Can someone cut through the bull and tell me the truth!

1356

Replies

  • kgatyyc
    kgatyyc Posts: 4 Member
    Hi I agree with JoRocka and Meandering.

    I would like to add that is about caloric deficit, but it also has to be quality food. I have become a true believer in whole plant foods but I know that is not for everyone.

    To become leaner and more fit:
    80% is nutrition use MFP to track
    15% is getting oneself to exercise ( gym, hike, walk, etc)
    5% is doing the exercise.

  • AgentOrangeJuice
    AgentOrangeJuice Posts: 1,069 Member
    I suggest you pick up this and give it a go.

    16163846.jpg
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    cosign
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    This one...
    I will add 1 or 2 things just to stick in your mind.
    1. doing long cardio sessions only will burn your muscle for energy. That's why lifting is important. Your muscle is your metabolism. The more muscle you build...the better your metabolism.
    2. Muscle burns fat. You body doesn't want to build muscle because it's hard for it to maintain it. In turn...your body has to constantly tap into the fat stores to maintain the muscle. I like the sound of that. AND...you won't get big and bulky.

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    cosign

    its' a good expression right!!! :D
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    cosign

    its' a good expression right!!! :D

    cosigned again …

    LOL

    :)

    Yes, it is and I have totally stolen it from you ….
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    cosign

    its' a good expression right!!! :D

    cosigned again …

    LOL

    :)

    Yes, it is and I have totally stolen it from you ….

    Sine and Tan feel you're too obtuse with cosine.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    edited April 2015
    "I realized I was letting all this 'information overload' cripple me and prevent me from doing anything" [/quote]

    This is what was happening to me. I'm a sucker for taking in to much information and I got myself into a bit of a tiz so I booked myself an appt with the PT yesterday at the gym and have started to figure out that people do the workouts they do because they ENJOY them. It doesn't matter what order you do them in as long as your doing it and doing some sort of activity is better than doing none....

    Just from Body pump twice a week, running and cross trainer since xmas I managed to lose 7inches from hips, bust and waist!!

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    cosign

    its' a good expression right!!! :D

    cosigned again …

    LOL

    :)

    Yes, it is and I have totally stolen it from you ….

    Sine and Tan feel you're too obtuse with cosine.

    I try not to be acute on the boards. I feel it's the wrong angle to take- we might get to far off on a tangent.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,047 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    So two big things. well 3.

    1.) Calories- you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. No working out required.
    2.) Lifting weights will help retain muscle mass so you don't just look like a smaller version of what you are now.
    3.) A well rounded fitness program for your health and wellness should/will include a cardiovascular component and a strength/resistance training program.

    Those are the 3 big things.


    You can start with the calories- that's easy. Log daily- buy a food scale- use MFP- or google TDEE and use that- either one is fine.

    As for cardio- either for running- try couch to 5K- great beginner program- if you want to run. walking is fine- row machine- bike- whatever- not relevant unless you have a specific goal in mind.

    For lifting
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting
    starting strength
    strong curves

    or you can do body weight-
    body by you
    you are your own gym
    convict conditioning

    all great places to get started!

    ^^^^^^^^
    THIS!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,047 Member
    This forum has been super helpful guys! There's just so much information out there that it's difficult to narrow down whats really important!

    My question that I still have is concerning strength training routines: Currently I mix up my workouts a lot. For example, this week I've done 50 minutes on the elliptical, a 15 minute HIIT cardio youtube video (had class all day and then my waitressing job at night), a barre class, a hike, an insanity class, and a weights class. Am I getting a decent mix of cardio and strength? I'm already a fairly small person with not a ton to lose so my calorie limits are pretty low, so I like to workout enough to eat some calories back most days. I am just trying to drop 5-10 pounds and get some definition. Right now, my focus is on reducing body fat.

    I've heard a lot about heavy lifting, but don't have much experience cause it intimidates me. I usually go to classes for strength training where I use 5-8 lb weights, resistance bands, etc. My understanding is that these classes won't necessarily build muscle, just endurance. Is that correct? Will it at least help me to maintain some lean body mass while I work to lose fat?

    From what I know of the strength classes they are really more about cardio than strength. I really don't know if it does much for maintaining muscle.

    Realize that five to eight pounds is nothing to lift for most people although not all. Most women I know have purses that weigh more than that which they carry around all the time. For that matter, if the amount of weight used is not being increased, or the difficulty is not being increased, then strength is likely not increasing either.

    Strength training that will increase your strength is progressive, that is, it continues to strive to increase the amount a weight you lift. That is the sort of strength workout I know will help maintain muscle mass.
  • SophiaSerrao
    SophiaSerrao Posts: 234 Member
    edited April 2015
    This forum has been super helpful guys! There's just so much information out there that it's difficult to narrow down whats really important!

    My question that I still have is concerning strength training routines: Currently I mix up my workouts a lot. For example, this week I've done 50 minutes on the elliptical, a 15 minute HIIT cardio youtube video (had class all day and then my waitressing job at night), a barre class, a hike, an insanity class, and a weights class. Am I getting a decent mix of cardio and strength? I'm already a fairly small person with not a ton to lose so my calorie limits are pretty low, so I like to workout enough to eat some calories back most days. I am just trying to drop 5-10 pounds and get some definition. Right now, my focus is on reducing body fat.

    I've heard a lot about heavy lifting, but don't have much experience cause it intimidates me. I usually go to classes for strength training where I use 5-8 lb weights, resistance bands, etc. My understanding is that these classes won't necessarily build muscle, just endurance. Is that correct? Will it at least help me to maintain some lean body mass while I work to lose fat?

    I, for now, am doing a strength training routine, with dumbells, at home. Full body, all the muscles. Also with 7-10 lbs dumbells (each, obviously).

    I wonder the same thing... is this enough to maintain muscle while losing fat (I'm eating at a deficit, fat loss is my main goal)??

    I do 12-15 reps of each exercise and the last rep is always a struggle. 3 sets. 30 min cardio as warm up. 3 x a week. I try to do some sort of workout on rest days (elliptical, bootcamp, walking, etc.) And Sundays I don't do squat, haha.

    I know some girls out there lift like TEN times these amounts, lol... but for now it's impossible for me to invest in a gym... and very (very) hard to invest in new equipment. Are these 9 lbs dumbells all right for muscle maintenance (and hopefully gain)?

    Can anyone shed some light on us? :mrgreen:
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    My goal for now is to lose weight

    Most weight loss happens in the kitchen. You can run your *kitten* off on a treadmill for an hour and only burn like 200 calories. It's far easier to create a deficit by simply not eating the 200 calories to begin with.

    So while exercise is great for getting/staying fit, I would not stress very much about what kind of exercise to do if your goal is weight loss. If your goal is weight loss, the thing you should primarily be concerned about is tracking what you eat and making sure you are eating a calorie deficit.

    If you want to exercise, too, that's bonus.

    Many people espouse a 80/20 split between diet and exercise to lose weight.

    I've lost 25 pounds so far with no exercise at all. I just maintain a calorie deficit by controlling what I eat.
  • galengentry
    galengentry Posts: 28 Member
    At your weight you should not run. You will injure yourself.once you have an overuse injury you will be really hard pressed to reach your goals. I strongly suggest you check out the videos of Bret Contreras on YouTube. He is an excellent trainer who focuses on training women. You need to do strength exercises – – weightlifting. You also need to do conditioning exercises which are also known as cardio. The easiest way to do cardio when you are just starting out with your exercise regimen is to buy a video like 21 day fix or 30 day shred. The way the videos work is they always show a hard way and easy way to do the exercises. The teachers are good motivators and you can do the cardio – – conditioning --exercises in your living room.
    I'm sure you know that you must in just fewer calories then your body burns in order to lose weight and get the figure you desire. This application is really helpful but you also need a food scale. And you're going to have to spend time preparing your food.

    Good luck and don't be discouraged remember there will always be some setbacks but it's actually great to have fitness goals because they're just for you.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    loxottica wrote: »

    1. do cardio only for weight loss
    2. do weights only for weight loss
    3. do hiit only..
    4. do slooooow long runs
    5. work out only in the morning on empty stomach
    6. work out when ever...
    7. eat ... dont eat b4 working out...



    Calorie deficit for weight loss. That's it. No special foods, no taboo foods, just a calorie deficit.

    Exercise for fitness. What are your goals? If it's just to see the scale number go down, eat at a deficit and you're good. If you exercise, you'll have more calories to eat, which is always nice.

    If your goal is to have a firm, fit body rather than just a lighter weight version of the body you have now, then you might consider grabbing some weights, or doing at least some form of resistance or strength training. This can be body weight, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. Find what you like, do what you have access to, start where you can work with good form. After some time, you might find yourself wanting to move on to bigger things or different workouts.

    As for cardio, it's good for ya, and a good companion to the strength work. Walking, kickboxing, dancing, running, hiking, HIIT - again, find what you like, mix it up, do what fits in your day.

    Personally, I found that a small calorie deficit has been best for losing fat. Combined with alternating days of strength and cardio (dumbbells at home, majority of my workouts coming from FitnessBlenderand running or walking, plus the occasional kickboxing DVD) for 30-60 minutes a day, I have achieved my goals and kept the weight off for about three years. I eat the foods I like, no special diet, no foods off limits - I eat what fits into my goals and enjoy every bite.

    My goal is to eat as much as I can while still losing or maintaining my weight (depending on current goals).
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    Bottom line is a Calorie deficit. Exercise for an even further calorie deficit. It's as basic as that.
  • jenncalicollins617
    jenncalicollins617 Posts: 79 Member
    This forum has been super helpful guys! There's just so much information out there that it's difficult to narrow down whats really important!

    My question that I still have is concerning strength training routines: Currently I mix up my workouts a lot. For example, this week I've done 50 minutes on the elliptical, a 15 minute HIIT cardio youtube video (had class all day and then my waitressing job at night), a barre class, a hike, an insanity class, and a weights class. Am I getting a decent mix of cardio and strength? I'm already a fairly small person with not a ton to lose so my calorie limits are pretty low, so I like to workout enough to eat some calories back most days. I am just trying to drop 5-10 pounds and get some definition. Right now, my focus is on reducing body fat.

    I've heard a lot about heavy lifting, but don't have much experience cause it intimidates me. I usually go to classes for strength training where I use 5-8 lb weights, resistance bands, etc. My understanding is that these classes won't necessarily build muscle, just endurance. Is that correct? Will it at least help me to maintain some lean body mass while I work to lose fat?

    From what I know of the strength classes they are really more about cardio than strength. I really don't know if it does much for maintaining muscle.

    Realize that five to eight pounds is nothing to lift for most people although not all. Most women I know have purses that weigh more than that which they carry around all the time. For that matter, if the amount of weight used is not being increased, or the difficulty is not being increased, then strength is likely not increasing either.

    Strength training that will increase your strength is progressive, that is, it continues to strive to increase the amount a weight you lift. That is the sort of strength workout I know will help maintain muscle mass.
    ^^^ that right there is awesone advise with even better explanation of the *why*
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    At your weight you should not run..

    Huh???

    The originator is in the order of 165lbs, there's nothing excessive about that. It'd take about 9 to 12 weeks to get to the stage of continuous running for 30 minutes four times per week.

    What's the basis for your assertion that she shouldn't run?
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    There's a function on google called google scholar, it will lead you to scientific peer review studies and eliminate the bs.
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
    @loxottica You can do HIIT. I used to run long slow miles, 5 miles at 5MPH and I started doing HIIT on the treadmill. It was tough, but you'll train yourself to run at 7.0, 7.5, even 8. The great thing is you know the runs are for a short time. My HIIT workouts are now 22-25 min vs 50. Gotta love that.