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

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  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,130
    Ms. Haiku said:
    I'm running more, and feeling good after it. I'm trying to lose weight, but I guess I need a more dramatic lifestyle change as it is not coming off easy. The future looks bright  :)

    I'm glad to hear that running is feeling good!

    Being more active always is a good thing, but running isn't the best way to lose weight. The first year I tracked my miles, I was very disappointed to find that I had run 1500 miles and had lost exactly TWO pounds.

    So, to lose weight:

    1) Eat less. I found that it helped me a lot to keep a food diary for a while and really track what I was eating. I use the food journal in My Fitness Pal, but I am sure there are other apps that do the trick. One thing I really like about the MFP food tracker is that it has a massive database of foods, so if you grab a sandwich at Starbucks for lunch, you can type in the sandwich name and it will pop up and all of the nutritional info is entered for you automatically. You also can see how balanced your diet is -- are you getting enough protein, too much sugar, etc? -- which leads me to

    1a) I found that reworking my diet to eat more protein (instead of the starches that used to make up most of my diet) left me feeling better and having fewer cravings to kee eating. Your mileage may vary, of course.

    2) Boost your metabolism. You do that by lifting weights and building muscle. You will not get bulky (unless you like to take testosterone supplements or something). Muscle burns calories all the time, whereas fat just sits there. Now, keep in mind that your weight might not change all that much, but your size will. I've been lifting heavy for two years; I'm a size two. After about six months of lifting heavy and running a lot (60+ miles/week), I lost four pounds. That doesn't sound much different than what I described up above -- but I also dropped a full dress size. I looked very different, even though the number on the scale hardly changed at all.

    -- Also, lifting makes you feel strong, which is awesome in its own right. :-)
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,130
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    Do it!!!

    Watch Free Solo or Dawn Wall and then go buy a kit at REI!
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    I'm pushing for visible and for the first time in my life.
    It's going ok.  I don't feel like I'm losing muscle, but I'm not losing fat quickly either.  

    I run 3 miles in 25 minutes and then I lift hard for an HR and 20 minutes 6 days a week.  Not eating junk food is hard.  When you eat whole foods and high protein, you can be full and nourished all the waking hours...but never actually feel that way because you just want chips and cake and pizza and chocolate.
    Sucks.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,368
    curmudgeoness said:
    Ms. Haiku said:
    I'm running more, and feeling good after it. I'm trying to lose weight, but I guess I need a more dramatic lifestyle change as it is not coming off easy. The future looks bright  
    Thank you, curmudgeoness. I'm going to focus on running because I love it.

    I've used food tracker apps. They are useful until I stop using them.

    Weight lifting is contraindicated because of my heart.
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,130
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)

    I did try it once, indoors. We've since moved, and I don't know if there are local facilities. I'm pretty sure this area is short on outdoor climbing features (as well as trail running options). Indoors, I liked okay. Outdoors -- well, I'd have to overcome my fear of falling. :-(
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • Bentleyspop
    Bentleyspop Craft Beer Brewery, Colorado Posts: 11,394
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    Do it!!!

    Watch Free Solo or Dawn Wall and then go buy a kit at REI!
    Kit?
    I don't  need no stinking kit
    Okay maybe shoes and chalk...

    National Geographic: Climber Jim Reynolds achieves epic free solo and descent of Fitz Roy in Patagonia.. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/2019/03/climber-jim-reynolds-free-solos-fitz-roy
  • The Juggler
    The Juggler Posts: 49,590
    Bentleyspop said:
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    Do it!!!

    Watch Free Solo or Dawn Wall and then go buy a kit at REI!
    Kit?
    I don't  need no stinking kit
    Okay maybe shoes and chalk...

    National Geographic: Climber Jim Reynolds achieves epic free solo and descent of Fitz Roy in Patagonia.. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/2019/03/climber-jim-reynolds-free-solos-fitz-roy
    Yeah I usually just use my bare feet and hands. 
    www.myspace.com
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,656
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    Do it!!!

    Watch Free Solo or Dawn Wall and then go buy a kit at REI!
    Finally saw "Free Solo"  Wow!  Now am waiting for "Dawn Wall" to show up on Netflix- can't wait!

    I'm heading down to R.E.I. to take a second look at some hiking shoes and day packs.  Time to start putting in some more trail miles.  And we're heading down to Yosemite for a  long day trip in a little over a week.  I almost fell off a cliff there once and I wasn't even intentionally rock climbing.  No, just a nice safe hike this time around.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni











  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    edited May 2019
    brianlux said:
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    curmudgeoness said:
    I'm staying busy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. I've cut back my mileage from 65/week to 50 or so. That was due largely to our move, but it ended up being a longer-term change once I realized that not being utterly exhausted from my runs meant that I could make better gains in my lifting.

    So, the lifting is going well! I've benched 100# a few times and I'm going to try to bench my body weight. I've had solid PRs for deadlift and squats (closing in on 200# there!), I can do a full set (8 reps) of both unassisted dips and chin-ups, and a few (three? LOL) proper pull-ups. And I really, really look forward to lifting each day and having a good workout.

    And I keep getting faster. I won my age group at a few races and I absolutely crushed my long run the other day. That shouldn't be happening at my age, but I can't complain. On the down side, my IT band continues to be alarmingly tight, so bodywork is a big part of every day (foam rolling, for me, lasts close to half an hour, and that's just to keep things from getting worse).

    I'm trying to decide what else to do -- incorporate some plyometrics? try dance? learn to swim? -- but I have to accept (and maybe even celebrate) the fact that I'm in a pretty good place right now.
    Have you considered rock climbing? ;)
    Do it!!!

    Watch Free Solo or Dawn Wall and then go buy a kit at REI!
    Finally saw "Free Solo"  Wow!  Now am waiting for "Dawn Wall" to show up on Netflix- can't wait!

    I'm heading down to R.E.I. to take a second look at some hiking shoes and day packs.  Time to start putting in some more trail miles.  And we're heading down to Yosemite for a  long day trip in a little over a week.  I almost fell off a cliff there once and I wasn't even intentionally rock climbing.  No, just a nice safe hike this time around.
    There's nothing more Muirish than almost falling off a cliff in Yosemite!  Trail miles are the very best form of exercise and expression of fitness.  Period.
    If you haven't been in a long time, just know that crowds have increased exponentially over the last decade and parking gets tight on the weekend even this time of year.
    Waterfalls are top-notch right now.
    I really can't wait to come out in early July.  I expect the Upper Mariposa Grove to be far and away the most spiritual place I've yet been.
    Post edited by rgambs on
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    edited May 2019
    I'm down 17 lbs since March 1, I haven't had fast food since February, and I even gave up diet soda.  Daily chocolate will need to be pried from my cold dead hands.
    In the week before Easter my upper abdominals became visible for the first time in my life and the contrast is getting clearer. 
    :
    Post edited by rgambs on
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    pretty sure this is as good as it's ever going to get lol
    Not where I'd like to be, but sure better than I was.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • markymark550
    markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,214
    Good job putting in that work rgambs!

    I wish I had the dedication to my nutrition that I have with my workouts. All in all, I'm ok with being strong, but doughy lol.
  • FoxyRedLa
    FoxyRedLa Lauren / MI Posts: 4,810
    I'm still here! Hope everyone is doing well! Summers here! I am still working at the mid section. Not much progress but I am going to enjoy my summer - as soon as it stops raining in MI! Very busy at work - promotion last Oct and I'm exhausted haha.
    Oh please let it rain today.
    Those that can be trusted can change their mind.
  • MayDay10
    MayDay10 Posts: 11,851
    anyone use a Garmin watch/Garmin connect?
  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,368
    rgambs said:
    pretty sure this is as good as it's ever going to get lol
    Not where I'd like to be, but sure better than I was.
    Looking strong, rgambs!
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • Ms. Haiku
    Ms. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,368
    I had a routine cardiology stress test. No matter how hard I run, my heart doesn't go above 90ish beats per minute. People with typical hearts at my age would hit 130. No wonder I stop all the time. My heart is in a good place, so this doesn't worry anyone, but running a strong six miles non-stop most likely won't happen. I can still run, and get the excellent feeling and feel great afterward,  but my inner Wilma Rudolph who wanted to show herself will need to turn into another goal. 

    Life is what it is.

    I'll start running again next week. The only goal is to enjoy myself. :)
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • Jason7192
    Jason7192 Southern Indiana Posts: 318
    MayDay10 said:
    anyone use a Garmin watch/Garmin connect?
    @MayDay10 I use a Garmin Forerunner 235 and have it linked to Garmin Connect. It's a great watch, and Garmin Connect is a really nice app. 
  • Thoughts_Arrive
    Thoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Does anyone know how many minutes of high intensity workout per day is required for heart health?
    The media here keep saying to aim for 30 minutes of excercise per day for heart health, but I think this is for moderate intensity.
    I'm averaging about 150bpm on my spin bike and do this for 30 minutes. Not sure if doing it for 15-20 minutes per day is adequate?
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014

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