Corbab

My current setup is a Nikon D60 that usually carries a Nikon 18-55mm. My baby is a Sigma 70-300mm (105-450 equivalent). I also have a F100 and a Nikon 50mm prime that I got for class, but without regular darkroom access and cheap film, I barely use it any more. My gear doesn't merit a second glance, but I've gotten to be quite happy with it. I can take great pictures with it, and it's gone halfway around the world and back with me. I'd love a full-frame camera and a whole bevy of lenses, but I figure when I can fund it by selling photos, I'll have earned them.

Bodyweight exercises are probably the best to build a base of strength. Like Pat G said, pushups and squats are two of my favorites. Check out the free resources on the blog for some good routines that will get all your muscles in.

I'm looking to add more carbs back into my diet, and I've done great everywhere except breakfast. Currently, I'm eating 3 eggs and a chicken breast (3-4 oz) and maybe a handful of berries. I need something that's easy to prepare and has a substantial amount of carbs in it. I've tried fruit, but I don't want that much fructose, especially right in the morning. What are your favorites?

Nice article! I find too many paleo people (mostly n00bs on paleohacks) who are completely convinced that calories don't matter, and strike up an argument with me about it (someone even went so far as to say that Gary Taubes stated your body will "adjust your metabolism" to how many calories you eat, as long as none are carbs). I really like your combination approach -- I've been circling the idea for a while, it was nice to see that someone's really nailed it down.

Sweet! I don't think there are a lot of things that exercise doesn't solve.

Paleo is super-easy to explain, and I like Steve's post as much as anyone's. In terms of workout specifics, I'd go with the Beginner Bodyweight -- solid, but not too much to scare anyone off. Just make sure not to hit him over the head with all the information at once, especially if he's starting slow. Oh, and get him on the forums so he can find out his own stuff!

I think someone mentioned that Springfield was in Illinois around the time the movie came out. Didn't hear this firsthand, so I could be wrong...

At least I'm not the only one who thought about posting this thread.

I went paleo specifically so I could stop tracking my food. Tracking makes me neurotic and I don't make the best possible food choices, so a simple set of rules works much better for guiding my eating choices. Personally, I don't care about specific macronutrient ratios, but I usually make an effort to go higher carb than I naturally would because of my training. Try listening to your body when you eat, and put all of your foods in at the end of the day. If you're happy with the calorie count and macronutrient ratio, great. If not, just be mindful during the day of what you need to do to meet your goals, be it eating more or less calories, or more of a certain macronutrient.

I'm stealing from Steve here, but throw away the scale (or at least tape over it). Weight (especially if measured regularly) is misleading as an indicator of success. What you've eaten, how much water you've had, when you weigh in -- all this effects the number on the scale. If you're exercising regularly, you'll be adding muscle as well as losing fat, and that will mess up the numbers further. If you want to measure your progress, keep track of your workouts and take progress pictures every couple of weeks. Keep hitting your calorie deficit, keep working out, and you'll see results!

Not in college yet, but I'm hoping to make my Freshman 15 all muscle. I plan on rowing, so I don't think I'm going to be getting out of shape at all.

I think, as far as appearance is concerned, the only really genetic part is the exact configuration of your muscles, not their size or bulk. Sure, if you have tiny shoulders, they won't get wider, but you can still put on muscle. I know different people's abdominal walls are structured differently, but with diet and exercise, anyone can get them to show through. Super-skinny guys can make themselves muscular, and bigger guys can lean out (not to an emo bird-leg degree, but who wants that). It takes some effort and the right program, but just about anything can be done.

As far as basic food choices, go for stuff that's light, nutrient dense, and easy to digest. 30 miles in a day is about 10 hours of walking (or more, depending on the terrain). I severely doubt that you'll need to snack every 20 minutes -- maybe every hour if you're going at a clip. I haven't done a great deal of long-haul stuff like this, but here are a bunch of things I've used mid- or post-workout and some other trekking stuff I've seen recommended. Nuts (almonds, macadamias) Coconut (shredded, oil if you don't mind spooning it out of a jar) Almond butter (not the easiest to eat, but tasty and energizing) Larabars Fruit (raisins, apples, bananas, dates) Pemmican (ground meat and fat -- make it with bear meat for the full Native American experience) Coconut water (amazingly good for hydration) Jerky Try some of these out on a hike or during a workout and see how you feel going with them in your stomach. Happy hiking!

I really like having some big guys (and gals) to chase. I arrived with a bit of experience, so I wasn't starting from square one, but I know I have a long way to go to put up anything respectable. I'm not going to be an idiot and split my chest open trying to bench my own weight, but seeing that things are physically possible makes me want to go for them.

Sorry to double-post, but that was actually one of my first inspiration pics.

This is a little weird, but the guys in the Dolce&Gabbana ads always inspire me to get to it. They might be mostly show (hard to tell sometimes) but they look freaking unstoppable. Also, just about any high-level rower. They're 100% work, lean, and can out-power just about anyone.

As you lose weight, your calorie needs change. At 125lb, you'll need less calories than you do at your current weight. If you eat your maintenance calories (around 1800 @ 125lb), your weight won't change. You'd have to eat below your calorie expenditure to continue losing weight.

Whoa! Good stuff. Congrats!

Sweet! That's one hell of a woot.

Wow. Just wow. There was always a certain level of mystery hidden behind the giant gauntlets, but I never imagined such a back story. It's great to have you around.

When I logged my calories, I made terrible food choices (or at least not the best ones) because I could justify it by still coming in under my limit. I also stopped enjoying meals as I tried to measure and estimate the amounts of different ingredients. I picked paleo because the food selection system made sense and was simple. Now I eat as much as I want, whenever, and I've seen great results. I do occasionally go off the rails, and I find that ignoring myself as much as possible until I'm back to where I was is the best solution. If I look at myself in my sorry post-binge state, I get discouraged, but if I just keep eating right and working out, I'll get back to where I want to be just about pain-free.

I've been in the poor body image boat myself (still am somewhat) and I agree that "wait it out" is just about the best thing to do. Advertising isn't going to stop telling people to get skinnier, and "fat" kids aren't going to stop being bullied any time soon. Young people change, and nobody's body is set in stone, even once they've finished growing. I think a little perspective goes a long way in the meantime. Not everything is about being exactly as you're expected to be -- a person's value isn't based solely on their appearance. Encouraging interests and recognizing skills in other areas can make a big difference.

Fastest Mile sounds like a blast. I'd definitely be in on that one.

Ahahaha! Can we recruit him?