Health and Fitness Cult!

About stretching.

There are a lot of misconceptions about stretching. There are a lot of different types of stretching.

Most people only think of static stretching when they think about flexibility. Static stretching can be terrible for your tendons and muscles if you do it when you are cold. You can rip the muscles and tendons weakening them. So if you do that before a weight workout, you're starting the workout at a disadvantage.

You should do dynamic stretching before a workout. That warms the joints up and it's a little safer for you.

If you're just doing a stretching workout, you should still start with dynamic stretching to get warmed up.

I got my intro into proper stretching from this article here. It's pretty in depth and funny.

http://www.trickstutorials.com/content/flexibility

From there I read Super Joints and Relax Into Stretch by Pavel Tsatsouline. Both of those books are great and they have a lot of good information on isometric stretching - which works really well. The only problem I have with them is that they are a little expensive and they really should be one book instead of two.

Right now I'm reading Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz. The original link I posted, the guy who wrote that based his article on this book. This book seems much more in depth. I would recommend this book as a first read after reading the article I posted. He also shows what to stretch and how to stretch for different activities.

I rarely exercise and have a horrible diet.

I'm not looking for any sort of health advice, I just wanted to point that out.

I have a fairly good diet, whole grains, fruits and veggies, no fast food.

I am trying to become Christina Hendricks so I've been in the gym a lot lately.

You would look funny with red hair.

edit - Oh shit, I just saw you're dying your hair...

Leg kicks hurt like hell--Plus, all the legs that I've seen snap in half came from throwing leg kicks.

My trainer is insane. When I'm holding the kicking shield, he can kick me so hard I leave the ground. It hurts through the shield!

But it's also a lot of fun. I just can't build up the courage to toughen my shins and kill the nerves. THAT hurts.

I've been working out everyday since the start of this month and it feels good being active again. It's been years since I've had some sort of fitness routine. I've been going easy since I was also doing community service which at times was a workout in itself. I try to alternate days between arms,back, and legs. I do abs everyday or at least try to but I switch up the type of ab exercises from day to day. As far as my diet goes, well it kinda sucks because I don't buy the groceries so I'm limited to what there is to eat. I try to eat whatever is fresh that we have but that usually goes quick. I try to eat small meals throughout the day but yeah overall my diet sucks. I eat super late at night, I still eat carbs...I know there are a few things I need to cut out of my diet all together but I want to enjoy 'evil foods' while I still can. I'm pretty sure I need to start now but I don't wanna!

I really believe, as far as diet, that it's a big improvement if you just take the calories you eat in a day and divide them up into 5-6 smaller meals. You will lose weight eating the exact same foods you normally eat.

It's little steps. You divide them up. Get used to that first. Then eliminate one "bad" food. Get used to that. And so on.

sans red hair

I need to start exercising and paying attention to what I eat. I'm getting fat. I also need to cut down on the beer.

I thought swimming three times a week would help but I don't think I've lost any weight. Probably should go more.

Double post--sorry

That's actually a smart way to go--when you "toughen" your shins, you're actually causing micro-fractures. This does harden the bone but you lose the bones natural elasticity. So, basically, your bones will be harder but will become brittle and more prone to breaks. I was actually thinking about doing this until my brother, a general practitioner, advised me against it.

Actually, while swimming is great exercise, its not ideal for weight loss.

Ok, fair enough. Sorry I assumed you were trying to lose weight.

Splitting up your meals just makes you more healthier in general. Your body becomes more efficient. And you will have more energy.

If you're not trying to lose weight, it will still bring your body closer to the weight you should be - whether that is more or less weight than you are.

more healthier, huh?

Is saying more good better? lol

Sorry, it's early and my brain isn't working at 100% yet.

Also, I refuse to change it now.

Eh, just close the distance.

What you could actually do, if you don't want the drawbacks of those minor fractures but you want to kill the nerves, is take a bat (any cylindrical wooden object will do... I used a bokken) and slide it up and down your shins. The more pressure you apply, the more painful it will be, but the better it will work. It kills the nerves, but be aware that you're not hardening the bone nearly as much as your buddies, so you should really get your technique down.

I've heard of that.

In the book The Fighter's Heart, Sam Sheridan takes a greased bottle and does that.

I've also seen a video online of somebody whacking their shins with a wet t-shirt over and over. This is supposed to deaden the nerves too.

Either way - thickening bone or deadening nerves, it's all a little scary to me. lol

When I was in my early twenties, I was like this too. I used to lift heavy weights just to add bulk. Sometime around 28, that all changed. Now I gain weight by looking at desserts. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I wouldn't want to kill any of my nerves anywhere. That just seems stupid and scary and wrong. Pete! Don't do it!

I put on a lot of weight the past two years. Emense stress, low activity, poor diet. I also noticed the weight came when I quit drinking liquor and switched primarily to beer and rich red wines. Well I didn't notice at first, I notice now in hind sight. Of course cutting out alcohol altogether would be a huge help to my body, I've been doing pretty good with cutting it down. Trying to keep in mind the risks and effects before I imbibe. Keep in mind that I am as far away from 20 as I am near to 40 and what that means overall.

I am really really unhappy with my weight, for concieted reasons. Even more than that it is my actual health that worries me. I worry about my organs and my brain health a lot.

I try to take lots of vitamins and stuff, B complex and milk thistle and dandelion root and pure cranberry juice for my liver and kidneys. Omega three and amino acids and GABA for my brain. I usually do some sort of cleanse of fast at least once or twice a year. The last one I did was basically an artichoke diet. For four days all I ate was steamed artichokes and lentils when I felt I needed some protien, as much as I wanted. I felt excellent afterward. I don't think fasts and cleanses should be done for more than a couple of days straight unless you are already in superb health though. My non medical opinion.

I really just need to exercise regularily. I need to start walking every day to begin with. And I need to make a point of getting more lean protien and work on my calcium intake I think. I don't like most meat though. I don't really do well with dairy milk, and I am rotten about eating my leafy greens so my only good calcium source is any cheese or squash I may eat , which isn't much. So I need more of those. I need more fresh friut too, I've been trying to make a point of eating at least two fresh fruit servings a day recently.

I definitly need exercise, I want to be strong and have stamina to run around and climb and stuff. And I really want my heart and lungs to be in better shape. So yeah. I need to get off my butt. Tired of having an image of myself that is completely different than what is really going on.

Need to quit smoking too.

Ha, well it seems like you know what direction you need to go in. You've even mapped it out. Now it's just baby steps. One thing at a time!

If you have any questions in the future, I'll try and help.

Thanks Pete. You seem to be pretty knowledgable so I'll keep that in mind.

You don't happen to know a good cure for procrastination do you?

My problem seems to be that to me knowing isn't half the battle: knowing is the prize and to hell with the battle I can get that knowing without it.

That whole "if she'd only apply herself" thing.

I need to figure out how to make myself apply myself. I know it will be worth it and a lot of fun once I do, it is just getting over that hump.

I think he's calling you marbled.

I eat like one or twice a day during the week since school and work started. I'm just not hungry until well into the afternoon anymore. I've lost weight but I look and feel like shit most of the time. I like running so I do that sometimes. I'm going to try to eat better and more often.

Inside jokes are inside.

Marbled = Good
Jaz = Marbled

Seriously Frank, one would think you've never eaten a steak before.

Oh... well when it comes to steaks, usually the more marbled the piece of meat, the more fat it has. I was confuseled. Usually it means it is tastier, though. So, yeah, I'd have to say Jazmyn is tasty .

Okay it's a little bit of an inside joke. It's what happens when you run off to gallivant with other people.

And I ate a vegetable today. So far so good.

pepper wrote:

Thanks Pete. You seem to be pretty knowledgable so I'll keep that in mind.

You don't happen to know a good cure for procrastination do you?

My problem seems to be that to me knowing isn't half the battle: knowing is the prize and to hell with the battle I can get that knowing without it.

That whole "if she'd only apply herself" thing.

I need to figure out how to make myself apply myself. I know it will be worth it and a lot of fun once I do, it is just getting over that hump.

For what it's worth, I've quit all the things that you are trying to:

I smoked for 16 years. I was up to two packs a day. I actually quit that with chewing tobacco (not recommended)--did that for six years. Then I got a really bad cold where it made me queasy and light-headed to chew. I had to give it up for a week. When I got better, I just kept on pushing myself. Three things that I found helpful were:

• I was told that nicotene cravings only last 48 hours. I don't know how true this is, but thinking it helped.
• Tobacco is an addiction of habit--I started to carry sugar-free mints and popped one of those in my mouth when I got a craving (and still do).
• Finally, someone told me that smokers don't want to quit because they feel like they would be missing out on something. But those who never smoked don't feel that way--so there's nothing to miss out on (I totally screwed up that quote--the guy who told it to me was all Zen and made it sound cool. But you get the idea).

I quit drinking because I basically got very sick when drinking (no matter how little I drank) and would have pretty bad hang-overs. It's been ten years since I drank heavily. I think those symptoms are over because I've gotten drunk twice since then (the hang-overs weren't as bad bvut still suck) without getting violently ill. I think that I just got used to not drinking.

Finally, I lost 50 pounds a couple of years ago. I hated being over weight because I got tired quickly, all my clothes got really tight, and I was getting a big gut. I wanted to start working out heavily again, but it would only last for a week. But then I got really sick. After a month, the wife told me to go to the doctors and, after two more weeks, it turned out that I had walking pneumonia. I lost twenty pounds while I was sick so I figured I would just keep going. I started a routine of running every morning, forced myself to keep at it, and now it's second nature.

So the common thread in all of this rambling is to get walking-dead ill (it worked for me).

But seriously, don't get discouraged. I tried to quit habits and dieted hundreds of times before it stuck. It's hard to explain, you seem to hit a wall. And, to this day (after about ten years) I still crave cigarettes. But if you stick to it, you'll do fine.

Good luck.

JK

But seriously. Try lists, with times on them that you have to do stuff. Having a strict schedule written down tends to help. And once you do something for a few weeks it becomes a habit. I'm a procrastinator, but I never miss a workout. Working out for me is a habit now.

I think I just read what you posted wrong.

Also, enveloping yourself in a new environment where productive behavior is encouraged REALLY does the trick. I try to workout at home, and I... simply... cannot. I just look at my amazingly comfortable mattress, this intensely stimulating internetz providing machine, my piles of books, and my stack of homework, and I simply can't find a reason to get that iron gym out.

And so 2 weeks ago I started going to the gym I've never looked into (cuz I was skinny, white, and I felt like everyone there was already pretty comfortable with their bodies). I know I'll never get sick of it, cuz I only do the fun stuff to get in and stay in shape, like running, swimming, and climbing. They have those things, and I'm so damn thankful for that.

Jess, you like running? Lucky you!

I work out 4 times a week, and I actually got up at 5.45AM this morning to do so. Most of the time I do cardio, because it's such a challenge for me.

I envy you athletic people!

I wish I'd kept going to softball as that was a great work out. I mainly stopped going because it was a tournament every saturday from 10am. I like team sports but found that a bit hardcore. [/lazy]

I once went to the gym 3-5 times a week for about two months. Then I missed a week. Then I never went back.

Maybe I'll go for a walk this morning, its nice out.

I hate yoga, but flexibility is important for me. So instead of doing yoga, I do stretching before and after my workout and sometimes slip it in while I'm watching TV (see my stretching link above). I don't mind stretching like that, especially breaking it into chunks. It's not as boring.

You hear people say, "I'll never gain mass because I hate lifting weights." Well then, reevaluate your goals. Find things you like, and change your goals to match them. If you enjoy running, try to improve your times or distance. If you enjoy spinning or aerobics, try to improve your intensity. If you hate weight lifting, you will never make gains because you won't push yourself.

I hate cardio, so I made fast interval workouts that get my heart rate up just as much. And I sandwich those in between short bouts of jump roping.

I think the most important thing is just to do something. Find a way to be active. Otherwise you just join our national obesity epidemic.

So I always tell people that the secret is just to move. How easy is that? 90% of our country can't even do that though. They come home from work and sit in front of their TV until they get up to go to bed.

[/end rant]

For real.

My athleticism bows down to yours...

If your athleticism and my athleticism got into a fist fight, yours would have an unfair advantage due to being much stronger, faster, and bringing a knife...

Your athleticism minus my athleticism equals... still enough to wake up at an abnormally early hour to work out...

But yes, I do enjoy running. The mindlessness of it appeals to me.
Just listening to music and not having to think about anything other than that for an hour or whatever... I like that. I used to hate it when I was made to do it in high school... I'd have to pretend horrible things were chasing me in order to finish those miles and I'd still be among the slowest. It grew on me though. Every now and then, I'll go to the school gym and use one of those random arm workout things if I want to be ridiculously sore the next day. Which I actually do also love but like Jaz said, it's so much easier to be lazy. Which is why I admire you guys who work out regularly.

Lib is totally right about needing to be in an environment where productivity is encouraged. My first semester of college, I had like a few hours of free time in between classes and nothing to really distract me. I spent it in the library or at the gym and I got straight A's and looked awesome without even trying. I can't even read a book at my place now because I'm so easily distracted.

Also, like any good hispanic kid, I cannot turn down a spontaneous game of soccer. That also keeps me from weighing twice as much as I should.

I used to be really fit and everything some years ago, without really going to the gym, but then I kinda stopped exercising and even taking that weekly walk through the park, so now I'm out of breath even when I climb the stairs and until I find out if something's wrong with my heart I'm too scared to try going to the gym or something. I did promise myself I'd walk half the way to school when classes start, that's maybe 2-3 miles a day. Now if only I keep that promise...

AHHH!! I can't find anyone here that I'm comfortable playing with! I gotta get in REALLY good shape before even attempting to keep up with the teams at the rec center. Yeah, they're that competitive.

Tell me about it. My sister was in one of those leagues for like 15 years while I only played for fun and in high school. And now one of my roommates is here on a fucking soccer scholarship. I'm used to playing with people who are too good for me though. The trick is pretending it isn't soul crushing every time they give me shit for sucking.

Maybe because I had recently talked to you but when this happened, one of the main thoughts going through my head was... FUCK JAZMYN. I knew you don't give a shit about soccer and that you made pretty much none of those goals but I'm afraid I still haven't forgiven you.

Also.