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FG Fitness Challenge

Adunaphel said:
Woohoo! Line go up!
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Counter point! Wohoo! Line go down!
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Only issue is, I’m back to regularly getting notifications about my HR being low dieting the night. Which, according to the internet, is perfectly fine, but Apple is overly cautious and starts panicking when it dips below 40 bpm for more than 10 minutes (and sends an alert every single time it dips below that threshold again - ie hovering around it gets you 10 notifications every morning).
 
eizbaer said:
Counter point! Wohoo! Line go down!
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Only issue is, I’m back to regularly getting notifications about my HR being low dieting the night. Which, according to the internet, is perfectly fine, but Apple is overly cautious and starts panicking when it dips below 40 bpm for more than 10 minutes (and sends an alert every single time it dips below that threshold again - ie hovering around it gets you 10 notifications every morning).
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But what does an actual Hausarzt say?
 
93Flareside said:
But what does an actual Hausarzt say?
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Huh, I left out that part lol
I did actually go and ask (when the occasion ödende itself) and Yeah he doesn’t care, mid-30s at night shouldn’t be reason for worry on a reasonably fit individual. It COULD be a sign of something, so it’s alright for the Apple Watch to warn, but not in my case 🥳
 
I decided to do something for my physical health. I initially planned on going to the gym, but the weather's still too nice to miss the opportunity to spend some time outside. So I decided to go for a fast-paced walk, and I tracked it with Strava. 8.68 km, 1:16:36, for an average pace of 8:49/km. Considering I haven't had too much physical activity during the past one year or so, I call that a victory.

www.strava.com

Jarun walk - Luka P's 8.6 km walk

Luka P completed 8.6 km on Oct 9, 2023.
www.strava.com www.strava.com

Next week the weather's taking a turn for worse, so I was thinking of going to the gym. Is there any way I could track my progress, similar to Strava, that I could use for the gym? I want to somehow keep myself accountable and motivate myself.
 
Tram said:
Is there any way I could track my progress, similar to Strava, that I could use for the gym? I want to somehow keep myself accountable and motivate myself.
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Well you could just track a generic „training“ session in Strava (there’s actually a whole bunch of gym style disciplines to choose from), although without heart rate data or sobering like that, it’s gonna look a bit „bare“ 😉

Also come join FG club! https://strava.app.link/MeoEAf1sODb
 
I'll try to get some sort of a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor! Any recommendations for something like that? I could get the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 for €35, should that do the job?
 
Yeah those cheap fitness bands often times can’t be used as a HR monitor in Strava since they don’t broadcast the HR via BT and only work within their apps - so make sure to check beforehand in a review or something. I run an Apple Watch for most stuff and track things using the stock Apple fitness app and then sync that to Strava - which may also be an option with the mi band if the accompanying app supports tracking of different sports (ofc then you have to see whether the sync works fine or messes stuff up).
For cycling I have a dedicated chest strap (polar h9, ~50€) - but that does nothing else and is cumbersome (for cycling I don’t care, I have to change my entire outfit anyway).
 
Summary: I decided to try running 5K. Problem is that I have never run 5K. I have never run anything more than a mile in my life. And more recently I haven't run more than 400 meters. I have never been completely out of shape so I started longer runs 4-5 months ago. I pretty much ran off and on because of life responsibilities.

Age: 48

Running experience: 4-5 months off and on

Results: Decided to run a new location today so I only ran 4.72K today. Was an impromptu run so I didn't intend to run today at all. I imagine that I would be quicker if I prepared to run to today. This is my 4th time running a 5K-ish distance in my life and the only one that I have timed.


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Mally Dangerous said:
This is my 4th time running a 5K-ish distance in my life and the only one that I have timed.
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Run a bit slower and a bit longer and you will probably be surprised by what comes of it - a 5:01 pace is already pretty quick. Considering the backstory and your age, I’d even go as far as to say that’s crazy fast.
 
eizbaer said:
Run a bit slower and a bit longer and you will probably be surprised by what comes of it - a 5:01 pace is already pretty quick. Considering the backstory and your age, I’d even go as far as to say that’s crazy fast.
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Oh, yeah, I do that too. Those other 3 times that I have run "5K-ish" was actually 5.5K or 6K. The route that I run in my neighborhood puts me 1K from my house if I run 5K. So, I run the last 0.5K-1K, at a slower pace, just to get home. Today I only ran 4.72K because that was a path that I have never run on before and I misjudged where the 5K stopping point would be otherwise I would have run 5K as I still had some gas in the tank. But I was by myself and was kinda seeing what it was like running there so I didn't really care if I ran a full 5K.
 
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I used to go for a 10K+ run 2-3 times per week. Until I injured my knee (I've had to be careful with my right knee my entire life) during the Antwerp 10miles about 6 years ago. Had to take a couple of weeks off to let it recover/heal, those couple of weeks turned into months and by the time I felt physically and mentally ready to start running again, I didn't even manage a 5K run anymore. That ruined my motivation, took "a couple more weeks" off and those turned into years. Tried to start again a couple of times, but now hardly being able to run 1km didn't exactly help.
I used to squash quite intensely and regularly as a kid/teenager, so tried picking that back up. Only to realize that with my current physique and weight I was just ruining half of the joints in my body, so that faded out too.

Now I'm at the point I'm finding it hard to look at myself in the mirror from time to time and I get frustrated way too often when doing anything that requires any effort.

I've never been a lightweight, weighed around 85kg at my fittest and now I "only"weigh about 15kg more at roughly 100kg and that has been stable over the last 3years. Big difference is that muscles have been replaces by fat I guess.

I've always hated the typical gyms, but I've come to the realization that it will be near impossible for me to get fit again by myself without losing motivation or overdoing it and getting injured again. So today I finally did what I should have done a long time ago and joined a gym. I find these things ridiculously expensive, but I went for the type of gym where they make you plan a follow up at least once a month and you can go there by yourself but you can also book an appointment with a personal trainer up to two times per week included in the price.
Got a subscription for 6 months, knowing I don't like gyms and I think 6 months is short enough to keep me motivated knowing that it's "only" 6 months and if I invest enough time in it (by going 2-3 times per week) I think it is a realistic timeset to at least get to the point where I can get going on my own again.

I don't have any real weight goals in mind, I just want to get started again so I can responsibly start doing the two sports I do like again. Losing weight isn't the goal itself, but it should come with the effort I guess and would be welcome.
I've got an appointment for my "intake" with a personal trainer to get a level for setting goals and making a plan + weighing and measuring etc.
 
Redliner said:
The scale barely moved down, but my pant size definitely went down a number. Yay?
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I've had this same issue. Otoh it feels wrong but then again not. 😄

Not related to the comment above:
A couple of examples I feel like I can be slightly proud of. When I started going to the gym I could leg press barley 70kg(10 x 4). I can now do the same set(10 x 4) at 190kg. Squats I started at 30kg(same 10 x 4) and last week I managed to do the set at 90kg.
 
After about 2 weeks it was time for my (almost) obligatory half monthly weighing, technically they only advise it and don't obligate it but hey I'll just go along with it.
Scales said -3,1kg after since the last/first weighing. Most of it actually being fat, so I think it's better than what I might have hoped for. I'm not really dieting either, just started to be fully aware of what and when I eat. I try to make sure my breakfast and lunch are healthier than before, but for dinner I just eat whatever I want or is on the menu. Apart from that I try to add a healthy snack in between breakfast-lunch and lunch-dinner, quit snacking after +/-8pm and just stopped snacking and eating the entire time/day basically :ROFLMAO:. Like I said I don't feel like I'm on a strict diet and it's not like I'm starving myself or feeling hungry half of the time :). Basically trying to eat healthier, but in a way it doesn't feel like punishment and I should be able to keep up.

But a very big part is probably working out 3x/week. When I ran 3x/week I could eat pretty much anything anytime without gaining any weight, so going the gym is definitely helping. There too I'm starting to notice the difference, I'm doing about 50% more repetitions than I was able to the first time I went. The easiest progress is usually at the beginning, so I know it will slow down at some point but I'm really happy with it for now.
Even though I'm exhausted afterwards, I still leave the gym with a big smile every time. I totally forgot how working out can have that effect.
If I keep it up like this, I'll probably be able to blow the dust of my running gear somewhere in January I guess :). I know from experience that working towards the first 5K run will be the hardest. But first I'll try to keep this up.
 
My clothes are getting looser, but I am 5kg heavier.
Ugh.
Seems it's time for (more) cardio.
 
My "mental weight", aka the comfortable number for myself has been 75-80kg for ages now. In recent years it's crept up to 86-87kg which has made my shirts tight and my general habitus pretty bleh. Blood pressure hasn't been brilliant either. I haven't exercised at all during that time, except for trying to keep my daily steps up, but it's been difficult to find time as the kid is young and I don't feel like I can bugger off for an hour to sweat on the bike. Besides, if I had the time I still wouldn't do anything.

Well, I got some sort of flu a month ago and my weight dropped a couple kg just from that. Since I noticed it, I've also left out beer and most bread to make the effect more permanent, rather than a blip. Weighing myself every morning, I've stayed under 82kg now for a while, and I intend to drop it under 80 just to feel more comfortable in my clothes. The main goal is to lose enough weight in my face so that I can shave the beard I've had for a few years now.
 
I've crept up to around the same weight, mostly thanks to lack of physical activity and eating unhealthily. I really need to cut down sweets, although cutting beer would be a bit of a challenge for me. Still, I guess it's doable.

I think around 80 kg would be a sweet spot for me. I resonate with your reasons, too, as I'd like to fit my shirts better, and I'd like to see more of my jawline as well.

Would you mind disclosing how tall you are? I'm 182 cm tall, but I guess I have somewhat heavy bones, as when I was in the 75-78 kg realm, I looked (and felt) underweight. (I still don't look that fat, it's more of how I feel.)

I did start working out a little over month ago, which I had to pause some three weeks ago because I pulled my back at work, and then again this week because I'm ill. I'm planning to get back on track once I get better.
 
I am the same, almost exactly 182cm. During my studies I weighed circa 70kg which was great, but that's nearly 20 years ago... My M size dress shirts feel tight, but weirdly that's around the chest and not the stomach.

I've also left out burgers and fries which probably helps a lot! I've also substituted the breakfast sandwiches at work with just one boiled egg. Good job I haven't been driving long distance for a while, because I wouldn't know what to do during my charging breaks if not going to Hesburger.

Cutting beer has been easy since the Danish brewery I've been ordering from stopped their beer club drops, haha
 
public said:
it's been difficult to find time as the kid is young and I don't feel like I can bugger off for an hour to sweat on the bike.
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this is why you'll find me on the bike late at night when everybody else has gone to bed already...
public said:
Besides, if I had the time I still wouldn't do anything.
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... in which case the late at night thing doesn't help of course :p

I went with a combination of massive increase in physical activity (i.e. bike rides in/outdoor and runs) and just cutting out any breakfast entirely. You don't have to believe in all the intermittend fasting vodoo and what a longer time without food will do physiologically... but cutting out breakfast just plainly cuts out 1/4 of daily calories (or something thereabouts), so it's much easier to run deficit. if it works for you of course - no use doing stuff like that if it makes you feel like shit. I honestly don't notice any difference whether I've eaten or not, but my wife will feel sick if she doesn't have breakfast (and quickly, even a late breakfast thing at 10 am she will have to eat something before).

re: alcohol - i've ditched that completely. since we moved rpetty much exactly one year ago, the one moving box that I haven't unpacked yet is the one with the booze...
also: yes I absolute eat way too much crap (sweets, crisps etc) but am still able to balance that with physical activity. I should reduce that, though. Good timing for it, a month before christmas :|
 
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