Health and Fitness Thread

[snubbyfan]

For no particular reason, I'm going to take a rest day today. I'm up, had breakfast, and feel fine, I just decided I'm going to surprise my body and not take it for a 5 to 8 mile walk this morning. I do not even have any errands that I need to walk to accomplish today. I'm going to stick to the 1,600 calorie diet, hydrate, maybe do a light workout at the gym, and simply take it easy today.

I'm still learning how to use MyFitnessPal and integrate it into the other fitness tracking apps I use, but it is proving to be useful.

In West Virginia you go into the woods without a camera you will see bears. In Texas you go into the woods without a gun and you will see wild hogs. Strange how that works.

Ya gotta have a rest day occasionally. Let your body heal. In fact, I've found that if I'm at a plateau, that taking a day or two off then hitting it hard helps to get me over the hump.

Good results on my blood sugar this morning! First time under 100 (92)! Going to get more data for where it is going during the day before I change when and what I eat.

Good to hear. Best of luck.

 

[snubbyfan]

We're off to the Y. Spin class then a good workout for an hour or so.

Since I hit one of my weight loss goals of 175 pounds. I'm gonna get a reward.
Today for supper, I'm gonna fire up the grill and cook some Omaha Steaks Gourmet burgers with cheese on potato bread buns.
It'll be a grillin', drinking beer, and smoking a cigar day.

Then it's off to the final goal of 170 pounds.
Actually, I'm thinking of maybe keeping it up and seeing where I end up.

 

[snubbyfan]

Here's the result:

Three beers (okay they were Miller Lites but they were beer anyway) one and a half burgers, a cigar and a grill later, I'm sittin' here with a full belly, snacking on cashews.

 

[kwselke]

After playing with the MyFitnessPal calorie counter app for a couple of days I'm going to drop using pen and paper and go digital with my calorie log. I think I logged everything today from the web browser on my computer. I was going to use my phone to scan the bar-code on my yogurt this morning, but the cup was out of a 4-pack and did not have an individual bar-code. The app had the HEB brand yogurt data as well as a local Prasek's link sausage data online. That's an impressive database which is very convenient to use. The record the app produces has much more data than simply total calories. Here's what my data for today looks like.

 

[snubbyfan]

Planning on a nice long bike ride tomorrow. My Garmin GPS watch has a "cycling" function.
I also just found out that there's a bicycle handlebar mount available for it.

 

[snubbyfan]

After playing with the MyFitnessPal calorie counter app for a couple of days I'm going to drop using pen and paper and go digital with my calorie log. I think I logged everything today from the web browser on my computer. I was going to use my phone to scan the bar-code on my yogurt this morning, but the cup was out of a 4-pack and did not have an individual bar-code. The app had the HEB brand yogurt data as well as a local Prasek's link sausage data online. That's an impressive database which is very convenient to use. The record the app produces has much more data than simply total calories. Here's what my data for today looks like.

That's pretty cool. I figure that as long as I'm burning more calories than I'm taking in, I'm doing good.
But that really give you a graphic display of what's going in for a day.
I guess if you're going to go over, proteins the one to do it with.

 

[susieqz]

most of you seem to rely on walking for fitness.
i agree that walking is smart. i did lots with good results in the past.
but don't any of you have a bad knee or something that prohibits long walks?
it would be nice to hear from people that keep fit with less walking n more something else.

 

[snubbyfan]

most of you seem to rely on walking for fitness.
i agree that walking is smart. i did lots with good results in the past.
but don't any of you have a bad knee or something that prohibits long walks?
it would be nice to hear from people that keep fit with less walking n more something else.

I've got arthritis in both knees and a degenerative peripheral motor nerve condition that has no cure and no treatment. My family doctor and I researched and found a combination of supplements and meds that help on a daily basis. They have minimal side effects but do wear off in the evening.
My condition was supposed to have landed me in a wheelchair years ago.
It took me nearly a year to relearn to walk using the muscles that still work. I've always been active and I wasn't ready to stop now. I choose to hike wooded trails because it's easier on my knees and hiking to the top of a mountain ridge burns a lot of calories. My wife and I also bike.
We also go to the YMCA. Spin class twice a week and workout with the weight machines three times a week. When the weather turns colder, we plan to spend more time at the Y.
They have both a warm and cold indoor pools. We'll jog and swim laps when it's too cold outside.
With the weight machines, we focus on reps and sets rather than loads of weight. It's easier on the joints.
My goal's to stay active. Building a lot of bulk doesn't help with that. I feel I'm plenty strong enough, I just want to maintain the strength I have without risking damage to my joints while reducing my excess body fat.
A proper diet also helps with that.
It wasn't easy getting to this point.
When my condition started, I was a fit 170 pounds. Due to a greatly reduced activity level, my weight ballooned to 230 pounds (at least that's when I stopped stepping on that darn scale) and I almost landed butt first in an electric scooty chair.
It's taken years but my weight's almost down to my preneuropathy level, just five more pounds, also I'm a far ways away from needing help getting around.
The only thing is that I have to keep on top of it. If I miss a week, it's a set back.

 

[susieqz]

i can't hike or bike.
i had micro surgery on my knee. it helped, but i can onlt stress the knee so much.
every few months, i go a couple days using a cane.
i'm not complaining because i can do heavy work.
in spring n fall, gardening keeps me fit. i dig big holes, plant trees etc.
i could use some tips for summer n winter that are easy on my knee but give me a work out.

 

[kwselke]

i can't hike or bike.
i had micro surgery on my knee. it helped, but i can onlt stress the knee so much.
every few months, i go a couple days using a cane.
i'm not complaining because i can do heavy work.
in spring n fall, gardening keeps me fit. i dig big holes, plant trees etc.
i could use some tips for summer n winter that are easy on my knee but give me a work out.

I know a couple of older ladies that have had knee replacements and they swear by water aerobics. A neighbor of mine met one of my aunts in water aerobics class and are now both in the same book club too. Those two talk about me behind my back.

When I'm looking for something that has less impact on my knees and ankles I gravitate to doing interval training programs on an elliptical cross-training machine. The elliptical machines reduce joint stress, but still are powered primarily by your legs. I did 35 minutes on one yesterday and it was a good workout. You just have to do what you can do.

 

[vonn]

Haven't spent enough time on them but I hope to switch a lot of my info to my electronics. I blame it on the heat and being busy at the shop! I don't take advantage of my electronic devices capabilities at anywhere near optimum levels.

 

[snubbyfan]

i can't hike or bike.
i had micro surgery on my knee. it helped, but i can onlt stress the knee so much.
every few months, i go a couple days using a cane.
i'm not complaining because i can do heavy work.
in spring n fall, gardening keeps me fit. i dig big holes, plant trees etc.
i could use some tips for summer n winter that are easy on my knee but give me a work out.

Join a gym, there's lotsa ways a person can get a good workout without involving the knees. As Kwselke pointed out water aerobics is an option. In fact my wife was a substitute water aerobics instructor for a little while. It helped me to start dropping weight and get some strength back.
Swimming laps is a good low impact exercise.

 

[1950jcb]

Hello Miami

A year ago last March I tired of riding the "bike to nowhere" (stationary), and started riding the real deal outside on a local path near the river. I was keeping track with pencil and paper--a PITA. August 13th of last year I bought a low priced GPS for cycling that keeps track of distance, speed, calories burned, etc and is capable of downloading to my computer. I've been riding every day weather permitting, anywhere from 6 mi (really cold weather), to 19 mi since it warmed up this year--usually 15 or 16. According to internet driving distance, it's 3118 mi from here in Kennewick, WA to Miami.
I passed that mark on my ride yesterday morning on my way to 3120 to yield a 60 mi per week average for a calendar year. I made a U turn and I'm headed back. Put another 16 on the clock early this AM. Average speed for all rides recorded so far is 15.6 mph, but lately it's been between 16 and 17.
I've lost 35 pounds in the process, and pretty much eat whatever I want within reason. I enjoyed riding a bicycle when I was a kid, found I still do, and I don't beat myself up doing it.

 

[BigCityChief]

I am wearing a beautiful shirt and pair of pants today that I bought 2 years ago. This is the first time I've been able to wear them - thanks to dropping 38 pounds since I started my summer fitness program.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[snubbyfan]

A year ago last March I tired of riding the "bike to nowhere" (stationary), and started riding the real deal outside on a local path near the river. I was keeping track with pencil and paper--a PITA. August 13th of last year I bought a low priced GPS for cycling that keeps track of distance, speed, calories burned, etc and is capable of downloading to my computer. I've been riding every day weather permitting, anywhere from 6 mi (really cold weather), to 19 mi since it warmed up this year--usually 15 or 16. According to internet driving distance, it's 3118 mi from here in Kennewick, WA to Miami.
I passed that mark on my ride yesterday morning on my way to 3120 to yield a 60 mi per week average for a calendar year. I made a U turn and I'm headed back. Put another 16 on the clock early this AM. Average speed for all rides recorded so far is 15.6 mph, but lately it's been between 16 and 17.
I've lost 35 pounds in the process, and pretty much eat whatever I want within reason. I enjoyed riding a bicycle when I was a kid, found I still do, and I don't beat myself up doing it.

My wife and I went on a bike ride today. There's a trail near our house that goes down along the river.
We were riding along and I could see that we were riding towards an approaching storm.
I decided to turn around at that point and if we can make it back to the truck ahead of the storm, good.
If not, oh well.
When we got to the truck it was starting to sprinkle. On the drive home, we got dumped on.
As a result we made just under 12 miles.
That's okay, there'll be other rides on other days.

I've got the video edited, I'll upload it to my video channel tonight and post it tomorrow.

 

[walkinghorse]

Like Snubbyfan I have neurological issues. I also had my left knee operated on long before arthroscopic surgery was done so the scar looks like a Frankenstein's monster scar. Also skin grafts on both feet. Cervical fusions, as well as problems associated with breathing in heat and humidity so I am limited to indoor conditioned environment for exercise. I envy snubby and his outdoor environment abilities!
I do not care for a gym environment, so do my exercising at home. Schwinn Airdyne bike, simple stair stepping machine and free weights, lighter weights cause I am alone, but do the slow lifting techniques.
Back when I was working at the U, a pool was available for use everyday, and I found that doing swimming 5 days a week was fantastic for overall conditioning and minimal impact on the body! Though I did have to use swimming googles to keep away red eye from the chlorine. Swimming as well as walking in waist deep water for resistance is just about perfect, but alas now pools are far away!

 

[snubbyfan]

Like Snubbyfan I have neurological issues. I also had my left knee operated on long before arthroscopic surgery was done so the scar looks like a Frankenstein's monster scar. Also skin grafts on both feet. Cervical fusions, as well as problems associated with breathing in heat and humidity so I am limited to indoor conditioned environment for exercise. I envy snubby and his outdoor environment abilities!
I do not care for a gym environment, so do my exercising at home. Schwinn Airdyne bike, simple stair stepping machine and free weights, lighter weights cause I am alone, but do the slow lifting techniques.
Back when I was working at the U, a pool was available for use everyday, and I found that doing swimming 5 days a week was fantastic for overall conditioning and minimal impact on the body! Though I did have to use swimming googles to keep away red eye from the chlorine. Swimming as well as walking in waist deep water for resistance is just about perfect, but alas now pools are far away!

I'm honestly not too fond of gym environments either. The loud mouth meatheads, pumped up on steroids, throwing weights around, people sitting on the equipment jabbering for hours and now people are blocking equipment while they work their thumbs on those (expletive deleted) cell phones.
If we had the room and money, I'd much rather have one of those universal machines at home.

Personally, when I started exercising my legs, It was by walking laps in an indoor pool. My first real triumph was when I walked across a parking lot without my wife's help. From there, I just tried going further and further.

 

[kwselke]

This morning I just remembered an exercise routine that is more whole body 'core' centered.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEHgb0bPHzw[/ame]

That is amazing!

I better stick to walking for now.

 

[kwselke]

After a rest day Thursday, I did about seven miles of walking and a half hour in the gym yesterday. After watching the calisthenics video I'm ready to hit the road walking fast and hard. It's the sales tax holiday weekend this weekend in Texas. Yesterday, I bought a new pair of anti-blister socks, a pair of Mizuno Wave Paradox running shoes, and a nice pair of Carhart shorts which are five pounds too small right now, and did not have to pay the 8.25% sales tax. Everything except the socks were on sale too. Time for me to get walking. Have a great day.

 

[walkinghorse]

I'm honestly not too fond of gym environments either. The loud mouth meatheads, pumped up on steroids, throwing weights around, people sitting on the equipment jabbering for hours and now people are blocking equipment while they work their thumbs on those (expletive deleted) cell phones.
If we had the room and money, I'd much rather have one of those universal machines at home.

Personally, when I started exercising my legs, It was by walking laps in an indoor pool. My first real triumph was when I walked across a parking lot without my wife's help. From there, I just tried going further and further.

I have been lucky and found both the airdyne, almost new, and stair stepper, not so new but provides resistance in a different for the legs, used. There are several Amish used stores around here that end up with a variety of items. Evidently they have sources of equipment as well as tools, cooking equipment, kids toys, etc. that they buy from and recycle for profit. I found the weight bench and free weights at a yard sale. Tightening bolts and cleaning and all works for me with little dollars invested. Seems a lot of people start exercising and only stay at it for a while. Equipment gets in the way and boom sell it used. As has been stated here multiple times, to do good you have to change your eating and workout lifestyle and maintain it to make a permanent change. Encouragement, stories, and help, like in this thread really helps also.