****Official Weight Loss and Exercise Thread****

[luv]

I know that TinyE has the CP Weight Loss Challenge thread, but this is a new beginning for me. No losing weight for prizes, as that motivation ended on July 1st. This time I'm doing it for me. My goal is 75 lbs. Slow and steady wins the race. This time, the prize will be a whole new me.

Anyone else still battling the bulge? Here, hopefully, you can find more encouragement and tips on diet and exercise. Feel free to talk about discouragements, setbacks, frustrations, etc as well. We're here to help...at least I am.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

Well one does burn MORE calories in a given amount of time doing cardio than weight lifting. Additionally, aerobic exercise maximizes the fat loss to glycogen depletion ratio.

Except that doesn't account for the calories burned AFTER working out, which is far more important. You might only burn 300 calories during a lifting workout, but you'll burn 4 times that amount in the next 48 hours without doing anything.

The best workout routine would be of course to incorporate both weight training and cardio.

Absolutely. You need both.

So basically, I would disagree that standard weightlifting (unless you're talking about aerobic circuit training) does more for weight loss than cardiovascular activity if performed mutually exclusive.

Here's what I'm saying: Cardio without resistance training isn't even in the same planet of effectiveness as resistance training and smaller amounts of cardio.

Most people hit the gym and sit on the treadmill for an hour. They might even manage to burn 600 calories if they're pushing it. Whew! I'm exhausted. Time to go home. And maybe they eat what they just burned off. Studies have shown that long sessions of steady-state cardio have a tendency to increase carbohydrate cravings in a lot of people.

On the other hand, you might be able to hit the gym, spend 35-40 minutes on a good resistance training routine, burn 300 calories, and then hit the treadmill or elliptical for another 20 minutes of some intense interval training and burn another 300. So, you've burned 600 calories in that workout, the same as a steady-state cardio session. Except your lifting has depleted your glycogen stores, making the cardio even more effective. And not only that, your body will continue to burn a significant amount of calories for 48 hours after that because of the lifting you did. Steady-state cardio alone won't do that (unless you're running marathons, in which case, you spend significantly more time training that 1 hour at the gym).

Cliff's Notes: Cardio is fine. Resistance training is better. Both is ideal. My post came out of frustration for the people I see at the gym around me all the time. I see the same people in the same cardio classes or on the same piece of exercise equipment and they weigh the same as they did 4 years ago when I first saw them at my gym. I get frustrated for them. Seems like such a waste of time.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

I dissagree. If a person trains hard at cardio, it will shed more weight than weightlifting. The problem is that most overweight people don't work hard.

Obviously, extremes abound and there are exceptions to every rule.

Also, it would stand to reason that skinny people would be lifting, so that they can get bigger.

Not really. I've seen a ton of skinny guys lifting weights that never gain weight. Maybe that's not their goal, but just lifting weights won't make you bigger.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

There's no "correct" grouping of muscles to work together per say. Everyone is different, but depending on how many days per week you're lifting, try and hit each muscle group once (maybe twice) per week, keeping in mind that bi's and tri's get a lot of work on back and chest day respectively.

It depends on your goals, but studies have shown that working a muscle group 2-3 (preferably 3) will show significantly better results than 1 time per week. That's why I dig full-body routines.

However, they each offer certain benefits over the other, so it depends on what your goals are. Full-body is much better for overall conditioning and fat loss, and you can still gain mass on them (especially if you're a beginner). Split workouts are good, too, once you feel the need to progress up a little and change it up. But it's always good to rotate between the two types over the year to keep things fresh.

http://www.tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=933431

[Ecto-I]

Originally Posted by Silock

Except that doesn't account for the calories burned AFTER working out, which is far more important. You might only burn 300 calories during a lifting workout, but you'll burn 4 times that amount in the next 48 hours without doing anything.



Absolutely. You need both.



Here's what I'm saying: Cardio without resistance training isn't even in the same planet of effectiveness as resistance training and smaller amounts of cardio.

Most people hit the gym and sit on the treadmill for an hour. They might even manage to burn 600 calories if they're pushing it. Whew! I'm exhausted. Time to go home. And maybe they eat what they just burned off. Studies have shown that long sessions of steady-state cardio have a tendency to increase carbohydrate cravings in a lot of people.

On the other hand, you might be able to hit the gym, spend 35-40 minutes on a good resistance training routine, burn 300 calories, and then hit the treadmill or elliptical for another 20 minutes of some intense interval training and burn another 300. So, you've burned 600 calories in that workout, the same as a steady-state cardio session. Except your lifting has depleted your glycogen stores, making the cardio even more effective. And not only that, your body will continue to burn a significant amount of calories for 48 hours after that because of the lifting you did. Steady-state cardio alone won't do that (unless you're running marathons, in which case, you spend significantly more time training that 1 hour at the gym).

Cliff's Notes: Cardio is fine. Resistance training is better. Both is ideal. My post came out of frustration for the people I see at the gym around me all the time. I see the same people in the same cardio classes or on the same piece of exercise equipment and they weigh the same as they did 4 years ago when I first saw them at my gym. I get frustrated for them. Seems like such a waste of time.

Well you're pretty much absolutely right on all of your facts. Interval training IS the most effective type of exercise to get in shape, especially when considering post workout metabolic elevation.

My point is that, if you take a fat guy and put him on a weight lifting only routine, he'll probably look like a big strong guy (power-lifter esque). But cardio (especial interval cardio) is pretty much essential to lose fat with any sort of expedience. Weight lifting only presents some problems because, if used as the only exercise tool, your body could potential have some injury issues operating at a constant caloric deficit while breaking down your muscles.

Basically, I think we are saying the same thing. I just disagree that weight training alone would be an effective weight loss strategy.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

your body could potential have some injury issues operating at a constant caloric deficit while breaking down your muscles.

Nah. Fat dudes have plenty of spare energy. But in all seriousness, I've been working out HARD for the past 2 months at a severe caloric deficit. It's not bad at all.

Basically, I think we are saying the same thing. I just disagree that weight training alone would be an effective weight loss strategy.

I think we are. But when I say "weight training," I'm not talking about your typical Lift, rest 3 minutes, lift, rest 3 minutes, blah routine. I'm talking about a full-body resistance training workout. It does a significant amount of cardio work and simultaneously builds muscle. Fantastic.

[Ecto-I]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

This is just the lifting. Put together your own core/cardio routine. You will absolutely grow doing this.

Workout #1 Legs (6-12 reps)



6 Sets Full Squats (2 warmup 10 reps 4 heavy 5-8 reps)
4 Sets Hack Squats. (Heavy 5-8 reps)
3 sets Leg Extensions (Around 8 reps)
3 Sets Leg Curls. (Around 8 reps)
4 Sets Calves. (20 reps.)




Workout #2 Back and Bi’s (5-10 reps.)


3 Sets Pulldowns. (Warmups 10 Reps)
5 Sets Wide Rows.( On t-bar if possible)
5 Sets Deep Rows (You can superset these with wide rows)
3 Sets Dumbbell Rows
4 Sets Shoulder Shrugs (20 Reps.)
4 Sets Alternate Dumbell Curls.
4 Sets Straight Bar Curls.


Workout #3 Chest & Tri’s (5-10 reps.)


6 Sets Dumbell Bench Press. ( Warmup 2 sets 10 reps then heavy 5-6 reps)
4 Sets Incline Dumbell Bench Press. ( Heavy 5-8 reps.)
5 Sets Close Grip Bench Press. ( Heavy 5-6 reps.)
5 Sets Skull Crushers (Around 8 reps)
2 sets kick backs

This is a monster routine. If you haven't been lifting, this will immobilize you for a couple of weeks. Also, if the goal is to get bigger, with a routine like this, you'd better make sure you eat because these look like some brutal wkout sessions! I might suggest taking a couple of weeks to work up to this.

[Ecto-I]

Originally Posted by Silock

Nah. Fat dudes have plenty of spare energy. But in all seriousness, I've been working out HARD for the past 2 months at a severe caloric deficit. It's not bad at all.



I think we are. But when I say "weight training," I'm not talking about your typical Lift, rest 3 minutes, lift, rest 3 minutes, blah routine. I'm talking about a full-body resistance training workout. It does a significant amount of cardio work and simultaneously builds muscle. Fantastic.

Touche'. And when I say "Cardio," I'm not talking about your blah speed walking on the treadmill for 45 minutes. I'm talking about intervals with sprints at 90-100% max HR.

[kcxiv]

I think igotta join, just got back from my doctors and well, BP is a bit up and he put me on a diet. This isnt th efirst time its happened .

Back to eating rotisserie chicken, green Beans and tuna for the next few months. i lost control over thanksgiving.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

Touche'. And when I say "Cardio," I'm not talking about your blah speed walking on the treadmill for 45 minutes. I'm talking about intervals with sprints at 90-100% max HR.

Still, those 45 minutes are much more effective when preceded by a depletion of muscle glycogen stores. You can shorten the time and increase the effectiveness. Win-win, IMO. Plus, if your rest intervals are sufficiently short, it's ridiculously difficult keep up 90% of your max HR for 25 minutes, let alone a full 45. After about 25 minutes, the max HR starts dropping. Obviously, this won't happen if you're sprinting for 30 seconds and resting for 2 minutes, but if you're doing something like a 1 minute on, 1 minute off, or 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off... 45 minutes would just about kill you.

I mean, I still do interval training on my non-resistance training days, but it's not as effective as it is on the days when I also resistance train. Just cardio alone, even HIIT, can give you food cravings. Hard to resist those.

But really, the reality is that exercise has a largely negligible effect on weight loss. It's all about diet.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by Silock

Still, those 45 minutes are much more effective when preceded by a depletion of muscle glycogen stores. You can shorten the time and increase the effectiveness. Win-win, IMO.

I mean, I still do interval training on my non-resistance training days, but it's not as effective as it is on the days when I also resistance train. Just cardio alone, even HIIT, can give you food cravings. Hard to resist those.

But really, the reality is that exercise has a largely negligible effect on weight loss. It's all about diet.

Yep, i went from about 400 lbs to 225. i am a little more then 225 now, but i cant get back up. It took alot of discipline on the foods.

I am going to get back into weightlifting again. I just put my weight set back up. I just wish i had room in my garage for my punching bag again, but i have so much shit in there now, that its not going to happen.

Punching bag for me was great, 5 min on that thing and your huffing and puffing. lol Its good for the last 5 min of a workout.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Silock

But really, the reality is that exercise has a largely negligible effect on weight loss. It's all about diet.

I use exercise to supplement my calorie management. If I go over what I want I want to consume, a moment of weakness, I go to the gym and burn it off.

[Kyle DeLexus]

I have to agree with Silock here. Cardio is not essential to fat loss. People lose weight without cardio all the time by just keeping the diet in check, but they should be lifting weights to make sure that they don't lose any muscle or at least as little as possible.

Cardio is just a tool to help you reach your goal and give you some insurance on your eating. Again you should do both for general health purposes, but in terms of fat/weight loss I'd say lifting is the most important.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

I have to agree with Silock here. Cardio is not essential to fat loss. People lose weight without cardio all the time by just keeping the diet in check, but they should be lifting weights to make sure that they don't lose any muscle or at least as little as possible.

Cardio is just a tool to help you reach your goal and give you some insurance on your eating. Again you should do both for general health purposes, but in terms of fat/weight loss I'd say lifting is the most important.

We could go rounds on this but Cardio is far and away the most important part of anyone's workout.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

We could go rounds on this but Cardio is far and away the most important part of anyone's workout.

See, now you've got me curious. Obviously, everyone should be cardiovascularly fit, but that can be accomplished without specifically training for cardio. So I'm curious as to why you feel this way.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

We could go rounds on this but Cardio is far and away the most important part of anyone's workout.

i just had my doctor tell me i have to have my heart rate up by cardio for at least 30 min a day. Either by walking, jogging, shadow boxing something, but some form of exercise. I dot have work for a few more months, so i dont do anything really right now. Its time to get on it. End of the year is so ****ing horrible for me to diet. Got Tamales and all kinds of mexican goodness coming in the next week .