I get that from walking to and from work every day.. 30 mins each way, up and down a steep hill.. then a full day heavy lifting...

_________________
Pfc Glenn Allen ,
1st Batt. 69th Regiment,
Homers Hero's..
Drops so Far.... 29 and counting

Best of success Vicky!! And thanks for giving the thread a nudge!


I've actually been dialing my routines back. I've been taking more days off in between workouts.

This came about partially because of my work schedule. I'm training about once every 3-4 days (as opposed to 3 times a week).

Less workouts per week have not be good to my waistline (I'd say I've put on about 8-10 lbs)...

However my strength has gone through the roof!

I don't really like talking numbers as it sounds like I'm boasting and most people would think "Yeah right " if I said how much I was bench pressing etc. Let's just say for a man my size I'm a lot stronger than I look.

Since D-Con I've put 30lbs on my bench press. Mind you I don't do flat bench presses with a barbell anymore- I do decline presses which do allow you to use more weight.

I still do flat dumbbell presses. The heaviest dumbbells my gym has are 100lbs- I can do 11 reps with them.

With me I notice that I can't have it both ways no matter what. If I want to look lean, I have to diet and train more often. It's inevitable that my strength will go down as I will be consuming less calories and my muscles will not have fully recovered from the previous workout.

But it's not tank-top season right now... So I'll go for strength and enjoy some food.

I'll probably start seriously dieting in March or April for the summer.

Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

That's better than most people do on an average day. And besides, you look fine to me Glenn,



You've summed it up right there. If you're on a restricted diet you're just not going to have enough calories to fuel your workouts AND build muscle. I've noticed it in things like 'World's Strongest Man' where some of the guys who can lift the most have a serious beer gut!

Personally I'm just going for a more streamlined look... especially since I want to be able to wear that Boob Armour come next D*Con. I might consider dieting after Christmas as I've got a pretty hectic schedule for the next month so I know my eating is going to be all over the place.

_________________
"You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water."

Well, today was supposed to be cardio and abs. I did the cardio but flaked on the abs as didn't feel I'd be able to do them.

The cardio workout was great though. Lots of kicking and punching which with my martial arts background I found very familiar. One thing I did have problems with was anything that involved jumping... lets just say that the sports bra I have was next to useless.

Tomorrow is the sculpting/weights workout. I'll see if I feel up to doing the abs after that. If not, I'm considering doing the abs on the third day so I get a lighter workout. It's as much about recovery as it is working out so I don't think it'll do me any harm splitting it up like that - in fact it might do me good.

_________________
"You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water."

Awesome update......don't overdo it but don't let yourself get lazy and quit too early.

I on the other hand need help!!

As some know the new job has me working later...
I've also taken on a few 'side gigs' to better myself etc
My gym membership has expired and I do not have the time in the week to drive all the way there and get a good workout.

I need something I can do around the home (bare in mind I live in an apartment in the city and all I have are side streets with no place to go and exercise) and time is very lmited in the evenings but more free time on weekends.

I need to replace my rowing and weight routine that has severely suffered since I switched jobs and make the new one easier to stick to with an unbalanced schedule.

Thoughts?!?!?!?

_________________

For rowing put a broomhandle across two chairs- lie down underneath the handle and grasp it with your hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Keep your body as straight as possible and do pull ups off the floor (think of it kinda like the reverse of doing push ups).

Then do some push ups.

Curls can be done with anything heavy that has a handle- such as filling a tote bag with heavy soup cans or something.

Or you could splurge and buy some dumbbells. I'm sure you could find a decent/affordable set with interchangable weights/plates at WalMart. A set of dumbbells would help immensely with a home based workout.

Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Things haven't been going well. I've come down with yet another cold so doing any sort of workout has been pretty much impossible when you're blowing your nose every other minute.

On the plus side I have lost 5lbs.

I'm hoping to start things up again in the next day or two and this time I hope I can do a whole week before something else conspires against me.

_________________
"You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water."

Well after my month long stint i Asia I discovered that I do indeed like Japanese food. Too much. Reacted by hitting the gym every day and walking 3.3 miles. Cant jog yet as the impact doesnt do my back right. Anyway the 10 lbs came off in a week. I think it was laying off the booze more than anything:)

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Wow, I got a brazilion for this?

Thanks Kev, sorry for the delayed appreciation.
Now I need to get a new broom and some decent chairs

_________________

just finished my first 7 day rotation on the treadmill right now i am 5' 10 " 205 lbs my goal is 175 lbs , the weight i was when i got out of bootcamp , also i want to do 3 miles in 18 minutes , right now i'm at 2.5 miles in 1/2 hour

_________________
"I am the ULTIMATE BADASS , state of the badass art"
Alpha squad. Burton's Bandits

Keep it up kids. I lost another 10 pounds. That makes 20 in 5 weeks. Side note I caught a cold then it turned in to Bronchitis. So had to lay off the workout for the last 2 weeks. I head back to Asia Monday so well see if I can resist the sushi!

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Wow, I got a brazilion for this?

I have not lost much weight i am 203 now , but i have worked up my running routine , i started doing 5 min walk 5 min jog etc.. for 30 minutes , now i am up to 3 min walk 7 min jog etc.. for 45 min .. going about 3 1/2 miles a day , i was doing it every other day , but i find myself enjoying the hell out of it ( who would have thought ) i have completely quit sugar soda and now i only have 2 diet 7 up's a day , the hard part is the food , i love good food , and we did body for life a couple years ago , and as a result i can't stand plain chicken ..

_________________
"I am the ULTIMATE BADASS , state of the badass art"
Alpha squad. Burton's Bandits

Hey Gang,

Sorry for my extended absence from the thread.

This time of year is usually difficult for me workout-wise, and this year has proved no different-

Winter typically gives me the "blahs" (not quite "blues"--- but "blahs" or "mehs" ). I end up skipping workouts, not training as hard, etc.

The last month has been doubly difficult as my work schedule has been radically changed. I used to count on either working until 4:30pm or having a day off ever other day (thereby allowing me to go to the gym at a decent hour), but my schedule has been pretty topsy turvy having to work until 8:30pm and having my two days off in a row rather than staggered.

As a result my motivation has been way down. More so than usual. I've only gone to the gym about five or six times in the last month.


And as a result of that my strength is down sending my motivation into a downward spiral.


But...


I ain't out of the game yet!


I worked out hard today- and when I get in again on Wednesday and Friday that will put me back on track; three days a week is all I need to stay in shape!


Carry on Marines!

Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

You've all seen the boxes and you've all seen the amount of cr@p Cherie and I have.....my workout is coming

And Cherie told me the other day is it ok if she works that Friday and she'll help unpack Saturday

MY WORKOUT IS COMING!!!

_________________

Well....my P90X just got here today...went shopping for all the recommended foods tonight...tomorrow I do the fitness test and Wed starts the hard stuff...


Derek

_________________
Cpl D. Smith CMD
A04/TQ1.0.62147E1


RIP Pvt. Chris Chulamanis A14/TQ4.0.66993E7 You are missed.

you sir are a brave man , i hear that p90x is a killer

_________________
"I am the ULTIMATE BADASS , state of the badass art"
Alpha squad. Burton's Bandits

just got off the treadmill and out of the shower 198lbs yay i broke 200

_________________
"I am the ULTIMATE BADASS , state of the badass art"
Alpha squad. Burton's Bandits

Way to go Bro!!


I got my butt to the gym again today too! That's twice this week! One more time on Friday and I consider my "blahs" behind me!!


Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

well, on the one hand, I've gone down to about 245-250 lbs (I fluctuate between the two) from almost topping 260-ish.

On the other hand, I've decided to use the greatest bad-guy-gone-somewhat-good since The Terminator for inspiration: Riddick! My overall goal is to buff up, lose fat, and get a shine-job done on my eyes (oh wait, did I say that out loud? ) I'm not necessarily looking at weight, either. I don't care if I stay the same weight, as long it's in muscle, not fat.

So, I'm working on putting together an excercise regimen, as well as cutting back on certain foods (CHOCOLATE!!!) as well as food in general (amount). Cause, let's face it, I eat too much .

_________________
Squad Leader, 58th Regt., 2nd Batt., "Morse's Marauders" - U.S.S. Azuera
Primary MOS: Rifleman
Secondary MOS: Combat Demolitions

"When the going gets tough, the tough call on the Colonial Marines."

Well I sprained my left wrist in the gym on Wednesday. Haven't had it checked out yet (if it was broken or something worse than a sprain I wouldn't be able to move it at all- which I can), but it means no gym until it's healed. Probably a couple of weeks.


So with the time off I've had the time to perfect a post I've been working on for a while.

The majority of us here are trying to lose some weight (or keep it off).

One of the biggest problem with diets/strategies/exercise regimes etc is that they do not address why someone is overweight to begin with.

Yes it's about eating habits. But it's hard to admit that the weight we are at is nobody's fault but our own. We make excuses/rationalizations:

"I have a slow metabolism."

"I must have a thyroid condition."

"The drugs I have to use are making me gain weight."


Sometimes a medical condition truly does exist- but for the most part, being overweight is due to eating too much.

It's harsh and may be insensitive- but it is a cold hard fact. One that should be faced head on the sooner the better. More than anything else losing weight is about a mind set. Attempts to lose weight fail in general because we continue to treat food as a source of entertainment oblivious to the detrimental effects of overeating. What we must do to be successful in losing weight is change our perception about food.

Losing weight is not really complicated- it really just requires the will to do so. However mustering the will is the hard part- giving up the wonderful sensation one experiences when they eat their favourite foods can be just as difficult as quitting an addiction such as smoking, drinking or even recreational drugs.

However it is even more difficult than one of those addictions; if you are a reformed cocaine addict, you can go the rest of your life without cocaine... But you cannot stop eating food and never touch the stuff again. You have to eat to survive.

Frankly overeating with meals, and eating junkfood on a daily basis is an addiction.

Think about 5 of your absolute favourite foods to eat.

Now how would you react if I told you you can never eat them ever again.

You’re probably chuckling right now right?

Well the fact is most people are unwilling to give up that food regardless of the consequences. Even if they were told by a doctor that they had to stop eating it, they would more than likely cut back rather than stopping completely. Chances are only after a serious wake up call such as a seizure or onset of diabetes will someone dramatically alter their diet.

So I’ve been thinking of an analogy that just about everyone can relate to- one that will hopefully help put losing weight into some perspective. I like to call it the "Credit Card" theory.


It’s a safe bet that just about everyone in this thread has (or has had) a credit card. We’ve all probably indulged with our cards and may or may not have gotten ourselves into financial difficulty because of them (Lord knows I have).

So let’s say we’ve gone too far with our credit card. What do we do? Well we simply stop using it and keep making regular payments (beyond the minimum) until it is paid down to a reasonable amount (or best case- paid off completely).

Well in a way... Your body and its fat storage is kind of like that over used credit card.

When we eat- it is analogous to using the credit card. When we overeat/indulge, it is amassing debt (in the form of stored fat) on the card that needs to be paid off before being used again.

Now we can’t stop eating completely- but we must cut back whatever it is we are indulging in- be it snack foods, high fat/high carbohydrate foods (I could go on... but the bottom line is if you want to lose weight- you need to eat less calories). This would be the equivalent of no longer amassing debt on the card.

Now what would happen if you made minimum payments on a credit card- but continued to use it? You would not go anywhere in paying off the debt- the debt would remain the same.

This is the same as your body- you can’t just cut back a bit on junkfood- you have to make an effort to eat considerably less than what you are used to or your body will not change. You might not gain any more weight, but you will not lose any either.

So now we have made the effort to not amass any further debt on the card... how do we pay it off?

By exercising. Be it a cardiovascular workout, sport, weight lifting or anything that increases how many calories we burn in a day- it all goes toward paying down that debt.

The point I am trying to make is that you have to consider that fun food that is going to give you a few minutes (or less) of pleasure as a source of debt. This debt is where you are at with your bodyfat level. Every time you fall off the wagon, indulge, and think "I’ll stick to my diet tomorrow" you are continuing to contribute to that debt.

If you have ever been in financial trouble with a credit card- you know how dangerous it can be to give in and use the card when you know you shouldn’t.

It’s the same with falling off your diet. You will have to restrict your diet further and workout harder to reverse that “debt” you have allowed yourself to indulge in.

When I indulge- I know that I’m probably going to go over my daily intake by 1000 calories or more. So I have to workout and restrict my diet to use up that excess 1000 calories before I can go ahead and indulge again. I usually don’t "workout more/harder" so I make the effort not to eat junkfood for a while. We are talking months here.

For instance I love chips and dip. When I eat it I pretty much can’t stop until it is all gone.

I eat chips and dip once a year.

Cheeseburgers: love 'em. 3 or 4 times a year at most (usually at the dinners during D-Con, Polaris etc). That goes for just about any fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken wings, onion rings etc).

Pizza- about once every couple of months.

Meals have to be considered nutrients for survival. They don’t have to be boring, but you really have to consider how many calories you are consuming.

Mindless snacking between meals has to go- it totally destroys any effort to lose weight. Find a hobby to occupy your mind other than junkfood.

And avoid "healthy snacks". We've all heard about popcorn without butter, or rice cakes, on and on...

The bottom line is that they are still calories that you will have to burn off later. They might not be as much as a bag of cookies or a tub of ice cream, but sticking to your new diet is something that you must do for the rest of your life if you want to keep the weight off. The sooner you cut out snacking between meals the better.

I know all of this is easier said than done. But I’ve been there myself so believe me I know. And this post is not meant to be harsh, or patronizing. What I’m trying to do is help you think twice before you eat that cookie, pizza, etc. for that temporary moment of pleasure.


Work hard Marines!

Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Great advice bro...BTW, I started my P90X last week...it has me eating more calories per day but in smaller meals because Im burning a TON of calories now...I am weighing EVERYTHING I eat now and am eating the recommended daily allowances ONLY...I thought it would be hard, but its so easy to cut back once you've started..no more junk food comes into this house (for me anyway)...only fresh fruits and vegetables, Organic fat free milk (which tastes 100 times better than whole milk), fat free EVERYTHING and water are all that will go into this body from now on...I feel more full now on 1/4 of what I used to eat only two weeks ago...

And as soon as I stepped on the scale this week, I saw that 3 lbs were already gone:) That's 1 weeks worth of the program and eating better...now no one can say losing weight is hard...I'm living proof that it isn't...and whats good is that I cant plateau on this program...If I want to lose anything, its up to me..I'm the only one that can fail myself...no excuses about meds, metabolism, etc.....its all me!! So at 5am when I get up to do an hours worth of workout, Ill know that the hours worth of sleep I lost was well worth it when I look in the mirror in 90 days!!


Hypersleep costume...here I come!! DC 09!!


Derek

_________________
Cpl D. Smith CMD
A04/TQ1.0.62147E1


RIP Pvt. Chris Chulamanis A14/TQ4.0.66993E7 You are missed.

that's the hardest thing for me , i am not a huge person ,but i am out of shape , i have been on the treadmill for about 4-5 weeks and i am loving it . i run about 45 min s day 5 times a week , and its not hard for me to get motivated to do that because afterword i am soaked in sweet , and i feel great , the hard part for me is food ,i don't overeat , i just eat s**t food , i have completly kicked sugar soda , and i only eat twice a day , now i know i should eat 5 to six small meals a day ,but at work 1 /3 of my day i just don't have time to do that ,i am lucky if i get 1 meal in at work , sometimes dinner is all i have . but its something i need to work on if i am going to make this work . i quit snuff tobacco , after 17 years last march , and i said i wanted to be in the best shape of my life when i turn 40 , the problem with that is i was a 300 pft'r my last pft test out of boot camp .o i have my work cut out for me .

_________________
"I am the ULTIMATE BADASS , state of the badass art"
Alpha squad. Burton's Bandits

Only because you said something about it!

_________________
Squad Leader, 58th Regt., 2nd Batt., "Morse's Marauders" - U.S.S. Azuera
Primary MOS: Rifleman
Secondary MOS: Combat Demolitions

"When the going gets tough, the tough call on the Colonial Marines."

Travis...the sodas were a GIANT step bro..Im trying to get my wife away from her Dew addiction...she drinks 2 per day, but to me thats 2 too many. Also, the small meals are EASY bro...Im not talking a meal that you would have to cook, Im meaning just an apple, or protein bar...something small that would kill the hunger for about 2.5 hours....try it, youll see how easy it is...especially at work. And youll be surprised at the amount of energy you have after starting to eat that way...


Derek

_________________
Cpl D. Smith CMD
A04/TQ1.0.62147E1


RIP Pvt. Chris Chulamanis A14/TQ4.0.66993E7 You are missed.

I've always HATED sugar free sodas. I always went with the sugar as
I hated the taste of the artificial sweeteners.

However, I forced myself to only drink the diet versions, and after six
months I had no longing for sugared varieties. Now I prefer them and
find the sugared versions too sweet.

With 'clean' eating you will find, if you stick with it for more than six
months, your taste buds will adapt and although I do enjoy the odd
curry, burger and other junk food, I rarely miss or pine for it.

Of these, for me, chocolate is the only one that always whispers in
the dark, lol. So when I do give in to that craving, I go for something
rich like a quality Belgian chocolate or a Dime bar as opposed to a
Snickers. That way I eat a smaller amount which means fewer
calories. I find the rich tasting stuff satiates me more than a
Snickers. And then I have a few less calories the next day.

Often though, a glass of water instead works well at removing that
craving. I read that the body can mistake hunger for thirst. From my
experience I believe that to be true.

Another thing I read was, on waking, have a glass of cold water - cold
as you can bear it. Your body has to work fast to heat the water to
body temperature and thus gives your metabolism a kick.

If you can then do some cardio before breakfast that is a great way
to burn fat. I'm not a morning person at all and I find this really hard
first thing in the morning, but it is worth the aggro because it has
given me results. So I do that three times a week (mostly, lol)

I have been studying nutrition for three years and I do find it a fascinating subject.
Btw, it is possible to eat clean at DCon, I did about half the time. 'Cleanish', lol.
One of those places in the food court, I could get chicken, spinach and carrots.
Really good. Just have to not look at the pictures of the food all around!

Thanks for the great tips, Kevin. I haven't posted on this thread
before but have been a follower and a lot taken your advice.