Anyone else making a fitness "comeback"?

[romack991]

I used to be a pretty elite runner about two years ago. But since then I got a desk job and stopped running regularly. I was still in shape for today's standards, but not where I want to be. A few monthes ago I woke up and saw what stress, poor nutrition, and not exercising was doing to me. So I cleaned up my nutrition. I'm not on a diet, i probably eat more now but I don't eat near the junk I did. I run and lift regularly. Lift 2-3 times a week with limited weights in my house and I run 10-20 miles a week.
Start of January, I was about 169lb with 18% BF. Now I'm 162lb with 13% BF. I feel much better. Goal is 165-170lb with 10%BF. Also I plan on making a running comeback and entering unattached at some college races but I wont do that until I feel that I'm halfway competitive.

Just curious what others are doing as well.

[FLY6584]

Yeah I've started to really pick up the pace this semester also.

When I get to Pilot Training in about 6 months I have to take a test called the F.A.C.T. (Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Test) if I want to fly fighters. I need to do well on that test if I want to get Fighters out of Pilot Training.

The test consists of endurance events like pushups and situps, but now it also incorporates weight lifting into the test.

I have to do 10 of the following to pass the test or 15 of the following to max the test:

Arm Curl .35 of body weight 10-15x's
Bench Press .8 of body weight 10-15x's
Lat Pull .7 of body weight 10-15x's
Squat 1.6 of body weight 10-15x's
Leg Curl .5 of body weight and .5 for leg curls 10-15x's


Up until now I've focused more on Cardio, but after seeing these test requirements I might have to focus more on lifiting instead. I know I can do the minimums, but I really would like to max all of the events.

[Fearlessnuts]

Wrestling season ended Hittin up 24 hour fitness 3 days a week now :hail: yesssss
ohh the return of my body mass is so sweet my body was too sore last weekend when i rode. Definetly workin those jet ski muscles startin with the squats ha:Banane01:
off season freestyle wrestling will keep my cardio up and so will riding:biggthumpup:
weight 124 bodyfat a little over %7.5 =/ season does it to ya

[Waste Land]

For awhile I was working at Live World at night anywhere from 10pm to 6am then having to sleep all day and work at UPS early that night before heading back to the Live World job.

I couldnt find time to lift and train like I had been. After finally quitting UPS, and LW cutting my hours(thank god I got an interview today) I've had a chance to resurface. Started a better diet cutting out junk food, and 90% of tea. Rejoined the gym and it feals like it did the first time I started. It's a rush and fun to go work out and not a chor of finding time and trying to do it on a schedule and crap.

8.5% Body Fat @ 150lbs currently with all fat deposits being in my upper legs and lower abdominal. I'd like to drop about 10lbs and then rebuild from there.

[Matt_E]

Started a better diet cutting out junk food, and 90% of tea .

What? You're cutting out 90% of your tea intake for better fitness?

:dunno:

[Waste Land]

What? You're cutting out 90% of your tea intake for better fitness?

:dunno:

Maybe your not familar with the south....we drink sweet tea....as in TONS and TONS and TONs of sugar.

I can spill tea and within an hour it would be almost a syrup:bigeyes:

[Matt_E]

Ah.....that explains it. Yeah, good move.

I am ditching sodas. Mind you, I only drank diet sodas, but I'd like to switch to water and see what happens.

Anyways, as far as a fitness comeback....I have never been fitter in my life than now.
I always used to be pretty chubby and weak, around 200-230 lbs.
During the past four years I have turned that around. I am still 190, but the proportions are much different now.

[63chevyll]

ive been drinking less??? that should help.

iv ebeen woring on it for a bit. ive been a lazy for the past few years, job.

[FLY6584]

8.5% Body Fat @ 150lbs currently with all fat deposits being in my upper legs and lower abdominal. I'd like to drop about 10lbs and then rebuild from there.

I wouldn't worry about dropping anymore. I would start bulking up now. 8.5% is pretty damn good. Most people your size are always talk about having a hard time putting on the weight to bulk up. I think you could probably gain a few "healthy" pounds. Just my opinion though and I'm definitely not an expert.:biggthumpup:

[Phsurf760]

Fly-
i dont know what you weigh but you should be able to pound out any of those things no problem. I just did the math with my body weight and it looks like you should be able to do it with ease. Good luck with Fighter school, my cousin flys Blackhawks here in San Diego.

[Waste Land]

I wouldn't worry about dropping anymore. I would start bulking up now. 8.5% is pretty damn good. Most people your size are always talk about having a hard time putting on the weight to bulk up. I think you could probably gain a few "healthy" pounds. Just my opinion though and I'm definitely not an expert.:biggthumpup:

Problem is though, the fat on my body is not distrubed equaly but in 2 to 3 spots that I want wiped off before trying to bulk and the cut it all off. I'm actually more concerned on cosmetic then trying to be big really. I just want my abs and stuff back lol

[Phsurf760]

Wasteland-
If you lift weights to bulk up and eat right your body will use that fat. I took weight gainer and ate like a pig to pack on pounds and i felt fat. Now i eat healthy and lift to trim down. You cant try and be ripped and bulk up at the same time....unless you take steroids.

[Waste Land]

Wasteland-
If you lift weights to bulk up and eat right your body will use that fat. I took weight gainer and ate like a pig to pack on pounds and i felt fat. Now i eat healthy and lift to trim down. You cant try and be ripped and bulk up at the same time....unless you take steroids.

Not trying to bulk or cut....doing both cancels each other out

I'm to just trim fat desposits on my back while gaining stregnth without the regular bulking atitude. I'm just drinking my whey, eating good but not alot, and lifting and running. This way I'm not going to either extreme

[FLY6584]

Fly-
i dont know what you weigh but you should be able to pound out any of those things no problem. I just did the math with my body weight and it looks like you should be able to do it with ease. Good luck with Fighter school, my cousin flys Blackhawks here in San Diego.

Yeah thats what I'm thinking. I am 195lbs so for an example I would need to bench 156lbs 15 times.

I definitely think that's doable. I just haven't really focused on high weight or even tested my max's since high school. I always use dumbells when I'm working upper body so it looks like I'll have to get back on the bench and see what I can do.

[Matt_E]

I am 195lbs so for an example I would need to bench 156lbs 15 times.

That doesn't sound very difficult. :dunno:

[FLY6584]

That doesn't sound very difficult. :dunno:

I agree, but the last time I really used the bench that much was in high school and my max was 175 I believe(I was a lot smaller then). Since then I've been doing low weight high rep exercises like dumbells and pushups.

I just need to get in there and see where I stand.

[Waste Land]

That doesn't sound very difficult. :dunno:

You'd be suprised what you think you can do but once you get under some numbers it can change.

I barbell bench like 110 and dumbbell bench around 90 and thats after working out a year:frown: I just have little push int hat area.

I was doing 590, 600lbs on leg press 10x. Started back monday at 360:frown: :frown: :frown: My legs havent hurt like this since I started working out the first time....blah

[tom21]

I am ditching sodas. Mind you, I only drank diet sodas, but I'd like to switch to water and see what happens.



Been trying to ditch it too, but I am having a hard time finding other things to drink to keep me from craving the cola. most everything is crap or beer, and while I enjoy the beer it kinda defeats the purpose. Have you had a hard time kickin it? its been since Daytona but I still allow a soda at restaurants as we don't eat out much. water is good but I tend to drink gallons instead of just what I need. or what I would consider a normal amount.

[FLY6584]

Been trying to ditch it too, but I am having a hard time finding other things to drink to keep me from craving the cola. most everything is crap or beer, and while I enjoy the beer it kinda defeats the purpose. Have you had a hard time kickin it? its been since Daytona but I still allow a soda at restaurants as we don't eat out much. water is good but I tend to drink gallons instead of just what I need. or what I would consider a normal amount.


Yeah that's my rule also. I'll only drink coke when I go out to restaurants. Aside from that it's just water and gatorade for me and beer on the weekends.

[Waste Land]

Water, water, water. You lose weight alone by drinking nothing but water. Your back and other bones will feal better too. I can feel my back in the mourning if i drink a pepsi....ehhh

after about two weeks of nothing but water, you wont drink anything else. Cut down to about 90% water for a week, so you dont go into like heorin DTs over caffine, then just move on to all water

[romack991]

i tried cutting out pop in nov and dec but still allowed myself to drink it when eating out. for me, that kept the cravings going. after daytona, i completely stopped drinking it and now i rarely have the urge to have some. for me stopping cold turkey was easier.

waste, i agree with ya on your plan. i prefer the stay lean and gain gradual muscle instead of bulk and get fat, then try to cut. you can add 1-2lbs of muscle per month, I'd be happy being able to gain 10-15lb muscles each year and have my body be stable.

[Matt_E]

You'd be suprised what you think you can do but once you get under some numbers it can change.


I said that because I know my numbers. I weigh 190lbs, and I bench eight reps of 220lbs without too much difficulty. Drop it to 200 and I'll do 15.

And I consider myself to be pretty mediocre.

[Matt_E]

Been trying to ditch it too, but I am having a hard time finding other things to drink to keep me from craving the cola. most everything is crap or beer, and while I enjoy the beer it kinda defeats the purpose. Have you had a hard time kickin it? its been since Daytona but I still allow a soda at restaurants as we don't eat out much. water is good but I tend to drink gallons instead of just what I need. or what I would consider a normal amount.

Yes, I have a very hard time with it. I don't normally drink or even like beer, so that's not an issue.
I try to remember to drink plenty of water, but I do crave diet pop all the time.

[Waste Land]

I said that because I know my numbers. I weigh 190lbs, and I bench eight reps of 220lbs without too much difficulty. Drop it to 200 and I'll do 15.

And I consider myself to be pretty mediocre.

Ah, I see. I see a lot of people talk about how much weight that can prolly bench and when they get under it they cant....

I personally lokoa t number at a way of guaging my improvment and improving as my muscles need it.....some people make it into a competetion. I like it when i do more then usual, its cool but its nto what im in it for.

I do wish i could do more bench pressage though and build better upper body

[Matt_E]

Meh....it's just a number that helps me track my personal progress. The total doesn't matter so much, what's nice is that I went from 130ish four years ago to the current numbers.

[tom21]

yah I am not alone! thanks Matt- and be strong brother! I am trying. and suceeding.

[Phsurf760]

Right...numbers are just a way to show your progress if you cant see it. i went from 145 pounds to now at 160 in 1 1/2 years in the gym. I've kept track of everything and its pretty cool to see all the results of the hard work.

[2002zxi]

I am, I used to be a juiced-up 245 trying to get into bodybuilding then I just let myself go. I've just now got all that weight off, but I'm nowhere near as muscular as I once was. I started working nights and just let that kill my workout. Since I moved to colorado I've lost 20lbs and am getting back to where I feel athletic. I think my ideal physique is around 210-215 sub 10% bf. I had that physique once(greatly chemically enhanced), and at 6'2'' had 17'' (cold) biceps and a 32 inch waist. I'd be happy for something like that again. This time it's more a lifestyle change. I'm not taking a grand worth of ''stuff'' a month including drugs and supplements. I'm eating whole foods, mostly organic stuff with grass fed beef and organic flax fed fresh chicken breasts and eggs. I eat vegetables with every meal, but I cant afford the fresh organic variety of those, haha.

My training split is 3 days a week, doign the Madcow 3x5 variation of Bill Star's 5x5 training program. It looks like this (doesnt include warmup sets, usually 2-3 per exercise)

Monday:
Squats 3x5
Deads 2x5
Barbell Rows 2x5
Incline barbell press 3x5

Wednesday
Squats 3x5
Deads 2x5
Pendalay Rows 1x5
Standing military barbell press 3x5

Friday:
Squats 3x5
deads 1x5
rows 1x5
military press 1x5

Most every workout I mix in ab work and have done the program enough weeks now to start doing supplemental bicep and back work. That's usually either db hammer curls or wide grip pullups.

Either way, my progress is astonishing to me. I love it. I've been following the nutrition plan in John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition book. I measure out all my food on a food scale and calculate exactly what I'm eating, unless it's something like spinach leaves.

I ride my trail bike and snowboard for cardio and to keep my metabolism up on days I dont train

[romack991]

blah, i've been stuck at about the same weight/bf% for 3 weeks. It was nice seeing continual drop. Looks like im going to have to change something to get out of my 162lb 13%BF stage.

[sups'wirt]

yeah man, Plateau sucks. Change it up. This might sound strange but when it comes to core strength and flexability nothing really beats yoga. My doctor recomended I give it a try due to a pretty major accident I was in where I pretty much shattered my hip. I'm unable to run and consequently.....jet ski :frown: But, ever since starting the yoga class things have been improving a lot quicker so I can get back up on the water sooner. PLUS, it's a freekin' awesome way to meet some hot chicks, since that's pretty much the only other people in the class.

[madoyster]

Don't bulk up any more Jess, You're huge enough

[oxnard111]

I'm determined to start eat better. I need to loose like 15-20lbs before I get hitched next year. Last year when I tried dieting I kept 15lbs off for like 6 months, but then the holiday's rolled around, and it all came back...

I packed my lunch for every day this week, so I'm eating a yogurt with granola in the morning... some mixed fruit for a snack before lunch, a salad with chicken and a hard boiled egg for lunch, then a small bag of raw almonds for a mid afternoon snack.

[wydopen]

I packed my lunch for every day this week, so I'm eating a yogurt with granola in the morning... some mixed fruit for a snack before lunch, a salad with chicken and a hard boiled egg for lunch, then a small bag of raw almonds for a mid afternoon snack.

that will do it chris...i wish i was motivated enought to do it...i just get too damn hungry...

i used to be in really good shape but i had gotten too bulky and was nearly 230lbs at 5'10"..i was racing downhill mountainbikes at the time and i was the fastest ive ever been...i kept having nagging wrist and ankle injuries that were in part from the lifting that drove me out of the gym...its been almost two years now since i set foot in a weightroom...i dont miss it however i could stand to lose about 10 more lbs...im at 208 right now and id like to be down to 190 some day...i remember when i started lifting i was at 180lbs and it was a lot easier to gain almost 50lbs of muscle than it is to lose these 10lbs...i just need to eat less..as i eat fairly well i just eat too much of whatever im having..standup riding is a great workout and i ride quite a bit so im hoping that will trim me down a little more

[Gainera2582]

First and foremost in a diet is increase intake fruits and vegetables. These will rid the body of waste, restore water balance, and help restore your body to the natural state. . Starches(grains) aren't bad, but the only ones I would pick from would be raw oats or oat bran, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. Cereals aren't great, but if you do decide you like it, regular cheerios with some cinnamon(to control blood sugar levels) added does the trick.

Along with each meal I make sure I have some protein. Any source is fine as long as you have variety(meat, eggs, fish/sea food, dairy, peanuts(needs to be combined with a whole grain to be complete). Protein intake should be about .8-1 gram per pound of bodyweight.


If the food you have has high carbs, make sure you eat something leaner in protein. If the food is high in fats, eat some protein and make sure your carb source is low. If you follow this rule, your body will use carbs for energy and fats for energy. Never eat high carbs and high fats in the same meal as your body cannot use both for fuel efficiently.

Hope this helps.

[damnthathurt2]

well since the Ary has me busy over here the 12 oz. curls are unfortunately out for now, that is my favorite excercise of all times

we have a great gym here which gives me every excuse to get into shape again.
I have the problem of not being able to gain weight for crap so I cut my cardio back to about 1 day a week I will run 3-4 miles
but typically I split my workouts up
Monday - Chest
Tuesday- Back and Arms
Wednesday- Shoulders and Abs
Thursday- Chest and Legs
Friday- Arms and Cardio
Saturday and Sunday- I am either a lazy ass and do nothing or I will go do light full body excercising.
my main problem is trying to get noticeable gains in my chest . no matter how much strength i gain i am not getting any mass there at all.
I eat like a horse and have been supplimenting Ulimate nutrition weight gainer w/55gr protein, muscle milk protein 25 gr. and cell mass creatine x 2 a day
I have gained about 14 lbs in 4 months, until two weeks ago when I ripped a muscle pretty good in my shoulder which has cut my upper body excercise to none!!! I am gonna try and start light upper body again this week and see if I have the strength back yet..

[Mouthfulloflake]

THis is good information here.

Im struggling with this too..

mainly I want more strength, and stamina, and just to simply FEEL better.

so I ONLY drink water at meals.

ONE coke in the mornings ( trying to cut this out.. its my vice)

MANY beers every day.

rarely eat fast food, mexican lunch a few days per week, broccoli, sweet potatos, rice, salad, ALMOST every night at home.

185 lbs now, not expecting to loose or gain anything, well... maybe reduce the beer gut.

mainly wanting to feel better, and stronger.

any other advice?

I need to ad some cardio for sure, I get out of breath pretty easily

whats a good diet, excercise plan for really LAZY people.

:beerchug:


First and foremost in a diet is increase intake fruits and vegetables. These will rid the body of waste, restore water balance, and help restore your body to the natural state. . Starches(grains) aren't bad, but the only ones I would pick from would be raw oats or oat bran, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. Cereals aren't great, but if you do decide you like it, regular cheerios with some cinnamon(to control blood sugar levels) added does the trick.

Along with each meal I make sure I have some protein. Any source is fine as long as you have variety(meat, eggs, fish/sea food, dairy, peanuts(needs to be combined with a whole grain to be complete). Protein intake should be about .8-1 gram per pound of bodyweight.


If the food you have has high carbs, make sure you eat something leaner in protein. If the food is high in fats, eat some protein and make sure your carb source is low. If you follow this rule, your body will use carbs for energy and fats for energy. Never eat high carbs and high fats in the same meal as your body cannot use both for fuel efficiently.

Hope this helps.

[damnthathurt2]

I was reading an article in I believe runners world last night.
I have one of my guys who is trying to lose weight and improve his run times, he is making gains but very slowly.

but anyhow here is what I read and him and I are going to start this program tonight for a few weeks and see what we think of it, except for me I dont need to lose any I am trying to gain which is a battle in itsself

they were called 8-12-20's
do a slow warm up jog for 5-10 minutes then go into sprints for 8 seconds followed by slow jog for 12 seconds doing this for 20 minutes followed by a warm down. supposedly it is supposed to burn calories by 40% more than just jogging a long distance at a steady pace, and also make a big improvement in overall run times.

might be worth a try if you dont mind running and you are trying to shed a few pounds and remember to add a bit of protein within 30 minutes of excercise as well. I drink 25-50 grams of protein following any workout and it seems to make a big difference.