Diet Advice Needed

[John K]

You may just want to go to Nana Disco, the lades there will help your testosterone level. Or the new club Just past Bus Stop also on soi Nana called Sin. The gym is great for building, but it sounds like you need some good aerobic activity. Just go and dance!

John Krukowski, C.H.

[Merlin]

For exercise get on a walking machine and work yourself up to a walk and ONLY a walk for about 40 - 60 minutes. A good speed is about 9 km/h at a 10 - 12 degree incline.

You only want to mildly increase your heartrate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

are you joking???

for the last couple of weeks I've been going to the gym - and even at 7.2km/h and 5deg incline my heart rate goes to 160 within 5 minutes and stays there. [resting heart rate is about 116].

I would call 7.2 a fairly fast jog - 9 would be a sprint!

[medicinebox]

OK, here's an update as to my current diet/fitness situation:

I generally go to the gym 6 days a week, at 6.30am.  On 3 of the days I work out with free weights, plus 30 minutes fat-burning cycling. On the other 3 days I just cycle for 1 hour.

I eat only fresh fruit and fruit juice for breakfast, with a tuna salad for lunch. Then fresh fish for supper, plus natural yogurt and more fruit. I also take some vitamin and cod-liver oil supplements.

Results?

My body muscle has increased and looks quite good 

My weight has not changed AT ALL!!  Still 71 kg 

My primary area of interest (my stomach) remains unchanged!!  I can feel that my stomach muscles are firmer, but my abs are still covered by the same layer of fat.

For purely vanity reasons, I want to get rid of the fat covering my rippling abs 

I don't have a problem with my current weight. 

So, any suggestions how I get rid of this ab fat?  Liposuction is not top of my list 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take it a step at a time. First lets look at your Cardio Vascular (aerobic) training. For a start, never do CV on a weight training day. You will burn muscle, and affect the ability to raise your metabolism.

Never do CV 2 days in a row. 3 times a week is fine. Any more and your body will adapt to it and you won't get the elevated metabolism, which will last all day incidently.

You should do CV for 45 mins. To gauge how much is correct for fat burning try this.

Take your age away from 220. That 220bpm is classed as the default maximum heart rate. So 220 - 45 = 175.

So at your age 175 is your maximum heart rate. Now for fat burning you should aim for between 65-75% of your maximum. So let's say your target fat burning heart rate is 70% of 175. If you do more than this your body will swich over to burning Glycogen (muscle energy) instead of fat. Think of your body as one of those Hybrid cars that use electric at slow - medium urban driving, but then switched to fuel at the fast motorway driving.

So to achive your most efficent fat burning state, you need to keep your heart rate around 122BPM. And maintain this for as much of the 45 minutes as you can. There are loads of other factors to enhance this, but for now stick to this.

You say you go to the gym at 6.30am. This is a good opportunity to burn some serious fat. Supposing your last meal is around 9pm. Thay means if you get up at 6am your body has had no carbs for 9 hours. Your carbs (glycogen) levels will be at their lowest point of the day.

So if you can, have a little fresh fruit and maybe a couple of boiled eggs (dont worry about the fat) to take away the hunger pangs. Then go to the gym and start your CV work. Basically your body has no choice but to burn fat. THEN when you have finished your CV, try not to eat for one hour, then have your breakfast.

By now your body will be screaming out for carbs.

Heres the perfect breakfast.

4-6 scrambled eggs with only 2 yolks left in.

A bowl of semolina (Or a natural Cereal like Alpen sugar free or porridge oats)

1 Large sliced banana.

Dont be afraid to whack the carbs in, they will go straight to your muscles and fill them up with glycogen. Experiment with the size of the portions, just dont starve yourself.

Heres why I chose this meal:

The eggs are just about the best whole food going for muscle repair. They are quickly absorbed and will kick start the days muscle growth. Semolina provides energy rich complex carbs, and the banana will provide fructose and potassium, which will support the glycogen conversion process in the liver and muscles, in turn, minumizing muscle tissue breakdown.

Thats it for now, I will be back with some dinner and pre-weight training meals.

P.S. Try to get someone to bring a load of Pure whey protein powder over for you. it is rediculously expensive and hard to find in LOS. Thats if your serious about getting some quality muscle packed on.

[John K]

When a person comes to me for weight management one of the first things I ask is do you want to see the results in the mirror or on the scale. The vast majority say mirror. Unless you have some weight requirements I would say use the mirror. For me I have lost 100 Lbs and my goal is 36 jeans. I am in 38 now and I just turned 49 last week. I have noted that once your body gets use to one routine it becomes difficult to make it change. You may want to look at that possibility. Change for a few weeks, even eat other foods (natures foods) and you can move forward. Also look at your BMI,”Body Mass Index” you may be fine now.

John Krukowski, C.H.

[buadhai]

for the last couple of weeks I've been going to the gym - and even at 7.2km/h and 5deg incline my heart rate goes to 160 within 5 minutes and stays there. [resting heart rate is about 116].

I would call 7.2 a fairly fast jog - 9 would be a sprint!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A resting heart rate of 116 sounds huge to me. I'm 55 and mine is about 50 when I wake up. If I run it gets up to about 180 and stays there for ten or fifteen minutes after I stop.

I'm currently about 180 cm and weigh 80 kilos. (The weight varies....)

I run 8-10K five days a week and do weight training those same five days. (This morning I ran 10K in 50 minutes -- no incline at all.)

My current goal is to get down to 75 kilos. (I weighed 65 when I was in Marathon shape.)

If I could only cut out the beer I'd be OK....

[pedro01]

Whey protein can be purchased in Thailand for 1,400 Baht a kilo - from Nana BTS station & California fitness. Protein is OK but to be honest, chicken is better.

Spreading your calories over 5-6 meals a day is a hard routine to get into but certainly pays off.

Your body has 3 sources of energy. Sugar (stored in the muscles), fat and amino acids (also stored in the muscles). The trick is to convice your body to use fat but your body is more inclined to use sugar or amino acids. Using aminos acids is bad because this is muscle. Whether your stomach is full or empty when you work out is a matter of some debate. To me, it never made much difference. I prefer a bowl of porridge with some fruit before training. If your body thinks there's a food shortage on - then it will decide to burn muscle for energy. The main reason it does this is because you get the energy from burning the muscle PLUS that muscle you burnt no longer needs energy to keep it alive.

CV work does raise your metabolism but not for 24 hours. Weight training uses less calories BUT raises your metabolism for longer - your body has to spend significant effort repairing those tired muscles. This can take 24-48 hours. Also - if you add muscle, you need to ingest more calories each day to support that muscle. Adding muscle means you can eat more without getting fat.

If you have had a lay-off from training for a while, you will find that running for 45 minutes a day is going to end in injury - tendonitis or a stress fracture (worse case).

For running - start with some light quad, hamstring & Calf exercises - 3 times a week. You can combine this with a short run to warm up - 5 mins will be fine to start & work your way up. Preferably adding another 5 mins each week.

If you haven't been exercising for a few years - give yourself 2-3 months to get up to 45 minutes a day.

Also - not all calories are the same. The more bulky/fibrous a food is - the more calories your body spends breaking it down - this helps in the long-run too.

[John K]

I agree anything over 100 should be looked at as a warning flag. You should find out what is causing that. When was the last time you checked your BP? Are some of the foods you consuming having this effect? I am 49 and my resting rate is under 60. I think that was one of the problems with ephedra why it was killing so many people. Their hearts just gave up from always beating so fast.

John Krukowski, C.H.

[Thaiboxer1]

Losing weight is 25% exercise, 75% nutrition.

Eating like a mouse is not the way forward.

I lost 17kg so far & am now cutting up - the abs are already showing.

Here's my typical days food.

Breakfast 6AM

half a cup of dried oats cooked with 1 cup of water & half a cup of fat-freemilk

Add in 5-10 prunes or other dried fruit.

Snack 9AM

1 Apple with a protein shake

Lunch 12PM

half a can of tuna/microwaved chicken brease

As many steamed vegetables as I can eat.

not - no rice, no startchy veg like potatoes

Snack 3PM

1 tub cottage cheese with an apple or half a can of kidney beans mixed in

Dinner 6.30pm

Grilled chicken breast, unlimited salad or steamed vegetables.

I am 68 kilos now - need to get down to 63/64 to be 'ripped' - I am a shortarse just in case you are wondring.

I train 3/4 times a week - mostly weights at the moment as I have a knee injury. This diet is dropping off 2lbs of fat a week & as I say - seems to drop the same even when I add aerobics. Typical aerobics session for me would be 1 hour run.

Send me a PM with your email address - I have this diet in an ebook that I can email to you.

Also - send us your days diet & me & the other posters will comment on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pedro,

That's a solid diet...one question...

Have you found a place in Thailand that sell the oats in bulk? I go thorough bags of that stuff!

[Thaiboxer1]

OK, here's an update as to my current diet/fitness situation:

I generally go to the gym 6 days a week, at 6.30am.  On 3 of the days I work out with free weights, plus 30 minutes fat-burning cycling. On the other 3 days I just cycle for 1 hour.

I eat only fresh fruit and fruit juice for breakfast, with a tuna salad for lunch. Then fresh fish for supper, plus natural yogurt and more fruit. I also take some vitamin and cod-liver oil supplements.

Results?

My body muscle has increased and looks quite good 

My weight has not changed AT ALL!!  Still 71 kg 

My primary area of interest (my stomach) remains unchanged!!  I can feel that my stomach muscles are firmer, but my abs are still covered by the same layer of fat.

For purely vanity reasons, I want to get rid of the fat covering my rippling abs 

I don't have a problem with my current weight. 

So, any suggestions how I get rid of this ab fat?  Liposuction is not top of my list 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take it a step at a time. First lets look at your Cardio Vascular (aerobic) training. For a start, never do CV on a weight training day. You will burn muscle, and affect the ability to raise your metabolism.

Never do CV 2 days in a row. 3 times a week is fine. Any more and your body will adapt to it and you won't get the elevated metabolism, which will last all day incidently.

You should do CV for 45 mins. To gauge how much is correct for fat burning try this.

Take your age away from 220. That 220bpm is classed as the default maximum heart rate. So 220 - 45 = 175.

So at your age 175 is your maximum heart rate. Now for fat burning you should aim for between 65-75% of your maximum. So let's say your target fat burning heart rate is 70% of 175. If you do more than this your body will swich over to burning Glycogen (muscle energy) instead of fat. Think of your body as one of those Hybrid cars that use electric at slow - medium urban driving, but then switched to fuel at the fast motorway driving.

So to achive your most efficent fat burning state, you need to keep your heart rate around 122BPM. And maintain this for as much of the 45 minutes as you can. There are loads of other factors to enhance this, but for now stick to this.

You say you go to the gym at 6.30am. This is a good opportunity to burn some serious fat. Supposing your last meal is around 9pm. Thay means if you get up at 6am your body has had no carbs for 9 hours. Your carbs (glycogen) levels will be at their lowest point of the day.

So if you can, have a little fresh fruit and maybe a couple of boiled eggs (dont worry about the fat) to take away the hunger pangs. Then go to the gym and start your CV work. Basically your body has no choice but to burn fat. THEN when you have finished your CV, try not to eat for one hour, then have your breakfast.

By now your body will be screaming out for carbs.

Heres the perfect breakfast.

4-6 scrambled eggs with only 2 yolks left in.

A bowl of semolina (Or a natural Cereal like Alpen sugar free or porridge oats)

1 Large sliced banana.

Dont be afraid to whack the carbs in, they will go straight to your muscles and fill them up with glycogen. Experiment with the size of the portions, just dont starve yourself.

Heres why I chose this meal:

The eggs are just about the best whole food going for muscle repair. They are quickly absorbed and will kick start the days muscle growth. Semolina provides energy rich complex carbs, and the banana will provide fructose and potassium, which will support the glycogen conversion process in the liver and muscles, in turn, minumizing muscle tissue breakdown.

Thats it for now, I will be back with some dinner and pre-weight training meals.

P.S. Try to get someone to bring a load of Pure whey protein powder over for you. it is rediculously expensive and hard to find in LOS. Thats if your serious about getting some quality muscle packed on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Solid advice, guys, save this post!

[Thaiboxer1]

Hi Simon,

A few areas I have picked up on that will really make a difference:

1) You eat like a mouse.

This is the first issue you need to address, and its not just you. Probably 90% of my clients have this idea that they need to 'diet' by reducing food consumption. The fact is, it doesnt matter how much you exercise, if you dont eat enough and get enough energy into you, you are not going to drop an inch. If caloric intake is insufficient, your body goes into survival mode - it slows down the body's metabolism and holds onto as much fat as possible.

The key is to eat sufficient amount of calories that exceed your BMR. BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate, and is determined by your age, to some extent your body weight, but more importantly, your lean tissue composition. basically everything else minus body fat.

At 74kg's you would have a BMR of about 1800 calories per day. BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to sustain life - therefore, if you were to lie in bed all day, your body would still consume 1800+ calories per day for its normal body functions - respiration, digestion, maintaining body temperature etc. So 1800 calories would be the bare minimum that you need to consume. You also need to take into account your daily expenditure

Eating like this will only make you fatter.

I show my clients how they can eat more!! And lose body fat.

2) You eat only 3 x per day.

To boost your metabolism, you must eat 5-6 times per day. That doesnt mean 'eat 5-6 meals per day', but it does mean you should have something in your stomach every 3 hours. As others have suggested, you need plenty of protein (at every meal if you can), and minimise your carbohydrate consumption in the evenings. Have a decent breakfast, with carbs. Carbs are ok for lunch too - your body NEEDS energy to burn.

My rough estimates indicate that you are consuming no more than 1500 calories per day - well below your BMR.

3) You exercise EVERY day.

Your body needs rest. without rest and recovery, your body will not repair itself and build new tissues. Try taking 1 or 2 days off per week and get plenty of sleep.

AND...

Make sure you continue your strength training. If only do CV your body will actually eat into your mean muscle tissue for energy - its easier to convert into energy than fat. So you must maintain this. Just 1-2 sets of each muscle group 1 or 2 times per week Max.

Thats about it from me, if you need any other advice, you contact me at [email protected].

Yours in Health,

Daniel Remon

Managing Director

Fitcorp Asia Co., Ltd.

Corporate Health & Fitness Solutions

"Improving People, Productivity & Corporate Performance"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some more great advice!

[pedro01]

Losing weight is 25% exercise, 75% nutrition.

Eating like a mouse is not the way forward.

I lost 17kg so far & am now cutting up - the abs are already showing.

Here's my typical days food.

Breakfast 6AM

half a cup of dried oats cooked with 1 cup of water & half a cup of fat-freemilk

Add in 5-10 prunes or other dried fruit.

Snack 9AM

1 Apple with a protein shake

Lunch 12PM

half a can of tuna/microwaved chicken brease

As many steamed vegetables as I can eat.

not - no rice, no startchy veg like potatoes

Snack 3PM

1 tub cottage cheese with an apple or half a can of kidney beans mixed in

Dinner 6.30pm

Grilled chicken breast, unlimited salad or steamed vegetables.

I am 68 kilos now - need to get down to 63/64 to be 'ripped' - I am a shortarse just in case you are wondring.

I train 3/4 times a week - mostly weights at the moment as I have a knee injury. This diet is dropping off 2lbs of fat a week & as I say - seems to drop the same even when I add aerobics. Typical aerobics session for me would be 1 hour run.

Send me a PM with your email address - I have this diet in an ebook that I can email to you.

Also - send us your days diet & me & the other posters will comment on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pedro,

That's a solid diet...one question...

Have you found a place in Thailand that sell the oats in bulk? I go thorough bags of that stuff!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not yet - just those small bags - McGarrets or something like that...

[medicinebox]

Don't do any running at all. At 45yrs and 75kg you will wreck your knees. I forgot to add that. And running is anaerobic and not aerobic, this will mean you are burning glycogen and not fat. The best CV movements are the ones that are low impact on the joints. For me you cant beat the cross trainer, or elliptical (sic) walking machines.

You will not burn muscle on your morning CV. Even if your Glycogen levels are low and your stomach is empty. You are doing low intensity aerobic training to coax your body into burning fat. Yes there is muscle involvement, but you always have enough glycogen in your muscles. Just on this occasion the levels will be very low.

Another non scientific way to measure your intensity level when doing CV is to reach a point where holding a convesation is very difficult, then back off a bit, so you can just about hold a conversation. Talk to a stranger or yourself to start with.

Lunch:

170-250g Lean minced beef

300g Pasta

120g Brocoli

Heres why:

Beef is excellent for muscle building. It contains creatine, all the needed aminos, and the full range of B-Vitamins. It's also dense in iron to assist energy production. Pasta is a great source of carbs for energy and Brocoli contains componds that help in fat control.

Throw the scales out. Like you look in the mirror and you know you look fat. We don't need the scales as a second opinion.

P.S. A lot of good advice coming in, but remember in this game there are a million misconceptions and contradictions, so it would help if folks backed up thier advice with brief explanations or refrences.

Edited April 7, 2005 by medicinebox

[pedro01]

No exercise is more aerobic than any other...

The burning of fat during exercise is purely down to the intensity at which you train. This is the same regardless of whether that activity is running, walking, cycling, rowing, elpitical or circuit training. It also has little to do with available glycogern

As has been menitoned, make sure you can just carry out a conversation when exercising - for some this is walking & for some this is jogging.

Work too hard & your body cannot burn fat - it simply cant burn fat at that pace - so glycogen & amino acids become the prime suppliers of energy.

For anyone starting out on a new program. If your are a couch potato, you simply will not have the muscular endurance to go ahead and cycle/row/eliptical/run for 45 minutes.

You are working your heart, bones, muscles and connective tissues - all of which get used to exercise at a different rate. In particular, tendons take time to catch up.

Strength training is required, even for cycling - your muscles are needed to support your knees & hips which are going to be subject to repetitive motions. Weak muscles will not keep your knees & hips 'on track' during these activities and you will soon injure yourself.

Strength training adds muscle and muslces burn calories, even when resting.

Strenght training increases RMR - Resting Metabolic rate for days after training while your body repairs. Fatty acids are also used for this repair.

Stregth training results in the release of Growth Hormone & Testosterone

So basically - don't rely too much on the treadmill - do some weights. Start light.

[samran]

A lot of people here have been talking about gym based/running excersises.

Just curious as to what people think of swimming as an activity? I swim, and see lots of good swimmers who never seem to loose their fat (including moi).

Although plenty of it has to do with technique, many of these 'tubby' swimmers don’t tend to have the body definition you’d expect of an athlete, but they are undeniably athletic, able to churn out a couple of km’s in a 45mins to an hour at a relatively relaxed, though concerted, pace.

[pedro01]

A lot of people here have been talking about gym based/running excersises.

Just curious as to what people think of swimming as an activity? I swim, and see lots of good swimmers who never seem to loose their fat (including moi).

Although plenty of it has to do with technique, many of these 'tubby' swimmers don’t tend to have the body definition you’d expect of an athlete, but they are undeniably athletic, able to churn out a couple of km’s in a 45mins to an hour at a relatively relaxed, though concerted, pace.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think swimming is great but boring. I tend to do either gym or a bike/eliptical trainer where I can read a book.

Perhaps there's something in the acclimatisation - you do the same thing so often that your body gets used to it & you end up expending less energy to do it.

I try to vary things - bike one time, eliptical another, walking on the treadmill another time, rowing etc. I should throw in swimming too....

Same on the weights - change the routine every 3-4 weeks. Not just the exercises but the style of exercises too. Every 8 weeks, take a week off - that kind of thing.

The thing is - this is just what works for me & keeps me interested. There may be no science at all behind it - perhaps keeping it interesting makes you work harder.

Strange that in 2005 the science of the human body is still in its infancy.

[Kf6vci]

Get an analysis of your body fat content. You have what most fatties (me included) are lacking: will power. You are doing okay on the exercise (take a break now and then to let your muscles grow). Next, get your blood sugar measured. after a certain meal, the graph will show a steep curve. The peak can be telling. Applied to your eating habits, the worst you can do is consume sugary drinks ever so often and to eat junk food. A protein shake instead of a normal meal might be a good idea, too. ** You will lose the love handles etc. as part of an overall improvement. there are no love handle exercises; they will shrink as part of exercise and a good diet. And since you have will power, count your caloric intake, then cut back and have more smaller healthier meals.

[ayakiawe]

see this web page about weight loss and coconut oil

> http://www.mercola.com/products/coconut_oil.htm

also good news letter below free >

"Some Supplements Can Make You Fat - This startling finding shows the most common vitamin supplement given to pregnant women -- when put in a pregnant mouse's diet -- can make her offspring fatter.

The #1 Most Highly Recommended Coconut Oil: What to Look For, What to Avoid - Coconut oil can be exceptionally healthy, but how it is produced makes all the difference. Learn the "Requirements for a Healthy and Safe Coconut Oil" now, and learn which one meets the highest standards.

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Subscribed to the Newsletter Yet? Click Here to Subscribe Now and Begin Your Journey to Independent Health!

Ms Ta sells the best virgin all organic coconut oil in Thailand you can write her at

[email protected]

01-089-7766

[ayakiawe]

Here see new info about why coconut oil is such a "big deal" now!

Question: What is the deal with coconut oil? I hear that it is "wonder oil." How is that possible considering that is among the oils highest in saturated fat?

Answer: Thank you for your question. Saturated fat is considered "bad" by some authorities only when it contains LONG CHAIN fatty acids, as is the case with animal fat (in flesh, dairy, and eggs, where it is also associated with cholesterol, another "reason" for its bad reputation - a reason that is not based on good, up-to-date science but on the drug-pushing pharmaceutical industry's desire to sell more cholesterol-lowering drugs to the unsuspecting public).

Coconut fat contains SHORT and MEDIUM CHAIN fatty acids, making it a perfect food for gut cells, for healthy (thyroid-protective) metabolism, and for prevention of the negative effects of unstable fats in vegetable oils (coconut fat functions as a cardio-

protective, immune-protective, and cellular defence antioxidant, preventing the formation of dangerous fatty acid free radicals in rancidity-prone seed oils).

Also, these coconut fatty acids have good antimicrobial capabilities (inhibiting the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungus or yeast, and parasites while promoting gastro-intestinal health). They enhance the immune system as well, and improve our overall hormonal balance.

Coconut oil is perfect for improved fat-burning metabolic activity, so it is an excellent addition to any weight-loss program (remember, good fat is necessary for general health!). It is great for skin care, since "you don't want to put anything on your skin that you won't put in your mouth" - our certified-organic coconut oil is a delicious food, minimally processed using traditional methods while supporting fair trade.

One reason saturated fat is actually very good is that it is very stable (does not go rancid in heat, oxygen, and light). The seed industry has brain-washed us to believe that all saturated fats are bad, so that we would use their extremely unhealthy, unstable cheap oils (especially soy, corn, peanut, safflower, sunflower, and canola oils) instead of the previously highly available, highly stable coconut oil.

This info was revised from Dr T's info on the subject.

Ms Ta offers the best quality raw coconut oil in Thailand

write her form more info at

[email protected]

[John K]

check it out in medical studies, it may be just slick marketing.

[Mark L.]

coconut oil (if quality) is the bomb!!!!!

To think we all need the same fat intake is a little narrow sighted IMO

For a great article on coconut oil from a very good INDEPENDANT researcher go to www.raypeat.com.

Diets-one size fits all is missing the point of how individual we all are.

If you want to know to what degree read "Biochemical Individuality" -Roger Williams or "The Metabolic Typing Diet" -William Wolcott and Trish Fahey

My suggestion would be to find a metabolic typing advisor

Eskimos ate about 90% meat and, before white mans influence, were extreamly healthy.

Some S. American Inians ate mostly carbs and again were extramly healthy.

The low-fat diets of the Bantu prevented heart disease but low-fat diets in people of Anglo-saxon decent will cause heart disease..

Where we come from plays a part as does enviroment etc

If any 'expert' gives the same diet to everyone...then its garbage (unless you fluke out) IMO

If you family trees takes you back to cold winters then its likely you'll do well on higher protein/fat...of course quality of the food makes a HUGE difference.. Fat, for example, stores toxins..

IMO

[Mark L.]

IMO aerobic exercise is WAY over rated (at best)..

We are not designed for it and are not efficient at it. That means we go into a catabolic state and burn MUSCLE-your bodies main fat burner).

There is a time and place for some but much of the time its like dieting and dieting has one too many 't's in it. (read DIEING)

Charles Poliquin (one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world hands down-brilliant too-taught himself German to learn thier stuff-now speaks 5 languages and is in contact with the top researchers world wide)... anyway he uses a term.. I think it was Fat Aerobics Instructor Syndrome...

These instructors who teach 3-5 classes a day and are still soft and have high % body fat!!

Look at pics of sprinters and of ultra distancee runners-decide which you'd preffer to look like then choose aerobics as a strong base or anaerobic work..

I htink it was running guru Jeff Gallaway that admitted to not being able to do a single sit-up..Sign me up... no thanks

[backflip]

samran,

"I swim, and see lots of good swimmers who never seem to loose their fat (including moi)."

You're right. Swimming is an excellent method to tone muscles, but a bad way to lose weight. The reason: generally pool water is cooler than your body temperature, and your body fat is required to insulate your bodt from the cold weather.

[Mark L.]

High intensity will certainly get you a lower body fat % be it swimming or running or weights etc IMO

I think the caloric balance is a little simplistic though...

If one doesn't take enough in they woll loose weight fast (weight always used instead of fat-or do you want to eat up your muscle too??-which 'burns' fat all the time).

Not enough in and too much out (like over doing aerobics) puts the body in a catabilic state and it will burn muscle and store fat...

Look at all the fat aerobics instructors (soft, flabby) that do 4 or 5 classes a day.. hmmmm

Charles Poliquin calls it Fat Aerobics Instructor Syndrome (if memory serves-along those lines)

Eat right for your metabolic type and make sure your body is in an over all anabolic state.

I do believe in higher intensity over all but it also depends on the catabolic/anabolic balance in the body.. If the body is too catabolic then adding exercise is just killing you faster IMO Too much stress plus even a good stress is even more stress.

IMO

ayakiawe-It tastes so good too lol Thanks for the info

john-I strongly agree at least to looking at the source.. now that said cause its a 'medical' study doesn't make me jump in... very few are really independant..

But yes I think the source is HUGE

Good exercise and bad diet won't work...at least not for long... You may or may not be fat but health will catch up one way or another... then shit happens and we go for drugs and opperations and we think docs are our heros...hmmm

[eugengeri]

Lunch - Iced tea, ...

Did you mean this "Iced tea" from Lipton in the bottle? Don't drink if you've problem! Too much sugar!!! Too sweat !

...too sweet - sorry.

[Mark L.]

kow jai krap.

basically I agree in much of the premise..

But I have to stand on all stressors, good and bad need to be added up. If the over all stress load is too high then adding another stress is detremental IMO Even a good stress like exercise.

[Charma]

Wow - this thread came back from the dead. Nothing for a year then zap - off it goes again.

I am losing weight at the moment using the weightwatchers points system and cycling as my exercise. Its good for all those who don't want to hear about metabolic catabolic etc. It gives a simple way to eat well with a points based approach that assesses calories and fat content in food and applies a simple criteria to give each individual a daily points total. I've lost about 16 pounds so far. I go to get weighed each week but must admit I can't quite bring myself to hang around with all the large ladies and talk about recipes afterwards!

[Mark L.]

Well good luck

[Charma]

I do some weights when I can, but would the cycling not account for some strength training? I know it is primarily aerobic work and I have really noticed improvements there. But don't the leg muscles get a good workout and also my arms and to a lesser extent, my back? Or does this not count (I can certainly feel the effects after a 15 mile stint).

[Firefan]

Charma it all "counts" but weights are the best way to build lean body mass being essential for fat loss/weight maintenance in the long run when it comes to increasing you basic metabolic rate.

Small well balanced meals 5-6 times a day is a fantastic method to ensure that the metabolic rate stays high. That, combined with the extra energy burning done by increased muscle mass, COULD be called the "free lunch" of training.

Cheers!

[Charma]

I'm gonna try the small meals thing. I have tended to stick the the three meals a day routine as its not always easy to eat during the working day.

On the weight training side - how long should each session be? Is it better to do more reps on lighter weights or less reps on heavier weights? Any advice appreciated.