Health and Fitness

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:37 pm

wife has the fitbit 2, so I'm thinking about just getting that so we have the same accessories and whatnot. She loves hers.

Postby **iamjs** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:47 pm

I have a Garmin Fenix 3. It's a bit bulky but overall I like it. It holds a charge for about 3-7 days based on how many times I run per week (three if I run for about 40 min 3x a week, or a full week if I get lazy and never step on my treadmill.) Does a lot of cool **** like ground contact time, which foot is being favored, etc., and will sync with a chest strap for heart rate.

Postby **iamjs** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:52 pm

I hate the Pirates. F them.

That's my dilemma: I hate the Pirates and don't want to give them a dime but I want to run this race since there are a bunch of former co-workers that invited me when I was home two weeks ago.

Postby **count2infinity** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:45 am

Snagged the Garmin Forerunner 235 and so far, it's pretty decent. I'm going to give it a few more days to see if it's really what I want. One thing, now that I've done some of the research, that I'm interested in is the Fitbit Ionic. I know Fitbit is coming out with the Versa here in April, but the Ionic is capable of storing music and has a built in GPS, so when the weather turns and I'm looking to do some running outside, I'd be able to just leave my phone at home. I suppose I could get an ipod shuffle, but that's just one more thing I'd have to get. The Ionic is the same price as the Forerunner, so I might just go back to BestBuy and do a straight swap.

Postby **count2infinity** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:50 am

Fitbit Ionic: Love it. It's exactly what I wanted, a fitness watch that has some smart watch capabilities. The sleep monitoring thing is neat, it records my workouts, and does so in impressive fashion. I ran a 5K on the treadmill on Monday. I pressed the button on my watch to say "hey, I'm getting on the treadmill now..." When I finished the 5K, the watch said I had gone 3 miles. What kind of black magic is this? Like if I was out for a run and it was tracking my GPS location, yes, you damn well better be that close. But on a treadmill where all it's sensing is what is coming from my wrist? That's damn impressive to be only 0.1 miles off.

I'd say the only thing I don't like is the calories burned part. It calculates it WAYYYY too high. It's saying that I've burned an average of ~3700 calories each day this week. No way it's anywhere close to that. My TDEE is ~2500 calories according to my height/weight/age/activity. A 30 minute workout and the little bit of walking I do through the day isn't tacking on 1200 calories burned. That said, I learned at the very beginning of this weight loss thing: don't eat your calories back.

btw, broke into the 220's this week. Woot! Dodint's skates, here I come.

Postby **grunthy** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:08 am

Fitbit Ionic: Love it. It's exactly what I wanted, a fitness watch that has some smart watch capabilities. The sleep monitoring thing is neat, it records my workouts, and does so in impressive fashion. I ran a 5K on the treadmill on Monday. I pressed the button on my watch to say "hey, I'm getting on the treadmill now..." When I finished the 5K, the watch said I had gone 3 miles. What kind of black magic is this? Like if I was out for a run and it was tracking my GPS location, yes, you damn well better be that close. But on a treadmill where all it's sensing is what is coming from my wrist? That's damn impressive to be only 0.1 miles off.

I'd say the only thing I don't like is the calories burned part. It calculates it WAYYYY too high. It's saying that I've burned an average of ~3700 calories each day this week. No way it's anywhere close to that. My TDEE is ~2500 calories according to my height/weight/age/activity. A 30 minute workout and the little bit of walking I do through the day isn't tacking on 1200 calories burned. That said, I learned at the very beginning of this weight loss thing: don't eat your calories back.

btw, broke into the 220's this week. Woot! Dodint's skates, here I come.

If you don’t hold on to the hand rails it will count your steps more accurately. If you don’t swing your arms, it will severely undercount.

Postby **Morkle** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:13 am

The only thing I didn't like about my old fitbit was that I felt it over calculated steps. Every time I hit a bump in my jeep it'd add like 3-4 steps.

Postby **count2infinity** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:20 am

yeah... I hit my "steps" goal by folding laundry on Sunday evening.

Most everything on these things like the steps and calories burned are not quantitative, but more qualitative. I look forward to the warmer weather and running outside to see how it handles outdoor jogs.

Postby **Silentom** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:21 am

There isn't a pause button for those things? I doubt people would remember to hit it, but it'd be a nice feature.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:28 am

My Fitbit Flex would turn itself off/on while pushing our Walmart shopping cart (because the bearings are shot on EVERY. SINGLE. CART.) constantly while shopping. Really annoying.

Postby **count2infinity** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:31 am

There isn't a pause button for those things? I doubt people would remember to hit it, but it'd be a nice feature.

Pause for steps or pause for workouts? I know there's a pause button for when you're recording a workout. As far as steps are concerned, I don't believe there is.

Postby **Lemon Berry Lobster** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:33 am

"folding the laundry"

Postby **Silentom** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:34 am

There isn't a pause button for those things? I doubt people would remember to hit it, but it'd be a nice feature.
Pause for steps or pause for workouts? I know there's a pause button for when you're recording a workout. As far as steps are concerned, I don't believe there is.

Pause for steps. Driving is probably the only example of a good use for it, though.

Postby **iamjs** » Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:15 pm

Was cleaning out my computer room the other day and found my old Nike Tom Tom watch, which was my first GPS watch. I was gonna list it on ebay until I saw how much it isn't worth. I paid somewhere between 150 or maybe even 200 once you factor in that stupid foot sensor. I'd probably be lucky to get $30 for it now.

https://www.amazon.com/Nike-SportWatch- ... B004WIUDGM

On second thought, it's $30 more than what was in that drawer and I don't plan on wearing it any time soon.

Looks like $30 without the box and $50 with the box. Lucky me, I found the box too.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 5573.m1684

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:26 am

People who I would assume do squats regularly: @Godric and @@meow ...others? @@dodint ?

My new gym only has two squat racks (ridiculous) and they're never available...I hate Smith machines for everything basically...so I have resorted to that power squat machine (angled platform, can do hack squats and power squats...padded shoulder things)...I like it much, much better...I know I'm probably losing stabilizer stuff and some core activity, but I felt I got a great workout out of it and it was much easier on my knees despite me doing like 300+ pounds on it...anyone else use this thing? I can replace the core activity some place else, but what about the stabilizing muscles? Is this one of those things that's too good to be true, so I'm probably paying for it with something else?

Postby **dodint** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:28 am

No squats here, not since I was in the military. My legs do enough work carrying my fat around.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:31 am

Fair enough...

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:51 am

People who I would assume do squats regularly: @Godric and @@meow ...others? @@dodint ?

My new gym only has two squat racks (ridiculous) and they're never available...I hate Smith machines for everything basically...so I have resorted to that power squat machine (angled platform, can do hack squats and power squats...padded shoulder things)...I like it much, much better...I know I'm probably losing stabilizer stuff and some core activity, but I felt I got a great workout out of it and it was much easier on my knees despite me doing like 300+ pounds on it...anyone else use this thing? I can replace the core activity some place else, but what about the stabilizing muscles? Is this one of those things that's too good to be true, so I'm probably paying for it with something else?

I used to be a big barbell back squat guy but was forced to cut them out due to the amount of spinal compression they cause. I’ve essentially replaced them with two exercises.

Hex bar (or trap bar) deadlift - Yea it’s a pulling from the floor motion so it’s a “deadlift”, but these are much more quad based. I like to flip the bar over so the handles are as low as possible. Big time workout for stabilization muscles, especially the obliques, and are more of a total body exercise than barbell squats.

Goblet squats - These seem to have a negative stigma surrounding them due to their frequent use in physical therapy, but I love them. Can use dumbbells or kettlebells, easier to get a total ATG range of motion than with barbel squats, and if you’re worried about working the stabilization muscles there’s few things better than holding as heavy ass dumbbell chest high and working through a 3 x 20 set of goblet squats. It’s also a good exercise to throw into a metabolic conditioning circuit (kettlebell swings, goblet squats, cleans to overhead press) and just going HAM for 10 minutes.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:03 pm

Hmm, good call, thanks. I have done the trap bar deadlift before, but it's not a regular thing by any means. I do goblet squats regularly with a kettle bell. That's interesting, I'm wondering if I'm losing much or hurting myself in some way by going trap bar deadlift + power squats vs. regular squats. This combo does seem easier on the back and knees...

Thanks for the feedback

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:06 pm

I throw in some heavy leg presses once a week so I still feel like a man. They’re easier on my knees but still give my back some issues.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:27 pm

Yeah, my leg press game is strong. But I don't do the ones where gravity is acting against me. I go with ones that I push outward, not up, if you know what I mean...

This power squat game could make fitting into pants even trickier haha...

Postby **tjand72** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:10 pm

Front squats?

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:49 pm

I'm not positive I've ever done a set of front squats in my life...the motion doesn't make sense to me...

Postby **dodint** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:47 pm

No handed pushup?

Postby **shoeshine boy** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:59 am

since several of you have lost some significant weight lately I have a question for yinz:
have any of you who have type II diabetes been able to drop your diabetes meds and if so, how did you and your doctor come to the conclusion that you needed to?
my doctor considers me "pre-diabetic" and has me on Metformin and Glipizide as well as checking my blood once a week. my blood glucose was as high as 159 when I started testing last October but recently I've had 2 weeks under 100 (97) and I'm wondering how doctors determine when a patient is no longer diabetic.