Lose Weight/Excercise

[shyl4l]

Oy! You guys are working hard at it.

Axle, muscle weighs more than fat but it burns calories rather than stores them, so as you lose to a certain level you will gain muscle weight but also gain food burning efficiency. Weight loss mat slow but you will be less fat.

Insert,the word from my diabetes peoples is three meals per day about five hours apaprt. I've thought about the small meals more often thing, too, but never done the glucose measurements and all that to see if it works.

eez and shyl4l, I once spoke with a trainer who told me that beginners should start slow and build up with exercise because the ones who go all in tend to slack off and quit rather than getting used to it and wanting to reinforce their benefits. Interesting.

Sorry should have qualified the statement. That is what I was doing weights wise anyway I am starting to build back up. Fortunatly I quite like running so I do that for the enjoyment of it anyway.

[InbetweenDreams]

Well it is good that you're doing it because you're enjoying it...

I mean I honestly feel better, even this very moment, I feel much more energetic and I didn't really get to sleep until later than normal...

The only regret I have is not getting into this stuff sooner, that I had to get into smoking...weed, etc...I mean I'm in better shape now than I was 4 years ago...I couldn't walk up my driveway without being out of breath... I wasn't any larger than I am now...actually I was about 15 lbs lighter...but that's metabolism for you. Unfortunately I can't take any of it back, but I can make myself better now and hopefully I will reap the benefits.

Anyway, tonight I do plan on swimming but the pool may be closed because they have a swim meet tonight, but I do plan on getting on the bike and doing some weight lifting...and damn that bike hurts my ass lol I have to walk around for a good 10 minutes...

I really want to drive it home for people, do it for you health if nothing else. I mean at first it was all about me, I wanted to lose weight so I would be more appealing, better looking and that I would look in the mirror and feel good about how look and good about myself... Not saying it is totally wrong but really you should do it for your health... you're more likely to live longer and not have to get on a bunch of medications...

Sometimes I felt a little discouraged a little overwhelmed, especially with the swimming, I mean you sprint down the lane a few times you feel like you're going to die, but it really is what is making me better....

Anyway, I will quit rambling on... I really hope that I can encourage someone here.

[Jay]

Can I just share my latest photo in this thread since it has something to do with fitness too. Hope it's okay, Axle.

Tada!

I think you can enlarge it a bit by clicking at the pic.



Proud with stretch marks and surgery scar under my arms.

Jay

[ceez]

I've been catching hell trying to get back in shape. For what ever reason yesterday my shoulder was killing me and I haven't even started lifting yet and my back still feels very stiff. I did manage to start playing basketball again for cardio (shooting around by myself) and I think I'll start doing some yoga in the mornig.

[Cridders88]

Well I've just booked an induction in my local gym in view to actually do some exercise lol. Me and a couple mates are all joining up, hopefully I actually get motivated to stick to a regular exercise regime. I am slim, and at a good weight, just would love to tone up a little bit really.

[InbetweenDreams]

Well [MENTION=21041]Jay[/MENTION] I don't mind a bit, definitely more buffed than I imagined....

As for me it seems like here the last few weeks my weight loss has sort of tapered off...which is ok, not the end of the world. I think there are two reasons for that. One is that in the last few weeks I have done a lot more weigh training...maybe [MENTION=20947]MikeW[/MENTION] can comment some on that. I know lifting weights or any kind of resistance training will add some muscle weight...I also looked into it and seen that newbies will gain more in the beginning, so maybe 1lb or more over the last 3 weeks, maybe as much as 3 lbs I don't know. I will say I notice a big difference in my legs, more recently my arms, it seems like I got arms over night... I mean it's nothing to go bragging about but compared to what my arms looked like in November, pretty noticable...

The 2nd reason, despite my efforts to restrict caloric intake, I snack, now my snacks are "healthy" for the most part, some aren't great, but I noticed my apitiete has really ramped up with the weight training and I suspect that might have something to do with it... So I don't know quite what I should do to combat that. The other question is, should I not worry so much about weight loss and concentrate on the training. Then the question becomes what foods should I be eating to fill the need and not just eat junk food or snack on things that aren't being beneficial?

Typically during the week I eat the following:

Oatmeal with fruits (blueberries mostly) (1/2 cup-3/4 cup)
Lunch is a chicken vegetable mix, around 1 lb
Dinner is either the same or something that my parents have as long as it is not fried...
I estimate my caloric intake is a little low like possibly under 1500 calories which might explain my snacking... Perhaps I need to revisit the food I'm eating and get a better picture of how many calories I'm getting. I mean one night at the gym is burning 500-900 calories between weight lifting, cycling/running and then swimming...I do it all when I go and I'm there for 2 1/2 hours, sometimes longer...

Any thoughts on the food side of thing? I mean I feel like I'm doing well with the physical aspects and I definitely feel better in general and definitely getting better with all the training...I just stay hungry...and these damn snow days aren't helping...somehow I can tolerate being in the office working and being hungry, but here it's looking through the cupboards lol...

[MikeW]

[MENTION=23180]axle2152[/MENTION]

I've not been following this thread but since you 'mentioned' me it brought my attention to your most recent post.

It isn't unusual for weight loss to slow down, especially if you've been in an extreme calorie deficit.

But we really need to think and talk bout this more precisely. Rather than "weight" what we need to be monitoring is BF%. The body is made up mostly of water. So when we loose water, we loose weight. When we loose muscle, we loose weight. But when what we're trying to do is "get lean", water weight loss does not count and, obviously, muscle waisting is to be avoided if possible.

One of the 'gurus' I follow, Brad Pilon,

makes the point that what we have is NOT a "weight loss problem" but, rather, a "weight gain problem." Our bodies are burning fuel and fat every day. The problem is we're taking in more calories than we burn off and, consequently, we gain weight. That usually happens over a long period of time but eventually we get to the point where we want to loose it all and we (somewhat pathetically) try do do so overnight.

Ultimately that almost always fails.

What's needed is a strategy to reduce OVERALL calorie consumption over the long-haul. AND to adopt a way of eating that allows us to continue to "loose fat" until we get where we'd like to be.

Brad's chosen methodology is "eat stop eat" (aka "intermittent fasting"). "Intermittent fasting" has become somewhat of a fad but Brad basically brought it 'out of the closet' into the mainstream about a decade ago.

But so far as for you, Axle, if you continue to loose on average 1.5 to 1 lb of fat a week, you're doing fine. Nothing to be concerned about. OTOH, if you're gaining fat, then that's a problem.

But if you don't know your BF% then that's an even bigger problem. You need to find some way of at least guessing at it and measuring it over time.

So far as I can see from the new avatar pic, it looks like you're getting lean. BRAVO!

If you're working out, you absolutely MUST be getting at least 1gram of protein per pound of body weight. Actually, more accurately, if you knew your Muscle Weight %, you could calculate your lean muscle weight: then the recommendation would be even more precise for someone working out on a regular basis: Something like 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of lean muscle mass. Unlike fats and carbs, it is always better to err on the side of more rather than not enough protein.

[InbetweenDreams]

[MENTION=20947]MikeW[/MENTION] Well I have definitely slimmed some...Actually about a week or two ago I had to dig out my old work pants because the ones I had were getting too big for me...I mean it was to the point where I was considering dressing up like a clown...

On the other hand, for the past 4 weeks I have only lost 2 lbs...been up here, down there... now I know weight fluctuates a lot...like I weighed myself before I went to bed and the next morning and there are a 5lb difference overnight... So I'm not boo hooing over it but I don't want to start going the other direction.

On the subject of fasting (and I'll have to read up on the link you provided) seems there's some arguments on the subject on insulin response...now I know that insulin is what is used to control blood glucose and tells your body to store the glucose....but the question is who's really right and how often would you say someone should fast and how long? I think we had a discussion about a lot of this but I really haven't had a lot of time to dig into it and honestly I was somewhat scared off from the subject of fasting over some of the negative aspects. However, if all these things can be done in a healthy manner I may just give it a try.

As far as BF% I don't know of a way to measure that accurately, aside from guessing. If what you're saying is right on the protien, then I need roughly 3x time the protein...I estimated I was getting 50 grams of protein in a meal since I loaded up on chicken and vegetables...so would it be wise to add in protein supplements?

[MikeW]

...so would it be wise to add in protein supplements?

If you're not getting enough protein then the answer is yes. Supplement.

That said, it is always best to get as much of your nutrition from whole-food sources as is reasonably possible. Here's something else to keep in mind:

There are about 7 g of protein in 1 ounce of cooked meat. So, for example, 4 ounces of raw boneless skinless chicken breast yields about 3 ounces of cooked chicken, or 21 g of protein. Most healthy adults need about 1g of protein per lb of body weight. But that's a guess because if you're 400lbs of blubber, then, obviously that makes no sense. That's why knowing the percentage of body weight (Water, Fat, Bone, Muscle) is advisable.

One way to "guess" is to look at pix like these:



Plastic calipers can be found for cheap:



Bioelectrical Impedance scales are another. I got mine on sale for under $30.

Here's a whole list of METHODS.

As for fasting...

Anything taken to an extreme can be potentially unhealthy. I don't care whether it is EATING or NOT eating. You think "fasting" is dangerous... but eating all the junk you want for years and years and years is NOT? Come on. Put your thinking cap on.

"Intermittent fasting" means not eating for a period of time. That's all it means. That "period of time" is something you do every night. You go to bed, you don't eat for several hours. That's why "breakfast" is called break-fast. Right? So all of us fast intermittently every day. No big deal.

OK... so what if you EXTENDED that evening fast? Didn't eat breakfast until, say, noon or later? Would it kill you? NOPE. I do it every day. EVERY DAY. In fact, I go to the gym on an empty stomached. I don't begin to consume food until I'm 1.5 hours into my 3 hour workout. And THEN what I eat is 1 half of what I call my "banana glop".

Recipe:
1 Very Ripe Banana (with brown spots)
1 tsp of peanut butter
1 dash sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 scoops plane (unflavored) or vanilla flavored why protein powder
6g branch chain amino acids (BCCAs) (optional)
2g betaine anhydrous (optional)

Put the dry ingredients together in a small container. I use an empty cottage cheese container.
In a fair size mixing bowl, blend the banana, peanut butter and vanilla together with a fork until liquified. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients. It will have the consistency something like a pudding.

I put this in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid and take it with me to the gym. I keep a plastic spoon in my locker. When my break time comes, I eat half of it. I'm usually finishing the last third of my 'pre workout' drink as well. Then, when I finish my workout, I eat the last half of this stuff before I hit the shower. This insures there is plenty protein and BCAAs in my body to help begin the muscle re-building process. As well as the other protein foods I eat: Lean hamburger, steak, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, low-or-no fat milk, greek yogurt... I also have a protein smoothie before I go to sleep on work-out nights. It consists of a 1 part whey to 2 parts casein protein (I mix them together and use two scoops), 1 cup of milk and 1 whole egg (raw).

[InbetweenDreams]

Well sounds like I have some stuff to look at once next month gets here...I think some protein supplements probably won't be a bad idea... Now what I really need to do is start moving away from some of the weight machines...some of them I read really aren't good for your joint...particularly things like the leg press...On the other hand I really need someone to show me the proper form on doing stuff like dead lifts...I mean I read how to do them but doing them is different from reading them...Just like swimming....I can watch someone do a breast stroke all day long, but I'm probably going to get it totally wrong when I try to do it....and doing a dead lift wrong is just as bad as using someone of these machines...so some of them I keep upping the weight on and some of them I refuse to because of the risks...I stick to what's comfortable...