Weight Loss & Fitness 2012

[Jon]

Just done my 5 mile run. Was a few minutes quicker and found it a lot easier. I'm definitely getting fitter, I just don't seem to be losing weight.

 

You won't if you don't change your diet. (i'm guessing it's shit)

[MoogleViper]

Ah well forgive me' date=' for 'tomorrow night' is a wednesday night.[/quote']

 

Yeah, everybody knows wednesday night is my special wank night.

 

I bought scented candles and everything.

 

You won't if you don't change your diet. (i'm guessing it's shit)

 

I don't eat unhealthy food. Most of the stuff I eat is healthy, I just eat a lot of it.

 

Apart from beer, I should definitely cut down on that.

[jayseven]

TO BE FAIR

 

I've gotten FATTY FATTY recently. I cook DECENT food, but I just don't do much exercise. Once a week I walk 13km. I've started drinking more and more often. I have plenty of excuses to not exercise more, though, but these excuses quickly turn into legitimate reasons to just give the fuck up on pretty life and give in to the life of being a blind troll.

 

AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[Charlie]

Just done my 5 mile run. Was a few minutes quicker and found it a lot easier. I'm definitely getting fitter, I just don't seem to be losing weight.

 

You don't lose weight over night, just like you don't put it on over night. It's a gradual process.

 

I don't eat unhealthy food. Most of the stuff I eat is healthy, I just eat a lot of it.

 

Apart from beer, I should definitely cut down on that.

 

Well at least you've identified your 2 problem areas. How often do you drink beer (and fizzy drinks in general)? They're probably the two worst things you can do in terms of putting on weight.

[MoogleViper]

How often do you drink beer (and fizzy drinks in general)?

 

I don't drink any other fizzy drinks. But I drink beer/cider every night. Not loads, probably around 10 or so pints a week (I don't actually go out drinking any more).

[Diageo]

Swimming is brilliant. What stroke do you swim? Front crawl is the best for an upper body work out as it uses every muscle. Keep your head down in the water and stretch out as far as you can with your arms.

 

When I swim I tend to do as a warm up (25m pool):

4x FC

4x FC arms

4x FC legs

4x FC

 

Great to get the blood pumping and ready to get in the swing of things properly. If I've done weights already I'll probably do around 50 lengths but of there haven't been any weights I'll go for around 100.

I do mostly front crawl. I'm currently on the second week of this routine that I found online. It's quite good. I feel myself getting fitter and stronger already. After that routine, I do a few lengths with just my legs to get them tired as well and that's about it.

[pratty]

I don't eat unhealthy food. Most of the stuff I eat is healthy, I just eat a lot of it.

 

Apart from beer, I should definitely cut down on that.

 

You've got to cut your calories mate, lots of "healthy food" still equals lots of calories. I know a guy who thought he was healthy eating massive plates of pasta. Nothing wrong with pasta except he got fat cus he didn't burn off all those carbs.

 

Do cut down on the beer, it's useless calories and a first class ticket to moob-ville, it really is the enemy of losing weight.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Have you considered front squats? I find them quite challenging without a lot of weight. You don't want to go heavy with them too soon anyway as you need to hone your form, especially if you have to clean the weight up as I have to.

 

You can always do high rep squats and lunges too, at least just for a while.

 

 

 

Have you got enough weight for bent over rows? Also if you have dumbells you could do some reverse flies and "batwings" on your bench.

 

I haven't tried front squats before, so may give that a try.

 

I've got about 80kg worth of weight at the moment. I do bent over barbell rows, as I prefer them to bent over rows (using a bench and dumbell). There's quite a bit I can do. I tried doing some sort of makeshift t-bar row the other day, but scavenging around the house looking for things to "secure hold" the bar was quite a task. :p

[Charlie]

I haven't tried front squats before, so may give that a try.

 

I've got about 80kg worth of weight at the moment. I do bent over barbell rows, as I prefer them to bent over rows (using a bench and dumbell). There's quite a bit I can do. I tried doing some sort of makeshift t-bar row the other day, but scavenging around the house looking for things to "secure hold" the bar was quite a task. :p

 

I LOVE barbell bent over rows. I've had back problems in the past and over the past 2 months its got so much stronger because of them. I started off around 25kg but now I'm up to around 45kg (3 sets of 6). I can notice a huge difference in my lats in the mirror too.

 

You've got to cut your calories mate, lots of "healthy food" still equals lots of calories. I know a guy who thought he was healthy eating massive plates of pasta. Nothing wrong with pasta except he got fat cus he didn't burn off all those carbs.

 

Do cut down on the beer, it's useless calories and a first class ticket to moob-ville, it really is the enemy of losing weight.

 

There are good calories and bad calories though... Pasta isn't great because there are so many carbs in it. You can eat as much veg such as broccoli and carrots as you like though.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I LOVE barbell bent over rows. I've had back problems in the past and over the past 2 months its got so much stronger because of them. I started off around 25kg but now I'm up to around 45kg (3 sets of 6). I can notice a huge difference in my lats in the mirror too.

 

That's really good, dude. I normally do them towards the end of my workout, so I'm pretty tired when it comes to them, but I managed 55kg last week. I get a great pump from it.

 

I've been slacking off with the weights since starting school, again. I've done some skipping tonight and weights Sunday. Will do weights tomorrow and hopefully a few more times this week. I run an after school football club on Friday, so that's been ticking along nicely for me.

[Jon]

I LOVE barbell bent over rows. I've had back problems in the past and over the past 2 months its got so much stronger because of them. I started off around 25kg but now I'm up to around 45kg (3 sets of 6). I can notice a huge difference in my lats in the mirror too.

 

 

 

There are good calories and bad calories though... Pasta isn't great because there are so many carbs in it. You can eat as much veg such as broccoli and carrots as you like though.

 

White pasta is bad, whole meal Pasta is highly recommended. It's one of the staples of a Mediterranean diet, which is why those Italians live for so long.

 

A lot will depend on how active you are. I'm always on my feet or exercising so I need a decent amount of carbs.

 

As above, alcohol really is the worst when it comes to trying to lose weight, it's just empty calories. People will always say cut out fizzy drinks and some people prefer to do that but there's absolutely nothing wrong with diet coke, virtually no calories and trace amounts of sweetener.

[MoogleViper]

White pasta is bad, whole meal Pasta is highly recommended. It's one of the staples of a Mediterranean diet, which is why those Italians live for so long.

 

Yeah but white pasta tastes so much nicer.

[Diageo]

White pasta is bad, whole meal Pasta is highly recommended. It's one of the staples of a Mediterranean diet, which is why those Italians live for so long.

 

A lot will depend on how active you are. I'm always on my feet or exercising so I need a decent amount of carbs.

 

As above, alcohol really is the worst when it comes to trying to lose weight, it's just empty calories. People will always say cut out fizzy drinks and some people prefer to do that but there's absolutely nothing wrong with diet coke, virtually no calories and trace amounts of sweetener.

Studies show that diet alternatives to fizzy drinks cause increased instances of vascular problems such as strokes, when compared to their non-diet counterparts and to no fizzy drink consumption.

[MoogleViper]

I wouldn't drink diet versions, I'd rather drink the normal version or non at all.

[LegoMan1031]

Well I had started back in the gym last week, starting off with weights way below what I know I can lift to build myself back up.

 

Was doing fine and last went the gym on monday, but I woke up today with my righ glut hurting and now my back is hurting again (and not just feeling uncomfortable as it has been)

 

Not quite sure what I have done but i'm well annoyed.

 

Wondering if I have to see the sports theropist again now.

[Ramar]

People will always say cut out fizzy drinks and some people prefer to do that but there's absolutely nothing wrong with diet coke, virtually no calories and trace amounts of sweetener.

 

Nothing wrong with Diet Coke, except it tastes like battery acid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it makes me burp more than regular coke.

[bob]

Was doing fine and last went the gym on monday, but I woke up today with my righ glut hurting and now my back is hurting again (and not just feeling uncomfortable as it has been)

 

 

What a pain in the arse...

[Jon]

Studies show that diet alternatives to fizzy drinks cause increased instances of vascular problems such as strokes, when compared to their non-diet counterparts and to no fizzy drink consumption.

 

 

To be fair studies can prove that anything that is considered good is actually bad and vice versa.

[Raining_again]

There's a lot of medical studies that excessive amounts of sweetener will cause false alarm insulin reactions. (known as syndrome X) Body recognises it as sugar, and sends out army of insulin.. But sweetener has minimal energy in it, which means the insulin has nothing to burn up. It sends back messages saying it has nothing to burn which then makes your brain stimulate hunger, so you eat to feed the insulin thats there.

 

So you're fat, you decide to switch to diet drinks/sweetener, which makes you more hungry and you get fatter. Typically fat people are encouraged to choose the low fat lifestyle, and most LF products are laced with sweetener or carbohydrate of some form. So its a viscious circle of carbohydrate addiction and living your life trying not to give into really intense cravings.

 

I do believe that in hindsight I did have a case of syndrome X, as I was pretty much a sweetener addicted carb crashing monster.. (10 sweeteners in 1 cuppa was not unusual) I've changed my diet completely and sweetener now makes me feel rather ill. I still occasionally have sugar free drink but not in the shedloads that I used to drink. Now that I do alternate fasting days I can eat regular food on my eating days, and I've lost all addiction to sugar. I'll have some chocolate on my eating days because I want to, not because I'll go nuts if I don't. I've regained all sense of normality around food and I no longer need to pig out on anything. Hurrah.

[MoogleViper]

I once ate a sweetener on it's own, thinking it would taste like sugar.

 

Try it, people.

[Jon]

There's a lot of medical studies that excessive amounts of sweetener will cause false alarm insulin reactions. (known as syndrome X) Body recognises it as sugar, and sends out army of insulin.. But sweetener has minimal energy in it, which means the insulin has nothing to burn up. It sends back messages saying it has nothing to burn which then makes your brain stimulate hunger, so you eat to feed the insulin thats there.

 

So you're fat, you decide to switch to diet drinks/sweetener, which makes you more hungry and you get fatter. Typically fat people are encouraged to choose the low fat lifestyle, and most LF products are laced with sweetener or carbohydrate of some form. So its a viscious circle of carbohydrate addiction and living your life trying not to give into really intense cravings.

 

I do believe that in hindsight I did have a case of syndrome X, as I was pretty much a sweetener addicted carb crashing monster.. (10 sweeteners in 1 cuppa was not unusual) I've changed my diet completely and sweetener now makes me feel rather ill. I still occasionally have sugar free drink but not in the shedloads that I used to drink. Now that I do alternate fasting days I can eat regular food on my eating days, and I've lost all addiction to sugar. I'll have some chocolate on my eating days because I want to, not because I'll go nuts if I don't. I've regained all sense of normality around food and I no longer need to pig out on anything. Hurrah.

 

 

Excess amount of anything is generally not too smart, in moderation it's fine. In my experience people trying to lose weight often try to eat like saints and they wonder why they slip after a few days. As long as you don't go overboard it's fine.

[pratty]

Also, back work is a bit limited without access to a lateral pulldown or some sort of pullup bar. Plus, I need a bit more weight to really push myself with the deadlifts. Right now I'm doing them stiff legged as I don't need as much weight for that.

 

An article on various rowing movements popped up on tnation, maybe you'll find something there you can try.

 

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/cool_rowing_movements

[Raining_again]

I've finally decided to join my gym again. Gonna pop in tomorrow

 

Now that I've really got my diet down to a "way of life" I think it will be a lot less stressful managing both. I'm still losing weight gradually. It's taking time but I'm happy for it to keep going at the rate it's going. I feel slimmer than I should be at the weight I am, apparently this is a side effect of alternate day fasting. I know a lot of people who have experienced the same.

 

I do 24 hour fasts starting at 5pm on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday like so

 

 

Saturday: normal eating all day

Sunday: normal eating until 5. Fast after 5

Monday: fast until 5. Eat normal dinner

Tuesday: normal eating til 5. Fast after 5

Wednesday: fast until 5. Eat normal dinner.

Thursday: normal eating til 5. Fast after 5.

Friday: fast til 5. Normal dinner.

 

I go from work at 5 to the gym, so the fast days (m,w,f) would probably be inappropriate. Could go Sunday morning, Saturday anytime, and tuesday/Thursday.

 

Really looking forward to starting spin again ^^

 

I wanted to really nail my diet before I rocked the boat with exercise. But now it's getting to be second nature so now is the time to add a bit more

[MindFreak]

I think it'll probably get harder for you now that you begin exercising regularly again as that will up your amount of calories needed throughout the week. Hopefully, you will just eat more on the non-fasting days and thus not feel too hungry the rest of the time.

 

My 'diet' with low carb food is going really well. I don't miss bread at all, I just sometimes miss the easiness of just taking some bread sandwiches with me to uni and work but it just comes down to preparing your meals a bit better. For instance, I almost always make too much supper so that I have some left-overs (especially of the meat) for the next day and everything is fine and dandy. It's a bit more expensive but not as much as I thought it would be.

 

And even though I was slim before I started the diet, I have actually got slimmer and noticably more slender, even though I do eat some cake or candy a bit too often for my own liking, so I guess it's worth it. My girl-friend (who's also on the diet) has also noticed a difference with herself (and I have too).

 

When it comes down to exercising, I have this routine:

Mondag: outdoor crossfit (it goes on all year but when it gets too cold, I might drop it), 1 hour.

Tuesday: either crossfit at the gym or just some 'relaxed' weight lifting, usually deadlift, squat, or bench press along with pull-ups and dips, 1 hour

Wednesday: Either nothing, some walking, or a 2 mile run (in about 12 minutes and 30 seconds)

Thursday: Indoor crossfit (with weights), 1 hour

Friday: Nothing but always some walking. If I feel like it, I do some crossfit at the gym

Saturday: 1.5 hours of random exercise, mostly cardio but also with some good old games like dodgeball.

Sunday: Once again, either nothing or crossfit / weightlifting. It depends on my activity level during the week.

 

So I do my fair share of exercising but I do listen to my body and relax when my body tells me to. Also, I almost miss one of the activities during the week.

[Raining_again]

I'm going to try to stick to what I'm eating on regular days. The only extra I'll intend to consume is a 100ish calorie protein shake. I don't intend to be gymming a lot, possibly 2-3 days a week and my fasting days/times wont be changing at all. I joined up today and my membership is only 25.99, I paid a tenner a month more the last time I was at the same gym, for the exact same thing... They must be desperate for members!