Phyical Fitness

[The Stig]

Several years ago I was 215lbs, couldn't run to the neighbors house and back without dying and was a flabby mess.

I remember posting about "if you can't run to the mailbox and back what good will you be in a SHTF event". Yet, sadly, I was one that couldn't.

The low point was getting invited to shoot with some real-deal, legit, 100% verified high speed guys. I shot fine. Physically, I was smoked after 5 minutes of bounding movements. It was so humiliating.

It was the motivation I needed to get my ass, for the first time in my life, in some form of middle-aged shape.

I am happy to report I weighed 170lbs this morning, am doing my first 100mile bike ride this weekend and have obtained some level of physical fitness above "slug".

Lessons learned:

Start small: Don't start out with a crazy program you can't sustain. I literally started out doing a 20 air-squats as a "work out" for the entire day. My first bike ride was literally to the neighbors driveway. I just kept adding little bits here and there. Now I'm working out in some fashion 6 out of 7 days for a reasonable and sustainable amount of time.

Diet is key: Again, start small. I eat out a lot due to my employment. First, I stopped ordering desert. Then appetizers. Then I tried to get more fish and veggie side dishes. Then I cut out all the bread. Then I got off the diet-soda. This process took a long while but the results started being noticeable, especially, when my physical activity increased.

Repetition: 5 sets of 10 pushups is better than 50 straight pushups for building up strength. Same with cardio. Better to go on 3x bike rides during the week than 1 monster one every other week.

Change up what you do: The body responds to different stimuli. So just doing 1 exercise over and over means your body will likely plateau. Plus it gets boring. So change up what exercises you do to stimulate your body to more improvements.

Rest: Be sure you get plenty of rest. That's when your body recovers and grows. You can't run on fumes all the time.

Get advice: I felt like a retard asking really fit people basic n00b questions but man was it helpful. So much good advice and little tips along the way. Plus it increased the size of my network.

Listen to your body: While my goal going forward is overall strength improvements, I'll likely never be a massively strong person. I'm more of a cardio endurance person. Example: went hiking with a 40lbs pack a ways back. The group I was with walked at a faster pace than I do. Instead of trying to keep up and get blown out I walked at my own pace for about the first mile. Once I got warmed up I gradually increased the pace until I passed the main group and hung with the fast walking leader for the next 5+ miles.

I'm the same on bike rides. I need to start slow and gradually increase.

Listen to what your body is telling you.


Not trying to pretend to be an expert on the subject, nor am I saying I'm a ripped god of the gym now. I'm just happy that I can haul a pack 5 miles and not be dead, have a decent tone and have slimmed down (and kept it off). I did an all day shooting class earlier this year and wore plates and full kit the entire day. I looked like a dork, and yes I was tired, but I was effective at the end of the class.

Plus, I feel great.

I believe this is one of the best preps I've made thus far.

[LUNCHBOX]

Definitely have your head in the right place. Keep it up.

[helomech]

Congrats. I have been on this journey for a few years now. Learn more all the time and get better at it over time. I was 185 and 30% body fat, now I am 150 and 12% body fat. Just a little more body fat to go, then I start hard on my bulking program. 3 years ago I had high blood pressure and was not in good shape. Now, I can keep up with most people half my age, and have been training in martial arts for 3 years. I can fight better, shoot better, and have more stamina than I did 15 years ago.

[Fidel MD]

Good work.

As you say, diet is the key. You cannot exercise enough to compensate for a bad diet. And what is bad? Pretty much everything the government tells you to eat. Grains, carbs, and diet sweeteners; eating lots of small meals. Funny how the obesity and diabetes (both types) epidemics started pretty much the same time the government started shilling for agriculture.

There are a couple of books I recommend:

The Big Fat Surprise https://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Surpr...words=teicholz

and

The Obesity Code https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-...g+obesity+code


In short, don't worry about your blood glucose: Worry about your blood insulin. Dont snack. Dont worry about dietary fat: Worry about carbs - including 'healthy' fruit. The sugar in fruit, fructose, is REALLY bad for you: Far worse than glucose or table sugar. And excess blood glucose is converted to FAT, by insulin.

Your body does NOT require ANY external carbohydrates. Your body will produce all the glucose it NEEDS, from fats and proteins. Excess sugar is just bad.

[helomech]

Good work.

As you say, diet is the key. You cannot exercise enough to compensate for a bad diet. And what is bad? Pretty much everything the government tells you to eat. Grains, carbs, and diet sweeteners; eating lots of small meals. Funny how the obesity and diabetes (both types) epidemics started pretty much the same time the government started shilling for agriculture.

There are a couple of books I recommend:

The Big Fat Surprise https://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Surpr...words=teicholz

and

The Obesity Code https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-...g+obesity+code


In short, don't worry about your blood glucose: Worry about your blood insulin. Dont snack. Dont worry about dietary fat: Worry about carbs - including 'healthy' fruit. The sugar in fruit, fructose, is REALLY bad for you: Far worse than glucose or table sugar. And excess blood glucose is converted to FAT, by insulin.

Your body does NOT require ANY external carbohydrates. Your body will produce all the glucose it NEEDS, from fats and proteins. Excess sugar is just bad.

I am have been keto for about 2 months now, and I have more energy than I ever have, and am sleeping better than ever. Lifting more weight, down 15 lbs.

- - - Updated - - -

Another book is the Art and science of low carb living.

Me and my wife are doing a program called Athletic Keto.

[Fidel MD]

I am have been keto for about 2 months now, and I have more energy than I ever have, and am sleeping better than ever. Lifting more weight, down 15 lbs.

- - - Updated - - -

Another book is the Art and science of low carb living.

Me and my wife are doing a program called Athletic Keto.

There are a few variants of the sort of diet I follow - Atkins, Paleo, Keto. Most are close to what I think is ideal - Atkins, for example, had the right idea but advocated pretty high protein intake (as a result of his food recommendations). I try and make it simple, which makes it easier for me to follow. The basic premise of what I normally eat is based on two things - it had a face (animal protein) and green (green leafy vegetables, low in sugars).

I will occasionally eat other foods, but not as a regular item.

I even eat at McDonalds, occasionally. No fries, but I will get two McDoubles, and throw the bread away from one and use the meat and condiments on the other one...making a McQuad, I guess. BTW, the bread at McDonalds has a ton of sugar added, and so do their condiments - ketchup, even mustard, are sugar added because kids like it. I'm not saying never eat that stuff, just be aware of it and avoid it most of the time.

I can even eat at a Dennys....A build it myself slam, double eggs, bacon and sausage. No bread. Fills me up for the day. In short if it takes a combine to harvest, I don't eat it.

[helomech]

There are a few variants of the sort of diet I follow - Atkins, Paleo, Keto. Most are close to what I think is ideal - Atkins, for example, had the right idea but advocated pretty high protein intake (as a result of his food recommendations). I try and make it simple, which makes it easier for me to follow. The basic premise of what I normally eat is based on two things - it had a face (animal protein) and green (green leafy vegetables, low in sugars).

I will occasionally eat other foods, but not as a regular item.

I even eat at McDonalds, occasionally. No fries, but I will get two McDoubles, and throw the bread away from one and use the meat and condiments on the other one...making a McQuad, I guess. BTW, the bread at McDonalds has a ton of sugar added, and so do their condiments - ketchup, even mustard, are sugar added because kids like it. I'm not saying never eat that stuff, just be aware of it and avoid it most of the time.

I can even eat at a Dennys....A build it myself slam, double eggs, bacon and sausage. No bread. Fills me up for the day. In short if it takes a combine to harvest, I don't eat it.

On athletic keto I keep my protein at just over 1 per pound. I get about 175 grams of protein each day, and about 130 grams of fat per day. While keeping my total carbs below 35grams. I am getting 2000 total calories per day, but I am not adding in the calories I burned during my workout. Feeling really good.

[bigman888]

Good work.

As you say, diet is the key. You cannot exercise enough to compensate for a bad diet. And what is bad? Pretty much everything the government tells you to eat. Grains, carbs, and diet sweeteners; eating lots of small meals. Funny how the obesity and diabetes (both types) epidemics started pretty much the same time the government started shilling for agriculture.

There are a couple of books I recommend:

The Big Fat Surprise https://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Surpr...words=teicholz

and

The Obesity Code https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-...g+obesity+code


In short, don't worry about your blood glucose: Worry about your blood insulin. Dont snack. Dont worry about dietary fat: Worry about carbs - including 'healthy' fruit. The sugar in fruit, fructose, is REALLY bad for you: Far worse than glucose or table sugar. And excess blood glucose is converted to FAT, by insulin.

Your body does NOT require ANY external carbohydrates. Your body will produce all the glucose it NEEDS, from fats and proteins. Excess sugar is just bad.

what about oatmeal, quinoa, legumes and brown rice? Any they any good?

[Fidel MD]

what about oatmeal, quinoa, legumes and brown rice? Any they any good?

Oatmeal,quinoa, and brown rice are all grains, and have relatively high glycemic indexes. Personally I can't handle oatmeal, too much soluble fiber. Legumes (beans) are better but why? Still carbs...

[ElevenBravo]

thanks for the post. id like to learn more about your diet, and the science behind it please!