2024 Weight Loss/Exercise Thread

[Jiggy-Z 3,432]

On 10/9/2024 at 5:09 AM, Herbie Hancock said:

Stan is awesome and someone I would not hesitate to consume advice and information from. At least when it comes to diet, exercise and health optimization.

Back in my mid 40's, about 10 years ago, I started paying more attention to my health for a period of time.

I got on a modified paleo type of diet that was really easy for me at the time. I didn't have any really horrible habits, so for me it was a matter of cutting out the simple carbs and hitting the protein and vegetables a little harder.

That diet was part of the Mark's Daily Apple protocol, which also inluded walking or other light movements for 3 to 5 hours per week, some body weight excercises, and some sprinting every 7 to 10 days.

It was all very effective and simple and I got down to the mid 170s and as a 48 to 52 year old man, I could do more than I could in my 20's, except for super high intensity stuff like running a mile in under 5 minutes or shorter equivalents 

I mention this for the body weight stuff, because in my early 50s there was some joint pain that flared up and I had to modify things but I didn't.

Only this summer at 57, did I humble myself and started working out with light dumbbell work, not with any plan, but just to do something other than sitting on my ass.

My joints would be sore and I felt like I was over the hill and a wreck.  But gradually, the soreness went down and my body adapted so I could do slighly more weight or more reps.

It was really amazing when you drop expectations and deadlines what can happen. I am talking very light weight like 25lbs dumbell  bench press and the like.

I mention this so that if you are discouraged or intimidated by losing weight or getting strong, just start by doing some things that don't hurt too much and stick with them. And rather than have expectations of losing 2 to 3 lbs per week. Lower that and just try to feel better and give it time.

[Parliament 14,184]

If you’re 20’s “baseline” was Busch Light, Taco Bell and late nights, it’s surprisingly easy to beat it in your 50’s by living right.  Amazing we can do that, and sad I didn’t behave back then.  

[NCMountaineer 99]

22 minutes ago, Parliament said:

If you’re 20’s “baseline” was Busch Light, Taco Bell and late nights, it’s surprisingly easy to beat it in your 50’s by living right.  Amazing we can do that, and sad I didn’t behave back then.  

I feel this. Even into my late 30s I was still eating and drinking like some idiot college kid, just not nearly as much on the food front. Once I started to take things seriously (gym 4+ days a week) and gradually cut back on the drinking (I'm doing at most 2-3 beers a week now) the weight started to come off fast. 

Hit below 180 for the first time since college just this past Saturday from a high in the 240s.

[UT_OB1 2,204]

I restarted semaglutide today. The weight loss stalled and I even gained back a few pounds. I mentally struggle with wanting to lose weight but dealing with how much weaker I get.  I hate the nausea but I need to get and stay ynder 175

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

6'2" and 200 pounds.  I decided six months ago to get back in really good shape and run a marathon in Austin in February. Since May I have been jogging 3-5 miles 4x a week, lifting weights, rowing, doing push ups, and about 50-70 flights of stairs during the weekdays at office.  I want to get rid of some stubborn belly fat and sit around 185, which is what I weighed most of my adult life before I got out of shape a few years ago when my brother died unexpectedly.  Lower than 185 and I look like I have AIDs.

Resistance training is what has really helped.  When I started in June, I could rep 5 push ups.  Now I can rep 50. I have also averaged 25k steps a day between jogging and walking since May.

Starting longer jogs now.  Realized if I keep my heart rate around 150, I can jog all day.  Eating around 180 grams of protein a day, a lot of veggies, few carbs and almost no processed foods.  I feel better than I have in a decade.

So much of fitness is diet.  I quit drinking a few years ago and that helped a lot.  I drink water and black coffee now.  Most people drink too many calories.  I did.  And it's largely what got me out of shape.  I never really ate that poorly.

Edited October 18 by Frank Drebin

[F250 28,755]

On 10/14/2024 at 10:46 AM, Parliament said:

If you’re 20’s “baseline” was Busch Light, Taco Bell and late nights, it’s surprisingly easy to beat it in your 50’s by living right.  Amazing we can do that, and sad I didn’t behave back then.  

In my early 20's that was pretty much my diet plus a lot of weed. I ran a 5k last Saturday morning a little under 26 minutes and I eat clean and exercise regularly. In my early twenties there were times I woke up hung over with 4 hours of sleep and knocked out a 5k a little over 21 minutes.

You just can't compete with youth.

[South Austin 52,340]

9 hours ago, F250 said:

You just can't compete with youth.

I started learning this in my 40s, but I worked out 4-5 times a week, had a relatively clean diet, and tried to get 7-8 hours of sleep.  I still stick to that more or less, but now that I'm staring at my 50th birthday at the end of this year, I'm feeling that even more.  The cheats here and there and weekend drinking are harder to overcome.  

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

Was 198 this morning.  Have not seen a 100s in awhile.  Going to keep hitting it hard until I can get to 185 and maintenance.  Should be there by Thanksgiving.

Running a marathon in February makes me want to be as light as possible.

[HRSchenker 2,264]

On 6/13/2024 at 11:27 AM, HRSchenker said:

Restarted my cpap machine last month and I'm up to 244 lbs. Heaviest I've ever been in my life. When I first started the cpap I was 225 and got up to 235. Went off it for a year and a half and back on it due to intense daytime sleepiness. If I hit 250 I may just have to look at surgical options or be drugged up just to stay awake. I'm trying to slow down the weight gain by cutting meals in half but I don't know if it's working well enough 

Been off the CPAP and dropped down to 237. Still feel tired all day long and sleep doc had me do thyroid and hormone levels. No clue when I'll get those back. Right now I'm focused on weight lifting, especially lower body. I've done a really bad job of gaining strength in my lower body and I pay dearly for it during ski season. 

Gonna give work out plan and diet a few more months and hopefully see a trend past dropping the CPAP machine.

[South Austin 52,340]

8 hours ago, HRSchenker said:

Right now I'm focused on weight lifting, especially lower body. I've done a really bad job of gaining strength in my lower body

“Don’t skip leg day” becomes even more important as you grow older, especially exercises that require more balance. Like step ups and Bulgarian split squats.

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

8 hours ago, South Austin said:

“Don’t skip leg day” becomes even more important as you grow older, especially exercises that require more balance. Like step ups and Bulgarian split squats.

I do a lot of stair climbing at work.  Also do squats.  I need to add more leg workouts.

[South Austin 52,340]

Following up on my last post, I found a couple articles on how lower body strength can help with cognitive function as we age.  I learned a new word:  hippocampus

Link

Link

Link

Again, don't skip leg day.

[Post Oak 20,194]

On 10/18/2024 at 10:47 AM, Frank Drebin said:

6'2" and 200 pounds.  I decided six months ago to get back in really good shape and run a marathon in Austin in February. Since May I have been jogging 3-5 miles 4x a week, lifting weights, rowing, doing push ups, and about 50-70 flights of stairs during the weekdays at office.  I want to get rid of some stubborn belly fat and sit around 185, which is what I weighed most of my adult life before I got out of shape a few years ago when my brother died unexpectedly.  Lower than 185 and I look like I have AIDs.

Resistance training is what has really helped.  When I started in June, I could rep 5 push ups.  Now I can rep 50. I have also averaged 25k steps a day between jogging and walking since May.

Starting longer jogs now.  Realized if I keep my heart rate around 150, I can jog all day.  Eating around 180 grams of protein a day, a lot of veggies, few carbs and almost no processed foods.  I feel better than I have in a decade.

So much of fitness is diet.  I quit drinking a few years ago and that helped a lot.  I drink water and black coffee now.  Most people drink too many calories.  I did.  And it's largely what got me out of shape.  I never really ate that poorly.

25k steps a day is a huge number. I aim for 10k, which is about 5ish miles. I usually try to get to 10k or close to it in the morning, then walk for 10 minutes, 1100 or 1200 steps after lunch and dinner. Some days, I get to 16k between everything.  

Congrats.  Thats a huge time commitment. 

[Js1 85,195]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Following up on my last post, I found a couple articles on how lower body strength can help with cognitive function as we age.  I learned a new word:  hippocampus

Link

Link

Link

Again, don't skip leg day.

Never skip leg day. It’s the best day. 2 leg days per week!

[Chewbacca 7,750]

19 hours ago, HRSchenker said:

Been off the CPAP and dropped down to 237. Still feel tired all day long and sleep doc had me do thyroid and hormone levels. No clue when I'll get those back. Right now I'm focused on weight lifting, especially lower body. I've done a really bad job of gaining strength in my lower body and I pay dearly for it during ski season. 

Gonna give work out plan and diet a few more months and hopefully see a trend past dropping the CPAP machine.

Why would you stop using your CPAP, especially if you feel tired all day?

[HRSchenker 2,264]

3 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

Why would you stop using your CPAP, especially if you feel tired all day?

My weight gain seemed to accelerate during the months I was on it and I never really felt a noticeable difference. I was able to confirm proper usage with the sleep dr. Events per hour was less than 1 while using it but I never got the fully rested feeling that other people seem to get out of it. 

[Chewbacca 7,750]

8 minutes ago, HRSchenker said:

My weight gain seemed to accelerate during the months I was on it and I never really felt a noticeable difference. I was able to confirm proper usage with the sleep dr. Events per hour was less than 1 while using it but I never got the fully rested feeling that other people seem to get out of it. 

That's wild.  That sucks it didn't work for you.

[F250 28,755]

8 hours ago, South Austin said:

Following up on my last post, I found a couple articles on how lower body strength can help with cognitive function as we age.  I learned a new word:  hippocampus

Link

Link

Link

Again, don't skip leg day.

I am bias and this is just my opinion but as an advocate of compound lifting every lift day should be leg day. There isn't a reason anyone can't get in squats 3 times a week with adding deadlifts or power clean/clean and jerk on top the other days that include squats.

For those trying to transform their bodies, I highly suggest compound lifting as part of their workout routine.

[Herbie Hancock 7,315]

If you have the ability to go into the gym and work the same muscle group/body parts as the day before then the stimulus from the previous day wasn’t sufficient. You should not, and should not be able to work the same muscles as you did in the previous 48 hours.

[Basil 753]

On 10/22/2024 at 3:01 PM, Frank Drebin said:

Was 198 this morning.  Have not seen a 100s in awhile.  Going to keep hitting it hard until I can get to 185 and maintenance.  Should be there by Thanksgiving.

Running a marathon in February makes me want to be as light as possible.

You should be starting a training block any time for that.  Do you have one picked out?

[South Austin 52,340]

14 hours ago, F250 said:

I am bias and this is just my opinion but as an advocate of compound lifting every lift day should be leg day. There isn't a reason anyone can't get in squats 3 times a week with adding deadlifts or power clean/clean and jerk on top the other days that include squats.

For those trying to transform their bodies, I highly suggest compound lifting as part of their workout routine.

Yes, on compound movements, but no on squats three times a week.  My girly legs just don't have the time to fit that in my week and adequately recover.

I do start my weight routines with compound movements, and save isolating exercises (e.g., bicep curls, triceps extensions, hamstring curls, etc.) for the end.  And for compound movements, I think it's better to find exercises where you move in space, as opposed to keeping your torso stable on a bench or chair.  Things like pullups, pushups, lunges, step ups, and yes, squats.  I find they really get my heart rate up.

Edited October 24 by South Austin

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

4 hours ago, Basil said:

You should be starting a training block any time for that.  Do you have one picked out?

Yes.  I have been on a program a buddy of mine who runs ultra suggested (it is for marathons).  Been doing it for a couple months.

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

22 hours ago, Post Oak said:

25k steps a day is a huge number. I aim for 10k, which is about 5ish miles. I usually try to get to 10k or close to it in the morning, then walk for 10 minutes, 1100 or 1200 steps after lunch and dinner. Some days, I get to 16k between everything.  

Congrats.  Thats a huge time commitment. 

I break it up.  Walk the dog a couple miles at 5 am in morning.  Protein shake.  Then row/lift.  Jog 4x a week during lunch break.  Have a stand up desk and walking pad.  Usually do a couple miles on incline while taking breaks to lift in evening.  Walk the dog a mile or two before bed.  It is so broken up I barely notice it.  I am on my walking pad right now at work.

Also, having a home gym with weights, rowing machine and treadmill helps a lot.  Saves me so much time.

[F250 28,755]

14 hours ago, South Austin said:

Yes, on compound movements, but no on squats three times a week.  My girly legs just don't have the time to fit that in my week and adequately recover.

I do start my weight routines with compound movements, and save isolating exercises (e.g., bicep curls, triceps extensions, hamstring curls, etc.) for the end.  And for compound movements, I think it's better to find exercises where you move in space, as opposed to keeping your torso stable on a bench or chair.  Things like pullups, pushups, lunges, step ups, and yes, squats.  I find they really get my heart rate up.

I've been experimenting as I've gotten older. Currently working through a modified 5x5 program while tweaking volume and intensity and do include squats 3 times a week. I don't squat the same volume and intensity 3 times a week.

As far as conditioning, I save that for prowler or rower and if I am feeling lazy a weighted jump rope.

Edited October 25 by F250

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

8 hours ago, F250 said:

I've been experimenting as I've gotten older. Currently working through a modified 5x5 program while tweaking volume and intensity and do include squats 3 times a week. I don't squat the same volume and intensity 3 times a week.

As far as conditioning, I save that for prowler or rower and if I am feeling lazy a weighted jump rope.

Would it be too much trouble to post your program?  I am looking to get into a more disciplined weight lifting regimen.  Been doing a lot of different free weight, dumb bells, and body weight stuff the last few months.  But more of an ad hoc and not structured program.  Thanks-

[F250 28,755]

3 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

Would it be too much trouble to post your program?  I am looking to get into a more disciplined weight lifting regimen.  Been doing a lot of different free weight, dumb bells, and body weight stuff the last few months.  But more of an ad hoc and not structured program.  Thanks-

It's a modified 5x5 Texas Method on MWF with accessories added. Lifts like bench, cleans, press, etc.. rotate in and out through out the week. Squats are always MWF with Wednesday's being limited to 2 sets of 5 reps. Accessories are weighted chins, dips, pull ups and back extensions.

Wednesdays are light so it's wedged between my conditioning days.

Tues/Thur are conditioning. Row on Tuesday and use a prowler on Thursday. No more than 30 minutes on these days.

[F250 28,755]

4 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

Would it be too much trouble to post your program?  I am looking to get into a more disciplined weight lifting regimen.  Been doing a lot of different free weight, dumb bells, and body weight stuff the last few months.  But more of an ad hoc and not structured program.  Thanks-

If you are looking for a structured program I would suggest either Starting Strength or Stronglifts to get you started. Either program will be good. They are compound lifting programs that are limited to a few different lifts that keeps things simple.

You will get stronger and toner on either program.

[South Austin 52,340]

43 minutes ago, F250 said:

It's a modified 5x5 Texas Method on MWF with accessories added. Lifts like bench, cleans, press, etc.. rotate in and out through out the week. Squats are always MWF with Wednesday's being limited to 2 sets of 5 reps. Accessories are weighted chins, dips, pull ups and back extensions.

Wednesdays are light so it's wedged between my conditioning days.

Tues/Thur are conditioning. Row on Tuesday and use a prowler on Thursday. No more than 30 minutes on these days.

On which day do you pull a loaded pickup truck with a chain around your waist?

[F250 28,755]

3 hours ago, South Austin said:

On which day do you pull a loaded pickup truck with a chain around your waist?

Waist? Gotta use your teeth to pull a pickup.

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

I have about 5-10 more pounds to lose.  I want to add a scoop of creatine to my morning protein shake.  Will that slow down weight loss?  Or will it help it by aiding in resistance training/muscle growth?

[South Austin 52,340]

2 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

I have about 5-10 more pounds to lose.  I want to add a scoop of creatine to my morning protein shake.  Will that slow down weight loss?  Or will it help it by aiding in resistance training/muscle growth?

Creatine will add some weight just from pure water retention in your muscles, but  that’s maybe 5 lbs. I think continuing with your training and a solid diet could offset that in time.

[F250 28,755]

On 10/31/2024 at 2:15 PM, Frank Drebin said:

I have about 5-10 more pounds to lose.  I want to add a scoop of creatine to my morning protein shake.  Will that slow down weight loss?  Or will it help it by aiding in resistance training/muscle growth?

I know you have a weight goal and all that but IMO, that is a stupid goal. If you are involved in resistance training you should be measuring body fat percentage. Resistance training adds muscle which adds weight. Focus on losing the fat not the weight.

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

6 minutes ago, F250 said:

I know you have a weight goal and all that but IMO, that is a stupid goal. If you are involved in resistance training you should be measuring body fat percentage. Resistance training adds muscle which adds weight. Focus on losing the fat not the weight.

Got it.  I pretty much had decided that.  My BF is around 18% per recent Dexa.  Still plenty of fat to lose.  Would like to be around 13 or 14.  I am more focused on comp than weight.  Started creatine a few days ago.  

Actually have lost weight in interim.  Not on purpose. I am running a lot.  Have a marathon in February.

Edited November 7 by Frank Drebin

[F250 28,755]

33 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

Got it.  I pretty much had decided that.  My BF is around 18% per recent Dexa.  Still plenty of fat to lose.  Would like to be around 13 or 14.  I am more focused on comp than weight.  Started creatine a few days ago.  

Actually have lost weight in interim.  Not on purpose. I am running a lot.  Have a marathon in February.

Yeah, just focus on body fat percentage and forget the weight. With that said, lifting and long distance running is a very hard balance to find. Good luck.

[Js1 85,195]

I haven’t noticed any weight gain or water retention from creatine, at least not outside of the very start. Started doing creatine gummies in the morning - 3 per day on gym days, 1 per day on off days. 

[Parliament 14,184]

On 10/31/2024 at 2:15 PM, Frank Drebin said:

I have about 5-10 more pounds to lose.  I want to add a scoop of creatine to my morning protein shake.  Will that slow down weight loss?  Or will it help it by aiding in resistance training/muscle growth?

 

9 hours ago, F250 said:

I know you have a weight goal and all that but IMO, that is a stupid goal. If you are involved in resistance training you should be measuring body fat percentage. Resistance training adds muscle which adds weight. Focus on losing the fat not the weight.

In my experience I game 3-5 pounds of water when I add Creatine.  I don't know if it helps my workout #gainz but it definitely doesn't hurt. So i keep taking it.

And yeah, if your only goal is to lose weight, cardio, low cals and crack cocaine is your method.  I'll suggest a mix of weight training, cardio and food that isn't junk is more healthy.  Just have fun with it.

[South Austin 52,340]

I took creatine for a few years until last year, when my doctor noted that my creatine level was high. He asked if I was taking creatine, I told him I was, and he said pretty bluntly to stop doing that. So I did, and my creatine level was normal this year.

I know studies have debunked the concerns from a couple decades ago that creatine was bad for your kidneys, and as recommended I drank a ton of water every day when I took it. But I really don’t notice a difference in performance or lean muscle mass now that I’m off it, at least not enough that an almost-50-year-old dude should care about. 

Short version: Take it or don’t take it. I think its efficacy is marginal, and better to focus on discipline with your weight routine and your nutrition, especially protein intake. 

 

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

30 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I took creatine for a few years until last year, when my doctor noted that my creatine level was high. He asked if I was taking creatine, I told him I was, and he said pretty bluntly to stop doing that. So I did, and my creatine level was normal this year.

I know studies have debunked the concerns from a couple decades ago that creatine was bad for your kidneys, and as recommended I drank a ton of water every day when I took it. But I really don’t notice a difference in performance or lean muscle mass now that I’m off it, at least not enough that an almost-50-year-old dude should care about. 

Short version: Take it or don’t take it. I think its efficacy is marginal, and better to focus on discipline with your weight routine and your nutrition, especially protein intake. 

 

I am at about 150 grams of protein per day.  Protein shakes before morning gym and before evening run.  I eat a couple elk or Axis hamburger patties each day for lunch.  Does the source of protein matter?  Is a chicken breast better than a shake?

[Herbie Hancock 7,315]

Creatine is harmless unless you have kidney issues. Creatine is also pointless unless you are on some weird, super restrictive diet. 98% of society and the normal gym-goer gets sufficient creatine from their daily caloric intake.

[South Austin 52,340]

3 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

I am at about 150 grams of protein per day.  Protein shakes before morning gym and before evening run.  I eat a couple elk or Axis hamburger patties each day for lunch.  Does the source of protein matter?  Is a chicken breast better than a shake?

For me, source only matters in that I’ve cut down on red meat to keep my cholesterol down, so I opt for chicken and fish. Shakes are good because the amount of protein we need as aging men on a fitness routine makes it difficult to meet the daily recommendation with just whole foods.

Also, people will say that source matters based on rate of digestion. For example, a whey protein shake will digest quicker than a caesin shake or a chicken breast. But I don’t think that really matters, and I just focus on my overall macros for the day.

Edited November 7 by South Austin

[Parliament 14,184]

15 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

I am at about 150 grams of protein per day.  Protein shakes before morning gym and before evening run.  I eat a couple elk or Axis hamburger patties each day for lunch.  Does the source of protein matter?  Is a chicken breast better than a shake?

Source doesn't matter but it seems like a man should have diversity.  Not JUST chicken breast, not JUST fish, etc.  Seems you're doing well there.

How much do you weigh?  150 g/day isn't a lot of protein and that might be holding you back.  We need to pump those numbers up. Eat a can of tuna before bed or something.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,730]

I need to get my protein numbers up I haven’t been diligent about counting as I bum rush 50 in a month.
Still lifting 3-5x per week and fluctuate between 187-192

[pearlandhorn 3,269]

On 11/6/2024 at 9:49 PM, Frank Drebin said:

Got it.  I pretty much had decided that.  My BF is around 18% per recent Dexa.  Still plenty of fat to lose.  Would like to be around 13 or 14.  I am more focused on comp than weight.  Started creatine a few days ago.  

Actually have lost weight in interim.  Not on purpose. I am running a lot.  Have a marathon in February.

Which marathon are you running?

[South Austin 52,340]

35 minutes ago, pearlandhorn said:

Which marathon are you running?

Apparently the one in Cloak Room.

[F250 28,755]

On 11/7/2024 at 9:05 AM, Frank Drebin said:

I am at about 150 grams of protein per day.  Protein shakes before morning gym and before evening run.  I eat a couple elk or Axis hamburger patties each day for lunch.  Does the source of protein matter?  Is a chicken breast better than a shake?

I prefer food over powder myself for the sake of my micronutrient goals plus the powdered shakes don't feel satisfying.

Yesterday for a post-workout breakfast, I had salmon, cottage cheese and raspberries, and an vegetable omelet for about 50g of protein.

This morning I had chicken sausage, omelet with cheese and a glass of Mootopia milk for about 50g of protein.

I find it easier to start my morning off with high a protein breakfast rather than have to catch up later in the day. To me, dinner is easier if you only have 20 to 30 grams of protein to hit but a lot of room for carbs in your daily macro goal.

 

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

2 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

Which marathon are you running?

Austin.

[Frank Drebin 5,645]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Apparently the one in Cloak Room.

[Parliament 14,184]

And carbs late in the day are killer.  Wake up tomorrow hungry.  Red meat protein otoh is where it's at.  A steak for dinner and all I want for breakfast is yogurt and granola.  

I really wish I knew all this when I was young.

[F250 28,755]

1 hour ago, Parliament said:

And carbs late in the day are killer.  Wake up tomorrow hungry.  Red meat protein otoh is where it's at.  A steak for dinner and all I want for breakfast is yogurt and granola.  

I really wish I knew all this when I was young.

This makes no sense.

[South Austin 52,340]

8 hours ago, F250 said:

This makes no sense.

He’s from Ohio.