Obligatory fitness thread

[Sifright]

So i've recently decided to get my fat ass in shape. *Since last monday*



I've been running 6km on eliptical trainers basically every working day and it's pretty awesome, it doesn't hurt my joints to run even at that length of distance.


Also, The post run high is fantastic just that alone is enough to want to continue doing it.

Any one else working towards getting fit? I've set my self a ridiculous goal of losing 10 kilograms of weight in three weeks. I don't think i'll manage it but it's nice to have something to work towards.

[Ryong]

Thanks to college I haven't been able to go to the gym as often as I did before, but I've been trying running more and more - I'm far from being fit - but I can't do much more than 1.7km in 12 minutes. My goal is to run 2km in the same time, at least.

I blame Pocheros showing me some fitness calculator thing.

[Token]

I want to get fit, but I'm honestly worried about losing weight. Between aspie stuff, my headaches, and my meds, I don't eat much, and I'm already pretty damn underweight. Still, I think it'd be good to get in better shape- build muscle and whatnot so I'm not such a stick. The issue is that basically every workout thing I've seen is all about LOSING weight.

[Aldurin]

I want to get fit, but I'm honestly worried about losing weight. Between aspie stuff, my headaches, and my meds, I don't eat much, and I'm already pretty damn underweight. Still, I think it'd be good to get in better shape- build muscle and whatnot so I'm not such a stick. The issue is that basically every workout thing I've seen is all about LOSING weight.

Chug protein shakes while you lift weights. Your biceps will grow before you eyes.

[Azisien]

I already am fit, so I get to sit back on my much less intense maintenance routines and eat nachos.

The key to getting fit is doing something you don't hate that fits into your schedule. You don't have to do hardcore 3-hour gym sessions, or bike a million kilometers. Just go for a walk, but do it every day.

If you don't have much time in the day, do an easy circuit or sprint. On my lazy days I do 15-minute bike sprints (30 seconds of sprinting, 60 seconds of lighter biking, repeat). It has the same benefit as biking for 45 minutes, if not better. You can do the same kind of quick circuit for almost any muscle group using bodyweight exercises. Abdominals (sit-ups, crunches, planks, do 3-5 cycles of each with no resting except to drink water), legs (squats, weighted squats, lunges, calf raises), a push-up bonanza where you do a set of 3 with only 25-35 second rests. How many you do in each set is basically up to how good you are at push-ups. On my good days I do 25 sets, but I know some of my buddies started by doing 6 when they were very out of shape. For upper body strength, some kind of weights do help. The cheapest addition you could make to your home is probably a pull-up/chin-up bar. Relatively cheap models can fit in doorways and are strong as fuck. I have heard good things about resistance band exercises too, though I have not tried them myself, they would be great for arm exercises.

Treat your body right. If you are exercising a lot, then you should also eat better. Basically, if you have to have one rule, avoid fructose and other ass sugars. Sleep is also important.

Chug protein shakes while you lift weights. Your biceps will grow before you eyes.

Basically, yes. A good ballpark is about 150g of protein per day, every day, while lifting weights 3-6 times a week. Getting that much protein can be expensive, so protein shakes are indeed the cheapest method. I don't like making a huge part of my diet whey though, and I also like tasty things. Quality of life becomes an issue there. So do use shakes, but stock up on more milk, eggs, steak, chicken, etc. Beans, lentils, and quinoa are also amazing but for the formers try to avoid the canned variety because the salt content is fucking nuts.

Muscle is good. It looks good, when not taken to extremes (though some people like extremes!), and it also burns way more calories passively than fat. Once you put on muscle, you could actually lighten your workouts just enough to keep that muscle, and melt the fat off with your increased metabolism. Women in particular could stand to do more weightlifting. I've noticed gyms in particular seem to segregate genders into MEN = WEIGHTS, WOMEN = TREADMILL, which is stupid. Putting on some muscle will have the same positive benefits regardless of gender. In fact, depending on your personal fitness situation, weights are probably a better starting point than cardio. Of course, the two things should not be seen as separate. All routines would ideally have some of both.

[Seil]

I've been jogging for the last week or so. I run 'till I'm out of breath, wait a minute or two, then run again.

[Amake]

I want to get fit, but I'm honestly worried about losing weight. Between aspie stuff, my headaches, and my meds, I don't eat much, and I'm already pretty damn underweight. Still, I think it'd be good to get in better shape- build muscle and whatnot so I'm not such a stick. The issue is that basically every workout thing I've seen is all about LOSING weight.
I recommend watching Pumping Iron. In between Arnold Schwarzenegger talking about flexing himself into orgasms, there's so much muscle-building going on in this movie that you may actually gain muscle mass just from watching it.

[pochercoaster]

I'm pretty much already fit, though not as much as I used to be. Lifestyle completely changed when I moved to the US and didn't have a work permit because my job used to keep my on my feet 8 hours a day and I used to regularly go to this really nice gym that I lived near and take kickboxing and muay thai classes. Now I'm stuck at home and don't have the resources to get a regular gym membership, so I have to use the crappy gym in my apartment building and all the equipment is broken. Then I'm sitting around on my butt for the rest of that day because I'm unemployed.

I've gained a little bit of fat since then but it's stabilized and I don't seem to be gaining any more. My strength and runs have improved a lot since gaining fat, which makes sense because from what I've seen it's a bit difficult for women to build muscle mass without gaining some fat at the same time.

My workouts have been really inconsistent lately but they usually consist of running 2-6 miles and then doing some mix of chin ups/shoulder press/chest press/dips/leg press/squats/planks/rows. This has kept me in okay shape.

Women in particular could stand to do more weightlifting. I've noticed gyms in particular seem to segregate genders into MEN = WEIGHTS, WOMEN = TREADMILL, which is stupid. Putting on some muscle will have the same positive benefits regardless of gender. In fact, depending on your personal fitness situation, weights are probably a better starting point than cardio. Of course, the two things should not be seen as separate. All routines would ideally have some of both.

QFT. Most women want some kind of Hollywood body and don't realize that to get it you actually need to lift some damn weights. Muscle gives women such a nice body shape but they're afraid of turning into a bodybuilder, which is really an insult to the kind of ridiculous work bodybuilders do.

This is something that bugs me to no end because without fail I see women cycling oh so slowly for 2 hours on the eliptical. It's a completely ineffective way to get in shape. Appearance aside, it's sooo much healthier to do some weightlifting because women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

Edit: And now for a slight rant, although this seems to affect women far more often than men. It's important to eat some damn food. Severely restricting calories (again, something women do more than men) while exercising is a fantastic way to crash your metabolism and lose your energy and motivation. People get confused over what's unhealthy and what isn't and start thinking fat = bad! or Carbs = bad! Without realizing that your body NEEDS fats and carbs and protein to function. Butter, olive oil, yogourt, fish, eggs, cheese = yes! KFC = no. Rice, moderate amounts of bread, potatoes = yes! Soda = no. And you can eat plenty of damn calories if it's what your body needs. I got bored one day when still had a job and added up all the calories I ate in a typical day and it came out to 4,500. And the majority of those calories weren't from vegetables- I ate plenty of bread and meat. I even drank sugary drinks! Gasp! And I was in excellent shape.

Basically you need to do what works for you, just don't starve yourself in the process.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I fight crabs

[Seil]

You should talk to a clinic about that.

[Nique]

This thread is of interest to me.

I used to run all the time and work out like three nights a week. And then I got married. So I am starting a workout routine this week to try and erase the last four years of not doing that.

Wish me luck!

[shiney]

Just started watching what I eat a little bit ago! Rai is on the horse and has lost 13 pounds, herself. I haven't started exercise yet because I'm making excuses about it. Woo!

[Nique]

I just did a workout.

It was hard.

[Seil]

Quick question:

Jogging. Let's say I don't have a stopwatch, or a pedometer or anything other than a pair of running shoes.

What's the best way to jog?

I just run at a brisk pace for a few minutes, run out of breath, star running again, lather, rinse, repeat.

[pochercoaster]

Quick question:

Jogging. Let's say I don't have a stopwatch, or a pedometer or anything other than a pair of running shoes.

What's the best way to jog?

I just run at a brisk pace for a few minutes, run out of breath, star running again, lather, rinse, repeat.

Best way to jog for what? Different runners aim for different distances and times. Sprinters, middle distance runners, and long distance runners are going to aim for different runs.

But, yeah, just for staying in shape what you're doing is fine. For long runs one generally varies their pace a bit and sprinkles in some recovery periods. It can take awhile for you to find your ideal pace- one that requires effort but doesn't wind you at the same time. Eventually (you haven't said how long you've been jogging) one should be able to jog their recovery periods instead of walking them and not run out of breath.

Pay attention to your breathing and form when you run. It sounds silly but sometimes people hold their breath when they run or they're tempted to pant. This will make running a lot more difficult. Practice belly breathing. Try to keep your torso mostly straight (it will bend forward slightly, of course- it shouldn't be perfectly perpendicular to the ground, but you shouldn't slouch.) Keep your head upright and looking forward. Your arms should not swing in front of your torso- they should stay straight. Clenching your fists will make you tired faster as well. These are all minor adjustments but they make a huge difference in your performance.

It can take awhile to internalize these things so just keep reminding yourself periodically to check your form. You could pick one or two things to work on when you run until you do them automatically then move on to the next adjustment.

After your form has been corrected you can aim for different things. Maybe you want to run 10 miles. Maybe you want to do a 5k in sub 18min. Etc. Varying the distance and intensity at which you run will make you an overall better runner and continue to challenge your body.

(I used to run cross country so that's where I got this from.)

[Aldurin]

1. Get a rabid animal.
2. Get said animal VERY mad at you.
3. Release it while it's still mad.
4. Run for your life.
5. Have a friend trap it for you when you get close to getting caught due to exhaustion (optional).
6. ????
7. Profit! Abs!

[Sifright]

Best way to jog for what? Different runners aim for different distances and times. Sprinters, middle distance runners, and long distance runners are going to aim for different runs.

But, yeah, just for staying in shape what you're doing is fine. For long runs one generally varies their pace a bit and sprinkles in some recovery periods. It can take awhile for you to find your ideal pace- one that requires effort but doesn't wind you at the same time. Eventually (you haven't said how long you've been jogging) one should be able to jog their recovery periods instead of walking them and not run out of breath.

Pay attention to your breathing and form when you run. It sounds silly but sometimes people hold their breath when they run or they're tempted to pant. This will make running a lot more difficult. Practice belly breathing. Try to keep your torso mostly straight (it will bend forward slightly, of course- it shouldn't be perfectly perpendicular to the ground, but you shouldn't slouch.) Keep your head upright and looking forward. Your arms should not swing in front of your torso- they should stay straight. Clenching your fists will make you tired faster as well. These are all minor adjustments but they make a huge difference in your performance.

It can take awhile to internalize these things so just keep reminding yourself periodically to check your form. You could pick one or two things to work on when you run until you do them automatically then move on to the next adjustment.

After your form has been corrected you can aim for different things. Maybe you want to run 10 miles. Maybe you want to do a 5k in sub 18min. Etc. Varying the distance and intensity at which you run will make you an overall better runner and continue to challenge your body.

(I used to run cross country so that's where I got this from.)

Good advice,

I'm currently managing 6km in 30 minutes the idea of running 5k in 18 mins for now seems like a pipe dream.


Food wise, breakfast consists of semi skimmed milk with a bowl of cereal.
For lunch I have two vegetable samosas and one lamb somosa.
for dinner I have a bowl of tomato soup with carrots and lentils.

**I also sneak in a small bag of sweats or crisps (I should probably cut those out)

I've not noticed any weight loss yet but i've barely been at this for a week yet, at what kind of point should i expect to see noticeable difference because i'm hoping to lose weight and get in shape relatively fast.

[pochercoaster]

Before I type anything I just want emphasize Azi's advice is really good.

Good advice,

I'm currently managing 6km in 30 minutes the idea of running 5k in 18 mins for now seems like a pipe dream.


Food wise, breakfast consists of semi skimmed milk with a bowl of cereal.
For lunch I have two vegetable samosas and one lamb somosa.
for dinner I have a bowl of tomato soup with carrots and lentils.

**I also sneak in a small bag of sweats or crisps (I should probably cut those out)

I've not noticed any weight loss yet but i've barely been at this for a week yet, at what kind of point should i expect to see noticeable difference because i'm hoping to lose weight and get in shape relatively fast.

In my very uneducated opinion that sounds like a good diet, as long as there's some variety in it, maybe on weekends or something. And yeah, chips aren't that good for you :P Refined vegetable oils and such... Maybe try to find a healthy snack to replace it with? Home made sweet potatoe fries, for example.

Weight loss is usually noticeable when you first start exercising and then slows down as your metabolism changes. Also, significant weight loss (10kg in 3 weeks) is usually difficult to achieve without extreme exercise or extreme dieting- that is to say, without making some rather unhealthy and unsustainable changes.

Weight loss can vary from person to person due to numerous factors. Body composition is one (lean mass vs. fat- men tend to lose weight faster than woman because they have more muscle). A history of extreme dieting also tends to bode poorly as that kind of fucks up your body and it takes time your metabolism to readjust. A myriad of health conditions can affect it as well. It's quite possible to take two people identical in weight, age, and fat percentage and put them on the same regimen with contrasting results, because there's so much going on inside your body that it is difficult to make predictions based on appearance.

The initial focus should be integrating healthy changes in your life and the weight loss should follow, although it may (probably will) be slow. Indeed, generally the most sustainable weight loss over the long term happens when the weight is lost slowly- 1-2 pounds a week. Yes, if one has a lot of weight to lose it sounds unimaginably, painfully slow. However, it will be weight that you can KEEP OFF, because it will be from adapting a lifestyle that isn't a pain in the ass to maintain- and, in fact, incorporates an enjoyable amount of exercise and palatable foods. I would go so far as to say that it's easiest to lose weight when you're not obsessing over losing it. One should try to find a happy medium... on the one end you have binging in junk food all the time and never moving at all, and on the other end you have a severely restricted diet (paleolithic hysteria... maybe even raw veganism) and too much exercise (which tends to feed into body dysmorphia, even among hardbodies... oh, the irony).

However, even if you're not seeing changes on the outside of your body, you should be feeling changes inside it. That is, you should notice an improvement in your energy levels, ability to sleep, etc., whatever else.

By the way, I would suggest doing your body's measurements every month or so, since fat loss does not always manifest as weight loss. Do not let the scale rule you either- your weight can fluctuate quite a bit in one day. You should, of course, ensure that what you're doing is positively changing your body, but be aware that change can manifest in ways other than weight.

Lastly, if you have the time, adding some simple weightlifting to your routine can help you out a lot. If you're trying to lose a lot of weight and you're focusing primarily on cardio, no, you won't see weightlifting contributing to a HUGE change at first, but it goes quite far in just maintaining your general fitness level. It's good to be strong and all that jazz. And the more you lose weight the more you're going to want to incorporate weightlifting into your routine to change your body composition, since when you initially lose weight you'll be losing some muscle mass along with the fat.

This is just from personal experience/research, of course, I don't have no degree in this shit. If there's definite advice I can give to anyone it's to stay the hell away from fads.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Join a terrorist group. Lots of running, marching, heavy lifting, sporadic meals.
.

[batgirl]

I've been trying to be healthier and exercise more since March. So far I've lost 9 pounds and have definitely seen some results. I used to be able to pack away tons of food and now I feel stuffed on much smaller portions. My problem wasn't necessarily that I ate fast food or soda etc, but I ate big portions. I've been trying to eat smaller portions but more frequently during the day and it's been helping a lot. My diet is something like this for a work day:

Breakfast: Yoghurt, cottage cheese or cereal with skim milk and a banana.
In my lunch box for the day (10-13hrs): Whole wheat tortilla with either a cheese slice or a spreadable cheese, apple, other fruit depending on what I have (banana, orange, strawberries etc), some kind of sweet thing (I allow myself one desert a day, usually 2 cookies or a sugar free pudding), steamed veggies and either brown rice, couscous or whole wheat pasta and a light sauce.
Dinner (If I'm not at work during that time): Chicken with a homemade sauce/roasted turkey with some kind of starch (sweet potato, brown rice or couscous) and a veggie (asparagus, green beans, roasted mushrooms) or I make a nice stir fry with chicken and tons of veggies.

I also make sure I drink tons of water, that's a biggie. Water is the best thing when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you like things with flavors, which I do on occasion, I buy Crystal Light packets, there's nothing in them as far as calories or sugar, and they make my water taste like lemonade or iced tea etc.

As for exercise, during work days I get more than enough with hauling patients around, but during my off days I play ddr for 45mins-an hour on endless hard mode or do free weights. I haven't really set up much more of a plan yet, since my schedule fluctuates so much.

So far this has been functioning for me quite well, it's only been derailed this past week since I've been pretty sick with a respiratory infection and an ankle injury.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

So i've recently decided to get my fat ass in shape. *Since last monday*



I've been running 6km on eliptical trainers basically every working day and it's pretty awesome, it doesn't hurt my joints to run even at that length of distance.


Also, The post run high is fantastic just that alone is enough to want to continue doing it.

Any one else working towards getting fit? I've set my self a ridiculous goal of losing 10 kilograms of weight in three weeks. I don't think i'll manage it but it's nice to have something to work towards.

Stretching is really important. Hell, I've found that some stretches can be as just as good for you, as doing a full blown exercise. Physical theraphy can be very helpful to this, if you have issues with mobility.

I'll try to gather some good exericses, maybe on YouTube later, but this goes hand in hand with exercising.

Most ppl don't think of stretching as all that necessary, but trust me, its practially everything. Especially to those who aren't in the best shape to begin with.

[Amake]

I can vouch for stretching, and thanks to my irregular exercise regimen I can even prove its effectiveness. Just the other week I did fifty situps, forgot to stretch, could barely stand straight let alone walk for the next three days. A few days ago I did a hundred, and stretched properly after, and had no repercussions whatsoever.

[Sifright]

Ran 7km today in 32 minutes.

ow

[Seil]

You know, I want to get rid of some belly fat, so I run every day, and do push ups and situps and stretch and all that.

But you are mistaken if you believe that I'm changing my diet.

[Azisien]

Stretching is for suckers. The pain makes you stronger.

[pochercoaster]

Also, for anyone who runs or exercises in that particular directional plane (jogging, biking, eliptical, etc.) I recommend you look up stretches for your iliotibial (IT) band, groin, and hip flexors. These muscles are often neglected when stretching (most people stretch their quadriceps and calves, which is good but those aren't usually the problem muscles.) When your iliotibial band, groin, and hip flexors tighten up they can actually contribute to knee pain, because the iliotibial band (which is attached to the groin) is connected to the knee, so if it's tight it causes problems, pulling on your knee. The IT band runs along your outer thigh. Also don't forget to stretch your glutes!

When you stretch make sure not to lock your joints since you can accidentally injure yourself that way. Stretching should never be painful, either- if it is you're pushing/pulling too hard. It should be GENTLE. Flexibility will increase with time.

[Seil]

This guy has some neat advice. (http://www.youtube.com/user/sixpackshortcuts?v=ZmWLb-nr_pI&feature=pyv&ad=11615058007&kw=)

[pochercoaster]

I can't help but feel amused when he says "Today is chest and biceps day!" and some videos under it are titled "1 Trick to build huge arms," "My ARM workout," "Monster bicep peaks workout," "Tricep torture workout." Not to mention the channel is called six pack shortcuts. And one of the dudes has huge arms, like hilariously huge arms.

fjSCzC4R6gk

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Stretching is for suckers. The pain makes you stronger.

No, the pain is there because your muscles are bunched up & tight. For example, if you can't sit down crossed legged for any amount of time, you're not using your muscles correctly. Which makes you have to both work harder in your exercise, and likely have less energy for the same.

Maybe you don't have a problem with your flexibility, and that's fine. But trust me, anyone who's been fat/overweight *NEEDS* to stretch. Otherwise, they'll never see any improvement.

I like the runner's stretch myself. Its the first one depicted (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/stretching-tips-for-runners.html) here. One point, while you'll be tempted to look down, make sure to look straight. It does make a difference.

Couldn't find another exercise I do, but this image (http://www.babymed.com/prenatal-yoga/restorative-yoga-legs-wall-pose-viparita-karani) will help me explain it. Anyway, get into this position, as flush to the wall as you can manage. Then spread your legs, for 30 seconds. The first few times you try this, it likely will hurt. After this, it'll be nothing. (Although, I still can't do this (http://iradance.com/blog/2009/11/22/how-to-perfect-your-split/wall-straddle-stretch/), but I've got junk in the way.)

Walk around with your knees bent. Can't find any images to explain it, but it helps. When my back goes out, I tend to do this by default. So if your back has ever gone out, it might help you envision it.

Door frame stretch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq2rYIobvns).

Touching your toes, with your legs together & spread apart is helpful as well.

Generally, you don't have to stretch just before you exercise, but it is helpful to do 1-2 per day. You don't have to work yourself into a sweat over it either. Its there to keep bunched muscles from being bunched in the first place.

[Gregness]

This site has more information than is probably decent. (http://www.exrx.net/)

[Sifright]

i'm running 7km every day on the elliptical now, I am noticing that I get very tired much earlier but i'm able to just push through it. Today was very hard though.

[Sifright]

:mad:

After two weeks of running i've lost 3 lbs! I mean it's getting easier and i'm running further but i'm losing very little weight what is this shit.


Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


also poop.

[pochercoaster]

Losing 1-2 lbs a week is good. No one loses vast quantities of weight in a week without an eating disorder. Also if you lose weight too quickly you tend to get big flaps of dangly skin. When you've lost a little more weight you should probably incorporate weightlifting into your routine because the lean mass will boost your metabolism. Cardio will only get you so far (this goes for men and women.)

[Azisien]

:mad:

After two weeks of running i've lost 3 lbs! I mean it's getting easier and i'm running further but i'm losing very little weight what is this shit.


Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


also poop.

Things I have learned that may help:

- What you eat also matters. You could mountain bike for 12 hours a day, but if you also eat 10 Big Macs...

- In my experience, fairly intense efforts followed by rapid discouragement could lead to you giving up. Don't focus on immediate results. You are in science aren't you? Your body isn't a miracle machine. It takes time to change. If we're talking about noticeable change in a mirror, I would say you're looking at a 5-6 week window before you see much. Keep at it. This goes for diet changes too, it's at least a week, probably two, before your body adjusts.

- Weigh yourself at the same time every day, either in the morning when you wake up (hydrate first so you're not mistaking lost water weight for results), or perhaps right after you finish exercising.

- Looking for qualitative results in a mirror is just achieved post-workout. You'll be feeling better about yourself. Mind is happy to play tricks on you and make it seem like you aren't getting anywhere. Ignore. Push on.

- Don't try to lose more than I'd say 3 lbs a week. If you're doing that, you are losing weight too fast. 1-2lbs a week is healthy, and means your caloric deficit won't harm your metabolism. You don't HAVE to lose 2 lbs a week though. Even if you lost half a pound a week, that's 25 pounds a year. Which is awesome!

- Literally everything Pocheros says


On a personal note:

The weather has been great in Ottawa and I decided to try a month without a bus pass. So I've been biking to work at my full-time job. The total trip back and forth is about 30km, so that's actually a rather significant change. Since I've been doing indoor bike sprints for over eight months, there was no rough first few days either. This also creates nice synergy with the Global Warming thread! My carbon footprint is much lower now!

[Sifright]

Things I have learned that may help:

- What you eat also matters. You could mountain bike for 12 hours a day, but if you also eat 10 Big Macs...

- In my experience, fairly intense efforts followed by rapid discouragement could lead to you giving up. Don't focus on immediate results. You are in science aren't you? Your body isn't a miracle machine. It takes time to change. If we're talking about noticeable change in a mirror, I would say you're looking at a 5-6 week window before you see much. Keep at it. This goes for diet changes too, it's at least a week, probably two, before your body adjusts.

- Weigh yourself at the same time every day, either in the morning when you wake up (hydrate first so you're not mistaking lost water weight for results), or perhaps right after you finish exercising.

- Looking for qualitative results in a mirror is just achieved post-workout. You'll be feeling better about yourself. Mind is happy to play tricks on you and make it seem like you aren't getting anywhere. Ignore. Push on.

- Don't try to lose more than I'd say 3 lbs a week. If you're doing that, you are losing weight too fast. 1-2lbs a week is healthy, and means your caloric deficit won't harm your metabolism. You don't HAVE to lose 2 lbs a week though. Even if you lost half a pound a week, that's 25 pounds a year. Which is awesome!

- Literally everything Pocheros says


On a personal note:

The weather has been great in Ottawa and I decided to try a month without a bus pass. So I've been biking to work at my full-time job. The total trip back and forth is about 30km, so that's actually a rather significant change. Since I've been doing indoor bike sprints for over eight months, there was no rough first few days either. This also creates nice synergy with the Global Warming thread! My carbon footprint is much lower now!


For what it's worth i'm in this for the long haul like my eventual goal is to be able to participate in endurance running events. At the moment I'm focusing on losing enough weight that actually running rather than using an eliptical doesn't make my knees feel like I am running a jackhammer on them.

I knew going in that I wouldn't lose weight very quickly but I was hoping for it to be a bit quicker but more than anything i just wanted to blow off some steam.