Your physical shape and condition

[sshzp4]

Walk four miles a day to and from work, five days a week. Been doing that last three months now. Lost about 5+/-5 lbs. Don't eat a lot during the week, but (tend to) pig out at home during the weekends :"). Okay shape, need a month to start looking like a mathematician again.

Can't stand workouts anymore. Used to go jogging 5 miles a day in early grad school, but later on that felt like a major waste of time, so became a lab-pumpkin after that. How can you just wake up and start aping down a road when you could be working on cool problems and deriving your personal edition of some theory or writing your personal textbook?! So many cool problems+solutions out there, and I want to see them all before I kick.

 

[waht]

I used to be stuck in this viscous cycle of laziness - work, school, and then being lifeless for the rest of the afternoon - laying on the couch and staring at the fan. I used to suffer extreme periods of work related stress, and of course, depression for many years.

My whole surroundings was like that, friends and family. I had no disciplined role model to follow. Even my father used to say and I quote "don't worry if you don't do it today, do it two days later."

Most of my life was very passive, just like being a drift wood on a river, not knowing where the current will take you next.

What has pulled me out of this mess is exercise, and good nutrition. Not in one day of course, but by compounding its effects over a few years span, I've been transformed into a new and better self. Depression is gone, and stress levels are very low. Productivity is efficient.

An important skill to develop is discipline, to be able to follow a long term plan despite of temptations, and set backs. And that is the key, IMO.

That's why I don't hate another run, or another set of push ups, or following a 6 healthy meals a day plan. It's something I do, no questions asked. But I do get satisfaction that every small step taken adds to self improvement.

 

[Proton Soup]

i think my cardio fitness leaves a lot to be desired. blood pressure is a bit high. i don't think fat is higher percentage-wise than low 20's, but it would be nice to get it back down into the 15~18% range. strength and muscularity are doing pretty good, tho. came within about 30 lbs of my personal best on deadlift today and i don't seem to have plateaued yet, so maybe by october or so i can get back up to old strength levels or higher, but at a lower body weight.

I work to say fit, yes. I take it you're a runner, runner? It's probably my favorite way to get a good workout, but now that I'm in my 40s, I can tell it takes a toll on my joints. In fact I'm nursing an iliotibial band strain right now .

foam roller

 

[Proton Soup]

I'm definitely not satisfied with my physical condition. I'm not obese or anything, but that BMI of 26 or 27 could stand to go down. I've been running two miles a day three times a week. Another grad student in my department runs more like 6 miles at a time; this is what I'm shooting for.

don't go by BMI. BMI is only useful for population studies because of the correlation. better to use something more objective like a body fat % estimation using a tape measure, skinfold calipers, or get fancy and do a more direct measurement like hydrostatic or DEXA.

 

[AlexES16]

I work out 6 times a weak, 40 minutes of weight lifting and 30-20 minutes of cardio is the average day. My objective is to be well rounded with a six pack abs. At the moment i am kinda well rounded and the six pack i still on the box. I do this for health and improving my humor. I also thinking in just doing like 30-50 minutes of weight lifting in my home and practice basketball or atletism in the university for the cardio time, is kinda boring doing cardio.

 

[lisab]

i think my cardio fitness leaves a lot to be desired. blood pressure is a bit high. i don't think fat is higher percentage-wise than low 20's, but it would be nice to get it back down into the 15~18% range. strength and muscularity are doing pretty good, tho. came within about 30 lbs of my personal best on deadlift today and i don't seem to have plateaued yet, so maybe by october or so i can get back up to old strength levels or higher, but at a lower body weight.



foam roller

What exactly do I do with a foam roller ?

 

[mgb_phys]

What exactly do I do with a foam roller ?

Eat it?
Low in calories, high in fibre and fewer chemicals than a happy meal.

 

[runner]

I work to say fit, yes. I take it you're a runner, runner? It's probably my favorite way to get a good workout, but now that I'm in my 40s, I can tell it takes a toll on my joints. In fact I'm nursing an iliotibial band strain right now .

Nearly every morning I either work arms or core. My dad is 81 and works out three times a week - he's in fantastic shape. His body looks very much like Jack LaLanne's. I suspect I'll work to stay fit all my (hopefully long) life.

My friend, a marathon runner, first told me about doing side leg lifts (see top of page 3 in link below) to help strengthen/condition the ITB. He got to where he would use some light ankle weights while doing his leg lifts. I did the exercise for awhile and found it helpful. This link shows a whole series of exercises that are supposed to be helpful. Good luck with your recovery.

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6099&PageNum=3

 

[DaveC426913]

Or you can just walk to work

I don't understand people who use cars for places where they can walk to but do long work outs to stay fit.

Well, I can think of several reasons why one might want to decouple one's fitness exercising from other necessary activities such as getting to work on time.

Fitness is something that could be increased or postponed if there was a need. Coupling it to getting to work can leave you short of options.

Who wants to get in to work all sweaty?

Say you cycle to work to stay fit. Then one day it rains. Now you are scrood getting home from work.

Walking, cycling often only works in summer. Winter rolls around, your rotuhien goes out the window

etc. etc.

OTOH, I spent a few bucks on my local gym and I go there in the evening. My work day doesn't impede my exercise, and my exercise doesn't impede my work day.

 

[lisab]

My friend, a marathon runner, first told me about doing side leg lifts (see top of page 3 in link below) to help strengthen/condition the ITB. He got to where he would use some light ankle weights while doing his leg lifts. I did the exercise for awhile and found it helpful. This link shows a whole series of exercises that are supposed to be helpful. Good luck with your recovery.

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6099&PageNum=3

Thanks runner, that's a great link .

 

[Borg]

I work out at least three times per week. I'm trying to lose about 15 pounds so I'm mostly working on cardio right now with a 8 minute mile, 35 minutes on the eliptical, and 20 minutes on the bike. I stopped weights two weeks ago because of pain in my hands. It doesn't seem to be helping so I will probably start up again.

My wife and I also go on long walks of around 5 miles at least once a week. We also do smaller 2 mile walks several times a week.

 

[Jack21222]

I'm in terrible physical condition, but I'm fine with that and have no desire to change in the near future.

I'm 6'0, 265 pounds and that's not due to muscle. I eat what I want, when I want, and do not exercise.

I tried working out for a month, but I was miserable. Everybody told me that the more I worked out, the more I'd enjoy it, but that was a lie. It did nothing but cause me discomfort and stress me out.

I've decided I'll just stay fat and happy instead of ruining my life trying to conform to what society wants me to be.

 

[Proton Soup]

What exactly do I do with a foam roller ?

page 2 of runner's link.

also: http://www.google.com/search?q=ilio...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CD4QqwQwAw

 

[Proton Soup]

I tried working out for a month, but I was miserable. Everybody told me that the more I worked out, the more I'd enjoy it, but that was a lie. It did nothing but cause me discomfort and stress me out.

yeah, that's a huge mistake that a lot of people make. better to just do something, and then add duration or intensity as you become adapted to it. just a 30-minute walk, at any pace, a few times a week. no need to make it a "workout". you can add duration or intensity at your own pace, depending on how you feel.

 

[Leptos]

I tried working out for a month, but I was miserable. Everybody told me that the more I worked out, the more I'd enjoy it, but that was a lie. It did nothing but cause me discomfort and stress me out.

Exercising isn't fun. If it were, then we wouldn't need to call it "exercise" or "working out" in the first place.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Not satisfied atm. I used to be in good shape before my exams. The screwed up part is, that our exams go on for about 2 months. Studying and eating are not conducive to maintaining physical fitness. Trying to get into shape now, but man it hurts. The after exam celebrations didnt really help either...

 

[gravenewworld]

I don't have 6 pack abs and could probably lose 5-10 lbs but I can still run 5-6 miles in about 40-45 minutes (run almost everyday) and lift weights everyday. I have a BMI 27, but I definitely have a more muscular build than most people. I don't care, I eat good food, drink good wine and beer, and still exercise and can run at a decent pace. If I see a good dessert on the menu I'll order it, eat it, and not feel guilty about it one bit. Same goes with beer.

 

[Borg]

I usually run an 8 minute mile but I'm pretty tired after that. Today I decided to slow down my pace on the treadmill to a 10 minute mile and it was a lot easier. So easy that I ended up running 5 miles for the first time in about 30 years.

 

[waht]

I usually run an 8 minute mile but I'm pretty tired after that. Today I decided to slow down my pace on the treadmill to a 10 minute mile and it was a lot easier. So easy that I ended up running 5 miles for the first time in about 30 years.

Took me over a year of running to get this stage. Training that helped was lots of sprinting 1 min 20 or more reps, and heavy quad workout.

 

[estro]

Back then when I was an IDF soldier, army kept me in shape, but now I am lazy civilian =(
Just can't motivate myself to run regularly...=(
But weekends football (don't know why Americans call it soccer) keep me skinny enough to pass the door.

 

[AUK 1138]

My physical prowess is only matched by greek gods.

 

[estro]

My physical prowess is only matched by greek gods.

Damn, can I touch you (I'll never wash this finger again)?

 

[Danger]

What exactly do I do with a foam roller ?

If it's anything like the ex- with a paint roller, it's best that we don't explore the subject.

Does "not dead yet" count as a condition? If so, I'm in great condition.

Which brings to mind the absolute best Kenny Rogers song ever (before he got into cowboy ****). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ8k6fVe25k"

 

[Klockan3]

My physical prowess is only matched by greek gods.

You mean that you are basically dead???

 

[Danger]

You mean that you are basically dead???

I hope so, for his sake. The alternative would be the possession of an enormous appendage which, being made of marble, would be devoid of feeling. What a waste.

Down, Evo. You weren't supposed to be reading this.