The Gym and Fitness Thread

[Milltown Row2]

I've two dogs and three greats walks around me, I've minimum 5k walk with them daily...

Then you can do other stuff on top..

Btw chocolate is my Achilles too as Main said it's not worth the effort to burn off those calories ..

A toffee crisp requires a hard 5k run lol!! Nuts

[Armagh18]

Biggest thing is consistency- if you happen to eat a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar then don't panic and go on a binge- don't label foods as good or bad, if you can at all start tracking calories, my fitness pal is great! eat plenty of protein.

Try to get out for a walk every day and definitely go to the 5 a side, like you say its hardly a high standard so go for the craic- a few weeks and you'll notice a difference! On the gym anxiety stuff- you'll find people are too focused on getting their own workouts done to be worried about looking at anyone else- everyone starts somewhere. Don't try to over restrict, most people try to cut out all their favourite foods, live off salad and go well for a few days, then the weekend comes, they binge out and say f**k it- then calorie deficit is gone for the week, then they punish themselves by over restricting again and are caught in a cycle.

If you're on instagram/tik tok theres a lad Sean Casey on there scaseyfitness, posts free recipe ideas and also sells recipe books, absolute game changer of how to still enjoy your favourite foods but get lower calorie alternatives.

Nail the basics- calorie deficit, high protein nutritious  meals for the most part while allowing yourself the odd snack, get a good sleep every night 7-9 hours, drink plenty of water, keep step count high as possible and try to get to the gym 2/3 times a week following some sort of programme where you can progressively over load and get stronger.

Very best of luck with it- keep at it and you'll notice a difference in yourself in no time!

[BrotherMore6592]

Cheers @Armagh18 

[samuel maguire]

Hi all, hope I'm not posting in the wrong thread here - didn't want to make another one, but let me know if it is and I'll create a weight loss or similar thread.

Was hoping for a bit of advice if anyone has had similar experience

I am getting married in 2024 and I've tried to start the fitness journey every Monday this year (and for the last couple of years).

About 3 stone heavier than I was when I played sport (GAA and soccer) and did CrossFit. Late late 20s male (big 3-0 this summer).

Biggest issue is consistency. I am embarrassed to attend my local CrossFit gym as I am very self conscious (overweight but far from obese, 6ft 1 and 17 stone) as if everyone is looking at me.

My other local gym is just come and go as you please and I tried this before Xmas also but I found it the opposite then - no drive to go in and it's usually empty.

I thought the class based gyms were good when I lived in down south  a few years ago but I find myself cancelling them as the evening approaches at 5/6pm I make the excuse I'm too busy in work. (I work from home and go into the office one day per week).

I have never been a morning person who can get up and go to 6/7am classes as hard as I've tried every method in the book.

I used to be quite fit and now I'm out of breath going up a hill and I'm not even 30 yet! Embarrassing.
It's got to the stage I don't play 5 a side with the lads anymore as I don't feel comfortable in my shorts/t shirt even though there are plenty of lads heavier than me at it (it's not a high level!)

I know it's all about small steps. If I was honest I can train quite well and push myself if I can even get myself to go 3 times a week. But it's my diet. I am brutal for emotional eating / boredom eating . Especially chocolate

Fair play to you for taking the steps to get back into a bit of shape. I don't want to be a spoil sport or put a downer on you but the harsh reality is it is going to be extremely tough to loose weight. It is going to take a massive behaviour change and a serious effort to go out and exercise- may that be a walk, run, gym, 5 a side.

I personally balloon up over the off season with football, and find myself looking in the mirror at the start of jan 1+ stone over the weight i should be at. I find meal planning helps keep me on the straight and narrow during the weekdays. I make 10 portions of chicken with lots of veg ( 1 lunch/1 dinner) and throw in half a packet of mircowave rice each meal. It can get boring but at least you know that you are getting all your nutritional value throughout the week, as well as staying in a calorie deficit.

I think going to a train professional always helps, as they can set you out a program tailored to your own needs. It can be costly (2/300 per month), but because you are paying the money, you feel obliged to stick to it- plus you have someone to answer to at the end of each week and you cant pull the wool over their eyes.

Its not going to be a walk in the park, but trust me when i say the first 1/2 weeks will be the most difficult. Once you get over the initial shock to the system, and come to terms what is expected off you, then you will start to push on. After the first 1/2 weeks, when you start seeing results, it spurs you on to want more and more.

Finally, we are all human. Don't beat yourself up for over indulging the odd time. Enjoy a cheat meal on a saturday night, eat a few biscuits and bag of crisps on a sunday evening. Think of it as a 5/6/7 month plan, you mightn't loose weight every week, but if you loose weight 3 out of every 4 weeks, or even 2 out of every 4 weeks, after 5/6/7 months it all adds up.

All the best!!!

[JimStynes]

What's everyone's doing fitness wise? Any CrossFit fans?
I've a good lockdown stone to shift! I've been doing a lot on concept 2 machines lately and loving them. Aiming for a sub 7 min 2k row.

I got that sub 7min 2k row in the end! 6.57 and then didn't bother trying again! Sickened myself with it but i think I am going to have to try and give it another go! Hurt my AC joint last summer and it's still giving me bother now ffs.

[square_ball]

Fair play to you for taking the steps to get back into a bit of shape. I don't want to be a spoil sport or put a downer on you but the harsh reality is it is going to be extremely tough to loose weight. It is going to take a massive behaviour change and a serious effort to go out and exercise- may that be a walk, run, gym, 5 a side.

I personally balloon up over the off season with football, and find myself looking in the mirror at the start of jan 1+ stone over the weight i should be at. I find meal planning helps keep me on the straight and narrow during the weekdays. I make 10 portions of chicken with lots of veg ( 1 lunch/1 dinner) and throw in half a packet of mircowave rice each meal. It can get boring but at least you know that you are getting all your nutritional value throughout the week, as well as staying in a calorie deficit.

I think going to a train professional always helps, as they can set you out a program tailored to your own needs. It can be costly (2/300 per month), but because you are paying the money, you feel obliged to stick to it- plus you have someone to answer to at the end of each week and you cant pull the wool over their eyes.

Its not going to be a walk in the park, but trust me when i say the first 1/2 weeks will be the most difficult. Once you get over the initial shock to the system, and come to terms what is expected off you, then you will start to push on. After the first 1/2 weeks, when you start seeing results, it spurs you on to want more and more.

Finally, we are all human. Don't beat yourself up for over indulging the odd time. Enjoy a cheat meal on a saturday night, eat a few biscuits and bag of crisps on a sunday evening. Think of it as a 5/6/7 month plan, you mightn't loose weight every week, but if you loose weight 3 out of every 4 weeks, or even 2 out of every 4 weeks, after 5/6/7 months it all adds up.

All the best!!!

Some good pieces of advice in there but the bit in bold I'd slightly disagree with. Its not going to be extremely tough to lose the weight - with a bit of structure to your week in terms of nutrition and some form of exercise be it a few walks, jog or the 5 a side the weight will start to shift in the right direction. Yes its going to take effort but understand its not going to be a few weeks thing and you'll be back to your fittest. Set a weight target for summer/Christmas to be a certain weight and then see where you are at the end of this year in terms of your wedding.

And 100% go back to your 5 a side football. Genuinely no one there will give a shit as more than likely most of them will be blowing out of their asses after 5 minutes.

[tonto1888]

What's everyone's doing fitness wise? Any CrossFit fans?
I've a good lockdown stone to shift! I've been doing a lot on concept 2 machines lately and loving them. Aiming for a sub 7 min 2k row.

I got that sub 7min 2k row in the end! 6.57 and then didn't bother trying again! Sickened myself with it but i think I am going to have to try and give it another go! Hurt my AC joint last summer and it's still giving me bother now ffs.

I hate rowing. I'm doing a CF comp this weekend. One of the workouts is split into 2. Th e first part is a 1000m row for time - that's workout 2 - then it goes straight into workout 3. Do you go flat out on the 1k row and risk blowing up in part 3 or do you take it conservative and risk a low score

[JimStynes]

What's everyone's doing fitness wise? Any CrossFit fans?
I've a good lockdown stone to shift! I've been doing a lot on concept 2 machines lately and loving them. Aiming for a sub 7 min 2k row.

I got that sub 7min 2k row in the end! 6.57 and then didn't bother trying again! Sickened myself with it but i think I am going to have to try and give it another go! Hurt my AC joint last summer and it's still giving me bother now ffs.

I hate rowing. I'm doing a CF comp this weekend. One of the workouts is split into 2. Th e first part is a 1000m row for time - that's workout 2 - then it goes straight into workout 3. Do you go flat out on the 1k row and risk blowing up in part 3 or do you take it conservative and risk a low score

You can't go flat out at it or you'll be lying on the floor for 5mins!

[tonto1888]

What's everyone's doing fitness wise? Any CrossFit fans?
I've a good lockdown stone to shift! I've been doing a lot on concept 2 machines lately and loving them. Aiming for a sub 7 min 2k row.

I got that sub 7min 2k row in the end! 6.57 and then didn't bother trying again! Sickened myself with it but i think I am going to have to try and give it another go! Hurt my AC joint last summer and it's still giving me bother now ffs.

I hate rowing. I'm doing a CF comp this weekend. One of the workouts is split into 2. Th e first part is a 1000m row for time - that's workout 2 - then it goes straight into workout 3. Do you go flat out on the 1k row and risk blowing up in part 3 or do you take it conservative and risk a low score

You can't go flat out at it or you'll be lying on the floor for 5mins!

Haha. True. But nor can you be too conservative

[JimStynes]

Going to do that Hyrox that is going to Dublin but it's a scandelous price!

[tonto1888]

Going to do that Hyrox that is going to Dublin but it's a scandelous price!

Was looking at that myself. A load from our gym are talking about it. 90 odd euro is too much tho

[Main Street]

Rowing is a torture,  rowing machines (the devil's invention) are for fitness masochists.

[CK_Redhand]

I quite enjoy the rowing machine. It's one that I see a lot of people in my gym have poor technique at. They fully extend their legs before they have rowed their arms back. Has anybody else noticed this?

[square_ball]

If its what I think you're describing - then that is correct way of doing it. You need to fully extend your legs before you use your arms.

https://youtu.be/4zWu1yuJ0_g

More common I see is people not fully extending their legs and pulling back on the handles with their arms. Jim Stynes will be more an expert with the time he is putting up for a 2k row.

[gallsman]

I quite enjoy the rowing machine. It's one that I see a lot of people in my gym have poor technique at. They fully extend their legs before they have rowed their arms back. Has anybody else noticed this?

As in they're bent over and the handle hasn't moved back at all? Or they haven't pulled with their arms until after their legs are extended?

If the latter, that is precisely how to row.