Another one on the weight loss train (or boat?)

[Little John]

Hi All,
New to the board, new to rowing, I followed a link from here to get a regime going to drop 100 pounds in a year. I'll be rowing 5 days a week, lifting 3 days (the overlap will happen on the weekend). I picked up a D model a couple weeks ago at CRASH-B, with the goal of being able to race next year and NOT be last! Yes, my goal is to be penultimate.

I started yesterday after a couple weeks of "playing" on the rower. The first 6 weeks look to be the hardest, in that they're the easiest (read: they'll be boring), but I'm parked in front of a TV, and just need to start DVRing entertaining shows!

Anyway, I'll be giving updates. Probably just weight loss for starters, more metrics as they make sense.

Thanks for listening.

[jvincent]

If you haven't already, make sure you setup your online log book and record all your rows and track your progress against your age group. It's a good motivator and indicator of progress.

I picked up my Model D last Jan and dropped 36 lbs by the end of the year, which is actually a little more than I expected to. It sounds like you have more to lose but I can guarantee you that the erg will take it off.

If you don't have a set workout routine yet there are some online that are specific to weight loss.

As far as workouts to track your progress, make sure your plan includes 2K, 5K, 30minute, and 10K rows. Those tend to be the most popular and as such are a better statistical indicator.

Good luck.

EDIT: Just looked at this year's CRASH-B results and I would not have been last!

[bepah]

I started again in the last week of December with a goal to get to 210 from 248. So although I do not have 100 pounds to lose, 38 is a big challenge for me.

Dedicate yourself to burn calories. While mixing up the workouts will help you in keeping interests alive, focus on technique (in order to prevent injury and to be as efficient as you can), but do not worry about personal personal bests, they will come. If you want to look at things that show improvement watch the Cals/per hour or you Watts that you exert, both of those numbers should increase over time.

Diet is important as well. High quality proteins are essential. While you are burning carbs, excessive carbs will defer weight loss.

You will have setbacks, everyone does. Usually they are of short duration and you will come back as strong as ever. While I recommend rowing at least 5 times a week, rest is important too. Find a day off where you will allow your body to repair itself. Each exercise session breaks down muscle which takes time to repair and build.

You have a lot of support in this forum. While each person has their own goals in mind, they are sensitive to your needs, so do not be shy when asking questions, no mater how your training is going.

Good luck and I hope to see here in the forums often!

[Little John]

Thanks folks.

Looks like I should re-arrange my lifting schedule to get me a day off.

Diet will be tricky, I'm fat for a reason. Added challenge: we have a little one, and I can't exercise until she's in bed. We also don't have dinner until she's in bed (dinner at 7-7:30. Sometimes later). I try to be on the rower by 8 or 8:30, and then dessert (couple scoops of low-fat ice cream) and a glass of water. I know timing is less-than-ideal, are there alternatives I can think about?

[jvincent]

Regarding scheduling, I know that one thing that has helped me stick with the rowing, my wife's original bet was that I would last two months, is having a regular time that you row.

For me, it turned out that this was first thing in the AM. I get up an hour earlier than I used to, drag my sorry ass down to the basement, turn on the TV, and get to rowing. I put in a hard 30 minutes on weekdays. Weekends are more flexible so I usually do it later in the day.

The good thing with our setup is that being in the basement noise is not an issue. It sounds like dinner is somewhat flexible, so I would suggest the morning if you can do it.

[bepah]

John,

After your workout, you may want to reconsider the 2 scoops of low fat ice cream. Check the calorie count, especially the carb contribution of the sugar.....cut to one scoop if you can. Maybe adds some nuts (such as raw almonds) that would help in filling. I am not an anti-sugar fanatic, but I choose to remove it from the diet wherever I can, now that I am Type 2 diabetic.

The gentlemn here excoriate me for my diet, and ice cream is off my diet......and I love the stuff......

Good luck. The behavior changes are the most difficult. I wish all the success you can achieve.

[Little John]

Thanks everyone. Sadly, the AM workout isn't gonna happen. I'm up at 5:15 during the week as it is, and I've only had bad luck trying to get up for morning workouts.

I can probably phase the ice cream out a little, replace it with sherbet or frozen yogurt.

Added bonus for last night: in an effort to avoid plantar fasciitis (which I've had in the past), I stretched my calves a little too aggressively and triggered (drum roll, please) plantar fasciitis. Sigh... Luckily the workouts are mild enough that I should be able to recoup, it's not really bad.

[jvincent]

If you're getting up at 5:15, yeah, I don't see getting up any earlier.

I am NOT a morning person so moving from 7AM to 6AM was a big deal for me.

[Bob S.]

I can probably phase the ice cream out a little, replace it with sherbet or frozen yogurt.

Still too much sugar. Switch to plain yogurt, non-fat of course. It can even be frozen as is, but the texture goes to pot.

Bob S.

[carlb]

I can probably phase the ice cream out a little, replace it with sherbet or frozen yogurt.

Still too much sugar. Switch to plain yogurt, non-fat of course. It can even be frozen as is, but the texture goes to pot.
Bob S.

I think Ben and Jerry have each had multiple bypass surgeries. Ice cream is bad news. Its soooo good, and its hard to stop eating. Frozen Yogurt has about all the same problems as Ice Cream, unless its one of those special varieties.

I suggest Greek Yogurt as very desert like and satisfying. Start with a variety that has fruit in it, not honey or vanilla. That still has quite a bit of sugar, but if you are eating it post workout its good to replentish your depleted muscle sugars, plus has lots of protien.

Try to change to plain and add your own fruit like Berries or Mellon. Research shows people that eat yogurt regularly tend to lose weight. Same for nuts over chips.

[Little John]

Maybe I can look at the calories in chocolate-coated nuts or something. Still high in fat, but at least it's the "good kind".

I used to make a dessert of fat-free ricotta, cocoa and Splenda that wasn't too bad, either.

[carlb]

I try to be on the rower by 8 or 8:30, and then dessert (couple scoops of low-fat ice cream) and a glass of water. I know timing is less-than-ideal, are there alternatives I can think about?

I exercise 3 nights per week at 7:45 pm for 30 minutes on the SkiErg or Rower. Unless it causes you trouble sleeping there is no problem I'm aware of, I sleep really well. I recently read a little article that cardio before bed can help you sleep better. I think the suggested cutoff was 2 hours before bedtime.

Diet will be tricky, I'm fat for a reason. ... and then dessert (couple scoops of low-fat ice cream) and a glass of water.

I see that as the choice between "Eating not so bad" versus "Eating good". Eat the Ice Cream, but make it "not so bad" by lowering fat and sugar. It has little or zero nutrition, and the flavors are artificial chemicals. Versus changing to eat something good for you like yogurt & fruit, or a banana & chocolate milk. They have many of the same flavors and textures. I think when you "don't eat so bad" you do not good make progress and improve your health, you mostly level off or slow the decline. Seems easy to relapse to eat the very bad version.

For years Paula Deen has made Stroke Belt food e.g. bacon cheese fries, mac & cheese. Now she has diabetes so she's making the same foods, but not so bad. Like Paula's "not so bad" lasagna with lower fat cheese and less meat, you can have a small portion. Versus a "good for you" whole wheat pasta fazool, and you can have a big portion. If you do 80% "eating good" then I think its fine to have some not so bad.

You think your tastes can't change but I think your tastes will adjust to like (and want) the food you eat most often. This was mentioned 100 years ago when Ernest Shackleton wrote how their palates changed to crave Seal Blubber (100% fat):

http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctic ... apter7.htm

We used seal-blubber to fry the meat in. Once we were used to its fishy taste we enjoyed it; in fact, like Oliver Twist, we wanted more.

By this time blubber was a regular article of our diet-either raw, boiled, or fried. It is remarkable how our appetites have changed in this respect. Until quite recently almost the thought of it was nauseating. Now, however, we positively demand it. The thick black oil which is rendered down from it, rather like train-oil in appearance and cod-liver oil in taste, we drink with avidity.

Fried slices of blubber seem to our taste to resemble crisp bacon. It certainly is no hardship to eat it, though persons living under civilized conditions probably would shudder at it. The hardship would come if we were unable to get it.

I think that the palate of the human animal can adjust itself to anything. Some creatures will die before accepting a strange diet if deprived of their natural food. The Yaks of the Himalayan uplands must feed from the growing grass, scanty and dry though it may be, and would starve even if allowed the best oats and corn.

If you can't get stranded in the Antarctic and be limited to good food then its a mind game. You can't frame it as "I'm giving up the food I love". You have to find ways to see the good foods in a positive ways and the bad foods as sucking.

[bepah]

Maybe I can look at the calories in chocolate-coated nuts or something. Still high in fat, but at least it's the "good kind".

I used to make a dessert of fat-free ricotta, cocoa and Splenda that wasn't too bad, either.

Your recipe looks to be the best choice of everything we have discussed here.

Remeber, if you are rowing for 20 minutes at about a 2:15 pace, you will burn about 300 calories.......and then eat it all back in sugar with the desserts.

Of course, the higher metabolic rate for the next 20 hours or so will also burn calories, but the set back is real.

Keep working at it, you will do fine, I'm certain.

And by all means, keep checking in........everyone here will provide support, I have found.

[Little John]

Already my belt is a little looser. That's always a good thing.

I like the banana and chocolate milk idea, maybe I can do banana and chocolate pudding, too. Chupa Chups or Tootsie Pops might not be so bad with a banana, either.

[Bob S.]

Already my belt is a little looser. That's always a good thing.

I like the banana and chocolate milk idea, maybe I can do banana and chocolate pudding, too. Chupa Chups or Tootsie Pops might not be so bad with a banana, either.

Smoothies are a good way to go. A base of non-fat, plain yogurt and a banana in a blender. Other fruit and/or berries can be added for variety.

Bob S.