Thread The Second expired, but our fitness goals haven't!

I'm shooting to add a photo or two on or around June 1, so show off my resilts (such as they might be). I think I REALLY have to watch my diet in order to have any ab definition by 6/1. And my pics may come a couple days after 6/1, as I will be packing up my son's condo and then the office of one of our retiring agents. I'll be on the road at the end of May/first of June, so bear with me if nothing appears from me exactly on June 1.

There has been one great development - the small changes I've made in my diet have helped my blood sugar numbers a lot! My glucose number now hovers aound 100, many times being in the 90's or even 80's. That is GOOD NEWS for ol' RodeoSchro!

This thread will take us to about July 4th, so let's declare this one:

sticky

Horsefeathers said:

Go, you! That's great! My numbers are good, blood sugar, cholesterol, trigs, all of that, but I could afford to lose a few (or more) pounds. I had been hitting the gym and even lost 10 lbs cutting dairy and sugar, but recent health issues that include some intense pain (hence cutting dairy and sugar) have sort of back burnered it. I have surgery on the horizon, though, so I hope to be back at it soon. I'm really wanting to get more fit. I'm also wanting to get into yoga to see if it helps wth some lower back pain. Which is all largely pointless on this thread since I'm kind of benched right now, but it's still nice to have goals.

Oh man, I hope tha pain goes away. All my life, the only pain I ever felt was due to injury, or pulling muscle while working out, etc. I had never experienced pain for pain's sake. And then I got diabetes, and had three bulging disc episodes. I know a little bit of what just plain old pain is, and it is a BUMMER. I hope yours is eliminated within the next 30 seconds!

I want to do yoga, too. When you're ready to start, hit me up and we'll do it together, long-distance!

I've got to stop eating chicken parmesian with fettucine alfredo, or my June 1 pic is going to be sad, sad, sad.

Hey - just wanna talk a bit: why donchya play a *sport*, instead of *gymming*?? Might be a funner way to *burn off some fat*, rather than actually get Muscles or whatever....?

domainator2010 said:

Hey - just wanna talk a bit: why donchya play a *sport*, instead of *gymming*?? Might be a funner way to *burn off some fat*, rather than actually get Muscles or whatever....?

For me, it's a matter of age. At 58, I don't bounce any more - I break. So I'm not going to play competitive baseball or basketball or football or soccer. It's not worth the injury risk just for the activity. I am, however, going to play some softball this summer. And I will be in centerfield, hoping to run after as many fly balls as possible. but you can be sure I won't be playing like I did when I was 28. All sports are now non-contact, LOL.

The other problem with intermural sports also is that there is always that one guy who thinks he should have been a pro and is going to prove it against a bunch of weekend warriors. That guy ALWAYS gets someone hurt. He takes out fielders when he slides; he sticks out his hip or knee on every screen; he tackles receivers instead of pulling the flag. That guy is just not worth it, either.

For sporting competition these days, I enjoy bowling. It's no workout but it's a real competitve activity. It has all the plusses - you never get hurt; it never rains on you; the computer keeps the score for you; no matter how badly you throw the ball, it always comes back; and they will bring you all the pizza and beer you want. Bowling is perfect!

Also, the gym is a great social gathering spot. I'm not much of a talker when I'm working out, but I always make time to chat with the fellows either before or after our work outs.

And last but not least, I want to build up muscles. There's no sport that does that - you have to move heavy weights up and down in a gym.

Sooo, this may sound silly, but I ditched my defective Fitbit (their products are awful, they start falling apart on you, smh) and bought an Apple Watch. After learning how to use it (which didn't take long), I've been an exercising manic. I've been obsessed with closing my exercise rings every day on my profile...and I've also got back into using the MyFitnessPal app to log my meals. It has been a couple of years since I used it, but I looked at my weight log and saw how much weight I had lost 5 years ago, I got angry because in the past 3 years, I've gained all of what I lost back! I'm putting that anger to use and determined to get back to where I was 5 years ago because I know I can do it again!!!! I know I'm not going to be right before summer season, but hopefully, by the Fall, I'll see some signficant changes. Still, I'm not even trying to think that far ahead and get all fogged up, I'm going to take one day at a time.

...OK, so, me is starting to think of hitting the gym again - gotta get rid of a little flab, which, I'm sorry to say, I put on in the last little while, and.... the ultimate goal of some washboard abs wouldn't hurt either And muscles are WANTED, like the Sahara needs water! So - can anybody suggest any workouts? I suppose I could Google and get a lot, (and I DID do that, a bit), but I want some human intervention!! So - please, only talk if you KNOW what you're talking about - if you're just reciting off of a page, I can find it myself!

So.... - waiting for what you guys have to say!

domainator2010 said:

...OK, so, me is starting to think of hitting the gym again - gotta get rid of a little flab, which, I'm sorry to say, I put on in the last little while, and.... the ultimate goal of some washboard abs wouldn't hurt either And muscles are WANTED, like the Sahara needs water! So - can anybody suggest any workouts? I suppose I could Google and get a lot, (and I DID do that, a bit), but I want some human intervention!! So - please, only talk if you KNOW what you're talking about - if you're just reciting off of a page, I can find it myself!

So.... - waiting for what you guys have to say!

The best, quickest and most effective way to get what you want is to hire a personal trainer. Tell the trainer exactly what your goals are, and ask them to design a workout routine AND a diet to reach those goals.

Maybe you can't afford a trainer to be with you at every workout but I bet you can find one who will do what I described above for you, for a reasonable fee.

No one can design a workout regimen for someone they've never met, much less never even seen a picture of, so don't expect anyone on the internet to be of much help.

RodeoSchro said:

Maybe you can't afford a trainer to be with you at every workout but I bet you can find one who will do what I described above for you, for a reasonable fee.

No - trainers, good ones are not available in India.

"No one can design a workout regimen for someone they've never met, much less never even seen a picture of, so don't expect anyone on the internet to be of much help."

That's actually a good point - makes you wonder what all those Google fitness and workout pages are FOR then...? Surely all those people reading em realise that the webpage cannot SEE them...?

domainator2010 said:

RodeoSchro said:

Maybe you can't afford a trainer to be with you at every workout but I bet you can find one who will do what I described above for you, for a reasonable fee.

No - trainers, good ones are not available in India.

"No one can design a workout regimen for someone they've never met, much less never even seen a picture of, so don't expect anyone on the internet to be of much help."

That's actually a good point - makes you wonder what all those Google fitness and workout pages are FOR then...? Surely all those people reading em realise that the webpage cannot SEE them...?

You can get advice on certain stuff online, no problem. But no one whose never met you, or even seen you, can design a complete workout routine for you.

I have to think that in a country of 3,000,000,000 people that there are at least SOME good trainers!

Another thing - although you are young, it's still a good idea to see a doctor before beginning a radical change in your fitness level. Not only can a doctor make sure you have no physical hidden problems, but they may also be able to tell you what things will work best on your body type and metabolism.

Last night I went to the gym in our office complex. As I entered, I remembered - HORRORS! I'd forgotten my music player and headphones!!! I was going to be subjected to the gym sound system, which was always tuned to either the 90's channel or the Alternative channel!

I endured 20 minutes of crap from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, the Beastie Boys and God knows what other horrible bands. Here's how bad it was: When the Spin Doctors "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" came on, it was almost like I was hearing a Prince song or something.

Finally I could take no more, and I asked the gym guy to change the station. He was as happy as I was! We got some classic rock going, and I was a hero to everyone in the gym. We all then had incredible workouts.

This underscores the importance music in the gym. While we all agree that music from the 90's sucks, it sucks extra bad in an environment where maximum positivity is required. No one can get a really good workout in if you're forced to listen to Nirvana yodel about how much life sucks, or Pearl Jam gargle about how much life sucks, or the Beastie Boys white-rap about how pathetic they are. Can't be done.

You've got to have jams pumping you up so you can get pumped up!

You, and everybody else, check this out bcjukebox.in . Been trying to get MY old gym to subscribe to it for years!

...and I hope to hell you were being sarcy up there...!

domainator2010 said:

...and I hope to hell you were being sarcy up there...!

LMAO, I must have hit a nerve! I got an orgnote from another poster on the same thing!

That was mostly a completely accurate portrayal of events and of my feelings. I think that music SUCKS! But that's just my opinion. Other people LOVE it, and that's cool. Art is subjective.

It was on me, as I was the one who forgot my own tunes. And I wouldn't have said anything to the gym guy except that the other 6 people there were about my age, too. I figured we were all too old to listen to Buzz Killington and the Total Bring Downs.

Back when I was young and dinosaurs walked the Earth, rock and roll was about partying and getting chicks. Then Nirvana ruined everything by turning rock songs into dirges about how much life sucks. Not my cup of tea but different strokes for different folks!

I'll stick to muscles from now on in this thread!

No - besides the rest of it, what does this statement: "it was almost like I was hearing a Prince song or something." mean???

domainator2010 said:

No - besides the rest of it, what does this statement: "it was almost like I was hearing a Prince song or something." mean???

It means that the Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Beastie Boys songs were so depressingly awful that when ever a mediocre song like that one by the Spin Doctors came on, it was so welcomed that I gave it more credit than it deserved. But compared to the crap put out by the Buzz Killingtons of the '90's, it sounded great.

I'm sure that if by accident an actual Prince song had come on after that soul-crushing blather by those Seattle hipsters, my brain would exploded from a happiness overload.

Oh right. For a sec I thought u were making a derogatory comment about P or something...
Hey! *Beasties* aren't depressing....?!! AT ALL....??!! How can a group who fought for their right to party be DEPRESSING......?!!!

....and who the fuck is Buzz Killington?

domainator2010 said:

....and who the fuck is Buzz Killington?

RodeoSchro said:

domainator2010 said:

Hey - just wanna talk a bit: why donchya play a *sport*, instead of *gymming*?? Might be a funner way to *burn off some fat*, rather than actually get Muscles or whatever....?

For me, it's a matter of age. At 58, I don't bounce any more - I break. So I'm not going to play competitive baseball or basketball or football or soccer. It's not worth the injury risk just for the activity. I am, however, going to play some softball this summer. And I will be in centerfield, hoping to run after as many fly balls as possible. but you can be sure I won't be playing like I did when I was 28. All sports are now non-contact, LOL.

The other problem with intermural sports also is that there is always that one guy who thinks he should have been a pro and is going to prove it against a bunch of weekend warriors. That guy ALWAYS gets someone hurt. He takes out fielders when he slides; he sticks out his hip or knee on every screen; he tackles receivers instead of pulling the flag. That guy is just not worth it, either.

For sporting competition these days, I enjoy bowling. It's no workout but it's a real competitve activity. It has all the plusses - you never get hurt; it never rains on you; the computer keeps the score for you; no matter how badly you throw the ball, it always comes back; and they will bring you all the pizza and beer you want. Bowling is perfect!

Also, the gym is a great social gathering spot. I'm not much of a talker when I'm working out, but I always make time to chat with the fellows either before or after our work outs.

And last but not least, I want to build up muscles. There's no sport that does that - you have to move heavy weights up and down in a gym.

I'm still here hooping and walking stairs. Down to 110-115lbs (5'2")...now need to work on more flexibility and building some upper body strength.

Hey, just wanted to ask someone who knows - is gymming at all useful in getting washboard abs? All the equipment my gym has, seems to be for *muscles* - all it has for *exercise* are treadmill and cross trainer!! Should I even bother joining this gym for doing nice things to my tummy??
Wouldn't it be better to just....run or dance or something??

domainator2010 said:

Hey, just wanted to ask someone who knows - is gymming at all useful in getting washboard abs? All the equipment my gym has, seems to be for *muscles* - all it has for *exercise* are treadmill and cross trainer!! Should I even bother joining this gym for doing nice things to my tummy??
Wouldn't it be better to just....run or dance or something??

Same advice as before - ask a trainer. They'll design a routine for you, and they will also focus on the most important part of six-pack abs - your diet. No matter how much you work out, if you do not eat right then you will never get six-pack abs.

I don't think you have to join a gym if all you want are six-pack abs.

RodeoSchro said:

domainator2010 said:

Hey, just wanted to ask someone who knows - is gymming at all useful in getting washboard abs? All the equipment my gym has, seems to be for *muscles* - all it has for *exercise* are treadmill and cross trainer!! Should I even bother joining this gym for doing nice things to my tummy??
Wouldn't it be better to just....run or dance or something??

Same advice as before - ask a trainer. They'll design a routine for you, and they will also focus on the most important part of six-pack abs - your diet. No matter how much you work out, if you do not eat right then you will never get six-pack abs.

I don't think you have to join a gym if all you want are six-pack abs.

Upped to 15k steps (hoops...whatever) and 15 flights of stairs. Got my swimsuit today. Damn, I haven't shown this much skin in a while! And no, that is not me!

^Awesome!

My workouts have been spotty, dang it. Going to Minneapolis last week didn't help, either.

I hit the gym yesterday and feel some good old soreness in my muscles today. I like that feeling but it is an indicator that I haven't been working out like I should be. I really shouldn't ever get sore.

i ran my 2nd half marathon this past weekend. i didn't set any speed records or anything, but i took 8.5 minutes or so off my time from last year & i enjoyed doing it, though i'm glad to have it behind me.

[Edited 6/19/17 18:48pm]

^Awesome! That's about 13.0 miles farther than I could run!

Did you listen to music or anything while you ran, or were your ears open to the world?

RodeoSchro said:

^Awesome! That's about 13.0 miles farther than I could run!

Did you listen to music or anything while you ran, or were your ears open to the world?

thanks! i'm pretty sure you can do more push-ups than me. seems fairly safe to say you could beat me up pretty easily, but i'd probably be able to out-run you.

i generally don't listen to music when i'm running. i find music tends to throw my pace off, so i usually listen to podcasts while i'm out on a jog.

now that i've got the marathon behind me, i'm going to spend every minute i can spare on my mountain bike for the rest of the summer.

OK, I have been off and on these threads since 2012. I was 252, by 2013 I was 200 and dying to see less. Well I got down to 190 lbs by 2014 and then 170 and then back up to 190 but never back higher then that.

Sooooo, I am 5'3" and female. Right now I am about 185 and determined to get smaller. I am very thankful that I haven't weighed over 200 lbs since maybe early 2014. But....I want to lose another 40 to 45 and certainly at my height that will not make me thin,

I have a minimum wage job making phone calls. I can walk the half hour to work and back and don't have to care about appearance. I try and walk EVERYWHERE even in the rain. The problem is food. Cheap food, free food packs on the pounds. Can't tell you how many churches and such hand out white bread, pies, cakes and tons and tons of chips and then maybe a box of pasta noodles. I am now trying to figure out how to eat for less and HEALTHY.

The other issue is free chips is tough to resist!!!