Fitter, Happier, More Productive - CHANGE YA LIFE!

[adimon]

At the suggestion of some of the other members of the forum, I've decided to start a thread I've been meaning to do since joining back in September.

I will start by giving some basic advice on exercise, later move on to diet, and in the meantime others can ask questions or post additional points. Klinker I know already has some excellent advice on controlling carbohydrate intake.

The reason: fitter, healthier people are happier, and more productive. Plus, you know, living longer, having better sleep, having better sex... :)

So lets see what pans out...

[adimon]

Not everyone has the same exercise goals, so before you launch into a new regime, work out what it is you want to achieve.

If you are quite overweight, your main goal should be weight loss and improvement of cardiovascular fitness. If you do the right things, the two will happen simultaneously.

This will be the first goal I will look at. 1

If you are underweight, you might want to think about bulking up, but you need to do it properly or risk other problems. I will look at this one later on in the thread. 4

If you are happy with your weight but want to get fitter, then you might want to start on a progressive fitness programme that works mainly your aerobic fitness, but also your CP (creatine phosphate) or Start-Up system.

I will look at this goal second. 2

If you want to get stronger, you might want to think more about getting stronger by working your body anaerobically.

I will look at this goal third. 3

NOTE: All of the above goals can be achieved without the spending of money. You will need no gym membership or new equipment. If you want to look into these things, then please feel free, but my philosophy when I train people is to keep the whole thing free, spend as much time outdoors as possible - which improves your immune system and is mentally good for you too - and above all, have fun!

[adimon]

The Truth About the Fat Burning Zone

Part 1: Your Target Heart Rate Zone

Do you exercise because you want to lose weight? If so, you probably know that cardio exercise is a key factor in helping you lose weight. Many people are warned to stay within their 'fat burning' zone for the best results, but do you really burn more fat if you work at lower intensities? Is it the most effective way to help you lose weight?

The Ugly Truth

The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat in the 'fat burning zone' or at lower intensities. But, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight.

The chart below details the fat calories expended by a 130-pound woman during cardio exercise:

-------------- --------------- Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR ----------- High Intensity - 80-85% MHR
Total Calories expended per min. ------ 4.86-----------------------6.86
Fat Calories expended per min. ------ 2.43-----------------------2.7
Total Calories expended in 30 min. ------ 146-----------------------206
Total Fat calories expended in 30 min.------ 73-----------------------82
Percentage of fat calories burned ------ 50%-----------------------39.85%

In this example, the woman burns more total calories and more fat calories at a higher intensity. This isn't to say that low intensity exercise doesn't have it's place. In fact, endurance workouts should be a staple of a complete fitness program along with shorter, higher intensity workouts or even interval workouts which are a great way to burn calories and build endurance. To figure out your own intensity levels, start by calculating your target heart rate zone.

Paige Waehner

What is Your Target Heart Rate?

In order to figure out which zone you're in, you first need to figure out what your own target heart rate is.

Your max heart rate can be approximated as 220 minus your age. So for a 30 year old man, the recommended figure is 190.

The lower-intensity workout is around 65% of your max heart rate. This is where fat burning begins properly. A higher-intensity workout would be up to about 85% - which is where you wanna be working a lot more once you've shed some of those pounds.

First we factor on his resting heart rate of 50 (a reasonably fit guy!).

190 - 50 = 140

So for our example man.

65% of 140 = 91 plus resting heart rate of 50 = 141 (we'll call it 140 for ease)
85% of 140 = 119 plus resting heart rate of 50 = 159 (we'll call it 160 for ease)

The target heart rate zone for this person would be 140 to 160



Fat-burning workouts to follow. Sorry about the shitty table.

[lightbeing]

It's taken me a long time to finally get the right exercise & diet routine, but now I've done it!:) Here it is:-

Twice a week I do light weights for about 1hr-1hr 15min a time at home. Then at the weekend I go out on my bike, haven't decided how yet, only got the bike last week!;) But I'm reckoning on doing a good 2hrs.

I watch my fat intake in the week, then eat what I want at the weekend!:)

I've been maintaining 13 stone (182lbs) for some time now.

[eternal_spirit]

I've been maintaining 13 stone (182lbs) for some time now.

..................

Not so much of a lightbeing afteral lol forgive the pun. Walking and wanking always worked for me.

[klinker]

It is important to know that intensive cardio puts the metabolism into an emergency state where it is actually quicker to metabolise muscle (protein) than body fat stores. This is important and is something I have to keep in mind when karate training which is very intense cardio/calisthenic. Before this type of training I feed up with a casein protein powder which provides a slow release of amino's into the blood stream for several hours and helps to reduce muscle breakdown. My metabolism goes for this first and not my hard earned muscle.

Unless you MUST do intensive cardio for whatever sport you do then your cardio sessions should be mild to medium. For example if your resting heart rate is 60 bpm then look to around 110/120 bpm cardio session. This keeps your body looking to fat for fuel reserves instead of setting of alarm bells and of course you don't get off the bike or tread in a state of exhaustion. This is what I meant in the other thread about not having to bust a gut.

:)

[adimon]

Ok, so pretty much anything you do that makes you sweat will help you lose weight, and if you have any particular questions on how to concentrate weight loss in particular parts of the body I am happy to answer those (presumably by PM but also on the thread).

Here is a basic routine that will help someone who is a bit overweight to shed the pounds and get a lot fitter.

Running

1. 'It hurts when you first start'. But it gets easier every time you do it. Your muscles and lungs learn by repetition the same as your brain, only quicker. I've got people who couldn't run at all up to meeting the entry standards for the Commandos in just two months.
2. 'I might look stupid running'. But you will be laughing when you feel great...ALL the time. Hard work pays off. I seriously doubt you'd be on this forum if you cared that much about what people think.
3. 'The only free time I have to do it is in the evening'. Well, there's always first thing in the morning too. I can understand that doing this at the start is more difficult for most people, but as you get fitter you may want to mix up mornings and afternoons. But as for those evenings, well...TV sucks anyway, and taking an hour out of your sex-life to get fitter will improve your sex-life in the long run.
4. 'Do I have to buy a decent pair of trainers?' I really would advise it. But lots of shops sell Nike, Asics and New Balance for around £20-40. I don't think that's a lot to pay for something that can change your life. I recommend you look into which shoe is best for the particular shape of your foot - e.g. whether you over-pronate etc.. There is lots of information on the net about this. I may have time to compile it at a later date. But it's not essential early on. If you want a simple choice, buy a pair of Nike Air which are neutral cushioning.
5. 'I CAN'T DO IT! I'm dying after two minutes'. If when you start running you are very unfit, and find running even a mile very difficult then until you are fitter, there is one 'rule' I use when training such people which is that they DON'T GIVE UP. By this, I not only mean that they shouldn't abandon their regime altogether, since the goal they are headed towards is such a positive state for a person. I also mean that if they set out to run or jog for 30mins and after 5 they were feeling bad and wanted to stop, then they continue for the 30mins NO MATTER HOW SLOWLY. As long as you don't actually start walking or stop altogether, it's still gonna do you go. Keep going. NEXT TIME WILL BE EASIER.

Type of workouts

I can give help with constructing more advanced workouts for those wishing to get really fit on request. I will also cover it in more detail when I do the piece on CV fitness after this Fat burning one. But for now, here is a simple set of tips to help you make that first start.

1. Run 2 or 3 times a week to start with. 20-30 minutes is desirable. Distance covered is not as important as heart-rate (see above)

2. Stretch before and after (more on this later - but there is lots of info on the net about this)

3. Make sure you stay hydrated before and after.

4. As early on as you can, try to incorporate the idea of 'interval' training into your workout. This could be jogging for a mile, then sprinting between two lamposts, then carry on jogging. See 'Fartlek training'. This could also be doing laps on an athletics track, and trying to keep the same time or improve. There are many advanced methods for improving fitness, but in the early stages, pushing it a little bit harder from time to time helps speed up the getting fit process, and keeps your mind geared towards your goals.

Cycling and swimming

These are less straightforward than running, and are of less immediate benefit to overweight people seeking to burn fat. However, they can be very good also, when used properly. I'm not going to go into so much detail for various reasons - e.g. cost of getting a bike, bikes in gyms being different, not everyone being able to swim so well etc.. but here are some simple tips if you want to incorporate them.

1. You have to cycle for a lot longer to burn fat, so early on running is better for this.
2. The exercise bikes they have in gyms with heart rate sensors are ok, but remember the above points about heart-rate. If you are going to use an exercise bike, don't stop until you've burnt the required amount of calories. Do some reading about stretching too.
3. In the early stages of getting fitter, 3 lots of 30 mins a week is not too bad, provided you are also eating a healthy diet. So if you go for 2/3 runs and a swim per week, plus maybe a 10 mile cycle ride on a Sunday afternoon (if you have a bike) then you will be making a great start towards losing weight and getting fitter.

There is not really any benchmark for when you have progressed through the early stage and are ready for some more intense CV work, but essentially, if you can run three miles at a decent steady pace (less than 20 mins) you are ready to move on.

I might add a piece on using weights to specifically target fat build ups in specific areas later on, but for now if you want help on this, please ask or PM me.

[lightbeing]

..................
Walking and wanking always worked for me.

LOL, classic!:D

[eternal_spirit]

If you do wan't to loose a bit of weight, be patient, don't expect miracles all at once. The good news is, in time with regular exercise, such as light weights and fast repetitions, you're metabolism reaches a quicker rate which allows calories to be burnt off faster. Toned muscle burns calories quicker. This may take a few years to achieve.

[lightbeing]

..................

Not so much of a lightbeing afteral lol forgive the pun. Walking and wanking always worked for me.

Me at 13 stone, just for the record!;):)

[limelady]

It's taken me a long time to finally get the right exercise & diet routine, but now I've done it!:) Here it is:-

Twice a week I do light weights for about 1hr-1hr 15min a time at home. Then at the weekend I go out on my bike, haven't decided how yet, only got the bike last week!;) But I'm reckoning on doing a good 2hrs.

I watch my fat intake in the week, then eat what I want at the weekend!:)

I've been maintaining 13 stone (182lbs) for some time now.


It has been my experience working with those losing weight, that cutting back on carbohydrates (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) rather than fat, will help you lose more weight quicker, while keeping your blood sugar levels steadier (no spiking), thus preventing insulin resistance, that usually leads to diet-related type 2 diabetes.

Instead of having a bowl of cerial or toast for breakfast, have bacon, eggs, and tomatoes, without bread. It will sustain you energy-wise for a lot longer, without the insulin spiking.

Watch fruit juices.....yummy, but loaded with sugar. Eat whole fruits and drink more filtered water instead. ;)

[adimon]

It has been my experience working with those losing weight, that cutting back on carbohydrates (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) rather than fat, will help you lose more weight quicker, while keeping your blood sugar levels steadier (no spiking), thus preventing insulin resistance, that usually leads to diet-related type 2 diabetes.

Instead of having a bowl of cerial or toast for breakfast, have bacon, eggs, and tomatoes, without bread. It will sustain you energy-wise for a lot longer, without the insulin spiking.

Watch fruit juices.....yummy, but loaded with sugar. Eat whole fruits and drink more filtered water instead. ;)

Certainly this is feasible, provided the exercise is there.

I eat 20-30 hash browns of a morning, with a whole tin of baked beans on top, but I do the requisite exercise too.

Sorry, I appreciate your input, and I don't want to act like a mod, but can we keep to the subject of exercise for a while, and come onto diet later?

I'm not a control freak, I just want to see that those with exercise questions get answered first as exercise is more impacting than diet.

[lightbeing]

It has been my experience working with those losing weight, that cutting back on carbohydrates (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) rather than fat, will help you lose more weight quicker, while keeping your blood sugar levels steadier (no spiking), thus preventing insulin resistance, that usually leads to diet-related type 2 diabetes.

Instead of having a bowl of cerial or toast for breakfast, have bacon, eggs, and tomatoes, without bread. It will sustain you energy-wise for a lot longer, without the insulin spiking.

Watch fruit juices.....yummy, but loaded with sugar. Eat whole fruits and drink more filtered water instead. ;)

Hi Lime:)

I feel at my ideal weight now, so don't need to loose any!:)
I seem to be living on cereal bars, bread and fresh orange juice!:eek: I feel fine on it.
I wish I could have bacon, eggs and tomatoes for breccy, not time and can't be bothered to do it!:p;)

[lightbeing]

Certainly this is feasible, provided the exercise is there.

I eat 20-30 hash browns of a morning, with a whole tin of baked beans on top, but I do the requisite exercise too.

Sorry, I appreciate your input, and I don't want to act like a mod, but can we keep to the subject of exercise for a while, and come onto diet later?

I'm not a control freak, I just want to see that those with exercise questions get answered first as exercise is more impacting than diet.

Christ on bike adimon;), 20-30 hash browns, you must have to do allot to burn that lot away!:eek:

[adimon]

Christ on bike adimon;), 20-30 hash browns, you must have to do allot to burn that lot away!:eek:

"I just felt like running"
Forrest Gump

[lightbeing]

"I just felt like running"
Forrest Gump

Great quote from Forrest!:) Sometimes I do as well, if I do I will go out on my bike!;)

[klinker]

Certainly this is feasible, provided the exercise is there.

I eat 20-30 hash browns of a morning, with a whole tin of baked beans on top, but I do the requisite exercise too.

Sorry, I appreciate your input, and I don't want to act like a mod, but can we keep to the subject of exercise for a while, and come onto diet later?

I'm not a control freak, I just want to see that those with exercise questions get answered first as exercise is more impacting than diet.

20-30 has browns? :eek:

Sorry dude it does not matter that you might exercise a great deal. Your carb consumption will still have a negative effect on your body and your blood system.

What do you want this thread to be? Exercise or diet? More often than not the two go together and most pro athletes will tell you that 90% of staying in shape is diet.

There needs to be some clear definitions between exercising for your chosen sport and exercising for recreation and to lose body fat. Peoples goals are different. What is of utmost importance is how you fuel yourself for these activities.

I wish I had the time to concentrate on this right now but I don't so I will come back to it.

[adimon]

Sorry dude it does not matter that you might exercise a great deal. Your carb consumption will still have a negative effect on your body and your blood system.

You don't need to apologise. I have regular checks with my doctor and I am in perfect health. I'm not going to be eating like this forever, but I'm training up for Iron Man. After I complete Iron Man, I will return to a normal diet. I never advocated that anyone else eat my breakfast, and I will bring the thread back round to diet later so we can debate this. For the time being though I'd like to stay on exercise. I will be posting my CV workout guidelines later this evening or in the morning, which will leave strength training and weight gain before turning to diet.

What do you want this thread to be? Exercise or diet? More often than not the two go together and most pro athletes will tell you that 90% of staying in shape is diet.

I know a lot of pro-athletes, and for some of them diet is more important for staying competitive in their sport. Cyclists for example have to avoid putting on any weight - including too much muscle.

This thread however is for non-athletes to get fitter and healthier, and in this context exercise is more important. Though I'm a good runner, I'm a non-athlete who runs to keep fit and as a hobby, and that's how I train people too. I'm not a competitive-quality runner, and not all about speed. Though I am fast ;) But I just wanna complete Iron Man - I don't care where I come in the placements.

There needs to be some clear definitions between exercising for your chosen sport and exercising for recreation and to lose body fat. Peoples goals are different. What is of utmost importance is how you fuel yourself for these activities.

See above.

I wish I had the time to concentrate on this right now but I don't so I will come back to it.

OK, feel free to contribute on exercise. I promise I'll bring the thread back round to diet, and the diet/exercise debate once we've talked about exercise for a while. :)

[adimon]

If you're already in reasonable shape, and you want to get properly fit, then a look at these guidelines might help you.

1. If you haven't bought a decent pair of trainers yet, do so. If you've gotten this far with a make-do pair, then fair enough, but you risk damaging your feet, legs and other parts of your body if you continue to run in something other than decent running trainers. As I said earlier in the thread, the best makes are Nike, New Balance and Asics - but the important thing is to have the correct cushioning and a shoe that fits your foot well. The guys in the shops usually know what they're on about.

2. If you've just been running on the pavement in your town, now's the time to expand your horizons. Look for any kind of open space near you, such as a park, countryside footpaths, even a country lane as long as it's not busy and you stay visible on the RIGHT side of the road and take care near hairpins etc. Running on the beach if you're lucky enough to live by the sea is ok, but only provided the sand/ground is relatively flat where you're running otherwise you will damage the biomechanisms of your feet and legs. For this reason, also never run barefoot, even on the beach. Especially on the beach!

[adimon]

3. Faster or Longer?. As shown above in the post on heart-rates, the more intense the workout, the more calories of fat burned. However, if your goal is CV fitness, then you have two different concepts to consider now: endurance and intervals.

Endurance. Now that you're comfortable running say 5-7km on a route that you know well, try to run a longer route at the same speed. You'll have probably gotten a bit faster at running while you've been getting to this stage. You can try to run a little bit faster every few workouts, but you really want to work on your endurance.

If you're focussing on your endurance then 3 runs a week is ideal. On one session, try to average a 7min mile for 45min, on another, slightly faster run try to do 6min mile for 30min, and on the other, do a slower run for 90min and the combination of the three will improve your stamina no end.

Intervals is basically a word for varying the intensity of your workout. There are many ways of doing this, but all achieve the same thing: teaching your lungs to store oxygen better, and this is what really brings your fitness on. You need good endurance to keep this up for the duration of the workout, but this is where the big steps are made.

Hills. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere quite hilly (like Glasgow! Scrap that about lucky!) then hills are a great way to get fit. You can find a shortish section of hill (<100m) and sprint up fast, jogging down very slowly to recover. These unsurprisingly are called hill sprints. A great workout would be to run lightly and steadily to a hill, do a bunch of hill sprints, and jog back. If you plan a longer route over hilly ground, and are going up and down hills, then try to jog up the 'up' bits without stopping or slowing (lean into the hill slightly and pump your thighs more), jog down the down bits to recover, and run a bit faster on the flatter bits. Vary it up and see what works for you. Take smaller steps when going up and down the hills.

Fartlek training. This is where you run at varying speeds throughout your workout, ranging from a very light jog to a full sprint. There are lots of example workouts on the net, but a typical Fartlek session for me might consist of:

1. Jog 5 mins
2. Run 80% 2 mins
3. Sprint 100% 30s
4. Run 80% 1 min
5. Sprint 100% 30s
6. Jog 1 min
7. Run 60% 3 mins
8. Run 80% 2 mins
9. Sprint 100% 1 min
10. Run 80% 1 min
11. Sprint 100% 1 min
12. Run 80% 1 min
13. Jog 2 mins

and so on, for 30 mins.

Track intervals. If you have the use of a track, run a 400m lap in the inside lane at 80% and time yourself. Try to equal that time for each lap, with only 30 secs - 1 min rest in between. Try 2x400 then do an 800m stint, trying to hit the same time for each 400m as you did when you were just running 400m.

2x400
2x800
2x400

That's over 3km and will be quite tiring if you're running at 80%.

[adimon]

First of all, whatever you do in strength training, you MUST be careful. Whilst overdoing it on CV fitness sessions can be exhausting, doing the wrong thing with strength training can have all kinds of complications.

I personally don't use barbell weights or nautilus machines hardly ever anymore because you can do many exercises to keep strong just using your body mass as the weight - e.g. heaves, dips, pushups etc..

I do have a set of dumbbells for bicep curls and kickbacks but being a long distance running freak I mustn't get too big anyway.

OK some basic points:-

1. Start light. If you aren't very strong to start, don't overdo the strain you are placing on your muscles because it will do you no good. The least that will happen will be that you'll be achy, lose morale, and won't derive any benefit. The worst that can happen is torn tendons and muscles.

2. The hard truth. The best way to build muscle is to break it. This may seem to contradict the first statement but actually it's in fine balance with it. What I mean is that when you are working out and your muscles are pumped, and you feel the burn, and your muscles are over-compensating, then the muscle fibres break and split. This isn't painful, in fact you won't feel it. However, when the muscle heals (thanks to your dose of protein soon after your workout - see diet later on in the thread) that one fibre will be boosted by several others growing around it. This enables more contraction, and greater strength. Kinda like the Hydra's head from Greek legend. Hercules chopped it off, and three grew back in its place.

3. Strength vs. Power. Strength is different to power. Strength is being able to hang from a bar for a long period of time. Power is the force you are harnessing to do a chin up from that bar. The way to build strength is to use lower weights, but do higher reps. Conversely, your muscles become more powerful if you use higher weights. It is difficult to increase your power very much without using weights.

4. Free weights vs. Nautilus (weights machines). Nautilus are best for beginners as they are mostly 2 dimensional and simple, but free weights are best - especially for building strength since all the smaller muscles used to balance the bar in your grip are used far less on Nautilus. You may need a partner to spot you when doing power work on free weights, though.

5. Seek specific advice. Not just from other people in your gym, but if you have a particular reason to get strong - e.g. Rugby - then seek the advice of the coach or a friend for what kind of exercise you should do. If you want to get into bodybuilding, check out Dorian Yates' site.

[adimon]

1. This is the routine I use to stay in shape. Doing this will increase your strength. It will not make you massive. If you want to get massive, check out some bodybuilding sites, and lay off the 'roids. Try Creatine Ethyl Ester instead. I will discuss nutritional supplements when I talk about diet later in the thread.

2. Apart from 5-10kg dumbbells there are no weights in this workout.

3. IF YOU CAN'T DO THE REQUISITE AMOUNT OF EXERCISES TO BEGIN WITH, THEN REDUCE IT TO THE NUMBER WHICH IS 50% OF THE MAXIMUM YOU CAN DO IN ONE GO. e.g. IF YOU CAN ONLY DO 15 PUSHUPS IN ONE GO, THEN REDUCE 25 TO 7-10 UNTIL YOU CAN DO MORE.


-------------------------

If in doubt, use this site as a reference. http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Upper Body

100 Pushups - hands shoulder width apart, go down til elbow is 90 degrees
25 Crossed-thumb pushups - hands together with thumbs crossed
25 Wide arm pushups - arms much wider than normal
25 Tricep/USMC pushups - elbows bend back in line with your body, not perpendicular
25 Decline pushups - legs a metre higher than arms (off bed for example)
25 Incline pushups - arms higher than legs (against a rail for example)
10 One-arm pushups - you won't be able to do these at first, but persist!
10 Currants - 1 'currant' is a wide arm pushup followed immediately by bringing one arm towards the other for a tricep pushup, followed by bringing the opposite arm in for a crossed-thumb pushup!
10 Bastardos - A 'bastardo' is a press up, then a squat thrust, then a burpee!

100 Reverse dips - look here for a demo (http://www.frixo.com/sites/fitness/exercises/revpress.html). But bend your knees unlike this guy
100 Kickbacks (each side) - here's a demo (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/DBKickback.html)

200 Bicep curls - a great way to even out the strength differential of the arm you use less
50 Hammer curls - palms facing inwards
50 Overgrip curls - palms facing floor

100 Shoulder press - strart with hands to chest, palms facing your body. Twist and raise until your hands are above your head, shoulder width apart, palms facing away from body.
100 Lateral raises
100 Pectoral fly
100 Rear fly

Exercises in red will require 2x dumbbells between 5kg and 10kg in weight (each).

Have fun.

[adimon]

100 Sit-ups
100 Twist sit-ups - bring elbow to opposite knee
100 Crunches
100 Half-sits

200 Squats
200 Lunges
100 Calf-raises
100 Squat-thrusts

[megafish33]

First, this is an awesome thread.

Second, I'm glad you guys brought up the differences between low, medium, and higher intensity cardiovascular workouts. Many people who desire weight loss, or more appropriately, fat loss, will need to focus on a net caloric deficiency. High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is awesome for burning tons of calories(during the session). By doing the maths, you will discover the higher intensity workouts that deplete carbohydrate stores, also burn more total fat, so you'll have a net loss in that area, plus you'll strengthen one of your most important muscles, your heart. I used to just do strength training and body weight exercises with intensity, but I was slacking in my cardio workouts. Now, both types of training complement each other for me. My strengthened heart makes me feel like superman, while my metabolism is starting to burn more fat at rest.

[mad as a cat]

Good thread,Adimon.:)
Tagging for later.

[amethyst]

Hey Adimon, a question:

I do intervals on a treadmill- I alternate between running and fast walking with the incline for about 45 to 50 minutes (4 x's a week) I think I'm in good shape but would like to lose 5-10 lbs. I used to be thinner (when I was modeling) but not as healthy.

What would be the best way to lose? ( I think I weigh more now due to more muscle?)

[adimon]

Hey Adimon, a question:

I do intervals on a treadmill- I alternate between running and fast walking with the incline for about 45 to 50 minutes (4 x's a week) I think I'm in good shape but would like to lose 5-10 lbs. I used to be thinner (when I was modeling) but not as healthy.

What would be the best way to lose? ( I think I weigh more now due to more muscle?)

Unless you have noticeable excess fat deposits (belly, love-handles, buttocks etc) which you wish to shed I wouldn't worry about it.

From the sounds of things you sound in reasonable shape. 5-10lbs is a healthy reserve. Being a marathon runner but not competitively, I like to keep a reserve which I can lose during the race, so I don't have to beef up again afterward.

If you decide you DO wish to strip the last bits of fat of your body you need to do intensive cardio (sprinting or fast spinning) as well as anaerobic exercises localised to the target areas. For instance, any fat on the abdomen will be assisted off by doing abdominal exercises, particularly twist-sits, crunches and stabilisation exercises.

If I can be of further assistance, give me another shout.

Best of luck.

[crazed]

How do you start out training for marathons?

The logical way would be to steadily increase your distances, but maybe there's more to it than that?

[soglad]

This thread is cool. Lately I have been trying to keep fitter, and tune my body so I can receive Chi and universal energy a lot better. I got an intuitive nudge to learn Tai Chi after watching an amazing video of some guy using Chi energy to heal people, shock them and set things on fire. It was amazing, here is a guy who can manipulate the matrix. So, I looked up on the net, all crap. Got a job offer from a friend, and in a local bookstore in the town I was working in he points out a book on Tai Chi. I buy it, learn the stuff from it, start feeling great!

Then we both find out our project manager is a Tai Chi instructor, and knows a really rare form of Tai Chi, and I shall be doing classes with him soon. Amazing, huh? :D

So yeah, I have been doing lots of physical work which keeps me in shape and feeling great most all the time. I am cycling, working hard, meditating, doing Tai Chi and doing the odd work-out and feel tops!

I would be reluctant about jogging though. Really wouldn't be my type of thing, although, I COULD do it. My father was a champion marathon runner, and used to run miles every day, he was addicted to it I suppose! But in the end, he fucked up his knees big time, and could never run again. Everything in moderation I suppose!

I shall keep reading stuff here Adimon, good job!

Much love to you,

Dav.

[amethyst]

Unless you have noticeable excess fat deposits (belly, love-handles, buttocks etc) which you wish to shed I wouldn't worry about it.

From the sounds of things you sound in reasonable shape. 5-10lbs is a healthy reserve. Being a marathon runner but not competitively, I like to keep a reserve which I can lose during the race, so I don't have to beef up again afterward.

If you decide you DO wish to strip the last bits of fat of your body you need to do intensive cardio (sprinting or fast spinning) as well as anaerobic exercises localised to the target areas. For instance, any fat on the abdomen will be assisted off by doing abdominal exercises, particularly twist-sits, crunches and stabilisation exercises.

If I can be of further assistance, give me another shout.

Best of luck.

thanks! Sent a pm-

[adimon]

How do you start out training for marathons?

The logical way would be to steadily increase your distances, but maybe there's more to it than that?

Not really. As you get seriously into it you need to make sure you're not cutting corners or becoming complacent:-

a) Get GOOD trainers and make sure you replace them every 3/4 months depending on quality

b) Stretch before, after, and then throughout the remainder of the day

c) Diet starts to play a bigger role. You need to make sure you have the requisite energy to run 26 miles without hitting the wall too early. Hitting the wall is where your body has processed all the glucose in your digestive system and is beginning to burn fat. It hurts if it comes before you are fully in your running flow

But essentially, once you are pretty fit, run 5miles twice or three times a week. Then change one to a 7miler, then another, then all three at 7miles.

Then steadily increase - 7, 10, 15, 20 (a few at 20 miles), then have a go at a marathon ahead of any race (if you have time). If you can run 20 miles but dont have time before a race it won't be too much more effort.

Personally, the biggest challenge for me when I was starting into long distance running was the boredom that comes between 5 and 15 miles for me, before I get the main rush of energy which is, btw, better than most sex!

Eventually, I switched to mountain marathons and find it hard to run on the flat now....anyway, if anyone wants to PM me about long-distance running or any other topic, please feel free.

So yeah, I have been doing lots of physical work which keeps me in shape and feeling great most all the time. I am cycling, working hard, meditating, doing Tai Chi and doing the odd work-out and feel tops!

Good for you Dav. I can tell you it just gets better and better! :)

I would be reluctant about jogging though. Really wouldn't be my type of thing, although, I COULD do it. My father was a champion marathon runner, and used to run miles every day, he was addicted to it I suppose! But in the end, he fucked up his knees big time, and could never run again. Everything in moderation I suppose!

Running is the best way of gaining and maintaining fitness. It will make all the other stuff you do far more effective. You will get more out of a Tai Chi session, for instance, if you have a regular CV workout as well.

[megafish33]

Adimon,

What do you think concerning pre-breakfast/fasted low intensity cardio for the mornings? I've been doing about 30 min of steady state cardio in a fasted state to use up more of the triglycerides in my blood after sleep. I supplement with BCAA's and water, of course. Some guy at the gym told me I'll magically go catabolic and loose all my muscle. I can see where he has a point, but I have a hard time believing it'll be that easy to burn right through my LBM since it's working for fat loss, so far. First real meal is usually 40% protein and 60% carbohydrate by volume with traces of naturally occurring fat. Egg with cauliflower and an apple for example. I do this 5-6 times a week, usually.

Besides that, I do 3 [mostly] total body workouts and 3 high intensity interval run/jogs(run around a lake) on different days. One day I don't do much, just walk a lot for some active recovery. Occasionally, I'll schedule something more fun, like a hike or snowboarding, and that throws me off schedule a bit, but I perform better after. All of those activities [usually] end with post-workout nutrition that includes whey-protein hydrolysate, BCCAs, and D-glucose.

Oh ya, I do the Tabata method once a month or so...

My goal is still fat loss, though I suspect I'll make a transition into a weight gaining phase after May, if all goes well. Is my fasted cardio helping or hurtin'? I feel like(and it looks like!) it's helping, but sometimes these gym nerds give me something to think about.

Thanks man.

[adimon]

Adimon,

What do you think concerning pre-breakfast/fasted low intensity cardio for the mornings? I've been doing about 30 min of steady state cardio in a fasted state to use up more of the triglycerides in my blood after sleep. I supplement with BCAA's and water, of course. Some guy at the gym told me I'll magically go catabolic and loose all my muscle. I can see where he has a point, but I have a hard time believing it'll be that easy to burn right through my LBM since it's working for fat loss, so far. First real meal is usually 40% protein and 60% carbohydrate by volume with traces of naturally occurring fat. Egg with cauliflower and an apple for example. I do this 5-6 times a week, usually.

Besides that, I do 3 [mostly] total body workouts and 3 high intensity interval run/jogs(run around a lake) on different days. One day I don't do much, just walk a lot for some active recovery. Occasionally, I'll schedule something more fun, like a hike or snowboarding, and that throws me off schedule a bit, but I perform better after. All of those activities [usually] end with post-workout nutrition that includes whey-protein hydrolysate, BCCAs, and D-glucose.

Oh ya, I do the Tabata method once a month or so...

My goal is still fat loss, though I suspect I'll make a transition into a weight gaining phase after May, if all goes well. Is my fasted cardio helping or hurtin'? I feel like(and it looks like!) it's helping, but sometimes these gym nerds give me something to think about.

Thanks man.

Hey Rob

My advice:-

Eat a huge breakfast (anything you like, even fats) around 6.30-7.30am depending on work schedule. Then go for your run (after 20-30mins to let it go down) and push as hard as you can.

Then recover with plenty of liquids and some fruit.

So short answer is, the nerds are talking crap, since you'd feel yourself 'hit the wall' before burning any muscle. They are scaremongering you from an outdated viewpoint. Research in the last ten years has removed that myth and shown that cardio complements any anaerobic work and strength building you may be doing.

However, whilst you may be losing weight, that may not be directly related to your fasted running. My advice is to keep diet and metabolism as normal as possible, and workout around that schedule - massive breakfast, small lunch, small supper (fruit and liquids throughout the day as snacks).

From a point of view of burning before meals your best bet is pre-supper.

Sounds like you're really taking charge. Good for you, and best of luck!

[megafish33]

Hey Rob

My advice:-

Eat a huge breakfast (anything you like, even fats) around 6.30-7.30am depending on work schedule. Then go for your run (after 20-30mins to let it go down) and push as hard as you can.

Then recover with plenty of liquids and some fruit.

So short answer is, the nerds are talking crap, since you'd feel yourself 'hit the wall' before burning any muscle. They are scaremongering you from an outdated viewpoint. Research in the last ten years has removed that myth and shown that cardio complements any anaerobic work and strength building you may be doing.

However, whilst you may be losing weight, that may not be directly related to your fasted running. My advice is to keep diet and metabolism as normal as possible, and workout around that schedule - massive breakfast, small lunch, small supper (fruit and liquids throughout the day as snacks).

From a point of view of burning before meals your best bet is pre-supper.

Sounds like you're really taking charge. Good for you, and best of luck!

Thanks for the quick reply Chris, I needed that extra opinion.

Tomorrow's Monday here, so I'll go ahead and give it a try! I just got two avocados so I suppose I can use part of one tomorrow morning along with my egg. I can eat fat like there's no tomorrow... toast topped with avocado, spinach, sprouts, and an egg or two with cheese. That should give me plenty of fuel. I'll go ahead and do my intervals afterward.

Yeah I thought about the 'hit-the-wall' effect as well. Your body will usually let you know those things.

[chinchilla]

Awesome thread Adimon!

I'm in fairly good shape at the moment but I wasn't 6 months ago. I credit my success to not only what I learned but also the most important step I took.

That step was my goal of where I got to the point of saying "I will do whatever it takes". I did not have a strict diet/exercise plan. For the first 2 months my exercise was a walk a day for about 3~4 miles before eating in the morning and using a calorie deficit of 1500 max calories per day. I lost over a stone a month doing this (can't say about water weight/muscle loss because I wasn't familiar with those concepts then.)

What I did was simple but it was only simple because I already was at a point where I knew I will succeed.

That's why I wanted to bring up the point of goals being extremely important, more important that dieting/exercise in my opinion.

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss
it, but that our aim is too low and we make it.”

11 steps to create powerful goals:


Set specific goals – “I will lose 2 pounds by the end of this week”
Set measurable goals – “measure by weight, skin fold.”
Set big goals – “If you’re goal isn’t scary or exciting it’s too low”
Set realistic deadline – “I will lose 1 stone in 2 months”
Set long term and short term goals – “2 months time”, “1 years time”
Establish emotional reasons why you want to achieve your goals – “Why is reaching my goal important”
Make sure you’re goals aren’t conflicting; rank them in order of importance. “A for important, B for not as important, C for things you’d like”
Write out an extensive goal list in forms of affirmations – 3 things affirmations need to be affirmations 1) they must be personal “I will”, “I am”. 2) They must be written in present tense as if you have already completed the goal, believe you already have. £) The goals must be positive – “I will lose 2 stone by my birthday and I will be very happy”
Read your affirmation goal list at least twice a day.
Read your goals with faith – Act as if you’ve already completed them and see images of yourself as achieved your goals.
As you read your affirmations, mentally visualise them as already achieved. –“The brain cannot tell if the event is real or visualised”



Adimon if you can talk about starvation response and avoiding low calorie diets, meal timings, meal ratios, permanent fat loss, body composition, performance feedback, the genetic variables, somatotyping (Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph), metabolic system, good fats/bad fats, water. That would be great! Since I feel their important and don't have much time to do it myself :p I used bold for the ones I think are the most useful to cover!

Winning combination I find is goal setting - nutrition plan - cardiovascular training (I prefer rowing) - weight training

Those 4 area will allow you to lose fat, retain muscle and get much fitter overall.

This advice is general for fat loss and muscle retain other than any specific gain. I find fat loss is the most problematic though and 90% fail because they never though they could do it in the first place (goal setting).


Eat a huge breakfast (anything you like, even fats) around 6.30-7.30am depending on work schedule. Then go for your run (after 20-30mins to let it go down) and push as hard as you can.


I'd much prefer the run then the large breakfast. I personally found it too be a much better strategy in fat loss and studies have concluded a massive 300% towards fat burning. Due to low glycogen, no insulin release to affect the fat process, less glucose in the blood and the main thing that you won't need to burn a meal first, you'll burn straight from your supply!

[adimon]

I'm in fairly good shape at the moment but I wasn't 6 months ago. I credit my success to not only what I learned but also the most important step I took. That step was my goal of where I got to the point of saying "I will do whatever it takes".

Good for you chinchilla. I always tell people over and over

IT GETS EASIER EVERY TIME

That's why I wanted to bring up the point of goals being extremely important, more important that dieting/exercise in my opinion.


Nothing is more important than exercise. My diet would shock you, let's leave it at that. But I do the requisite exercise to make it work for you.

When I hear talk of goals I understand what people mean, but I redefine it to my clients as 'commitment'. Why start down the road towards fitness and health if you're not prepared to go all the way.

Your points on goals are excellent, and I'm sure many visitors to this thread will find them useful...they're just not my bag. I'm black and white on some things. I was a slob for many years prior to turning my life around. And I did it in 2 months by working as hard as I possibly can. Your body will tell you when it can't do anymore. People shouldn't listen to their heads when it tells them that. It's lying.

Adimon if you can talk about starvation response and avoiding low calorie diets, meal timings, meal ratios, permanent fat loss, body composition, performance feedback, the genetic variables, somatotyping (Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph), metabolic system, good fats/bad fats, water. That would be great!

There is absolutely no need to think about this stuff too hard.

Eat a massive breakfast (as much as you like, whatever you like), then a small lunch, a small supper (with little carbs), and drink as much water during the day as you can. I drink 10-12 liters.

But in answer to a few of these points.

Meal timings. You have to work this round your schedule as best you can, but 6.30, 12.30, 18.30 is pretty good. If you get hungry in between, drink water.

Low calorie diets. Fats are the best source of energy you will find. Eat them at the beginning of the day and you will burn them off throughout the day.

Good fat/bad fat. It's all good. Just don't eat it after 10am.

[megafish33]

...somatotyping (Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph),...

I'm not an authority on such things but...

I've used somatotyping "for fun" and it helped in a way by giving a definition or word to describe the body. I was an ectomorph like no other when I was young. Couldn't gain weight no matter what. When the other kids would start to develop muscles I'd eat TONS of food and nothing, leaner than a piece of floss. Eventually, my reckless eating caused me to become an endomorph... now I consider myself in the transition to a real mesomorph, although some of my "naturally mesomorphic" friends feel like I'm already 'there', transition done. I'm aware I still have work to do, and will always have maintenance work.

Adimon's black and white-just do it-idea is one I'm warming up to these days. The more we discover in sports nutrition and exercise physiology the more we realize how little we know. If you do like to understand these things, and they interest you, try studying the effects of hormones and their roles in body building and fitness(and health, ultimately). I'm sort of a food science nerd, but eventually I started to realize that our best "nutrients" are the chemicals already floating around in us, keeping us alive, and the ones we probably don't take advantage of as much as we can because we don't know they exist. The more I started learning about hormones the more I realized that the body, and health, that I want is within reach thanks to the discoveries of countless scientists and just my natural instinct/intuition. A lot of people think that your hormones work one way or not, and if you could manipulate them you're probably sick and thus it's a medical problem. I reject this view, and feel that it's probably one of the main strains on our medical system. An example would be, you're not just Type 2 diabetic or not, you could try and influence your body during it's transition, via proper diet and exercise, to become more sensitive to insulin. Of course, there is only so much you can do, and lack of information/motivation will always be here with some people. Some of the main hormones you can research are testosterone, insulin, growth hormone, cortisol, glucagon, etc.

[chinchilla]

Nothing is more important than exercise. My diet would shock you, let's leave it at that. But I do the requisite exercise to make it work for you.

When I hear talk of goals I understand what people mean, but I redefine it to my clients as 'commitment'. Why start down the road towards fitness and health if you're not prepared to go all the way.

Your points on goals are excellent, and I'm sure many visitors to this thread will find them useful...they're just not my bag. I'm black and white on some things. I was a slob for many years prior to turning my life around. And I did it in 2 months by working as hard as I possibly can. Your body will tell you when it can't do anymore. People shouldn't listen to their heads when it tells them that. It's lying.

There is absolutely no need to think about this stuff too hard.


I know what you mean with the goals but I find them incredibly helpful, as the building blocks of enthusiasm and commitment. Anyone can train/diet but unless their 100% on why their doing it (and it's for themselves and not to beat other people etc..) then the majority will find it much more difficult.

Currently I'm volunteering with a "fat club" with the majority of them being conditioned to believing losing weight is hard work, takes a long time etc most of them back out before they start. When I taught them goal setting they were able to see the benefits and they started finding losing weight a much more rewarding experience because they know why their doing it in the first place.

Most people don't lose weight because they generally believe they can't! This is caused by an excess amount of anxiety which has driven them towards an impulsive life style, the only way to break the anxiety chain is through courage. Basically doing the right thing, the first step into courage is knowing what that right thing is and knowing that you can do it.

That's why I believe goal setting is the most important part :p



I'm not an authority on such things but...

I've used somatotyping "for fun" and it helped in a way by giving a definition or word to describe the body. I was an ectomorph like no other when I was young. Couldn't gain weight no matter what. When the other kids would start to develop muscles I'd eat TONS of food and nothing, leaner than a piece of floss. Eventually, my reckless eating caused me to become an endomorph... now I consider myself in the transition to a real mesomorph, although some of my "naturally mesomorphic" friends feel like I'm already 'there', transition done. I'm aware I still have work to do, and will always have maintenance work.

Yea, I do find it all extremely interesting. I like to know how people work, so I do understand if others don't feel the same way with knowing too much :p

I found that talking to overweight people about body types and somatotyping made them realise how their body works and responds to what they eat and do. No-one will be a perfect body type, but majority of overweight people will be top heavy on Endomorph which means their genetically prone to store more fat. If you can see that as a challenge rather than a disadvantage, you will win easily!


Adimon's black and white-just do it-idea is one I'm warming up to these days. The more we discover in sports nutrition and exercise physiology the more we realize how little we know. If you do like to understand these things, and they interest you, try studying the effects of hormones and their roles in body building and fitness(and health, ultimately). I'm sort of a food science nerd, but eventually I started to realize that our best "nutrients" are the chemicals already floating around in us, keeping us alive, and the ones we probably don't take advantage of as much as we can because we don't know they exist. The more I started learning about hormones the more I realized that the body, and health, that I want is within reach thanks to the discoveries of countless scientists and just my natural instinct/intuition. A lot of people think that your hormones work one way or not, and if you could manipulate them you're probably sick and thus it's a medical problem. I reject this view, and feel that it's probably one of the main strains on our medical system. An example would be, you're not just Type 2 diabetic or not, you could try and influence your body during it's transition, via proper diet and exercise, to become more sensitive to insulin. Of course, there is only so much you can do, and lack of information/motivation will always be here with some people. Some of the main hormones you can research are testosterone, insulin, growth hormone, cortisol, glucagon, etc.

I'm more into the psychological rather than the physiological and I think it's important to be accurate with your mind rather than your body. I see the body as a tool of the mind. I firmly believe through breakthroughs in quantum physics and psychology that we can completely change our physiology at will through nothing more than thought and will power.

It's why I find knowledge of all the little things like effects of chemicals on the brain interesting in the bigger view! But explaining to someone trying to lose weight all the aspects will probably be too much :p

[amethyst]

Get GOOD trainers and make sure you replace them every 3/4 months depending on quality

And good trainer inserts too.

[megafish33]

I'm more into the psychological rather than the physiological and I think it's important to be accurate with your mind rather than your body. I see the body as a tool of the mind. I firmly believe through breakthroughs in quantum physics and psychology that we can completely change our physiology at will through nothing more than thought and will power.


My friend, everything psychological is simultaneously physiological. ;) I know what you meant, but I couldn't help myself. :D

I agree that thoughts are powerful, and will also add the element of time to the equation. My first trainer told me... "this will be simple, but not easy... the only reason it's not easy is because it will take time." In my case at least, he was sooooo right. lol :D Took time!

Don't want to steer this thread off topic, but you might also be interested in the emotional response humans have, peptides, etc.

Keep up the good work while volunteering and your studies! We're on the verge of even more fascinating discoveries!


Adimon, first day went well... woke up early, took in fuel, and had a kick ass workout(warm-up, Tabata method on bike-twice, body weight/free weight circuit-drink-run for my main workout-drink-recover), I felt refreshed all day, and call me crazy but I also felt leaner... reduced fat calories as day progressed.

[adimon]

And good trainer inserts too.

Yeah good point. Make sure they are proper orthotics though - as BAD insoles are more deadly than anything in fucking your feet up. My advice to anyone who might need something other than a neutral cushioning trainer: See a proper podiatrist.

Adimon, first day went well... woke up early, took in fuel, and had a kick ass workout(warm-up, Tabata method on bike-twice, body weight/free weight circuit-drink-run for my main workout-drink-recover), I felt refreshed all day, and call me crazy but I also felt leaner... reduced fat calories as day progressed.

Told ya dude. Keep it up, and well done. :)

If you eat the biggest breakfast you can, you will be flying all day, just stopping to top up with fruit and water throughout day.

[anoninnyc]

great thread guys. i am looking to lose 40 pounds. or less since i would like to lower my body fat percentage and muscle weighs more than fat.

[amethyst]

Yeah good point. Make sure they are proper orthotics though - as BAD insoles are more deadly than anything in fucking your feet up. My advice to anyone who might need something other than a neutral cushioning trainer: See a proper podiatrist.



Told ya dude. Keep it up, and well done. :)

If you eat the biggest breakfast you can, you will be flying all day, just stopping to top up with fruit and water throughout day.

I have this cool foot place (deals with sports shoes, orthotics) which make inserts (that are molded to your feet. I simply LOVE them! It's like running on clouds :D

[gee1]

I don't post here much but I have a question..

Adimon,
The exercises you suggest how do you group them together and how regularly do you recommend doing them? for example do you do all the upper body exercises one day and lower another etc. and what rest periods do you use between workouts?

Thanks

[adimon]

I don't post here much but I have a question..

Adimon,
The exercises you suggest how do you group them together and how regularly do you recommend doing them? for example do you do all the upper body exercises one day and lower another etc. and what rest periods do you use between workouts?

Thanks

Construct your plan based on a weekly timetable.

Take the 7 day period and split it into three days on, one off, two days on, one off. This will give you 2 full rest days out of 7, at the right times for your body to rest, repair, and most importantly, DEVELOP. (Its in the rest days when your body is working hardest to implement the hard work you do on the work days)

As long as you have 3 cardio sessions of 3-4 hours in total across the 5 days, that should be enough. Should you want to do anaerobic in the same day then I suggest the cardio be morning, and the anaerobic be in the evening, with a high-protein supper to follow.

Any more questions, please PM me.