Elon Musk - what are your thoughts?

Looks like she’s packed on some weight since that last debate, but honestly, I live for a fresh start. It gives me hope that maybe—just maybe—things will go differently this time. So, I’m starting this thread for anyone who wants to bury the past and focus strictly on what’s coming next.

Alright, time to drop the weight. What are you actually doing for yourself to get moving? I’m not gonna sit here and lecture you about quitting booze, smoking, or eating lean, because let’s be real: I know I won't. No point wasting our time.

Here’s my plan: I’ll ride my bike at least one day every weekend. Once a week, I’m hitting an hour of water aerobics followed by an hour of swimming. And I am NOT letting my girlfriends distract me or bug me while I'm there if they aren't actually working out. I am going there to SWIM.

Plus, a 20-minute walk every single day. How? I can't swing it before work in the morning, so maybe on the way home? At least that much.

And I’m capping my coffee at one cup a day. Everything else is herbal tea. If I can actually stick to that for a month, that’s a massive win.

Obviously, I’ll layer in more changes down the road, but I’m taking it slow. Basically: almost no coffee, some swimming, and a bit of walking. Easy enough.

I'm not really sure if that’s going to make much of a difference, to be honest...

give it some more thought.

S

I wouldn't want to discourage you or anything, but I honestly doubt all of that will make much of a difference.

dustyharbor7 said:I highly doubt that’s actually gonna help you...

try harder.

S

Why wouldn't it? I mean—any progress is good progress.

Take a look at the thread regarding nutrition tailored for living in the zone over on the female angle... My mother managed to drop about four and a half pounds in just over a week without even breaking a sweat. She barely got started and had already slipped up a few times... 😕 This diet actually works. 😉

nimblescout said:Why wouldn't it help? Any progress at all is a win in my book.

But I don't know... this doesn't really feel like a step forward. It feels more like half a step.

So, I guess I have a suggestion for you...

I’m not sure how far away your office is or if you even have a chance to shower there, but maybe try walking to work or just power-walking somewhere else... nothing crazy, just enough so that 3.1 miles you can make it in maybe 40 minutes or less. You'll get a little sweaty, and if you do that twice a day while eating normally—or maybe just slightly less than usual—you should start seeing things happen. That's the low-effort way. If you want faster results, maybe go for a run for thirty minutes every other day, though I've heard that anything under 40 minutes isn't super effective... and maybe hit the gym, or try swimming...

And just eat a tiny bit less than you usually do... or just eat normally, though I suppose everyone's standards for what "normal" means are different...

Look, I'm definitely no expert, but that's basically how I managed to slim down. 😁

S

Personally, I wouldn't suggest power walking as the go-to for dropping pounds.
I’d rather see someone bike to work or campus, hit up badminton with a friend twice a week, and maybe squeeze in a swim on Sundays. Of course—you've gotta fix the diet too. You’ll start seeing results in a couple of months, because let's be real: there's no such thing as "fast" when it comes to losing body fat—it just takes time and staying consistent.

I'm rooting for you 👍
But if I were you, I'd try cutting back on the bread and sugary desserts. Try swapping those out for fish or lean poultry paired with some veggies and a fresh salad more often.
The most important thing is just getting started 👋

I guess I don't really get why people aren't doing more power walking... I've heard it's actually better for you than running, especially since if you're carrying a bit of extra weight, running can really mess up your knees.

I tried it myself, and honestly, it worked out pretty well for me. 🙂

S

😳 Look...

Power walking beats running for two main reasons: running is basically just constant jumping, which is terrible for your chest and your knees. Plus, walking builds longer, leaner muscles without all that bulk, so you’ll actually see the results on the scale. When you run, you pack on muscle mass (and muscle weighs more than fat), so you might actually see the number go up if you're running regularly.
Either way—your legs and glutes will look much better and more natural from walking than from running.

Now... if you want to see any real results, you have to work twice as hard as you would if you were just running. So—if you choose to run 1.9 miles — you have to 3.7 miles walk.

The best move is to combine both, but forget about the SCALE!

For example: this past Monday, I went for a light run for about 4 3.1 miles miles. Yesterday, I did a high-intensity power walk for about 7 5.0 miles miles.

Moving forward... you need to do this at least three times a week.

You can also mix in some swimming (which is the absolute best for toning your entire body at once—it saves time and shows up clearly on the scale), or try other workouts like Tae Bo or aerobics.

Basically, you can keep eating (and drinking) normally, but NEVER AFTER 7 PM!

That's the hardest part for me... and it's why I'm always carrying an extra few pounds.

Don't try cutting everything out of your diet; you'll just lose your mind after a while and go right back to your old habits. Instead—swap a whole bag of chips for a small bowl. If you had chips today, skip the chocolate until tomorrow.

Cycling... I never really liked it. My upper body stays totally inactive and my legs get way too strong, so I honestly hate biking.

One more thing... You can calculate your daily caloric needs based on your target weight while resting, then add the calories burned through your average daily activities, and make that your daily calorie limit. And DO NOT CUT IT LOWER! It’s incredibly tedious and exhausting, but when combined with everything else I mentioned, it works wonders.

Try this for a month and you'll drop about four or five pounds. It might not sound like much, but it's definitely healthier than shocking your system with sudden changes. That can be dangerous, especially during seasonal shifts.

I keep bringing up the scale because it's a great motivator when fighting weight, but it can also be a massive disappointment, which is why so many people quit. I've gotten used to it; even when the weight goes up or stalls, I stay objective and remember when I was 180 lbs. I've stopped stressing about it now, so currently, I'm hovering between 152–157 lbs, whereas before that, I was around 145–147 lbs.

I've tried a ton of stuff, but this is what works best and makes you feel good.

Walking beats running for two main reasons: running is basically just constant jumping—which is brutal on your chest and knees. Plus, walking builds those lean, long muscles without adding bulk, so you actually see the progress on the scale. With running, you tend to pack on muscle mass (and muscle weighs more than fat), so you might actually see the number go up if you're doing it regularly.

👍

I’m not a fan of running. One—it’s exhausting. Two—it’s terrible for your knees. Three—there's probably something else, I just can't think of it right now 😁

My advice? Stick to the Zone diet, find some form of movement, and honestly, anything is better than sitting around—that's the real enemy.

Since I was starting from zero—fitness-wise, anyway, though my weight was okay—I started walking to work and back. I hit the trails hard with big, purposeful strides. Not only does it wake me up and get my circulation moving, but it actually prepared me for the next step—hitting the pool.

After that, maybe some aerobics, etc.

Don't try to do too much all at once at the beginning—like thinking you'll hit the pool Monday, gym Tuesday, aerobics Wednesday, and rollerblading Thursday. If you overdo it, you'll burn out the second things don't go perfectly.

Just set realistic goals and gradually build them up.

I'm not a cycling fan either—I wanted to tone my glutes, but how am I supposed to do that while sitting on a bike? 😁

That's why those elliptical machines are great. 👍

For a while, I didn't even own a scale; my favorite pair of jeans was always the best way to track progress. 😉

I finally got a scale, but for entirely different reasons.

I was watching this segment on the "perfect bra" and heard something that absolutely floored me: when you're running, an A cup can experience up to a 10-inch bounce.

Just think about it: I’m a D cup. Once upon a time, I was actually a DD. 😁 If I didn't double up on sports bras, the movement would practically slap me in the face. 😂 🤣

Running used to be a total struggle because of that. Now, I’ve found this compression sports bra—I call it my tactical vest. 😁 It doesn't budge an inch. 😳 For anyone interested: check out Columbia Sportswear.

placidjackal97, the other day I tried on some pants that were way too big for me last year—the ones I was planning to give to a friend this summer. I put them on, and they were tight. 😲 I honestly felt lightheaded from the shock. 😁 My partner just lost it laughing at me. He said he’s never seen anyone freak out over a few pounds like that. 😁

So, we bought a scale. I need to stay in control. 😵

Just picture this—I’m rocking a D cup right now. Once upon a time, I was actually an E.

You’re really just rubbing it in at this point 😠 😁

I bought this Nike sports bra—super firm, kind of like those tiny crop tops—but honestly, it’s a lost cause for someone as lazy as me. 😎

It wasn't a total waste, though; it did the job for my Step Aerobics classes.

Then there are these Levi's 501s I’ve had since high school—been about ten years now—and they’ve always been my ultimate litmus test. They could handle maybe half a pound of fluctuation before getting too tight, especially since they're a pretty slim cut.

They never quite fit me perfectly. 😁

dustyharbor7 said:why not just power walking... they say it’s actually better for you than running because if you're overweight you'll totally wreck your knees by running...

I tried it—worked out just fine for me. 🙂

Hell yeah.

Low-intensity jogging is the way to go.
👍 Everything else is just hype. Also, if you do run, try to stay off the asphalt—it's brutal on the joints.

Betty Hill82 said:. Running builds muscle mass (and muscle weighs more than fat), so you might actually gain weight if you run regularly.

Seriously, who sold you this nonsense? 😢 That running builds muscle mass 🙂—and then women wonder why they can't lose a single ounce of body fat.

Anyway, I highly recommend everyone check out

FAQ

You guys have everything covered—from diet plans to fat loss 🙂
Don't let the stuff in the FAQ😁 scare you off

nimblescout said:Seriously, who sold you this garbage? 😢 That running builds muscle mass 🙂 is such a joke. Then women wonder why they can't lose a single ounce of fat.

Honestly, kill me now. I have no idea what you're trying to get at here. 🤔 Can you actually explain what you meant after that first sentence?

I used to think you actually had to run to build muscle—like walking was just a waste of time.
That’s why everyone on this thread keeps pushing power walking instead. 😁

nimblescout said:I thought you were implying that running builds muscle mass while walking doesn't.
That’s why this thread recommends power walking instead. 😁

Where on earth did you get that idea?

People just said they prefer walking. It wasn't about muscle; it was about their knees (and chest). 🙂 And the fact remains that walking is HEALTHIER—any doctor in the US will tell you that. I even explicitly stated that I do both.

But you decided to nitpick my comment about building muscle and now you're acting like that was my only point.

Running is a much more aggressive activity than walking. Muscles react differently and gain mass faster when running compared to walking over the same distance and time. Your legs are definitely going to see more growth. That might be the one thing I didn't specify—that I was talking about leg muscles.

And where exactly did I say you can't build muscle by walking?

You're trying to force me to dissect my own post. Looking back, I clearly never said I don't recommend running.
😕

Oh, ladies 😁
Fine, just keep walking then—maybe you'll actually drop a few pounds that way 🙂