"Fitness Club" Thread

GWC Community GWC Fitness Club
#1281

I’m struggling here guys. It’s not working out that’s the problem. That’s the easy part. It’s nutrition that’s been screwing my whole thing up. Breakfast and lunch are fine, but when I get home, and I’m tired, I’m much more likely to eat poorly.

Anyone have some super easy, decently tasty meals that cut down on my needing to handle raw meat?
melkorsbane

That has absolutely been my biggest obstacle, too. I thought working out would be hard, but it turns out that it’s much, much easier than cooking healthy, delicious, and affordable meals. I feel like the way I eat is sabotaging my efforts in the gym, and that can be very discouraging. I’ve tried using premade meals but they’re expensive and I can’t really afford it, so I’m focusing on building up my skills in the kitchen, one recipe at a time. I’m determined to find a meal plan that I can stick with, but it’s taken a long time. So I guess it’s a good thing that I’m so stubborn. When I start trying out food that I like, I’ll post the recipes here.

#1282

I have the same issue, more or less. Do you listen to Chuck’s Fitsmart podcast? Chuck is a big advocate for big bags of frozen vegetables, which fill the stomach and contain around 20 calories (literally). Maybe eat one of two of those (nice, steaming, hot), add a little cottage cheese in the mix for fatty texture, and that’d help. Chuck has also recommended grilling up a bunch of chicken breasts in advance, so you have something ready to go.

#1283

Preparing food in advance is always better for me. If I have something that I know I can grab quickly and eat, especially on a busy day when I’m too tired to cook a big meal, I am less inclined to eat junk.

#1284

Last week I spent several days in central Oregon mountain biking with friends. According to My Fitness Pal, (which I’m sure is super accurate;) I burned over 19,000 calories. Of course, I’m sure I ate 25,000. I went back to work Tuesday and my legs were pretty pissed off about the whole “not pedalling” business. Not to mention the endorphin withdrawals I’ve been having since coming back.
On another note, I hit up a personal trainer friend for some workout advice and hopefully I’ll get a full revamp of my janky ass “wing it” weight training program.

#1285

I haven’t been to the gym in more than a month now, partly because of work and other projects, partly because I’ve been trying to get my budget under control and I didn’t want to add one more charge to my credit card. But I know it’s probably because I got out of the habit of going, and I’m going to start up again on Monday. It’s too bad that someone can’t just fall out of the sky and organize my life.

I’m cooking more lately, so that’s good, and I really love the Green Giant steam bag vegetables. So easy, and I can just toss them in rice or use them as a side.

#1286

Hang in there, Nike! :slight_smile:

Agree with the bag veggies, especially for broccoli, which doesn’t seem to freeze well. I also keep those big value-size bags of frozen peas and mixed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, corn). Dump 'em in a bowl, cover with a small plate or saucer, and nuke. Good stuff, and wicked quick to make.

Re: gym, don’t forget there are other alternatives. I’m a huge fan of the gym, but there are lots of other options, too. Sometimes it’s fun to mix 'em up. :slight_smile: Bike, swim, run, walk, functional exercise – which can be fun and creative: run up the stairs, do lunges around the house or down the sidewalk, find funny objects around the house and see what you can do with them exercise-wise (milk gallon lateral raises!), plus the standard stuff like pushups, situps, squats, and variants. The gym is awesome, but it should help, not get in the way.

#1287

I received an Amazon gift card and I’m looking at getting a new digital food/kitchen scale. I think this Salter model is closest to the one you have Chuck.

But I was also looking at this EatSmart model (Or the EatSmart brand at all).

Does anyone have any furtherwords of wisdom on choosing a digital kitchen food scale or either of these two models specifically?

Thanks!

~Shooter Out

#1288

What did you end up getting?

~Shooter Out

#1289

This last week was very rough for me. I was working in Telluride, Colorado all week. Telluride is one of the most gorgeous areas I have ever seen with some of the rudest, snobbiest, and angry people I have ever met. I was working long (14-18hr) days. Only 1 restaurant was open in the morning (the hotel didn’t have a breakfast, microwave or fridge) and 1 in the evening. This is because it is still “off season”. Even the grocery store was closed after and before the hours I worked. I ate poorly for those reasons. The problem is, I ate much more poorly than I could have…and not for any good justifiable reason. I took a couple walks, but was too tired to do my resistance band workout after the long days. I have been eating on the diet for almost 8 months, and in 1 week I want to go back to the old eating habits. Only part of the reason I want to go back to the old habits is because lasagna is awesome. The rest of the reasoning seems to be wanting to go back to the self-destructive habits. I went and worked out with my personal trainer tonight, but felt like I had dropped significantly from where I was a week ago. I feel like I fell off the wagon, got dragged behind for a little bit, stood up and got hit by another wagon, and had a horse pause to crap on me. The most disturbing part to me is that some part of my brain likes that way.

#1290

^^^ It happens. It’s a journey, not a destination. Keep going!

#1291

To pass along some more positive news…in the aftermath of this nasty storm, having less to do and being stingy with my gas mileage, I’ve been buying more food to make at home and my 6+ mile walks a day were unbelievably useful in getting to supermarkets with power and food in stock and I’ve been cooking at home for almost a week straight and for the first time I can remember I’m under 215 pounds, just an amazing transformation in the last 5 years…I felt I had hit a wall around 220, and the Sandy aftermath helped me get over that hump…I can actually see the finish line of being under 200 in sight!!!

#1292

So new year and new challenges.

Got a fitbit from the wife so it was an unexpected bonus, It seems to be decent and is helping me figure out what my calorie avereage is once you take out my driving and bus journeys

Activity
67885 steps taken (97% of goal of 70,000)

87 floors climbed (124% of goal of 70)

32.26 miles traveled (92% of goal of 35.00)

Time active (excluding sleep)

Sedentary - 80.9
Fairly active - 7.2
Lightly active - 10.7
Very active - 1.2

The fitbit site says that my weekly calorie burn is ~ 19740

So dividing that by 7 gives me 2820 which seems around right considering that I’m a 238lb guy. I’ve been eating around the 1.6/1.7k mark. Thinking about increasing the calories but it always takes me time to dial in my nutrition.

It is misleading considering that I was on holiday and I work a desk job, so I can understand why it thinks I’m sedentary for a large chunk of time. The cons of working in an office I guess.

The gym is quite good that I’ve joined. I did some sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. I’m taking today off because I’m just mega sore from doing the exercises on the previous days. Did Break in A and Break In B from the New Rules of Lifting.

When I was in the gym, I grabbed a PT and asked her about my squat form. She basically said that I was pretty much there, the only problem was that my glutes weren’t firing on the outside, so my knees tended to drift inwards. So I think on my off days, I’ll work on some glute activation exercises such as glute bridges, Bird dogs. I’ve found a decent article

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...the_glute_myth

Plus what guy doesn’t like a nice strong butt …

There are two PT in the gym that interest me, once has a specilisation in MMA/UFC which appeals to me as someone who likes martial arts and wants to get a fighter type body, The other special area is more sport specific and also was a former Army PT. I’ve already emailed one, so I thinking about emailing the other. I wonder if there will be any problem if I send the same email out (considering that they both work there) - although they are termed as contractors. Anyway, my thinking is I have to shop around to see which one will fit my needs better.

Anyway hit me up, I want to get back into the community…

The trainers I’m thinking of enquiring about

Jane Ledsham - www.targetfitnesstraining.co.uk

Qualifications

Level 3 REPS
Army Physical Training Instructor Course (8 months intensive course)
Scotvec Btec National Certificate Modules in Fitness Training and Management
Focus Training. Personal Trainer Certificate
RSA Exercise to Music Teacher
Pulse Fitness Group Cycle instructor
Future Fit Nutrition Counsellor
Future Fit Advanced Fitness Instructor GP referral
Premier Fitness. Fitness Assessment and Health Appraisal
YMCA Step Instructor
ASA Swimming Teacher
Lifeworks Unlimited. Advanced Exercise to Music Teacher
Safety First 4 days First Aid Course till 2015
Boxacise instructor
Athletics Assistant Club Coach
EBBA Basketball Coach
FA Football Leaders Award
Judo Army Leaders
Arrest & Restraint Instructor
EVA Volleyball Coach
Hockey/Netball/Rounder/Team Games Coach

Specialist Areas

Boxing
Weight Loss
Uniform services pre training
Sport specific

Teresa Waplington

Qualifications

Level 3 personal trainer
BTEC level 4 sports massage and remedial therapist
Diploma in nutrition
DTP trainer
Y3T trainer

Specialist Areas

MMA / UFC
Crossfit
BootCamp

#1293

It’s a new year, so I’m trying to be more proactive, I’ve been off and on when it comes to working out so I’m hoping that I can be more consistent. I’m looking at a bunch of Fitness apps to help me be more organized, so I’m hoping for good things in 2013. Wolverines!

#1294

Definitely talk to both of them and see which one suits your needs best. If they aren’t ok with that, then they don’t really have your best interest in mind and you don’t want them as a trainer anyway. Chances are, they probably know each other and might even be able to work together.

#1295

I talked to Jane and she seemed quite switched on. Showed me the exercises that she was willing to show me and alot of it was bodyweight, TRX/Rings and exercises such as squats, military presses, etc.

Will start saving and do it in a month or so.

#1296

How’s it going?

#1297

Okay. I’ve been out of the gym for long enough (car accident + illness + laziness) and renewal time is coming up, so I’m going back once I’ve shaken this cough enough to breathe comfortably. Goals for the moment: wake up earlier so I can take the bus to work/get out earlier and make a class or two at the gym. Go to sleep earlier. Eat better. Cook more at home, I was really good about this for a while and then when I separated my shoulder it was easier to fall back into going out. Walk up/down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Remember to take a damn multivitamin.

#1298

I’ve been getting kind lazy the last couple of months. Working overtime, I finally tried out Star Wars: The Old Republic and just generally feeling unmotivated to do much except ride. No gym, no yoga, and my rides have been pretty short and slow. I guess that has to change, cause I signed up as a course sweep for the Ouachita Challenge, a 65 mile mountain bike race in deepest darkest Arkansas. I won’t actually be racing, just bringing up the rear and aiding stragglers and dropouts, but it’s still gonna be a hard day. I also committed to a mountain bike trip from Fruita CO to Moab UT. 140 miles in 4 days.
So, back to the gym, back to the yoga place, and back to putting some good miles on the bike.
WOLVERINES!!!

#1299

I’ve been super lazy since before the holidays. We decided to leave the Y, and joined LA Fitness, which is literally around the corner from our house. They have a pretty nice indoor pool, which I love. I swam the other night, and was really glad to be back in the water. I think I am going to take advantage of the free trainer session as well- I have never worked with a trainer before, so I’m a little hesitant, but I think it will be a good thing.

#1300

I had a personal trainer who recognized me from workouts over the last year talk to me tonight about my weight loss. He works at the gym I go to and just got certified this month and was asking what my workouts were and what my personal trainer recommends. We had a good talk, especially about starting workouts as a bigger guy. I really struggled internally with happy statements like “I don’t think you should ask the guy who is 350 pounds about weight loss, even if he did lose 70 pounds”. I managed to keep that internal. We talked for about 45 minutes and I realized I had some helpful things to say. Things like how it felt to start working at the gym (everyone must be staring at me, right?), being discouraged after an “easy” workout winded me, and the helpful things my trainer did. I also told him about falling off the wagon and how I had help to get back on (you guys, trainer, support group). Now, the not very nice James has been saying things all night, but it was incredibly self-esteem boosting to be asked about that stuff (and to have improvement noticed).

I will finish this story with the most important note (for me). I told him that the absolute #1 thing that helped was not diet, workouts, or training. It was a support group and a 12 step program. I will concide that a 12 step program is not needed for everyone, but I will argue till my dying breath about a need for a good support team. A consistent and personal accountabilty group who can encourage and/or provide a needed swift kick in the butt has been life changing. I would encourage everyone who is struggling with weight issues (especially if you can use the term “a lot of weight”) to actively seek a support group, accountability partners, or even a couple friends that will check in on you and use them. This can be tough. For me it is hard to admit when I am struggling or if I am cheating on the diet. It is very easy for me to beat myself up, instead of asking for help. I know that I am not alone in that issue. That is why I said “consistent” support. I need someone who will call me instead of waiting for me to call them, as I isolate myself when I haven’t worked out or I cheat. Well, I got a bit verbose, sorry. I hope you guys keep up the good work. Thanks for this forum.