The Workout/Weight Loss Thread

**Lenny** · 01-17-2011, 10:32 AM

Another milestone. I finally got my weight below 200 pounds, for the first time since 2003. I`m now less than 30 pounds from my goal, having lost more than 38 pounds since July.

**Accumulator** · 01-17-2011, 11:36 AM

Len_A- Ah, congrats on your continuing progress!

Aiming for 170 huh? That`s about where I am at ~5`9".

**Lenny** · 01-17-2011, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Len_A- Ah, congrats on your continuing progress!

Aiming for 170 huh? That`s about where I am at ~5`9".

Thanks, Accumulator. Initial goal -yes. But since I`m only 5`5"~5`6", I may eventually go down to 160.

**Accumulator** · 01-17-2011, 12:33 PM

Len_A- Well, it all depends on what those pounds are made up of, huh?

**Lenny** · 01-17-2011, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Len_A- Well, it all depends on what those pounds are made up of, huh?

Absolutely. Main goal is to get the body fat % as low as I can. My smallest suit size, in my closet, is a 42 athletic cut(34 waist). While I`d be happy getting back down to that size, if I can drop my waist further than that, I`ll be ecstatic.

**Accumulator** · 01-18-2011, 12:10 PM

Len_A- Just watch you don`t somehow end up being too extreme about it (yeah, I know, but still...).

When I got my fat down to ~5% (measured by my guy; different measurements will differ, but his numbers matched immersion testing so I said "good enough") it was way too extreme. I had touchy joints, I couldn`t maintain muscle size/strength, and other people thought I looked gaunt. It was too lean for me, both functionally and aesthetically.

Note that other people usually think I look best (in clothes) at around 11%, even though I prefer staying in the single-digits, which looks a lot better *out* of clothes :eyebrows: ( <---- heh heh, I just *had* to use that smiley

)

See all those guys in magazines with x% bodyfat? Don`t believe those numbers

In either direction, up/down, *IMO* most of those figures are BS. Or at least they sure don`t correspond to how *I* am at those levels.

If you can`t see your abs, then IMO you`re not lean enough. If you *can* clearly see *all* your abs in distinct definition, IMO you *are* lean enough. If you can see some vascularity on them, even better (that`s what I maintain year-round) and *plenty* good enough no matter what the measurements are. Heh heh, hope that doesn`t sound like I`m just making excuses for myself or being too self-congratulatory

**Lenny** · 01-18-2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Len_A- Just watch you don`t somehow end up being too extreme about it (yeah, I know, but still...).

When I got my fat down to ~5% (measured by my guy; different measurements will differ, but his numbers matched immersion testing so I said "good enough") it was way too extreme. I had touchy joints, I couldn`t maintain muscle size/strength, and other people thought I looked gaunt. It was too lean for me, both functionally and aesthetically.

Note that other people usually think I look best (in clothes) at around 11%, even though I prefer staying in the single-digits, which looks a lot better *out* of clothes :eyebrows: ( <---- heh heh, I just *had* to use that smiley

)

See all those guys in magazines with x% bodyfat? Don`t believe those numbers

In either direction, up/down, *IMO* most of those figures are BS. Or at least they sure don`t correspond to how *I* am at those levels.

If you can`t see your abs, then IMO you`re not lean enough. If you *can* clearly see *all* your abs in distinct definition, IMO you *are* lean enough. If you can see some vascularity on them, even better (that`s what I maintain year-round) and *plenty* good enough no matter what the measurements are. Heh heh, hope that doesn`t sound like I`m just making excuses for myself or being too self-congratulatory

And that is EXACTLY what I want - to see my abs. After that, it would not be worth the effort anyway. And you sound perfectly fine.

**Accumulator** · 01-18-2011, 04:23 PM

Len_A- OK, copy that.

And yeah, I do think that seeing `em is a realistic *goal* for most people who don`t have special circumstances. Note that goals don`t always have to be attained to be useful

**S&S Detailing** · 03-09-2011, 01:00 PM

Well I finished my Exercise study, got $2000 and am still trying to run 3 miles 5 days a week. I`m getting all my before and after results next week, I ended up losing 28 pounds.

Another thing I wanted to mention is a new app I got on my Iphone since I started running on my own, its RunKeeper, and it is awesome. It records distance, speed, mile times and gives you voice cues every 5 minutes on your pace and distance. The best part is it is free. It also maps your route using Google Maps on your phone so Its pretty cool!!!

**Accumulator** · 03-09-2011, 02:01 PM

S&S Detailing- Sounds like the Study worked out well for you, ditto on your iPhone app. My >50-year-old body shudders at the thought of running that much though :p More power to you for being willing and able to do it :xyxthumbs

Was some of the weight loss mitigated by a muscle-for-fat trade off?

**S&S Detailing** · 03-09-2011, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

S&S Detailing- Sounds like the Study worked out well for you, ditto on your iPhone app. My >50-year-old body shudders at the thought of running that much though :p More power to you for being willing and able to do it :xyxthumbs

Was some of the weight loss mitigated by a muscle-for-fat trade off?

Ya I`m sure that it was, I went through before-mid-after full body scans for body composition of fat/muscle etc. We will see on Monday what those results say, I would guess I gained a few pounds in leg muscles

**BigAl3** · 03-09-2011, 03:19 PM

well, i`ve been working on the butterfly (and backstroke) for a few months or so (more seriously) and it`s been coming along pretty well. i sometimes have lower/upper back pain and doing this seems to have strengthen it (it works the arms/shoulders/lower back and helps stretch you out), although not at first as i could barely get out of bed the next day lol. while i`m still trying to perfect the technique down, i would like to get it close to this guy below someday...

YouTube - Michael Phelps - Butterfly 01

**Accumulator** · 03-09-2011, 03:23 PM

S & S Detailing- I`ll be interested to hear what the body comp tests say. I haven`t had that done for a while, used to get it done every few weeks but it stayed so consistent that I finally quit doing it.

BigAl3- Heh heh, that`s one lofty goal...developing a technique as clean as his! Cool that it`s good for your back, interesting what does/doesn`t work for that for different people.

**BigAl3** · 03-09-2011, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

BigAl3- Heh heh, that`s one lofty goal...developing a technique as clean as his! Cool that it`s good for your back, interesting what does/doesn`t work for that for different people.

i tell you, it`s one of the most and if not the hardest stroke to do. i literally was flopping like a wet noodle when i first started doing it while looking foolish (remember, i swim at the public gym). i also use short bladed fins which help give you twice the workout in the legs (it forces you to push) and also helps to propel you in the dolphin kick which is used in a few areas (butterfly, push off from flip turn, etc). let`s face it, i`ll never be close to michael phelps

but he inspired me to swim more seriously

he (michael phelps) won in indy a few days ago (video below) and he is the man in the butterfly and the one to beat. the 2012 olympics (his last olympics i`m pretty sure) is where it counts for most athletes i`m sure, and he`s slowly getting back on track to where he wants to be...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxCAL1Ec2xs

**Lenny** · 03-10-2011, 05:21 AM

And another milestone. I finally got my weight below 190 pounds, for the first time since 2002/2003. I`m now less than 20 pounds from my goal, having lost more than 49 pounds since August and more than 52 pounds since January, 2010. Starting to see some definition in my arms, shoulders & upper back, and my strength and endurance are way up.