weight loss, diet, and fitness thread

[Lord Zardoz]

Actually, the thing seems easy to clean. Though I did go out of my way to clean it shortly after using it, which may have helped. I just removed the grill plates, washed them off, then replaced them.

Then again, perhaps the older ones do not have removable grill plates.

Using it was also easy. Plug it in, let it warm up, put burgers in it, and then eat them 10 minutes later.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Aurora]

I like my GF grill. Mine doesn't have removable plates. I just set it right next to the sink with the edge over it. So as I clean it, the water, soap etc runs into the sink. You definitely need to clean it though before it sits too long though.

 

[barsoomcore]

I've gotten back into a regular routine for swordfighting. I walk about 45 minutes a day going back and forth from work, so that's good, but I haven't been practicing or doing much else lately. So this past week I've gotten out for an hour's worth of swordfighting every two days (Saturday, Monday and Wednesday) and I have class tomorrow so I'll definitely get some practice in.

My goals are to lose a little weight, sharpen my sword skills and get to a point where an hours' workout with a sword doesn't noticeably tire me out.

 

[xrpsuzi]

I've gotten back into a regular routine for swordfighting. I walk about 45 minutes a day going back and forth from work, so that's good, but I haven't been practicing or doing much else lately. So this past week I've gotten out for an hour's worth of swordfighting every two days (Saturday, Monday and Wednesday) and I have class tomorrow so I'll definitely get some practice in.

My goals are to lose a little weight, sharpen my sword skills and get to a point where an hours' workout with a sword doesn't noticeably tire me out.

One of Joe's friends does rapier sword play for fun, and it's always looked so awesome! If I wasn't so clumsy, I would consider taking it up just to have sword fighting on my list of hobbies/skills.

I'm almost done with Week 6, and I've lost 8 pounds. It's been a challenge getting 5 days of cardio in the past week, but I've kept up on a strength fitness challenge and I'm doing push-ups nigh daily for the first time that I can remember. Joe's been doing great--He's lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks.

I wish losing weight went as fast as gaining it. :\

-suzi

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Did my fitness evaluation today. The end result is there was some improvement.

- I was able to go twice as long on the treadmill test, where they start me running and every 2 minutes increase the treadmill speed.

- There was some minor improvement to other tests.

- No measurable weight loss. Some of that is due to muscle being heavier than fat, but I really need to be better about what I eat.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[barsoomcore]

If I wasn't so clumsy, I would consider taking it up just to have sword fighting on my list of hobbies/skills.

One of the things I love about the style I study is that clumsy/graceful doesn't really impact it at all. I'm tremendously clumsy and have terrible hand-eye coordination but the manner of practice in this style makes those disadvantages much less important.

I'm probably not particularly good at actual swordfighting, but I can live with that.

 

[EricNoah]

I'm on around day 20 in a row of exercising some each day. I almost missed Wed as it was game night but somehow I managed to make myself do my little weight/pushup routine at 11pm.

I have an unseasonably warm weekend ahead of me, so I will get out for a 2-hour bike ride at least one of the days and maybe both. Next week is another matter -- I have some late meetings scheduled and another game night. I might need to do my walking in the morning before work...

Congrats to all, and keep it up!

 

[greymist]

Where am I now: Overweight, I am around 5'9' and weigh 232#. But I was 270# on May 22, so there is some good news in my current fatness. There is a LOT of diabetes in my family, but so far I am OK. Last time I checked by BP and cholesterol was good. My back has just about given out on me, I have 3 degenerating discs at the bottom of my spine, and 3 at the top. I have suffered from constant, chronic back pain since 2005.

How did I get here: I was never in superb shape, but I was athletic enough until university. In first year I put on 15-20 pounds by Xmas (beer and junk food). I lost some of it in 2nd year, but I never got back to where I was in high school. By the time I graduated, most of my exercise was out the window, and I have been working desk jobs for almost 20 years.

About three years ago, I hit 280# and decided to do something about it. Six months on the Atkins Diet and I was down to 220#. I maintained that weight for another year, until I stopped watching what I ate, and gained back 50#.

Where do I want to be: I never weighed myself when I was young, so I am not entirely sure what I "should" weigh. I would just like to get in jeans with a waist size in the 30's instead of the 40's.

How will I get there: I started on Atkins again in May, and have lost 40#, but still have a gut. My current goal is 200#, at which point I will assess my condition and go for more if I am still fat. I have not started an exercise program, but I plan to do so soon. I have inherited a treadmill and a Total Gym, so once I have made room for them in the basement (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) I will try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio, 3 times a week.

 

[xrpsuzi]

How will I get there: I started on Atkins again in May, and have lost 40#, but still have a gut. My current goal is 200#, at which point I will assess my condition and go for more if I am still fat. I have not started an exercise program, but I plan to do so soon. I have inherited a treadmill and a Total Gym, so once I have made room for them in the basement (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) I will try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio, 3 times a week.

Congrats on the weight lost so far! My mom lost a lot of weight on the atkins diet too, but watch out for your cholesterol. Her's went way out of control, and she basically stopped the Atkins diet, and switched to South Beach--where the emphasis is on eating the right carbs in the right proportion rather than eating no carbs.

If it becomes a problem, look into South Beach Diet plan or Nutrisystem (which basically uses the glycemic index/glycemic load) to help regulate your eating. If you like to prepare your own food and cook, there are tons of web-sites addressing glycemic index and glycemic load for the home cook.

If you want to be rid of the gut, exercise is the only way. With the condition of your back, crunches may not be the best choice, but anything that works the core of your body (stomach, back, top of the gluts) will help tone the muscle that is there, build more of it, and burn more fat when you exercise it.

I just finished a 5 week long fitness challenge and did my last day's work about a hour ago. 125 push-ups, 125 situps, leg lifts (125 each leg), and kick backs (125 each leg). I feel like fricking wonder woman. I'm going to treat myself to a sugar-free pudding cup before I do cardio on the eliptical machine. Watch out for my invisible jet and lasso of truth!

 

[EricNoah]

Excellent, Suzi -- way to go.

I have been exercising steadily and tomorrow I will hit day 30 in a row of my "exercise every day" plan. I got a nice long bike ride in last weekend, but other than that it's been fairly low-key. I am probably at that plateau point where I need to ratchet my exercise up a bit (add a 5-10 minute extension to my walks; add a few more reps to my pushups and weights).