FIT.Y.E.R.O. (Meathead, wellness, fitness, diet, exercise) Thread

[pretzel__logic]

- To back up what anth and Bonz have said: BMI and the number on the scale can be helpful information, but they aren't the be all end all, particularly when you're trying to change your body composition (especially with lifting). At 5'9" and 178 immediately before conception, I was, by BMI, "overweight." And lol. Fwiw, before I got serious about lifting, I walked around about 140-145 lbs and I looked like I might blow away in a stiff breeze. According to BMI, I could be in the "healthy" range as low as 125, and I can't imagine how sickly I'd look. I feel a billion times better now that I've put on a lot of muscle and maintain 175+. Hell, I hit 195 this week at 22 weeks pregnant and I was pleasantly surprised. I always thought almost 2 bills would look ginormous, but I still don't look like I've gained an ounce with my baby bump turned away from view haha

- Not many ladies in here, but for all the dudes with wives who are or have been pregnant - if they're complaining about hip/lower back pain or pelvic dysfunction, I started pelvic floor PT for pubic symphysis pain and it is so helpful. Highly recommend. We don't think about "training" the muscles in the pelvic girdle but there's LOADS of them, and if things are keyed too tight/imbalanced (vast majority of people), it can result in sciatica, etc.

- Creatine is the most studied supplement aside from caffeine. Hell, my OB said it'd be fine to take during pregnancy if I wanted to. It can be a tremendous assist in recovery and muscle growth and it IS worth the hype.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

- Creatine is the most studied supplement aside from caffeine. Hell, my OB said it'd be fine to take during pregnancy if I wanted to. It can be a tremendous assist in recovery and muscle growth and it IS worth the hype.

Folks with diabetes, weak kidneys, or high blood pressure should consult with doctor before taking creatine. I have an appointment next month with my new doctor. Looking forward to hear her opinion on whether or not my issues are bad enough to prevent me from taking creatin.

 

[pretzel__logic]

That's 100% fair, agree those conditions merit consultation with a doc.

 

[CSC81]

About halfway through the 16 week cut, I had plateaued on dropping body fat (around 13%) and the only noticeable declines were muscle mass and weight.

Not the right direction so huddled up with Anth’s trainer, he looked at what I’d been eating and saw that carbs were way too low for too long. Make sense, you need muscle mass to burn body fat. So he had me add some rice and sweet potatoes back in gradually while keeping whole food protein above 200g. Did the trick and knocked the BF% down just above 10%.

Took this last cut/load to get through my thick skull that the scale should be the last number you track when trying to size up or slim down. We’re all conditioned to treat that as the Holy Grail metric. It’s not.

If you don’t have a body mass scale, take it from my HVAC buddy and go with how your clothes fit, mirror test or simply the weight you can move. All more of a success marker than lbs.

Been meaning to ask you:

What was your daily average before working with Coach, and to what level did he bump you prior to getting just over 10%?

(I know there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to macros, especially carbs; I’m asking purely out of curiosity.)

 

[Bonzo Cat]

When I started the cut I was keeping carbs under 100g. And of that, all carbs were in the form of complex carbs - fruits (berries) and vegetables. Simple carbs were nixed.

He had me add white rice or half a sweet tater in for one meal, gradually upping the macro to close to 200 after the halfway point.

10 days out from deadline, gradually backed them back out and maintained the complex.


Whole thing is a science experiment to see what works for one’s body and what doesn’t. Biggest thing I took away from it is you can’t remove simple carbs for much more than 4-6 weeks before you start shedding muscle along with body fat.

 

[CSC81]

Nice work, my friend. I know it’s not easy to go against our intuition and what we’re used to and/or think is best. I bought into low carb for a long time. I still think it’s a useful tool in certain, specific circumstances, but chronic low carbs will absolutely wreck your hormones, as you discovered.

I’ve obviously got a lot longer way to go than you and Anth on the BF% front. From a strength standpoint alone, however, I dread lifting when my carbs are low, both mentally and physically. The trick is finding that sweet spot. I absolutely love carbs (Italian is easily my favorite cuisine, so…yeah; very easy for me to go overboard).

Like you, I’ve been mostly staying away from simple carbs and primarily get them in the form of berries and vegetables; that makes it a lot easier. High protein and moderate, healthy fats are a given.

BF% is slowly but surely dropping and strength is going up, so what I’m doing seems to be working.

Being on day 12 of no booze is also clearly a huge difference and help, especially from a sleep and recovery standpoint. I haven’t felt this good in years.

 

[thabigbluenation]

Folks with diabetes, weak kidneys, or high blood pressure should consult with doctor before taking creatine. I have an appointment next month with my new doctor. Looking forward to hear her opinion on whether or not my issues are bad enough to prevent me from taking creatin.

Well to be fair anyone with those issues should be consulting their doc before taking anything.

 

[WayneDougan]

I feel like Bonz is on another level.

 

[Bonzo Cat]

No different than several in here. I’m just more eloquent in describing the process 😎

Ate and drank like an asshole on the Bahamas friendcation with no remorse. Time and place…

…always been fairly regimented but working from home the past year and a half has made it a breeze sticking with a diet plan, be it cutting or bulking. I still have cocktails, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve ate processed foods and never really had a sweet tooth, so anything of that ilk isn’t tempting.

Football season coming up and Wodie Sloot knows how to cater a tailgate better than anyone. If you can peel away from pickup basketball with your neighbors wife, stop by and see we eat and drink like normal wildcat friends.

I also don’t have kids and therefore all the time you have to commit to them or ways you cater to their palates and understandably get sucked into consuming (leftovers, pizzas, fast food, desserts, etc) isn’t in my purview. No doubt I’d have a change in priorities with a rug rat(s). My utmost respect to those of you with kiddos, or soon-to-be, that grind it out on the regular.

 

[HymanKaplan]

Swam 1600 meters at the pool this morning (mix of strokes, mostly breast), and my arms a little bit jellied. 1600 used to be child's play for me, so it's a testament to how out of shape I got, but I've only been back on it about a month.

 

[pretzel__logic]

Carb manipulation is definitely a your-mileage-may-vary game. My husband leans out noticeably immediately when he drops his carbs, without a noticeable drop in energy. Meanwhile, I instantly feel like dog water. I'm sure some of that is the type of carbs he tends to favor versus the ones I do, some is hormonal, and some is the individual demands our respective jobs and fitness activities put on us. And some is likely his IBS versus my normal guts. I lift more frequently than he does at this point; he just doesn't need the same volume of carbs for golfing a couple times a week that he did for serious powerlifting training. Personally, I've never been able to get through the brain fog I feel when I drop carbs for longer than a few days. More power to those that can, for sure.

Sweet potatoes might be the GOAT carb for me though. Delicious, they pair well with tons of different proteins, reheat well, and you can get more volume in (versus rice or pasta) if you're cutting/in maintenance. I like rice, but especially for a bulk. The same volume of rice has a zillion more carbs (give or take) than the same volume of sweet potatoes. And...sweet potatoes mitigate one of the great downfalls of cutting that no one talks about with their fiber content.

 

[HymanKaplan]

Tip for anyone that wants to start swimming, but has trouble with getting the breathing down. Get a front face snorkel. I bought one to use until I got my form/cardio back to where I didn't need it after a couple of weeks, but if you're a beginner, and either want to swim or need to (for various reasons, like a knee problem etc.) it allows you to swim freestyle, while keeping your head/face in the water, and breathe easily, which will make swimming laps much easier. I mean, they're not for competitive swimming obviously, but it allows even pretty poor swimmers to be able to swim lap after lap, which is pretty much impossible if you are a bad swimmer. That snorkel, along with a pull buoy can have you knocking out a couple hundred meters at a time before a minute or two break. And then repeat. (just don't forget to blow the water out, if you're doing kick turns. LOL) There's no shame in them, even competitive swimmers will sometimes use them to work on their form.

 

[anthonys735]

Bonz mostdef wins the body building contest. No doubt.

I'm like your hubby with carbs but sweet potatoes have seemed to do the trick.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Need some help with my Push-Day.

I currently do a Push day that hits Chest, Shoulders and Tris. I've removed rear delts and have added those to Pull days, which makes more sense to me, and it helps even the two days out. However, I just struggle to find shoulder exercises. I make sure to hit the Front Delts, Side delts, and the traps. So I will usually do like 4-sets of seated DB shoulder presses, followed by 4-sets of DB shrugs, and then maybe 4 sets of Cable side lateral raises. Now maybe that's good enough, but it seems like I should be doing more.

I dont do front raises as that seems to be redundant with shoulder presses for front delts, and they also sometimes tweak my back (probably because I'm ego lifting). I also have long since avoided the upright row, but I'm thinking of adding it again with a wider grip, to avoid injury. Not opposed to doing either of these, IF they are worth it, and just haven't seen enough evidence.

IDK, just feels like I need a 4th exercise. Or is that sufficient seeing as how I'm also doing a flat chest bench, and an incline bench that day? Maybe add the Arnold press for a variation? Maybe more light work to build mobility, like a Y-Complex? Do I hit my rear delts a bit with reverse cable flys?

 

[HagginHall1999]

Need some help with my Push-Day.

I currently do a Push day that hits Chest, Shoulders and Tris. I've removed rear delts and have added those to Pull days, which makes more sense to me, and it helps even the two days out. However, I just struggle to find shoulder exercises. I make sure to hit the Front Delts, Side delts, and the traps. So I will usually do like 4-sets of seated DB shoulder presses, followed by 4-sets of DB shrugs, and then maybe 4 sets of Cable side lateral raises. Now maybe that's good enough, but it seems like I should be doing more.

I dont do front raises as that seems to be redundant with shoulder presses for front delts, and they also sometimes tweak my back (probably because I'm ego lifting). I also have long since avoided the upright row, but I'm thinking of adding it again with a wider grip, to avoid injury. Not opposed to doing either of these, IF they are worth it, and just haven't seen enough evidence.

IDK, just feels like I need a 4th exercise. Or is that sufficient seeing as how I'm also doing a flat chest bench, and an incline bench that day? Maybe add the Arnold press for a variation? Maybe more light work to build mobility, like a Y-Complex? Do I hit my rear delts a bit with reverse cable flys?

Good burn on this. I've incorporated and helpful with flexibility....honestly it just feels good, lol.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Good burn on this. I've incorporated and helpful with flexibility....honestly it just feels good, lol.

View embedded media

Are we talking about the exercise.. or the trainer? Lol.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Are we talking about the exercise.. or the trainer? Lol.

Hahaha...yeah, she knows her stuff though. Good follow.

My wife is big into fitness and honestly the women are way more focused on mobility and core strength. There are workouts my wife does that would kill me.

Another thing I'd recommend looking at are kettlebell swings. Full body but a lot of attention to rotator cuff. You don't want to F with shoulders. What you are doing for strength seems solid to me, I would look for burnout exercises...why I shared video.

 

[HagginHall1999]

@LineSkiCat14

Also, for chest stuff can try: no rest between...maybe 60 seconds

Try dumb press with dumbbells pushed together. Incline, flat and decline. Make an "I" with dumbbells and slow to chest slow to extend. Light 3x12, Mid 3x10, Heavy 3x8, Max 3x4

Standing pushups on a smith machine lowered slightly above hip level....3x10

Peck Deck....100 lbs max, followed by 15 pound increments x 8 until you fail 15 pound increments increases....then go back to 100 and squeeze out as many as you can.

These are a few I do.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Rugby is on the Olympics now. I need to start doing whatever these guys do, Jesus. They are yoked.

 

[Kooky Kats]

Worked out along side Action Bronson today. Exchanged pleasantries. For a big man, he does 10 sets of pristine pushups on his knuckles. Hardcore.

Trainer was very pleased with my progress yesterday. Down 14 in a month. Eliminating rice. High rep weight lifting and 2 days of cardio instituted/week.

Nieces rehearsal dinner last night… 3 Tequila sodas - tonight wedding and fine brown water.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Worked out along side Action Bronson today. Exchanged pleasantries. For a big man, he does 10 sets of pristine pushups on his knuckles. Hardcore.

Trainer was very pleased with my progress yesterday. Down 14 in a month. Eliminating rice. High rep weight lifting and 2 days of cardio instituted/week.

Nieces rehearsal dinner last night… 3 Tequila sodas - tonight wedding and fine brown water.

Damn, what gym were you training with Action Bronson?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

@LineSkiCat14

Also, for chest stuff can try: no rest between...maybe 60 seconds

Try dumb press with dumbbells pushed together. Incline, flat and decline. Make an "I" with dumbbells and slow to chest slow to extend. Light 3x12, Mid 3x10, Heavy 3x8, Max 3x4

Standing pushups on a smith machine lowered slightly above hip level....3x10

Peck Deck....100 lbs max, followed by 15 pound increments x 8 until you fail 15 pound increments increases....then go back to 100 and squeeze out as many as you can.

These are a few I do.

Ha, I do a lot of these. Haven't done those Decline Push-ups on a waist height Smith machine in a while.

My chest exercises (I think at least) are solid. I feel there's just way more ways to hit the chest than shoulders and you also don't need to worry about a cranky chest as much as cranky shoulders.

I always do a bench variation, an incline variation, a fly variation (either peck deck or cable crossover), and then I'll add a 4th.. maybe a hex press, or chest press machine for form and reps, or maybe dips (I forget that dips could count as a 4th shoulder exercise as well).

@RunninRichie was right, mostly water weight. Blew up some bathrooms last week. Was at 213lbs in the am after vacation and after REALLY getting after it at the gym, steps and dieting, dropped down to 207lbs yesterday. So probably a lot of water weight in there. I was like 209lbs before vacation.

 

[Kooky Kats]

Damn, what gym were you training with Action Bronson?

Impact Zone, Norwood NJ

 

[Mossip]

Bird on a Wire is such a sick track. Bronson is becoming underrated at this point.

 

[anthonys735]

-First night with the 8. Got a little aggressive with the cold, lol. Had to crank it up about 3a. Also, had the 4yo, who has never woke up in the middle of the night, screaming my name at 3:30a. All that said, whoop and 8 confirmed one of my best nights sleep in the last 3 months.

-Diet 2 of the last 3 weeks has been dogshit. Couple vacas in there. Good week to clean it up.

-Mixed it up last week. Short 25-30 minute workouts. 16 sets.

 

[anthonys735]

Also, the plunge/sauna combo absolutely works wonders. I was away from them for about 11 days, while also not eating well, and about a week in I could feel the inflammation and stiffness. Pretty wild. I had been so consistent that my new baseline felt really good. Take that away and it didn't take long to notice.

 

[CSC81]

Our Baha Mar rookie companion scoping out lass and I’s basement for the ideal sauna spot soon, spoke with him about it again just last night. Can’t wait to be able to just walk right downstairs for a steam.

 

[Bill Cosby]

Ben Patrick should be commended for the amount of free content him and his followers pump out. Now on a crusade for youth fitness…

ATG Physical Fitness Program

We can change the course of history for youth fitness.

www.atgonlinecoaching.com

Edit: KneesOverToesGuy on X, but I’d imagine most people already knew that.

 

[anthonys735]

Ben Patrick should be commended for the amount of free content him and his followers pump out. Now on a crusade for youth fitness…

ATG Physical Fitness Program

We can change the course of history for youth fitness.

www.atgonlinecoaching.com

Edit: KneesOverToesGuy on X, but I’d imagine most people already knew that.

Big fan of his, but holy hell that formatting is f*cking awful. My mind won't let me me process whatever he's trying to say because it's all over the place. Maybe I should copy and paste it into a word document because I'm currently introducing our 9 year old to strength training. Mainly pull ups, push ups, squats, box jumps, etc. Prime day I picked up some light kettle bells so mixing in a few meathead/ functional exercises.

 

[Kooky Kats]

On vacation… still eating clean, but drinking. 100 pushups in the morning, hundred crunches, then family bike ride 5mi to lighthouse and sunset beach shipwreck at 6:30.

My son’s 11th birthday tomorrow will come with cake.

Staying the course.

 

[anthonys735]

On vacation… still eating clean, but drinking. 100 pushups in the morning, hundred crunches, then family bike ride 5mi to lighthouse and sunset beach shipwreck at 6:30.

I worship vacation workouts. Just the absolute best feeling when you're done and have the rest of the day to get after it.

 

[Kooky Kats]

My son saw me grab the tunes and go upstairs for my pushups… he decided to join me.

I told him to grab a deck of cards…. Play a game I used to do in college. Turn a card, do that number of pushups (aces are 15).

Alternating every card until total deck is gone. No rest. Randomness and inequity are quite fun.

The old man did 215 to his 190 in a matter of 15 minutes. Nice little way to get my kid involved and dyno triceps workout.

Off to Cape May zoo, then brewery, then CrabHouse at 2 Mile Landing for little man’s 11th birthday feast. Oysters and clams.

 

[anthonys735]

-This Bulgarian just clean and pressed basically 500lbs. Lol. These folks are unreal.

-295 x 4 on BP today. Feeling strong AF again.

-Think I'm gonna have to change course a big and go reverse diet, not a true bulk, because my appetite is ravenous. I'm just hungry all the time. So push back the goal BF again because cut isn't a realistic option. Gonna add in a morning carb and a midafternoon carb/protein.

 

[Bonzo Cat]

What's your current daily macros average and breakdown of meals?

Since coming off the cut and getting back into the swing of things with a week off mid-July, appetite has been on fire, despite cutting back to 3 or 4 lifts per week, minimal cardio, and increasing carbs from ~75g/day during cut to ~150-200g.

All that jumped on the Tanita this morning for the first time in a month and weight was the exact same as July 11th with only difference, muscle mass slightly up. Guess that's what you want to see?

 

[anthonys735]

Yeah. I don't care about weight but like to see bf drop some more.

Haven't been in a stable environment long enough to really have macros. They're all over the place. If I was 90-95% dialed in cut, I'm 75% right now. Basically fighting what my body is telling me vs what I have scheduled. Body is in no mood for a cut. So, lets gets strong af and get 10k steps a day. Putting a small tread in my office next week.

 

[Bonzo Cat]

If you can hit that step count, increase your macros and go heavy in a quasi-bulk, you'll have plenty of muscle mass with BF well in check and nothing to worry about next spring when it's time to cut.

 

[Kooky Kats]

Officially down 20 pounds by eating clean and lifting since 6/24 and 53 since Covid.

Keep chopping.

 

[anthonys735]

-Got the app under control. Added in some carbs and 4 more eggs per day. Plus, loads more water.

-Barbell RDLs today. If you know where I started from... that's just an amazing feat. 8.5 years.

-Nice work, Kook. CSC81 has lost half a person. Crushing it. In fact he's probably close to needing a break and build muscle. Same for you. Don't want to be skinny fat.

-The 8Sleep is cool af. Not gonna lie. Hank's review sums it up perfectly.

-Mixing in a lot more mobility work. Especially on the off days. To recap the bearded guys value. Sure, it's pricey, but you could get pretty good at 5-6 of the main movements in just a few months and dump the subs. So, if you're wanting to increase mobility, not a bad place to start. I got the MP Prime program as well. It's nice. Has a couple dozen mobility exercises with detailed videos and instruction. all broken down by body part. Plus a test to see what areas need work.