Workout/Fitness/Nutrition/Health thread

[Shift-4]

I will also add that goals change over time. Subtract 20 years from my life and I would want to really be pushing limits on how much I could lift. But now it's more about mobility, reasonable strength, being multi functional   - all assuming I get off my ass and get to it  lol

[Bob Long]

@-AJ- a bit of a rant on using BMI. Its a terrible measurement to use for individuals. It actually comes from a population-based calculation, and can be (and usually is) very misleading for individuals. Not surprisingly insurance companies helped develop the one we see today, as its very hard for most people to get a perfect score. There's a lot of academic work on why BMI sucks as a tool for individual health. if you google "BMI history" you'll see many papers on how inaccurate it can be. 

 

you're much better off training for what you enjoy. If you're worried about heart health or something else down the road there's much better lab tests for that kind of stuff. 

[Shift-4]

6 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

@-AJ- a bit of a rant on using BMI. Its a terrible measurement to use for individuals. It actually comes from a population-based calculation, and can be (and usually is) very misleading for individuals. Not surprisingly insurance companies helped develop the one we see today, as its very hard for most people to get a perfect score. There's a lot of academic work on why BMI sucks as a tool for individual health. if you google "BMI history" you'll see many papers on how inaccurate it can be. 

 

you're much better off training for what you enjoy. If you're worried about heart health or something else down the road there's much better lab tests for that kind of stuff. 

 

I will add that it isn't a horrible metric but context must be applied.

 

After all Holyfield was high end of overweight when he was heavyweight champ.

 

 

[Bob Long]

1 minute ago, Shift-4 said:

 

I will add that it isn't a horrible metric but context must be applied.

 

After all Holyfield was high end of overweight when he was heavyweight champ.

 

 

 

I'd argue it actually is. It was never designed to look at individuals.

 

It's been drummed into our culture because it's easy, but for individual health or fitness it's at best useless, at worst very misleading.

[-AJ-]

25 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

@-AJ- a bit of a rant on using BMI. Its a terrible measurement to use for individuals. It actually comes from a population-based calculation, and can be (and usually is) very misleading for individuals. Not surprisingly insurance companies helped develop the one we see today, as its very hard for most people to get a perfect score. There's a lot of academic work on why BMI sucks as a tool for individual health. if you google "BMI history" you'll see many papers on how inaccurate it can be. 

 

you're much better off training for what you enjoy. If you're worried about heart health or something else down the road there's much better lab tests for that kind of stuff. 

 

Yeah, hence why I used waist-to-hip ratio to better determine my belly fat situation. I didn't want to trust BMI entirely since I know it doesn't factor in muscle mass.

[Shift-4]

25 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

I'd argue it actually is. It was never designed to look at individuals.

 

It's been drummed into our culture because it's easy, but for individual health or fitness it's at best useless, at worst very misleading.

 

Let's just say this individual prefers the high end of his BMI range lol

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

12 hours ago, -AJ- said:

As I approached my late 20s and now early 30s, I gained some weight and was surpassing 150lbs.

 

I miss my (early) 20s when I was 6'2" and barely surpassing 150 lbs.

 

2 hours ago, Shift-4 said:

I'm at least two inches taller than you and would be quite happy to get DOWN to 165 lol

 

Likewise.  

My physician has been reading me the riot act the last decade and a half.  My weight has increased by 30 lbs since, and now I'm on blood pressure medication.  Oh dear. 

[-AJ-]

Just now, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

I miss my (early) 20s when I was 6'2" and barely surpassing 150 lbs.

 

Haha, back in my very early 20s, I was about 130 lbs. Not sure I want to go back to that level though.

[MattJVD]

1 hour ago, Bob Long said:

@-AJ- a bit of a rant on using BMI. Its a terrible measurement to use for individuals. It actually comes from a population-based calculation, and can be (and usually is) very misleading for individuals. Not surprisingly insurance companies helped develop the one we see today, as its very hard for most people to get a perfect score. There's a lot of academic work on why BMI sucks as a tool for individual health. if you google "BMI history" you'll see many papers on how inaccurate it can be. 

 

you're much better off training for what you enjoy. If you're worried about heart health or something else down the road there's much better lab tests for that kind of stuff. 

Yes! BMI is for demographers and public health planners looking at populations, not for individuals! Bo Horvat is borderline obese on a BMI scale, which is obviously bull crap. (He was listed at 223lbs until about 2021, which was technically obese, now at 215 he's "overweight").

Edited January 16 by MattJVD

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

1 minute ago, -AJ- said:

 

Haha, back in my very early 20s, I was about 130 lbs. Not sure I want to go back to that level though.

 

Yeah, I graduated highschool with a height of 6'1" and 135, picked up about an inch of height over university and about 15-20 lbs, and then after graduation, started expanding like a balloon.  When I met my wife in my 30s, I think I was around 180, and when we married in my mid 40s, I was probably pushing 270 (but this was also due in some part because of multiple MVAs I had around that time that I was recovering from and couldn't do any strenuous exercise).  I'm now slightly below that after having years of weight fluctuation with no noticeable downward trend. 

[Goal_thecup]

On 9/17/2023 at 10:51 AM, MeanSeanBean said:

3 days of weights a week. Legs, chest/back, arms/shoulders.

mobility 2 times a week on average, but sometimes replace 1 with boxing or HIIT.

Each workout starts with 15-30 on the spin bike and ends with 5-10 core strength.

2 days of rest are built in because twice a week I work 8am-7pm between my clinical practice and teaching at a college, ain't doing anything outside walking my dogs. Speaking of, I shoot for 7k steps a day bare minimum but the real goal is 10k a day.

 

After way to many years of slacking due to having a phaycial job I made a home gym and started taking the advice I give to my patients every day.

 

these were my results after 1 year of taking my own advice seriously.

 

No offense intended but, I am almost 70, never ever exercise, and that could be me under the mask.

I have done a lot of hard physical work, used to work out for Kung hard, but nothing for decades.

6' 210 and happy; unless the Debbie Downers are out, then I'm mad as hell and don't take it anymore.

Cheers.  And Go Canucks Go!

[-AJ-]

Just now, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

Yeah, I graduated highschool with a height of 6'1" and 135, picked up about an inch of height over university and about 15-20 lbs, and then after graduation, started expanding like a balloon.  When I met my wife in my 30s, I think I was around 180, and when we married in my mid 40s, I was probably pushing 270 (but this was also due in some part because of multiple MVAs I had around that time that I was recovering from and couldn't do any strenuous exercise).  I'm now slightly below that after having years of weight fluctuation with no noticeable downward trend. 

 

Yeah, my secret weapon to managing my weight? Staying single . I had always set a limit of 150 lbs on me once I approached that number in my mid 20s and started to be consistently above it. Even though it's only like 7 pounds lighter, it's crazy to me to actually be in the mid 140s these days. I'm the same weight I was in my mid 20s, but almost certainly a little stronger. My hope is that by managing my weight well while I'm still pretty young, I'll be able to better manage it when it gets really tough, in my 40s and 50s. People laugh at me dieting now, but it results in me keeping the fat off in middle age, I'll be the one laughing in the end. All the best with your health goals! It's definitely a mental battle to deal with food temptations.

[Goal_thecup]

5 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Fascinating 60 Minutes show on using ultra sound on the brain to treat ALS, drug addiction and obesity. FDA approval on a number of treatments. It eliminates surgeries into the brain. 

Waiting til they find a cure for Stupid; then I'm down for treatment.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

1 minute ago, -AJ- said:

All the best with your health goals! It's definitely a mental battle to deal with food temptations.

 

Thanks!  Food temptations aside, I get more than enough nutrition finishing off what my wife chooses not to eat off her plate... 

[Shift-4]

GSP as welterweight or Andy Whitfield (RIP) is my ideal. (both are my height)

I got some work to do

 

[Goal_thecup]

12 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

Yeah, I graduated highschool with a height of 6'1" and 135, picked up about an inch of height over university and about 15-20 lbs, and then after graduation, started expanding like a balloon.  When I met my wife in my 30s, I think I was around 180, and when we married in my mid 40s, I was probably pushing 270 (but this was also due in some part because of multiple MVAs I had around that time that I was recovering from and couldn't do any strenuous exercise).  I'm now slightly below that after having years of weight fluctuation with no noticeable downward trend. 

If you are medically sound enough, fasting (even OMAD, One-Meal-A-Day) and keto helped me drop 70 pounds from my all-time high of 274 in a little less than a year.

(I got there by taking a desk job after years of hard labour and not adjusting to that coffee, donuts, brek, lunch, dinner, heavy drinking lifestyle it entailed.)

I have gained a little bit back but I'm no longer fasting at all, nor keto, just trying to balance ins and outs a bit better, and I no longer drink .

Hope you get a handle on that 270; Cheers!

[MeanSeanBean]

14 minutes ago, Goal_thecup said:

No offense intended but, I am almost 70, never ever exercise, and that could be me under the mask.

I have done a lot of hard physical work, used to work out for Kung hard, but nothing for decades.

6' 210 and happy; unless the Debbie Downers are out, then I'm mad as hell and don't take it anymore.

Cheers.  And Go Canucks Go!

Gonna let you know straight up, man to man, I think this was a really stupid comment. You say unless the Debbie downers are out? Why the hell would you comment on someone else celebrating a healthy lifestyle with "no offense intended". Someone only starts a comment with that when they are about to say something stupid. Good for you bud, but I have zero respect for that comment.

 

Me posting a picture of my healthy life style, something I'm incredibly proud of since it was extremely hard for me to add mass after being on chemotherapy, isn't a competition and there was zero reason for you to make it that way. 

[MattJVD]

I'm struggling a bit with working out and fitness now too. Since my daughter was born it has been way harder to get the time in. I've probably gained 10 lbs since she was born (she's two and a half).

 

I honestly don't know when to get workouts in anymore. My daughter doesn't sleep through the night still, so 5am is a big ask when I haven't gotten a full nights sleep in years. After work sucks, because I really only get to play with my daughter for the time she gets home fom daycare (5:30) until I put her to sleep (7:30-8). If I only get ~2 hours per day I'm not taking time away from it. After she's asleep is an option, I suppose. But that is the only time my wife and I actually get to spend time together. I can imagine it being a tough sell to leave the house then hahaha. 

 

I still am a little bit active. We have a dog too and I usually put 30-40 minutes of walking with him in each weekday, more on weekends.

 

I'm thinking about trying biking to work. Then it's not any new time, just time I was already spending commuting. Would just do 2 or 3 days per week, as I'd still need the car when it's my turn to to do day-care pick up and drop off.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

1 minute ago, Goal_thecup said:

If you are medically sound enough, fasting (even OMAD, One-Meal-A-Day) and keto helped me drop 70 pounds from my all-time high of 274 in a little less than a year.

(I got there by taking a desk job after years of hard labour and not adjusting to that coffee, donuts, brek, lunch, dinner, heavy drinking lifestyle it entailed.)

I have gained a little bit back but I'm no longer fasting at all, nor keto, just trying to balance ins and outs a bit better, and I no longer drink .

Hope you get a handle on that 270; Cheers!

 

I'd apparently been inadvertently practicing intermittent fasting without realizing what it was, so when my physician suggested I attempt that as an approach, I asked him what it would entail, and after he described it, I told him - "but I've already been doing that for years!" (not mentioning that it arose more out of "lazy me" and not because of any pursuit of health goals).  

 

The new approach he's suggested these last few years is to try to ramp up my activity levels.  Walking is what I can conceivably do on a regular basis and that's where I'm starting (again).  Sadly, every time I attempt to fire up the old "couch to 5k" train, I get derailed by some accident or other.  

[-AJ-]

26 minutes ago, Goal_thecup said:

If you are medically sound enough, fasting (even OMAD, One-Meal-A-Day) and keto helped me drop 70 pounds from my all-time high of 274 in a little less than a year.

(I got there by taking a desk job after years of hard labour and not adjusting to that coffee, donuts, brek, lunch, dinner, heavy drinking lifestyle it entailed.)

I have gained a little bit back but I'm no longer fasting at all, nor keto, just trying to balance ins and outs a bit better, and I no longer drink .

Hope you get a handle on that 270; Cheers!

 

Not sure if it counts as intermittent fasting, but the thing that made the difference for me was to almost entirely avoid eating after dinner. I would usually have a very small snack about two hours before bed, but other than that, nothing. Prior to that, I would often have almost an entire additional meal after dinner, usually pretty close to bed. I was shocked to find out how doable it was to cut out that 4th meal late in the day and replace it with just a tiny snack. My body adjusted to the fewer calories and I didn't get as hungry as I thought I would.

 

It really is calories in vs calories out at the end of the day and for weight management, diet is by far the most effective way to see results. Exercise is a cherry on top and I personally think of exercise as training my heart and other muscles, not something I do to manage my weight.

[c00kies]

3 hours ago, Shift-4 said:

Also @-AJ-   To hell with what others think. Fitness is a personal goal. It sounds like you are doing great! I'm at least two inches taller than you and would be quite happy to get DOWN to 165 lol

 

I'm barely 5'6 and 180 pounds...people still think I'm too skinny lol.

 

My goal weight is 150 pounds. Prior to Covid, my highest weight was 145, but then covid hit and I worked from home and gained an unfathomable amount lol.

[Goal_thecup]

1 hour ago, MeanSeanBean said:

Gonna let you know straight up, man to man, I think this was a really stupid comment. You say unless the Debbie downers are out? Why the hell would you comment on someone else celebrating a healthy lifestyle with "no offense intended". Someone only starts a comment with that when they are about to say something stupid. Good for you bud, but I have zero respect for that comment.

 

Me posting a picture of my healthy life style, something I'm incredibly proud of since it was extremely hard for me to add mass after being on chemotherapy, isn't a competition and there was zero reason for you to make it that way. 

Sorry.  I meant the Debbie Downers about the Canucks and was just taking a shot at them.

Looking at it now, I see I should have separated paragraphs maybe.

Again.  My apologies.  I too thought your posting your picture was brave and helpful.

Congratulations on your hard work and successes.

[MeanSeanBean]

6 minutes ago, Goal_thecup said:

Sorry.  I meant the Debbie Downers about the Canucks and was just taking a shot at them.

Looking at it now, I see I should have separated paragraphs maybe.

Again.  My apologies.  I too thought your posting your picture was brave and helpful.

Congratulations on your hard work and successes.

You're congratulating me now after comparing me to "70 and never ever exercise"? No need to patronize me, I said what I needed to say.

 

Comments like these are the reason why I started a home gym after I started returning back into fitness post treatment and didn't have the courage to get a gym pass. Sure glad I heard it now and not a couple years ago though, I'll tell you that for free.

 

I hold no hard feelings, just wanted to make it abundantly clear how stupid that comment was.

[Goal_thecup]

1 hour ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

I'd apparently been inadvertently practicing intermittent fasting without realizing what it was, so when my physician suggested I attempt that as an approach, I asked him what it would entail, and after he described it, I told him - "but I've already been doing that for years!" (not mentioning that it arose more out of "lazy me" and not because of any pursuit of health goals).  

 

The new approach he's suggested these last few years is to try to ramp up my activity levels.  Walking is what I can conceivably do on a regular basis and that's where I'm starting (again).  Sadly, every time I attempt to fire up the old "couch to 5k" train, I get derailed by some accident or other.  

 

My doctor had always told me to start walking but I thought it did more harm than good.

I felt I wasn't getting better and was causing more damage and pain.

My doctor insists that I push through the pain and I now try to actually work the pain areas the most.

A little bit, and a little bit more, every day seems to be working for me.

 

So it was swimming laps and then Seniors Aqua Fit, where I derailed everything by doing too much, stretching out too far, and expecting my heavy weight to be held up on tip toes in the pool.

It wasn't the fitness program, it was me, feeling good about getting into the pool and doing something regularly, who put me back on crutches.

Now I push through every pain and try and do more every day.

 

For weight loss (fat loss), I have never had difficulty skipping breakfast, and can go straight to dinnertime, no problem.

So, like you, I was practicing OMAD anyway, so I just formalized that a bit and started learning keto.

I dropped weight so fast, my family and friends were worried about me, so I stopped keto, and stopped losing weight.

I still do OMAD but like @-AJ- said he was, I am eating way too much after dinner.

It usually starts with an apple for desert then descends into dark fat places. It must be STOPPED.

 

Take care of yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

[Goal_thecup]

22 minutes ago, MeanSeanBean said:

You're congratulating me now after comparing me to "70 and never ever exercise"? No need to patronize me, I said what I needed to say.

 

Comments like these are the reason why I started a home gym after I started returning back into fitness post treatment and didn't have the courage to get a gym pass. Sure glad I heard it now and not a couple years ago though, I'll tell you that for free.

 

I hold no hard feelings, just wanted to make it abundantly clear how stupid that comment was.

It was really stupid.

I didn't even read your whole post before I fired it off; again, I apologize.