Author Topic: the annual couch potato thread or what's your preferd 'get in shape' activity?  (Read 129192 times)

Offline darkron9

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I've been walking the 2 miles home rather than taking the bus. Increasing trips to the gym for extra walking cardio and weights. And yoga. I will be stretchy and ready to stand in lines and sit in small chairs.

Good job!

around 20 years ago, I went in for a physical and was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, an irregular heartbeat (afib) and diabetes.  I'd managed to lose a bunch of weight, got the cholesterol numbers under control, controlled my high blood with medication and got my diabetes a1c numbers ok.

The afib was still problematic, as it would trigger with stress (mental or physical), hot weather, not enough sleep and too much caffeine.  Just over a year ago, at Anime Los Angeles, during the dead of winter (cold) I had one of my afib attacks.  When I get an attack, I just go down for the count and have to lay on the ground until the dizziness passes.

I knew I had to do something, so I started walking.  I got myself up to 3 miles a day 7 days a week after seeing a group of older women walking around a large parking lot near where I live.  The youngest lady in the group at the time was 78.  The oldest who used a walker was 94 years old.  They all walked 3 miles around the parking lot each time they would come out.  They'd been doing the walking for 40 years!  While 21 miles a week was helpful for me, I eventually had to cut my walking days down to 4 days a week, just like the ladies who gave me the inspiration to walk. 

Oh, I am the baby of the group now as I am 4 months shy of being 70 years old. 

Offline alyssa

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Here's my round of core strength training. This is preceded by 20 min of cardio, like walking. I usually aimed for a mile
these are gentle, basic moves designed for someone who is not a gym person

Please, if there is something unclear either ask, or if you find a modification that is better post the change!!

Exercise list
Do each exercise 3 sets of 10 OR 2 sets of 15. Whichever causes a burn.

Leg lifts: this works the leg muscles
Use ankle weights if capable. lift leg to about 10-12 inches off the floor
1) Lay flat on your back, lift the right leg then the left leg.
2) lay on your right side, lift your left leg
3) lay on your tummy, lift your right leg then your left leg
4) lay on your left side lift your right side

Both leg lifts: This works the abdominal muscles.

1) lift both legs to about 10-12 inches off the floor

Twisty abdominal: to get the side abdominal muscles

1) lay/sit slightly on floor with knees up slightly (in comfort zone), posture is important here!
2) take 5-10 lb weight, touch it to the floor on your right then left, twisting at the waist

Lower back: be careful with this one
1) lay on tummy with feet under a heavy piece of furniture and hands clasped behind your back.
2) gently arch back, raising shoulders, a couple of inches off the floor. 

Back of the leg
1) lay on your back, raise knees, place chair under shins, .
2) raise one leg, straighten it
3) press down with your shin/ankle with the other leg
4) raise hips/arch back

The just stand up muscles:
1) sit on something that is the exact height of your knees so that your feet are flat with a 90 degree angle.
2) place your feet slightly ahead of your knees so u can see them when sitting up slightly leaning forward.
3) stand up

Crunches
1) Sitting, reclined so that there is about a 45 degree angle between your back and the  bed, coffee table etc.
2) with arms crossed on chest, sit up

Easy push ups
1) stand a slightly bent arm’s distance away from a wall
2) with elbows slightly out, and keeping feet stationary
3) lean into wall adjust distance away from wall to accommodate workout resistance

Shins
1) place piece of wood or some similar stable rectangle on floor. Height of an inch or two.
2) stand on the wood with it under the ball of the foot. It is the padded portion of the sole between the toes and the arch
3) raise & lower your heals

Lastly if you feel up to it, plank
1) lay on floor, tummy side down
2) place hands on floor at sholders
3) on knees or toes
4) raise up & hold it



revisiting this because, well, becoming a character from Wall-E
anyone else?
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Offline chocolateshake

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I have to undo the button on my fat pants now.  The belt I wore with my regular pants has been lost long ago.  I haven't needed it for months and I don't remember where I left it.

Offline perc2100

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If anyone wants to take up 'virtual kickboxing' let me know.  The martial arts studio my family has been going to for years now (almost ten), where all but me are karate students (my oldest is a 2nd degree black belt, and my wife is two belts away from black belt) shifted to virtual classes last spring.  There are four of us in our 1100 square foot condo, and we routinely do kickboxing in our living room with at least two, sometimes all four of us at once.  Obviously we don't have large bags, but we've made the class work well.  The classes are Tues & Thurs 7-8 pm PST; once you're officially registered for the class, you also get a link to access each class for a week or two after the fact (so, if you live in, say, England, as a martial artist taking virtual karate classes does, you can do the class on your own time).  The classes are $5 the first week, so you can try it out, and then $30 a month after that for 2 60 min. classes a week (more if you want to access the videos, but I'm kinda lazy and only do 2 classes a week).  The classes are typically structured: first 20 mins are cardio exercises; middle 20 minutes are punching/kicking stuff; final 20 minutes are core workouts & stretches (I'm not a fan of the last 20 mins & that's where I suck the most).

I've been doing kickboxing now for 3 or 4 years, some times more than others (for example, in a non-pandemic fall I'm way busy with marching band rehearsals & whatnot so I typically don't do kickboxing from Sept-mid-Nov), and while I certainly get lazy more often than I'd like, I _always_ feel better after kickboxing (and by 'better' I mean sometimes in pain or soar if it was an extraneous workout that night with, say, lots of pushups or planking or whatnot).

If anyone is interested you can drop me a PM and I can see if I can share the Zoom info for tonight's class for someone to check it out.  Virtually you don't need any wraps or boxing gloves or anything (I don't use wraps, but I do usually wear gloves during the middle 20 just to put myself in the proper mindset).  Tonight class will be me, my wife, and my 6 year old; last Thursday we were the only ones so, though last Tuesday there were about half dozen of us + the two student instructors.  One student instructor is in INCREDIBLY good shape - I used to call her 'Superwoman' before I knew her name; the other one a 3rd degree blackbelt who leads the middle 20 mins and is in his mid 60's and also in person when we occasionally have to hit each other he's the one I'm least looking forward to getting hit by and my black belt son tells me they absolutely don't want to ever get into a sparring match with.  I'm schlubby and in not-great shape myself, but this is legit the only exercise program that I've ever taken to/been excited about.  I can't say enough good stuff about the studio in general, or kickboxing in particular, so hit me up if you want further info!
(I in no way benefit from this free advertisement, I just feel that strongly about the exercise program  8) )

Offline Pyramid

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Gained some weight last year because of four surgeries.  Four.  2020 sucked.  On the upside I have lost those 30lbs. this year.  Lowest I have been in two years. 
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Offline MickeyJack

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I’m walking 3 miles three days a week, weight training three days a week, and rest one day.


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Offline Louie_rob_m

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I have some quarantine weight to shed for sure (just kidding it was there before the quarantine!).  I have been getting into intermittent fasting for the last few months and and it's been working as far as the scale and fit of my clothes.  I have been using the Wendler log app at the gym since Sept and definitely seeing some results, so much stronger than I used to be

Offline MickeyJack

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My New Year's resolution was to lose 10 pounds. I only have 15 more to go.

Offline dolphina

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I hurt my knee last August so I have been unable to do any exercising, but just had surgery on it yesterday, so I can’t wait to start walking and bicycling.


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Offline alyssa

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My New Year's resolution was to lose 10 pounds. I only have 15 more to go.

i resemble that remark !
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Offline perc2100

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My New Year's resolution was to lose 10 pounds. I only have 15 more to go.
Hahaha; this is soooo speaking to me  :P

Offline accelerate

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Re: the annual couch potato thread or what's your preferd 'get in shape' activity?
« Reply #1091 on: September 10, 2022, 02:17:36 PM »
So I finally got back down to my pre-SDCC weight. For most of the pandemic, I had been eating well and exercising a ton. I dropped about 10lbs overall.

And the SDCC 2022 happened. My first vacation since SDCC 2019. And I… overindulged. I came back about 6+lbs heavier in just 5+ days of stuffing my face. And after SDCC, I started going out more, with a series of birthday dinners and BBQs. And so I gained a little more weight post SDCC.

It’s taken a lot of concentrated discipline to get back to portion control and avoiding constant snacking, especially post dinner. Oh, and I increased my exercising as well, going from 90 miles a week of running to 96 miles. Just 6 miles more, but it seems to make a difference.

Offline alyssa

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Re: the annual couch potato thread or what's your preferd 'get in shape' activity?
« Reply #1092 on: September 11, 2022, 08:07:11 AM »
you give me hope

I have got to find a way to integrate movement into my daily activity. It's just been so hot recently- I tell myself, 'once the weather breaks'

also
any tips on how to not snack at night? I don't buy snack food but my ingenuity in snacking kicks into high gear at 7pm
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Offline Transmute Jun

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Re: the annual couch potato thread or what's your preferd 'get in shape' activity?
« Reply #1093 on: September 11, 2022, 10:57:09 AM »
When you want to eat but shouldn't, having a no-calorie drink helps a lot. The liquid fills your stomach and the cup occupies your hands, so mentally you 'feel' like you've had something. This is especially true if you're distracted by something else (like a TV). Ultimately, you don't *need* the food, you *want* the food, so you want to trick your mind into thinking that you've had a snack.

Good choices for the drink are bouillon (if you want salty), tea/coffee, diet soda, sparkling water. You can add a splash of lemon or lime juice to the soda/water to add more flavor (and feel more satisfying). 

I'm actually drinking chicken bouillon right now in lieu of lunch, because I am fasting today. ;)


Offline semigeekgirl

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Re: the annual couch potato thread or what's your preferd 'get in shape' activity?
« Reply #1094 on: September 11, 2022, 12:04:49 PM »
Yep, definitely second the no-calorie drink. Water would be best probably but I don't find it 'distracting' enough so I drink a lot of diet soda. Drinking a diet soda slowly takes 10-15 minutes which is often enough to get me past the snacking urge for at least an hour.