FIT.Y.E.R.O. (Meathead, wellness, fitness, diet, exercise) Thread

Kooky Kats

Senior
Aug 17, 2002
423
789
93
According to Rhonda “Facial Kix” Patrick, French press and espresso supposedly awful for you… eff off. However, buying paper filters for my espresso workflow.
 

ROGUE_

Sophomore
Jan 11, 2025
153
164
43
Want your coffee to hit extra hard? Down an LMNT(or any good hydration mix)before you drink your coffee. Great way to take the early edge off a hangie, too.
100% on board with drinking 8 ounces H2O with E-lytes first thing in the morning before dog walk and then having coffee. There’s a MEASURABLE difference in the length of the energy and how it hits.
 
  • Like
Reactions: anthonys735

Hank Camacho

Heisman
May 7, 2002
27,753
10,673
113
I meal prepped this afternoon and made an instant pot lasagna soup. It was amazing so I had two servings. Each serving is 250g of soup over 250g of cottage cheese. I realized I just ate a kilogram in about an hour. Great macros (thanks 93/7 ground beef from Sam's!) but still.

I am barely ambulatory now. Both because of that spread and the kettlebell workout today. We mixed it up and did 8 rounds of a single kettlebell complex that ends up being 4 cleans, 4 presses, and 4 rack front squats per round. Followed that up with the Cook Drill loaded carries. The Cook Drill is a waiter's carry, rack carry, and suitcase carry with one hand and then repeat with the other all without setting the bell down. I used a 20k bell. 44lbs doesn't sound like much but it adds up. Smoked.

@RunninRichie, are you still lean? Did you try to put on some muscle?

@jayroon41 you add any resistance training?
 

Kooky Kats

Senior
Aug 17, 2002
423
789
93
Not really much more to report in on, except the mirror. I look better. Scale and all its metrics be damned.

Pulled into gym parking lot at same time as my (former)trainer. She ranted about my rear delts needing to catch up and round out my shoulders.

She had a BootCamp class to teach at 5:30, but she had ten minutes prior and she shows me a movement where you have dumbbells in each hand and you brace your head on the back of an incline bench while extdending and pausing at top and bottom (like a reverse fly)… DO 50! With 15s was tough… got 44.

This was my leg day… she kept leaving her class, spotting me and bugging me.

I reckon I’m starting back with her in September after vacations and wife back earning as a teacher. Shiț’s expensive, but invaluable.
 

Kooky Kats

Senior
Aug 17, 2002
423
789
93
Yep. I didn’t get there

as mentioned previously, I do lateral raise machine every day…

3 sets, 30 reps / 30 partials 30#, 50#, 65#.

that’s was something for me to work up to, but paying dividends.
 

Kooky Kats

Senior
Aug 17, 2002
423
789
93
I’m building shoulders just fine…it is a way to not overburden a small muscle group …especially for a guy in mid-50s.

I’m not trying to say you’re wrong, or I’m right…here to learn.

This guy does similar:



Light weight, 25 reps (he does).
 

Bonzo_Cat

All-American
Oct 1, 2007
8,533
7,489
88
I used to think that way (along with bro splits and lifting 5-6 days a week) with smaller muscle groups but for me at least, that's just not the case. They respond the same as any large muscle, both positively and negatively.

Start here
  • The components of lifting responsibly as you age. (25:14)
  • Doing the least amount as possible to elicit the most amount of change. (39:08)
  • The benefits of isometrics. (44:21)
  • Eliminating junk volume. (53:19)

Should be treated as the gospel for anyone over 40, imo. This calendar year I've stuck to that, dialed in nutrition + sleep and have seen impressive strength gains and muscle development, without the aches, pains and perpetual soreness.

But if you feel like high reps are the ticket and you're getting results, go for it.
 
Last edited:

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,749
51,676
113
30 is just junk volume. 50 is insane. 6-12 with a couple in reserve. 2 minutes rest. Dying at 44 reps is asking for injury.
 

Kooky Kats

Senior
Aug 17, 2002
423
789
93
Many ways to skin a cat. Again, my shoulders look pretty juicy and striated. Additionally, from what I researched - less weight - more reps lessens chance for injury on smaller muscle groups. I came into this adventure with a whiffle ball shoulder injury that I have been careful with since jump.

I will look at Bonzs vid for contrary advice.

that said, I was annoyed that I just wasn’t left alone for leg day this am… I couldn’t eff around as I had to get to work. I wasn’t a fan of this dumbell movement anyway.

I like the face forward pec deck for rear delts… I just need to do them.

tomorrow is mega pull & shoulder day anyway with Bicep, back . Takes around 2 hours.
 

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,749
51,676
113
Also, it's not safer. As long as your form is good and you're not lifting too heavy, less reps, and not exhausting yourself is much safer. Ruining yourself at 44 reps to complete failure is asking for injury. Regardless, if it's 5 or 500#s. That's not an opinion, it's common sense.
 
Last edited:

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,749
51,676
113
Aren't you doing this before dawn, too? If it is working for you keep it up, I guess, but I'd be more worried about lack of recovery and sleep than anything else.
And on 1800 calories.

Not trying to pick on you, kook. I promise. I've made a bunch of these mistakes and I'm trying to help. You're the classic example of a former fat dude, that got his **** together, is under eating, and over training, because you're scared you're gonna put it all back on. Dude, you got this. You're not gonna put it back on. You don't need 2 hour bro splits and small female level calories to maintain it. In fact, you need the opposite. You need to find maintenance, dial in sleep, and focus on reducing your work load. Give yourself some credit for a job well done and trust you can keep going.
 
Feb 27, 2003
189
493
63
Might I suggest “hero” bread. Made from olive oil, comes in wraps, hotdog and hamburger buns, and regular white bread. Depending on what form you’re looking at anywhere from 5 to 10 grams protein, 0 sugar, 0 net carbs, high in fiber. I personally can’t really tell much of a difference in taste to regular bread or texture. Really easy way to sneak in an extra 10 or 20 grams of protein but for me personally a really nice way to sneak in extra protein for my kids. Made them some PB&J sandwiches for lunch and didnt feel as bad as I got them all an extra 10 grams of protein without them noticing.
 

pretzel__logic

All-American
Jul 20, 2020
1,528
6,873
113
I incorporate high rep volume at the very end of workouts but only against resistance bands. So, 100 tricep push downs in as few sets possible, etc. I treat it as blood flow more than anything else, 50 straight reps with weight sounds like hell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: anthonys735

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
37,523
57,829
113
He was unbelievably cut, as you could imagine. He had what they call "*** gutters" for the Rick and Morty fans.


 

Hank Camacho

Heisman
May 7, 2002
27,753
10,673
113
Might I suggest “hero” bread. Made from olive oil, comes in wraps, hotdog and hamburger buns, and regular white bread. Depending on what form you’re looking at anywhere from 5 to 10 grams protein, 0 sugar, 0 net carbs, high in fiber. I personally can’t really tell much of a difference in taste to regular bread or texture. Really easy way to sneak in an extra 10 or 20 grams of protein but for me personally a really nice way to sneak in extra protein for my kids. Made them some PB&J sandwiches for lunch and didnt feel as bad as I got them all an extra 10 grams of protein without them noticing.
Those macros are almost too good to be true. Look forward to trying this.

In the summer, an Ezekiel bread PB&J with a Fairlife shake and an apple is quite a nice healthy treat. The Ezekiel bread is substantial enough that it holds up in a lunch tote. It is more carby than that but still pretty solid macros when you consider the fiber.

Instead of trying to get in a bunch of steps in this heat, I've upped the intensity of my kettlebell workouts. I've focused on trying to get my heart rate up while using proper technique with each lift. The last thing I need is an injury from exercising. I've gotten as high as 180 and consistently get in a solid cardio workout in addition to the strength work. I know I will never get that big with kettlebells (at least as compared to barbells) but for a one stop shop three nights a week that I keep in a basket in my living room it is pretty clutch.

So I evangelize for kettlebells, anth, not rucking. Please don't slander my fitness autism.

Speaking of -- the harder I go with kbell workouts, the more I want my walks to be gentler and longer (hence avoiding this heat). My wife and I plan to do some hiking trips next year so I may try rucking again when we get closer but I'm not sold on whether it is worth the extra stress on my body with what I'm doing now. Until this heat passes, I'm sticking to three kettlebell sessions and a 45 minute mobility session per week. It is a stressful season at work for me, so I don't want to overdo.

My primary goal is to complete Dan John's Armor Building Formula with 24k/53 lb kettlebells before I turn 45 next May. That is an eight week program where you build up to completing thirty rounds in thirty minutes of the double kettlebell complex: 2 cleans, 1 press, and 3 squats in week 7 and 100 total presses in week 8. That is my proxy for overall strength and conditioning. I'm now (as of yesterday) starting to do the one arm version with the 53 lb bell. Last summer I completed the 8 week program with double 26 lb bells. That was sandbagging a bit just to make sure I completed it but still. I'm not mad at that progress in a year.

It is nice to see what some tortoise work over the long haul looks like. While it is nothing like kooky's transformation, looking back, I realized that I went from 190 almost 2 years ago to now about 185. The difference was then I could set my elbow on my fat gut. Now I have no gut. It has been a U-shaped transition with me getting down to 165 or so last summer, if I recall correctly. If the kettlebell weights keep improving and I'm not adding any belly fat, I'm not really going to worry much about it until this heat wave passes.
 
Last edited:

ROGUE_

Sophomore
Jan 11, 2025
153
164
43
I used to think that way (along with bro splits and lifting 5-6 days a week) with smaller muscle groups but for me at least, that's just not the case. They respond the same as any large muscle, both positively and negatively.

Start here
  • The components of lifting responsibly as you age. (25:14)
  • Doing the least amount as possible to elicit the most amount of change. (39:08)
  • The benefits of isometrics. (44:21)
  • Eliminating junk volume. (53:19)

Should be treated as the gospel for anyone over 40, imo. This calendar year I've stuck to that, dialed in nutrition + sleep and have seen impressive strength gains and muscle development, without the aches, pains and perpetual soreness.

But if you feel like high reps are the ticket and you're getting results, go for it.
I’m going to listen to this and see what I think as well. I’ve gone from making tremendous gains and my biggest lifts with bro splits post 40 and have switched as I said to high rep 12-20 rep sets with some dropsets worked in as well. I feel better and look better than I think I have almost ever. I’ll go back to heavy in a few months but for now this has been pretty amazing.
Saw a guy at the gym benching 315.. while doing flutter kicks. o_O

Had to give him some props.
You shouldn’t have, that’s what he was begging for really. There’s no reason to do those at the same time except for social media or gym acknowledgement, and no its not for his core, there are better ways to do that, but I mean hey people can do what they want I guess right. I’m just an old man yelling at clouds at this point, everyone needs likes these days…

-Got asked to leave a PF (a first for any gym) because I had jean shorts on…on the day Hulk Hogan died, how dare they? But honestly that was probably the best way to honor the legend, it’s how he would’ve wanted it. I had two sets left, empty gym maybe 8 people in the whole place, hadn’t spoken to a soul, dude comes up, “ummm sooo we have a uhhh policy, no jean shorts sooo ummmm I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

I said, I have gym shorts in my bag, I’ll change. Went changed, did my last two sets, changed back to jean shorts and walked to the front desk. I asked the guy who told him to come say that to me, it was obvious it was the slightly older than him chick. They said it could damage equipment and I said “I get that, but how come you didn’t ask me to change clothes, I have my whole gym bag with me? How come you haven’t said anything to the girl filming with a tripod, that’s against policy for sure it’s on your website (I definitely googled it while finishing the last two sets)? How come you don’t say anything to the guy that didn’t re-rack 4 plates on the smith machine over there or the people that don’t wipe equipment down? If I was an 80 year old out of shape lady with jeans on using a treadmill you wouldn’t have said anything, would you? It’s because I have a stringer tank and look like a “bodybuilder”.

Kept it calm and concise but just felt like I needed to call them on their ******** and she deserved it, couldn’t even come over and do her dirty work herself, sent her little trainer kid. They don’t mind collecting my monthly $13 until the once a blue moon I use it, and have GASP jean shorts on… I mean damn man, didn’t even get to set off a LUNK ALARM.
 

pretzel__logic

All-American
Jul 20, 2020
1,528
6,873
113
I'm dying at the mental image of a gym manager asking a patron to leave for showing up in jorts. (Hulk would have been better eulogized with a curls-only day wearing yellow and red, jorts are for Cena.)

That's right, brother. I have fitness 'tism (thanks Hank) AND wrasslin' 'tism.
 

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,749
51,676
113
*Do you even RUCK, Bro? Bro, you should trying RUCKing... it's walking but with a RUCK sack on. You gotta try RUCKing, Bro.

J/K. I'm actually gonna grab a vest for the treadmill.

*One thing I love about Hanks work outs, he's always trying new **** with long range goals. Great way to approach it in a sustainable way. Dieting and lifting can get old pretty quick.

*Love bands for a quick burner pump. I just love bands in general.

Of course there are exceptions to the rep range but in general it's just awful. Full body. Lower reps. Good rest between sets. I'm never sore. Bonz and I have each packed on 5# muscle in the last year doing it. All the main blow hards swear by it these days and for good reason.

*Speaking of emptying myself. 2 hour bike ride in 95 degree heat yesterday mid afternoon. According to strava I've bike 27k miles all time. :oops:

Stats from yesterday
1000015046.jpg
 

Hank Camacho

Heisman
May 7, 2002
27,753
10,673
113
*One thing I love about Hanks work outs, he's always trying new **** with long range goals. Great way to approach it in a sustainable way. Dieting and lifting can get old pretty quick.
Thank you. It has been a hard won habit. Probably the best thing I got out of all the mastermind group stuff with Dan John was the power of not chasing too many rabbits -- i.e., the power of maintaining one goal over time and slowly working to achieve it. I'm sure I could find earlier posts of mine in this very thread that would make me cringe with trying to do too many things at once. That almost always (for me) leads to me accomplishing nothing and burning out.

Ironically, my routine has been rigidly consistent since the beginning of the year. I only do two basic workouts and just alternate between them. Since I try to do 3 workouts per week, that leads to an alternating week schedule. In other words, one week I do A, B, A and the next week I do B, A, B. It is a great little scheme because it allows me (us, really, since I workout with my wife) to go really hard on the workout we only do once that week. The other workouts we keep about medium intensity and focus on great technique, etc. Over the course of a month, that's 4 really hard workouts and 8 mediumish workouts. Over time that builds up.

I do something similar with meal prep where I will have two breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks per week that I alternate between in order to prevent burnout. I try to keep the macros for each about the same so the math is easy, too.

Getting all of that stuff in place took months and, in some cases years, of trial and error but now it is really nice. It is precisely because we've got habits in place that are doable, repeatable, and enjoyable even in times of stress that I feel comfortable screwing around with ring dips, rucking, and the like.

As I'm sure you fellow ADDers in this thread are well aware, I've tried in my mind to switch goals possibly a billion times since I set it about a year ago. But I picked that goal because accomplishing it requires that I have the other parts of my fitness (and life, really) squared away in order to accomplish it. As it actually seems attainable, I'm getting kind of excited. I plan to start the ABF program in February next year. After I get it done, I think I want to try to get my first muscle up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pretzel__logic

ROGUE_

Sophomore
Jan 11, 2025
153
164
43
I'm dying at the mental image of a gym manager asking a patron to leave for showing up in jorts. (Hulk would have been better eulogized with a curls-only day wearing yellow and red, jorts are for Cena.)

That's right, brother. I have fitness 'tism (thanks Hank) AND wrasslin' 'tism.
Curls only day would’ve been better for sure. Tbf, Cena makes more sense. He, well and the Hulk, live here. I get “has anyone told you, you look like John Cena?” About 4x/week, enough to where before they even get to “John Cena” I start doing the “you can’t see me” hand gesture in front of my face which they always appreciate and my lady just rolls her eyes 😂.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BigCanuck50