OT: Summer Fitness Thread

[NYR Viper]

My drop on the scale goes so slow compared to others but I'm still working hard. Made original goal at 169.8 now at 166.8. Next huge goal will be 159.8. Lowest I have been was 15 years ago at 156.

Good on you. Remember, it's less about the number on the scale as it is how you feel and can move your body. Being strong and healthy at 165 is better than weak and frail at 158 (*not saying that will be the case with you). Just keep that in mind

 

[NickyFotiu]

Good on you. Remember, it's less about the number on the scale as it is how you feel and can move your body. Being strong and healthy at 165 is better than weak and frail at 158 (*not saying that will be the case with you). Just keep that in mind

I agree 100% but my real goal is getting around 3-5 lbs of fat off my midsection.

Important thing is you are headed in the right direction and you have a goal you are working towards.

Thats 95% of the battle and if you dont get there you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally, which millions of people neglect all together

I see people losing 10-15 pounds in a month online. I lose at best 1lb a week but often 1-2 pounds a month. It is tough but I'm still going to stay disciplined.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I agree 100% but my real goal is getting around 3-5 lbs of fat off my midsection.


I see people losing 10-15 pounds in a month online. I lose at best 1lb a week but often 1-2 pounds a month. It is tough but I'm still going to stay disciplined.

10-15 is pretty extreme, no? Also need to consider what they are dropping from and their ages/sex.

Either way, good for you. Even if its a slow go you are doing something positive for yourself and again, thats an approach the majority of the population wont have the discipline to attempt, let alone make a habit of.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Summers over fellas, time to start dirty bulking again.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

10-15 is pretty extreme, no? Also need to consider what they are dropping from and their ages/sex.

Either way, good for you. Even if its a slow go you are doing something positive for yourself and again, thats an approach the majority of the population wont have the discipline to attempt, let alone make a habit of.

But even then, most of that weight loss (or a good chunk of it) is going to be water.

I get the obsession with the scale but it's probably the most destructive measurement a person can do on a health journey.

There are so many variables that can f*** with your numbers on a day to day basis that it really isn't worth tracking any more than every month (if not even longer spurts) and depending on what you're doing, it may not be worth tracking at all.

If you feel better and you're showing some signs of improvement (if you're lifting weights, you're able to lift more weights or do more reps, if you're running you're able to run further/with out fatigue, etc) those are the things that really matter. Any type of body transformation will come along with all of that provided that you're doing the right things in the kitchen (it's very, very, very hard to out work a bad diet.)

Taking the actual time to do physical measurements (Waist, chest, etc) is a much better exercise over time. The scale may only say someone is down 4-5 lbs but if you've lost a bunch of inches and you're able to comfortably fit into clothes that you haven't been able to wear for a while amd you look/feel better then who cares what the scale says?

 

[NYR Viper]

I agree 100% but my real goal is getting around 3-5 lbs of fat off my midsection.


I see people losing 10-15 pounds in a month online. I lose at best 1lb a week but often 1-2 pounds a month. It is tough but I'm still going to stay disciplined.

1-2 lbs a week is REALLY good progress. Be proud of yourself if that's consistently true with an increase in strength.

 

[NickyFotiu]

1-2 lbs a week is REALLY good progress. Be proud of yourself if that's consistently true with an increase in strength.

I would be happy with 1-2 pounds a week. I have been closer to 1-2 pounds a month lately. The last 10 pounds come off the slowest.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

But even then, most of that weight loss (or a good chunk of it) is going to be water.

I get the obsession with the scale but it's probably the most destructive measurement a person can do on a health journey.

There are so many variables that can f*** with your numbers on a day to day basis that it really isn't worth tracking any more than every month (if not even longer spurts) and depending on what you're doing, it may not be worth tracking at all.

If you feel better and you're showing some signs of improvement (if you're lifting weights, you're able to lift more weights or do more reps, if you're running you're able to run further/with out fatigue, etc) those are the things that really matter. Any type of body transformation will come along with all of that provided that you're doing the right things in the kitchen (it's very, very, very hard to out work a bad diet.)

Taking the actual time to do physical measurements (Waist, chest, etc) is a much better exercise over time. The scale may only say someone is down 4-5 lbs but if you've lost a bunch of inches and you're able to comfortably fit into clothes that you haven't been able to wear for a while amd you look/feel better then who cares what the scale says?

100%.

When we bought a Peloton about 6 years ago for my wife she was upset because she was on it and also doing the workouts with weights relentlessly and not losing much weight, which was her goal - obviously to "look" better.

Thankfully, we had taken measurements and weeks/months into it we re-measured and sure enough there was a significant difference, in some areas by a full inch - despite the lack of weight loss.

In addition, she had stopped her workouts for a while and when she looked back at pictures of herself during that time she said "OMG I looked so thin!"

In actuality she was literally about 5 pounds difference from then. Muscles weigh more and the more you build the more fat you burn - but it doesn't necessarily show up on the scale. It just gets redistributed and you become leaner and stronger.

Its very easy to not notice it over time but you are improving not only your health & fitness but the way you look as well - it just manifests itself differently with each individual.

 

[NYR Viper]

The other thing is, the more muscle you have the more it burns on a natural basis to just maintain itself. Muscle is really the key

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

The other thing is, the more muscle you have the more it burns on a natural basis to just maintain itself. Muscle is really the key

Yeah this is pretty much why building (or trying to build) muscle is a much better plan for fat loss than going HAM on cardio.

Cardio has tremendous benefits above calorie expenditure so it should be done, but it should be supplementary to resistance training to fat loss and not a primary focus.