What did you do to exercise today?

[Joe13]

Day 8 on my new nutrition plan and I'm suffering from SPS pretty bad (Saggy Pants Syndrome).


Wore a coat Sat morning and it hung instead of fit.


Measurements this Friday to see where I'm at.

 

[SIG34]

Off to Mt baker lake for the week

 

[RicInOR]

For anyone who isn't already doing it, I recommend doing knuckle push ups. Use some form of padding if you don't want to form callouses (though they are useful if you ever throw a punch). Its easier on the wrists and provides the same work out.

Easy way to add additional benefits to an existing exercise.
Also, fingertip pushups.

Of course, I can't do either.

But it is good to look at your circuit and make incremental improvements.

 

[etrain16]

Been a couple weeks since my last update, but nothing has changed - this week marks 3 months since I started my workouts and they have continued without missing a single workout. I still do it 3 times a week, cardio + weights. The last time I checked the scale 2 weeks ago, it had only moved 5 lbs, but as of 2 weeks ago, I've lost 3 1/2" off my gut. Lost 2 1/2" off my waist and chest. Gained some size in my legs - quads and calf, and my neck increased by 1/2" Based on what I read online, for an average person, 1" equates to about 8.5lbs of fat, so that means I may have lost around 30lbs of fat while putting on an equivalent amount of weight in muscle, which is why the scale isn't moving. I'm okay with that for now, but would like to see the scale move downward a bit. That said, I think I'm starting to plateau in building lots of new muscle mass and I'm starting feel like I'm struggling more to make the types of gains I made the last 3 months - all of which is to be expected. So far, my gains don't really seem to catch notice of others, but I suspect in time they will start to notice the change.

I've been using planking and some other exercises to help work on my core. I started out being able to do a 20 second plank. 3 months later, I can do 1 1/2 minutes. They say an adult should be able to hold a standard plank position for 2 minutes, so that's the goal.

This last week, I gained a notch in the belt, just another example that things are changing. My stamina is up, I feel stronger, my core really feels much improved. Clothes are fitting looser and my feet aren't aching as much as they had been before I started. So, all good news. I may get to consider some new clothes in a few months if the progress continues. Feels really good to make some gains in this area as it's been a while since I've done this.

 

[Geardo]

3 months later, I can do 1 1/2 minutes. They say an adult should be able to hold a standard plank position for 2 minutes, so that's the goal.

This is great! Damn though, I am only at like 30 seconds! Lots of room to improve I guess.

 

[Boboclown]

Easy way to add additional benefits to an existing exercise.
Also, fingertip pushups.

Of course, I can't do either.

But it is good to look at your circuit and make incremental improvements.

Fingertip push ups might defeat the purpose of removing pressure on your wrists.

Knuckle pushs aren't that much more difficult (if at all) compared to the regular push ups. Just need a padding underneath each knuckle if you aren't a martial artist. It removes pressure from the wrist so if you have wrist problems or depend a lot on having two functioning hands, the knuckle push up is an option to prevent injury.

 

[RicInOR]

re: Planks

I pulled off shoulder touches 80 each.

Get in a standard plank position - full up pushup position -
then pull up one hand and touch the opposite shoulder - with out rolling over
it is a quick exercise.

Those should go a bit quicker than 1/second - 80-90 in one minute.

Just adds some variety. You could try from the elbow plank if that is what you can do.


I had not heard of the 2 minute plank standard.


My weight also plateaued - I am down one half a pound for April.
But with the other improvements I am accepting and moving forward.

If I grab something like sugar or bread, then I have to fight thru the cravings again. Sugar more than bread. So, I know my diet has not yet transcended to be my lifestyle eating. Yet.



@etrain16 - excellent you have those measurements to chart progress.



I went a lot quicker than this vid - which is more the instructional type

 

[Joe13]

Workouts start Thursday with a trainer and I'm going to go 4 mornings a week to start.

 

[etrain16]

re: Planks

I pulled off shoulder touches 80 each.

Get in a standard plank position - full up pushup position -
then pull up one hand and touch the opposite shoulder - with out rolling over
it is a quick exercise.

Those should go a bit quicker than 1/second - 80-90 in one minute.

Just adds some variety. You could try from the elbow plank if that is what you can do.


I had not heard of the 2 minute plank standard.


My weight also plateaued - I am down one half a pound for April.
But with the other improvements I am accepting and moving forward.

If I grab something like sugar or bread, then I have to fight thru the cravings again. Sugar more than bread. So, I know my diet has not yet transcended to be my lifestyle eating. Yet.



@etrain16 - excellent you have those measurements to chart progress.



I went a lot quicker than this vid - which is more the instructional type

The 2 minute plank came from the culmination of several articles I read on planking - is it the actual 'standard' (if there is such a thing?), I don't know, but it's set in my mind now as a goal.

I've looked at some of those exercises you can incorporate into planking and I think I will start to work them in at some point. I do currently, after doing the regular plank, follow up with 2 more - one with my right leg raised for 20 seconds and alternating with my left leg raised for 20 seconds - it definitely takes more effort than the base exercise and I can feel it digging in to the muscles on the side a bit more.

As for eating, I'm not following any particular diet. I found my appetite actually went down when I started working out. Over time, as I ate less, it took less to fill me up. So now I'm eating smaller portions several times a day. Big meals - I pay for those now with predictable heartburn - so I'm learning to avoid such things. I've also dropped considerably on the use of fast food and I've cut carbs about in half. I still allow myself some sugar here and there to satisfy my sweet tooth, but thankfully I seem to be past the point where I get intense cravings for such things. Some days, I can't seem to eat enough - usually on recovery days, so I just listen to my body and eat more on those days - so far, it hasn't hurt my progress. I'm looking forward to what the next month brings. And hopefully your plateau will break as well - I know exactly how frustrating it is to do the work and seemingly show no results. Thanks as always for the encouragement.

 

[Joe13]

Got my workout in yesterday - left arm was pretty sore on the inside elbow during the night so I gave myself the day off today.

Got measured.
Down 1 lb.
Down 6.25" overall
Up 1" in the biceps

That's from 12 days on the new program.

And me not being very exact on my peanut butter intake lol, I'll have to measure more closely now that I have an idea what an actual 2tbls looks like and not just a heaping spoon full

 

[etrain16]

Got my workout in yesterday - left arm was pretty sore on the inside elbow during the night so I gave myself the day off today.

Got measured.
Down 1 lb.
Down 6.25" overall
Up 1" in the biceps

That's from 12 days on the new program.

And me not being very exact on my peanut butter intake lol, I'll have to measure more closely now that I have an idea what an actual 2tbls looks like and not just a heaping spoon full

6.25" - wow, that's quite loss for just 12 days!

I just found out that I am WAY low on my ferritin level (iron stores/reserves) to the point my doc has put me on iron supplements as of this week. I'm not anemic, just low iron stores - apparently that affects a lot of stuff in your body. I've been pretty tired lately, feeling pretty fatigued when working out, as well as some other things. Turns out this really low ferritin level could be the cause of at least some of it - in part because ferritin helps with O2 transport in the body. I had no idea I was so low in my iron - I take in plenty of food with iron, but apparently it's not enough. I started giving blood regularly last year and that may have been part of the cause. Anyway, the supplements, if they do their job, should start helping things feel better, particularly during the workouts.

 

[Geardo]

Worked out with the wife wearing both plates. OMFG, I was grunting so loud the neighbors dog was howling . and my wife was doubled over laughing. But it was a good workout!

 

[Kruel J]

Finally managed to get some dumbbell time in, my arm is still sore but I just couldn't take it any longer. So I went easy but did manage to get in a few good sets. Then came home and put new pads, rotors and wheel bearings on my truck. All from the ground and with hand tools. That was another workout by itself!

 

[RicInOR]

I just found out that I am WAY low on my ferritin level (iron stores/reserves)

Geritol?

My dad had to be infused due to low iron. Glad you caught it.

 

[etrain16]

Geritol?

My dad had to be infused due to low iron. Glad you caught it.

Yeah. Doc put me on iron + vitamin c (for absorption) for 3 months, then he'll test again to see how things are going.

 

[Joe13]

6.25" - wow, that's quite loss for just 12 days!

I just found out that I am WAY low on my ferritin level (iron stores/reserves) to the point my doc has put me on iron supplements as of this week. I'm not anemic, just low iron stores - apparently that affects a lot of stuff in your body. I've been pretty tired lately, feeling pretty fatigued when working out, as well as some other things. Turns out this really low ferritin level could be the cause of at least some of it - in part because ferritin helps with O2 transport in the body. I had no idea I was so low in my iron - I take in plenty of food with iron, but apparently it's not enough. I started giving blood regularly last year and that may have been part of the cause. Anyway, the supplements, if they do their job, should start helping things feel better, particularly during the workouts.

Do you take a multivitamin or other supplements? Just curious, my only experience with iron deficiency is my wife was slightly anemic and taking iron supplements when I met her.

She still bruises like a gardenia.

 

[Joe13]

I'm going to have to do a light workout tomorrow and concentrate on chest, triceps and legs/glutes.

Got off early today and spent a few hours doing some work for my folks and this evening has been brutal - I feel like I've been caned lol.

No pain no gain

 

[SIG34]

Walked the pups to the dog park and let them run around!

 

[etrain16]

Do you take a multivitamin or other supplements? Just curious, my only experience with iron deficiency is my wife was slightly anemic and taking iron supplements when I met her.

She still bruises like a gardenia.

Yep, I've taken one for years. Doing some research it could be that I'm not taking in iron efficiently, so hopefully we'll find out that combining the iron with a dose of vitamin C will help. Test showed I'm not anemic, red blood cells were fine, so that's good. But the low ferritin is still a problem.

 

[Boboclown]

Dug up my yard to plant a tree and remove a dead one. Found plenty of rocks with iron.

Also found a family of snakes when working in the yard. So black widows and snakes, think ya'll would love my yard.