2017 Health and Fitness Thread

Not be get too nosy, but this thread gets me wondering about everyone`s age and overall goals.

I`m 57 and basically all about just staying healthy and being able to do stuff. Simply can`t afford any downtime due to injuries like "can`t do that today because my [whatever] hurts". And yeah, sure...I want to look good (heh heh, I set that bar awfully high ;) ) and I`m not gonna replace my wardrobe so my size has to basically stay the same as it`s been since forever.

Biggest age-related factor is the need for adequate recovery and the apparently *greatly* decreased need for volume/frequency. Haven`t noticed any metabolic slowdown (heh heh, people`ve been predicting that I would for decades but nope) or drop in performance, still feel ageless as in I can`t even put a number on it.

SgtMajUSMC- Sounds like you found your perfect diet approach both with/without that app.

Yeah, getting sufficient protein while eating clean can be a challenge, especially for people living, uhm...normal lives. Gotta admit that retirement makes that a lot easier for me as I can better call the shots.

Good on you for seeing those abs! I bet it`ll be a lot easier to keep `em visible now.

I had to tweak my ab work a bit as I got older; even when good and lean I have to keep my lowermost abs really well-trained (and my hip flexors *not* too pronounced) or I can get a bulge down there that I don`t like the looks of.
 
House of Wax- I enjoy following your progress and reading how you`re going about it. You guys using apps/programs/etc. make me feel like a caveman by comparison :D

The "different people are different even though we`re all basically the same" keeps coming to mind! Here *I* leaned out when I started exercising *less*. May well be that age-factor again, man I sure would`ve bet that it wouldn`t work out that way.

Heh heh, I continue to envy your enjoyment of the cardio! Mine remains torturous :( but at least it`s over in a few minutes. Eh, I still don`t count all the walking/hiking as "cardio" but it`s probably contributing something.

Yeah, the goal of adding *something* to every workout is the right way to approach it. More weight, additional reps, slower reps or feeling the muscles better...there`s always *something* to improve.

Losing midsection fat while not compromising gains sure is challenging, huh?

Glad to hear you`re not going for marathon cardio sessions, seems like every study shows that to be downright unhealthy in the long run. When the researchers guess that a subject "must`ve been hit by a bus or something" that doesn`t strike me as a healthy lifestyle.
 
35 here. Pretty similar goals as yours. I had some blood work done last year for a physical and had a few results come back a little surprising, and not in a good way. Doc of course immediately wanted to start talking about meds. Told her we`re gonna hold off, I`m gonna get back in shape/clean up my diet, and then we`ll revisit it after another blood test.

Just as big of a motivator was to chase the aches and pains away. I have a fairly physical job and far too often I was waking up in the morning with too many aches. Since getting serious about this, my back and knees have felt better than they have in quite some time. I`ve got 2 little kids to keep up with as well. I don`t ever wanna be that dad that is a lazy slug because I`m fat and outta shape. Also I feel like it sets a good example for them and keeps them active/healthy.

And finally......we spend a lot of time on the water/beaches during the summer. I just really got sick of not feeling comfortable when I didn`t have a shirt on.

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Accumulator said:
House of Wax- I enjoy following your progress and reading how you`re going about it. You guys using apps/programs/etc. make me feel like a caveman by comparison :D

The "different people are different even though we`re all basically the same" keeps coming to mind! Here *I* leaned out when I started exercising *less*. May well be that age-factor again, man I sure would`ve bet that it wouldn`t work out that way.

Heh heh, I continue to envy your enjoyment of the cardio! Mine remains torturous :( but at least it`s over in a few minutes. Eh, I still don`t count all the walking/hiking as "cardio" but it`s probably contributing something.

Yeah, the goal of adding *something* to every workout is the right way to approach it. More weight, additional reps, slower reps or feeling the muscles better...there`s always *something* to improve.

Losing midsection fat while not compromising gains sure is challenging, huh?

Glad to hear you`re not going for marathon cardio sessions, seems like every study shows that to be downright unhealthy in the long run. When the researchers guess that a subject "must`ve been hit by a bus or something" that doesn`t strike me as a healthy lifestyle.
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It`ll take some willpower not to dip into the long distance running. For me it is a fantastic stress reliever and my weight melts off when I do it.

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44 Y/O.

No ab work period. Carries for core is all. Abs is all diet for me. Strong core is the rest for me. Perhaps the single biggest find for me was the trap bar carries.

I do a lot of active recovery. Foam rolling and deep tissue massage.

Trust me 25 years of heavy lifting and that was fraught with injuries and overtraining.

I finally figured it out. One thing I don`t do is bar bench. Messes up my shoulders. Strictly dumbbells for chest. Huge benefit using DBs and doing presses lying flat on the floor. Nothing but chest.
 
Oh, and I did take pictures before I started.....yikes. Even though I`m only down 10 pounds so far, I can definitely tell a difference in how I look. Can`t wait to get down to my target weight and compare the difference

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I don`t worry about weight period. I track body fat. I can look like crap to myself at a certain weight and pretty good 10 Lbs heavier with less actual BF. Muscle weighs more than fat:)
 
Basic method with nylon measuring tape. Mid section at naval minus neck gives you circumference value. Look up circumference value for your height (edited had age originally) on chart available online and that will tell you BF%. Very rough estimate though.

Calipers are better.

Best is water displacement test.

Example of what I mentioned above IRT Weight vs BF. In Sept of 16 my wt was 240 and BF was 19. Right now I weigh 252 and BF is 11%. I look way better now than I did then. More important to me, I am stronger.
 
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House of Wax- Yeah, I remember your bloodtest wakeup call, sounds like you`re On It these days. Given your (heh heh, young to me ;) ) age, IMO it`s really good that you didn`t wait longer, like until something really nailed you. Mid-30s is too young to have any issues but that`s right were a lot of people start letting themselves go.

On the running, at least you *admit* you just like doing it :D Sure nothing wrong with doing physical stuff you enjoy as long as you don`t *overdo* it. Guess I worry about the running because I know plenty of people who became overweight *former* runners who say how they "...used to run X miles a week" but had to quit because of time constraints/injuries/etc. Well, that an the Sour Grapes thing since I can`t run worth a [darn] and quickly develop issues.

SgtMajUSMC- You`re still going heavy for 44! Yeah, that Active Recovery is probably helping you out a lot.

Ah, so you don`t do (barbell) benches either. I agree 100% about the `bells being better anyhow, though I gotta do mine on a bench to get the right stretch, and at an incline too, which is another one of those "shouldn`t work that way according to theory, but..." things that I can`t explain.

I finally had to add some work specifically targeting the lowermost part of my abs but at least it only takes a few minutes.

And we`re also on the exact same page regarding the bodyweight vs. bodyfat. Only time I step on a scale is at the Dr. office. That`s quite a drop you`ve pulled off considering your strength gains. You happy at 11 or do you have something else in sight?

I never liked the "age-related correction" for the BF%...not like I was *really* at a different % 24hrs after my bday.

My wife has one of those fancy scales that claims to measure bodyfat %, but IMO it`s hopelessly inaccurate. Eh, it`s apparently consistent enough that she finds it useful, but no thanks.
 
I`m good at 11. I would have to change too much to go lower. More cardio, lighter weight/more reps and pay way more attention to diet than I am willing to do in order to go lower. I`m in a good spot right now for me.

To clarify the DB floor press. I do that on my second push day in the week (3 on,1 off split) and get better concentration solely on chest with it and use 20% of first push workout weight. First push day is DB bench and heavy, 125lb DBs currently, so the floor press is with 100lbs. Agree with you on incline DB. Decline anything is worthless.

With you on the age BF thing. Tape measure sucks for accuracy regardless. At best you are getting ballpark within 5%. A scale is laughable for BF.
 
What is your guys favorite easy source of good protein and healthy fats?

I really have a hard time getting enough.

Unfortunately, I don`t like a lot of the traditional things like beef jerky, hard boiled eggs, nuts.

I try to suck down a protein shake, eat lots of peanut butter, usually steak, chicken or pork for dinner.
Really need a good protein snack.
 
For starters, personally I currently take in 250 grams a day. Favorite and like aren`t conducive with that considering calories in what I like. More about the nutrition value and bang for the buck.

I hate tuna but I eat two of the envelopes a day. So the tuna packs in water. I know it`s processed but they are quick. I throw some Texas Pete in it and tolerate it. 20g per pack.

I use Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard protein powder. 24g per scoop and 130 calories. Get creative with adding it to food for added protein. Recipes on their site. Pre workout and post workout shake in water.

1 cup of kashi cereal has 12g of soy protein. Instead of milk one scoop protein powder mixed in water in the cereal. 36g right there. Do the same with oatmeal but less protein in oatmeal.

Cottage cheese. I hate it. Top salads or vegetables.

Premake meals...chicken breast for two days as example.

Salmon.

Quest protein bars in a pinch. Generally excepted as best from nutrition standpoint. Less sugar than most others too. 20g

Casein protein before bed.

Peanut Butter is ok in moderation but bang for buck for protein isn`t there and only the high end stuff is any good. If it isn`t around $10 a jar it is loaded with crap.

Look for yogurt with 2x or more protein. Some have 20g in the small single serve. They aren`t all the same. Look at sugar content.
 
So I got some protein powder, it mixes with water but I use it in vanilla icecream and milk. Seems good because I`ve been detailing all day almost every day with sore arms and legs. Any pointers?


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Also I use the vitamix and blend spinach, plain yogurt, vanilla ice cream
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Mr. Slick said:
So I got some protein powder, it mixes with water but I use it in vanilla icecream and milk. Seems good because I`ve been detailing all day almost every day with sore arms and legs. Any pointers?


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Branch chain amino acid. 10g a day for your sore arms and legs....pills or powder. You could get plain powder and sprinkle on your ice cream.

There are concrete givens with nutrition but a lot of it is what works for you combined with goals.

Nothing wrong with powder with milk or ice cream I guess.

Chocolate milk is good for recovering. Mix with choc milk. Don`t imagine it is very tasty with vanilla.

Serious with the Spinach mix?
 
SgtMajUSMC said:
Branch chain amino acid. 10g a day for your sore arms and legs....pills or powder. You could get plain powder and sprinkle on your ice cream.

There are concrete givens with nutrition but a lot of it is what works for you combined with goals.

Nothing wrong with powder with milk or ice cream I guess.

Chocolate milk is good for recovering. Mix with choc milk. Don`t imagine it is very tasty with vanilla.

Serious with the Spinach mix?
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Yeah. It doesn`t have the powder in it too lol. It tastes pretty good!


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SgtMajUSMC- Heh heh, I`m envious that you can do Push Days twice/week, I`m spacing mine around 12 days like most everything else. Sounds nutty what with only 3-5 total work sets for chest, huh?!? Sure would`ve bet against that, used to do >3x that weekly.

Part of my curiosity about your being satisfied with 11% (yeah, reasonable IMO) is that the first time I had mine tested that`s exactly what it was, bit of a reality check as I thought I was leaner. (guy used calipers; on my wife he was within 1% of her Immersion % so I figured he was OK). Haven`t had it tested in ages, but if I can see defined lower abs with vascularity over `em I`m happy and that always correlated to being around 7-8%.

Heh heh, I have to laugh when some [individual] in a magazine supposedly has 5%.

Supplements: after stimulating the economy on them for years I`ve cut back to only Creatine (from Optimum Nutrition ~5g/day), PolyphenolRX (from Zone Labs 1 capsule/day), Fish Oil (RxOmega-3 from Natural Factors ~15 capsules/day), vitamin D3, and Niacin (which tweaks me HDL numbers to near-outlier levels).

Ages ago I figured out the protein/carb/fat amounts based on ~1.5-2 grams protein/lb. lean weight etc. etc. and really put some thought into it, but these days I just eat (mostly small) meals whenever I`m hungry, always aiming for around 25g protein every time though I have more with most dinners. Which means I eat a lot, but that`s OK since I can set my own schedule.

Mr. Slick- Yeah, I always mix mine with whole milk, never water (yuck!). Gee, I hardly ever have Protein Shakes/Meal Replacement Powders these days...still have lots of `em sitting around though. Tasty and quick but I simply do better with whole food.
 
I`ve gone round and round mentally debating whether or not to go down the rabbit hole of supplements. So much snake oil out there and unfounded claims on a multitude of products.

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