If you're gaining weight.....something's not right. I've heard the "fat weighs more than muscle" mantra for a long time. When you're a few days into your cut......this is NOT occurring. Get a HR monitor. Learn your target HR. Stay within it for at least 30min./workout. I've been running, again. Hearing Huntingson talk about the legs.......I'm picking my new mtn. bike up, this AM. We also have the P90X series.....and there's a couple of them I use. Good luck to all.
EVEN if he drank a CASE of beer the night before!!! I've seen it...even might have a pic somewhere.....:D Jeff, I hear ya, I don't know, I'm doing almost a complete cardio, minus the batting cage spells, but while riding the bike, I do use 15# dumbells and probably crank out 100 curls, triceps press/raises, and lateral and modified frontal shoulder raises. I'm putting on some muscle, but I also dropped 2-3" off my waist....enough that I'm back in 35-36" waist pants rather than my 38" I had snuck up into.
If you've been "at it" long enough to drop 2-3" from your waist.....then what I said isn't correct. My concern is for people VERY early into their cuts thinking they're adding muscle weight where fat weight once was. That's just not accurate. I'm a slave to the scales. I check them all the time. BUT....(BIG 'But').......How I fit into my clothes is THE best barometer of how my work is showing. We're in total agreement, here. If I never lost another #, but lost inches, I'd be fine with that. It takes a while to shed fat and add muscle, though. This isn't something you do in a few workouts. Most burn muscle as they burn fat. It's a tough road! Nutrition is paramount (as is rest). I'm nowhere near where I want to be. But I know how to get there. Gotta remember.....I've seen 240#'s before (and 188, as recently as Nov.). I've lost weight the right way.....and the wrong way (yes....there's a wrong way). I'm inspired, just reading others' goals. Keep us updated. We're all in the same boat!
Its good to see a lot of you guys are serious about losing weight and/or getting into "good shape". Keep it up!
Right on Jeff! I've learned a ton watching the Biggest Loser. You said exactly what the trainers say when the contestant says "I'm gaining weight so It must be muscle". Most times their wrong unless their fit. As for myself I've got a long ways to go to be "fit" for this elk hunt In September. Chances are I won't get "fit" like I'd like too. Too many coals In the fire but I'm fine with It. I'm not exactly In that bad of shape to begin with body wise but I know for a fact my lungs are what will need major tuning. My work and lifestyle helps me stay some what fit but like I said If I'm ready I'm ready and If I'm not I'm not. Fun times will be had regardless, I can't wait to start sucking air!!
I hear what your saying Jeff, and for me, it's definitely more about how the clothes are fitting and how I'm feeling. I actually counted today while I was riding the bike for 20min. that I did 7 sets of 20 w/ the 15# dumbells on curls, then triceps, and 5 sets of 20 on the shoulder raises, alternating between front, and side. I know I'm starting to get a "V" shape back, which is nice, as I've really neglected myself for about the last 6 yrs. since we had our first little one. Now that I have her off to school, I'm finding MORE TIME!!! I guess the more I look at it, I've probably put a little on in my arms and shoulders, but more toning than anything, but my legs are far more CUT than they were when I started. And my GUT is definitely SHRINKING!! As for that initial weight gain that some people get, often times it WATER gained in swollen/inflamed muscles, which goes to a whole different level of fitness/wt. loss/muscle building/fat burning. Water makes the BIGGEST difference in initial weight loss/gain for someone during that first couple weeks or so until their metabolism changes.
Exactly. My weight (which is a BUMMER, as often as I check the scales) can fluctuate 4-5 pounds from one DAY to the next. One gallon of water weighs 8.3#'s.
Then you should absolutely stay away from SCALES!!!! But I know exactly what you mean. I send home Heart patients and tell them if their weight changes more than 5#, then they need to start watching for signs and symptoms, as long as they're still REGULAR!!! If not, then take a stool softener.......:D I I also vary that a little to the size of a person. If they're 130#, 4-5# is a LOT, if they're 250#, then more in the range or 5-7# is the area we watch for.
Jeff, Go easy bro, you're gonna hurt yourself!!! I love to ride a bike, as long as the scenery keeps changing, I'm still peddling. Look around your area, there are probably some good mountain bike trails if you really want to HURT. When I was in the south, we had a LOAD of them, not near as many up here in the north, so I just ride on the road, but mountain biking was a BALL!!! A couple bags of frozen peas will ease the pain a little....:D
Lol!! That's probably the same exact thing I will say this summer being It's been at least 18 years myself!! :D
A little hiking around the woods carrying my 40# little one today, some crunches, sit-ups, push-ups, etc. Didn't make it to the Gym, but I got a little light work-out in. I need this to keep me motivated to keep working out. It's nice to fit into clothes that didn't fit a while ago......
I wish I knew of a good, accurate calorie burn calculator for cycling. I'd like to know what I did, today. I did a little over 10mi. in 54min.. All road, but a good mix of hills (both up and down, naturally)....and straight-a-ways. If anyone knows of a good one, could you post a link? Thanks.
Not sure how accurate, but it's something. Seems close to what my stepper and the one at the gym say... http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/calculat.htm I got about 25 rigorous minutes on the stepper, avg about 100-110 steps/min yesterday morning, and then some light weight high reps, abs, and BED. Tough to want to work out after a 12+ hours of work, and an hour ride to and fro....but gonna try to repeat the feat in the a.m.
You cyclists have my respect. I just showered after a 16mi. ride. Good mix of hills/flats. Last week, I did rides of (inaugural) 7mi./10mi./10mi.. I decided I was only going to get to bike 2X this week....so I'd step it up a bit (16mi IS stepping it up, for ME....lol). My legs haven't burned like that......maybe ever. I'm learning how to climb, though. I never went to my smallest disc in the front, tonight. Funny thing is, climbing was easier, that way. Who-da thunk it? A guy I work with has lost 40+#'s since NOV., cycling. I can see why. Good luck, guys.
Keep it up Jeff, and you'll actually start liking the bike......:D We vacation in Hilton Head, and I spend several hours a day on a bike, as it's the best way to get around the island to me. Some leisurely riding some serious, but I get a lot of peddling in during a week down there. I found out last summer that there is a bike trail right by the hospital I work in, and I'll be starting to ride it here shortly once a lot of this WET dries up......likely in the next couple weeks. I really enjoy biking as much as anything, exercise wise, but I'm not sure the bike gets my legs near as much as my stepper or the one at the gym. Looking at the P90X right now.....INPUT??? Advice???
Been running religiously. Jumped on the scale yesterday....didn't really like or expect the number I saw. I am a lot farther away from my target of 170# by May 1st than I thought I was.
I hit a new milestone on Monday. I benched 215# 5 times. I know that isn't much for many people, but it is a ton for me. Not bad considering I weigh 155# and need to cut that to about 150#. Also got back into running last week. Got to run on the beach all week in Fort Walton Beach since I was "forced" to go down there for work. Heck with elk season, I am getting ready for the summer sun and the beach
There isn't anything wrong benching 215 5 times especially at that weight. That's pretty good! I always find it funny when people are talking about benching and set 250 #'s as an easy push. I've had many guys come into my gym strap on 250 and can hardly unrack it. As soon as they lose their ego and start getting to work is when they begin to get a better understanding of how much 250 lbs is. I've been doing P90X for 3 months now and feel awesome. I weigh 210 lbs, still have 17 1/4 inch biceps, bench 280 lbs, can do 22 pull ups and still do 1 hour of Plyometrics. My wedding is in 6 month and elk season is in 7 months. I don't know which one I'm more excited for?
