A Star to Steer By

[Maxwell]

A commitment to myself...
I started Foundation today. After lurking off and on for over a year, I finally did something. None of the regular excuses- and there are many- now apply.
It's either improve my physical health or begin losing even more mobility or worse. I'm late 50's with some joint issues usually associated with someone a little older than myself, and need to loose at least 40 pounds. I'm posting the scale regularly to help account for effort.

Diet is no longer an excuse. I am an accomplished cook. I can cook a variety of healthy meals. I can easily calculate the nutrition of anything I make and portion it for meal prep days. I And yet...
Time is no longer an excuse. I have a 45 hour job and a relatively short commute. Single, live alone, few other time commitments.
Money is no longer an excuse. I have a floor and 4 walls and my body and an exercise mat.
Mood (depressed) is no longer an excuse. I've used and over-used that one for far, far too long.
"This whole thing will be a waste of time" is no longer an excuse. What the hell am I scared of?
Living, probably.

 

[GentleOx]

Welcome to the Hive

You've got the determination, so we look forward to seeing more of your updates down the road!

 

[kalin]

Welcome!

 

[Fremen]

Welcome

 

[graoumia]

Welcome

 

[Anek]

Hello and welcome!

 

[MadamMeow]

Nice to meet you!

 

[Maxwell]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome!

 

[aku-chan]

 

[Maxwell]

Week 1 is done. My form needs a lot of improvement, but right now, some movement is better than no movement. I'm also very careful with my knees. I can't do lunges or reverse lunges. I do step ups and chair squats instead. Eventually, I will add a specific program for lower body.
I'm 1.6 pounds down. My goal is 1-1.5 pounds loss per week.

This seems to be a welcoming, supportive place. I'm glad of that!

 

[graoumia]

Congratulations for your weight, and for caring your knees, maybe losing weight will help, i had a friend who solved her knee issues by loosing weight

 

[Maxwell]

Congratulations for your weight, and for caring your knees, maybe losing weight will help, i had a friend who solved her knee issues by loosing weight

I know it will help. It's a slow climb though.

 

[Maxwell]

Two weeks already gone.
Weight is down.
This second week, I have not been able to do every single exercise in the Foundation program. Because of bad joint inflammation and pain in my left hand, I can't do any exercises right now that require my hand flat on the floor, supporting my weight.

NO EXCUSES
is my premise this month, therefore I substitute. At Foundation Day 12, which was impossible for me to complete, I instead did a cardio from a previous day that didn't require the support of my hands.

I'm not quite ready to add any other workouts. Still gaining momentum and letting joints heal. I am squashing my denial and reluctantly seeking a rheumatologist. No excuses there either as I have fairly decent health insurance for the first time in my life.

Wishing a good week to all of you Bees. Especially you New-Bees!

 

[Maxwell]

Week 3 is done, again with some modifications. Weight is down another 1.6.
My diet is a range between 1800 - 2200 calories, with average macros at 50% carbs, 25% protein and 25% fat. I cannot eat a lot of animal protein due to the joint issues. Along with more plant protein comes more carbs.

Oh well. No diet plan works for everyone, and it's up to you to find what works best for yourself. I try not to stress too much over exact numbers of calories and macros, as they're rarely perfect. I try to eat more mindfully. I limit eating out but I know that I will splurge on a burger or fish and chips occasionally.

Joints are not as sore but still not doing any exercises that require my hands flat on the floor. A couple of days I substituted cardio for the strength exercise for that day. The programs make it easy to change things around.

I hope you Bees stay motivated this week!

 

[Maxwell]

Well, that's that. My first Darebee program ever, Foundation at level 1, done!
Some days, I was surprised at the challenge. Some days, it was easy. Some days, it was the last thing I wanted to do.
I've lost 4.6 pounds and gained a little self confidence. And I'm getting a tiny bit more limber. Still need to improve my form.

Resting tomorrow. September 1st, I'm starting 30 days of LIIT. I want to add a strength workout every other day, possibly alternating upper and lower body. Not sure exactly what that will be, other than it will be at beginner level.

I haven't been on the forum much between posts. I'm still figuring out things. I don't feel like I have a lot to contribute at this point. Although I've enjoyed reading what others are doing.

Wishing everyone a nice weekend.

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats for Foundation & it being your first DB program!

 

[HellYeah]

Happy 1st Badge Day

(Don't forget to claim it!)

 

[Maxwell]

Thank you both! I didn't know there was a badge to claim. Will do that.

 

[Anek]

Congrats!!

 

[Maxwell]

Congrats!!

Thank you!

 

[graoumia]

Congratulations

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[Maxwell]

Thank you all!

 

[Maxwell]

Week 1 of 30 Days of LIIT done.
I didn't loose any weight this week but didn't gain any, and I'm not going to stress over that. I need to do better with my diet. I haven't skipped any days on the previous or current programs. I need to do better with meal prep. It's not like I'm new to that.

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 229.2.
Days on Darebee: 37.
Current Program & Workouts:
30 Days Of LIIT at Level 2.
Odd Days Lower Body: Daily Legs Workout or Landslide Workout or Knee Rehab Workout at level 2.
Even Days Upper Body: Chest & Shoulders Light or Eye Of The Tiger Workout or Back & Core Workout Level 2.

I've been exercising before dinner, as mornings are a high-stress time of day. I quickly discovered that trying to squeeze in something before work was not helping me mentally. Evening are much better in that regard.

Have a good week, everybee!

 

[Maxwell]

It's been a routine kind week.
I am somewhat waiting around for some changes at work and trying not to think too much about the outcome. I'm not in danger of losing my job, at least.
Saturday, I took a rest day, whereas before, I had not missed a day exercising. I think I overdid it the day before, between moving heavy objects around at work and the leg exercises I did Friday night.

In any case, I have upped my level to 3, using the same workouts as last week. I will stick with those until next month, then try some HIIT.
Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 228.6.
Days on Darebee: 45.

A good week to all!

 

[Maxwell]

IT'S FALL, Y'ALL!!!
I'm so thrilled that it's the first day of Fall, I won't even complain too much about this not-so-pleasant a week.
To sum up: I missed two days of exercise due to illness & joint pain. Didn't lose any weight and find that slightly annoying.
I keep reminding myself that the benefits of exercise do not always manifest specifically as weight loss.

BUT IT'S FALL!

A happy First Day Of Fall To All!

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 228.8.
Days on Darebee: 52.

 

[Maxwell]

Done with month 2!!
30 Days Of LIIT at Level 2 for the first 3 weeks, then I was able to do it at level 3 last week. I did not do as much strength-building as planned. It was too ambitious.
Even so, I have noticed a slight improvement in my knees and arms I've also had a slight improvement in sleep, which is much needed.
A few days, I tried Tenderfoot HIIT at level 2.
On a couple of "bad knee days" I did Silver HIIT Workout at level 3. So I still must be mindful of treating my knees with care.
Note to self: It's OK to take a rest day or do an extra-light workout.

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 228.4.
Days on Darebee: 60.

Still not trying to obsess about my weight. I just have to find the right combination that works for me.
I'm not quite sure what I will do in October. Probably some HIIT and then strength at least twice a week.
What ever it is, I think the it's time to increase the length / intensity.
I will think about that on my rest day tomorrow.

I know I don't comment much but I read a lot!
Some of you are the cheering section here, and it is APPRECIATED!

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats on your 2nd month & 30 Days of LIIT!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Belated welcome @Maxwell! You are doing great!!

 

[Maxwell]

Congrats on your 2nd month & 30 Days of LIIT!

Thank you!

 

[Maxwell]

Belated welcome @Maxwell! You are doing great!!

Thank you!

 

[HellYeah]

Congratulations

 

[Maxwell]

Congratulations

Thank you! I'm thinking about trying Zero Hero program. this month

 

[Maxwell]

I'm still here...

The past two weeks, I have been slightly derailed by things not under my control. Feeling at the mercy of Fate can suck the energy right out of you. It takes effort for me to stay positive to begin with, and that that is in short supply this week. Suffice to say that I hate hurricanes & joint pain.
That said, it's a relief that I finally received a referral to a rheumatologist today, after two months. They said the first available appointment is in December. Why am I not surprised?
The upside is that my family doctor was happy that my lipid panel is significantly better without medication. Also that I have lost 24 pounds since November 2023. That's just under half a pound a week, on average. If that's how slowly it goes, so be it. It is not easy for me to drop weight and it MUST be a consistent effort, every day,

I've been doing various LITT workouts, mostly Forager, Meltdown, Atomic, & Tenderfoot, all of these at level 3. Rest day is generally Sunday & Wednesday.
For strength, it's been Chest & Shoulders Light, Upper Body Tendon Strength, & Easy Legs Workout, which is not so easy for me without some lunge mods.

All right Bees.
Let's get going...

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weighst: 228.3.
Days on Darebee: 76.

 

[Maxwell]

Hello Bees!
Not much different at this check-in. I am keeping on with keeping on. Last week, I bought adjustable dumbbells, 2.5 - 25 pounds and tried some easy moves.
I have stuck to lighter workouts for the last 2 weeks again, due to on going joint issues. My weight loss has stalled. It was slow to begin with.
My knees still need work. I should focus on that in November for sure. Rather than be discouraged, which I REALLY don't need right now, I shall focus on the positive, which is:
90 days on Darebee.
Slight lessening of anxiety.
A small improvement in upper body strength.
Tomorrow is Halloween!! YAY!
Happy Halloween to all!

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 228.6.
Days on Darebee: 90.

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats for 90 Days!

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[Anek]

Congrats!!

 

[aku-chan]

Congrats on 90 days!

 

[Maxwell]

Thanks, everyone! Y'all have been my cheering section!

 

[Maxwell]

It's check-in time and I have slowed down a bit, again due to (big surprise) joint issues. Also there has been an abrupt weather change from warm to cool. The rheumatology visit is still 29 days away. In the mean time, I am doing what I am capable of doing. I have basic oral surgery coming up at the end of next week, after a round of antibiotics, and it's all rather frustrating. The best I have right now is to try to focus on what I can control and leave the rest to providence!

I've been doing:
Forager, using 5lb dumbbells alternating with Tenderfoot and Bad Knees Cardio for two days / rest day/ two days.
I need better consistency. I still remind myself that some is always better than none when it comes to exercise.

Wishing a good week to all!

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 229.0
Days on Darebee: 103.

 

[Mamatigerj]

A very belated Welcome to the Hive! And congrats on your program completions and 100+ days!

 

[Maxwell]

A very belated Welcome to the Hive! And congrats on your program completions and 100+ days!

Thank you!

 

[Maxwell]

Checking in with another ordinary week. Which is not a bad thing. I feel that in my situation, entering a holding pattern is still sailing and not sinking. Oral surgery is today and I won't be able to exercise or eat normally for most of the coming week. My health though, is better than it was this time last year, so I'm optimistic about a good recovery.

Onward we go. A good week to you Bees!

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 229.0
Days on Darebee: 111.

 

[CharlieM]

A commitment to myself...
I started Foundation today. After lurking off and on for over a year, I finally did something. None of the regular excuses- and there are many- now apply.
It's either improve my physical health or begin losing even more mobility or worse. I'm late 50's with some joint issues usually associated with someone a little older than myself, and need to loose at least 40 pounds. I'm posting the scale regularly to help account for effort.

Diet is no longer an excuse. I am an accomplished cook. I can cook a variety of healthy meals. I can easily calculate the nutrition of anything I make and portion it for meal prep days. I And yet...
Time is no longer an excuse. I have a 45 hour job and a relatively short commute. Single, live alone, few other time commitments.
Money is no longer an excuse. I have a floor and 4 walls and my body and an exercise mat.
Mood (depressed) is no longer an excuse. I've used and over-used that one for far, far too long.
"This whole thing will be a waste of time" is no longer an excuse. What the hell am I scared of?
Living, probably.

Wow, 2 sources of inspiration within 2 posts. That's awesome. Hey Maxwell... I like the honesty in this post. (It was the Star Trek Badge that got me, initially!) They say that the first step to solving any problem, is to first admit that you have one. Which you have. I could recommend a fantastic book to you, (See You at the Top - Zig Ziglar) which has helped me immeasurably throughout my life, don't know if I can attach it here, if not just contact me and I'll send it to you. The reason I mentioned that, is Zig's a master at setting, and achieving goals, and you already did another important step which is to make yourself accountable.

I can relate to your situation in many ways. I'm a couple of years younger than you and I'm on the opposite side of the weight chart... I can't seem to eat enough and recently the weight's been falling off me. I used to Box at Bantamweight (54kg) and featherweight (57kg) at the peak of my powers, and was climbing up (and down) 10m ropes with just my hands, with my legs held at 90 degrees. My last weigh in was 47kg. I'm starting to look like I built the Bridge on the River Kwai.

People from our generation generally don't put much thought into 'mental health' that were all just regarded as excuses when we were growing up, so I'm with you on that. The only cure for what we both have... is to DO SOMETHING. I'm not preaching to you, I'm talking to myself at the same time. I'm 10 years living alone now, and have built my own home Gym, with a smith machine and all the trimmings. No Excuses. Something else always seems more appealing, and we still walk around with the constant guilt that we haven't done it yet... I have to walk past the gym room every time I go to the toilet... which, at our age is becoming more frequent haha.

So, If I can remember anything from Zig, he talks about being the same age as you, and a similar shape, and he started running. The first day, he got as far as the first mailbox. Then 2. Then he made it around the block. He ended up running a marathon in his sixties. so... one step at a time, stay accountable, and practice delayed gratification... and remember to celebrate the wins.

That's all I got. Good luck mate.

p.s. I tried, but I can't attach the book. I have it ready, if you're interested just send me a message and I'll send it by email.

 

[CharlieM]

I'm still here...

The past two weeks, I have been slightly derailed by things not under my control. Feeling at the mercy of Fate can suck the energy right out of you. It takes effort for me to stay positive to begin with, and that that is in short supply this week. Suffice to say that I hate hurricanes & joint pain.
That said, it's a relief that I finally received a referral to a rheumatologist today, after two months. They said the first available appointment is in December. Why am I not surprised?
The upside is that my family doctor was happy that my lipid panel is significantly better without medication. Also that I have lost 24 pounds since November 2023. That's just under half a pound a week, on average. If that's how slowly it goes, so be it. It is not easy for me to drop weight and it MUST be a consistent effort, every day,

I've been doing various LITT workouts, mostly Forager, Meltdown, Atomic, & Tenderfoot, all of these at level 3. Rest day is generally Sunday & Wednesday.
For strength, it's been Chest & Shoulders Light, Upper Body Tendon Strength, & Easy Legs Workout, which is not so easy for me without some lunge mods.

All right Bees.
Let's get going...

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weighst: 228.3.
Days on Darebee: 76.

I posted my first message to you after just reading your initial post. Since then I've read more, and have a couple of thoughts/questions. First, I must say that your discipline in both doing the workouts and reporting on them is inspirational. Second... I have a few questions/thoughts about how you're training and your pain and weight...

From what you're saying you have some serious joint/pain problems but seem intent on blasting away whenever you can tolerate the pain. I'm not a personal trainer, or a nutritionist, or a physiotherapist or any kind of Doctor... but I have read quite a bit about this, and I'm a similar age. Even without the added pain, at our age it's the tendons that are the problem. Muscles will grow and shrink as normal, depending on how much they are needed. I imagine that all this activity also keeps you hungry so you are still filling yourself with all that yummy food.

My first thought about this is whether you have considered reducing your training days. Take an extra day off, and on that day do an intermittent FAST, and just drink water. No calories, just vitamins. To lose weight you need that calorie deficit, and the water will fill you up temporarily (not too much mind, don't go drowning yourself). The water will also flush out toxins.

Also, from my own personal experience, I once did a full detox (colonic cleanse/irrigation) program. This involved a very special diet (no meat) and they gave me this 'powder' which turned into a kind of clay, which was then removed with colonoscopy treatment... yea, that's a high pressure warm water hosepipe up your doodad... there was even a clear pipe to watch the 'deposits!' It was truly an experience of 'mixed emotions' as I did it in Thailand, with a young pretty nurse massaging my intestines as she filled my tubes with water for as long as I could 'hold it in'. (There were also massages and Infra-red saunas as part of the package) But it cleaned me out. I couldn't even imagine eating meat protein for about a month after the treatment. I know it's taboo, talking about poop... but this was truly an amazing procedure and the health benefits were immediate.

 

[Maxwell]

I posted my first message to you after just reading your initial post. Since then I've read more, and have a couple of thoughts/questions. First, I must say that your discipline in both doing the workouts and reporting on them is inspirational. Second... I have a few questions/thoughts about how you're training and your pain and weight..

Welcome to the Hive and thanks for the comments. I have not read the book, but am definitely a reader and I checked if it is available in the Internet Archive. It is, and I'll take a look.

To answer your questions:
My workouts do focus on LIIT. If I feel too much pain or soreness, I have no problem taking a extra rest day. And I actually have had more frequent rest days, especially since Nov 1st than the previous two months. I also make sure to go easy on my knees for now. For example, if a workout calls for lunges, I do step ups and chair squats instead. I may also make other mods, as the situation demands. For 2 weeks, my right hand was inflamed, so could do no floor exercises or anything weight -bearing on my hands.

Strength training is generally 2 days a week and is very basic .While I've listed a number of workouts, I don't do more than one in a day, but switch them around.

Diet: It's 1800-2000 cals, with the following goals : 50% carbs, 25% fat, 25% protein. To loose weight, and I have been much heavier than I am now, I must keep to under 2000 cals within those mentioned percentages. That seems to work best for me. Some days it's lower or higher, but consistency is essential. And I need to do better on that. I get at least 50% of my protein from plants - beans, tofu, etc, and a limited amount of plant-based things like veggie burgers. Otherwise it's chicken or fish, and red meat very rarely. When I'm eating correctly, I get at minimum 400g of vegetables, not including anything in the entrée.

All of that said, I'm glad I found Darebee and I'm very grateful for what Neila Rey does. It has certainly changed my life for the better.
I wish you the best as well.

 

[CharlieM]

Welcome to the Hive and thanks for the comments. I have not read the book, but am definitely a reader and I checked if it is available in the Internet Archive. It is, and I'll take a look.

To answer your questions:
My workouts do focus on LIIT. If I feel too much pain or soreness, I have no problem taking a extra rest day. And I actually have had more frequent rest days, especially since Nov 1st than the previous two months. I also make sure to go easy on my knees for now. For example, if a workout calls for lunges, I do step ups and chair squats instead. I may also make other mods, as the situation demands. For 2 weeks, my right hand was inflamed, so could do no floor exercises or anything weight -bearing on my hands.

Strength training is generally 2 days a week and is very basic .While I've listed a number of workouts, I don't do more than one in a day, but switch them around.

Diet: It's 1800-2000 cals, with the following goals : 50% carbs, 25% fat, 25% protein. To loose weight, and I have been much heavier than I am now, I must keep to under 2000 cals within those mentioned percentages. That seems to work best for me. Some days it's lower or higher, but consistency is essential. And I need to do better on that. I get at least 50% of my protein from plants - beans, tofu, etc, and a limited amount of plant-based things like veggie burgers. Otherwise it's chicken or fish, and red meat very rarely. When I'm eating correctly, I get at minimum 400g of vegetables, not including anything in the entrée.

All of that said, I'm glad I found Darebee and I'm very grateful for what Neila Rey does. It has certainly changed my life for the better.
I wish you the best as well.

Hi Maxwell
Thanks for your kind wishes. And also for not viewing my comments as critical... it's quite obvious that you are not 'playing' with this and have an intelligent, studied approach. Another thought that crossed my mind about the weight, was: I remembered that muscle is heavier than fat... so that's probably what's appearing to slow the reduction in weight as you fine-tune that superhero body you're building ;-)

I recently bought a fancy weighing scale, which gives all these extra readings, including Muscle mass, body water content etc it wasn't expensive and gives a few extra things to track and put in your spreadsheet.
Keep on truckin'

 

[Maxwell]

Hi Maxwell
Thanks for your kind wishes. And also for not viewing my comments as critical... it's quite obvious that you are not 'playing' with this and have an intelligent, studied approach. Another thought that crossed my mind about the weight, was: I remembered that muscle is heavier than fat... so that's probably what's appearing to slow the reduction in weight as you fine-tune that superhero

I do try to remind myself that there are other benefits to exercise and strength training aside from just weight loss:
Better sleep
Less anxiety
Better concentration
Improved endurance
And of course, improved muscle tone - which for us older folks is especially important.

I hope everyone here who struggles with their weight understands these things as well - and that every day you do SOMETHING for your own health is GOOD DAY, even if the scale hasn't moved.

 

[Maxwell]

Fallback Position!
I'm losing energy and motivation while having to slow down some. To counter this, I've been going light again with Chest & Back Light & Silver. These two are easy on the joints. Also, a sense of accomplishment when tapping that final set button can help with the blahs that always seem to creep in this time of year.

The upside:
The rheumatologist visit is 5 days away and can come soon enough.
I'm back to eating mostly normally after the oral surgery. It's a slow recovery and I'm doing what I'm supposed to with the aftercare to make sure there's no complications.

Onward...

Starting Weight: 233.8 Current Weight: 229.3
Days on Darebee: 125.