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Legionnaire11

LGW Fit Club

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Here's some tips for everyone that I've picked up from my sister (a personal trainer) and the trainer I've worked with at the gym.

-Do a mix of cardio and weights. Weight lifting helps burn fat faster, I think it helps increase your metabolism.

-Instead of 3 big meals, eat smaller meals more often. When you just eat breakfast lunch and dinner, your tend to eat more and your body stores the extra calories as fat, since it doesn't know when it's going to get fed next. By spacing out smaller meals, you keep your metabolism up, and you eat smaller portions since you're not as hungry.

-Don't do the same excercises every day. I alternate between weights and cardio each day, and take a day off. This gives your muscles a chance to recover and rebuild.

-Drink lots of water. Pop and alcohol are just empty calories.

Find someone to work out with. It's a lot easier to keep at it if you have someone else to motivate you.

That's about all I have for now, I thought I knew more, maybe I'll remember more later.

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Well, from my experience I can say this. When I was in college. I tipped the scales at 335Lbs... I am 6'1.. I worked out, but not the proper way. It was lift as much as possible. Needless to say not healthy. I was that big for a reason, but there is no reason good enough to be that unhealthy. I then went through some stuff and decided that one thing I can control is my weight.. I decided to really do things right. I didn't diet. I just ate better. I only eat chicken and fish. Along with salads with low to non fat dressing, veggies and rice.. I work out 7 days a week. 6 days with weights 7 days of cardio.. I do 40-60 minutes of cardio using an elliptical trainer... I am now a healthy 190lbs.. No diet, no surgery, just got smarter. But, the only thing that matters is that you will only lose weight if YOU want to. NOBODY or NOTHING can make you do it!!

I wish you all well in your endeavor..

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-Don't do the same excercises every day. I alternate between weights and cardio each day, and take a day off. This gives your muscles a chance to recover and rebuild.

Also, dont follow this famous newbie workout:

Day 1 - Bench press and biceps curl

Day2- off

Day 3- Bench press and biceps curl

Day 4 - off

Day 5- you guessed it...Bench press and biceps curl!

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just wanted to bump this. i'm really starting to settle into this diet now after a week. A lot more water for me, I've only had 2 cokes all week. And a lot more fruits and vegetables. I haven't ate anything greasy, supplemented my hunger with saltines (switching to rice cakes though).

Anyone else seriously dieting?

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There's some good advice in here. Here's some more.

For dieting, a good balance of protein, high quality fats and high quality carbs will do you the most good. Not just over the course of a day, but at each meal as much as possible. There's no one perfect diet, and people disagree on what works best. But most agree that a balance of good carbs, good fats and quality protein are important.

Good carbs are especially veggies and whole grains. Fruits can be good, too, although even they have a lot of sugar in them, so you don't want to eat too much of them. Choose wheat bread over white, choose brown rice over white.

Lean protein sources are lean meats like chicken breast, turkey breast, fish and lean cuts of beef or even pork. Also, lowfat cottage cheese, skim milk or protein supplements.

Good sources of fat (unsaturated fat) are things like olive oil, nuts and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. You don't want to eliminate fats from your diet completely. It's not good for you, and it will leave you feeling hungry all the time. Don't go for the whole zero fat grams thing. At the same time, fats exist naturally in many foods, such as even lean cuts of meat, so it's not like you have to go out of your way to add them to your meals.

Don't be afraid to exercise. Not just cardio, but strength training. Add some muscle, and you'll burn more calories even when you rest.

If you do strength train, don't neglect legs! Too many beginners just work their "t-shirt muscles," like arms and chest. Squats, deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts and lunges are great exercises that build large muscle groups. There are all sorts of benefits to this kind of training, including stronger support muscles that will help you avoid injury doing normal daily things like picking up a heavy box or moving a piece of furniture, etc. One thing though, if you haven't done weight lifting before, you should make sure you learn how to properly do it, so as not to injure yourself. A lesson with a personal trainer is the best way.

And above all else (IMO), don't be afraid to give yourself a "cheat day" every now and then. Every week or two, just eat the food you want and don't worry about it. One day of cheating won't undo all the other efforts you've made. Plus, it boosts your BMI (basal metabolic rate), which is a good thing to help you continue making progress in your dieting.

Keep on keepin' on, Legionnaire!

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Great post, BlueMonk. It's hard for me to remember good carbs like whole grains - I'm a reformed South Beach dieter. I get lots of fruits and I eat oatmeal, but things like wheat breads and brown rice still scare me off.

I've finally broken my plateau weight (the weight I always seem to hit but can never break). Sitting at 119 right now. Four pounds to go!

The thing that's really helped me is taking in more protein. I don't have the urge to snack, or that classic 3PM fall-out that leaves many of my coworkers running for the vending machine. I keep fresh veggies in the fridge and a jar of peanuts at my desk, just in case.

Oh, and a secret? Chewing gum! Good mental trick to keep from "bored" snacking.... and incidentally, quitting smoking if anyone is trying that too!

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I think if you havent exercised in a while, once you start back up you will probably notice yourelf losing weight quicker at first. Howevever once you get into a routine, the weight will come off at a slower rate. Dont let the dieting and exercise be just about losing weight. Make it about being healthy. Even if your weight doesnt change drastically so quickly, you are still getting healthy. Make it a lifestyle, not a temporary routine to lose the weight and then forget about being healthy. Plus I find if you drink water, you will feel alot better about yourself, however I am sure you already noticed that.

It sounds like your doing great so far man. Keep in mind though, its a process. Dont go absolutely crazy, and exercise until you cannot move. Work yourself into a routine gradually.

For myself, I should definently pick up running again. I used to run 2 miles a day for 6 days of the week. Lately, I have run about 2 miles 5 days of 3 weeks. Lacrosse was a big goal for me and kept me motivated, but since I quit, I have kinda lost the drive. I should probably get back into it.

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I got the impression that Legionnaire11 started this thread with the serious intent that people who wanted to lose weight/get in shape could find something of a support group to keep each other motivatived and a place to swap ideas.

If you'd like to have a discussion about topics such as how you're too skinny, weight gain via cannibalism, the pros and cons of different beer, the McDonalds diet, or basic any of nonsense that has been the last 10 posts or so, please take it to PM.

I am trying to get in shape just in a different way. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, just having a littile fun. I hope you get to your goal Legionnaire11, good lucky buddy. :thumbup:

Legionnaire, Legionnaire he's are man, if he can't do it nobody can :banana: :carrot:

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Something I am doing to try to trim around 10 pounds to get back to around 140...

Other than when I eat fried food at a pub I hang out with on occassion, once every week/two weeks, I'm going to completely give up fried food.

No fast food, no fried food even in microwave meals, no fried food even in salads. It's not all too critical for me, but fried food isn't good for you, worth a shot even though I have loved eating it for 26 years.

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i'll update tonight. I plan on doing an update every sunday. I'm hoping for good results when I weigh myself tonight. I feel really good. I've been drinking a lot of water, walking and climbing a lot of stairs (not by choice :P)

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I did weights today at the gym for a first time in probably a month and a half. It wasn't too bad, but we'll see how sore I am tomorrow.

The first wedding of the summer is in just over a month, I gotta pick it up.

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Update from me: Haven't started s**t yet. OK, that's not quite true. Got me an iPod finally. Ooooo, big effin' deal, BRTD, you got your toys while everyone else is dieting and hitting the weights. Lemme tell ya something: No working out gets done if I don't have the music. It's awful. I hate all forms of cardio workout, and there's only one thing that makes it even remotely tolerable, the music. So I got my iPod, and I got my armband, and I got my music. So now I'm set. The weight loss plan officially begins May 4, because that is when I deploy with my ship. (We have a fairly respectable gym.) I can't help what I eat, because the ship serves what it serves, so I'll just have to watch how much I eat. I'm at 195 now (yuck), and it's a 19-week cruise, so the goal is 176. One pound a week.

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man, I wish i could find a new pair of headphones so I could run while listening to music. The ones I have now fall out all of the fricken time. Although, I dont mind running without headphones, but for longer distances/times, music makes the run sooooo much easier

I love listening to music while I work out. I tend to do more because I want to finish a song or get motivated because of how the song sounds. mp3 players work amazingly :) I got a cheap one so I could walk & work out.

I think I'm going to try to jump on this too! I'm a female and I would really love to lose weight. I am by no means fat, but the Freshman 15 kicked the crap out of me so I'm packing a little extra around my waist. I'm just looking to lose a little weight. I only drink 4-5 pops a week and I've cut down my intake of fried campus food, so I'm onto a good start.

And for everyone else, keep up the great work!!

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got caught up in laundry and housecleaning last night and forgot to update my weight. First thing when I get home from work tonight i'll post it.

Also coming down with a little bit of a cold, though I don't believe that's a bad thing for trying to lose weight lol

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Probably not the right type of person for this thread but I find myself in a predicament as I'm trying to lose 5 pounds by May 5th. I weigh about 205 right now at 6'4 and have a body fat percentage of 8% so losing further weight is kinda difficult. I'm also not interested in dropping muscle weight at all, in fact I'd preferably like to gain muscle weight just lower my overall body fat. That part might be me getting too picky but I've considered maybe trying some fat burner's, metabolism boosters, diet pills etc.

I'm quite the fitness buff myself and have always had a fast metabolism, being able to shed pounds quite quickly, but does anyone feel I'm starving for the impossible here?

I'd also be interested to know if anyone's ever taken fat burners/diet pills, and to know if they work at all. I myself have never really taken them but would be willing to give it a shot if it means I can be under 200 pounds by May 5th.

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I've been really pushing myself hard these past few days, I've ran nearly 15 miles since Sunday with a busy work schedule to boot.

I'm down close to 145 now from 150...trying to get back into the low 140 range. I am really committing myself and pressing myself hard to get this done, and am doing my damnest to eat slightly healthier to get there. Hopefully it won't take that long, and it's going to happen because I am in the "Just do it yourself" mentality right now.

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Update #2

Starting Weight: 222

Last Weigh-in: 219

Current Weight: 216

Target Weight: 190

Target Date: 6/29/07 (day that I leave for my wedding 6/30!!)

sorry for the long delay. the 216 is my monday night weight, I just hadn't gotten past other distractions to get here to post it. So, I think i'm doing pretty good right now. 3 lbs a week so far, with about 11 weeks to go, at this pace i'd lose 33 lbs before the target date and I only need to lose 26. I wish i'd started this thread a week earlier when I had hit 225. so in all reality, i've lost 9 lbs in 3 weeks. it feels so much better, the shirt i'm wearing right now is snug. it used to fit loose and comfy, then it went to tight and restrictive, but right now it's just snug, tighter than it should be, but not uncomfortable. Same with my work pants. I can comfortably button them now! i've still got some work to go to button my jeans, and a long way to go before I can fit in my shorts again. But i'm on my way there!!!

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Looks like you're making great progress, Legionnaire! You're almost about to pass me. I'm currently at 214 now, well off my high six years ago of 235, but my goal is 195, lower if I can manage it.

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Update #2

Starting Weight: 222

Last Weigh-in: 219

Current Weight: 216

Target Weight: 190

Target Date: 6/29/07 (day that I leave for my wedding 6/30!!)

sorry for the long delay. the 216 is my monday night weight, I just hadn't gotten past other distractions to get here to post it. So, I think i'm doing pretty good right now. 3 lbs a week so far, with about 11 weeks to go, at this pace i'd lose 33 lbs before the target date and I only need to lose 26. I wish i'd started this thread a week earlier when I had hit 225. so in all reality, i've lost 9 lbs in 3 weeks. it feels so much better, the shirt i'm wearing right now is snug. it used to fit loose and comfy, then it went to tight and restrictive, but right now it's just snug, tighter than it should be, but not uncomfortable. Same with my work pants. I can comfortably button them now! i've still got some work to go to button my jeans, and a long way to go before I can fit in my shorts again. But i'm on my way there!!!

Congratulations!!! You've been doing great! :clap: Keep it up.

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I for sure would like to lose some weight, but I've just found it to be very difficult to workout.

I'm 20 and a sophomore in college (oh, and a chick by the way). I've had 9 knee surgeries and have had chronic knee pain since 2003. I'm not allowed to even walk for exercise that's how sucky my knee is. So cardio is out. I do PT exercises, ab stuff, and upper body. My biggest problem is that I just need to eat healthy and I bet that'd help a lot.

Before my knee problems got really bad, I was 5'5" and weighed 115 as a sophomore in high school were I was 6th in the region for 100m dash for my division. I worked out every day for fun. Last spring before my 2nd ACL surgery, I got up to 140. I'm down to 128 right now and ideally would like to hit 120.

I just need to start eating healthy. Hopefully this thread will help keep me motivated!

Christy

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