OT: Health and Fitness Thread - The Second

[Pez68]

Not an answer we can really give you. How are your energy levels? How do you feel? How's your strength and stamina? How are your body proportions? The proper height to weight ratio is going to differ quite a bit from person to person because of your frame and build. Some people are naturally tall and skinny. Others have wider hips, shoulders, etc., and will hold more mass.

BMI is useless, as it doesn't differentiate between fat and muscle, and assumes that people are two-dimensional.

 

[Illinihockey]

I do almost no biceps since they are incorporated in back

 

[ColdSteel2]

Kind of dovetailing off of the smoothie research, I read that the steamer bags of vegetables are actually better for you than fresh veggies because they are flash frozen right after they are picked which locks in the nutrients before they start to decay. Also, the quicker they are cooked, the better, so that’s another plus for the bags. And there is no release of BPAs from the bag.

 

[Illinihockey]

I think I'm just going to have this cold forever. Been varying degrees of sick with it for over 2 weeks now

 

[Kurtosis]

I think I'm just going to have this cold forever. Been varying degrees of sick with it for over 2 weeks now

Had the same type of cold earlier in the season. Was a bitch to shake. I think it ended up lasting almost 3 weeks so hopefully you’re on the tail end of it.

 

[Pez68]

I think everyone has had that crap at some point. I had it almost a month before it was completely gone.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

I think everyone has had that crap at some point. I had it almost a month before it was completely gone.

Everytime I get sick with a cold this happens to me. It gets in my chest and I end up horking crap up for a month. Really sucks when you try to do any kind of exercise afterwords and you have a coughing fit every 5 minutes.

 

[Easy E]

Thought I was the only one. Been sick on and off for around a month. Congestion just won't go away and this nagging cough.

Not letting it slow my lifts down.

 

[JaegerDice]

Tried Keto, couldn't keep up with it.

Paleo just works better for me. Though I do kind of split the difference and say 'nothing but water and protein after 8pm'.

Down to 180, 7%-8% body fat at 6'2.

No cardio, really, other than hiking or snowshoeing with the dog. Anything at the gym is weights.

 

[TorMenT]

Tried Keto, couldn't keep up with it.

Paleo just works better for me. Though I do kind of split the difference and say 'nothing but water and protein after 8pm'.

Down to 180, 7%-8% body fat at 6'2.

No cardio, really, other than hiking or snowshoeing with the dog. Anything at the gym is weights.

Are you a bodybuilder? Because that body fat % is body builder level. Either you’re way underestimating, or you’re jacked AF

 

[JaegerDice]

Are you a bodybuilder? Because that body fat % is body builder level. Either you’re way underestimating, or you’re jacked AF

Not jacked, very very lean. I've always been pretty skinny and that was before switching to a mostly vegetarian diet (which happened after I started working out). I got up to roughly 195 (15% body fat), then started cutting really hard, changed diets in pursuit of that... but felt so good, never changed back. Lost bulk, didn't lose as much strength or muscle stamina as I thought, and have been basically maintaining at that level since I entered my 30s.

I care more about strength and muscle density than hypertrophy (bulk).

Could be overestimating, haven't had a pro measurement (DXA) since I left my last gym. I've basically hung around between 8 and 12% since I started working out and cut out alcohol, depending on how rigid I am with diet. I don't feel like I look too much different since my last measurement, but you know, gradual changes over time are hard to pick out sometimes.

 

[TorMenT]

Not jacked, very very lean. I've always been pretty skinny and that was before switching to a mostly vegetarian diet (which happened after I started working out). I got up to roughly 195 (15% body fat), then started cutting really hard, changed diets in pursuit of that... but felt so good, never changed back. Lost bulk, didn't lose as much strength or muscle stamina as I thought, and have been basically maintaining at that level since I entered my 30s.

I care more about strength and muscle density than hypertrophy (bulk).

Could be overestimating, haven't had a pro measurement (DXA) since I left my last gym. I've basically hung around between 8 and 12% since I started working out and cut out alcohol, depending on how rigid I am with diet. I don't feel like I look too much different since my last measurement, but you know, gradual changes over time are hard to pick out sometimes.

Fair enough. Well done!

I just turned 30 in September. Had never done ANY weight training in my life before July. My heaviest at 5’8” was 178. Cut to 155 last March. Then started 5x5 in July. Took August off. Resumed 5x5. Took November off. Started a hypertrophy based program. Been maintaining 160-162 the last few months while improving my strength.

Did a dexascan a couple weeks ago for the first time. It said I’m 30% body fat. The scale used to say 21% back in July when I finished cutting. The guy said it will guaranteed be higher than your guess and any caliper or scale says.

I get 2 more dexascan sometime this year with the package. I also get a 3D body image once a month which gives you all your measurements.

 

[JaegerDice]

Fair enough. Well done!

I just turned 30 in September. Had never done ANY weight training in my life before July. My heaviest at 5’8” was 178. Cut to 155 last March. Then started 5x5 in July. Took August off. Resumed 5x5. Took November off. Started a hypertrophy based program. Been maintaining 160-162 the last few months while improving my strength.

Did a dexascan a couple weeks ago for the first time. It said I’m 30% body fat. The scale used to say 21% back in July when I finished cutting. The guy said it will guaranteed be higher than your guess and any caliper or scale says.

I get 2 more dexascan sometime this year with the package. I also get a 3D body image once a month which gives you all your measurements.

Well, first of all, I'm jealous you're still only 30.

More importantly, keep up the great work! It sounds like you've done your homework and know what you want to work towards.

I'm kind of 'lucky', in that my 'ideal' body isn't too far from the starting point my genes gave me. Though it took me awhile to actually figured out what I wanted. I grew up thinking Bruce Lee was the baddest looking MFer on the planet... so I always figured if I could kinda replicate that build on my taller frame, I'd be happy.

But 'lean' wasn't in as much through my teens and 20s as it is now. Or maybe it was, but not in the circles I grew up or played sports in. Bulkier, hypertrophy, was the ideal. So I got bigger, and never really liked the way I felt. I felt slower, and clumsier, and clothes never fit as well or looked as good as the models in the ads, lol. That was when I was up to 195lbs. I just decided... I'm chasing a body type that is a burden to attain or keep for my genetic makeup, and I don't even like the results thus far.

So finally I decided I was done, and I was gonna cut as hard as I could. I changed my diet, cut out alcohol, changed my workout routine. I was actually aiming at 170lbs, but by 180, I was happy with what I saw in the mirror and how clothes and suits looked on me, so that was the point I decided to go into maintenance mode.

 

[Easy E]

Are you a bodybuilder? Because that body fat % is body builder level. Either you’re way underestimating, or you’re jacked AF

Thought the same thing .

 

[Pez68]

Tried Keto, couldn't keep up with it.

Paleo just works better for me. Though I do kind of split the difference and say 'nothing but water and protein after 8pm'.

Down to 180, 7%-8% body fat at 6'2.

No cardio, really, other than hiking or snowshoeing with the dog. Anything at the gym is weights.

6'2 and 180 lbs. huh? Please don't lose more weight... 170 lbs. would be absurd at 6'2.

 

[RayP]

Tried Keto, couldn't keep up with it.

Paleo just works better for me. Though I do kind of split the difference and say 'nothing but water and protein after 8pm'.

Down to 180, 7%-8% body fat at 6'2.

No cardio, really, other than hiking or snowshoeing with the dog. Anything at the gym is weights.

How are you measuring your BF %?

 

[Easy E]

Waited far too long to move from 3 days to 4 days splits

A million times better for recovery for me (lot more volume too)

 

[JaegerDice]

How are you measuring your BF %?

DXA. Sometimes called DEXA. It's kind of like an xray, but uses two wavelengths. It was originally designed to measure bone density, but it was quickly discovered that the same calculation they used to determine bone density (basically measuring the difference in response between one wave and the other) could also accurately measure body fat as well.

6'2 and 180 lbs. huh? Please don't lose more weight... 170 lbs. would be absurd at 6'2.

lol, yeah, I'm pretty lean, but I was always kinda that way naturally, before I put a ton of effort over several years into getting bigger. I got up to 195 and 15% body fat in my late 20s, and decided I couldn't do it any more. I didn't like the way I looked or felt. I looked bloated (to my eye) and felt slowed and clumsy. (EDIT: Not because my body fat was higher, I was just all around bulkier than I liked).

Given my diet and activity level now, 180 actually feels pretty comfortable for me.

 

[Pez68]

I just had flashbacks to high school where my buddy was 6'2 and like 172 lbs.... He seriously looked malnourished. It just isn't a good look.

For comparison's sake I was about 5'9 and 165 lbs. with probably around 5% body fat. We have totally different frames, obviously, but guys that weigh that little simply amaze me. Then again I've been around hockey players most of my life. Based on lower body weight alone, you almost never see guys with that build. We all have big asses, big thighs, and ripped calf muscles. Luckily I have wide shoulders, so don't look as disproportionate as some of them. Lol

 

[TorMenT]

Squat is getting up there for me. Not in comparison to you guys tho.

Squat
170x8x4

Deadlift
185x6x2

Bench
115x8x4

For bench I’ve done 120x8, then 5, then 5, then asked for a spot on the last set and hit 8 without help. Must be mental. Both programs I’ve tried I plateau on bench so fast.

During SL5x5 my squat got to 170x5x5 with poor form and improper depth. I’m on point now I believe and hit 170x8x4. Really wanna test my 1RM soon.

 

[Easy E]

Squat is getting up there for me. Not in comparison to you guys tho.

Squat
170x8x4

Deadlift
185x6x2

Bench
115x8x4

For bench I’ve done 120x8, then 5, then 5, then asked for a spot on the last set and hit 8 without help. Must be mental. Both programs I’ve tried I plateau on bench so fast.

During SL5x5 my squat got to 170x5x5 with poor form and improper depth. I’m on point now I believe and hit 170x8x4. Really wanna test my 1RM soon.

That's high volume mfer

My 5x10 are sitting at

BP 135
DL 135
SQ 110

5x10 @ ~60% TM is brutal. I may move to 4x8 but folks say the pain at 5x10 is all gainz

 

[Marotte Marauder]

I think everyone has had that crap at some point. I had it almost a month before it was completely gone.

First sign of a cold, put a spoonful on a cracker. If you're early enough-NO COLD.

 

[Illinihockey]

335x4x6 deadlift today
275x3x6 + 315x3 squats


I just can’t stay away from going back to lower reps/more weight. I’m like a drug addict

 

[Crow]

First sign of a cold, put a spoonful on a cracker. If you're early enough-NO COLD.

I’m going to try to remember this, as ridiculous as it sounds.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

I’m going to try to remember this, as ridiculous as it sounds.

Try it and you'll like the response. Key is to take it at the first signs that you may be coming down with a cold.