Fitness Checkin

Discussion in 'Sports and Fitness' started by kimc, Jan 16, 2009.

  1. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    QC, IL, USA
    I have decided to try out...the Subway Diet! :lol:

    Seriously, though, today was absolutely gorgeous (ya know, as gorgeous as 35 degrees can get), so after I got home from the gym after lifting, I decided I wanted to go for a walk. The Subway is about a mile away from my apartment, so I walked there, got a turkey sub, and walked back.

    I'm going to try to do it about 3 times a week, and eventually I'd like to start jogging instead of walking.

    I am determined to make this the year I finally have awesome abs!
     
  2. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    Tomorrow its supposed to be a balmy 43!!! I might walk onthe boardwalk!
     
  3. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Well, it snow last night. Guess that plan is out for today.
     
  4. Trippy

    Trippy NaNoWriMo Victim Admiral

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    Inspired by the Olympics, I've decided to begin my weights again (my flabby arms have decided for me too :lol:)

    So today is triceps, only 3lbs so far. I had a back injury in September, that is finally beginning to heal, so no squats for me for while :lol:
     
  5. jamestyler

    jamestyler Commodore Commodore

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    Glasgow, Scotland
    I have managed to get back in the gym for the past two months and not get (too) lazy about it. I may have quit the wrestling job, but I'm still determined to be in shape!

    I just need to set my goals. I think it's a bit OTT to go to the size I used to be, but... it feels good to be back in the swong of things.

    Next up - fixing the diet.
     
  6. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Not sure why, but I've done a big chest workout 4 out of the last 10 days. I need to give it a rest!
     
  7. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    About two weeks ago I went onto the Pritikin Program, which involves some strong food changes and a massive increase in my current level of exercise. The food aspect was easy enough, as I went vegan years ago for a while and enjoyed it, and I look forward to the exercise, which highly recommends cardio and resistance training. The resistance training is easy, and hard at the same time (My stomach went into shock, when last week I started doing 30 crunches a day. That may not seem like much to some, but my level of exercise over the past 10 years or so has sat around nil). However, now I'm beginning the cardio phase of my master pla-er, exercise routine.

    Anyhoo, anyone have any good song playlists for walking? I'm getting ready to start the walking phase of my exercise program on Monday, but so far what few I have found have been terrible. I need something engaging. Songs that will help me maintain the energy output for a 30 minute power walk. I'm looking for stuff in the area of 120-140 bpm. For example, Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" clocks in around 115 bpm, which would be fine.
     
  8. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I overdid it. :lol:
    I walked at 130 BPM today for 30 minutes.

    My ankles are killing me, are swollen, and I've got them propped up. I think tomorrow I'll walk a good deal slower and give myself more time to adjust. It is, after all, the first time I've done this in well over a decade, and very little before that. :lol:
     
  9. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    That kind of stuff is always hard at first. One of the reasons I can never get into jogging is because it kills my shins.

    I've never had swollen ankles before, though.
     
  10. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, I think what I did was overexert the tissue and cartilage in my ankles. I'm probably going to ice them for a while. I asked around a bit and a few seasoned runners said I should get an exercise bike and use it at first because it will condition my legs and ankles for this new program.
     
  11. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I shaved my chest and stomach today because I was bored.

    I need better abs. :lol:
     
  12. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ...well, that beats anything I've got! :lol:
     
  13. Gryffindorian

    Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Wow, it's been awhile since I last checked in.

    Although I'm aware there's no such thing as "spot reduction," do some exercises burn more fat than others? Rojo, I've tried some of the steps you recommended, e.g, for love handles. Any other ideas? I can't wait until the weather gets better so I can back into doing more outdoor walking. I also would like to go back to my "strictly salad only lunch" diet that worked miracles for me last year.
     
  14. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Heavy compound exercises will burn the most calories and help build the most strength. These are things like heavy deadlifts, squats, and bench press. If weight loss is your goal and you want to continue with strength training, I'd suggest doing Supersets with opposing body parts (like a bench press for chest followed immediately with lat pull down for back) and limiting the amount of rest time between sets. This will help keep your heart rate up while you're lifting, which should help you burn more calories.


    I hear you on the weather. It's really hard to slim down in the winter time because indoor cardio is just so boring! If it's decent in the morning, I might convince myself to go for a jog.
     
  15. Gryffindorian

    Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Thanks. I currently don't have a gym membership, so I don't have access to weight equipment. I have a set of dumbells at home that I use on occasion. I could really benefit from doing a lot more resistance training.
     
  16. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Eh, there are plenty of ways to fake it. I used to fill my backpack with heavy textbooks and use it as a dumbbell.
     
  17. jamestyler

    jamestyler Commodore Commodore

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    ^ Good method. I've done similar things - I still use a chair set up (or bench/bed combo) if I do dips and used to put bottles of water in place of weights when I couldn't afford to buy more.

    I'd say though that having my own equiptment saved me a lot of money on a gym membership over the years. I've been signed up to two gyms (on corporate memberships - I hate paying the extreme prices which is why I've avoided) and with the kind of workout I prefer - a bench and some free weghts does me fine.
     
  18. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I can't wait until I finally find a home to settle in for a while so I can set up a weight room. Right now I move too frequently, and moving tons of exercise equipment would just be a huge pain in the ass.

    In other news, my recent chest workouts have been absolutely insane. I've been alternating between presses, flies, and cable work, basically doing tons of supersets. I get done in about a half hour because I'm moving so fast, and my chest is definitely seeing results.
     
  19. Gryffindorian

    Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Do you have plans to buy a house or rent an apartment long-term? It would be a torture to have to move all your workout equipment.
     
  20. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Not anytime soon, which is why I'm holding off buying anything.