So I went to the club on Thursday to swim, and from the window I could see that some people were swimming, yet there was a sign on the Men's locker room door saying that the pool was temporarily closed. I donned my kit, showered, and went in to the pool, thinking at worst case I'd shvitz in the hot tub.
The pool was open (just minutes earlier), but the lifeguard said that it was only 70F (usually 81F), as they had just added a bunch of water and it hadn't heated up yet.
On with the cap and goggles, I descended into the cold pool. It was bracing. I thought, Suck it up, Boyo, clicked 'Schwimmbad' on my Garmin, and proceeded to do my standard set. I never did warm up.
Afterwards, in the hot tub, I was talking with another guy about the pool being cold.
He: "Well, you know, I'm from Maine. We swam in the ocean all the time. It nevah got more than 56F but we didn't care." (i.e. we are real men)
So Nation, how's your New Year's Fitness McFithouse going?
Quality.
I have been to the gym twice this year already! Gonna get trimmed back down under 200 by hook or by crook this year.
I think Superior never gets above 48F. And it never gives up its dead.
We end up at the Y twice a week, typically, and I usually walk laps during one and hit the weight machines the other. Over the last couple months I seemed to have broken a plateau and bumped up my rep weights on several of them. I like to think the handful extra pounds I'm carrying around are muscle
I took a swim the other day in similar conditions. The pool was probably 65 degrees, and I had a pretty intense diving reflex. I swam further faster than ever. Not that that is an indication of my state of well being.
So I lost 20 pounds in the last half of 2018, and got to a weight I hadn’t been to in over 30 years. Was even buying pants with a 32 inch waist, mostly through exercise — including starting to run, which I ended up enjoying. Gained some back with the colder weather but still at a weight I didnt think was possible a year ago.
So now I’m still on bike in basement, yoga, I’ve started to meditate and will do a 2 month Pilates class next week. Plus I’m committed to no food after 7:00p. Now I just need to lay off the snacks at work. I’m probably could lay off the carbs and alcohol a bit, but hey no ones perfect.
I have three big hiking trips planned this year where I want to train for.
Getting down to 165 was eye opening. It’s possible with some effort. I’ll be forgiving for gaining some over the winter but I plan to maybe get under 160 this coming year.
That's terrific! Congratulations!
Yeah, that's great, dude! 32" inch waist - that's what Dr. Fear wants for me.
Oh one other thing. I've been reading up on "periodic fasting." It's the concept of fasting but not necessarily all day. It can be more like 14 or 18 hours. So on Wednesday's I'm going to try it. I will have a decent breakfast, probably more than I usually have and then fast until the following Thursday morning, where I will have my usual small breakfast. I will also try to focus more meditation on the fast that day. (although one shouldn't "focus" meditation on any one thing).
Since Thursday will be back to my normal small breakfast and lunch, I am sure I will be eager for that Thursday dinner.
I tried to do it once per week. 6pm until noon the next day. Issue I had was that I would be cranky and impatient by mid morning. That's ok if I'm working alone but bad for meetings.
I think this is what makes fasting a spiritual exercise. We must be mindful of what's happening with our mind and bodies...and disciplined/determined enough to act/control ourselves accordingly.
Not that I do this. But I like it in theory. I'm also the reptile-metabolism type who can eat a good meal and skip one or two if need be, so that helps.
I had a spiritual exercise on Sunday. Some might call it norovirus, but there were demons cast out along with about five pounds.
That's me with the Bikram Yoga. Haven't done it in a while, but I don't leave the place without 10 lbs of my sweat in the towel. Of course, it is clarifying.
My workout got a great abdominal burn. Plus sweats!
Well stated ZG.
I'm also the reptile-metabolism type who can eat a good meal and skip one or two if need be, so that helps.
I've wanted to try this fasting on occasion, but I am the exact opposite metabolism. I am always grazing. I've got snacks and meals all throughout the day. I keep trail mix in my desk and granola bars in my car.
I lost about 15 pounds over the summer through biking almost every day. I got outside when I could buy mostly had to use the trainer because I was home with the kids during the times I could exercise. I plateaued pretty hard at that 15 pounds, though, which was unfortunate but didn't make me quit. My knees and ankles and had been bothering me so bad before I started that, weight loss be damned, I've gotta keep up with it to be able to walk and curl. I think I probably need to fix my dietary habits to break past my current weight, but that's been easier said than done.
So here’s the deal. You’re gonna plateau. Just keep at it, maybe mix it up a bit, change your diet, etc. I realize having two kids doesn’t help in being flexible. Try to modify one meal at a time. Reduce calories at lunch. Or no snacks between meals, half portions, cut one unhealthy thing from your diet. Once you recalibrate, the pounds will start to come off again.
The two kids aren't really a huge issue because they never want to eat what I make anyway. My problem is mainly portion size self control. Uhh, probably also beer, although I have cut back on that over the last year or so. I've been sick a bit recently, too, which has set me back some. I'm not all that discouraged, though. Like I said, the impact its having on my joints is enough to make me dedicated to keeping up on it. I think it'll be even easier in the summer in a couple years when my kids are old enough to be home alone for an hour so I can get out on the roads a lot more often.
We have to draw lines somewhere. Cutting out beer is not worth it. 😘