Year 35

[left coaster]

Eric, you're goal is weight maintenance not weight loss. The OP has a different challenge than you. Also, if you do a bit of research, you'll soon learn that younger people faced many more obesogen triggers during development i.e. environmental chemicals that mimic estrogen, stimulate weight gain etc etc than your baby boom generation did.

It is also 100% inappropriate to rail against someone for being over weight -- your anger towards the fellow is inappropriate. Nobody gives a s**t if you're still wearing a 44l suit but you. Some of us may care if you're acting like an angry, disinhibited prick though.

[Eric308]

Come on left coaster...always an excuse, eh? Sucking sweet soda out of plastic bottles does it every time. Frying eggs in Teflon pans will put pounds on you, plus adds those dreaded PFOA's. There are plenty of guys in my gym in all age groups and they are not saying that "obeseogens made me chubby." I''m not angry at anybody. To heck with the "research" and quit calling me a prick. At no point did I ever label anybody. I like instilling incentive, not excuses.

[dknickerbocker]

Eric, left coaster is right that people who are very obese face fundamentally different challenges than someone who is just maintaining weight. Their physiology is literally different. So it's great that you still wear the same size tux but it's not super relevant to what the OP is trying to do here.

or, to put it another way--you have built up tons of great strenght, durability and work capacity that allow you to do that kind of training continuously, day in day out. Good on ya! Our buddy the OP can get there too, if he wants. But it's gonna take a long time, and in the meantime, if he wants to make progress on his weight goals, he's gonna need to focus more on diet and lifestyle.

[Eric308]

dknickerbocker...good info, and thanks. I also failed to mentioned that I ballooned to 280lbs. after I returned from Vietnam in 1969. Call it obeseogens, PTSD, or just gluttony...who knows? That said, I know a thing or two about losing weight. I hope the OP has great success and sticks with it.

[dknickerbocker]

haha okay i see, wish i'd known that, i didn't mean to condescend by telling you something you clearly arleady know about

If you don't mind us asking, what did you do, diet-wise, while that weight was coming off? And, what's your "comfortable" weight right now?

[canglem]

Eric308, congrats on maintaining your weight, at (almost) 74 years old, that is awesome. You definitely made better health choices throughout your life than I have, and you're able to eat whatever you want. The reason I bought a rower was to make sure I could make it to 74 myself.

The reason I started this thread was to have some additional accountability to myself for actually doing the rowing. I wanted to include weight loss in there because I am down 15 lbs. since I bought the rower and started rowing. I know I won't be able to lose weight solely on becoming more active, but that doesn't mean it's not a great step towards that goal.

As far as excuses for not rowing, it's been a busy month! I'm an above average bowler, and happened to have back to back tournaments over weekends. One was close enough I could drive back and forth, the other was a 4 hour drive so I stayed with my uncle that I was bowling with. I'm not going to feel like rowing after spending a bunch of time in a car, bowling either 3 or 6 games, then driving back, it happens! And with Thanksgiving, if having to choose between staying home and eating right and rowing, or travelling to family and having a nice dinner, I'm going to choose what my wife tells me to choose But either way, I'm not going to force my wife and kid to stay in a hotel that has an erg just to get a workout done when we've got family that we are staying with. Throw in rain/snow storms that adds to travel time, and it made for a long weekend with late arrivals everywhere. I've just got to do what I can as far as not overeating, enjoy the family time, then get back on the erg when I'm home.

Thank you to those that have given the advice of the walking regimen. I'm finally caught up on work so it's slowed down a little and I'll actually be able to take my breaks, so that will be something I start incorporating in to my day.

[Eric308]

canglem...thanks for the kind words. It actually has been a long, but fun journey. I'm excited to hear of your progress. I've found that sticking to a daily schedule works best for me, but do what you have to do to achieve results. Once you see your belt loops tighten it's time to rejoice. Then you can even spend some bucks on a new wardrobe. Plenty of good training advice on here for us. Take advantage and let us hear from you. Best, Eric

[canglem]

A better week this week despite another out of town bowling tournament and a HD last night. Also thankful for the nurse who decided to take 14 lbs. off for clothes at my annual checkup weigh-in so the doc thought I had lost 25 pounds

Weight: Down 6.5 lbs (291.3 lbs)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 22045
Total Meters Rowed: 46056
Deficit: 28,179

Hoping for a good week despite the holiday travel the next couple days.

First time beating my "weekly goal" and knocking down the deficit some. Not as good of a week on the scale. Ready for a full week at home for the first time in over a month!

Weight: Up 3.9 lbs. (295.2 lbs)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 28,000
Total Meters Rowed: 74,056
Deficit: 24,924

Another good week, including rowing for an hour straight for the first time (13,012m) and beating 45 minutes on the 10k for the first time. Did miss a planned row day having to build a new display shelf and rearrange furniture all over the house for my wife, but had a little soreness from the hour anyway, so it may have been for the best.

Weight: Down 2.8 lbs. (292.4)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 33,012
Total Meters Rowed: 107,068
Deficit: 16,657

[canglem]

Learned a couple lessons this week, including manage your rows better if you're going to lose days due to being out of town, and don't try to knock off too much off a PB at once, build up to it.

Only got 3 rows in, but did work up a good sweat 2 other days, so I was at least doing something.

Weight: Up 1.2 (293.6 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 27,315m
Total Meters Rowed: 134,383m
Deficit: 14,087m

[Dangerscouse]

Learned a couple lessons this week, including manage your rows better if you're going to lose days due to being out of town, and don't try to knock off too much off a PB at once, build up to it.

Only got 3 rows in, but did work up a good sweat 2 other days, so I was at least doing something.

Weight: Up 1.2 (293.6 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 27,315m
Total Meters Rowed: 134,383m
Deficit: 14,087m

To start with you really do need to be in 'learning mode' as there are many pitfalls and subsequent lessons to be learned. We all have, and will continue, to make mistakes, as we only progress by pushing the boundaries and by default that will go wrong sometimes.

Going for a PB is a really strange process. Some days you feel rested and you fall apart, other days you feel like it will be a massive effort to do anything but it all slots into place and you produce a PB. But it is far to say that you should build up to it and take it slowly and have a solid foundation to fall back on, not least so it doesn't knock your confidence

[Eric308]

Learned a couple lessons this week, including manage your rows better if you're going to lose days due to being out of town, and don't try to knock off too much off a PB at once, build up to it.

Only got 3 rows in, but did work up a good sweat 2 other days, so I was at least doing something.

Weight: Up 1.2 (293.6 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 27,315m
Total Meters Rowed: 134,383m
Deficit: 14,087m

Keep up the good work and don't worry about a PB so much. It's not that big a deal...good to establish a benchmark, but too many frequent attempts can be impractical. I've always found that I feel much fresher and ready for a PB attempt after a day's rest. No nothing at the gym...eat light and stay hydrated. I admire your perseverance!

[canglem]

To start with you really do need to be in 'learning mode' as there are many pitfalls and subsequent lessons to be learned. We all have, and will continue, to make mistakes, as we only progress by pushing the boundaries and by default that will go wrong sometimes.

Going for a PB is a really strange process. Some days you feel rested and you fall apart, other days you feel like it will be a massive effort to do anything but it all slots into place and you produce a PB. But it is far to say that you should build up to it and take it slowly and have a solid foundation to fall back on, not least so it doesn't knock your confidence

I'm pretty sure I could have improved by PB by a little bit, but I came out of the gate hot then tried to go from 6,636 for 30:00 to over 7k. Hence, the having a better plan. If I pace myself and finish the 30:00, I probably improve the distance some, and get 2500m more than I did.

Keep up the good work and don't worry about a PB so much. It's not that big a deal...good to establish a benchmark, but too many frequent attempts can be impractical. I've always found that I feel much fresher and ready for a PB attempt after a day's rest. No nothing at the gym...eat light and stay hydrated. I admire your perseverance!

Thanks! I really do have to fight myself to not try to do a little more each time.

[canglem]

Learned a couple lessons this week, including manage your rows better if you're going to lose days due to being out of town, and don't try to knock off too much off a PB at once, build up to it.

Only got 3 rows in, but did work up a good sweat 2 other days, so I was at least doing something.

Weight: Up 1.2 (293.6 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 27,315m
Total Meters Rowed: 134,383m
Deficit: 14,087m

Just 2 more holiday gatherings to get through, then looking forward to a couple months at home. Also would like to kick these sinus problems flaring up with our weather flying all over the place.

Weight: Weight up 1.2 (294.8 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 15,000m
Total Meters Rowed: 149,383m
Deficit: 23,832m

[canglem]

Learned a couple lessons this week, including manage your rows better if you're going to lose days due to being out of town, and don't try to knock off too much off a PB at once, build up to it.

Only got 3 rows in, but did work up a good sweat 2 other days, so I was at least doing something.

Weight: Up 1.2 (293.6 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 27,315m
Total Meters Rowed: 134,383m
Deficit: 14,087m

Just 2 more holiday gatherings to get through, then looking forward to a couple months at home. Also would like to kick these sinus problems flaring up with our weather flying all over the place.

Weight: Weight up 1.2 (294.8 lbs.)
Weekly Meters Rowed: 15,000m
Total Meters Rowed: 149,383m
Deficit: 23,832m

Missed my weigh in this morning as I got the scale turned on then was called away by my kiddo needing something, then forgot to get back on before showering. Seem to have gotten through the worst part of this head cold that manifested Christmas night and made rowing even a couple slow 5k efforts a real struggle. Going to try and start getting up 10 minutes earlier for a couple weeks and do a short morning row to make sure I hit my Big Stretch Goal of 500m every day during January. Then, will follow up with my normal evening workouts. Last night, however, that meant a quick 500m at 9:30 while my wife was unpacking everything after we got home. Sorry, honey!



Weekly meters rowed: 16,505m
Total Meters Rowed: 165,888m
Deficit: 32,072m

[mitchel674]

Going to try and start getting up 10 minutes earlier for a couple weeks and do a short morning row to make sure I hit my Big Stretch Goal of 500m every day during January. Then, will follow up with my normal evening workouts. Last night, however, that meant a quick 500m at 9:30 while my wife was unpacking everything after we got home. Sorry, honey!

I had to do a double take and check the challenge page when I read that the "Big Stretch Goal" is to row 500m every day for the month of January. I had mentally read the challenge as 5000m per day.

500m/day is not really much of a stretch. I guess as a way to make sure people get on the rower daily it can be a bit of an incentive, but 2-3 minutes of rowing every day is not really going to do much for anyone.