I'm getting back into it. I really hate working out as I'm going in the gym, but when I leave I feel great. (does that make sense?) I've started putting books on my iPod and listening to them while on the treadmill. If you have a good one, it makes the time fly by.
What's your routine? I have a great gym with lots of classes, so I go use the treadmill after work and do power yoga twice a week.
I just work a few different muscle groups each day at the gym and use my free weights at home when I don't get a chance to go. Yesterday I did my biceps, shoulders, calves and quads. Today I'm not going to the gym but I'm going to do some bench press and swiss ball sit ups to go along with another mile run tonight. I was basically just told to do biceps and shoulders together and triceps and chest together on different days because they apparently work together or something.
Well, I have to take my weight in perspective, because when I was a 6'1" beanpole in high school I weighed 180. Apparently I've got enough bone mass for two people.
But after the metabolism slowed down in my 20's, I started picking up a lot of less desirable mass. Hit an all-time high of 292 pounds in July, at 6'3". Now, again, most people were off by 30-50 pounds in their estimates. I "wore it well," as someone put it. But I had no energy at all, I'd get exhausted doing anything, I sweated a lot... it was bad.
So I walked into a gym. My mental trick was that the gym's half a block from where I work, and I'd go over lunch. Since I work smack downtown, we're besieged by good restaurants literally across the street, so this was a crucial tactic to take. I did a similar regimen: Weights and cardio.
Diet-wise I'm not really doing much: I never ate much in the way of sweets, and I'd cut out soda altogether long since. I cut down on stuff made with white flour, and pasta, and I eat more meat, and I drink lots of water now. That's worked well enough. I found whey protein shake mix that doesn't suck. That's lunch now. I have an apple for breakfast.
I've lost 35 pounds, and that's including a lot of muscle that I've gained. It's a night and day difference. I feel completely different. I can run again. I sweat much less. Clothes fit well again. I don't get exhausted playing drums anymore. I highly recommend it. I also notice when I've been away from my regimen, or if I miss a day for whatever reason. I don't feel antsy, though, I actually feel uncomfortable.
I'll give advice on how to get rid of that last little bit of spare tire once I figure out how myself. I think it's a curse of old age. (Actually, I think it's one of the last things to go, because it's the first place where your body stores fat, so once there's no fat to burn anywhere else you'll start losing the spare tire. But that's a speculation on my part. I'll be able to test that before long - I've still got a ways to go before I can really say I'm fit.)
Quick myth debunker: The stomach doesn't shrink if you eat less. It can stretch out temporarily if you a few giant meals in a row, but it goes back to its regular size in fairly short order. Stomach acid levels changed based on the amount you eat, but overall hunger is controlled by the brain, not the stomach.
Anyhow, I recently started a workout program. I've been keeping up with it for a month and take off seven or eight pounds. Granted, weight loss wasn't a goal and I haven't changed my eating habits explicitly (though sweets aren't as appealing as they once were, for whatever reason). 6'1" ~ 185-190 lbs, depending on water weight when i started and now i am 178-183 lbs, depending on water weight.
exercise doesn't seem to control weight that much, not nearly as much as diet. it's mostly the little stuff that makes people fat. Honestly, count the number of fat women pushing shopping carts in the grocery store, and try to find one without a couple bag of potato chips. It sounds like i am riding a stereotype, but I haven't seen a single instance to debunk my "all fat women have potato chips in their shopping cart" hypothesis, and I go shopping, well, an average amount. big fat people (those without hormone issues) constantly snack, to the point where they can't watch tv without cookies or chips. i'm sure all of you big fat people know what i mean. i am not criticizing constant snacking or a sedentary lifestyle (to each his own), but snacking is certainly the cause of so much obesity.
i once heard that overweight people with a snacking problem should write out everything they will eat in a day, and they can write down whatever you want, but cannot deviate from the plan, and they will lose a bunch of weight. many people consume far more calories than they would predict and don't recognize all the eating that they do.
i don't see any need to do weight lifting, and my entire workout is about 45 minutes of cardio every day or two. nothing too regimented, but enough so that i can run a couple miles without falling over. the biggest appearance difference for me has been my jacket size (from a 44L to 40L) and waist size (36 to 33). the larger sizes were from when i was about 205, in college.
as a side note, has anyone heard of this guy who ate nothing but subway for six months and lost like 200 pounds?
exercise doesn't seem to control weight that much, not nearly as much as diet.
This I strongly disagree with. There are of course variations between individuals, but as a general rule I'd say exercise is key to losing weight. As a factor in losing weight, diet is a close second, but second nonetheless.
The important thing about exercise is not the calories you burn doing the exercise itself. What matters is the lean muscle mass regular exercise adds to your body, and the calories you burn supporting the demands of that extra muscle mass, a demand which is continuous, whether you are exercising or not.
Once you've built up some muscle, you burn more calories all of the time, even while sitting and watching TV, even while sleeping. Ironically, by being in shape your body is actually a less efficient machine, sort of like a car with an engine that idles too fast when you're sitting at a stop light.
I tried to eat massive amounts for a week a couple of months ago because someone told me to just stuff myself and I was guaranteed to gain weight.
Guess what?
I lost 3 pounds in that week.
(no joking)
my metabolism must be messed up
Alright. If drastic measures must be taken, take some advice from sumos. . . or Murbot.
BEER. Pound a couple Yuenglings and eat a big steak.
In response to crazychester, it's not uncommon for distance runners to be disgustingly skinny. Once I stopped running distance competitively, I gained weight pretty quickly.
Quote:
edit: anyone have any bright ideas for reducing the gut? I've been doing crunches and my upper abs are fine, but right around the belt line, I've got about an inch or two I'd like to get rid of.
Put on muscle. It doesn't matter where. The mere fact that your body will burn serious calorie just maintaining the muscle in rest will shoot your metabolism through the roof and it will take care of the handles. Cardio isn't really that helpful here.
This I strongly disagree with. There are of course variations between individuals, but as a general rule I'd say exercise is key to losing weight. As a factor in losing weight, diet is a close second, but second nonetheless.
The important thing about exercise is not the calories you burn doing the exercise itself. What matters is the lean muscle mass regular exercise adds to your body, and the calories you burn supporting the demands of that extra muscle mass, a demand which is continuous, whether you are exercising or not.
Once you've built up some muscle, you burn more calories all of the time, even while sitting and watching TV, even while sleeping. Ironically, by being in shape your body is actually a less efficient machine, sort of like a car with an engine that idles too fast when you're sitting at a stop light.
Good point, i stand mostly corrected. i still believe that obese (not just overweight) people are such because of their eating habits, not their exercise (or lack of) habits. However, i hadn't thought of the muscle-needs more calories argument. Do I gain many muscles from doing cardio workouts? I never lift; i couldn't come up with any reason why i should try to lift heavy things, since, as i understand it, most of the long-term health benefits come from cardio. Feel free to correct me, however.
Do I gain many muscles from doing cardio workouts? I never lift; i couldn't come up with any reason why i should try to lift heavy things, since, as i understand it, most of the long-term health benefits come from cardio. Feel free to correct me, however.
There are many long-term health benefits associated with doing cardio, but increased muscle mass is not one of them.
In fact, as Splinemodel points out, there are some cardio exercises like running that can shrink your muscle.
If you want more muscle, lift weights, and push yourself hard. That's about all there is to it. If you lift weights, remember to ingest lots of protein and lots of water.
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs, and got to finally discover how to lose weight. I guess I was just overwhelmed by the college eating experience: my university offers all you can eat dinners every night, and the food is actually goooooood.
So the weight gain was understandable, and I went about fixing it over Christmas break. Every day or so for a month, I would go to the gym and do a pretty intense workout. This combined with watching what I ate caused the 15 extra pounds to melt off easily. Now all I do to maintain my fitness is about 30 minutes of cardio work, three to four times a week.
The result: I feel awesome. My physical condition has never been better, and I don't have to obsess over what I eat. Self confidence is sky-rocketing, and life just seems to be going good places in the fast lane.
Quote:
Originally posted by torifile
BTW, I love having my iPod at the gym. It makes it bearable.
I definitely agree with you, torifile. If I didn't have my iPod at the gym, working out would be excruciatingly boring. Yay for music!
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs
Ah, yes. The freshman 15. I remember them well.
And, for the record, the cafeteria food doesn't even have to be good for you to gain them. This is the voice of bitter experience.
Quote:
I definitely agree with you, torifile. If I didn't have my iPod at the gym, working out would be excruciatingly boring. Yay for music!
No kidding. The workouts became a lot easier when I could drown out the utter crap they play in the gym I go to. Especially the cardio part, which is b-o-o-o-o-o-ring otherwise.
Congrats on getting in shape! It feels great, doesn't it?
i used to be in good shape. then i blew apart my ankle playing football. they had to put it back together with a dozen screws and a plate, and it's never been the same since.
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
i'm thinking i might have to take up weight lifting just to keep in shape. since i broke my ankle i went from about 6'1" and 180 to 220 over 5 years.
i suppose i could stop eating crappy fast food too, that might help.
i used to be in good shape. then i blew apart my ankle playing football. they had to put it back together with a dozen screws and a plate, and it's never been the same since.
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
\\
ouch! that sucks man, I'm sorry to hear that, I don't know what I'd do If I couldn't run and jump anymore. I am a freestyle walker ya know?
I agree with you that sports are by far more fun than just exercising.
Even if it's only 2v2 soccer, I still get more out of it than if I was just running.
i used to be in good shape. then i blew apart my ankle playing football. they had to put it back together with a dozen screws and a plate, and it's never been the same since.
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
i'm thinking i might have to take up weight lifting just to keep in shape. since i broke my ankle i went from about 6'1" and 180 to 220 over 5 years.
i suppose i could stop eating crappy fast food too, that might help.
i know the feeling. i blew my knee (acl) out playing indoor soccer a number of years ago. i never had the time to get it reconstructed, which is kind of a bummer because i've always been very active. i can jog on it fine, unfortunately, lack of stability means no lateral movement. there goes just about every sport that i like to play. i really do want to get it fixed before i get much older. maybe someday.
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs, and got to finally discover how to lose weight. I guess I was just overwhelmed by the college eating experience: my university offers all you can eat dinners every night, and the food is actually goooooood.
So the weight gain was understandable, and I went about fixing it over Christmas break. Every day or so for a month, I would go to the gym and do a pretty intense workout. This combined with watching what I ate caused the 15 extra pounds to melt off easily. Now all I do to maintain my fitness is about 30 minutes of cardio work, three to four times a week.
The result: I feel awesome. My physical condition has never been better, and I don't have to obsess over what I eat. Self confidence is sky-rocketing, and life just seems to be going good places in the fast lane.
Good job. Seriously the self confidence is such an awesome feeling. I'm not all the way there yet...still have a hefty stomach and those awful manboobs but it's much less noticeable and I can actually play beach football and dive all over the place without getting dead tired after 2 minutes. If anyone has a one month program to ditch the manboobs I'm all ears.
If anyone has a one month program to ditch the manboobs I'm all ears.
Hmm... well, I can't say that I had manboobs, but what worked for my freshman 15 might work for you. So for the curious, here's a week in the x-mas break gym life of Neb:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 minutes warming up on a cross trainer, stretching, 400 sit ups (work yourself up to this, don't just go straight into 400. Your abs would tweak out), weight work (side lifts, front lifts, bicep curls, whatever you want with 5 lb weights), 20 pull ups, 20 push ups, 30 minutes cardio (stair master, cross trainer, or bike) OR 1 mile running on the treadmill.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10 minutes warming up on a cross trainer, stretching, 400 sit ups (again, don't just lie down and do 400), leg resistance work (those weird weight machines that focus on your legs. Sorry I can't be more specific here ), 20 minutes cardio OR 1 mile running.
Sunday: Chill out and read a good book. Exercise your mind
During my vacation I was also pretty careful about what I ate. My preferences are already pretty conducive to a healthy lifestyle, but portion control can be an issue. Just focus on eating slowly, getting plenty of fresh veggies, and drinking a ton of water. Avoid fried food, and cut waaay down on sweets.
Wow, so reading back over this makes me look like a weight loss fanatic. Disclaimer: I'm really not. X-mas break was one of the most boring times I have ever spent at home. The drive to go to the gym was found not only because I wanted to get in shape, but also because I was suffering from severe ennui. Sigh... life at college is much more interesting. I hope this helps you!
I took a walk in a park on the way home, because the weather was so nice I just wanted to get out into it, and then for the first time in quite a while hit my exercise bike. Only 20 minutes to start with, but pushing reasonably hard. This bike I have (a Schwin Airdyne) has moving arms so that you can work arms and legs together at the same time, or legs alone, arms alone in a few variations.
It's still no great joy to work out for me, but I at least felt a little less slug-like afterward exercising this time. I listened to Air America Radio while exercising for a little liberal distraction. One thing that's a drawback about the Airdyne is that it's very noisy, so any audio diversion tends to get drowned out when you're going fast, and then sound too loud when you're going slow.
Quote:
Originally posted by Nebulous
...400 sit ups (work yourself up to this, don't just go straight into 400. Your abs would tweak out)...
400? Maybe you just have incredibly powerful abs, but chances are if you're doing this many sit-ups, you aren't doing them with very good form. If you're really working your abs right, you'd probably find even a 100 sit-ups a difficult goal to reach.
I have a hard time with sit-ups because they always hurt my back. I've been given about ten different ways to do them that are supposed to avoid back strain, but so far nothing really does it for me. I think part of my difficulty is that my back problem is the reverse of the typical -- instead of my lower spine being excessively bent inward (towards the abdomen) my spine tends to be too straight, like a pole up my back.
Comments
Originally posted by tmp
Dude- Major congrats!
I'm getting back into it. I really hate working out as I'm going in the gym, but when I leave I feel great. (does that make sense?) I've started putting books on my iPod and listening to them while on the treadmill. If you have a good one, it makes the time fly by.
What's your routine? I have a great gym with lots of classes, so I go use the treadmill after work and do power yoga twice a week.
I just work a few different muscle groups each day at the gym and use my free weights at home when I don't get a chance to go. Yesterday I did my biceps, shoulders, calves and quads. Today I'm not going to the gym but I'm going to do some bench press and swiss ball sit ups to go along with another mile run tonight. I was basically just told to do biceps and shoulders together and triceps and chest together on different days because they apparently work together or something.
But after the metabolism slowed down in my 20's, I started picking up a lot of less desirable mass. Hit an all-time high of 292 pounds in July, at 6'3". Now, again, most people were off by 30-50 pounds in their estimates. I "wore it well," as someone put it. But I had no energy at all, I'd get exhausted doing anything, I sweated a lot... it was bad.
So I walked into a gym. My mental trick was that the gym's half a block from where I work, and I'd go over lunch. Since I work smack downtown, we're besieged by good restaurants literally across the street, so this was a crucial tactic to take. I did a similar regimen: Weights and cardio.
Diet-wise I'm not really doing much: I never ate much in the way of sweets, and I'd cut out soda altogether long since. I cut down on stuff made with white flour, and pasta, and I eat more meat, and I drink lots of water now. That's worked well enough. I found whey protein shake mix that doesn't suck. That's lunch now. I have an apple for breakfast.
I've lost 35 pounds, and that's including a lot of muscle that I've gained. It's a night and day difference. I feel completely different. I can run again. I sweat much less. Clothes fit well again. I don't get exhausted playing drums anymore. I highly recommend it.
I'll give advice on how to get rid of that last little bit of spare tire once I figure out how myself.
Anyhow, I recently started a workout program. I've been keeping up with it for a month and take off seven or eight pounds. Granted, weight loss wasn't a goal and I haven't changed my eating habits explicitly (though sweets aren't as appealing as they once were, for whatever reason). 6'1" ~ 185-190 lbs, depending on water weight when i started and now i am 178-183 lbs, depending on water weight.
exercise doesn't seem to control weight that much, not nearly as much as diet. it's mostly the little stuff that makes people fat. Honestly, count the number of fat women pushing shopping carts in the grocery store, and try to find one without a couple bag of potato chips. It sounds like i am riding a stereotype, but I haven't seen a single instance to debunk my "all fat women have potato chips in their shopping cart" hypothesis, and I go shopping, well, an average amount. big fat people (those without hormone issues) constantly snack, to the point where they can't watch tv without cookies or chips. i'm sure all of you big fat people know what i mean. i am not criticizing constant snacking or a sedentary lifestyle (to each his own), but snacking is certainly the cause of so much obesity.
i once heard that overweight people with a snacking problem should write out everything they will eat in a day, and they can write down whatever you want, but cannot deviate from the plan, and they will lose a bunch of weight. many people consume far more calories than they would predict and don't recognize all the eating that they do.
i don't see any need to do weight lifting, and my entire workout is about 45 minutes of cardio every day or two. nothing too regimented, but enough so that i can run a couple miles without falling over. the biggest appearance difference for me has been my jacket size (from a 44L to 40L) and waist size (36 to 33). the larger sizes were from when i was about 205, in college.
as a side note, has anyone heard of this guy who ate nothing but subway for six months and lost like 200 pounds?
Originally posted by progmac
exercise doesn't seem to control weight that much, not nearly as much as diet.
This I strongly disagree with. There are of course variations between individuals, but as a general rule I'd say exercise is key to losing weight. As a factor in losing weight, diet is a close second, but second nonetheless.
The important thing about exercise is not the calories you burn doing the exercise itself. What matters is the lean muscle mass regular exercise adds to your body, and the calories you burn supporting the demands of that extra muscle mass, a demand which is continuous, whether you are exercising or not.
Once you've built up some muscle, you burn more calories all of the time, even while sitting and watching TV, even while sleeping. Ironically, by being in shape your body is actually a less efficient machine, sort of like a car with an engine that idles too fast when you're sitting at a stop light.
Originally posted by stevegongrui
I tried to eat massive amounts for a week a couple of months ago because someone told me to just stuff myself and I was guaranteed to gain weight.
Guess what?
I lost 3 pounds in that week.
(no joking)
my metabolism must be messed up
Alright. If drastic measures must be taken, take some advice from sumos. . . or Murbot.
BEER. Pound a couple Yuenglings and eat a big steak.
In response to crazychester, it's not uncommon for distance runners to be disgustingly skinny. Once I stopped running distance competitively, I gained weight pretty quickly.
edit: anyone have any bright ideas for reducing the gut? I've been doing crunches and my upper abs are fine, but right around the belt line, I've got about an inch or two I'd like to get rid of.
Put on muscle. It doesn't matter where. The mere fact that your body will burn serious calorie just maintaining the muscle in rest will shoot your metabolism through the roof and it will take care of the handles. Cardio isn't really that helpful here.
Originally posted by shetline
This I strongly disagree with. There are of course variations between individuals, but as a general rule I'd say exercise is key to losing weight. As a factor in losing weight, diet is a close second, but second nonetheless.
The important thing about exercise is not the calories you burn doing the exercise itself. What matters is the lean muscle mass regular exercise adds to your body, and the calories you burn supporting the demands of that extra muscle mass, a demand which is continuous, whether you are exercising or not.
Once you've built up some muscle, you burn more calories all of the time, even while sitting and watching TV, even while sleeping. Ironically, by being in shape your body is actually a less efficient machine, sort of like a car with an engine that idles too fast when you're sitting at a stop light.
Good point, i stand mostly corrected. i still believe that obese (not just overweight) people are such because of their eating habits, not their exercise (or lack of) habits. However, i hadn't thought of the muscle-needs more calories argument. Do I gain many muscles from doing cardio workouts? I never lift; i couldn't come up with any reason why i should try to lift heavy things, since, as i understand it, most of the long-term health benefits come from cardio. Feel free to correct me, however.
Originally posted by progmac
Do I gain many muscles from doing cardio workouts? I never lift; i couldn't come up with any reason why i should try to lift heavy things, since, as i understand it, most of the long-term health benefits come from cardio. Feel free to correct me, however.
There are many long-term health benefits associated with doing cardio, but increased muscle mass is not one of them.
In fact, as Splinemodel points out, there are some cardio exercises like running that can shrink your muscle.
If you want more muscle, lift weights, and push yourself hard. That's about all there is to it. If you lift weights, remember to ingest lots of protein and lots of water.
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs, and got to finally discover how to lose weight. I guess I was just overwhelmed by the college eating experience: my university offers all you can eat dinners every night, and the food is actually goooooood.
So the weight gain was understandable, and I went about fixing it over Christmas break. Every day or so for a month, I would go to the gym and do a pretty intense workout. This combined with watching what I ate caused the 15 extra pounds to melt off easily. Now all I do to maintain my fitness is about 30 minutes of cardio work, three to four times a week.
The result: I feel awesome. My physical condition has never been better, and I don't have to obsess over what I eat. Self confidence is sky-rocketing, and life just seems to be going good places in the fast lane.
Originally posted by torifile
BTW, I love having my iPod at the gym. It makes it bearable.
I definitely agree with you, torifile. If I didn't have my iPod at the gym, working out would be excruciatingly boring. Yay for music!
Originally posted by Nebulous
Way to go, BR! Being in shape feels awesome!
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs
Ah, yes. The freshman 15. I remember them well.
And, for the record, the cafeteria food doesn't even have to be good for you to gain them. This is the voice of bitter experience.
I definitely agree with you, torifile. If I didn't have my iPod at the gym, working out would be excruciatingly boring. Yay for music!
No kidding. The workouts became a lot easier when I could drown out the utter crap they play in the gym I go to. Especially the cardio part, which is b-o-o-o-o-o-ring otherwise.
Congrats on getting in shape! It feels great, doesn't it?
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
i'm thinking i might have to take up weight lifting just to keep in shape. since i broke my ankle i went from about 6'1" and 180 to 220 over 5 years.
i suppose i could stop eating crappy fast food too, that might help.
Originally posted by alcimedes
i used to be in good shape. then i blew apart my ankle playing football. they had to put it back together with a dozen screws and a plate, and it's never been the same since.
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
\\
ouch! that sucks man, I'm sorry to hear that, I don't know what I'd do If I couldn't run and jump anymore. I am a freestyle walker ya know?
I agree with you that sports are by far more fun than just exercising.
Even if it's only 2v2 soccer, I still get more out of it than if I was just running.
Originally posted by alcimedes
i used to be in good shape. then i blew apart my ankle playing football. they had to put it back together with a dozen screws and a plate, and it's never been the same since.
no more jumping, no more running. that really cut way down on the number of sports i can play.
problem is, i loved playing sports, but i hate "excercising" just to exercise. if i'm not having fun/competing with someone, i get really bored.
i'm thinking i might have to take up weight lifting just to keep in shape. since i broke my ankle i went from about 6'1" and 180 to 220 over 5 years.
i suppose i could stop eating crappy fast food too, that might help.
i know the feeling. i blew my knee (acl) out playing indoor soccer a number of years ago. i never had the time to get it reconstructed, which is kind of a bummer because i've always been very active. i can jog on it fine, unfortunately, lack of stability means no lateral movement. there goes just about every sport that i like to play. i really do want to get it fixed before i get much older. maybe someday.
Originally posted by Nebulous
Way to go, BR! Being in shape feels awesome!
This year (my freshman year in college) has really been a time for me to explore my fitness and weight. I've always been on the slim side for a girl (5' 10" and around 130 lbs), but in the beginning of this year I gained 15 lbs, and got to finally discover how to lose weight. I guess I was just overwhelmed by the college eating experience: my university offers all you can eat dinners every night, and the food is actually goooooood.
So the weight gain was understandable, and I went about fixing it over Christmas break. Every day or so for a month, I would go to the gym and do a pretty intense workout. This combined with watching what I ate caused the 15 extra pounds to melt off easily. Now all I do to maintain my fitness is about 30 minutes of cardio work, three to four times a week.
The result: I feel awesome. My physical condition has never been better, and I don't have to obsess over what I eat. Self confidence is sky-rocketing, and life just seems to be going good places in the fast lane.
Good job. Seriously the self confidence is such an awesome feeling. I'm not all the way there yet...still have a hefty stomach and those awful manboobs but it's much less noticeable and I can actually play beach football and dive all over the place without getting dead tired after 2 minutes. If anyone has a one month program to ditch the manboobs I'm all ears.
30lbs in 30 days?!?
Originally posted by progmac
seems like an appropriate place to mention the fat project
30lbs in 30 days?!?
A body can only lose 2 LBS of FAT per week, anything else is water weight and muscle mass.
Originally posted by BR
If anyone has a one month program to ditch the manboobs I'm all ears.
Hmm... well, I can't say that I had manboobs, but what worked for my freshman 15 might work for you. So for the curious, here's a week in the x-mas break gym life of Neb:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 minutes warming up on a cross trainer, stretching, 400 sit ups (work yourself up to this, don't just go straight into 400. Your abs would tweak out), weight work (side lifts, front lifts, bicep curls, whatever you want with 5 lb weights), 20 pull ups, 20 push ups, 30 minutes cardio (stair master, cross trainer, or bike) OR 1 mile running on the treadmill.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10 minutes warming up on a cross trainer, stretching, 400 sit ups (again, don't just lie down and do 400), leg resistance work (those weird weight machines that focus on your legs. Sorry I can't be more specific here
Sunday: Chill out and read a good book. Exercise your mind
During my vacation I was also pretty careful about what I ate. My preferences are already pretty conducive to a healthy lifestyle, but portion control can be an issue. Just focus on eating slowly, getting plenty of fresh veggies, and drinking a ton of water. Avoid fried food, and cut waaay down on sweets.
Wow, so reading back over this makes me look like a weight loss fanatic. Disclaimer: I'm really not. X-mas break was one of the most boring times I have ever spent at home. The drive to go to the gym was found not only because I wanted to get in shape, but also because I was suffering from severe ennui. Sigh... life at college is much more interesting.
More on-topic postings tomorrow.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
A body can only lose 2 LBS of FAT per week, anything else is water weight and muscle mass.
that's completely true. try clicking the link first next time
keep doing those until said man boobs disappear.
It's still no great joy to work out for me, but I at least felt a little less slug-like afterward exercising this time. I listened to Air America Radio while exercising for a little liberal distraction.
Originally posted by Nebulous
...400 sit ups (work yourself up to this, don't just go straight into 400. Your abs would tweak out)...
400? Maybe you just have incredibly powerful abs, but chances are if you're doing this many sit-ups, you aren't doing them with very good form. If you're really working your abs right, you'd probably find even a 100 sit-ups a difficult goal to reach.
I have a hard time with sit-ups because they always hurt my back. I've been given about ten different ways to do them that are supposed to avoid back strain, but so far nothing really does it for me. I think part of my difficulty is that my back problem is the reverse of the typical -- instead of my lower spine being excessively bent inward (towards the abdomen) my spine tends to be too straight, like a pole up my back.