Surviving Thanksgiving: Fight to keep those extra pounds off with these fitness apps
Gorging on turkey and pie may feel good at the time, but overindulgence may turn the traditional Thanksgiving dinner into the traditional Thanksgiving pounds. Instead of waiting until January and making a new year's resolution that will inevitably be forgotten about within weeks, fight the weight gain now with the App Store's plethora of fitness apps.
Owners of the Apple Watch will be able to take part in the Apple Watch Activity Challenge on Thanksgiving day itself. Just like last year, participants up for the challenge have to record a distance of at least 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in a walking, running, or wheelchair workout.
The distance can be recorded using the Apple Workout app, as well as any other third-party app that stores workout data in the Health database. Those who manage to go the distance will gain themselves a badge in the list of achievements within the Activity app, as well as a special Messages app sticker.
Brave enough to face the cold air for a post-turkey run? Runtastic allows you to keep track of when, where, and how far you run in each workout, providing feedback on your speed, elevation, calorie burn, and other statistics. Able to integrate with Apple Health, the app also includes Apple Watch support, so you can start a workout, see notifications, and read real-time activity data right on your wrist.
The tracking allows Runtastic to provide a "Real Voice Coach," which will offer audio feedback on your first mile, while the Live Tracking and Cheering will let friends send messages to you as encouragement for your next run. Lastly, its integrated music player will allow you to to nominate a "Powersong," which can be used to give you a boost when you're starting to flag mid run.
If you feel the run is going to be a bit boring, consider Zombies, Run! By Six to Start. Not your usual fitness app, the running game and audio adventure will pit players against zombie hordes, playing the story to the runner as they jog along, before prompting you to run faster with the sounds of the undead on your tail.
Over 260 story missions are available, unlockable by paid memberships along with interval training and "Airdrop" modes, though new users will be able to play the first four missions for free, and to unlock one extra mission every week. For the more adventurous, there's also a Zombies, Run! 5k Training version, which puts players through an eight-week training program that will get users ready for long-distance running by it's end.
Would you rather stay indoors where it's warm? Seven - 7 Minute Workout will help you work up a sweat without leaving the house. The App Store's Apple Watch App of the Year for 2016 in a number of countries will put you through a variety of workouts, but as the name suggests, the workout routine will only take 7 minutes of your time, making it highly useful for those unwilling to work out for longer periods.
Offering achievements and the ability to compete against friends, Seven also provides workouts that are tailored to the user's needs, including if they want to lose weight or to increase strength. There are also a variety of instructors available, such as the drill sergeant and the cheerleader, to make the workouts more fun.
Owners of the Apple Watch will be able to take part in the Apple Watch Activity Challenge on Thanksgiving day itself. Just like last year, participants up for the challenge have to record a distance of at least 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in a walking, running, or wheelchair workout.
The distance can be recorded using the Apple Workout app, as well as any other third-party app that stores workout data in the Health database. Those who manage to go the distance will gain themselves a badge in the list of achievements within the Activity app, as well as a special Messages app sticker.
Brave enough to face the cold air for a post-turkey run? Runtastic allows you to keep track of when, where, and how far you run in each workout, providing feedback on your speed, elevation, calorie burn, and other statistics. Able to integrate with Apple Health, the app also includes Apple Watch support, so you can start a workout, see notifications, and read real-time activity data right on your wrist.
The tracking allows Runtastic to provide a "Real Voice Coach," which will offer audio feedback on your first mile, while the Live Tracking and Cheering will let friends send messages to you as encouragement for your next run. Lastly, its integrated music player will allow you to to nominate a "Powersong," which can be used to give you a boost when you're starting to flag mid run.
If you feel the run is going to be a bit boring, consider Zombies, Run! By Six to Start. Not your usual fitness app, the running game and audio adventure will pit players against zombie hordes, playing the story to the runner as they jog along, before prompting you to run faster with the sounds of the undead on your tail.
Over 260 story missions are available, unlockable by paid memberships along with interval training and "Airdrop" modes, though new users will be able to play the first four missions for free, and to unlock one extra mission every week. For the more adventurous, there's also a Zombies, Run! 5k Training version, which puts players through an eight-week training program that will get users ready for long-distance running by it's end.
Would you rather stay indoors where it's warm? Seven - 7 Minute Workout will help you work up a sweat without leaving the house. The App Store's Apple Watch App of the Year for 2016 in a number of countries will put you through a variety of workouts, but as the name suggests, the workout routine will only take 7 minutes of your time, making it highly useful for those unwilling to work out for longer periods.
Offering achievements and the ability to compete against friends, Seven also provides workouts that are tailored to the user's needs, including if they want to lose weight or to increase strength. There are also a variety of instructors available, such as the drill sergeant and the cheerleader, to make the workouts more fun.
Comments
Doubtful: running a mile burns about 100 calories -- basically a single large cookie. So how many miles will it take to burn off that Thanksgiving meal? Or even its dessert?
... Better to watch how many calories you take in rather than trying to burn them off.
That said, aerobic training is probably the single best way to keep your heart strong and your brain clear...
But, it isn't so much about calories as it is about what the actual food is. 1000 calories of cookie ≠ 1000 calories of broccoli!
this is not to say the macros have no differences. protein and carbs are 4 cals per gram, fat is 9. fat can make you feel fuller than say, high carb sodas. protein promotes fullness and has a higher thermal effect for breaking down. dietary fats are more readily converted to lipids and becoming body fat. protein is used for building and maintaining muscle tissue via protein synthesis. for changing body composition a high protein diet is key — carbs aren’t detrimental to this, and in fact are crucial for weight training as carbs are your source of glycogen, which is what your muscles use for energy and are needed in order to lift heavy. lifters eat high protein, high carb diets. this is how you build a strong, lean body. dieting alone produces a “skinny fat” look.
all three marcos have a purpose. as an active 200lb lifter i need about 450g of carbs in addition to my 200g of protein. fats about 70.
exercise is another story, but “lifting to failure” is a bro science myth. there are different goals.. to get strong, lift heavy reps at low reps (4-6) for a few sets. to promote hypertrophy lift lighter weight at higher reps (10-12). lifting to failure by itself is not special.
most people are interested in body recomposition and would benefit from a general strength training program. “Starting Strength” is a solid program. “StrongLifts 5x5” is a similar program with a great iPhone app and is a great place to begin.
Some of what you're saying is accurate, but I think some of it is outdated or actually in error. Your body fat is ultimately controlled by hormones, not calories. Eating fat isn't what makes you fat. In fact, you're going to gain more weight eating carbs than fat (as carb turn to sugars and the body likes to store them). But, yes, much of it has to do with the impact the various foods have on your eating habits... so yes, roughly, if you eat too much you gain weight, eat less, you lose. But, it's not nearly that simplistic... and if you don't eat the right things, most people don't have the will power to overcome their cravings.
The eat fat, get fat concept was actually based on a single study that has been debunked... yet it became pretty much doctrine of the medical and government food pyramids. Recent articles have highlighted how corruption from the sugar industry has impacted may related studies as well. And, the understanding of how the body works has advanced greatly in the last few years.
But, from a caloric density standpoint you can't compare the two:
1,000 Cookie Calories = 10 (100 calorie) cookies
1,000 Broccoli Calories = 7+ pounds of Broccoli (at 136 calories per pound)
You can easily eat the 10 cookies in a single sitting. (Well, I know that I could!)
Nobody could eat 7 pounds of anything in a single sitting and few could eat that much in a whole day.
It's one of the main reasons why Whole Plant Foods produce weight loss: You fill up before you fatten up.
If you're talking about healthy whole plant based foods, that is misguided. Ask Tom Brady.
https://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-count-calories/
Yes, your body needs carbs and it’s impossible not to eat some anyway. Same with fat. And if you want to get strong by lifting heavy things, then you need more carbs for the increased glycogen store.
Youre correct that ta high protein protein diet is key. But it’s the high-protien that is important, not the low-carb — if you’re in a caloric deficit, that is. And that’s where exercise comes in to increase your TDEE. Again this is why strong, fit people eat both high protein and high carbs. There’s nothing to fear from carbs if you’re not eating in a caloric surplus. It’s just math. If you want to lose weight, take in fewer calories than you expend.
https://www.muscleforlife.com/carbohydrates-and-weight-loss-should-you-go-low-carb/
But, we know that eating whole, unprocessed plant foods produce the longest, healthiest lives in humans.