Physical activities…..

[Elektrishun]

Normally: walk, swim 1km day, ride my mountain bike in summer and ski in winter.

In the past jogged and played soccer from age 10 to age 50, when I stopped I gained 35 lbs, have you ever seen a fat (real) soccer player? Hint they don't exist.

Last 3 months nothing, excruciating back pain. Trying everything might need surgery.

For years I had a lower back issue/pelvis??? (not a doctor) where my right hip would end up significantly higher than my left. When I was younger it would happen but rarely. As I got older it would happen more frequently. My solution was to keep moving, ignore the pain as best I could, and it would eventually work itself out.

Through a series of events I finally figured out what one of the main causes of my back issue was - sleeping on my stomach. Trained myself to not sleep on my stomach and I haven't had my back go out since. Would have been nice to have figured that out years ago.

Best of luck.

 

[Canadium]

I feel like I'm teetering on the brink of getting beyond the point of no return, or maybe I'm already there with fitness. Use to be easy, go biking (mountain or road), play hockey, do manual labor around a cottage, hiking or whatever (except running - my body violently disagrees with running). Then a few setbacks really screwed me up in terms of keeping fit. 1st was broken leg mountain biking at age 39. That was my first and only serious injury from biking up until then including doing MTB races. I'd say I never recovered from that but that isn't totally true, I'd gotten back alot of my fitness after about 5 years (was a really bad break with multiple surgeries). Then my appendix decided it wanted out of this world and exploded with 3hrs notice, lots more hospital time. That is the one that has probably sent me on the path of obesity. Its been really hard getting back into shape since then (and that was many years ago now).
I need to figure out a workable plan and get with it cause I know the path I'm on isn't a good one. Looking forward to what others do to get and stay fit. Maybe one of you guys will share something that resonates with me and gets me going.

I always used to be able to control my weight when I was younger. But after my cancer surgery things really went bad. I just simply don't need so many calories any more. By cutting out my lunches and not over eating at dinners I have now lost 35 pounds since last New Years. It isn't easy but I intend to make it a permanent habit.

 

[Elektrishun]

I feel like I'm teetering on the brink of getting beyond the point of no return, or maybe I'm already there with fitness. Use to be easy, go biking (mountain or road), play hockey, do manual labor around a cottage, hiking or whatever (except running - my body violently disagrees with running). Then a few setbacks really screwed me up in terms of keeping fit. 1st was broken leg mountain biking at age 39. That was my first and only serious injury from biking up until then including doing MTB races. I'd say I never recovered from that but that isn't totally true, I'd gotten back alot of my fitness after about 5 years (was a really bad break with multiple surgeries). Then my appendix decided it wanted out of this world and exploded with 3hrs notice, lots more hospital time. That is the one that has probably sent me on the path of obesity. Its been really hard getting back into shape since then (and that was many years ago now).
I need to figure out a workable plan and get with it cause I know the path I'm on isn't a good one. Looking forward to what others do to get and stay fit. Maybe one of you guys will share something that resonates with me and gets me going.

I moved to my last place of employment for 2 reasons - get out of a working rut and so I could bike to work. Biked all year long including winter. Had the gym at home but somedays the ride was enough. Biking through snow and ice can be a real challenge, even with the right gear.

But that's how I got to work. Cheap and healthy, just how I like my wo...nevermind.

Can you bike or walk to work? Can you walk on your lunch break? If you're retired, become a luddite like whydontu. Need a few groceries, walk instead of drive. Just start somewhere.

 

[Canadium]

For years I had a lower back issue/pelvis??? (not a doctor) where my right hip would end up significantly higher than my left. When I was younger it would happen but rarely. As I got older it would happen more frequently. My solution was to keep moving, ignore the pain as best I could, and it would eventually work itself out.

Through a series of events I finally figured out what one of the main causes of my back issue was - sleeping on my stomach. Trained myself to not sleep on my stomach and I haven't had my back go out since. Would have been nice to have figured that out years ago.

Best of luck.

In an almost parallel vein I had a chronic shoulder problem that began with an injury in my youth. It came back to haunt me on numerous occasions. A few years ago it started getting really serious. Went to physiotherapy which helped only a little. Then I discovered on my own that the problem largely went away when I stopped sleeping on double pillows!

 

[Elektrishun]

I always used to be able to control my weight when I was younger. But after my cancer surgery things really went bad. I just simply don't need so many calories any more. By cutting out my lunches and not over eating at dinners I have now lost 35 pounds since last New Years. It isn't easy but I intend to make it a permanent habit.

Monday to Friday my wife and I eat steel cut oats in the morning. Rarely eat lunch. If we do we might only eat a light supper. It is so easy to consume more than one needs.

 

[BaitMaster]

Got into the martial arts when I was a kid. Karate, judo, a little kickboxing and boxing.

Got out of all that because I had to put my family first. Started running.

Injured my knees from years of running (overuse injury, no cross training). Built my indoor gym which saved my knees, my health, and my mind.

I warm-up on the treadmill and then move on to 3 minute rounds of a kickboxing work-out, 3 days a week. Now that my left shoulder is feeling better I have even started a couple rounds of jump rope again (aka skipping but jump rope sounds cooler ).

Repurposed a salvaged hearing test case to become a traditional looking boxing timer (loud and bright for when the music is pumping and I'm gasping for air) :

View attachment 65766 View attachment 65767

Built a sprung floor and designed the area so that everything can be moved out of the way to allow for working on the family vehicles.

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I enjoy the work-out. Great for cardio, balance, coordination, flexibility, etc. And I haven't been in a street fight since I was 17. So it must be good for the brain, too.

I did TKD as a youth, then wrestled in high school. I was pretty good at both and medaled in provincials in wrestling.

Some 20 ish year old bums at my church got into BJJ. So now I matted a room and me and 4 of these younger fitter men do BJJ in my basement Monday nights. Best decision ive made in awhile. Keeps me limber fighting those young bucks weekly.

 

[Elektrishun]

I did TKD as a youth, then wrestled in high school. I was pretty good at both and medaled in provincials in wrestling.

Some 20 ish year old bums at my church got into BJJ. So now I matted a room and me and 4 of these younger fitter men do BJJ in my basement Monday nights. Best decision ive made in awhile. Keeps me limber fighting those young bucks weekly.

When I was training in karate and judo the UFC/Pride FC were still part of an "underground" audience. A lot of different martial arts schools were trying to play catch-up/cash-in with jujitsu. Sometimes new guys would show up for judo but would want to play jujitsu.

On one such occassion I rolled with a guy like that and he put me in an ankle lock which was foreign to most modern judoka because it is illegal in that sport. Instead of tapping quickly like a genius I tried to escape like a moron and my ankle popped out and back in. Lesson learnt. Then I went on to learn ankle locks and how to defend them.

Loved the ground game and desperately tried to improve my throwing technique.

With TKD what organization were you with? Around here I remember Kee's TKD and Kopperud TKD. One was in the WTF and I believe the other was in ITF?

 

[BaitMaster]

When I was training in karate and judo the UFC/Pride FC were still part of an "underground" audience. A lot of different martial arts schools were trying to play catch-up/cash-in with jujitsu. Sometimes new guys would show up for judo but would want to play jujitsu.

On one such occassion I rolled with a guy like that and he put me in an ankle lock which was foreign to most modern judoka because it is illegal in that sport. Instead of tapping quickly like a genius I tried to escape like a moron and my ankle popped out and back in. Lesson learnt. Then I went on to learn ankle locks and how to defend them.

Loved the ground game and desperately tried to improve my throwing technique.

With TKD what organization were you with? Around here I remember Kee's TKD and Kopperud TKD. One was in the WTF and I believe the other was in ITF?

ITF. It was called Murphy TKD in Lethbridge AB. It was a long time ago. I think I quit when I was 12/13 to focus on football.

Ya I love BJJ. The wrestling helps ALOT. Stand up/kneeling game the wrestling kills it, and I’m teaching the boys what I know about it. And we are learning BJJ together. It’s fun.

 

[Susquatch]

the very best way (and the hardest) to lose weight is not to eat the calories to begin with.

My dad used to say that the best exercise to do to lose weight was to do push backs from the kitchen table.

That doesn't work for everyone, but it's pretty darn effective for most of us.

 

[Elektrishun]

After cancer , I lift weights nightly . Unfortunately , they all are 12 oz . I need to get on board with an exercise program of some kind . The chemo knocked out my ambition I think .

Sometimes when I'm working out I don't feel like I have the energy so I keep it light. Then I feel a little bad. Then I tell myself that doing anything is better than doing nothing. Try better next time.

I think @Susquatch goes through the same when he's not at 100% during some of those heavy sweat sessions?

 

[BaitMaster]

Sometimes when I'm working out I don't feel like I have the energy so I keep it light. Then I feel a little bad. Then I tell myself that doing anything is better than doing nothing. Try better next time.

I think @Susquatch goes through the same when he's not at 100% during some of those heavy sweat sessions?

Susquatch probably uses a few BJJ moves that were banned from the sport for good reason.

 

[1018Machine]

I always used to be able to control my weight when I was younger. But after my cancer surgery things really went bad. I just simply don't need so many calories any more. By cutting out my lunches and not over eating at dinners I have now lost 35 pounds since last New Years. It isn't easy but I intend to make it a permanent habit.

That's self control! Nice going on beating that cancer and having the mental strength to cut calories. Most would just cave to their desires.

 

[BaitMaster]

@Mike R its not easy buddy. Keep trying something, whether or not it’s excercise or diet.

My weight has fluctuated a lot over the years. As an adult man I’ve been from 172 ( vein on the abs shredded ) all the way to 240 ( very overweight for my height and frame ).

I’m at about 200 now and am “stocky” but not too out of shape.

I should be down at 185 to look/feel my best, but I like cookies.

Keep trying. Injuries suck.

Edit: I’m about 5’9” with a large frame for my height. Gives context to the weights.

 

[David]

@Mike R its not easy buddy. Keep trying something, whether or not it’s excercise or diet.

My weight has fluctuated a lot over the years. As an adult man I’ve been from 172 ( vein on the abs shredded ) all the way to 240 ( very overweight for my height and frame ).

I’m at about 200 now and am “stocky” but not too out of shape.

I should be down at 185 to look/feel my best, but I like cookies.

Keep trying. Injuries suck.

Edit: I’m about 5’9” with a large frame for my height. Gives context to the weights.

I'm about the same. I feel and look my best around 185lbs. I'm about 15lbs over

 

[Mike R]

200lbs would be an amazing target (5'11"), haven't been there since I was in my early 20's. Used to be 185lbs of leg muscles and forearms from mountain biking everywhere and using lower gears and grunting my way through versus spinning like the pros. Back then I was trying to be 200lbs (weight lifting / gym workouts). Then full time job, lots of travel for work with no opportunity for routine, family and I quickly eclipsed 200lbs, but kept it in sight (210max). Now after the latest stuff I'm into 240's and just nearly hit 250. I know I need to do something, have started walking at lunch, skip lunch, and that has stabilized the gain but I need to add more calorie burn and less calorie intake to move the other way. The hard part is being over 50. Also, as soon as I cut calories, I loose energy to do exercise. Its one of those conundrums. I know I'll feel better without the weight, but have trouble getting motivated to loose it.
I should add the bike ride into work back in, used to do that with the kids in tow in a bike trailer to drop them off at the grandparents. A bike trailer is a close cousin of a parachute. The harder you pedal the more it pulls back!
I also probably need to stand up for myself at work more, used to work longish hours but would take as long as I needed at lunch and get a ride in. (usually 1-1/2hrs total from changing to riding a loop and getting back and showering and eating). Now I don't do the long hours but I'm booked into meetings that encroach my lunch and often overlap it.

 

[thestelster]

I've always been pretty active. Weight training, boxing, downhill skiing, cycling, running. Then I injured my hip and lived with excruciating pain for 3 years and almost zero exercise, until I decided enough was enough, and got a hip replacement (metal-on-metal), at 43. With my new found super powers I decided to get fit again. And of course being me, I decided long distance triathlon was my calling. I've done 2 Ironman triathlons (3.9km swim, 180.2km bike, 42.2km run), and a whole bunch of 1/2 Iron distance races. Training was 6 days a week, 4 of those was double workouts (morning swim, evening cycle or power walk (surgeon advised against running). Fittest period of my life. Then divorce, closed my shop, depression, yada, yada, yada, did nothing for a couple years. Then the knees started to hurt, need at least one replacement, a couple of heart stents, and here we are. So down to walking the dog, and some morning exercises, weights and squats. I stopped eating bread which has helped keep the weight down.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!!

 

[BaitMaster]

time comes for us all @thestelster

 

[Susquatch]

I think @Susquatch goes through the same when he's not at 100% during some of those heavy sweat sessions?

Heavy sweat sessions???

That's for young guys. At my age, it's all slow and easy.

That reminds me of a short story. A farmer needs to breed his cows. So he rents 2 bull's. When he opens the trailer, the young bull bellows "Look at that hot heifer over there! I'm gunna thunder over there and do her right now!" The old bull sighs and says, "You go right ahead there sonny boy, I'm gunna walk out and do em all....."

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I did all my working out in my teens/20's, playing sports, and going to the gym regularly. Have still retained most of those muscles and strength, I've just insulated them pretty well over the last 20 years.... Upper body still strong, but I've noticed my legs have the most atrophy since it's been about 12 years since I quit hockey. Nowhere near the leg strength I once had. Core a bit squishy too.....I've really noticed that one a lot lately with more back trouble. Gotta work on strengthening that core again....

New job has me pretty active again though, and the lbs are coming off. Down 15 since last fall/winter, and probably lost more fat/gained a bit more muscle since. Don't think I'll ever get down to around 195/205 again without a lot of work and effort, but I'd be happy to get down to 215/220 again and can see that being a reasonable goal in the next year or so continuing on the path I am now without making a lot of major unsustainable changes. When I get there, 200 might seem more reasonable, but from here it seems a bit too far yet. Sitting around 250 now @ just under 6'. About the only cardio I do anymore is walking rounds of golf. Never had any interest in running, but do enjoy riding a bike. Just don't have much time for it. Work usually has me well over 10k steps a day, sometimes 15-20k+, not to mentions stairs.....lots of stairs, and carrying heavy stuff up/down. Stark contrast to my old job where I basically held down a chair for 50-90% of my day staring at a screen.

Eating good quality food in the right proportions for YOU, is I think the most important thing anybody can do to lose/maintain weight. Sadly I'm a feelings eater, and that is difficult....Happy? lets celebrate! In a depressed funk? Kill a bag of chips on the couch every night. Doesn't take long to over consume calories.....Beer's a big one too. Not much drinking anymore aside from a well earned Guinness once in a while.

The last time I got serious about losing weight was in 2012 and I dropped from around 235 to 200 to get serious about racing and maintained that for about a year. Then I had kids and started living a pretty sedentary lifestyle, and all my sports became calorie positive.......It's been a pretty steady 3-5lbs a year since. Covid packed on 15 easy....

I've not weighed myself the past 2 months since being in trade school. I bet I've gained back a few, as I've really not done much, and the stress/chip killing level has been a lot higher....7 more days to go...

 

[ChazzC]

I did all my working out in my teens/20's, playing sports, and going to the gym regularly. Have still retained most of those muscles and strength, I've just insulated them pretty well over the last 20 years.... Upper body still strong, but I've noticed my legs have the most atrophy since it's been about 12 years since I quit hockey. Nowhere near the leg strength I once had. Core a bit squishy too.....I've really noticed that one a lot lately with more back trouble. Gotta work on strengthening that core again....

New job has me pretty active again though, and the lbs are coming off. Down 15 since last fall/winter, and probably lost more fat/gained a bit more muscle since. Don't think I'll ever get down to around 195/205 again without a lot of work and effort, but I'd be happy to get down to 215/220 again and can see that being a reasonable goal in the next year or so continuing on the path I am now without making a lot of major unsustainable changes. When I get there, 200 might seem more reasonable, but from here it seems a bit too far yet. Sitting around 250 now @ just under 6'. About the only cardio I do anymore is walking rounds of golf. Never had any interest in running, but do enjoy riding a bike. Just don't have much time for it. Work usually has me well over 10k steps a day, sometimes 15-20k+, not to mentions stairs.....lots of stairs, and carrying heavy stuff up/down. Stark contrast to my old job where I basically held down a chair for 50-90% of my day staring at a screen.

Eating good quality food in the right proportions for YOU, is I think the most important thing anybody can do to lose/maintain weight. Sadly I'm a feelings eater, and that is difficult....Happy? lets celebrate! In a depressed funk? Kill a bag of chips on the couch every night. Doesn't take long to over consume calories.....Beer's a big one too. Not much drinking anymore aside from a well earned Guinness once in a while.

The last time I got serious about losing weight was in 2012 and I dropped from around 235 to 200 to get serious about racing and maintained that for about a year. Then I had kids and started living a pretty sedentary lifestyle, and all my sports became calorie positive.......It's been a pretty steady 3-5lbs a year since. Covid packed on 15 easy....

Was never very athletic and was described as “husky” growing up. I got up to 230 while driving ships, but by not snacking, cutting back on beer and having regular racket ball games I got down to 185 by the time I started at Hershey in 1979. In 1983 I was down to 165 due thanks to a 3-story new plant startup (lots of round trips daily) and was boney.

Gradually rose to 190 in the early 90’s and ~200 by the end of that decade. By Covid I was 270+ and finally decided to do something after seeing James Clough’s before & after video in 2021 and started on a program to get below 180: eating less, more vegetables, tracking intake & weight, lots of walking and cutting out all alcohol for 2022 Lent I was down to 179 in 10 months. Felt great, no indigestion, overall great results.

I now bounce between 185 - 195 depending on the time of year and am eating pretty much anything I want, just less of things like bread similar carbs.

I’m 5’ 11-1/2” (down from 6’). Not bragging, just what worked for me.