Off Season Conditioning

[riverc0il]

I'm the same height as you Jeff and I'd love to get to 175. What's kind of disheartening is many 'guides' say that 175 is still 'heavy' for a man at 5'8".

Yea, that whole body mass index thing is crazy. At my last physical, I tipped the scales at around 228. At 6'1", that technically made me just heavy enough to be considered "obese". :roll: Most people who know me wouldn't even call me over weight. But according to the BMI thingy, I would need to get down to below 190 to be "normal weight". Yea, right. Height and weight alone are not good determining factors of fitness or body appearance.

Any ways, yesterday I weighed in at 207 (that was before the soda and ice cream, so I won't mention this morning's weight ) so I have lost about 20 pounds since ski season and still falling. I would like to get right under 200 if possible, that would be my college weight.

The only conditioning program I have done is riding at least three times per week and increasing mileage 10% per week (ideally, doesn't always happen). I have not implemented any serious training program, just gradually increasing total miles. I made slight adjustments to my diet but I am still downing a few sodas and energy drinks a week and the occasional fast food run. I think if I completely cut out all the crap, a few more pounds would fall off.

Can't wait to go into the ski season in better shape than I have been in since 2004.

 

[severine]

I hate you guys! Why is always easier for men to lose weight? Brian and I did sparkpeople together a few years ago and I was eating better and exercising more but he always lost the weight easier and ate a lot more crap. I have to be so stringent with what I eat and exercise like mad to see any difference. Either that or be totally stressed and eat nothing at all. Which sucks because I love to bake. How did I lose weight before? I didn't touch liquor or my mixer for 3 years.

 

[o3jeff]

I'm the same height as you Jeff and I'd love to get to 175. What's kind of disheartening is many 'guides' say that 175 is still 'heavy' for a man at 5'8".

Maybe that's not were we should be, but at my last physical my cholesterol and blood pressure were getting borderline high and he said I should loose 10 lbs and those numbers will probably drop to where they should be so I took that as that would be a good weight for me!

 

[deadheadskier]

I hate you guys! Why is always easier for men to lose weight? Brian and I did sparkpeople together a few years ago and I was eating better and exercising more but he always lost the weight easier and ate a lot more crap. I have to be so stringent with what I eat and exercise like mad to see any difference. Either that or be totally stressed and eat nothing at all. Which sucks because I love to bake. How did I lose weight before? I didn't touch liquor or my mixer for 3 years.

I wouldn't call my weight loss 'easy' by any stretch. I've lost less than a pound a week since November and have only been able to do so by working out harder than I have at any point since playing high school sports.

some folks are blessed with high metabolism. I am not one of those folks. Ultimately the formula is quite simple; burn more calories than you take in. It's a constant battle. I had gotten down to 185 on Saturday, but was back up to 190 this morning due to slacking a bit this week and having a couple of big meals with family on Saturday night and Sunday.

ideally I hope to reach 180 and hover around there without having to put in as much effort as I do right now. Say exercise only 3 days a week instead of 5 or 6.

 

[severine]

I wouldn't call my weight loss 'easy' by any stretch. I've lost less than a pound a week since November and have only been able to do so by working out harder than I have at any point since playing high school sports.

some folks are blessed with high metabolism. I am not one of those folks. Ultimately the formula is quite simple; burn more calories than you take in. It's a constant battle. I had gotten down to 185 on Saturday, but was back up to 190 this morning due to slacking a bit this week and having a couple of big meals with family on Saturday night and Sunday.

ideally I hope to reach 180 and hover around there without having to put in as much effort as I do right now. Say exercise only 3 days a week instead of 5 or 6.

I did not say "easy"... I said "easier." I in no way meant to imply that it is easy for anyone. But men are blessed with more muscle mass than women and muscle burns calories.

Guess it's time to put away the mixer again...

 

[Grassi21]

Guess it's time to put away the mixer again...

Just make sure to locate that thing before ski season and the road trips start up again.

 

[deadheadskier]

muscle does burn more fat, no doubt, but I don't think it makes as much of a difference (calories per day) as one might think.

My general observation at my gym is that the women who work out there are in much better shape than the men. They are also there much more consistently than the men.

I have zero desire to diet. I don't eat sweets, but lord knows I can chow a 22oz Porterhouse as an Appetizer and down 2 bottles of wine without thinking about it. You can keep the mixer going just like I keep my appetite for beef and booze going, but you need to work much harder.

I don't like getting up at 5:30 in the morning, but I like the results of doing so. I know when I'm in your situation and have kids it will be much more difficult. Well, maybe not. My wife does not share the same commitment towards going to the gym as I do. I figure when that time comes, if she's going to be home anyways, I'll still be able to go.

it's tough. I've been 'husky' my entire life. If you've followed my posts over the years, I've been saying for the past 5 seasons I need to get in better shape to ski better and have made half ass attempts at it. This is the first time I've ever really gotten after it and I think in large part it has to do with 35 staring me in the face.

......now if I could just commit to giving up tobacco........

one thing at a time

 

[Edd]

muscle does burn more fat, no doubt, but I don't think it makes as much of a difference (calories per day) as one might think.

My general observation at my gym is that the women who work out there are in much better shape than the men. They are also there much more consistently than the men.

I have zero desire to diet. I don't eat sweets, but lord knows I can chow a 22oz Porterhouse as an Appetizer and down 2 bottles of wine without thinking about it. You can keep the mixer going just like I keep my appetite for beef and booze going, but you need to work much harder.

I don't like getting up at 5:30 in the morning, but I like the results of doing so. I know when I'm in your situation and have kids it will be much more difficult. Well, maybe not. My wife does not share the same commitment towards going to the gym as I do. I figure when that time comes, if she's going to be home anyways, I'll still be able to go.

it's tough. I've been 'husky' my entire life. If you've followed my posts over the years, I've been saying for the past 5 seasons I need to get in better shape to ski better and have made half ass attempts at it. This is the first time I've ever really gotten after it and I think in large part it has to do with 35 staring me in the face.

......now if I could just commit to giving up tobacco........

one thing at a time

Hey dude,

Have you been going to Great Bay?

 

[severine]

muscle does burn more fat, no doubt, but I don't think it makes as much of a difference (calories per day) as one might think.

My general observation at my gym is that the women who work out there are in much better shape than the men. They are also there much more consistently than the men.

I have zero desire to diet. I don't eat sweets, but lord knows I can chow a 22oz Porterhouse as an Appetizer and down 2 bottles of wine without thinking about it. You can keep the mixer going just like I keep my appetite for beef and booze going, but you need to work much harder.

I don't like getting up at 5:30 in the morning, but I like the results of doing so. I know when I'm in your situation and have kids it will be much more difficult. Well, maybe not. My wife does not share the same commitment towards going to the gym as I do. I figure when that time comes, if she's going to be home anyways, I'll still be able to go.

it's tough. I've been 'husky' my entire life. If you've followed my posts over the years, I've been saying for the past 5 seasons I need to get in better shape to ski better and have made half ass attempts at it. This is the first time I've ever really gotten after it and I think in large part it has to do with 35 staring me in the face.

......now if I could just commit to giving up tobacco........

one thing at a time

I'm still 27 lbs below my highest weight (and that's highest non-pregnancy weight) so all is not lost. But I'm up 8 lbs from the norm that I've been pretty much stuck at for a few years now, not counting the stress weight loss 2 years ago that I gained back when the stress went away. Funny thing is that last year, May-June also resulted in a similar weight gain putting me at the same weight I'm at now. I blame it on too many festivities too close together... anniversary, son's birthday, B's birthday, daughter's birthday, and Memorial Day picnics being in the middle of that. Throw in 4th of July and it's hard to get away from all the food.

You're doing great and I don't mean to detract from that. Just bummed I guess with all of you losing weight while I'm in the other direction. I need a babysitter.... because 5:30AM sucks when you're a night person who regularly stays up past midnight. You should be very proud of how far you have come. Lifestyle changes are really hard to make stick for the long haul. And you're being realistic about what you're willing to change and what you are not. You'll get there!

 

[mondeo]

muscle does burn more fat, no doubt, but I don't think it makes as much of a difference (calories per day) as one might think.

My general observation at my gym is that the women who work out there are in much better shape than the men. They are also there much more consistently than the men.

I have zero desire to diet. I don't eat sweets, but lord knows I can chow a 22oz Porterhouse as an Appetizer and down 2 bottles of wine without thinking about it. You can keep the mixer going just like I keep my appetite for beef and booze going, but you need to work much harder.

I don't like getting up at 5:30 in the morning, but I like the results of doing so. I know when I'm in your situation and have kids it will be much more difficult. Well, maybe not. My wife does not share the same commitment towards going to the gym as I do. I figure when that time comes, if she's going to be home anyways, I'll still be able to go.

it's tough. I've been 'husky' my entire life. If you've followed my posts over the years, I've been saying for the past 5 seasons I need to get in better shape to ski better and have made half ass attempts at it. This is the first time I've ever really gotten after it and I think in large part it has to do with 35 staring me in the face.

......now if I could just commit to giving up tobacco........

one thing at a time

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/cals.htm

The thing that sucks about weight lifting is that it confounds the use of the scale as a valid measurement of fitness progress. I know I'm in better shape than I have been since college overall, but I'm still 5 pounds heavier than my lowest point last year.10 days ago after my 100th mile of the weekend, I stepped on the scale and was 204. Next day, better hydrated, 206. I'm at 208 now, despite having at least neutral calorie counts every day since then, and probably 8-9K excess calories burned overall. But throw in 3 3-set weightlifting sessions, a couple sprint bike rides, and a couple sprint stairclimber sessions, and I'm still at the same weight. Can be frustrating, but I've been ok at keeping the calorie count at a steady 2300/day, for the most part. Dieting is hazardous to future health, your metabolism adjusts to the lower food intake. I actually make a conscious effort NOT to get below 2300 calories 2 days in a row.

But I'm at 7+ miles an hour on the treadmill (for an hour +,) 70 mile road rides, and gone up at least 10 lbs for each weight lifting excercise. Smaller belt, smaller shirts, fit into old pants. Just need some good weather for a few weekends to put on some really long road rides (figure 70 miles is a pound of fat, 40+100=2lbs/weekend) and I figure 175-180 is attainable for November as long as I keep it up. Little over 100 days to go, just upset I won't be below 200 before I go skiing again (5 days from now )

Just so long as I don't get sick for a month (2007,) injury my achilles for a month (2008,) or break my wrist (2009)...

 

[2knees]

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/cals.htm

The thing that sucks about weight lifting is that it confounds the use of the scale as a valid measurement of fitness progress. I know I'm in better shape than I have been since college overall, but I'm still 5 pounds heavier than my lowest point last year.10 days ago after my 100th mile of the weekend, I stepped on the scale and was 204. Next day, better hydrated, 206. I'm at 208 now, despite having at least neutral calorie counts every day since then, and probably 8-9K excess calories burned overall. But throw in 3 3-set weightlifting sessions, a couple sprint bike rides, and a couple sprint stairclimber sessions, and I'm still at the same weight. Can be frustrating, but I've been ok at keeping the calorie count at a steady 2300/day, for the most part. Dieting is hazardous to future health, your metabolism adjusts to the lower food intake. I actually make a conscious effort NOT to get below 2300 calories 2 days in a row.

But I'm at 7+ miles an hour on the treadmill (for an hour +,) 70 mile road rides, and gone up at least 10 lbs for each weight lifting excercise. Smaller belt, smaller shirts, fit into old pants. Just need some good weather for a few weekends to put on some really long road rides (figure 70 miles is a pound of fat, 40+100=2lbs/weekend) and I figure 175-180 is attainable for November as long as I keep it up. Little over 100 days to go, just upset I won't be below 200 before I go skiing again (5 days from now )

Just so long as I don't get sick for a month (2007,) injury my achilles for a month (2008,) or break my wrist (2009)...

what?

 

[deadheadskier]

Hey dude,

Have you been going to Great Bay?

yes

I had been against it since we moved here because of how expensive it is, but my wife wanted to join last November. Of course, now she goes like 2 times a month. Maybe really didn't want to join and it was her way of telling me I needed to lose weight. :lol:

and of course they open up the Planet Fitness in Stratham two months after we join, where I could've gotten a years membership for the price of one month for the two of us at Great Bay. I'll reevaluate come November. I do like the convenience of Great Bay being a half mile away.

 

[Edd]

yes

I had been against it since we moved here because of how expensive it is, but my wife wanted to join last November. Of course, now she goes like 2 times a month. Maybe really didn't want to join and it was her way of telling me I needed to lose weight. :lol:

and of course they open up the Planet Fitness in Stratham two months after we join, where I could've gotten a years membership for the price of one month for the two of us at Great Bay. I'll reevaluate come November. I do like the convenience of Great Bay being a half mile away.

Except for the way they handled things when I stopped my membership and the high membership fees I had few complaints. It's a very good gym and the expense becomes justified if you take advantage of the classes.

The best class by far was a kickboxing one I took for maybe 1.5 years. It had me in really good shape. They discontinued it at some point in favor of whatever was trendy at the time.

Just remember, if you do quit, to give them 30 days notice or you"ll have to eat an extra month of fees.

 

[Madroch]

Day 75 of P90x- best program ever-down to 146- soph year in HS weight- next round will add weight- hopefully muscle. Could only run today- at scout camp.

 

[drjeff]

Day 75 of P90x- best program ever-down to 146- soph year in HS weight- next round will add weight- hopefully muscle. Could only run today- at scout camp.

Tony Horton is a GREAT motivator on those DVD's!! Really good workout variety too

 

[Madroch]

Drjeff:

Tony H is good, just purchased the Power Half Hour-- as I am getting lazy and want a shorter routine when I finish p90x later this week. Than back to p90x for the pre-season- the leg workout should help for skiing- I hope!

 

[severine]

I started doing the 30 Day Shred. Seems silly but there are a lot of lunges, squats, and core strength exercises. The explosive movements would probably be helpful for ski conditioning but they're only serving to irritate my knee right now. 9 workouts in 10 days (plus a hike and a bellydancing workout) and I've lost 9 lbs.

 

[neil]

I'm at about 95% after my broken collar bone and surgery at the end of last season, and I'm just starting to get back to lifting weights (light!) and running now. I'll probably start doing wall sits and squats as we get into fall to get my legs into shape.

It's sad, but I am absolutely dying to go snowboarding right now. Right now driving 4 hours to Sunday River for half a trail would definitely be done!

 

[Glenn]

I'm back at the gym weekly. Started riding my bike again too.

 

[bvibert]

Started doing some simple at home exercises and stretching along with mountain biking. I plan on adding more exercises as I go. I tend to jump into trying to work out full bore and over do it, trying to avoid that this time. I'm also watching what I eat a little better. I've lost about 6 pounds so far. If I can keep this up I should be in pretty good shape for ski season.