Starting Shugging and No-S Today

QuercusMax · Post by **QuercusMax** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:28 am

I discovered this website completely by accident on Saturday, and it really struck a cord. I'm 27, 5'11, 235 lbs. Computer programmer with 3 kids, and pretty much out of shape.

When I was 17, the summer before I started college I was around 220, and I lost a total of 55 pounds over a year and a half doing the Hacker's Diet and walking all over the place (lived on campus, pretty much had to). But I gradually put the weight back on over the last 5 years or so.

I injured my left knee in college (slipping on some ice), and it bothered me for a very long time, so I have issues doing any kind of biking or running, and then I badly sprained my right ankle a little over a year ago (fell down a steep set of stairs while carrying suitcases). I've probably put on 20 of those pounds in the last year, in large part due to mobility problems - I could barely walk up stairs for several months. I was going to the gym for a while, primarily on a cycle, but I couldn't really get up much intensity, due to my ankle/knee still bothering me a fair amount.

No-S appeals to me in part due to its simplicity - I've gotten so sick of tracking points/calories/whatever, and can't seem to stay with those accounting-type systems for very long, especially because eating out (and even eating in if you cook, which I love to do) gets to be such a huge pain. Hacker's Diet worked for me in college because it was very easy for me to eat the same type of thing every day (cafeteria food) and there wasn't really a lot of chance for snacking all the time. But now, in my current situation I *know* that a large part of my problem is snacking, and especially on weekdays/evenings. My work has a well-stocked kitchen with all kinds of snacks - chips, cookies, several kinds of granola bars, dried fruit, hot cocoa, bagels and english muffins (with cream cheese), sausages, cheetos, cheez-its, gummy snacks.... That may not even be everything. Let's just say, if you forget lunch, it's not the end of the world. I drink a lot of tea/coffee/herbal tea, and it's very very easy to grab something while refilling my mug. The last few times I've tried dieting, it's just been *so incredibly hard* to keep myself away from those things, and keep track of them.

So, having a very hard and fast rule - "no snacks" - alone will probably make as much difference as anything else.

Yesterday, I picked up my hammer (an 8-pounder, it was all they had). I've had a cold this weekend, and woke up this morning barely able to breathe, aching all over, and with an 8 AM meeting. Let's just say I didn't shovel anything this morning. But I did well on No-S, and was feeling better this evening, so I shugged for my 14 minutes. Kicked my butt - I don't know if I could have done 14 minutes with a 12-pounder, but I imagine I'll be wanting to upgrade in a month or so. I'll probably be sore in the morning, though - did I mentioned it kicked my butt?

So, I have 2 greens on today's calendar... my wife thinks I'm nuts (but is glad I'm doing something physical). Looking forward to seeing how this works out - it certainly can't do any *worse* than what I've been doing before (which is essentially nothing).

Djemps · Post by **Djemps** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:43 am

Great job getting started! I've used a sledge in previous workout routines, but never according the shovelglove system. So far my first few days have also been green. Don't worry so much about trading up quickly to a heavier hammer. The cool thing about shovelglove moves is that you can adjust the resistance depending upon where you hold the handle. I'm also a strong believer in the low weight / high rep method of exercises. Twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbell might not feel like much. But try fifty curls with the same weight (!)

QuercusMax · Post by **QuercusMax** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:17 pm

I managed to do the full 14 minutes this morning - it was a little bit of a struggle (started getting pretty tired near the end), but I did OK, especially considering it was only 12 hours since my previous (first!) workout. I'm definitely feeling it, though - I had a hard time lifting my arms to brush my teeth and wash my hair, and driving to work was interesting.

But I've got 2 greens on my calendar now, and boy do they look nice...

I don't know if there are any other coders out there who do unit tests, but the green on the calendar reminds me of the "green bar" you get when all yours tests pass - it's a little thing, but means a lot psychologically.

Post by **reinhard** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:36 pm

Welcome!

The habitcal was partially inspired by unit tests

Reinhard

QuercusMax · Post by **QuercusMax** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:59 pm

On my third day now, still all green.

I did the full 14 minutes this morning, but I took it really slow. My biceps and shoulders are really feeling it, and the middle-right side of my back feels like it's done a lot of work (it doesn't feel bad, just tired).

I'm think tomorrow I'm going to cut it back to 7 minutes, and see how I'm feeling on Friday. I'll definitely be able the use the 2 days off.

No-S is going just fine - no real issues there. I've had to catch myself a couple times when I almost grabbed some candy from the bowl at work - it was an almost unconscious thing. Just need to re-train my brain not to think "candy = grab and stuff".

I've lost 2 pounds already, but I'm guessing that's not anything real.

QuercusMax · Post by **QuercusMax** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:14 pm

Just finished my workout for day #4 - it was tough to get thru all 14 minutes, but I made it (just barely). I wasn't as sore when I woke up this morning as I was yesterday, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I still had to take it pretty slow, though.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:21 pm

Keep taking it slow, and try to involve your lower body in all motions: it'll keep some of the stress off your back, and give you a better workout to boot.

QuercusMax wrote:Just finished my workout for day #4 - it was tough to get thru all 14 minutes, but I made it (just barely). I wasn't as sore when I woke up this morning as I was yesterday, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I still had to take it pretty slow, though.