Fifth Avenue Forum

I'm with tif. My best and most recent weight loss session was based on eating less (not better, just less. But I already eat pretty well naturally) and lifting

FB reminded me that I'm supposed to run a 5k back home this weekend.

I have no urge to run 3ish miles right now. None. It's 1/5 of what I just did last week and even a shorter distance than what I usually run. I don't know, just not really up for running at the moment and not sure why. It's already paid for and I hate to burn the money, but I'm sitting here thinking about it and my only thought it is "ugh."

I mean, CICO is more important than anything. You can run six miles a day but if you eat 4,000 calories a day, you will be fat. I've known several overweight to obese women that were runners and still didn't lose weight because I think they thought running was their ticket to eat anything.

No one is denying that losing weight is 99% CICO. But cardio has a ton of life prolonging health benefits and it on top of that it gives you a little more leeway with your CICO budget.

I mean, CICO is more important than anything. You can run six miles a day but if you eat 4,000 calories a day, you will be fat. I've known several overweight to obese women that were runners and still didn't lose weight because I think they thought running was their ticket to eat anything.

No one is denying that losing weight is 99% CICO. But cardio has a ton of life prolonging health benefits and it on top of that it gives you a little more leeway with your CICO budget.

my buddy that lost 90 lbs since March did it with a combo of cutting carbs and sugar and doing 10k a day on his treadmill during his former commute time.
I had to drop something off at his house last week and all I could think was a) he's a little too thin now though I assume some of that is for bounce back when he stops the craziness and b) he needs to start on some upper body exercises because his arms look weird.

90 lbs is a lot since March, unless surgery or one of those metabolic diet center diets.

Tif is like the fat lady that insists she 'can't lose weight regardless of my diet'. They both believe in some kind of biophysics where energy can be expended without loss. These people are easily dismissed because otherwise they are freaks of nature and should be hooked to a dynamo as a means of harnessing clean energy.

Yeah, I'm beginning to think the "enjoy running" ship has set sail for me. I do have a friend who got seriously into running and fitness in his late 50s and is among the most fit 70 year olds I've met, although he says he does have his limits.

Have you seen the Oatmeal's "The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances"?

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/running

I started exercising because my psychiatrist strongly advised it as a way to help deal with my anxiety. And it seems to have been working (or certainly hasn't made anything worse), so I'm not stopping. Losing 40 lbs. has been a nice side benefit, but it's not why I started.

Also, per Kathleen Madigan and confirmed by my own experience, you can spoof those things simply by mimicking a walking movement with your arm as you sit at your desk.

Son, what have you been doing there in the bathroom for the last hour?

Running a marathon, Mom!

90 lbs is a lot since March, unless surgery or one of those metabolic diet center diets.

Yeah, I really thought he didn’t need to lose near that much but he was determined to get back to his college weight.
I had no idea he previously weighed enough to have 90 to lose.

The only thing with running is I draw the line at the *very* occasional (like every few years) half marathon. I will never try and run a full. Not because I don't think I could do it, more because full marathons are objectively bad for your heart and cause scarring, not to mention the damage it does to your soft tissue, bones, etc.

Everything I've read says that 15-20 miles a week (or 3-4 30-45 minute) sessions is the perfect amount of running for optimal health. Most of the stories you see about people in "great shape" dropping dead are the ultrarunner crazy people.

Tif is like the fat lady that insists she 'can't lose weight regardless of my diet'. They both believe in some kind of biophysics where energy can be expended without loss. These people are easily dismissed because otherwise they are freaks of nature and should be hooked to a dynamo as a means of harnessing clean energy.

You have earned a trophy!

Jim Take

It's just a weird hill to die on because to do so means you have to actually go against the law of nature. It's not a subjective issue at all. Performing more work requires more energy. How people incorporate that into their overall health plan is where assumptions are made and bad habits are perpetuated.

This is like when I said Italian restaurant dining culture isn't the same as in the US (or even other European countries), and that somehow became "Tif says there are not restaurants in Italy".

I'm with @dodint on this one. Those who say they can't lose weight no matter they do are liars. It's science. Everyone thinks they are a special snowflake with that stuff. It's always I'm trying hard... when in reality they aren't trying that hard, or they are eating way more than they think. I guess there is maybe 1% of the population that would not apply who have underlying medical conditions.

I have not at any point in this discourse intimated anything to the contrary.

I was really disappointed to not be able to run a half this fall... So I mapped one out last night and ran it this morning. Basically the whole route was through the Lancaster County countryside. I'm really happy with how it went, especially considering the elevation change.

My last half was five years ago. Beat my time by over 12 minutes. I actually feel really good... Knees are a little sore but nothing too crazy. Really happy with my pace and even happier with how steady I was able to keep my heart rate for almost two hours.

my buddy that's been losing a TON of weight since March just hit 100 pounds lost. he's probably 5'8" and now likely weighs about 140ish.
IMO, that's way too thin for a grown man but that's between him and his wife AFAIC.
he finally admitted that he did it because of obesity being a co-morbidity of COVID. 100 pounds in less than 6 months has got to put stress on your body though. no sugars, limited carbs and 2 hours of hard cardio per day with no days off.
kudos for the discipline though.

140? He’s **** child sized like shad and mikey now.

140? He’s **** child sized like shad and mikey now.

my buddy that's been losing a TON of weight since March just hit 100 pounds lost. he's probably 5'8" and now likely weighs about 140ish.
IMO, that's way too thin for a grown man but that's between him and his wife AFAIC.
he finally admitted that he did it because of obesity being a co-morbidity of COVID. 100 pounds in less than 6 months has got to put stress on your body though. no sugars, limited carbs and 2 hours of hard cardio per day with no days off.
kudos for the discipline though.

That should not be applauded. What he did was dangerous and not healthy at all. He honestly did alot of harm to his body going doing what he did that quickly.

my buddy that's been losing a TON of weight since March just hit 100 pounds lost. he's probably 5'8" and now likely weighs about 140ish.
IMO, that's way too thin for a grown man but that's between him and his wife AFAIC.
he finally admitted that he did it because of obesity being a co-morbidity of COVID. 100 pounds in less than 6 months has got to put stress on your body though. no sugars, limited carbs and 2 hours of hard cardio per day with no days off.
kudos for the discipline though.

That should not be applauded. What he did was dangerous and not healthy at all. He honestly did alot of harm to his body going doing what he did that quickly.

Agreed. Two pounds a week is considered the maximum healthy rate of weight loss. By my rough calculations that is more like 4 pounds a week. If someone is morbidly obese and working with a doctor, more rapid weight loss can be appropriate. Not for someone that's 240 though.

140? He’s **** child sized like shad and mikey now.

Woah, woah, woah...I'm a healthy 160 or so, pal...so step aside (also, please don't hit me)...

When I was in the military I was able to lose 3.5lbs a week very easily. I miss those days.

That's awesome, shaf. I'm struggling to find flat places to run around here so it will probably be a while before I catch up to you.

my buddy that's been losing a TON of weight since March just hit 100 pounds lost. he's probably 5'8" and now likely weighs about 140ish.
IMO, that's way too thin for a grown man but that's between him and his wife AFAIC.
he finally admitted that he did it because of obesity being a co-morbidity of COVID. 100 pounds in less than 6 months has got to put stress on your body though. no sugars, limited carbs and 2 hours of hard cardio per day with no days off.
kudos for the discipline though.

That should not be applauded. What he did was dangerous and not healthy at all. He honestly did alot of harm to his body going doing what he did that quickly.

I agree with you. we have another friend who has always been around 150 and he's probably 5'10" tall but he's one of those people that can't gain weight no matter what he does. he's something like 5% body fat and 90% muscle mass. this is in incredibly bad taste but with his shirt off he looks like a concentration camp prisoner. he and his wife have been isolating since March because they're afraid that if he gets COVID, with his lack of body fat (and a minor heart condition) that he won't survive an ICU stay.

The only thing with running is I draw the line at the *very* occasional (like every few years) half marathon. I will never try and run a full. Not because I don't think I could do it, more because full marathons are objectively bad for your heart and cause scarring, not to mention the damage it does to your soft tissue, bones, etc.

Everything I've read says that 15-20 miles a week (or 3-4 30-45 minute) sessions is the perfect amount of running for optimal health. Most of the stories you see about people in "great shape" dropping dead are the ultrarunner crazy people.

You couldn't pay me enough to run a full. Usually I start getting hit with cramping around 11-12 miles, so I'm dragging my ass at that point in run/walk/run mode and am looking to just finish. I'm not looking to start another 13.1 again. When I did Vegas a few years ago, I was so cramped that I barely cleared the finish line. The support people were trying to get me out of the finish area, and I just looked at them and said "nope, can't". Few seconds later I told them that my knee is locked up.

But my limit like yours is an occasional half every 3 or 4 years. I did Columbus in 13, Vegas in 17, and that miserable 25k on the treadmill a few weeks ago, so I should be good for another few years.

That Amish one was on my radar for awhile and it always seems to get forgotten. I'm assuming this is the same one: https://www.bihhalfmarathon.com/