2015 PPOT Fitness and Weight Control Thread

[aigel]

Well, boys and girls, we really fell off the wagon there in the second half of 2014. It is time to check up on you and see how you are doing! Did you get the blood flowing again, now that it is spring even in the northern provinces?

Let's hear from everyone who was active in previous years. We had some serious weight and fitness gurus - did you keep it up?

Any goals for 2015? Post them! Update us! New sport? New shoes? New bike? New replacement joints? Fitness discussions?

We'll keep this free form this year but I will still nominate a winner in both fitness as well as weight, looking for IMPROVEMENT. Will also nominate a winner in MAINTENANCE, so previous winners can stay in the race without becoming anorexic or Olympians!

I will start in a separate thread!

Stay fit my friends!

George

[aigel]

Had a decent start into the year with many cardio days - only biking and running. Overall in great shape considering being another year older! My main goal is to get back into better running shape with 3 runs / week - 15 miles. Running works best for me to control weight and I enjoy it most compared to all other cardio sports.

Weight:
Been gaining with family visiting over the holidays. Highs were low 190s. Changed some of it over in muscles, but still need to go down a few percent. I learned that I will run myself ragged if I go below a reasonable weight ...
Goal:188 -> 180 - that's with a 6'2" frame.

Running:
Tendonitis never got bad but was lingering coming out of last year, so took a break for 6 weeks earlier in the year. Nursed myself back to 10 mi / week now. Now taking 1 mile interval walking breaks which seem to help and only bring down the pace by about 0.5 minute/mile.
Goals:
15 mi/week
Races: 5 mi trail run (already signed up), one or two 5k with family, 10k, a couple more trail races. Stretch goal: half marathon

Biking:
Put about 1k miles on my new MTB (bought in May last year). Rode it hard this year already during my running break.
Goal: 2 rides a week with at least 1 long ride 1+h that has some elevation 2k feet+

Other:
Moving and will have a nice health club I am joining. I really need to do something for shoulders and core.
Goal: Swim 1k / week, 1 pilates or 1 yoga class / week, light weights 1x week.

Okay, for every week that now makes 3 runs, 2 bike rides, 1 swim, 1 strength yoga or pilates class and 1 weight workout!

What are your lofty goals???

G

[Tobra]

If you have any joint replacements, have someone physically measure you and see how uneven your legs are, take steps to mitigate any limb length discrepancy. Actually you should probably check that

I do all the core strengthening stuff because I have to since the car wreck three years ago. Prior to that was a pretty avid runner, cyclist and whatever else. Can't play baseball or golf worth a crap now, spine does not move like it is supposed to anymore. Amazing how profoundly that impacts so many things. Still walking and on the right side of the grass. I stay around 180# I am fortunate to be blessed with good genetics and eat healthy. Between that, walking the dog every morning for around an hour and using that exercise ball thing, it seems to keep everything working good enough.

I still miss running every day though.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Tobra

If you have any joint replacements, have someone physically measure you and see how uneven your legs are, take steps to mitigate any limb length discrepancy. Actually you should probably check that

Only in my 40s, so all joints still OEM. My tendonitis (Achilles) was never bad. Never past stage 2. I always stop while it is in stage 1 and am pretty paranoid not to push it. I also do stretches on a regular basis, don't do speed work and switch up shoes. Not sure what else I can do?

Stages described here: Types of Achilles Tendon Injuries - Achilles Tendon

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the accident. Biking or swimming an option? I like to push the pulse up good a couple times a week for an Italian tuneup.

G

[look 171]

I have been riding my bike on average once a week in the past 6 months. I go super hard for about two + hours (about 45 miles). When I have time, I try to hang with my local hot dog riders on their training rides. I really like to lose the weight, 20 lbs would be perfect, but am having a really hard time with it. Finally I stop eating large portions and cut way back on the rice and pasta and no bread. I lost 3 lbs in one month so far. My problem is that I am always thinking about food after about 4-5 pm all the way until i go to sleep. I am thinking aobut food right now as I type. I like the bike, and am having too much fun with the boys.

[look 171]

Oh, I go walking 3 miles up and down our canyon with my neighbor in the evening 3 times a week. I am not sure if helps with my weight lost, but it sure brings my blood pressure down to normal. This went on for about 4 months, and I enjoyed it until I have this pain. I think its plantar fasciitics because from what I read, its a pain in the heel. I can't walk in the morning right out of bed. I have to warm it up and it goes away after a few steps. Once I sit for a bit, then I have trouble walking due to the pain. That put a stop to my walk. Cycling doesn't seem to affected it too much. Ijust did 40 miles on my bike this afternoon and the foot seem to be ok.

[jyl]

Thanks for starting this thread, aigel!

As mentioned in my thread about left ventricular hypertrophy, I have some fitness work to do. Some on the bike, some on the upper body.

My goals for the rest of this year:
- Do 2-3 hill repeat sessions a week. These are about 30 miles, repeating a 2.5 mile climb and descent in laps.
- Do one ride with longer climbs a week. These routes have 4-5 mile climbs, which help my endurance.
- Build back some of the upper body muscle mass I'm losing, probably starting with bodyweight stuff, but I am thinking about hiring a trainer too.
- Lose about 8 lb., getting to 180 lb. More would be nice but I'll set my goal there for now.
- Get my BP and resting HR down, admittedly meds will be doing most of this for now.
- Ride a few centuries, including the STP with my son.

[911dean]

I'd also like to thank you for starting this thread back up. I certainly could use some motivation in the cardio and diet portion. I purchased a new bike late last season and have only been on it once or twice this year. I have little or no problems in the strength training department.

With just 6 solid weeks of structured cardio and staying away from refined sugar and carbs would likely produce noticeable results. My first goal is to drop a pant size. Will post weight tomorrow morning.

Good luck and much success to all on reaching their fitness goals!

5/14 230.4#

New Bike

[Vipergrün]

I do group bootcamp training 3-5 times/week. I have to do it, I am not motivated to do it on my own. A typical week is abs,boxing, full body, boxing, and Friday is whatever the Marine instructor wants to throw at us...he's not active duty, but once a Marine, always a Marine. Sat morning is typically a 5-6 mile hike/run through the local hills. I still want to lose another 20, but am probably in the best shape in 20 years.

I also have a nice BMC AlpenChallenge bike sitting on the balcony, needs riding..

I also cut way down on the booze. I love a good IPA and dirty martini's but they are the death knell to weight loss.

My goal - 185 lbs and abs showing by August 1.

[t-tom]

I never really participated in the thread but I needed to lose a few lbs. On March 1st I was 211lbs I stopped drinking soda and ate a little less. Still ate the same foods just less as in not stuffing my damn face! I'm 42 6'1" tall Today is May 14th and I'm 193lbs! I just started exercising at the gym last week. I do 2 miles of cardio a day and light to medium weights 3 times a week. After the first week I feel pretty dang good.

[vash]

Still running my ass off.

Slow and steady. Eating right still. Meat mostly on the weekend.

Same o same o.

[SiberianDVM]

I started, and stopped, started and stopped. Work, car accident with injuries, laziness.

Just this morning I started doing the 7 Minute Workout again. Even found there is an app, if I can ever get the darn thing to download.

I'm currently 195 pounds. If I can get to 160 pounds again, I will treat myself to a used 911 Turbo.

[Aggie93]

I need this for motivation. I was doing great for about 18 months. I spent most of 2013 losing weight (172 down to 148 at the lowest). I started lifting weights in November 2013 and into 2014. I strained my back in May doing squats, then again in June lifting the front end of a lawn tractor that sidelined me for a while. This was followed by injuring my shoulder in August that led to surgery in January.

My PT for the shoulder has just moved from range of motion to strengthening the muscles, but still have two months before doc said i can do any weight lifting. I need to start doing cardio, since I'm able to do that, but just have not been motivated to start. Hopefully this will start it.

[campbellcj]

I need to get on this too. I've been able to hold my weight fairly steady via diet/lifestyle, but very little formal exercise, since losing ~30lbs in 2009. However I'm back around 180lbs from a low of 169 and around 175 seems just about right for my frame and feeling of well-being. Plus my BP read slightly elevated twice recently. Soon my office will be moved 25 miles closer to home so I will be able to walk or bike there and have more time in general to take care of self and family - very much looking forward to that.

[Aragorn]

Getting ready to start getting back in (a desirable) shape again. I think I participated in 2013 and did pretty well, getting down in the 190's. I had a fracture in my foot last year and packed on everything I lost and then some. I wasn't able to run or do too much since early last year. Foot feels better and I think it is time to start on the treadmill again. May get the Mountain Bike out and dust it off in the woods. Getting a newer road bike with carbon frame and wheels might just be an incentive too.

But I will start tomorrow... Taco Bell is calling tonight...

[aigel]

Originally Posted by vash

Still running my ass off.

Slow and steady. Eating right still. Meat mostly on the weekend.

Same o same o.

Great - how much do you weigh?

10000 foot bow hunts will be a piece of cake. Well, at least the hiking part!

PM me if you want to join up on a trail run! I am moving from South to East bay, so we can go hit Mt. Diablo.

G

[aigel]

Do any of you log your exercises in an app? This really helps my motivation. I like to see a filled calendar and lots of activity time. I don't even worry about distances as much as time. Time exercising is time well spent ...

I use Garmin because I have a watch. The watch is great, but I am disappointed in their software. I'd love to switch to an iphone app, but it doesn't work well for me, because the GPS drains the phone battery. Last thing I need is being stuck in the boonies with an empty battery phone. The iphone apps are made for urbanites that are 2 miles from a Starbucks at any time.

As you see, no running in Jan/parts of Feb. Doing less exercising in May but all running. I felt the biking was not a good cross training trying to stay off my tendons ...

Show us your logs!

G

[vash]

Originally Posted by aigel

Great - how much do you weigh?



10000 foot bow hunts will be a piece of cake. Well, at least the hiking part!



PM me if you want to join up on a trail run! I am moving from South to East bay, so we can go hit Mt. Diablo.



G

Pm sent bud.

Haven't climbed on a scale for awhile. Quit caring kinda. Just want to be healthy.

[nostatic]

20-30 min of swimming laps 3-5x a week. That's the only thing my body will tolerate these days. At least I've been pretty consistent with that since June of last year.

That said, I should do tai chi and stretch every day. I wish I could still ride bikes but my lower back just won't tolerate it. Thankfully the motorcycle is still viable - the pedaling motion is the killer. Sigh...

[911dean]

Where I'm at
5/14 230.4
5/25 233.4 Too much Memorial Day Weekend
6/1 231.2 A little improvement was at 228.8 5/30

5/25-5/31 Monday legs... Barbell Squat 4 sets 225# x 15 / Leg Ext 3 sets 150# 20,18,15
Leg Curl 2 sets 110# x 20,18 / Glute Machine 2 sets each leg 150# x 15
Seated Calf Raise 2 sets #135 x 18
This is a little light and higher rep for me on legs

Tuesday Chest/Biceps, Thursday Back, Friday Shoulders, Traps, Triceps
Ab work 3 x week

No real cardio, walked the dog 13.5 miles for the week

Need to add cardio and watch the weekend food intake!