NorCal Gym Thread

[Jolaessss]

Holy cow! huge fist bump to @steezypenguin for creating this thread. I know I'm in the right place. Haha I too did the IIFYM diet and it worked really well for me but i didn't like how you could basically eat whatever you wanted as long as it fit your macros. Good luck with that, we should hit the gym some time.


With that said, I have been working out for a while now. I think I started during my Senior year of high school at 280lbs haha. I now sit at a lean 215lbs, not where I want to be but far from where I used to be. I'm currently preparing myself to compete in either a physique or bodybuilding show. I train at the City Sports Club off of Coleman or Brocaw in San Jose. If you want to train with me, feel free to PM me!! Also, if anybody has questions about lifting, diet or even supplements, please don't hesitate to ask me or the other buff dudes in this thread!

Originally Posted by sdlynx

I can only share what's working for me. I've been eating 90:10 Paleo for the past 6 months and having incredible results.

I also do Crossfit workouts 4-5 days a week. I've been doing Crossfit for about 2 and a half years. I'd like to stop, but honestly, I can't find anything that works quite as well, as quickly. I like the variety of the workouts and the great encouraging people at our local CrossFit gym. The workouts are vicious, but it's like a bad addiction. I know if I stop CrossFit, I'd have to change my eating habits and watch calories more. :-P

I wasn't very fit 4 years ago. I was a very weak 274 lbs. at 5'9". I'm now at 185 lbs. and stronger than I've ever been.

I love hearing people getting into fitness! Whatever works for you, and gets / keeps you fit, DO IT!

Good job on the caveman diet! I had AMAZING results on that! keep it up!

Originally Posted by brownboi

I used to just go to the gym and just lift for a while but then started on that 531 program. my max's increased pretty steadily and I loved it! couldn't sandbag any day since I was writing it out haha. wanted to cut so I switched to the intermittent fasting and it worked pretty well! got rid of that pouch that was always there. takes a lot of discipline but after around 3 or 4 months I stopped because I hated seeing all my max's drop so much now I'm back to just going to the gym to lift since i've moved back to the bay. Probably going to start 531 again really soon.

btw, can someone explain macronutrients??

check out IIFYM.com good luck!

[B2FiNiTY]

What do you guys think about BMI numbers?

From online resources my BMI should between 19-25 but I'm 27/28 or so.

5'9 and 180lbs

For me to get down to the lower end of the scale, 19-20 ish I would have to get my weight down to 135-140. Which is CRAZY! Haven't been that weight since high school and I was super skinny then.

[steezypenguin]

Originally Posted by Veloist

I hope you meant 20g because no matter how much you work out your body can only metabolize like 1/5th of that and the excess be peed out. Superfluous amounts of protein will also decay your kidneys over time...

*unless you are a committed body builder weighing over 200 lbs.

No I really do consume around 200g of protein daily. A fair amount of protein will be burned for energy. It can also be stored as various different types of tissue in the body. Cells, muscles, skin, hair, etc. It can also be stored as fat. You'd actually be surprised how much protein is used. Also, I can understand why you believe that "superfluous amounts of protein" can decay your kidneys over time since protein is a large molecule that needs to be filtered by your kidneys and liver. But studies have shown that there is no evidence that diets with excessive protein intake have any linkage with renal disease. But if someone has a pre existing condition, that's a different story

[steezypenguin]

Originally Posted by B2FiNiTY

What do you guys think about BMI numbers?

From online resources my BMI should between 19-25 but I'm 27/28 or so.

5'9 and 180lbs

For me to get down to the lower end of the scale, 19-20 ish I would have to get my weight down to 135-140. Which is CRAZY! Haven't been that weight since high school and I was super skinny then.

IMO, I'd focus on body fat percentage than BMI since BMI's can be unreliable. For example, a person with a BMI of 30 who has a body fat % of 25% is healthier than a person with a BMI of 20 who has a body fat % of 35%

[chas3wba0]

I used to lift all the time in high school and college, and I got pretty beefy at one point. Kind of got over it once the whole "fitness trend" blew up again recently (think instagram gym selfies with #fitness #eatcleantrendirty #gymmotivation).

For the sake of variety, I'm now into calisthenics (ghetto gymnastics...?). I do 80% of my workouts on horizontal bars using my own body weight and I gotta say, it's giving me a leaner--though not as yoked--physique. A plus is that you don't even need a gym membership; just find a park with some monkey bars and you're good :p

The best part is working toward different movements, e.g. front levers, muscle-ups, triple clap pushups, etc. I'm currently aspiring to master the human flag. It's a nice change from solely trying to increase the number of pounds that you can hoist

[BRZkitty]

Olala a gym thread.. Very nice

Great reading everyone stories and tips. I use to be a total gym rat at least 5x a week (lift and cardio), played and coached lacrosse. After I started school and new job I had to cut back a lot from stress and time restrictions. I was a spinning addict for awhile.. I moved here in april and contined my membership at golds gym in south bay if anyone is interested in a gym partner I would love to go more as a routine rather than sporadic but my work schedule is whack with 12 hour night shifts! Still trying to adjust...

My favorite site for nutrition and work out info is http://www.t-nation.com. Hope this helps! Keep up the good work everyone!

[Antheezy]

My biggest tip to anyone with life goals or fitness/health goals is to set an attainable goal, and everyday work towards it slowly without obsessing over the end result. If you keep telling yourself you want to achieve this, in your daily life you'll start to get in the habit of changing towards it.

[jwlee7ucla]

I work out 3-4 days a week at the ocean 24 in daly city.

Lifted weights since I was a freshman in high school.. havn't really stopped since. Currently bulking up- I have a contest with my friend for a steak dinner for whoever reaches 160lb first (i'm gaining, hes losing)

[Chee-Hu]

Here we go! Well, I started hitting the gym back in 2003-04 when I use to weigh a merely 125 pounds. At only 5'6", it's pretty bad IMO. Along with going to the gym, I started taking whey protein with 2% milk every day. Fast forward to now, I try to stay at 150-155 pounds. I've gotten to around 165 and I looked more "round!" It's easier for me to bulk up than lose weight, oddly enough.

As far as my routine goes, I target each muscle group each time I step foot at the gym and end it with 15-20 minute cardio. For some reason, I'm more satisfied with not looking like a 'roided out gym rat that's very bulky.

I go to the Cal Fit on Laguna Blvd in Elk Grove. Hit me up if any of you are members.

[Thesandlord]

Originally Posted by Chee-Hu

I started taking whey protein with 2% milk every day.

Milk was the key to bulking (at least for me).

I was 165 freshmen year of college, then I started running and doing martial arts again, dropping me to a lean 140. Got lazy and went up to 150. Started working, and started lifting. Metabolism skyrocketed, and I started losing weight again. So I cut cardio (what a terrible idea...) and ate a ton. Finally hit my target of 155, and started doing Cardio again. Feels great, and milk is what is keeping me from dropping.

[Re~Mix]

Been lifting for about 7 years.

Lift at Golds in Santa Clara 2-3 times a week, Crossfit 2-3 times a week and some form of cardio at least once a week.

[Robert@Openflash]

It's great to hear from a fellow crossfitter!!!! I train out of CSA Crossfit in Dublin

CF FTW!!!!! You know what I mean.

Originally Posted by sdlynx

I can only share what's working for me. I've been eating 90:10 Paleo for the past 6 months and having incredible results.

I also do Crossfit workouts 4-5 days a week. I've been doing Crossfit for about 2 and a half years. I'd like to stop, but honestly, I can't find anything that works quite as well, as quickly. I like the variety of the workouts and the great encouraging people at our local CrossFit gym. The workouts are vicious, but it's like a bad addiction. I know if I stop CrossFit, I'd have to change my eating habits and watch calories more. :-P

I wasn't very fit 4 years ago. I was a very weak 274 lbs. at 5'9". I'm now at 185 lbs. and stronger than I've ever been.

I love hearing people getting into fitness! Whatever works for you, and gets / keeps you fit, DO IT!

[sdlynx]

Originally Posted by Robert@vishnu

It's great to hear from a fellow crossfitter!!!! I train out of CSA Crossfit in Dublin

CF FTW!!!!! You know what I mean.

Crossfit Merced here. DeJager is our head coach. If you made it out to watch regionals, we were that loud, rowdy group the announcer mentioned.

[MizzKiMi]

Ohhh nice thread!!

I've been off and on with going to the gym for the past 4 years, but Jan 1, 2013, it was my New Year's resolution for a healthier lifestyle. Since then I've lost about 50lbs. I've also got really hooked on going to the gym and lifting. I don't lift that much.. yet, but I'll get there. Lol I finally got to bench the bar and hopefully will be adding some plates next week I hate chest days, but love leg days. Haha I go every morning before work at the 24 hr in automall or union city, and weekends try to do hikes or run trails. Did Warrior Dash a couple weeks ago and will be training for Tough Mudder for next year.

My biggest struggle is my love for food, I love making it and consuming it. But at least now I do pick smarter choices, but still working on my slips here in there.