GeekFit PodcastPodcast hosts: Jason Tucker and Steven Klassen discuss healthy weight loss for geeks.
General
Talking to Myself
Mar 10th
This morning I wrote about an experience I had over at my personal blog, Steven Klassen dot Com. Most times it’s all about perspective and how you communicate with yourself.
Give it a read:
Row Row Row
Feb 11th
Cory’s been keeping an eye on me in the gym after watching me butcher front squats. I was off yesterday, but today I went the second half of my A/B workout from The New Rules of Lifting For Men.
It turns out that what I thought were bent-over barbell rows were more like almost-passable upright rows. He demonstrated the exercise and then nudged and pushed me into the right position while I did a couple reps. The minute he let go I almost fell over. It’s hard to hold yourself in that position! Needless to say I had to come down in the weight (again) but I could feel it in all the right places.
Alwyn Cosgrove’s workouts (from New Rules of Lifting for Men) include periodic cycles: 3 weeks on the weights, 1 week off. I think it would be worthwhile to get some training at the outset of each 3-week run of weight training. I don’t feel bad about 3 weeks worth of upright rows, but it would have been nice if I hadn’t done double-duty on my shoulders.
Now, should I go through my Fitbook and cross out bent-over row and scribble upright row over the top? 
You’re Doing It Wrong
Feb 9th
We talked about it in episode 40 a little bit, but I started at Accel Human Performance a couple weeks ago (turn down your speakers before you click). Tommy and I hit the gym and after some kettlebell swings to warm up I hit the power cage to do some front squats.
Let’s back up a little. What the heck are front squats? Well, they’re not what I was doing. Instead of having the bar on the top of my chest I was kind of cradling it in the crux of my arms. That worked, sort of. When I did it today Cory Gilday, co-owner and exercise physiologist, swooped in and offered some tips. He corrected my form, but I had to come down a bit in the weight. The exercise felt much better with the right form (more quads and a lot less back), but whew I’m going to have a pair of bruises on my upper arms I’m naming Cory and Gilday.
So far we’re enjoying the new venue. The staff is supportive and the they keep the place nice and clean. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a misplaced weight or anything else out of sorts.
If you mention GeekFit when you sign up, you’ll get all the water you can drink. Y’know, from the water fountain. It was funnier in my head.
What’s The Secret?
Feb 2nd
I got a Facebook comment on a recent Body Bugg update (3944 calories burned, 2958 calories consumed, and a 986 deficit). The question: “How do you burn so many calories, must have the secret…”
This was my response (written first thing in the morning, so bear with me):
I wish I could say it’s all muscle, but that only accounts for maybe an extra quarter calorie per minute (225 calories over 15 hours)**. I burn ~2750 calories a day at an idle, so that extra 500-1000 comes from deliberate daily exercise. 30m on the treadmill, a couple 15 minute brisk walks, etc. The 4500 calorie days are a Zumba class or a combination of weights and some intervals.
I’ve had a couple surplus days though – no exercise and usual intake. That’s good food, too. After tracking with a Body Bugg like this it’s really easy to see how tossing a Double Bacon Western Cheeseburger in the mix (or something similar) would EASILY pack on the pounds.
So, why 3000 calories at an idle instead of 2000 (USDA break-even calorie number)**? I’m carrying 100 lbs of extra ballast. I’m used to carrying it, so it’s like a workout you do for too long and plateau.
If I had to guess I’d say 2000 is a average, 2500 (extra 500 for the muscle composition), and then an extra 250 for carrying the extra weight brings us to 2750.
So the secret is to either be 100 lbs overweight (I really don’t recommend this one!) and/or lift weights to get the added benefit of the extra burn.
** This is a complete WAG (wild @$$ guess) based on what I’ve been heard from other bodybugg users who average 1-1.5 calories/min at an idle.
2009 Listener Survey
Dec 30th
It’s the end of the year and we’re interested in who our listeners are. We have our assumptions but being geeks we want to know the hard facts, look at charts and graphs and calculate things for no real reason because we can. Heck we may even install linux on a toaster oven and have it do the calculations for us just because we can. Anyhow if you don’t mind, provide us with a little insight into who you are by answering our anonymous 14 question quiz. Thanks, we appreciate it!
30 Day Challenge
Nov 29th
@pseymour is hosting a 30 Day Challenge and I’ve been participating. Everyone’s been very supportive and I’ve gotten a few solid fitness-minded folks on twitter which I always dig.
Here’s my latest post to their forum:
I’d been hitting the cardio pretty hard and I decided to get some weight lifting in.
Now, I used to lift weights all through that run from 420 to 300. I did squats, and bench pressed, and did all those macho things the big tough guys did. So when I return to the weight room it only makes sense for me to jump right back in. Eh, not so much.
My legs are pretty strong, but I forget that not all muscles are created equal. Just because a few muscles that are employed to get me from A to B are strong doesn’t mean they’re the same muscles used in, let’s say, a squat in a smith with 20 lbs thrown on for good measure. All day yesterday everything from my hips to my toes were screaming. Today it’s worse. Tomorrow – well let’s just not think about tomorrow.
Oh, on top of that I did a shoulder workout. Dumbbell shoulder presses, lateral raises, front raises, and shrugs. They’re sore too and I’m still getting a little leftover DOMS from the chest/back workout a couple days ago.
On the upside, my feet feel better. The balls of my feet were pretty ouchy all day yesterday, hence the push to do resistance instead of getting back on the treadmill. All in all, I’ve been going at this every day and hereby declare today my day of rest. Tomorrow morning I’m back at it, DOMS or not – even if I have to “ouch” *step* “ouch” *step* “ouch” to get there.
