New and Improved: MEN: July Fourth Challenge! Check in Here!

Check out the July Fourth Challenge or J4C for Men Only. Members will post ideas...info on how to get back into shape, but mostly, we will motivate each other on how to burn FAT.

The July Fourth Challenge is on the honor system. It is your responsibility to accurately track your weight each day/each Wednesday.

Post your weight every Wednesday morning. Also, post any tips you may have or articles as well as interact with other J4C'ers.

If you miss 3 consecutive weigh-ins you forfeit the benefits of this challenge.

Results: http://www.editgrid.com/user/afc_challenge/AF C_Challenge_Tracker

NOTES:

 The J4C is a continuation of the AFC and is open to current and other worthy participants. It is a great bunch of men dedicated to burning FAT. In fact, collectively AFC'ers burned 277.5 pounds of FAT or BURNED 971,250 Calories. Please join us, we're getting it done!

Want an easy way to determine your BMR? check out Phord's BMR page

 

I'm game to keep us in a single thread. I find it encouraging to see what the other guys are striving for. Its making me think of trying a 5 or 10K myself, the heck with the bad knee. It doesn't hurt when I workout with a brace and I've started weaning it from the brace when not working out. So who knows, I might be out there with some of you guys and need the help! If I can get transfered to Atlanta I might run next years Peachtree with Phord! ! Now that would be something to see wouldn't it!

I started lifting weights a few months; very light weights, very minimal effort. I was doing it simply to burn fat.  I honestly did not expect to see any kind of results from the weight lifting, I was only expecting to burn more fat. Man oh man though! After only a few short months of lifting, I now have a little bicep! It may not be much, but considering I had absolutely no definition any time before in my entire life, this is really exciting stuff! I posted a pic of my little muscle in my gallery.

I'm gonna start to get serious about lifting now; really bring out the muscle definition you know, or at least try.

Any tips?

Ran 8 miles yesterday! New distance record, previous long was the 6.2 of the 10K.  Legs need to get to the distance as a little stiff last night but recovered OK.

Mortal,

Great job on progress last six months! 

Unless you have gym membership I would invest in a good dumbell set.  You can get pretty good work out with dumbells and I like them because you have to incorporate some control in doing the movements and not just pushing the weights around.  simple workout of:

Upper Body:

4. Curls (Bicepts)

2. Tricept Extension (Tricept) - can doing standing over head and/or leaning over bench.

1.  Bench Press and/or Flys (More of a side to side movement than BP and stretches out the chest) - chest

3.  Shoulder Presses (Shoulders / Upper Back)

5.  Dumbell Rows (Lats) - Bend over with left arm bracing on chair/bench and start with right arm extended to floor and pull up in a rowing motion (almost like starting a lawn mower)

6. Shoulder Raises - Start with dumbells at front/waist.  Raise elbows with fists coming up to chin.  Works the shoulders / neck / traps

Lower Body:

1.  Lunges - Hold dumbells at side and step fwd lowering back knee to floor.

2.  Deadlift - Bend at waist keeping legs straight and touch dumbells to flow and/or low as flexibilty would allow. Works gluts / lower back

3. Calf Raises

 Key would still be high reps / moderate weight ( 8 - 10 reps) and maybe cycle through workout 2 - 3 times with little rest between sets.   3 times per week (30 -40 min per workout)

Also lately been using resistance bands and get a pretty good workout with little equipment and easy to switch between exercises.

rk1 Great job. Watch it now. You guys are inspiring me to begin trying to jog/run again. Its been three years since my last try and I re-injured my knee doing it. With the additional weight loss and if I keep wearing the elastic brace I might be able to at least do a 5k as a start. I would really love to be able to do a marathon with my son now that he is going to be back in the US and in Atlanta. Hey maybe phord, he and I could run as a three some in the Peachtree! I might even be able to get one of my friends from Austell to join in with us... Well on can dream can't they! I didn't say which year!

Keep it up guys! Yer helping an old man stay young!

Last: 168.4 (6/18/08)
Current: 167.8 (6/25/08)
Week Loss: -0.6
JAC Total: -7.8
JFC Start: 175.6

Tough week. FloMax drove me crazy with light hardheadedness and water retention. At least I've lost the fluids and lost a little week to week. I was up almost 3 lbs of fluid over the weekend. I'm not sure what's going on with the frequent urination. My daughter, a nurse partitioner, suggested trying a course of antibiotics just in case its an infection. I did have an infected hand from an IV after the heart attack. Could be... who knows. In either case it will be tough to make my goal of 165... sigh

Last Week: 239.8

This Week: 234.8

This Week Gain/Loss: -5 lbs.

J4C: -20.2 lbs

While it may seem like I had a huge loss this week, I think it's deceiving because last week's weight was an anomoly due to, as most of you believe, too much sodium causing water retention.  If you look at my weight two weeks ago, the trend is that I'm losing less than 2 lbs. per week, which is perfect.

Anyhoo, I made the 20 lb. club! Still slowly working my way towards a 5K race and still using PodRunner Intervals to build up my endurance the right way.  I think I made a mistake this morning by not taking a day off in between runs.  I am feeling it big time in my knees.  Hopefully, as I begin to lose more and more weight, the pressure on my knees will become less.

Oh yeah, the other good news is that I went shopping for some new clothes and I've went from a size 40 waist to a size 36 waist!  All in all, a good week.

Another good week this week. I've had a couple long days/late nights are work so this week's number may be a bit artificially low, but I have managed to keep the diet healthy as well.

 

Last week: 173.5

This week: 172.0 (down 1.5)

J4C to date: down 8.0

Since January: down 23.0

I am still here gentlemen. 

WT today 201

LW 204

My apologies to all those who have been waiting on an update for our group progress.  Unfortunately, this thread has dropped on my prioirty sheet as other life issues have needed my attention.  I will try to update the last couple weeks for us as we wind down this challenge. 

I am all for keeping this thread up and running.  The feedback and encouragement has been great.  With Pinksalmon MIA we may consider a new OP and a transition from challenges to Motivation.  More of a Men Only forum to continue on the topic and discussion we have had since January. 

 

UGH--166.6 this week (down 0.2) from LW. I've had a really tough time controlling my appetite this week, especially in the evenings. It's part of this vicious cycle where becasue I have been increasing my weekly mileage (around 60 mpw right now, and will be peaking shortly at about 70 mpw), I'm always hungry. I know that eating less would help me to lose those last few pounds, but I need the calories for my workouts.

Maybe I'll surprise myself with a big number for the final weigh-in.

This week 281

Haven't see the 270's in 14 years.

Original Post by alpman:

This week 281

Haven't see the 270's in 14 years.

Hang in there alpman you can do it! Its taken me 20 years to get under 170 again and it will be since 1979 that I was under 160 when I get there (positive thinking!).

This latest, and final weight loss effort has taken me 8 years! So hang in there and don't ever give up. (I say final because at my age I need to stay at a healthy weight. This bod can't take another gain/loss cycle. Old farts like me don't burn enough calories any more to make weight loss as easy as it used to be. I lost fast twice on weight watchers (30 lbs in 4 months, 50 lbs in six) without working out. Can't do that now.

I'm in 34 pant and medium shirts now, down from 42 & large/x-large. We're not replacing to many clothes unless they are grossly large. I could get to a 32 pant and small shirt for the first time in our marriage (38 years) when I reach my ultimate target of 155 (or 150 if ambitious) and don't want to many of the wrong size. I had a small pot belly even at 155 when we go married. Am working the muscles better these days and my waist could be smaller at the same weight from so many years ago. Broader shoulders might keep me in a medium shirt.

Hang in there, don't ever give up. I can't cannot be part of our vocabulary! Remember the Seabee motto "Can Do!", seconded by "The difficult we'll finish tomorrow, the impossible takes a little bit longer!"

Man, only 6 people have checked in so far this week!  Where is everyone?  I wonder if people drop off when they realize they aren't going to make the goal they set out for in the challenge.

I don't mind updating the spreadsheet if someone wants to give me the access to do so.

I'm down to 183. I lost too much this week and I'm worried about it. I have to reevalate my entire lifestyle...

Original Post by mortalmonkey:

I'm down to 183. I lost too much this week and I'm worried about it. I have to reevalate my entire lifestyle...

I don't know if I would be that drastic. I had a bigger than usual drop about two weeks ago. Additionally how I look seemed to suddenly change. Its like I just shrunk, like my body just decided to get rid of a layer of fat all at once. For me part of it is that about that time I changed gyms and my workout program. Began using new machines and group classes that provided higher calorie burn. I also tweaked what I was eating. I know you have been busting a butt and changing eating habits, so it could just be a "perfect storm" coming together. Now if it continues for another week or two that could be a problem. My past experience with fast weight loss isn't good because I couldn't keep it off.

alexanderrob: I think that the drops have more to do with the weather than with not making weight.  Most of the pack have been pretty faithful about posting gains and losses.  It was easier to keep updating and chatting away during the winter, when it was dark outside, and the kids had to be in bed early because of school etc etc etc. 

Hello All:

Sorry I missed the weigh in.  Been on vacation.  I have no idea what my weight is.  I will update next Wed. when I get back to the regular routine but I don't expect any major changes. 

I ran my 5K today in the Fort Lauderdale Freedom run.  It was 85 degrees at 7:00 AM and the humidity was brutal.  I've done longer runs so was apprehensive about my first official 5K.  Goal was to break 30 mins. and came in 27.30.  Finished 7th in my age group out of about 20.  It was a great time and all the hard work and preparation was certainly worth it.  It was great to read all the great stuff from this last week.  The entire weight loss, training thing has been a very cathartic experience for me and it's cool to see other guys going through the same thing.

"No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences. My times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged: each race a drama, each race a challenge, each race stretching me in one way or another, and each race telling me more about myself and others."

For those thinking about running for the first time.  Take it slow.  Check out some running books on Amazon.  You can get used books for 3 bucks.  Also look at Jeff Galloway's web site. He works with beginners all the time.  I'm reading one of his called "You Can Do It" all about running your first Marathon.  He also has books on Half Mary's etc.  I start his 28 week program with 4 runs a week starting in August.  I've been building for it for the last few months and feel real good about my chances  to "Do It".

Keep your head up.

SRQ

 

Ran my 2nd 10K today with PR of 56:10 (1:09 faster than prev).  This race was "Run for The Hills" and much tougher course than my first 10K back in May.  Knee held up OK, as long as I do not have to carry my 1 yr old up and down the steps!

Starting tommorow, I am committed to losing at least another 10 lbs and getting below 175 lbs by end of August!  I guess let myself get fooled into thinking increased fitness allowed me to slack big time on what I have been eating and drinking.

Good news is have held weight pretty steady within 2 - 3 lbs for 3 months, but was not going to lose any more weight just "Wanting to Lose"  I have to "Commit to Lose" ... Back on logging ALL food in CC, which i have not done since AFC.

For those not food loggers in CC....It works and lets me not just know quantity but balanced quality of diet!

SRQ,

Good job on 5K!  A quick 5K can be more grueling than a longer race sometimes as you are usually pushing your Vo2 max for 25+ minutes.  I am usually more winded after 5K and body/legs more dead after the 10K.  Will see how I do pushing to 10 Miler August 17th (Goal 1:30:00) and 1/2 Marathon September 7th (Goal 2:00:00)...found a later Marathon November 2nd that we see!

Well the spreadsheet is finally updated.  We are nearly complete in this run up to July 4th.  The final weigh in is set for July 2nd.  What will be your final posting for this challenge?  I will have the final results of this challenge posted by the holiday.

It seems that the consensus is to continue this group with a new challenge for Labor Day.  I am up for a continuation of our challenge.  Like rk1 I am realizing that I need to head for that goal weight while training for the distance running.

For what it is worth, I think that continuing this discussion is a great idea.  The conversaiton on this thread has kept me focused this year on maintaining what I started and has inspired me toward other fitness goals.  The question is, do we start a new thread, with a more up to date title encouraging other men to join our discussion, or do we continue on in the hopes that pinksalmon will return and update the topic heading to show this discussion is still open and current?

I'm thinking a new thread with a new title, with both threads cross referencing each other so that we don't lose the history.

Last: 167.8 (6/25/08)
Current: 169.0 (7/2/08)
Week Loss:  +1.2
JAC Total: -6.6
JFC Start: 175.6

I ran a good calorie deficit this week. I think the gain is fluids. Am still urinating a lot every night and am on an antibiotic. Am not sure its working. Still have to book what I weigh so its a bit annoying. My calories have been running 100-125 under the 1500 male lower bound so I hope I'm not into a starvation mode plateau. Have been eating a lot of home made low sodium, low calorie (if calculated correctly) stuff and its been hard to get to 1500. Burn rate with exercise has been over 1900 everyday.

Well the good news is I get to see my Son and grandkids today for the first time in a year. We are on our way to CT to hook up with them for a wedding. Then to LI to visit family. They'll be moving to Suwanee, GA in late July. So we'll be traveling that way in August as well.

I'll try to keep up with this thread while on the road. Could be spotty tho.