2017 Fitness Challenge

[tdawg3782]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

I'm pissed.

For a full year I've been eating significantly healthier (though having fruit), cutting most all fast food out of my diet. I may have had pizza like twice in the past year. In-N-Out is like once a month if that, and before I'd have it a couple of times a week. Milkshakes are also now few and far between, and I overload on steamed veggies on every plate of mine. I even lost twenty pounds (from 165 to 145) and I'm getting as much regular home exercise as my head will allow.

How am I rewarded? My LDL goes up from 98 mg/dL to 102, my HDL goes down from 81 mg/dL to 78, my ALT and TSH are increasing, and I simply did not receive any better numbers whatsoever including with glucose, sodium, etc.

Makes me want to just eat a bunch of crap now, because it almost seems like none of this was helping at all. Technically it all probably helped things from being worse than they are, but I don't even know what to do at this point.

If people state I shouldn't be complaining because "my numbers are still good," it just goes to show what kind of steady decline I might end up having over time is all. I've worked hard to maintain good health status my entire life, and it seems like it's suddenly now giving me the middle finger instead of encouraging me to continue.

Just out of curiosity how is your dairy and meat consumption? That is usually where the cholesterol increase comes from.

Also thanks for the post about the 100 push up program. Been looking for a simple program to get myself back in the habit and it's working out quite well so far.

[Blzer]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Just out of curiosity how is your dairy and meat consumption? That is usually where the cholesterol increase comes from.

Also thanks for the post about the 100 push up program. Been looking for a simple program to get myself back in the habit and it's working out quite well so far.

No problem.

As far as the dairy/meat thing, my meat intake has not really changed. I eat a lot of it. Most of it is chicken, though. Red meat is few and far between (haven't had steak since February), though it's my favorite. But again, that hasn't really changed.

I have consumed more milk in the past month only, simply because I'm mixing it with my protein powder; but that only occurs once in the morning, and it's only 1 1/2 cup. I just don't see that as a radical difference either.

[mattsb84]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

No problem.

As far as the dairy/meat thing, my meat intake has not really changed. I eat a lot of it. Most of it is chicken, though. Red meat is few and far between (haven't had steak since February), though it's my favorite. But again, that hasn't really changed.

I have consumed more milk in the past month only, simply because I'm mixing it with my protein powder; but that only occurs once in the morning, and it's only 1 1/2 cup. I just don't see that as a radical difference either.

Having two sets of numbers doesn't mean much. I'd be more curious about deviation over say, a decade. Otherwise, there's really not much to worry about in the variance of those numbers. Though your dr probably told you that.

Cholesterol is in pretty much any meat\animal product you'll eat. Doesn't matter if its red or white. Red meat tends to be harder on your digestive system though. Least in my experience..Whole grains are supposed to reduce cholesterol though, could try that if it really bothers you.

PS..milk is for babies. when you grow up, you drink beer. j/k..but heres some food for thought..name another mammal that drinks milk past adolescence (ie, in nature, and not provided to them by a human).

[Blzer]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Having two sets of numbers doesn't mean much. I'd be more curious about deviation over say, a decade. Otherwise, there's really not much to worry about in the variance of those numbers. Though your dr probably told you that.

Cholesterol is in pretty much any meat\animal product you'll eat. Doesn't matter if its red or white. Red meat tends to be harder on your digestive system though. Least in my experience..Whole grains are supposed to reduce cholesterol though, could try that if it really bothers you.

PS..milk is for babies. when you grow up, you drink beer. j/k..but heres some food for thought..name another mammal that drinks milk past adolescence (ie, in nature, and not provided to them by a human).

LOL! Thanks for the heads up.

The only difference is before my full blood panel last March, my eating habits were piss poor. After getting them, I improved them significantly... only for them to get worse? Ugh.

Only thing my doctor told me (last year) is that most of the readings are pretty normal however I should brush up on prediabetes. My dad had type II diabetes, though he was also overweight most of his life. I'm a measly 145 lbs. Outside of ice cream, I have zero sugary junk food. And ice cream has been very sparse (except when I have them with my protein shakes).

As far as whole grains, I have quite a bit of rice. Going to do more brown rice, though. I also have these fiber bars, but they help increase the sugar load as well.

I guess I just have to be more conscious about what I eat. I mean being only 28 years old, I shouldn't be too picky. I just can't physically exercise as much as I could pre-concussion is all.

[NDAlum]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Ego stroke warning:

Wearing an ND baseball shirt and the gym and a guy asks me if I played tight end there. I need to just get some ND football shirts...and lie and say yea I played football. Nobody cares about baseball lol

[studbucket]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Jumping in here. I think having somewhere to post will be good for some amount of accountability.

I'm 6'3" 190 lbs and 31 years old. Talk and slender. I'm naturally good at running (could roll out of bed and run a 7:00 mile with no training) but I don't especially enjoy it. I also have never really liked lifting weights. I just have good metabolism and love playing basketball, flag football, etc.

I've been playing basketball weekly, which keeps me in OK shape, but not really doing anything else. My wife has been real busy this year and the kids are starting to get into more and more activities so my time is more limited than I'd like.

My wife, who I do not deserve and has done so much for me, asked me to make a promise to her a few years ago: that I'd get a 6-pack. Now that our kids are sleeping more, my wife's schedule has slowed downand it looks like I may be able to start playing basketball twice a week, I'd like to starting getting in shape in earnest.

My primary goal is to cut down on my fat. That means I need to show some self control with portion sizes and sugar. I also just want to be fitter in general.

Anyway, I just ordered a pull-up bar to mount in the garage (where I spend a decent amount of time) and am hoping to do a variety of upper body and core exercises (like the ones found here).

Do you guys have any suggestions/programs for ways to work myself up from where I am now (probably 1-2 chin ups, max) to being in good shape and working out my core? I'm open to feedback.

[mattsb84]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Exercises will build strength for your core/back, but if you want visible abs, gotta get the diet in check and be consistent with it.

For core;
planks, crunches, balance exercises (like bosu ball squats). There's tons of variations of each to choose from. With the pullup bar, you could probably do hanging bicycles, knee raises, and 1/2 leg raises. Also good core.

For back;
I find chinups (palms facing towards you) to be somewhat easier then pullups (palms facing away) as they recruit the biceps more, but any of the following will help with both. Variations of rows, cable/machine lat pull downs, negatives (starting at the top of the chinup/pullup and slowly lowering yourself down), assisted chinup/pullup machine. If you're keen to stick with chinups, throw some bicep work in as well. You'll eventually figure out which muscles you need to recruit to do the movement properly through repetition.

[NDAlum]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Sitting at 6-3 232 right now and want to get down to 220.

Gotta up the cardio...basically my lower stomach is the only real problem area I'm having. It's all diet/calories/cardio right now.

After having a bad labrum tear a few years back I'm feeling a little more confident with my strength. ROM still isn't back and will never be but I'm decently strong in my lifts. Was able to do 185x8, 205x8, 225x8, 225x6 on bench today. Didn't have a spotter so didn't really go to failure or push it.

Need to start trying to hit incline more but I'm worried about form/shoulder...

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

We have a big maple tree in the backyard that is perfect for climbing/swinging. Occasionally (re: while drinking & grilling) I'll grab onto a limb and do some pull ups since there's no logical place to put a bar in the house.

I did some last weekend and got up to 20 before quitting.

The most I could ever do in grade school was 2.

[KG]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Ego stroke warning:

Wearing an ND baseball shirt and the gym and a guy asks me if I played tight end there. I need to just get some ND football shirts...and lie and say yea I played football. Nobody cares about baseball lol

I think he was hitting on you Stewaat!

[NDAlum]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

I think he was hitting on you Stewaat!

I'd hit on you

And nah he was an older gentlemen training his son at the Y. I think he just wanted to see if I played football at ND to spark convo with his son who was a HS freshman. Son looked like a beast too.

Ironic thing was I asked if his son played baseball because he had a local HS baseball shirt on. He did not.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Ab routines will make things go faster, though.

The Hasfit 30 Day Ab challenge is a great place to start. I've flattened my stomach and my obliques are noticeably tighter.

Might have to check this out as I've been looking for a good Ab workout to do.

I'm still doing my 100 Push-up a day thing and it's gotten easy to the point where I could do a good 50 before I start breaking a sweat or get tired.

[timmg]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

Any of u guys ever tried cross ropes....cool weighted jump rope system. Got mine a month ago, kinda pricey though

[jeremym480]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

I'm down 19 pounds since the beginning of March from 224 to 205. I've been playing b-ball 4 days each week for the last two months and other than that just doing normal stuff around the yard on the weekends. I lost about 7 of those pounds through mid-April, then I started the 21-Day Fix diet and lost another 12 pounds during those 21 days.

My first 21 days ended Saturday and I had a cheat meal yesterday, now I'm starting my 2nd Round of the 21 Days today. Really the diet isn't too bad. It's just all about portion control and moderation. My wife is doing it also and she lost 7 pounds so far. Food prep really is about 85% of the battle. If we stay on top of that, then we're usually good. I'm hoping to lose another 15 pounds or so before my vacation at the end of July.

[NDAlum]

Re: 2017 Fitness Challenge

I need to start doing some dang cardio...

Go to the gym with the mentality of "#1 priority is to do cardio" then I lift and go "meh...I'll set cardio as #1 priority tomorrow".

Trying to eat clean for 32 days straight. Day #4 down. I've gained size unintentionally I need to freaking cut. My life story.