Working to Stay Lean ~

[flyfisher]

I personally hate working out for the sake of working out, well not hate but strongly dislike kind of like cutting the grass.  As i have passed 40 though I have noticed that I take longer to warm up when cycling and recover as well so I decided to start a workout regime.  I am on week 3 now and I follow, albeit loosely, the p90x routine.  I basically do their weight days and do my own cardio type work on the days off. I also don't do their ab routine as my back doesn't do well when performing laying down ab type workouts so I do hanging ab workouts or use an ab roller wheel deal.  

I am lucky that I have never been overweight really and I keep myself pretty active between cycling, kayak fishing and doing stuff with my kids but I am determined to not be that guy I see at my son's soccer games who is overweight and struggling to just walk to the field and sit in a chair to watch.

 

I keep my diet pretty basic, pretty much all the lean protein I want to go with al the vegetables I want as well.  I do like my carbs but I don't try and over do it at any point in time.  Hell, I will even drink a mountain dew when the feeling hits

My job keeps me on my feet all day, i am an elementary school teacher, and I don't even eat lunch per se other than a protein bar on most days so I guess I have been doing the hot new thing of intermittent fasting before it was the hot new thing lol

I do enjoy hearing al later success stories and I wil halos echo that making any type of change it has to be internal first then the external will happen.  Don't be unrealistic, which i tend to do and think back to my glory days of cycling 600 miles a week, set realistic goals and try and reach them and then make another one.  

I do think for me at least, once school starts back up it will be more difficult to maintain working out regularly but I will see what I can do.

Keep up the good work fellas...

[A-Jay]

49 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

I personally hate working out for the sake of working out, well not hate but strongly dislike kind of like cutting the grass.  As i have passed 40 though I have noticed that I take longer to warm up when cycling and recover as well so I decided to start a workout regime.  

Declining in ability & capacity are a natural part of the process.

How fast and much of that we experience can depend on many factors.

However, there's no doubt in my mind that staying fit can contribute to a better quality of life.

 Attitude is a powerful thing.

When we want to do something our drive can be very motivating.

I hope to remain as fit as I can be moving forward, for as long as I can.

And while hope is not a strategy I depend heavily on, inner drive and will are.

Best thing I can do to be fit for tomorrow is to do something about it today & everyday.

Best of luck moving forward

A-Jay

#fitforlife

 

[Bluebasser86]

I don't think I'll ever get in A-Jay shape, but I've taken some big steps the past few months. Volunteered and got selected for a weight loss program through my work. Started out with a pretty attainable goal of 200lbs. I was 235lbs when I started, right about the heaviest I've ever been. I'm still almost 20lbs overweight by the programs standards, although I think that seems pretty low, I'm going to keep pushing and see where it takes me. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I'm 6'1" and 230 lbs, I wish I could get to about 200. You guys who maintain a great weight amaze me. I am so busy with coaching and raising kids that are 13, 10, 9, and 8 years old and playing games literally all of the time, I can't work out or avoid fast food. At least my wife still loves me

[A-Jay]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't think I'll ever get in A-Jay shape, but I've taken some big steps the past few months. Volunteered and got selected for a weight loss program through my work. Started out with a pretty attainable goal of 200lbs. I was 235lbs when I started, right about the heaviest I've ever been. I'm still almost 20lbs overweight by the programs standards, although I think that seems pretty low, I'm going to keep pushing and see where it takes me. 

 

Good to hear you're taking control & responsibility for this.

Portion control, not skipping meals can be key.

There is not a decision we make all day, that effects us more than what we choose to stuff (or not)into our pie hole.

Being Lean, Balanced & Fit is empowering.

You seem like a fairly driven young man.

See it & believe it and you'll get what you want.

It's worked for just about everything else in your life.  

I'm rooting for you.

A-Jay

[Todd2]

I'm down from 228 to 212 since the first of the year with diet and excercise..including a pushup program  (up to 1600 total right now) and some weights. Long way to go but I can tell a huge difference in the way I feel. Fishing all day is much easier.:)

[lo n slo]

for AJ....?

 

 

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, lo n slo said:

for AJ....?

 

 

Challenge accepted ~

A-Jay

[J Francho]

Do you even carb, bro?

 

Apple fritter donut french toast.  </endThread>

 

[A-Jay]

Haven't added an August 2019 installment yet - so here it is.

 

Celebrated my 60th successful trip around the sun earlier this month

and took a few days off from training to ‘celebrate’.

Won't do that again.  

I’m back at it though and this one felt pretty good.

 

#fitforlife

A-Jay

[Brad Reid]

A-Jay, my brother, Randy, just returned from Montreal and the World Masters Lifting Championships. He won the silver in the age 65 to 69 age group (he is 65). He lifted toward the very light end of his class, could have dropped a kilo and lifted down a weight class.

 

Anyway, for you and others here, masters training is different and there has to be a rather conscience effort to always work on maintaining joint and general body flexibility. Gotta fight the tendency of getting old, unable to squat down, bend over, walk in correct fashion. It has helped Randy a ton as he can still hit deep positions in lifts like the ******, and his squat clean. So many of the masters lifters are still strong but have lost this range so their lifts decline faster than they otherwise would.

 

A pic or two.

 

Cheers!  Brad

 

 

[A-Jay]

14 minutes ago, Brad Reid said:

A-Jay, my brother, Randy, just returned from Montreal and the World Masters Lifting Championships. He won the silver in the age 65 to 69 age group (he is 65). He lifted toward the very light end of his class, could have dropped a kilo and lifted down a weight class.

 

Anyway, for you and others here, masters training is different and there has to be a rather conscience effort to always work on maintaining joint and general body flexibility. Gotta fight the tendency of getting old, unable to squat down, bend over, walk in correct fashion. It has helped Randy a ton as he can still hit deep positions in lifts like the ******, and his squat clean. So many of the masters lifters are still strong but have lost this range so their lifts decline faster than they otherwise would.

 

A pic or two.

 

Cheers!  Brad

 

 

Very impressive ~

My objective is to remain injury free.  Near max effort lifts are no longer part of my training.  Too risky and rehap at this point rarely 'repairs' back to what I had initially.

I lift to live not the reverse. 

Congrats to Randy and thank you for sharing 

A-Jay 

[A-Jay]

vitality :
exuberant physical strength or mental vigor
capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence
power to live or grow

 

 

#borninfiftynine
#fitforlife

 

A-Jay

 

[EGbassing]

That's awesome; congratulations! Since you appear to be an expert, I thought I'd ask you. If you had to build an arm workout with just dumbells and a weight bench, what would look like? I'll have access to a real gym in a couple months, but I'd like to get started before then with what I have at home. Thanks! 

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, EGbassing said:

That's awesome; congratulations! Since you appear to be an expert, I thought I'd ask you. If you had to build an arm workout with just dumbells and a weight bench, what would look like? I'll have access to a real gym in a couple months, but I'd like to get started before then with what I have at home. Thanks! 

I am hitting the water this morning but will get back to you later today.

A-Jay 

[EGbassing]

7 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I am hitting the water this morning but will get back to you later today.

A-Jay 

Alright, thank you. Catch some good ones!

[A-Jay]

14 hours ago, EGbassing said:

That's awesome; congratulations! Since you appear to be an expert, I thought I'd ask you. If you had to build an arm workout with just dumbells and a weight bench, what would look like? I'll have access to a real gym in a couple months, but I'd like to get started before then with what I have at home. Thanks! 

OK - First off - not an expert. 

I do have several years of experience that includes quite a bit of trial & error - which still happens.

'Building a workout' most often begins with determining what one needs the workout to accomplish.

Since I do not know what you're looking to do or get from an arm routine with just D/B's and a bench, I can't effectively provide you one. 

 What I can & will tell you though, is if you're looking to improve your yourself with resistance training (weights), a couple of D/B's and a bench is totally sufficient - especially in the early stages of the process. More on that in a bit.

 

 Next, while 'arm workouts' may be better than nothing, they may not offer you the best opportunity to transition you & your training to a more complete facility, like a commercial 'Gym'.  You'd be much better served if you trained your whole body.   By incorporating a combination of body weight exercises with D/B exercises, and adding a ton of  determined commitment & dedication, you can effectively & safely get yourself headed in the right direction. 

  So the Question is - How.   My answer always starts with and must include eating the right stuff to support whatever your goal is, and staying away from the things that don't.  Then using the correct movements while training, at the right frequency and then getting enough rest (days off & sleep).

 

 So getting back to expert advice, D/B's and a Bench - What I would highly recommend is checking out Jeff Cavaliere at AthleanX.   IMO  He Is an Expert !  in every way shape & form.  Much of what I do - I got from him.

 He has a web site https://athleanx.com/ & a youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/JDCav24   that is LOADED with Everything you could possibly need to know & do to accomplish whatever your goal.

 As an example - this is a video of a total body workout done with 8 D/B only movements. 

 

Have Fun . . . 

A-Jay

 

 

[EGbassing]

25 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

OK - First off - not an expert. 

I do have several years of experience that includes quite a bit of trial & error - which still happens.

'Building a workout' most often begins with determining what one needs the workout to accomplish.

Since I do not know what you're looking to do or get from an arm routine with just D/B's and a bench, I can't effectively provide you one. 

 What I can & will tell you though, is if you're looking to improve your yourself with resistance training (weights), a couple of D/B's and a bench is totally sufficient - especially in the early stages of the process. More on that in a bit.

 

 Next, while 'arm workouts' may be better than nothing, they may not offer you the best opportunity to transition you & your training to a more complete facility, like a commercial 'Gym'.  You'd be much better served if you trained your whole body.   By incorporating a combination of body weight exercises with D/B exercises, and adding a ton of  determined commitment & dedication, you can effectively & safely get yourself headed in the right direction. 

  So the Question is - How.   My answer always starts with and must include eating the right stuff to support whatever your goal is, and staying away from the things that don't.  Then using the correct movements while training, at the right frequency and then getting enough rest (days off & sleep).

 

 So getting back to expert advice, D/B's and a Bench - What I would highly recommend is checking out Jeff Cavaliere at AthleanX.   IMO  He Is an Expert !  in every way shape & form.  Much of what I do - I got from him.

 He has a web site https://athleanx.com/ & a youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/JDCav24   that is LOADED with Everything you could possibly need to know & do to accomplish whatever your goal.

 As an example - this is a video of a total body workout done with 8 D/B only movements. 

 

Have Fun . . . 

A-Jay

 

 

Thanks! I'll check that out. I appreciate it.

[teamfyss]

What a fricken UNIT! Keep it up, I'm in the gym daily and I can only hope to look as good as you when i'm at that age.

[teamfyss]

1 hour ago, EGbassing said:

Thanks! I'll check that out. I appreciate it.

Athlean-X is about the most trusted fitness channel on youtube all solid info

[A-Jay]

Still knocking them out every other day 

This one was especially satisfying.

 

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

13 Sept 2019 ~ 

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

#fitforlife

#borninfiftynine

A-Jay

 

 

[roadwarrior]

Warrior!

 

[A-Jay]

18 Sept 2019 ~ Still Grinding Them Out, One at a time.

Nothing wrong with having this be the best part of my day.

 

A-Jay

[CrankFate]

On 9/4/2019 at 2:18 PM, teamfyss said:

What a fricken UNIT! Keep it up, I'm in the gym daily and I can only hope to look as good as you when i'm at that age.

I will never look like that. Never. That lean is not a possibility for me. Even working 70 hours a week hard labor, I was the only guy with fat on me. God bless your genetics and work ethic. It should be an inspiration to all of us.