Exercise and Fitness - Olympic spirit!

[baxus]

3 hours ago, lessthanluke said:

I'm so close to getting 20 straight pull ups it's painful hha. Keep hitting the wall at 17/18 might shift some body weight just to do it. 

Yeah, we really do have the same problem   

In other news, I've managed to hit my goal weight and have now been at comfortable 77kgs for a few days. Also, I've noticed that things that felt really hard for me physically when I just started with crossfit are nowhere near as difficult for me to do now.

I guess now it's just a matter of training regularly for a few more months until I get in shape I'm going for. Last time it took me about six months of regular training to do it so I'm hoping it won't be much different this time.

I'll be having a two-week break from training because of my sister's wedding and the upcoming vacation to Lisbon so that might mess up my plans a bit but I'll be pretty active in Lisbon at least, having already booked surfing lessons  I have never tried surfing, having lived in continental Europe my entire life but it's one of the things on my bucket list.

[Iskaral Pust]

Driving range last night.  Today was bench press, narrow pull downs & arms.  I had to rush but it was a good workout.  

Still at 178lbs/81kg and very lean and well defined.  I always had the build of a typical pro soccer player but now I have more upper body muscle than most of them. Still trying to inject variation here and there while preserving the foundation of lifting heavy weights in the key forms. 

I may hit some more golf balls tonight.  It's fun and relaxing.  Definitely not strenuous exercise though. 

[aceluby]

I use a combination of EAS protein (37g protein @ 225kcal) and Muscle Milk (10g protein at ~ 75kcals) for post workout protein.  For a meal replacement I use the same combo with some berries for ~50g of protein and 400kcals.  Seems to be the best balance of protein, calories, and taste.

This week I took 7 classes over a 6 day period with one rest day and am feeling much better about my fitness level.  Still need to cut about 10 lbs, but my energy levels and sleep are so much better than when I don't workout.  I'll get one more class in today and at least 3 classes during the week, hopefully 4-5.  Really want to get back to where I was before the summer.

[3CityApache]

Another 10K race today and another pb, surprisingly, as it was raining hard the whole distance. But I felt great and managed to make it in 51:59 minutes, despite one long, really exhausting hill (about 800 metres) on 7th km. 

[Starkess]

Congrats! That's awesome

[Equilibrium]

I recently, 3 months ago, cut all sugar from the diet, well obviously not all, I mean there is sugar in whole grains, nuts, vegetables and I do eat occasional fruit, but added sugar, liquid sugar, processed food with some sugar (ketchup, sauces etc). I also dropped all processed grains.

It is magnificent, changes come slowly but steadily and after like two months there is huge difference. My energy levels are unbelievable and better yet I don't experience energy ups and downs, all stable, all day, mental energy is also through the roof, razor focus, no sluggishness ever, mood constantly elevated. I sleep better, falling asleep as soon as I hit the sheets and waking up 6-7 hours later like I was catapulted from the bed. Really overall state of organism is vastly improved, my skin looks and feels better, not that I mind or payed attention, it got so better that I had to notice (girlfriend told me first and then I noticed).

I made no major changes during this time, I was at the seaside, but I go every year, so it's not that. I quit drinking coffee over a year ago and while there were improvements, they weren't no were near this major. As my appetite is better (since no more cookies between meals), I eat much more, so cal intake hasn't changed, but I still have lost 7 pounds and I look like I've lost 20, I've never been bloated or puffy, so this is even bigger surprise.

Give it a try guys, it's not ancient Chinese secret or some impossible meal plan, just cutting sugar, 5/5 would recommend.

As for exercise, I currently can't be bothered to return to weight lifting regiment, it seems boring now after three weeks of brutal swimming and two more weeks of working something physically, so I just crank pullups on the door bar, I generally do upward of 500 a day (best from one take, 51, not locking down elbows, but good form and range of motion, while the bar is somewhat narrower then real wide grip)

 

 

[Iskaral Pust]

I substantially reduced my sugar too and saw a lot of benefits, although I didn't cut as extreme as you.  I'm glad it's working for you.  500 pull-ups a day is hard to imagine. 

Sunday was lunge squats for me -- burning quads but all good -- and a third consecutive night at the driving range, giving me some tennis elbow.  Tennis elbow from golf sounds old and wealthy but I swear I'm not.  I'm now traveling all week for work.  A couple of the hotels have indoor pools so I brought swimming gear rather than try to do a weights session in the inadequate gyms.  Besides, it will allow the tennis elbow some rest. 

[Equilibrium]

15 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said:

I substantially reduced my sugar too and saw a lot of benefits, although I didn't cut as extreme as you.  I'm glad it's working for you.  500 pull-ups a day is hard to imagine. 

Sunday was lunge squats for me -- burning quads but all good -- and a third consecutive night at the driving range, giving me some tennis elbow.  Tennis elbow from golf sounds old and wealthy but I swear I'm not.  I'm now traveling all week for work.  A couple of the hotels have indoor pools so I brought swimming gear rather than try to do a weights session in the inadequate gyms.  Besides, it will allow the tennis elbow some rest. 

Glad to know that other people notice the change, cutting sugar is one of those things you keep hearing about and which seems common sense but until you do you aren't really aware of the benefits.

It's not that hard when you spread them across all day, when I do regular training I scale back, but it's nice habit, you walk through the door you do a series.

[3CityApache]

12 hours ago, Starkess said:

Congrats! That's awesome

Thanks.

I think 10k races just suit me best after all. I'd be able to make a half marathon I guess (though I've never run more than 12 km so far), but 10k seems just the perfect distance. Enough to feel thoroughly tired, but not totally exhausted. 

I've signed for the next 10k race in less than two weeks, on September 4th. My wife will be a pacemaker there, running for 52:30, so I'll try to make it at least within that time. And I'm aiming at breaking 50 minutes by the end of this year, if the knee allows.

[aceluby]

I don't eat much sugar, so I've never had much to cut out.  Alcohol is a big one for me though.  When I cut back to once a week I see much better results.  I'm also not a fan of cutting anything completely out of my diet.  I am mostly vegetarian, but if I crave a steak, I eat one.  If I want something sweet, I have something sweet.  I just be sure not to binge when I do.  That seems to work for me a lot more than 'cut x from your diet and it's like magic'.  I never stick to it.

Took 8 classes last week and am going to try and follow it up with 7 classes this week.  Barre tonight, yoga tomorrow, barre + yoga on Thursday.  Almost at 100%, so it's good to be back.

[Equilibrium]

I don't drink at all, not a drop, for the last few years, so it wasn't problem to me even before cutting sugar completely. 

I have exactly opposite philosophy, I enjoy cutting stuff out, so I don't have to portion, eat less or keep track of anything. Cigs aside, I quit as it's obvious they are bad and then I thought, does alcohol contribute to anything, well yes to getting wasted and calorie count, but otherwise no, so cut, then processed food, is it healthy, no, why I eat it, it's convenient, cut, better not to eat at all then eat junk, coffee, habit, cut, sugar, it's sweet, fuck that, cut. Yeah some of it tastes good, but after five mins you forget about the taste and pleasure is gone, and on the other hand healthy food tastes great as well, fruit, cashews, peanuts and such, all tasty, so why eat tasty and unhealthy when you can eat tasty and healthy.

I eat mostly vegan, occasional eggs or fish, and sometimes weeks go by without meat, I do drink real fermented yoghurt.

Barre, nice, my girlfriend used to do that, it's great way to get in shape.

[3CityApache]

12 minutes ago, aceluby said:

I'm also not a fan of cutting anything completely out of my diet.

Yeah, I'm on the same wagon. I don't have any problems with keeping the weight under 80 kg since I started to run regularly. But having said that I am considering cutting at least some of the sugar I eat, and I eat it a lot. I'll probably start with one spoon of sugar in my tea or coffee instead of two and/or eating sweets of any kind only on weekends. We'll see how that goes.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

I have returned.

Been over a year since I seriously did any workouts, and I completely blew up after my surgery, so I am exactly where I was 3 years ago *sigh*

I've actually been ready for a few weeks, but decided to wait until after my vacation, and my once a year drinking of alcohol and general over-indulgence.

Since I know sugar is a major addiction for me, I am going to ease into the cut backs. This week, no grains or added sugars after lunch, next week, none after breakfast. I’ll have to start drinking some tea to ease the caffeine withdraw too. Like before, it will be kind of a paleo lite diet plan.

 

Only time I am really good enough to workout is early mornings, so as soon as I am able to get up on time, I’ll start (likely Thursday.  Still trying to recover from the 3 & 4 hours of sleep a night I got on vacation)

 

I’m really looking forward to doing this again, and fingers crossed I stay healthy.

[baxus]

19 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

Sunday was lunge squats for me -- burning quads but all good -- and a third consecutive night at the driving range, giving me some tennis elbow.  Tennis elbow from golf sounds old and wealthy but I swear I'm not.  I'm now traveling all week for work.  A couple of the hotels have indoor pools so I brought swimming gear rather than try to do a weights session in the inadequate gyms.  Besides, it will allow the tennis elbow some rest. 

I never understood golf. It must be one of those things you have to try to enjoy, but I just don't see the appeal in even trying it. I mean, I've never tried surfing (hopefully, in 3 weeks I will have to stop saying that )or sailing either, but I know I want to try that.

My already rather low opinion of golf was reduced even lower when I went for a sports medical about a year and a half ago. They measured our body fat percentage, muscle tissue percentage etc. and gave us this table of how much calories doing a half hour of different sports would burn for our specific body types. At that time, walking for a half an hour I'd burn a bit over 160kcal, while golfing for as long would burn a bit over 140kcal. Ever since, I have this image of two guys talking and one of them asks the other how he got into golf and the guy responds: "I tried walking, but I found it too intense, man."  

I'm fully aware that I might be wrong. For all I know, golf might be a really good way to relax and there's definitely skill involved. Still, I don't see it as the workout I'd try to fit in my schedule.

17 hours ago, aceluby said:

I don't eat much sugar, so I've never had much to cut out.  Alcohol is a big one for me though.  When I cut back to once a week I see much better results.  I'm also not a fan of cutting anything completely out of my diet.  I am mostly vegetarian, but if I crave a steak, I eat one.  If I want something sweet, I have something sweet.  I just be sure not to binge when I do.  That seems to work for me a lot more than 'cut x from your diet and it's like magic'.  I never stick to it.

Trying to cut something out completely just makes me want it even more.

I've found a way that works great for me - I try to eat more healthy and usually it's not too difficult at first but after a while, as we all know, cravings set in. No major breakthroughs there, right?  The breakthrough for me was to not try to resist the impulse, but to delay it for a couple of minutes. Before, if I wanted a candy or a large mocha or whatever I'd drop everything and go get it or think about it until I gave in and got it. Now, I tell myself: "Ok, I can't get that at this moment, let's wait w ahile" and actually wait for a while and if I still feel like having it, I do it. How often the cravings just passed or I even forgot about it really came as a shock and drove home the point that diet is a matter of habit more than anything else.

[ljkeane]

I had my last preseason warm up game of rugby last night. I'm feeling quite fit actually, which is nice. I almost scored a couple of tries as well, unfortunately I'm now to slow for things like that. On the down side one of the guys I was playing with hurt his leg, the physio thinks he's broken his fibula, which is a bit shit in a Tuesday night preseason game.

[Iskaral Pust]

Baxus - I don't think of golf as exercise at all.  I go to the nearby range and hit 100 balls in 30-40 minutes.  It's an afterthought excursion if I have some free time in the late evening.  While I'm doing it, I'm only thinking about hitting the ball, so I feel mentally refreshed afterward.  Good shots feel very rewarding too.  

I have a compulsion to master things.  If I try something new, I like to develop my skill at it unless the activity itself feels onerous or grating.

[aceluby]

Barre was AMAZING last night.  Focused on the core and glutes, and today I don't feel sore, just like I worked those muscles hard.  Exactly what I want from that class.  Tonight it's yoga flow and instead of a double on Thursday I think I'm going to go to the 6am class instead so I can hang out after work w/ some friends.  I'll get some doubles in over the weekend.  Had a nice light dinner too, which is something I need to get back into the habit of.  While my gf was out of town I tended to binge eat at night :(.  No more!

[Starkess]

On 8/23/2016 at 6:28 AM, 3CityApache said:

Thanks.

I think 10k races just suit me best after all. I'd be able to make a half marathon I guess (though I've never run more than 12 km so far), but 10k seems just the perfect distance. Enough to feel thoroughly tired, but not totally exhausted. 

I've signed for the next 10k race in less than two weeks, on September 4th. My wife will be a pacemaker there, running for 52:30, so I'll try to make it at least within that time. And I'm aiming at breaking 50 minutes by the end of this year, if the knee allows.

I agree, 10k is my favorite racing distance!

On 8/23/2016 at 5:09 AM, Equilibrium said:

Give it a try guys, it's not ancient Chinese secret or some impossible meal plan, just cutting sugar, 5/5 would recommend.

Those two things do not compute! I honestly wouldn't want to live a life without sugar. I'm glad it works for you, but that is in no way feasible for me!

[Equilibrium]

5 hours ago, Starkess said:

I agree, 10k is my favorite racing distance!

Those two things do not compute! I honestly wouldn't want to live a life without sugar. I'm glad it works for you, but that is in no way feasible for me!

I really don't want to sound overbearing, just quick friendly advice.

Do a trail test, cut as much sugar as you think you can endure for 2 months, go into it knowing it's not permanent and the brain will let you of the hook, trust me I quit smoking that way.

Then you can experience for yourself. I know I, for one, didn't comprehend all the benefits when I only heard about them. 

When it's your body and not random guy from the internet you are listening you will find it much more persuasive.

And if not, then you mire at your willpower, celebrate with cake and continue your merry way

Two months are nothing, you certainly won't regret it after the fact.

Please don't take this as imposing of lifestyle choices, I am just saying in best intentions, you do as you please.

[baxus]

@Equilibrium

 

It's not about being able to completely cut sugar out or not, it's about wanting to do it or not.

I for one do not think that any of the "this food type is horrible and should be cut out completely" trends are right because of the fact that "this food type" has changed so many times that I remember it lost all meaning. It was fat, it was pork, it was red meat in general, it was carbs, it was sugar and God knows what else and all of it was on repeat cycle.

A quick disclaimer: Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are having the results and it's working out for you, but it has to be said that each and every one of those trends had the same type of advocates you seem to be. Sharing your experiences is very welcome, it's one of the things this thread is about but you should probably think twice before giving out "friendly advice" to people whose lifestyles/inclinations/medical histories/whatever you know nothing about (I'm assuming here, please correct me if I'm wrong).