Fat Enders

[EigenUser]

I busted the button on a pair of pants trying to squeeze into them. Time to get serious again. I went to the gym the last two days. Fast workouts, but I'm feelin' em...

A friend of mine has been going to the gym with me each week to show me proper ways/techniques of lifting. Two days ago he had me doing all sorts of leg workouts. Yesterday morning I could hardly get out of bed. Even today I'm still sore. Geez, I'm so pathetic...

[Brian]

Well, naturally I want to make it a habit, but yeah, once my pants fit alright, I do lose my motivation

A few years ago, in a pinch in my room, I did actually use a 100 CD box set as a weight to do curls.

[ibanezmonster]

A friend of mine has been going to the gym with me each week to show me proper ways/techniques of lifting. Two days ago he had me doing all sorts of leg workouts. Yesterday morning I could hardly get out of bed. Even today I'm still sore. Geez, I'm so pathetic...

Lol, that's normal. But satisfying, too. I discovered recently that the only reason I usually don't feel the pain the next day is because I'm not working out hard enough, so it is actually nice to feel when it does happen.

[Mookalafalas]

A few years ago, in a pinch in my room, I did actually use a 100 CD box set as a weight to do curls.

  It would seem that you have the biceps of a classical music fan

[EigenUser]

  It would seem that you have the biceps of a classical music fan

Instead of weights you could use box sets. Start with Webern. He'd be the lightest -- short pieces, small output. Then the French impressionists. And Ligeti. Things might start getting heavy with Messiaen -- he did have that four-hour opera that is included in the Messiaen edition box (along with everything else he wrote). I guess the heaviest weight would be Haydn or Bach.

Lol, that's normal. But satisfying, too. I discovered recently that the only reason I usually don't feel the pain the next day is because I'm not working out hard enough, so it is actually nice to feel when it does happen.

Oh, I know. It wouldn't be worth it if I couldn't feel anything the next day. That's why the next day I texted my friend saying something like "I got out of bed the next morning. Ow. But a good 'ow', if there ever was such a thing."

[Ken B]

... you could use box sets. Start with Webern.

We discussing the discus throw now?

[Karl Henning]

This morning:  228.2

[Mookalafalas]

Well, my slow, wise, responsible weight-loss plan has long since fallen by the wayside.  I still want to meet my original goal, however, so have now started an intensive and aggressive one.  Not a crash diet or anything, but a 7 week plan to lose about 18 pounds.  Stocked up on veggies, oatmeal, canned tuna, soy, no-fat powdered milk, and plan to exercise daily (have hit the gym all two days since I started my new plan ) I do 15 minutes of vigorous weight training (quickly moving from machine to machine, for one set of each exercise), followed by 20 minutes on both the elliptical machine and the stationary bike.    I even got my bike back in working order so I can use it to go to work and such. 
  My exercise "guru" is Tom Venuto (I like his book "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle").  Also started using an App my wife loves "MyFitnessPal".  We'll see how things pan out. 

[Karl Henning]

Keeping steady. This morning: 229.6

[Mookalafalas]

Went to the gym and did vigorous exercise 7 out of the last 8 days.  I ate 5 small, healthy meals a day to increase my metabolism while avoiding hunger and protein loss.
    Weighed myself and found I have...gained 1.6KG   However, the gym has a pretty fancy "body analysis machine" and apparently I actually lost 1KG of fat and gained 1.5KG of muscle (my water weight is also up for some reason, which is fine).  If these results are accurate, what looks at first like an epic fail is actually far better results than I had dreamed of.  Hoping for the best!!

[Jo498]

You gained water? I thought at the beginning of a diet water loss was significant (which leads to frustration for some people, because th weight loss does NOT keep going like that). I also tend to doubt that one can gain 1.5 kg of muscle in one or two weeks without dubious amounts or protein or anabole steroids...
So in your case I'd take this data with more than a pinch of salt...

[Mookalafalas]

You gained water? I thought at the beginning of a diet water loss was significant (which leads to frustration for some people, because th weight loss does NOT keep going like that). I also tend to doubt that one can gain 1.5 kg of muscle in one or two weeks without dubious amounts or protein or anabole steroids...
So in your case I'd take this data with more than a pinch of salt...

  Yeah, you may well be right. We'll see.  Water loss is normal in "starvation diets", which I am not doing.  I'm a pretty big guy, and my weight can fluctuate pretty dramatically from day to day or even within the same day, so hopefully that is all that is.
     The stranger thing, to me, is the muscle and fat changes.  Gaining muscle while losing fat is generally impossible in itself.  Either you have excess calories, so you put on fat (or muscle) or have a deficit and lose one or a combination of both.  However, according to the book I'm following, at the beginning of a diet/exercise regimen you can do both for a short while if you had more muscle weight previously that your body 'remembers'.  I've got my fingers crossed that that is the case. Time will tell, I guess.   

[ibanezmonster]

Gaining muscle while losing fat is generally impossible in itself.

It's amazing how many people are unaware of this.

[EigenUser]

It's amazing how many people are unaware of this.

From what I've read it is possible, though difficult . I've been eating a ton recently since I started going to the gym a couple of months ago. Whey is the cheapest and most effective way (pun not intended, rather unavoidable... ) to get protein, I've found. It's never a good idea to use in place of solid food, of course, but in addition to solid food. It seems expensive when buying it, but it really isn't when you consider how much protein-rich food costs. The local Rite-Aids have been having a huge sale for the month of November, actually.

[ibanezmonster]

From what I've read it is possible, though difficult . I've been eating a ton recently since I started going to the gym a couple of months ago. Whey is the cheapest and most effective way (pun not intended, rather unavoidable... ) to get protein, I've found. It's never a good idea to use in place of solid food, of course, but in addition to solid food. It seems expensive when buying it, but it really isn't when you consider how much protein-rich food costs. The local Rite-Aids have been having a huge sale for the month of November, actually.

I read an article on bodybuilding.com a few years ago about a guy that experimented with a special diet and he lost fat while gaining muscle, but even he was surprised and the effect only lasted a few weeks. He didn't even recommend the diet to anyone.

Whey is definitely known to be good stuff; I haven't used it since my main struggle is having to eat tons of calories, rather than getting in protein (which is easy to get in with so many calories).

[EigenUser]

I read an article on bodybuilding.com a few years ago about a guy that experimented with a special diet and he lost fat while gaining muscle, but even he was surprised and the effect only lasted a few weeks. He didn't even recommend the diet to anyone.

Whey is definitely known to be good stuff; I haven't used it since my main struggle is having to eat tons of calories, rather than getting in protein (which is easy to get in with so many calories).

I'd definitely recommend it, especially for after workouts since it is fast-acting. I also ordered a sample of casein which breaks down much slower (so it is good before bedtime or whenever you'll be without food for a long period of time). I liked it (bodybuilding.com brand -- cinnamon bun flavor ), so I got a 2-lb jug.

Lastly, I'd recommend listening to Messiaen's Trois Petites Liturgies at the gym. The fast bookends of the third movement are perfect (well, until you find out how schmaltzy the lyrics are, but it is in French so it is easy to ignore).

[ibanezmonster]

I'd definitely recommend it, especially for after workouts since it is fast-acting. I also ordered a sample of casein which breaks down much slower (so it is good before bedtime or whenever you'll be without food for a long period of time). I liked it (bodybuilding.com brand -- cinnamon bun flavor ), so I got a 2-lb jug.

Lastly, I'd recommend listening to Messiaen's Trois Petites Liturgies at the gym. The fast bookends of the third movement are perfect (well, until you find out how schmaltzy the lyrics are, but it is in French so it is easy to ignore).

Ha, will note. 

[Karl Henning]

225.4 this morning.

So my trip to Atlanta did not fatten me!  Even though twice we had pizza for lunch (Fellini's, and Mellow Mushroom).

[Karl Henning]

225.4 this morning.

So my trip to Atlanta did not fatten me!  Even though twice we had pizza for lunch (Fellini's, and Mellow Mushroom).

There & Back Again:  225.4 this morning.

[Mookalafalas]

There & Back Again:  225.4 this morning.

Holding steady! That is a victory of sorts...
   My gym is undergoing remodeling and I can't use the fat/muscle measurement machine until next week.  I'm quite frustrated.  I really want to see if I'm making progress. Actually, I've had stomach virus the last few days, so didn't exercise at all, but not surprisingly my eating was both reduced and very healthy.