Fat Force: Because we love Jelly Doughnuts too much.

Going back on the topic of gyms, I also subscribe to a gym and don't go mainly because I feel so out of place there.

I feel so self-conscious about what I'm doing, how people are looking at me lifting weights, or whatever that it's just not comfortable going. Not to mention the gym's in totally wrong direction from my house to my work. I also feel BORED OUT OF MY MIND when I'm there.

Everytime I go to my gym I feel like I need to get a newer/spiffier iPod or better work-out clothes. Maybe there's other issues than just going that I need to just get over. =/

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I have a question that maybe some of my fellow fat-force might be able to help me with (I'm looking at you, gech). I've noticed on a few of the cardio machines at my gym have heartrate monitors, and graphs indicating where your heartrate should be for your preferred workout. IE: on an elliptical machine, my target 'fat burning' HR was 127, while my target cardio HR was 140 (or something like that).

My question is... Does it do anything for you if it goes above that target. I was working pretty hard at one point, getting my HR up to 180 or so, and the machine kept blinking 'above' on the target heart rate graph. Does that mean it's not doing a thing for me besides making me breath harder and my legs sore?

How ya doing, buddy?

Come on guys, we're not giving up on this already, are we?

...

Oh I know. You guys must be too busy exercising and researching delicious recipes for the thread, am I right?

...anyways!

The week of June 26th - July 2nd:

I went to the gym three times over the week.

Treadmill
Mile run, no incline
Average time: 13.8 Minutes
Average calories burned: 81
Average speed: 4.9

1/2 Mile, Incline
Average time: 8.1 Minutes
Average Calories Burned: 65
Average speed: 3.7
Average Incline: 6.0

Elliptical
Average time: 14.3 Minutes
Average Calories burned: 107
Average Distance: 0.77
Average Speed: 3.8

(Wednesday had a resistance of 12 and incline of 10)

Weights/Machines
Cable Woodchopper (High) -
3 sets of 10 at 12.5 - 17.5lbs to left
3 sets of 10 at 17.5lbs to right

Cable Woodchopper (Low)
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to left
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to right

Abdominal Crunch
Straight - 5 sets of 10 at 10lbs
Left - 3 sets of 10 at 10lbs
Right - 3 sets of 10 at 10lbs

I would have done more weights and machines and such, but I kept running late and figured I should get my cardio done above all. I still havent bought a scale, but I went for a recent check up, and that doctor's scale said I was 3 pounds lighter than the amount that got me going in the first place. I'm telling myself its just the difference in scales to keep me motivated.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I know Rasp hasn't given up, as he's out biking quite a bit. As for myself, I'm relegated to weights only right now, but I can't wait for my ankle to be 100% again.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Temari

I have a question that maybe some of my fellow fat-force might be able to help me with (I'm looking at you, gech). I've noticed on a few of the cardio machines at my gym have heartrate monitors, and graphs indicating where your heartrate should be for your preferred workout. IE: on an elliptical machine, my target 'fat burning' HR was 127, while my target cardio HR was 140 (or something like that).

My question is... Does it do anything for you if it goes above that target. I was working pretty hard at one point, getting my HR up to 180 or so, and the machine kept blinking 'above' on the target heart rate graph. Does that mean it's not doing a thing for me besides making me breath harder and my legs sore?

Found this explanation at about.com.

Quote:

Getting in the Zone

Sally Edwards, author of "The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook" (Compare Prices) discusses the value of heart zone training. It works for 20-year-old athletes as well as 70 year olds with heart trouble. The goal is to get into a particular zone. She identifies 5 zones:

The Healthy Heart Zone: 50% to 60% of your individual maximum heart rate. This is a safe, comfortable zone reached by and easy walk. This is the best zone for people who are just starting to exercise. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The Temperate Zone: 60% to 70% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. Achieved through a faster walking speed or a slow jog.
The Aerobic Zone: 70% to 80% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system and increase the size and strength of your heart. Achieved through a steady jog.
The Anaerobic Threshold Zone: 80% to 90% of your individual maximum heart rate. This is a high intensity zone is achieved through a "burning" run.
The Redline Zone: 90% to 100% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone is the equivalent of running full out, and is often used in "interval" training. This zone should be approached with caution and can lead to injuries when sustained for a long period.

Every summer I help coach a softball team, so that always helps me get a little more exercise. Realistically I drink enough warm Tecate to overcompensate for any calories I may be burning playing first base. I've been trying to get back into racquetball since I think it's a lot of fun, but I see a lot of really old fat dudes playing (and they're good), so that makes me wonder about how good of a workout it actually is. My biggest problem is I hate running since it's always made my knees and ankles hurt really bad. Also, anything on a stationary machine just bores me to death. Any other ideas on ways to make exercising a little more interesting?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I imagine making exercise into a social activity is rewarding, mentally.
Rewarding in itself isn't a bad idea, either. If you have something you like to go out and do, or perhaps if you just want to justify getting a beer at the end of the night, make it a post-workout activity.

Combining the two together would really help. If you and your friends can agree on a regular workout time, then you can schedule activities afterward, it becomes a motivation to go to the gym itself.

Also, if you tend to go with your buddies, you can churn out a little competition, which is also healthy. It may not be who runs the fastest or lifts the most, but who shows the best gains, lost the most weight, etc.

FELIPE NO

It's funny you mention combining activities, zeph, not only because I've been doing that but also because the post-activity-activity has been, in many cases, playing mtg. Most of my pals seem to be in a weight-loss kick and after an hour of tennis we go off and play games.

We actually have to get good at tennis before we start making it a competition. I'm thinking a simple biggest volley possible game will eventually increase our skill. It's actually kind of funny just how much work it is to run around from left to right and picking up balls from the fence, it's a great compliment to riding the bike in mile-circles.

So far I've lost a bit of weight, but more importantly I just feel more ALIVE. Lot's of energy and overall just feeling good. I definitely think it's been the forced inclusion of breakfast into my life that's kicked that into gear. Also just an overall good mood after getting some sun.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Exercise eventually turns into a lifestyle. I find myself shooting over my own foot if I miss one day of exercise, and I normally go working out from Monday to Friday (and if motivated enough, Saturday). My cheat day is usually Sunday. Frozen yogurt with dark chocolate bits, yes. I still have the occasional donut or sweets but I cut down on bread dramatically. Also rice. An asian without rice? Yeah, I went there. Exercise routine? I usually go with my exercise batch 1 and 2 alternatively, with a 3 included Wednesday.

Glad to know that it makes you feel alive, Erik. Daily activity does wonders for you.

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This is directed toward those who have said they feel self-conscious at the gym.

It's likely that any serious athletes in your area won't be training at any gym that you have access to, so that means when you go to the gym, you're surrounded by AMATEURS. Regardless of how they look or what they say to you, they probably don't have any idea what they're doing, just like you. So what I'm trying to say is, you shouldn't be intimidated by these people. Honestly, if anyone at a gym looks down on you for being overweight or whatever, that's fuckin retarded. I mean, if you're overweight, and you're at a gym trying to get in shape, WHAT IS THERE FOR ANYONE TO LOOK DOWN UPON?

PS: A hint regarding gym attire...it doesn't matter what you wear. Those who wear color coordinated Nike outfits or sleeveless muscle shirts with headbands are probably the most clueless people at the gym.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

So I'm running a little late with last week's work update, but I figure better late than never... and I'm of course working on this week.

The Week of July 31st - August 6th:

Went to the gym a total of 3 times this week.

Treadmill
Mile Run, no Incline
Average time: 12.4 Minutes
Average calories burned: 101
Average speed: 5.5

1/2 Mile, Incline
Average time: 7.6 Minutes
Average Calories Burned: 66
Average speed: 3.9
Average Incline: 6.0

Elliptical
Average time: 9.4 Minutes
Average Calories burned: 96
Average Distance: 0.83
Average Resistance: 10

Weights/Machines
Tuesday
Cable Woodchopper (High)-
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to the left
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to the right

Cable Woodchopper (Low)-
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to the left
3 sets of 10 at 12.5lbs to the right

V-Crunch
3 sets of 10 at 10lbs

Thursday
Seated Leg Curl
3 sets of 10 at 60lbs

Prone Leg Curl
3 sets of 10 at 50lbs

Leg Extension
3 sets of 10 at 60lbs

Angled Seat Calf
3 sets of 10 at 60lbs

Leg Sled - Seated
3 sets of 10 at 180lbs

Abdominal Crunch
3 sets of 10 at 10lbs
1 set of 10 at 20lbs

I've been going to the gym for about 2 months or so now, maybe more, not as regularly as I would like. I'm just glad when I can get there, honestly. But there are some days where I skip, just because I'm lazy. I'm thinking about picking up a scale and starting to track my weight, just because seeing my weight at the doctors is what started me at the gym in the first place. Seeing some improvement will make me want to keep it up, I'm hoping.

I've been sticking to salads for lunch pretty regularly, but I think I've realized my problem lies elsewhere... I eat dinner REALLY late. Often I wait until my boyfriend is out of work, so I'm eating anywhere between 8-11pm to eat dinner. I've been decent about at least eating a cereal bar for breakfast, so there's improvement there. I've also been cutting down on the soda, sticking to one of those small, '90 calorie' cans if I really want some.

How ya doing, buddy?

Soooooo. Are we still in this, fat force?

Recently I discovered an application I've been using to help out with weight control. While I liked the "Body Fitness" one I was using for the gym, this new one, called 'My Fitness Pal', allows you to input your current weight, personal info, and goals, and it gives you a healthy calorie goal per day to lose weight (or just maintain it). Then you can estimate your calorie intake and exercise for the day to hit that goal.



For my personal goals, it gave me a calorie goal of 1200 a day. It was hard at first, but has gotten easier... especially after I realized that if I drank nothing but water, I wouldnt lose most of my calories to soda, something with no nutritional value.

I've only been using it for a few weeks, but I've lost a couple pounds already, with my third weigh-in tonight.

I have been feeling better about myself with all I've been doing. Indoor soccer has started back up again, I've found a multi-vitamin that boosts my metabolism and doesn't make me nauseous.


Has anyone else been keeping up with this? Taking the bike out besides the colder weather? Playing sports? Hitting the gym? Or just avoiding the fried foods?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'm not keeping elaborate tabs on it like you are but I'm on my bike for about three hours a week, with no time for a decent breakfast or any kind of lunch most days. I'm pretty sure I'd be gradually losing some weight whether I wanted to or not. As it gets colder I'll probably be killing time at the gym instead of just waiting around at the bus stop with a book*. Getting better about stopping eating once I'm not hungry versus when I'm "full" which has always been kind of an issue for me.

A couple more months of this and I might be able to approach a scale with something other than fear and revulsion!

*The bus stop nearest my house is a mile away, and the only route that serves it terminates a mile from my campus. Woo wooooo.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I don't want to start throwing in all sorts of links in this thread to understand that diet changes is 70-90% due for weight loss. 20% or so is pretty much physical. Even Gumby can attest to this. This is very true for me.

If it wasn't for my silly anxiety issues a year ago, I still did lose 60 pounds in 3 months just by cutting off soda, dairy, loads of sweets and still kept it off for a year now. Just going back to the basics also did it for me too. No processed, no fast food, no "bad" foods like those granola bars. And definitely portion size too, if it helps, buy yourself some kiddy set and stick with it.

So its mostly just that you need to be motivated (damn you) enough to do diet changes like above and be all fucking serious (or scared lol) enough about it. Once you do fine on the scale, you can do lots of physical stuff without feeling awful at the end.

Thread title is what it is. This is no jogging force for sure. We're nerds with computer screen glow on our faces. We're not going anywhere. Join me and my cibophobic nightmare.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Man, my stovetop died earlier this week, and as a result I've been going out to eat way more until the new one comes in. I've already put on a few pounds.

FELIPE NO

Light exercise every morning, basketball with co-workers every monday evening for about 2 hours, and adjusting my diet, woop woop.

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With my ankle healed, I've kicked it into full gear. Back into martial arts, playing indoor soccer three times a week, plus a regular exercise routine.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

After being thoroughly frustrated at my own state of mind, I decided to go for a run on Thursday. Here I am on Saturday morning tethered with pain all up in my shins and my calves all because I went for a jog at a snail's pace around 2 blocks.

I need to get back up starting again. My long term goal is to be able to run 3 miles under 30 minutes with consistency.

How ya doing, buddy?

Switched my normal routine to a hybrid one. Now I can't even walk properly after a workout.

Added carbs on weekdays for a number of months; switching it up to nothing (or really low) except Sunday.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I started doing that cool running from your couch to 5k running routine. Other than that, I haven't been monitoring my diet that closely anymore, but considering I was taking in so little for such a long time, I'm just habitually in the 1500 calorie a day range. I plateaued at 200lbs for awhile, but for whatever reason I'm losing again. I was down to 186lbs yesterday.

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