Health, Good Practises, and Exercise

[ardchoille50]

Carbs are evil. That simple. Consume only in whole vegetable/fruit variety (and even then be judicious). More quality protein and fat. Yes, fat. We all went awry when carbs (especially processed) were pushed and fats were vilified.

Track your carbs. Cap at 100grams a day max. Yes, you can cheat on special occasions.

And exercise.

You'll be studdly in 6-9 months.

This is false.

Complex carbohydrates are used as energy in the body, we need them in our diet. It's the simple carbohydrates that we should avoid. Please learn to distinguish between complex and simple carbs.

Fats are the same way. There are healthy fats (polyunsaturated/monounsaturated) and unhealthy fats (saturated). Please learn to distinguish between the two.

The proper ratio for someone who lifts weights and runs is 1 gram protein + 0.5 gram complex carbs per pound of body weight. I'm 52 years old and still run 3 miles each day (roughly the equivalent of a 5K).

I attended medical school during my time in the US Navy. My advice to everyone is to stop following fad diets and study nutrition.

 

[sdilley14]

My routine is this right now:

• Sunday: Delts (That's new this week. This used to be a rest day)
  
• Monday: Rest day
• Tuesday: Chest
• Wednesday: Back and traps
• Thursday: Rest day - though today I just decided to do chest again and threw in some squats
• Friday: Arms
• Saturday: Legs

I'm thinking about doing chest twice a week now, at least for a little while, because this is a weak area for me and I want to build it up. The pecs recover rather quickly so one can do them twice a week if desired. I also need to work on my squats as I've been avoiding them due to knee issues. But I'm taking them slowly and starting light, but I may do a few sets of them each day for a while as well.

The biggest key, IMO, is listening to your body so you don't run into over-training or injury. If I need a rest day, I take it and let the muscles recover and re-build. Usually its legs that need the most recovery time. I make sure I get plenty of calories, protein, an appropriate amount of carbs and good fats and sleep as well.

Nice split with your workout routine. I do a pretty similar split, just different parts on different days of the week. And the rest of your post is on point as well! Push yourself, but listen to your body - don't be stupid and "power through it" if you're in pain/close to injury. Most people are smart enough to tell the difference between "I'm tired but I'm going to get through this last set" and "sh*t my shoulder is killing me, but I'm just going to hammer out this last set anyways"...it's just a matter of being smart enough and disciplined enough to listen to your body. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[S.B.G]

This is false.

Complex carbohydrates are used as energy in the body, we need them in our diet. It's the simple carbohydrates that we should avoid. Please learn to distinguish between complex and simple carbs.

Fats are the same way. There are healthy fats (polyunsaturated/monounsaturated) and unhealthy fats (saturated). Please learn to distinguish between the two.

The proper ratio for someone who lifts weights and runs is 1 gram protein + 0.5 gram complex carbs per pound of body weight. I'm 52 years old and still run 3 miles each day (roughly the equivalent of a 5K).

I attended medical school during my time in the US Navy. My advice to everyone is to stop following fad diets and study nutrition.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Carbs aren't evil, they're essential to proper nutrition. Even simple carbs have a place. Some people will eat gummy bears or other sugary food directly after a strenuous workout so they can more quickly spike their insulin levels.

Nice split with your workout routine. I do a pretty similar split, just different parts on different days of the week. And the rest of your post is on point as well! Push yourself, but listen to your body - don't be stupid and "power through it" if you're in pain/close to injury. Most people are smart enough to tell the difference between "I'm tired but I'm going to get through this last set" and "sh*t my shoulder is killing me, but I'm just going to hammer out this last set anyways"...it's just a matter of being smart enough and disciplined enough to listen to your body. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Thanks. Actually I just changed up my routine last week from what I posted there. I alluded to it in my post earlier today. Rather than 6 days of workouts, I'm dropping back to 4 days.

• Sunday: Pretty simple, just biceps and triceps.
• Monday: Rest
• Tuesday: Chest, back, forearms
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Shoulders and abs
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday: Legs (One week compound exercises, the alternating week isolate exercises)

This past Saturday I worked the isolate routine and even today I'm still feeling it in the legs.

The previous routine remained in effect since about last summer/autumn. After reading and watching a lot of Doug Brignole's information and videos, I decided to change things up. Its good to do that now and again so the body doesn't get used to and adapt to the same old thing. Plus it helps mitigate boredom at the gym too.

 

[ardchoille50]

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Carbs aren't evil, they're essential to proper nutrition. Even simple carbs have a place. Some people will eat gummy bears or other sugary food directly after a strenuous workout so they can more quickly spike their insulin levels.

Yep. One of the people I follow recommends using simple carbs to spike insulin levels after a good workout. His name is Jim Stoppani and he has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. His Shortcut To Size program is one of the best programs I've ever tried.

 

[S.B.G]

His name is Jim Stoppani and he has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. His Shortcut To Size program is one of the best programs I've ever tried.

I know of him and know someone who uses his program and has made remarkable achievements too.

 

[chrono1081]

pop.

Hello fellow Pennsylvanian?

 

[997440]

.....No more overhead presses of any kind for me either. They don't do what I thought they did and only serve to injure the body.....

Will you expand on this, please?

 

[ardchoille50]

My workouts are based on microsessions.

Week 1: 3 sets of 14 reps with low weight. Rest 90 seconds between sets but the first 30 seconds are used for HIIT. This week works on muscle endurance.

Week 2: decrease reps to 10 and increase weight. The weight should be such that the last rep in each set ends in failure. Rest 15 seconds and take the muscles to failure again (this is known as a rest pause). This week works on muscle size.

Week 3: decrease reps to 8 and increase weight. The weight should be such that the last rep in each set ends in failure. Rest 15 seconds and take the muscles to failure again (this is known as a rest pause). This week works on muscle size.

Week 4: decrease reps to 5 and increase weight. The weight should be such that the last rep in each set ends in failure. Reduce the weight by 15 percent and take the muscles to failure again (this is known as a drop set). This week works on muscle strength.

The fifth week sees a return to 3 sets of 14 reps but weight can easily be added to the weight lifted in week 1 because of the work performed over the previous 4 weeks.

I follow this program for 12 weeks and then rest for 2 week with no weight training.

Taking muscles to failure forces them to grow and improve by telling the body that its current level isn't sufficient for the work required.

My attitude toward weight training:
"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you. It isn't training if it's comfortable".

Now, for this program to work you must follow a healthy diet. You can live in a gym, but if you aren't eating clean, you're wasting your time.

Diet: protein and complex carbohydrates are king. A hamburger contains protein, but eating a hamburger to get protein is like buying an entire automobile dealership just to get a rear view mirror.

I'm 52 years old, no medications, no medical problems, I run 2-3 miles daily, and my blood pressure is around 96 over 67. This program has been working perfectly for me for over a year.

 

[S.B.G]

Will you expand on this, please?

I'll let Doug explain it, he does a much better job than me.

It's about 20 minutes of talk - great video though. I watch all of Ric Drasin's videos.

 

[997440]

I'll let Doug explain it, he does a much better job than me.

It's about 20 minutes of talk - great video though. I watch all of Ric Drasin's videos.

Thanks bunches for the video and for sharing your routine. I'll check out more of his stuff. I've been feeling stale in my workouts and battling old injuries; definitely need to cobble together something new. It's a lifelong process though, eh?

Thanks @ardchoille50 too.

 

[S.B.G]

It's a lifelong process though, eh?

Indeed it is. My only regret when it comes to this stuff is that I wish I knew what I know now about fitness and nutrition way back when I was an active duty Marine. I could have been so much better off and further along had I known back then and adhered to it. Rather, my youth compensated for my poor diet and relatively no exercise except running.

 

[ardchoille50]

Indeed it is. My only regret when it comes to this stuff is that I wish I knew what I know now about fitness and nutrition way back when I was an active duty Marine. I could have been so much better off and further along had I known back then and adhered to it. Rather, my youth compensated for my poor diet and relatively no exercise except running.

Agreed, I wish I knew this stuff back when I was a combat medic in the Navy. I took the BUDS/UDT (Navy Seal) entrance exam back then but failed on the PT portion.. I might have passed had I known this stuff.

 

[S.B.G]

Agreed, I wish I knew this stuff back when I was a combat medic in the Navy. I took the BUDS/UDT (Navy Seal) entrance exam back then but failed on the PT portion.. I might have passed had I known this stuff.

At least you tried! That's something only a select few even get a chance at.

 

[A.Goldberg]

Sounds like you are on a roll!

I think swimming has saved my life in that once again I'm able to exert myself in an athletic aerobic manner and not worry about hurting myself. My calculations were a bit off in a previous post. I just got up to 40 laps, doing 5 extra yesterday. But if feels great. One of the keys (for swimming) I've learned is not to outpace my breathing which places greater restrictions on me than when I ran, where I had the luxury of breathing as hard as I could. I'm swimming in a 25 meter pool and when I first started, on my crawl laps, I was stopping on each end due to lack of breath. Granted, I'm improving, but by slowing my pace I'm able to turn on each end and keep going. Yesterday was the first time I swam 5 laps (10 lengths) without stopping, a great achievement.

Maybe @A.Goldberg will chime in, but, my lap sequence, will be 6 crawl, 2 sidestroke, 2 breaststroke. I love the crawl because it allows for a strong scissor kick.

Nice! Looks like your making progress. Your sequence looks fine. No backstroke?

I did a very lazy 3,000 yards today. I haven't been spending enough distance/time in the water lately. I just had a board exam for a specialty certification so studying has taken precedence. Now that that's over with and the weather getting nice, hopefully I can step things up again back to 4-5k+ yards. Gotta look good for the beach this summer I should really put more attention to what I eat, I eat pretty healthy as it is but striking a good balance wouldn't hurt.

 

[0388631]

Taken to making my own Kind nutrition bars with less sugar and more grains. I had a half pound or more of various grain laying around and did it. A little softer than the store bought stuff, but it's more chewable. Especially in comparison to their bars with millet in it.

 

[decafjava]

Very useful thread, I'm learning just by reading so keep it up!

 

[Huntn]

Nice! Looks like your making progress. Your sequence looks fine. No backstroke?

I did a very lazy 3,000 yards today. I haven't been spending enough distance/time in the water lately. I just had a board exam for a specialty certification so studying has taken precedence. Now that that's over with and the weather getting nice, hopefully I can step things up again back to 4-5k+ yards. Gotta look good for the beach this summer I should really put more attention to what I eat, I eat pretty healthy as it is but striking a good balance wouldn't hurt.

Thanks! I may try backstroke eventually.

 

[A.Goldberg]

Thanks! I may try backstroke eventually.

It's nice a relaxing after all that forward arm movement. It sucks if your pool doesn't have the flags overhead and you have to rely on the ceiling beams 25ft above the surface water. The vantage point can't make it a bit hard to judge the distance to the wall.

 

[Huntn]

It's nice a relaxing after all that forward arm movement. It sucks if your pool doesn't have the flags overhead and you have to rely on the ceiling beams 25ft above the surface water. The vantage point can't make it a bit hard to judge the distance to the wall.

I think there are a row of small flags hanging near each end of the pool.

 

[Huntn]

It's nice a relaxing after all that forward arm movement. It sucks if your pool doesn't have the flags overhead and you have to rely on the ceiling beams 25ft above the surface water. The vantage point can't make it a bit hard to judge the distance to the wall.

I think there are a row of small flags hanging near each end of the pool.

Ok, 50 real laps today, including 10 laps of backstroke, trying to breath water occasionally... I felt it during, but afterwards no ill effects. A nice relaxing stroke?? Not if you arms are not used to doing that, lol.

 

[A.Goldberg]

Ok, 50 real laps today, including 10 laps of backstroke, trying to breath water occasionally... I felt it during, but afterwards no ill effects. A nice relaxing stroke?? Not if you arms are not used to doing that, lol.

Nice! Keep it up! Hahah I suppose if you're not used to it it's a bit tricky! Careful not to to snag your fingers in the lane lines. The pool I use for some reason has no backstroke flags. I'm pretty sure I broke at least one finger in the past three months misjudging the distance between where I am and the wall. Using the ceiling doesn't have quite the same accuracy.

 

[torana355]

Im a 6 foot 2 male and was 110kg 6 weeks ago. I decided to make a lifestyle choice and change my diet. No fast foods, no sugar drinks, Low carb and high protein. Carbs are not needed, you need to eat more carbs per calorie to fill you up compared to protein. So 100 calories of protein will fill you up more then 100 calories of carbs.

Im now 98kg so ive lost 12kg in 6 weeks. The trick is to just eat healthy and cut carbs, quick weight loss diets don't usually work because you are likely to put the weight back on
[doublepost=1461804372][/doublepost]

This is false.

Complex carbohydrates are used as energy in the body, we need them in our diet. It's the simple carbohydrates that we should avoid. Please learn to distinguish between complex and simple carbs.

nutrition.

Well no, carbs are not needed, the body can get the energy it needs though Ketosis. However it's nearly impossible to completely cut out carbs so even on a low carb diet you are still getting enough carbs. If you are going to eat carbs you are right you should stick to whole grains and starchy vegetables.

 

[ardchoille50]

Well no, carbs are not needed, the body can get the energy it needs though Ketosis.

The training I received in medical school, as well as the advice of those who hold degrees in exercise physiology and nutrition, lead me to believe that this is dangerous advice and should be avoided.

 

[S.B.G]

The training I received in medical school, as well as the advice of those who hold degrees in exercise physiology and nutrition, lead me to believe that this is dangerous advice and should be avoided.

Much agreed. The science backs this up too.

To me a very low or, no carb, diet is one of those fad diets that aren't sustainable.

 

[torana355]

Much agreed. The science backs this up too.

To me a very low or, no carb, diet is one of those fad diets that aren't sustainable.

Well the science does not back it up, the science backs up what i was saying actually, though ketosis the body can get the energy it needs without carbs. I know plenty of people that have been on low carb diets for many years and they cant speak highly enough of a high protein low carb diet. Im currently on a low carb, high protein diet and i feel amazing.