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Time to get Fit thread

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Not much weight loss. I kinda fell off the wagon for a bit with food and last week with exercise. But back on it this week. Rode my bike yesterday for 5miles. Hoping to incorporate 5-10miles at least once a week as part of my cardio.

according to my scale only -.2 body fat loss and a +.2 gain in muscle this month. Time to kick it up a notch!
 
Check in y'all. 171 lbs this am. Getting stronger. Feels good. I realized how important INTENSITY in your workout is. Time is bullshit. I used to put time into the gym thinking if i wasn't there for 2 hrs it wasn't worth going. Now I try to exhaust myself in an hour or less and my overall level of fitness has improved. in short, GET SOME !!! even if you only have 30 mins to do it.

I totally feel ya on this. I do about 45 cardio and 45 workouts at the gym. I go late at night so I can hit all my stations one right after another with maybe a minute break in between circuits. I know I am doing a good job when I can't finish a light set at the end.
 
Check in y'all. 171 lbs this am. Getting stronger. Feels good. I realized how important INTENSITY in your workout is. Time is bullshit. I used to put time into the gym thinking if i wasn't there for 2 hrs it wasn't worth going. Now I try to exhaust myself in an hour or less and my overall level of fitness has improved. in short, GET SOME !!! even if you only have 30 mins to do it.

Man Mike. 1000000% on the same page with you. I put my program (back) together about 2.5 years ago to prepare to get back on the race grid and not make a fool of myself from my previous history racing when I took a hiatus for the AFM Presidency needs 3 years back. I'm not overweight, etc, but certainly could use some core and for sure; endurance and more strength. The workout(s) I developed are not 4 hours on a bicycle (cause I think that doesn't teach the INTENSITY needed for a sprint race). Instead, I developed a non-stop, super intense weight workout followed by a high heart rate (165-185) 30 minute bike workout (2X a week). The idea was to train for mental intensity and muscle inclusion, very similar to what we're doing on the bike. As much as I don't like gyms, the program required one.

The result was better than I'd expected; way better. Even without the bike, my workouts have my heart rate in the 120-170 range for the weight program for about an hour. That alone was a enough, but adding the bike in at the end makes everything on track downright easy, now. I added about 20 minutes of stretching too and I feel in 3X better condition than when I was in my 30's. I also wear Bose Heartrate ear buds to see what my heart rate is doing during the weight program from time to time...when it starts to fall, I change it up. In the course of this program, I've gained about 8-10 lbs of lean muscle and leaned out some....not quite what most road racers are doing, but the hell with it...it's working for me so far. The measure of my program wasn't weight loss or gain, but wins on track and that's where it became obvious that it was a keeper. We won the shit out of things last year and this last weekend, continued on...doing things I never thought I was capable on a bike. It's been so eye opening, I wish my friends tried it.

On the note of the word you use that I love INTENSITY: it's the exact thing missing from amateur, club level road racers. They don't know how to put everything into a 14 minute race and that's their downfall, IMO. A program like you're talking about is what most need, not a 3 or 4 hour bike ride every weekend...

Good post Mike. I dig your plan!

Edit: all these idiots sitting on machines in between sets (or whatever they're doing), surfing their phone and wasting time...THAT is where the real gains are made. That's time that can be used for other exercises, in between...and I think that's what you're program looks like too. No rest, no need. No being weak.
 
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the last rep should be the hardest. if it isnt, do it until it is. Thats what I tell myself when doing strength training. I also think I need to up my weights. Been using 15lbs, but it's getting a bit too easy, so I want to up to 20 and do fewer reps. I still use my 10lbs for certain exercises.

also, I optimistically bought jeans online (I despise shopping) and bought a size down. I figured Id be close since my current jeans are saggy and I thought if they didnt fit it would be motivation to work until they did fit. Well it turned out better than expected. all 3 jeans I bought which are a size down from my current jeans fit :banana
 
^ Parental considerations are forcing me to work out at home quite a bit. Jump rope, burpees, push ups, 20 lb dumbell work, crunches, medicine ball, run the stairs with a 40 lb back pack, backpack squats just, go go go! I slap a corny Rogan, Arnold, Will Smith, Goggins, or the Rock motivational vid on youtube and just sweat and move for an hour. It has made way more of a difference than hours of fucking off in the gym ever did. My body feels useful too. When the suns out we go to the park and shoot hoops with the kids and its more of the same. just keep moving and make it fun.

I might get to the point soon when I need a trainer to teach me some kettle bell exercises. I have a 25 lb one and have tried watching vids to figure it out but I dont think I quite get it. I want to master turkish get ups, a proper swing and clean but I am afraid of hurting myself. I need an at home pull up bar too. I bought a 100 lb heavy bag but still need to make space in the garage for it. I love hitting bag till I can't lift my arms. So yeah INTENSITY for as long as I can go is where its at right now Berto. Glad it payed dividends for ya.

If I'm really good I might start recording my at home work outs and maybe even post em up. I like doing what feels good on the fly and dont really want to stop and write. We will see.
 
the last rep should be the hardest. if it isnt, do it until it is. Thats what I tell myself when doing strength training. I also think I need to up my weights. Been using 15lbs, but it's getting a bit too easy, so I want to up to 20 and do fewer reps. I still use my 10lbs for certain exercises.

also, I optimistically bought jeans online (I despise shopping) and bought a size down. I figured Id be close since my current jeans are saggy and I thought if they didnt fit it would be motivation to work until they did fit. Well it turned out better than expected. all 3 jeans I bought which are a size down from my current jeans fit :banana

I had to punch a new hole in a belt I have had forever. Almost ready to punch a second one. I bought 4 new pairs of board shorts last year. I cant swim in any of them now. You go with your bad self. clothes shopping is fun aint it?
 
I'll watch your vids Mike. Your motivation is inspiring, mang!
 
woop woop! congrats! I do notice I like clothes shopping more when im feeling thinner which makes me feel more confident. I may even buy some summer dresses this year! :wow (im a jeans and tshirt kinda girl :p)
 
I know I shouldn’t but I ate a brownie today and now feel like kicking myself in the balls

So you had your cheat treat. Fuck it. Don't have another and then get on it later.

edit, there is a little mental trick i have been using to keep from mindlessly eating sweets. I try to catch mself and say in my head,

"You have had that sweet thing before haven't you? You know exactly what its going to be like to eat it. You know what you have NEVER had? Six pack abs.. Witch do you REALLY want?" And then I drink some water.

Is it shallow? Yeah. do I still have a treat every now and then? Yeah. I had vanilla Haagen Das and blueberries two nights ago and it was fucking DIVINE. But just cutting out the mindless snacking has really helped and the trick above works for me most of the time.

double edit, There is a second little trick I have been using to not be rude when someone brings a treat into the shop. Eat 1/4 of a portion of whatever it is. On a brownie that is like a one inch square bite. You get to taste it, tell the person thank you and that it was good and you don't hammer your diet. After the second bite of anything the thrill is pretty much gone anyway so you are not really missing out. Also have plenty of real food around fro when you are actually hungry. tree nuts, fruit, vegetables, maybe a can of tuna if you think you might need some protein. If good food is handy its way easier to avoid sweet junk.
 
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I know I shouldn’t but I ate a brownie today and now feel like kicking myself in the balls

Why? Brownies are damn good...just stay active and ditch the alcohol (IMO).

There is a second little trick I have been using to not be rude when someone brings a treat into the shop. Eat 1/4 of a portion of whatever it is.

Just tell em you've got The Beetus, Mike!
 
Celebrating the non-scale victories!
2.5 inches off my waist and squeezed into a size 6 :banana

Still wouldn’t stuff it in a swimsuit and go to a pool party but feeling pretty positive.
 
Why? Brownies are damn good...just stay active and ditch the alcohol (IMO).

I don’t drink alcohol in any form.
I’ve been intermittent fasting 5 days a week since the first of Jan. I shoot for 20 hours before eating but sometimes I only make it 16 and feel I just want to eat whatever is available. Today it was brownies they had at work. Brownies on an empty stomach make you feel like crap immediately after eating.
Back to the program.
 
A coworker today asked me if I'd been hitting the gym lately. :)

tenor.gif
 
lol - i have to be careful with my workout - my body (thanks i think to inheriting my body type from my over muscular russian grandfather - who was a professional wrestler) packs on muscle bulk stupid easy. if i’m not super careful, i quickly end up looking like a short, overbulked up, long haired dude. :laughing
 
Hit 10lbs this weekend from first of the year, total of 14lbs from my heaviest last fall. Intermittent fasting (usually 6-8 hours windows) have helped me a lot cut down on overeating and late night snacks. This includes having emergency surgery in February. Even dropped while traveling for work and visiting parents by eating clean and staying in my window.

Still have 20 to go before turning 40 in November but on track to meet the goal. Need to re-introduce my workouts, now that Im totally healed. My ultimate goal is to have the weight off by birthday but really I am aiming for October for my motorcycle trip to N CA and Oregon.
 
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