Weight

[Bill Mattocks]

I'm about 5'11" and 185 lbs. I'd like to drop another 10 lbs, but at 39, that's easier said than done. Lean proteins and no beer would probably do it, but dang... really? NO beer?

I haven't had an alcoholic drink since May 2009, when I was diagnosed with diabetes. Hasn't had any impact on my weight one way or the other.

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, body fat % is more important to me. I'm at about 16% now, down from 25% when I began training in BJJ. I'd like to get down to 13 or 14% and lose the spare tire.

No idea what my body fat % is, but my goal is cardio-vascular fitness, not weight. Weight is an arbitrary number and to a certain degree, so is body fat %. They apply to the aggregate, but are much harder to fit to an individual. That said, I thought my CV health was doing pretty well until last week's promotion/sparring event; I found out quickly that my CV is nowhere near where I wanted it to be. More time in the gym, working harder.

I do train for health and sport. My job doesn't put me in regular danger, nor do my personal habits. I don't hang out in bars or anything like that, live in a nice neighborhood and generally avoid trouble, so I won't need a "This is my Life" t-shirt. My family is my life, not martial arts.

That's kind of what I meant. I may not do martial arts for sport (I do not engage in competitions), and I don't hang around in bars either. My comment was based on my approach to my martial arts training; it's not something I do for entertainment or for fun (although it can be both on a good night). I do it because I have accepted the role of the karateka and made it part of my life. It's part of who I am; it's not a baseball glove in a closet somewhere, waiting for the company league to start up again.

Frankly, I train and exercise in the hopes that I will be active and healthy enough to enjoy playing with my great grandkids. That's my goal. Not defending myself from ninjas in a dark alley.

You could get that with a good jazzercise class. Must be more to it than that. And I'm not too worried about the ninjers.

 

[Steve]

I haven't had an alcoholic drink since May 2009, when I was diagnosed with diabetes. Hasn't had any impact on my weight one way or the other.

I'm glad I wasn't speaking for you, then. Because I've got an active metabolism, no problems with blood sugar and no real sweet tooth to speak of, the one source of empty carbs in my diet is a beer. Beer, along with delicious but fatty red meats, is *my* other dietary challenge.

No idea what my body fat % is, but my goal is cardio-vascular fitness, not weight. Weight is an arbitrary number and to a certain degree, so is body fat %. They apply to the aggregate, but are much harder to fit to an individual. That said, I thought my CV health was doing pretty well until last week's promotion/sparring event; I found out quickly that my CV is nowhere near where I wanted it to be. More time in the gym, working harder.

If your goal is to be lean, than body fat % is pretty much the only number that counts. If your goal is to be healthy, then body fat % has to be a part of the entire equation. Cardiovascular health is another part. But since this is a thread about weight, I stand by my statement that BF% is more important than BMI because it is very specifically a measure of your lean muscle mass as a percentage of your overall weight.

That's kind of what I meant. I may not do martial arts for sport (I do not engage in competitions), and I don't hang around in bars either. My comment was based on my approach to my martial arts training; it's not something I do for entertainment or for fun (although it can be both on a good night). I do it because I have accepted the role of the karateka and made it part of my life. It's part of who I am; it's not a baseball glove in a closet somewhere, waiting for the company league to start up again.

I think that there's truth to the idea that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. At the same time, I also try to keep things in perspective. I'm a 39 year old, upper middle class guy who is lucky to have the time, money and opportunity to do something that makes me happy and keeps me fit. I'm not a samurai, nor do I have any desire whatsoever to become one.

You could get that with a good jazzercise class. Must be more to it than that. And I'm not too worried about the ninjers.

As could you, I guess. In fact, if CV health is a concern for you, you'd probably do BETTER at jazzercise. It's an exercise program designed specifically for improving CV health.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I think that there's truth to the idea that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. At the same time, I also try to keep things in perspective. I'm a 39 year old, upper middle class guy who is lucky to have the time, money and opportunity to do something that makes me happy and keeps me fit. I'm not a samurai, nor do I have any desire whatsoever to become one.

Nor do I have any desire to 'be a samurai'. However, I have been and remain a warrior, if you will. I suppose you can conflate the two if your desire is to belittle those who serve and have served. Is that your point here?

While I use my brain and not my brawn to earn my bread now, I realized a long time ago that there are men who are warriors and there are men who are not; and it doesn't matter what they do for a living.

I'm not claiming to be particularly good at it, but I know I've got it within me. Reconnecting with martial arts training two years ago put me back in touch with that part of myself. I mean it when I say it is part of who I am. There are those who run towards the sound of the guns and those who do not. I know which one I am.

As could you, I guess. In fact, if CV health is a concern for you, you'd probably do BETTER at jazzercise. It's an exercise program designed specifically for improving CV health.

I go to the gym twice a week and run on the treadmill or the elliptical machine for 40 minutes, in addition to some minor strength training and the workouts I get in the dojo. I realized, as I said, that my CV is not where I want it to be and I'll work to improve that; but I need better CV to support overall health and my martial arts training; I don't do martial arts training to obtain CV fitness.

My weight, although I want it to be lower, does not concern me overly from a health perspective. I've never been more poked, prodded, and medically tested than I have in the past two years. My recent echocardiogram of my heart revealed it to be in excellent condition, with no blockages, no plaque build up, nothing but excellent healthy heart muscle. My blood pressure is way down, my pulse rate good, my cholesterol down into the safe range from where it was before I started. I'm achieving my health goals. My weight is just an appearance thing for me at the moment, and I'm working on that; just not worried about it.

 

[Steve]

Nor do I have any desire to 'be a samurai'. However, I have been and remain a warrior, if you will. I suppose you can conflate the two if your desire is to belittle those who serve and have served. Is that your point here?

Bill. You do realize that I'm a vet. Right? I have nothing but respect for those who serve or have served in the military. I do, however, have no desire to be a samurai or ascribe to the code. Being a vet is something I'm very proud of, as I'm proud of my family all of whom are also vets. But, I'm not defined by that, as I'm not defined by my participation in a martial art.

While I use my brain and not my brawn to earn my bread now, I realized a long time ago that there are men who are warriors and there are men who are not; and it doesn't matter what they do for a living.

Jesus, Bill. I realize that you and I don't get along very well, but these petty, back handed insults are irritating. Yes, yes. You're a warrior. Of course, I'm not. I get it. You're a vet. I'm not. I couldn't be. It would be just wrong. Because vets are like you. It's just who you are. A warrior. RAR!

I'm not claiming to be particularly good at it, but I know I've got it within me. Reconnecting with martial arts training two years ago put me back in touch with that part of myself. I mean it when I say it is part of who I am. There are those who run towards the sound of the guns and those who do not. I know which one I am.

Petty, backhanded insult aside, I'm glad that you found something to fill that void in yourself. It's clear that you missed it.

I go to the gym twice a week and run on the treadmill or the elliptical machine for 40 minutes, in addition to some minor strength training and the workouts I get in the dojo. I realized, as I said, that my CV is not where I want it to be and I'll work to improve that; but I need better CV to support overall health and my martial arts training; I don't do martial arts training to obtain CV fitness.

All I really suggested is that you take your own advice. Oh, wait. You were being sarcastic.

My weight, although I want it to be lower, does not concern me overly from a health perspective. I've never been more poked, prodded, and medically tested than I have in the past two years. My recent echocardiogram of my heart revealed it to be in excellent condition, with no blockages, no plaque build up, nothing but excellent healthy heart muscle. My blood pressure is way down, my pulse rate good, my cholesterol down into the safe range from where it was before I started. I'm achieving my health goals. My weight is just an appearance thing for me at the moment, and I'm working on that; just not worried about it.

Bill. What made you think that in voicing my own opinions and experiences, I was in any way challenging anything you're doing?

Honestly, if you're happy and healthy, good on ya. Seriously. Whatever cranks your handle is fine with me. If you want to be a samurai.. or not... if you're happy and healthy, it's working for you.

At this point, regardless of the thread, regardless of the topic, I could say that the sky is blue and you would argue the opposite. I could say that I like peanut butter and you'd find a way to suggest that I'm wrong to think so.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill. You do realize that I'm a vet. Right? I have nothing but respect for those who serve or have served in the military. I do, however, have no desire to be a samurai or ascribe to the code. Being a vet is something I'm very proud of, as I'm proud of my family all of whom are also vets. But, I'm not defined by that, as I'm not defined by my participation in a martial art.

I don't have a problem with anyone not being 'defined' by their veteran status or their martial arts training. I was reacting to your belittling of those who do consider it part of themselves as 'wanting to be samurai' or go fight ninjas in alleyways. Put simply, I don't care for your insults.

Jesus, Bill. I realize that you and I don't get along very well, but these petty, back handed insults are irritating. Yes, yes. You're a warrior. Of course, I'm not. I get it. You're a vet. I'm not. I couldn't be. It would be just wrong. Because vets are like you. It's just who you are. A warrior. RAR!

I'll try not to insult you. I reacted, as I said, to your statements deriding those of us who place value on martial arts training as a component of our being. Perhaps it's pot and kettle.

Petty, backhanded insult aside, I'm glad that you found something to fill that void in yourself. It's clear that you missed it. All I really suggested is that you take your own advice. Oh, wait. You were being sarcastic.Bill.

No, I was not being sarcastic, nor did I mean it as an insult. It is something that not everyone has within them.

What made you think that in voicing my own opinions and experiences, I was in any way challenging anything you're doing?

"I do train for health and sport. My job doesn't put me in regular danger, nor do my personal habits. I don't hang out in bars or anything like that, live in a nice neighborhood and generally avoid trouble, so I won't need a "This is my Life" t-shirt. My family is my life, not martial arts. Frankly, I train and exercise in the hopes that I will be active and healthy enough to enjoy playing with my great grandkids. That's my goal. Not defending myself from ninjas in a dark alley."

"I'm not a samurai, nor do I have any desire whatsoever to become one."

You surely were expressing your own opinions, whilst denigrating anyone who does not feel the way you do as wishing to become samurai or fight ninjas in dark alleys. They're your words, Steve.

Honestly, if you're happy and healthy, good on ya. Seriously. Whatever cranks your handle is fine with me. If you want to be a samurai.. or not... if you're happy and healthy, it's working for you.

At no point in this thread has anyone said anything about wanting to be a samurai except you, but you've said it again and again. You've also implied that anyone who indulges in martial arts training for other than primarily physical fitness and sports reasons does so because they hang around in bars, engage in unsafe behavior, or expect to find ninjas in alleyways.

That's not insulting how?

At this point, regardless of the thread, regardless of the topic, I could say that the sky is blue and you would argue the opposite. I could say that I like peanut butter and you'd find a way to suggest that I'm wrong to think so.

The sky is blue and I like peanut butter too. See? We can agree on something.

 

[Makalakumu]

I'm about 5'11" and 185 lbs. I'd like to drop another 10 lbs, but at 39, that's easier said than done. Lean proteins and no beer would probably do it, but dang... really? NO beer?

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, body fat % is more important to me. I'm at about 16% now, down from 25% when I began training in BJJ. I'd like to get down to 13 or 14% and lose the spare tire.

I do train for health and sport. My job doesn't put me in regular danger, nor do my personal habits. I don't hang out in bars or anything like that, live in a nice neighborhood and generally avoid trouble, so I won't need a "This is my Life" t-shirt. My family is my life, not martial arts. Frankly, I train and exercise in the hopes that I will be active and healthy enough to enjoy playing with my great grandkids. That's my goal. Not defending myself from ninjas in a dark alley.

The beer was hard to quit and so was cutting down on red meat, but in Hawaii, it wasn't so bad. Most of the beer out here is terrible and red meat is expensive. It's funny how different bodies metabolize alcohol. Mine doesn't do it very well. I think it has something to do with my native ancestry, but regardless, as far as training goes (and life in general) I'm sicker and my body chemistry gets screwed up. This might be TMI but its interesting nonetheless, but my sweat, urine, and excrement smell like formaldehyde. When I cut out junk food and fast food, those things changed again, although I'm not sure how to describe it.

The good news is that my energy went up, I was more alert, and my brain functions got faster. I'm confused less, I can calculate large sums in my mind quicker, and visualize complex objects and turn them over and around faster. Changing my diet was probably one of the best things I could do for my health.

Anyway, I do martial arts for health, self protection, and as a metaphor for life. I didn't really embrace the "do" aspect until I hit my 30s and got a little personally wiser. Doing martial arts helps keep down my weight, but more importantly, my diet, my active lifestyle, and my other hobbies do just as much to keep me healthy. I want to be a spy old man who can play and interact with his great-grandkids, teach them karate, like Mr. Miyagi.

 

[Steve]

I don't have a problem with anyone not being 'defined' by their veteran status or their martial arts training. I was reacting to your belittling of those who do consider it part of themselves as 'wanting to be samurai' or go fight ninjas in alleyways. Put simply, I don't care for your insults.

I bring up samurai and I'm belittling you as a veteran?

I'll try not to insult you. I reacted, as I said, to your statements deriding those of us who place value on martial arts training as a component of our being. Perhaps it's pot and kettle.

I don't begrudge you anything you feel you need in order to complete you as a person. Martial arts isn't my life. It's a passion, sure. But, and this is what I said, you can keep the shirt. It's not my life. That you reacted so strongly to my statement is on you. Go back and reread my first post. I did and can't for the life of me see where you're taking offense.

No, I was not being sarcastic, nor did I mean it as an insult. It is something that not everyone has within them.

jazzercise? You didn't mean that to be an insult? That wasn't sarcastic? Yeah. Okay.

"I do train for health and sport. My job doesn't put me in regular danger, nor do my personal habits. I don't hang out in bars or anything like that, live in a nice neighborhood and generally avoid trouble, so I won't need a "This is my Life" t-shirt. My family is my life, not martial arts. Frankly, I train and exercise in the hopes that I will be active and healthy enough to enjoy playing with my great grandkids. That's my goal. Not defending myself from ninjas in a dark alley."

I'm not a samurai, nor do I have any desire whatsoever to become one."

You surely were expressing your own opinions, whilst denigrating anyone who does not feel the way you do as wishing to become samurai or fight ninjas in dark alleys. They're your words, Steve.

At no point in this thread has anyone said anything about wanting to be a samurai except you, but you've said it again and again.

I sure was. I had no idea that a general reference to samurai would be taken so personally by you. You seem to be the only person who took offense, and my personal opinion is that you did so because you were looking for offense from me. I am sorry for that. It's a tongue in cheek statement meant to invoke fond memories of campy 80's martial arts films.

You've also implied that anyone who indulges in martial arts training for other than primarily physical fitness and sports reasons does so because they hang around in bars, engage in unsafe behavior, or expect to find ninjas in alleyways.

I did no such thing. I have said many, many times before that we all train for different reasons. *I* don't train for self defense. Why? Because *I* don't hang around in bars, engage in unsafe behavior or expect to find ninjas (or is ninja the plural of ninja) in dark alleyways. Once again, if you go back and read my posts, I don't speak for you or anyone else in any of the posts with which you are taking offense. I go out of my way to speak only for myself. I am very careful to distinguish between statements of fact or of opinion, and I am also careful to qualify my opinions in the sometimes hopeless effort to avoid misunderstanding.

That's not insulting how?

I'd genuinely like to know. As I said, it's becoming increasingly clear to me that you're looking for offense in my posts. If so, I think that's a shame.

The sky is blue and I like peanut butter too. See? We can agree on something.

And single payer is the way to go.

 

[Steve]

I want to be a spy old man who can play and interact with his great-grandkids, teach them karate, like Mr. Miyagi.

Exactly.

 

[Malleus]

On the topic of % bodyfat, apparently Schwarzennager had a BMI of 33 at the height of his bodybuilding career. And with definition like he had, bodyfat must've been below 8% at least.

Getting it measured accurately is tricky. Those machines you see in the drugstores are so variable it's insane. At the same time of day, after an 12 hour fast, and within 1 week of each other, the same machine gave me two values with just over a 10% difference. I'm skeptical as to how effective they are.

 

[Steve]

On the topic of % bodyfat, apparently Schwarzennager had a BMI of 33 at the height of his bodybuilding career. And with definition like he had, bodyfat must've been below 8% at least.

Getting it measured accurately is tricky. Those machines you see in the drugstores are so variable it's insane. At the same time of day, after an 12 hour fast, and within 1 week of each other, the same machine gave me two values with just over a 10% difference. I'm skeptical as to how effective they are.

That is for sure!

In the past, the most accurate method was hydrodensi...blah, blah. Underwater method.

Calipers/skin fold tests are often free, easily done and pretty accurate if the person knows what they're doing.

Someone on these boards mentioned DEXA, which isn't something I have personal experience with. it's pretty new, but supposed to be very accurate.

Anything else is pretty much guessing, particularly the bioelectric impedence tests, like they have on some scales. Those are wildly innaccurate.

 

[Tames D]

Bill, Steve,

Take it off line guys. It's getting old.

 

[Kwan Jang]

I normally weigh between 245-250 lbs with about 8% bodyfat. While training for the NAGA World Grappling Championships last weekend, I over trained a bit and really over did it on the cardio and dropped to 230 at the weigh-ins. I normally fight between 235-240. I have NO problem with speed or endurance at my regular weight. In fact, my challenge is just the opposite, I find it hard to maintain my muscle mass while increasing the volume of my training.

I ended up taking silver in the superheavyweight expert division to a guy who weighed in at a solid and muscular 300 lbs. If I knew that I would have only been 5 lbs. above the cut off from heavy to superheavy and that I would be giving up 70 lbs, I would have dropped that extra weight. Still, although the size diference was a factor, his far greater experience at this level of competition was at least as critical.

For me, as long as I stay lean, the bigger I am, the stronger (more explosive) and better I am. The ONLY downside I have is things like jump kicks, which I can still get great height (see photo album if you wish), but the landings are hard on my old joints. I still have the flexibility and am even faster/more explosive the more lean muscle I carry.

 

[Ken Morgan]

I’m 5’6” and weight about 190#. I’ve been lifting weights since I was 12, and have gone to a high of 202# and a low of 155#, not including a bodybuilding show I did a few years ago. I am most comfortable at about 178# or so, I feel better and move quicker then I do now. But even at 178# I would be considered over weight, right now I’m considered, according to BMI, Obese. What a load of crap.

I lift every day, run at least 5 times a week and try to eat right. If I can stop my sweet tooth, I drop weight very quickly, but you know, I have to let myself have at least one sin!!

 

[Makalakumu]

I like sinning! With caloric intake one has to sin like an accountant.

 

[Archangel M]

5'11" 180 lbs. I tend to trend down to 175 during the summer when I run more. I tend to lift more during the winter and put on 5-10.

I was about 145 lbs from HS till my mid 20's so I "filled out" later in life...of which I have no complaints.

 

[Carol]

Height: 5' 2"
Weight: Nunya

 

[seasoned]

Hight: 6'2"
Weight: 210
I never had a problem with weight, but my problem is with eating. It is like a past time with me. When the sun goes down the refrigerator door opens up. I am finding that a high metabolism worked well for me most of my life, but with the passing of time, all things slow down, and some things catch up.

 

[Haze]

5' 9" and around 188 lbs right now. I struggle to drop weight when I get it in my head that I'm to heavy. At 59 years of age it gets harder and harder to lose weight.

I'm one of those people that may miss a meal during the day but seem to GRAZE all night, if you know what I mean.

 

[seasoned]

5' 9" and around 188 lbs right now. I struggle to drop weight when I get it in my head that I'm to heavy. At 59 years of age it gets harder and harder to lose weight.

I'm one of those people that may miss a meal during the day but seem to GRAZE all night, if you know what I mean.

Yes, I know that GRAZING feeling all too well.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Height: 5' 2"
Weight: Nunya

Nunya??? Is that Merican for 115 pounds??