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

markymark550

I am definitely not a nutrition expert, so let me just preface that for the following. It's my understanding that if you just want to burn fat, that exercising on an empty stomach is fine. Working out in a fasted state makes your body produce cortisol, which will cause your body to also break down muscle for fuel. If you want to drop fat while maintaining (or adding) muscle, you shouldn't work out in a fasted state. If I were you, I would try to add some kind of protein with the banana. Maybe some peanut butter or almond butter on toast. I know people who drink a cup of two of coffee as their pre-workout (caffeine is a component of the pre-workout drink mixes), so you should be ok with coffee.

Imo if you're going to do both cardio and weights, do the cardio at the end of your workout. Glycogen (aka carbs) are your primary fuel source during exercise. Depleting your glycogen by first doing cardio inhibits your ability to gain muscle and strength. Plus, cardio first will fatigue you more, leading to inefficient weight training. However, if you weight train first, your muscles are using the glycogen stores, which will lead to burning more fat during cardio. I wouldn't do the pushups, dips, plank, etc after cardio. Do your weight training and use those others as finishers, then do your cardio.

After your workout, you should try to get some protein. This will help prevent the body using muscles for fuel and help produce muscle synthesis.

Thoughts_Arrive

Thank you for the information!

Yeah I always do cardio last to save energy for weights.

What are everyone's thoughts on protein powder? I've read they are unhealthy as they can cause kidney and liver damage as well as osteoporosis?

rgambs

Good advice from mark!
I would ammend to say that whichever is your primary goal (burning fat or building muscle) is the one you should do first.  Ideally, your cardio and weight training sessions are at different times of day or different days, and then they won't interfere with each other.
That being said, peri-workout nutrition and it's effect is a very complicated subject, and it's a game of millimetres.  In your new to training state, you don't need to worry about any of that, most of it is for elite levels where you need every edge you can get.

Eat right and work hard and you will see vast improvement in no time.  Enjoy this first year, every subsequent one sees less progress from more work.
They call it newb gainz in the douchier circles of fitness.

curmudgeoness

Eating: I can't run after eating, so I eat as little as possible when I get up in the morning (normally, it's literally twelve almonds). I lift in the afternoons, and, yes, I eat before I do that.

Protein powder: I've used protein powder and protein shakes, but TBH I work out a LOT -- like, 3-4 hours/ day -- and it can be hard for me to get enough protein/ calories. There's only so much chicken a person can eat, LOL.  If you are doing a more "typical" amount of exercise, eating a healthy diet of real food with adequate protein should be fine.

markymark550

Thoughts_Arrive said:

Thank you for the information!

Yeah I always do cardio last to save energy for weights.

What are everyone's thoughts on protein powder? I've read they are unhealthy as they can cause kidney and liver damage as well as osteoporosis?

I have never seen anything about protein powder having those side effects. I thought that whey protein was generally considered to be safe. The only thing I've noticed from using it is a little digestive disturbance (mainly just more gassy).

curmudgeoness

markymark550 said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

Thank you for the information!

Yeah I always do cardio last to save energy for weights.

What are everyone's thoughts on protein powder? I've read they are unhealthy as they can cause kidney and liver damage as well as osteoporosis?

I have never seen anything about protein powder having those side effects. I thought that whey protein was generally considered to be safe. The only thing I've noticed from using it is a little digestive disturbance (mainly just more gassy).

If you tend to be lactose-intolerant, I suggest taking lactase with whey protein shakes/ powders, even though they say that it's not needed (in my experience, it IS helpful).

And from what I've read, taking in too much (or just a lot more) protein can lead to constipation, so you need to make sure you are drinking enough water (and eating foods that contain fiber).

rgambs

I'm looking forward to going through my workout calendar from the year and tallyin' up some metrics.
I am interested to see how many gross "no work" days I've had, and how many of those are offset by two-a-days.  I'm pretty sure I hit 300 this year.
I think my running mileage will be between 500-700 for the year, but that's a wild guess.
I didn't keep count of push-ups and pull-ups(outside of the focus month for each when I did 5,000 and 2,100), but I can get get a rough low estimate of both by counting up chest/Tri and back/bi workouts.  I never do fewer than 50 pushups and 20 pull-ups on those days so I'll use those numbers and know that they are low.

curmudgeoness

Ah -- me too!

I tracked mileage, core, pushups, pullups,  and dips (once I realized I could do unassisted dips -- eek!). Yes, I am a geek.

I'm in kind of a weird place. We moved back across the country, so I had to find a new trainer. The new guy seems just fine, but, you know -- you never forget your first. :-D Seriously, though, it was a big step for me to find a trainer, and doing so made a big difference in my life.

I'm staring down my 50th birthday :-(  and trying to think about goals for next year. That's hard to do, because 1) moving is hard and occupies a lot of bandwidth, for me; 2) unlike most people, weight loss is NOT an obvious goal, or a goal at all, for me (I know, I know). We ordered ourselves a spin bike as a joint birthday gift, and I'm planning on using it 2-3 times/ week, but I'm reluctant to give in to all of the people who keep telling me I will ruin my knees by running (pro tip: that's not actually a thing. Running won't ruin your knees.)

oftenreading

Running ruined my knees!

Seriously, I loved running, but every time I got serious about it, my knee pain got unbearable. I eventually accepted that I’m not built for running. That’s fine. 

I don't track my activity but I do ride my bike almost every day, rain or shine, unless I’m out of town, so I’m sure I’m well over 300 days there. I average three climbing days per week but that can get interrupted by life circumstances and injuries. I don’t feel like I need to record it because I am always motivated to go and I always enjoy it, so there’s no need to try to increase my enthusiasm by recording gains. I also know I’m making progress, just by the routes I’m now regularly sending. I’m well into the 5-11s. 

curmudgeoness

When I first started running, my knees hurt. Then I switched shoes -- no more knee pain.

I had knee pain this summer -- it wasn't related to knee issues at all, it was a tight IT band.

Some people develop knee problems, others don't, and apparently it's not actually related to running (so you can develop joint problems without running at all). So, yeah, in that way, either running is for you or it isn't. :-)

Ms. Haiku

Batman never skips leg day.

Love this quote, curmudgeoness.

Thoughts_Arrive

Talking about knees,
I get bad pain in my right knee when running so I don't do it.
Scans show no damage. My physiotherapist says it is because I don't have strong muscles around my knee to support it.
I run in fitted running shoes to suit my foot type.

Thoughts_Arrive

I had a long session in a gym yesterday with my friend, he showed me the ropes. We worked triceps and chest and I purchased protein powder for the first time. Today I did biceps, struggled with heavier weights, my reps were 6, 2, 3. I then went back to my previous weight and did 3 sets of 20, 12, 10 reps. Feeling it now. 
Seeing protein powder is expensive and you only get 12 days worth, is it okay to only drink it on the days you do weights? Or do you need to drink it on your no weights days?

markymark550

Protein powder is just a supplement. If you get enough protein in your diet, you don't even need to buy it. It is a quick, easy way to ensure you get enough, especially if you're on a caloric deficit (ie trying to lose weight, but keep/build muscle). I typically have protein shakes on weight training days and not on rest days. There are some people who will tell you to take it every day, but I don't think it's necessary. 

curmudgeoness

I doubt that you even need protein powder. Eat chicken, fish, Greek yogurt, eggs, nuts, and you're good.

I modified my carbs a bit. So I don't normally cook pasta or rice anymore, nor do I buy bread. I cook quinoa instead of rice or pasta.

Well, I changed my relationship with food, in general. I used to try to avoid meat, look for "fat-free" foods, and grab a muffin or scone if I was hungry. Now, when I am at a restaurant I order fish, not pasta, I love olive oil and guacamole, and if you see me at Starbucks I'll be buying the ham/egg/cheese things instead of a chocolate-chip muffin. I feel better, I look better, my weight has stabilized, and I don't have cravings anymore.

Thoughts_Arrive

Why am I experiencing pins and needles continuously in my right hand? Been like this for 3 days now. Bit worried and frustrated. Why does my body not allow me to get fit?

Ms. Haiku

Are we ready to post our 2019 shape-up goals or is it too early?  I will sign up for a 10K race that is on November 10. 

Developing running as my 2019 community building tool is part of my 2019 goal. I hope that I am signed up for at least one running group by the time 2020 starts.

rgambs

Ms. Haiku said:

Are we ready to post our 2019 shape-up goals or is it too early?  I will sign up for a 10K race that is on November 10. 

Developing running as my 2019 community building tool is part of my 2019 goal. I hope that I am signed up for at least one running group by the time 2020 starts.

My action goal is to work out less to see better results (if a 5 mile run and 1.5 hours of intense lifting 6 days a week would yield optimal results, I would be huge and ripped by now), and my results goal is visible abs for the start of boat/swim season.  Half of me thinks it will be a breeze, half of me thinks it will never happen in my life lol

curmudgeoness

Ms. Haiku said:

Are we ready to post our 2019 shape-up goals or is it too early?  I will sign up for a 10K race that is on November 10. 

Developing running as my 2019 community building tool is part of my 2019 goal. I hope that I am signed up for at least one running group by the time 2020 starts.

I'm not quite there yet, myself, but post away!

I was looking at some local races last night. I don't know if I'll ever run another marathon (the training is time-consuming and frankly painful, and doing it "just because" isn't really motivation enough, for me), but I am eyeing a few half-marathons, to keep me honest with my training and to see how fast I am,

I'm about to turn 50, so it's as good a time as any to think hard about my goals, short- and longer-term..

Thoughts_Arrive

Very good alternatives to planks...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYX5FpYZA7c