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Fitness and Weight Management

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Posts

  • caligynefobcaligynefob DKRegistered User regular
    Yeah, TRX is kinda gimmicky but it's good for variance in your training - especially if you primarily do body weight exercises.

    If I was only going to do body weight exercises I would absolutely get a TRX set up.

    Yeah absolutely - when I say gimmicky I mean the marketing behind it "navy seal developed advanced training method hurr durr"

    They're pretty good for ab and pull-up type exercises.

    PS4 - Mrfuzzyhat
  • Dead LegendDead Legend Registered User regular
    Yeah, TRX is kinda gimmicky but it's good for variance in your training - especially if you primarily do body weight exercises.

    If I was only going to do body weight exercises I would absolutely get a TRX set up.

    Yeah absolutely - when I say gimmicky I mean the marketing behind it "navy seal developed advanced training method hurr durr"

    They're pretty good for ab and pull-up type exercises.

    Trust me, I understand.

    I deal with coaches who question why we don't just do that.

    diablo III - beardsnbeer#1508 Mechwarrior Online - Rusty Bock
  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    Just finished week 10, day 1 of the beginner Pete Plan. It's Tuesday which means I should be doing my second workout of the week but I had prior engagements over the weekend so I had to time shift a bit but I'm planning to be caught up by this Saturday. One goal was reached tonight, I've moved my imaginary boat 200,000 meters, one fifth towards a million! By next week, I will hit 10,000 meters in one session, which is twice as far as my very first workout.

  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    Sleep wrote: »
    So I think I might be coming up on a year or so of going to the gym regularly.

    I'm up to about 7 days a week at the gym (barring days I have to do shit or go visit family and stuff which has been happening a whole shit load for the past few months)

    I'm also down like 70+ pounds with a very noticable gain in musculature.

    Right now the core of my workout is about an hour+ on the bike, 55 minutes 12 seconds at beginning the workout, composed of: a 7 minute low level warm-up, a 35 minute high resistance session, and then a 13 minute 12 second interval session. Then I hit whatever strength training workout I have for the day (for instance today is about to be leg day). Finishing up with another 10 minutes on the bike as a bit of a cool down from the weight training. All told I pedal out about 21 to 22 miles per workout.

    I think my next avenue of change is going to have to be dietary, but I'm not particularly motivated to that because, 1 I fuckin love good food which is almost universally bad for you, and 2 carbs are cheap and I'm currently unemployed.

    Do you like oatmeal? I've been having it for breakfast and it's great stuff, I cook it with 2% milk instead of water so I have a bit of protein, and it adds to the richness. I don't even put sugar on it anymore.

  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    If, like me, you can't stomach cooked oatmeal, adding milled oatmeal to a protein shake adds a really great taste and texture to it

  • JayKaosJayKaos Registered User regular
    Hello Fitness thread, I've got kind of a general question. I turned on the step-tracking on my smart watch a few months back out of curiosity and it seems to think I'm burning an average of 4500 calories a day, which compared to my usual diet would mean I was pretty much ... starving?

    I mean I'm scrawny enough that that's not outside of the realm of possibility, but given that most of my daily exercise is the ~20 minute walk each way to work, it seems a bit extreme. That's gotta be just a calibration issue or something with how it's measuring steps right?

    Steam | SW-0844-0908-6004 and my Switch code
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    I'm pretty sure your smart watch is broken. Unless you're at professional athlete levels of activity, 4500 calories is a huge amount to burn. That's what I ate when I was trying to gain weight fast and it's a phenomenal amount of food.

  • SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    To put into perspective, 4500 calories is walking/running around 30km, cycling 150km or generally being very active for at least 5 hours a day

    Even going by bullshit Internet tables, burning 800 calories in an hour is just about the absolute max, and you're talking nonstop squash or running above 12kph the whole hour. You'd be drenched in sweat.

    I doubt very few people hit 4500 calories/day that are not professional athletes or maybe lift and move heavy things in 8 hour shifts

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
  • JayKaosJayKaos Registered User regular
    Thanks, that's about what I thought but figured I'd check with folks who actually knew stuff. Wonder if it's just measuring a lot of extra steps by virtue of me being generally fidgety.

    Steam | SW-0844-0908-6004 and my Switch code
  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    It helps to know what it's set to detect too. A lot of machines include an approximation of your basil metabolic rate plus your calories burned, rather than just the "actual" calories you're burning solely from the exercise. It's not technically wrong, but it's somewhat deceptive.

    manwiththemachinegun on
  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    I had some spare Amazon credit and they were offering $8 and change from purchases today so I bought a Polar H7 heart rate sensor. Never had an HRM (other than the optical sensor on my Fitbit) before so we'll see how collecting more data goes. Anyone have experience using these things? Pros/cons?

  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    Most phones have built in pedometers in them now. Try turning it on and seeing the step distance (and see how it changes throughout the day, does it go up while you are sitting down?) and compare against your tracker.

  • FalloutFallout GIRL'S DAY WAS PRETTY GOOD WHILE THEY LASTEDRegistered User regular
    i'm still fat

    xcomsig.png
  • SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    Pedometers are generally accurate, it's the math towards calories that's screwed.

    Most use 1 step = 1 meter (that's too generous) and 1km = your bodyweight in calories (way too generous)

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    My attempt at a fitness routine failed, like it has done every time before. I kept it up for a little while and then it petered out and for the last few weeks I've sat on my butt eating cake.

    I just get bored so quickly, and I want results RIGHT NOW or else I just feel like it's pointless and lose interest.

    Having no motivation sucks.

    Brovid Hasselsmof on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    Don't think of motivation then. I don't. Just do the thing and don't wait for the motivation to catch up.

  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    Brovid,

    What sort of fitness activities are you into? What's your current fitness level, and where do you want to eventually get to? I've had motivation issues before and for me, the best way to get my ass up and moving is to pick a discrete goal, and then train to that goal. It's a lot easier to say "eh, I'll go for a run tomorrow" when your goal is something nebulous like "be able to run more so I can maybe lose some weight or something" than "I really don't want to run today, but the 10k I registered for is coming up in 5 weeks and I need to beat my pace from 2 days ago in order to stay on track and be prepared for the race."

  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Well, I just did my first Crossfit routine, my thoughts.

    Definitely, definitely do not do Crossfit if you are beginning fitness unless you have some kind of background in exercise. As many have said, they are pre-programmed workouts that are run on strict timelimits. On the plus side, you get through workouts pretty fast, and are on to the rest of your day. The bad side is, unless you have some experience, it's incredibly easy to hurt yourself or push yourself into compromising your form which is just as bad over the long run. I was the last to finish within the allotted time, but was purposefully slowing down my movements and making sure each rep "felt" right.

    The coaches were nice, and pointed out again and again, "don't kill yourself out there," but as it is a competitive sport at the end of the day, you have to rush some parts or you won't finish.

    I'm consider adding a routine a week to add an exclamation point on my standard training, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone just getting into shape.

    manwiththemachinegun on
  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    I dunno, I just want to be fitter and stronger and not hurt my back by putting on socks.

    Incidentally I did actually run a 10k back in 2014. I really enjoyed it and resolved to run loads all the time. That lasted a week. Because running is so boring.

  • JarsJars Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    your back probably hurts because your core isn't strong enough. this goes into how abs can affect back pain and some exercises that can help

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIhCuqtC0r0

    Jars on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    I would caution against trying to diagnose someone's back pain online

  • TheStigTheStig Registered User regular
    I looked on web MD and it's cancer

    bnet: TheStig#1787 Steam: TheStig
  • JarsJars Registered User regular
    well, if you sit down a lot it's a very common thing that your core and hip flexors are out of whack

  • TheStigTheStig Registered User regular
    I've purchased a long board and I intend to learn how to use it. I'm currently 230lbs and I've never skated before. Will update on broken bones.

    bnet: TheStig#1787 Steam: TheStig
  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    I attended my first Muay Thai class on Saturday and I am still sore as all get-out
    But it was a ton of fun! and I am looking forward to going back, when my calves stop trying to murder me

  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    I finally hit 10k in my rowing program! I managed to hold steady a pace of 2:16 the whole way except the last 1000 meters where I pushed it up to about 2:10 and did an all out sprint the last hundred meters. Finish time was 45:03.2 with an average pace of 2:15.1. I submitted my time to the ranking section of the online logbook, and for a heavyweight (>160lb/72.5kg) male aged 30-39 I reached......... 17th percentile :bigfrown: Still though, this is twice as far as my first workout, and at a much higher pace so I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments (and I'm not quite halfway through the program!)

    When I came upstairs and told Mrs m!ttens the news she kissed my sweaty forehead and said "you're 99th percentile in my book" <3

  • LalaboxLalabox Registered User regular
    so i started going to the gym about a month ago, and going to classes

    they are these things called bodypump, where it's a whole bunch of different weights routines set to music, where you do a lot of changing between fast and slow, and all that. I don't think it's actually crossfit, but i don't actually know. It's been good so far! I started with a 6 kg barbell, and I've recently gone up to 8.5 for a few of the routines. I can feel myself getting better and stronger at certain things.

    after the first class, my elbow hurt so much that I couldn't bend it for a few days, and I've been having knee and thigh pains that have lasted a few days, but I've pushed through them and they are no longer bothering me. I also started doing squats every morning, since they were one of my weakest areas, and I'm now up to doing 50 every morning (alternating between full squats and half-pulses). The whole thing with lunges still absolutely destroys me, though. Squats where you've got one leg forward, one back, and you are supposed to bend your legs to 90 degrees.


    I get a free checkup with a personal trainer as well, which I'm keen to try, since they only have afternoon classes on monday, tuesday, wednesday, and I'd like to be going one more time a week than the monday, wednesday classes I've got going on now. See what it's like to start doing a bit more heavier training.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Lalabox wrote: »
    so i started going to the gym about a month ago, and going to classes

    they are these things called bodypump, where it's a whole bunch of different weights routines set to music, where you do a lot of changing between fast and slow, and all that. I don't think it's actually crossfit, but i don't actually know. It's been good so far! I started with a 6 kg barbell, and I've recently gone up to 8.5 for a few of the routines. I can feel myself getting better and stronger at certain things.

    after the first class, my elbow hurt so much that I couldn't bend it for a few days, and I've been having knee and thigh pains that have lasted a few days, but I've pushed through them and they are no longer bothering me. I also started doing squats every morning, since they were one of my weakest areas, and I'm now up to doing 50 every morning (alternating between full squats and half-pulses). The whole thing with lunges still absolutely destroys me, though. Squats where you've got one leg forward, one back, and you are supposed to bend your legs to 90 degrees.


    I get a free checkup with a personal trainer as well, which I'm keen to try, since they only have afternoon classes on monday, tuesday, wednesday, and I'd like to be going one more time a week than the monday, wednesday classes I've got going on now. See what it's like to start doing a bit more heavier training.

    BodyPump classes are not Crossfit, no. Amy used to do a lot of them when she went to the gym, they are excellent cardio exercise but they are definitely not low impact. You need to use caution when going to bigger heavier weights when doing the classes too, because if you're flinging around a 20 kilo fixed barbell and trying to keep up with the folks using 5 kilo fixed barbells, you're going to hurt your joints. In those classes as the weight goes up, the speed goes down.

  • LalaboxLalabox Registered User regular
    Lalabox wrote: »
    so i started going to the gym about a month ago, and going to classes

    they are these things called bodypump, where it's a whole bunch of different weights routines set to music, where you do a lot of changing between fast and slow, and all that. I don't think it's actually crossfit, but i don't actually know. It's been good so far! I started with a 6 kg barbell, and I've recently gone up to 8.5 for a few of the routines. I can feel myself getting better and stronger at certain things.

    after the first class, my elbow hurt so much that I couldn't bend it for a few days, and I've been having knee and thigh pains that have lasted a few days, but I've pushed through them and they are no longer bothering me. I also started doing squats every morning, since they were one of my weakest areas, and I'm now up to doing 50 every morning (alternating between full squats and half-pulses). The whole thing with lunges still absolutely destroys me, though. Squats where you've got one leg forward, one back, and you are supposed to bend your legs to 90 degrees.


    I get a free checkup with a personal trainer as well, which I'm keen to try, since they only have afternoon classes on monday, tuesday, wednesday, and I'd like to be going one more time a week than the monday, wednesday classes I've got going on now. See what it's like to start doing a bit more heavier training.

    BodyPump classes are not Crossfit, no. Amy used to do a lot of them when she went to the gym, they are excellent cardio exercise but they are definitely not low impact. You need to use caution when going to bigger heavier weights when doing the classes too, because if you're flinging around a 20 kilo fixed barbell and trying to keep up with the folks using 5 kilo fixed barbells, you're going to hurt your joints. In those classes as the weight goes up, the speed goes down.

    oh yeah I am only incrementally increasing my weight and i'm gonna be real careful about it

    cheers

  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    So uh I'm on day 3 post Muay Thai and my calves are still pretty ding-dang tight

    Any super good stretches I can do to alleviate this?

  • SCREECH OF THE FARGSCREECH OF THE FARG #1 PARROTHEAD margaritavilleRegistered User regular
    Guys I signed up for a 5k race, I did cross country poorly like 5 years ago and haven't run since and my only cardio is sporadic biking. What do I need to do to impress my friends come race day in ~2 months

    gcum67ktu9e4.pngimg
  • chromdomchromdom Who? Where?Registered User regular
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    So uh I'm on day 3 post Muay Thai and my calves are still pretty ding-dang tight

    Any super good stretches I can do to alleviate this?

    Best calf stretch I've been given is to stand in a doorway, facing the frame. Put the ball of your foot on the doorframe, keep your knee straight, and pull your hip towards the frame.

  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    @SCREECH OF THE FARG

    If you're completely out of shape, Couch to 5k is a good choice, and is 9 weeks long (you may be able to skip into week 2 or 3 if you have some baseline fitness level). If you have a decent fitness baseline and you used to run CC you may be better suited to something like this (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/142.shtml). That being said, I hate running and know hardly anything about it so take this advice with a grain of salt.

  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    I attended my first Muay Thai class on Saturday and I am still sore as all get-out
    But it was a ton of fun! and I am looking forward to going back, when my calves stop trying to murder me

    Yeah, all that bouncing and footwork drills will do a number on you at first.

  • TheStigTheStig Registered User regular
    Day one of long board learning: I didn't fall or break anything.

    bnet: TheStig#1787 Steam: TheStig
  • SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    A 5/week program that starts off with 3 Mile runs is more for improving your speed when you have the stamina than actual beginners.

    I'd start off with a 3/week c25k ish program. Make sure you have decent shoes, have a route nearby that minimises having to cross streets. I'd advice and armband for your phone. Consider stretching hamstrings before you run.

    These plans are usually interval trainings that stretch out to 5k and then remove the intervals and as long as you are able and willing to put in the time, you'll get to the finish line.

    If your goal is to finish the race, find the pace where you are just not running out of breath. With a little training you'll be able to run at this pace for a long time.

    Becoming faster is the hard part, and you need to push yourself right on the edge of aerobic / anaerobic, and you need discipline.

    Eat well, but not too much, and not to close to your training. On a 5k you don't have to bring water usually.
    Get enough sleep so your body can recover, and be warned that some stiffness and aching muscles will be part of this. You should be able to train through it.

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    Killed myself in the gym this morning. Since starting Weight Watchers I'm down 12.6 lbs and I've gotten my squat up to 200, but I think I finally hit a wall today where losing body weight and increasing lifting weight are not going to see eye to eye. I'm just not consuming enough calories to keep up growth.

    Current plan is to slow down on adding more weight, maybe 5 lbs every week at most instead of 15lbs. That should allow for some growth while still allowing me to focus on losing body weight.

    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    DoctorArch wrote: »
    Killed myself in the gym this morning. Since starting Weight Watchers I'm down 12.6 lbs and I've gotten my squat up to 200, but I think I finally hit a wall today where losing body weight and increasing lifting weight are not going to see eye to eye. I'm just not consuming enough calories to keep up growth.

    Current plan is to slow down on adding more weight, maybe 5 lbs every week at most instead of 15lbs. That should allow for some growth while still allowing me to focus on losing body weight.

    If you can lift it keep adding weight the next time you do the exercise. One thing I've found that has worked great when working out while also losing weight is about an hour or so before lifting eat something like half a banana and some nuts, so you have something in your system, about a half hour before workout take a little caffeine and then go crush the weights. I like throwing L-Glutamine in there too as part of a pre-workout.

    Make sure to get some protein in you right after lifting. Costco sells some great house brand protein shakes. 30g protein with only 180 calories.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
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  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    DoctorArch wrote: »
    Killed myself in the gym this morning. Since starting Weight Watchers I'm down 12.6 lbs and I've gotten my squat up to 200, but I think I finally hit a wall today where losing body weight and increasing lifting weight are not going to see eye to eye. I'm just not consuming enough calories to keep up growth.

    Current plan is to slow down on adding more weight, maybe 5 lbs every week at most instead of 15lbs. That should allow for some growth while still allowing me to focus on losing body weight.

    If you can lift it keep adding weight the next time you do the exercise. One thing I've found that has worked great when working out while also losing weight is about an hour or so before lifting eat something like half a banana and some nuts, so you have something in your system, about a half hour before workout take a little caffeine and then go crush the weights. I like throwing L-Glutamine in there too as part of a pre-workout.

    Make sure to get some protein in you right after lifting. Costco sells some great house brand protein shakes. 30g protein with only 180 calories.

    I'll check the weight watchers points on those shakes the next time I'm at Costco.

    For a while I was making gains ("gains" for me at the moment are both down body weight/up lifting weight) by eating 3 eggs and coffee in the morning, basically forcing myself to lift without carbs to maximize fat burn. On non-lifting days I still do cardio right when I wake up in the morning without eating to try and keep that up.

    When I hit my first lifting wall a few weeks ago I started eating 1/2 cup of oatmeal w/ a tbsp of brown sugar along with the eggs and coffee, and that helped me have the energy until today. Bananas are free under weight watchers, so I'll try including one or two of those as well on lift-day mornings to see if it helps.

    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    Oatmeal and eggs are so, so good. Occasional bacon is fine too. Some fats are needed.

This discussion has been closed.