Mindset; less guns, less fat, more time in the gym.

**Mr. Goodtimes** · 10-15-17, 10:40

Originally Posted by joffe

I also think it's a bit odd to consider benching bodyweight and pressing bodyweight overhead a single strength standard, because pressing your bodyweight overhead is about ten times harder than benching it.

Other than that this post is really something that most people on gun forums really need to read.

This was a screw up on my part when I was editing, it was supposed to be BW Bench x10. Thanks for pointing that out. I went back and corrected.

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**P2Vaircrewman** · 10-15-17, 15:12

Interesting thread.
A little back ground, I am a 73 year old male, 170 pounds, 5’10 ‘, 32 ‘ waist, played football and ran track in high school. After high school I ran anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week, 3 to 5 miles. Best 5K was 21 minutes, cholesterol always below 195. Also played tennis and scuba dived and swam, did off and on lifting, mostly off. I worked 33 years of rotating shift work in the chemical industry, retired in 2002. I have no diabetes and take minimal medication.

At age 54 I started having discomfort in my chest while running, I ended up requiring 3 bypasses but no heart damage. I returned to running 8 weeks after the bypass.

In 2007 I began having sciatic pain and numbness in my legs and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and had a laminectomy at L5. As clearance for the surgery I had a stress test and angiogram that revealed one bypass had become blocked. No physical intervention was possible. I was proscribed statins and found I had a very bad reaction to them and discontinued use. I began running again once the back healed. About 5 years ago I decreased my running because of low back pain and then 3 years ago I started experiencing sciatic pain again in my right leg.

An MRI revealed spondylolisthesis at L4/L5. I went through physical therapy and spinal injection with no improvement. Fusion at L4/L5 was recommended but after one back surgery I was leery of another. I decide to continue physical therapy on my own. I joined a local health club doing strength training mostly on machines. As I gained strength I moved to free weight but remained conscious of loading up my back.

During one particularly strenuous work out I had discomfort similar to that I had prior to the bypass. I took a stress test which indicated better than in 2007 but because of the discomfort I experienced an angiogram was done and it indicated that a second bypass had become blocked. Again no physical intervention was possible but because of collateral artery growth as a result of my years of strenuous exercise my heart was receiving sufficient blood flow in all but the most strenuous exertion.

About 12 months ago I began doing back squats and dead lifts, within weeks my sciatic pain went away and has never returned. I put on 20 pounds of muscle weight and can press and squat 150 pounds and dead lift 220. My routine is two days a week, squats on one day dead lifts on the other, bench press, overhead press, pullups, shrugs, curls and tricep push downs every session.

Two years ago I started on a new cholesterol lowering medication that is not a statin that has lowered my cholesterol to less than 95 with no side effects. Initial studies have shown it to reverse blockages at a rate of 1% to 2% a year.

I am thinking of doing some running using HIIT rather than distance.

All in all there are no guarantees. When I first walked into my new cardiologist’s office after my bypass the first thing he said was, “I don’t know why you are here.” Meaning I did not fit the preconceived notion of a typical person with heart issues. I was not overweight, a nonsmoker, moderate alcohol usage, cholesterol below 200 and physically active. I believe that the stress of 33 years of shift work and some family issues was a contributor to my heart problems.
As for shooting I have my own range and I have taken several local pistol and carbine classes. I shoot as often as I can being on a fixed income, LOL.

**Mr. Goodtimes** · 10-15-17, 16:25

Originally Posted by P2Vaircrewman

Interesting thread.
A little back ground, I am a 73 year old male, 170 pounds, 5’10 ‘, 32 ‘ waist, played football and ran track in high school. After high school I ran anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week, 3 to 5 miles. Best 5K was 21 minutes, cholesterol always below 195. Also played tennis and scuba dived and swam, did off and on lifting, mostly off. I worked 33 years of rotating shift work in the chemical industry, retired in 2002. I have no diabetes and take minimal medication.

At age 54 I started having discomfort in my chest while running, I ended up requiring 3 bypasses but no heart damage. I returned to running 8 weeks after the bypass.

In 2007 I began having sciatic pain and numbness in my legs and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and had a laminectomy at L5. As clearance for the surgery I had a stress test and angiogram that revealed one bypass had become blocked. No physical intervention was possible. I was proscribed statins and found I had a very bad reaction to them and discontinued use. I began running again once the back healed. About 5 years ago I decreased my running because of low back pain and then 3 years ago I started experiencing sciatic pain again in my right leg.

An MRI revealed spondylolisthesis at L4/L5. I went through physical therapy and spinal injection with no improvement. Fusion at L4/L5 was recommended but after one back surgery I was leery of another. I decide to continue physical therapy on my own. I joined a local health club doing strength training mostly on machines. As I gained strength I moved to free weight but remained conscious of loading up my back.

During one particularly strenuous work out I had discomfort similar to that I had prior to the bypass. I took a stress test which indicated better than in 2007 but because of the discomfort I experienced an angiogram was done and it indicated that a second bypass had become blocked. Again no physical intervention was possible but because of collateral artery growth as a result of my years of strenuous exercise my heart was receiving sufficient blood flow in all but the most strenuous exertion.

About 12 months ago I began doing back squats and dead lifts, within weeks my sciatic pain went away and has never returned. I put on 20 pounds of muscle weight and can press and squat 150 pounds and dead lift 220. My routine is two days a week, squats on one day dead lifts on the other, bench press, overhead press, pullups, shrugs, curls and tricep push downs every session.

Two years ago I started on a new cholesterol lowering medication that is not a statin that has lowered my cholesterol to less than 95 with no side effects. Initial studies have shown it to reverse blockages at a rate of 1% to 2% a year.

I am thinking of doing some running using HIIT rather than distance.

All in all there are no guarantees. When I first walked into my new cardiologist’s office after my bypass the first thing he said was, “I don’t know why you are here.” Meaning I did not fit the preconceived notion of a typical person with heart issues. I was not overweight, a nonsmoker, moderate alcohol usage, cholesterol below 200 and physically active. I believe that the stress of 33 years of shift work and some family issues was a contributor to my heart problems.
As for shooting I have my own range and I have taken several local pistol and carbine classes. I shoot as often as I can being on a fixed income, LOL.

Awesome story and thanks for posting it! I’d say your doctor is likely right in that shift work was likely the primary contributing factor in your heart problems. Heart problems are very common in people who spend a career doing shift work. I know heart issues are very common in the fire and police world.

While being physically fit is no guarantee that you don’t develop and sort of health problems, it’s obviously very effective at preventing them, and also in mitigating them. Had you not been so physically fit your whole life, you likely would not be in as great a shape as you are now. Also congrats on your accomplishments in the gym, I feel like those are impressive numbers for someone in your age/weight category! Keep it up!

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**Mr. Goodtimes** · 10-15-17, 16:41

Originally Posted by pinzgauer

My learning: desk work is the new smoking

Yes x100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001

One of the primary reasons that we have seen such a dramatic rise in health problems is because our society has gone largely from one that works manual labor jobs and eats real food to one that does desk jobs and eats shit food.

I disagree about carbohydrates. I don’t personally think high carbohydrate diets are bad for you and much research backs this up. Depending on your lifestyle and caloric needs. Another key factor is what kind of carbs? 300 grams a day of carbs from potato’s and rice is not the same thing as mainlining milk shakes. Look at societies where they eat a large amount of rice like Japan and most of the rest of Asia, those people are exceptionally healthy.

Our obsession here in The United States and most of Western Europe with low carb is because most people in these areas are sedentary and don’t exercise.

I eat around 300 grams of carbs per day and I’m lean. It’s about timing and following macros. I’m leaner, more muscular, stronger and feel better eating a higher carb diet. Now.. my carbs come exclusively from fruit, vegetables, rice and potato’s. Consider too that I work a part/full time job as a climbing Arborist in addition to maintaining a workout regimen that would probably kill most Americans. Big difference than someone who’s sedentary and eating Mac and cheese all day. Thus why I explain that my caloric needs and values are going to be different than someone who works a desk job and goes to the gym 2-3 times a week for 30-60 min of half assed exercise.

**usmcvet** · 10-16-17, 10:37

Great thread. Fitness is so important and an area many don't pay enough attention to. I know it I've caught myself spending too much time on guns and gear and thought what's the point if you are not fit. The time spent on the gear and talking about it could be better spent on exercise and eating right. Gotta go get on the Airdyne and hit the bench press on my lunch break!

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**kerplode** · 10-16-17, 12:13

Yup...Nobody likes the fat kid. Trust me, I know. I've been listening to some version or another of your stupid rant for the last 40 year.

I've tried all the eating plans...high carb, low carb, low calorie, paleo, Whole30 until it became a borderline eating disorder. Guess what...No change. Still fat.

I have a desk job but I'm not really that sedentary. About a 18months ago I joined a gym and worked with a trainer. I hit it hard for about 6 months...Three times a week. At first I felt great. Lost some weight and gained some muscle. As the weeks ground by, though, I started to not recover. I'd go into a workout barely able to move. Then I started to get sick. Eventually the fatigue got so bad I could barely manage to get out of bed to go to work. Went to the Medical Dummy. He didn't know shit about what was going on (big surprise there), so I just stopped going. I still have fatigue issues, but at least I get out of bed to come drive my desk.

Anyway, I no longer give any ****s.

**WillBrink** · 10-16-17, 12:30

Originally Posted by kerplode

Yup...Nobody likes the fat kid. Trust me, I know. I've been listening to some version or another of your stupid rant for the last 40 year.

I've tried all the eating plans...high carb, low carb, low calorie, paleo, Whole30 until it became a borderline eating disorder. Guess what...No change. Still fat.

I have a desk job but I'm not really that sedentary. About a 18months ago I joined a gym and worked with a trainer. I hit it hard for about 6 months...Three times a week. At first I felt great. Lost some weight and gained some muscle. As the weeks ground by, though, I started to not recover. I'd go into a workout barely able to move. Then I started to get sick. Eventually the fatigue got so bad I could barely manage to get out of bed to go to work. Went to the Medical Dummy. He didn't know shit about what was going on (big surprise there), so I just stopped going. I still have fatigue issues, but at least I get out of bed to come drive my desk.

Anyway, I no longer give any ****s.

You might want to consider a full hormonal work up done. Assuming the other variables are GTG yet issues like that arise, a full hormonal panel is my recommended next step.

**Mr. Goodtimes** · 10-16-17, 12:37

Originally Posted by kerplode

Yup...Nobody likes the fat kid. Trust me, I know. I've been listening to some version or another of your stupid rant for the last 40 year.

I've tried all the eating plans...high carb, low carb, low calorie, paleo, Whole30 until it became a borderline eating disorder. Guess what...No change. Still fat.

I have a desk job but I'm not really that sedentary. About a 18months ago I joined a gym and worked with a trainer. I hit it hard for about 6 months...Three times a week. At first I felt great. Lost some weight and gained some muscle. As the weeks ground by, though, I started to not recover. I'd go into a workout barely able to move. Then I started to get sick. Eventually the fatigue got so bad I could barely manage to get out of bed to go to work. Went to the Medical Dummy. He didn't know shit about what was going on (big surprise there), so I just stopped going. I still have fatigue issues, but at least I get out of bed to come drive my desk.

Anyway, I no longer give any ****s.

It sounds to me like your biggest problem is mindset. You didn’t turn into a fat turd overnight and you’re not going to reverse it overnight either. It also sounds like your trainer was potentially overtraining and under feeding you. It’s possible you may have some other health issues too. I would suggest getting blood work done to see what your Testosterone levels and Thyroid levels look like and then go from there.

It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind though, so, I do wish you the best on your road to an unnecessarily early and miserable death. Hopefully you haven’t already procreated.

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**Mr. Goodtimes** · 10-16-17, 12:40

Originally Posted by usmcvet

Great thread. Fitness is so important and an area many don't pay enough attention to. I know it I've caught myself spending too much time on guns and gear and thought what's the point if you are not fit. The time spent on the gear and talking about it could be better spent on exercise and eating right. Gotta go get on the Airdyne and hit the bench press on my lunch break!

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It is easy, guns and gear are fun and it’s not hard at all to get suckered into researching gear you don’t need or spending time at the range when you could benefit far more from hitting the trails or the weight room. Often times I don’t want to work out but I do, because I know it’s what’s good. It’s almost an instinct.

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