Diet and Workout Routines

[Adam]

I just want to say that functional patterns is legit. I brought the 'power of posture' book and use youtube and if fixed a chronic back issue and my gait to the point where problems with my big toes are also gone. It looks weird to do but it really helps, epecially if you have done a lot of of olympic lifting, benching and squats. If you have to wear knee braces but dont have a structural knee problem FP can fix it. Some of the advice is more on the kooky end like most fitness gurus but there is some truly effective MR and corrective exercises in there

 

[David.]

I made shots today! Four of them! The less people on the court the better i play.


Anyone else drink water with Crystal Light powder etc?

I have never had this much of a problem cutting. This is the only variable that has changed. My eating pattern is just.. Off.

Used to be able to hold off on my first meal until the afternoon . I can't. I just always want to eat. These things are basically sugar free, but not entirely

 

[SixPACK]

I made shots today! Four of them! The less people on the court the better i play.

Anyone else drink water with Crystal Light powder etc?

I generally use the Kroger version of Mio. Switch on and off between regular water and that stuff

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

I made shots today! Four of them! The less people on the court the better i play.


Anyone else drink water with Crystal Light powder etc?

I have never had this much of a problem cutting. This is the only variable that has changed. My eating pattern is just.. Off.

Used to be able to hold off on my first meal until the afternoon . I can't. I just always want to eat. These things are basically sugar free, but not entirely

yeah i live off the flavor squirter ones like Mio or whatever, love them. some have caffeine too to help stave off hunger

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

Down to 180.8! lost weight every day this week and still managed to have a few drinks throughout the week, the added cardio is doing the trick!

 

[David.]

yeah i live off the flavor squirter ones like Mio or whatever, love them. some have caffeine too to help stave off hunger

Have you noticed any resulting increase in appetite?

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

Have you noticed any resulting increase in appetite?

nah not really, my appetite stays pretty low now that im used to cutting regardless of the flavors... i dont have any evidence, but it seems reasonable to think that the sweet taste could like trigger your sweet tooth

 

[David.]

nah not really, my appetite stays pretty low now that im used to cutting regardless of the flavors... i dont have any evidence, but it seems reasonable to think that the sweet taste could like trigger your sweet tooth

Probably the drugs :/

 

[Akron330]

I've been getting back into deadlifts lately....

I've stayed away from them for awhile because of an injury, at least with weight I used to be able to get up. Anyway, was able to get up 235 without any issues- probably not much for some of you guys, but getting over that mental hurdle was huge. I guess we will see how I feel tomorrow.

 

[SixPACK]

Take it slow and never compare what you lift to anyone else. Take what you lift now/in the past and work on beating that. Challenge yourself.

I used to go in the gym and see people younger than me and smaller than me put up more weight, so I did what a lot of idiots do, try and lift heavier. Had horrible form, caused injuries, no real progress. Once I started lifting/working out for myself, everything started to show. Physically and the increment in weight.

 

[Akron330]

Take it slow and never compare what you lift to anyone else. Take what you lift now/in the past and work on beating that. Challenge yourself.

I used to go in the gym and see people younger than me and smaller than me put up more weight, so I did what a lot of idiots do, try and lift heavier. Had horrible form, caused injuries, no real progress. Once I started lifting/working out for myself, everything started to show. Physically and the increment in weight.

You're not kidding....

I had to let go of my ego a bit when I got back into it. I had high school kids that were half my size doing double the weight I was. Part of me wanted to go back to my football days in college and show the kids up. The other side....the man in his 30's with a child at home thought better of it.

 

[natedagg]

Been going hard at the lifting with a buddy of mine who used to be a personal trainer. My suits are starting to bulge at the shoulders/chest/arms. I can see my body morphing but haven't lost a pound. That's OK for now. A couple more weeks of lifting then on to the cut phase.

Now is good - I eat lots of protein but don't really watch what I eat for dinner too much. That suits me just fine, but I do want to try to lean myself out a bit for the summer and I am dreading that phase where I need to run a caloric deficit most days. Part of me says "why do something you dread?" considering how hectic life is at the moment. I just wonder how cut a 34 year old can be?

On Sunday, on an empty stomach, I ran 7 miles outside in an hour. When the weather gets better, I think I'll go slow, eat deliberately, and see if I can't get up to around that 10 mile mark. It's so flat around here it shouldn't be a problem...

 

[Kbiz]

Been going hard at the lifting with a buddy of mine who used to be a personal trainer. My suits are starting to bulge at the shoulders/chest/arms. I can see my body morphing but haven't lost a pound. That's OK for now. A couple more weeks of lifting then on to the cut phase.

Now is good - I eat lots of protein but don't really watch what I eat for dinner too much. That suits me just fine, but I do want to try to lean myself out a bit for the summer and I am dreading that phase where I need to run a caloric deficit most days. Part of me says "why do something you dread?" considering how hectic life is at the moment. I just wonder how cut a 34 year old can be?

On Sunday, on an empty stomach, I ran 7 miles outside in an hour. When the weather gets better, I think I'll go slow, eat deliberately, and see if I can't get up to around that 10 mile mark. It's so flat around here it shouldn't be a problem...

Currently back on a cut and i feel your pain. It feels if i eat like crap / inbide in drinking bonanzas for just 2-3 days, i lose any progress i made over extended periods of cutting. I did manage to get a cold for 4-5 days which killed my appetite so that helped but going to sleep with a growling stomach is starting to get old.

What's everyone's take on substituting smoothies for meals? Obviously i know not to go crazy with fruit but what's considered a "healthy smoothie" that will cut cals but also keep me full for a bit?

 

[natedagg]

Currently back on a cut and i feel your pain. It feels if i eat like crap / inbide in drinking bonanzas for just 2-3 days, i lose any progress i made over extended periods of cutting. I did manage to get a cold for 4-5 days which killed my appetite so that helped but going to sleep with a growling stomach is starting to get old.

What's everyone's take on substituting smoothies for meals? Obviously i know not to go crazy with fruit but what's considered a "healthy smoothie" that will cut cals but also keep me full for a bit?

You really shouldn't ever have to feel hunger to lose weight. That's my philosophy, as the guy who hasn't lost a pound! But srsly, my #1 suggestion is to keep carbs under 100g/day and watch the weight come off. It works, even with a cheat day.

Smoothies right before the gym would get a pass from me for sure. I rarely buy them as a meal replacement, as I enjoy making them at home:


-cup strawberries;
-cup mixed berries;
-Frozen banana;
-Couple fat spoons of greek yogurt (Oikos Vanilla is the best macro one for least carbs);
-Almond Milk;
-2 scoops protein powder;
-Spinach (I like the frozen cooked kind);
-Flaxseed meal;

Mix together everything but spinach with help from children. Make a mess. Take forever. Feed children. Ask wife if she wants any. She'll have 1 sip. Set aside additional cup for when children want more (wife might want additional sip). Blend rest with spinach. Consume massive amount quickly, so as to not let the smoothie melt. Refill. Drink entirely too much, and then finish the children's 2nd's that they asked for yet didn't drink.

 

[SixPACK]

What's everyone's take on substituting smoothies for meals? Obviously i know not to go crazy with fruit but what's considered a "healthy smoothie" that will cut cals but also keep me full for a bit?

I have a love/hate relationship with smoothies. For the first part, they are delicious. Love that. You can get a bunch of your daily fruits/veggies/nuts, etc. in 1 smoothie. They are portable. Love that. Make them in batches, freeze them in ice cube trays. Bing Bang Boom. They are quick. When I am on the go and need something to hold me over for a little bit (more on that later) it does the trick.

Now, why I hate them. They only hold me over for a little bit. I don't see how these people do Shakeology and shit and only eat that for hours on end. No fucking way. I take one and I feel food cravings at most in an hour. Why do I feel these cravings? Well, smoothies have a bunch of hidden sugar. Now I know it comes from fruits and its natural, and milk, but it is still damn sugar. Gotta be careful what you put into it.

I used to make them with just water, spinach, a little bit of berries, kale, protein powder and sometimes a spoonful or 2 of carbmaster yogurt. If I didn't add the yogurt, it was kinda brutal, but it was damn healthy.

Now if you decide to do this, I recommend not doing it for your dinner. Especially if you are gonna go 7/11 Big Gulp style like a lot of people do (bigger doesn't always mean better. Ask Jigo). All that liquid and shit will just be sitting in you when you go to bed. I would recommend in the morning or right before a workout. Morning can be bigger, before a workout just enough to give you energy. Eat lunch as your biggest meal of the day.

Just my 2 cents. Some people may disagree but that's what I figure is the best. Nicky, Aux or David may have a diff. opinion.