Big black old dude at the gym totally owned me. I was in the squat rack with one set left, and nobody ever uses any of the 3 squat racks but me, (there were 2 open), so I was tired and walked to the water cooler to cool off. I take a lap around this tiny little track (takes no longer than 30 seconds total). I come back and this big black dude is at my station, threw on 2 more 25's, added a neck guard, and was just using my station. So I walk back and wait for him to finish a set, then I ask if I can work in my last set (on my own station no less) and he says ok, so I start to take off the 25, and he insta just says, you're taking weight off? Nah let me finish. Pretty standard to not let somebody work in on the station they had first because they require 8 seconds to take off one plate. People sure are considerate.

That is him being lazy and not wanting to add the other weights on the other racks first. Pretty lame. I probably would have waited til he was in mid squat and knee capped him.

tough to find mid squat when he has feet nearly together doing some bizarre 1/8th squat the funny thing is I have the bar set so high because of how tall i am and he was strugglign really bad to get it back on the rack and I was secretly hoping he'd have to dump it and make an ass out of himself

Well you left out the fact that he is a gay.

That's awful. Some guy, I think he was asian, did this to me last week. I had my towel and magazine (I read while doing the bike) next to the cable machine and the rope on it. I do my set, go to grab some water at the fountain, come back and he's all over my machine, took off my rope, put on a bar and is doing an over the head triceps exercise. I only had one set left so I just grabbed my shit and said something loud enough for me to hear, which must've been loud because I have my headphones on loud. People suck so bad. I'm so nonconfrontational, but when he wouldn't let you work in, I woulda kept taking the weight off and pointed out that he cut your workout off.

Now, I keep my towel on the bar when I walk away.

Ya idk, like it's incredibly frustrating when people just leave their weights on the bars and just bounce so I can see why he'd just work in but he obviously didn't look around even for a second or ask around if anybody was using it so he's probably just a douche. I almost just racked a different station but I couldn't bring myself to be that big of a bitch.

I think I'm gonna go the other way on this. Today I ran 2.25 miles at a 6mph pace, walked for a quarter mile, than ran another mile at 6mph. My plan is to run every day this week (realistically 3 or 4 more times) and get up to 2.5-2.75 + 1. Then by the end of next week I'd like to be at like 3.5 +1, and hopefully by the end of the 3rd week around 4 (or maybe even a little over) + 1. The race is on a Sunday, I think my last tough run will be on Thursday, a light run on Friday, and then the race Saturday.

And I do have a bet with some co-workers on this so the goal isn't just to finish. They're pretty out of shape too but not as bad as I am. THAT'S WHERE THE WILLPOWER COMES IN

You know what builds good cardio?

STUFFING

Well, not when I do it because I'm out of breath in one minute, then pop in two, but for normal men, it's good cardio

Probably a solid strategy in response to any advice I offer. Good luck on the run.

Finally got back to the gym this week. Ended up taking all of last week off, which is not good. But anyway, I tried to do the incline press and my shoulder is still giving me trouble. So, I just hit the bike for 20 minutes and then decided to do something I havent done in years ... I jumped in the pool. Had my gym shorts on, but I was on the bike and trying to think of something low impact that could still work on my upper body and swimming came to mind. So I just went in and swam for ten minutes. I think I am going to add this to my workout from now on. It is very low impact but also works cardio and will give you some good upper body work as well.

I'm on week 4 of no soda, and I think it's safe to say I've successfully kicked the habit. I don't really miss it, I've been doing the Crystal Light and Diet Snapple thing instead at home (in addition to water, obv) and the coffee and water thing at work. Vodka tonics instead of captain and coke's at the bar, no big deal.

The first couple weeks I was doing 3 big mugs of coffee per day, now I'm down to 2. Would like to get down to none, but I don't know if I can completely cut caffeine out of my life.

Also on week 4 of no lunch at work, that isn't really even a challenge anymore. I eat when I get home and that's it.

-15 pounds so far, I want to drop another 30-40 and then I'll start exercising...maybe. I should buy a bike, cause dammit, I really hate walking for the sake of walking.

I've started swimming twice a week as well as two weekly workouts. I love it! I look more forward to going to the gym to swim than to run. There's something about the weighlessness that makes me feel like I haven't worked out at all.

Nice work. It's pretty amazing what cutting out stuff like soda will do.

Swimming is an outstanding workout. I wish I weren't such a pansy and would do it once in a while.

As mentioned i quit the soda as well and picked up the coffee addiction like you. I have been slowly cutting back but it's tough.

I'd also recomend not giving lunch up but eating something with a good protien and low glycemic carb like turkey, chicken or tuna on whole wheat. It's a myth that you lose weight by not eating. You have to keep your metabolism working and eating every 3 hours does the trick. I know you won't go that crazy especially if you aren't working out but skipping lunch will zap you of your energy and make you feel miserable and spent worse than a Ron all-nighter with spankyvision.

I'm down from 187 to 177 in less than a month though I do work out as well. I'm feeling muscles that I haven't in years.

I also tweaked the cardio this morning adding a steeper incline at the end and top speed then dropped the incline back down for that last minute to really blow it out. Working out in the morning really gives me so much more energy during the day, I actually feel a little off if I don't do it now.

Careful with the vodka tonics. I've never been to a bar that has diet tonic water so you aren't saving many calories switching from coke to tonic water. Tonic has 10 calories per ounce.

I had a decent workout this morning. I did three lifts for lower body then a lot of ab work. I ran for 30 min starting at 6.5mph and increased speed 0.5mph every 5 minutes. I'm starting to go crazy running on a treadmill everyday so I'm hoping it warms up soon. Unfortunately they've predicted 2-4 inches of snow tonight.

Awesome, that's a pretty damn good pace at the end.

Ever since I started working regularly I find it hard to motivate myself to work out. I try to get up early in the morning but always fail, and by the time I'm done with work all I want to do is crash and relax.

How do you 9-5ers do it?

I forgot to say for the last 2.5 min I go up another 0.5mph. It ends up being a 6:18 mile pace. It doesn't seem to fast if you can not think about it but once I start thinking about running it gets tough. I have a half marathon coming up at the beginning of May and a full marathon the middle of June. I've never been a competitive runner. I used to run to stay in shape for hockey but now I use it as a stress reliever.

I'm having doubts about the marathon since I have tendinitis in my right knee which causes it to swell and hurt after runs of 8+ miles. I have a prescription of Celebrex to keep the inflammation down and vicodin for the pain. My doctor said I can run through it so I'm giving it a try.

I have to leave the house at 8:45 for work and don't get home till about 9 most nights and I do it.

I get up at 7, grab a cup of black coffee and wake up for few minutes. Cardio is 20 minutes and
my workout days are 40 minutes. It's pretty easy to be done, shower and still eat some breakfast
before leaving.

It did just dawn on me that i'm also lucky enought to have a treadmill and workout equipment
at home which makes it easier. When I went to the gym I would just have everything packed
so when I got up in the morning I could bolt. The workout times at the gym were the same so
again no biggie, you just have to plan things.

For me, it's straight to the gym after work or it doesn't happen. You just have to force yourself to go.




You'll have to let me know how the half marathon goes. I've been thinking about a half marathon in July and possibly another in September, but I've never run more than a 10k. I'm pretty sure I could do a half marathon pretty easily if I can just force myself not to overdo it early. I wouldn't think it would be hard to finish at a pretty slow pace, but I have this thing where I can't stand just jogging.

Anyway, it's very cool you'll be doing one and possibly a marathon. I'm busting my ass right now to prepare for a 10k on Memorial Day. For now, my goal is just to beat my time from last year.

A few others have responded, but for me I just had to force myself for a couple of weeks. I get up at 4:45, gym opens at 5:30 and I have to be to work at 7:00. The first couple of weeks I hated it but after a little while it gets easy. I also pack everything I need the night before. This morning was a bitch though as it was my first day back to work since the time switch. So, yeah anyway just suck it up for a couple weeks and soon it'll become a habit.

Thanks, yeah, it seems even diet soda makes you fat. I'm amazed at the fact that after only a month I feel like I never need to have another one.



I know you're 100% right, but I've tried to do that before and I just can't. The only thing I have the willpower for is to not eat at all, I can only "eat the right things" for a couple days at the most.



Hmm...that's not good. I really didn't quit soda to save calories though, that's just a nice byproduct. I quit to save money, I was literally spending about $250 per month on soda.

this


if this is true, you'll never consistently lose weight. Be careful. Being prepared helps the most. Shop for lunch for the week. leave it in the work fridge, make sure not to order takeout and don't bring anything additional. Once a month, on a Friday, order out. Gotta treat/reward yourself.


$250 a month? That can't be right, can it? I should know, I drink a ton of diet soda. I usually buy 6 6pks of 24oz bottles of diet pepsi, diet mountain dew and diet Dr. Pepper and those only cost $4 a pop. If I did that every week, that's only $100 a month. No way I drink 5 24oz bottles of soda a day, 7 days a week. 3 a day, easy, sometimes 4, but not every day of the month. And even if I did, it's still only $100 a month. Now way you were drinking 10 24oz bottles of soda a day. That figure might be high. Unless you buy the 32oz bottles individually, for $2 a piece, which would be crazy, even though I did that 3 times a week, until I got smart

oh yeah, 35 minutes of cardio
200 crunches
8 sets of chest. Did 225 6 times with not spot, probably coulda squeezed out 8 reps, definitely 7. Can't wait till I can do a set of 10. Just a mental hurdle for me

Fuck my ass that's a lot to spend on soda.

so wait, just so I'm clear, if I spend that much on soda, I can fuck your ass?

I'm going to the grocery, I'll be right back

Only once you can do 225 10 times, tough guy.

as I said before, the best place to start is a severe hatred of yourself. after you get that down, it's all just about repetitiveness like everybody else said.


oh hello friend.

I would buy four 20oz bottles every morning on the way to work from the Hess station on the corner x $1.25 each = $5 per day x 5 days = $25 per week = $100 per month just on the normal amount that gets me through the day at work. Sometimes I drink a couple more out of the vending machine so figure an extra days worth over the course of the week, $120 per month on work soda.

Then that's all I would drink at home too, and I was buying six 12 packs from the grocery store every weekly trip for my wife and I, a 12 pack is $4 + tax + deposit, figure $5 x 6 cases x 4 weeks = another $120 per month on soda for home.

So yeah, about $220-$250 per month. Granted, I could change the *way* I get my soda at work (bring from home instead of stopping at the store, or buy store brand as opposed to Coke products) and save some money, but as I've established, I only possess the willpower for all or nothing. Trying to cut back or change habits is just an exercise in futility.

That savings is nothing compared to how much money I'm saving by not eating anything at work...holy shit. Between grabbing a pop tart along with my morning soda every morning, getting food out of the vending machines at work, going out to lunch every day...hundreds of $$$ more.

Hence my predicament.

Is this normal for a lot of people? I thought I was drinking a lot of soda ... but wow that is a TON of soda. I usually have 5 cans of soda / week now and before it was maybe 2 sodas a day max.

The one thing that I cut was beer every night. I only drink on Friday and Saturdays now. and the occasional special day ... like tomorrow is my wife's birthday ... I am definitely going to drink!

I doubt very much that it even approaches "normal".

Up until a month ago, I would go weeks without drinking any water at all. Most every alcoholic drink I consumed had soda in it (because I hate beer and wine but don't particularly enjoy the taste of most booze) or Red Bull which is basically just as bad and twice as expensive.

You guys are nuts, I must be the only one who enjoys going to the gym

jesus christ.

it's different when you're fat.

I like going and love the way I feel when I'm done. It's just the mental hurdle of getting there that's the hard part. I can be lazy and addicted to tv. You also don't work 40+ hours a week

I know, right?

My grocery store has those 6pks of 24oz bottles. Just buy one of those for $4 bucks. Or not drink as asston of soda. I thought I drank a bunch, and I did, but that's off the charts.

February 16th, last time I had a single sip of soda.

yeah really adam, why don't you just not drink soda? i mean come on, has this idea never occurred to you?

You know, I could get behind a crazy idea like that.

Congrats.

I'm going on 11 days without caffeine. I despise hot drinks, so coffee is out. I finished up some Diet Rite cans of soda, which is basically flavored water, so I'm not counting that. But even that has been over 5 days.

If I do well on the scale again, I may have to keep it up. 2lb loss, I'm getting a 32oz diet pepsi or coke on Saturday. Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sold on the idea of quitting, but don't want to go back just yet. Like I said before, I have so few vices.

you stutterin' prick, I said don't drink an asston, not don't drink at all. I swear to god, the chest adrenaline is pumping, I want to smack you in the puss

sounds like somebody needs a soda

I still don't understand everyone's love of pain killers. Vicodin doesn't seem to do much for me. If I've taken a few pills and sit still I feel kind of numb but lose the feeling as soon as I start moving. I have a little 100, maybe I should be an internet drug dealer?

I sort of enjoy the actual going part, knowing that I'm about to do something beneficial for my body. I enjoy leaving, knowing I've just done something beneficial for my body. But the stuff in between, when I'm sweaty and tired, is not something I enjoy. Unless there are hot girls on the bikes or stretching mats in front of me. That's a little more bearable.

Just got done doing the same run I did yesterday. 6.5mph up to 9mph increasing the speed 0.5mph every 5 minutes. I have a test in an hour and decided to work out instead of study. That's commitment.

Haha, I'm such a retard. After I posted that, I went to the gym and in the middle of squats I was like, "man I can't wait to crank these out and get the **** out of here". I think I forgot how much the actual working out part sucks usually. I still do get excited before hand though.

my least favorite part is riding the exercise bike all hard and my gut's all hangin over my pants and I'm like COME ON WORK GOD DAMN IT



when I lift I feel cooooool.

There's a huge retard in my gym, he's been going there as long as I can remember. Basically, he's pretty big (well built, 6ft 2), skin-head, wears a t-shirt or sleeveless top 4 sizes too small for him, and the smallest shorts imaginable.

He is ALWAYS in a foul mood, it seems. Talks to no-one, and mutters under his breath and gets really mad if anyone puts the weights in the wrong place or does anything even remotely that he doesn't like. He's actually quite a scary guy and I wouldn't like to get on his wrong side that's for sure.


Today took the biscuit though... I walked in and there he was.. on the treadmill (at maximum incline), power walking in ****ing swimming trunks and trainers, whilst punching with dumbbells.. grunting loudly with each punch. No-one would ever say anything to him, but reast assured the entire gym was watching.

I have to try to get a picture or something, I think he's finally lost his mind.

I feel like I need to make it clear to the forum that I do not currently belong to a gym, much less James' gym.