Fitness Goals: Helping Each Other Reach Our Goals

[GolfSpy_KFT]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Out of curiosity, how man of you have more physical type jobs which you would consider part of a fitness or just general keeping in shape routine?

As most have may come to assume, I work at a hospital as our health and fitness coordinator. This, among quite a few other things, involves actively leading 4 different fitness classes per week and instructing six others throughout the week as well. I work with middle aged to senior population individuals mostly at this point, so the classes are lower intensity but still a great way for me to add movement to my day in addition to my own workouts. 

[Golfer2806]

I am 71 and just been through a major body engine reconditioning.

Had Chemotherapy and stem cell transplant to fix multiple Myeloma, with the treatment finishing in August.

I continued playing golf during my treatment as best i could struggling along but not giving up.

My fitness level has dropped drastically and l am looking for ideas to restart  my fitness build up and drop my handicap.

I play twice a week and my play is not bad but i struggle with fitness and when i come home i am all completely exhausted. 

So looking forward to some constructive ideas.

 

[Preeway]

It's already time for me to recommit to my 2024 fitness goals. It was hard getting into a routine and then the extreme cold snap we had, combined with a couple of really busy weekends has destroyed my initial attempts at getting going. So, this week is back to square one. Today I will be developing a two week plan on paper so I can see what I need to do each day. Hoping a hard copy will be a better tool to hold myself accountable.

@GolfSpy_APH, I am a PE teacher so I am fairly active each day and I can typically get in anywhere from 8,000 - 15,000 steps in any given day. However, what I really need, is some focused time with added intensity where either my heart rate is above 120 or my muscular exertion is high, or above normal. I think a job that keeps you moving is helpful but I know a lot of "out of shape" people that can get it a lot of movement as part of their regular work day . I think the bigger key is putting in work that goes above and beyond your normal or perhaps focuses on types of movement that you wouldn't normally do in a typical day.

[VernL4]

On 1/24/2024 at 1:51 PM, taylorjonasher said:

I've never done a direct side by side, but before my first Garmin I had a FitBit. The FB was basically a pedometer with a rudimentary HR monitor, and I was looking for more advanced metrics and the ability to store music as well as I was getting heavy into my running phase. The sleep, O2 sat, respiration, and other data was just a huge added bonus that came with it. The battery life on my Fenix is ridiculous - I usually only have to do a full charge every 8 - 10 days. Plus it's rugged AF - only ever broken one band on the 2 that I've had over the last 4-5 years. The golf app runs on the Fenix 7 and is bonkers accurate. I'm within 2 yards of anyone with a rangefinder - it gives me front, middle, and back of green plus most hazards are programmed in and accessible via toggle button on the watch. I don't want to tell you how to spend your money, but you should probably buy it.

I also had a Fitbit. When Google bought Fitbit, they put lots of stuff behind a paywall, so that's when I left. Yeah, Garmin's battery life is AWESOME. I just charged my watch last night during the football game. Now I'm good to go for another 16 days. I like that Garmin has LOTS of data. No monthly fees like Whoop. I used to have the Instinct, which was crazy rugged (think G-Shock), but it didn't have golf tracking, so I sold it to a friend. I now have the Fenix 7. 

[VernL4]

My goals? First things first, I have to figure out how to get good sleep. Many times I wake up during the night and I will be awake for an hour (or 3!). When I get a decent night of sleep I like to get on the elliptical for a bit in the morning. (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13717147401) In the summer I like to mountain bike, hike, and golf.

The weight battle is a common theme for people in my family. Ultimately my goal is to lose weight and lower my blood pressure.

Edited January 30 by VernL4

[jbern]

On 1/25/2024 at 12:05 PM, CrazyGolfNut said:

I am interested in what everyone is doing with their programs. I am 71 and have a couple of bad discs and a knee that will be replaced in the fall if all goes well.   I used to go to the gym but gave it up a couple of years ago due to the pandemic.  Everyone that I know picked up colds the first week or so they went so I am trying to come up with something at home. I do not have an elliptical or bike so l am investigating things to do like leg lifts, hand weights, stretching etc.  Will be watching this thread to see what others are doing. 

@CrazyGolfNut & @Golfer2806 - I have a tonal machine and on the machine there are a lot of workouts that cater to people with injuries or people who are new to strength training. The best part is that it takes up very little space and doesn't require you to go anywhere. Give this article a read if you're interested: https://www.tonal.com/blog/staying-strong-as-you-age/

@Owengeorge13 - Reviewing your whoop data, I'm always impressed with your recovery scores! 

Edited January 29 by jbern
added tags

[taylorjonasher]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Out of curiosity, how man of you have more physical type jobs which you would consider part of a fitness or just general keeping in shape routine?

I am a straight up desk jockey that sometimes has to lift heavy things. My guitar string tight hamstrings and hip flexors will testify to this fact. 

[jbern]

1 hour ago, Preeway said:

Today I will be developing a two week plan on paper so I can see what I need to do each day. Hoping a hard copy will be a better tool to hold myself accountable.

Maybe post a photo of the plan on here so we can encourage (or pester) you to stay accountable?

[jbern]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Out of curiosity, how man of you have more physical type jobs which you would consider part of a fitness or just general keeping in shape routine?

Not me - my job is all at a desk in front of a computer. I do try to get up and walk around often, but even that gets hard when things are busy. 

[taylorjonasher]

3 minutes ago, jbern said:

Maybe post a photo of the plan on here so we can encourage (or pester) you to stay accountable?

I like this. No better way to commit to a goal than to write it down and then publicly state it!

[taylorjonasher]

Sunday's Stats:

Workout - None. I spent the first half of the day at a gymnastics competition for my daughter, who improved quite a bit from last week but did not place (was the first one out off the podium for the second straight week - she was pretty disappointed). Did several stretching sessions yesterday focusing on the hips and lower back, and then spent about 30 minutes on the foam roller and lacrosse ball last night hitting the same areas and my legs. I didn't realize that I was that sore from leg day on Friday and hitting 200+ balls over the weekend. I definitely found some knots and came close to tears working them out. If you don't already have a roller or ball, I highly recommend picking one up. I try to get on them a couple times a week and work out my issues. **edited - added a photo of my torture toys**

Weight: Somewhere around 200. I don't trust my at home scale and don't really get on it. I was 200.1 this morning at the gym, and 199.9 on Friday.

Calories Consumed: 1,634

Calories Burned: 2,918

Edited January 29 by taylorjonasher
added photo

[Preeway]

19 minutes ago, jbern said:

Maybe post a photo of the plan on here so we can encourage (or pester) you to stay accountable?

 

15 minutes ago, taylorjonasher said:

I like this. No better way to commit to a goal than to write it down and then publicly state it!

I should have done this in the beginning. I will get my plan put together and maybe make it a Monday ritual to post my plan for the week and do a Sunday recap to see how I did.

[taylorjonasher]

4 minutes ago, Preeway said:

 

I should have done this in the beginning. I will get my plan put together and maybe make it a Monday ritual to post my plan for the week and do a Sunday recap to see how I did.

Perfect! We'll be here to bust your balls encourage you and hold you accountable!

[Golf Dawg]

I’m working on dropping the weight I put back on the last two years. Everything is better with that weight gone, especially my swing path and rotation. 

I’m working slowly, with bands, to help my arthritic shoulders, back and knees. Even a little bit more flexibility will make a huge difference on a lot of fronts.

I’m also trying tai chi for its physical and mental benefits. Meditation and visualization using Balance app has also been helpful to refocus and slow things down in my pea brain. 

I really miss a golf dome for winter practices. I could keep my joints happy and work on fundamentals. It was also great that my instructor was at the dome too.

Where I live now there are very few public simulators. Besides that, my pea brain goes wonky on a simulator, and I have horrible results. 
 

 

[Owengeorge13]

LiiFT4 week1 day4, legs, hiit, core.  Then golf specific.  

[Preeway]

Ok. Managed to put together a very rough workout plan for the next couple of weeks. The plan is pretty broad as the intent is to just get me committed to doing the things on the list and not worry too much about finer details like amount of time or amount of weight. For example I plan to do at least one session from the BetterMe app that can vary from 7-10 minutes. I plan to get on the eliptical for at least 15 minutes but will go longer if the mood suits me. Once I get into a better routine of working out I will add more details. For now, my overweight and beat up body just needs to get used to some vigorous exercise again and then we can go from there.

[taylorjonasher]

1 hour ago, Preeway said:

Ok. Managed to put together a very rough workout plan for the next couple of weeks. The plan is pretty broad as the intent is to just get me committed to doing the things on the list and not worry too much about finer details like amount of time or amount of weight. For example I plan to do at least one session from the BetterMe app that can vary from 7-10 minutes. I plan to get on the eliptical for at least 15 minutes but will go longer if the mood suits me. Once I get into a better routine of working out I will add more details. For now, my overweight and beat up body just needs to get used to some vigorous exercise again and then we can go from there.

Hell yeah! Looks good!

[Michael.Sandoval33]

I wasn't able to fit in a proper workout today, but I remembered that I do track my steps separately than I do my runs from the fit app on my phone and took 10,000 of those today at least

Gotta remind myself to jog in the morning and yoga before the range. 

[Preeway]

Monday workout was mostly a success. I got in everything I wanted to but didn't get all my pushups in. I really like having it all down on paper now. Not just from an accountability standpoint but also it helps me know exactly what it is I am trying to do each day. I can't workout on a whim and just make it up as I go. 

[VernL4]

22 hours ago, taylorjonasher said:

Sunday's Stats:

Workout - None. I spent the first half of the day at a gymnastics competition for my daughter, who improved quite a bit from last week but did not place (was the first one out off the podium for the second straight week - she was pretty disappointed). Did several stretching sessions yesterday focusing on the hips and lower back, and then spent about 30 minutes on the foam roller and lacrosse ball last night hitting the same areas and my legs. I didn't realize that I was that sore from leg day on Friday and hitting 200+ balls over the weekend. I definitely found some knots and came close to tears working them out. If you don't already have a roller or ball, I highly recommend picking one up. I try to get on them a couple times a week and work out my issues. **edited - added a photo of my torture toys**

Weight: Somewhere around 200. I don't trust my at home scale and don't really get on it. I was 200.1 this morning at the gym, and 199.9 on Friday.

Calories Consumed: 1,634

Calories Burned: 2,918

Yeah, I've got one of those foam rollers. It can be an excellent tool. My wife calls it "the tool of torture".

[taylorjonasher]

Yesterday's numbers:

Workout - Chest and triceps. I pushed harder than normal yesterday and am feeling it today. I think the lacrosse ball is going to get some use tonight, and it isn't going to be fun. I also had baseball practice last night where I worked up a pretty good sweat throwing the first BP of the year to a bunch of 7 year olds. I didn't hit anyone, which is always good! I've also found a good schedule for protein intake that is helping me hit my daily numbers; I'm pretty much just trying to get 170 - 180 grams per day and then back filling the rest of my calories with anything to hit the total number of around 1,600. So far it's working out and is manageable. Once I hit my immediate goal I will dial the deficit back and transition to maintenance mode before I figure out what the next steps are. 

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13717985523?share_unique_id=134

Weight: 200.1

Calories consumed: 1,609

Calories burned: 3,442

[Preeway]

Once I get a regular exercise routine dialed in, I will start focusing more on my diet. I want to get my protein intake up and my carb intake down. Not a true keto diet but I've begun to notice that I get really bloated if I eat a lot of bread. I'm also considering getting tested for gluten sensitivities as well to see if that might be the cause.

[taylorjonasher]

14 minutes ago, Preeway said:

Once I get a regular exercise routine dialed in, I will start focusing more on my diet. I want to get my protein intake up and my carb intake down. Not a true keto diet but I've begun to notice that I get really bloated if I eat a lot of bread. I'm also considering getting tested for gluten sensitivities as well to see if that might be the cause.

Nutrition is key! It's not just exercise or diet, it's diet AND exercise. I've been a giant POS in this regard over the last several years. Let's face it, it's easy to do one but tough to do both. I've done these off and on over the last 15 years separately or collectively, and it really only worked for me when I do them all together. I'd recommend a couple things for anyone looking to lose weight:

1) Know your BMR (Basal metabolic rate). There's a bunch of BMR Calculators out there that you input your height, weight, and activity levels that can give you a somewhat accurate estimation of what your body burns each day just to exist. Plug your stats in and have a general idea of how many calories your body burns in a day, without this reference you aren't really going to be able to set any goals and work towards them.  Here's a link to a basic one that will give  you a general idea:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm

2) Track what you are eating, set a goal and work backwards with some math. A pound of fat is roughly 3500 calories, so if you want to lose 1 lb per week, you need to have a 3500 calorie deficit, or, 500 calories per day. If your goal is to lose 8 lbs, it'll take you 8 weeks with this specific deficit. If you're into algebraic equations, go ham with the numbers and figure out what kind of deficit you'd need for 15.3 lbs over 93 days. 

Say your BMR is 2300 calories, and you plan on working out 3x per week expending 300 calories per workout - this equates to 17,000 calories burned per week, which means you need do consume 13,500 for the week, or 1,928 per day to hit your target deficit and lose 1 lb. You don't necessarily need to have any sort of fancy fitness wearable, but at the bare minimum you have to know your BMR is and how much you are taking in to be able to be in any type of caloric deficit.  

I've used a couple different food loggers in the past, but the one I am using now is myFitnessPal and it's honestly pretty sweet, and free. 

3) Find a support system to keep you accountable. It ain't easy putting in the work, especially by yourself! This thread is a great place to find it, but you might need to go to the gym with a buddy or partner to help push you through the tough workouts, or get there on days you don't really feel like it. 

I'm going to pull a @Jnoble89 and let everyone know I'm not a licensed nutritionist nor am I a credentialed fitness professional, but a fitness enthusiast with a little bit of past success that I'm trying to recapture. It's never too late to start a fitness program, and anything is really better than nothing (unless you go too hard too fast and break yourself. Don't do that.) 

[Preeway]

My diet needs some serious soul searching. Too many starchy foods has taken its toll over the last several years. I want to get my exercise routine dialed in only so that I don't try to make too many changes to my lifestyle all at once. Hoping by mid-March I will be ready to take on another big lifestyle change.

[tony@CIC]

After just a few weeks I'm pleasantly surprised how much additional weight I've been able to add in the strength training regiment. As an example,  I'm now up to 32.5 lbs. each side on the Smith machine doing squats. Additional weights have been added to Chest Press, Biceps, and Pull Down. I am maxed out on the ab machine at 140 lbs, however, I am still struggling adding additional weights to both upward and side twists.  Lastly, I've gotten to hate the elliptical - but necessary since I want to lose 7 lbs to get me back to 160.  

EDIT: FYI - I credit my daughter on the increase weight scenario as she had recommended that I add additional weight at the end of each set. Here's my cheat sheet for the strength training workouts. 

 

 

Edited January 30 by tony@CIC

[WaffleHouseTour]

I think I've had a good month - elliptical Mon-Fri; Yoga Sat/Sun; and 15-20 minutes with a kettlebell every other day (alternate with my Stack days).  Definitely getting better w the kettle bell.  Don't stick w a set routine, but try different things each time I've found on instagram - but always focused on core.

 

  

[taylorjonasher]

Yesterday's numbers:

Workout - Pull Day - Back and Biceps. Had a great workout and absolutely smoked myself yesterday, I could barely finish my last set of curls and will be adding weight  next week. Definitely feeling it today with not a lot of great sleep last night - my wife got home late and wanted to narrate the entirety of two wrestling duals to me as I was trying to get into bed. The high protein diet is also still taking time to adjust do - the farts were on another level yesterday and last night. Hell, they're still bad right now. Had a nice deadlift this morning and then 20 minutes on the elliptical before hitting the steam room for 15 minutes to stretch. Going to try to get some yoga in tonight as well.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13733767384?share_unique_id=137

Weight: 199.2

Calories consumed: 1,659

Calories burned: 3,376

[Owengeorge13]

23 hours ago, tony@CIC said:

After just a few weeks I'm pleasantly surprised how much additional weight I've been able to add in the strength training regiment. As an example,  I'm now up to 32.5 lbs. each side on the Smith machine doing squats. Additional weights have been added to Chest Press, Biceps, and Pull Down. I am maxed out on the ab machine at 140 lbs, however, I am still struggling adding additional weights to both upward and side twists.  Lastly, I've gotten to hate the elliptical - but necessary since I want to lose 7 lbs to get me back to 160.  

EDIT: FYI - I credit my daughter on the increase weight scenario as she had recommended that I add additional weight at the end of each set. Here's my cheat sheet for the strength training workouts. 

 

 

This looks like the exact workout from one of my favorite books “American psycho “ the movie was good, the book was better.  

[Owengeorge13]

LiiFT4 week 2 day1 chest/tri, core then Tw mile run, then walk until 500 calories

[taylorjonasher]

Yesterday's numbers:

 

Workout - Deadlifts Elliptical

 

I've been doing deadlifts the day after pull day for the last few weeks, and I kinda don't mind it that way. Normally, I try to do them first as it's a big compound movement, then I progressively work down to smaller individual muscles, but the gym has been packed at 545-600 when I get there, which is really weird for a bunch of college kids to be up that early to go and lift, IMO - it varies from semester to semester and I guess this group gives a sh*t. Anyway, it was busy again on Tuesday so I skipped deadlifts and did all my other stuff with the intent of completing them yesterday, which I did. Also got 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes of yoga in last night. I'm settling into a the habit of logging everything I eat as soon as I eat it, which is helping me keep tabs so that I can stick to my deficit. My wife is gone for the next few days so I don't get to go into the gym in the mornings as I have to get the kids ready. I'm going to try to get them in the afternoon, but may end up having to double up a day either today or tomorrow.

 

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13748899966?share_unique_id=140

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13749294876?share_unique_id=143

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13759651198?share_unique_id=153

 

Weight: 198.9

 

Calories consumed: 1,600

 

Calories burned: 3,195