The Fitness Thread

[Turk]

I was talking big upthread but it turned out to be wasted pixels. "The best laid plans" and all that... No progress in first half of the year; checked in on July 1 at 253. Got serious ("and this time I mean it!") and hit 239 this morning.

[moonpie23]

haven't been here in a while...i am down 35 lbs, back in the pool almost daily and feeling much better. The Weight Watchers app is excellent. It allows you to scan bar codes to see which foods are high on points. Basically, it teaches you how badly you've been serving yourself with too-large portions.


back in july, i got the 4-shots in the back cortizone treatment for my lower back...for the first week, i felt pain free for the first time in 25 years. It began to wear off somewhat just as we left on an amazing costa rica vacation. During that 11 day adventure, i hiked, climbed, walked, surfed, swam and explored more than i've ever done in my life, AND MY BACK FELT GREAT....i found out that, basically, my back is fine....it's that chair at the studio that's killing me...

it feels a lot better to have most of the gut gone...


keep it up, folks...

[proffy]

Working out and living healthy is a very important topic nowadays. I do a lot of things to look better. I run 3 times a week in the morning, do some exercise and go to the gym after work. Eating healthy also important, more green vegetables, fruits, vitamins, red meat, and fish. As I'm a woman I also put a lot of effort into my look. I style my hair with airbrush and dye it in blond usually. Its very simple and I can do it quickly before work. If you have long hair can look this link about this brushes. I also use makeup, like a bb cream, lipstick, eyeshadows, eyeliner. Life is hard if you are woman

[Reilly]

... too much alcohol and coffee ...

This strikes me as a thing -- like "thoughtful, reflective Carolina fan" -- that I guess in theory could exist but I've yet to encounter.

[wilson]

Big test for me this weekend. When I began my fitness project back in January, my goal was to be able to get on the treadmill and run a 10-minute mile all the way through (initially, I couldn't do that). Now, I run a full 5K 4 or 5 times a week, with my splits sitting around 7:30/mile...my personal best 5K is now 23:14.
This Saturday, I'm running a neighborhood 5K in conjunction with one of Atlanta's many excellent seasonal festivals. My goal is to establish another PB and, if the day goes really well, finish in the top 10 of my age group (which will comprise around 100 entrants).

[BD80]

... My goal is to ... finish in the top 10 of my age group (which will comprise around 100 entrants).

I know some people that can make it happen, no questions asked … I mean, things happen to people in that age group all the time ...

[Highlander]

Big test for me this weekend. When I began my fitness project back in January, my goal was to be able to get on the treadmill and run a 10-minute mile all the way through (initially, I couldn't do that). Now, I run a full 5K 4 or 5 times a week, with my splits sitting around 7:30/mile...my personal best 5K is now 23:14.
This Saturday, I'm running a neighborhood 5K in conjunction with one of Atlanta's many excellent seasonal festivals. My goal is to establish another PB and, if the day goes really well, finish in the top 10 of my age group (which will comprise around 100 entrants).

Good luck!

As for me, I've continued running 1 mile/day minimum, and actually stretched it out to 2 miles/day for much of October. This past weekend I did a 4 mile loop around my house on Saturday and Sunday back to back, and the Sunday run felt GREAT! Ended the weekend on a runner's high. Total mileage from October was around 70, which is nothing special, but it is my best effort of the year. Overall, weight is down around 10 lbs from the beginning of the year and I am checking in at just under 170lbs pretty consistently.

My biggest worry is that this mile a day challenge is becoming a chore that I am eyeing the end of. However, I worry that when it is over I'll slip back into my old habits. The alternative, continuing the challenge for another year, is equally frightening.

[devildeac]

Good luck!

As for me, I've continued running 1 mile/day minimum, and actually stretched it out to 2 miles/day for much of October. This past weekend I did a 4 mile loop around my house on Saturday and Sunday back to back, and the Sunday run felt GREAT! Ended the weekend on a runner's high. Total mileage from October was around 70, which is nothing special, but it is my best effort of the year. Overall, weight is down around 10 lbs from the beginning of the year and I am checking in at just under 170lbs pretty consistently.

My biggest worry is that this mile a day challenge is becoming a chore that I am eyeing the end of. However, I worry that when it is over I'll slip back into my old habits. The alternative, continuing the challenge for another year, is equally frightening.

Hmmm, maybe challenge yourself to enter a 5K in 3-6 months and train for it arduously. We found that when we were running/racing regularly (several decades ago ), that the training was "easier" if we had time and/or distance goals set several weeks in advance and we'd modify our diet, length of runs, times and methods of running accordingly.

[elvis14]

Big test for me this weekend. When I began my fitness project back in January, my goal was to be able to get on the treadmill and run a 10-minute mile all the way through (initially, I couldn't do that). Now, I run a full 5K 4 or 5 times a week, with my splits sitting around 7:30/mile...my personal best 5K is now 23:14.
This Saturday, I'm running a neighborhood 5K in conjunction with one of Atlanta's many excellent seasonal festivals. My goal is to establish another PB and, if the day goes really well, finish in the top 10 of my age group (which will comprise around 100 entrants).

First, awesome job this year! As someone who's built to sprint, those times look great to me. Way to crush that goal.

Rooting for you this weekend. I see a sub 23 minute 5k in your very near future!

[Highlander]

Hmmm, maybe challenge yourself to enter a 5K in 3-6 months and train for it arduously. We found that when we were running/racing regularly (several decades ago ), that the training was "easier" if we had time and/or distance goals set several weeks in advance and we'd modify our diet, length of runs, times and methods of running accordingly.

Yeah, I'm contemplating signing up for a few races just to keep me honest. I'm pretty goal oriented so having a race on the calendar keeps me motivated. I'd like to do a half marathon in February, but I'm a bit concerned that the daily running has killed my endurance (while simultaneously doing wonders for my recovery). Having done nothing longer than 8 miles all year is concerning. Hoping I can take a few days off in January and see how I do on a 10-12 miler.

[devildeac]

Yeah, I'm contemplating signing up for a few races just to keep me honest. I'm pretty goal oriented so having a race on the calendar keeps me motivated. I'd like to do a half marathon in February, but I'm a bit concerned that the daily running has killed my endurance (while simultaneously doing wonders for my recovery). Having done nothing longer than 8 miles all year is concerning. Hoping I can take a few days off in January and see how I do on a 10-12 miler.

Whoa! Good luck with that one. About 2.5 years ago, our younger daughter ran in a Rock and Roll Marathon in Raleigh and we walked and "followed" her to various mile markers. When I met her at mile 22, she convinced me to run a couple miles with her (I hadn't run in years) which just happened to be the hilly part of the course (groans loudly). I made it to almost mile 25 when her older sister, who had just finished the half marathon, ran with her to the finish line. I was sore and hobbled for a week. Of course, with all my walking that day, I also logged over 37K steps which amounted to just over 17 miles .

[wilson]

...I also logged over 37K steps which amounted to just over 17 miles .

Sounds like one of my typical days at Disney World.

[moonpie23]

i did a mile in the pool on my birthday last week. the impressive part was doing it in 45 min. .

still on track to reach my goal by new year’s day.

[devildeac]

Sounds like one of my typical days at Disney World.

Well, it's a small world, after all.

[wilson]

I matched my personal best and finished in the 89th percentile overalll. I ran with misty eyes throughout the morning, feeling immense pride in my accomplishments and thankfulness for my friendships and my achievements of this year.
I had a wonderful, wonderful day today.

[Edouble]

Big test for me this weekend. When I began my fitness project back in January, my goal was to be able to get on the treadmill and run a 10-minute mile all the way through (initially, I couldn't do that). Now, I run a full 5K 4 or 5 times a week, with my splits sitting around 7:30/mile...my personal best 5K is now 23:14.
This Saturday, I'm running a neighborhood 5K in conjunction with one of Atlanta's many excellent seasonal festivals. My goal is to establish another PB and, if the day goes really well, finish in the top 10 of my age group (which will comprise around 100 entrants).

I matched my personal best and finished in the 89th percentile overalll. I ran with misty eyes throughout the morning, feeling immense pride in my accomplishments and thankfulness for my friendships and my achievements of this year.
I had a wonderful, wonderful day today.

Romp 'n' Stomp? 22:09?

I was there too.

23:41

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier this week. I would have tried to say hello!

Great job! I live in C'town, so I'll be back next year too!

[wilson]

Romp 'n' Stomp? 22:09?

I was there too.

23:41

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier this week. I would have tried to say hello!

Great job! I live in C'town, so I'll be back next year too!

Yep, that's the one. My chip time was 23:33...technically 19 secs off of my treadmill best, but with delays as the race started up and the transition from treadmill running to road running, I'm essentially looking at it as a PB (it's certainly the fastest I've ever run on real terrain, by a very wide margin).
Had a great time at the festival too...what a perfect southern fall day.

[wilson]

I tried out a long(er) run this morning...did 5 miles in 40 minutes. Felt pretty good. I’m considering doing a 10k race in a few weeks.

[JNort]

Anyone have any experience using resistance bands? Long story short my left hand (dominant hand) can't handle more than about 40 pounds of pressure and it makes lifting like I did a few years ago very difficult. I quit working out due to the pain and have been missing it greatly. I know it's not the same but something has got to be better than sitting on the couch drinking a beer.

[wilson]

Anyone have any experience using resistance bands? Long story short my left hand (dominant hand) can't handle more than about 40 pounds of pressure and it makes lifting like I did a few years ago very difficult. I quit working out due to the pain and have been missing it greatly. I know it's not the same but something has got to be better than sitting on the couch drinking a beer.

I bought a set for use while RV traveling this past summer and I really like them. I've also used them around the house on days when I can't make it to the gym. I have been quite pleased with the results and performance.
I have this set, which was super affordable on Amazon and allows for up to 150 lbs of total resistance, in 10 lb increments.