FC weight loss/life change/fitness challenge thread.

I might ditch the treadmill completely and just row 1k twice (warmup/cooldown), I've been warming up on the treadmill 10-15 minutes....it will save time rowing!

 

Chas, weight is purely calories in versus calories out. When I want to cut, I'm damn sure I know each and every calorie I eat. Everything is measure precisely.

Try one of the calorie tracker apps, you're going to be shocked at how much you're eating. Seriously, that's not meant to be a knock on you. It's just how we as Americans are.

I'm not advertising for them, but I've seen a good number of people drop a ton of weight with nutrisystem. You don't even need to really buy their food, but following their program with your own food subbed in works (as long as the calories counts are equal).

Keep lifting, it's a great compliment to cardio geared towards weight loss. Every pound of muscle on your frame equals more calories burned simply by being alive every day.


Mark

 

Also, up your cardio. You need some high intensity interval training. Emphasis on the high intensity. Go to a track run one lap jog the next. Alternate running and jogging the straights and curves. We're talking miles here. Often.

Run some stairs. Run up, walk down. You need a ton of cardio to start burning high numbers of calories.


Mark

 

I kept track of my calories for a while...1500-2000 a day, consistently. usually on the low side of that. so it's not intake

just counted: for today, which so far has been typical, at 1050 calories and 57 grams of protein. will probably have another 500 or so calories and 25-30 grams of protein at dinner (chicken or ground beef, not sure what we're doing, plus veggies).

I would think that an hour or so a day of moderate to intense cardio would do it...

 

btw, my "warmup" on the treadmill is 10-15 minutes fast walk/light jog intervals on a slight incline, cooldown is more of that or 500-1000 meters on rower at a 2:10-2:20/500m pace. not blazing fast but not bad for a short fat guy. (my goal is to get under a 2:00/500m pace at any distance, but as this thread has proven, that's not an easy task!)

 

That's a good start!




Mark

 

Darth -

Awesome work!! You, and your family should feel great about the progress you've made.

You've almost given me the courage to post a picture. I don't have a good "before" one, but I'll see what I can find.

 

Darth,

That is huge, congratulations!

Keep up the hard work.

 

I have officially began getting back into my routine. I wanted to get January out of the way and begin my training again February. End of January I started changing my eating habits a bit (get back into a healthier routine).

My work is having a biggest loser which I have joined ( cash prize ).

More importantly I've noticed that this past year has took a toll on my body. I now weigh the most I ever have at 244lbs. For those who know me I don't look 244 but its just tough to deal with after being so active before.

I'm going to count on some of you guys to make sure I get to my goal of under 200lbs.

 

rowed 2k today.

I hate that evil device

 

Could I ever get you to train for, and compete, in something like a Spartan Race (compete = bust your nuts the whole damn time)?


Mark

 

Do some research on IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros). Hit your macros while eating at a deficit of around 500-800 calories below your TDEE. Opposite for a bulk.

It's all in vs out. Your TDEE may be lower than you think.

 

depends. will I get to eat your balls afterwards?

but honestly, probably not. there's a lot of those types of races (Spartan, Tough Mudder, etc) here in FL and I don't see the appeal. it's Crossfit with more running, through a mud puddle. meh.

that looks a big pile of bro science.

(and it told me I need 2500-2900 calories a day)

 

I might offer a nice plate of balls to help the cause...

The reason I mentioned perhaps training for and then doing one of these races is it will give you a defined goal, but also reveal your weaknesses. Different races offer different experiences. Tough Mudder is a social event, Warrior Dash is mostly a hilly trail run with some obstacles, but Spartan is a great physical test. Cardio, strength, functional fitness...everything. A lot of people take it a lot more serious than the other OCRs; it's certainly not just a mud run (there's really not that much mud). Their stadium races have no mud at all!!!

Gyms all over the place have teams that train and compete. Hooking up with one of them may make the workouts more fun. Joking aside, your cardio training seems pretty light. Any race training would up your cardio substantially...diet is 95% of it though. If you're not cutting pounds, no matter what the caloric intake test told, you're still eating too much on average.


Mark

 

Well, I guess its time to fess up...

I've weighed in for the last 3 days under 147.5. Today was 146.2. According to the trainer's device, I'm at 11.8% body fat and 21.8 BMI. I started at 175+. So, 29# total weight loss might not sound like a whole lot, but as a percentage of my total self, it is indeed a large number.

I need to get the weight up, but I'm scared to death of going back to a flabby chin our stomach. Arms, chest, shoulders, and back all are in very good shape. Legs are o.k., but could be stronger.

Diet? This morning I had 3 eggs (yolk up), and an espresso. Dinner last night was a small portion (hockey puck size) of homemade veggie lasagna and a spinach salad. Portion size, IMHO, is the entire game. Keep 'em small, and don't snack.

I've thought about scaling back on the trainer, simply as a matter of expenses. Three hours a week is indeed shrinking my waist bust really stretching my wallet. I just don't know if I can keep up the regime (and mechanical form) without assistance.

The program remains:

MON: trainer (legs) at 10:30am
TUE: hockey at 9:30pm
WED: trainer (arms) at 10:30am
THU: trainer (cardio) at 10:30am
FRI: hockey at 5:30am
SAT: DIY - treadmill, etc
SUN: DIY - treadmill, etc. Hockey at 7:30pm

The last few days, I've been doing 200 pushups and 200 sit-ups in the evening, 20 reps each, in 10 sets with about 90 seconds rest between each. (ie. 20 pushups then 20 situps, then 90 seconds rest, then start again)

 

I agree I need to increase cardio, I'm just not a fan of cardio...I don't enjoy it, and I'm not particularly good at it (short, square, with weak heart/lungs). but I guess I gotta suck it up and do it...I genuinely don't think I can reduce my food intake in any significant way without denying myself protein/nutrients, which isn't really progress. so, cardio it is...

as for the competition/group training, I'm not a "team sports" guy in the sense that I don't need others for motivation or encouragement, I either find that motivation within myself or it's just not there. it's a psychological thing, I guess; I'm super introverted in a lot of ways.

 

squats and deadlifts! adds a lot of muscle to your legs/butt/core. it will help tremendously with hockey as well. (I don't recall if you're doing that as part of your training anyway...?)

btw, when is the Cardinals thing?

 

I'm doing squats at about 110-120 lbs: 5-7 reps, 3 sets. Inchworm crawling, and lots and lots of box jumps. Still, doesn't seem to be enough. I'll have to press this issue more with my trainer.

Much to my delight (not!), I'm also now doing something called a Turkish Get Up, with 12 pounds. I wouldn't wish these on my worst enemy.

Cardinals camp is the first week in June.

 

I think turkish get ups are named after their use as torture in a Turkish prison

You could probably be squatting more. right now I'm doing the 5x5 routine (5 sets, 5 reps) squatting 145 and deadlifting 165. I could go heavier but am focusing on form so I don't end up at the chiropractor

 

On your squats, how long do you take for the movement down? I've been told to count to 4 from the top position to the full squat, the begin the upward movement within 1 second. I would be terrified to try that at 145# (with my current condition) more than twice.

 

never counted, but I try to make my descent as long as my ascent (with a brief pause at the bottom)

 

Which part seems like broscience? Meeting macronutrient counts or calories in vs out?