75 pounds down ...

[jwaggs]

After nearly five years of effort, I am down @75lbs. I went from @260 to around 185.

I was down to 175 in the fall, but I had lost muscle mass and strength. I've put back on about 10lbs, and at least some of that is muscle (from lifting weights).

The last several months I've heard: "Are you okay?" "You are wasting away to nothing." and "pretty soon we aren't going to be able to see you." etc.

I usually just thank them for the encouragement, and tell them that, yes.. I feel fine.

I'm still trying to get leaner, but at 61, don't know if that is going to happen without losing strength.

[stonemonkts]

That is amazing and at the risk of sounding corny, very inspiring. Great job, Jeff!

Keep the extra ten just in case!

[steve(thelil)]

Bravo!

I'm down from about 220 (mid-August) to around 190 myself. I've really changed my eating habits and have been working out 5 days a week. Seeing results has definitely made it easier to not constantly think that aging ONLY means inevitable deterioration.

[jwaggs]

This winter has been a struggle. Put on a few pounds.

[stonemonkts]

My workouts have increased in duration and intensity since September. That's the good news.

Bad news is for the past 8 weeks or so I have been eating much more, far and above the extra calories expended working out.

[jwaggs]

I've been trying to work through a flare up of metatarsalgia. It's kept me from running as much as I like to. Running has always been my big calorie burner. My podiatrist gave me a bottle of industrial strength naproxen today. Told me to take the whole bottle and not run for several weeks.

[walto]

I get most of my exercise from my commute, which can require a lot of walking if I don't take any buses, and rely only on the train between Cambridge and Boston. But this winter has made it all but impossible keep up. I've suffered from frequent/chronic ankle strains all my life because of a congenital condition and I recently got a pretty nasty one because of walking on ice.

I did try to switch to biking for a couple of years but I found it stressful. It's very hilly between my house and the bike path, and both the streets and the bike trail are high-traffic during commuting times. Also the bike cages and other places for locking at the train station are kind of a zoo. Also, a friend of ours (younger than we are) broke his hip riding over some ice last year, which was scary. Anyhow, I've come to realize that, being a wimp, I much prefer walking, even though it takes longer: I look at the geese or contemplate my sins nstead of trying not hit pedestrians or other bikers (or get hit by cars or car doors).

[walto]

I envy you that spaciousness, Scott. Almost no part of the Northeast is way out in the middle of nowhere. The Minuteman Bike Trail used to be a railroad track too, but it's very popular and busy. Same for the trail on Cape Cod.

[pig pen]

I've been holding steady at 170 - 175lbs. This winter has been a bitch for working out since I've often been too tired from clearing snow to work out. Here's a picture from this past week of my backyard (March 15th and it looks like it would be more appropriate for January 15th).

[walto]

Just curious how Rollie's foot balls are doing.

[pig pen]

Didn't you have a Concept 2 rower at one time Rollie, or am I confusing you with someone else? That's a great aerobic workout that doesn't tax the joints (or feet) too much.

[jwaggs]

Footballs are doing better, thanks!

Claude, yea, I do have a Concept2 Rower, and I just put in a 25min. 5K on it. It's not too hard on my feet, as long as I can flex them without pain.

You still using yours? Or do you row at the gym?

[pig pen]

Footballs are doing better, thanks!

Claude, yea, I do have a Concept2 Rower, and I just put in a 25min. 5K on it. It's not too hard on my feet, as long as I can flex them without pain.

You still using yours? Or do you row at the gym?

Yup, I still row most days. I'm trying to go easy on myself lately and I've backed off on my rest pace. I'm still doing a schedule with a lot of faster sections just with a bit less intensity so as not to burnout. Yesterday I did a slow row with power tens every 1000 meters, I actually got down to 1:40 on my last power ten, I haven't gone that fast in a long time. But through most of the row I was just ticking along at 2:26 to 2:27.

[walto]

Do you guys find rowing tough on the neck? Maybe I hunch my shoulders, though I try not to, but I often get (mild) cervical strains from rowing. (I have a Neptune.)

[pig pen]

Do you guys find rowing tough on the neck? Maybe I hunch my shoulders, though I try not to, but I often get (mild) cervical strains from rowing. (I have a Neptune.)

No, I actually find rowing quite good for keeping my neck and shoulders feeling "loose". I work a lot at a desk and I find if I'm not rowing regularly that I tend to have more feelings of tension in my neck and shoulders.

I had never heard of the Neptune, I did a quick google and it looks like a cool machine.

[jwaggs]

Is the Neptune what Frank Underwood has on The House of Cards?

[walto]

Yes, I think so.

We don't have a room for it, so I stand it up in the corner of our den when it's not in use. It's huge and heavy, and it pisses my wife off having it there. But as I mentioned I have bad feet/ankles, so I need a sit-down aerobic thingy, and I hate swimming.

I got it for pretty short dough used maybe 5 or 6 years back--off Craig's List. But the woman I bought it from suggested, though she wouldn't exactly say out loud, that it bothered her neck. So maybe its something about the way that brand is designed. Also, maybe it's adjustable in some manner that I've never figured out. It's not a big deal, though, I just really have to concentrate on keeping my shoulders down.

[jwaggs]

I don't have any problems at all with my neck and rowing. How is your technique? The Concept2 website has good videos on proper technique if you think that would be useful.

Might be something in here about making adjustments.

http://www.fitnessapparaat.nl/fileuploa ... 414496.pdf

[walto]

I did find this there:

Fitnessapparaten kopen, crosstrainer kopen of een loopband kopen

So I farted around with the loopband kopen. So thanks!

[jwaggs]

Sorry, I thought I was linking the English language manual.

[jwaggs]

Up around 190 now. Diet has gone to hell, but I am still exercising most everyday. Did three miles Tuesday and Wednesday on the YMCA treadmill (cold and lots of snow here). Plan on going to a "spinning" class at 10:30 today.

[moldyfigg]

I've dropped about 45 lbs over the last three years by just not eating as much - smaller portions, no seconds, no snacking, nothing after about &:30 pm. Within those guidelines, I eat and drink whatever I want.

[bluenoter]

nothing after about &:30 pm

I could live with eating nothing after about &:30 pm.

[moldyfigg]

Oops 7:30 in the cool cool cool of the evening.