Diet and Exercise

[mplscyclone]

1-2 a week is all I really want. I used to be the delusional dieter and attempt to go days without eatting anything in hopes of like 5+ a week, but that was never realistic. I do strength train daily along with my cardio but Im not sure if its a good way to build muscle(Mentioned my routine in the OP).

1-2 lbs a week is healthy. If your lifting though, don't get too worried if you aren't losing a ton. Muscle is more dense than fat, so you could be cutting fat, adding muscle, resulting in little change in weight.

As far as lifting goes, are you looking to build muscle, or to tone up?

I would recommend lifting 3 days a week. You don't want to go too heavy, as you don't want to hurt yourself. If you're building, on a heavy day, choose weights that get you to reps of 6-8. If you're toning, or on lighter days, choose weights that get you to reps of 8-12. If you're able to do more than 12 easily (like 15-20), then you're going too light. If you're struggling to get to 6, then you're going too heavy...

 

[CarolinaCy]

Another thing to do if you're into treadmill routines is to vary the intensity. After a decent warmup, bump up the incline so that you're working a little harder. Do that for 1 minute or so, then back it down to an easier setting for 1 minute. Then just keep repeating this cycle for however long your session goes. A variation would be to alternate between running/jogging and walking, depends on what you're able to do on a treadmill.

This philosophy can obviously be applied to a stationary bike (or real bike), elliptical machine, stairmaster, etc. Too many people jump on some piece of cardio equipment and just zone out for 30 minutes. This is pretty much a waste of time, IMO.

 

[mplscyclone]

This actually isn't a bad idea. I really prescribe to the ideas put out in the book Body for Life, which is a great book on how to change your lifestyle as opposed to dieting. They suggest having a free day.

Free day on eating, or on exercising?

For exercising, I agree in having 1 day to due little, perhaps just some walking.

With eating, I find people (myself included in the past) to binge hardcore on that day, and some of that spills over into other days..

 

[Bobber]

I'm about the same size as you and have similar goals. I had a doctor appointment back in April and they were just a bit concerned with my Cholestrol level. Doc told me it would just be all around good for me if I took 20 pounds off.

I'm convinced it has to be a combination of diet change and regular exercise to get the job done.

On the excercise front, I'm starting slow and have done some power walking at least a half hour a day every day. I usually do it over the noon hour. I put on a Walkman and listen to WHO and feel like I don't miss a thing from a news standpoint. Within the next 30 days, I'll probaby push up to jogging.

On the diet front, have gotten rid of butter, eating fatty foods, and I eat meats, breads and potatoes in much smaller portions. I really like the baby carrots in bags you can get at any grocery store. Great snack type food and much better than chips. Giving up sweets has been a tough one for me... For now am focusing on smaller portions and very little ice cream.

I want to truly make this a lifestyle change, so haven't gotten to hung up on measuring results yet. I can tell you I don't get winded near as easy and seem to be able to tighten my belt better!:biggrin:

 

[JohnnyAppleseed]

The main benefit for the 5 meals a day plan is that it keeps your metabolism going. I wouldn't call it 5 meals a day either. It is more 3 reasonable meals a day, then two snacks; one in the morning, one in the afternoon. I would recommend string cheese and almonds.

If you are looking to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you basically have to cut off 3500 calories from your usual weekly intake; so looking at it in days, 500 calories a day, which makes it a lot easier to do I think. Exercising and weightlifting will only help lose more.

If it is mainly weight you are wanting to get off, focus on circuit-training. Doesn't even have to be long, easily done under 30 minutes. If you have the chance, work out a little in the morning to get your metabolism going for the day.

Another few tips are: when eating fruits and vegetables, slice them up. It makes you feel like you are eating more than you are. If you are watching tv at home, during commercials do exercises exercises like squats, calf raises, forearm squeezes. Anything helps. Also, tell the people that you are around the most that you are on this plan so that they can help you stay on track.

 

[IcSyU]

This actually isn't a bad idea. I really prescribe to the ideas put out in the book Body for Life, which is a great book on how to change your lifestyle as opposed to dieting. They suggest having a free day.

I'd have given up already if I wouldn't have given myself a "free day" to eat what I'd like. I've noticed I don't eat nearly as much as I used to just simply because I feel full a lot faster.

I'm going to show some self control and do that for myself I think. Worse come to worse I can always go back to the normal routine if it seems to be screwin me up.

That's what it's all about: self-control. I used to be a habitual eater. As soon as I was hungry, ate. Now I've gotten into the habit of just dealing with a little bit of hunger.

Free day on eating, or on exercising?

For exercising, I agree in having 1 day to due little, perhaps just some walking.

With eating, I find people (myself included in the past) to binge hardcore on that day, and some of that spills over into other days..

With the free day, it's not really "free". The point is to give your body some kind of break so you don't lose interest in the goal. My "free day" eating usually is the same relatively healthy food, in a little bit bigger portion, and I just get full quick because I'm not used to eating more. I still won't eat between meals, but I'll make my meals count. With a little self control (which I didn't think I had), it's easy to get bad to the routine the next day.

You don't want to feel as though you're cutting weight just for the short term. You have to find a way to make it a habit to not eat so much or all the weight will eventually come back anyways.

 

[Cyclonick182]

I'm about the same size as you and have similar goals. I had a doctor appointment back in April and they were just a bit concerned with my Cholestrol level. Doc told me it would just be all around good for me if I took 20 pounds off.

I'm convinced it has to be a combination of diet change and regular exercise to get the job done.

On the excercise front, I'm starting slow and have done some power walking at least a half hour a day every day. I usually do it over the noon hour. I put on a Walkman and listen to WHO and feel like I don't miss a thing from a news standpoint. Within the next 30 days, I'll probaby push up to jogging.

On the diet front, have gotten rid of butter, eating fatty foods, and I eat meats, breads and potatoes in much smaller portions. I really like the baby carrots in bags you can get at any grocery store. Great snack type food and much better than chips. Giving up sweets has been a tough one for me... For now am focusing on smaller portions and very little ice cream.

I want to truly make this a lifestyle change, so haven't gotten to hung up on measuring results yet. I can tell you I don't get winded near as easy and seem to be able to tighten my belt better!:biggrin:

20lbs is my goal as well, I think we should have a little credits wager on who can attain it first. :smile:

 

[Clone5]

After Christmas Break I weighed 200 lbs which is easily the most I've ever weighed. I decided to cut out fast food, pop, and useless snacking and by mid February had lost 20 lbs. Unfortunately I haven't had time or the drive to lift lately so the loss of muscle has aided in the weight loss.
Sounds like the OP has a great plan to get healthy, keep it going. Fight the good fight.

 

[egami]

The main benefit for the 5 meals a day plan is that it keeps your metabolism going. I wouldn't call it 5 meals a day either. It is more 3 reasonable meals a day, then two snacks; one in the morning, one in the afternoon. I would recommend string cheese and almonds.

If it's the one I am thinking they are talking about it isn't 5 "meals" per day anyway, it's more like 5 "mini-meals" where they eat a fist-size portion of meat and a small side or something to that effect.

 

[Clone5]

I'd have given up already if I wouldn't have given myself a "free day" to eat what I'd like. I've noticed I don't eat nearly as much as I used to just simply because I feel full a lot faster.

That's what it's all about: self-control. I used to be a habitual eater. As soon as I was hungry, ate. Now I've gotten into the habit of just dealing with a little bit of hunger.


With the free day, it's not really "free". The point is to give your body some kind of break so you don't lose interest in the goal. My "free day" eating usually is the same relatively healthy food, in a little bit bigger portion, and I just get full quick because I'm not used to eating more. I still won't eat between meals, but I'll make my meals count. With a little self control (which I didn't think I had), it's easy to get bad to the routine the next day.

You don't want to feel as though you're cutting weight just for the short term. You have to find a way to make it a habit to not eat so much or all the weight will eventually come back anyways.

I've noticed that I'm hungry a lot less now than I used to be. When I was in high school and a freshman in college I would want to eat all the time. If I ate as much as I did then in a day now I think I would just get sick.

 

[IcSyU]

I've noticed that I'm hungry a lot less now than I used to be. When I was in high school and a freshman in college I would want to eat all the time. If I ate as much as I did then in a day now I think I would just get sick.

Same here. The first couple days for me were absolute hell, but since then, it's been smooth sailing.

 

[BryceC]

Free day on eating, or on exercising?

For exercising, I agree in having 1 day to due little, perhaps just some walking.

With eating, I find people (myself included in the past) to binge hardcore on that day, and some of that spills over into other days..

Both. One day off of intense exercise and one day off the meal plan. That being said it's not like you should eat 5000 calories and 100 grams of fat. I mean eat a doughnut or something, not a 10 piece bucket.

This is helpful as well, because the body gets used to the calorie intake from the week, and a higher day will raise your metabolism and it will stay high for a few days in response to the free day, jumpstarting you for the workouts the next week.

I'm not a pro in this but I've seen it work wonders.

 

[Cyclonick182]

Even on my one day off from the full on diet, Id still like to do something like 30 to an hour of cardio. Is that a good idea, or should it just be a full day of rest, work outs included?

 

[IcSyU]

Even on my one day off from the full on diet, Id still like to do something like 30 to an hour of cardio. Is that a good idea, or should it just be a full day of rest, work outs included?

Make sure you get some kind of rest for your body. Don't work out everyday or you'll burn yourself out.

 

[MoreCowbell]

Make sure you get some kind of rest for your body. Don't work out everyday or you'll burn yourself out.

I think you can still exercise if you want, just have it be very light to moderate exercise - like walking (regular walking, not brisk walking).

 

[IcSyU]

I think you can still exercise if you want, just have it be very light to moderate exercise - like walking (regular walking, not brisk walking).

I'm not saying don't exercise, just saying don't go working your butt off everyday at the gym because in the end it'll do more harm than good. :smile:

 

[Cyclonick182]

Id like to keep on a 6 day a week schedule, 2 days leavy lifting, 2 days light, and all days 5 days of heavy cardio with sundays being light exercise like tennis or biking. I really wish I could afford a personal trainer haha.

 

[IcSyU]

Id like to keep on a 6 day a week schedule, 2 days leavy lifting, 2 days light, and all days 5 days of heavy cardio with sundays being light exercise like tennis or biking. I really wish I could afford a personal trainer haha.

Just don't be afraid to take a day or two off every week. If your body feels tired, don't push it or you end up hurt (which I think is 10 times worse).

 

[mplscyclone]

Id like to keep on a 6 day a week schedule, 2 days leavy lifting, 2 days light, and all days 5 days of heavy cardio with sundays being light exercise like tennis or biking. I really wish I could afford a personal trainer haha.

Personal trainers are really hit or miss. Some are worried about keeping you as a client, so they will tell you what you want to hear. If you ever get one, do the research and get one that tells you what you NEED to hear...

 

[GeronimusClone]

Personal trainers are really hit or miss. Some are worried about keeping you as a client, so they will tell you what you want to hear. If you ever get one, do the research and get one that tells you what you NEED to hear...

I want the one who tells me it's OK to eat KFC and ding dongs all day.