Health & Fitness • Page 115

Peloton bikers - Kendall had a 45 min 2000s rock ride today that has a ton of pop punk from that era (FOB, Yellowcard, Nfg)

 

taking this tonight!

 

Today was a cheat day for me where I don't count calories and just eat what I want. But tonight I got curious because I felt I still stayed within limits so I counted it up, and I did! This helps me out in a few ways. It reminds me that I have a lot of wiggle room when I mind portion sizes. I didn't eat healthy today by any means, but the food I did indulge in, I had small portion sizes so I got to taste the yummy food without blowing the whole day. It also makes me wonder if I'm finally at the stage where I'm used to reasonable portions? Granted it's just one day, but I'm not starving or anything. I also didn't exercise today tho, and I imagine if I had I would be much hungrier. Still, feels nice. So I had a calorie deficit every day this week! That may be a first for me. It's a nice victory because I didn't exercise as much this week and need a positive to focus on instead of being hard on myself for that.

I usually get tempted to go over calories when I visit my bf because he has many more food options by where he lives, but I had a decent balance this weekend

 

Did my first practice 5k run and it wasn't bad at all. Now I'm going to try and practice to improve my time. Planning a 5k with friends and I want to do the best I can for the "official" one. I seriously never thought I'd be a runner. Always hated it. But the Zombies 5k app was fun and I just finished the 8 week program. They have a lot of other running programs and activities so I'm going to try one of those next

 

Hey all weight lifters out there, I'm trying to add some lifts to my routine because I've forgotten all of what I used to do.

So some background info...this workout routine is actually from my HS football days, so probably not the best thing for my 33 year old body these days, but I've done it on and off over the years and every time it has helped me get back some muscle tone/definition and even some muscle mass. It's a 3 day a week, full body workout. Mondays and Fridays, at least in the first two "phases", are identical. The phases are supposed to last 4 weeks before you move up to the next phase which has many of the same lifts, but just at higher weight/less reps. I have some limited equipment to work with, so some exercises I just can't do. Hamstrings are the hardest ones tbh, I don't have anything like a leg curl machine or dumbbells that would work well with using my feet to lift them or anything. But overall I'd just like to add 2 or 3 lifts in to make sure I'm hitting everything hard. So if smeone could take a look and add some lifts in to each day, I'd appreciate it. There are some other lifts that I remember that were part of the routine, but I can't remember if I was doing them on M/Fs or on Wednedays lol. I'll list those at the bottom.

Monday
Bench press (12 reps, 12, 10)
Squats (12, 12, 10)
Lat Pulldown (10, 10)
Seated row (10, 10)
Dumbell Row on bench (10, 10 with each arm)

Wednesday
Incline Bench Press (12,10, 10)
Lat Pulldown (10, 10)
Seated Row (10, 10)
Upright Row (12, 10)

Friday
Bench press (12 reps, 12, 10)
Squats (12, 12, 10)
Lat Pulldown (10, 10)
Seated row (10, 10)
Dumbell Row on bench (10, 10 with each arm)


-As mentioned, I'm in my early 30s so, squatting two times a week isn't going to last much longer lol.
-Wednesdays used to have front squats in them but effff that. But that now means I'm totally neglecting legs on Wednesdays.
-I do do situps and calf raises and other things here and there to try and work out my core and calves since they're not targets of any of these lifts. I also want to start doing some plyometric drills again like I used to but man my legs and laziness really don't want to lol
-Other lifts I know were part of the routine but I have no idea where to put them/on what days include Reverse Flys and Iron Cross, but the internet definitely seems to define them/demonstrate them differently than we were taught to do them back then. Used to do the Butterfly lift for my chest too but I do not have access to a machine at home to do that. That used to be part of the machine workouts I would do with the lat pulldown and rows, but my machine at home only has those two. Would love a good substitute for that.

Phase 2 is basically the same lifts but higher weights/less reps. There were some small changes but I completely forget them lol. after Phase 2 I'm pretty much gonna look for a different workout because I'm nto trying to bulk (which Phase 3 really got into), I'd just be trying to cut some weight at that point while maintaining muscle.

 

This looks good enough to me. Its all gonna come down to intensity and progressive overload. I think you could definitely benefit from some isolation exercises for the shoulders (mainly medial and rear delt.) and triceps (close grip bench or a variety of dumbbell movements)

No matter what you end up doing, its awesome that you're doing it.

 

That looks pretty solid to me. Personally I'd add deadlifts to wednesday and maybe add some dumbbell shoulder presses in there somewhere too. I'd say do front squats on friday instead of back squats but that's just my love for front squats speaking.

 

Does anyone know what that site is where it shows like a diagram of a body's muscles and you click on whatever muscle group you want to see different exercises for? I see it all the time except when I'm looking for it

 

Is this too basic?

Musclewiki

 

Personally I'd replace incline bench with reverse grip bench since it activates the upper chest better, and i find it hits the triceps a bit more too, but that's just me. Do what feels right for you of course!

Other than that I agree with @mr_november that deadlifts should be in your rotation somewhere if possible, especially if you're doing the other two major compound movements, bench and squat. The lower back and core strength benefits from deadlifts has done wonders for me personally and have helped me to prevent injury in my other lifts when I'm on heavier days.

Also if you dont like front squats, which I also hate, maybe try doing a low bar style squat on one squat day and then high bar style on your other day if you want to focus more on glutes one day and quads on the other to mix it up a bit.

 

This is it! Thank u

 

Of course!

 

Does a protein powder that doesn't taste like hot garbage actually exist

 

I like optimum nutrition chocolate

 

I use Now Foods unflavored whey protein. It has a pretty neutral flavor (vaguely like very mild cheese if you have it just with water) but I typically use it in a smoothie after long workouts in the summer: 1 cup coconut water (unflavored, unsweetened), 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 medium frozen banana (or at least fridge cold), 1 scoop protein powder

 

Thanks for the recs!

My friend has like a MLM fitness coach (idk which mlm) and she seems like she's actually given her some useful info but I hate how all or nothing it feels. My friend is parroting the info and trying to "educate" me and Im not an expert by any means, but some of it was annoying. She was telling me to eat more protein since I've been exercising more (sound advice) but was talking about how if you don't do a protein powder after a workout it's a "waste" of a workout and I don't jive with that. Especially coming from this friend who still isn't exercising even with a coach and is starting from square 1.

Idk I think ppl should be met where they're at. If someone is just trying to be more active and healthy, then imo any activity level is better than nothing, whether that's a walk or an intense run or whatever. I feel like the mindset of it being a "waste" if you don't do xyz is just discouraging to ppl who already get intimidated and overwhelmed trying to get fit. Just encourage ppl to make improvements where they can. Tho I guess u sell less product that way.

 

I don't know anything about building muscle and what not so maybe if you wanted to bulk and you didn't take protein after, the results would be slower. But there's no waste in burning calories.

 

makes hardly any difference in when you take protein. you could drink two protein shakes in the morning instead of one in the morning and one after a workout and your body is going to digest and use it virtually the same. the whole "you have to drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of a workout" ignores how your body digests and breaks down nutrients in the stomach lol. it's bro science

 

All of these "rules" are why I feel like some people struggle so much to take the plunge to try and get fit or be more active. There is so much gatekeeping in the fitness community. Even with me, I was v clear of my goal to first nail down a calorie deficit and about an average amount of calories a day. That was the only diet-related thing I wanted to focus on at first. But I had everyone asking "well what about this macro??" Or about some vitamin or nutrient or whatever hill they wanted to die on. I hated it because it felt too overwhelming to do all at once. To go from eating take out and junk all the time to perfect "clean" eating was too much. Now that I feel like I have a good handle on my calories and it's fairly ingrained in my routine, I'm focusing more on my protein intake. When I feel like I have the calories and protein pretty down in my routine, I'll add in another goal. Ppl need to just mind their business unless they're asked. U never know what journey someone is on or where they started

 

Unfortunately there’s no “answer” because everyone is different. That’s why you get people giving you contradictory advice. I think calorie deficit, eating as clean as you can and working out consistently is a great base and might be all you need. I’d only change up what you’re doing if it’s NOT working.

 

yeah all I do is exercise and limit my carbs/shitty food and alcohol. cutting my alcohol down has made the biggest impact for me personally. I only drink when there's an event or something.

Also, I give myself a cheat day on the weekend where I eat like such a piece of shit haha

 

Yeah, I can't find the article now, but I was reading something recently that said there was no difference in recovery or muscle between people who had protein shortly after a workout and those who had it up to 5 hours later. That "guidance" seems to be about selling more protein than about actual health benefits.

Besides, so many people into fitness consume too much protein at a time. Your body can only absorb up to about 30 grams in a sitting, anything more than that is wasteful. And so many people load up their protein shakes or smoothies with so much extra crap and calories, and/or they drink one of those fat and sugar loaded protein shakes when they're trying to lose weight and not trying to bulk up.

Personally, I follow the 80/20 rule and try to have about 80% of what I consume be "healthy" and leave room for 20% other stuff. I don't count calories or measure though, I just go by feel, and when I stray off course I feel like crap.

 

For me, i eat no breakfast, no snacks/desserts. Just 2 meals, lunch and dinner. No protein, no pre workout. I'm just lucky that i don't have to restrict any food groups or anything yet. The 2 meals and consistent workout schedule seem to work for me.

Biggest problem is beer, so i try to limit beers to Friday/Saturday now unless there's some big event.

 

I still have a beer most nights with dinner, but I used to have multiple and also have dessert, and I cut out the dessert on most nights too.

 

amazing the variety. I eat breakfast, then second breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, snack. Sometimes adding a snack between lunch and dinner.

this used to be restricted to the last two weeks of marathon training but I basically do it al the time now as I feel at my best with this structure.

Edit: and I’m not a big guy and not trying to bulk up and most of what I eat is healthy so it’s not wasted calories or anything. But if I go three hours without eating I’m just about dead to the world.