Hello from Florence, AL

[Cienfuegos]

I just registered for the Message boards after reading a very convincing post from Steve about the boards. I have been reading the stuff on this site for a little over a month now...

Most of the stuff that I "know", I probably have the wrong idea...or misinterpreted what I heard/read. I'm getting better...I do CrossFit now with a Zone Diet.

If I post anything on the site containing information or helping someone...I will most definitely attempt to cite my resource.

My goals are:

-get down to 225lbs. (My goal for that WAS April 15th...but I messed that up.) I currently weigh ~295.

-Lose enough body fat to begin seeing my "abs".

-Be able to run a mile in under 8:30.

Other than those I have some small goals that I'm sure I will reach if I just obtain those three things. Thank you in advance for any and all support/advice/thrashings for not doing what I need to do

-DarkKent

[Brometheus]

Welcome to the board! Good luck with the goals, I hear you with losing the weight. Abs would be nice too

[Jabba the Hupp]

Welcome. Sounds like you're on the right path. Try getting in on one of our monthly challenges and you'll feel motivation like none other. Guaranteed.

[Alethea]

Welcome! Those are great long-term goals to work toward. What are your short-term goals in the mean-time? Do you like any particular activities? Do you strength train? I love body-weight workouts, myself. I never saw the sense in lifting heavy weights until you can move your own body effectively.

[Plex]

Howdy Dark and Welcome to the Rebellion!

I like your "-Lose enough body fat to begin seeing my "abs". " goal as its very quantifiable. and one I can relate to.

Also, insanely elusive (at least for me).

[Cienfuegos]

Alethea:

Some of my short term goals are:

-Cut out most of my "cheat meals" (which it seems like lately those have become my meals and my healthy meals are my "every now and then" meals.)

-Attend workouts 5 days a week (whether it's crossfit or just at the gym)

-And last but not least on short term goals...Talk to more beautiful women

Also, I do not specifically strength train...but I believe that working with any weights (including body weight) is technically strength training. Because if your muscles are working...you're getting stronger. But I don't specifically lift for strength. Since I played football for a couple years in high school...I pretty much KNOW how to work out...I'm not a very good self-motivator. That is one reason why I like crossfit sooo much. The sense of community and the leadership that I receive there is pretty amazing. They push me to my limits...and slightly past...every workout. I feel like poo afterwords, but then after I get over that I'm feeling awesome.

Body weight workouts kill me. I think it's because I have so much of it lol. The main exercise I think about when I think about body weight workouts though is burpees. And well...those kill everyone.

[Alethea]

Excellent goals! I hear you on the cheat meals. I had to cut mine down to next to nothing, because otherwise I just wanted to cheat all the time. Funny how that works, eh?

Never been to crossfit, but everyone I've met who goes absolutely adores it. What do you do at the regular gym, if you don't specifically strength train? I agree, "Strength Training" encompasses body weight and weight training. Anything that gets you stronger.

[Cienfuegos]

(I find it quite funny that you are from Canada...and you used "eh" at the end of a sentence )

Anyways...The cheat meals don't go very well on days that I work a double shift. As in, I always cheat quite a bit on days when I make more excuses for myself (such as "I don't really have time to pack what I need").

If I go to a normal gym (such as the YMCA) I usually do mobility exercises. Things like Pull ups (assisted), power cleans, some jogging around an inside track. And my favorite cardio workout of all time...Row machine (also...I don't know if those are mobility exercises...just thought it would make me seem smart.)

I will occasionally do some bicep/tricep/chest work (isolation) but if I do that it is with lighter weight, and 12-15 reps with it. I hardly ever go to the YMCA any more...but I do need to start conditioning. A lot of the crossfit exercises that I do would be better if I had more stamina when it came to running or just plain working for long periods of time. Since my feet CONSTANTLY hurt me, it's easy to make excuses. That's another goal I want to try to accomplish as soon as I can: No more Excuses. Unless a doctor tells me.

-Dark

[Alethea]

(I type the way I talk. The "eh" thing is not a baseless stereotype. )

Those are NOT mobility exercises, but they're great to do nonetheless! Row machine is insanely fun. Viking exercises for the win.

Don't waste your time with isolation nonsense. You want your body to get strong as a unit, not strengthen individual muscles. FUNCTIONAL strength is what will help you when the body builders are being eaten by zombies.

If the gym isn't happening lately, that's okay! Steve's workouts are great full-body routines that you can do anywhere, including your livingroom floor during commercials. It's surprising how quickly they add up.

[Cienfuegos]

I understand about isolation exercises...but the only reason I do it is to help those muscles get stronger in proportion to my other muscles. My biceps are weak. My chest is weak. So, if I happen to do a gym day I will most likely do a couple sets with those muscles to help them get stronger.

I know about Steve's workouts, I just read an e-mail from him saying he "exercised in the effing parking lot of the auckland airport yesterday, while getting really weird looks from people as I did pull ups on one of the trees." lol. I do those workouts too sometimes...but only when I go to crossfit. I like the motivation I get from people on these forums already.

Thanks folks!