Left - March 2008. Right - August 2011.
I know it's just my face, but that's actually about an 80 pound difference. Just under. I want to drop another 10-15, but there's a bit of a problem. That is, I suck at working out, and I think I've reached a plateau because of it. I've got the nutrition/diet down to a compulsion, but I can generally only stay motivated to work out regularly for a month or two at a time.
Ideas? I WANT to like running. I respect runners, because honestly, I just haven't been able to get into it. Major attention deficit. A weights routine, maybe? My muscle tone definitely needs some help. Having spent a huge chunk of my adolescent and teen years living a mostly sedentary lifestyle, I honestly don't really know what I'm doing. I'd like to try a boot camp, but it's not in the budget right now. I have a few Jillian Michaels videos, but I live upstairs and she does a lot of stuff that involves jumping around and my neighbors don't like that. I'll be moving in a few months, so hopefully that will get fixed up.
Anyway. So. What's up with everyone? Things are awesome? Yeah?
At least my hair is the same color. That's kind of weird, for me. Well, not anymore I guess. Monica fucked around with this message on 08-31-2011 at 03:23 AM.
Not sure if that is an option for you, but biking is actually fun and not just a boring workout. At least for me.
Monica fucked around with this message on 08-31-2011 at 03:42 AM.
I've been on an exercise/diet kick lately (30 pounds down, hoowah) and did a blog post about it last week. You seem to have that down, though (and honestly, that's the most important part), so exercise it is.
I cheat and have a personal trainer I work with, so my way to stay accountable is to have my time and energy invested with someone else. I can let myself down all I want, but I have a harder time letting someone else down. Also, that's money down the drain. MONEY.
But I understand not everyone has that option. So my suggestions are either to do what you did with diet and run until it's a compulsion or to get a bicycle. I got one to stay active and because I moved to a place where a lot of my errands are within a mile. I'm still not religious about it, but I will say that bicycles are just as cool now as they were when you were 12.
Oh, and also, if you get into running? Be prepared to shit your pants. No, really. Karnaj fucked around with this message on 08-31-2011 at 08:16 AM.
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith
Biking is also great, low-impact, and can be done in the heat if you're extremely careful.
In terms of running, I find that it's just the first week that kills me, then it becomes a habit. The couch to 5K thing is a good place to start, but I find it a bit dull in the beginning and easy to lose motivation. What my wife and I did a few years back was sign up for a half-marathon about 4-6 months in the future (to give us a no-kidding goal), then took up a half-marathon training program. These are similar to what we did:
Since you don't care about the actual time, just do the mileage every day w/o worrying about how much is running vs walking, and if you push yourself you'll find yourself getting better pretty quickly.
Good luck!
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
How about swimming? Low-impact and you're working all the muscles. Failing that, how about doing your workout IN the pool. Aquaerobics or whatever.
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Karnaj Model 2000 was programmed to say:
Take a spin class. I hear that they're legalized murder, but they work.Oh, and also, if you get into running? Be prepared to shit your pants. No, really.
Ohhhh my god. Thanks for reminding me. I need to try and get on board with that again - it's the only fitness class my gym offers. I'm unemployed at the moment and have my membership frozen so I totally forgot. (Looks like unemployment is ending today, though!!!)
I've only done it once, and yes, it is legalized murder. Monica fucked around with this message on 08-31-2011 at 03:46 PM.
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Bloodsage had this to say about Robocop:
Good luck!
Oooh. I'll look into that, too.
Awesome ideas, guys!!!!
I hear you don't like running? Good news! You don't have to. It's boring and unfun! Might I interest you in lifting a weight? Weights are your friend! They are friends with males AND females? Did you know that lifting a weight, especially a heavy one, will burn more calories than moving your legs faster than usual? It's true! As you slightly tear your muscle (that soreness you feel the day after a workout, it's a good thing), your body will spend days burning calories to repair it and make it stronger. Feel free to lift a weight. Then try a heavier weight! You may even try a heavier weight than that! WHOA! Maybe one day you'll lift a super heavy weight.
"I don't want to lift a weight because I WILL GET BULKY!". Good news! You don't have to worry about Meeposian Sheep Herder Second Cousins knocking at your door trying to live with you because you lifted a weight. In fact you may just beat him up with how strong you are! Whoops that's Balki. Boy is there egg on my face. Did you know that if you don't consume outrageous amounts of food, it is practically impossible to gain weight? It's true! Bulky people tend to eat 4000-5000 calories a day of protein and fat with their only carbs being from the post workout shake! Will you eat 4000-5000 calories a day of protein and fat with your only carbs being a post workout shake? No? Good news! You won't get bulky. Did you know that estrogen (found in women and nemx) actually inhibit muscle growth? Are you a woman or nemx? Good news! Your body actively works against you to make new muscle! Your body will however, tighten the muscle you already have to make it stronger and better looking once the fat is burned off.
You want to get that hourglass figure? Good news! Lift a weight! Broaden your shoulders and work out those hips and you can have it? "Broaden my shoulders you say? But I'm a woman! Broad shoulders are for DUDES". Good news! You're completely wrong! It's all about ratio so trying to put on some upper back and shoulder muscles, while doing squats to expand your hips while losing fat will give you that sexy hour glass figure of your favourite woman celebrity! In fact lifting one of those heavy weights do this better than lifting one of those itty bitty weights a lot of times.
"But how do I know if I am lifting a weight correctly?" Good news! There are lots of places you can go online to watch people do it correctly! The internets have lots of good information out there about lifting a weight! You can also use a fake account for The Twitter on your phone to keep track of your days progress! You may even want to see if you can lift a heavier weight than the week before!
You're not sure if you want to lift a weight still? Good news! You can keep challenging yourself in the same time period every workout day by adding just 5 more pounds to whatever lift you want to do! By adding just that little bit of weight you can see the progress you've made! You can also work out DIFFERENT MUSCLE GROUPS by lifting a weight! Cardio workouts are usually just your legs! And they take muscle AWAY from them if you going for long distance.
Are you still not sure that lifting a weight is for you? Well I have more Good news! for you. By lifting a weight as your workout routine, you won't be a sweaty, stinky mess of a human being as you would be doing cardio! You will strengthen your muscles all over leading to less injuries! You may even be able to arm wrestle your best male friend and shame him by winning! You could call him a girly-man! How proud would you be of yourself for winning that arm wrestle? You just think of that and try and tell me you don't want to lift a weight.
I lift a heavy weight everyday because I dream of a day I can lift a heavier weight. Maybe you too can share that dream with me Monica. Live the dream, lift a weight.
For HIIT, I'm a fan of Tabata intervals. 20 seconds of ultra intense workout (the kind that would have you stopping in pain if you kept it up for like 40 seconds), 10 seconds of rest. Repeat 8 times for a total of 4 minutes. Bear in mind that whatever interval exercise you're doing will hurt like hell for days afterwards. But the endorphin rush is crazy. Nina fucked around with this message on 08-31-2011 at 11:12 PM.
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Zephyer Kyuukaze's fortune cookie read:
You ARE looking very awesome right now. I would have said so this morning before work, but I was jealous, 'cause I've packed on the pounds since moving to Oklahoma and feel horrible about myself.
Why does food have to taste so good?! It's a travesty!
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Monica had this to say about Duck Tales:
Why does food have to taste so good?! It's a travesty!
I'm eating an entire package of bacon and I will lose weight because of it. Low-carb diet is the best diet.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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A sleep deprived Monica stammered:
Why does food have to taste so good?! It's a travesty!
That's always been an issue, compounded by the fact that I'm loath to leave the air conditioning in this godforsaken state, so my lifestyle has become considerably more sedentary than it was once upon a time... 
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Bloodsage was listening to Cher while typing:
High fat, high protein, ultra low carb diets aren't really good for you at all, at all. You can drop weight, but it's at the expense of long-term health. South Beach is a more moderate form that can work and still be healthy over time, if you really have to go the fad diet route. Best bet is to talk to an actual nutritionist if at all possible; otherwise moderate carb intake is good for you, especially if you're doing a lot of aerobic exercise.
I would like to see your evidence sir.
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The logic train ran off the tracks when Monica said:
And Aaron: Ithat post.
While I have returned to being a horrifying hambeast, for a good while I was Lifting A Weight and both feeling and looking far better.
Specifically, I was Lifting A Weight according to this guide for over a year with a buddy. It worked out really well until we both graduated and lost gym access, although towards the end we were doing other more advanced routines.
It might not be the best, but it's what worked well for me a few other folks that I've known.
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Jesus startled the peaceful upland Gorillas, blurting:
I would like to see your evidence sir.
Talk to any certified nutritionist.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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The logic train ran off the tracks when Jesus said:
I lift a heavy weight everyday because I dream of a day I can lift a heavier weight. Maybe you too can share that dream with me Monica. Live the dream, lift a weight.
What will you do when you come across the heaviest weight you cannot lift?
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Bloodsage had this to say about Knight Rider:
Talk to any certified nutritionist.
I follow a guy on Twitter that swears by tracking, I think they're called, macro nutrients. Know anything about that nonsense? He's lost like 70 pounds and is reportedly in the best shape of his life, but I also know he works out like a maniac.
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Bloodsage startled the peaceful upland Gorillas, blurting:
Talk to any certified nutritionist.
Oh, and there's this recent ranking of diets by a group of experts. You'll notice that Atkins and Paleo are ranked 19 & 20, respectively, in the list of 20 diets ranked according to a variety of factors.
Also: hard to argue with their qualifications. Bloodsage fucked around with this message on 09-01-2011 at 06:24 PM.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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Monica startled the peaceful upland Gorillas, blurting:
I follow a guy on Twitter that swears by tracking, I think they're called, macro nutrients. Know anything about that nonsense? He's lost like 70 pounds and is reportedly in the best shape of his life, but I also know he works out like a maniac.
Not specifically, but I've found that simply tracking what you eat is a huge way to get diet under control. I'm currently using an iOS app called MyNetDiary. I only use the iPad app, so don't know what the web thing is like, but any free system that lets you input food and exercise and give you various graphs & targets will get you thinking about what you eat, and that's the main goal.
You also have to decide on which of two approaches to diet/exercise you prefer: you can eat to exercise, or exercise to eat. I do the latter--I exercise so I can eat what I want within reason (I like food!) and still meet my goals. But you can also treat food as simply fuel for the machine and get as scientific as you want. The best middle approach is to keep a sane balance of protein, carbs, and fat.
For a healthy diet, neither protein nor fat should be the majority source of your calories. I shoot for protein and fat to be about 20% each of calories, and the rest carbs. But there's also a lot of difference between carbs, and if you keep to the whole grain and veggie (instead of sugar) kind, you're doing a lot of necessary things for your body.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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Bloodsage stopped staring at Deedlit long enough to write:
Oh, and there's this recent ranking of diets by a group of experts. You'll notice that Atkins and Paleo are ranked 19 & 20, respectively, in the list of 20 diets ranked according to a variety of factors.
What, Mediterranean diet is a "thing"?
Also, what's up with all the "No" answers to "Did this diet work for you?". Having no willpower doesn't mean a diet isn't working. (And why is Eco-Atkins the only one with overwhelming positive responses?)
