Terminalxylem
Footballguy
At your (our, though I’m a little older) age, weight lifting should be about maintaining muscle mass, not building strength imo. Too much potential for injury lifting heavy, all for vanity and/or pride.That's interesting. My diet is a lot of vegetables... usually just a big salad for lunch and then lightly sautéed broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, and onion for dinner, along with mostly chick breast and sometimes beef or pork. Snacks are usually almonds, pistachios, or something that facilitates peanut butter into my mouth like celery or apples. Probably too many low carb wraps as well. No breakfast, 16hrs between dinner and lunch.Interested in hearing more about the diet and are you lifting weights?I'm nearing the halfway point... Day 34 today. I've been perfect on all the requirements (except selfies every day) so far, even though it's meant some really early workouts and long walks outside in the cold and rain.
The good: my mind is definitely more clear - which is extremely helpful at work, I mostly feel better (the exception being my knees and feet from lots of walking, but that seems to be improving), and it's good to know that I have the mental toughness to complete something that isn't easy. Total sobriety was something I needed and has had huge benefits on my anxiety, energy, and mental clarity. That will be the most complicated hurdle after 75 days... I absolutely can't go back to where I was before, but my insistence on perfectly completing this challenge gives me hope that I have the willpower to continue something that takes effort and sacrifice. I also love walking... basically just being outside. I work inside all day, so these long walks every night (and on weekends, morning as well) have been extremely enjoyable. I live in Wisconsin, so we'll see how it goes come December. But the joy I get from listening to podcasts and going for an hour-long walk by myself has been a huge surprise.
The bad: I still don't enjoy morning workouts. I just feel tired and unmotivated. It hasn't stopped me, and it won't, but ugh... I'm also a bit disappointed in my weight loss. I've stuck to my diet... sixteen hour fast each day, low carb/keto... but I'm only down about 8 or 9 pounds. I used to drop that in a week without much effort; now I'm working out/walking two hours a day, not drinking, and keeping a good diet, but the weight isn't coming off. I'm only doing selfies on day 1, 25, 50, and 75... There's a definitely noticeable difference from day 1 and day 25, and I'm hoping day 50 will continue that trend, but it's so discouraging every day seeing the scale stuck on what it's been for two weeks. I wonder if my body is just holding on to all this water being thrown at it. I may need to do a 48 hour fast or something just so I can see that damn number drop. Or reconsider the diet... I'm not sure.
The meh: Water has been super easy. 32 ounces gone by 7am during my morning workout, another 32 done by lunch, another 32 before I head home from work, and then it's just 32 ounces the rest of the night. I've also been drinking 2-5 cups of coffee each day, and a big Gatorade Zero every other day or so. I think I could do 2 gallons a day without a huge problem, though I'm not going to try it. I'll definitely keep up with the extra water consumption when this is over. Probably not a gallon every day, but more than likely most days. Reading has been ok... the books have been good, but it's mostly kind of been a PITA chore at the end of the day. When I've had some free time and read during the day it's been quite enjoyable. My guess is that I won't continue reading at all since it's not a priority for me.
Overall it's been easier than I thought. I've had a few social events... my friends and I saw Bill Burr at the Fiserv last Sunday... it would have been nice to have a few drinks with them, but the mindset of not cheating -even a bit, ever- has made it easier than expected. I like gruecd's idea of doing a modified version of this again. I may do that based on how my routine changes after the 75 days is up. This challenge is making me healthier and needs to continue way past 75 days in some form or another.
Best thing I did during this process was keeping the calories up. When I finished I think I had reset my metabolism and the crap didn't go to my waistline.
I lift weights three times a week. I'm 45 and don't have any aspirations of gaining back muscle, and I'm certainly not looking to take on the diet I would need to do so. My lifts are just the basic ones I did back in college with dumbbells and a bench. I'll be honest though... I'm not completely sure what I'm intending to get out of weight lifting. It probably can't hurt, but I'm not convinced it will help all that much either.
I stopped weight lifting years ago, but do plenty of body weight exercises - mostly climbing. At this point in my life, I’m all about functional strength and preventing injury.