Exercise and Health

I figured I'd start a thread dedicated to the overall health (or lack of) of the body.
What do you guys do for exercise?
Eating habits?
Frequency of sickness etc.

Before answering these questions myself.
I'd like to know if anyone knows of any good exercises you can do to slim down/strengthen your... I dont know what its called. But the area above your waist and below your ribcage. I already know how to exercise abs (doesnt everyone) but I mean the area besides that. Your lower back and sides.

Arikus wrote:I figured I'd start a thread dedicated to the overall health (or lack of) of the body.
What do you guys do for exercise?

Back when I gave a fuck I used to run or do intervals. It would come down to around 3-5.5 miles per a day. Would do pull ups, push ups, crunches, squats, etc. Hit the bag, spar, skip rope, etc for 2.5 hours a day. I wasn't a fan of going to gyms to lift weights. It's just homo to be in a gym with a bunch of guys and girls who are in love with their bodies.

Arikus wrote:Eating habits?

Wake up drink a cup of milk then swallow 2 eggs. Have a meal with protein and veggies. Eat a fruit. Have another meal with protein and veggies. Eat a fruit. Sometimes have another meal. Drink another cup of milk before bed. I try my best to avoid carbs loaded food unless its in fruits.

I don't drink alcohol. No pop or juice, too much carbs.

I have a 29 inch waist and long reach of 71-72inches. A few inches longer than the average for my height.

Arikus wrote:Frequency of sickness etc.

2-3 times per a year.

Arikus wrote:I figured I'd start a thread dedicated to the overall health (or lack of) of the body.
What do you guys do for exercise?
Eating habits?
Frequency of sickness etc.

Eating habits can best be described as yo-yo like. Ditto for exercising. I'm surprised that my body has held up to the amount of neglect I have subjected it to so far. Intervals, strength training, and flexibility 6 days a week for the past few weeks.

I get several annoying minor colds a year.

Arikus wrote:Before answering these questions myself.
I'd like to know if anyone knows of any good exercises you can do to slim down/strengthen your... I dont know what its called. But the area above your waist and below your ribcage. I already know how to exercise abs (doesnt everyone) but I mean the area besides that. Your lower back and sides.

That would be the core, yes?

Arikus wrote:What do you guys do for exercise?
Eating habits?
Frequency of sickness etc.

I haven't done any while I've been with ARM and continents away from home, but ideally I do exercise almost daily. I run or stationary bike (interval training, high intensity), do a wide assortment of weights (fullbody) and I do yoga (advanced) weekly, though I'm working up to doing it twice a week.

At home, I eat well. I'm binging my ass off here, but I plan to start eating well again once I get home. My breakfasts and lunches are up to me, and I usually eat cereals, fruits, nuts, sandwiches, sushi, wraps, salads, and sometimes dinner leftovers. I am very fond of all seafood and many nuts, so I always get my daily recommended intake of good fats and protein (I watch all of my dietary intakes). My Vitamin C (berries and other fruits) and Vitamin K and A (mescaline lettuce.... YUMMY) intakes are top notch too. However, I never get enough fiber or potassium. Dinner is always home-cooked and elaborately prepared by my mother -- common dinners include soups and stews, bigos, marinated chicken, schnitzel, and goulash.

I get sick a lot, the end.

Eating, Exercise: I'll be honest, depends on my mood for the day (hour). I almost never get sick. The first time I threw up, for example, was when I was 18.

Well, I'm fairly bored right now so I'll answer my own questions.

For exercise I work out a bit about an hour or so before I go to bed, this usually consists of push ups, crunches, leg lifts, and plank (I'm able to hold plank for 3 1/2 mins now. Kinda useless I think its cool.) I'm pretty good about doing it consistently but I don't exercise while we have guests at the house and that sometimes makes me stop doing it for a while.

Eating habits... I don't eat deserts or sweets. If I want something sweet I eat an apple (though only one a day at most). I eat healthy foods and learned to cook/what to eat from my mom (who is nutritionist). I eat three small meals a day (sometimes only two because I won't eat after 8PM and I wake up late) However, I ALWAYS. Eat breakfast, since it is the most important meal of the day (starts getting your metabolism going).

As for getting sick, I usually get sick 0-1 times a year. Its usually something like a mild cold, and very seldom something more serious. I've only ever missed school twice in my whole life due to being sick (pneumonia and a some weird throwing up all night thing my aunt gave me when she came to visit.)

Let's see...

I am fairly lazy these days and I can be very self-indulgent (it's ok, I'm a Taurus). I have pretty much stopped exercising entirely. I will get on the treadmill about twice a year and on the elliptical about 5-6 times a year. I put most of the other workout equipment on craigslist so it is gone. I am pretty active still and I do some basic yoga almost daily. I do it just to stretch my back and hips to help with he sciatic nerve & herniated disc issues I have. I will pick up the dumbbells on occasion and I still do a few pushups here and there but I have no regular routine. I would like to get another bicycle...I haven't had one in a while now.

Food? Well, let's go ahead and get it out in the open...I am going to die. I do not like seafood of any sort therefore I do not eat seafood of any sort. I do not eat breakfast except maybe a bowl of instant oatmeal on the weekends, but not both days and not every weekend. I do grab a spoonful of peanut butter almost every morning with a bottle of water. I just bought a 6 lb can of PeterPan at Sam's last weekend. I occasionally grab a banana or an apple on my way out the door, but not often. For me, lunch is always fast food. I am very routine. Mondays I go to McDonalds and get a double cheesburger, small fry and a small Coke. ($3.51) Tuesdays I go to Popeye's and get a three chicken strip combo with red beans & rice, buttermilk biscuit, barbeque sauce and a Pepsi ($6.09). Wednesday is my optional day...I go where ever my mood takes me, usually Firehouse or Subway for a sub, sometimes Hardees for a burger. Thursday is always Sonny's Barbeque!! I get a sliced pork plate with garlic bread and french fries (sometimes baked beans) and a jumbo Coke.($9.76 including $2.00 tip) I only work those four days. Lunch the other three days depends on where I am and who I am with.

Dinner? Now this is where the variety comes in. It could be pizza delivered (Domino's, Papa John's or Pizza Hut...always the supreme), it could be Chinese take-out, the local Mexican chain (Laredo's), a burger, a sub, any number of Steakhouses (Japanese steakhouses are my kids' favorite), Chili's or any one of us could cook. My wife cooks very well, I cook fairly well (tend to experiment a bit), my 17 yr old cooks a number of things and even my 10 yr old can cook a couple of simple dishes. My wife makes a lot of fruit & veggie smoothies.

Snacks? It could be almost anything. we tend to go through phases/ cycles if you will. Sometimes I eat a lot of nuts, trail mix, etc. Sometimes it's Reese's Big Cups or Ice cream (not often on the ice cream- the last was a Klondike bar (original) with peanut butter, whipped cream and chocolate syrup), sometimes it's home made bean dip with corn chips, sometimes I'll eat a jar of pickles or pepperoncini. I'm not a big potato chip eater but I do like Sun Chips salsa flavored ones.

Basically, I eat anything I want with little regard to my health. I do take a daily vitamin when I remember. I am 6'1" and weigh 208 lbs. I just had a physical in May when I turned 40. My blood pressure is always 120/80 (or with 2 pts either way), my cholesterol (LDL) is 206 (I know!)...don't remember my HDL but it was fine. My doctor wants me to lose 20 lbs and is certain my cholesterol will take care of itself in the process.

Arikus wrote:Well, I'm fairly bored right now so I'll answer my own questions.

For exercise I work out a bit about an hour or so before I go to bed, this usually consists of push ups, crunches, leg lifts, and plank (I'm able to hold plank for 3 1/2 mins now. Kinda useless I think its cool.) I'm pretty good about doing it consistently but I don't exercise while we have guests at the house and that sometimes makes me stop doing it for a while.

Eating habits... I don't eat deserts or sweets. If I want something sweet I eat an apple (though only one a day at most). I eat healthy foods and learned to cook/what to eat from my mom (who is nutritionist). I eat three small meals a day (sometimes only two because I won't eat after 8PM and I wake up late) However, I ALWAYS. Eat breakfast, since it is the most important meal of the day (starts getting your metabolism going).

As for getting sick, I usually get sick 0-1 times a year. Its usually something like a mild cold, and very seldom something more serious. I've only ever missed school twice in my whole life due to being sick (pneumonia and a some weird throwing up all night thing my aunt gave me when she came to visit.)

Why do people take pics of their food?

I don't know why you quoted me since I didn't say anything about that.

But anyways, I have a relative who takes pictures of his food, he does it so he can send the picture to his friends and brag about what hes eating.

Oh, I drink one or two sodas a day (with lunch and dinner) and drink water the rest of the time. I love Root Beer or Mexican Coke...those are my favorites.

Sick? I generally do not get sick but I do get hurt a lot. I think I have vomited 2-3 times in my life, never broke a bone, never been hospitalized. I do get a flu shot every year. I rarely get sick but if I do it's because I run too much. I sleep 2-4 hours a night during the week and 5-7 hours on weekends. I am never in bed past 8am. I have had a number of stitches (lat time was 17 stitches across my eyelids after a run in with a barbed-wire fence). The last time I was in the ER was a month ago when I got bit by a snake on the back of my leg. The bill for five hours was $3200, but I only paid $250. The last shot I got was the 2nd in the series for HepB (goes along with my CPR/ First Responder training)

Arikus wrote:I don't know why you quoted me since I didn't say anything about that.

But anyways, I have a relative who takes pictures of his food, he does it so he can send the picture to his friends and brag about what hes eating.

Yep, never understood the point of taking pics of your food and sharing it. That's like bragging that you have a car.

That's some twisted logic I own four vehicles...none worth bragging about.

Why does the virgo influence come up a lot for people who are great at making food?

PapiChuloLeon wrote:Why does the virgo influence come up a lot for people who are great at making food?

My guess is people think of Virgo as perfectionists which would make great food.

Based on that alone though I'd say they would only be good at preparing food as opposed to actual unique and imaginative creation of foods.
But that would only apply to those who though it very close minded limited terms based on generalization and stereotypes.

My boyfriend and I have a deal going on: He (Libra-Aries-Libra) cooks and I clean up afterwards. I hate cooking (unless it's for someone else) and could eat the same thing everyday. He's the one with the creativity using all sorts of spices and can make anything out of almost nothing.

I think dinny said her mom cooks a lot, so I don't know what she or Alexander does.

lilith wrote:My boyfriend and I have a deal going on: He (Libra-Aries-Libra) cooks and I clean up afterwards. I hate cooking (unless it's for someone else) and could eat the same thing everyday. He's the one with the creativity using all sorts of spices and can make anything out of almost nothing.

I think dinny said her mom cooks a lot, so I don't know what she or Alexander does.

I'm with you about the eating-the-same-everyday thing, but for some reason breakfast is exempt from this rule for me. If I don't have variety with breakfast, I get bored, so I have a stockpile of fruits, eggs, different cereals, and different breads with different toppings (jams spreads, deli meats etc).

Neither Alex nor I can cook, we have little to no experience. I don't know if that will change, considering all I want to know is how to prepare raw foods, prepare eggs, and prepare grains (I'm crazy about grains: rice, barley, buckwheat, lentils are like my heroin).

Breakfast foods are the best and I can eat breakfast for supper anyday. Eggs are my specialty. Plus, they require the least preparing and are often "instant". Toast, eggs (which require almost no work), sausages, Cream of Wheat, oatmeal, cereal, fruit like you mentioned, etc.

I want to learn how to cook before I leave home. I love my country's traditional meals, and I think I would really really miss them if I couldn't make them myself. Besides, I've always had the latent Cancerian interest in cooking. I will be doing as much of that as I can during the month of August.

mi-cuit wrote:I want to learn how to cook before I leave home. I love my country's traditional meals, and I think I would really really miss them if I couldn't make them myself. Besides, I've always had the latent Cancerian interest in cooking. I will be doing as much of that as I can during the month of August.

Me too, even if sometimes they can be a bit too meaty for my tastes. So much beef/lamb in the recipes I've seen! But soooo delicious! There seems to be a lot of emphasis on marinating and soaking things in delightful cocktails of fat and various spices. What other foods are common, and what do you like to eat?

My grandma and mom taught me how to cook. I can make some traditional Austrian meals like Schnitzel and such. But overall I can cook so long as I have a recipe or have looked at a few to create my own. I tend to make things to go with or over rice, to me its the perfect canvas.

The traditional cuisine here is really quite varied, and most of the recipes are vegetarian by default or can be adapted to be as such. I'm not really fond of red meat, except for two recipes that I absolutely love. Legumes and grains are obviously a big part of the diet given the lack of protein otherwise, and every single person I know who comes from elsewhere on the planet agrees that our food is wonderful. The recipes are all quite simple, but I still need to learn the basics... like how to dice an onion.

I bought myself a bicycle the other day. I got a Giant Boulder SE. It is blue with black wheels. It has not been a good week weather-wise to go riding but I have managed to put about 15 miles on it. I rode 5.5 miles the first day I got it which about killed me. I am soo out of shape.

I have a goal to lose 20 lbs. I weighed in at 210 lbs a week ago. I am 205 today. I have not changed my diet or exercise at all other than the bike. This week, I am going to cut out the sodas and candy. I have gotten in the habit of getting one of each out of the vending machine at work each day, a soda at lunch time and then sweet tea with my evening meal. I must go back to strictly water. My wife has a habit of buying candy and leaving it for me in the mornings. I have asked her to stop doing that. I have also got back into larger portions when I eat so that has to change today.

My goal is to come on here in ten days and be 200 lbs. I will assess a time for me to reach the next goal then. Ultimately, I want to be 185-190 lbs.
I can do it.

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'Six-Sided Dice' : 3

I'm about to embark on an exercise regime rather soon but I do fear one problematic aspect to this. From where I've lost weight previously, I gained rather nasty stretch marks. I'm talking about ones that range from 2 inches to one I've got on my left side that's 7 inches long, It's really embarrasing. I understand for my health and perhaps my image in some aspect that it would be advisable to shed a stone or two. I've been toying with the idea to not go through with this because of the marks. Does anyone have any ideas/thoughts/solutions, you name it, that would stop me from gaining horrific marks?

love,

Josh.

Monty wrote:I'm about to embark on an exercise regime rather soon but I do fear one problematic aspect to this. From where I've lost weight previously, I gained rather nasty stretch marks. I'm talking about ones that range from 2 inches to one I've got on my left side that's 7 inches long, It's really embarrasing. I understand for my health and perhaps my image in some aspect that it would be advisable to shed a stone or two. I've been toying with the idea to not go through with this because of the marks. Does anyone have any ideas/thoughts/solutions, you name it, that would stop me from gaining horrific marks?

love,

Josh.

Stretchmarks are a difficult issue. If they're superficial (they appear white or silvery) you can usually take care of them by religiously applying Vitamin E rich creams. If they're deeper (purple, red, etc) there's nothing you can do about them apart from surgery, and frankly they look more natural as stretchmarks than as surgery scars. As for preventing getting new ones, only two pieces of advice: Take weight loss slowly/as gradually as you can, and make sure you're getting enough iodine in your diet. Lack of iodine = stretchmarks.