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2013 Fitness & Nutrition Thread With Coach Beard

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I am seeing a lot of my friends have good success with the Paleo diet. What are some of the pros and cons of this diet?
 
fupresti said:
I am seeing a lot of my friends have good success with the Paleo diet. What are some of the pros and cons of this diet?
Click to expand...

OK, This may reach rant length, so I want you to know that I think the rough theory is pretty sound, but, like many things, its fringe element kinda defines it. First off, it's basically the Atkin's diet. Whole foods, lots of meat, as few processed foods as possible, reduction in complex carbs. Less sugar. Dress it up however you want to, that's really what you circle back to, which is not really much different from what people not being paid by the US Department of Agriculture or the FDA have been saying for a long time. Yes, I'm that guy who thinks Big Corn is a thing.

That being said, the idea that you can eat like a paleolithic human is, well, wrong. Everything we eat, particularly as pertains to fruits and vegetables, is the result of hundreds and hundreds of years of agricultural science. It only makes sense; once we started developing agriculture to feed non-nomadic societies, it made sense to seek ways to make as much food as possible. You wouldn't sow a bad harvest back into the soil; you'd seek to make your food as hearty, plentiful, and tasty as possible. Carrots, a staple of today's paleo-diet, are a great example. What they look like today bears virtually no similarities to what they looked like even 4,000 years ago. They weren't orange, they weren't 8" long, they...looked like the root they are. Sweet potatoes prior to horticultural ministrations were barely the size of a man's thumb, let alone his fist. There's a bunch of other examples, to say nothing of the idea that eating bacon is "paleo" when belly bacon (the kind favored by Americans) is a rather modern invention (most pork that marbled with fat becomes sausage or scrapel.) Even grass-fed beef is still an animal that humans didn't consume for food until after it ceased being nomadic. Agriculture brought beef, not the other way around. Paleolithic meat was almost exclusively game. So while I'm all in favor of replacing beef with deer or elk, that's probably not in the cards for most people.

Here's a pretty good breakdown/debunking of the paleo-diet that's worth a look if you're interested:



Personal opinion: Whole foods, actual foods (no shakes or meal bars, even if comprised of real foods), less processed stuff, more protein, fewer complex carbs, more raw fruits and veggies.
 
Paladin said:
OK, This may reach rant length, so I want you to know that I think the rough theory is pretty sound, but, like many things, its fringe element kinda defines it. First off, it's basically the Atkin's diet. Whole foods, lots of meat, as few processed foods as possible, reduction in complex carbs. Less sugar. Dress it up however you want to, that's really what you circle back to, which is not really much different from what people not being paid by the US Department of Agriculture or the FDA have been saying for a long time. Yes, I'm that guy who thinks Big Corn is a thing.

That being said, the idea that you can eat like a paleolithic human is, well, wrong. Everything we eat, particularly as pertains to fruits and vegetables, is the result of hundreds and hundreds of years of agricultural science. It only makes sense; once we started developing agriculture to feed non-nomadic societies, it made sense to seek ways to make as much food as possible. You wouldn't sow a bad harvest back into the soil; you'd seek to make your food as hearty, plentiful, and tasty as possible. Carrots, a staple of today's paleo-diet, are a great example. What they look like today bears virtually no similarities to what they looked like even 4,000 years ago. They weren't orange, they weren't 8" long, they...looked like the root they are. Sweet potatoes prior to horticultural ministrations were barely the size of a man's thumb, let alone his fist. There's a bunch of other examples, to say nothing of the idea that eating bacon is "paleo" when belly bacon (the kind favored by Americans) is a rather modern invention (most pork that marbled with fat becomes sausage or scrapel.) Even grass-fed beef is still an animal that humans didn't consume for food until after it ceased being nomadic. Agriculture brought beef, not the other way around. Paleolithic meat was almost exclusively game. So while I'm all in favor of replacing beef with deer or elk, that's probably not in the cards for most people.

Here's a pretty good breakdown/debunking of the paleo-diet that's worth a look if you're interested:



Personal opinion: Whole foods, actual foods (no shakes or meal bars, even if comprised of real foods), less processed stuff, more protein, fewer complex carbs, more raw fruits and veggies.
Click to expand...


Solid rant lol, I agree with you 100% on less processed food and more raw fruits and veggies. Cut out the junk food and everything else in moderation


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#Cookie said:
I'm currently looking into making a purchase and want some feedback. I used to be really into running in addition to varying weight workouts (previously had a nice gym in the house) and have also completed P90x a few times. Times have changed and I no longer work at home allowing me to spend 2 hours daily working out.

I have knee & back issues.....running outside is no longer an option due to knee impact. Here's my needs:

- In home use
- Minimal knee impact
- Would like both cardio & strength training in same workout
- Likely spend 30-45 minutes daily

Wih the above in mind and some research, it seems like a rowing machine would meet my needs. I can get a top of the line machine for under $1,000 which is extremely appealing compared to the $2,500 ellipticals that we have been eyeing.

Any rowers out there with thoughts? Any other machines I should be considering?
Click to expand...

Piece of equipment that is easy to use at home that would fit the bill nicely is kettlebells. More specifically the competition type to do more than basic moves such as swings or goblet squats. Trained last 4 or 5 months for a competition last week. Did my first 10 minute set of long cycle with 16 kg bells and thought I was gonna puke when I finished, but I made it. In training with 5 -8 minute sets my heart rate would hit upper 160s. I am in decent shape with my resting heart being mid to upper 50s. Takes some technique training to get it right, but I can set you up with some. There are several YouTube videos you watch also.

So much good comes from this training. Power, some strength as you progress bell size, mobility, and of course cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

As supplementary work we also did quite a bit of rowing on Concept 2 rowers, along with timed squat intervals, box step ups, and Airdyne bikes.
 
After 3 minutes if high resistance elliptical and a barbell complex

Dumbbell hanging jump shrugs
Barbell Romanian deadlifts
Single arm horizontal pull-ups
Chin-ups
Reverse cable wood chops
Barbell curls
Overhead barbell extensions

I'm all set for a Christmas feasts!
 
2013 Fitness & Nutrition Thread With Coach Beard

Got back into the gym yesterday after my Xmas dinner, aka Armageddon for my GI system. I punished myself by doing a full body workout. 5k run on the mill followed my a low weight high rep full body weight routine then abs and stretching. Good way to kick start my routine on my way to a stronger 2014


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BigTex said:
Piece of equipment that is easy to use at home that would fit the bill nicely is kettlebells. More specifically the competition type to do more than basic moves such as swings or goblet squats. Trained last 4 or 5 months for a competition last week. Did my first 10 minute set of long cycle with 16 kg bells and thought I was gonna puke when I finished, but I made it. In training with 5 -8 minute sets my heart rate would hit upper 160s. I am in decent shape with my resting heart being mid to upper 50s. Takes some technique training to get it right, but I can set you up with some. There are several YouTube videos you watch also.

So much good comes from this training. Power, some strength as you progress bell size, mobility, and of course cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

As supplementary work we also did quite a bit of rowing on Concept 2 rowers, along with timed squat intervals, box step ups, and Airdyne bikes.
Click to expand...

This is a really good idea and advice. Rowing is ok - but kettlebells are awesome. Highly recommend them
 
Paladin said:
OK, This may reach rant length, so I want you to know that I think the rough theory is pretty sound, but, like many things, its fringe element kinda defines it. First off, it's basically the Atkin's diet. Whole foods, lots of meat, as few processed foods as possible, reduction in complex carbs. Less sugar. Dress it up however you want to, that's really what you circle back to, which is not really much different from what people not being paid by the US Department of Agriculture or the FDA have been saying for a long time. Yes, I'm that guy who thinks Big Corn is a thing.

That being said, the idea that you can eat like a paleolithic human is, well, wrong. Everything we eat, particularly as pertains to fruits and vegetables, is the result of hundreds and hundreds of years of agricultural science. It only makes sense; once we started developing agriculture to feed non-nomadic societies, it made sense to seek ways to make as much food as possible. You wouldn't sow a bad harvest back into the soil; you'd seek to make your food as hearty, plentiful, and tasty as possible. Carrots, a staple of today's paleo-diet, are a great example. What they look like today bears virtually no similarities to what they looked like even 4,000 years ago. They weren't orange, they weren't 8" long, they...looked like the root they are. Sweet potatoes prior to horticultural ministrations were barely the size of a man's thumb, let alone his fist. There's a bunch of other examples, to say nothing of the idea that eating bacon is "paleo" when belly bacon (the kind favored by Americans) is a rather modern invention (most pork that marbled with fat becomes sausage or scrapel.) Even grass-fed beef is still an animal that humans didn't consume for food until after it ceased being nomadic. Agriculture brought beef, not the other way around. Paleolithic meat was almost exclusively game. So while I'm all in favor of replacing beef with deer or elk, that's probably not in the cards for most people.

Here's a pretty good breakdown/debunking of the paleo-diet that's worth a look if you're interested:



Personal opinion: Whole foods, actual foods (no shakes or meal bars, even if comprised of real foods), less processed stuff, more protein, fewer complex carbs, more raw fruits and veggies.
Click to expand...


Personally I couldn't agree more. Solid rant.
 
So my treadmill is finally up and running again. Did five miles two days ago and 4 miles last night. Really felt good to pound out some mileage.
 
June 25th 2013 is when I had my gastric sleeve surgery. I was nervous about saying anything to THPers because frankly anything to do with your weight is embarrassing. After thinking about it for a few days, I went ahead and put it out there. The outpouring of love and support was really just overwhelming. Never once did I feel judged or awkward about it at all. That is really what THP is about. FAMILY. Coming together and supporting each other no matter what.

I was really sick and tired of being overweight. Felt lethargic all the time and just not happy with myself. As part of the surgery, for the insurance, you need to go to a few classes about research and what to expect, before you even discuss actually having the surgery with the doctor. My sister used to work for my doctor so I was pretty familiar with everything but I had to go. One thing that stood out to me and will forever, is that there are studies that show having this surgery or any bariatric surgery can add as many as ten years back on to your life expectancy. Having a daughter that was a little less than 1 years old, this was the tipping point for me. Yes, I know you should go into anything and think about whats best for you, but even if I could get to spend 1 second more of my life with her and my wife, it was all worth it.

6/25/13 came around. I was surprisingly not nervous. I knew what I wanted to do with my life and I knew how I was going to get there. With my wife by my side through the whole thing, I was released from the hospital 2 days later. Honestly, the surgery really wasnt that bad, but because they do it laparoscopic they need to fill you full of air and the gas pains for 2 weeks were almost unbearable. But through it all I knew why I was doing this. My THP families were texting, calling, and messaging me through the whole process and keeping me positive and happy. There are too many people to even mention for fear of leaving someone out. Even my wife could not believe the support I was receiving.

About 8 weeks after surgery, I headed to the Atlanta invitational. The part of the story, I left out was that the CT invitational was a week and a half before my surgery so seeing Josh and Morgan in Atlanta was kind of cool for them to see the transformation. Dinner Friday night in Atlanta, I walk in and see Josh and the first thing he says is "Holy crap man, you look awesome. What a difference" At that point I was down about 40lbs from when he had seen me last. At the course the next day, Morgan pulled me aside and said something similar. I cant even tell you what it meant for me to hear from both of them such positivity and encouragement. One of best friends in the world, Canadan, had been pretty much keeping in contact with me daily and keeping me positive and coincidentally, Atlanta was the first time, after knowing each other for 8+ years, that we met. He had similar words for me as well that really really touched me. I am sitting here almost with tears in my eyes typing this.

Fast forward to this morning, 6 months and 4 days post surgery, I weighed my self and was down 100.5 lbs. It's such an amazing accomplishment for me. Those of you who I have talked in detail with, know the struggles and hard work I have put in. I have completely changed my lifestyle. It has made me a much more positive and happy person and that is something I really wanted to do for my wife and child. My wife has been my rock through everything. She has supported me 10000% from day one and helped me in so many ways. I absolutely would not have been able to do this without her. To my THP family, you guys are and have been the other big part of this for me. You guys have supported me unconditionally. Even if it was a quick "Good job Dev" post or even thanking one of my posts in here, I have noticed, trust me. Those words of encouragement were like stepping stones for me to get through and around any obstacles I faced. I truly from the bottom of my heart love you all.

With all that said, I will not stop here. I will continue to live this life and continue to lose weight. People keep asking me if I have a goal weight or where I am trying to go, and my answer is always, I just want to be healthy and happy. I dont care about the number so much as I do how I feel. A little side note, I took a shower this morning, when I got out of the bathroom, I saw my daughter standing there smiling, with this hanging on the cabinet:

20131229_100314_zpsvzvdxhmo.jpg


My wife and daughter made that for me last night. My wife also proceeded to put together a scavenger hunt for me. When I got to the end this was in my closet:
20131229_100329_zps2lnuv2kp.jpg

20131229_100344_zpsyoophonr.jpg


In the envelope was 100 dollar bills. One for each lb. My wife said, as you spend this money think of it as every dollar you spend, its a lb you are getting rid of. I was just blown away. It was such a sweet and unnecessary gesture but one I will never forget. Forgive my rambling a bit but thank you if you took the time to read this.
 
Dude Ricky great freaking post. Such an encouraging thing to read and see the transformation you have made to be around longer for your wife and daughter. It has been great to follow along and I wish you continued success down the road.
 
DevRickus said:
June 25th 2013 is when I had my gastric sleeve surgery. I was nervous about saying anything to THPers because frankly anything to do with your weight is embarrassing. After thinking about it for a few days, I went ahead and put it out there. The outpouring of love and support was really just overwhelming. Never once did I feel judged or awkward about it at all. That is really what THP is about. FAMILY. Coming together and supporting each other no matter what.

I was really sick and tired of being overweight. Felt lethargic all the time and just not happy with myself. As part of the surgery, for the insurance, you need to go to a few classes about research and what to expect, before you even discuss actually having the surgery with the doctor. My sister used to work for my doctor so I was pretty familiar with everything but I had to go. One thing that stood out to me and will forever, is that there are studies that show having this surgery or any bariatric surgery can add as many as ten years back on to your life expectancy. Having a daughter that was a little less than 1 years old, this was the tipping point for me. Yes, I know you should go into anything and think about whats best for you, but even if I could get to spend 1 second more of my life with her and my wife, it was all worth it.

6/25/13 came around. I was surprisingly not nervous. I knew what I wanted to do with my life and I knew how I was going to get there. With my wife by my side through the whole thing, I was released from the hospital 2 days later. Honestly, the surgery really wasnt that bad, but because they do it laparoscopic they need to fill you full of air and the gas pains for 2 weeks were almost unbearable. But through it all I knew why I was doing this. My THP families were texting, calling, and messaging me through the whole process and keeping me positive and happy. There are too many people to even mention for fear of leaving someone out. Even my wife could not believe the support I was receiving.

About 8 weeks after surgery, I headed to the Atlanta invitational. The part of the story, I left out was that the CT invitational was a week and a half before my surgery so seeing Josh and Morgan in Atlanta was kind of cool for them to see the transformation. Dinner Friday night in Atlanta, I walk in and see Josh and the first thing he says is "Holy crap man, you look awesome. What a difference" At that point I was down about 40lbs from when he had seen me last. At the course the next day, Morgan pulled me aside and said something similar. I cant even tell you what it meant for me to hear from both of them such positivity and encouragement. One of best friends in the world, Canadan, had been pretty much keeping in contact with me daily and keeping me positive and coincidentally, Atlanta was the first time, after knowing each other for 8+ years, that we met. He had similar words for me as well that really really touched me. I am sitting here almost with tears in my eyes typing this.

Fast forward to this morning, 6 months and 4 days post surgery, I weighed my self and was down 100.5 lbs. It's such an amazing accomplishment for me. Those of you who I have talked in detail with, know the struggles and hard work I have put in. I have completely changed my lifestyle. It has made me a much more positive and happy person and that is something I really wanted to do for my wife and child. My wife has been my rock through everything. She has supported me 10000% from day one and helped me in so many ways. I absolutely would not have been able to do this without her. To my THP family, you guys are and have been the other big part of this for me. You guys have supported me unconditionally. Even if it was a quick "Good job Dev" post or even thanking one of my posts in here, I have noticed, trust me. Those words of encouragement were like stepping stones for me to get through and around any obstacles I faced. I truly from the bottom of my heart love you all.

With all that said, I will not stop here. I will continue to live this life and continue to lose weight. People keep asking me if I have a goal weight or where I am trying to go, and my answer is always, I just want to be healthy and happy. I dont care about the number so much as I do how I feel. A little side note, I took a shower this morning, when I got out of the bathroom, I saw my daughter standing there smiling, with this hanging on the cabinet:

20131229_100314_zpsvzvdxhmo.jpg


My wife and daughter made that for me last night. My wife also proceeded to put together a scavenger hunt for me. When I got to the end this was in my closet:
20131229_100329_zps2lnuv2kp.jpg

20131229_100344_zpsyoophonr.jpg


In the envelope was 100 dollar bills. One for each lb. My wife said, as you spend this money think of it as every dollar you spend, its a lb you are getting rid of. I was just blown away. It was such a sweet and unnecessary gesture but one I will never forget. Forgive my rambling a bit but thank you if you took the time to read this.
Click to expand...

Dev, that is truly amazing, you have quite the family. So proud of you, can't wait to tee it up with you at some point!


Typing using TaP Tap Taparootalk...
 
You've worked hard Ricky, 100lbs is ridiculously impressive and something you should be proud of. Keep it going now!
 
Fantastic work. What thoughtful gifts from your family? Keep up the inspiring work.
 
100lbs! Amazing work rick! You're a warrior and an inspiration to us all!


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That's incredible Ricky and so thoughtful of your family!!

Keep up the phenomenal work buddy.
 
I <3 Ricky.

What an inspiration.

We love ya dev!
 
Dev your story is incredibly inspirational and your family is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing that with all of us.
 
Damn you Ricky! It just got a little dusty in here.my brother and I'm honored to call you brother, you flat out rock! Keep getting after it and know I'm here for you if you ever need. Proud as hell of you buddy even with the wrap around belt!
 
Ricky you are the man your wife and daughter need,well done brother
 
100 lbs....wow Dev! Congrats and keep up the good work!
 
Dev, you are the man. 100 lbs is no easy task. Here's to keeping on to your target weight. Cheers!
 
Thank you for the kind words everyone. You all truly mean the world to me.
 
Dev, wow!!!! Congratulations, my friend!
 
Ricky, it's all dusty in here now buddy. So proud of you. Truly and completely my friend.
 
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