I'm working out more. coming back from injuries sucks.

still working on the eating, but it's getting better. eating less overall and will continue incorporating healthier choices.

I'm working with a coach through my insurance company. it's basically an accountability partner who helps me with goals and discipline. so far, so good. helps me keep track of what I should be working on.

cancelled my membership to planet fitness. I was going regularly, but then stopped. it's just a hassle for me to go to a gym. I have enough gear at home, along with biking or running during the warmer season. I'll be good with no gym membership.

I recently signed up for a service called functionhealth. they do over 100 tests based on your bloodwork. way more than what insurance will cover. it can be paid using FSA/HSA, so I thought to give it a shot. insurance wouldn't even allow the doc to give my blood type without extra charges.

they've provided me good information, including that my biological age is 8.5 years younger that my chronological age. not sure how 'real' bio age is, but I'm glad it didn't say it was older than my actual age.

what besides eating better and working out are you doing for your health and fitness?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

I typically struggle in winter, but I’m doing a lot better than last year as far as diet, and have been a bit more active too.

Mostly doing bodyweight exercises and stretching at home for now. Once it warms up a bit and there’s more daylight hours, I’ll start doing some running outside, and taking more trips to the gym to lift weights.

I used to get some good work in during the cold, but the knee is not happy anymore.

stretching...thanks for reminder.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

I get home from work and it’s already dark, it’s freezing, and I live in the snow belt so you’re dealing with snow, ice, slush, etc. I’m not dealing with that.

the darkness for me, is more discouraging than the cold.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

Raising my average up to 10k steps per day in a year. Now I just have to sustain that. Ive had at least 10k steps a day since 9/14.

137 days and counting

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

how'd you decide that was your goal?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

TLDR: It's a repeatable movement that burns an equivalent amount of calories, keeps the body fresh, without all of the wear and tear



---------

Cycling, eating right, running ... and then I took this job that was an hour and half away
One year in I had managed to keep a lot of the weight off, but my cholesterol had doubled
And so I go on this journey of trying to make things right, trying to eat right, get the right exercise in, balance movement with family life, running ... and it was all very scattershot
I'd try sprinting and blow up my ankle or the trails were trash
I'd try hard cycling and then stress my back or the roads would be too dangerous or it was too hot
I'd try swimming but couldn't get to the pool or the pool would be booked for a high school
Add that on to the having my office be my weight room and I just could not at all find consistency to be healthy.
A goal needs to be achievable and repeatable

A year or so ago I attend a retirement for the dean of engineering. Dude used to run every day on the treadmill busting it out.
And during that year before I had picked up trail running (outdoors, peaceful, lower impact than running running) so I asked him if it was something he considered now that he was done
He confided in me that he had two hip surgeries and was done running.


So that's my webay moment. Just sitting here looking at a regular dude who burned his body out for ... what. To be out of work and can't physically enjoy it. And I started to recognize that same thing in all of athletes that came before me. Former NFL players that can barely move, NBA players holding 100 extra lbs, folks I went to high school that looked like dog shit. And I really started to inspect my choices.

something something something

So I bought a cheap treadmill, moved all of my exercise equipment to the garage, bought a fan, and created an environment that I could control and be consistent in

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

props for recognizing where you needed to change up habits and figuring things out.

seeing peers in poor health is wake up call for sure.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

Been that way. Going to go back to free weights for all exercises (F a smith machine) and back to OMAD as much as possible

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

The Omad gives me great energy even in workout days. The metabolism it creates is amazing. Especially ketosis. Check out that Disney channel Chris Helmswort show with the episode in fasting and how after so many days fasting your brain secretes bursts of energy etc. it’s true and it works not to mention doing HITT and it boosting HGH also helps.

didn't know it was possible to get more energy that way.

how has it affected your weight?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

Need to drop 5 or so. Still lifting, but had to cut back almost all running the past two years due to plantar facilis symptoms. Tried biking more, but I don't like being on the street with cars around me. Feet feel much better now (rested, stretched and upgraded footwear). Ready to run now, but gotta wait until the ice melts off the trails.

Been making some dietary changes too. Can't eat like I did when I was younger anymore.

Gonna start benching again too. Pushups just ain't cutting it anymore. Be doing 200-250 in a session and still not feeling it like a good set on the bench.

it sucks. finally got to a doc and figured it out. now I know how to prevent it.

what prompted the idea to drop your weight?

I bike in the warmer seasons. riding with cars is scary at first, but I've gotten use to it.

how many push ups are doing a day? what variations?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

>what prompted the idea to drop your weight?
Muscular arms and legs with a developing dad-bod midsection. Just a bad look, lol.


Ill-fitting sneakers and shoes seemed to be catalyst for my foot problems. I went to the doctor, went and got my feet measured and almost all of my old footwear had to go. Everything was too narrow, and most were 1-2 sizes too small. Was causing overpronation.


>I bike in the warmer seasons. riding with cars is scary at
>first, but I've gotten use to it.

There are a few good bike paths about a mile from me, but the ride over includes a few roads without bike lanes. Not too bad, but I just miss the peace of running off the grid. Going to start riding again when it warms about the rain washes away to road salt.

>how many push ups are doing a day? what variations?

At least 200 in a session, maybe twice a week. I'll do flat, or put my feet in a chair and do them that way. When it's warm I'll walk at the park and do 20-30 pushups at a time until I huh my number.

I have a flat bench in the basement that was gifted to me, I just need to put it together.

so, i'm starting today.

he's 9 btw.

i was watching something about guitar solos in R&B songs on tik tok. which then made me think of my favorite non-rock guitar solo, on Outkast's "Funky Ride." I've talked about this here before, but it's one of the greatest solos ever, and it never gets mentioned because it's on an Outkast album. Ed Stroud, the guy who played it, passed away some years back from health complications.

i was playing the song for him, and telling him about Ed (i even showed him a video of Ed covering "Purple Rain" - its on YouTube if you type in Ed Stroud and it's worth it he's going CRAZY for like 4 minutes) who i had become Facebook friends with shortly before his death just off my love of the "Funky Ride" solo.

i told him that he died and he's very empathetic so he asked if he was old and i said he was 61, so not very old all things considered. he asked if he died from something serious like cancer and before i could reply he goes "cuz if you die at 61 and it wasn't something serious that means you just didn't take care of yourself and that's not good" and, Ed did pretty much die from poor health (now, how much of that was possibly genetic/inherted i dunno).

but, anyways, i realized that i'm too young to be in the health that i'm in, and if god forbid i did die on the younger side of things because i'm not taking care of myself like i should be, well, here's my own kid going "he died young he must not have taken care of himself" and possibly thinking that about ME.

i've mentioned that i stopped soda (hit two years on Dec 30th) and i generally eat better than i used to, but i've dragged my feat on added in the exercise.

i'm on 5 meds for like, high BP, cholesterol, etc. and i know i'd like to NOT be on them.

i'm going to exercise as soon as i get home (i had already decided this before i went to bed last night). i need to be here for my kid, and i need to set an example for him to follow. at WORST i'm going to start walking everyday, but i also miss being strong (i've lost a lot of strength and muscle from being sedentary) so weights will have to come once i get in a groove.

sorry if this is long winded and got too deep. i'm an open book it is what it is.

Your future self is gonna appreciate the work you're putting in now.

Also, bodyweight exercises are a good workup to lifting. And you can do a lot of exercises with two gallon jugs of water (w/ handles).

mostly squats.

definitely going to add more as i get into more. i also have some dumbbells at the crib (5, 10, 20 lbs)

It’s great for you, and not hard on the body. I dropped 15 pounds last year, primarily off of walking 4-5 miles a day.

Sometimes I like running because it only takes 20-30 minutes, but on days when I have a lot of time I usually walk now.

i've always hated running cuz i've been big my whole life (unless it was playing hoop).

running for the sake of running/health never appealed to me. but, over a decade ago, when i was working out for my wedding, i was able to run over a mile non-stop and i was really proud of that.

a goal for me is to run a 5K eventually. i've always wanted to do it just because running has always been a struggle/not appealing.

thanks for sharing.

sounds like it's time to get to it. dope how kids can offer up wake up calls like that. I'm not too far from that age and trying to make sure I'm around too.

walking sounds doable. something that'll get you moving with so much stress on the body.

I have a love/hate relationship with running. I actually like doing it and hate that I can't do it as much as before.


check out this site if you decide to move forward with the running.

https://c25k.com

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

as soon as i got home from work.

it felt really good.

keep it going!

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

>I have a love/hate relationship with running. I actually like
>doing it and hate that I can't do it as much as before.


I *love* running. That runner's high is amazing when it hits. I just can't run the way I used to anymore tho.

not much equipment is required. just put on some shoes and go outside.

with some other hobbies that I like, there's a whole process involved in just leaving the house. then driving somewhere to do the activity.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

I been getting after it since I posted this.

This is my first time under 300 in a decade, easily.

I feel really proud of myself.

Been getting consistent exercise 6 days a week, just added in lifting. Meal prepping and portion control when I'm eating non meal prep shit.

Last time I was this motivated was about 20 years ago when I was in the best shape of my life.

Anyways, hope this is a sliver of inspiration to someone if my fat ass can do it you can too.

good work.

what are you doing for meal prep?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

this week we're (wife and i) doing a brown rice/quinoa mix w/ baked chicken breast and roasted vegetables (i add a little hummus for creaminess and some sriracha for spice).

first week we did these "Mexican" salads. butter lettuce, black beans, corn, baked chicken breast, and this mexican dip that's fairly low cal for the dressing w/ some sharp cheddar.

last week we did this sweet potato hash that we used to eat all the time back when we were losing weight for our wedding over a decade ago. cubed sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, green beans, and chicken sausage.

we're just kind of winging it tbh.

double post.

last year.

i've made gradual changes to my diet. more protein, dramatically less carbs. focusing on protein first for satiety. walking most days. i started lifting again around july of last year. i've dropped ~50 lbs since then and i've gotten some of my muscles back.

i have to remind myself that i'm working out for health and not tryin to be deebo because i have the tendency to go too hard at the detriment of my joints/etc.

i lift on MWF. bodyweight exercises on T & TH. i started doing core work during the week.

i do cardio most days, sometimes i'll take the weekend off depending on my mood.

i've been hitting cardio hard since november. i was hitting 6 miles a day for a while, but started to fall off last week. i'm averaging like ~5 per day this week.

i'm trying to make it a point to sleep better (and more.) i average between 3-5 hours a night. trying to get that up to 4-6, ideally closer to 7-8.

+1

the routine has been useful in providing structure while everything else has been wild.

how big of change was this process?

what changes have you made that allowed you to get more sleep?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

lol, i'm still not getting enough sleep. i'm running off of four hours last night and it's becoming a bigger issue that's honestly probably impeding my fitness goals.

i started in earnest last march by just trying to be more active. this translated to forcing myself to walk a lot more. i made gradual changes to my diet - getting back to not drinking my calories and focusing more on high protein and high fiber foods for increased satiety to decrease hunger. also doing a better job of recognizing why i eat - boredom, stress, comfort, etc and working to reign that in or at least make better choices. or less bad versions of bad foods - so protein chips instead of chips.

one of the biggest shifts is i started trying to evaluate my choices and actions from the lens of "will this make me happy? will this make me healthy?"

i also decided that despite what i may think - the cumulative outcome of my decision making processes has led me to be unhappy. so i should be willing to entertain things normally that i'd dismiss outright - in essence "fuck it, why not?" and a bit of the old george costanza "do the opposite" bit.

i've lost weight. i'm healthier. i'm stronger. i'm faster. i don't know if i would consider myself happier. i'm trying to focus on appreciating smaller things and individual moments for what they are.

i really don't sleep well at night. the proposed medicaid cuts means that approximately 200 jobs i helped secure are going to disappear. i personally hired some of these folks. i don't have any good answers on what's coming next other than a lot of painful decisions.

so, that's why most days i'm doing some kind of cardio. gotta do something. i'm at 5.5 miles per day, on the month.

Brought a rowing machine on black Friday that I just put together last weekend lol. Got on it and verified that it works, but haven't used it for real. Trying to get on it starting this weekend. (and for those who know, it's not a C2. Wanted to buy something cheap and see if I would use it regularly before getting that one.)

__________________________________________

Maybe there are two types of people in the world: those who favor humans over ideology, and those who favor ideology over humans. I prefer humans to ideology, but right now the ideologues are winning.

hope the machine works well and you get after it. good luck.

1. bought it
2. put it together.

now you're on the way to full body workouts.

what's a C2? a brand of rowing machines?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

I have a weird request- I don't want constant updates/alerts. I'm obsessive enough as it is.

But it would be cool to be able to login once a week and see trends in heart rate, bp, etc.


Anyone have any recs by chance please?

I love that it tracks everything. I love that the battery lasts a long time
I hate how it stays in training mode. Some days the most I can do is get my steps in or run at a slow pace. Joint will tell me that my workout is unproductive
And to me anytime I’m doing anything is productive.

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

Can you customize the alerts? That might be a dumb question, but I could see constant alerts...not being good for my mental lol

I finally changed it after a year of going along to get along
I felt compelled to be in “training” mode
Now I just lead with the steps and let everything else follow.

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

I'm leaning this way I think. Appreciate it.

I'm a longtime Apple Watch user - since 2018 and I currently have an Ultra 2. But that's very specific to IOS users. I recently added an Oura Ring 4, because there are times where I don't want to be wearing a smart watch, like when I'm wearing a suit or anything more formal.Before getting into Appel Watches I had a decent watch collection. The Oura Ring lets me start back wearing those traditional watches while still tracking my steps.

and have never been overweight, but I just turned 40 and need to move since I'm at a desk for most of the day.

finally bought a cheap stationary bike off Amazon and put it in the backyard shed. going for about 30 minutes/3 days a week -- it's a start.

--------

how did you come to hate exercising?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

running somewhere is the antithesis of my personality. and I have always been slender so I never felt motivated when I was younger.

stationary bike is fine though. zone out time.

--------

I found it boring and not really my jam. But I saw older family members getting sick and wanted to get ahead of heredity issues.

At first it was once a week. It was like that for a looong time.


I remember hanging out with a friend who wasn't drinking and I asked why and he said he was working out the next day and didn't want to interfere with that. The idea sounded so foreign and crazy to me.

Then COVID hit and it gave me a little more time.

I finally reached the point that if I don't get to the gym 2-3 times a week I start feeling crazy and stressed.

Now one of my joys of the week is walking out the gym feeling like I accomplished something.

I am like one of those big oil tankers that take forever to change direction but it has made a difference as I approach 50.

At 48, I think I am in better shape and look better even, than when I was 40 (at least that is what I tell myself).


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

For the last several years I'd been doing lifting and walking. Got a blood test last summer as part of my physical and found out that I have a sky-high LP(a).

(If you don't know what LP(a) is, check out some YouTube videos and ask for it to be included in your next blood draw. It essentially tells you your genetic risk for cardiovascular disease. You can't really change your LP(a) number much as it's genetic, and is typically higher in people of African descent, but it makes all the OTHER risk factors more important. Cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, A1C levels, etc.)

So because of my high LP(a) I've been going harder for the last 9 months or so, including adding in running. Been doing a 5k run every week (jogging at a slow pace) and a couple shorter, faster runs every week. Also still walking a lot - 12-15k steps per day. The additional cardio has helped to get rid of the covid weight I'd had hanging around for the last few years.

I track steps on my Apple Watch Ultra 2, but I recently added an Oura Ring 4 so I can track steps when I don't have on my Watch (like when dressing up and wanting to wear a real watch instead of a smartwatch). I got it because I want to track every step even when my Watch isn't on, but what I actually love it for is sleep and stress tracking. Hard to describe but it's WAY more advanced at that than the Apple Watch is. When wearing both you can customize in the Apple Health app which device to prioritize for tracking, so it's pretty seamless.

worked up from walking 30-40 mins each day at the start, to doing 50 mins on the elliptical at least 5x/week plus lifting at least 2x/week.

i found a great hack (probably obvious to some but i'm dumb, ok) for getting it in each day: i find a tv show i like and i ONLY watch it on the elliptical. so, if i wanna see it? gotta hit the gym. it's actually done wonders IMO.

still meal prepping my lunches and watching my portions and watching my snacking, adding in fruits and veggies where i can.

can anyone tell me their thoughts on creatine, protein powder, etc? i feel like i'm getting enough protein, but i'm definitely curious about the energy boost that i hear comes with creatine.

>can anyone tell me their thoughts on creatine, protein powder,
>etc? i feel like i'm getting enough protein, but i'm
>definitely curious about the energy boost that i hear comes
>with creatine.

I started lifting weights again last year and looked into supplements protein and creatine and here's what I found:

1)Creatine and creatine monohydrate supplement:
I think it it helped me lift 5%-10% more than I was before - but I can't prove it. I didn't get an 'energy surge' but about 2 weeks in I saw some gains and my recover time seemed faster. I bought mine from Amazon and it cost like $20 bucks and I think it's going to last until May.

Good video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFg16I_iJyA

The tldw is; Creatine plays a key role in the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) cycle, which fuels short bursts of intense activity but depletes quickly —usually within a few seconds of exertion. When ATP breaks down, it loses a phosphate group and becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate), which can't directly power muscles. This is where creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine) steps in. Stored in muscles, creatine phosphate donates its phosphate group to ADP, rapidly regenerating ATP. This process allows muscles to sustain high-intensity efforts longer before fatigue sets in, improving strength, power, and recovery.

A creatine supplement increases phosphocreatine stores in muscles, allowing for faster ATP regeneration, which helps you lift heavier and do more reps before fatigue sets in. It also draws water into muscle cells, promoting hydration, muscle growth, and better recovery over time.

Creatine is safe but may cause water retention, bloating, or mild stomach discomfort, mainly at first.

It's not a steroid and won't magically or dramatically make you buff (I wish it did.)


2)Protein
I'm a vegetarian AND I'm eating very little because I'm on one of the weight loss drugs so I was getting so little protein in my diet.

There's a lot of different info out there, but I landed on:

Most 'normal people' need about 0.36 to 0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

If you are lifting weights or are more active aim for 0.7 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily

So for me at 215 and lifting weights I'm aiming for 150–215 grams a day, and I end up drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars to get there. I usually only hit around 120g or less - I am not hungry at all on this drug (for now.)

Protein has 4 calories per gram - so when looking at a drink/bar make sure there isn't a ton of extra calories in there - after all, even Snickers makes a protein bar.

I like the Fairlife Nutrition Plan Nutrition Shake (Costco, Sam's club) - which has 30g of protein and 150 calories total: https://fairlife.com/nutrition-plan/

I like the One Bar - which has 20g of protein and 220 calories - which is a lot of extra calories but provides some variety to my diet: https://www.one1brands.com/

And get a protein that is concentrated or isolated and avoid collagen sources - because collagen source do not have leucine - which is important for muscle growth.

Be careful on Youtube because the 'bro science' people are whacky - some want 3g of protein per pound (not lean mass - but total weight) or take a bunch of BCAAs or other weird stuff. If there were supplements that were proven to work as well as protein and creatine I'd be taking them to - but I think the rest are either bunkum or have such small effects that the cost outweighs the benefit.

Just eat sensibly and consider taking in a little more protein and creatine and you might see a boost.

(I'd be on steroids except for the heart and liver problems, mood swings, baldness, shrunken balls, mood swings and high blood pressure )

And keep up the good work!

------------


Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

i didn't realize i was supposed to have that much protein. i thought i was getting enough but it sounds like that might not be the case.

one thing that's interesting is that i'm not as sore as i expect to be after lifting. as i've always understood, soreness is the sign of tears which means the sign of rebuild and growth...so, maybe i need the creatine to go harder?

i feel like i'm going hard enough that i should be more sore. maybe i need to lift heavier and exhaust at fewer reps?

anyone feel free to chime in.

you can definitely get bigger without it. the lifting style is really dependent on your goals.

high rep, lighter weight = more definition, but likely as big

low rep, heavier weight = bigger visible results, less defined

some combo of the two based on your goals will help you figure out what makes sense.

also keep in mind that you're doing a good bit of cardio and dropping weight. once the cardio is less, then you'll likely see more muscle gain.

congrats on the fantastic results! get it!

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

>one thing that's interesting is that i'm not as sore as i expect to be after lifting. as i've always understood, soreness is the sign of tears which means the sign of rebuild and growth..

If you really want to get sore then lift lighter weights (a little lighter) and increase the reps, you'll likely get sore if you do a lot more.

Also being sore could just mean you aren't taking enough time to recover - or inflammation - and not a sign of muscle regrowth.

If you are getting stronger and not sore it is better than NOT getting stronger and being sore.

I'm assuming that your goal isn't to be sore - it's to get stronger.

*The important thing is if you are seeing process - if you are lifting more weight today then last month and you aren't sore then it's fine.*

------------


Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

Some of you may know that *while this very message board has been running* I've weighed as much as 440 pounds (2000) and as little as 172 (2002) after weight loss surgery.

I got on Ozempic (310lbs) in late 2021 and switched to Zepbound in August (264lbs) of 2024.

For the last 14 years I've been very active and hiking ~60-~100 miles a month - even when I weighed as much as 350lbs. I started lifting weights again in August of 2024.

My bloodwork came back seriously perfect - in the past I've had low vitamin D, low b12, and low iron - but not any more.

Total Cholesterol: 102 mg/dL, Triglycerides: 38 mg/dL, HDL: 45 mg/dL , Non-HDL: 57 mg/dL, LDL/HDL Ratio: 1.1 <-All *very good.

Body Fat via Dexa scan(as of Dec 2024):%29

My VO2 max is 46.5, which is a very good number for a 54-year-old.

Today's Weight:215

I am working with a trainer 3 days a week with a focus on increasing chest/shoulders/back strength and I've seen some really good gains - but I'm not as strong as I was when I weighed 100 pounds more.

I was able to do 20 wide push-ups (in a row) with good form this morning.

My hiking pace and times have been getting faster and faster - I've gotten personal records on *every route* that I normally hike - and I can track it against my Nike Run Club app for the past 14 years.

Over the next six months I plan to focus on increasing upper body strength while maintaining my hiking routine to keep my lower body in shape. I might add more weight to my backpack for a 'rucking' experience but my trainer agrees that my legs are strong enough to skip 'leg day' at the gym.

It's kind of weird weighing less than many people around me - I was always used to be one of the biggest guys in a room.

The question is: I'm not sure what the 'end goal' is - maybe it's just to set some arbitrary lifting numbers and meeting those.

I think my goal weigh would be 199 by the end of the year.

What do you think a good weight lifting goal would be? (Note: Suggestions on improving my personality will be ignored in this thread - this thread is for support only.)

------------


Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

No specific Goal needed, just lift. It’s been proven to get you set for older age. I mean continue to lift forever.Megan when you get further up there in age. You’re already doing fine.


>Some of you may know that *while this very message board has
>been running* I've weighed as much as 440 pounds (2000) and as
>little as 172 (2002) after weight loss surgery.
>
>I got on Ozempic (310lbs) in late 2021 and switched to
>Zepbound in August (264lbs) of 2024.
>
>For the last 14 years I've been very active and hiking
>~60-~100 miles a month - even when I weighed as much as
>350lbs. I started lifting weights again in August of 2024.
>
>My bloodwork came back seriously perfect - in the past I've
>had low vitamin D, low b12, and low iron - but not any more.
>
>Total Cholesterol: 102 mg/dL, Triglycerides: 38 mg/dL, HDL: 45
>mg/dL , Non-HDL: 57 mg/dL, LDL/HDL Ratio: 1.1 <-All *very
>good.
>
>Body Fat via Dexa scan(as of Dec 2024):%29
>
>My VO2 max is 46.5, which is a very good number for a
>54-year-old.
>
>Today's Weight:215
>
>I am working with a trainer 3 days a week with a focus on
>increasing chest/shoulders/back strength and I've seen some
>really good gains - but I'm not as strong as I was when I
>weighed 100 pounds more.
>
>I was able to do 20 wide push-ups (in a row) with good form
>this morning.
>
>My hiking pace and times have been getting faster and faster -
>I've gotten personal records on *every route* that I normally
>hike - and I can track it against my Nike Run Club app for the
>past 14 years.
>
>Over the next six months I plan to focus on increasing upper
>body strength while maintaining my hiking routine to keep my
>lower body in shape. I might add more weight to my backpack
>for a 'rucking' experience but my trainer agrees that my legs
>are strong enough to skip 'leg day' at the gym.
>
>It's kind of weird weighing less than many people around me -
>I was always used to be one of the biggest guys in a room.
>
>The question is: I'm not sure what the 'end goal' is - maybe
>it's just to set some arbitrary lifting numbers and meeting
>those.
>
>I think my goal weigh would be 199 by the end of the year.
>
>What do you think a good weight lifting goal would be? (Note:
>Suggestions on improving my personality will be ignored in
>this thread - this thread is for support only.)
>
>
>

1)Drop total body fat to 24% or less.
2)Drop weight to 205 or less.
3)Increase wide grip pushup to 30 reps or more.
4)Improve chest press by 20%.
5)Improve overhead press by 20%.
6)Get up Mount Woodson from Lake Poway under 56 minutes.

I'll look later in the year.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

My goals have been to healthy and happy - so that's my north star. Other than that, I want to be able to bully 225 on chest/shoulders/upper body exercises. Not to the same degree that I could when I was younger, but be able to toss two plates on the bar and not worry about hitting 8-12 reps.

Beyond that, it's hard to say what I want to achieve concretely.

Maybe it's time to just focus on maintenance, unless you want to actively keep improving?

Again - good work!

to where I’m noticeably able to do more at a time, and they feel easier. Also been getting consistent with walking and getting 10K steps in.

My plan for the next 2 weeks is to start jogging and also mixing in jumping jacks and burpees, while continuing with the pull ups and pushups and also mixing in some weight lifting.

After a few weeks of that, I want to start doing boxing and boot camp classes, regular weight lifting, and continuing to mix in pull-ups and jogging.

Also, no alcohol until Memorial Day weekend.

so I decided to join and take advantage of the her discount. I've gone twice and have enjoyed it each time. it can be kinda crowded depending on the time, but there's enough equipment where it's not a real issue.

only done legs since I can't do as much for my lower body at home.

I find that I like being at a gym. being around others that are also working out helps me push forward. I'll still work out at home but I like having options.

need to figure a good schedule and make sure I'm sticking to it. next up is to sign up for swim lessons. hoping my daughter will be my instructor so I can disobey and splash water for no reason, lol.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

always enjoyed being there whether it was hooping or lifting or cardio. always very chill with plenty of space, etc.

i'm in a groove with cardio and on a good schedule w/ lifting.

sometimes just wish i had more time to lift to be honest. i feel like there's stuff i should be doing that i just don't have time for and that's with me already staying in the gym nearly 2 hours on lift days with cardio/lifting/stretching.

maybe i should get w/ a trainer who can help make my lifting more efficient?

>maybe i should get w/ a trainer who can help make my lifting
>more efficient?

There's a ton of bro-science Youtube channels you might look to for advice on quicker workouts that still build strenght.

But you (and me) are both trying to lose weight and gain strength and there's not a huge niche for that on Youtube.

One I like: Renaissance Periodization, Jeff Nippard, Alex Bromley, Alan Thrall

I have a trainer that I work with on 50 minute sessions and he says we'd probably be able to get almost as much accomplished in 30 minutes if we had the gym completely free and could jump on the chest/shoulder stations without having to wait.

Also I do cardio out doors and not in the gym so I don't end up at the gym more than an hour at a time.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

1)Myoreps - This technique basically gets rid of the recovery time when weightlifting so I doesn't take 15 minutes to do a set- you can do a set in 5 minutes-
(all from AI)
Myo-reps are a workout technique where you perform an initial set to near failure, followed by a series of shorter, high-intensity sets with minimal rest between them. The goal is to induce hypertrophy (muscle growth) by stressing muscle fibers and increasing metabolic strain.

For example, you might do 10 reps with a weight you could do 12 with, then rest briefly and do smaller sets of 8, 6, 5, and 3 reps, all with the same weight. This results in a high volume of reps in a short time.


2)Unrelated supersets - Basically alternate exercises quickly between to unrelated muscles groups, like do a back exercise, wait 10 seconds, and then do a tri-cep exercise or a hamstring exercise - then switch back.

What are Unrelated Supersets?
Unrelated supersets involve performing two exercises back-to-back with minimal rest, where the exercises target entirely different muscle groups.
For example, you might do a chest exercise (like bench press) followed by a back exercise (like lat pulldown), or a leg exercise (like squats) followed by an arm exercise (like bicep curls).
The key is that the two exercises don't target the same muscle group or opposing muscle groups.


Using either of the techniques you're really getting rid of recovery time there by making what might be a 60 minute exercise routing (20 minutes of lifting, 40 of recovery and switching stations) to be more like a 30 minute workout.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

plateaus are a fucking bummer. proud of myself for pushing thru them mentally as much as anything - not letting them drag me down and just continuing to get after it.

funny you mention these methods though.

i already do method #2. it's how i've lifted my entire life.

not sure where i saw it, of if it's what whoever called it when i did, but i call it cardio lift. i'm always doing multiple, complimentary groups when i lift, so yeah, i move around and wait 20 seconds or less between sets. so like, bench press, then quickly to shrugs, then quickly to tricep push downs, etc. you get the idea.

as always, appreciate the tips/input.

so, i've been very steady with my workouts. here's what i've been doing:

Mon: 60 mins elliptical
Tues: Chest, Shoulders, Tricep & 40 mins elliptical
Wed: 60 mins elliptical
Thurs: Back & Biceps, 40 mins elliptical
Fri: 60 mins elliptical
Sat: Legs & 40 mins elliptical at lower intensity that usual

and...i feel like for all that, the last 3 to 4 weeks haven't gotten me the results i expected (for weight loss - i do feel a bit stronger w/ certain lifts getting easier).

when i lift, i got very hard on those groups, like, 8 to 15 sets each.

now, i'm considering going to the 6 day PPL (push pull legs) method, and i keep seeing stuff about the benefits of just walking on an incline on the treadmill for fat burning. also, on PPL, it seems like you're doing less sets each workout since you're working those muscles twice a week?

so...that's where i'm at. i feel like i'm in a rut and i don't know what i SHOULD be doing (IF there's something i should be doing).

i dunno how accurate they are but i look at the calories burned on the machines and the 60 min elliptical >>> incline walking...but maybe it burns less fat somehow than walking? and then, i'm kinda trying to figure out how much actual lifting gets you the results you want.

like, have i been lifting too much and doing too much cardio? i dunno.

anyone wanna chime in and talk me off the ledge? lol. thanks in advance.

If you want to lose mass amounts of weight then weightlifting is going to hold you back - I've weighed *a lot* more than you do now and a lot less than either of us do now and you will lose more weight more quickly if you don't mind sacrificing the muscle.

I don't think you want to do that-- I think you want to lose fat and retain or even gain muscle.

You might be working out too much and not giving your system a chance to recover -- and that might be affecting your gains.

I see only 1 day of rest - making that 2 days or more might help you by giving your body a chance to recover.

My trainer and a bunch of folks online seem to think cardio on lifting days is counter productive - at least high intensity cardio is. Maybe switch out elliptical for going outside for a zone 1 (50–60% of your maximum heart rate) walk on those days, or better yet - just resting instead?

I lift Mon, Tues, and Thursday and I force myself to take at least 2 days off a week- that's when I'd normally go for hikes of 7-12 miles. Sometimes I'll go for a hike on Wednesday but keep in Zone 1 or Zone 2 so I get less tired. And some lifting days I go lighter than my max so I can recover - but I still lift so my mind-muscle connection improves.

Also, as counterintuitive as it seems, eating more calories on certain days can actually help. It’s tough to believe because it feels like working out daily and eating less should automatically lead to weight loss—but it’s more nuanced than that.

>anyone wanna chime in and talk me off the ledge? lol. thanks
>in advance.

I'm as frustrated as you are.
This isn't a solvable problem - this is a workable process - and that's way more frustrating because the process is gradual, has ups and downs, and may never end.

I did get a Dexa body scan in December, and then one last week and it shows I've lost 8 pounds of fat and gained 1.1 pounds of muscle - that cheered me up - because my overall weight is still higher than I'd like.

Maybe getting a scan could be useful for you to tack your process - they cost around $80 each - at least in San Diego.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

on the same journey i'm on so maybe you're the right person to be responding.

you're right, i do want to gain/retain muscle.

is it possible i'm actually building muscle that fast though to the point where i'm losing fat and gaining muscle, which offsets when i step on the scale?

i understand the rest part, and the rest and recovery aspect is something i feel like i'm struggling with, but i guess it's a mental thing where i feel like i'm being lazy if i'm taking too much rest time.

that Dexa scan sounds like something that could help. i'm gonna look into that.

When I feel I’m in a rut - either not seeing the results I want or not improving like I want, I try to put my focus on doing something active that is fun, and then using my training for that.

For me in past years (not all at the same time), that’s been playing basketball, it’s been climbing mountains, it’s been running 5Ks, it’s been boxing classes. If I’m putting miles in walking or running - I try to make it like being a kid and going outside and exploring, and not worrying about anything else other than enjoying being outside and moving around. When I focus on the fun and the “adventure” of exercise and see it through that lens, it helps me motivation wise and gives me a purpose for doing all of this beyond the scale.

i think that's something i gotta work on.

i also gotta try to not be so focused on the results on the scale, and remember why i started in the first place.

it's just, you know, when you do see good results you get addicted to that high and you wanna keep seeing them.

but i did start for my son, and to just have better health/strength and to eat better, and i am doing those things, so all activity is good activity despite what the number on the scale says.

I know this: Ive gradually ramped up my activity the last 6 weeks or so, and I haven’t lost a pound.

But I’m in way better shape - I’m stronger, cardio is way better. I actually feel really good after exercise now, where the first week or two felt awful because I was out of shape.

So I know there’s positive results happening, beyond a scale.

apply your current improvements to other activities. join a biking club. find a boxing gym. go hiking. take on other activities that can help you think less about the weight loss and more on learning the new thing. variety helps work other muscles and may help you get to the next level.

I would not suggest doing 6 days a week. as handle said, you need recovery time. 4 days a week is usually plenty if you're going at it for real when you're there.

take pride in the progress you've made thus far. even if you've plateaued outwardly, you're gotten better in other ways. not just physically, but in gaining healthier habits. keep going!

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

yeah, i think i've got to work on my thinking about it as much as the actual workouts.

i have to remember that my flexibility is improving (important as you age), my cardio is better, my strength is better, diet is better, etc. and not be so focused on JUST the number on the scale.

Written by Eric Trexler who is one of the very best around:
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/metabolic-adaptation/

Main points:
-Weight loss attempts are met with changes in mitochondrial function, hormone levels, and energy expenditure.

-These changes produce some unpleasant side effects, threaten our ability to gain (or even keep) muscle mass and strength, manipulate biological cues pertaining to the regulation of appetite and activity level, and require us to eat even fewer calories and/or incorporate even more cardio into our training program.

-To mitigate the effects of metabolic adaptation, dieters should avoid rapid weight loss (>1% of body mass per week), eat sufficient protein (2.3-3.1 g/kg of fat-free mass), and avoid excessive cardio volumes and frequencies.

-Refeeds (twice weekly) and diet breaks (1-2 weeks at a time) may also help to attenuate the effects of metabolic adaptation.


Look into trying one of these apps:

https://macrofactorapp.com/macrofactor/

or

https://www.joincarbon.com/how-it-works

>when i lift, i got very hard on those groups, like, 8 to 15
>sets each.

10 to 20 sets per muscle group PER WEEK w/ proximity to failure (4 reps in reserve to 1 rep in reserve) is plenty enough

Account for body part overlap - maybe count 4 sets of lat pulldowns as 2 sets of bicep work, for example.

If you go closer to failure (1 rep in reserve) for each set, 3 to 6 sets per body part per week is plenty. Look up Paul Carter's IG https://www.instagram.com/liftrunbang1/?hl=en

Dude is an a-hole, but for hypertrophy guidance and fat loss....him, Jeff Nippard, Team 3DMJ, Stronger By Science, Menno Henselmans, I'd start there.

i kinda "fell off" my program (was sick w/ stomach flu, so didn't work out and ate "bad") for nearly a week and it seemed to juice my system, so seems like there may be some truth to that.

Damn, stomach flu is the worst. When you get back from a layoff, stay farther from failure (5 reps in reserve from true failure) and cut your set count in half. You will have major DOMS (soreness) if you try to hop back in right where you left off. Take advantage of the repeated bout effect (minimize the inevitable soreness).

Also, forgot to mention Layne Norton. Another a-hole, but definitely one of the best out there for hypertrophy and fat loss. He runs BioLayne and the Carbon app mentioned earlier.