CAP Talk

Just a random thought.  Log off of CAP Talk, FB, whatever, and spend one hour doing something physical.  Walk for an hour, jog for 30 minutes then do 30 minutes of calisthenics, or throw on your 72 hour gear and hump it for an hour.

Just do it.

No excuses.  Got kids?  Bring'em.  It's cold outside?  Bundle up or go to a gym.  Pay the $10 visitor fee and go to the gym.  Here's the catch, don't stop by McDonald's on the way home.  Don't "treat" yourself to something good because you "worked out".  Just work out and continue with your day.  It won't hurt or kill you, it'll make you feel better.

GET MOVING!!!!

This has been a public service announcement by Lt Col Stonewall, an advocate for getting Americans out of the house and moving again.

Any takers?  I'm guessing this was well ignored. 

I'm headed back to the gym then.

Wheeeew.... sorry I didnt get back to you... I was working out! >:D

Sorry, i was deafenned by the Sound of PT. Whew thought i was told to PT Again. PT= Party Time, sounds good to me.

I went and shovelled snow! Does it count?

Quote from: usafaux2004 on February 02, 2013, 10:26:38 PM
I went and shovelled snow! Does it count?

Wet and heavy or dry power?  There is a difference.   15 minutes of shoveling wet & heavy = 1 hour of dry power. ;)

35 minutes on elliptical, 4 1/4 miles, for 550 calories burned.  Then 10 minutes on the recline bike for 100 additional calories.  This, followed by....


4 sets:

## pull-ups (as many as I can do)
10 curls @ 60 lbs
10 lat pull downs @ 50 lbs
10 upper body bench lifts (hard to describe, but a lower back exercise)
10 diamond (close hand) push-ups
20 cable twists @ 30 lbs (10 left side, 10 right)

ETA - 15 minutes of hitting the heavy bag, too.

Then....

Anger, sadness, and disappointment...

Walking to my car from the gym, I notice a young boy, 3 to 4 y/o, getting out of a Volvo SUV on his own, no shoes. Catching my eye, I stop to watch, expecting to see an adult exit as well. NOTHING.

This is a busy parking lot and cars are whizzing by, so I jog over to see if anyone else was in the vehicle. No one. The kid is holding his pee pee saying "I gotta go potty". No shoes and his little sweat suit was very dirty. I ask him where his mommy or daddy is and he pointed in the direction of Jo Ann Fabrics. The Volvo is parked between the gym and the fabric store and NOT within line of sight. I ask him his name and take his hand and walk him to Jo Ann Fabrics.

I walk in and some elderly lady looks at the two of us in disgust because the kid is without shoes and very messy as he holds his crotch. I tell the sales lady I found this kid wandering the parking lot and am looking for the parent. Meanwhile I pull out my phone and begin dialing 911, mostly out of anger. I wanted this person to get some attention. Then, this lady, looking right out of Ponte Vedra (local rich people area) walks by me and says "THAT'S MY SON...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?"

In a low but angry tone (I didn't want the kid to freak out) I told her I saw your kid climb out of your car and start walking through the parking lot. He has to go pee! You left your son in the car, unattended and out of line of sight. I hope you got what you wanted from the store. She snatched her son and ran off. I thought about getting her tag, but what for? I pray she feels guilty and learned a lesson. I doubt it, but I'm hoping for the best.

Quote from: Stonewall on February 02, 2013, 06:46:22 PM
Any takers?  I'm guessing this was well ignored. 

I spent two hours running up and down the court refereeing Upward basketball games. Does that count?

Absolutely!

Im watching the Karate Kid Marathon on G4 does that count? To my Defense i have had a stomach bug for the past few days.

So I was helping out with a Group III NCSA/IACE Review Board today, and only saw your challenge a half-hour ago.

BUT...

Before I even saw your message, I did 3 miles uphill (12% grade) on the treadmill at 7 mph in about 23 minutes...the machine's computer brain said that was worth 375 calories.

I did three sets of 10 heavy bicep curls, spaced 30 seconds apart.

I did three sets of 10 heavy tricep presses, spaced 30 seconds apart.

I did three sets of 10 lat pull-downs, spaced 30 seconds apart.

I did three sets of 10 butterflies, spaced 30 seconds apart.

Then I did these funky abs-torture disco pike pushupamabobs, thusly:

1) Rest your ankles on top of a large exercise ball, and assume a face-down push-up position.
2) Roll backwards while holding your abdomen flat, so that your arms are stretched as far as they'll go. You'll probably get to your knees being on the ball when you run out of arm length to work with.
3) Next, pull forward while hoisting your booty in the air until you're into a pike position. (This makes you shaped like an upside down "V")
4) Recover to a flat push-up position. That's one rep.
5) Do this 10 times, slowly, without falling off the ball.

It's harder than it sounds.

And Stonewall, as for that dunce in the JoAnn Fabric store, I'd have told her she was lucky I wasn't a cop, because if I were I'd arrest her for child endangerment and just general dumbth. Hope the kid was alright...  >:(

Awesome, Jim!

Glad to see another CAPer out and about, getting it done.  We need to remember that leading by example means more than just wearing our uniforms and demonstrating punctuality.  We need to demonstrate to cadets that fitness, nutrition, and overall health are extremely important.  I'm not looking for muscle heads, or Cross Fit fanatics, I just want to see our youth outside, running around, playing, moving. 

BTW.  RIP Chris Kyle!

Mmm.... Jelly Donuts  >:D

Good announcement. I am a month out from going home and chomping at the bit to do stuff with my girls. Our middle is kinda introverted and shy and we are seeing the results of her inactivity. Trying to find something that interest her and get her going. I will just be glad to have better environmental conditions and nicer gyms to use. BTW, that was sad news about Chris Kyle.

Saturday morning:  Temps in the 30's and low 40's early morning sleet showers:
0430 alarm.  Ouit of bed, shower dress only run 1 mile this morning weather is miserable.
Mid morning weather improving:  Pre Solo Flight Stuident 1.3  hrs stalls,falls,spins & grins.  Private Pilot Ground School, 1.5 Hr.
Lunch & Home.
3.0 hours chopping brush and digging a foundation for a garden shed being delivered next week.
1.0 hours walking around the lake with my wife and our dogs (they need exercise too).
Dinner.
Quiet time in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine.
2000hrs off to shower & bed.  Just another Saturday.

I got a PM from someone on CAP talk and was asked to email them some tips and guidance on fitness and nutrition.  I've posted 3 different papers I've written before, but they're long and likely boring.  The fact is, I'm not an expert, nor am I a nutritionist or personal trainer.  But I do have experience in weight loss and exercise.  I've done it myself, losing A LOT of weight and returning to a high state of fitness as evident by completing a rigorous Go Ruck Challenge and reaching my goal on the AF PT Test of scoring a 100%.  Just last month I celebrated my 3rd year of my lifestyle change where, after finally recognizing and admitting that I was 40+ lbs overweight, I had to do something.  I blamed it on everything but myself.  Kids, work, the guard, CAP, etc., etc.

My papers were long and filled with personal anecdotes for getting fit and I even referenced doctors and the FDA.  But here it is in a nutshell:

1.  It takes effort.

2.  Don't give yourself "cheat days", they'll come on their own in the form of office parties, birthdays, a nights out with friends.

3.  Exercise, exercise, exercise.  I started out by walking, then jogging, then running.  Point is, I got moving for an hour a day.

4.  Read the labels on foods.  Calories and carbs.  Calories...and CARBS.  Cut down on them.  Contrary to popular belief, fat DOES NOT make you fat.  It does other bad things to you, but fat doesn't make you fat.  Sugar/carbs and things like high fructose corn syrup start turning into fat within 15 minutes of consumption if you don't start burning it off.

5.  Make this a priority in life.  Even ahead of CAP.  In the past 365 days I average 4.8 days of PT a week.  I know this because I keep a journal.  While I'm home and otherwise not kept from working out, I work out.  As an example of me NOT working out, I was unable to workout for about 7 days in February 2012 because I was doing an ORI for the Air Guard.  But if I'm home, not too sick, and not engaged in something more important, I work out for an hour a day.

It is not easy, but it is NOT too hard.  You just have to do it.  I want more senior members to "just do it" too, but they ALWAYS have an excuse.  Fact is, most put CAP before their own health.  I have 2 kids (4 & 6), work 9+ hour days, commute for 1+ hour a day, take my kids to karate and/or dance class, serve in the National Guard, and STILL make it happen.

A final thought - I have always worked out.  Since leaving active service in 1995, I have belonged to a gym and I have gone.  For the most part I did cardio and threw a few weights around, but my metabolism and life caught up with me and it wasn't enough.  I had to change my diet.  Changing my diet was the biggest factor in my weight loss that started in January 2010.  I learned the secret of carbs/sugar/high fructose corn syrup and starting cutting that along with some calories.  Sweet tea, regular sodas (major culprits) and all the refined grains I was eating, most of them fried.  I eat some, but I mostly cut out 3/4 of that crap.  I went from a 40" waist to a 35" waist, lost 35+ pounds, and increased my level of fitness to be the best in my life.

Quote from: Stonewall on February 02, 2013, 06:46:22 PM
Any takers?  I'm guessing this was well ignored. 

I'm headed back to the gym then.

On the being ignored, roger that sir   8)

Quote from: ProdigalJim on February 03, 2013, 03:56:22 AM
So I was helping out with a Group III NCSA/IACE Review Board today

Thank you for stepping up and doing that! I had to back out on somewhat short notice because we had a death in the family and I was needed elsewhere.

As for the topic of this thread, sustainable weight loss is at least 80% what you eat, and at most 20% exercise. To that end, I cannot recommend MyFitnessPal (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/) highly enough. I knew intellectually that I was eating too much, but keeping a food diary really puts it in your face. MFP has a lot of good features, like mobile apps, the ability to scan bar codes of products to enter them into your diary, and it tracks your weight progress and exercise, too. It took me a few weeks to adjust to using it, and I had to fight boredom hunger, hunger from not drinking enough water, etc. But it does work.

As for exercise, you don't need to be a PT stud to burn fat. A brisk walk 3x a week is a great way to start, and you don't need special equipment for it. You can do bodyweight exercises (think push-ups) in the comfort of your own home. I also highly recommend Couch to 5K (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml), which is what I used to start running in 2010. But running isn't for everyone, and I get that. In fact, if you're really out of shape, it's much better to start with walking.

Also, everything Stonewall said. It's not complicated, but there are no shortcuts, either. It's just diligence, patience, and taking in fewer calories than you burn.

+ 8 million on the MyFitnessPal. I love that program, it really helps reform your eating habits.

Quote from: dwb on February 03, 2013, 05:52:19 PM

Quote from: ProdigalJim on February 03, 2013, 03:56:22 AM
So I was helping out with a Group III NCSA/IACE Review Board today

Thank you for stepping up and doing that! I had to back out on somewhat short notice because we had a death in the family and I was needed elsewhere.

You know, the cliche is always "it was my privilege," but honestly it really was. The cadets are always fun to be around, especially the really squared-away ones that are applying for NCSAs, and my panel partner and I had a great time.

There was one kid in particular (and to keep the integrity of the process, I'll say no more) who was just a joy to meet. Makes you feel good...

As an over the hill washed up old Army Major, I absolutely hate what I have become.  I hit the elliptical machine for 45 minutes 3 times a week and treadmill for 30 minutes on the other days.   I still am at least 60 pounds too heavy.  Anger does not even begin to express how I feel about myself or my appearance in uniform. ( I do not wear the AF uniform, and have decided not to even wear the CAP uniform).  My appearance in these uniforms discredits the organization.  I will continue to push myself. While I am over 50, I believe it is no excuse for how I have let myself get.  So...stonewall, I am with you.  I will fix this thing I have become, or die in the process.   As a soldier, there is no other acceptable outcome.  Thanks for the inspiration.   

Sir,

I have been there and done that.  I've felt the anger and disappointment in myself and that helped fuel the fire that has put me where I am today.  Sometimes it takes someone to call you out, light a fire, or have that heart to heart with you. And sometimes you need to just look in the mirror and call yourself out.

All too often people respond to my "in your face" or otherwise aggressive approach to the issue of fitness and health.  I'm not backing down.  Take offense or take action, it's everyone's personal choice. But you never know how good it feels until you make the decision to change your lifestyle.

Yesterday (Saturday 2, Feb) my wife and I took two of our sons and did the "Tutu Run" (2.2 miles on 2/2 starting at 2pm). My wife and new cadet Spencer ran the course (beautiful winter scenery) and I walked with my 8-year old. It was a blast! Among those that raced with us were: Big Bird, a gorilla, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, a viking, a shark, 4 snowmen, 3 fairies, 2 Ninja Turtles, Darth Vader & Princess Leia and a clown. All wearing tutus!

My wife has been my inspiration for getting active again. She's lost over 80 pounds and has starting running 5Ks and is training for a triathalon this summer. Not bad for a 41 year old mother of 5!

I started going to these run events to support her, and now I'm hooked. So far every race/fun run we've been to is full of excited people smiling and having fun. And the cool part is that while you've got your standard super-athletic runners there that smoke the course, there are a ton of people covering the whole spectrum of body sizes and ages. Everyone is welcome and even if you're one of the last to finish, there are tons of cheers for you as you cross the line.

I've been eating healthy and working out every work day during lunch since 2 January and I've lost about 10 pounds (Monday is weigh-in). I feel great! I've got a long way to go, but I'm determined to keep it up.

Most of my workouts are simple. I started doing about 20 minutes on the treadmill and then did about 20 minutes of weightlifting. I was having trouble with shin pain, so I switched to the elliptical. Now I do about 45-50 minutes on that machine and I'm dripping with sweat. To pass the time I pop up a TV show on Netflix and watch on my iPhone.

Stonewall, you've also played a part in inspiring me to get healthy. Thanks for all your efforts.

8 Ball - Never Quit!

This IS important. For you, for your family, for those who know you.  You will inspire others to do the same, just as I have.  We do Wreaths Across America, lets start Fitness Across America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af2j59zzX3Q# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af2j59zzX3Q#)
Even have a few of these records myself..

After reading your last threads about fitness and thinking about my own comments as to my uniform options I got myself back to the gym and eating right.
1000 calorie daily deficit.
1+ hour per day in the gym, 5 days per week. Elliptical and treadmill mostly. I spend 15 minutes lifting each trip.
I bought a fitbit and track my steps throughout the day and realized I've been WAY to sedentary.
I get up 3-4 times per day and take a walk around the outside of the building now. My goal is 10k steps per day.

All since the first of the year and I've already lost 15 lbs.

Cutting out all soda and severly limiting my adult beverage intake (3 since the beginning of January) has been a huge help.

Thanks for the inspiration!

I dieted about 2 months ago when Stonewall wrote his Original Thread, I dieted for a whole month, exercised, ate right, used my fitness pal. I got down to 236 pounds and stopped. I wasnt losing weight no matter what i did. I was also in pain everyday for running on the treadmill and extremely exhausted. I am still at 136, and fluctuate to 134 sometimes. I just cut out all the sweets, drink nothing but diet soda, gatorade, or Water. Which I found out a Good Ol' cup of Ice Water Taste Goode!!  I do However, go on every SAREX and Mission i can get my hands on to start losing this weight. If i tell you how much i weighed when i went into Boot Camp, you would be shocked   :o

Quote from: johnnyb47 on February 04, 2013, 03:37:29 PM
After reading your last threads about fitness and thinking about my own comments as to my uniform options I got myself back to the gym and eating right.
1000 calorie daily deficit.
1+ hour per day in the gym, 5 days per week. Elliptical and treadmill mostly. I spend 15 minutes lifting each trip.
I bought a fitbit and track my steps throughout the day and realized I've been WAY to sedentary.
I get up 3-4 times per day and take a walk around the outside of the building now. My goal is 10k steps per day.

All since the first of the year and I've already lost 15 lbs.

Cutting out all soda and severly limiting my adult beverage intake (3 since the beginning of January) has been a huge help.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Thank you, Johnny!

It's been a month for you, but I can tell you from experience that if your heart is in it, it actually becomes easier, especially when you start seeing results.  Junk food (all the bad stuff like fast food, sweets, nachos, etc.) is like crack cocaine, once you taste it, you always want it.  Fortunately, unlike crack, you can get the desires out of your system for all that junk.  My biggest challenge was learning the difference between what I thought was good (nutritionally) and what was actually good.  Take Gatorade for instance.  It "sounds" like it should be good for you, and in a way it is because it hydrates you, but only if you're working your butt off outside, sweating, and burning calories and depleting yourself of electrolytes.  But sitting at a desk (sedentary) and drinking Gatorade in lieu of Coke, is just as bad.  Sweet tea is not Coke, but it's sweet tea, i.e. a ton of SUGAR/CARBS, and that is what makes you fat.

Good on you, Johnny, for taking action.  Never Quit!

Quote from: Devil Doc on February 04, 2013, 05:38:07 PM
I dieted about 2 months ago when Stonewall wrote his Original Thread, I dieted for a whole month, exercised, ate right, used my fitness pal. I got down to 236 pounds and stopped. I wasnt losing weight no matter what i did. I was also in pain everyday for running on the treadmill and extremely exhausted. I am still at 236, and fluctuate to 234 sometimes. I just cut out all the sweets, drink nothing but diet soda, gatorade, or Water. Which I found out a Good Ol' cup of Ice Water Taste Goode!!  I do However, go on every SAREX and Mission i can get my hands on to start losing this weight. If i tell you how much i weighed when i went into Boot Camp, you would be shocked   :o

Read my post to Johnny reference Gatorade.  Also, fluctuating 2 to 5 pounds is just normal.  I vary  between 194 & 199 almost daily.  It's just natural. 

Going on SAREX's are great, but once or twice a month (that's still a lot) is not consistent exercise.  That's like saying PT at CAP meetings is helpful.  And finally, you can't just cut out everything, overnight, or forever.  That's just setting yourself up for failure. 

Everyone I talk to about this (in person) tells me a lot of the same stuff (I didn't lose weight after X, Y, and Z), but after careful observation over a period of time, I learn that they mostly just don't have a good understanding of nutrition; quantity, quality, calories, carbs, etc.  "But I brought my lunch which is much better than eating out."  Well, it depends.  Two PB&J sandwiches on white bread (bleached and refined) is just as bad as most fast food sandwiches with 4 slices of white bread and all the sugar in the jelly (340 calories and 45g of carbs per sandwich), and no, I can't eat just one!  Then you've got a small bag of Doritos, and some cheese & crackers.  By the time you're finished eating your "healthier homemade lunch", you're sitting at 1,000+ calories.  Trust me, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE.  I did the same thing.

Gatorade Coparison
20 oz Gatorade:  130 calories and 34g of Carbs
20 oz G2 (low cal Gatorade): 45 calories and 12g of Carbs

These things make a big difference at the end of the day.

While I drink Gatorade G2, I usually go for Powerade Zero (zero calories/carbs)

Choice is yours.  If you get an order of french fries (especially medium, large, or super size) with your meal more than once a week, you're probably making other poor food choices.

I carried to torch a little further.  Today I did 1 hour of kettle bell  training burning 730 calories, then i ate ground turkey taco salads with flour tortilla lots of lettuce and tomato.  Followed that up with lots of water.  Good day so far. 

We all need to be fit, of course.  And frequent exercise is critical.

But exercise is not all that helpful if one's goal is to lose weight.  Losing weight is really about nutrition.

I am a bit of a runner, perhaps slightly more than some seniors.  My usual run is 11 miles or so in a little over 90 minutes.  According to my magic running computer, I burn about 1250 calories doing that.

By an amazing coincidence a Big Mac, medium fries, & medium Coke is almost exactly 1200 calories.

It takes me about two hours to run, cool down, shower, etc.  It takes me exactly 0.00 minutes to not eat a Big Mac and fries.

Clearly, it is much more efficient to not eat the junk in the first place rather than it is to try and "run it off" on the trail or treadmill.

(And a Big Mac is nowhere near the worst offender on the Mickey Dee's menu.  (http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/nutritionfacts.pdf))



(Today's lunch was salmon shioyaki, rice, a salad, and green tea.  Mmmm.)

Quote from: Ned on February 04, 2013, 09:16:32 PM
We all need to be fit, of course.  And frequent exercise is critical.

But exercise is not all that helpful if one's goal is to lose weight.  Losing weight is really about nutrition.

I am a bit of a runner, perhaps slightly more than some seniors.  My usual run is 11 miles or so in a little over 90 minutes.  According to my magic running computer, I burn about 1250 calories doing that.

By an amazing coincidence a Big Mac, medium fries, & medium Coke is almost exactly 1200 calories.

It takes me about two hours to run, cool down, shower, etc.  It takes me exactly 0.00 minutes to not eat a Big Mac and fries.

Clearly, it is much more efficient to not eat the junk in the first place rather than it is to try and "run it off" on the trail or treadmill.

(And a Big Mac is nowhere near the worst offender on the Mickey Dee's menu.  (http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/nutritionfacts.pdf))



(Today's lunch was salmon shioyaki, rice, a salad, and green tea.  Mmmm.)

so... if I run 3 hours per day I can eat 2 big mac meals at dinner?  ;D
Diet coke, of course!

My problem isn't so much WHAT I eat as it is how MUCH I eat.
I freely admit that if not kept in check I would consume a perfectly balanced diet of meat, grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy....  for 3 people... daily.
I have an ailment to blame it on though. It's called, "Can'tDropTheForkIdis".
It's pretty common these days.

I'm changing that now though. Thankfully it hasn't been an entire life of woefully inadequate eating habits that got me here.
I did the bulk of this to myslef in the last few years.

I'm not making fun of anyone either. I'm just owning MY food issue for what it is.
MY food issue.
(Just wanted to be clear about that when other people read this mess of thoughts I let spill onto the internet)

EDIT: And I did the math in December and was SHOCKED at how much soda I drank. That helped kick the soda habit.

Quote from: Ned on February 04, 2013, 09:16:32 PM
We all need to be fit, of course.  And frequent exercise is critical.

But exercise is not all that helpful if one's goal is to lose weight.  Losing weight is really about nutrition.

TRUTH!

After years of going to the gym regularly, I reached a point that it didn't matter what I did, I started packing on the pounds.  Call it a change in my metabolism or just plain getting old(er), whatever, I reached that point where I had to make a serious change.  That's when I figured out it's 80% diet/nutrition and at best, 20% exercise. Once I changed that part of my life, the weight fell off, especially with my active lifestyle and regular visits to the gym.

I think we, as a nation, have just become morbidly sedentary, so where we used to get enough exercise just by walking the dog, mowing the grass, or moving around at work, we no longer have that built in luxury.

I read recently that the average working American walks no more than 300 yards (3 football fields) a day.  This was outside of any planned/scheduled exercise.  I thought about it and for me, it could be true. 

If didn't make an effort, I would be way under 300 yards a day:

Morning: 15 feet to my car from the inside of my house, then about 25 feet from my car to my office.
Evening:  25 feet from my office to my car, then 15 feet from my car to inside my house.

Seriously, other than the walking I do inside my house, I could actually get away with walking 80 feet per day.  Fortunately, I make moving and walking a part of my daily routine at work.  But I could get away with A LOT less movement than I do on a regular basis.  I also, as I've made it abundantly clear, spend an hour a day working out, with a good 2/3 of that time doing cardio exercises.

300 yards a day, ladies and gentlemen...that's just bad.

What is wierd, i was 160 Pounds entering boot camp, 185 before i trained an went to Iraq? How? Cant tell ya, my base was in the desert so trust me we sweat, couldnt drink nothing but water, and did force marches. Quess my weight when i came home from Iraq? 190!! Ya, so that means i am 40-45 pounds heavier than my Active Duty Weight!!! Oh no!! BTW my fitness pal is great, but i would notice towards the end, i had a 1850 calorie intake. I would always be hungry and could not eat anymore because i was over calroies. OH NO!!

My problem isn't, and has never been, weight. (In fact, 29 years ago when I was considered highly academically qualified for USMC PLC Air, I flunked the physical because I was too skinny.)

My cholesterol, on the other hand, was dangerously high until very recently, and I can slip above those levels in a heartbeat if I'm not careful.

Today I exercise 4, 5 or 6 days a week, hard. depending on my work and travel schedule. My biggest worry is those dietary "cheat days," which happen more often than I'd like. I'm not talking lack of willpower, instead I'm talking lack of options. Example: an evening work function in which the group is holding a working dinner at a steak and seafood place. I wind up eating three or four protein bars and picking at a very unsatisfying salad.

My biggest challenge is coming in May, when one of my sons is getting married. He's a professional gourmet chef. His fiancée is a pastry and desserts chef.

I'm doomed.

Quote from: johnnyb47 on February 04, 2013, 03:37:29 PM
After reading your last threads about fitness and thinking about my own comments as to my uniform options I got myself back to the gym and eating right.
1000 calorie daily deficit.
1+ hour per day in the gym, 5 days per week. Elliptical and treadmill mostly. I spend 15 minutes lifting each trip.
I bought a fitbit and track my steps throughout the day and realized I've been WAY to sedentary.
I get up 3-4 times per day and take a walk around the outside of the building now. My goal is 10k steps per day.

All since the first of the year and I've already lost 15 lbs.

Cutting out all soda and severly limiting my adult beverage intake (3 since the beginning of January) has been a huge help.

Thanks for the inspiration!

*update for you, Stonewall*
I'm now down 20 lbs and my wife can wrap her arms all the way around me when we hug. :)
I'm half way to my goal weight already.
I expect the weight loss to become slower now that im getting used to the higher levels of activity and lower/better calorie intake but I'm ok with that.
As long as I see 2 lbs or more per moth I will reach my overall goal by Christmas!
5 more lbs and I will be able to start wearing my blues uniform again.

Thanks again for the push!

I strarted lifting weights again about a week ago. Down 5 lbs already and I have a lot more energy.

Quote from: johnnyb47 on February 15, 2013, 04:16:25 PM
*update for you, Stonewall*
I'm now down 20 lbs and my wife can wrap her arms all the way around me when we hug. :)
I'm half way to my goal weight already.
I expect the weight loss to become slower now that im getting used to the higher levels of activity and lower/better calorie intake but I'm ok with that.
As long as I see 2 lbs or more per moth I will reach my overall goal by Christmas!
5 more lbs and I will be able to start wearing my blues uniform again.

Thanks again for the push!

You are welcome!  I am very proud of you!  Don't quit, ever!  This is the best gift you can ever give yourself AND your wife.

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of when I started keeping my workout log on facebook.  Before that, I kept a handwritten journal.  For me, it's not me showing off, it's me keeping myself honest.  Knowing that others can see (which I'm sure they ignore), I feel like it gives me that mental push to keep it up.

In 365 days I've worked out 251 times (4.8 times per week).

Today's anniversary workout included...

Quote from: Stonewall's workout log
5 mile run for 700 calories followed by...

4 sets:
4 dead hang pull-ups (working on these again)
15 suspended leg lifts
15 wide arm push-ups
24  cable swings @ 32 lbs (12 left side, 12 right)

BTW - this is how my facebook journal (my notes section) looks.

Impressive!
I only get 2 miles in on the elliptical and another mile or two on the treadmill each night (depending on if I'm running or not) and I'm sure it takes me a lot longer to do it.
Not really comparing though. Well, I'm comparing me NOW to me just a few months ago and I like that I can run a mile withough throwing up or passing out. :)

Yesterday was the 300th workout I've logged since I started keeping track on Facebook in my Notes folder.  I often hide them from my timelime because they truly are for me, but I'm okay with sharing them.  Posting them is not an attempt at bragging; it's an attempt to keep me honest with myself.  While most people don't notice/care about my workouts, I'm confident I'd get a rash of poop from my friends if I stopped posting them.  <--this encourages me!

Some stats:
- I average 4.7 workouts a week
- Average workout is 46 minutes
- Average calories burned are 620 per workout (I mostly do cardio)
- I started logging workouts on February 13, 2012
- I've weighed <200 lbs for 3+ years - before that I was 235 lbs
- I have been actively going to a gym since November 1999
- My running shoes generally last 4 months
- I estimate my water intake at about 80 to 100 oz each day
- After recently tracking, I think my daily caloric intake is about 2,500
- I take a multi-vitamin, fish oil, glucosamine and chondroitin daily
- I scored 95, 96, 99, and 100 on my last 4 Air Force PT tests
- My average 1.5 mile run time has been 9:10 on my last 4 PT test runs
- My blood pressure was taken Saturday by a medic:  117/74

I'm 40 and hope I can keep it up for another 20+ years.

Great going!

I felt the need to chime in as well with all the great success stories!

My fiancee and I are getting married in a few months and, while I was within H/W standards for CAP, I wanted to look as good as possible both in both my wedding tux and my CAP uniform. I had tried P90X the summer before, but it wasn't very sustainable due to some of the longer workouts. So I decided about 3 weeks ago to eat the P90X diet, but running on the elliptical/track as often as possible. The track didn't work out since I kept getting shin splints, but the ellipitcal is like magic. I can easily go 30-40 mins and not feel a thing!

I now have a morning weight that is 12 pounds lighter than when I started! I knew that a big part of my problem was my diet. I generally eat healthily, but my portions were entirely too large and too heavy in the carb department. Combining the diet of P90X with a less-regimented, but still rigorous, routine is having quite the effect.

For the diet, you can google it, but it's essentially a "low carb" diet with an emphasis on proteins and vegetables. I can also eat six times a day, which is good for a former fat kid like myself  >:D. The first week or two were pretty rough as my body had grown reliant on the carbs, but it got easier to the point where I no longer salivate uncontollably at the pizza commercial on TV!

I also have to put out a plug for an smartphone app called "Zombies, Run!" I absolutely hate running, to be honest. This app has helped me look forward to running and cardio. It places you inside an interactive story where you are a "runner" for a post-apocolyptic community. You go out and do missions and supply runs for your town and decide how to spend your supplies to beef up your town's defense or your people's morale. The story is pretty good too. Most fun are the zombie mobs: when you go out on a supply run, there's a chance that zombies could come after you. If you don't run faster, they'll catch you and you'll lose your supplies. For a geek like me, it triggers the gamer instinct and keeps the weight off! If you want to look into it, check it out at www.zombiesrungame.com (http://www.zombiesrungame.com).

So happy to hear all the other positive reports of weight loss! Even though I am an AEO, I know that I am a symbol of CAP to the cadets and my community whether I have the uniform on or not. I feel it is my duty to be healthy and take the core values to heart. Keep it up, all!

Quote from: BFreemanMA on May 10, 2013, 12:30:57 PMI now have a morning weight that is 12 pounds lighter than when I started! I knew that a big part of my problem was my diet. I generally eat healthily, but my portions were entirely too large and too heavy in the carb department. Combining the diet of P90X with a less-regimented, but still rigorous, routine is having quite the effect.

Awesome start!!!  Congrats.

Sorry for the use of the term, but I've become a food/nutrition/diet Nazi since I made the nutrition adjustment 3+ years ago.  My eyes were opened wide after I realized what I had been doing wrong for so many years.  And yes, portion control was a HUGE issue.  Granted, that wasn't my only issue, but it was a contributing factor to my weight gain.  More so, was my over indulgence in carbs.  Man, I ate at least twice as many as I should have.  It sickens me to look back at that, and that's why it sickens me to see otehers doing the same, especially when they're obese beyond comprehension.

Quote from: BFreemanMA on May 10, 2013, 12:30:57 PMFor the diet, you can google it, but it's essentially a "low carb" diet with an emphasis on proteins and vegetables. I can also eat six times a day, which is good for a former fat kid like myself  >:D. The first week or two were pretty rough as my body had grown reliant on the carbs, but it got easier to the point where I no longer salivate uncontollably at the pizza commercial on TV!

My first week or two was rough, too.  But that was 3+ years ago so obviously it's something that CAN be done long-term.  I'm not on a "LOW CARB" diet, because diet plans are temporary.  What I did was identified and more importantly, accepted the the fact, that I (and the rest of America) consume far too many carbs.  Once I accepted it, I reduced what I took in to a more realistic and healthy level.  At first, I think I was a little extreme, trying to consume fewer than 100g of carbs a day.  Now that I have it under control, I fluctuate between 125 and 200 grams of carbs.  I eat pizza, pasta, bread, and all the things that make people fat, but I eat them in moderation and when I DO eat them, I buy the right types of foods.  Ones that are high in fiber and use whole wheat.  I never buy/eat bleached (white) pasta, bread, tortillas, or pizza.  In fact, I even buy the whole wheat pizza crust.

I wish I could persuade more people to make the effort.  It feels better than winning the lottery (in a lot of ways...the more important ways).

I can now run a Mile in 11 Minutes. Run a Half mile in under 6 minutes, and have lost around 12 pounds since April 8th. I Walk/Jog everyday with a 15 pond ruck sack. I can walk anwhere from 2-3 Miles sometimes I will do 4 miles. I base my diet of the No Think Diet, try to eat no bread, fruits, soft drinks, pasta, noodles etc. I eat alot of Chicken, Broccoli, Fish, Nuts, Beef Jerky, Sweet Potatos, Etc. I havnt had a soft drink in over a Month. I have 4 choices of drinks I can drink, Water, Hot Water, Cold Water, and Black Cofee.  Losing weight Equals Diet/Exercise.

Quote from: Devil Doc on May 10, 2013, 02:47:03 PM
I base my diet of the No Think Diet, try to eat no bread, fruits, soft drinks, pasta, noodles etc. I eat alot of Chicken, Broccoli, Fish, Nuts, Beef Jerky, Sweet Potatos, Etc. I havnt had a soft drink in over a Month. I have 4 choices of drinks I can drink, Water, Hot Water, Cold Water, and Black Cofee.  Losing weight Equals Diet/Exercise.

Losing weight is the easy part, because anyone can go on a diet plan/program for a few weeks or months.  You are losing weight and that is awesome!  But how long can you do without all the good stuff that you're not eating right now?  At some point, you're going to break.

I tried doing some research about how long the average diet (plan/program) lasts, as in, how long does the average person last on a diet, and I saw everything from 7 days to 3 1/2 months.  But one thing that is true is that 95% of people gain the weight back after they diet, and most gain more weight than they originally weighed.

I don't mean to sound negative, but I've seen it for years, with almost everyone I know that has followed a diet plan.  They ALL return to their old habits.  A friend of my wife that we've known for 20+ years has always been overweight.  Why?  Because she eats like crap, but she always says "I just can't seem to keep the weight off."  Well, yeah, I saw her eat 10 wings as an appetizer followed by a cheeseburger wrap (but it's okay, it's a wrap...NOT).  Not only that, but she drinks those huge fish bowl type adult fruity drinks that have tons of sugar.  She decided to get lap band surgery and has lost 40 lbs so far.  It kills me because everyone on her Facebook page is so proud of her for taking a stand against her weight.  No, she didn't, she gave in and took the easy (and painful/risky) way out. 

Anyway, I digress.  Exercise is a must!  You must move your body and walking is a great way to start.  Just moving your body does wonders for you.  But don't starve yourself and don't think you can quit all the fun tasty stuff cold turkey.  You need nutrients and energy.  Read the labels, learn how many calories, carbs, and sodium you're putting into your body.  Once you compare what you should be eating with what you are eating, you'll probably be shocked.

In July 2000, I weighed 255 lbs.  A year later I weighed 180 lbs as the result of diet and exercise. That was a 75 lb drop.  It wasn't hard.  I held 180 ~ 185 for about 2 years.  10 years later I have creeped back up to 220 lbs as the result of little exercise and slipping on my diet.  Time to make good decisions again... as soon as I finsih this pizza and beer. 

I to necro this thread, but I've been doing something Lt. Col. Stonewall suggested me. I've been using my rucksack to go out running and to hike. 20 pounds in the running rucksack and 85 in my hiking rucksack. I've also sought a personal trainer who helped me too, and now I'm in the best shape I've ever been! My legs are ridiculously strong now. I can leg press up to 800 now, my run time is getting better and better, my clothes are fitting much better, and I don't feel like a complete fat slob anymore.

20 more pounds to go and I'll be in great shape!

I run cross country, play base/softball, do track, play volleyball, and play trumpet (which is quite a workout) and practically run across school to get to my next class. I think Im good. And my mile time is 6:02. Still think im good

Hiked a 5 mile trail today. Had fun, am exhausted.

I ran my first 20K this weekend.  It was hard, but I'm glad I got it done

Quote from: isuhawkeye on June 02, 2013, 10:48:20 PM
I ran my first 20K this weekend.  It was hard, but I'm glad I got it done

If you had done another 1000m you could say you finished your first half marathon. ;-)  I've done two so far.

I was in the field for 4 days last week (field, as in, no showers or hot food, field) and according to my UP fitness bracelet, I burned an average of 4,200 calories per day and moved an average of 13 miles per day.  All meals were MREs and since I don't eat an entire meal at any one sitting, I'm guessing I averaged about 2 complete MREs a day.

I also consumed about 300 oz of water each day as well. 

Temps were close to 90, but humidity had it feeling closer to mid-90s.

Each day started at 0600 and carried on for roughly 15 to 16 hours a day.

I foolishly used to worry that I was losing out on valuable workout time in the field.  Obviously I was concerned for nothing.

FWIW, a week ago I evaluated a 6 mile ruck march for caloric burn.  At a moderate 17 min mile pace with 40 lbs, I burned exactly 2,000 calories +/-.  I probably actually walked a 15 min pace, but I stopped twice to switch out water bottles, tighten up my shoes, and a run to the wood line for a quick pee.

Quote from: Stonewall on June 04, 2013, 12:28:31 PM
[...] and a run to the wood line for a quick pee.

That was a detail you could have left out and all of us would have been fine, bro.

I recently made a change in my diet and exercise, mainly from TOO MUCH and NONE to mindful and some.  I started on Thursday the 13th and through a simple combination of not force feeding myself at every opportunity and riding my bike every day I can, I'm already down a couple pounds. I'm switching from see-food to seafood, vegging to veggies, and learning to care about what's on the label. It isn't easy, but easier than I thought. I've tried dieting in the past but I either lacked the motivation or did things dangerous to my health.

I just turned 24, I'm 6'4" and weighed 325 pounds when I started. My goal is to work my way down to 220lbs.

My reward when I'm done? This.
PPG for Morons (presents) Sea of Green, Sky of Blue (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwnLDayhwSY#ws)

I had a cadet who was 6' 4" and 300+ lbs.  He made "the change" with the goal of becoming an Air Force PJ.

He is now a PJ!

You're talking about Tom I presume. 300 lbs? Really?

Nine days in, twelve pounds down.  :)

Quote from: Mustang on June 22, 2013, 07:08:42 AM
You're talking about Tom I presume. 300 lbs? Really?

Yes.  Graduated high school at 300 lbs. 

I've been on orders for 6 weeks now and have another 2 before I'm done, so my workouts have been a little different from the norm.  Number one reason for this is that I have more time than I usually do back home.  I'm off at 1500 and can work out as long as I want.

I've established Fridays as "hump-a-ruck Friday" where I throw my 35 lbs pack on and hump it around base.  I also downloaded the "Nike Running" app for my iPhone to track my time, distance, an pace.  I like it because I can set it to tell me every time I reach another 1/4 mile.  It also tell me the distance traveled and my average pace.  All good information when you establish goals like I do.

Yesterday I did 6 miles at a 14:18 pace (no running).  Once I hit my 6 mile mark I walked slowly for another 1/4 mile to stretch it out and cool down.  I'm rather confined on my small Guard base, so I used the half mile track for 2 of the miles, but you can see how it works.  It's pretty cool!

Also, it's a great way to burn calories!  I've averaged about 1,300 calories per hour.

^Nice! I use the Endomondo Sports Tracker app.  Looks like its a pretty similar program to the Nike app.

Today has been exactly one month since I started my diet/exercise regimen. Twenty five pounds down, 1/4 way there!

(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/q73/s720x720/995711_10151754173685730_1864250439_n.jpg)

Yeah buddy.  Read to do some work

Because the ancient President's Challenge threads were locked long ago, I thought I'd post this here.

With my run this morning, I went over a million points and qualifed for the Platinum Award.

A little less than six years after a thread here on CAPTalk encouraged me to join the program and in particular the "CT Challenge" group.  (In which I think I am the only member still active.)

My million points represents:

• A little over 10,500 injury-free miles run
  
  
• 21 pairs of Brooks running shoes
  
  
• About 900 mornings of getting up at 0530 to run before work
  
  
• Nine half-marathons (Including the awesome Disneyland Half)
  
  
• A couple of dozen 10ks and five-milers
  
  
• 4 years of running every mile with every team at NCC
  
  
• 5 CAP National Convention 5ks (got lost on the route in San Antonio)
  
  
• 1 mini-triathalon (they need to find warm water venues)
  
  
•   The joy of watching cadets getting their tails kicked by a geezer SM
  
  

See you all at the 5K in Denver -- bring supplemental oxygen.

Ned Lee
Cadet Guy

Quote from: Ned on July 19, 2013, 04:25:37 PM
Because the ancient President's Challenge threads were locked long ago, I thought I'd post this here.

With my run this morning, I went over a million points and qualifed for the Platinum Award.

A little less than six years after a thread here on CAPTalk encouraged me to join the program and in particular the "CT Challenge" group.  (In which I think I am the only member still active.)

My million points represents:

• A little over 10,500 injury-free miles run
  
  
• 21 pairs of Brooks running shoes
  
  
• About 900 mornings of getting up at 0530 to run before work
  
  
• Nine half-marathons (Including the awesome Disneyland Half)
  
  
• A couple of dozen 10ks and five-milers
  
  
• 4 years of running every mile with every team at NCC
  
  
• 5 CAP National Convention 5ks (got lost on the route in San Antonio)
  
  
• 1 mini-triathalon (they need to find warm water venues)
  
  
•   The joy of watching cadets getting their tails kicked by a geezer SM
  
  

See you all at the 5K in Denver -- bring supplemental oxygen.

Ned Lee
Cadet Guy

I just signed up for the President's Challenge because of this post. I am not certain, but I may soon hate you!

I think I will try to cajole my staff and squadron commanders to join me in the misery...err...fun!

All, I know this thread hasn't seen much action in a month now...but I finally remembered my CAPTalk password for the first time in a while. I'm a U.S Marine currently stationed in southern MS and about to go to North Carolina. Most people don't realize how easy it is to PT just a little bit and how effective it can be. I was 5'8 128 lbs when I enlisted. I am now 5'9" and 155 lbs. That weight gain has entirely been muscle. It wasn't from hitting the gym every day...or even exercising every day. My drill instructors on the Island wouldn't work us out for over an hour at a time. It isn't necessary. Eating right, HYDRATE, and exercise will do wonders for you. My unit worked out for 45 min this morning and I'm still recovering. I'll be real sore tomorrow. No excuses.

Saepe Expertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres Aeterni