Anyone want to shape up in 2018? A continuing journey.......

FoxyRedLa

Thanks!!

curmudgeoness

FoxyRedLa said:

Couldn't resist!

That's awesome progress, congrats!

The belly thing is hard, especially after having kids. I guess the first question would be, are your abdominal muscles still separated? If so, you would want to resolve that issue before trying anything else.

Fibroids can cause bloating (sorry, guys)... so can certain days of our cycles.

Beyond that: Depending on how your body stores fat, getting rid of the belly can be hard. I tend to store fat in my thighs, so it was less of an issue for me. But I can tell you that even after tons of daily core work and becoming very lean, I still don't have Instagram-ready abs, due to having children. That loose skin doesn't go away (sorry!!).

curmudgeoness

I've made some good progress in the gym. I can do "real" pull-ups now! Woot! Of course, now I want to work on them all the time, and my back would like me to dial things back just a little bit. ;-)

And I'm now squatting and deadlifting more than I weigh. That's not an earth-shattering accomplishment, but it's progress, and it also means that I've finally (I hope) dealt with a nagging wonky hip flexor that was getting in the way of doing proper squats.

I got four hours of exercise yesterday, so this morning I seem to be hiding from my workout. Onward!...?

rgambs

Great work Foxy!  That's an excellent transformation!

Glad to see summer is going well for people.

rgambs

TalonTedd said:

I'll share my map to better health.
I have a 1000 square foot garden...that's big.
I turn soil.  Weed.  Bend and stoop...a lot
I've lost thirty pounds from 220.
My family and I are enjoying a great harvest of fresh organic foods for almost no cost.
I pay nothing to attend my "gym".
I really enjoy the company of the other Gardeners.  It's a community share agriculture thing.  About 50 other plots of various sizes.
It also lead to me quitting a thirty year cigarette sentence. 
Pearl Jam et al have been there (in my buds) the whole food goodness time.  
I love it.
My point is that I decided to live healthier not just get fit...and real rewards that never involve me ego tripping in a mirror.  Been there and didn't dig it.
Actually the song swallowed whole was a bit of an inspiration.
For a warm up I'm setting new cement stairs beside our house.
Try heavy labour.  It works and you get things that others also can use and enjoy.

People underestimate the number of calories burned in slow steady work like gardening, and more importantly, the fat burn.  Much more efficient fat burning than aerobic exercise!  
I don't care if you can deadlift 700lbs, if you hand pull weeds (motherfucking onions) for 2-3 hours your hamstrings will be sore as hell the next day.

I do both.
Large garden and ego tripping in the mirror lol

I've found that my farm chores tend to put too much wear on my spine, hips, and knees for the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal benefits they give me, so I do them as quickly as possible and work my fitness in the gym and on the floor where I can control my mechanical advantages and spare my joints.

Swallowed Whole is a badass underrated tune.  People who aren't in touch with nature don't seem to appreciate it at all. 

FoxyRedLa

curmudgeoness said: 

FoxyRedLa said:

Couldn't resist!

That's awesome progress, congrats!

The belly thing is hard, especially after having kids. I guess the first question would be, are your abdominal muscles still separated? If so, you would want to resolve that issue before trying anything else.

Fibroids can cause bloating (sorry, guys)... so can certain days of our cycles.

Beyond that: Depending on how your body stores fat, getting rid of the belly can be hard. I tend to store fat in my thighs, so it was less of an issue for me. But I can tell you that even after tons of daily core work and becoming very lean, I still don't have Instagram-ready abs, due to having children. That loose skin doesn't go away (sorry!!).

Thank you curm!! I was JUST reading about diastasis recti last night! I tried to feel if I had the separation couldn't tell. I have blood work next week and appt with dr the following and will ask him if he thinks I do because I do need a plan going forward. I'm not stuck because this is a slow process for me with little to none exercise right now.

Thank you for sharing it does help me bunches!!

rgambs

Regarding stubborn belly fat and internal bloating, I would look toward professional bodybuilders and figute competitors for possible answers.  Both issues are huge in those circles, and there are some real solutions to real problems to be found.

curmudgeoness

I also found that reducing starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice) helped with bloating. I've become a big fan of quinoa, LOL.

oftenreading

curmudgeoness said:

I also found that reducing starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice) helped with bloating. I've become a big fan of quinoa, LOL.

I am also a big fan of quinoa, but just because I like it  

TalonTedd

Thanks rgambs.  Anyway it's done swallowed whole or guns gallored.  It's good to feel great.

Ms. Haiku

Since this is my birthday month I've been eating like it's going out of style for the past two weeks. I'm starting back on the exercise route in September. I already asked a couple co-workers to check up on me. They will probably ask How is exercising going? That sort of thing.

Ms. Haiku

I saw a recent picture of myself and I thought, Gym Time! I can't expect the same half-assed exercise behaviors to give me different results, eh?

The last time I joined a gym was in 2009, and I rarely went. This one is a few blocks away from my work. I had a tour and it seems average+, but I can work with what they have. 

Oi!

rgambs

Gym life.

I'm still trucking along, excelling at mediocrity lol
I was going to back off on overall volume, but I never did.  Maybe Nov. 1st.
Sometime in the next week or so I will hit a new all-time low in weight, muscle growth is very slow but steady, same with strength increases...very slow, but I am losing weight so even staying flat in strength through that is a victory.

Ms. Haiku

Signed my name on the dotted line at the gym. Yay!

curmudgeoness

So.... it's been a while.

How is everyone doing?

Somehow, I keep making gains. I shocked the hell out of my trainer the other day by doing three sets of six unassisted dips. :-) Yesterday, I bumped that up to eight. :-D  I'm squatting and deadlifting 145, and I no longer feel like I'm about to die while I'm doing it (which means my trainer probably will up the weight tomorrow....).

I'm not putting in the effort I would like to be making on my runs. Dark mornings definitely have been a factor there, along with lots of chaos (we're moving!). But I'm hoping to get that back on track... tomorrow.

And I also have to say, I feel good about how I look! How often does a woman my age -- or any woman -- say that? I'm not doing any of this for appearances, but looking great certainly is a nice side benefit. :-)

What are you all doing to stay on top of things during the holiday season?

njnancy

I quit smoking 16 months ago and have weight to lose. I have been very sedentary over the same period of time so I need to get back to where I was. I'm not a gym person. I won't go. I love yoga, which was fine when I was just maintaining. Now I need to figure out what will work with my goals, age, lifestyle, limitations. 

So I'm on the weight loss train too. I'm good with the healthy eating. I have to start to move and do so in the most effective method. 

Let you know when I actually get started.

curmudgeoness

Good luck finding what works for you! My kids' doctor always said, the "best" exercise is the kind you will do regularly.

I'm a runner; it's a sickness. I sure do get tired of hearing "but what about your knees??!?!?" That''s usually from cyclists, who are super-keen on converting me to bike-riding. But I don't want biking to be my primary form of cardio. So... I smile and keep running. Do what works for you; it's your body, after all.

oftenreading

I've been climbing up a storm the last few months. Because my schedule was up in the air over the summer and early fall, I focused on my endurance (with auto-belays) and on bouldering, since I didn't always have a belay partner, and I've really noticed the difference. My climbing skills have improved and I'm easily sending the 5-10a-ds, which sometimes gave me a struggle a few months back. My challenge level is now 5-11s and I've sent one 5-12, though it damn near killed me . I've joined a drop in class for climbers climbing 5-11s and higher that runs at my gym once monthly and have enjoyed it so far. I was nervous before the first one, thinking that they were going to throw us onto 5-12s and shout at us, but no, it was very chill. Climbers are generally very chill

Still cycling almost every day. It's a bit more of a challenge when the ride home is pitch black, and once we get ice on the roads I will have my daily freak out over it, but I'll get through.

markymark550

I have not been doing so great with working out. I hurt myself lifting twice over the summer and other commitments really limited my gym time until late. I'm basically starting over and going to build back up to where I was last spring. I need to lose some weight, but I find that I have a hard time losing, so don't really have any goals for that. Portion control and late night snacking are my downfall...just need to get some better self-discipline. 

markymark550

Congrats on quitting smoking, njnancy. I quit a few years ago and am thankful I did.