I don't know much about "superfoods" could you point me too some explanation and research? TY!

1.) Ok. Just make sure you are concentrating on the compound movements. You will get far superior gains from them. This is what socal and grinder are doing.

2.) I am glad your shoulder feels better. Just remember to protect it. Most bodybuilders incur more rotator cuff problems than other athletes.

3. I assume you mean Serge Nubret. Most ppl agree Serge is a freak. Working out for up to 4 hours a day, eating 6 pounds of meat and generally having some of the best genetics of his or any other generation. Also Serge has used/uses? Steroids. Those things enabled Serge to pursue some unusual workout philosophies and general health ideas.

Serge now advocates a moderate weight with High set volume regime. These workouts aren't as intense or volume intensive as his past workouts. I personally think he his currently ripping off his advice from the routines that Albert Beckles and Rufus Howard used/use. Most experts believe Serge's currently recommended routines still have too much volume for non drug users. If anyone is interested in Serge's advice you can talk to him here; http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.p...ht=serge+nubret and Get personal training from him here; http://www.sergenubret.com/

P.s. I think Serge is currently having some health issues so lets think positive things for this true legend of bodybuilding.

Its fine to use machines. After all its about interval intensity and rest.

Good luck on the triathlon, sir. Having that bike will definitely help.

That website is really sweet (if you're a dork like me and like that sort of stuff). A friend of mine told me about it like two years ago and I completely forgot about it until now.

5 min warm up - 1.1 miles.
45 mins - 13.4 miles. (17.87 avg.)
2 min cool down - .8 miles (I think).

Total - 15.3 miles.



A good stretch before and after.

No ab work out because I was so hungry I had to get outta there!

So last night was my last "big" workout. Did 30 minutes of swimming followed by 30 minutes on the bike. Woke up this morning and did 3 miles around my house in 34 minutes.

For the rest of the week my schedule will be:

Wed: Run 3 miles in morning
Thurs: Light Swim and Light bike
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sunday: Give it my all!!!

Thanks for all the support over the past few weeks everybody! It's been great to be able to post about this. It keeps me motivated and also it's cool to read back and see where I started with the running. I was barely able to eek out a mile in 15 minutes when this started, so being able to pace off 3 miles is awesome for me.

Nice job so far, good luck on Sunday!

I did cardio yesterday, 30 mins cross trainer averaging a pace of 6.9 on level 7, followed by 20 mins on a different cross trainer thing doing intervals of 1 minute at 25 resistance and 30 seconds at 45 resistance.

Today was a solid leg workout with the trainer. Started off tough with some lunges that I found really awkward with one foot on a bench and the other straight ahead and with weights in my hands. After that was solid though, I pretty much crushed it.

Arms tomorrow, and we are doing a weigh-in tomorrow, and if the scale in the locker room was correct today then I'm already at my goal of 210 that I wanted by the end of May!

This Saturday is my half marathon. I feel very prepared for it and I'm really tapering down my distance this week. Today I only ran 2.5 miles at a 9 min mile pace. I'll run tomorrow and Thursday then rest Friday. I hope to average 8-8 min 15 second miles for the race. The course if fairly hilly so I will probably be slower than that.

I'm still lifting upper body hard this week because I don't think it will affect my running. I changed up my routine today since the gym was busy and I couldn't get to the easy curl barbell. I switched to over head dumbbell raises instead of skull crushers and did chin ups instead of bicep curls. I'll probably stick with this for a few weeks to mix it up.

That would be a hell of a good pace for a half marathon, in my opinion. If I end up doing one this summer, I'd probably set my sights somewhere in the 9 minute range.

Good luck, I'm curious to see how it goes.

it's about time lol,

let me know when you get up to 2 miles on the treadmill under 20 minutes
and 7.5 kgs on biceps, triceps, abds, 15 kgs legs curls and pushes
don't forget warm ups and cool downs

by then I be up to 5 miles on the thread lol

Good luck to you too this weekend!


Is that like a sewing machine?

I'm incorporating BJJ back heavily into my workout routine. I'm pretty much going M-F, while still getting my normal workouts in during the week. I haven't done BJJ for awhile and it was pretty neat to be one of the few guys not gassed at the end of rolling. Does anybody else do BJJ in here?

Good luck everybody with your halfs, tri's, 10ks.

edit treadmill
that's just 3 weeks post surgery sweety
have to work my weights back up there on my abd's

That's awesome. For me I am having a real hard time getting any weight off. I weighed in last night at 218. I do feel more trim than when I started so that is a good thing ... just hoping that all this work will eventually pay off.



Good Luck with this as well. Let me know how the pace goes. Apparently a friend of mine is trying to talk me into a half marathon but I told him it might be a year before I was ready for that!

Not sure what this stands for and I am kind of scared to put it into google!

And since I don't know what it is I am probably not doing it.

Where have you been?

I'm still at 220, but I feel more energy, trimmer, and overall feel better when I'm working out 3-4 times/week.

yah, my shoulder is almost 100 percent now. did bench last night and felt ok.
Serge Nubert, yes, I think it was a typo. the H and N are close on the keyboard and I tend to not spellcheck or edit my posts.
He is a freak and I knew about his health problems, I hope he recovers. I love reading his mega thread on bodybuilding.com, a lot of useful and interesting stuff in there.



yay, I reached 210. even 209 some mornings. although this morning I was 211. so I guess it averages out.
Sounds like you are doing well.




9 minute mile is pretty good for over 20 k. i can't even do that for 10 k.



welcome rose!!!!!!1




what's M-F? i'd love to do BJJ but worried to get hurt.




No, it has nothing to do with BJ's if that's what you are thinking lololol. I believe it stands for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

M-F = Monday - Friday

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ... I used to take Kenpo and my favorite was the grappling days. I almost signed up for some Jiu Jitsu, but since I don't plan on doing any throws or arm locks ... my money is better spent on more frivolous things. Like beer!

Well, I can already do more than that weight on everything.

Probably not the treadmill yet, but give it a week or so. I hardly use the treadmill.

I would suggest looking into Body for Life for beginners, it's a great cardio program and weights as well.





I do and have for a while along with a multi and vit B




Just switch around about once a month until you build up some stamina. I think its better to focus on just increasing on one to have a better guage of progress.



with HIIT you can run for 20 minutes total and get plenty of effect as long as you do 4 cyles and max out.



I just got a new E vitamin from Sams with Omega 3-6-9 and haven't started it yet.


Okay, i will admit reading here has motivated quite a bit. When I realized how fast some of you guys were running on the treadmill I upped my routine a notch on each level and now max out at 6 mph. I really think it's how much you put into it at a given speed and for being 48 and only back at it for 11 weeks it really is tough for me. I do have a goal of hitting 7 in a month.

I also was thinking of you guys running outside and last Sunday morning was awesome out so I ran to Walgreens to get my smokes ha. I did suffer more than I expected mostly in my shins. Half of it was a pretty steep hill. I ran in sprint intervels of 2 minutes and walked 1 minute.

My weight loss is more and more noticable and my legs are really starting to show. I'm getting pretty pumped about my success and looking forward to pushing it alot this summer. I'm about 90% good on the diet so I need to work on that. I'm also thinking of taking creatine to hlep with the muscles since I'm dang near killing myself.

Oh yeah, and I can Socal's jui jitsu ass anyday. I know tire tool.

I hope you can do more weights than me you should being a guy lol, and I am not pushing the weights as I am not looking to body build just build a little muscle.
Next week I plan to increase my leg weights can't increase the abds for another 3 weeks. Should be at 3-4 miles by time you hit 2. and when I play poker I always work on my arms and chest with my small weights that I keep at my computer side.

Hope you are drinking some high protein shakes like me you will need them as well as the vitamins. right Randy. I am now off all cardiac meds and no longer taking any thing for my high sugars (diabetes) cause I don't have them anymore weeeeeeeeee. Plus swimming weather is just around the corner. I will out lap you in a pool any day. I was one hell of a swimmer and still is.

You need to push the weights if you want to get anything out of it. If you are lifting easy you are essentially wasting your time. You could be doing this because of your surgery, I don't know.

Don't worry about looking like a body builder. Women don't have the same amount of type IIx muscle fibers that men have which make them look bulky. You could lift as hard as you want and only look toned, not bulky.

I want to live in the world that women do where apparently lifting heavy weights instantly has you looking like a bodybuilder. Also Rose, I'm fairly sure nobody cares how they compare to your weights or your times on the threadmill. Everybody does their own thing and at their own pace, and everybody has to start somewhere. Even though you're probably joking, it's pretty annoying and you're not even talking to me.

Also this. Our bodies are designed to adapt to what we throw at it. This is why people plateau and quit seeing gains in muscle growth. If you don't increase the weights your body has no need to continue adapting as it's already adjusted to handle the work load you throw at it. Don't really see any point to doing any time at the gym if you aren't going to push yourself.

I wish the dapokerbum and love4hockey the best in thier events. GL! GL! GL!

p.s. some ppl at sprint Triathlons usually try to sell bikes they purchased for the event after the event is over. So there are some cut rate deals to be had if you want a bike.


The debate between intensity and volume is very political and ancient in training circles but both camps do believe that progress must be made.

I will be increasing the weights around the abds in a few weeks, can't do it quite yet too soon after surgery. The legs I am increasing them weekly. I am also working on my biceps and upper chest right now. GrinderMJ I have np talking to you at all honey. My weight lifting is to keep tone and lose weight. I am more into my daily cardio, today up to 2.6 miles on the treadmill level 5 up and down with small periods of running.

trust me none of this is easy, by next May I want to be down to 125 lol

Don't go any lower than that Rose, or I'll be jealous!

I was a weak, slacker yesterdy. I woke up late, so I didn't have time to get my gym stuff together. I went home after work and just wanted to lay down and do nothing, instead of driving the 15 mins back to the gym.

Back at it today though.

lol



This

This is one of the lamest things about working out in general, at least for a generally lazy person like myself. I'm to the point now where I'll do around 200 push ups when I do them and it's just frustrating to think I'll have to keep doing more each week/month to see more progress.

I have days like this, too, so I can't judge. But I can call you a bitch (in a motivating way, of course).

blerg

If you think you can't make it to your goal then you never will. What I find is best is to have a Main Objective and then to have smaller Sub Objectives. So say your goal is to be 125 be next May. That is good and all, but I guarantee if that is all you have as a goal and you "lol" about it ... you will never get there. Maybe you should set some smaller realistic goals for the meantime. That way you can see the progress. Not sure where you are starting, but maybe you have a goal to be 150 by August, 140 by November, 135 by February and then you are going to power out those last 10 pounds From Feb - May. Also mixed in there you should have some lifting and Treadmill goals.

I can speak from experience because my original goal when I came into this thread was to get to 200 by this summer. Well after months of work I am still at 218. Mind you I feel trimmer and more in shape than when I started ... but I am no where near my goal. Is this going to stop me? Of course not because I have other goals as well. Part of what has helped me was training for this Sprint Triathlon. I needed to have more stamina in all three events and I have been working hard to improve each one.

Remember the body can do anything that the mind wills it to do. Set your goals and work to get to them, but don't forget to set smaller goals that are just as satisfying so that you don't give up too soon.

why don't you do bench instead of pushups? That way you dont' have to increase reps, just the weight.



Ah, we all have our weaknesses, as long as we get back on the train. my weakness is eating and beer. I can go to the gym everyday but sometimes i just have to eat and drink what i want.





I haven't lost much weight either but my body shape looks better. So, I'm assuming that we are both gaining muscle and losing fat. I don't really have a weight goal, maybe I should set one. I'm more concerned with getting bigger muscles than losing weight though.

I wish I had the drive.

Last summer I worked out 3 days a week only because my membership only allowed that many days. I craved the gym, I loved feeling my muscles burn. It was awesome. Then I injured myself and that got me lazy and then the holidays came around and I lost the desire.

Then we found a new gym that allows you to go 7 days a week if you want and it is $20 cheaper a month than my previous gym. So great, now I can work around my school schedule and work schedule and maybe work out 4 or 5 times a week and get buff.

Yeah, I just can't get into it. I can't string together a good week to get me back in that groove I was once in. I will go for a couple days and then not go for a week. I wanted to go Monday but by the time I get home from class at 9pm I am no longer in the mood. Yesterday at work I was looking forward to it and when I got home I lost my desire. Already today I feel the urge to go but I know I run the risk of copping out again once I get home. It really fucking sucks.

I have been monitoring my weight the last month and with very little consistent exercise I have lost .5 lbs. Now I am not really looking to lose much weight since I am around where I need to be. At least this tells me that I have found a diet where I am not gaining weight, right? So if I get a good cardio routine going and then get some weight training in I should lose fat, which is my issue, I should be fine and hopefully be successful.

I just need that desire back and I just can't get it. I think it is partly due to my job. When I was a line cook I always had energy after work. Working on your feet in a fast paced environment for 9-11 hours gave me more energy than what I do now. I sit here at my desk doing nothing but answering the phone 3 or 4 times, maybe showing 1 or 2 apartments a day, and the rest posting and reading here or watching hulu. By the time I get off work I am drained. I think sitting doing nothing is more draining on energy than working hard. At least for me. I thought about getting up earlier but that just won't work. One, I am not a morning person and two the one time I did try it the gym was ridic packed. Not worth it.

/rant

Sounds familiar. Sometimes I just want a Double Bacon Cheeseburger with fries washed down by a tall (read 26 oz) glass of beer. Is that so wrong? Usually I work harder at the gym the next day to make up for the guilt!

Just as a simple suggestion. Why don't you do sets of pushups while you are at your desk? If you are feeling like you can do something at work then just do it. It only takes a few seconds and it gets the blood flowing back again. I understand if you are in a cubicle and people might look at you like you are a nutjob, but screw their fat asses anyway ... literally if there is a hot chick.

/suggestion

On benching vs. push ups: Since the beginning of the year, my focus has been on running in preparation for the race next month. I'm not nearly ambitious enough to run four or five times a week and lift weights seriously. So, I throw in some push ups or ab exercises (yeah, I'm doing them fairly regularly now) after a run. After the race, I'm going to change up my running routine and focus on it less. I might throw in some weights at that point, but honestly for the amount of effort I've put into lifting weights in the past, the results haven't been nearly as pleasing (physical appearance-wise) as I'm seeing now with the running. It always seemed like I worked my ass off for very little return.

Still, though, the same general problem arises. I won't have to do more reps to progress, but I'll still have to do more.


On eating and beer: This will always be my problem, if you want to even call it a problem. I don't get hammered every night and eat McDonald's three times a day but if I want a few beers and a cheeseburger, I don't really stop myself. Generally, I eat pretty well, but I just don't care to torture myself. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow and die knowing that I had only consumed cottage cheese, turkey sandwiches, and water for the last month, I will die unhappily.

The biggest thing I do in terms of being healthy is avoiding sugar. I rarely drink soda and eat candy even less often. I'd like to think that helps a lot.

A lot of people have this problem and you're right, it really fucking sucks. Many in here have already said this but, really, in the beginning you just have to FORCE yourself to do it. Make no excuses for not sticking with your schedule. If you can get through 8 to 10 weeks (seems like a long time, and probably is the hardest part) of it, you'll get to the point where you want to go all the time and feel guilty when you miss. Once you get there, it's MUCH easier to stick with it.

I think it would be wrong to deny yourself those urges. The way I see it, I could be in phenomenal shape with 2% body fat by now if I had a strict diet to go along with the exercising. But, I would also be MUCH less happy since I'd have been denying myself things that I enjoy along the way. What's more important? I have no desire to obsess on every calorie and make myself miserable by limiting my diet.

Well said. You just need to find the right balance. If you eat like crap every day then of course you will look like crap but if you can just limit yourself to a few indulgences a week then you can still live a happy life. I'm with you where I try to drink as little soda as possible. I always carry my water bottle to lunch so that I won't get sucked into buying a cheap fountain drink. BUT I won't give up drinking beer. I love good beer and will always enjoy a nice cold one after a long week at work. I have given up on drinking the past two weeks in prep for the race, but after that I am having a cold one ... that is a guarantee!

What a ridiculous scam.



As far as the food thing goes, I have been very strict on myself for a while, but I'm starting to loosen up, because as you guys said it's about being happy. I find I'm a lot happier now than I was before, and even some of my friends have commented that I seem to carry myself a lot more confidently which is a huge compliment. I've had a few slices of a pizza in the past few weeks, had like 10 beers on Saturday (good times!), and had chicken fingers last night. I'm still trying to be smart though, like only doing stuff like that on days where I haven't had a lot of calories already, and not eating the fries that came with the fingers (except for like 5 of them). The weight is still coming off, and I'm happier so it's win/win.

New stuff:
Weight: 211.0 lbs
BMI: 29.4
Fat%: 24.2
Fat mass: 51.0 lbs

Piddle,

You need a strict regimen it sounds like. Might I suggest picking up Starting Strength, which will have all of the information (workout, schedule, etc) that you will need to start working out. Don't wait until you can no longer see your dong because it's covered by a layer of gut.

With food, I will feel like absolute crap now if I go out and eat fast food consistently.

GOD DAMMIT!

Yeah, not drinking beer will never be an option.





Exactly.

Nice Work!

I have been setting mid goals, Since May of 2008 I have lost 120 lbs but the last 50lbs was in the last 3 weeks due to my surgery. I feel better but the last 3 weeks were way too fast. With that my vitamin and minerals got way out of wack which landed me a 2nd 3 day stay in the hospital. My Ca, mg, Phorphus, K+, vitamin D, and B12 where very low so now I had to double up and even triple up some of those supplements. I had to almost restart my muscle rebuilding again due to the fast weight lost. My mind is set and I plan to keep the exercising plan going this time. I also find it better with the 6-8 small mini meals a day. One thing is I do plan once a month to treat myself as well, to treats like the beer or drinks, with the odd piece of pizza and 2 wings lol. I totally gave up my sweets which is a biggy with me. I will stick mainly with my fish, chicken and veggies but will have 2oz of steak once every 2 weeks. I will do cardio everyday. Work on my upper body muscles on odd days and lower body muscles on even days. With adbs as much as I can. That's the plan for now. Of course it will change as needed. The days I do my 2-3 hours swims in the summer will also take some off the weight training I do out of the picture.



wtg Ray