Well I'm 10 classes in and totally addicted! Who da thunk working out could be fun?!

I'm working towards a more Paleo diet as well - kinda like Paleo Lite. :lol: I can't ditch milk products. No way.

Haha...funny small world we live in. Nick just convinced me to get the Paleo diet book for my Kobo. Read the first 10 pages and decided that I like life too much for that. I'm plagued with palindromic arthritis and some people claim Gluten contributes to the problem. Sooooo since Oct 1 I haven't been eating Gluten. All I can say is that people should put a loaf of Gluten free bread under their bed rather than a baseball bat for self-defence...you could beat someone to death with that stuff.

Paleo is even more rigid which leads to the most important question....are you ready to cut out booze?

Mark, Paleo Lite! :lol:

I'm just not hardcore enough to follow ANY diet plan 100%. I have been able to cut out all breads and grains (except popcorn) without missing anything. Gluten-Free bread is gross, I agree! I can live without bread though, I don't care about it that much. I am probably 98% gluten-free now which I haven't found hard to do. What I do struggle with are potatoes and rice - I love both. Now that I haven't eaten either for almost 4 weeks I'm not craving it as much though. There are the hardcore Paleo nuts and then the so-so Paleo peeps - I fall into the so-so category.

I don't plan to cut out booze - not that I drink much or often anyway. I think you need to pick your battles. Some improvements to your diet are always good! I was eating fairly well to begin with - having done so for most of my life - so I didn't have to make huge changes.

I also allow myself 3 cheat meals per week to help wean myself and yesterday I had a donut. It wasn't as yummy as I remembered, and the sugar really hit me since I haven't had a sugar binge like that in weeks. It was crazy!!! I don't think I will be tantalized by donuts anytime in the near future. Funny how that happened.

A female friend of mine was all gun hoe about paleo and was posting some of her meals. She was doing it to fit up/loose weight. One of the meals she bragged about on facebook was a rather large steak, wrapped in bacon with avocado and and onions. Hardly a diet meal IMO. Nothing inherently wrong with any item (well the bacon I would consider a treat) but she obviously doesn't realize that calories are king. I mean why wrap a steak in bacon and add avacodo to the mix. All high calorie foods when the goal is not to gain weight.

I like some paleo concepts but dont agree with the rigidness. You can live a perfectly healthy and extremely fit life consuming lugumes, wheat, potatoes, rice, dairy etc. I can even safely say that some processed food in moderation will not harm you or your fitness progress. Now people with allergies or sensitives is a different story.

Have you ever heard of IIFYM Mindy? Or myfitnesspal?

I'm just gonna pretend I didn't read that :)

I have been doing cross training for years, I train at cooking supper, then I cross over and train at eating it :mrgreen:

seriously thought, Brad and I got the stupid idea years ago that we needed to get in shape so we started on , what was yours that carb addict thing and I did a modified Atkins, I lost 80 lbs initially, but put 20 -30 back on, but still I think 50 lbs lighter and 10 years older is pretty good. Brad got skinny I got husky :wink:, but I started with a lot more weight than Brad, and he cheated with that running crap, I can do that due to my knees. we used to have one cheat meal a week, and that was pizza Fridays for lunch... been a long time sense we've done that...

I still have another 30 to 40lbs to lose but hockey season started today so that will get rid of about 20 of it on its own.

the whole problem is I lack motivation to do anything else as there is no medical reason for me to lose the weight, this really pees off my family Dr, as we did my physical last year and my blood work and all the tests came back better than most 20 year old athletes, so in essence I am not a walking heart attack or the poster by for diabetes, but rather at the extreme other end of the chart. i am just heavy by about 40 lbs.. which isn't really much of a motivator to do something about it.

so how do you guys who are married with no problems, work a good job, have kids and pets, ect.... get motivated to go out and do something that is just to increase your looks, no medical reasons. I can understand Mindy wanting to get stronger and increase stamina, but only wanting to lose 5 lbs this isn't an issue of looks. myself I am probably stronger and have more stamina than I did 15 years ago, so for me the concern is pure looks. if I was single and looking then it would be a no brainer.

Steve

Why's that Brad? I dont practice it myself but it works. I just dont have the drive or determination to count macro's (protein,fat,carbs) and calories. I do try to keep a very rough count of my protein and try to eat enough good fat though.

I know what your saying but I have lifted off and on since I was 17 and I'm now 34 (married). I do it for a lot of reasons. Firstly Im not hard core about it.... I try to do it 4 times a week (doesnt always happen) but right now Im on a kick. I do it recreationally and there have been years I have taken off like when my two kids were born. I was pretty inactive for 3-4 years. I've been back at it for about a year now and I gotta say I feel so much better. I have had knee trouble in the past and I have my knees in the best shape in like 8 years. More energy for sure. I also am making a conscience effort to sleep more. I'm eating a bit better I feel like I'm not getting sick as much. God knows those little kids bring home crazy germs. In the end though I have always like the challenge of physically pushing myself. The idea of being strong and athletic in general is nice. Im not superman though.....much of my workout years were also party years and I spent a lot of time training and eating wrong.

sorry for taking your thread off Track Mindy.

Crossfit sure sounds like an awful lot of work. Mindy, I hope you're not doing it to lose weight because you don't need to lose any weight (I creeped your FB pictures). But if you're doing it for fun, then carry on :-)

For me, I just have my workouts scheduled in my calendar. If I don't feel like it, tough, I go. I count everything I eat, and only eat single ingredient foods. I have to struggle to eat all my food in a day, and I eat well.
I just turned 50 last week and I have abs, so that motivates me right there.
As you know, I used to be close to 300 pounds many years ago, and I couldn't stand it. Now, I'm strong and it's an incredible feeling, but you need to get there to understand it. Once there, you never want to go back.
My wife is 14 years younger and I have a 3yo daughter, so I need to keep in shape just to keep up -lol
But there is certainly a vanity thing to it, I have guys at work 20 years younger that make comments how they wish they were in my kind of shape. That motivates too. I try to explain that wishing isn't the best strategy, but hey :)
I have a job that keeps me busy, 4 dogs, a 3 yo with disabilities and a ton of house maintenance to do. Oh, and a large reef tank. But training is important to me, so I make time. Sometimes I'm at the gym at midnight, but it gets done. It's not really even a motivation issue, it's just what I do. It's part of my life.

I'm on the Brad Morgan beginner ABs working right now and so far so good. I'm up to 5 crunches and 1 roll out per session. This weekend I'm aiming for two roll outs and maybe plank for 5 seconds.

Mostly it's used as an excuse to eat garbage. It's like Keifer's back loading, where he suggests downing a box of fruity pebbles after your workout (they're gluten free, you know!). But find someone under 8% BF using that, few and far between.
Same with IIFYM. While it's got some merits, it's loaded with excuses, and the old "everything in moderation", which, depending on your goals, will only give moderate results. The issue is every program in existence will work for somebody, but most won't work for a lot of bodies. And telling someone to eat ice cream if it fits their macros is just poor advice. Unless you're ok with not getting below 12 or 14% BF. But most physique trainees are after more, and for most, it will be a long struggle.
If you're more than casually interested in training nutrition, google Phil Learney podcasts, some great info.

You need a trainer to stand beside you and hit you with a stick, slacker! haha

I've probably over-shadowed your hijack :) Sorry Mindy ...

I know Im not that old but I think training can definitely keep you young. Congrats on that crazy weight loss. I know the feeling about being busy but making time. I usually dont hit my basement gym till 8-9pm after the kids are down. Sometimes I dont feel like getting my butt in motion but I never regret it and its a great stress relief.

Absolutely, and the younger you start, the easier it is to stay there. I'm lucky in that my wife is really supportive and we manage schedules well. She runs long distances, so her training sessions can be 4 hours, that I would have trouble scheduling!! But it works. I train 6 days/wk this month, plus try to run 3 days. The running doesn't always happen, but gym time is a priority.

I know what you are saying but the people who use it purely as an excuse to eat junk all the time don't get the point and dont know what they are doing that give it a bad name. You still have to get the bulk of your diet from good wholesome foods....it just allows you indulge a bit if you build it into your diet. a bowl of Ice cream doesnt automatically make you fat......calories and in activity make you fat.

All it is watching your calories and getting your basic macro nutrient needs met. After that you decide what you want to fill the rest of your caloric intake with. Whether you decide to have a treat or not. It basically allows you to build in some cheat, making a diet much easier to stick with. Its flexible dieting. No reason to eat 100% raw, natural "clean" foods. You are much more likely to cheat anyway if you try to do this. The good news is if you get your lean body mass up and your metabolism going you get more calories and essentially cheat a bit more.

And your very wrong about nobody using IIFYM to get super lean.....there are tons. I got to likely 10% myself this summer and I wasn't really using IIFYM just some of the principles.....I eat a lot of chicken, salad, eggs,nuts etc. but I didnt always say no to the hamburgers and ice cream either. Its not race for me.....sure I could get there faster by being more strict but ya gotta live.

You guy aren't really putting the thread off-topic, it's really just fitness discussion. :)

Darryl, yes I've heard of MyFitnessPal. I do have it on my phone, and I use it for a few days in a row a couple times a month just to see what I'm doing. What is IIFYM?

I've already lost 2 lbs since starting CrossFit which is comforting. I don't think I need to lose weight but I do know that I'm 12 lbs heavier now as a truck driver than I was as a carpenter 5 years ago, plus my body fat percentage is much higher. I'm just plain ole out of shape. I've also been having some knee soreness and sciatic nerve pain in my left hip/leg, so it's time to do something before it becomes a real problem.

From my uneducated point of view, it seems the gym I picked is very good. They don't push me beyond my limits and they hold back new people from lifting heavy until the movements are well developed. The trainers all seem to know how far I can be pushed, and push me to do my best, but not so far that I am pushed beyond my limits.

Well, yes and no. Nutrient timing and hormone management play a huge role in this. I stopped losing weight for about 6 weeks, until I added 500 calories more per day, then it started dropping again. A calorie is not a calorie, and there is so much more.
As for IIFYM, sure, it works for some, who practice it properly (Layne Norton and Scott Baptie are two that immediately come to mind), but it allows the mentality that cheating is ok, and I guess if that's your thing, then fine. I follow different ideas, and a planned refeed is still top quality ingredients. For my bday, I went out for dinner and had grilled trout and extra veggies :razz:. I guess it's all different strokes, and I'm more the "live a lot" than "live a little" kinda guy :)

Sorry. IFFYM is IF IT FITS YOUR MACROS or some are now calling it DCA (discretionary calorie allowance). Basically you set your calorie intake for your goals, get the optimal macros (protein/fat/fiber and maybe carbs) for muscle growth and/or retention and if you like you can use some discretionary calories for a treat.

Here are some links....if you have any question you could PM me.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=133634471
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=156380183

There's actually a site dedicated to it :)

http://iifym.com/

so when I come down next, its a good thing pizza is a basic food group :mrgreen:




yup you were close I was 300 when I met you after my knee repairs.
the problem I am finding now, while I am stronger and more fit than I was sense before I even met you I am still stuck around that 240ish mark. to aggravate this I have chronic Osteoarthritis. so both knees, 3 places in my back/neck, and in my right shoulder. while the pain is considerably less than it was down in Victoria (less humidity here) when I try do something it will flair up. my Dr. thinks it amazing I can play hockey at the level I am now. then I also do not work a traditional mon to Friday work week, I do two days, two nights then 4 days off. I work 12 hour shifts, so my normal day is I wake up at say 5:40 am, 20 min later I am out the door I walk back in the door from work at 9pm, am in bed by 9:30. on my switch over day I stay up till midnight, wake up at 5 am then back in bed by 9am so I can sleep and switch over to my nights. my first day off is sleeping, so basically I have 3 days off, which I have to fit in the kids schedules, coaching hockey, playing hockey, yard work, house repairs ect...

I have adjusted what I take to work for lunches and I have been losing a pound or two a month, so I am thinking of just starting up the old diet again and going back to the 5 lbs a week I was losing on that.

some times I really envy people who have time to work out, my only free time that is not contested is hockey.

oh Mindy, don't forget the before/after photos :wink:

Steve

ha...got me with that last one. My dinner was a nice 16oz steak and wack load of asparagus, but I also feel good about the white bun with olive oil/balsamic and wine I had too. I also had a small piece of chocolate tonight. I really dont feel bad because Im trying to put on some weight/muscle and can use some extra calories but I could easily fit meals like that in while losing weight. Sure maybe some choices are not the best calories but they still count. I got my protein, good fat and fiber for the day....at least I think since Im not a true counter.

You sound very dedicated Brad..wow. What ever gets us in the right direction. I just really learned about refeeds a few months ago. If I ever get my butt below 10% I will definitely try them.

lol, I had pizza last year just because, and was sick for 2 days. I eat too clean now that if I do eat something "junky", I feel it for days. Not worth it, and I don't enjoy it now.

That dinner sounds fine to me, minus the bun. My carbs are complex, post WO only. I usually have 3 packs of oatmeal before going to bed. Yams for dinner, wild rice, etc. I do have 2 pieces of 85% dark chocolate for dessert, that's my "live a little" -haha

Ya, I'm what some people call obsessive, but that's what lazy people call the dedicated :) Most people aren't willing or able to maintain my "diet" long enough for it to become habit, which I when I get labeled "extreme" :)

haha, I kinda go throught the same thing but thats becuse there is no good pizza in kamloops anymore so when I actualy find good stuff, it is a shock on the system :mrgreen:

I can't even imagine the reaction you would have had since you've been "eating clean" for so long! I got a reaction from sugar just from being off sugar for a few weeks and I've never been a big sugar eater either. A couple days ago the other half wanted pizza really bad. I ordered a chicken pizza with green and black olives, and mushrooms. Before the pizzas arrived I ate a couple servings of veggies (green beans and fresh beets) so I wouldn't overeat, and when the pizzas arrived I scraped the toppings off mine and threw away the bread. I kind of cringed when I did it, but I can honestly say that I didn't miss the bread.

I really admire your level of dedication. I used to think I could never get like that, but I am definitely starting to see changes in my cravings. I used to love bread, but now I don't miss it. I used to have real issues with using anything but sugar in my morning coffee, now I am quite fine with just a touch of honey. I changed my yogurt to grass fed organic. I'm making my own clarified butter from grass fed organic butter because I can't find any locally yet. I switched milk and coffee cream to lactose free. I made Paleo-friendly pumpkin pie with ingredients such as coconut flour. I have removed grains from my diet to avoid GMO foods - except for popcorn once a week or so. I am on the hunt for non-GMO corn kernels, but I am not sure if they even exist anymore. I haven't been able to locate a reasonably priced source for organic and grass fed/free run meats yet - I'm working on that too. I have also cut back on fruit and really upped my veggies.

Right now, I'm trying to switch everything for the better, not necessarily for the best. I need steps to make it. I know I will fail and give up if I go too far too fast.

Good plan. It takes time, and to just go "cold turkey" can be tough. But I haven't eaten bread this year, haven't had sugar in years and dairy is limited to the odd spoonful of greek yogurt.
Something I find is great for morning coffee is coconut milk with a bit of coconut oil, sweetened slightly with liquid stevia. No sugar (as opposed to honey), and the fats from coconut are incredibly good for you.
My version of pizza is made with ground turkey as the crust, and healthy toppings. Finding tomato sauce with added sugar is tough, but it's out there.
The reactions to junk are funny. In Feb I had a piece of my kid's bday cake and I was high for 2 hours!! Flushed, ears hot, etc, really not a good feeling -lol
All my beef is grass fed, as the omega 3 content is so much higher. I can't find grass fed butter here, so just stick to coconut oil for most things.
One thing that I find really helps is supplementing with fish oil (if you don't eat a ton of fish) as it helps with so much. I take 5g/day. Other supplements should include zinc and magnesium, both helping with hormone function.
One thing to remember is now that you're doing something as strenuous as crossfit, make sure you eat enough to fuel the workouts AND the rest of your body function. I find that the further I do this, the more I have to eat just to continue losing weight (weird, right??). I also recommend taking some BCAA during your workout to ensure you're not burning muscle tissue. Just use powdered form in your water bottle.

No bread? Yikes, I'm sure I can't pull that off. But I buy my bread mostly from a small German Bakery that specializes in ryes & generally heavier breads than 'Wonder Bread'. I'm no spring chicken any longer either but am in fairly decent shape. I've seen a lot of diets, fitness regimes, fitness apparatus(es) come & go over the years & am quite frankly amazed at how the folks selling fitness/dieting keep coming up with new stuff to empty our wallets.

I simply try to get off the couch & live an active lifestyle, haven't been to a fast food outlet in years, but do go for the occasional pizza from another small local outfit here in Vernon. I play soccer year round (indoor in winter) and do a lot of skiing in winter, including a couple of weeks of 'earning my turns'. Nothing like a 40 minute climb at altitude for a 3 minute run in untracked powder to get your cardio up to snuff. I don't have much upper body strength, so won't be helping anyone move their fish tank any time soon, but the legs & cardio are in fine form. There was also a time when I was a young Dad with kids that I spent more time on the couch & fitness declined, but that only lasted a few years.

A bit of this. Granted not cheap either, as most backcountry lodges inolve heli flights in & out. Then there's the guide & chef to renumerate. No need to watch your calories up here, other than making sure you get enough.
https://tskgiw.blu.livefilestore.com...681.jpg?psid=1

https://pzdvyq.blu.livefilestore.com...d_e.jpg?psid=1

With some of this as a reward. My friend Garry going deep, not entirely sure why he's not grinning. (actually, the climbing with good company is a reward in itself)
https://pjdogg.blu.livefilestore.com...37e.JPG?psid=1

And some of this, year round. Nothing like a team sport with a beer or two after with the boys (or girls, there is a coed league here in Vernon)
https://iqmkiw.blu.livefilestore.com...ike.jpg?psid=1

Everyone is motivated towards fitness (or not) in a different way. I love the mountains & a team sport for both fitness & socializing. Others need the structure of a fitness program at the gym etc. Whatever works for you is all good, as long as it gets you out from behind the computer/notebook/phone/ipad screen & off the couch.

Mike, you're right. Anything is better than nothing, and food choices are dependent on goals. It's all relative. If you want to run and hike, good cardio and lower body weight dictate your goals. If you want to easily move 180g tanks, then you build strength as a goal :) Choose activities and food accordingly. If you're happy at 18% bodyfat, enjoy that pizza and a cold beer or two. If physique training is your thing, then the choices narrow. But sitting on the couch is never a good choice given the alternatives available to us.

I've tried Stevia in my coffee, and I'm not ready to pull that off yet! I'm quite happy I managed to switch to honey. :lol: Great idea on the coconut milk/cream. I will try that.

It is sooo expensive! And so lean... I'm not a fan of lean beef. I don't like chunks of fat (yuck), but I nicely marbled ribeye. Nom nom!

I eat skipjack tuna 4-5 times per week, and cod or crab another 3-4 times per month. I do have some fish oil gel caps that I take a few times per week. I have a plethora of supplement pills, but I don't take them religiously.

I wasn't sure what BCAA's were, so I Googled. It's funny you mention it though because I was just looking at information on malto/dextro supplements for post-workout to prevent the release of cortisol and then muscle breakdown. It sounds like BCAA's somehow do a similar thing. More research (on both) is needed. :D

I just got back from a 9 am CrossFit class and I had half a yam and a chicken breast that I stuffed with ham and cheese. I was thinking the yam was a good post-workout carb source, but from what I am beginning to understand, I think I need something much higher on the GI to prevent the cortisol release - essentially you need a simple sugar/carb.

Expensive, yes. But all cuts are available. I can't eat the xtra lean, so go with lean ground and it's nice and oily. Fry it up with veggies.

That got old for me, and mercury content is a concern (I'm told)

BCAA's essentially keep a positive amino balance in the blood, particularly leucine, which helps reduce muscle breakdown.

I would skip the dextrose until you can see abs. Yam, sweet potato and oatmeal are great post workout carbs, although I usually wait an hour or so to eat any solid food. You want to keep blood supply feeding muscle rather than going to digestive processes. Not a huge concern really, but more an ideal state. I would say for now, BCAA during, lean protein and carbs about an hour after. If you need something right away, go whey isolate shake.

we make our own tomato sauce every fall now, I grow the tomatoes, the garlic, onions,basil, and the oregano in my guarden so ot is all organic. I don't recall sugar being in the recipe we use, but I would have to check. I can't use that stevia crap it tasts horable so I still use splenda for coffee. we have tried cocunut flower sugar, not good for coffee but works in other things, I use it inplace of the sugar in my BBQ sauce I make.

Steve

You have to go pretty nuts on the Skipjack to have any concern about mercury. Yellowfin and Albacore are much more concerning.

Ok, I was thinking that the dex/malto might be a latter on sort of thing. I did read somewhere that you're better off with a protein isolate shake (and dex/malto if wanted) within 30 mins of working out and then have a meal about 1 hour after the shake. This is all new to me... I've had a protein isolate shake for breakfast for about 10 years, but that's it!

No, at your age the window is a couple hours at least. As you get older, timing is more important. I'd have a shake within an hour, then another hour for a solid meal. Unless you're really hungry :) It's not that critical at this stage.
For anyone looking to maximize any fat loss, avoiding insulin spikes in the morning is a good idea. Whey can cause insulin to rise, slowing or stopping any fat burning. If you're ok with not so fast a rate, the shakes for breaky are ok, but an ideal breakfast is protein and fats. Bacon and eggs works. I eat red meat and nuts for breaky, but most people don't think they would enjoy that -lol

Ah ok. I usually need to eat something right away or I will want to snack and will start pilfering the cupboards (where the bad foods are!).

Funny you mention that as well since getting one foot on the Paleo bandwagon I have switched half my breakfasts to bacon and eggs. I bought some "natural" bacon and breakfast ham (no preservatives, just pork, salt, and smoke) for twice the price or regular bacon of course, and will bust that out next week when I use up the last of my regular bacon. I'm a bit concerned about the salt content of bacon and ham.

Ya, I try to minimize salt. Makes me puffy :)

your ankles swollen? :mrgreen:

OK so what are good things to take for lunch supper and snacks if you spend 12 hours driving a truck every day at work?

I know your driving a truck Mindy, don't know how long you spend in it, but my shifts are 12 hours and I get two 10 min breaks and two 30 min breaks a day but no where near anywhere where I can cook things, so what ever I take has to be very easy to prepare and be able to be eaten cold. and preferably while I am driving.

normally I take one sandwich, two apples, two plums, and some sliced sausages and cheese, and some raw veggies (carrots, celery, snow peas)

this is what I am driving now
http://www.site-kconstructionzone.co...3-1024x682.jpg

Steve

Define good :) I eat for purpose, so to me, I'm willing to compromise "good" for good for me. If I'm out on the road for a day, I pack chicken/broccoli stirfry, maybe slices of roast beast and some cheese, nuts, beef jerky, etc. Canned tuna would work too. Although, if you don't have anywhere to heat stuff, that makes it tougher. Cold chicken breast is ok, and I've been seen eating cold ground turkey on the car deck of the ferry :) You can make wraps from eggs and put your sandwich stuff in that, or other egg recipes.

I only drive in the winter, but when I am driving I work 12-15 hours and only 8 hours off (not much time to sleep, shower, and make food) so the shift rotates and I work different hours of the day each day. No real scheduled breaks, just roadside checks and waiting to load in the bush or waiting to unload at the mill.

Volume of food is a big thing because you're not burning a lot of calories sitting there. Take lots of veggies that will fill your belly without expanding your belly. :lol: Stay away from processed carbs like crackers and bread. You shouldn't eat any processed carbs at all and I would stay away from grains too - even if they aren't processed. Don't forget protein! Boiled eggs, cold chicken nuggets (no bread coating) made with herbs add cheese to them if they are dry to eat, cubes of ham. Canned skipjack tuna (not albacore or yellowfin), salmon, sardines, oysters, etc. Even beef jerky (find something with natural ingredients) and pepperoni is fine. Greek yogurt, cheese. Avoid too much fruit (fructose) - 4 pieces of fruit is way too much. Tomato juice, V8 both good. I'm also learning lots about dietary fat. If you're too hungry, have a serving of fat like avacado or nuts and seeds. Fat doesn't make you fat.