The Fitness Thread

[Reincarnate]

http://i.imgur.com/HFVa3.jpg

Turned around and my cat scared the shit out of me

She's super interested in my oatmeal for some reason

[Reincarnate]

Blood work a year ago said everything was fine but my liver ALT's were just a tick above the "normal" threshold

Which is odd because I don't drink

edit: to be clear, likely due to shitty health http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_blood_tests/page2.htm

[Reach]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSh6Ot8d7bU

Interesting doc on fasting.

[Choofers]

I should donate blood. I have the full anthrax vaccine on record, and iirc, I'd get paid pretty well for that.

Edit: I'm thinking of plasma, nevermind. Even better.

[Cavernio]

Oatmeal + fruit. Berries, bananas, peaches, mango, plums...pretty much anything but citrus I've put on hot cereal. If you hate it that much, put on like twice as much fruit as grain.
Or just oatmeal + milk
or oatmeal + yogurt
I think most people add plain old sugar to their oatmeal which is why they can eat it. I've certainly never eaten plain oatmeal.

I eat amaranth now instead of oats seeing as I can't have oats for being celiac. It takes longer to cook (than instant/quick cook oats you can put in the microwave but probably as long as regular oats) and has a very unique texture (meaning kinda gross if textures are one of those things you dislike about food). Also high in calcium apparently, which is good because I don't eat dairy either now. It tastes quite a bit different than oatmeal. Cook ratio 3/1 of water/amaranth. Bring to boil in a pot with the lid on then reduce to simmer, like how to cook rice. Make a pot to last all breakfasts for a week, takes second to reheat in microwave. Again, milk, yogurt and fruit make it tasty.
My parents would eat triticale instead of oatmeal. Also red river cereal (think that was largely bran?).
For more ricey-type whole grains, you coule try brown rice, millet or quinoa. When cooked properly these should be distinct, individual grains unlike the other cereals I mentioned, not porridge.

Lots of other whole grain alternatives to oats.

As high fat and high calorie as I cook, when my bf and I moved in, all his liver enzymes got way better, (err, except for one of them because he never drank alcohol before then. Not that he drinks a lot at all, and last blood test that one was back down again.) And he still doesn't have diabetes (he's been getting blood sugar tests for years).

edit: yet more whole grains that cook up as granules and not a mush that I forgot to mention: barley and kasha (also know as buckwheat or groats). Also, you might see couscous on the shelf in the same areas as all these, but it's a pasta disguised as a grain. Tasty and incredibly fast to cook, but probably not what you're looking for.

[kmay]

want to lose weight?

start doing plyometrics.


but you should think about getting muscle at the same time, but as you can see from SCwolf. its harder to gain muscle from nothing. he has to eat like a ****ing beast to see gains.

[blindreper1179]

Speaking of oatmeal, is the brown sugar just as good to eat, or should I fight through with plain and berries?

[Cavernio]

Depends on whether or not you really want to reduce your calories or are concerned about the amount of sugar you eat. Of course less/no sugar is better.
I will say again that fruit is often underripe when bought, making it less sweet and tasty than when actually ripe. I rarely buy fruit that I would eat that same day, and when I do it's likely in the bargain produce section. Apples and citrus are the only regular exception, and that's cuz I don't eat granny smith's because it's like they're designed to never ripen or something.

That fasting video's pretty good. I knew that fasting and intermittent fasting causes longevity, but didn't know a thing about the connection of IGF-1 before. The new neurons in the brain really surprises me. Wikipedia claims IGF-1 is a neurotrophic, and furthermore, the video itself says that IGF-1 is for making new cells. It's also kinda shitty because I have nerve pain in my extremities and the small amount of fasting I've done may have actually worsened them since they aren't in my brain afterall. Kinda wish we'd seen more about the 3.5 day fasting thing; that would be so much easier to me to do that once a month than any version of IF, even 5/2 I've heard of.

[Reach]

http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/08/...heart-disease/

Interesting read for those worried about your dietary cholesterol from yolks.


Anecdotally, I not only feel 10x better but also look 10x better after switching my diet to primarily protein and fat, getting my carbohydrates almost exclusively from fruits, vegetables, milk and whole grains. I'd lay money on this idea, but hey, you can eat whatever the **** you wanna eat


PS: I doubt this article is completely unbiased. That's almost definitely not the case.

But I think the evidence speaks for itself. Low fat, low cholesterol, high carbohydrate diets don't work. Exercise and weight control are almost definitely key factors, as are avoiding processed foods where possible.

The details? Don't get pulled into scams or money grabs trying to find them. I have a feeling they matter less than we'd like to think in the long run. My suggestion; take care of your body now while you're young before it becomes a chronic problem you can't fix.

[Reincarnate]

Thanks for the list Will be a good tool for guidance.

I figure that the whole "eggs are bad!" argument is, at its core, a confusion of correlation/causation.

This is why it's always bothered me when I've read different health/workout forums where people say "it doesn't matter what you eat -- just eat less and work out to lose weight." If there's anything statistics has taught me, it's that increases/decreases can be deceptive in their details. Distributions and ratios matter, and it kinda bugs me that there's such an anti-math/science bias running through the industry. Seems like even leading figures aren't fully immune from launching off an occasional broscience bomb or two.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Thanks for the list Will be a good tool for guidance.

I figure that the whole "eggs are bad!" argument is, at its core, a confusion of correlation/causation.

This is why it's always bothered me when I've read different health/workout forums where people say "it doesn't matter what you eat -- just eat less and work out to lose weight." If there's anything statistics has taught me, it's that increases/decreases can be deceptive in their details. Distributions and ratios matter, and it kinda bugs me that there's such an anti-math/science bias running through the industry. Seems like even leading figures aren't fully immune from launching off an occasional broscience bomb or two.

In a way they have a point, because tried and true method of weight loss is simply caloric deficit.

On the other hand though, try eating as I eat and watch how quickly you realize ...you actually have to eat a LOT of food to meet your daily recommended caloric values. Losing weight becomes rather simple.


A staple day when I was cutting would look something like this:


Preworkout: 6 mini baguettes w/ hummus, a banana, 1 cup vector cereal w/ 250 ml milk

Workout: 20 minutes brisk walk, 40 minutes heavy weight training, 1.5-2.5 minutes rest between sets depending on the exercise, another 20 minutes brisk walk.

Postworkout: 1 bowl chopped strawberries w/ 100 ml yogurt and topped with blueberries, an apple, a peach, small vine of grapes, 250 ml milk, 2 scoops protein isolate, 5 g creatine, 1 chicken leg (no skin).

Dinner: 1 chicken breast, 2 whole wheat tortillas, 1 red pepper , diced lettuce, low fat shredded cheese -> 2 fajitas.

1 cup broccoli, 1 cup carrots, 6 celery sticks.

This comes out to 2000-2200 calories, depending on the portions and brands you're using.

and this would easily keep me very full all night.


I combined this with fasting about 18-19 hours a day and the fat pretty much fell off of me.

[Reincarnate]

Originally Posted by Reach

In a way they have a point, because tried and true method of weight loss is simply caloric deficit.

On the other hand though, try eating as I eat and watch how quickly you realize ...you actually have to eat a LOT of food to meet your daily recommended caloric values. Losing weight becomes rather simple.

A staple day when I was cutting would look something like this:

Preworkout: 6 mini baguettes w/ hummus, a banana, 1 cup vector cereal w/ 250 ml milk

Postworkout: 1 bowl chopped strawberries w/ 100 ml yogurt and topped with blueberries, an apple, a peach, small vine of grapes, 250 ml milk, 2 scoops protein isolate, 5 g creatine, 1 chicken leg (no skin).

Dinner: 1 chicken breast, 2 whole wheat tortillas, 1 red pepper , diced lettuce, low fat shredded cheese -> 2 fajitas.

1 cup broccoli, 1 cup carrots, 6 celery sticks.

This comes out to 2000-2200 calories, depending on the portions and brands you're using.

and this would easily keep me very full all night.

Yes, a caloric deficit = weight loss, but what I'm trying to say is that not all weight loss is built equal -- some cuts seem much healthier than others. You can cut on foods that'll be harder on your organs just the same -- but I'd also rather live longer, feel better, etc.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Yes, a caloric deficit = weight loss, but what I'm trying to say is that not all weight loss is built equal -- some cuts seem much healthier than others. You can cut on foods that'll be harder on your organs just the same -- but I'd also rather live longer, feel better, etc.

Definitely agree. You can lose weight but be consuming foods that certainly aren't helping your health.

That and satiety depends highly on the types of foods that you eat. I'm not sure if this has been studied scientifically, but anecdotally speaking, foods high in protein have by far the highest satiety to calorie ratio, followed by fruits/vegetables.

I've tried, and as someone that can eat an entire xl pizza or about 30 hotdogs in a single sitting, eating more than say 2 8oz steaks w/ fruits and vegetables is virtually impossible in one sitting, and it's barely over 1000 calories.

[Reincarnate]

Great article, Reach


On that note, Reach, would it be possible for you to make a list of the foods/brands you generally eat and that which you stay away from?

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Great article, Reach


On that note, Reach, would it be possible for you to make a list of the foods/brands you generally eat and that which you stay away from?

I eat primarily IIFYM (if it fits your macros) right now, but my diet is relatively simple.

I avoid most processed, carb laden foods. I eat grains minimally and only whole grains. Enriched breads and things like that are a nono. I avoid all artificial sweets and candies, anything with sweeteners and such in them really.

I try to eat out no more than once a week. At that point I don't worry about what I'm eating, but do try to estimate caloric intake. I'll also often use this as an opportunity to fast heavily before the meal. Whenever possible I shoot for healthier options on the menu though; e.g. if I'm doing fast food I always get a grilled chicken sandwich if it's optional, order with water and no fries.

I don't drink anything other than water and milk. Diet soda maybe once in awhile.

What I do eat:

Carbs:

Fruits; Bananas, apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pears and peppers make up the bulk here. I'd say I eat 3-4 of these every day.

Vegetables: Broccoli is king here because of the rich micronutrient profile, but I also eat carrots, cauliflower and celery. Try to eat at least a sizable serving of one of these a day.

Milk: 0.5-0.75 L a day, skim or 1%.

Whole grains: not much, but here and there. I do like brown rice, grain bread to go with eggs or on sandwiches.

Occasionally I have salad as another carb source.


Proteins: Chicken, Turkey, Lean beef, steak make up the bulk of where I get my protein, but I also eat a lot of eggs at least once a week. Occasionally I eat fishes (tuna, talapia, salmon) and misc crustaceans (lobster, crab, shrimp, mussels) when I can afford it. I do different styles with these, e.g. chicken + salad, chicken fajitas, chicken sandwiches, whole grain hamburgers, whole grain tacos, etc etc.

Fats: Minimal. I usually eat fat free cottage cheese and cut most of the fat off of my meats, but whenever I do get fats in my diet I don't really worry about it and just eat them!


Cheats: My primary cheat is ice cream. I don't really cheat on anything else other than when I eat out, in which case I'll often indulge in whole grain pastas.


I typically eat all of my food in two or three meals between 10 and 5. Possibilities are pre workout, post workout and dinner basically, or lunch + dinner if no workout. Post and dinner are always my largest meals to prevent hunger in the evening. I'm never hungry in the mornings; actually, I'm starting to think that eating an early breakfast just ends up making you hungrier. I don't have anything to back that up other than personal experience and talking to other people about this issue.

I eat around 2000 cal a day on rest days and about 3000 on workout days right now. When I was cutting I was eating about 1700 on rest days and 2200 on workout days.

I've been incredibly successful with this when losing weight and improving health. Blood test results improved dramatically, and I lost a ton of weight while maintaining muscle. I'm bulking now using pretty much this same plan, though about 3 weeks in it seems to be successful. I've gained weight but caliper readings show no increase in body fat % (seems to be down marginally, actually).

[i love you]

Wow, awesome eating/workout plan Reach. From reading some of the things that you have mentioned, I think I will make some slight changes to my plan in order to maximize my results. Also, I really should go get myself a caliper...

[Kraezymann]

Attention Reach:

Thank you for the fitocracy link. I had no idea it existed, and have decided to join. After just noticing this thread I have also decided that I want to get fit, and stay fit. And theres no time like the present.

[Reach]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YByfi1ENOiI&feature=plcp


Oh, also since I brought up protein and satiety earlier, I found a study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22771138

Or in summary: Protein-rich diets are known to suppress appetite. Mithieux and colleagues now provide a mechanism for this well-known phenomenon by showing that peptides derived from dietary proteins act as antagonists on μ-opioid receptors (MORs) on neurons in the wall of the portal vein.

[Reshiram]

Down to 174, 16% body fat and back in the green light of BMI!

Life is good.

[Poison-]

Biked 11.2km yesterday and today, legs are feeling like jelly, but I like it. Amazing back and bicep workout yesterday, and a nice chest and triceps workout today.

Life really is good.