Author Topic: Fit or Fat in FIRE  (Read 57825 times)

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #100 on: August 05, 2015, 05:24:37 PM »
Maybe this thread needs a "pose off" down the road...lol.

A "FIREmen" calendar?

Okay, I literally lol'd.

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #101 on: August 05, 2015, 09:47:32 PM »
Thanks for the laughs and ata-boys! Overall it was just eating right and putting in the work. I've gone through this kind of transformation a few times in the past but would slowly put the weight back on from the lack of exercise and bad habits (Overeating/drinking). This is the first time I could full dedicate my time to getting in shape and I've learned so much during the journey. Give me a few days...I'll do up a post with routine, average food plan and other tips/theories.

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #102 on: August 10, 2015, 09:39:56 PM »
Hopefully I did a decent job at this...I didn't do any proofreading! 

Exercises
Mornings **I roll out of bed and go walk for an hour then eat breakfast after I get back**
Normal Gym workout routine (Hit the gym around 9:30-10:00):
Monday: 10 min warmup on Elliptical…then Chest, Shoulders, Tri’s (About 60 mins)
Tuesday: 50 mins of cardio (Pick 3 or 4 different exercises)
Wednesday: 10 min warmup on Elliptical…then legs (About 60 mins)
Thursday: 50 mins of cardio (Pick 3 or 4 different exercises)
Friday: 10 min warmup on Elliptical…then Back and Bi’s (About 60 mins)
Saturday and Sunday: 50 mins of cardio (Pick 3 or 4 different exercises). If I have something planned for the day I’ll at least try to walk or run for a bit.
Afternoons **I choose different fun activities like: Walk, Driving range, Frisbee golf, bike, clean. I normally do this before dinner**
For Cardio: I pick from Elliptical, Climbing, Bike, Stairmaster, Rowing, running, spin class. I try to jump around to different machines so I don’t get bored. I stay away from the high impact exercises to keep the injuries away.

Food
I’ve always been the type of person who wakes up hungry but since I started walking in the morning I’ll wait to eat until after my walk. I’ll pound a large glass of water and head out. As soon as I start walking my hunger goes away. So instead of eating at 7am now it’s around 8:30-9am. I like this because it shortens my window of active eating and I don’t seem to need snacks between my meals. I eat about every 5 hrs…9am-2pm-7pm then a little snack before bed. For some reason I feel the need to eat a little protein to feed my body during the night and if I do wake up in the middle of the night I won’t be hungry.

One thing I found out about myself by using Myfitnesspal was that I was never eating much protein for breakfast or getting enough good fats. So I try to get at least 45-60g of protein at every meal and eat a majority (40-50%) of my fats during breakfast.

Breakfast (8:30-9am)
First thing I do when I get back from my walk is drink a 1/2 scoop of whey protein. Then start making my meal. I try to have a hearty breakfast and load up before my workout. I’ve become a huge fan of Savory Oatmeal. For most people this sounds strange but give it a try because you might like it a lot. I scoop about 40g of dry old fashion oats (plus I add a little steel cut oats for texture) into a bowl and fill with water and nuke for about 2:20 mins (be careful not to boil over or burn yourself on the bowl). Then I cut up some celery, jalapenos, 2-3 ounces of cooked chicken, 4-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. I also play around with other ingredients like shrimp, old bay, any veggies, eggs, soy sauce and fresh herbs. I also like to eat bake potatoes for breakfast. Some things I like to add to them is beans, chicken, eggs, parmesan cheese, fresh herbs. I sometimes make a sweet oat meal with fruits and will add ½ scoop of vanilla casein protein to it. I’ve found that the casein protein mixes well and taste good. 
Typical Breakfast:
-   ½ scoop of Whey Protein = 70 cals
-   40g of old fashion oats (Splash of steel cut) = 150 cals or 250g bake potato = 190 cals
-   ½ of Avocado = 160 cals or 3oz of chicken and a spoon full of olive oil = 160 cals
-   2 large eggs (Nuked in a bowl for 2 mins) = 150 cals
-   ½ scoop of Casein Protein (Just before I head to the gym) = 75 cals
-   Total: 605-650 cals (45g protein, 45 carbs, 28 fats w/ the Avocado) (60g protein, 36 carbs, 23 fats w/ the chicken and oil)

Lunch (about 1:30-2pm)
I tend to cook up about 5 lbs of chicken breast at a time because it’s quick and I always have some on hand. Before I cook it I’ll cut off most of the fat. I’ll just cook in a pan with a little spray of oil and seasoned for taste. I’ve become very fond of PB2…it’s a powdered peanut butter and it’s awesome on chicken w/ a little red pepper. It adds a little more protein but not much cals. Since it’s already cooked up I can just weigh out 6-7.5 oz for my meal. I will use it all kinds of ways BBQ sandwich, on a salad, add w/ other veggies, add to brown rice or just on its own…I’ve become very creative! Luckily I like my veggies so I will just eat them all different ways and try to get a large variety throughout the week.
Typical Lunch:
-   ½ scoop of whey protein = 70 cals (as soon as I get back from gym)
-   6-7.5 oz of chicken breast = 200-240 cals
-   I pick out some veggies (pan steamed broccoli, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, salads or whatever) = 100-200 cals
-   ½ cup of Cottage cheese = 80 cals (I love cottage cheese, go through about 3 containers a week)
-   Fruit = 50-150 cals
-   Total: Avg 550-650 cals (45-60g protein, 35-60 carbs, 10-20 fats)

Snack – around 5pm: ½ scoop of casein protein before going for a walk of other fun exercise

Dinner (6:30-7:30pm)
Dinner is about the same as lunch but I will check my nutrients in myfitnesspal and adjust my meal for what I need. Most of the time I’m in the normal ranges so it will be an average meal.

Late snack – 9:30-10pm: ½ scoop of casein protein and a few bites of cottage cheese or chicken.

Avg daily cals is around 1900-2300.
Avg daily protein is around 160-190g 35-40%
Avg daily carbs is around 150-200g 35-40%
Avg daily fat is around 45-70g 30%

Tips/Theories:
Overall: I try to stick to my basic eating throughout the week and mix it up on Fri, Sat and Sun. I’m not super strict and I still eat pizza, fried chicken and burgers...if you make them at home they’re really not that bad for you. I just try to stick to real foods and not processed foods. If I’m hungry then I eat…if you’re making good choices then there is no reason you should be hungry. If you are then you are doing this all wrong. I’m not a fan of fasting and would rather feed my body the proper nutrients that it needs to be produce my goals. I do walk in the mornings on an empty stomach but I wouldn’t call it fasting since it’s only for 45-60 mins after I wake up.

Booze: Since I started working out back in January I’ve continued to drink mostly on Fri/Sat. I figured that I will consume about 1000-1500 cals on just one night out (this includes food, 2000-3000 cals for two nights). I’ve cut it down to one night a week and sometimes none. I’ve tried to do this because booze can really stop you from reaching your goals. I think if I wasn’t drinking I could have reached the same results in half the time. Just think about how much work you’re going to do to make up for those extra cals!

Carbs: Don’t be scared of carbs! You need carbs to power through a good workout. I’ll try to get most of mine from complex carbs. I usually get about 150-200 a day. I’ve messed around with a low carb diet and couldn’t tell much of a difference (except that it made me tired). At first it seems like it works because you deplete the Glycogen in your muscles but this will bog you down when you work out. This is one of the reasons why it seems like you weigh so much more after a weekend of normal eating or after a large meal…it’s your body recharging your Glycogen storage.

Proteins: I always try to feed my body protein throughout the day. This is why I chose whey protein first thing in the morning and right after my workout. Whey is quickly digested. For all the other times I use casein protein because its “supposed” to be slow released over 6-8 hrs. I also try to have some cooked meat on hand so I can just weigh it out and eat at will. Chicken is easy and can use it all kinds of ways but I change it up a lot.

Fats: I’ve always had a no or low fat mentality but since using the myfitnesspal I realize that I was not getting enough good fats. This was really hard to wrap my head around this way of thinking since my goal is to loose fat. So I just decided to go for it…I probably get most of my fat from nuts, avocados, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, and peanut butter. Guess what…I still lost weight!! Plus, I sleep better, joints feel better and don’t feel hungry between meals. Just stick with the good fats!

Goals: Don't just make it all about body weight. Use other things like tape measure, fat calipers or set different kind of goals like to run faster, hold a hand stand longer, lift a heavier weight. If you have a bunch of mini goals then you won't get bogged down.

Hope this helps at least one of you! Cheers

Cressida

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #103 on: August 10, 2015, 10:52:51 PM »
Maybe this thread needs a "pose off" down the road...lol.
A "FIREmen" calendar?

hahaha, awesome.

Hopefully I did a decent job at this...I didn't do any proofreading! [snip]

I get a little wistful when I read other people's diet plans. Most people, even on a calorie deficit, can eat far more in a day than I can; I have a tiny frame and am at ~107* pounds right now. I have to watch my food intake like a hawk to avoid putting on fat.

But seriously: unbelievable job, DollarBill. That is inspiring.


*no hate. Honestly, I am very very small and am probably carrying a smidge too much fat even at that weight.

okits

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #104 on: August 10, 2015, 11:04:42 PM »
GEEZ, Dollar Bill!  Hugh Jackman called, he wants his abs back!

(Seriously, huge congratulations!)

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #105 on: August 11, 2015, 07:47:07 AM »
DollarBill - I can't tolerate any soy, nor much extra whey or casein so I avoid all the add-in protein but I totally agree with you about the importance of whole grains and good fats. I'd add to your good fat list any source of animal fat that's been pastured/sustainably raised (animals fed their natural diets and allowed to exercise have dramatically better omega3-6 balance and saturated fat content).

At least around here, pork is the most economical (<$2/lb hanging weight if bought as a side/whole pig, closer to $6/lb retail cuts) of the sustainable meats. It's also incredible. I hated grocery store pork until I tried some pastured pork - taste is much better, meat is tender, and while I trim some fat off, the fat that is in the meats is quite tasty.

I don't track my eating but expect I might need to soon to get the last bit of weight loss and muscle gain. We will see - I hate doing this unless I absolutely must.

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #106 on: August 11, 2015, 03:13:10 PM »
Dang maybe I should have used a current picture since I'm down to 188 ;-)

***By the way ladies I'm still single*** Ahhhahaha

DollarBill - I can't tolerate any soy, nor much extra whey or casein so I avoid all the add-in protein but I totally agree with you about the importance of whole grains and good fats. I'd add to your good fat list any source of animal fat that's been pastured/sustainably raised (animals fed their natural diets and allowed to exercise have dramatically better omega3-6 balance and saturated fat content).

At least around here, pork is the most economical (<$2/lb hanging weight if bought as a side/whole pig, closer to $6/lb retail cuts) of the sustainable meats. It's also incredible. I hated grocery store pork until I tried some pastured pork - taste is much better, meat is tender, and while I trim some fat off, the fat that is in the meats is quite tasty.

I don't track my eating but expect I might need to soon to get the last bit of weight loss and muscle gain. We will see - I hate doing this unless I absolutely must.
Depending on your goals I don't think it takes as much protein to just maintain muscle and I'll probably reduce my intake after I get to my maintain level. I upped my intake to try and keep what I have during my cut. I'll cook up a pork butt from the local butcher about every month or two and freeze half of it. I stick to a majority of chicken since I can find it for less then $2 a lb. I also figured out that if I get it from the meat dept (instead of the prepackaged area) then I'll get an extra lb of meat. Because in the prepackage area you are also paying for the juice and packaging. That's an extra 3-4 chicken breast.

I think it's good to track your eating even if it's just for a little bit. It really opened my eyes to what I was really eating prior. Just by looking at some food I can come really close to how much it weighs. Now I'm able to do a quick tally in my head and I can make better decisions. I'll be switching soon from weight loss to gaining more muscle and I think it will be very handy because I don't want to do a dirty bulk.

okits

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #107 on: August 12, 2015, 07:56:18 PM »
Dang maybe I should have used a current picture since I'm down to 188 ;-)

***By the way ladies I'm still single*** Ahhhahaha


If you've got it, flaunt it!  If you've still got an online dating profile be sure to include a gratuitous shirtless beach photo.  Or at least disclose: "I have abs."

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #108 on: August 12, 2015, 09:40:19 PM »
Thanks for taking the time to post all your work out and diet plan info. Very helpful to see what others do. I'm usually pretty good with maintaining where I want to be fitness and weight wise but really fall off the wagon when I go long road trips with my dog. Way too much downtime and bad food compared to my usual workout level and healthy eating. Haven't found a way to keep up the intensity level and often want to cut my trips short (or even forgo them completely) out of fear of losing everything I've gained. I think my "before" photos will end up looking much better than my "after" photos ...sigh... Hoping the sister moves in come Jan and can pet sit so I can go without the dog and keep up a high level of activity on trips.

I think I'm about a month or two away from being at my ideal weight and it will be interesting to transition to maintain mode. I'll be happy to stay around 180lbs (+ or - 10lbs). I'm sure it won't be a problem when I'm home but I do have a 3 trips planed in Sept-Nov...which means being overindulgent! I just looked at my past notes on the last time I went to my parents house for about 18 days I gained about 4-5 lbs even while working out. Who knows how much of that was actually fat vs swollen innereds...it only took about a week to return to my prior weight. I mostly have to watch it at my Dads house because it's like a smorgasbord of food and drinks.

I really try to relate fitness/food like I do my budget. Save a little for a splurge and just because I have a surplus doesn't mean I have to spend it all at once.     

Dang maybe I should have used a current picture since I'm down to 188 ;-)

***By the way ladies I'm still single*** Ahhhahaha


If you've got it, flaunt it!  If you've still got an online dating profile be sure to include a gratuitous shirtless beach photo.  Or at least disclose: "I have abs."

Unfortunately like an idiot I got suckered into signing up again...lol. Normally I wouldn't post any pictures like that because I want to be taken seriously but maybe I should do it because it would be so interesting to see the results.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #109 on: August 12, 2015, 10:24:06 PM »
One thing I have really learned to do since FIRE'ing and dedicating myself to fitness is to "listen to my body". I know, sounds corny. I recently heard it say "lay off the weights for a bit" in the form of bicep and shoulder soreness that wasn't going away - it would temporarily seem a little better, then an arm or shoulder workout would bring the pain back. So I haven't lifted in a week and things feel much better.

Have I been sitting on my ass eating Doritos? Nope. Sunday I walked 22km with a 30 pound pack and pretty much put my legs through the ringer. Yesterday was a 17km paddle around "my lsland" - a fantastic workout from the waist up - yet the moderate resistence (thousands of reps!) of each paddle stroke didn't aggravate my joint issues like lifting heavy weights did.

I am itching to get back to lifting - contemplating tomorrow...with a decrease of the poundage to see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

DollarBill, interesting that you figure in about a month you will be where you want in terms of weight...I'm giving myself 2.5 months to get where I want to be. That gives me to the end of October when I will jet down to our place in Baja where I can only assume folks are going to be shocked by my "new look". Last time my Mexican friends saw me I was 240 pounds, well over 20% body fat. I hope to be around 195 pounds with 10% (or less) body fat when I assume my usual position by the pool. I frankly cannot wait for the reaction of the folks down there. Without posting before and after pics it's hard to stress this enough - I LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than I did a year ago.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2015, 10:47:26 PM by Jon_Snow »

okits

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #110 on: August 12, 2015, 10:57:06 PM »
Dang maybe I should have used a current picture since I'm down to 188 ;-)

***By the way ladies I'm still single*** Ahhhahaha


If you've got it, flaunt it!  If you've still got an online dating profile be sure to include a gratuitous shirtless beach photo.  Or at least disclose: "I have abs."

Unfortunately like an idiot I got suckered into signing up again...lol. Normally I wouldn't post any pictures like that because I want to be taken seriously but maybe I should do it because it would be so interesting to see the results.
[/quote]

Totally do it!  It's good to differentiate yourself and generate additional interest.  If you've written a coherent, intelligent description of yourself the right women will still take you seriously with a flaunting photo (maybe even take you more seriously - ha!)

libertarian4321

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #111 on: August 13, 2015, 03:54:13 AM »
Well, I'm not perfect.

While I was Hell of a runner when I was young- ran marathons, half marathons, 5ks, 10ks, etc, I figured that as I got older, I had limited discipline and wasn't going to be both fitness obsessed and a rich.

So I chose to be a paunchy, middle aged multi-millionaire.

If I feel like feeling the thrill of athletic competition, I'll just play NBA 2k15.  It's actually a hell of a lot more exciting than a road race.

Running is NOT exciting.  I was good at it, so I kept it up even after HS, but it's boring as Hell.  One foot in front of the other.  For miles. and miles.  and miles.  Day after day.  In obscurity.  All that to compete in races that are watched by essentially no one other than friends and family of your fellow runners.

Wow, so exciting.  It ain't exactly the sport that draws the ladies in.  Unless you count your Mom or your sister.

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #112 on: August 13, 2015, 09:46:40 AM »
One thing I have really learned to do since FIRE'ing and dedicating myself to fitness is to "listen to my body". I know, sounds corny. I recently heard it say "lay off the weights for a bit" in the form of bicep and shoulder soreness that wasn't going away - it would temporarily seem a little better, then an arm or shoulder workout would bring the pain back. So I haven't lifted in a week and things feel much better.

Have I been sitting on my ass eating Doritos? Nope. Sunday I walked 22km with a 30 pound pack and pretty much put my legs through the ringer. Yesterday was a 17km paddle around "my lsland" - a fantastic workout from the waist up - yet the moderate resistence (thousands of reps!) of each paddle stroke didn't aggravate my joint issues like lifting heavy weights did.

I am itching to get back to lifting - contemplating tomorrow...with a decrease of the poundage to see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

DollarBill, interesting that you figure in about a month you will be where you want in terms of weight...I'm giving myself 2.5 months to get where I want to be. That gives me to the end of October when I will jet down to our place in Baja where I can only assume folks are going to be shocked by my "new look". Last time my Mexican friends saw me I was 240 pounds, well over 20% body fat. I hope to be around 195 pounds with 10% (or less) body fat when I assume my usual position by the pool. I frankly cannot wait for the reaction of the folks down there. Without posting before and after pics it's hard to stress this enough - I LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than I did a year ago.
I've had a aches and pains along the way and really tried to narrow down which exercises were aggravating my joints/muscles. I really got worried about my elbow (top part of my fore arm and bottom of my bicep) when I stopped doing upright rows then the pain went away. I also had some shoulder problems and I notice that when I do incline bench at a certain angle will aggravate it, also with chest flys with dumbbells (so I only use cables now) and no shoulder presses behind my neck (only at a slight fwd press on a machine). I also don't do leg extensions any more...too hard on my knees. Since I changed it up its been great.

I haven't had many people shocked by the new me. Mostly because I think I held it well (Sucked in...lol). I saw my family when I was about 205 and they thought I looked good then. So when they see me at about 185 then I'm sure they will tell me I'm too skinny and try to feed me extra. My Sister is the only one who hasn't seen me and I'm heading to Austin over Labor Day for a visit. It will be interesting to see what she says because when I left her place last time it was around New Years and at my highest weight. I remember telling both her and my Mom that the next time you see me I'll be 30lbs lighter (They both kind of chuckled). Well in another 3 more lbs I'll be down 50 lbs.

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #113 on: August 14, 2015, 03:45:39 PM »

I get a little wistful when I read other people's diet plans. Most people, even on a calorie deficit, can eat far more in a day than I can; I have a tiny frame and am at ~107* pounds right now. I have to watch my food intake like a hawk to avoid putting on fat.

+1!
Small frame 5'0" lady, right here. Recommended daily caloric intake is far too small for what I would *like* to eat, haha. ;) being fairly active regularly helps, though.
Could one of you do a post of your typical daily intake? It would be interesting to see.

Cressida

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #114 on: August 14, 2015, 05:38:56 PM »

I get a little wistful when I read other people's diet plans. Most people, even on a calorie deficit, can eat far more in a day than I can; I have a tiny frame and am at ~107* pounds right now. I have to watch my food intake like a hawk to avoid putting on fat.

+1!
Small frame 5'0" lady, right here. Recommended daily caloric intake is far too small for what I would *like* to eat, haha. ;) being fairly active regularly helps, though.
Could one of you do a post of your typical daily intake? It would be interesting to see.

It's pretty boring, really. My maintenance daily caloric intake is about 1500. I might have some fruit for breakfast, around 75 calories. Lunch is usually around 4-500 calories, whatever thing I made in bulk and am keeping in my freezer (at the moment it's bean/chicken burritos). Dinner can be literally anything, from kale/quinoa salad (this recipe is the bomb) to a burger or something - as you say, I figure if I'm making it and I don't eat too much of it, it's probably OK. That would probably be around 5-600 calories. After I've finished my chores for the day, I pretty inevitably have a beer, so that's another 150.

That's pretty standard, but the rest just depends on circumstances. Like, if we have guests, I'll probably spring for another beer. If someone brought cookies to work and I had one (I do usually resist), I have to keep in mind for the rest of the day that that was probably an additional 200 calories. Etc.

What it comes down to is that I don't really try to eat particularly "healthfully" aside from the fact that I cook all my own food; instead, I have small portions. For better or worse, I've spent enough time logging my intake that when I look at my plate, I have a pretty good idea of how many calories are on it. The big culprits tend to be wheat (a tortilla is 200 calories. 200!!, and don't get me started on the beer, it's my weakness), fried foods, cheese. And I tend to avoid sweets pretty much completely, even if I can't resist the occasional coworker cookie.

And, when I say 1500 calories, that's only if I'm semi-active, which in a typical day for me is usually a fair amount of walking and some light bodyweight exercises. If I'm not getting even that level of activity, then of course I need to take in less food.

More than you wanted to know. :)

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #115 on: August 15, 2015, 02:19:46 PM »
Thanks Cressida/allsummerlong!
Your right it doesn't seem like a lot of food and when you do add the occasional tortilla, cookie or beers it can really run the number up. I just looked at my avg intake and it's really not far off the 1500 cals if you removed the extra protein shakes and it's still a lot of food.

I had a bit of a laugh today going over what I ate/drank yesterday (It was a cheat day). I did good until I went to a rodeo...lots of beers, sloppy joe, nacho's (2000 cals). Total intake was about 3700 cals but I did burn about 1100 cals from the gym and walking the dog. I'll consider it a push ;-).

Cressida

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #116 on: August 15, 2015, 04:00:55 PM »
I had a bit of a laugh today going over what I ate/drank yesterday (It was a cheat day). I did good until I went to a rodeo...lots of beers, sloppy joe, nacho's (2000 cals). Total intake was about 3700 cals but I did burn about 1100 cals from the gym and walking the dog. I'll consider it a push ;-).

Sounds delicious! :)

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #117 on: August 16, 2015, 09:54:17 PM »
 
Quote
salad dressings are both homemade so have plenty of tahini, extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, walnuts, etc...
I need details on salad dressing because it sounds great.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #118 on: August 17, 2015, 09:59:16 AM »
My diet has slipped a bit in the last week, although I have kept the exercise up to where it should be. But yeah, being back in the city now and a couple of blocks from my gym...I am going to punish myself appropriately in there. 2 hour gym session incoming... ;)

I was thinking about my upcoming Mexico stay this winter. I am not going to lie, on previous holidays there I have always had a tough time not COMPLETELY falling off the wagon in terms of diet and exercise. The combination of warm weather, incredible food and cheap booze has always proved to be to seductive for me. I would use this time to decompress from the stresses of work for a few weeks - and food and booze were integral parts of this process. But now, as I head down ALREADY in decompressed form (thanks FIRE!) I think I will be able to approach my Mexico stay much differently.

My goal this year is to go down there and at least MAINTAIN the fitness level I have as I get off the plane. This will mean turning down a lot of invitations to go out to eat - many of my Baja friends eat out EVERY NIGHT. And it means that the fitness regimen I am doing now MUST continue there...there is a nice gym just a 5 minute walk away, so I will likely sign up for a month long membership, horribly overpriced as it is. There is a price locals pay, and a higher "gringo" price. This wouldn't fly in the U.S. or Canada...but this is Mexico. *sigh* Whatever.

There will be no back sliding in this aspect of my life. None.

BTDretire

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #119 on: August 29, 2015, 03:41:12 PM »
My goal in 2015 is to get my endurance back. 
 ...but it seems like every time I ramp up the miles I end up injured or sometimes even sick. 
So I'm trying to build my training base by incorporating enough rest that that doesn't happen.

I'm nearing retirement, I don't say FIRE because I'm 60, I guess I could say FIR.
Financially Independent Retiring.
 I had a back issue that hobbled my exertion for 5 years, my endurance crashed.
I'm doing better now, I swim a mile 4 days a week, it's been about 4 months since I started that.
 I have not lost any weight. ;-[  On the other hand most people would not say I'm over weight,
I would feel losing 10lbs would make me comfortable.
  When I started, I did 8 laps with rest between every two laps, now I swim 70 laps continuous
in less than 50* minutes.

* I cheat,
 I swim with mask (don't have to mess with my contacts), snorkel (it's great to have oxygen) and I just got gloves.
The gloves make your hand push more water and actually give harder workout.  I'm sore this week because of them,
but it's good to be sore, I know I worked at it.

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #120 on: August 29, 2015, 04:42:21 PM »
Definitely more fit. Prior to FI, I had to compromise my workouts because of time. Now I can go on a 2-3 hour bike ride (I cycle about 3 times a week). I've also joined a workout club and go to twice weekly 1 hour workouts with a group. It motivates me to workout harder and I look forward to going. Since it is at 10 am., I would not have been able to do that prior to FI.

Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #121 on: September 28, 2015, 11:24:42 AM »
I am under 225 for the first time in years.  On a slow crawl down to 175.  About a pound of progress a week has been my approach.

Arktinkerer

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #122 on: September 28, 2015, 12:15:43 PM »
No gym membership but working in the garden and projects around the house has trimmed my waist in the first couple months of FIRE.  Also less snacking since I'm out doing stuff.   Losing a little less than a pound a week but certainly moving mass from fat to muscle...

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #123 on: September 28, 2015, 12:40:45 PM »
I feel like I am slacking off - gone from 5 days a week at the gym to 4.

Most of the fitness literature I've been reading suggests more recovery time is essential. I've already seen an increase in strength and muscle quality and a decrease in some of my aches and pains since I've installed this "maintenance" day.

Continue rockin' the health and fitness FIRE'd folks! I am firmly of the mind that there is no excuse not to be healthier post-FIRE (provided that there are no pre-existing health issues preventing this).


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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #124 on: September 28, 2015, 01:27:33 PM »
I'm not even close to fire, but since seeing the light in April, I've begun taking my fitness more seriously.  I want to be fit when I fire so I can enjoy it.  I've  always been moderately athletic but I had been slowly been creeping up the scale and the belt notches.  At 5'8 I was 180 lbs and am down to a post college low of 160.

I dropped the gym membership and have been working out at home using a program from fitnessblender.com.  I'm not affiliated with them in any way, just sharing what works for me.  My wife and I follow the 4 week fat loss for busy people plan of theirs.  Lots of HIIT, cardio, stretching and some free weights.  Only 30 minutes a day.  We also bought and ride bikes a lot more than ever.  Thanks MMM!

I also cut down the portions, snacking (the bad kind) and drinking (again, the bad kind). 

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #125 on: September 29, 2015, 03:41:13 PM »
I'm not even close to fire, but since seeing the light in April, I've begun taking my fitness more seriously.  I want to be fit when I fire so I can enjoy it. 

+1

I wish I had taken steps like this in the few years leading up to FIRE so that the minute I was FREE I could hit the ground running as a FIT FIRE'ee.  I had made some dietary changes 3 months before my FIRE-date, enough to lose around 10 pounds. Took me another 6 months to lose the other 50. Now slowly ADDING weight - the GOOD KIND of weight. The kind DW likes. ;)





Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #126 on: September 29, 2015, 03:49:27 PM »
[...] Now slowly ADDING weight - the GOOD KIND of weight. The kind DW likes. ;)

How exactly?  I am still in weight loss/"cutting" mode and will be for several months.  But once I get down to about 165, I'd like to switch gears and put on some muscle.  Is it really necessary to eat enough protein to gain weight or can I just eat enough to hold weight steady?  Do you find heavy weights work better than medium weight with lots of reps?  I have a Bowflex that Dad got tired of and donated to me but I might move it to the extra room on the garage and join the local 10/mo gym if I need better/more equipment.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #127 on: September 29, 2015, 05:09:31 PM »
Well, you are going to need LOTS of protein. I'm trying to eat around 200g of high quality protein spread across 6 meals in a day. It is somewhat challenging...but a big tub of whey protein makes things easier. I'm trying to stay lean AND build muscle which is a tricky balance. The things I have read say that if you want to maximize your muscle/strength gains, you don't want to go overboard on the cardio. Well, that's not gonna work for me...I'm training for a half marathon right now.

I'm not sure if I'm lifting heavy or light, but the program I have been following for a few months now says to pick a weight on a certain exercise that will allow you to do 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps (or failure).

In the past month I've also introduced some more advanced supplements into the picture...and though I've always been skeptical of such products...I am now a believer.

I'm lucky to have a very good (and cheap) gym right around the corner that I can walk to in 5 minutes so it was a no brainer to join. I would suggest that if you want to get serious about this, join the gym. I have learned a ton just by observing others who have obviously been having success in the fitness game - more than a few stunning specimens strutting (and they DO strut) around. ;)

Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #128 on: September 29, 2015, 08:28:51 PM »
Thanks.  Copied that to bottom of notepad file i use to track daily diet and weight.  will be ready for review when i hit target weight.

Kriegsspiel

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #129 on: September 30, 2015, 04:43:59 AM »
Jon, are you buying those "advanced" supps from companies? You can usually make your own cocktails that include all the important parts. For instance, instead of buying Cell-Tech (made of some vitamins, creatine mono, BCAAs, and sugar), you can buy generic creatine, and either ignore vitamins/BCAAs or buy generic versions of those, and buy your own sugar. Or if you like preworkouts, just get some vitamin B3, caffeine, and sugar, and see if it does the same thing.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2015, 04:50:59 AM by Kriegsspiel »

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #130 on: September 30, 2015, 07:58:13 AM »
Jon, are you buying those "advanced" supps from companies? You can usually make your own cocktails that include all the important parts. For instance, instead of buying Cell-Tech (made of some vitamins, creatine mono, BCAAs, and sugar), you can buy generic creatine, and either ignore vitamins/BCAAs or buy generic versions of those, and buy your own sugar. Or if you like preworkouts, just get some vitamin B3, caffeine, and sugar, and see if it does the same thing.

Interesting...didn't know about "all in one" products like Cell-Tech. I am taking high quality (according to GNC dude) versions of creatine, BCAA's, and whey protein. Since the introduction of creatine and BCAA's there has been a noticable improvement in overall workout stamina and muscle gains. I'm a bit leery about long term effects of these products so I plan to phase them out of my life once I head down to Mexico for the winter. There is actually a very nice gym very close to our place in Baja and I'm thinking about joining it for a couple of months while I'm down there. Then again, a break from lifting, especially at my age, would probably not be a bad idea. I've developed persistent tennis/golfers elbow issues (according to my doc) from lifting and he says NOT LIFTING is the best treatment. It is hard to stop though - this journey has become addicting.

RecoveringCarClown

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #131 on: October 08, 2015, 11:06:40 AM »
One thing I have really learned to do since FIRE'ing and dedicating myself to fitness is to "listen to my body". I know, sounds corny. I recently heard it say "lay off the weights for a bit" in the form of bicep and shoulder soreness that wasn't going away - it would temporarily seem a little better, then an arm or shoulder workout would bring the pain back. So I haven't lifted in a week and things feel much better.

Have I been sitting on my ass eating Doritos? Nope. Sunday I walked 22km with a 30 pound pack and pretty much put my legs through the ringer. Yesterday was a 17km paddle around "my lsland" - a fantastic workout from the waist up - yet the moderate resistence (thousands of reps!) of each paddle stroke didn't aggravate my joint issues like lifting heavy weights did.

I am itching to get back to lifting - contemplating tomorrow...with a decrease of the poundage to see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

DollarBill, interesting that you figure in about a month you will be where you want in terms of weight...I'm giving myself 2.5 months to get where I want to be. That gives me to the end of October when I will jet down to our place in Baja where I can only assume folks are going to be shocked by my "new look". Last time my Mexican friends saw me I was 240 pounds, well over 20% body fat. I hope to be around 195 pounds with 10% (or less) body fat when I assume my usual position by the pool. I frankly cannot wait for the reaction of the folks down there. Without posting before and after pics it's hard to stress this enough - I LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than I did a year ago.
I've had a aches and pains along the way and really tried to narrow down which exercises were aggravating my joints/muscles. I really got worried about my elbow (top part of my fore arm and bottom of my bicep) when I stopped doing upright rows then the pain went away. I also had some shoulder problems and I notice that when I do incline bench at a certain angle will aggravate it, also with chest flys with dumbbells (so I only use cables now) and no shoulder presses behind my neck (only at a slight fwd press on a machine). I also don't do leg extensions any more...too hard on my knees. Since I changed it up its been great.

I haven't had many people shocked by the new me. Mostly because I think I held it well (Sucked in...lol). I saw my family when I was about 205 and they thought I looked good then. So when they see me at about 185 then I'm sure they will tell me I'm too skinny and try to feed me extra. My Sister is the only one who hasn't seen me and I'm heading to Austin over Labor Day for a visit. It will be interesting to see what she says because when I left her place last time it was around New Years and at my highest weight. I remember telling both her and my Mom that the next time you see me I'll be 30lbs lighter (They both kind of chuckled). Well in another 3 more lbs I'll be down 50 lbs.


How was labor day? Did you blow their minds??!

BTDretire

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #132 on: October 08, 2015, 05:27:25 PM »
Like every New Years Resolution ever made by nearly everyone, and often not kept, seems that most pre-FIRE people have the goal to get fit, get thin, and get active once they no longer are working and have the time. So have you been able to reach your fitness/weight goals or have you succumbed to the lure of the "just one more donut and a check of the MMM forums while in the flannel PJ's and then I'll go work out" thing. Have you increased you workouts and physical activities as much as you thought you would or fallen more idle or lack motivation now that you aren't working? I'm in the more active/more fit camp since FIRE but do sometimes find it easy to put some fitness things off until....tomorrow... or...

 Let's just say I'm not FIRE yet but awfully warm.
 I'm in my preretirement conditioning program.
I heriated two discs in May 2010, it set me back for
a little over 4 years.
   
 This May I started swimming 4 days a week,
I also walk 20 to 25 miles a week, after 5 months,
I realized, I was not losing any weight even though
I'm swimming 1.5 miles, sometimes 2 miles. 
Most would say I'm not overweight, but I could lose
10 to 15 lbs and still not be skinny.
So at the beginning of Sept., I started eating less.
That simple, eat less.
 Now my weight has dropped.
Sept. 03, 167.0 lbs
Sept. 10, 162.5 lbs
Sept. 17, 161.0 lbs
Sept. 24, 160.0 lbs   
Oct.  01  161.0 lbs
Oct.  08  156.5 lbs---Yippee
Oct.  15  153.0 lbs
Oct.  22  155.0 lbs
Oct.  29  157.5 lbs
Nov, 05  157.0 lbs (edit to update) Hope I'm back on track now!
Nov. 12  153.0 lbs
Nov. 19  153.5 lbs
Nov. 27  155.0 lbs
Dec. 03  154.0 lbs  Thanksgiving day weight :-)
I'm 5ft 7 inches tall.

 I take a 4 mile walk every Thursday to a store that has a very large scale in their lobby, I weigh myself there. Above is the record since I started.

 I've added to my routine, deep knee bends, (squats)
with just a broom handle behind my head. So far no weight,
I still have back issues.  While I'm walking if I have to wait at a light,
 I will do squats until I feel the burn.
I use some dumbbells, to do curls, shoulder press and bent over row.
 I don't have a regular routine, I just pick up the weights while
I'm watching TV.
  I'm finding a motivation I haven't had, I'm getting up at 5am to swim,
but find it hard to get up at 7:15 for work!
  I feel much better now that I'm physically active.
 I think that should be repeated!
I feel much better now that I'm physically active.
My blood pressure is lower since I started this.
I took a 20 sample average in May and a 20 sample average in Sept.
and I had a 9/7 point drop. I'm on a BP med, but If this keeps up, I
may be able to stop. I went to the dentist this morning, they checked
my BP, it was 105/43, very low!  I checked my BP when I got home,
it measured 107/57. btw, I'm 60 years old.
 What was your question?  :-)
I think I just wanted to tell somebody I'm doing great!!
« Last Edit: December 04, 2015, 11:18:42 AM by Qmavam »

Financial.Velociraptor

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #133 on: October 08, 2015, 06:05:54 PM »
QMavan,

Gogogogogogo!  I have also cut back on portion sizes and lose a steady 2 pounds a week.  Down from peak of 250 to 220 this week.  Thirty pounds gone!

BTDretire

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #134 on: October 10, 2015, 09:11:15 AM »
QMavan,

Gogogogogogo!  I have also cut back on portion sizes and lose a steady 2 pounds a week.  Down from peak of 250 to 220 this week.  Thirty pounds gone!

   Congrats Fin.Vel,
 30 pounds is big time, keep up the healthy lifestyle!

  My little bit of weight loss was not steady, but I'm going in the right direction.
I don't think I want to get much below 150lbs, but we will see
  I'm looking forward to my next cholesterol and body fat test. I want to see if
I'm having a positive effect.
                       

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #135 on: October 13, 2015, 07:05:18 AM »
One thing I have really learned to do since FIRE'ing and dedicating myself to fitness is to "listen to my body". I know, sounds corny. I recently heard it say "lay off the weights for a bit" in the form of bicep and shoulder soreness that wasn't going away - it would temporarily seem a little better, then an arm or shoulder workout would bring the pain back. So I haven't lifted in a week and things feel much better.

Have I been sitting on my ass eating Doritos? Nope. Sunday I walked 22km with a 30 pound pack and pretty much put my legs through the ringer. Yesterday was a 17km paddle around "my lsland" - a fantastic workout from the waist up - yet the moderate resistence (thousands of reps!) of each paddle stroke didn't aggravate my joint issues like lifting heavy weights did.

I am itching to get back to lifting - contemplating tomorrow...with a decrease of the poundage to see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

DollarBill, interesting that you figure in about a month you will be where you want in terms of weight...I'm giving myself 2.5 months to get where I want to be. That gives me to the end of October when I will jet down to our place in Baja where I can only assume folks are going to be shocked by my "new look". Last time my Mexican friends saw me I was 240 pounds, well over 20% body fat. I hope to be around 195 pounds with 10% (or less) body fat when I assume my usual position by the pool. I frankly cannot wait for the reaction of the folks down there. Without posting before and after pics it's hard to stress this enough - I LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than I did a year ago.
I've had a aches and pains along the way and really tried to narrow down which exercises were aggravating my joints/muscles. I really got worried about my elbow (top part of my fore arm and bottom of my bicep) when I stopped doing upright rows then the pain went away. I also had some shoulder problems and I notice that when I do incline bench at a certain angle will aggravate it, also with chest flys with dumbbells (so I only use cables now) and no shoulder presses behind my neck (only at a slight fwd press on a machine). I also don't do leg extensions any more...too hard on my knees. Since I changed it up its been great.

I haven't had many people shocked by the new me. Mostly because I think I held it well (Sucked in...lol). I saw my family when I was about 205 and they thought I looked good then. So when they see me at about 185 then I'm sure they will tell me I'm too skinny and try to feed me extra. My Sister is the only one who hasn't seen me and I'm heading to Austin over Labor Day for a visit. It will be interesting to see what she says because when I left her place last time it was around New Years and at my highest weight. I remember telling both her and my Mom that the next time you see me I'll be 30lbs lighter (They both kind of chuckled). Well in another 3 more lbs I'll be down 50 lbs.


How was labor day? Did you blow their minds??!
lol...It wasn't mind blowing but they were happy for me. I did think it was funny when we went to play Frisbee golf with a couple of her friends. It was hot so I had my shirt off and one of her friends would occasionally throw a Frisbee in my direction. Then one of her friends mentioned that my abs were acting like a tractor beam.

RecoveringCarClown

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #136 on: October 14, 2015, 09:28:06 AM »
I think you have a new screen name "TractorBeamAbs"

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #137 on: October 14, 2015, 09:38:14 AM »
I'm going to be in Mexico very soon with my new post-FIRE body. Very interested to see if there will be a similar tractor beam effect. There is a very large population of "cougars" in the area so I will have to be on my toes. ;)

DollarBill

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #138 on: October 16, 2015, 01:12:51 PM »
I'm going to be in Mexico very soon with my new post-FIRE body. Very interested to see if there will be a similar tractor beam effect. There is a very large population of "cougars" in the area so I will have to be on my toes. ;)
Let me know if you need a hand keeping them away...it's been slow in Kansas lol

Kriegsspiel

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #139 on: October 16, 2015, 01:30:29 PM »
Those midwest farmers daughters not making you feel alright?

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #140 on: October 16, 2015, 01:45:00 PM »
I'm going to be in Mexico very soon with my new post-FIRE body. Very interested to see if there will be a similar tractor beam effect. There is a very large population of "cougars" in the area so I will have to be on my toes. ;)
Let me know if you need a hand keeping them away...it's been slow in Kansas lol

Haha, you bet...

Actually, the cougar that worries me most is my wife. A bit of tequila, some tropical sun and the claws might be out!

*silently ponders whether or not his DW might lurk on these boards (he suspects so) and wonders about possible repercussions of referring to her as a "cougar" - something I haven't done IRL...because he values his life*

Kriegsspiel

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #141 on: October 16, 2015, 02:00:04 PM »
I'm going to be in Mexico very soon with my new post-FIRE body. Very interested to see if there will be a similar tractor beam effect. There is a very large population of "cougars" in the area so I will have to be on my toes. ;)
Let me know if you need a hand keeping them away...it's been slow in Kansas lol

Haha, you bet...

Actually, the cougar that worries me most is my wife. A bit of tequila, some tropical sun and the claws might be out!

*silently ponders whether or not his DW might lurk on these boards (he suspects so) and wonders about possible repercussions of referring to her as a "cougar" - something I haven't done IRL...because he values his life*

Maybe she doesn't know it is a compliment?

Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #142 on: October 16, 2015, 02:27:03 PM »
I'm going to be in Mexico very soon with my new post-FIRE body. Very interested to see if there will be a similar tractor beam effect. There is a very large population of "cougars" in the area so I will have to be on my toes. ;)
Let me know if you need a hand keeping them away...it's been slow in Kansas lol

Haha, you bet...

Actually, the cougar that worries me most is my wife. A bit of tequila, some tropical sun and the claws might be out!

*silently ponders whether or not his DW might lurk on these boards (he suspects so) and wonders about possible repercussions of referring to her as a "cougar" - something I haven't done IRL...because he values his life*

Maybe she doesn't know it is a compliment?

I'm quite confident she is not fond of the term. :)

smiller257

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #143 on: October 17, 2015, 07:43:40 AM »
Definitely more fit since FIRE (3 years now for me). I cycle 3 times a week (between 1-2 hours each time I go out), I take a Group Power weight lifting class twice a week and I find lots of time for other activities (walking on the beach, hiking, swimming, skiing, etc.).

kerik68

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #144 on: November 24, 2015, 01:52:06 PM »
DH and I along with our adult daughter started to do the Whole 30 on November 2 and are 23 days in to it. It's basically Paleo Extreme but I've never felt better in my life. I know I am dropping lbs because my pants are falling off and my belt doesn't fit but you cannot weigh until after the 30 days. I think we'll continue along with this as long as we can but may have wine at Christmas.

I've always been a pretty good cook but I'm seriously improving in retirement and staying within the rules of this program. 

I need to ramp up the exercise though!



NorcalBlue

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #145 on: December 01, 2015, 01:28:19 PM »
Fit all the way!  Always kept myself fit, but now that I'm Fire'D, I plan on kicking it up a notch.  Eating better (via cooking more), workout everyday.  This is one of the big pluses of being RE if you ask me - in order to live life to the fullest, being in good shape is a must IMHO.

Frankies Girl

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #146 on: December 01, 2015, 01:48:14 PM »
I'm stalled out on my weight loss but I managed to make it through thanksgiving without gaining anything, so woot!

Currently about 86 pounds down with quite a bit more to go, and not feeling it lately to go exercise (been sick so using that as an excuse), but I'm trying to keep up with my basic routine as I really don't want to lose the muscle definition in my arms I developed from swimming all summer. Coming up on my 1 year of my weight loss/get my fat ass in shape anniversary, but I think that is pretty good!

The husband has around 60 pounds lost, with maybe 10-20 pounds of fat still to eliminate and/or build up muscle.

We've run into a snag with the husband's health while doing mostly paleo... his cholesterol and triglycerides are way too high, and the doc wants him on drugs. Husband had been on them a few years back and they had some nasty side effects and hates the idea, so we don't know if he can keep eating paleo like we have been. Which sucks, because this is literally the only thing that has been helpful for getting and keeping weight off and feeling good enough to keep up with a basic exercise routine.

So he's upped his krill oil, now taking red yeast rice extract (supposed to help so we're trying), keeping up the exercise and trying to cut back on the red meat (sticking with fish and chicken as the main meat sources throughout the week). He was also told to start donating blood on a regular basis, as the viscosity was too high as well. I think he's fighting hereditary issues (his mother and other relatives are skinny as rails but have insane cholesterol levels), but we'll do the best we can and hope to avoid the heavy prescription drugs as long as possible.


Jon_Snow

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #147 on: December 01, 2015, 02:20:25 PM »
Holy ****....Frankies Girl, you and the hub are absolutely killing it. Congratulations on the combined weight loss.

I strongly suspect that I will return from Baja a bit lighter than when I left...unfortunately most likely due to muscle loss since I haven't been doing any weight training in the 5 weeks I have been here. I have been running 3 or 5 miles with DW every morning with a fair bit of tennis and beach trekking thrown into the mix. This has kept us feeling pretty fit and lean even though our dietary discipline is starting deteriorate now that the trip is coming to an end. There is too much great cuisine here to not indulge to a degree. :)

I am actually looking forward to lifting weights again once I get back to Vancouver.

Frankies Girl

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #148 on: December 01, 2015, 02:33:14 PM »
Holy ****....Frankies Girl, you and the hub are absolutely killing it. Congratulations on the combined weight loss.

I strongly suspect that I will return from Baja a bit lighter than when I left...unfortunately most likely due to muscle loss since I haven't been doing any weight training in the 5 weeks I have been here. I have been running 3 or 5 miles with DW every morning with a fair bit of tennis and beach trekking thrown into the mix. This has kept us feeling pretty fit and lean even though our dietary discipline is starting deteriorate now that the trip is coming to an end. There is too much great cuisine here to not indulge to a degree. :)

I am actually looking forward to lifting weights again once I get back to Vancouver.

Thanks. I got fat as a cow the last decade due to the horrible stress at my job and using food as a comfort/reward/whatever and drug the husband with me (since I'm the cook in the family). I have always been chubby but the last 5 years... man, it was pathetic how fat I got. I made some pretty drastic changes this time last year, and I think if I hadn't quit my job and done this, I'd be looking at getting even fatter and unhealthier and probably dying in a decade or two.

We haven't been on a real vacation yet, but that's one thing that I worry about since we are such foodies - you are talking about all the awesome food you have available down in Baja and it would be so hard to resist for us! :D

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Re: Fit or Fat in FIRE
« Reply #149 on: December 01, 2015, 03:42:06 PM »
Gogogogogogo Frankie's Girl. 

I've been on portion control since March 1.  I'm down 35.2 pounds so about 0.8 pounds per week, only about half your pace!  You impress.