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AlexBarkerFitDay 12-20-2010 03:56 PM

Thanks for the tips SisterJen!

I honestly had such a horrible day at work that when I finally got home and went to this site I was going to write a post about how I don't want to update my food and activity logs everyday, but you gave me the extra little push to go on and do it...even if its slightly inaccurate due to different food brands v. generic brands. So thank you for the comments and the extra push to just log it and get it over with. Totally could have done without that cupcake at work today...but I won't beat myself up over it. Also, I didn't realize how much the sushi was adding up to! I'll have to start making better choices.

I was happy this morning because I finally got to the gym and I did a bit of upper body work and I did a HIIT routine from the Abs Diet on the treadmill. The whole time I was doing the circuit I was just thinking how useless some of the work other people were putting in at the gym. One guy was jogging the whole time (probably around 4.5-5mph and a majority of the people were walking. One woman went on the elliptical for 5 minutes and got off to go on a treadmill. Meanwhile I was done with my cardio workout in 22 minutes and everyone else was still there. I'm happy to see people working out...but I can't help judging how they are working out. I think a couple of people were wondering why I was going from walking to running every other minute.

What are your opinions on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)? Do you think about how other people workout in the gym?

tandoorichicken 12-20-2010 04:38 PM

I'm there with you Alex on watching people at the gym. I once went in and did an entire powerlifting routine with four exercises, about 5 sets per exercise, and I was done in the span of maybe 45 minutes. Meanwhile there was this older woman (with a really creepy smile/stare) who was on the elliptical when I got there, and still on the elliptical when I left, and came back for my forgotten water bottle. She's probably still on it for all I know.

I like HIIT, I especially like doing it with a jump rope. You can even toss in a super-hard interval in the middle with doubles (or triples if you can), just varying singles speed on the rest of the intervals. I suppose you could do this just jumping around in place at different paces, but at least with a rope you don't look like a tool. :p

cjohnson728 12-20-2010 04:54 PM

When I see someone working out, at the gym, at the track, wherever, I really don't judge them. I generally think, "Oh, good for them."

It's hard to know what people are doing, so I don't pass judgment on folks. Here's an example from my personal experience: Each week, I usually do 2 days of HIIT, 2 days of weights, and one day of steady state cardio. Like the individuals you disdain, on some days I get on the treadmill and run at 5 or 5.5 for 30 - 40 minutes. I do that because I recently achieved a goal of running my first 5K. I want to build endurance and do some more of them, and sometime I just plain like the feeling of loosening my legs in a run without going up to max perceived exertion. Also, if I've really burned it out the previous day with the weights and am a little sore, then a gentle, steady run is what my body needs.

AlexBarkerFitDay 12-21-2010 01:23 AM

It's understandable that people may be doing a slower workout or keeping a steady pace due to injury or ability or in CJohnson's case taking a break/taking it easy. I don't really care what other people are doing in the gym as long as it isn't interfering with my workout in anyway. And again...everybody has different techniques and methods...or sometimes just don't have the knowledge of specialized workouts.


I'll admit...the first day I went to the gym I went on the treadmill for 40 minutes and that was it, but I challenged myself to a bit of intensity by kicking it up to 6.5mph and running for a few minutes. Two years ago when I had a gym membership I would go on the treadmill and get up to 9.5mph. Crazy! I couldn't believe I could even keep up...I built up some good endurance then.

Tandoori: I'm not sure how I feel about HIIT with a jumprope...sounds intense. I feel like jumping rope is intense enough for me just trying to get a good amount of jumps in a row lol

Also, I wanted to see what people thought about jumping on a rebounder (mini-trampoline). I've heard a lot about how it improves the lymphatic system. I have a rebounder and have used it a good amount of times. The suggestion for using it came from a guy named Dan the Man the Life Regenerator on YouTube (his channel is liferegenerator). He is a raw foodist and talks about some crazy things, but I think his advice is good.

tandoorichicken 12-21-2010 03:49 PM

I try really hard not to judge people who are at least getting some physical activity, especially if they are elderly or are otherwise disabled in some way, but I honestly cannot condone people who give you dirty looks for lifting heavy and sweating while they read Reader's Digest on the recliney bike. If you can read and you are an otherwise functional human being, you can push yourself harder. Most grating are the guys who look the same as they did last year, doing one-arm chest flies on the Nautilus machines while holding and reading Esquire with their other hand. I mean, really?

Lizzycritter 12-22-2010 03:24 AM

I don't look like there's anything "wrong" with me, and I don't think I'd call myself "disabled", but there are definitely things I simply cannot do. I put in as much effort as I can, because you are only cheating yourself if you don't, but it's not as much as the "average" woman my weight and age is doing.

That being said, yeah you have a point. It's hard to not say something when someone's on the elliptical, propping their body weight up on the hand rails to make it "easier". But it's not my place to judge, and when I'm at the gym, it's my time to be selfish and focus on myself.

A few weeks ago, there was a girl in fantastic shape, about my height, Irish features like I have, and pretty much the exact figure I'm hoping to achieve. I wanted to ask her what she weighed, but I thought it would be weird or rude, so I didn't. I'm still honestly not sure what my "ideal" weight should be :confused:

AlexBarkerFitDay 12-22-2010 03:51 AM


Originally Posted by Lizzycritter (Post 29224)
I'm still honestly not sure what my "ideal" weight should be :confused:

I don't think it matters really how much you weigh. I had a bit of a revelation a couple of nights ago thinking how I shouldn't get so caught up in the numbers because really what I want to do is improve my overall health...I want to have visible abs and muscles. I want to not have that little bit of fat under my chin and I certainly don't want man boobs. If I could achieve all of that and still weigh 190 something...I would be pretty satisfied. If I got down to somewhere in the normal weight range for me I would have to be like 150...I would probably have no muscle mass and look scrawny and unhealthy.

Right now I am focusing on being a happier and healthier person. During this process I will hopefully lose some unwanted fat. I'm trying to get it through my head that it is going to take time and dedication to see the results I want. So really I don't think your ideal weight should be set in stone...you might get to 140 and have great lean muscle and less fat...I guess it depends on how you approach everything.

01gt4.6 12-22-2010 04:00 AM


Originally Posted by AlexBarkerFitDay (Post 29229)
I don't think it matters really how much you weigh. I had a bit of a revelation a couple of nights ago thinking how I shouldn't get so caught up in the numbers because really what I want to do is improve my overall health...I want to have visible abs and muscles. I want to not have that little bit of fat under my chin and I certainly don't want man boobs. If I could achieve all of that and still weigh 190 something...I would be pretty satisfied. If I got down to somewhere in the normal weight range for me I would have to be like 150...I would probably have no muscle mass and look scrawny and unhealthy.

Right now I am focusing on being a happier and healthier person. During this process I will hopefully lose some unwanted fat. I'm trying to get it through my head that it is going to take time and dedication to see the results I want. So really I don't think your ideal weight should be set in stone...you might get to 140 and have great lean muscle and less fat...I guess it depends on how you approach everything.

well said.

justawalker 12-22-2010 04:58 AM


Originally Posted by AlexBarkerFitDay (Post 29229)
I don't think it matters really how much you weigh. I had a bit of a revelation a couple of nights ago thinking how I shouldn't get so caught up in the numbers because really what I want to do is improve my overall health...I want to have visible abs and muscles. I want to not have that little bit of fat under my chin and I certainly don't want man boobs. If I could achieve all of that and still weigh 190 something...I would be pretty satisfied. If I got down to somewhere in the normal weight range for me I would have to be like 150...I would probably have no muscle mass and look scrawny and unhealthy.

Right now I am focusing on being a happier and healthier person. During this process I will hopefully lose some unwanted fat. I'm trying to get it through my head that it is going to take time and dedication to see the results I want. So really I don't think your ideal weight should be set in stone...you might get to 140 and have great lean muscle and less fat...I guess it depends on how you approach everything.

In my opinion the number on the scale is just a guide. I feel it will keep you motivated seeing it go down. But all of a sudden your clothes start falling off and in my case the number on the scale is staying steady and I am still going down in waste size. in the begining the number is important for motivation but I think once you reach your goal number the scale becomes less important and the real fine tuning comes in. I started working out harder and eating more protien and a few more good calories and low and behold I am not gaining weight I am just getting better. I think until I got to the weight I thought I should be i was afraid to lift as much and eat enough to see the muscle gain fat loss I have been seeing since I cranked it up.
The psycological block I had and the fixation on the number on the scale was holding me back.
It is a process that everyone needs to work through in there own way.
Anyway sorry for the rant Just felt like sharing...:)

AlexBarkerFitDay 12-22-2010 09:14 AM


Originally Posted by justawalker (Post 29240)
Anyway sorry for the rant Just felt like sharing...:)

No no you're spot on with what you said. The number on the scale is a good motivator...not for everyone though. For me seeing that I was getting closer to 200 was motivating to get my ass to the gym and start caring. I will probably weigh myself less and less when I get down to the 170s...as long as I'm maintaining the weight. Sometimes a shift in focus is all we need to go the extra step in the process of getting healthy.


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