Oh look another thing LunaK stole from me

1/5/2011 12:45:56 PM

She stole my boyfriend.

1/5/2011 12:46:41 PM

LOLOL

1/5/2011 12:46:47 PM

^^^ pshoes showed that to me bastard

^^ meh, i didn't so much steal, as borrow

1/5/2011 12:47:26 PM

Quote :

"Oh look another thing LunaK stole from me "

what else did she steal?

1/5/2011 1:42:50 PM

everything.

1/5/2011 2:05:43 PM

i am sorry for your loss. I hate her guts!


oh btw back to the topic, i need some advice. How do i avoid skipping going to the gym? problem is i dont wake up early enough to go to the gym in the morning and in the evenings, i am either hungry or too tired to go and end up skipping gym.

[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 2:14 PM. Reason : HALPPPP ]

1/5/2011 2:10:52 PM

Don't be a bitch. Go to the gym.

1/5/2011 2:18:47 PM

i agree with Stein. you just have to go - once you start going and get into a habit of going, then you will want to go rather than sitting down and doing nothing at the end of the day.

or you could break up the "work out" into mini sessions and do 10-15 minutes in the morning, 10-15 minutes in the afternoon, and 10-15 minutes in the evening.

1/5/2011 2:26:45 PM

put your alarm clock way across the room so you HAVE to get out of bed to turn it off. since you 're out of bed you might as well TAKE YOUR ASS TO THE GYM

1/5/2011 2:27:59 PM

^how was your run?

1/5/2011 2:29:01 PM

Quote :

"Don't be a bitch. Go to the gym. "

i guess i need someone to scream at me and tell me to go.
hopefully stuff in this thread will motivate me to go to gym regularly.

1/5/2011 2:30:14 PM

^^ it was horrible I am out of shape thanks for asking

but hey at least I did it right?

1/5/2011 2:33:30 PM

Exactly, getting out and doing it is the most important part.

1/5/2011 2:37:07 PM

The hunger after work hits a lot of people. One way to combat it is to eat a snack before you go to the gym right when you get home, or even at work before you leave for home. Get some quick energy and dull the hunger to put you in the mindset of "hey, I can go to the gym alright"

I would eat a peanut butter sandwich before heading out, or a protein shake and pack of crackers/nature valley bar.

1/5/2011 2:38:37 PM

whats the difference in treadmill running and actual outside running workout wise? My mom told me running outside was better for you but my entire respiratory system feels like I inhaled a bunch of glass shards. Cold is not my thing, but I could easily treadmill it.

1/5/2011 2:44:47 PM

I realize you are asking for advice from an expert runner, which I am not. Hear me out, maybe I can provide some insight.

I work in out........shit. wait.

From what I've heard, running on treadmills is bad for your knees because of the unforgiving (or rather ungiving) nature of the treadmill. Running outside should get you some better relief to your knees as you can run on the softer ground. Running on pavement can give you the same troubles as running on a treadmill. That would also be why i<3:kisses: mentioned training for a pavement-based marathon earlier in this thread.

An elliptical is a lot better for your knees as it is low impact, but gives much less of a workout than running period from what I know.

[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 2:51 PM. Reason : lkj]

1/5/2011 2:50:19 PM

^^ Running outside is better IMO. It's more interesting and you can adjust your gait/speed automatically. Plus, for me, whenever I am running through a crowd of people or next to a bunch of traffic I push myself. Also, when I do trails, the hills are killer and lead to a great workout and the terrain forces you to activate your core and works on your balance. Every time I've run on a treadmill I've never felt like I got a good work out.

/mytwocents

[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 2:54 PM. Reason : ^ Yeah, the elliptical doesn't do shit for a workout. It also feels weird on my knees. I don't like.]

1/5/2011 2:54:00 PM

I find that treadmill running is easier in general than running outside. I can run a given distance on the treadmill just fine one day then try to run it outside the next week and half-die. It's partly the temperature stuff and party the little hills and whatnot you hit even on a relatively short path. Running in the cold sucks, but if you ease into it you can get used to it. Same with summer heat.

Also outside I tend to start out running faster than I can maintain, get worn out and have to walk, so treadmills keep me from doing that.

I sound like I'm advocating treadmills but I'm actually advocating running outside.

[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 2:55 PM. Reason : .]

1/5/2011 2:54:40 PM

I hate treadmills. Run outside. Just watch out for cars when you're crossing the street .

Quote :

"The hunger after work hits a lot of people. One way to combat it is to eat a snack before you go to the gym right when you get home, or even at work before you leave for home. Get some quick energy and dull the hunger to put you in the mindset of "hey, I can go to the gym alright" I would eat a peanut butter sandwich before heading out, or a protein shake and pack of crackers/nature valley bar."

Better yet...don't go home before going to the gym. Go straight to the gym, do not pass go, do not go home, do not collect $200.

1/5/2011 2:58:47 PM

Quote :

"I can run a given distance on the treadmill just fine one day then try to run it outside the next week and half-die.....Also outside I tend to start out running faster than I can maintain, get worn out and have to walk, so treadmills keep me from doing that."

so much truth. I was running 3-5 miles easy on the treadmill. just attempted a 4.5 mile run out around my parents place b/c they don't have a treadmill. Forgot about the super massive giant hill Yea i had to walk my ass up. I admit it.

I tend to start at a slower pace on the treadmills then bump it up as I get warmed up. Its quite the opposite when I go outside. And I was running on pavement so the treadmill would have been the same knee impact-wise

1/5/2011 3:14:31 PM

Quote :

"oh btw back to the topic, i need some advice. How do i avoid skipping going to the gym? problem is i dont wake up early enough to go to the gym in the morning and in the evenings, i am either hungry or too tired to go and end up skipping gym. "

shame

1/5/2011 3:22:27 PM

^^ If you're running 3-5 miles easy then you're not challenging yourself enough. Bump up that speed and/or incline!

1/5/2011 3:24:14 PM

If you have any friends who want to get into running too you could try to get them to go with you. I think it's easier to keep a steady pace AND easier to make improvements if you are working with someone else. But they have to be at roughly the same level, have the same goals as you and be equally dedicated, and you have to live close enough or be willing to travel to a common location to make that work. I really wanted a running buddy for a while but couldn't really get those criteria together. So then I tried running on a particular course and alternating between trying to run increasingly further before I had to stop and walk, or running an out-and-back and trying to get further down the trail in my given time.

I am probably in horrendous running shape right now because that degrades really fast for me and I haven't run lately because of my hip flexor strain. Guess I'll find out tonight

1/5/2011 3:24:41 PM

Quote :

"i guess i need someone to scream at me and tell me to go. hopefully stuff in this thread will motivate me to go to gym regularly."

I think the biggest thing that helped me get (and stay) motivated was just the realization that going to the gym shouldn't be something I had to force myself to do, but something that I wanted to do.

Don't think of it as "I want to get in better shape, I have to go to the gym". Think of it as "I want to go to the gym so I can get in better shape".

PSYCHOLOGY

1/5/2011 3:24:52 PM

Running outside is usually best because of the hills, scenery, fresh air and Vitamin D, but I tend to end up on the treadmill for one of a few reasons:

1) It's dark outside. I will not run outside in the dark. I'd trip and kill myself.
2) I'm tired/hungry/cranky/nauseous. If I'm shooting for a 5-mile run, but have to bail out halfway in because I feel icky, I'd rather have that happen when I'm on a treadmill, not 2.5 miles from home.
3) I want to watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians while I exercise.

That said, you work your muscles differently when you run on a treadmill. Rather than pushing yourself off the ground, you're pulling yourself forward. You really can't compare treadmill running with outdoor running.

IMO, if you're running for fitness and not training for races, then it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's just important to get in some good cardio and work on dat fitness.

1/5/2011 3:27:07 PM

Quote :

"where do you lift ray?"

I'm kind of in-between gym memberships at this point in an effort to save money. For a mostly maintainance type of deal like I'm doing, you can actually accomplish a lot with calisthenics, stair climbing, etc if you do it right. Most weeks I do two thirty minute sessions, one for upper body and one for lower body. I know that's not a whole lot but it's all I need as long as I don't have any crazy eating binges.

I'd rather consistently do 2x weekly resistance workouts than be hardcore for a few months and burn out like most people. From a long term health perspective I think the biggest key to being healthy is to be consistent (tortoise) vs intense (hare).

1/5/2011 3:29:15 PM

Quote :

"IMO, if you're running for fitness and not training for races, then it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's just important to get in some good cardio and work on dat fitness. "

thanks that's all I was really looking for. I am not anywhere near being able to run any kind of race just doing it to be in better shape. running is a lot easier when the tv is distracting my brain

Quote :

"If you're running 3-5 miles easy then you're not challenging yourself enough. Bump up that speed and/or incline!"

you right

1/5/2011 3:39:12 PM

If you can run 3 miles then you can do a race. You're probably not going to win said race, but it's still fun to get out there and do it. I'd recommend signing up for one that's a month or two out and getting ready for it.

1/5/2011 3:42:52 PM

The only problem with races are other people. They frown upon elbows, flat tires and swim moves.

1/5/2011 3:44:32 PM

Racing is addictive. So, be careful!

1/5/2011 3:50:15 PM

^ agreed

1/5/2011 3:52:02 PM

I'll add races to next years goals maybe. this year I am tackling only one beast. COLLEGE WEIGHT

it is coming off. so help me God (lol swidt?)

1/5/2011 4:01:41 PM

As far as the throat burning from running, you could invest in something to cover your mouth and help retain moisture while you run.

1/5/2011 4:09:35 PM

for some reason when I run I produce a lot of mucous. I'm hockin lugies many times during a 3 mile run. This is both on the treadmill (though not as bad) and outside. I wish I could get that under control.

1/5/2011 4:21:10 PM

I used to have a lot of problems running in the cold but now I prefer it. I made some changes to my attire that I think has helped. I wear a fleece band around my head to cover my ears. As long as my ears are warm, I'm a happy camper (I get bad pain in my ears when it's cold out). I wear gloves when needed, I wear either a fleece or a running jacket. I make sure to wear my heavier running pants to keep my legs warm. When it's really cold, I'll add a scarf and a hat but last time I wore those things, I took them off 3 miles into the run because I got too warm.

Honestly, staying warm while I'm out running has made a huge difference.

1/5/2011 4:26:17 PM

Quote :

"Better yet...don't go home before going to the gym. Go straight to the gym, do not pass go, do not go home, do not collect $200."

Yeah that's the thing. You just have to go. If I went home first forget about it, it wouldn't happen. Further encouragement for me is the godawful traffic on I-40. If I leave work and go home I have to fight it. If I go to the gym (near my office) and then go home 90 minutes later the traffic is usually gone

I also have trouble sleeping and have found that when I wear myself out at the gym it's easier for me to get a good night's sleep.

1/5/2011 4:46:23 PM

^^^Have you tried decongestants before running?

1/5/2011 4:52:59 PM

^^^^ I also produce a lot of mucous when I run, and it's been a lot worse for the past 2/3 weeks from this damn cold I can't seem to shake.

1/5/2011 5:00:27 PM

So far, so good. Back on the wagon since I've gotten back from CA. Wednesday is always my day off from lifting so just cardio today (about to run now).

Luckily, I have the genetics that any excess fat comes off really quick when I actually buckle down and work hard. The harder part for me is putting on muscle weight.

I'm at 171 right now and ideally I'd like to burn a bit of fat and put on maybe 3-4 pounds of muscle. I don't think it'll take much for me to do that aside from adding a bit more protein to my diet, quit drinking during the week and continue my routine (lifting especially)...

1/5/2011 5:43:55 PM

Just got an early birthday present from bmel in the dumbbells, straight bar, and associated weights.

Here's my setup

1/5/2011 5:49:32 PM

I would have jumped into the 1000 mile challenge with you, Kirk, but I knew I'd slack off once it got below 50 outside

my bad, y0

I'll try harder

1/5/2011 6:10:09 PM

I could care less about the beach body physique, but if I can have 100 pushups and 100 situps in 2 mins, 20 dead-hang chin-ups, sub-18:00 3 mile run, sub-31:00 5 mile run, sub-1:30:00 half-marathon, and 3x10 body weight bench-press or better, I will have completed my goals. Right now I"m pretty much there, but Ranger School is gonna fuck all that up so I'll basically be starting from scratch in a few months.

1/5/2011 6:21:48 PM

Those are some badass goals, dude. Good luck!

1/5/2011 6:41:14 PM

100 situps, pushups, and 3x10bw bench = beach body by default

1/5/2011 7:36:25 PM

For real. I do 120 pushups in 4 sets of 30, but I sure as shit couldn't do 100 in 2 minutes. I can't even do 50 in 2 minutes.

1/5/2011 7:52:04 PM

Well I did 80/93 today for PU/SU. The bench press is low right now because I've been doing a lot of calistenics and no weight lifiting. The bst thing you can do for pushups if you wanna improve in a hurry is to do sets of 30 throughout the day until you reach 300. So, 30 before you head out the door in the morning, 30 during coffee break, lunch, etc. You can also alternate it so on even days you do that, and odd days you do max sets up to 200 if you're under 50, 300 if you're over. Runs are the same. I had 32:06 for my 5mile, and I did 1:41:07 for my half-marathon, but I didn't train for it very well. Running is just something you go out there and do. Work your way up to running for an hour at a time, and do interval training once a week.

The main thing is my diet, right now. I'm either eating MREs, which are loaded with trans fats, or Subway and energy bars for lunch because I don't have time in between class. Hopefully after the next two weeks I can start cooking on a regular basis.



[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 8:25 PM. Reason : .]

1/5/2011 8:10:55 PM

Quote :

"Have you tried decongestants before running?"

No I have not, but I will take some in the am 30 mins before my morning run.

1/5/2011 8:55:17 PM

I will join this if I can find a sparing partner. qntmken? punchmonkey?

1/5/2011 9:12:13 PM

you want to punch a pregnant lady?

1/5/2011 11:19:48 PM