[tiam]

DISCLAIMER- This is not about exercise,rep counts, solid lifting numbers,some bullshit you heard at the gym etc its is about general health. While exercise is certainly an important part of a healthy lifestyle this is for the more general approach.

Think of this as like a forum wide log that can be drawn on for support. The idea is any exercise/diet choice you do whether your training for 10k like Tiste or you choose to take the stairs in work, whether your looking to lose a few pounds and looking for diet tips from other people, or traning for something in particular you post about it similar to the happy/groove thread. I mean anything such using the stairs, skipping a dessert, going on a long walk, thinking of taking up a sport this site can help you.

The reasons for this are

-This is one of the most constructive and supportive forums out there with little flaming or bullying
- The pics thread, aswell as the groove thread, often comment on weight gain or diet tips and this is a place were you can potentially track your progress
-It allows for people in the same position to come together to discuss the little/larger changes theyve made in a potentially hectic schedule
-General sharing of experience and any tricks or tips that can be shared with your fellow Malazites

So whether you a student like Extra Special or a parent with a young child like Gust Hubb please note any exercise or dieatary choices you make and get support from the board

I shall start. I have been regularly lifting for the last three years but havnt got the money atm to join a gym. As such have been walking the dog and doing what I can with what weight I have in the house.

This post has been edited by Orb Sceptre Boat: 13 September 2011 - 09:48 PM

[pathos]

well i lost about 10 kgs at the beginning of this year with very little effort. I did some holiday work which involved a 45 minute walk or 25 min bike ride to and from work. I also didnt have time to cook huge freaking lunches so cut down on what i ate. basically that is all i did wiith a 5 km run like once a week. Oh i also cut down on drinking coke.

Also when drinking(which i do a fair amount of) i switched to whiskey and water in stead of beer.


So for me it was just doing a tiny bit extra exercise and eating less and drinking smarter.

Now that work is finished i am not forced to do anything. As a student(read lazy ass) the best thing i did was get someone to go to gym/exercise with as we both end up pushing each other to exercise.

I was a chubby pie eater and am now in no ways super buff but have lost and kept about 10 kgs off for 8 months and slowly toning up now through changing very little in my daily routine.


well there you go, my two cents worth. I know very little about this sort of thing but this seemed to work for me. hope people can find something worthwhile in these ramblings of mine

[Studious Lock]

Well, this year i put on a stone (in the time between christmas and easter) going from 11 stone to over 12. Btw i have no idea how it translates, work it out yourself

i got pretty worried at this point and went back to my old exercise habit. 3 runs a week (about 4 miles) plus the twice a week martial arts training i was already doing.

My diets always pretty healthy and varied. I eat a lot because i've always been the sort of person to up exercise as opposed to eating less and fortunately i have the time to do so.
(im now down to 11.4 so it seems to be working)

I have a question, i have just started 'working out' at home, i have no weights (and dont plan to buy any) does anyone have any suggestions of good upper body work outs that i might not know of? (a part from the usual press ups, crunches)

cheers

[Captain Beardface]

At the start of the year I was 313 pounds, even at 6'4" that's way too much... so after speaking with my doc, who said if I didn't lose weight and bring my BP down I'd have to go on meds and since I'm not yet 30 I was not enthused. So I joined myfitnesspal.com and started tracking my calories and man was it eye opening. I was eating like I was still practicing rugby twice a week and playing on Saturdays. So my typical breakfast was some instant oatmeal, for lunch I have a fair sized salad with spinach, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, radishes, banana peppers, a 3oz packet of tuna with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Dinner was sensible with a balance of veggies, carbs, and proteins. For exercise, I did 45 minutes of cardio on an elliptical trainer. In the course of 3.5 months I dropped 46 pounds and then I've plateaued I've changed things up but no luck... I'd like to get down to 250, still considered heavy by some but when I was in high school playing American football I was 245, so if I can get back to that I'd be stoked... if anyone else is on myfitnesspal.com my username there is CaptBeardface...

Well I've rambled on for long enough... best of luck to everyone looking to lose weight or just become healthier...

[Slow Ben]

Besides all the workouts, one of the big things me and the ole lady have done is cut out all meats but grilled chicken and fish for almost every meal (on saturday nights we get whatever we want).

Its amazing how good fish/shrimp is for you. Low in calories, very low in fat and high in protein. Along with all the omega 3 acids thats good for your heart and stuffs.

We also switched from 3 large meals a day to 5 or 6 smaller ones.. Some people call it grazing. Basically, when your hungry your brain tells your body to store fat. If your eating more often it raises your metabolism and helps you burn more calories and store less fat.

[Gust Hubb]

Before having a kid, I was getting into a 3x per week exercise routine with about 45 min on the elliptical (which was nice, cause that is where I got to read MBotF the most ). Sadly, now with school restarting AND the kid, I have let the exercise disappear. Mainly, I'm just hanging onto trying to manage a more balanced diet (I'm not much about the grease, but I really like my salt and sugar) that includes an increase in fruits and vegetables and a decrease in processed foods such as the ever tasty peanut butter Nature Valley Granola bar (with it's 9 g of fat per bar ).

That's working ok, but I've regained 5-7 of the 13 LBS I lost, and that makes me sad. I'm hoping to get back into an exercise routine this upcoming week of summer break, and I really need to figure out how I can do exercise that doesn't involve the gym (btw, I HATE running. Nothing like your brains sloshing around as your knees take damage impacting on inelastic pavement). Weekends may work, but I also hate to not exercise all week.

So current status: 186 LBS, 5'9" which is an approx. BMI of 28 (overweight, but not obese, whew...) I want to be 165-170, but would settle for 175. Open to suggestions.

And I like having a cameo in the OP .

[amphibian]

Slow Ben, on 14 September 2011 - 01:40 AM, said:

Besides all the workouts, one of the big things me and the ole lady have done is cut out all meats but grilled chicken and fish for almost every meal (on saturday nights we get whatever we want).

Its amazing how good fish/shrimp is for you. Low in calories, very low in fat and high in protein. Along with all the omega 3 acids thats good for your heart and stuffs.

We also switched from 3 large meals a day to 5 or 6 smaller ones.. Some people call it grazing. Basically, when your hungry your brain tells your body to store fat. If your eating more often it raises your metabolism and helps you burn more calories and store less fat.

Try almonds, tuna fish, making big meals on Sunday and portioning them out over the next few days.

Also, very nice job keeping the one cheat day. That flexibility makes it a lot easier to keep the system going.

[Obdigore]

Went to outback tonight. Skipped the Bloomin Onion and the bread, and had the seared tuna with green beans instead of something more heavy. Did have 2 beers though. I figure the beers were about 700 calories together

The thing I have had the most success with, and the hardest time sticking to, is cutting out the Soda. That stuff is like drinking love handles man, and it is so good. Cut out a large amount of it and replace with water and a coffee(if you need the caffiene) (black, or with some cream) and you end up feeling better and that helped me lose the pounds that just exercising wasn't hitting. There is 100 calories in a can of Dr. Pepper, and when you put down 4 of those BEFORE lunch, it is like adding another meal to your caloric intake, and you are drinking it so you don't think about it.

This post has been edited by Dutch Flag: 14 September 2011 - 04:39 AM

[Adjutant Stormy~]

My current diet plan is not being able to buy food. It's working out so far.

[Obdigore]

Adjutant Stormy, on 14 September 2011 - 05:38 AM, said:

My current diet plan is not being able to buy food. It's working out so far.

Ah yes, the Raman Noodle diet.

[Menandore]

I've been on a mission ever since moving house from London to Finland not just to lose weight but to get fit. Being healthy is so much more important imo and after 18months I'm quite proud of what I've achieved.

While I lived in London my lifestyle was attrocious. I was smoking lots, eating at least one chocolate bar every day, drinking loads of fizzy juice (that's soda/pop for those who don't know) and the only exercise I got was a little walking and some dancing at weekly amdram rehearsals (although that was very on and off depending on what we were working on). My weight got up to 82.5kg (~13st or 182lbs), which is well into the obesity category as I'm only 5"3'.

The first thing I did was quite smoking, which usually results in piling on the pounds but I actually managed to start losing weight almost immediately because I started doing aerobics DVDs and cutting down on the fizzy juice and chocolate/sweets. Almost a year ago I was given a new kind of inhaler for my asthma as well and that has pretty much changed my life. For the first time ever I really feel like it's under control and I can do whatever exercise I want unhampered by breathing problems. When I was in high school (young, exercising regularly and a non smoker) I couldn't even run 800m. My gym teacher let me sit out the second round of 400m because I was wheezing like an old lady and the rest of the class were already 200m ahead of me. Now, for the first time in my life I can run outdoors and this summer started running round a lake near my house, which is about 5km. It took me about 4 attempts to make it all the way round without walking.

I also joined a gym (another first) at the beginning of this year and go to zumba classes there 2-3 times a week, plus in the winter before I started running outside I was using the treadmill and weight machines once or twice a week. Zumba is fantastic, I really love it and would recommend it to anyone although I realise that is probably wasted on a forum full of guys (it's a dance based aerobics class).

So yeah the results of all this - I'm able to do so much more than I could a couple of years ago. Just little things like being able to walk alongside my bf into town without him having to slow down or stop while I take a puff of my inhaler. Asthma attacks are a thing of the past. I'm slimmer and more toned although I haven't lost a massive amount of weight - I'm down to about 78kg so I've only lost about 5kg (less than a stone) in a year and a half and still classed as obese but to be honest I'm not too disheartened by that. I'm definitely more toned and feel great

[Tsundoku]

Interval training ftw. Go to a running track or oval. Warm up with walking, then light jog, then canter, then a series of short sprints for about 20-25m, then range of movement muscle group warmups (4-8 seconds or until you feel the stretch begin, do each part of the body 3-5 times).

Sprint 100m flat out, then you can either very slowly jog back to your start point (100m) or quickly jog around the oval back to your start point (about 300m). Which option you take depends on your starting level of fitness.

Jog on the spot as your heart rate comes back down to tolerable levels.

Then sprint flat out 100m.

Do this 10 times or more all up. You should not have any more than 90-120 seconds between sprints.

It fucking MURDERS you, but it is amazing for your aerobic fitness.

To cool down, jog, light jog, then walk for 1-2 laps total. Muscle group warm down (like the warm ups, but hold for 12-15 seconds).

An easier way is to use a soccer/football field. After the warm up sprint along the short edges (50m) and light jog along the long edges (100m). Do 8-10 laps. You can even throw in other exercises on each lap (or even each corner if you're hard core, eg 5-10 pushups), but it's best to stick just to the running for a start.

[Isa]

For exercise I like running, spinning and walking. Unfortunately I can't run much during the summer months because of the (relative, swedish) heat but to be honest I don't notice any great decline in stamina. I would really recommend spinning as well. Plenty of benefits like; you need no coordination whatsoever, beginners and pros alike can get a good workout (cardio, lower-bod and core) and it's no real strain on the body. I suppose good old fashioned cycling would be just as good but if you have 6 months of snow/year it can be difficult to keep it up.

As for diet (here defined as "the usual food and drink of a person" rather than a regimen for weight loss) I avoid sugar (including bread, pasta, fat reduced products etc etc) and enjoy pretty much everything else. Not meat and fish though, been a vegetarian for 8 years. I know vegetarianism and veganism is often promoted for its health benefits but a lot of vegetarians end up eating a lot of french fries. I would recommend it anyway for ethical and environmental reasons but if health is the main objective you need to be willing to put in some effort. Not that all meat-eaters have a balanced diet...

Sombra, on 14 September 2011 - 08:36 AM, said:

It fucking MURDERS you, but it is amazing for your aerobic fitness.

I 2nd. And/but as someone once said, you don't run to get fit, you get fit to run

Quote

I've been on a mission ever since moving house from London to Finland not just to lose weight but to get fit. Being healthy is so much more important imo and after 18months I'm quite proud of what I've achieved.

As you should be. It's easy to associate kgs with health but an unhealthy skinny bod will probably give in before a healthy one with some curves. I did a year of the London diet but as a student. It looked something like this; lentil soup, canned beans and lots of Jack and diet coke. That was neither fattening nor healthy

[Staff]

Nice work Sombra - if you want to improve your aerobic fitness, this is the way to go.

The soccer field is a good idea - another way to use it is to start on a corner, run the short and long edges (one circuit) and continue to the next corner and do your exercise eg press-ups. Do the whole run again (short / long edges starting from your press-up corner) to the next corner and do your next exercise (eg burpees), run again with star jumps (from squat position and jump up as high as you can go - take this one easy or you might start seeing stars and then run again to the next corner (your original starting position) and do crunchees (sit ups aren't recommended anymore). If you want to do it again - go for it - it won't take as long as you think. One little thing - if you don't want an audience then go at a time when there aren't too many others around.

One of the very best things you can do is work your way up a hill - it doesn't have to be a mountain and you don't have to run it but the act of getting up it is going to be good for you because it will get your breathing and muscles going. If you want to try and jog it, then get as high as you can and then walk to the top - do it enough times and hopefully you jog a bit higher each time and when you get there without stopping, you'll be a very happy chappy/chappess. Even if you only have time to do the hill (30 - 40 mins) - it's a good way to get fit.

Exercise isn't just about physical wellbeing - it also has a positive effect on your mental wellbeing. Personally, I find that getting out of the office at lunchtime for a jog/walk is great for getting rid of all that crap that's been buzzing around in my head all morning.

To wrap up - find an exercise activity that you enjoy and get out and do it. The hardest part is physically starting it - once you get going you're likely to stay going. Good luck - make sure you're medically ok to do it before you start and don't try and be like Usain Bolt straightaway - ease yourself into it. PS - this is my first post on this site - hope I didn't sound too preachy. Thanks Orb Sceptre Boat for the opportunity

[Cougar]

I went for a walk while I was having my mid-morning cig break.

[MTS]

Lifted the remote. Talk about deep burn.

[majomull]

I makea point to cook with my 6 year old as often as I can. Letting her learn about differant foods and how to make good choices for putting together a balanced meal can only be helpful to her as she grows up. Now if only I can get her to mow the lawn...

[Aptorian]

One of my friends talked me in to doing a NUPO diet last week, which she swears is the most efficient way to lose weight fast. If you don't know what NUPO is, it's basically some magical powder mixture with the recommended nutritional needs but little to no calories. So I am downing shakes all day long intermixed with a few fruits, vegetables and tuna.

Let me tell you, when your average daily caloric intake is supposed to be around 3000, living off 7-800 calories really fucking sucks. I AM SO FUCKING HUNGRY!

On the positive side, I've lost 4-5 kilos in about a week, averaging something like half a kilo a day. Right now I'm planning on sticking to this for another week or two, going back to regular food for a month and then trying it out again.

This post has been edited by Aptorian Sharktopus: 14 September 2011 - 01:19 PM

[tiam]

Good effort on everyone advocating sprints. That level of sprint/jog/sprint (which for the record a preach but dont practice) is the best from of cardio.

Ive just got back from walking the dog at a good space. Im helping my brother move house today so might not have time to do a workout later. If I can then I can do barbell complexes, which are the best thing for fat loss.

Studious Lock- Buy a pull up bar if you want but if not the mix of press ups, lunges and burpees will help if done at a level of high intensity.

[Dolmen 2.0]

well im trying something a tad radical as ever since the wedding ive done nothing but balloon. In order to fight this Ive looked at my strengths first. I wake up around 6 via habit, so to make this usefull i get up, do my pushups then take out the trash. I run down the stairs then i run back up again two at a time then one at a time alternating with each flight. Fyi we live on th 10th floor. Then i have bran, no sugar and ginger tea. When we drive to campus i make sure to take the stairs to the top studio again on the 9th floor. I have cut out fizzy drinks and sweets in general and try really hard to eat three times a day with 2 litres of water inbetween...the secret i think is the water. I dont know the science of it but im an abysmal water drinker. I barely manage a glass every other day. This new flood in my system makes me feel less greasy and sends me to the bathroom alot. Have been at this for 2 weeks or so but plan to stick to it and throw in a run on top of my nightly workout. I miss walking a few miles like i did when i was alone but them stairs keep my blood moving and i feel great for the fact i ignore elevators on instinct by now.