Discussion Weight Lifting/Exercising Thread

[Demi-Fiend]

As the title says,

Does anyone here use exercise as a means to cope with strifled emotions? If so, how many times do you engage into it weekly and what does your diet regimen look like?

For me, I've only had short burst periods. Hardest part for me is sticking to a consistent diet of actually gaining some damn weight/muscle mass.

 

[Eventually_An_Angel]

i dont excercise but i wannaaaaaa but not in the like bodybuilder way. in the narcissistic girl way

 

[HereTomorrow]

I do strength training through resistance bands, 30lbs specifically. I use it in a variety of exercises for about half an hour. Strength is a plus but I mostly use it for treating tension headaches and some disorienting feelings which sometimes triggers overwhelms.

Typically done twice a week on my days off. It's not perfect, but it helps clear my mind.

Once a week I walk outside for almost an hour straight.

Diet-wise I mostly avoid saturated fats and added sugars. Natural sugar is fine up to a certain point (no fruit juices). I aim for OMAD but it's hard to get going sometimes.

I do most of this for mental health rather than physical benefits, however.

 

[SixNeufUn]

4 times a week with half body type. For my diet I just eat normally . I gave myself to it very much in the beginning and saw good results but I am to a point where I am forcing myself to train and do not feel any pressure or rather feel very tired and heavy. My mental state directly impacting my performance and saw my performance declined over the months

 

[ConfusedClouds]

I regularly weightlift and then try to join some classes in the week too for cardio (e.g. spinning or circuits) and/or go on jogs.

The weightlifting I am lucky I don't seem to get bored of the same thing so have just done the same sessions each week for years - can then record what I lift each week and saves my rubbish memory from keeping track!

Even though I am comfortable/familiar with the gym (and studied sports science previously), I get totally overwhelmed deciding what to do if I try allowing myself free reign, hence using PT-run classes or the same weights sessions. Can just go into autopilot.

I find weights great where its a place where its socially acceptable to make all sorts of screwed-up/grimacing facial expressions and be sat in your own bubble a lot!

I found juggling both exercise routine and diet too much and usually ended up in giving up, but found by focussing on battling to keep the exercise routine going, I naturally seemed to improve my diet as I didn't want to feel rubbish before/after sessions or sabotage my sessions.

One motivator that keeps me going regularly is a quote I heard at one point - dunno how true it is but has really stuck for me. 'It takes half the time to lose the progress as it takes to make it'. I.e. if you workout for 6 weeks, you'd lose it in 3. For me, this makes me keep going so that I have a larger 'window' to me in case I go away or miss a week etc and will lose less. There is nothing worse than having to start from the beginning again and gradually work up the numbers. Though maybe thats not so bad as it can be satisfying as the strength comes back and numbers go up quickly week on week rather than plateauing when have been doing the same thing for months.

 

[forgottenfantasywrt]

It feels like my mental health is tied to running more often than not. I can't go more than like two days without it when I'm actually in shape without my body freaking out and making me feel awkward as shit. It drives me insane and makes me feel powerless but it's not the worst thing in the world lmao

 

[vampire2002]

i love exercising. i don't do anything crazy, but even just doing some simple bodyweight exercises in my room makes me feel better. i love stretching and getting more flexible too. when i'm able to go outside, i love walking. i can walk for tens of thousands of steps happily if i have music to listen to.

 

[RosebyAnyName]

I work out, usually strength training with just a bit of cardio but I've been working on adding more cardio.

I haven't been able to work out lately because my car isn't available, and I've been feeling much worse for it. Working out doesn't "cure my depression" or anything but it helps manage my emotions and sleep schedule a lot.

 

[dmdmdm]

5x a week weightlifting and as of recently some cardio every now and then since I'm cutting recently. Down 23 lbs already, wanna get like 10 more off just to be really lean. Felt like Shit when I was fat.

 

[daley]

I really want to exercise, but I'm struggling. I have stretches where I manage to do it though. I have started
such a stretch a month ago where I strive to exercise daily. It usually lasts several months
until I get ill or have some interruption that I don't manage to get back from.

I have an elliptical so I don't have excuses not to do cardio, and I do body weight exercises.

I really hope it to effect my mood, but I am not sure it does anything in that regard.

I am also trying to lose weight by cutting carbs. My father was very fat, and died during heart surgery.
I am just slightly overweight. Maybe I should actually gain weight and go out like him.
It sounds like a painless if unpredictable way to go.

 

[ConfusedClouds]

Something I thought relevant to share here.

Heard this recently about a study that compared low weight/high repetition with heavy weight/low rep training. Essentially it didn't matter whether the person lifted heavier or lighter weights, but as long as they trained to a point of muscular exhaustion/failure then the outcomes/benefits were the same...

 

[Lookingtoflyfree]

I wish there was an idiot's guide to weight training and the machines. I am trying to follow along on some apps but really struggle to understand which machines to use and how to progress on weight training. I see nothing that helps you figure out how to do this on your own. If i could afford a trainer I'd get one but money is tight and I also don't see myself dropping $150 a session any time soon.

 

[SixNeufUn]

I wish there was an idiot's guide to weight training and the machines. I am trying to follow along on some apps but really struggle to understand which machines to use and how to progress on weight training. I see nothing that helps you figure out how to do this on your own. If i could afford a trainer I'd get one but money is tight and I also don't see myself dropping $150 a session any time soon.

I recommend you the YouTube channel "Alex Leonidas". when I started I followed a similar account but in French 'Monsieur Fonte' and I am very gratifying I Discovered both of them that early.

It will take a period of time to understand the principles behind his training methods but once you get it you can start by yourself and create your own programs based on your goals and body without the need of a coach or premade programs found online

 

[ConfusedClouds]

I wish there was an idiot's guide to weight training and the machines. I am trying to follow along on some apps but really struggle to understand which machines to use and how to progress on weight training. I see nothing that helps you figure out how to do this on your own. If i could afford a trainer I'd get one but money is tight and I also don't see myself dropping $150 a session any time soon.

With progression, take it super steady at first. Your muscles will ache (DOMS) for a day or two after sessions. But after 2-3 weeks you should start noticing things feeling more comfortable and thats when you can start pushing yourself more and start seeing the numbers go up (weight and/or number of reps). But be patient with your body the first few weeks!

A lot of gyms have duty staff whos job it is to make sure people are safe which includes showing how to use the machines properly. This should be included in membership - not talking getting a program from them, but being properly inducted and shown how to use things safely. Covers their own backs from folk getting injured. It might be they only work certain times of day/you need an appt, but worth asking!

One key thing I think with strength training is keeping good form. It is better to go for an easier weight/option and keep things full range of motion than try heavier but end up using the wrong muscles or a smaller range of movement.

Try not to move your whole body, squeeze your core/tummy tight (as if trying to stop yourself to pee and hold tour belly in) to stabilise yourself and only move the muscle(s) that are being trained and keep it as steady and controlled as possible.

All muscles are strongest in the middle of their range of motion, the best benefits come from challenging them to work their full range of motion. E.g. bicep curls (arms). Yes, you can lift a lot more if you keep your elbow bent around 90 degrees and do small movements in the middle of the range of motion, but this is not training the full muscle. You want to keep your elbow locked by your side and fully straighten your arm then bring it all the way right upto your shoulder. And without arching your back to get momentum (thats using/training back muscles to lift, not bicep muscles and also has higher risk of injury due to fast/jerk movements).

 

[Petrichor]

As the title says,

Does anyone here use exercise as a means to cope with strifled emotions? If so, how many times do you engage into it weekly and what does your diet regimen look like?

For me, I've only had short burst periods. Hardest part for me is sticking to a consistent diet of actually gaining some damn weight/muscle mass.

I don't use my gym as a way of coping with emotions, it comes from a more disordered eating/body image. I go to the gym at minimum three times a week and walk at least 7000 steps every day regardless of gym activity. Besides the physical aspect influencing my need to go to the gym, the best advice I can give is get an exxy gym membership. Mine is 25 AUD weekly (in this economy is FOUL), but the guilt if I can't go for a day and stuff eats me UP! Knowing I not only am doing terrible at losing weight, but I'm wasting my money while I'm at it is a MAJOR motivator.

We don't even need to talk about my diet regimen its SO bad LMFAO (besides my protein intake, that's pretty good when I eat..)
On an average gym day I have 600-750 calories and I try and have some protein in those calories but I have practically none. After a gym day I try and have a rest day where I have an ABSURD 1500-1700 calories (bit chubby over here) and I have around 100grams of protein!! (probably too much in relation to my body weight but whatever)

In regards to foods I recommend if you want to be healthier or gain muscle, these are my TOP go to's, regardless of how calorie dense some are:

- eggs - they're very rich in proteins and vitamins
- smoked salmon - it's fatty but a good fatty and has essential vitamins and proteins, fish in general are SO good (any form of salmon or fish is good, this is just my preferred one since it's so easily accessible and has little to no preparation needed)
- plain greek yoghurt - trust me, regular yoghurts are a LOT more sugary and unhealthy, if you're trying to make diet changes plain greek yoghurt no added sugar is the way to go!! It takes a while to get used to eating it plain, so I'd recommend chopping some fruits to add, or adding berries and PLAIN oats. (my personal favourite is frozen berries and plain oats, the berries freeze parts of the yoghurt to an ice cream consistency and it's SO good)
- plain oats - once again, same with the yoghurts theres a lot more added stuff in oats than you think. Plain oats are good because you can choose how much of whatever sweetening substance you want to add, you're not having all of that uncontrolled sugar and syrup that will stunt weight loss.
- avocado - similar to smoked salmon, very fatty but SO good for you, I love having the salmon and avocado together.

Obviously meat in general is VERY good protein-wise, I would advise staying away from super processed meat though as there's more problems then you think.
Also with physical exercise and activity, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT over exercise yourself. You'll either see wonderful results and then plateau because your body can't keep up with it all. Also only use enough weight to give you that slight struggle near the end of every set, it's not worth it to use too much weight, you will injure yourself; if you use too little weight and don't push yourself enough you won't gain any muscle at all..
Also with leg workouts, 15 minutes of light/medium cardio afterwards is gold, trust me, it's so good for your growth.

 

[Leiot]

How do you get motivated to exercise when your mood is down? I want to work out and feel better but can't get started.

 

[MrShino]

It's a great activity for your mental health. It helps alot feeling healthy and well. Regular exercises, training and considering what you put into your body can be a crucial part in a good recovery in my opinion. I would advice just taking it step for step when it comes to what you eat. You don't have to change it overnight, just skip some unhealthy habits here and there and add some healthy ones. Over time you get there. Focus on getting enough proteins to rebuild your body after training, and keep filling up the
glucose levels with complex carbohydrates afterwards (also good to provide the body with before training).

Also decide on certain days in the week beforehand, and stick to it until it develops as a habit, then the body will naturally yearn for it. Good luck on your path to recovery mate, take a step at the time and you'll get there! :)

 

[RosebyAnyName]

I've been falling behind with my routine ever since something specific happened irl that's been stressing me out. I tried to go to the gym yesterday, knowing it would help me feel better, but I got frustrated because I couldn't find my gym pass, so I went home. When I realized I actually did have my gym pass (it was in a different spot in my bag than usual), I felt like such an idiot for going back home when I could have gone to the gym when I was there. I was so demotivated I didn't bother trying to go again.

I know going to the gym helps me feel better, but I struggle to actually go when I feel bad. It's frustrating.

 

[BoulderSoWhat]

I don't have a membership anywhere and don't have equipment. I'm 30 and ever since I was a kid I always struggled to exercise regularly or have a routine. Thanks Depression!

I tried to start doing just a little bit each day a few months ago, but that quickly faded. I need to just force myself, like after work when I get home right on the next hour mark i.e. 7PM, just start doing rotations between pushups, planks, situps, crunches, body squats, or whatever, until I feel exhausted. Not necessarily always to the point of failure, avoiding risks of injury. But I need to freak out my body enough to stimulate growth.

But even thinking of just starting, my mind is always bored like "okay so, what, just do 3 sets of 10 pushups to start, or something?" Lol. So I made a little randomizer that chooses a random exercise with a random number of reps, or number of seconds to hold a plank.

I enjoyed doing that because of the randomness, if I got unlucky and got a long string of push-ups, well tough shit hahaha. It's a random stimulation that my body would probably not have received otherwise. When routine starts to become too routine for the body, then stimulation for growth slows down.

Who knows, maybe after reading this thread I'll try to get back to it.

Thanks for the motivation!

 

[ConfusedClouds]

Another suggestion for randomising exercises is using a pack of cards.

Give each of the 4 suits an exercise and then the number on the card turned over is the number of reps.

Face cards 10 reps (or 11/12/13, or go ridiculous with something like 20/30/40). Jokers can be added too with an extra exercise like plank or wall sit.

 

[rhiino]

Trying to excercise since years, but always gave up on it again. My body is so trash that I always get tendonitis that worsens when I continue and extremely sore muscles, although I only exercised very lightly to a point I did not gain anything at all but those negative things.

I guess there is nobody else with such problems?