Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 29, 2024, 12:09:12 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Anyone else getting fit in Covid?

Started by Johnny Textface, November 07, 2020, 01:13:03 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

MojoJojo

More likely it's just provided better data to apple. The watch can't measure vo2 max directly, it measures lots of things and estimates from that. Until recently you needed to do a high intensity work out to get a measurement.

popcorn

Ah yes that makes sense.

However we will see who is eating whose words once I am of average fitness. >:-(

shiftwork2

The next category is Above Average.

I am currently Low, aspiring to Below Average.  Fucking hell.

popcorn

Quote from: shiftwork2 on May 06, 2021, 09:35:42 PM
The next category is Above Average.

Wow you're right! This is going to be brilliant.

QuoteI am currently Low, aspiring to Below Average.  Fucking hell.

Apparently the brackets move with age, so you could just wait a bit and then you'll jump a category!

popcorn

Today my trainer had me pushing over a big heavy tyre six times and then pushing boxes and then picking up a heavy ball and slamming it down as hard as I could 10 times in a row. I said "this is like Fun House" and he said "I've never heard of it".

bgmnts

Quote from: popcorn on May 06, 2021, 10:53:51 PM
Today my trainer had me pushing over a big heavy tyre six times and then pushing boxes and then picking up a heavy ball and slamming it down as hard as I could 10 times in a row. I said "this is like Fun House" and he said "I've never heard of it".

You could just get a job in a factory or on a construction site and at least get paid for that level of punishment.

Blue Jam

Quote from: bgmnts on May 06, 2021, 11:06:44 PM
You could just get a job in a factory or on a construction site and at least get paid for that level of punishment.

https://youtu.be/LkNxvUrWQ_Q

Drygate

Is it true the covid vaccines are more effective if you are healthy or healthier?

I know this is true of other vaccines, but if it applies to the covid ones, seems like another reason to get fit?

Blue Jam

Getting fit generally involves increasing one's lung function, so in that sense getting fit should make one less likely to die of Covid. I have no idea if fitness is linked to immune function though. It can't hurt to move around a bit more though (unless you're injured or severely asthmatic or something).

MojoJojo

Quote from: Drygate on May 07, 2021, 02:59:09 PM
Is it true the covid vaccines are more effective if you are healthy or healthier?

I know this is true of other vaccines, but if it applies to the covid ones, seems like another reason to get fit?

This is a weird question. Getting fit is not the same as getting healthy.

Not being obese and having good lung function will lower your risk of dying of coronavirus-covid-19, whether you've been vaccinated or not.

popcorn

This is the worst exercise FYI.



Quote from: MojoJojo on May 08, 2021, 02:25:42 AM
This is a weird question. Getting fit is not the same as getting healthy.

Not being obese and having good lung function will lower your risk of dying of coronavirus-covid-19, whether you've been vaccinated or not.

Didn't seem like a weird question to me, and I don't think you've really addressed it. Does being healthier and having had the vaccine lower your vulnerability to covid simply because covid is less likely to kill you if you're healthy anyway, or does it also enable the vaccine to work better in some way?

Drygate

Thanks. Yes, I asked as I read this review or something similar https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01466-1 that said that "Regular, moderate to vigorous physical activity is associated with reduced risk of community-acquired infectious diseases and infectious disease mortality, enhances the first line of defence of the immune system, and increases the potency of vaccination."

I couldn't see anything related to the covid vaccines specifically as it's quite hard to search for stuff related to the covid vaccines as there's so much stuff online about them.

There was this too from the Graun:

Pfizer vaccine may be less effective in people with obesity, says study
This article is more than 2 months old
Healthcare workers with obesity found to produce only about half the antibodies healthy people do
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/28/pfizer-vaccine-less-effective-obesity-study

But being obese isn't the same as being unhealthy or unfit, I assume?

I know obese people the super spreaders so there are many benefits to losing weight regarding covid. But I probably overlooked the fact that fit, healthy, and non-obese aren't the same thing.

Bu yeah, I can't see anything that says being fit and/or healthy helps specifically with the covid vaccines, hence my question.

thugler

Quote from: popcorn on May 06, 2021, 06:37:56 PM
This is my cardio fitness level (VO2 max) for the last 2 months according to my Apple Watch. I am currently at 39.9, making my fitness level below average. Cringe!!! A range of 43-50 is average, apparently.



The bump - from 39.0 to 39.9 - coincides with when I started personal training sessions (the only serious exercise I've done in the whole period - all other exercise was just walking, no jogging or biking or anything). This is surprising and interesting to me - can a mere two hours of serious cardio in bump your fitness by an entire point?

To be honest, if you're still aggressively trying to lose weight I'm not that surprised that you're not peaking by this measure. Also presumably this is just the watch doing a calculation based on it's imperfect interpretation of your heart rate? A better measure might be to do the same decent length run every week, note how quickly you manage it, how you feel, and I suppose you can measure other things with the watch too. I find that's the easiest way to find out what level my cardio fitness is at.

Jack Shaftoe

I've been doing the calorie counting, like others here, which worked brilliantly for the first couple of weeks and then of course I got complacent and started snacking, so it crept back up again. Back at it again now, down from 15st 1lb at the start of April to 14st 8 now.

I did see a theory that after you've cut calories for a while, fat cells in the body get temporarily replaced by water to keep them match fit, so it doesn't feel like you're getting anywhere. This theory was immediately sneered at by people who claimed to be actual medical types, but I liked it, so I've decided to embrace it. Certainly explains why people who you know have been working hard at losing weight and/or exercising hard for months don't look any different, then suddenly look completely different almost overnight (as, in the theory I've embraced, the fat cells go 'oh fuck it then' and go away).

As I said, almost certainly nonsense, but it might be helpful if you feel like you're not getting anywhere.

Blue Jam

Anyone here actually had a consultation with a dietician before? When I told my asthma nurse I had been struggling to lose weight she recommended the GP at the practice who just happened to have qualified as a dietician recently and made me an appointment. Had a phone consultation today and he basically told me to lay off the smoothies and start eating more solid food, because while fruit, oats etc are nutritious, smashing them up in a blender makes them a bit too easy to digest and that's probably what's been making me feel really fucking hungry all the fucking time and wanting to eat sugar to make it stop. Think I need a good way to stop consuming junk food in quarantine.

Gonna get on the museli and wholegrain toast for a bit, see what happens. Got a proper appointment in a few days and am slightly dreading it, I just feel so much shame over these things.

kittens

got to just off my very fattest ever in february this year. i have since lost over three stone and am the proud owner of a healthy bmi for the first time in years. bit more to go now. my trick is to eat hardly any food ever and not to have any booze although there was one week where i got drunk every day and ate loads of pasta and crisps, and also one weekend where i got pissed and ate loads of pasta and crisps. imagine where i would be now if i had not done that. doesnt bear thinking about.

Jack Shaftoe

Meh, you have to have a wobble and get past it every now and then, three stone is a lot, well done! My plan is to get down from 15st to somewhere around 13-ish (I'm 6 foot 2 so beyond that I'd probably start to look a bit scarecrow-like).  Got down to 14st 7 this morning.

I do slightly worry that banging on about weight loss in front of my kids isn't ideal, so I try to talk about it more as getting to a healthy weight (still shuddering from my doctor a while ago saying 'well, you're not grossly overweight') and staying there, rather than 'losing weight always = good'.

willbo

early last year I bought a 3-rows pack of off-brand Polish triple Oreos with with 3 layers of biscuit/2 of cream and ate them all in a day, it was a real wake up call for me and the feel of that day has stayed with me

Jack Shaftoe

The whole calorie counting thing has made me realise how much I snack because I'm bored and want distraction rather than because I'm hungry. The dangers of being self-employed and working from home. Turns out I can still snack, and that's fine, I'm just less likely to eat a whole variety bag of crisps.

popcorn

Four consecutive days of weight loss. After an entire month of basically no change, I've lost 1.3kg in four days. I'M OUT OF THE PLATEAU LADS.

Jack Shaftoe

Excellent work! I think this thread might be helping me through the plateau actually.

Blue Jam

Went to the dietitian, got told that making smoothies and drinking protein shakes and eating yogurt seems healthy but because I'm taking my food in a liquid form that's very easy to digest my body processes it quickly and gets an insulin spike followed by a crash and that's why I've been so fucking hungry all the time.

Been reminded not to fear carbs, and that even bread and potatoes are fine as long as it's wholegrain bread and the spuds are boiled with the skins on and very definitely not mashed. Just load of good solid fibre basically.

More solids for me then, and I've been feeling much better for it and not craving chocolate and other high GI crap. Feeling less inclined to drink booze as well.

Seems like common sense now, but really it's not easy at all, there's so much conflicting information out there. Anyway, feeling properly motivated now for the first time in ages.

thugler

Quote from: Blue Jam on May 12, 2021, 07:42:58 PM
Went to the dietitian, got told that making smoothies and drinking protein shakes and eating yogurt seems healthy but because I'm taking my food in a liquid form that's very easy to digest my body processes it quickly and gets an insulin spike followed by a crash and that's why I've been so fucking hungry all the time.

Been reminded not to fear carbs, and that even bread and potatoes are fine as long as it's wholegrain bread and the spuds are boiled with the skins on and very definitely not mashed. Just load of good solid fibre basically.

More solids for me then, and I've been feeling much better for it and not craving chocolate and other high GI crap. Feeling less inclined to drink booze as well.

Seems like common sense now, but really it's not easy at all, there's so much conflicting information out there. Anyway, feeling properly motivated now for the first time in ages.

That's good news about bread! Always feel guilty about having it but it's ridiculously delicious.

Blue Jam

#443
Quote from: thugler on May 13, 2021, 10:42:01 AM
That's good news about bread! Always feel guilty about having it but it's ridiculously delicious.

We also had a good chat about how it can be better to make some of these carby foods from scratch because that way you know exactly what you're eating and it'll probably taste nicer. I like to make my own musesli so I can avoid all the added sugar, malt extract, sweeteners, sweetened fruit etc (and raisins). I just buy a packet of rolled oats and add things I like, such as nuts, cocount and raspberries. Also as a packet of oats from Lidl costs about 75p making your own is also just a fuck of a lot cheaper. It's amazing how much more filling it is as well, I guess that's because there's no refined sugar in there in lieu of tastier but more expensive ingredients.

Bread, then: Do you bake? I made some nice dark rye bread the other day- lots of slow-release carbs and just four ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt), no nasties and it did the job of keeping me full longer than any supermarket bread could have done. And it tasted better too. I'd recommend getting some good wholewheat or rye or "granary" flour and maybe a book of recipes, or just reading the baking thread here. Alternatively you could you just try finding a really good bakery and letting them do the work.

Blue Jam

Gonna make Ronnie O'Sullivan's pizza today:

https://ronnieo147.com/2019/05/16/publishing-day/

The dough is made with 250g of flour and 250g of yogurt, plus a bit of salt and baking powder. It taste nothing like a naan and is very filling even in one small thin pizza base (the recipe makes two). It's not unlike this one:

https://www.weightwatchers.com/uk/recipe/two-ingredient-pizza-dough/5e14718ef06422013f105986

Obviously you're supposed to top it with a bit of passata and not too much cheese and get a bit of veg on there. I've done one with roasted tomatoes and basil before, going to do some ham and mushroom pizzas later with loads o' mushrooms.

popcorn

Quote from: Jack Shaftoe on May 12, 2021, 06:46:11 PM
Excellent work! I think this thread might be helping me through the plateau actually.

DON'T STOP BELIEVING

mikeyg27

Quote from: Blue Jam on May 13, 2021, 11:00:22 AM
We also had a good chat about how it can be better to make some of these carby foods from scratch because that way you know exactly what you're eating and it'll probably taste nicer.

I'd never fully commit to the lifestyle because it's far too much hassle and I don't have the discipline, but I definitely think there's something to be said for paleo diets and / or meal prep. I'm on a short 5-week diet / exercise plan because I've put on 6kgs since the new year (I almost gave up weights stuff completely during lockdown, I can't really go running due to a knee problem, and my dietary discipline is tied to my exercise habits) and all I'm really doing is avoiding refined crap and snacking whilst diving back into weights stuff at the gym.

Drygate

Yeah, I feel like there's too many downsides of the ultra processed food (tend to be way too easy to overeat, usually laden with calories, and often aren't even that filling) that mean they're best avoided. The paleo/whole foods approach does seem to have some science behind it too. Or at least the case for calories in vs calories out or all calories are equal isn't as strong as it once was.

Trying to lose weight/fat now the gyms are open again is a bit of a mind mash. Before the gym was open I was happy to see numbers on the scales do down as it probably meant I was losing fat and eating the right amount. Now I'm lifting weights again, the numbers aren't as helpful a guide as to whether I'm eating the right amount or not as you have to take into potential muscle growth from the gym etc then worry about whether you're getting enough protein for recovery etc. I've already put on a KG or two. Is it muscle is it fat? Who knows.... It can mess with your head! All I want is a massive bench, huge guns, abs and the ability to eat pizza whenever I want. I don't feel like that's too much to ask for?

kittens

found out today i am 1 inch shorter than i thought and i am still overweight even though i have lost a further 3lbs from monday. why must i be short. still, only two lbs to go until i'm where i thought i was on monday. had to recalibrate my target weight, which is now set to a weight that i would have thought impossible months ago, but now seems achievable. soon to be ex fat man

JamesTC

Quote from: kittens on May 14, 2021, 03:52:47 PM
found out today i am 1 inch shorter than i thought and i am still overweight even though i have lost a further 3lbs from monday. why must i be short. still, only two lbs to go until i'm where i thought i was on monday. had to recalibrate my target weight, which is now set to a weight that i would have thought impossible months ago, but now seems achievable. soon to be ex fat man

If you do exercises which work the core, you gain a little height.

I've gained an inch since I started running.