The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[bwframe]

Do we really need to walk 10,000 steps a day?

Even half the amount of steps shows health benefits.

theconversation.com

 

[HoughMade]

According to my wife's fitbit, she got 23,000 steps the other day. She denies that hand sanding all of the knotty pine we just put on the basement walls had anything to do with it.

 

[bwframe]

According to my wife's fitbit, she got 23,000 steps the other day. She denies that hand sanding all of the knotty pine we just put on the basement walls had anything to do with it.

I am often amazed at how many steps are tracked when driving the car.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

Hi, all!

Now at 217 and back on keto for 2-4 months. 205 is my "resistance" weight, where is normally starts getting tough going.... and what I was at before the birthday and holiday seasons.

Hough, I noticed the same thing my first round of keto and working out... I went from 250 to the low 190's. Didn't need the AC cranked in the summer, but did feel colder in the winter... assumed it was form shedding the "insulation".

Chip, yup, we engineers analyze the crap out of it an figure out what works! Lol! But, that is the key, figuring out what works for you as an individual... what your strengths/weaknesses are. Ice cream is my kryptonite! Lol! And, I'm a firm believer in the intermittent fasting, but I get there several weeks into keto... not hungry 'til after noon, normally 1 pm, so a somewhat late lunch, then dinner around 6. Just like I don't think my genetics support year-round carbs, nor do they support eating 14-16-hours a day.

Snap, a key thought that worked for me was to think about what I eat (and drink - lot's of water) to manage weight and exercise to be healthier. Back when I was 40, I could burn lots of calories playing basketball, running, high intensity stuff. Now, past the mid-marker of 50, I need to work my way up in intensity... I swear I pulled something in my back because of a sneeze the other day. Sheesh! Go to bed fine, wake up with a sprained ankle... what the what! So, I have to gradually work my way up now to avoid injury and setbacks.

BW, at least for me, I've found that pretty much anything non-sedentary, up on my feet instead of sitting on my ***, helps and adds up. I think the combo of moving and not snacking is a good double whammy. Step counts are a good measure of that, but for me, minimizing the TV time is what really moves the needle (and, getting up from the desk and moving at least once an hour).

Greg... is your issue gaining and keeping lean muscle mass? That is a problem, different than mine or some others, but it is a problem none-the-less. No apologies needed, everyone is different and has different diet/exercise needs. IMO, that's the key, what you need and what works for you.

Finally, if your significant other, or a close buddy, is supportive, or better yet, on the same plan, it helps a lot. My wife and I both help each other... motivate and support!

 

[chezuki]

According to my wife's fitbit, she got 23,000 steps the other day. She denies that hand sanding all of the knotty pine we just put on the basement walls had anything to do with it.

A 1/2 hour motorcycle ride would log 30k steps and dozens of flights of stairs on my Fitbit Charge 3. It would also tell me “it looks like you’re exercising” when I’d get pissed off enough to elevate my heart rate.

I use an Apple Watch now, which seems far more accurate.

 

[jaymark6655]

Always very skeptical of those fitbit numbers. On the other hand my Garmin has never given me steps during driving or riding motorcycle or bicycle for that matter. Frustrating part is it won't log steps if I am pushing a shopping cart, but will if I am running a lathe or mill with my left hand.

 

[gregkl]

Hi, all!

Now at 217 and back on keto for 2-4 months. 205 is my "resistance" weight, where is normally starts getting tough going.... and what I was at before the birthday and holiday seasons.

Greg... is your issue gaining and keeping lean muscle mass? That is a problem, different than mine or some others, but it is a problem none-the-less. No apologies needed, everyone is different and has different diet/exercise needs. IMO, that's the key, what you need and what works for you.

Finally, if your significant other, or a close buddy, is supportive, or better yet, on the same plan, it helps a lot. My wife and I both help each other... motivate and support!

Yes it is. I have to eat until I feel fairly bad and not miss any of my regimented food to gain weight. Plus I have to be in the gym lifting heavy or it doesn't matter how much I eat. I can maintain around 170. If I push up to my stretch goal weight of 175, I can usually only hold it for a couple weeks. I have accepted that my "natural" weight is around 165 so if I am holding 170, I'm good.

And thanks. Most people give me the stink eye when I talk about losing too much weight.

I always thought it was kinda funny that people think it is okay to call someone like me "skinny", but if I call them "fat", they would be offended.

Fortunately since I have been hearing this since I was a child, my skin is thick enough that I don't respond in kind.

I remember when someone told me as a young teen, "wait until you are 20", then it was wait until you hit 30, then wait until you hit 40. After that, I heard crickets. I think they finally gave up, lol.

 

[HoughMade]

I haven't weighed myself in several weeks- until Friday. I've stalled out a bit at 202#, but slowly, I am losing the fat. I am now at a 35" waist (40" when I started this round, as much as 44" in the past). Also, I can now easily get my high school class ring on and off that I bought when I was a sophomore (1986).

 

[chipbennett]

I forgot my monthly check-in: this month, I started at 232.4 lbs, and finished at 221.8 lbs, for a monthly weight loss of 10.6 lbs, and a total weight loss from 294 lbs of 72 lbs since August 2020, toward my intermediate goal of 220 lbs.

Additionally, I met my intermediate goal for BMI (under 29), currently at 28.5, and am making steady progress toward my intermediate goal for body fat % (22), currently at 25.4%, which equates to a total fat loss of 61 lbs.

Most importantly for me (and the primary reason for my Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday ADF strategy), I have reduced my visceral fat from over 27 lbs to 7.5 lbs, and my visceral fat rating from 18 to 11 (or visceral fat area from 180 cm2 to 110 cm2), toward my intermediate goal of 10 (100 cm2).

NSVs:

I finally had to break down and buy new clothes. My shirts have gone from 4XLT to 2XLT and even XLT in some cases. My waist has gone from a tight 40" to a comfortable/loose 36". I had to buy a new belt and in particular, smaller pants, since going through security sans belt at the airport, I literally couldn't keep my old pants up any longer (and nobody needs to see that). While at the store, trying on clothes, I decided to try on a sport coat. My current sport coat is a 56L. I was comfortably able to put on a 48L.

This month, I also embarked on a new training endeavor, having completed the first week of the 12-week program with the X3 Bar Elite system (a resistance band system that focuses on heavy resistance and single reps to complete failure). I have lost minimal lean body mass/muscle, but now that I am essentially at my intermediate goal (which I have achieved with next to no emphasis on actual exercise - only a focus on regular daily activity/being non-sedentary), I want to reintroduce resistance training to start adding muscle as I continue to lose fat.

To that end, starting with March, I will also start measuring and tracking body measurements.

 

[HoughMade]

Great work!

I took a spill on the ice during my morning walk yesterday. Both feet out from under me and landed on my right side and arm. Just a little sore today. I shudder to think how would be feeling had I still weighed what a did months ago. Springing right back up- not bad for a guy who just turned 50.

 

[HoughMade]

Friday weigh in- 199#. First time under 200# in years. BMI 24.9. I am critical of the BMI methodology, but even with that, I am now in the "normal" range...just barely.

 

[Snapdragon]

Nice, Hough.

I'm hanging on, but barely. I'm down 11 lbs since December, but I haven't lost anything in at least a month. Been slacking on the eating, and since I hurt my back, I have not been on the elliptical consistently. Time to straighten up and fly right.

 

[HoughMade]

Nice, Hough.

I'm hanging on, but barely. I'm down 11 lbs since December, but I haven't lost anything in at least a month. Been slacking on the eating, and since I hurt my back, I have not been on the elliptical consistently. Time to straighten up and fly right.

Yes- until my weigh-in today, I was at the same weight for a month, maybe more. Stick with it! There will be ups and downs and...steadies, just so the downs outnumber the ups.

 

[ws6guy]

Thought I'd finally join this thread. For the last 15 years I've been around the 210lbs at 5'9" tall and no muscle at all so it's all flabbiness.
Three years ago, right before my 40th bday I bought an elliptical and dropped down to 183lbs in around 5 months. It felt better and it was awesome to need to buy smaller clothes. However I quit using the elliptical and went back to my old eating habits. This resulted in getting up to 219lbs.

4 weeks ago I started again on the elliptical 5-6 days a week and cutting down on calorie intake. So far I've lost 10lbs but doing the elliptical only but it is just monotonous and it's likely why I quit 3 years ago. I picked a free bowflex awhile back and I want to start incorporating it into my workout schedule but I don't know what the proper way of doing it is.

I'm thinking hitting the elliptical 3 days a week and hitting the bowflex 3 days a week (alternating days on the equipment). It seems that there are some overall body exercises for the Bowflex so that I don't have to separate upper and lower body on different days. Hopefully this is a good starting point and can build from here.

 

[Snapdragon]

Good luck on your journey. I need to get back on the path also.

 

[chipbennett]

I'm not sure my budget can afford me losing much more weight. Currently down 85 lbs (with perhaps another 20 - 30 to go). My old clothes simply no longer fit:

Shirt: 1XLT now (and actually loose), down from 4XLT
Sport coat: 46L, down from 56L
Pants: 32-inch waist, down from 42-inch waist. (I don't actually know the last time I wore 32-inch waist pants. It had to be at least junior high.)

 

[chezuki]

Nice work chip! I’ve managed to creep back up 50 lbs from my lowest. I have to get this reigned in. Turns out a pandemic “cheat year” was a bad idea.

 

[chipbennett]

Nice work chip! I’ve managed to creep back up 50 lbs from my lowest. I have to get this reigned in. Turns out a pandemic “cheat year” was a bad idea.

The Pandemic was my impetus. I hit my highest weight ever, and was showing bloodwork signs of becoming diabetic. I finally said "enough."

 

[Kutnupe14]

How tall are you guys? I think that normal height guys around the 250lb isn't all that bad. You dudes like 5'5 or something lol. But, I gotta say, your progress is impressive. Won't be long before you're in banana hammocks on the beach.

 

[chipbennett]

How tall are you guys? I think that normal height guys around the 250lb isn't all that bad. You dudes like 5'5 or something lol. But, I gotta say, your progress is impressive. Won't be long before you're in banana hammocks on the beach.

I'm 6'2. I was up to 294, now under 210. I've gotten out of the "obese" range in both BMI and % body fat, but am still "overweight" in both. (Though I'm in the "my mom is starting to tell me that I shouldn't get too skinny or I'll start looking like I'm sick" range. Because moms are always biased like that.)