2025 health, fitness and nutrition thread

[ScottyP]

With the new year, I figured it would be good to start a thread on health and fitness.

I lost about 55 pounds over the past year and half. Now I want to focus on building more muscle and keeping my weight in a good place. For muscle-building I'm going to focus on getting my technique better, especially on moves like deadlifts.

I also want to add more meditation into my life to help decrease stress.

This thread topic is a pretty broad so it can cover exercise, weight loss, mental health, etc.

 

[KnappShack]

It is REALLY hard to hit 1 gram of protein per pound of weight or even hitting that number for the target weight.

Holy smokes. My body is in complete revolt

 

[JM4CY]

Fiber. Eat fiber. Pooping get's fun. And impressive.

 

[ScottyP]

Fiber. Eat fiber. Pooping get's fun. And impressive.

Getting paid to poop at work is a nice perk.

 

[Gonzo]

Biggest issue for me is all of the competing viewpoints that are out there among the health and fitness "experts".

For every one that says "eat more of this" or "do more of this" there's another saying the exact opposite... "eating more of that" or "doing more of that" will do more harm than good. For every one that says it's as simple as "calories in vs. calories out" there's another saying "it's not as simple as calories in vs. calories out."

For 52 I'm not in horrible shape but could absolutely stand to lose 10-15 pounds. Would love to find a good source of solid, reliable, proven guidance on diet and fitness for someone my age.

 

[cycloner29]

Getting paid to poop at work is a nice perk.

Going to the gym also can have some nice "perks".

 

[cowgirl836]

2nd pregnancy + Covid was hard on my body. Slowly making progress but my low iron essentially became clinical anemia this fall despite supplementing which causes a number of other problems (more sickness! always tired! body has to use iron to keep your brain running and not build muscle or properly regulate hormones!) and rebuilding iron is not a quick fix, especially as a pre-menopausal woman. Nearly bleeding to death with my first child probably put me in a hell of a deficit I've been fighting since . Tell the women in your life who've had babies recently to get their ferritin checked!!!!!

Think I'm starting to make progress now though. Did a little challenge thing the past 12 weeks where they measure muscle and all that and I had declined from last January. Lady doing my intake measurements is like lift heavier weights! So I did. With my medical provider, switched to a new iron form and changed some things that probably messed with absorption. Didn't change much for diet but I had added in a protein powder to my coffee in 2023 because otherwise I'm just always way, way short. In 12 weeks I traded 2.5lbs of fat for 3.5lbs of muscle. Took visceral abdominal fat from about 1lb to 4 tenths. Reduced body fat % by a couple points back into an average range. Picked up heavier yet weights yesterday.

So my fitness/nutrition related goals for this year are related to getting my iron out of the depths of despair, continuing to lift heavier and trade more fat for muscle, and improve my sleep. Sleep score in 2021 was like 70? 72 in 2022 which was a terrible year for me, 75 in 23, 78 last year. Goal is to move into the 80s this year. I really cut my drinking in 2024 (which did absolutely nothing for weight loss, I'm not bitter) but it *did* help my sleep a ton so I want to keep going with that.

Oh and keep up with vitamin D and my daily walks. Did 3.5 million steps last year. Probably be a bit under that this year which I'm ok with. And more salads because I like them but never have the right stuff on hand to make them fun.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Biggest issue for me is all of the competing viewpoints that are out there among the health and fitness "experts".

For every one that says "eat more of this" or "do more of this" there's another saying the exact opposite... "eating more of that" or "doing more of that" will do more harm than good. For every one that says it's as simple as "calories in vs. calories out" there's another saying "it's not as simple as calories in vs. calories out."

For 52 I'm not in horrible shape but could absolutely stand to lose 10-15 pounds. Would love to find a good source of solid, reliable, proven guidance on diet and fitness for someone my age.

Lane Norton is as good as it gets, to me. PhD in nutritional science who is also a champion powerlifter. He does weekly posts that cut through the latest trend BS.

Here's the TLDR version for you on what works and what doesn't: the one you will stick to is the one that works. Low carb, carnivore, paleo, south beach, whole30, weight watchers...heavy lifting, running, walking, jazzercise, water yoga... Whichever thing works for you: go with that. Pick something you enjoy and can envision yourself sticking with. Pick what works for YOU not necessarily the latest trend.

The #1 statistic that determines success for any method is consistency and adherence. People tend to go extreme (NO MORE SUGAR FOREVER!), they fail within a few days, and quit.

Start with very small changes. Walk for 5 minutes a day for a whole week. Eat one piece of fruit each day. Drink one glass of water right when you get up. (Again, whichever of these will work for you long term.)

It's easy to get overwhelmed. Start with something small and build on it. (Atomic Habits by James Clear is a great reference).

 

[cowgirl836]

Lane Norton is as good as it gets, to me. PhD in nutritional science who is also a champion powerlifter. He does weekly posts that cut through the latest trend BS.

Here's the TLDR version for you on what works and what doesn't: the one you will stick to is the one that works. Low carb, carnivore, paleo, south beach, whole30, weight watchers...heavy lifting, running, walking, jazzercise, water yoga... Whichever thing works for you: go with that. Pick something you enjoy and can envision yourself sticking with.

The #1 statistic that determines success for any method is consistency and adherence.

Start with very small changes. Walk for 5 minutes a day for a whole week. Eat one piece of fruit each day. Drink one glass of water right when you get up. (Again, whichever of these will work for you long term.)

It's easy to get overwhelmed. Start with something small and build on it. (Atomic Habits by James Clear is a great reference).

also I think there's pretty good research on it being more than just calories in calories out - research on marathon runners and how their bodies conserve calories - impact of cortisol on making your body store fat more efficiently, etc. Hormonal impact (not as big for men). Genetic impact. But yeah, small habits really are key.

 

[ISU22CY]

Lane Norton is as good as it gets, to me. PhD in nutritional science who is also a champion powerlifter. He does weekly posts that cut through the latest trend BS.

Here's the TLDR version for you on what works and what doesn't: the one you will stick to is the one that works. Low carb, carnivore, paleo, south beach, whole30, weight watchers...heavy lifting, running, walking, jazzercise, water yoga... Whichever thing works for you: go with that. Pick something you enjoy and can envision yourself sticking with. Pick what works for YOU not necessarily the latest trend.

The #1 statistic that determines success for any method is consistency and adherence. People tend to go extreme (NO MORE SUGAR FOREVER!), they fail within a few days, and quit.

Start with very small changes. Walk for 5 minutes a day for a whole week. Eat one piece of fruit each day. Drink one glass of water right when you get up. (Again, whichever of these will work for you long term.)

It's easy to get overwhelmed. Start with something small and build on it. (Atomic Habits by James Clear is a great reference).

Best thing I was ever told "You don't chop the tree down with the first swing"

 

[throwittoblythe]

I've been on a fitness journey that started 5 years ago. I was a HS multi-sport athlete but never in great shape even back then.

At age 35, I enrolled in Farrell's. I lost 21 lbs in 10 weeks and won $1,000. I kept going from there and lost another 30 lbs. I moved into learning weight lifting a couple years after that.

I started at Krave in 2023 and have really enjoyed it. I really want to get strong and improve in the major lifts (squat, bend, and deadlift). I've managed to hurt my back three times on deadlift, but I'm determined to keep going. I'm 40 now so my body doesn't recover like it used to. But I still believe I can build strength and add muscle even at this age. (Don't come at me with TRT comments, please)

My goal for 2025 is to maintain consistent, slow progression on weights. When I've hurt myself, it's been because I tried to add too much weight too quickly. If I can hit the weights every week and add a little each time, I know I can hit my goals.

 

[ScottyP]

Biggest issue for me is all of the competing viewpoints that are out there among the health and fitness "experts".

For every one that says "eat more of this" or "do more of this" there's another saying the exact opposite... "eating more of that" or "doing more of that" will do more harm than good. For every one that says it's as simple as "calories in vs. calories out" there's another saying "it's not as simple as calories in vs. calories out."

For 52 I'm not in horrible shape but could absolutely stand to lose 10-15 pounds. Would love to find a good source of solid, reliable, proven guidance on diet and fitness for someone my age.

I try to focus my eating on satiety. That means I focus on the following foods that keep me feeling full throughout the day:

Protein
Healthy Fats
Fiber
Water
Avoiding ultra-processed foods/sugar

When I focused on these foods, I found I eat way more food, but way less calories.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Biggest issue for me is all of the competing viewpoints that are out there among the health and fitness "experts".

For every one that says "eat more of this" or "do more of this" there's another saying the exact opposite... "eating more of that" or "doing more of that" will do more harm than good. For every one that says it's as simple as "calories in vs. calories out" there's another saying "it's not as simple as calories in vs. calories out."

For 52 I'm not in horrible shape but could absolutely stand to lose 10-15 pounds. Would love to find a good source of solid, reliable, proven guidance on diet and fitness for someone my age.

Stop being so old and get blessed with great genes.

 

[throwittoblythe]

also I think there's pretty good research on it being more than just calories in calories out - research on marathon runners and how their bodies conserve calories - impact of cortisol on making your body store fat more efficiently, etc. Hormonal impact (not as big for men). Genetic impact. But yeah, small habits really are key.

Definitely. It's been interesting to learn how little we know about the body, even after decades of research. Calories in/out is still true, generally, but what happens once those calories hit your body is where it gets interesting. Some people add muscle quickly, others easily stay very lean. Some people carry stubborn weight. It's very complex.

My advice is to not let that stop you from trying. I'm not going to be a model of fitness in my life and I know that. But I know that getting three solid workouts a week is good for me in the long run, so I focus on that habit more than the results.

 

[ISU22CY]

As I've gotten older I'm actually moving away from heavy weights 4x a week and going down to 2x a week and then spending 3x week on HIIT cardio/mobility/flexibility/kettlebell. I do a 10-15 min mobility stretch workout every morning or on the days I lift heavy I'll do that for my warm up with about 5-10 min of light cardio.

My body simply doesn't recover like I was in my 20's from lifting heavy anymore.

 

[JM4CY]

Buddy who's a chiropractor says diet is the way to do it. A lot of people don't exercise right (poor lifting habits/form, CrossFit and the like can be horrible on your body, etc.) and really d*ck up their bodies.

 

[ScottyP]

Definitely. It's been interesting to learn how little we know about the body, even after decades of research. Calories in/out is still true, generally, but what happens once those calories hit your body is where it gets interesting. Some people add muscle quickly, others easily stay very lean. Some people carry stubborn weight. It's very complex.

My advice is to not let that stop you from trying. I'm not going to be a model of fitness in my life and I know that. But I know that getting three solid workouts a week is good for me in the long run, so I focus on that habit more than the results.

I don't even weigh myself regularly anymore because it messes with my mind. I just try to focus on eating a healthy diet each day and regular exercise and not worry about the rest.

 

[4theCYcle]

With the new year, I figured it would be good to start a thread on health and fitness.

I lost about 55 pounds over the past year and half. Now I want to focus on building more muscle and keeping my weight in a good place. For muscle-building I'm going to focus on getting my technique better, especially on moves like deadlifts.

I also want to add more meditation into my life to help decrease stress.

This thread topic is a pretty broad so it can cover exercise, weight loss, mental health, etc.

That's awesome, keep up the good work!

Form is everything. I used to just try and power through everything with explosion and fast form. Now I try to slow my lifts down and focus on breathing and slow in and out of eccentric/concentric contractions. I've noticed my added weights/strength improve over the past several months.

I added routine full body stretching the first thing when I wake up about a year or two ago and it's improved my back pain, my flexibility and likely gains on lifting. I've added bands to lower body for a different form of lifting and trying to get back into some plyometrics/calisthenics on a more routine basis.

I've noticed creatine help improve my stamina, added strength gains, and even stress on the mental side (can improve cognitive side).

It is REALLY hard to hit 1 gram of protein per pound of weight or even hitting that number for the target weight.

Holy smokes. My body is in complete revolt

Yeah, agree, I struggle with this too. The keeping everything lean and keeping up on the protein is a struggle. Then you wonder if your "clean protein" is clean and effective. But that can get pricey too.

 

[Gonzo]

Stop being so old and get blessed with great genes.

I thought of that but then read a different article that said old age and sh*tty genes was actually the best way to good health and fitness.

 

[ScottyP]

Buddy who's a chiropractor says diet is the way to do it. A lot of people don't exercise right (poor lifting habits/form, CrossFit and the like can be horrible on your body, etc.) and really d*ck up their bodies.

For me, walking is the best form of exercise. Less injury risk, gets me outside more, low stress. If I'm watching a game, I'll try to walk in place during the commercial breaks. I tend to get even more steps during Iowa State games because I'm pacing around the room.