*.* 2014 General Fitness Thread *.*

[penguinz]

Welcome to 2014! Now get your ass in top physical condition!

No one else started it so here it is!

**From the 2013 Thread**

If you want to get back into lifting, or need a new lifting routine, START HERE:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs

If you have questions about the SS programs, look here:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ

Keep in mind that you're a novice lifter for a longer period of time than you think you are. Novice lifting can last anywhere from a few months to a year or two, depending on how hard you hit the weights and where you started.

Once you've reached the point where you don't make regular progress on the SS program, you are ready to move on to the intermediate stage, which can last you for a good number of years. Find it HERE:

http://madcow.hostzi.com/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

If you're a very advanced lifter (many, many years of CONSISTENT weight training), then there are lot of programs out there, and which one you pick is simply a matter of preference. If you're really that advanced, you should know what works for you and what doesn't by this point.

[luv]

I now have a 14" neck. It was 15.5" when I started. Just thought that was interesting.

Down 10% body fat! 9.4% to go to reach my goal of 25%!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by luv

I now have a 14" neck.

[el borracho]

Looks like Harvey Williams.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Omaha

I do care what the animal ate, although it can be tough to know. I try to avoid meat full of hormones and drugs as best I can.

You could just avoid the hassle altogether and stop being a parasitic scavenger eating dead animal flesh.

See those magpie's and turkey vultures nibbling on that hunk of roadkill? That's fresher meat than what you are grilling on the BBQ this week.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

That's fresher meat than what you are grilling on the BBQ this week.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I drink a beer after my workouts. Excellent recovery drink.

Recent studies recommend non-alcoholic beer.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/0...ype=blogs&_r=0

Alcohol reduces testosterone production and hops is a natural estrogenic.

Alcohol in general, especially when it is abused, increases estrogen levels and decreases testosterone

Men's sexual behaviors can be affected dramatically by alcohol. Both chronic and acute alcohol consumption have been shown in most [3][4][5] (but not all[6]) studies to inhibit testosterone production in the testes. This is believed to be caused by the metabolism of alcohol reducing the NAD+/NADH ratio both in the liver and the testes; since the synthesis of testosterone requires NAD+, this tends to reduce testosterone production.[7][8]

As testosterone is critical for libido and physical arousal, alcohol tends to have deleterious effects on male sexual performance. Studies have been conducted that indicate increasing levels of alcohol intoxication produce a significant degradation in male masturbatory effectiveness (MME). This degradation was measured by measuring blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and ejaculation latency.[9] Alcohol intoxication can decrease sexual arousal, decrease pleasureability and intensity of orgasm, and increase difficulty in attaining orgasm

Alcohol use affects all three parts of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, a system of endocrine glands and hormones involved in male reproduction. Alcohol use is associated with low testosterone and altered levels of additional reproductive hormones

Hops contain a substance called 8-prenylnaringenin which acts as a phytoestrogen, mimicking the effects of natural estrogen in the body. Being sedative, hops may actually help with insomnia. But for a male, the combination of “sedation” and “high levels of estrogen” are deadly, leading to low sex drive, lower energy, man boobs, and abdominal fat.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by NewChief

When I get dairy cravings, it helps me to think of milk as udder puss.

For a while now, I've found the consumption of milk somewhat repugnant.

I mean, you are drinking cow tit juice.

Why in the **** would someone drink milk from a cow's tit?

Would you drink a dog's milk?

If no, what's the difference between drinking milk from a cow tit versus a dog tit?

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by luv

I now have a 14" neck. It was 15.5" when I started. Just thought that was interesting.

Down 10% body fat! 9.4% to go to reach my goal of 25%!

You've done an amazing job. When you reach your fitness/health goal, immediately switch what your goal is to be, as in make your goal to MAINTAIN what you have worked so hard to accomplish. That's where I ****ed up hard. I lost all that weight, looked good and felt good, then was all "Welp, that's over now that I reached my goals", and returned to being a fat bastard for no good reason.

Learn from my mistakes.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Bowser

You've done an amazing job. When you reach your fitness/health goal, immediately switch what your goal is to be, as in make your goal to MAINTAIN what you have worked so hard to accomplish. That's where I ****ed up hard. I lost all that weight, looked good and felt good, then was all "Welp, that's over now that I reached my goals", and returned to being a fat bastard for no good reason.

Learn from my mistakes.

That doesn't sound like a very inspiring or motivating goal to me.

[Silock]

Jesus Christ. Alcohol does not lower testosterone by a significant amount unless you habitually drink a LOT of it.

It can raise it:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12711931

It can stay the same:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10642377

It can lower it slightly: (OMG 6.8%!!!)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15166654

It can lower it by even more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2128439

But all of these effects are transient. It's just not that big of a deal. Soy can be far more estrogenic.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

If no, what's the difference between drinking milk from a cow tit versus a dog tit?

Fat content, solid content, and ease of milking. Not all mammal milk is the same. Shocking. Cow milk is incredibly similar to human milk and it's easy to work with to make dairy products. Not true of all mammals.

So yeah. That's why we don't drink dog milk.

[RunKC]

Tried the whole vegan thing. Lasted 3 days. The only way I can see myself staying with it is if I was rich like Ellen Degeneres and Woody Harrelson.

You know they eat great vegan shit with those personal chefs and high priced foods.

Oh, and **** Tofu. That shit was awful.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Tried the whole vegan thing. Lasted 3 days. The only way I can see myself staying with it is if I was rich like Ellen Degeneres and Woody Harrelson.

You know they eat great vegan shit with those personal chefs and high priced foods.

Oh, and **** Tofu. That shit was awful.

What high priced foods?

Lentils, beans, quinoa, mushrooms, etc. are substantially cheaper than their animal protein equivalents.

And if you are cutting out all of the dairy products, processed garbage foods, etc., your basket is going to be clean and much less expensive.

And I see you ran into the typical "**** ****ing Tofu" problem that the vast majority of vegan noobs run into.

Think of it as a blank slate, a clean palate for your creative culinary expression of the moment. There is so much you can do with it.

And, to be honest, I don't eat tofu that much. I think that there are many more protein alternatives available.

Eating vegan well requires a bit more creativity, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy and the taste, variety and quality of your food will be excellent. Case in point, I made some mother ****ing awesome eggplant sammiches today for lunch. Marinated the peeled and sliced eggplant in white wine, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, Italian spices and then dredged them in seasoned (salt, pepper, onion powder, a little paprika) flour, into a soy milk & green Tabasco wash, then coated in Panko. Fried them in olive oil over medium heat.

Dressed some ciabatta rolls with a white bean and garlic hummus, topped the eggplant with sautéed red peppers and onions, put on a slice of vegan mozzarella cheese, melted the cheese in the oven, then added sliced tomatoes and spring mix.

Easy as pie, and they were freaking terrific.

You should have PM'd me when you decided to hit the vegan cleanse. I would have happily given you some tips and pointers to help guide you on the path towards enlightenment and ascension.

[Aspengc8]

Originally Posted by Douche Baggins

Drinking milk with sugar in it is a great idea.

Comon bro, everyone knows you only have 20 mins before you miss teh anabolic window. Gotta get some sugar in to replenish glycogen and spike insulin!

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I have never heard that one before. Next thing you know people are going to be eating frosted cakes for breakfast.

IIFYM

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

What's the point of a diet if you aren't going to cheat and make exceptions?

Not sure if serious but eating paleo means you are eating only certain kinds of food, kind of like vegetarians and vegans. And you don't see them making exceptions. If a vegetarian did make an exception, like eating chicken, well then they really aren't a vegetarian.