Brontus's fitness log

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Starting point:
Tracking calories for straight up weight loss. Calories in Calories out.
I'm using an app called MyNetDiary that a nurse friend recommended.
I managed to lose about 6 lbs in a few weeks according to my scale. My pants are fitting looser.
My goal is to get down to 267, by July 1st. Arbitary, but I hope to visit Canada this summer since the borders are open and see a friend who lives there.

I have PKU, which is a metabolic disorder preventing me from eating a lot of protein. I shouldn't, but I do. It's just so good.
It's a rare disorder I was born with and I've been on different forms of treatment over the years. Still am.
I have ADHD that I'm on medicine for now. It's put in a better place. I didn't realize how out of control I became.

I also have depression and anxiety. Some of that has subsided with the ADHD medicine even though that's not it's purpose.
I have more energy in the evenings. I'm currently playing catch up with some things that I didn't realize had piled up so much because of a depressive state I sunk into.
My mental processing capacity and ability to focus have increased.

I have high blood pressure that I'm taking two medicines for at max dosage each of 50mg.
I have not been measuring it, but I should.

I am out of shape. My respatory endurance is not what it was. My strength has diminished a bit. I pushed a few cars out of the snow and ice last winter and while a couple people called me strong (physics did most the work), I could barely breathe to save my life.

I want to look cool in costumes. Proportional.
Right now, I feel I look like a troll.
I've given up the idea that I will have an athletic lean body. I'm more accepting that my peak body image would be something more along the lines of the Hulk.
I have not been exercising for mental health reasons, so I will need to start light when I do.

I may not update this log every day, but we'll see. Maybe I'll make it a ritual.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Thank you for the welcomes and well wishes :ss:
I started the article "Training On The Weekends vs Training Every Day" the other day and finished it this evening.
It mentioned "hidden exercise" - to which I thought about the position I just applied for at work. My position right now has me chained to a desk and phone. The position I applied for will have me quite the opposite. It will require me to be more active, walking around the university campus, which is awesome. If I get the position, one plan might be "hidden" exercise during the week, warrior on the weekend.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Brontus, It seems like you are in a much better place mentally than you have been in. Glad to see it and hope things continue to improve.
Yes indeed. Thank you. Good to see you. 🙂

Weighed in at 328.8 lbs today. Within the last couple weeks, I've been feeling a pant-size smaller. I will have to buy some and see if that's true. Most likely just been losing water weight right now.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hello all, just checking in.
Ran the Darebee fitness test today and have established my fitness level of 1.
Been looking programs and workouts and challenges to get a sense of what I want to begin with.

I'm also working on improving my microbiome. Bananas and oatmeal for prebiotics and dill pickles, sauerkraut, and pickled beets for some additional prebiotics. Had an bad experience with some fast food yesterday, Friday. I've had bad experiences like it before, but this one hit different. Resolved to get things back under control. Considered only consuming oatmeal for a while, but probably not the best idea.

Since food has always been an uphill battle for many reasons, if I can discipline myself to eat how I need to and not how I want to, I might be able to apply that discipline to other areas of life.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checking in.
Looking at workouts and such.
My doc wants me to log a month's worth of blood pressure measurements. Thought I might pair that up with a program. Look at starting at "Square One", as it were. Other workouts would some simple isometrics and upper body punches. I realized today that I haven't worked up a good sweat in quite a while.

For my metabolic disorder, I need to send in blood samples to get tested for phenylalanine levels. My most recent level, from the end of November was a 4.2. That is the lowest I've ever had it, even though that is still a tad high. My range has been around 13-15 in the past.

To understand why that's significant, allow me to share a little about it. Phenylalanine (Phe for short) levels in an affected person's blood can be measured in micromoles or miligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Each has a different numbering system. The one I'm most familiar with is mg/dL. So the 4.2, 13, and 15 I mentioned before is mg/dL. The ideal level is 2 mg/dL. I may never hit that number, but the lower I can keep, the better. The higher it goes, the worse the mental issues get. And without treatment, the more severe they can get. This thing is it's own beast.

The ADHD medicine I've been on has affected a few factors that contribute to the low level, one of which is appetite. Small appetite is one of the side affects which lead to me eating a lot less than I was. With my enhanced brain power and mental capacity from the medicine, I could do more with food at home instead of ordering takeout most of the time. Both of these were instrumental in keeping me from eating high-protein food and thus keeping high amounts of Phe from my system. The issue with the extra Phe in the blood is that it penetrates the blood-brain barrier and builds up, and that buildup causes the increased mental issues.

I have to be careful when I exercise though, because this ADHD medicine also contributes to high blood pressure. Based on my last measurement, the ADHD medicine and blood pressure medicine are canceling each other out, hence the month of logs I have to do.

Every time I've said I have plans in the past, I was not of sufficient mind to carry them out and so became frustrated at myself because I knew I had the intelligence to do it, just not the mental acuity to stick with it. This time is different.

I recently took part in the Lensa trend running around and saw what I could become if I applied myself. That gave me some motivation. Ignited a deep-seated fire within. No delusions of grandeur though. Yeah, I want to look great in costumes, but I'm getting into the mindset of approaching my body was I would my car: Though I do like to have my car looking good as it can, I don't have it tricked out with spoilers and useless accessories - I focus on the systems that matter...the engine, the tires, the windows, the battery. I've started with my microbiome: I bought a few fermented foods for prebiotics and I have oatmeal for probiotics. I'm staying away from bread entirely. Every time I have bread, my system eats itself alive. Yes, whole grain bread too.

Things are progressing. My mentality right now is about getting the root systems taken care of. Laying a foundation for later changes, activities, and other assorted fitness spontaneities.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checking in.
Been doing some dedicated exercising when I can. Got 10 days into the Square One program before life/work got busy and tiring. My living room was a pit, but I was able to get it cleaned up and straightened last weekend, and I celebrated with a small workout. Not sure why I suddenly get motivation in December, the worst month of the year for stability and consistency. Got some exercise from digging out my car twice from the recent snow storms here. Made sure to alternate hands with the shovel, so I was getting a complete workout, lol.

I'll have an interview next week for a different position at work that'll have me a little more active than sitting at a desk all day and hopefully keep my stress levels down.
I had to go a week without my ADHD medicine and ended up overeating, gaining back some of the weight I had lost.

Having a full 11 days off has given me the time to get some things taken care of and some foundations laid that I can check off the list. The goal is to make a schedule that I have to discipline myself to follow. It was hard before I had medicine because I didn't have to mental ability to do so. But now, there's no reason I shouldn't be able to do it.
 

Fremen

Well-known member
Shaman from Italy
Posts: 3,183
"“Keep an eye on the staircases. They like to change.” Percy Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."
Happy New Year
:fireworks:
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checking in.
I discovered the Bookmarks feature and saved a bunch of workouts that I plan to utilize. Though, after discovering I can have multiple lists, I am now plotting how I will sort them for efficieny. It was an involuntary response, however...ingrained from developing time management skills as a coping method in response to competing work priorities and pressured expectations at my workplace.

I'll probably continue my trip through the database, bookmarking interesting workouts and figure out how to sort them later considering the feature is browser and device specific.

The easiest thing for my brain to process is to get moving, which WILL drive me toward the right food. I need to disciplined in my methods, yes, but within the constraints of how my brain processes things. I know based on past experience that after I exercise my system does not want junk food, even for a few days afterward, so I just have to keep up the exercising at a schedule my brain can easily process, then eating the good food my system wants which will keep my calorie count low enough and then blammo...I'll be on my way.

I also made another workout for myself called "Ow...my back..." that contains isometric and dynamic exercises that target the back. I pulled the images from several Darebee workouts and even created new graphic to illustrate the birddog exercise because I hadn't seen one used yet. I found a similar exercise graphic, but it's done from a hand-and-knees position whereas birddog is done from pushup position. Disclaimer: I put copyright info on it, but the workout "Ow...my back..." is for my personal use and not intended to be shared with anyone, publicly or privately.

Update: the birddog exercise is in the Exercise Video Library as Alt Arm/Leg Raises
 
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Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Just about done with finding workouts. Got them seperated out into some basic groups. Also found a glitch. If you put a ampersand "&" in the name of a bookmark group like "Abs & Core", it gets read as "Abs &" and creates extra groups named "amp" everytime another group is made thereafter. And then if you save a workout to the default group "My Bookmarks" it gets assigned to every "amp" group. ....so don't put ampersands in bookmark group names, lol. Not sure how fix it.

Cracked open my app MyNetDiary after having neglected it for a while. Weighed in at 329 lbs today. Recorded that and set a new goal: lose 49 lbs by June 30th to weigh in at 282 lbs. Planning a trip to Canada the first week of July.

Came up with a potentially fun exercise idea: get d4 and a d10, pick four of your favorite exercises and assign them a number 1-4. Then spend 30 minutes just rolling dice. The number on the d4 corresponds with exercise, the d10 determines how many reps. Intensity is determined by type of exercise and/or type of die (d6, d8, d12, d20).
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in. It has been 3 weeks. In that time, the Spring semester has started at the university I work at, I started a couple more classes there, and I was offered the job I mentioned in my Dec 30 post. So it's been busy. It was abnormally busy the week before I started my new position. Good eating habits fell by the wayside. Calorie counting fell by the wayside, too, though, I am more aware of how much I'm eating and how much will actually satisfy me.

Jan 22, a week after my last post, I weighed in at 329 again.
Jan 28, I weighed in at 328.
Today, Feb 4, I weighed in at 331.

I have not started exercising yet. I plan to do some today, though.
I've determined that if nothing else, I need to increase my muscular strength in my upper body. That and respiratory endurance. Right now, my lower body is stronger than my upper body. I think resp. endurance will increase a bit with the new job, but I'm thinking like if a push a car, I don't want feel like I'm gonna pass-out.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hi all, just checking in. Weighed in at 320 today, according to my handy dandy scale. Moving around at that new job definitely helps in addition to the calorie dedificit I'm running.

This spring semester at the university has been a hit-the-ground-running. The new job shift plus preparing for/attending classes/acclimating to sudden change in movement has left me playing catch up. Thus, I have not been of a mind to exercise. I'm trying to keep a space clear so I can do strength stuff and not just shadowboxing, but it's not working yet.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Weighed in at 328 lbs today. Fluctuations...ugh.
Finally got my drinking under control. Drinking water, that is, ha ha. Since I started in my new position at the end of January, I've been getting used to the new schedule and new way of doing things so water consumption fell by the wayside. I try to drink two 32oz water bottles full during the day. One evening I felt pretty dehydrated so I filled up two water bottles and sat at my computer drinking water. It also doesn't help that I have been ingesting too much sodium as I got used to things.

My chores fell by the wayside too, so I'm getting some movement in doing those today. When I moved positions I had to give up this really awesome set of Bluetooth headphones that I would wear while doing chores or exercising so I could listen to music. Not having those surprisingly left me out of sorts a little so I finally ordered my own pair after trying for days to do without. Now I'm set.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Got a good workout today doing chores. My place has been a disorganized mess in recent weeks, but I've gotten some other things dealt with so I decided to clean it a little deeper today. I was WIRED from my adhd meds plus half of a medium mocha extra shot of espresso. I didn't stop for lunch except for a 1z bag of cheeze-its and some medical formula (which is a source of protein for me) so I remained wired all afternoon. I probably spent a good four to five hours or so vaccuming, lifting things, and moving stuff around. After I finished, I laid on the floor to stretch a bit since I've been feeling a little tight. I also did some bridges for the first time in ever just for kicks. 3 sets of 8. I think some muscles in my pelvis or my lower-lower back got quite the workout today because I don't remember feeling those before, and I certainly felt them today while stretching and then getting up from the floor.

There were a couple times I wanted to call it a day but utilizing some recently acquired discipline, I was able to keep myself on task.

I will probably be sore in the morning, but right now it hurts so good.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Haven't had much to report. Since last time I realized I've been stressing out since my last week in my previous position, which was in January. I started a few classes at the same time and was a week behind up until the middle of the semester Then things were good for a couple weeks until a story idea sparked a writing project and then my attention focused elsewhere, resulting in me being behind in classes again. Luckily, my professor is cool and granted me extensions. Finished my last assignments last night, Wednesday, 5/11 - a week and a half after the semester ended.

My place became a mess again, didn't have the drive to cook, clean, or prepare meals. Dishes piled up in the sink. They say creatives can be messy....well, my environment becomes a garbage pit. I found myself eating nothing but prepared foods and fastfood. Now I have to get myself off this elevated stress. I can keep trying to reassuring myself that I can relax now, but honestly, I'd rather hear it from someone else. Talking to myself so much has started to make me wonder at times what causes split personalities.

I'm definitely getting movement from my new job. That's really been my only exercise this semester. Somedays I get alot of movement, others not so much, but it's good. I do still want to do some stuff at home, but based on the garbage I generate and how I process it and how much room it takes up before I'm able to get it out to the dumpster, I'm thinking of reorganizing my apartment again so I can downsize a little. I have some stuff laying around that I don't really need anymore. I have to set up the air conditioner too, since temps have been getting warmer.
 

Tileenah

Well-known member
Warrior from France
Posts: 1,961
:hi:nice to hear from you !
Congrats on the writing and the finishing of your assignments !
Don't worry, talking to oneself and stressing out is not how split personalities disorder emerge. It's coping mechanism for certain people who have endured massive and repetitive trauma...
Good luck on downsizing and getting the air-conditioner set up !
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Had a strangely peaceful weekend. Completely stress free. It was beautiful.

I am motivated by the new bookmarks feature. My original lists of bookmarks disappeared, but that's okay. A fresh start. I got some light and normal workouts.
I am also motivated by the recent feeling of my strength wasting away and a self-imposed obligation to build up my strength since I am a large guy, not just with all the extra padding, but just in physical structure.

On the food side, I've started making my own lunches which cater to my PKU. A biscoff butter and strawberry jam sandwich using honey wheat bread, a couple fruit cups, a 1oz bag of cookies, a 1oz bag of chips, and a small bottle of apple juice. I expanded my food choices to include microwave dinners, keeping an eye on the amount of sodium for blood pressure, and I'm retraining myself to go for those first instead of fast food. I felt imprisoned by my dietary needs so I had to throw some caution to the wind.

I'm getting there.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Started the "De-Stress", "Power Grip", and "Knee Pushups" challenges this morning. I chose some light workouts and these three challenges for my bookmarks so I can ease into things and not shock my system.
So, let's try this again and build up that lost strength, shall we?
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Failed the "De-Stress", "Power Grip", and "Knee Pushups" challenges last month. I went on vacation halfway through the 30 days and got too far behind. Let's try this again, shall we? Things should be pretty consistent enough that I can keep at it. Everything else has been ok.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Haven't started up the challenges again yet. Exercise is currently off the table until I rearrange my apartment. I keep chasing the ever elusive "home gym" dream. I have the equipment I need, but not the space, so I'm working on yet another plan to make some consistent space. It's annoying, irritating, and getting really old this constant cycle of trying to commit to something only for it to be interrupted and then takes forever to get back on track. It's [expletive] bonkers. I feel like a broken record to you all.

Nothing else too spectacular to report, just the same ol' same.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in.
Did some exercise and stretching today and yesterday. Just a bunch of random crap to target my lower back and hamstrings. Been having elevated lower back pain. I've been feeling some pain for a while just from general unwellness, despite my position at work giving me some movement, but it escalated after a conference about two and half weeks ago where the chairs we sat in for 6-7 hours a day had terrible back support. It felt like a pulled a muscle in my hip. Now it's just localize to my lower lumbar vertebrae. I looked up symptoms of a herniated disk on the Mayo Clinic website, a reputable clinic here in the U.S., and the symptoms didn't match. Plus, I was able to exercise and stretch with no additional pain and it even lessened the current pain. Applied icepacks and a heating pad when necessary and I've been able to continue work.

I believe this pain will go away as I take it easy and keep working on my mobility, so no doctors. Maybe a chiropractor eventually just for general wellness.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in
That extra backpain is gone after a couple days hard labor - and by "hard labor" I mean brisk walks around a couple buildings (3-story and 4-story) coupled with frequent mini-squats sitting down and getting up from chairs. I worked up a bit of a sweat and was breathing a little heavy by the end. There was a purpose to the brisk walks and moving around. I work IT for a university and a new semester is upon us so there's a lot of checking computer labs and getting employees setup and moving stuff around.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in
It's been a month and it's been a MONTH. Managed to do 2/3 of a set of the Master Chief workout tonight. I am SO out of shape. Saved some programs to bookmarks the other day that looked interesting and up my alley. Got psyched to try a program again only to remember a friend is coming up from the Lower 48 (contiguous U.S.) to visit for a week starting this next Tuesday. I'm glad to have a visitor that I can show around and spend time with...just mad at the how much my timing sucks. Again.

I'm considering "disappearing" this winter. Still trying to work out what that will entail, but I just know that I have some projects and self-improvement I need to do with as little distraction as possible. My biggest worry is certain friendships breaking down, but then again, if they break, they were never true in the first place.

Hope y'all are keeping healthy and active and progressing toward your fitness goals. If you're struggling, just remember that progress isn't always a straight line up a hillside - most times it's peaks and valleys.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in
September 26th - weighed in at 328lbs (148kg)
October 7th - weighed in at 325lbs (147kg)

Climbed a mountain (well, most of one) yesterday with a visiting friend, plus some other small bits of hiking during this week. I didn't make it to the summit because my legs were spent. I may not have been able to exercise other parts of my body this week, but I sure didn't skip leg day. (I've been working on a leg day joke for two days)
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in
After my last post, my friend and I did some more hiking. Or rather, my friend hiked and I begrudgingly accompanied him. In doing so I realized hiking is not enjoyable for me. I was breathing so heavy, even climbing the mountain mentioned in my last post, I told my friend even if it sounded like I'm hyperventilating, I wasn't. After awhile it occurred to me that my asthma might be acting up. Fortunately, I had brought along my inhaler. I was right. I enjoy looking and existing in nature with a casual stroll or two here and there...not powering along a trail with no end goal if we're not going to stop and enjoy scenery.

Anyway, I got some good exercise and I feel a tad fitter. I've also been working on stretching here and there to ward off stiff muscles.

I'm also gonna start a program. I got a few saved to my bookmarks, and I don't foresee any things this month that would get in the way.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Day 1 of Power Builder done. I can barely type this, lol. I only did 3 of the 5 sets of the last exercise, Reverse Flies, because form was suffering and I almost lost control of the dumbbells on rep 12 of the 3 set. But I feel accomplished. Now I can drink water and chillax the rest of the night.
 

Brontus

Well-known member
Ranger from Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 81
Hey all, just checkin' in
Did Power Builder - Day 3 again - all 5 sets this time.

Food's going okay. I'm kinda in survival mode so I'm eating whatever I can afford. High food prices plus most my pay check going to bills doesn't help any. I have a couple ideas for managing money, though, that I'm going to experiment with.

On the general health side, I'm still on the blood pressure meds, but I need to measure my BP and see where I'm at.
 
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