The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[Dr.Midnight]

 

[Frosty]

I accomplished absolutely nothing today. Took the day off from exercising, I’m tired, something in the back of my knee is killing me after yesterday’s hike, and I wanted to go sit in the garage and smoke a cigar. I did manage to only have a few bananas and some chicken breast for dinner, so at least I got that going for me

 

[melensdad]

New low weight.

And woke up sore today. Maybe overdid the resistance bands yesterday. My treadmill workout yesterday was also killer.

Got a feeling that it will be a struggle to close my rings today.

 

[melensdad]

Almost every brand of tubular resistance bands seems to use small cheap clips. Upgraded to stronger, larger, easier to manipulate, and non snag carabiner style clips. Made sure the new clips are actually weight rated to hold over 750# as opposed to the easy to break key chain clips.

Much faster and easier to switch around the configuration of the bands, bar, grips. The original small clips snag and are much harder to use.

$7 for a set of 4 from spamazon.com

 

[melensdad]

Started the day on the toilet about 4am. Back again at 5am. And again before 6am.

- - ​

It is my fault. High fiber diet yesterday. But then about 9pm I dove head first into one of those supermarket rotisserie chickens. HALF of the chicken was gone before my very patient dog even got a snack. Mix in some good chicken fat with a good dose of fiber and intestinal trouble is bound to occur a few hours later.

Sanity prevailed and I walked away after 1/2 the bird was gone. But I went up to bed and was chatting with my wife about it. To be honest, that is probably the FIRST time I just caved into my cravings and devoured something without regard to diet. I have had a few days where I went over calorie limits. I've had a few big meals that were planned in advance so I was ultra-low calorie the day before, day of and day after those planned big meals. But this was different.

On the bright side, I did manage to get up early today, got in a good workout on the rowing machine. Plus an early morning resistance band workout. And then a late morning (just ended) resistance band workout. My arms feel like jello now.

 

[Frosty]

Started the day on the toilet about 4am. Back again at 5am. And again before 6am.

- - ​

It is my fault. High fiber diet yesterday. But then about 9pm I dove head first into one of those supermarket rotisserie chickens. HALF of the chicken was gone before my very patient dog even got a snack. Mix in some good chicken fat with a good dose of fiber and intestinal trouble is bound to occur a few hours later.

Sanity prevailed and I walked away after 1/2 the bird was gone. But I went up to bed and was chatting with my wife about it. To be honest, that is probably the FIRST time I just caved into my cravings and devoured something without regard to diet. I have had a few days where I went over calorie limits. I've had a few big meals that were planned in advance so I was ultra-low calorie the day before, day of and day after those planned big meals. But this was different.

On the bright side, I did manage to get up early today, got in a good workout on the rowing machine. Plus an early morning resistance band workout. And then a late morning (just ended) resistance band workout. My arms feel like jello now.

It happens to all of us. I read that it’s better to allow yourself the occasional treat, denying ourselves of something we want only makes it harder to stick to the diet. With all this Halloween candy laying around it’s been really hard to stick to my diet!

 

[melensdad]

It happens to all of us. I read that it’s better to allow yourself the occasional treat, denying ourselves of something we want only makes it harder to stick to the diet. With all this Halloween candy laying around it’s been really hard to stick to my diet!

I build White Castle sliders into my diet. About 3 meals a month.

 

[melensdad]

Less than 1000 calories of food today. So I can drink 2 cocktails tonight

Boulevardier cocktail: 220 calories. Each.
Bourbon 1oz
Sweet Vermouth 3/4 oz
Campari. 3/4oz
Orange Bitters 3 dashes

And even with 2, I’m still under my maximum calorie allowance.

 

[melensdad]

Seriously enjoying my fitness band workouts but don't really understand what is happening to my body, how much of a workout I'm actually getting and so I am looking hard at the connected/smart resistance bands.

Posted these before but have looked deeper at them.

These 2 below are the type I am using. There is a 3rd band, which is a loop style. It actually seems good but I've never used that type. Staffr is the brand. From Germany. Also looks good.

Hygear:

• Does NOT communicate to Apple Health app, or any other app that I can find.
• Costs $249, which includes 1 year subscription to their app.
• $199 per year subscription after 1st year!!!
• Adjustable tension is very nice feature.

HYGEAR - The future of smart fitness is here

GEAR 1 uses smart sensors to detect biometrics like resistance, reps, calories burned and more to give you real-time feedback and customized workout routines.

hygearfit.com

LIT AXIS:

• DOES communicate with Apple Health app
• Costs $199 and includes 90 days subscription to their app.
• $79 per year subscription after 90 day period.
• Includes only 2 band weights.

Low Impact Workout Machine and Exercise Equipment | LIT Method

LIT AXIS™ is a portable smart resistance training system that replaces your cable system, free weights, suspension trainer, pilates reformer, and more.

www.litmethod.com

Pretty much ruled out the Hygear. In reality you are paying for the functionality of the app with these things, not the actual latex band. The fact that people who reviewed Hygear complain about the lack of interconnectivity between other popular apps is actually a big deal for me. In fact it is a deal breaker. I'm all about the tech. The metrics and the reporting are what motivates me. YMMV. But for me that alone is the deal breaker. The big advantage of the Hygear is the adjustable tension design, I think that is great.

STAFFR, looks good, but I've never used that type of band. So I'm passing on it for now.

LIT AXIS, looks like it wins by default? I'm not 100% sold on it. I wish it was more like the design of the Hygear, with the adjustable tension. Or perhaps had more than 2 bands. $79 per year seems expensive but honestly after year 1 it might not be needed at all. I look at the subscription as a teaching system. If the subscription teaches me how to use the bands and I actually learn it, it will be worth the 1 year cost. After that I can decide. But I love the tech of it, and the fact that it works with the other health apps. About 90% sure I will ask for this as a Christmas gift from my family.

 

[Frosty]

Seriously enjoying my fitness band workouts but don't really understand what is happening to my body, how much of a workout I'm actually getting and so I am looking hard at the connected/smart resistance bands.

Posted these before but have looked deeper at them.

These 2 below are the type I am using. There is a 3rd band, which is a loop style. It actually seems good but I've never used that type. Staffr is the brand. From Germany. Also looks good.

Hygear:

• Does NOT communicate to Apple Health app, or any other app that I can find.
• Costs $249, which includes 1 year subscription to their app.
• $199 per year subscription after 1st year!!!
• Adjustable tension is very nice feature.

HYGEAR - The future of smart fitness is here

GEAR 1 uses smart sensors to detect biometrics like resistance, reps, calories burned and more to give you real-time feedback and customized workout routines.

hygearfit.com

LIT AXIS:

• DOES communicate with Apple Health app
• Costs $199 and includes 90 days subscription to their app.
• $79 per year subscription after 90 day period.
• Includes only 2 band weights.

Low Impact Workout Machine and Exercise Equipment | LIT Method

LIT AXIS™ is a portable smart resistance training system that replaces your cable system, free weights, suspension trainer, pilates reformer, and more.

www.litmethod.com

Pretty much ruled out the Hygear. In reality you are paying for the functionality of the app with these things, not the actual latex band. The fact that people who reviewed Hygear complain about the lack of interconnectivity between other popular apps is actually a big deal for me. In fact it is a deal breaker. I'm all about the tech. The metrics and the reporting are what motivates me. YMMV. But for me that alone is the deal breaker. The big advantage of the Hygear is the adjustable tension design, I think that is great.

STAFFR, looks good, but I've never used that type of band. So I'm passing on it for now.

LIT AXIS, looks like it wins by default? I'm not 100% sold on it. I wish it was more like the design of the Hygear, with the adjustable tension. Or perhaps had more than 2 bands. $79 per year seems expensive but honestly after year 1 it might not be needed at all. I look at the subscription as a teaching system. If the subscription teaches me how to use the bands and I actually learn it, it will be worth the 1 year cost. After that I can decide. But I love the tech of it, and the fact that it works with the other health apps. About 90% sure I will ask for this as a Christmas gift from my family.

I’m curious, what kind of information do they provide that will improve your workout?

 

[melensdad]

I’m curious, what kind of information do they provide that will improve your workout?

Lots of metrics beyond simple rep count. Actually resistance. Speed (easy to go to fast). Technique. Etc. Watch the videos. Check the various reviews. Seems like the tech is sound for all these various bands. Like I said, you pay for the app. A rubber band is still a rubber band. The app teaches technique. Probably worth it for a year? Probably not for beyond that. You will have learned by that point. But each brand is different. One may suit some people, another may be more suitable for others. I’m leaning to Lit Axis for me because of the connectivity, but I like the Hygear hardware better.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Another good week in the books. I was down four pounds. I started this weight loss journey back in April, so I sometimes wonder if losing so much weight in one week is healthy this far into the program. I'm not feeling weak at all. In fact, I regularly add weight to the exercises I'm doing, so I'm gaining strength and muscle. I guess I'll take wins like this until my body starts to tell me something is off.

I've also started doing a little research into intermittent fasting. I quickly lost interest at first because I thought you had to go a day or two without eating. Turns out a good ratio is 16 hours of no food along with an eight hour window to eat. I'll have to dig a little deeper to see what you can drink during the fasting period and what exactly I should be eating, but I think I could do that time frame and possibly a little longer. I'm dropping the weight, but am still somewhat flabby. This old skin isn't tightening back up like a younger mans would. Everything I've heard is that intermittent fasting can help with this problem. I may start the first of the year.

 

[Frosty]

Another good week in the books. I was down four pounds. I started this weight loss journey back in April, so I sometimes wonder if losing so much weight in one week is healthy this far into the program. I'm not feeling weak at all. In fact, I regularly add weight to the exercises I'm doing, so I'm gaining strength and muscle. I guess I'll take wins like this until my body starts to tell me something is off.

I've also started doing a little research into intermittent fasting. I quickly lost interest at first because I thought you had to go a day or two without eating. Turns out a good ratio is 16 hours of no food along with an eight hour window to eat. I'll have to dig a little deeper to see what you can drink during the fasting period and what exactly I should be eating, but I think I could do that time frame and possibly a little longer. I'm dropping the weight, but am still somewhat flabby. This old skin isn't tightening back up like a younger mans would. Everything I've heard is that intermittent fasting can help with this problem. I may start the first of the year.

I don’t know how much fasting helps with the loose skin thing, from my research it’s more of an issue with the skin losing its elasticity as we age. I know I tried fasting for a couple months and my weight loss slowed way down. I’ll go ahead and make the assumption we’re all different, I just never saw any improvements with fasting. I hope it works for you though!

 

[melensdad]

Another good week in the books. . . I guess I'll take wins like this until my body starts to tell me something is off.

I've also started doing a little research into intermittent fasting. . .

Take the wins!!!

Seems like intermittent fasting is very popular but there also seems to be some medical evidence popping up that it might not be good for overall health, might not be good for long term weight loss. The 16/8 is a moving time window. So you may start with 8 hours of eating during the day but that will eventually shift around so that your 8 hours ends up in the early morning or late evening or middle of the night.

I looked at a few plans, even started one of the intermittent fasting programs, very quickly learned it was not something I could do. Others swear by it. So if you can do it, it might be great for you.

But is intermittent fasting a long term solution? Or is it like a crash diet that, when the diet is over, the lifestyle issues return and the weight also returns?

When I started my journey I wanted a sustainable lifestyle change. I've tried stuff that didn't work for me. Tried stuff that did. Switched things around. I need things that I can continue to do, find enjoyable, and work. YMMV

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I don’t know how much fasting helps with the loose skin thing, from my research it’s more of an issue with the skin losing its elasticity as we age. I know I tried fasting for a couple months and my weight loss slowed way down. I’ll go ahead and make the assumption we’re all different, I just never saw any improvements with fasting. I hope it works for you though!

This was one of the videos that got me thinking about it. By the first of the year, I should be at my weight loss goal. If I make it, I'll be more interested in appearnce than anything. What would I have to lose?

 

[bwframe]

I'm a follower of Dr Berry and a few other docs on the Youtube. Dr Berry disputes a lot of conventional "doctor" thinking," many of which contributed to making America obese and diabetic.

The AMA, American Heart Accosiation, etc, have all been singing the same songs since we all were kids. They are the "meatless monday" thinkers that would have us all being vegans, if we would go that way. In that mindset, animal fats are bad and we should all be loading up on inflammation causing grains, starches, sugars and such.

The interest I have in intermittent fasting and keto/carnivore is the longevity aspects of it. Along with the detriment to issues such as arthritis, other joint problems, alzheimers, etc. It might be witchcraft, but I'm buying into it. What part of "practicing medicine" isn't a guess anyway?

 

[melensdad]

This is a boring 45 minute video but the guy covers a lot of topics.

He doesn't directly talk about intermittent fasting in the traditional sense but he does talk about cutting the time window in which you consume food. And that is, at its heart, intermittent fasting. He refers to it as "eat shorter" in the video. At the end of the video he specifically calls it intermittent fasting.

Also talks about nutrition, exercise and mental attitude too. Stress removal/meditation. Eliminate highly processed foods. Quite a bit of very good info in the video. A whole approach to weight loss.

 

[bwframe]

This is a boring 45 minute video but the guy covers a lot of topics.

He doesn't directly talk about intermittent fasting but he does talk about cutting the time window in which you consume food. And that is, at its heart, intermittent fasting. He refers to it as "eat shorter" in the video.

Also talks about nutrition, exercise and mental attitude too. Quite a bit of very good info in the video. A whole approach to weight loss.

You are right about this guy being dry, but he does have very good food for thought. His videos are great for putting on in the background.

I listen to this sort of informative video while I'm working, doing food prep or in the shower.

The bonus to watching this gent's sort of video is that the ever present Google monster will make similar themed suggestions. While you certainly have to sort, a great amount of learning can be had.

Just got out of the shower...

 

[chipbennett]

There are benefits to light weight/high reps, of course going to light means you’re going to be working out all day to hit your total weight number.

I disagree with there being any meaningful benefit to a normal (i.e. not recovering from injury) person lifting light. Only high-intensity (heavy, short-duration) ensures full recruitment of all muscle fiber types, ensures fatigue of all muscle-fiber types, and produces the necessary hormonal response (e.g. HGH) for strength gain and hypertrophy.

 

[melensdad]

I disagree with there being any meaningful benefit to a normal (i.e. not recovering from injury) person lifting light. Only high-intensity (heavy, short-duration) ensures full recruitment of all muscle fiber types, ensures fatigue of all muscle-fiber types, and produces the necessary hormonal response (e.g. HGH) for strength gain and hypertrophy.

But given that this is a thread on weight loss, not on body building, it seems like there is a solid basis for light weight and high reps to be in the workouts.

Further, heavy, short duration workouts can't even be done by many people, especially considering that many in this group have mentioned open heart coronary bypass surgery, joint damage due to injury or disease, degenerative cartilage issues, old age, etc. Those have all been expressed in this thread.

People came to this thread to LOSE WEIGHT and get themselves healthy. The necessity for heavy weight lifting is not universally desired nor required for achieving the goals of the topic.