Weight loss .....

I have finally joined the gym in my quest to lose 30-40 pounds in 3 months. I even got a fitness trainer to help me. He has give me a programme in which I do Weight Training 3 days a week for 45 mins. followed by light jogging for 30 mins. No workout on saturday's and sunday's. Rest three days only cardio (jogging mostly) ... two sets of 30 mins each (60 total).

Do you [Seriously] think its the right way to approach weight loss??? Running can make you lost weight, how does Weight training makes you lose weight???

Run, run run.. did I mention run?

In basic training I saw two guys lose close to 80 pounds each in eight weeks. From running. Just be sure to drink plenty of water... dehydration sucks.

Any exercise can make you lose weight. When you consume more energy than your body requires, it gets stored in fat cells, in case you starve and need the energy later. So to lose weight, you can either starve yourself, which generally isn't particularly wise for other reasons, or you can burn them up by exercising and consuming a healthy diet. Whether you do this by running, jogging, or weight training doesn't matter - even walking is good. The reason you are given a variety of exercises is because you need to use different muscles.

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Originally Posted by chocoloco

Do you [Seriously] think its the right way to approach weight loss??? Running can make you lost weight, how does Weight training makes you lose weight???

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Muscle cells burn fat more faster than any other cells.

Running makes you lose weight. Weight training makes it faster and prevents further weight gaining by developing muscle tissues.

Atleast that's what I know from all those weightloss sites.

This is how I lost weight when I was in high school. I got it out of Reader's Digest.

Active Male: 17
Active Female: 16
Sedintary Male: 15
Sedintary Female: 14

Pick which group you are in (I was an Active Male). Multiply your weight by that (at that time 176). That yields 2992, which is how many calories I needed each day to maintain my current weight. I deprived myself of 1000 calories each day (maybe only 900 if I worked out or something). That equals 7000 calories a week. If you deprive yourself of 3500 calories a week, you will lose ~ one pound. So, doing this you can safely lose two pounds per week.

At the beginning, you will lose more (~10/month). And you must readjust after you lose a few pounds, because after you lose say 10 pounds, you need to subtract 170 calories from your daily total.

Anyway, I'm sure some people will argue, and I'm sure they would probably be somewhat right, but this worked for me.

Weight training can make your muscles burn more calories....or not. When I first started going to a gym (14 years ago), on the first day, one of the guys there was showing me some of the machines and told me "You'll be putting on weight in no time." I hadn't actually mentioned it, but my goal was to LOSE weight. He figured I wanted to bulk up.

Since then, I've been on again off again with the weights, and have noticed this: I can maintain my weight with biking, running, and walking. I shed weight like mad on long hikes (a month or so). However, after a long hike, I have also lost much upper body strength, so I have to get back to the weights pretty hard to make up for it.

Any time I get back to the weights after an abscence of a month or so, whether I had been on a long hike, or had just been too busy, I initially gain between five to ten pounds, and do so in about two days. From then on, my weight may or may not return to where I started, but it takes weeks to do so. The weight gain seems like it MUST be water, as nothing else can cause that dramatic a rise in that short a time, but I can't figure out why it happens, or why it doesn't leave.

Running Causes Glucose in the blood to be converted to pyruvate (there are many steps though) then to lactic acid (hence the burning feeling you get when you run too much). Walking, or low intensity exercise causes the muscles to use Long chain fatty acids as their energy source (and hence not the glucose). LCFAs are broken down in the mitochondria of muscles only, so if you want to lose weight, you can combine doing some weights (which builds up the number of mitochondria) with low intensity exercise.

:)

I get all excited when I realize the past 10 weeks haven't been wasted learning stuff like this

well i've managed to keep my calorie intake to 1000-1300.
I probably lost a few pounds. and I probably weigh around 50 kg. probably.
But they said that I looked like I had lost some weight.

I didn't do exercise at all. just watched my diet and count calories.

Muscle as an active tissue is a bit overhyped :
Muscles do burn fat IF YOU USE THEM. Not if you sit on your ass all day long.
Said that remember to loose fat slowly otherwise you could catabolize your lean mass.
I would not want to loose more than 5 kilos per month.

Okay,

So after a month of exercises, I notice a litte change in my tummy. Its little smaller than it used to be. I feel a helluva lot better. My pants are little looser. But I do not notice a whole lot of change in my weight???? Anybody knows why it would be so??

Fat replaced by muscle, maybe.

Muscle actually weighs more than fat, so you might put on weight. Depends what sort of shape you were in to begin with, and how bulky you end up.

I was overweight to say the least :). not in a good shape. I am not planning to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just want to lose all the unneccesary weight and get in decent lean shape.

Doesn't always work in your favor. I used to be 'normal' and healthy and thin. I joined a gym to build up muscles, for about 6 months and lost a lot of weight, despite being thin. I never gained that weight back and it's a source of great consternation to me, even now... *sigh*

My fitness trainer wife and partner preaches...

Muscle is active tissue - it burns calories.

Even at rest.

This is not overhyped - it's fact. Of course that doesn't stop the infomercials from twisting facts...

So resistance training needs to be part of any weight loss program.

Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue - so actual weight loss is not consistent with fitness level increases.

Do your aerobics (jogging) before resistance training - as the resistance training makes you feel tired.

You can also split your resistance training days - lower body and upper body on different days. Or do as was suggested and have "active rest" days (where aerobics - jogging - is only done).

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Originally Posted by chocoloco

I was overweight to say the least :). not in a good shape. I am not planning to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just want to lose all the unneccesary weight and get in decent lean shape.

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I bet you had to look up 'Schwarzenegger'. :bigyello:

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Originally Posted by Xcoder

I bet you had to look up 'Schwarzenegger'. :bigyello:

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:bigyello:

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Originally Posted by szlamany

My fitness trainer wife and partner preaches...

Muscle is active tissue - it burns calories.

Even at rest.

This is not overhyped - it's fact. Of course that doesn't stop the infomercials from twisting facts...

So resistance training needs to be part of any weight loss program.

Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue - so actual weight loss is not consistent with fitness level increases.

Do your aerobics (jogging) before resistance training - as the resistance training makes you feel tired.

You can also split your resistance training days - lower body and upper body on different days. Or do as was suggested and have "active rest" days (where aerobics - jogging - is only done).

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My trainer told me to do the cardio after weight training ........

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Originally Posted by chocoloco

I have finally joined the gym in my quest to lose 30-40 pounds in 3 months. I even got a fitness trainer to help me. He has give me a programme in which I do Weight Training 3 days a week for 45 mins. followed by light jogging for 30 mins. No workout on saturday's and sunday's. Rest three days only cardio (jogging mostly) ... two sets of 30 mins each (60 total).

Do you [Seriously] think its the right way to approach weight loss??? Running can make you lost weight, how does Weight training makes you lose weight???

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Actually I hear walking is better than Running if you want pure weight loss.
Running is more for conditioning and gaining muscle.

From 25+ years of running I can tell you that running 4 to 6 times week averaging 25 minutes per day (over 7 days) allows me to eat most anything I want to and not gain weight. BTW most of what I eat is very healthy (we have a large garden) but I do have a penchant for chocolate and sweets in general.

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Originally Posted by capsulecorpjx

Actually I hear walking is better than Running if you want pure weight loss.
Running is more for conditioning and gaining muscle.

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Nah... Running burns many more calories than walking.

And here is a useful chart.

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Originally Posted by MartinLiss

Nah... Running burns many more calories than walking.

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Calories doesn't mean fat thought, when running you use glucose stored as glycogen in the white muscles as your source of energy (since breaking fat takes too long). So while you will be burning more calories, the energy isn't from fat. But if you do run everyday though, after a while your body will be able to adjust to using long chain fatty acids, while running, instead of glucose (by growing more mitochondria in you white muscle cells, which is what is responsible for breaking down LCFAs). If you run and feel lactic acid in your muscle (that burning feeling), then your not burning your fat.

Weight trying tones and builds muscles. It also loses fat but not a great deal.
Cardio-vascular exercises lose fat at a much greater pace BUT it also degrades muscle mass.

Therefore a good balance between both cardio-vascular and weight lifting is the best way to go.

As for doing cardio AFTER weights that is ridiculous! Every study shows that doing cardio before, during and after is what you need to do because it keeps the blood pumping around your body at a fast pace. Therefore providing the vital oxygen muscles need to be able to lift heavier weights, and thus stop degradation whilst training.

Actually there is no such hard and fast rule to do cardio before or after weight training. In fact, for purely fat loss purposes, it is recommended to do cardio after weight training. Again, not a hard and fast rule.

I eat a bacon, ham and cheese sandwich every morning. It keeps me fit and healthy.

My point about doing aerobic before resistance training was purely based on the fact that resistance training makes you feel tired. It was an "enthusiasm" to continue the program point...

Whether aerobic before or after resistance is better from a fitness point of view has been argued in the fitness world for years.

We have a gym right in our office - where I watch my wife treadmill or bounce for hours (I'm glued to my keyboard writing SQL statements all day long). Then she uses a resistance program for 30 to 45 minutes at the end of the day (one that she developed and we will be marketing in the near future).

I'm lucky if I get an hour a day to do aerobics - but that time is enough to make a difference in my overall fitness levels...

@andrewg - do you think that chocoloco will be reaching levels of exertion that will bring the whole long-chain / lactic acid / glucose issue into play?

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Originally Posted by BillGeek

I eat a bacon, ham and cheese sandwich every morning. It keeps me fit and healthy.

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That will change when you reach 40 and your doctor says your blood pressure and cholestorol are borderline ;)

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Originally Posted by szlamany

@andrewg - do you think that chocoloco will be reaching levels of exertion that will bring the whole long-chain / lactic acid / glucose issue into play?

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What exactly is that?

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Originally Posted by szlamany

That will change when you reach 40 and your doctor says your blood pressure and cholestorol are borderline ;)

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Oh well... luckily I have 20 years to go then. :D

40 pounds in 3 months is a big goal. Since 3000 calories is equal to a pound you are going to have to do some incredible calorie reduction and/or calorie burning to accomplish that.

What did your trainer say was a reasonable amount of weight to lose in a week?

Are you doing a diet modification as well?

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Originally Posted by szlamany

@andrewg - do you think that chocoloco will be reaching levels of exertion that will bring the whole long-chain / lactic acid / glucose issue into play?

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Your body's normal source of energy is LCFAs (in white muscle), only when you do large amounts of physical exercise do you use glucose which produces lactic acid. Thats why they say walking is better for weight loss as your not using your glucose.

I should note that weight training and high intensity exercise is important as well as it creates more mitochondria in your white muscles, which is where the LFCAs are broken down, hence why some people can run long distances without building up lactic acid.

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Originally Posted by szlamany

40 pounds in 3 months is a big goal. Since 3000 calories is equal to a pound you are going to have to do some incredible calorie reduction and/or calorie burning to accomplish that.

What did your trainer say was a reasonable amount of weight to lose in a week?

Are you doing a diet modification as well?

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I know 40 pounds in 3 months is a huge deal and not a realistic goal (unless I starve myself). However, that's not what my trainer told me. I set myself anywhere between 30-40 pounds in 3-4 months. My trainer told me, 8-10 pounds a month is reasonable.

I am actually counting all the calories I am burning. At the moment I am burning 3825 calories a week just by cardio. I also do weight training 3 times a week for about 45 minutes, I am not sure how many calories that would be. So even if I lose 25-30 pounds in 3-4 months, I will be a happy chap.

Oh, and did I mention I have stopped eating junk food ...

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Originally Posted by chocoloco

I know 40 pounds in 3 months is a huge deal and not a realistic goal (unless I starve myself).

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Tell that to the two guys in my Basic Training unit that lost more than 50 pounds in two months.

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Originally Posted by timeshifter

Tell that to the two guys in my Basic Training unit that lost more than 50 pounds in two months.

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Yeah but the motivation provided by drill sergeants is a hell of a lot more than anyone's self-motivation. =)

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Originally Posted by timeshifter

Tell that to the two guys in my Basic Training unit that lost more than 50 pounds in two months.

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:eek2:

A friend used Paul McKenna's method to shed the pounds - they just fell off.

You can get the video at youtube - just do a search for "Paul McKenna will make you thin"

Good Luck

Rob

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Originally Posted by timeshifter

Tell that to the two guys in my Basic Training unit that lost more than 50 pounds in two months.

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Depends how big they were to begin with. A bloke who is way over 400lbs will shed the pounds much easier than someone half his weight.

Work out your weight loss target as a percentage of you original body weight. Then you should get an idea of how much you are trying to lose.

We bought a bowflex several years ago and none of us use the stupid thing. They looked so fun on tv...

I am comfortable with what I am doing right now. I have lost little weight, but like many said, its probably that I am also building muscle which makes you look better but does not drop too much in weight.

With the amount of cardio I am doing, how can I not lose weight?

Wish me luck ...

Be careful you don't over-do the cardio because you'll degrade your muscle mass. That's why all distance runners are so skinny

Find a big hill (20* - 30*) near your house that is about 1 mile long. Every day Strech, Sprint up it, walk down it, repeat: until your leggs start shaking. After a month, do it with a 5 pound dumbell in each hand, Increase the dumbell 1 pound every month. Make sure you don't go cheap on a good set of distance running shoes and change them every few months. :wave:

Distance runners are skinny because they do not increase resistance in their training. This was how we trained for the 2 mile race way back when I was in shape. Our runners were bulkier than most of the others but could keep pace and had twice the speed during the Kick "Last 400 meters". I generally dropped 30 pounds in 3 months and had no problems putting it back on in time for football season. All it took was tripling my calorie intake, cutting the running in half and weight training.

Good luck man, Wish I still had the knees to get rid of my beergut. :thumb:

to make your weight loss fun you could always try some E and dancing... vitamin E is good for your heart while exercising. :)

Don't go overboard on E, though. It's one of the fat soluble vitamins that you can overdo.

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Originally Posted by MasterBlaster

Good luck man, Wish I still had the knees to get rid of my beergut. :thumb:

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That is no excuse. I have severe arthritis in both my knees but I still go to the gym every day. There are a few cardio-vascular exercises that do not need the legs to exercise, and of course weight training and eating properly will also lose the beergut.

There is no reason these days why you should be overweight

If don't know about vitamin E, but I do take 1 pill of Centrum everyday.

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Originally Posted by learning c

to make your weight loss fun you could always try some E and dancing... vitamin E is good for your heart while exercising. :)

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I thought you were talking about ecstasy :afrog:

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Originally Posted by Valleysboy1978

That is no excuse. I have severe arthritis in both my knees but I still go to the gym every day. There are a few cardio-vascular exercises that do not need the legs to exercise, and of course weight training and eating properly will also lose the beergut.

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I'm not really that overweight, but my days of having a chisled body are way over. My knees are bone on bone. Stapels and screws are holding my shoulders together. I also cracked a couple disks and my back hasn't been the same since. By the time I work up a good sweat My joints start to swell up. I wish I could still use my old training techniques and be in that good of shape again. Now I get by with Iso's, swimming and mellow hiking. ;)

Ok, two and half months running and I have lost about 15 pounds. I love it so much better now and can't stop doing cardio just about everyday. Aim is to lose another 35 pounds by new year.

So what would be a good basic 7 day plan for working out (including rest days)?
i.e mon CV 1hr
tue cv warm up followed by arms wieghts... etc

The rule with resistance training (whether it be weights or tubes) is to not work the same muscle group on two consecutive days. That means full body every other day (3 days a week) or upper body one day, lower next, upper next, lower next.

It's really up to you.

Aerobic (CV) can be done as often as you want - I find leaving the office and fast-walking 2.5 miles every day helps my mind more than my body!

You have to recreate to create...

Well here's my plan.

Mon - 75 Mins of Cardio
Tue - Weight Training [50 mins] then Cardio [35 mins]
Wed - 75 Mins of Cardio
Thu - Weight Training [50 mins] then Cardio [35 mins]
Fri - 75 Mins of Cardio
Sat - Weight Training [50 mins] then Cardio [35 mins]
Sun - 35 Mins of Cardio - Just cause I want to do. I can take full rest if needed.

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Originally Posted by MasterBlaster

Find a big hill (20* - 30*) near your house that is about 1 mile long. Every day Strech, Sprint up it, walk down it, repeat: until your leggs start shaking. After a month, do it with a 5 pound dumbell in each hand, Increase the dumbell 1 pound every month. Make sure you don't go cheap on a good set of distance running shoes and change them every few months. :wave:

Good luck man, Wish I still had the knees to get rid of my beergut. :thumb:

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I actually did that activity back in 2000 - except I didn't add weight gradually, and I put the dumbbells in a backpack on my back. I was able to do that for two months before I just must have overdone it and could hardly walk (for like 6 months).

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Originally Posted by nemaroller

I actually did that activity back in 2000 - except I didn't add weight gradually, and I put the dumbbells in a backpack on my back. I was able to do that for two months before I just must have overdone it and could hardly walk (for like 6 months).

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6 months? did you fall down the hill or something? I imaging dumbells bouncing off of your spine didn't help much.

this will help you lose weight
http://kateford.typepad.com/wls/images/colonblow.jpg

Any fitness regime needs to be tailored depending on what your goals are.
As for myself I am trying to build muscle and lose fat, not concerned with stamina or running long distances.
Therefore my regime involes a lot of weight training but alternating each day (first day upper body, then second day lower body and repeat)