2016 Walking, Exercise, Weight Loss Member Challenge Thread

[Darrell KSR]

You may wish to try one of the greenways or trails in Birmiingham. lakeshore is nice but somewhat crowded at peak hours. Shady and flat. Also any of the Jones Valley trails are nice. Riding with groups and/or on trails is generally a safe experience. I do not recommend 280 or Valleydale.

I would also add, that while you will work up a sweat in our climate, unlike jogging you get a cooling breeze.

Almost went to Lakeshore today, but time grew short, and I thought about it being a nice day and probably busy on Saturday afternoon. I try to go when others don't want to go, but it was cool enough today that I suspect others were out enjoying the trail.

I ran it several times three or four years ago. My son wasn't yet of driving age, and his soccer coach trained them one year at Samford. I would drop him off, go park the car and run it while they trained. I had forgotten about that until I read your comments about it, and thought I'd go back and try it again.

Right now, I'm getting a little bored with Veteran's Park, even though it's a very nice run, and Heardmont Park. There's a small park in Chelsea, just past the hidden driving range, where my son's young club team used to train. They have a paved walkway with a lot of it in shade that is about 0.6 mile long, and that's a nice run. I reminisce about the days dropping him off their for practice, and running while he trained. I have one other one like that, at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, where I run around the soccer field, through the church parking lot, across the street, around Westminster School and their soccer field, and keep repeating the process, too. I miss the days when he couldn't drive. Was in decent shape those days lol.

[MickintheHam]

You definitely have to shake up your routine from time to time. One reason I like bike riding downtown (in addition to the breweries) there is always something interesting going on or an interesting place you want to check out. I seldom get bored. But, when I walk I find I have to change the route or location frequently. Tracks get boring fast.

[Darrell KSR]

You definitely have to shake up your routine from time to time. One reason I like bike riding downtown (in addition to the breweries) there is always something interesting going on or an interesting place you want to check out. I seldom get bored. But, when I walk I find I have to change the route or location frequently. Tracks get boring fast.

I did go to Chelsea Park Sunday. Went 6 laps around, and each lap is 2/3 of a mile. I enjoyed it because each time I went around the soccer field I reminisced about my son's soccer team and the practices.

But that's not something I'm going to do very regularly. It was a nice change, though. I'm very limited if I stick to running. I can certainly see the appeal of biking. That can bring you into contact with so many other sites during your ride.

[Darrell KSR]

2 miles this morning, 4 this afternoon. Bet I will feel this tomorrow.

[MickintheHam]

2 miles this morning, 4 this afternoon. Bet I will feel this tomorrow.

6 miles? For sure. I have been walking 4 to 5 miles every morning. The killer is the hills. On my morning walk the hills are an equivalent of 38 to 40 flights of stairs. Three days a week I follow it up with a trip to the gym for 40 minutes of weight training. On alternate days I do About an hour on the bike. I haven’t lost any weight, but you should see my calf muscles.

[Darrell KSR]

It's completely flat where I'm running this week, which makes it not even half the effort of your hills. Amazing difference it makes.

[Darrell KSR]

Back from a week's long vacation. I'm at 218.4, which is not too bad considering what I consumed this week.

[KSRBEvans]

I've started walking more and doing planks (which I can't stand, which is why I need to do them, I guess). Feeling stronger in my core and lower body. Currently walking about 35 minutes at an 18 minute/mile pace (any faster and I worry about tripping and falling), goal is to get up to an hour by Thanksgiving.

Weight's another thing entirely. Got to get on that.

[Darrell KSR]

I've started walking more and doing planks (which I can't stand, which is why I need to do them, I guess). Feeling stronger in my core and lower body. Currently walking about 35 minutes at an 18 minute/mile pace (any faster and I worry about tripping and falling), goal is to get up to an hour by Thanksgiving.

Weight's another thing entirely. Got to get on that.

Falling is much more important for some of us than it used to be. I'm sitting in my occupational therapist's office waiting on my appointment for such a minor thing as my thumb, and it has been 2 months already and long way still to go.

Met a lady my age on the elevator whose daughter I coached in volleyball on the way up. She was using a walker from a hip replacement.

I am that age now.

[Darrell KSR]

It's completely flat where I'm running this week, which makes it not even half the effort of your hills. Amazing difference it makes.

I miss this run. Screenshot_20190729-074324__01.jpg

[blueboss]

I miss this run. Screenshot_20190729-074324__01.jpg

That’s a beautiful stretch to run. I enjoy the drive between Pensacola and Navarre. Really good surf fishing all along that stretch as well.


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[MickintheHam]

I've started walking more and doing planks (which I can't stand, which is why I need to do them, I guess). Feeling stronger in my core and lower body. Currently walking about 35 minutes at an 18 minute/mile pace (any faster and I worry about tripping and falling), goal is to get up to an hour by Thanksgiving.

Weight's another thing entirely. Got to get on that.

you should make an hour sooner than that. I agree that walking is really improving my core.

Funny story. Had my annual eye doctor appointment last week. He and I wound up discussing nutrition and fitness. I told him I was trying to be active five days a week. He said why aren’t you doing something active 7 days a week. He followed it up by saying if you were a dog or a horse you would be exercising 7 days a week. What makes you different? Last week I was in active exercise all seven days. So, my mind set now is no days off, no even the Sabbath.

[blueboss]

A couple of weeks ago something let go in my ankle area. On the top of my foot going into my ankle, at first it felt like a cramp, but it didn’t go away. I looked it up on line and the best I can figure out I pulled a tendon.

I thought I’d take it easy for a few days and lay off the exercise machine. Now it’s been a little over two weeks. Friday I stopped and picked up a couple of ace bandages, and the pharmacist told me to also ice it 3-4 times a day. I think it’s finally getting better, I’ve gone a couple of days in row where it hasn’t hurt after being on it at work, and just normal routine moving around.

Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to 3-4 miles a day five days a week. Luckily my weight hasn’t jumped much, however, where I had been hovering in the 213-215 range, now I’m hanging at the 215 point something mark.

Getting old sucks, stuff let’s go easier than it used to, plus, then it takes longer to get over it after it does let go.


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[Darrell KSR]

215.2 this morning.

[MickintheHam]

Twice I have come down with Tendonitis. At least that is what I believe. The emergency room could not say with certainty. I am convinced it is the result of using the treadmill at the gym. I have stopped using the preprogrammed routines and used the manual option instead. I. Am convinced a combination of the incline and speed have caused it. For several days the pain was intolerable.

A couple of weeks ago something let go in my ankle area. On the top of my foot going into my ankle, at first it felt like a cramp, but it didn’t go away. I looked it up on line and the best I can figure out I pulled a tendon.

I thought I’d take it easy for a few days and lay off the exercise machine. Now it’s been a little over two weeks. Friday I stopped and picked up a couple of ace bandages, and the pharmacist told me to also ice it 3-4 times a day. I think it’s finally getting better, I’ve gone a couple of days in row where it hasn’t hurt after being on it at work, and just normal routine moving around.

Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to 3-4 miles a day five days a week. Luckily my weight hasn’t jumped much, however, where I had been hovering in the 213-215 range, now I’m hanging at the 215 point something mark.

Getting old sucks, stuff let’s go easier than it used to, plus, then it takes longer to get over it after it does let go.


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[Darrell KSR]

3.63 miles, 97°. I didn't think it was supposed to be this hot today. Also got a later start than I hoped for, starting at 2 instead of 12. I'm still sweating lol.

[Darrell KSR]

2.04, 97° again. I didn't have as much time today, but when I saw the temperature, I was glad it had to be a shortened run.

[MickintheHam]

2.04, 97° again. I didn't have as much time today, but when I saw the temperature, I was glad it had to be a shortened run.

The heat the last two weeks is just oppressive! I still have been getting my 4 to 5 miles of jogging/walking done every day, but it is tough.

[Darrell KSR]

The heat the last two weeks is just oppressive! I still have been getting my 4 to 5 miles of jogging/walking done every day, but it is tough.

It's brutal. Just standing in it melts you.

[Darrell KSR]

2+ today in 99°. Not trying to stretch it past that

[MickintheHam]

I have to start at at 6:30 or 7:00 am. If not then it's after 6:30 or 7:00 pm. I ran the XC course one day this week at 8:00 am and that was way too late. I thought there would be enough shade on the course, but that wasn't the case. For now I'm sticking to the early runs in the neighborhood, even though the hills here are killers.

[blueboss]

Hanging at 214, still have ankle issues so not a lot of exercise going on. I’m wrapping it pretty tightly to get the grass cut, then icing it... I think it’s getting better, just not pushing it.

Stopped eating sweets 8-1, processed sugar that is... I’m tearing up watermelon, cantaloupe, and oranges.


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[Darrell KSR]

Fast Food, breakfast buffets and gas station snacks are the Devil.

I just logged in for the 50th consecutive day on MyFitnessPal, the app I'm using to track everything I eat. I just went back to see some results, and it was horrifying.

I recently had a 3 day trip where I was on the road, eating hotel and fast food and picking up an occasional snack. One of the days I was driving for 832 miles, so I made a pact with myself not to worry about what I ate (but record it). I didn't want to be light headed or even hungry so I just ate what I wanted.

I still tried to be reasonable when I could. Scrambled Eggs, oatmeal, banana for breakfast wasn't bad, but throwing in the pre-packaged muffin made it bad, as did the cream cheese pastry.

The 4 slices of Hawaiian pizza I ate was horrible.

Eating the jalapeño bacon cheeseburger at Wendy's with fries was awful. Having the medium frosty and chicken Nuggets parts was disgusting but hitting the same restaurant the 2nd time in a day I didn't feel like another burger and driving couldn't eat a salad.

Grabbing a pack of doughnuts at the gas station seemed like a good idea at the time, but the calories were terrible and it really wasn't filling.

On the whole, I've been around a 1600 calorie diet plan most days. I doubled that during the trip, and I didn't try to stuff myself or anything like it. I wish I had bought a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter and a bunch of bananas and just ate that the whole trip.

[Darrell KSR]

Have you tried logging your food intake using an app like MyFitnessPal? It is a tad tedious at first, but when you get in the habit it gets very easy. They have shown most people underestimate the number of calories they are eating by around 25-50% (with people who are heavier being even higher than that).

I was thinking you might've been the first person I saw that mentioned this app. I used to use the Fitbit app, but MyFitnessPal is 10x better and easier to use and more complete.

And yes, I grossly underestimated the calories I was consuming. My recent 3-day trip with fast food, pizza, and convenience store garbage showed me that.

[Darrell KSR]

214.8

My real goal is 190, but I don't know if I can ever make it. And it probably should be 180 or even 175.

[blueboss]

214.8

My real goal is 190, but I don't know if I can ever make it. And it probably should be 180 or even 175.

That’s about where I’ve been hanging 213-214 range. Still haven’t been exercising, probably add that in next month sometime.


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[Darrell KSR]

4.05 miles, 97°. In neighborhood with hills (which I mainly walk up). A little shade, but not much. Kinda hot.

[MickintheHam]

4.05 miles, 97°. In neighborhood with hills (which I mainly walk up). A little shade, but not much. Kinda hot.

If it is flat or slightly downhill, I run. If it is uphill....no way. But with some of the hills I have to walk down. I do just under 4 miles (3.8) in 50-52 minutes. I'm going to try and go to the indoor track today and see what my time for 4 miles really is.

[Darrell KSR]

That's in my ballpark, Mick. Nothing too aggressive.

[blueboss]

I actually saw 211.6 today. Maybe I’ll start bouncing between 211 and 213 for a while.


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