Walk a mile...

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by photon

Insofar as really low calorie diet can be a fad

That's not really what I'm on. It's all about the proper foods, and staying away from things like processed meat and dairy, and sticking to things that haven't been sprayed with large amounts of antibiotics and pesticides. And no, that doesn't always mean organic. Even organic (a term owned by the government of Canada) can be bad for you.

If people are interested, I suggest reading "the Omnivores Dilemma" or "In defense of Food" by Michael Pollan http://www.michaelpollan.com/write.php

Or the 100 year diet by Michael Colgan.

A few very enlightening books, that will put you on the right path to proper diet.

One thing I live by though for people that don't want to read through them (they're pretty boring)....is that if something has more than 5 ingredients on the label that you don't understand, chances are it's not good for you.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

One thing I live by though for people that don't want to read through them (they're pretty boring)....is that if something has more than 5 ingredients on the label that you don't understand, chances are it's not good for you.

5? Thats a awful lot of things. Then again i guess that also depends on your general knowledge. If there were 5 things in a item I didn't recognize, i'd wonder if it was safe to eat yet alone good for you

[photon]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

That's the thing. I don't know Photon, so I don't know what kind of person/body type he is, but if, when he reaches his goals, he goes back to the old habits that got him there in the first place, I GUARANTEE he will put it all back on. There's a serious danger with major weight gain in those diets that I've seen a million times.

For sure, that's why I'm kind of conflicted as to how I want to continue.. if I go for the exercise/weight training path maybe I'll have a better chance of not having that?

All I can say to Photon is that yes, you've sacrificed A LOT (trust me, I've done them too) but when you hit that goal, it's really, really, really important to either carry either the diet through or switch to low calorie. I just can't stress that enough. Hitting the goal and allowing yourself to start cheating is the quickest way to ensure all that weight creeps back on and more.

That's basically the diet already, it's not a gimmick diet like Atkins or something. Balanced meals with normal foods you buy and make yourself (i.e. no prepackaged stuff, all fruits, veggies, grains, chicken, fish, etc that you make yourself), but ultra low calorie (like 850-1200 a day, that's why it's medically supervised).

The program normally ends with going into maintenance where they slowly increase your portions and monitor you to find where your metabolism is.. Unfortunately I had to cut out in the middle of the diet due to financial reasons (it's pretty expensive).. but like I said that might be better if I go with the weight training path, I'm just not sure I can commit to that or not.

But I think it's awesome guys like Photon decide to change their lifestyles. I know it's not easy, and it's something to be very proud of.

Heh, I feel like I haven't changed anything though since the old habits seem to be waiting right there.. but I guess it'll take much longer than 8-9 months to really change things.

[Azure]

What kind of access to a gym do you have?

There is a program called high intensity training, that a lot of weight experts are advocating. I've never done it myself, so I have no idea what kind of results you'll get.

The idea is to do one set to failure....usually about 12 reps, and then move on to the next exercise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_intensity_training

Thats the wikipedia link talking about it, and there are many more articles out there as well.

Here is a book I recommend, or that others have recommended about it.

http://www.amazon.com/New-High-Inten...0993613&sr=8-1

It might be perfect for you, if you have time issues and such. Or you get bored easily from doing the same thing over and over again. 5sets/8reps type thing, which is what I do.

"Everything of any value related to exercise can be stated in less than a thousand words, can, in fact, be fairly well covered in only a few words, as follows: Train hard, Train briefly, Train infrequently, and always remember that your final results will primarily be a consequence of genetics" -Arthur Jones

[photon]

Hm, interesting. I don't have any gym access yet, I'm not sure which way I want to do it (membership, or get some free weights at home). My jobs kind of up in the air right now so I don't want to get a gym membership yet in case I end up working far away from where I am right now (and I doubt they'll let me join the Curves in Chestermere )

[Azure]

Originally Posted by photon

Hm, interesting. I don't have any gym access yet, I'm not sure which way I want to do it (membership, or get some free weights at home). My jobs kind of up in the air right now so I don't want to get a gym membership yet in case I end up working far away from where I am right now (and I doubt they'll let me join the Curves in Chestermere )

Didn't you post a thread a while back about being a stay-at-home dad?

Getting weights at home might be a good idea if you're home a lot.

As you know, gym memberships are insanely expensive, and the 30 bucks a month you spend on a membership you could easily pay off your exercise equipment.

[OilersBaby]

Try water walking. The resistance from the water will give you a much better workout as compared to walking on land. Plus as you age, its better on the joints too!

[Flames09]

Another big thing to remember is when you've a lost a lot of weight it's smart to carry weight as you walk/jog because it fools your body into burning more calories, also diets are only good for people who have a ton of weight to lose otherwise it's a lifestyle not a diet.

[habernac]

some terrific advice here. I was over 200 lbs a few years back due to sitting in a desk all day and exercising very little. I did 2 things and lost 35 lbs: I started cycling to work and I stopped eating processed cheese slices (damn things were like crack).

I do a lot of recreational cycling as well. I changed little else. Now I'm working on my portion sizes to drop even more. It can be difficult when your significant other is as lazy as mine can be, but even she is learning to say no to junk food.

[Rifleman]

The quick and easy method:

Take ecstasy, then dance all night.

[coaster]

The calorie burn for walking a mile and running a mile are exactly the same. If you have the time, you can lose weight by walking.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by coaster

The calorie burn for walking a mile and running a mile are exactly the same. If you have the time, you can lose weight by walking.

Perhaps.

But your heart-rate isn't even close to being as high for walking as it is for running.

And just in case you missed the memo, getting your heart-rate up, above 110bpm, which is what I get when walking a mile....is more beneficial in the long run than just simply burning calories.

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by Azure

I've heard a lot about this lately....people walking a mile, or 2 miles, or 3 miles.

Its a good idea, really....walking is better than sitting around on the couch in the evening. But I just talked to 3 different people who have quit the program because they haven't been losing weight.

Apparently the original idea was targeted at people with heart problems, and walking a mile was supposed to help them 'correct' their heart problems. Of course, that is a load of crap. Losing weight, eating healthy, and raising your heart rate ABOVE 150bpm during cardio is going to help correct your heart problems. How many people here could get their heart rate up above 150bpm by walking? Even speed walking. I know I can't.

But of course, everyone wants the quick, easy fix to their weight/heart/health problems, so they walk a mile thinking it will help them. And when they can't lose weight, they quit out of frustration.

The quick, easy fix is HIIT. Period.

But try convincing people of that. Even MIIT would help more than walking a freakin' mile. Because walking is essentially LIIT, and one would have to walk almost 5 miles to equal the work I do in a little over 20 min on the stationary bike.

Now, I'm not slamming the fact that people get up and walk. I often do the same thing; walk instead of drive, stuff like that. Being active helps. But you're NOT supposed to walk a mile as your primary source of exercise. It is NOT real cardio, and NO it will not really help your heart in the long run. I can raise my heart rate to 120bpm watching a good hockey game.

Even my doctor said he is appalled by the amount of people who come to him for a checkup, and when they get concered over their heart problems, he asks them how much exercise they get. A LOT of people say, "Oh, I walk a mile every day, isn't that enough?"

/rant off.

Now, I really wanted to start another fitness thread to find out how Photon and a few others who started losing weight a few months ago are doing. And I can't find the old thread....soooo.

Most post surgery heart patients are not supposed to get their heart rate up, or do cardio that's for sure!! That's why they are supposed to walk gently and no stairs!

[Azure]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

Most post surgery heart patients are not supposed to get their heart rate up, or do cardio that's for sure!! That's why they are supposed to walk gently and no stairs!

Certainly not going to argue with that.

But remember, those are heart surgery patients. Big difference between those and people who are overweight and have heart problems because of that.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Azure

Certainly not going to argue with that.

But remember, those are heart surgery patients. Big difference between those and people who are overweight and have heart problems because of that.

Those that are overweight also tend to issues with knee joint problems. That extra weight can be brutal on ones knees and all. Well, it is for me and running is out of the question. Riding the stationary bike and a brisk walk on a treadmill is about all my knee joints can handle right now

[HalifaxDrunk]

Back at the start of March my work started a “Get Fit Challenge”. I decided to join as I was in need of some serious weight loss. I am a pretty competitive person and figured the challenge would be good at keeping me at it. Monetary prizes were a nice incentive too.

Now for my back-story, I play ball in the summer, but that’s about it. I used to be very active (high school/university) but have just let it slide. I was doing absolutely nothing physically active and tended to just lounge on the couch after supper and grab a snack while watching TV, (a few beer during Flames games). There were a few threads about getting in shape on CP but I shied away as I was afraid to mention it and get “advice” that I’d prob just ignore after a couple weeks.

For the challenge. I pretty much eliminated snacking after supper (a couple exceptions for good behavior) and just focused on eating better. I didn’t make anything “taboo” just ate with my head instead of my gut. I started eating smarter, smaller portions and no “seconds”. I am not a big breakfast person but started making myself take the time to eat in the morning. I still have pizza or chocolate if I want for a reward just don't each as much in a sitting as I used to.

There is an old railway path that has been transformed into a 60 KM walking/jogging/biking trail near my house. Each KM is marked with a small sign so you know how far you go. On the morning of the 1st day I went down with the intention on a 2K jog. I jogged out to the 1KM sign, the snow on the ground made it a bit hard but I was sucking wind and walked a bit on the way back. After 2 weeks I was able to do 4 KM without walking.

I continued to jog every 2nd day and would ride my stationary bike in the evenings. I loaded my MP3 player for jogs and watched TV shows on the PC while biking.

The weight dropped off quickly as I went from "fat arse lump" to "active". I ended up winning the first 2 weeks of the challenge and won the $50.00 US biweekly payout (we have an office in Cincinnati and paid $25.00 in US funds).

The challenged ended last week. Over the last 11 weeks I have lost 40.5 pounds. And now even with the challenge over I’ve become somewhat addicted to getting in shape.

Even with the competition over I now jog 6-8 KMs every 2nd morning and bike to work 15 KM (30KM roundtrip) M/W/F. My dog jogs with me and he is in the best shape of his life as well. I use the stationary bike every 2-3 nights and bike for 80 mins (2 hour long TV shows). The bike computer usually works it out to 50 miles/1700 calories.

I have soo much more energy and feel better overall it is ridiculous.

All said and done I won three biweekly $50.00 and the overall $150.00 payouts (about $350 CDN).
I put the money towards my new Mountain bike. LINK

I didn't take a "before" picture as when we started as I didn't really expect the results I got. So this "before" shot is a picture of me watching the Flames beat the Preds on Jan 30th.



You hear it all the time, “If I can do it, you can too….” But I now believe it.

[Dion]

Well done HD!

Now i have to get off my fat duff and head to the gym.

Thanks for the motivation.

[Sylvanfan]

Wow you do look better HD! Good job, and keep it up.

Does walking/hauling and throwing golf clubs around a golf course count as excercise?

[Bobblehead]

Nice.

And the "getting addicted to fitness" is the really exciting part. I think it is so much easier when it isn't work.
Gratz to you.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I was exercising big time and eating low carb in December. I sort of gave up though since I was already very thin, I just wanted to get rid of fat in some areas and build up muscle (low carb works for both since the protein rich diet).

But I fell of the wagon but nothing has changed for me. All I discovered is that the only exercise that I have the willpower to do is HIIT since anything else bores me and I give up easily. I'd rather struggle and get it over with as fast as I can and then relax.

That is the problem right there. You need complex carbs when you lift weights. As tron said, whole grain is the best (rice, pasta and what not). After workout, you need simple sugars as well (that is the only time during the day when you actually have to eat simple sugars). Good after work out protein shakes should do the trick for you.