Fitness Challenge for 2011

We have posted on and off about this for a little while now. It normally comes up around the New Year. So I figured I'd get it going again.

My fitness goal for 2011 is to shed about 15 lbs of fat putting me in the 7% body fat range before Spring 2011. Since 2008 I have lost over 110 lbs of fat, and this is the last phase of my overall plan. I've had a few set backs this year (work, deaths in the family, etc), so I am hoping to really push this to the end and achieve my final goal.

It's so much harder once you get to the low percentage of body fat ("excellent" zone) for your age group to really push beyond it into the so-called "athlete" zone unless you really have the time to dedicate to it.

As some of you already know I follow the Paleo Diet, which means except for controlled cheats (i.e. a special occassion like Thanksgiving where I have to eat some of my Wife's chocolate pie) all of my food is veggies/fruits, followed by lean meats and then by seeds/nuts. So my main challenge is really to find a way to cut calories in my meals without sending myself into a starvation binge because my main source of calories is also my protien...

My exercise plan is three days of structured weight lifting, two days cardio (sprints one, walking the second) and then a 6th day of Olympic Lifting (lighter weight, higher intenisty). Sat - Mon (weight training), Tues (sprints), Wed (Olympic Lifts), Thurs (walking), Fri (off).

And I have been having great success with that since about July of this year, so I will be sticking with it.

So what are your fitness goals for the New Year? And how are you going about accomplishing them?

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Comments

shadown7

In 2008 I was 5'10" and 280 lbs and today I'm down to 195 lbs. I go to the gym 3 days a week and work on my upper body and core. I don't do too much with my legs because I run 4 days a week and right now I'm up to about 12 miles a week. My Saturday long runs are at 4 miles now. I'm slowly working up to 13 mile long runs since I'm training for the Country Music Half Marathon in the spring.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with right now is my nutrition. Even though I cut out a lot of the bad foods I just don't eat right. I sometimes reply on my running to get me past my bad eating habits. So my 2011 goal would be to eat a lot healthier.

RobertKaucher

Excellent1 wrote: »

A lot of us former heavy guys have problems with legs / knees that makes the track an unwise option, but if it is an option for people, then I agree that you should try it.

I'm at 203.4 now, down from 347, so I'm going to continue with what I've been doing as it is working. My only point about the bike was that I've been told by a lot of people that it doesn't work or that everything else is "better". I just wanted to make sure people knew you don't have to blow out your knees or do a bunch of impact p90x fad type exercises to get results. A sensible diet and cardio/strength training with simple tools (handweights, stationary bike) are all you need to lose literally hundreds of pounds, even when your starting health condition is downright terrible.

The real trick for me is to figure out how to transition from cutting so much weight to start maintaining a set weight and achieving the body fat % that I want, much like you were talking about in your original post. Should be interesting, but I'm not down to the weight I want yet, so it'll be a while before I'm where you are.

+1 - no need to convince me! I would say my first 80 lbs was lost via diet and HIIT on an elliptical machine. I was far too heavy to run. I tried, but it just killed my joints and shins. Now-a-days I run in Vibrams and pay very good attention to my form (see Born to Run). But yesterday I forgot my Vibrams and tried to do sprints in my normal gym shoes. After 15 minutes I literally thought I would die I was in so much pain. I'll not be able to sprint for at least a week now...

Just one thing I would like to add. If you have reasonable goals and follow a system like P90X or Body-for-Life (which is what I did my first year) you can learn a ton from the structure and information that these systems provide. The mistake comes when people start to look at the results of others and say I am going to look like that in 90 days. If you look at a lot of the people's results you see they clearly took longer than 90 days to complete or were already in great shape before they started the program (or they used anabolics). Any reasonable program that preaches good nutrition combined with physical activity is going to produce results. Some systems are going to work better for some people. Some folks need to go hard core. I'm one of those types. If I'm not following it intensely, chances are I will lose interest in it.

brad-

Robert, what kind of shoes do you use? I've lost enough now to where I have started running up to 2 miles, and I do sprints on the days i dont jog...but like you say, it makes my lower legs very sore. I've heard of Vibram before, but i thought that was just a type of sole.

networker050184

brad- wrote: »

Robert, what kind of shoes do you use? I've lost enough now to where I have started running up to 2 miles, and I do sprints on the days i dont jog...but like you say, it makes my lower legs very sore. I've heard of Vibram before, but i thought that was just a type of sole.

Have you ever had your feet examined? I had this same issue and the doctor sent me to have some custom insoles fitted. Best thing that ever happened to me for running. I went from struggling to do two miles to six miles being nothing for me (as far as soreness goes).

it_consultant

shadown7 wrote: »

In 2008 I was 5'10" and 280 lbs and today I'm down to 195 lbs. I go to the gym 3 days a week and work on my upper body and core. I don't do too much with my legs because I run 4 days a week and right now I'm up to about 12 miles a week. My Saturday long runs are at 4 miles now. I'm slowly working up to 13 mile long runs since I'm training for the Country Music Half Marathon in the spring.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with right now is my nutrition. Even though I cut out a lot of the bad foods I just don't eat right. I sometimes reply on my running to get me past my bad eating habits. So my 2011 goal would be to eat a lot healthier.

Good job! I am 5 foot 10 and weigh 195 pounds as well. I was about 205 before I started focusing on cardio and toning more than just lifting so I get the nice "show me" muscles. I swim at least three times a week and notice a definite improvement in how I look.

katierose

Woa, congrats Robert. You look great!

I hate New Years "Resolutions" but whatever. I'm 5'5", really curvy, and weigh 155.

! Thank god my gorgeous boyfriend still loves me. Anyway! My goal: 130-135. The good part is my diet changed a lot when I moved. I no longer eat microwaved meals, ever. I eat nothing but whole grains and added more fruits/veggies to my diet. I was vegetarian for three years but quit that nonsense last April. I now get plenty of protein (yay for hair that grows and not being malnourished!).

The next step is to kick some ass at the gym and buy a bicycle for the outdoors. I have been through a serious gym schedule before so I will stick to what I know and maybe hit up a personal trainer once or twice for a checkup. It really just boils down to me making the time.

brad-

networker050184 wrote: »

Have you ever had your feet examined? I had this same issue and the doctor sent me to have some custom insoles fitted. Best thing that ever happened to me for running. I went from struggling to do two miles to six miles being nothing for me (as far as soreness goes).

I know i have a poorly structured foot...but it has never held me back. I performed well in the infantry

networker050184

brad- wrote: »

I know i have a poorly structured foot...but it has never held me back. I performed well in the infantry

Sounds like its holding you back now. If you know you have an issue why not do something about it? You don't have to be hooah anymore!

RobertKaucher

brad- wrote: »

Robert, what kind of shoes do you use? I've lost enough now to where I have started running up to 2 miles, and I do sprints on the days i dont jog...but like you say, it makes my lower legs very sore. I've heard of Vibram before, but i thought that was just a type of sole.

No, it is a "shoe" Vibram Five Fingers: Discover the Barefooting Alternative

[Deleted User]

RobertKaucher wrote: »

No, it is a "shoe" Vibram Five Fingers: Discover the Barefooting Alternative

I've always wondered the actual effectiveness of those shoes. Have they really helped you that much? Do you think they would help someone who never really has had a problem with shoes? The only shoes I've ever had problems with were Nike Shox.. they just never really fit me right. I've always used New Balance for running shoes just wondering if you think these would be an improvement over my existing shoes.

ehnde

5 Tips to Lose Stomach Fat, Get Flat Six Pack Abs, Ab Workouts, Abdominal Exercises << this book. I've read it and can confirm it's not marketing crap. It also doesn't recommend doing things that are harmful to your body. The book comes with several well documented exercises and a diet plan. Highly recommended if you're trying to lower your body fat %!

skyline

This has something that I have put on the back burner for years and kept saying (next year). Didn't releazie how out of shape I was until I was playing with my daughter and had to stop because I was out of breath.

So with that it put my butt in gear to get in shape. I'm 6', 190pds (mostly beer belly.. even though I don't drink), I have a yearly GYM membership that I have never used.

I think its time to work on a schedule and get on a gym routine.

Anyone know of any good tech releated podcasts??

RobertKaucher

xmalachi wrote: »

I've always wondered the actual effectiveness of those shoes. Have they really helped you that much? Do you think they would help someone who never really has had a problem with shoes? The only shoes I've ever had problems with were Nike Shox.. they just never really fit me right. I've always used New Balance for running shoes just wondering if you think these would be an improvement over my existing shoes.

I am a total convert. Read the book Born to Run. The real issue with them is that you have to change the way you run. Proper form is a must.

shadown7

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I am a total convert. Read the book Born to Run. The real issue with them is that you have to change the way you run. Proper form is a must.

I just purchased my first pair of VFF KSO's and they shipped last night. I'm super excited about transitioning to these. I'm going to take it slow since I have "sissified" my feet over the years. I can't wait...

RobertKaucher

shadown7 wrote: »

I just purchased my first pair of VFF KSO's and they shipped last night. I'm super excited about transitioning to these. I'm going to take it slow since I have "sissified" my feet over the years. I can't wait...

I have the trek sport (VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS Men's TrekSport - Eastern Mountain Sports).

I'm going to ge another pair in a different style in 2011 since I liked them so much. Be ready for the pain. You do not break these in (when it comes to running) they break you in! After taking close to amonth off I went back to sprinting and after first day I could literally feel the muscles in my feet. My feet didn't hurt, like they do when you are on them all day, they hurt like your biceps do after doing some heavy curls or something.

earweed

Due to my knees the running is out for me. My main exercise so far this year has been lifting and sit-ups. I've lost 23 pounds and I'm up to 60 situps. I only exercise every other day right now and the lifting isn't heavy, just a lot of reps.

Priston

Ran 1.5 miles in 13:34 on the treadmill today.

crrussell3

My wife and I plan on hitting the ellipitical starting this weekend for a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things, and then start Insanity.

I did P90x a few years back, and loved every minute of it, it is just too time consuming

. When I did P90x I lost 20lbs, but have since gained about half of it back.

My goal is to drop down to 10-12%bf, which I am currently around 20-22% I believe. If I have to put it into lbs, I would say ideally I want to loose around 40ish lbs. I am right now around 208lbs, and would like to be around 160-170, but I am more concerned about bf% then overall weight.

rsutton

I normally work out at the gym 3-4 days a week, although I just found some neat kick boxing workout videos on Netflix and am hitting those pretty hard. It's all about mixing it up.

za3bour

crrussell3 wrote: »

My wife and I plan on hitting the ellipitical starting this weekend for a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things, and then start Insanity.

I did P90x a few years back, and loved every minute of it, it is just too time consuming . When I did P90x I lost 20lbs, but have since gained about half of it back.

My goal is to drop down to 10-12%bf, which I am currently around 20-22% I believe. If I have to put it into lbs, I would say ideally I want to loose around 40ish lbs. I am right now around 208lbs, and would like to be around 160-170, but I am more concerned about bf% then overall weight.

Good for you, I think 10-12% bf is an excellent number that's really what athletes have in many sports.

RobertKaucher

crrussell3 wrote: »

My wife and I plan on hitting the ellipitical starting this weekend for a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things, and then start Insanity.

I did P90x a few years back, and loved every minute of it, it is just too time consuming . When I did P90x I lost 20lbs, but have since gained about half of it back.

My goal is to drop down to 10-12%bf, which I am currently around 20-22% I believe. If I have to put it into lbs, I would say ideally I want to loose around 40ish lbs. I am right now around 208lbs, and would like to be around 160-170, but I am more concerned about bf% then overall weight.

I have finally hit the 12% mark and have gone a little under it. I'm flirting with the low 11% range. I'm trying hard to get to 7% by the end of May. Basically I need to hit close to 170 and I'm about 179. If I don't make that goal by the end of May I'm quitting and starting a mass/strength building routing for 6 months. It's been nearly 3 years of diet for me (down from over 300 lbs) and I am psychologically drained from it. I keep saying just 10 lbs, just 10 lbs. But it seems like I have been struggling with this 10 pounds for a year now...

mattlee09

Just want to say, you guys are crazy.

I turned 20 last December, and was 255 on my birthday, coming off of a pretty stringent diet for Oct/Nov. The holidays had their way with me, and I really picked up studying hard the past few months with school and dipping into Cisco (totally new to me) as well as 70-680 coming up middle of this month.

I jumped on the scale just now - 281. Really frustrating. I was planning to be about 230 at this point in the year >.<

I guess I'll just set aside $50 a week and eat salads at Subway for lunch, and buy some turkey/bread for a cheese-less sandwich at dinner? I guess if I dropped soda for water I'd save enough money to eat healthier.

Anyways. Keep up the good work guys!! Maybe I'll get near 200 (more likely 350) by the time my 21st rolls around. Lol.

/rant

Excellent1

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I have finally hit the 12% mark and have gone a little under it. I'm flirting with the low 11% range. I'm trying hard to get to 7% by the end of May. Basically I need to hit close to 170 and I'm about 179. If I don't make that goal by the end of May I'm quitting and starting a mass/strength building routing for 6 months. It's been nearly 3 years of diet for me (down from over 300 lbs) and I am psychologically drained from it. I keep saying just 10 lbs, just 10 lbs. But it seems like I have been struggling with this 10 pounds for a year now...

Couple things: first, big congrats on hitting your goal. After 2 years of a fairly strict diet / exercise routine myself, I know what you mean about being a little drained. I will say that I've read several times lately that one of the best things you can do to break a plateau and shock your metabolism is to just take a week off. For me, every time I contemplate it, it feels so much like a surrender that I'm never able to bring myself to try it. I will say that I'm not concerned with an elite level of body fat, I'm more concerned with getting to a point of solid functional fitness (20 pullups with perfect form, that sort of thing), so I'm not really striving in the same direction you are. In any case, I wish you the best in whatever route you take.

The other thing I noticed about your post is that you typo'd routine as routing. I do this all the time and it never fails to crack me up. I'm glad I'm not alone in doing this.

Excellent1

mattlee09 wrote: »

Just want to say, you guys are crazy.

I turned 20 last December, and was 255 on my birthday, coming off of a pretty stringent diet for Oct/Nov. The holidays had their way with me, and I really picked up studying hard the past few months with school and dipping into Cisco (totally new to me) as well as 70-680 coming up middle of this month.

I jumped on the scale just now - 281. Really frustrating. I was planning to be about 230 at this point in the year >.<

I guess I'll just set aside $50 a week and eat salads at Subway for lunch, and buy some turkey/bread for a cheese-less sandwich at dinner? I guess if I dropped soda for water I'd save enough money to eat healthier.

Anyways. Keep up the good work guys!! Maybe I'll get near 200 (more likely 350) by the time my 21st rolls around. Lol.

/rant

I was a little heavier than you when I was your age (think dinosaurs roaming the earth, etc.), and I can tell you now that I wouldn't wait to start making lifestyle changes. I felt fine for years as the fat guy, but it's only a matter of time before carrying that extra weight catches up to you. One of the main reasons I never felt motivated to lose weight before was that I felt strong, I felt healthy, and I didn't care about my appearance (I'm not big on worrying about other's opinions of me). Looking back, that was just the same as someone jumping off a building enjoying the breeze in their face on the way down--I was ignorant of the hard landing that was inevitable.

That said, while it certainly isn't easy, it's definitely doable to turn yourself around. The biggest obstacle isn't the physical aspect, it's the mental. All of us are so caught up in instant gratification that it's very difficult to stay motivated when the only changes you see are incremental and feel paltry in comparison to the effort you put in. This is where you simply have to be patient. It takes time and it takes discipline to turn things around, but if you stay the course it really does work. The only advice I would give is to avoid the quick fix gimmicks out there. You don't need a fad fitness program that gets your ripped in x amount of days, or a pill that let's you lose 30 pounds while eating everything you want (operators are standing by!!). You just need to educate yourself on what your daily caloric intake should be, get a rough idea of a healthy macronutrient breakdown (protiens/carbs/fats), and start incorporating some exercise every day. Keep it modest and doable, then build on it as you see success.

Anyway, I know that's coming from a random guy on the internet, but I can tell you firsthand that when your health goes, you realize how none of your other pursuits hold any value whatsoever. The old saying is true, if you don't have your health, you don't have anything. Good luck.

mikedisd2

Excellent1 wrote: »

One of the main reasons I never felt motivated to lose weight before was that I felt strong, I felt healthy, and I didn't care about my appearance (I'm not big on worrying about other's opinions of me). Looking back, that was just the same as someone jumping off a building enjoying the breeze in their face on the way down--I was ignorant of the hard landing that was inevitable.

I'm on the other end of the scale and this still definitely applies. When I was 20, I thought I was indestructable. Except I was too obtuse to figure out why I got sick all the time, had no energy and could never sleep.

Now in my 30s, it all seems so obvious but I wish I had wised up earlier instead of being an unhealthy schmuck in my youth.

Priston

mattlee09 wrote: »

I guess if I dropped soda for water I'd save enough money to eat healthier.

Soda can make you gain weight. If your going to start eating healthier, you should also drink healthier too...

mattlee09

Excellent1 wrote: »

Looking back, that was just the same as someone jumping off a building enjoying the breeze in their face on the way down--I was ignorant of the hard landing that was inevitable.

I should probably get a tattoo of that.

I'm going to start trying though. I've convinced myself after this past week of struggling with proper sleep (which is duly affecting my studies) something needs to change. I think I'm going to start a tumblr and force myself to spend 10-15 minutes every night making a post with how my day went, what I ate/drank, etc. I've been thinking about doing it for awhile now - I've seen many here at TE with technical writing blogs, so I could incorporate some of that too.

Anyways - Thanks for the votes of confidence. If not sooner, I'll post something in this thread this time next week.

crrussell3

For those who want to be accountable for what they did during the day (ate, drank, excercise, etc) FitDay (FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal) is a great tool for that. There are others out there, this is just one that I have used and liked.

shednik

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I have finally hit the 12% mark and have gone a little under it. I'm flirting with the low 11% range. I'm trying hard to get to 7% by the end of May. Basically I need to hit close to 170 and I'm about 179. If I don't make that goal by the end of May I'm quitting and starting a mass/strength building routing for 6 months. It's been nearly 3 years of diet for me (down from over 300 lbs) and I am psychologically drained from it. I keep saying just 10 lbs, just 10 lbs. But it seems like I have been struggling with this 10 pounds for a year now...

Robert have you looked at trying carb cycling or IF to lose the last bit of fat?

check this site out if you haven't before Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

These articles in particular....he gets sciencey which makes it even better I feel.

Scorch Through Your Fat Loss Plateau | Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

Intermittent Fasting and Stubborn Body Fat | Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

joe

RobertKaucher

shednik wrote: »

Robert have you looked at trying carb cycling or IF to lose the last bit of fat?

check this site out if you haven't before Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

These articles in particular....he gets sciencey which makes it even better I feel.

Scorch Through Your Fat Loss Plateau | Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

Intermittent Fasting and Stubborn Body Fat | Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

joe

I do carb cycling currently. I'm going to consider the intermittent fasting. +Rep for those articles. If someone cannot explain the science behind their diet strategies I get very wary of what they are saying. There is nothing worse, IMO, than religious orthorexia. This weekend maybe I will delay breakfast and take the dog on a long walk.

I allow myself to have a week here and there where my calories are closer to maintenance than usual and I am not as strict about what I eat. I think the best thing I ever did was break my diet for a 4 days a few months back. I gained 10 lbs (mostly water) but once I got back to where I was before the break, I was clearly more muscular and leaner. My opinion is, if I don’t hit it by the end of May then a 6 month break where I stay lean but gain a little strength and pack on a little muscle will do me good when I get back to trying to push the fat loss further.