# What do you guys do to stay in shape?



## Destin (Jan 2, 2012)

Alright, with one of my new years resolutions being to drop the 40 pounds I've gained in the last year, I figured it would be fun to see what everyone on here does to stay in shape. 

I'll start:
I used to race mountain bikes semi-professionally, but when I got tired of training I sold my bike and put the money into other hobbies. Used to train on my bike about 300-350 miles per week, along with light weight training. But I let myself go for the last 18 months or so and lost my endurance, along with packing on 40 pounds of fat.

So my new plan is to get a new bike for this summer and get into riding again. And since I HATE HATE HATE lifting weights and working out in a gym, I'm starting a new workout - I got an old tractor tire and a sledge hammer and put them in my garage. Gonna start beating the life out of a tire with a 16 pound hammer. Can't think of a better workout that uses the whole body and is fun. Blast some music and hit the tire for 15 minutes a day. It's something I can stick with, because it's actually fun. 

Let's not mention my diet though... it's not good and I haven't gotten up the will power to fix it yet.

So.. What do you do to work out/stay in shape?


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 2, 2012)

Osmosis.


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## D-B-J (Jan 2, 2012)

Go to the gym daily.  One day is full weights/machines, cardio, and abs, and the next is abs and cardio.  Repeat.  I've found P90x to be a great system for working out.


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## DCMoney (Jan 2, 2012)

4 miles a day every day, since I started 18 months ago I haven't missed a day. If weather permitting Ill go outside if not its done on my treadmill, in front of my screen watching something. 

I don't look like I'm in shape but I've got stamina like a mofo. 

Also will ride road bikes when weather is above 50 degrees and not 20+ MPH winds.


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## paul85224 (Jan 2, 2012)

Any type of cardio will help, including augmenting your diet to reduce the amount of fat.


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## willis_927 (Jan 2, 2012)

D-B-J said:


> Go to the gym daily. One day is full weights/machines, cardio, and abs, and the next is abs and cardio. Repeat. I've found P90x to be a great system for working out.



P90x is a GREAT workout, but is also very demanding. Atleast an hour a day, 6 days a week, and pretty intence workouts.. But it works.


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## Robin Usagani (Jan 2, 2012)

I dont.  I eat like a pig and stay slim.  When my waist size reach 36, maybe I will start exercising LOL.


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## Destin (Jan 2, 2012)

My issue right now is no gym membership+no treadmill+no bike at the moment, and it's 20 degrees with 6 inches of snow on the ground here. So running is out, I can't breath when it's that cold out. So trying to find cardio indoors without exercise equipment is hard. 

I'm in the beginning stages of training for my CPAT test, which is the phyisical ability test to get into a paid fire department. Going to start doing lots of stair climbs with a weight vest on to simulate pulling a charged hose line up a staircase. Fun stuff.


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## Destin (Jan 2, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> I dont.  I eat like a pig and stay slim.  When my waist size reach 36, maybe I will start exercising LOL.



People like you piss me off. Haha.


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## willis_927 (Jan 2, 2012)

Destin said:


> My issue right now is no gym membership+no treadmill+no bike at the moment, and it's 20 degrees with 6 inches of snow on the ground here.



COME ON MAN, say that to ROCKY!!


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## willis_927 (Jan 2, 2012)

I bet that clip makes anyone want to work out!!


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## Mach0 (Jan 2, 2012)

If p90 is harder for you, then I would suggest a jump rope if your ceiling permits.  I've used the insanity workout but it's more cardio and I find it more intense than p90x. The best thing I've tried at home is a p90x/insanity hybrid.


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## thierry (Jan 2, 2012)

Dont eat sh!+....


I use to wrestle and train in muay thai and jiu jitsu for 4 years.. Once I started my sophmore year in college last year I had to stop everything so I could work full time and go to school full time.. I havent even so much lifted a 3lb weight since then and have remained the same weight (lost a bit of muscle mass) just by eating a well balanced diet. I do not drink pop, however I love cookies. I also work in a burger joint so it is very hard not to eat fried foods, but I try my best. Also, drink tons of water. I drink at least gallon a day. Also, I take fiber daily to ensure a sufficent  daily amount so I go stoodla pumpa everyday. Very basic things that help a ton.


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## thierry (Jan 2, 2012)




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## Overread (Jan 2, 2012)

Photography!

Seriously get some long f2.8 lenses and midrange bodies - tripods and all that jaz and before you know if you've half a tonne in your hands and another tonne in your backpack as you travel around


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## Natalie (Jan 2, 2012)

The way I stay in shape is different than most other people - I have the kind of body that always wants to get fat if I give it half the opportunity. I have to try to lose weight to stay the same weight, and in order to _lose_ weight, I have to practically starve myself and hike up mountains three times a week with all my photo gear. I also lose the most weight when I consume >50% of my daily calories (which have to be under 1400 a day, or I'll gain weight) in a single meal, because that's the only way I feel full. If I eat smaller meals throughout the day, I never feel full, so I keep eating. And by the end of the day I've eaten a lot more than if I just had a single large meal.

I figured all this stuff out a couple years after I had finished high school, after slowly gaining weight during those years, when I stepped on a scale and realized I had reached a weight that pushed me over into the overweight category, even if just barely so. I was officially fat, and that was really terrible realization. So I made up my mind that I didn't want to be fat anymore, and I lost 30lbs (going from 147lbs to 117lbs, I'm 5'4") by hiking every day I could and eating less, and eating most of my calories as a large meal after I finished hiking.

TONS of people have tried to convince me that it's better to eat several smaller meals a day, but that just doesn't work for me because once I start eating, it's hard for me to stop. I tried the smaller meal thing for a while in 2011 (6-8 months I think) and ended up gaining weight to the point where I weighed 128lbs, and after that I stopped and went back to my own schedule and now I'm down to 122lbs. So yeah, that's how I stay in shape. It's not easy, but I'd rather deal with not being able to eat whatever and whenever I want than being overweight, and consequently not being able to keep up with my friends on hikes and going to remote locations for the purpose of photography. 

Your mileage may vary. Since you're male, you naturally have a higher metabolism and a body that is more apt to put on muscle than fat, so it will probably be easier for you you. Keep us updated on the progress.


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## kundalini (Jan 2, 2012)

My sex life is pretty demanding.  Best cardio workout there is.  Depending on how adventureous you are, great all over body workout.


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## mwcfarms (Jan 2, 2012)

I agree with the dont eat ****. Eat more protein and veggies than anything. Protein keeps you fuller longer and veggies dont have all the extra sugar that fresh fruit does. I used to work out 5 days a week but since school started i am lucking to get there once or twice a week. Eat properly and excercise is the best way to maintain and stay fit. Now I gotta lose the freshman 15 I have gained hah. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.


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## rexbobcat (Jan 2, 2012)

willis_927 said:


> D-B-J said:
> 
> 
> > Go to the gym daily. One day is full weights/machines, cardio, and abs, and the next is abs and cardio. Repeat. I've found P90x to be a great system for working out.
> ...



I didn't like it. It becomes like an obligation. I'm not very good with patterned routines like that....lol

I haven't done anything over the break, but I used to run about a mile and a half every day and I'd lift weights.

I've found that modifying my diet has helped me stay thin and lean better than the exercise itself.


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## rexbobcat (Jan 2, 2012)

mwcfarms said:


> I agree with the dont eat ****. Eat more protein and veggies than anything. Protein keeps you fuller longer and veggies dont have all the extra sugar that fresh fruit does. I used to work out 5 days a week but since school started i am lucking to get there once or twice a week. Eat properly and excercise is the best way to maintain and stay fit. Now I gotta lose the freshman 15 I have gained hah. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.



Fruit is still better than refined sugar though. If you exercise regularly, the fructose breaks down very quickly, so you body is left with nutrients while not having to worry about glucose spikes.


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## MissCream (Jan 2, 2012)

I play fruit ninja on my Kinect


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## JClishe (Jan 3, 2012)

MissCream said:


> I play fruit ninja on my Kinect



That can actually be a serious workout


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## JClishe (Jan 3, 2012)

I do Ironman triathlons. From November through March or so I workout about 6 hours per week total, primarily high intensity speed work (Running and biking, very little swimming during the winter). I always run outside throughout the winter regardless of conditions but obviously living in the midwest I can't get the bike outside during those months so I'm in the basement on the trainer. Then in March I'll switch to volume work, peaking at about 17-18 hours per week in mid summer then tapering back for a late summer Ironman. Usually some shorter triathlons scattered here and there as well. I recuperate in the fall - physically and mentally. I'll do some unstructured workouts, just whatever I feel like doing, maybe do some local 5k races and just generally let myself be lazy and put on weight, then start the cycle over again in November.


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## EIngerson (Jan 3, 2012)

I eat junk to stay in shape. Round is a shape.


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## unpopular (Jan 3, 2012)

Overread said:


> Photography!
> 
> Seriously get some long f2.8 lenses and midrange bodies - tripods and all that jaz and before you know if you've half a tonne in your hands and another tonne in your backpack as you travel around



Yep. I carry around an early model Omega view camera with a Majestic Tripod for this reason alone.


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## unpopular (Jan 3, 2012)

EIngerson said:


> I eat junk to stay in shape. Round is a shape.



And it's better than square!


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## EIngerson (Jan 3, 2012)

unpopular said:


> EIngerson said:
> 
> 
> > I eat junk to stay in shape. Round is a shape.
> ...



LOL.


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## mwcfarms (Jan 3, 2012)

rexbobcat said:


> mwcfarms said:
> 
> 
> > I agree with the dont eat ****. Eat more protein and veggies than anything. Protein keeps you fuller longer and veggies dont have all the extra sugar that fresh fruit does. I used to work out 5 days a week but since school started i am lucking to get there once or twice a week. Eat properly and excercise is the best way to maintain and stay fit. Now I gotta lose the freshman 15 I have gained hah. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
> ...



When your in competition mode sugar is sugar whether your getting it from good sugar or bad sugar it doesn't matter when your trying to get your BMI down. I hear what your saying but a lot of people that want to lose weight or need to lose a lot of weight think that eating as much fruit as you want is ok when in fact it isnt. Good sugar and bad sugar are both fuel for your body and when your trying to lose or lean down for competing you want your body to get rid of the fat first. Not the available sugar.


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## unpopular (Jan 3, 2012)

so-called "bad" refined sugar is sucrose, which is nothing but glucose and fructose held together by a frail little oxygen molecule. Once you metabolize sucrose, it's no different than eating an equivalent amount of fructose-containing fruit and an equivalent glass of milk.

Sugar itself isn't the problem, it's that on it's own it has no other nutritional value aside from carbohydrate.


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## Compaq (Jan 3, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> I dont.  I eat like a pig and stay slim.  When my waist size reach 36, maybe I will start exercising LOL.



How I hate people like you  I'm the opposite, pretty much. Eat bad for a few weeks, and the fat on my body is flapping everyone in their faces when I walk past them.


However (  ), I play volleyball three times a week (yes, it's a real and tiresome sport), and normally have a cardio workout either before or after these workouts. Two years ago I decided to eat healty and really reduce the fat % - and I totally did. Went from 87 kg to ~74, whilst keeping much of the muscular tissue. Then I started at the university.......


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## Norma (Jan 3, 2012)

Hate to say it but the gym. I hate working out but a necessity. Cardio and weights.


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## molested_cow (Jan 3, 2012)

I used to run 3 miles on one day and an hour of gym the next. Then I don't really want to go to the gym anymore because it's no longer free for me, so I keep running 3 miles on one day and swim 1500m the next. Some times, if time permits and if I feel ok, I will run and swim right after. I do miss weights and realized that my upper body strength isn't doing nearly as well as when I used to go to the gym. However, my endurance is improving.

Just came back from 2000m of drowning!

For me, keeping in shape is one thing although I simply can't get rid of that spare tire no matter what I do. I started doing these exercises because I need a way to vent and carve out some time for myself, to be left alone. So daily work out is really important to my sanity.

The other day I was visiting my grand parents and went for a run in the farm area. I just ran and ran and ran and before I knew it, I did more than 5 miles and not even feeling tired. I think it's really got to do with how I feel psychologically. I loved the farm area so running through the place was joy for me, but counting laps on the track just feels that much tougher.

Diet wise, it's hard to have total control when you got a mom who cooks great dinner. It's been tough, but I try to keep my portion small by planning to swim/run after the meal (with time gap of course).


Just want to add.... Gym can be annoying for a few reasons.
1.) Gets too crowded, got to wait for your turn.
2.) Sometimes kids come in (apartment gym) and mess around.
3.) Housewives' gossip while they do the step thingy. They like to talk about what processed food, like healthy choice and all that junk they ate that day and how much calories they took in. They then talk about alcohol and booze that they had at the pub. Then they talk about how they have no time for themselves since they have kids...
4.) Sweaty dudes who don't use a towel.....!!!


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## nmoody (Jan 3, 2012)

Over the past two years I have lost about 45lbs. First 20lbs was me cutting soda out completely. The rest was a combination of WeightWatchers and mild gym activities. I used WW for their system, got a feel for what I should of been doing and now im pretty steady on my weight. WW isnt designed to make you drop tons of weight but instead slowly bring you down and give you the information you need to maintain your weight. If you dont want to do the meetings and crap there is just an online version which gives you some awesome tools for managing everything.


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## ghache (Jan 3, 2012)

I eat well, and try to stay outside as much as possible. I jog/walk my dogs every possible day.


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## paigew (Jan 3, 2012)

I just started the 'insanity' workout and omg it is freaking HARD! I'm doing it to lose my baby weight  We also just ordered a vitamix so we will be juicing at least twice a day.


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## Diddy2theJJ (Jan 3, 2012)

I did P90X for 1 year and and did two and a half rounds of it. The BEST workout and meal plan that I've ever been on. I lost 40 lbs and 2-3 inches off of my waist. It was definitely a commitment, but once I got used to it I looked forward to it. And the nice thing is, I wasn't hungry on it! You eat so well and have healthy snacks throughout the day and it works well.

That being said, I was single at the time so I had all the time in the world. I'm now engaged and working full time and doing photography part time...and I have gained all that weight back! Aaaarg. Frustrating, but I went in to the doc a couple weeks ago and I have high blood pressure and cholesterol. Me and my fiance are going to start eating healthy again and doing about 30 min of exercise a day and see how that goes. Probably just elliptical and then some situps/pushups etc to start out with and see if we can work up to something a little more intense.

Eating is my biggest challenge because I love frozen pizza, mountain dew, and snickers....not the best combo for losing weight! haha


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## unpopular (Jan 3, 2012)

I really don't think the gym is necessary except for vanity. Eat right and don't drive everywhere and your body will maintain a healthy size regardless of what the BMI says.

There are several issues dealing with what we think of as "good health" and the BMI. First, the BMI is nothing really, it's just an arbitrary index. weight/(height)^2. That's nothing, really, just a ratio. It linearizes the charts doctors use, and "body mass index" makes this non-scientific screening tool sound more impressive.

Second, the "obesity epidemic" itself. What this shocking news doesn't tell you is that they changed the definition of overweight. While people may be getting heavier, statistics that say significantly more people are overweight or obese today isn't a reflection of weight, but rather of the changing definition of what that means.

There is also little evidence that this so-called epidemic has actual affects on our overall health. While death due to diabetes has gone up, death due to other weight related conditions such as heart disease and stroke have gone down since the 1950s. While the diabetes thing may sound significant, this is more likely due to diagnosis than an increase in diabetes. People used to just die of "old age". This is almost never the case any longer in the US.

The most "overweight states" states also states with the highest number of immigration and the years which the US saw the greatest increase in weight was also years which the US saw large numbers of immigration from Latin America. At least one study I have seen has shown that healthy hispanics tend to have a higher body mass index than non-hispanic whites. I believe that the overweight epidemic, especially in childhood obesity, is a reflection of our changing population, and not our changing lifestyle.

Finally there are a number of studies which indicate being "slightly overweight" is beneficial in some areas, that weight gain can be significantly tied to poor sleep and that weight gain can be significantly tied to stress - none of which are ever emphasized. This implies that our rush-rush suburban lifestyle which require us to wake up at obscenely early and get home late - which encourages up to stay up later as well - commute in heavy traffic for long distances while worrying about being late and how appointments will be made also have a significant affect on our weight, which may (and probably is) be just fine to begin with.

I'm not saying that I am the pinnacle of good health, I am pretty sedentary lately, especially with winter. But as I am walking from the bus stop and passed a gym, I have to wonder how much is that is really necessary if people would just get out of their cars and walk.


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## JohnS. (Jan 3, 2012)

A work out won't get you anywhere if you're not willing to eat healthy. 

I've got a bad back and shoulders and used to have bad knees so I'm limited to what I do. I went to physical therapy for my knees and went on my own after 6 weeks. They're doing much better. I decided to throw in a couple more exercises to work out my core along with the knees just to tighten my abs up. Otherwise I don't really exercise. My job requires a lot of walking/standing and some lifting (which isn't always necessarily a good thing but it keeps me active).

Otherwise I make healthier choices with food. I have actually LOST weight by eating healthier. I'm 5'6" and 138-140lbs. I used to be 145-150 maybe 5-6 months ago. I can't gain weight for the life of me. My metabolism is insanely high. Eat more frequently throughout the day but less at each meal. I eat at least 5-6 times a day minimum. On weekends it's a tad less because I sleep in longer (I get up at 6 during the week days for work) so it throws of my eating schedule a bit. I only drink water. I don't drink alcohol at all and I only have soda with foods that taste better with it (ie - pizza, wings, popcorn, etc.). But even then, I mostly drink water. Wheat instead of white bread, fruit instead of cookies, etc. 

I've changed my eating habits to the point where I no longer have desire for the "yummy" foods. It's incredible. I used to have such a HUGE sweet tooth. I had candy every day! But now, a few cookies and I feel sick. I get cravings but I've maintained my eating so much that I have MUCH more self-control and can choose not to eat whatever. I still have burgers, Taco Bell, etc. several times through a month. Much better than eating it multiple times a week. 

To all those that want to try to eat healthier, it takes a lot of self-control and takes a while to build it up. I used to HATE water. I drank soda and soda only for years. I forced myself to start drinking water and it tasted horrible. But eventually you get used to it and now I LOVE the taste of water.


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## Diddy2theJJ (Jan 3, 2012)

Great post unpopular. I think it's a matter of perspective, and most people are focusing on the one point of view that the news is reporting which is a highly negative view (as most news seems to be...which is why I very rarely watch or read about it). Also with media pushing model type bodies people use that as a reference point to what they should look like and strive for, when that really is an unrealistic goal to achieve without putting in the amount of hours dedicated to exercise, that many of us don't have with working and raising a family etc.


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## ClickAddict (Jan 3, 2012)

Most doctors tend to agree that the ideal BMI as a target is slightly low. (There was even a  2nd version of the BMI calculations which came out to address this if I recall) WW sets goals based on BMI (Or used to.  I heard they did some major overhaul to their system a few years back) however they also say if your doctor reccomends different target weights they will follow those.  My BMI was suppose to be something like 178 or 180.  My doc told me that in the low to mid 190s would be a weight which would be acceptable.  (Not ideal, but not causing stresss to my body)  At the time (2 years ago) I was 275lbs.  I am now 190lbs.  (well perhaps 195 after the holidays    but it fluctuates a bit here and there which does not concern me)  At this weight, for my height and build, I would say I am carrying a few extra pounds, but in good shape.  So 180 would certainly be possible withou much effort, but I've levelled off at around 190 and am enjoying my current exercise and diet regime so I don't feel the urge to try and go lower.

And as for how I lost the weight.  Taekwondo, skiing, some biking the first summer but got a motorcycle after that and had a hard time on sunny days to get out the "slow" bike.  Diet: portion control and switched from regular pop/soda to diet.  (I'm a heavy pop drinker so this had a huge effect)

So in a nutshell: dont let BMI overly concern you.  Find the weight you are comfortable with.


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 3, 2012)

I drink.


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## unpopular (Jan 3, 2012)

Diddy2theJJ said:


> I think it's a matter of perspective, and most people are focusing on the one point of view that the news is reporting which is a highly negative view





ClickAddict said:


> Most doctors tend to agree that the ideal BMI as a target is slightly low. (There was even a  2nd version of the BMI calculations which came out to address this if I recall)



I think that there is a monetary issue here as well. At the same time when the standards changed was also around the time when weight management medicine had become much more sophisticated than stimulants and liposuction at a time when there was a lot of anorexia awareness - as a result, there was less emphasis on emulating Twiggy and the rest of the super thin supermodels of the 1970s.

I think the pharmaceutical industry saw their market dry up and lobbied the CDC and FDA to create a market for these upcoming technologies by creating more "fat people" to treat.


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## analog.universe (Jan 3, 2012)

Eat vegan and carry Zeiss lenses up a mountain.  Works like a charm!  

Seriously though, actually just hauling my body vertically, either hiking or climbing (or doing hills on a bike), is an intense and effective workout.  Kind of hard if you don't live near real mountains, but if you do, there's nothing better.  Plus the views along the way are always worth photographing.  I've even got pelican cases that fit in the panniers of my bike so I can take the camera gear with me.


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## Dillard (Jan 3, 2012)

Anyone on here ever try Crossfit? I've don't it for a while and saw awesome results. Now granted, there were a few days I thought about throwing in the towel. Haha But if anything it has taught me a lot of great work outs I can do on my on time at home. There were a ton of challenging workouts, burpee's for instance, that will surprisingly kick your ass time and time again


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## Josh66 (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't really do anything out of the norm to stay in shape...  I don't 'exercise', but I do get a pretty good workout just from going to work and 'doing stuff'.  I probably walk close to 2 miles a day at work, and then I'm always running up and down stairs too.

I pretty much eat whatever I want, though most of it is fairly healthy stuff - we generally don't have a lot of junk food in the house.  We don't drink much soda either.  A 2L bottle of Coke will last like 2 weeks, usually it's flat by the time we can finish it.  Unless company is over - then it might last like an hour, lol.  I mostly just drink water and beer.  Between all the beer I drink and what I eat, I probably take in a ton of carbs...  Probably the only healthy thing that we do on purpose is that we never eat fast food.  My weight has been stable at 180lbs for about the last 10 years...


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## loopy (Jan 3, 2012)

I've been a lazy pig these last 4 months, I need to get back into being active and more importantly....eating healthy (as I type with a candy cane in my mouth...)

I find the easiest way to eating better is to calorie count on my iphone. I don't obsess about it but it does make me more conscious about what I am eating, so I really need to get that going again because the weight has been coming on this holiday season! 

I sit in front of the computer all day but my activity levels are not too bad. I workout once a week with my sister the personal trainer, and also try to snowboard, walk, hike when I can. I just need to stop indulging in goodies.


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## cepwin (Jan 4, 2012)

I have an eliptical which is where i can watch tv, computer or dvr....best exercise $ I've ever spent


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## raphaelaaron (Jan 4, 2012)

i try to stay in the gym, but it sucks because of my demanding schedule. so if i can't do that, i try to maintain a healthy diet.

i took a dare from a friend and decided not to eat out for two weeks, and ended up losing a good amount of weight. but cardio and strength training should be a must.


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## Dominantly (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm in the military, so I don't have a choice.I (except for December) spend two hours in the gym 5 days a week, but despise cardio so most of it is anaerobic.I did sign up for the Super Spartan (Jan 28th), so maybe I should give cardio a little attention between now and then, or just rely on raw talent.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Jan 4, 2012)

I shoot with my 70-200.


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## molested_cow (Jan 4, 2012)

Didn't know you can get a medal for it!

Presidential Fitness Test Now Awarded To Any Kid Who Can Eat Without Sweating | The Onion Sports Network


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## Hickeydog (Jan 4, 2012)

I ride my bike like a maniac.  I put about 8,000 miles each year on my bike.  I do about 250 miles a week from April until December.  Once the salt hits the road, I hit the rollers.  I'm still at 195, which isn't bad considering my height (6'4"), but it would be nice to get down to 170 or so.  I just can't climb hills like the other skinny riders can.


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## Destin (Jan 4, 2012)

Hickeydog said:
			
		

> I ride my bike like a maniac.  I put about 8,000 miles each year on my bike.  I do about 250 miles a week from April until December.  Once the salt hits the road, I hit the rollers.  I'm still at 195, which isn't bad considering my height (6'4"), but it would be nice to get down to 170 or so.  I just can't climb hills like the other skinny riders can.



I feel ya there. I was 185 racing mountain bikes against guys that weigh 135. Luckily I'm a great technical/downhill rider so I always caught them as long as there wasn't a climb near the finish line.


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## Rekd (Jan 4, 2012)

I run up a flight of stairs carrying my 2 egg sausage and cheese omelet every morning then sit in my truck eating an Ultimate Cheeseburger at lunch the running up the steps again. 

(No, really!)


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## jaicatalano (Jan 4, 2012)

At 6 am my kids start working me out.  Dad pick me up.  Dad put me down. Dad up.  Dad down. up down up down up down.  Set 1 done.


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## Rekd (Jan 5, 2012)

jaicatalano said:


> At 6 am my kids start working me out.  Dad pick me up.  Dad put me down. Dad up.  Dad down. up down up down up down.  Set 1 done.



Ha! You have to pick yours up? You poor bastid. I just hold my arms open and mine just jump on me. :lmao: Makes it easier on the back.


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## jterry85 (Jan 8, 2012)

Photography is a great way to stay in shape! And for a greater challenge I combine photography with a kid!

I can carry the kid around!







Or I can carry all the crap around!


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## sm4him (Jan 8, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> I dont.  I eat like a pig and stay slim.  When my waist size reach 36, maybe I will start exercising LOL.



That's exactly how I was...until I hit menopause (surgically induced) and the metabolism came to a screeching halt!

How do I stay in shape?  Well, when you're MY shape, it's really not that hard. 

The few times a year I decide to get serious, I mostly just drink tons of water (which I do anyway, diet or no), cut out 90% of my snacking, and walk every day. 
I never *really* "diet"...count calories, eliminate carbs, all that stuff. But several times a year, I do a "Daniel Diet" for between 10 and 3 weeks. It's just giving up everything except fruits, veggies and grains (in other words, anything grown from seed), and drinking only water for a short period of time.
I usually lose 5-10 pounds just doing that and walking a little.

Then, I usually gain it back a few months later.


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## CA_ (Jan 8, 2012)

Fitness is a huge hobby of mine.

I recently lost about 70lbs. And it really didn't click with me until I truly learned that it's *80% diet / 20% exercise*. Once I really adopted this motto, I started running AND keeping my diet in check.The weight completely melted off of me. Then about 45 lbs down, I hit a plateau, and tried HCG (the real kind) and I lost another 16lbs in one week. Yes, you read that correctly.

But to stay in shape, I didn't buy into the Men's Fitness hype about constantly lifting weights to lose fat, I just weight trained my core and kept the idea that *cardio is king.*


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## skieur (Jan 8, 2012)

Always doing something.  Skiing of course but now that I am in the country I have even more to do.  Shovelling out my (12 car)driveway or getting the ice off it.  Chopping wood by the cord.  Bringing in or taking out the dock. Manhandling trailers. Moving a fridge up a substantial hill at the back of my place and then into my truck and out to the dump.  Putting a deck together and fixing another one.  Putting in a stone walkway.  Swimming in the summer.  Manhandling a boat totally out of the water onto shore when it gets rough. Cutting the lawn up and down the hills every week in the spring, summer, and fall.

I have lost 7 pounds and have become more fit, according to others.

skieur


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 8, 2012)

You guys and gals with weight problems should come over. Every time I've moved here for a while, I've lost quite a bit of weight, quite quickly. Last time, it was 40 pounds in 2 1/2 months doing nothing special. Life here is like exercising without doing any.

Years ago when I moved to Paris I lost 60 pounds in even less time thanks to poor friends who all lived on higher floors of buildings with no elevators


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## skieur (Jan 8, 2012)

c.cloudwalker said:


> You guys and gals with weight problems should come over. Every time I've moved here for a while, I've lost quite a bit of weight, quite quickly. Last time, it was 40 pounds in 2 1/2 months doing nothing special. Life here is like exercising without doing any.
> 
> Years ago when I moved to Paris I lost 60 pounds in even less time thanks to poor friends who all lived on higher floors of buildings with no elevators



If I lost 60 pounds, I would look like a skeleton at about 110 pounds and I am not short.

skieur


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## LadyJasmine (Jan 13, 2012)

I've lost 30 pounds in the last Month or so. I switched what I was eating. I went from 2,000 + calories a day down to 900... the first three days SUCKED big time, but now, I feel great. I sleep awesome. I'm not hungry all the time and I don't crave crap. I gave up almost EVERYTHING! No Pop, no caffeine, no sugar (at all!), low-carbs or good carbs, and LOTS of veggies. I love salad anyway, but I have a salad for dinner every night usually with chicken on it. I drink a TON of water (and we go through more toilet paper than we used to, as well!) 

I also walk on the treadmill (almost fast enough to call it a jog, I suppose) while I watch my DVRed shows. I usually go for 30-45 minutes. Then I do some toning. Usually abs and arms. 

I used to be a size 6 when I met my husband...and we both love to eat...usually it was pasta or pizza hahah. I'm lossing weight because we want to have kids. We've been trying for the last year, and I finally gave up and decided to lose some weight to see if that was really the issue. And boy, do things change when you lose weight! Things are happening the way they should be. 

 I hope to lose more. I dropped 4ish sizes too...but I'm at that stage where I'm in between sizes and it sucks. 

I wish luck to everyone trying to lose weight. It's hard. I've had to kick myself in the butt a couple of times. But I really am motivated to do this now. I'll be 25 in October and I'd really like to have 2 children by the time I'm 30...


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## o hey tyler (Jan 13, 2012)

I kick everyones ass that I meet.


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## naptime (Jan 13, 2012)

when i left the army 20 years ago, i weighed 220 pounds and had 4% body fat. (i was disciplined twice for my body fat being too low)

20 years later, i still weigh 220 pounds...... but now it's 40% body fat !! :thumbdown:

last February i almost died. found out that i was at 40% body fat, high blood pressure... and..... found out my blood glucose level was .... 490.. thats not a typo. 490.

and i was averaging there daily. it wasn't a one time spike. diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

i had also put on a few more pounds than "my normal average" and was up at 260 


a year later, i'm still taking blood pressure meds, diabetes meds, and a little exercise daily. 

i've lost 40 and am now back down to 220. but still have about 40-60 more before i'll be happy.


this, from a former army ranger/drill sergeant.  not sure where i went wrong. it's almost like one day i just stopped working out and eating right.

started eating junk food and sitting around on the computer all day. i became one of those "we all die sometime, might as well enjoy it" type of guys.

my biggest problem now, is the motivation to work out and eat right. i have the desire. i just don't have the motivation.

my near death was a wake up call for me. 


i also used to smoke.... 4 packs a day.. for about 15 years.

i quit new years eve 2007 with acupuncture. haven't had a cigarette since. just had my 5 year anniversary


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 13, 2012)

naptime said:


> when i left the army 20 years ago, i weighed 220 pounds and had 4% body fat. (i was disciplined twice for my body fat being too low)
> 
> 20 years later, i still weigh 220 pounds...... but now it's 40% body fat !! :thumbdown:
> 
> ...




Come on over.

I was on four different meds for high blood pressure when I moved here. Huge dose. Bad enough that my CDL physical was put on a yearly schedule  

A few months later when I ran out of my US drugs I went to see a doctor here to get a new prescription... NO high blood pressure. Perfectly normal.

I was put on a small dose nonetheless but I forget to take it half the time and my blood pressure is normal.

Trust me, I don't know where I went wrong either. I was never in the military but, considering I spent 12 years running around with them, I may as well have been 

And I was very active for many more years. But we get older. And we don't get any better.


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## analog.universe (Jan 13, 2012)

You have to be really diligent and selective to find food in the U.S. that won't kill you.  That's one of the reasons I live in Vermont (in the healthiest city in the country, as it turns out)... most of the food I eat is grown within walking distance, and that's a culture that was never lost in a lot of Europe.  It's not terribly profitable if you're trying to run some big industrial food company, but it's the only way to eat fresh and stay healthy.


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 13, 2012)

skieur said:


> If I lost 60 pounds, I would look like a skeleton at about 110 pounds and I am not short.



I was in no way telling every one to lose 60 pounds.

I did because I put it on and was feeling miserable and it felt great to lose it.

I wish I could lose that much today.


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## c.cloudwalker (Jan 13, 2012)

analog.universe said:


> You have to be really diligent and selective to find food in the U.S. that won't kill you.  That's one of the reasons I live in Vermont (in the healthiest city in the country, as it turns out)... most of the food I eat is grown within walking distance, and *that's a culture that was never lost in a lot of Europe*.  It's not terribly profitable if you're trying to run some big industrial food company, but it's the only way to eat fresh and stay healthy.



It is getting lost.

I'm not going to get into the why and how because we are not supposed to talk about politics here, but it is getting lost. I was amazed when I moved back here about a year ago to see how much fatter the kids are.


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## LadyJasmine (Jan 13, 2012)

analog.universe said:


> You have to be really diligent and selective to find food in the U.S. that won't kill you.  That's one of the reasons I live in Vermont (in the healthiest city in the country, as it turns out)... most of the food I eat is grown within walking distance, and that's a culture that was never lost in a lot of Europe.  It's not terribly profitable if you're trying to run some big industrial food company, but it's the only way to eat fresh and stay healthy.



My husband and I actually grow a LOT of our food. I grow lettuce in the house year round, and we can almost everything from our garden, or freeze it. We also raise our own chickens for meat and eggs, and we split a beef steer every year with my Mom and Dad and our friends (a half is WAY too much for us in a year, so we do a 1/4). 

My husband grew up Vegetarian and Organic... his Mom and Dad grow everything they need. They even grow the feed for their goats, which they get milk from. (They're the kind of vegetarians that still consum dairy and eggs).


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## molested_cow (Jan 17, 2012)

I think there's something wrong with me. I now have to run 8k on one day and swim 3k the next day to feel like I've done something(plus push ups and sit ups), yet my spare tire said it's not going anywhere


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## Destin (Jan 17, 2012)

molested_cow said:
			
		

> I think there's something wrong with me. I now have to run 8k on one day and swim 3k the next day to feel like I've done something(plus push ups and sit ups), yet my spare tire said it's not going anywhere



Every try a rowing machine? they are spare tire meters. 

Or try upping the intensity and decreasing distance. 

You've probably plateaued at the level you're at. Gotta mix it up more. Not o Lu what workout you do but how you do it. Add sprint intervals to your runs. Or dedicate a day every week to just doing hill sprints.


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## molested_cow (Jan 17, 2012)

I live on a hill, the slope is probably about 20 degrees and it's about 100m to the bottom. I run the hill every time I do my run. I don't have much of an issue going up, but don't like how my knees and ankles take that impact when going down, so I just do small quick steps for that. I think delicate a session to do the hill is a good idea. Thanks!

One big reason why I am doing longer distances is because I just want to get the f*** out of the house. It keeps me sane.


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## Destin (Jan 17, 2012)

molested_cow said:
			
		

> I live on a hill, the slope is probably about 20 degrees and it's about 100m to the bottom. I run the hill every time I do my run. I don't have much of an issue going up, but don't like how my knees and ankles take that impact when going down, so I just do small quick steps for that. I think delicate a session to do the hill is a good idea. Thanks!
> 
> One big reason why I am doing longer distances is because I just want to get the f*** out of the house. It keeps me sane.



Hahaha. I have a hill like that near my house. When I do hill sprints I sprint up, then walk down. And repeat that until I can't do it anymore. 

I totally understand the getting out of the house thing though, I do that on my bike.


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## mishele (Jan 17, 2012)

I have a yearly schedule for gaining and losing weight.....lol Once I had a kid, I could no longer eat anything I wanted anymore...lol So now, I eat whatever I want from Sept-Feb.:greenpbl: March hits and it's time to start getting ready for the bikini...lol I play a lot of vball in the spring and summer so it's a little extra push to get in shape. =)
I gotta say though....as I'm getting older the gain/lose plan gets harder and harder...lol I should prolly just start eatting healthier all year, but that's no fun!!


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## Denon (Jan 18, 2012)

molested_cow said:


> I think there's something wrong with me. I now have to run 8k on one day and swim 3k the next day to feel like I've done something(plus push ups and sit ups), yet my spare tire said it's not going anywhere



How's your diet? What you eat is important when losing weight, if you eat more calories than you consume it will stay on your body. By running and swiming you will gain muscles and condition but not lose weight. 

Otherwise, I stay in shape by training Brazilian jiu-jitsu 2 times a week and next week I will start training Submission Wrestling as well. I'm also at the gym 3-4 times a week.


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## shuttervelocity (Jan 18, 2012)

Stay in shape? What's that?  um, wear one size smaller so it "holds" you in shape?


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## JClishe (Jan 18, 2012)

molested_cow said:


> I think there's something wrong with me. I now have to run 8k on one day and swim 3k the next day to feel like I've done something(plus push ups and sit ups), yet my spare tire said it's not going anywhere



Your weight is dictated more by what you eat than by how much you workout. Although the common misconception that you have to burn more than you consume isn't accurate, either. If that was the case than diets like Atkins wouldn't work, yet Atkins has proven to be extremely effective at weight loss.

I'm a fairly healthy eater, and I could stand to lose about 10-15 pounds. If I don't change my diet at all, I have to workout at least 10 hours per week to start losing weight. And that's on an all-cardio triathlon training program. That's a lot of cardio, well more than an "average" person would do. On the other hand, if I make some tweaks to my diet and stop working out completely, I can easily lose a pound a week. Diet is the driving factor by a huge margin.

(Although there's about a 4 week span at the peak of my Ironman program where I'm between 15-20 hours per week and I can chow down on absolutely anything I want to and the weight still peels right off. So, 15-20 hours of cardio per week is your other option  )


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## KristerP (Jan 18, 2012)

I don't drive, so I walk a lot (or ride my bike), also I have a physical job.


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## mjhoward (Jan 18, 2012)

Try and eat healthier and work out at my home gym:


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## kundalini (Jan 18, 2012)

The house that I recently moved into has had its yard/landscaping unkempt for s-e-v-e-r-a-l years.  Lots of raking of leaves, pine cones, twigs and fallen limbs to be done, plus the general moving regiments.

Walking is now on the agenda and will soon unbox and re-assemble my bike.

Did I mention that I have a very demanding sex life?  Oh yeah, I think I did.  Sorry to rub it in your noses again.


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## mishele (Jan 18, 2012)

So that's how you got that buff bod!!!


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## kundalini (Jan 18, 2012)

mishele said:


> So that's how you got that buff bod!!!


That and some damn good DNA.  Thank you very much Jean and Wayne!!!


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## clarinetJWD (Jan 19, 2012)

unpopular said:
			
		

> I really don't think the gym is necessary except for vanity. Eat right and don't drive everywhere and your body will maintain a healthy size regardless of what the BMI says.



Truth!  Back when I lived downtown in Baltimore, I walked or rode my bike most places, and managed to stay at around 130.  While it's not as low as I was in my marathon training days (~125), it was a perfectly serviceable weight.  Since I moved back to the suburbs of Houston, I can't walk anywhere, and have packed on 20 pounds.  I just started running again: as long as I can manage outdoors, plus 1 mile on a treadmill 3 times a week to see if I can slim back down.

As for food, I tend to still eat the things that I want, but less of them.  Every time you go to a restaurant, you're getting at least 2 portions of food, so as soon as I get my plate, I split everything in half and make 2 meals out of it.  When I cook at home, I still don't shy away from fatty ingredients: I still use butter to brown my meats, and the like, but I try and stay away from highly processed or preserved foods.  I make sauces from scratch, and completely cut out HFCS.

Recently, I also cut out nighttime snacks, which are always a problem...


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## willis_927 (Jan 19, 2012)

mjhoward said:


> Try and eat healthier and work out at my home gym:



Pretty jelous of that home gym!


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## LadyJasmine (Jan 19, 2012)

mjhoward said:


> Try and eat healthier and work out at my home gym:



That is so awesome! My husband would be so jealous! 

All our work outstuff is out in the garage (I made him drag the treadmill inside... who wants to be in an unheated garage in the midle of the winter?) 

I can't wait till we get a bigger house and we can have a devoted space in the basement for this stuff!


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## mjhoward (Jan 19, 2012)

lol thanks!  I justified it by saying that the cost of all that equipment would pay for itself after 2-3 years of not paying $30/mo at a gym.  I only spent about $1k on all of it.  The posters on the wall are different muscle groups with how-to's for different excercises I can do with the exquipment I have.  This way I can change it up a bit and not have to waste time trying to remember what I can do with the equipment I have.


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