OT: The Avalounge but every time someone posts the quality declines

[21]

Wouldn't that cause you to lose muscle mass though? If you just went the diet route and cut out working out?

@RockLobster nice! I can't imagine the feeling of being down that much and seeing yourself now versus looking back at old photos.

The getting in shape is a great feeling though. Even my more out of shape friends have started to go for runs a few times a week. It's a cliché but who you surround yourself with matters, if you have healthy friends with goals it rubs off on you. It's much easier to be and stay motivated if you have that support system.

Yes, you are right, I am mixing things up here. It is possible looking kind of athletic and ripped even without visiting the gym (or not visiting very often), maybe not for all people but for many. Going on a strict diet for months is very tough, some kind of torture but it works if you don't give up. ;-)

From an optimal point of view you are supposed to continue working out while going on a diet, always. Usually a high protein low carb diet while continuing working out, it is tough and you will probably loose some strength but this way you avoid loosing too much muscles.

Some people eat a lot and train hard most of the year (building muscles in the most efficient way) and then they try to achieve a more ripped look maybe 2-3 months / year (and a common way achieving this is by doing a low carb high protein diet while still working out).

 

[UncleRisto]

Oh yeah, question. If you eat at a deficit but still get your protein will you still gain? Or no?

If you're way overweight you will, but you won't.

 

[Foppberg]

If you're way overweight you will, but you won't.

So would you lose mass? Or just stagnate?

 

[UncleRisto]

So would you lose mass? Or just stagnate?

After the initial gains level off, if you maintain a calorie deficit, you will lose fat and gain strength, which means you aren't going for muscle hypertrophy. In other words, your muscles will be stronger, but they won't grow in size, basically. That's how I understand it.

 

[RockLobster]

Wouldn't that cause you to lose muscle mass though? If you just went the diet route and cut out working out?

@RockLobster nice! I can't imagine the feeling of being down that much and seeing yourself now versus looking back at old photos.

The getting in shape is a great feeling though. Even my more out of shape friends have started to go for runs a few times a week. It's a cliché but who you surround yourself with matters, if you have healthy friends with goals it rubs off on you. It's much easier to be and stay motivated if you have that support system.

It's a bittersweet feeling seeing myself now and pictures of myself (the last one I have is from the night of the Paul McCartney concert here in Wichita, mid-July 2017...and I do not look good). It obviously fills me with pride in myself for coming this far, and happiness that I've been able to commit to a change. However...I get upset at myself for not starting this sooner. But what's done is done, the ending of my engagement may have very well saved me from an early death. I used to (half-jokingly) tell my younger brother "I'll eat what I eat, and I'll die how I die". But that relationship ending helped open my eyes that things just couldn't stay the same.

My roommates are my best friend of 22 years and his girlfriend. They're both very much into going to the gym. One of the things he told me when I asked if I could move in was "You can, but you've got to start going to the gym with us", and now I go every day and they've been skipping days, but understandably they are way more physically active than I am, so they can afford to.

One thing I need to work on is meal prepping more consistently. Both times that I've done it is where I've personally felt like I've lost the most weight during the week. The weeks where I don't is where I feel like it slows down. Yeah, baked chicken & steamed broccoli may be boring, but having it for lunch is better for me.

 

[S E P H]

Unrelated, but I actually want to start hitting the gym as well. Not really for muscle mass, but just to work out get fit I guess. One aspect I would like to do is start swimming, so because of that I was thinking of getting the Fitbit Ionic since it's water proof and all of that. My question for you lot is do any of you have any sort of Fitbit watch? If so what are the pros/cons and which model would you recommend?

I am now a Canucks fan

Just wow, and not the "wow" in a good yet surprising sort of way, but "wow" in a "I can't believe you posted this sort of way".

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Oh yeah, question. If you eat at a deficit but still get your protein will you still gain? Or no?

Not as much. People think it's all about the protein but it's not. Carbs, Fats and Proteins are all essential to muscle growth. These are your macros. If you care enough to calculate them there is a magic number of each you can hit every single day for specific things whether that be bulk, cut or maintain.

As for the whole conversation. Just keep doing what you're doing. Don't think about things too much. 6 pounds in your first month is perfectly normal. You explained you stats a while ago and it doesn't sound like you need to worry about gaining weight as if it's a negative. It makes more sense for you to eat more than you need than less. Don't worry about carbs. In fact I'd probably be loading on them if I were you. If you start noticing a little more fat on your body than you're used to (most likely around your belly or love handles/lower back) then it's time to make sure you're just eating the "right" amount.

 

[Murzu]

Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon - Wikipedia

Spirit of the olympics here.

 

[Foppberg]

It's a bittersweet feeling seeing myself now and pictures of myself (the last one I have is from the night of the Paul McCartney concert here in Wichita, mid-July 2017...and I do not look good). It obviously fills me with pride in myself for coming this far, and happiness that I've been able to commit to a change. However...I get upset at myself for not starting this sooner. But what's done is done, the ending of my engagement may have very well saved me from an early death. I used to (half-jokingly) tell my younger brother "I'll eat what I eat, and I'll die how I die". But that relationship ending helped open my eyes that things just couldn't stay the same.

My roommates are my best friend of 22 years and his girlfriend. They're both very much into going to the gym. One of the things he told me when I asked if I could move in was "You can, but you've got to start going to the gym with us", and now I go every day and they've been skipping days, but understandably they are way more physically active than I am, so they can afford to.

One thing I need to work on is meal prepping more consistently. Both times that I've done it is where I've personally felt like I've lost the most weight during the week. The weeks where I don't is where I feel like it slows down. Yeah, baked chicken & steamed broccoli may be boring, but having it for lunch is better for me.

Very true. Through the week I found it difficult to find time to cook, clean up and everything. Now every sunday night I cook in bulk so all I have to do is do a quick reheating and I'm set for a week. Not sure if it's the most optimal meal for gaining mass but I usually make some kind of chicken pesto pasta, kung pao chicken, or a chili.

 

[UncleRisto]

Very true. Through the week I found it difficult to find time to cook, clean up and everything. Now every sunday night I cook in bulk so all I have to do is do a quick reheating and I'm set for a week. Not sure if it's the most optimal meal for gaining mass but I usually make some kind of chicken pesto pasta, kung pao chicken, or a chili.

Sounds plenty good.

 

[hockeyfish]

I spent the better part of the afternoon researching new banks. I'm 100% fed up with Wells Fargo and it's time for a switch. Probably moving just about everything to Schwab.

 

[JWK]

I can’t believe the amount of Carly Rae Jepsen slander

 

[Tweaky]

I can’t believe the amount of Carly Rae Jepsen slander

Go away, Canucks fans are not welcome here. Troll.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

I've got no problem with Carly Rae Jepsen.
She does what she does, and is good at it.

 

[UncleRisto]

Me neither. She does whatever and I don't know about it.

 

[Freudian]

She's a one hit wonder and so is Boeser. Seems fitting.

 

[UncleRisto]

Someone explain to me why a Marvel movie finally starring an African American actor is such a god damn celebration, and how a movie titled "Black Panther" doesn't just further instill the racial identities currently in place?

 

[McMetal]

Someone explain to me why a Marvel movie finally starring an African American actor is such a god damn celebration, and how a movie titled "Black Panther" doesn't just further instill the racial identities currently in place?

Tricky question, racial politics in America is extremely complex. For my black friends, they're happy because they finally have a hero who represents them. Hollywood never liked to make movies that were made for them, because the assumption always was that white people wouldn't go see them. So for them to see a hero, from Africa, who is a badass king/warrior is huge for them. Imagine if every superhero in the world didn't look like you or acknowledge your heritage, then all of a sudden Chris Hemsworth as Thor comes along.

Without (hopefully) getting too political for the boards, I will say that a large part of the racial problems we have in this country is the idea that talking about race makes the problem worse. As a country, we are simply not in the post-racism era yet. We will be, someday, but for now, talking about race and making a big deal about it is the only way to help get there. Sweeping it under the rug and pretending it doesn't exist is part of why it's still a problem.

 

[UncleRisto]

Tricky question, racial politics in America is extremely complex. For my black friends, they're happy because they finally have a hero who represents them. Hollywood never liked to make movies that were made for them, because the assumption always was that white people wouldn't go see them. So for them to see a hero, from Africa, who is a badass king/warrior is huge for them. Imagine if every superhero in the world didn't look like you or acknowledge your heritage, then all of a sudden Chris Hemsworth as Thor comes along.

Without (hopefully) getting too political for the boards, I will say that a large part of the racial problems we have in this country is the idea that talking about race makes the problem worse. As a country, we are simply not in the post-racism era yet. We will be, someday, but for now, talking about race and making a big deal about it is the only way to help get there. Sweeping it under the rug and pretending it doesn't exist is part of why it's still a problem.

I hear ya. I have an understanding of some kind of the history of racial politics, but it's difficult to have a realistic grasp of things as an outsider. And living in what has to be one of the whitest nations in the world doesn't help either. It just feels absurd to me that "statements" like this have to be made. Anyway, I don't want to go into politics here too much either.

 

[McMetal]

I hear ya. I have an understanding of some kind of the history of racial politics, but it's difficult to have a realistic grasp of things as an outsider. And living in what has to be one of the whitest nations in the world doesn't help either. It just feels absurd to me that "statements" like this have to be made. Anyway, I don't want to go into politics here too much either.

Yeah, I can understand that. Hell, it's hard to understand American politics as an American, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for someone who doesn't live here.

 

[UncleRisto]

Yeah, I can understand that. Hell, it's hard to understand American politics as an American, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for someone who doesn't live here.

Well, on this note, I am currently taking an "Introduction to North American Studies" course. This American guy teaches it, and not long ago we went through the government branches and the legislative process and all that. It's uhh... a lot to take in.

 

[McMetal]

Well, on this note, I am currently taking an "Introduction to North American Studies" course. This American guy teaches it, and not long ago we went through the government branches and the legislative process and all that. It's uhh... a lot to take in.

Yeah, and that's just the rules on paper. In practice all of that shit goes out the window and there's this complex system-within-a-system that actually gets the day to day stuff done (or, as the case may be, does not get anything done).

I have a love-hate relationship with politics. It is an ugly, depressing thing to understand, but it's too important for me to ignore it. If you have any questions about your class, I can probably give you some insight. It's something I know a lot about even if I hate it.

 

[Bonzai12]

Well, on this note, I am currently taking an "Introduction to North American Studies" course. This American guy teaches it, and not long ago we went through the government branches and the legislative process and all that. It's uhh... a lot to take in.

Instead of filling our your test, just hand your teach a huge roll of red tape and tell him that explains everything about American politics. I'm sure you'll get an A++

 

[UncleRisto]

Instead of filling our your test, just hand your teach a huge roll of red tape and tell him that explains everything about American politics. I'm sure you'll get an A++

Sounds comparable to my plan of whipping it out instead of having my LBJ presentation last year.

 

[Pokecheque]

Speaking as an American with a Korean mother, it's a huge deal to me when someone who shares my heritage and looks a little like me makes it into the news (for good reasons, that is). I'm thrilled to death that so many US figure skaters in this year's Olympics are Asian-American, and that Chloe friggin' Kim won gold in the women's halfpipe event. For obvious reasons I was also a big fan of NHL grinder Richard Park.

Also, while it's not the best TV around, Fresh off the Boat is appointment television for me. It's been 20 years since the last TV show featuring an Asian-American family went off the air (All-American Girl, which was actually terrible but I still watched), so yes, I can at least speak to the issue of representation.