The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[Hawkeye]

I don't know if there is one for iPhone, but I like MapMyHike. It has underarmor branding on my android version. I don't think it does steps, though.

Map my Hike is available on the iphone. THe GPS does track distance and, I think converts to steps. Its part of the May My (Fitness, Run, Hike, Dog Walk, Ride, etc.) family of apps.

 

[Hawkeye]

This is my first appearance in this thread. 12 days ago I began what's known as the Ketogenic Diet. In a nutshell it's high (but good) fat, adequate protein and low carb, <30 or so and those are to come from green leafy things. No simple sugars. None. I have not had candy or a Mt Dew in 12 days and you know what? It's hasn't been bad. Only minor to moderate cravings, easily handled. Just got back from the Dr. I am negative 27 pounds from my May visit. Yeah, a lot of water, but that's part of the deal, swapping your body over to run on fat rather than carbs you end up not needing to hold as much water. Blood was drawn so as to keep track of vital things. I go back in early Sept.
This has not been difficult at all, and why should it be when I have BACON and eggs scrambled in butter every day for breakfast? In fact I am about tired of it and think I'm going to find some variety.

Try a Bacon Cheeseburger without the bun or a ginorous steak with a huge lettuce wedged smothered in Blue Cheese, Blue cheese dressing - and BACON....

 

[Jackson]

Map my Hike is available on the iphone. THe GPS does track distance and, I think converts to steps. Its part of the May My (Fitness, Run, Hike, Dog Walk, Ride, etc.) family of apps.

I've seen the other apps but not tried them. Is there any real difference between the run, hike, and walk apps? Or are they essentially the same thing?

 

[Bigtanker]

This is my first appearance in this thread. 12 days ago I began what's known as the Ketogenic Diet. In a nutshell it's high (but good) fat, adequate protein and low carb, <30 or so and those are to come from green leafy things. No simple sugars. None. I have not had candy or a Mt Dew in 12 days and you know what? It's hasn't been bad. Only minor to moderate cravings, easily handled. Just got back from the Dr. I am negative 27 pounds from my May visit. Yeah, a lot of water, but that's part of the deal, swapping your body over to run on fat rather than carbs you end up not needing to hold as much water. Blood was drawn so as to keep track of vital things. I go back in early Sept.
This has not been difficult at all, and why should it be when I have BACON and eggs scrambled in butter every day for breakfast? In fact I am about tired of it and think I'm going to find some variety.

Welcome to the club!! I'm down almost 50 lbs since late February.

I have a great recipe for home made mayonnaise that uses bacon fat!!!!

 

[Hoosier8]

At 6'3" I am considered mildly obese at about 240lbs. At 62 losing weight is almost a losing proposition, pun intended. I lost 50lb when I was 49 and slowly gained it back. I cannot run like I used to do. I cannot lift weights like I used to do. I have to be much more careful of injuries as they take so much longer to recover from anymore.

So, I still like to lift weights and after my last tendonitis healed I am back at it again but....

Age.

Even from your 40's on, you do not recover from exercise like you used to and it doesn't get better the older you get but you can do lots of things, just not with the intensity you used to. For instance if you used to do 10 reps per set, you might want to scale that back to 5. You might not want to do the extreme exercises like in the other thread as that will most probably lead to injury. For instance, a few years back I did PX90 and it made a great difference in how I looked but I ended up with a very sore rotator cuff to the point I had trouble lifting my arm. Took a year to heal. Too much stress for an old man.

Lifting weights does not make me skinnier but it does make my fat look more well placed. More muscle also helps up your resting metabolic rate meaning you burn more calories just sitting.

When I feel up to it I use MyFitnessPal to track calories. Using something similar and running is how I lost weight at 49.

If you are going to start lifting weights a couple of great starter programs are available like Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. If you do that, be sure to watch Rippetoe's videos on youtube for proper form as form is critical to keep you from getting injured. Also once you are gaining in the amount of weight you are lifting be sure to do the same exercise with little weight to warm you up and set your form.

 

[Spear Dane]

Try a Bacon Cheeseburger without the bun or a ginorous steak with a huge lettuce wedged smothered in Blue Cheese, Blue cheese dressing - and BACON....

Oh I have. My sister made some KILLER grilled bacon cheese burgers Sunday. They were perfect just by themselves. Blue cheese is my favorite dressing! I found that Kroger has these very nice petit filets wrapped in bacon for $5.99. Seared 3 minutes each side and 5 in the oven at 450 led to a perfect medium rare experience of deliciousness which I ate with half an avocado. Heaven, sir. Pure heaven.

Welcome to the club!! I'm down almost 50 lbs since late February.

I have a great recipe for home made mayonnaise that uses bacon fat!!!!

OMG well share it already!!

 

[Spear Dane]

At 6'3" I am considered mildly obese at about 240lbs. At 62 losing weight is almost a losing proposition, pun intended. I lost 50lb when I was 49 and slowly gained it back. I cannot run like I used to do. I cannot lift weights like I used to do. I have to be much more careful of injuries as they take so much longer to recover from anymore.

So, I still like to lift weights and after my last tendonitis healed I am back at it again but....

Age.

Even from your 40's on, you do not recover from exercise like you used to and it doesn't get better the older you get but you can do lots of things, just not with the intensity you used to. For instance if you used to do 10 reps per set, you might want to scale that back to 5. You might not want to do the extreme exercises like in the other thread as that will most probably lead to injury. For instance, a few years back I did PX90 and it made a great difference in how I looked but I ended up with a very sore rotator cuff to the point I had trouble lifting my arm. Took a year to heal. Too much stress for an old man.

Lifting weights does not make me skinnier but it does make my fat look more well placed. More muscle also helps up your resting metabolic rate meaning you burn more calories just sitting.

When I feel up to it I use MyFitnessPal to track calories. Using something similar and running is how I lost weight at 49.

If you are going to start lifting weights a couple of great starter programs are available like Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. If you do that, be sure to watch Rippetoe's videos on youtube for proper form as form is critical to keep you from getting injured. Also once you are gaining in the amount of weight you are lifting be sure to do the same exercise with little weight to warm you up and set your form.

Sir, I applaud you for trying PX90 in your 50s. That is no cake walk by any means. So, it sounds to me like you know you have limitations but you really don't want to fully acknowledge them. It doesn't matter what you CAN'T do right now. It's what you CAN and are WILLING to do right now. You can walk. Use MFP religiously, not just when ever. I know in Indy you can find a gym with a pool, probably the YMCA. Swim laps. That is some of the best exercise you can do and it's almost zero stress on your body. Don't let perceived limitations deter you. Go over, under or around them and get to work on your goal!

 

[Snapdragon]

Love the interaction here. Keep it up. To be honest, I'm barely keeping my head above water with my weight and my blood sugar. Trying to exercise every day, and have cut out sugars and cut down on other carbs.

 

[Bigtanker]

OMG well share it already!!

There are other ways to make it but I've found this to be the easiest.

You need a wide mouth 1 Quart mason jar and a stick blender. The jar needs to be wide enough to get the stick blender in.

>>> 1 egg
>>>3/4 to 1 cup oil a good oil. Olive, avocado, walnut oil or bacon fat ( warmed up to a liquid) or any combination of the oils. 3/4 cup will give you a bit runnyer final product where the full cup will be thicker.

>>>>> about 1 teaspoon of an acid, lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

>>>>>spices. Dill, garlic etc.

Put the raw egg in the jar. Slowly add the oil. Then the acid and spices. It must be done in this order or it won't work.

Insert the blender all the way to the bottom and turn it on for 30 seconds. Leave it at the bottom for about 20 sec then slowly move it up and down a little.

You're done.

My bacon mayo is 3/4 cup of bacon fat, 1/4 cup avocado oil, apple cider vinegar and a bit of dill.

This will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.

 

[Hawkeye]

I've seen the other apps but not tried them. Is there any real difference between the run, hike, and walk apps? Or are they essentially the same thing?

I can't think of any substantial differences. I think they are just aimed at different markets.

 

[Hoosier8]

Sir, I applaud you for trying PX90 in your 50s. That is no cake walk by any means. So, it sounds to me like you know you have limitations but you really don't want to fully acknowledge them. It doesn't matter what you CAN'T do right now. It's what you CAN and are WILLING to do right now. You can walk. Use MFP religiously, not just when ever. I know in Indy you can find a gym with a pool, probably the YMCA. Swim laps. That is some of the best exercise you can do and it's almost zero stress on your body. Don't let perceived limitations deter you. Go over, under or around them and get to work on your goal!

After injuring myself twice, believe me I have had to face my limitations. I have used MFP and its previous incarnation when it was an app and can gauge what I eat pretty effectively without it. I don't eat like I used to and attribute that to MFP. I also do not lose weight like I used to even at 1500 cals a day. Eating a bit more now I am going back to the gym. I end my workout with a protein drink.

I am am a member of the Y and go to the new one downtown. Usually around 7pm Mon, Wed, and Friday so if you see a tall old fart in the squat rack it will probably be me.

Still the funniest looking thing starting over squatting with an empty bar is when you squat with 2.5 lb plates on each end.

 

[dprimm]

I stumbled into this thread and want to give a shout out to all who are working on getting into shape. Change can be hard. Change takes time (and energy). One step at a time. Listen to your body. Some things you will (hopefully) learn as time progresses:

What your body is feeling and what those feelings mean. There is good pain and bad pain. Know the difference -- and often that takes time.

What foods work and don't work for your body. My meals generally do not fit what "experts" say I should be eating. Much more protein than cyclists normally eat. I have learned that to feel good, I need more than many people. And salt -- I go through it by the fistful. Had a co-worker get grossed out when I ate a handful straight -- but the headache went away before I left the classroom! Others don't need that much.

Set simple goals. Don't beat yourself up about things. Give a shout out to others for moral support -- this thread is a great place for it. If you can get workout partner(s) even better.

Now I feel bad for not having done my 10 minutes of running for today (yet). Sigh. Feels so weird to run.

 

[stephen87]

I'm in on this one. I weighed 165-180 in high school. I've been in EMS for 3 years and have put on a soil 30-40 lbs. I feel horrible. I look horrible. I walk up the stairs and I'm winded. I take out the trash and I'm winded. The only part that makes it hard to lose what I want to lose is the fact that I work two full time jobs. My girlfriend and I have said after our next baby gets here, we're both cracking down and losing weight and getting healthier. This just helps with the motivation to lose what I want to lose.

 

[Snapdragon]

Stick with us, Stephen. We can do it.

 

[RevoWood123]

Ok, I am going to throw my hat in the ring also. I have gone up and down weight wise like a yo-yo since high school. I got heavy in middle school, after high school I lost a good bit of it (I was around 250 when I graduated). A couple years later I was down to a lean 180, I had put on muscle and lost a lot of fat. The atmosphere I was in was easy to loose weight. I was in school full time, went to the gym 2-3 hours a day, and worked loading trucks at night at FedEx. I was in the best shape I had ever been in.

Fast Forward til now. I weighed in at almost 270 this year and realized that the change has to start now. I have a young son and I want to be an ACTIVE part of his life. I have changed my diet, eating a lot less sugars and bad carbs that I know don't offer much nutrition, I have gotten away from soft drinks for the most part, and I have started walking in the mornings and doing planks after the wife and boy leave. I already feel a lot better and I have put on more muscle and just weighed in yesterday morning at 254. My goal is to get back to my lean and strong 190ish. I realize that will take time, but the arrows are already moving in the right direction.

My little advice that I can offer:
Even if you work a lot, like I do, if you can do anything active just to get some momentum started, results will gradually come. As well as simple diet changes. You don't have to start off with a strict diet, just opting for water instead of a soda, black coffee or tea (without sugar) to get some caffiene. Just selecting healthier options here and there can make a difference (grilled chicken sandwich instead of fried.) One thing I have started doing instead of fries I opt for another burger/chicken sandwich, its the same number of calories usually, but the body can use the fats a protein from the extra meat (and sometimes I just combine them and eat only one bun).

Keep up the good work everybody, you have helped motivate me this past week even though I didn't offer much back til now. I hope I am able to help by sharing my story here.

 

[stephen87]

I have a mini-vacation coming up next weekend. After that, it's gonna be half my weight in water (ounces) every day. The problem I have is that I work two full time jobs and have a 2 year old and another on the way. It's tough to eat healthy when you're on the go consistently. I'm done with excuses though.

 

[Dirty Steve]

You guys CAN do it. I got serious about fitness 5 years ago. I dropped my son off for Army BCT, came home and decided I was fat. I dropped 30 lbs in 10 weeks and showed up for his BCT graduation lean. Since then I have turned into a diet and exercise Nazi. At 49, I am in better shape than I was at 26. I will NEVER go back to where I was. I went from 185 to 155. At 155, I was to thin. I have since put on 10 lbs of muscle and developed ab muscles I didn't think possible at my age.

I get in a foul mood when I miss a work out and now schedule my entire day to make sure that I DO NOT miss a work out. It is a life style change more than anything else. If you are committed to it, you can do it. Keep a positive attitude and don't expect overnight results. If you stick to your plan, it WILL happen. Just remember, if you cheat, the only person it hurts is you. Having a support group like this is a plus.

Good luck to you all.

Dirty Steve

 

[chezuki]

You guys CAN do it. I got serious about fitness 5 years ago. I dropped my son off for Army BCT, came home and decided I was fat. I dropped 30 lbs in 10 weeks and showed up for his BCT graduation lean.

Lol, I'd have to drop more than 30lbs before anyone is even likely to notice.

 

[Bigtanker]

.

 

[Hawkeye]

I've been working out regularly with Kettlebells the last month. At a minimum, I'm trying to do 300 two-arm swings a day using a tabata type routine of 30 seconds work and 30 second rest (20 sings per work interval) for 15 minutes (or 14:30 if you wnat to get technical.) Its a good basic workout that does not take a lot of time. In addition, many days, I've either done this routime more than once, or I've also done an upper body sorkout under the same pattern.

Ive been recovering from some prety debilitating back issues from early in the year. Doing the KB exercises 20/31 days in July, wiht 10 out of the last 10 of the month has left me feeling pretty darn good. Another benefit of these exercises is that I usually get a pretty good cardio workout with teh KB's as well. On hte days when I do these 15 minute sessions twice, I'm usually gettin g 20 minutes of cardio zone HR.

I'd encourage anyone looking for a realtively simple and small investment in eexercise equipment, to go look at KB's. And there's pelnty of "free" internet sites and YOui-Tube videos that sho you how to do the basic exercises. Of course, the better way is to find someone, perhaps a trainer, who is familiar with KB's to get you started.