From flab to Fab!

[teadrinker]

I've been involved in an exercise program for some months now; in fact I'm a control person in a long-term research program to test the benefits of exercise on body composition (muscle, fat, bone density) and blood for people with diabetes. What this means is that three times a week I do about 50 minutes of cardio work (I was randomly placed in this group; other people are doing mainly weights), trying to get my heart rate to about 145 bpm. Then I finish off with some abdominal work (sets of crunches). So far I've lost no weight that I know of, but I do feel a lot fitter in general.

Nobody gets a hard-on when looking at my body!

It's all good, though - better than doing nothing.

-T.

 

[GamerBear]

Nobody gets a hard-on when looking at my body!


-T.

You'd be surprised.

 

[codeerror]

Hey, thanks Luminum & Treanir. Hope you guys have made progress.

Me? Well, it's a long, sad, story. But with a hopeful ending.

I took pictures with the expectation of publishing them here. I was doing really well up through May. My bf/partner and I went several times a week and I was making great progress. Not really losing weight, but certainly being able to lift a lot more (fat-->muscle, I assumed).

Then... well, then all hell broke loose.

I broke a limb and couldn't really work out for 2-3 months. Then we started again for about a month in the summer, and then he had knee replacement surgery. Needless to say, he didn't really want to go to the gym anytime soon after that.

But, 3 weeks ago, we turned everything around:

• He felt good enough to at least venture into the gym and do some light stuff.
• My broken arm is now healed and now feels as if nothing ever happened to it, so I was ready to work out in earnest again.
• We ditched our $$$$ old gym and joined a newer, closer, much cheaper gym.
• The money we saved I put towards a once-a-week 30-minute training session with a personal trainer. Wow, those personal trainers really work you hard!

Alas, a lot of damage was done in the meantime. I'd gained 10 lbs. since last winter. My body fat is through the roof (see those chubby cheeks in my avatar?!). I'm at my highest weight ever.

But I'm now paying for a weekly training session, and the gym in about a mile from our house, and I'm totally motivated (barring any limb breaking in the future).

The first couple weeks with the trainers, I was sore for days afterward. The longer I do this, though, the easier it gets.

By New Year's, I hope to post pictures of some progress.

Hey!
I'm glad you're back at it! You've made some really good choice lately, and they are going to bring results as long as you are consistent.
Does your PT ever talk about diet? I'm guessing that you don't have the highest metabolism, or at least not like you used to have, so your activity level or food intake has to be altered in order to stay at the same weight or lose some.

I'm just happy that at least one of my subscribed fitness threads popped up again. Can't wait for the pictures

 

[KaraBulut]

Human nature is to focus on short-term goals when it comes to fitness and the gym. That's fine and it helps to feel like you're being successful and acheiving your goals.

But don't lose sight of the long-term goal of fitness and good health. Setbacks such as illness or personal issues do cause everyone to backtrack and lose ground on gym goals. But in the long-term what matters is staying in good cardiac health, combatting bone and muscle loss and keeping high energy levels.

Congrats on getting back to it.

And hopefully the trainer that's whooping your ass is cute.

 

[Lube]

TeaDrinker, yes it does feel good to get out and exercise, even if you don't see much change. Just feeling better can change your attitude. And that helps a lot.

Hey!
I'm glad you're back at it! You've made some really good choice lately, and they are going to bring results as long as you are consistent.
Does your PT ever talk about diet? I'm guessing that you don't have the highest metabolism, or at least not like you used to have, so your activity level or food intake has to be altered in order to stay at the same weight or lose some.

I'm just happy that at least one of my subscribed fitness threads popped up again. Can't wait for the pictures

Thanks for the pep talk! No, my metabolism ain't what it used to be. Does that mean I have to give up my half-gallon of Chunky Monkey every night?

I eat well in the sense that I don't drink soda or other empty calories, I don't do fast food, and I cook most stuff myself (or my partner does).

It's really about portion control. (Yes, I admit it.) Toning down the 70% chocolate bars, the cheese and ice cream would help, too. But my partner is a former power lifter, so he has a lot more muscle and he snacks more than I do. It's just so tempting when he breaks out the cheese & crackers...

Human nature is to focus on short-term goals when it comes to fitness and the gym. That's fine and it helps to feel like you're being successful and acheiving your goals.

But don't lose sight of the long-term goal of fitness and good health. Setbacks such as illness or personal issues do cause everyone to backtrack and lose ground on gym goals. But in the long-term what matters is staying in good cardiac health, combatting bone and muscle loss and keeping high energy levels.

Congrats on getting back to it.

And hopefully the trainer that's whooping your ass is cute.

Ha! Well, I have a selection of trainers at my disposal. Luckily, they seem to all be men, as opposed to the last club where most were women.

But, yeah, long term I want to be healthy. I don't need to be super-buff, just healthy. Thanks.

 

[sirsaba]

Okay thats odd.

 

[Lube]

Can't wait for the pictures

BTW, I'm a hairy old beast, so be careful of what you ask for.

 

[luminum]

Yum! Keep up the good fight and I'll try to do the same.