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Working Out – And Suffering
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-01, 13:57

They do make dumb scales that will calculate it for you too if you don't want to have an app connected scale. I had one for years before drinking the Kool-Aid.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2021-03-01, 17:10

I think most of the scales that claim to estimate body fat % are no better than your eyeballs. The ones that have metal plates under your feet apply a small voltage and attempt to measure the impedance between the two and project an estimate based on that. We've had one for years too, and its numbers never seem right, even across long spans of weight gain and loss. The consumer-grade scales are very influenced by water weight (which can fluctuate a lot daily), the condition of your feet (dry, sweaty, calloused all can affect the contacts), and only potentially measure the fat in your legs and below your pelvis since that's where the current flows. If your body fat composition isn't extremely even, then even the best measurements could be wildly off. The more expensive/professional devices have you stand on plates and hold contacts in your hands to measure all across your body.

For about ten bucks on Amazon, though, you could just get a set of manual calipers like this. When used correctly, these simple devices are supposed to be way better than the smart scales. You do need someone else to measure you, though, so you can hold a neutral position and not bend or stretch as you take measurements.

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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-01, 17:36

Thanks for the tips, Brad.

For now, I'm relying on weight and visual appearance. I know there's still a lot of fat there, because I can see it!

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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-12, 14:32

Today I was floored when I got on the scale and it read 173.1! Like WOW.

Clearly I'm still thinning out but not near the body fat percent I want to be. Still have a BMI of 23. While the scales aren't completely accurate with how they read body fat, I'm not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

My body fat is declining as well. Easy to see in the mirror as well as the numbers on the scale.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-12, 15:08

Excellent job, Turtle. Proud of your effort!

I am in bulking phase. Eating well and lifting like nuts. Headed back toward 175-180 before I start cutting again. I'm having a hard time "seeing" any difference, but the old muscles are getting harder, at least. After next week, all weights get raised and reps go down. Not looking forward to that, because it feels like backward progress.

Otherwise, I can't seem to get enough food, but at least I'm not so danged hungry!

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-23, 11:31

Man, I'm tired of feeling hungry. On the other hand, I'm still dropping fat/weight. I haven't gotten to where I'm ready to eat 2400 calories a day yet, but certainly doing overall the plan.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-23, 12:12

I'm bulking right now, but it is amazing how fast the weight goes back on. Next week I go back to cutting, but I'm planning on a higher protein diet so I don't burn off muscle. I'm still learning, but I'm up all the way across the board as far as weight-lifting is concerned.

I've never been strong on the bench, and started out at a whopping, mind-blowing, earth-shattering 60 pounds! This week I'm benching 115 (my end-goal is 200). I started biceps curls at 40 pounds, and am now hitting 80. Lat pull-downs I started at 80 and am up to 120 (my goal is to switch to actual pull-ups, but need to hit 160 or more on the pull-downs first). I've been charting and constantly raising the weights. I'm following weight-lifting rule #1: Progressive Overload, and it's working, although I'm not seeing much growth. But, I'm also 51, so I'm trying to keep my expectations grounded. I ain't got those 20-year-old hormones any longer, so I have to work twice as hard for half the gain.

So be it. I've been able to eat for most of a month, but next week I get to starve for another two!

Ugh!

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-23, 14:43

How many calories are you consuming or did you stop tracking and just start eating? I'm curious on that one. I haven't looked at what I'm actually going to do once I hit my goal weight/body fat.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-23, 14:52

I've stopped tracking, but it's between 2500 and 3000 (which I now know simply by knowing what I'm eating), where it was 1500-1700. I'm still following my diet, but eating more of it. I've let loose at dinner time, though, and I think that's where the majority of the weight gain is coming from.

And you want to know what's weird? Big things now feel lighter, but small things feel heavier.

I'm sure there's a science behind that, but I can't figure it out.

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-23, 14:54

Given how I like to eat... I'm looking forward to that time in my journey.

Really, I'm going to generally eat the same though I'll allow for more variance and simple things like sauces. I don't even use ketchup right now. It is just extra calories that I'll have to burn.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2021-03-23, 14:57

Sounds pretty psychotic.....
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-23, 17:48

Well... it could be thought of that way...

Or that I only want to put 30 minutes of hard workout time in per day due to the other commitments I have in my life. Heck, I feel like I'm forcing 30 minutes to happen lately. Not to mention the shower and such that follow after getting drenched in sweat.

So I can do things like cut calories in things that don't really matter (like ketchup) and not have to run for another 3 minutes to make up the consumption. Basically I'm very willing to trade off the extras in the short term while I'm cutting until I'm to a building or maintaining phase that allows me to consume another 700 calories.

Paying attention to how many calories are in various foods has been huge for me. I'm logically making the choice of eat this and have to work it off, along with burn old fat, or skip it for now so I don't have to run/ride/HIIT for another hour that day.

Yes, I could eat anything I wanted if I were willing/able to put the time into burning it off on top of trim the fat I've already put on. It is a simple, eat less do more thing. I'm consistently eating 1700 calories a day. I'm burning about 2400 according to my Apple Watch. On the other side of this, I still eat chips and drink some wine with my wife. All within the 1700 calories. Since really watching what I've been eating I've lost 18 lbs. This morning I was 172.3. That is an aggressive 2.4 lbs per week average.

So yeah, I'm cutting hard so I can get where I need to be. When I wasn't cutting, I was averaging .96 lbs per week drop. That is what wasn't sustainable. I'm done with being overweight and working with what I have available in my schedule.

Another side benefit is that my blood pressure has dropped significantly. I'm regularly seeing my BP around 109/70 now. I was never down this low that I have record of.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-23, 18:15

Quote:
Originally Posted by turtle View Post
Another side benefit is that my blood pressure has dropped significantly. I'm regularly seeing my BP around 109/70 now. I was never down this low that I have record of.
When you're overweight, there are two near certainties that you can count on: High blood pressure and diabetes. And I don't want either. Like you said, Tony, I'm done being overweight. I know I'm going to pogo over the next several months as I convert fat into muscle, and it will get annoying, but it's also a lifestyle/healthy reconditioning that needs to happen. As much as it sucks, I'm glad to be doing it. And I don't want to be exercising to burn off last night's whatever. I'm exercising to get my body into better shape, not to recover from over-indulgence.

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-24, 10:06

I've started biking! The kids were after me to take them on longer rides. I like it. Really puts a little extra pump into the quads, hamstrings and calves, and to the extent that you can stand on the pedals, gets a little tone in the upper body too. I bought a mid-entry level mountain bike mainly for comfort, but at best it will be a gravel cross country device when it's not a street or path. I think I might get a trainer for it rather than go with a stationary bike for the basement. I was lucky to find an XXL frame, and as usual, may do a couple of mods to facilitate my desire to tinker with all things mechanical. Probably change the bars to something more bike-packing friendly, and add rear rack and panniers so I can take my camera out to the nearby rural areas. I think a suspension seat-post may be in order too, my ass needs a few extra mm of compliance if I'm going to do some longer rides.

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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-24, 11:34

I'm thinking hard about using my personal savings to get a new mountain bike. I have one now, but it's super old and rickety. A new bike may jumpstart me back into the sport (before I got married I used to ride about 13,000 miles/year—most of it off road). But I don't know. It's a long haul to the mountains from my place, and there are no trails anywhere near me. And, no, I won't roady, for two reasons: 1) I don't like it; and 2) people are too distracted and lots of cyclists are getting mowed over. I sold my motorcycle because people are stupid!

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-24, 11:50

We have an OK assortment of bike-path and parkway trails around here. They're paved and stuffed under/into suburban ravines and storm runoff valleys. There are also some trails that will take me just out of the suburbs to country roads, but I don't know if drivers there are any smarter. A local conservation area can be accessed from a few different points, and I know it's full of trails. But in every case there's at least some on road riding that has to happen to get there.

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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-24, 12:37

Something like 30 years ago I was at the very leading edge of the full suspension mountain biking craze. I used to ride a 40-mile route from my house on the bench (about 2800 feet) into downtown Boise, then up 8th Street to the saddle near Bogus Basin at about 6000 feet or so. It was then down Trail 4 (an old motorcycle trail) that was almost as much work as going up, and then out to Lucky Peak Dam with the wind at my back, and home with the wind in my face.

It was a tough ride! And, boy, was I in good shape back then.

Now I huff and puff looking at my bike!

I also live about 5 miles further from the trails with every inch of it through ugly, bike-unfriendly traffic loaded with cell-phone-gawking idiots running red lights and wandering into what little "bike lane" exists. And half of them carting poseur bikes on the back, too!

Which means I have to drive if I want to actually be safe. So for now it's just a thought. I need to have my passion fully vested before I'm going to unload $1500+ into a new bike. And, since I'm quality-driven, it will be more like $3000+. I've got half that, but I'm just not completely sold on the idea either way.

For giggles, I had one of these:



I also had a GT RTS-1 (top of the article). I bought the first frame-set to land in Arizona at the time, and built it out with custom everything to a cost of over $6000. Ah, the good 'ol days. I traded that bicycle for a motorcycle!

I was so big into mountain biking at the time that if I wasn't working or drinking, I was riding. Everywhere! I didn't even own a car until I was 25 and got married.

I wasn't terribly strong, but I could ride uphill for hours without stopping. And, for some silly reason, I loved that hurt. I don't know why, maybe it was the satisfaction of reaching the top, or the thrill of the downhill. I just remember that it hurt so bad that I loved it.

But that kid was a weirdo!

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)

Last edited by kscherer : 2021-03-24 at 12:49.
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-24, 13:44

I also bought a Trek, much more modest: a Marlin 6, which should be sturdy enough. I like having two chain-rings because I like a big gear and a granny gear only when it gets very very steep, otherwise I like to churn at a low cadence for whatever freakish reason that is not really en vogue these days, maybe I'm starting to get old man strength? The gear train is weak, but those components are cheap to replace. Biggest negative for me are the thin rims. I think they should be a little closer to 25mm-26mm internal diameter for the tires I'd like to run. It looks like a 2.35" tire will fit easily, and that will probably be my "upgrade", and maybe a 36 spoke rear. Dare I lace up my own wheel?

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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-24, 13:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matsu View Post
… I like to churn at a low cadence for whatever freakish reason that is not really en vogue these days …
Tinker Juarez was a big-gear guy. I remember watching him at a race one year just chugging along up a hill in his 90-tooth or whatever, powering along and getting run over by everyone else (John Tomac made him look silly in those days). I've always been a 90-100 rpm guy, and will use whatever ring/cog ratio that gets me there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matsu View Post
Dare I lace up my own wheel?
Sure, if you have the skillset for it. Otherwise, don't risk it unless you have the wheel checked out by a pro. Few better ways to kill yourself than faulty wheels.

I never did my own, but I did straighten them myself—just not before I learned how from a pro-builder.

Pro tip: At the shop I used to work at the owner would give away spoke wrenches. Give them away for FREEEEEEEEE!

Can anyone guess why?

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-24, 14:51

I don’t know who Tinker is, so I looked him up and apparently he was still racing and winning at near 60 years old! I know one road cyclist like that, who was not racing, but was blowing away guys my age (40ish) on long weekly club rides, when he was nearly 80 ! He wasn’t a pro, started cycling later in life and loved it so much he would just cover 1000s of kilometres
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2021-03-24, 19:16

Anyone here have Peloton?
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-24, 21:57

Not me. I had the "home gym", but now I have the YMCA.

My focus is almost entirely on weight lifting at this point.
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-25, 07:54

I don’t like the subscription model for even more household items. I do like an exercise bike and a rower as the only non free-weight fitness equipment. I find everything else finicky and needlessly complex.
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2021-03-25, 11:14

I almost bought a Bowflex home gym, but I decided to give an actual gym a chance first. Membership for my wife and I is $65/month, where the Bowflex would have been $85. Granted, the Bowflex would get paid off in 18 months, but the Y has so many more possibilities in the weight room. So far—a month and a half later—I have used it M-F and only missed 1 day when I had a dentist appointment. I've been far more motivated to go (because I'm paying for it and don't like wasting nickels) and I'm seeing good progress in terms of progressive lift-capacity is concerned. Working out at home is convenient, but I didn't think I could reach my goals as readily.

There are things I just cannot do in my house without modifications (proper pull-ups and such). Also, I am transitioning to full-body workouts which are just not possible without free-weights. Things like squats, anchored squat-presses, dead-lifts, and power-cleans cannot be done with cabled home-gyms, and my dumb-bells max out at 55 pounds each. All of the free-weight routines I'm doing are all well above that.

Also, pure cardio is not the best way to burn fat in a sustainable manner. Building muscle is. More muscle mass = higher metabolism and more purely natural fat-burning capacity. I'm transitioning to cardio for what it is: Building cardiovascular endurance. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying cardio doesn't burn fat. But, I lived in the cardio world for a very long time when I was cycling, and during that time I never had any muscle growth. Even though I had very strong, well-shaped legs and I could ride uphill for hours, I couldn't bench-press a small potato and I always had a gut hanging around.

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)

Last edited by kscherer : 2021-03-25 at 15:56.
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2021-03-27, 06:19

Dropped another 3lbs to my lowest weight of this century. 190.6lbs. Had wings, beer, and bourbon. Sustainable.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-28, 00:37

Don't stop riding.

I'm all for cardio when you need aerobic exercising. Anaerobic is going to help way more with long term weight management though.

This morning I was down to 171! I'm really hoping to be in the 160s within days. Not sure when I'll start eating again, but I'm thinking it will be around 165.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-28, 13:13

In defence of a little extra cardio work. My resting heart rate has dropped 5 bpm in just under a month. It had actually gotten kind of bad from too many months living off coffee and screen time, so this may simply be some easy gains, but I checked my Fitbit stats for the month and sorta said, wow...

Last edited by Matsu : 2021-03-28 at 15:33.
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2021-03-28, 15:02

I usually do 60 minutes on the bike then lift for 45 minutes afterwards so I get a good mix of cardio and strength training.
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2021-03-29, 12:49

I finally sprung for a rowing machine. There's a bit of method to my cardio choices, which is mainly that I'm not a huge fan of leg days, so I'd rather pump my legs on a bike and on a rower because I know I'm less liable to cheat that. Now it's a question of working out the intensity and duration of cycle and rowing work so there's enough resistance to pump up the muscles too.

BTW, the WaterRower really is a gorgeous piece. I'm not a 100% convinced the water resistance really does a better approximation of a real rower, but the thing is smooth and silent and pretty enough to use as furniture.

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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2021-03-30, 13:27

/me runs off to google WaterRower

That thing is a work of art!

So I've always loved rowers. I was in Crew my Freshman year of high school though I was the coxswain. It was great yelling at my guys.

Anyway, I've enjoyed them because though I was a coxswain I was required to workout doing the same training they did.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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