are the ‘real’ upper body muscles.
Next, keep in mind that if you're lifting the same weight & for the same number of reps that you were 6 months ago, you're not making progress. Keep a log of your training & always try to do more than the last workout. And even though the dumbbell weight is a bottleneck for you right now, you can change around your workouts by varying the angles & rest periods.
What are these tips/changes? Well, I’lll use Jay's bicep entry as the foundation:
Just like it sounds, sit in a chair with your knees out in front of you. Bring the weight bar from resting on your leg to your chest 10X one hand, then swap hands. Repeat 5X.
Respectfully, I'd suggest that there is no need for the weight to touch your leg, at all. [ed. I don't actually have it touch my leg, that's for reference only. In fact, for the last set of 10 reps, I intentionally take as long as possible to lower the bar down each time] In that situation, if I read it correctly, your lower bicep is not getting work that is necessary for a full bicep curl. Stand up, keep your back straight and curl those babies up. Then, get the 'negative', which is the downward motion of the rep. This is as important as the upward motion, because you're working the bicep just as much after contraction! S-L-O-W-L-Y lower the dumbbell back down, then explode it back up. Think 'fast up/contract the muscle & squeeze at the apex/slow down'. This goes for the chest (push-ups, since you don't have weights), triceps (dumbbell extentions), shoulders, etc. Don't push the weight up & then let gravity bring it back down: Remember, the goal isn't to lift the weight, it is to work the muscle. [quick tip: if you're working a body part & have on hand extra, put your fingers on the muscle you're working. Trust me, you'll focus more because you're not only looking but you're also feeling the 'peak' while you contract. Try it; sit down on the end of a chair with your legs fairly wide, grab a 15-25 lb. dumbbell with your right hand, place your right elbow about 4" up from the inside of your knee and start doing a round of concentration curls by bringing the weight up somewhat in the direction of the OTHER knee. Now, after about two reps, place the index finger of your left hand on the top of your bicep and literally feel the contraction as you do your reps...you can feel how much the muscle works as you're going lower & lower and more importantly, you’re focusing on working the muscle (the goal, after all). No matter what exercise you're doing, focus 100% on the muscle & form instead of how much you're lifting; heck, you decided that when you picked up the weight. I'm not going to be one of those dweebs who says "man, it's all mental" but I'd be liying if I said that it was all physical. Concentrate on the muscle, squeeze it to its max, work it hard and then feed it & give it rest. That's what your real goal is, not lifting X pounds]
Okay, with all that in mind, here is a chest staple routine that I've used on many occasions:
Monday: Chest/back
Standard Push-ups - just as it states. Get a comfortable grip & knock out as many as you can. Nope, not 3 sets of ten, that's for girls. Go until your face is about to smash the floor. Now, 30 seconds later..[ed. I do this as well as part of my nightly routine. In this exact manner...]
Wide Front Pull-ups/pull-downs - depends on if you got a pull-up bar or the bands mentioned above. Don't skimp and say "I'll use the dumbbell and do the one-arm bent over rows that they show on television". We're talking about the lats, all those huge muscles that won't be worked with a 40 lb. dumbbell. We'll do the dumbbell/back stuff a bit later, but now we need to work the lats. Pull-up or pull down, depending on our apparatus, with a wide grip (outside your shoulders) until you can do it no more. Then, 30 seconds later...
Do some Military Push-ups - with the palms located in front of your shoulders, then a bit lower so that your elbows go more toward your sides. You're still working the chest and not the triceps, so don't go strictly to the sides, but we're looking at a more narrow stance than the standard. Again, go to failure. Then, 30 seconds later…
Reverse Grip Chin-ups/Pull-downs. Same as before, you've just changed your grip so that your palms are facing you and your hands are positioned comfortably in front of you instead of having a wide grip. Max out, then take a 90 second break, then...
Wide Push-ups - We did the narrow version above, now place your palms rather wide & go til you can't. Then, 30 seconds later...
Closed Grip Overhand Pull-ups /pull-downs. Same as the first back exercise above, but your hands are now only a few inches apart. Hits another section of the back, just as the varying pushups hit different sections of the pecs. Then, 30 seconds later...
Decline Push-ups - put your feet up on a bed or chair, not too high though, and knock these out. You're tired, but even if you weren't you won't be able to do as many as normal pushups as you're hitting the upper pecs. Again, to failure, then 30 seconds later...
Bent over rows - back parallel to the floor, arms & dumbbell hanging straight down, palms pointed inward. Then, 'pull' your elbow backward until the weight is around where your belt would be, keeping your arm(s) close. Quicker if you have two dumbbells & if so, it would look a lot like you're pulling up your pants. Then, 30 seconds later...
Diamond Push-ups - A pushup with your fingers spaced apart as much as you can get them, then with the index fingers & thumbs touching so that the in-between space of your hands would be shaped somewhat like a diamond. Your chest will go toward your hands, so be sure not to lower your face down, but your chest (otherwise you'd be hitting triceps instead of chest). 30 seconds later...
Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows - Same as the previous back routine, except this time you're holding the weight as you would if you were doing bicep curls. So, palms out, bend over so your back is flat, then bring up the elbows. As many as you can.
Do that routine for two Mondays, then do two sets of the routine (do it twice). The above should only take 14-20 minutes, so knock out another set. The actual routine calls for two sets of each so you should be up to that level of intensity after two sessions.
There you go, a chest/back workout that won't use more than 40 lbs. If you're not pumped after THAT routine, I'll donate money to the DNC.
Here’s the kicker with the low weight workouts: you can only do them with appreciable efficiency for 2 months. After that, you’ll need a change, which means heavier weights. Your arms/shoulders will be fine, 40 lbs is a decent amount of weight for one bicep/tricep/deltoid to work. But, your chest/back/quads are going to need higher intensity because after two months you are going to reach a plateau. Chances are, if one is dedicated & doing weight lifting regularly, he'll want "more" because he'll be able to visually see the results on top of feeling them. Looking in the mirror and seeing muscle after years of seeing nothing but soft skin is a game changer, believe me.
I won't go further right now, my fingers are tired. But, if you (or anyone) is interested, I can type out the Wednesday (legs) & Friday (arms/shoulders) routines upon request.
Have a good one,
RW
Seriously good information there. Thanks Ricky!!! This is why I put the questions out to everyone - because in this day and age, chances are pretty good that someone, somewhere out in the ether has the exact answer that you're looking for, and is more than happy to share their knowledge.
Now, get to work on those muscles!
That is all.
Since he put so much time into it, I'll reprint it in its entirety:
Wrote this thing 7 different times & never was happy with it, but I figured I'd put enough effort in so here 'tis:
=================================================
A reminder of Jim's question: Can you recommend a weight lifting routine for at home. I have a set of weights for up to 40lb on a small dumbell. I've never lifted before, and would like to get into it, but a gym membership is not in the cards with the financial situation the way it currently is.
First, I'll say that gyms are going through the same financial situation that "we" are. Memberships are falling and fast; An example, my SIL was a long-time manager of a gym and personal trainer (she gives me a lot of workout/fitness information, BTW) who was 'canned' 2 weeks ago due to dwindling membership just a year after getting a *huge* pay raise for almost doubling the membership. So, the gyms are pretty desperate, too. If they're still trying to get you to sign up for some thousand-dollar fee on top of a $45/month contract, then yeah, they can take a hike. But, they're needing members - and fast - so don't assume that they're unwilling to change. My gym has gone to a $15/month-to-month system & they're a chain (Bodyplex, bodyplexofcartersville.com to be exact....wow, that web site looks darn good, whoever designed it must be a genius!). Ahem, anyway, you have nothing to lose by checking & $15/month (or, even up to $25) is an absolute STEAL. Even if someone lost their job for 6 months, that'd be only $90; can't beat it.
But, I'll go forward under the assumption that there will be no gym.
Next, what Unpaid Bill typed in the comments is pretty much spot on, which was: "If you want to hike all day with a load, then you want low(er) weight, and lots of reps. If you want mass and strength, but are ok with needing a rest after a short time, then go with lots of weight and low reps. If you want to burn more fat, then add muscle, which means high(er) weight and less reps. Trying to burn fat strictly through cardio is not going to give you results in a reasonable amount of time. Definition is almost entirely dependent upon body fat, which is heavily dependent upon your diet. I don't care how much muscle you have, and how many "definition" exercises you do, you'll never look ripped until your body fat % drops under 10% or so. So I guess the important question is: "What do you want to accomplish?" then build a workout to accomplish that."
First, an overview & tips: If the max dumbbell is 40 lbs., what you're not going to accomplish is building mass. Nope, nada, not going to happen.
You can get in great shape and have phenomenal workouts, but to build mass you must lift heavy, throw down the calories and push down around 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. I know first-hand because for ~ 7 years I did the high-rep/moderate-weight routing & had ripped abs (wow, hard to remember that time since they're now covered with a gut) and low body fat. But, I couldn't gain muscle mass and it didn’t matter how hard I tried. So, unless that happens, and I'm assuming that it won't based on the info given, my second ASSumption is that building mass won't be in the cards (with the definition of "building mass" to be gaining > 10 pounds of body muscle). So, we're going to go forward with light-weight workouts.
For Jim, right off the bat & before doing the first exercise, I'd say go purchase a pull up bar (~$40) or some straps to use for pull-downs (bought some for $20 at Wal-Mart) in order to work the back. Your chest & your back are your biggest upper body muscles, not the arms, so they're the 'big' targets. Not doing this is akin to trying to run a car engine with a cloggy fuel filter & air filter. Everyone likes the double bicep pose, but your chest/back are the ‘real’ upper body muscles.
Next, keep in mind that if you're lifting the same weight & for the same number of reps that you were 6 months ago, you're not making progress. Keep a log of your training & always try to do more than the last workout. And even though the dumbbell weight is a bottleneck for you right now, you can change around your workouts by varying the angles & rest periods.
What are these tips/changes? Well, I’lll use Jay's bicep entry as the foundation:
Just like it sounds, sit in a chair with your knees out in front of you. Bring the weight bar from resting on your leg to your chest 10X one hand, then swap hands. Repeat 5X.
Respectfully, I'd suggest that there is no need for the weight to touch your leg, at all. [ed. I don't actually have it touch my leg, that's for reference only. In fact, for the last set of 10 reps, I intentionally take as long as possible to lower the bar down each time] In that situation, if I read it correctly, your lower bicep is not getting work that is necessary for a full bicep curl. Stand up, keep your back straight and curl those babies up. Then, get the 'negative', which is the downward motion of the rep. This is as important as the upward motion, because you're working the bicep just as much after contraction! S-L-O-W-L-Y lower the dumbbell back down, then explode it back up. Think 'fast up/contract the muscle & squeeze at the apex/slow down'. This goes for the chest (push-ups, since you don't have weights), triceps (dumbbell extentions), shoulders, etc. Don't push the weight up & then let gravity bring it back down: Remember, the goal isn't to lift the weight, it is to work the muscle. [quick tip: if you're working a body part & have on hand extra, put your fingers on the muscle you're working. Trust me, you'll focus more because you're not only looking but you're also feeling the 'peak' while you contract. Try it; sit down on the end of a chair with your legs fairly wide, grab a 15-25 lb. dumbbell with your right hand, place your right elbow about 4" up from the inside of your knee and start doing a round of concentration curls by bringing the weight up somewhat in the direction of the OTHER knee. Now, after about two reps, place the index finger of your left hand on the top of your bicep and literally feel the contraction as you do your reps...you can feel how much the muscle works as you're going lower & lower and more importantly, you’re focusing on working the muscle (the goal, after all). No matter what exercise you're doing, focus 100% on the muscle & form instead of how much you're lifting; heck, you decided that when you picked up the weight. I'm not going to be one of those dweebs who says "man, it's all mental" but I'd be liying if I said that it was all physical. Concentrate on the muscle, squeeze it to its max, work it hard and then feed it & give it rest. That's what your real goal is, not lifting X pounds]
Okay, with all that in mind, here is a chest staple routine that I've used on many occasions:
Monday: Chest/back
Standard Push-ups - just as it states. Get a comfortable grip & knock out as many as you can. Nope, not 3 sets of ten, that's for girls. Go until your face is about to smash the floor. Now, 30 seconds later..[ed. I do this as well as part of my nightly routine. In this exact manner...]
Wide Front Pull-ups/pull-downs - depends on if you got a pull-up bar or the bands mentioned above. Don't skimp and say "I'll use the dumbbell and do the one-arm bent over rows that they show on television". We're talking about the lats, all those huge muscles that won't be worked with a 40 lb. dumbbell. We'll do the dumbbell/back stuff a bit later, but now we need to work the lats. Pull-up or pull down, depending on our apparatus, with a wide grip (outside your shoulders) until you can do it no more. Then, 30 seconds later...
Do some Military Push-ups - with the palms located in front of your shoulders, then a bit lower so that your elbows go more toward your sides. You're still working the chest and not the triceps, so don't go strictly to the sides, but we're looking at a more narrow stance than the standard. Again, go to failure. Then, 30 seconds later…
Reverse Grip Chin-ups/Pull-downs. Same as before, you've just changed your grip so that your palms are facing you and your hands are positioned comfortably in front of you instead of having a wide grip. Max out, then take a 90 second break, then...
Wide Push-ups - We did the narrow version above, now place your palms rather wide & go til you can't. Then, 30 seconds later...
Closed Grip Overhand Pull-ups /pull-downs. Same as the first back exercise above, but your hands are now only a few inches apart. Hits another section of the back, just as the varying pushups hit different sections of the pecs. Then, 30 seconds later...
Decline Push-ups - put your feet up on a bed or chair, not too high though, and knock these out. You're tired, but even if you weren't you won't be able to do as many as normal pushups as you're hitting the upper pecs. Again, to failure, then 30 seconds later...
Bent over rows - back parallel to the floor, arms & dumbbell hanging straight down, palms pointed inward. Then, 'pull' your elbow backward until the weight is around where your belt would be, keeping your arm(s) close. Quicker if you have two dumbbells & if so, it would look a lot like you're pulling up your pants. Then, 30 seconds later...
Diamond Push-ups - A pushup with your fingers spaced apart as much as you can get them, then with the index fingers & thumbs touching so that the in-between space of your hands would be shaped somewhat like a diamond. Your chest will go toward your hands, so be sure not to lower your face down, but your chest (otherwise you'd be hitting triceps instead of chest). 30 seconds later...
Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows - Same as the previous back routine, except this time you're holding the weight as you would if you were doing bicep curls. So, palms out, bend over so your back is flat, then bring up the elbows. As many as you can.
Do that routine for two Mondays, then do two sets of the routine (do it twice). The above should only take 14-20 minutes, so knock out another set. The actual routine calls for two sets of each so you should be up to that level of intensity after two sessions.
There you go, a chest/back workout that won't use more than 40 lbs. If you're not pumped after THAT routine, I'll donate money to the DNC.
Here’s the kicker with the low weight workouts: you can only do them with appreciable efficiency for 2 months. After that, you’ll need a change, which means heavier weights. Your arms/shoulders will be fine, 40 lbs is a decent amount of weight for one bicep/tricep/deltoid to work. But, your chest/back/quads are going to need higher intensity because after two months you are going to reach a plateau. Chances are, if one is dedicated & doing weight lifting regularly, he'll want "more" because he'll be able to visually see the results on top of feeling them. Looking in the mirror and seeing muscle after years of seeing nothing but soft skin is a game changer, believe me.
I won't go further right now, my fingers are tired. But, if you (or anyone) is interested, I can type out the Wednesday (legs) & Friday (arms/shoulders) routines upon request.
Have a good one,
RW
Seriously good information there. Thanks Ricky!!! This is why I put the questions out to everyone - because in this day and age, chances are pretty good that someone, somewhere out in the ether has the exact answer that you're looking for, and is more than happy to share their knowledge.
Now, get to work on those muscles!
That is all.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Two Years...
It's been two years since I hit my goal weight. As I noted last year at this time, the second weekend in May 2007 I dropped below 180 pounds, which had been my (twice-revised) goal for my weight loss. I had originally been shooting for 220 lbs. (from a start of >280!), but as I approached 220, it became obvious that I could still lose more weight. I revised to 200, and the same thing happened.
Well, below 180 I fall below the magic threshhold of "overweight" for my height (using standard BMI index; yes, I realize they're far from perfect). This is the first time in my adult life I've done so, and even as a child only briefly did I reside anywhere but "husky", "chunky", or "plus" sized. I went from a 44 inch waist to 30/32" and from a XXL shirt to M. I've lost so much weight, I've completely run the spectrum - where before I couldn't find clothes that fit me because I was too large, now I can't find any because I'm too small.
Believe me, I prefer it this way...
I'd be lying if I said it was easy. It's tough getting up every morning at 5 so I can work out before Mrs. G. goes to work - I'd much rather sleep for another two hours, sure. I've tried working out in the evening, but it just didn't work for me - the workout would often start at 9PM and run until after 10, meaning that I was trying to get to sleep shortly after a vigorous workout. Not happenin'. I've also passed on more birthday cake, comfort food, fast food, and party fare than I care to mention - the price of thin-dom is eternal vigilance.
Two years. That amazes me. I never would have thought the willpower would have held out this long...
That is all.
Well, below 180 I fall below the magic threshhold of "overweight" for my height (using standard BMI index; yes, I realize they're far from perfect). This is the first time in my adult life I've done so, and even as a child only briefly did I reside anywhere but "husky", "chunky", or "plus" sized. I went from a 44 inch waist to 30/32" and from a XXL shirt to M. I've lost so much weight, I've completely run the spectrum - where before I couldn't find clothes that fit me because I was too large, now I can't find any because I'm too small.
Believe me, I prefer it this way...
I'd be lying if I said it was easy. It's tough getting up every morning at 5 so I can work out before Mrs. G. goes to work - I'd much rather sleep for another two hours, sure. I've tried working out in the evening, but it just didn't work for me - the workout would often start at 9PM and run until after 10, meaning that I was trying to get to sleep shortly after a vigorous workout. Not happenin'. I've also passed on more birthday cake, comfort food, fast food, and party fare than I care to mention - the price of thin-dom is eternal vigilance.
Two years. That amazes me. I never would have thought the willpower would have held out this long...
That is all.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A Weighty Issue
Jim over at Ambulances, Boomsticks, Coffee asked me a seemingly simple question the other day:
Heh, nothing like putting a fellow on the spot, eh Ricky?
I want to modify my routine from primarily cardio to an even mix of cardio (to stave off the high blood pressure) and weight training (to add muscle and definition). I want to go to 3X cardio and 2X weight training to start, then transition so I'm only doing cardio workout twice a week. Right now, I exercise daily M-F and take the weekends off, alternating between rowing and stationary bike with treadmill every day. In the evenings I do sit-ups, push-ups, and light weight training, alternating the above-mentioned exercises.
For the future, I need to pick up a full barbell and ~ 200 lbs. of free weights for starters. I figure I'll start with dead-lifts (start with barbell on floor, bring to waist), squats (bar held at shoulder level, bend at knees, down and back up), and curls (as above, only with full bar). Eventually I'd like to add a weight bench with leg lifts, bench, and military press stations at a minimum (at least until we clean out the basement and I can find a Universal machine). The biggest issue with free weights is that you should ideally employ a spotter, someone who can work out with you to assist with lifting and prevent injury.
With a minimum of financial investment, a single-hand barbell and ~ 65 lbs of weights (4X10 lb, 4X5lb., 2X2½lb.), you can add in a significant amount of weight training to your daily routine. There are literally hundreds of other potential exercises that can be done with a single barbell; not to mention squats, push-ups, and sit-ups/crunches that don't require any gear at all. The single most important thing to do is to find a routine that works for you - it's got to be an exercise that's right for you so you stick with it, and it has to be challenging without being daunting.
I've found a good rule of thumb for adding weight to my existing routine is to add on a small amount (5 lbs. or less) whenever I'm able to consistently run through 5X10. Once the amount of weight I'm training with no longer challenges me, it's time to add more on - the goal is that for the last set of 10 reps, you should be feeling resistance in your lifts. If you breeze through all 5 sets, it's time to increase the amount of weight; if you find yourself having to rest > 1 min between sets, OTOH, you might want to drop the weight down a notch.
Hope this helps, and anyone ({cough}Ricky{cough}) wants to chime in with suggestions/corrections, please feel free!
That is all.
Can you recommend a weight lifting routine for at home. I have a set of weights for up to 40lb on a small dumbell. I've never lifted before, and would like to get into it, but a gym membership is not in the cards with the financial situation the way it currently is.Well, not being one to ever turn down helping a buddy (and getting blog fodder out of the deal - yay me!), I dashed off a few quick thoughts based on my own personal routine:
There's a surprising amount of weight-training you can do with even a small amount of weight. I generally run three different types of lifts:
1. Biceps - curls. 5 sets of 10 (everything is 5X10, a holdover from my hardcore lifting days). Just like it sounds, sit in a chair with your knees out in front of you. Bring the weight bar from resting on your leg to your chest 10X one hand, then swap hands. Repeat 5X.
2. Butterfly curls. Standing up, start with weight in hand, lift hand out to the side and up over your head. 10X per hand, repeat 5X. This works mainly on the lats and triceps.
3. Straight lifts. Can be standing or sitting, start with the weight even with your shoulder, lift straight over head. 10X per hand, repeat 5X. This is mainly for triceps.
The most weight I use is ~ 55 lbs for the curls - Wal-Mart has inexpensive weights from 5 lbs to 50 lbs. That's the routine for now. Down the road I'd like to incorporate some dead lifts with a full bar as well as leg lifts and presses, but for now it's light work.
I am going to try to expand this into a post for later this week, and expect to get some good feedback from Ricky/RW on what to eat and when /how often to work out is ideal.Hope this helps!
Heh, nothing like putting a fellow on the spot, eh Ricky?
I want to modify my routine from primarily cardio to an even mix of cardio (to stave off the high blood pressure) and weight training (to add muscle and definition). I want to go to 3X cardio and 2X weight training to start, then transition so I'm only doing cardio workout twice a week. Right now, I exercise daily M-F and take the weekends off, alternating between rowing and stationary bike with treadmill every day. In the evenings I do sit-ups, push-ups, and light weight training, alternating the above-mentioned exercises.
For the future, I need to pick up a full barbell and ~ 200 lbs. of free weights for starters. I figure I'll start with dead-lifts (start with barbell on floor, bring to waist), squats (bar held at shoulder level, bend at knees, down and back up), and curls (as above, only with full bar). Eventually I'd like to add a weight bench with leg lifts, bench, and military press stations at a minimum (at least until we clean out the basement and I can find a Universal machine). The biggest issue with free weights is that you should ideally employ a spotter, someone who can work out with you to assist with lifting and prevent injury.
With a minimum of financial investment, a single-hand barbell and ~ 65 lbs of weights (4X10 lb, 4X5lb., 2X2½lb.), you can add in a significant amount of weight training to your daily routine. There are literally hundreds of other potential exercises that can be done with a single barbell; not to mention squats, push-ups, and sit-ups/crunches that don't require any gear at all. The single most important thing to do is to find a routine that works for you - it's got to be an exercise that's right for you so you stick with it, and it has to be challenging without being daunting.
I've found a good rule of thumb for adding weight to my existing routine is to add on a small amount (5 lbs. or less) whenever I'm able to consistently run through 5X10. Once the amount of weight I'm training with no longer challenges me, it's time to add more on - the goal is that for the last set of 10 reps, you should be feeling resistance in your lifts. If you breeze through all 5 sets, it's time to increase the amount of weight; if you find yourself having to rest > 1 min between sets, OTOH, you might want to drop the weight down a notch.
Hope this helps, and anyone ({cough}Ricky{cough}) wants to chime in with suggestions/corrections, please feel free!
That is all.
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