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Mason 47

Health + Fitness

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Moved over from the Learning a Skill Corona thread on the main page.

As the title says.

Anyone else out there on a 2020 health kick in spite of the biggest international heath crisis in decades? I'm 4 or 5 pounds lost away from a 90 day target after being appalled at topping 18 stone towards the end of December.

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That sounds impressive. 

No health kick as such but I did 5:2 in 2013 (4 to 5 months strict observation) and lost 8kg (which doesn't sound much but lift up 8 bags of sugar in a supermarket and it is!).

I've since kept a rule of occasional fasts but nearly always observe a daily 15/16 hour fast between evening meal and breakfast (no eating after 6pm til at least 9am) and it keeps you on track.

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I've always been 'heavy'; even when I was proper skinny I was still north of 12st, despite only being 5'8". I got up to about 16st 7lbs and decided enough was enough; started jogging, cut out beer and bread (mostly, anyway!) and also eat very little red meat any more.

I'm not setting any targets, just trying to live more healthily for its own intrinsic benefit. I do yoga, stretching and weights every morning before breakfast and go jogging every other day. On my days off I try to go for a walk or a bike ride, or do some Wii Fit stuff.

I've also cut down on booze; used to be a big drinker, but I'll generally not drink during the working week (maybe one glass of wine or a G&T if I can't resist), and then drinking sensibly at the weekend. Drinking a pint of water with every alcoholic drink really helps me to limit my intake.

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How have you found yoga ftw? I’m not into mediation and all that stuff at all but feel like yoga might be worth a shot. I play in goal at 5 a side (originally because running was embarrassing 😂) and I’m pretty decent (The guy I replaced at my last team was England 5 a side keeper!) but feel like losing weight and doing yoga might take me up another gear... is yoga worth it? Even if I’m not into the hippy stuff?

Edited by kick it off

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34 minutes ago, sonyc said:

That sounds impressive. 

No health kick as such but I did 5:2 in 2013 (4 to 5 months strict observation) and lost 8kg (which doesn't sound much but lift up 8 bags of sugar in a supermarket and it is!).

I've since kept a rule of occasional fasts but nearly always observe a daily 15/16 hour fast between evening meal and breakfast (no eating after 6pm til at least 9am) and it keeps you on track.

I’m doing intermittent fasting but not really found a routine for it yet so tends to be random... I’m also trying to keep to no eating after 6 but thought eating earlier in the morning would be better as it starts metabolism? Should I wait til 9?

Edited by kick it off

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44 minutes ago, kick it off said:

I’m doing intermittent fasting but not really found a routine for it yet so tends to be random... I’m also trying to keep to no eating after 6 but thought eating earlier in the morning would be better as it starts metabolism? Should I wait til 9?

I think the best thing is to keep to as big a gap between eating KIO because essentially your cells empty of toxins and the body starts to 'eat' fat. The intermittent fasting means you don't follow a daily pattern so that your metabolism also adjusts (to the new norm). Hence, fasting all of the time or minimising your calorie intake means your body 'thinks' you need less. Eating as 'normal' on non fast days helps fool your body. That is the sciencey bit according to Michael Moseley in his 5:2 book.

I guess though it's what works for you. 5:2 is a bast*** to keep to as it demands great discipline (weirdly you go to bed ravenous on a fast day and cannot wait til breakfast) but when breakfast comes you enjoy it thoroughly but don't crave over-eating.

I was amazed at how I was so hypnotised about food. It changed my whole thinking about calories ever since I did it. Because it's hard to do (I just decided absolutely I was going to get to X kilogramme no matter what) it's useful to do with another. 

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I've always cast glances at intermittent fasting but I know it takes a chunk of discipline (which from past experience I know I don't get along with) so I've fallen into the macronutrient game. 40% Protein 40% Carb and 20% Fat and the book I've been working from- Bigger Leaner Stronger, Mike Matthews- says although it can help it doesn't really matter when or how you take those in.

Takes a lot of work in the beginning but once you're into it you can do it mentally pretty easily, which is where I am now- the real difficulty is doing it on any sort of budget (Mr Matthews solves this problem in his example meal plans by involving a trimmed Sirloin steak most days, which I found amusing).

Got next week planned out though, £26.26 all meals accounted for 👍

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I do similar to sonyc- have evening meal usually by 7.30 and then usually won’t eat until lunch time the next day. Coffee for breakfast and maybe an orange juice and that’s usually enough for me.

I haven’t ever been to yoga classes but I have been properly stretching for a couple of years now. I feel better from stretching regularly than I ever do from either cardio or weights. An hour at the weekend and fifteen minutes or so most evenings while watching TV or even reading. 

Done more runs in the last fortnight than I have done in months as well!

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14 hours ago, Mason 47 said:

I've always cast glances at intermittent fasting but I know it takes a chunk of discipline (which from past experience I know I don't get along with) so I've fallen into the macronutrient game. 40% Protein 40% Carb and 20% Fat and the

I’ve tried this before (when younger and well into the gym) - found it harder than intermittent fasting. 40 per cent protein is quite a lot, and my body didn’t like protein shakes (did try pea protein instead but that was disgusting).

What do you track the macros on? I think that’s really the answer - if you track something (macros, or even just calories) and really keep note of what you’re eating then whatever system you’re using will probably be pretty effective for the average person.

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I believe Till has been studying this for years, has a full catalogued library of Health and Efficiency. 

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I cut bread and cakes out of my diet a while back and it made a massive difference, weight just slowly started to drop, if I start introducing them into my diet again on go the pounds. Have always struggled to keep my weight under control but for me this has been the simple answer. 
I expect to see a further explosion in obesity resulting from this pandemic, undoubtedly there will be interesting studies to come looking at the excess deaths indirectly related to the virus.

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1 hour ago, Aggy said:

What do you track the macros on? I think that’s really the answer - if you track something (macros, or even just calories) and really keep note of what you’re eating then whatever system you’re using will probably be pretty effective for the average person.

I agree here in so much as I don't think it matters what you track, as long as you keep track of what you eat then you realise when you eat rubbish and change your mind/habits quickly. That's why all the dieting shows on TV always start with a food diary and the participants are always floored by how much they've eaten.

I don't find intermittent fasting massively difficult, but historically I've never really eaten breakfast and didn't eat lunch all that often either - think my issues are to do with fat storage and ****ty metabolism as much as anything - so I've changed up my routine and started eating a small bowl of muesli in the morning (maybe 2/3 of the recommended portion size) and ensuring I eat small, low calorie snacks through the day to keep the metabolism going... I've found an undeniable love for LIDL's sliced pickled gherkins as a snack food... I like gherkins anyway but they are next level.

I think to be honest that in terms of diet, portion control is the most important aspect for me. A doctor once told me when I said I was eating loads of salad etc but not losing any weight "Yeah, but an elephant only eats leaves".

Edited by kick it off
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4 hours ago, Aggy said:

I’ve tried this before (when younger and well into the gym) - found it harder than intermittent fasting. 40 per cent protein is quite a lot, and my body didn’t like protein shakes (did try pea protein instead but that was disgusting).

What do you track the macros on? I think that’s really the answer - if you track something (macros, or even just calories) and really keep note of what you’re eating then whatever system you’re using will probably be pretty effective for the average person.

I completely agree, my current protein guideline is 218.4g per day, which is actually pretty hard to hit- particularly without blowing out the fat or carb targets.

As I said on the other thread, I followed it absolutely to the letter for about 30-40 days, but I've been stuck on a plateau at around 17.5- 18st for years and years. Bad food buying habits, eating habits, habits in general- I needed the Stuart Webber-esque point to point rework of diet to break the cycle.

Now broken, it's more of a loose guideline I do mostly mentally through the day; generally low fat content and carbs not hugely outweighing protein and I'm happy. Knowing what's really in food is the real silver bullet.

 

 

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Ha KIO, Sainsbury’s own brand sweet and sour pickled gherkins are amazing. I’ll give the lidl ones a go!

 Mason, I find that when you’ve tracked calories etc for a while you do get a general understanding of what’s in food (and can usually have a better educated guess if you don’t know). Does definitely help. My downfall though if I don’t track everything religiously is that I almost subconsciously snack, especially when stuck in the house. A biscuit here or there, a couple of crisps - nothing major on their own but all adds up 😞 

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Good thread.

I'm on the 'husky' side and definitely need to kick a few pounds but I've struggled to find something that works for me exercise wise. I find running puts too much strain on my knees and I end up stopping for fear of doing myself some serious harm and the gym selection near me is limited to say the least.

Interested to hear of others experiences with yoga as that always sounds like an appealing option.

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4 minutes ago, king canary said:

Good thread.

I'm on the 'husky' side and definitely need to kick a few pounds but I've struggled to find something that works for me exercise wise. I find running puts too much strain on my knees and I end up stopping for fear of doing myself some serious harm and the gym selection near me is limited to say the least.

Interested to hear of others experiences with yoga as that always sounds like an appealing option.

It's all about finding what works for you. Even progressive bodyweight challenges with good nutrition work can make a big difference (I've pretty much lost 2st in 3 months without any real exercise of note due to injury).

As for yoga, I'm afraid I don't have much experience there and I'm about as flexible as an icicle.

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Totally agree find something you like and you will keep doing it and not find an excuse.
 

For me at the moment it is daily bike rides. replicating my twice weekly weights session as far as possible and regular live online yoga classes. Always thought I’d be the last person to do yoga but definitely don’t knock it until you try it and now is a good time. And lots of fruit and veg. If you do your 5 a day you won’t have much space for rubbish. But what ever you do enjoy it. With nearly everyone who is dying having underlying health conditions now is a good reminder to use the time to change our live styles. My aim is to come out of this in better shape. 

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1 hour ago, king canary said:

Good thread.

I'm on the 'husky' side and definitely need to kick a few pounds but I've struggled to find something that works for me exercise wise. I find running puts too much strain on my knees and I end up stopping for fear of doing myself some serious harm and the gym selection near me is limited to say the least.

Interested to hear of others experiences with yoga as that always sounds like an appealing option.

Swimming if you’ve got a decent pool near you - I never swam as a kid or anything but really got into it whilst recovering from a broken leg - low impact, decent cardio if you do it properly (laps non stop rather than a leisurely swim and chat).

Zumba is supposed to be more of a workout than you think as well - not done it personally but always hear people surprised by it.

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How is everyone getting on?

I came up a few pounds short of my goal in the end 🙄 but am led to believe that's probably water retention as I've just started a heavy strength training phase.

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On 27/03/2020 at 15:19, king canary said:

Good thread.

I'm on the 'husky' side and definitely need to kick a few pounds but I've struggled to find something that works for me exercise wise. I find running puts too much strain on my knees and I end up stopping for fear of doing myself some serious harm and the gym selection near me is limited to say the least.

Interested to hear of others experiences with yoga as that always sounds like an appealing option.

Cycling is a great alternative especially if you struggle with your knees.

Doesn't have to be full on lycra clad with an aero road bike either, Until this all happened I was close to buying a gravel bike (essentially a road bike with slightly wider tyres) for days out with my partner/friends etc with off roading as an option. 

I first went to a yoga class during University (to improve flexibility for the bike) and it was not at all as I'd suspected, perhaps every class is going to different depending on the instructor but I found it great for improving flexibility and strengthening the core, both of which I badly needed - I wouldn't class it as much use for burning calories but certainly better than doing nothing 🙂

I initially got into cycling when I discovered the app "Zwift" on my phone, essentially a game where you cycle with others online. If this lockdown ends up banning outdoor exercise I may have to revisit it.

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45 minutes ago, Mason 47 said:

How is everyone getting on?

I came up a few pounds short of my goal in the end 🙄 but am led to believe that's probably water retention as I've just started a heavy strength training phase.

Lost another couple of pounds last week and got some new running shoes yesterday as my old ones were killing me. Still got some way to go but can see a massive difference from when I started. My earring slipped a bit last week with portion control but I’m back on the wagon this week.

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5K walk a day with Mrs KG at a decent pace and turbo trainer should be arriving tomorrow. The roads are pretty empty but Mrs KG feels she could do more on a trainer than on the roads. Well they are just up and down around here. No Acle straights I'm afraid. The Romans gave up at the Tamar.

I have been looking at turbo trainers for some time, and they were at a certain price. Since the virus, they have doubled at least. I ordered one on two separate occasions and the Paypal was taken only to get an email saying that they were really out of stock. In other words, we are withdrawing them at the price we sold it to you.

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17 minutes ago, kick it off said:

Lost another couple of pounds last week and got some new running shoes yesterday as my old ones were killing me. Still got some way to go but can see a massive difference from when I started. My earring slipped a bit last week with portion control but I’m back on the wagon this week.

They often say the weight in your ear lobes is some of the hardest to lose 😉

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1 minute ago, keelansgrandad said:

5K walk a day with Mrs KG at a decent pace and turbo trainer should be arriving tomorrow. The roads are pretty empty but Mrs KG feels she could do more on a trainer than on the roads. Well they are just up and down around here. No Acle straights I'm afraid. The Romans gave up at the Tamar.

I have been looking at turbo trainers for some time, and they were at a certain price. Since the virus, they have doubled at least. I ordered one on two separate occasions and the Paypal was taken only to get an email saying that they were really out of stock. In other words, we are withdrawing them at the price we sold it to you.

Which one did you go for? 

I've noticed Wahoo have quickly removed all the offers they were running on theirs - they can't keep them in stock so might as well anyway. 

Be sure to buy a decent fan too!

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13 minutes ago, Mason 47 said:

They often say the weight in your ear lobes is some of the hardest to lose 😉

Haha I hadn’t even noticed that, obviously meant eating

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On 08/04/2020 at 13:15, kick it off said:

Lost another couple of pounds last week and got some new running shoes yesterday as my old ones were killing me. Still got some way to go but can see a massive difference from when I started. My earring slipped a bit last week with portion control but I’m back on the wagon this week.

Lost another 2 pounds this week (weighed in a day early). Little by little, I'm getting there. New shoes are a dream - Massive increase in comfort level has made it a lot easier to keep going on the treadmill rather than doing it reluctantly as I know my feet will hurt afterwards.... Still haven't got round to doing any yoga though, need to get on that and start adding in some high intensity workouts too.

 How's everyone else doing?

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A much gloomier forecast for me KIO unfortunately- I've inexplicably found 3 or 4 lbs since Monday! Could still chalk it up to water retention but it certainly isn't meant to increase like that, so I'm a bit frustrated.

Otherwise, it's leg day today and I'm up to a 90 second plank (they never tell you that no matter how many you do, planks never feel any better!)

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Better late than never, seem to have gotten over the plateau and can now say I'm a lithe 16st 0lbs 🙃 

From the sounds of things, no better time to be reducing weight and improving fitness. 

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1 hour ago, Mason 47 said:

Better late than never, seem to have gotten over the plateau and can now say I'm a lithe 16st 0lbs 🙃 

From the sounds of things, no better time to be reducing weight and improving fitness. 

Congrats mate!! Brilliant news 😀

I'm not weighing until Saturday, but I'm quietly confident that I'll have dropped another couple of lbs as I've had a pretty good week.

I was 14'6 last Friday and I want to get under 14 before my birthday (5th May). I think the original final goal I set of 12 and a half stone might actually be a bit on the light side for my frame as I'm pretty stocky, so I'm going to see how it looks as I hit around 13 and see if I need to go any further.

The one thing that lockdown has taught me, is I actually have no excuses not to be in shape. I've always blamed bad genetics etc and came up with excuses but actually it was my mindset that was the problem. Bad genetics in terms of retaining weight definitely don't help but it's not insurmountable with a bit of work and a positive attitude.

Looking forward to the gyms re-opening, going to join purely for a couple of weight sets per week - I'll keep doing my cardio at home (currently on 3 days on, 1 day off) but I need the gym to be able to properly hit the weights, as what I can do at home just isn't enough. I'm naturally pretty strong with big arms and legs so I need weights that are worth doing but I pack on muscle super-quickly (the positive side of my physical genes!!).

Watched this documentary on Netflix the other day, called Westside vs the World. It's about an extreme powerlifting gym in America and the guys are absolutely nuts, but there are definitely things that are positive about the sheer level of drive and determination to better themselves - they definitely go too far, but it's impressive nonetheless. Worth a watch.

Edited by kick it off

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