For any fitness fanatics on this message board

[TonyStalloni]

This is a most interesting thread with lots of good info. My history of exercise was mostly running for track and cross country. Weight lifting wasn't a part of any routine in my high school in the 60's. (Graduated in 1970). I started playing basketball in college and became addicted. I've been fortunate enough to play BB in leagues then at the local Y (3 days a week). I started lifting in the late 80's. Nothing heavy, just enough to shape up some middle age spread. I recently had foot surgury that will keep me off the BB courts till at least summer and not really sure I'll ever play again. Are ellipitical machines the best source of cardio exercise for this situation? I don't enjoy swimming at all. I'm 5'11" and 185 lbs now and would like to keep my girlish figure. Any tips would be appreciated.

With your history of foot problems, Ellipticals are a very low impact way to get cardio in. I really think the answer to combat "the spread" is putting in 4-5 hours a week at the gym(or other physical activity), 1/2 cardio and 1/2 weights, eating low cal 4 days per week, and finding something you like doing that isn't sitting-and then do it.

Thanks! I appreciate the advice. I'll start back to work this week but can squeeze in an hour to 90 mins of workout time.

 

[HuskerShark]

I just threw out my back/pulled a lower back muscle maxing out my squat last week. Suffice to say that I'll add one thing to this discussion:

ALWAYS WEAR A WEIGHT BELT WHEN SQUATTING OR DEAD LIFTING

I will actually disagree with you here. I never wear a belt until I get above plates and 25s on squat. If you pull your back with only this much weight on, it should tell you that you are using bad form.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

You man want to calculate the percentage of body fat that you have. 15 % is healthy for a man. To lose another 10 lbs you would have to be carrying 38 lbs of fat at 195 which is 19.7%. Your % of body fat is a much better indicator of your health than is your total weight. An excellent book about all of this s "Fit Or Fat" by Covert Bailey. Good luck and stay healthy. That's the important thing. When you get to be an old timer like BRI [ ] you may want to do less weight and more reps.

Body Fat Formula For Men

Factor 1

(Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42

Factor 2

Waist measurement x 4.15

Lean Body Mass

Factor 1 - Factor 2

Body Fat Weight

Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass

Body Fat Percentage

(Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight

T_O_B

G>B>R

Fat is typically not the enemy (consumed), but has been well documented in research that visceral fat in certain regions of the body, specifically the superior iliac crest region(area above the hip) and your fat deposition on your back, just below your scapula, has been shown to be high indicators for heart disease risk and how well you metabolize carbohydrates (per Charles Poliquin specifically). Sugar, specially the breakdown into glucose, is typically the big culprit in fat deposition in many white Americans and then general population. I have, however, have friends and have met people that handle carbohydrates very well. They can eat a TON OF THEM and still stay quite lean. Healthy fat consumption is very beneficial for your body (esp. Omega-3 fatty acids) and can help combat inflammation in the gut and throughout your body. 15% BF isn't unhealthy in my opinion from all the research I've gathered, but when you start getting higher, it's typically an indicator of multiple factors: poor diet and stress are the top two that immediately come to mind. I'll do what I can to help people out and I hope to learn some new and useful information from this board as well.

...and this has to do with my post how?

T_O_B

G>B>R

I just felt like chiming in....it honestly really has no significant relevance to your post...but you got on the discussion about fat and I wanted to disclose some info. that may be helpful

 

[Chaddyboxer]

I just threw out my back/pulled a lower back muscle maxing out my squat last week. Suffice to say that I'll add one thing to this discussion:

ALWAYS WEAR A WEIGHT BELT WHEN SQUATTING OR DEAD LIFTING

I will actually disagree with you here. I never wear a belt until I get above plates and 25s on squat. If you pull your back with only this much weight on, it should tell you that you are using bad form.

Anytime I've ever squatted in the 4-6 rep range with 80 to 90% of my 1 rep max....I always put a belt on for safety sake....other than that, I use to rep 405 fairly heavy in the 6-8 rep range with no belt and I had no issues. It's def. a personal preference

 

[T_O_Bull]

You man want to calculate the percentage of body fat that you have. 15 % is healthy for a man. To lose another 10 lbs you would have to be carrying 38 lbs of fat at 195 which is 19.7%. Your % of body fat is a much better indicator of your health than is your total weight. An excellent book about all of this s "Fit Or Fat" by Covert Bailey. Good luck and stay healthy. That's the important thing. When you get to be an old timer like BRI [ ] you may want to do less weight and more reps.

Body Fat Formula For Men

Factor 1

(Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42

Factor 2

Waist measurement x 4.15

Lean Body Mass

Factor 1 - Factor 2

Body Fat Weight

Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass

Body Fat Percentage

(Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight

T_O_B

G>B>R

Fat is typically not the enemy (consumed), but has been well documented in research that visceral fat in certain regions of the body, specifically the superior iliac crest region(area above the hip) and your fat deposition on your back, just below your scapula, has been shown to be high indicators for heart disease risk and how well you metabolize carbohydrates (per Charles Poliquin specifically). Sugar, specially the breakdown into glucose, is typically the big culprit in fat deposition in many white Americans and then general population. I have, however, have friends and have met people that handle carbohydrates very well. They can eat a TON OF THEM and still stay quite lean. Healthy fat consumption is very beneficial for your body (esp. Omega-3 fatty acids) and can help combat inflammation in the gut and throughout your body. 15% BF isn't unhealthy in my opinion from all the research I've gathered, but when you start getting higher, it's typically an indicator of multiple factors: poor diet and stress are the top two that immediately come to mind. I'll do what I can to help people out and I hope to learn some new and useful information from this board as well.

...and this has to do with my post how?

T_O_B

G>B>R

I just felt like chiming in....it honestly really has no significant relevance to your post...but you got on the discussion about fat and I wanted to disclose some info. that may be helpful

Was just wonderun' Chaddy. Too many worry about scale weight, or the weight the insurance company says you should be that they go for the next fad BS diet and it drives me crazy. I picked up on Bailey 12 to 15 years ago and I'm I;m 147 lbs tomorrow AM. There ain't no magic or easy way you just need to disapline yourself and not eat anything you buy in a drive through.

T_O_B

 

[zoogs]

Yeah, I don't think there are really shortcuts. You just must consume as much knowledge as you can, and develop unbelievable discipline/work habits. And set aside some dedication for it.

So, you guys are doing great helping us out with the knowledge part of it.

Man, it ain't easy...

 

[HuskerShark]

Yeah, I don't think there are really shortcuts. You just must consume as much knowledge as you can, and develop unbelievable discipline/work habits. And set aside some dedication for it.

So, you guys are doing great helping us out with the knowledge part of it.

Man, it ain't easy...

What is it that you are trying to do, Zoogies? Gain muscle? Lase fat?

 

[zoogs]

Gain muscle. I'm OK in the fat department. I just don't have the discipline right now, except for running, which is already a habit for me. That just keeps me at a status quo, though.

All I know about gaining muscle is fewer reps, more intensity. And lots of protein, maybe. And that you are either gaining muscle and fat, or cutting fat without gaining muscle, hard to do both. Haven't read every post in this thread in detail yet, but plan to.

 

[HuskerShark]

Gain muscle. I'm OK in the fat department. I just don't have the discipline right now, except for running, which is already a habit for me. That just keeps me at a status quo, though.

All I know about gaining muscle is fewer reps, more intensity. And lots of protein, maybe. And that you are either gaining muscle and fat, or cutting fat without gaining muscle, hard to do both. Haven't read every post in this thread in detail yet, but plan to.

I'm in night class right now, but when I get some time, I will put the equation on here to calculate your calorie maintenance requirement. For instance, my maintenance requirement is around 2900 calories per day. Hence, if I eat a balanced diet of 2900 calories each day, I should stay the same weight. Since I am cutting fat at the moment, I am trying to cut 10-20% of my calories each day. For you, you will want to consume an EXTRA 10-20%.

Also, since you are trying to gain muscle, try to consume around 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day, but no less than 1g/lb/day. You need protein to build muscle.

As far as your workouts, you can ask Chaddyboxer what he thinks as well, but here is what I would do: HIGH reps, MEDIUM weight. This is what will give you the most burn on the muscles that you are trying to work. Weight lifting is all about muscle concentration and muscle confusion.

-muscle concentration - use correct form and work as hard as you can to flex the muscles for the lift that you are doing.

*example - when doing situps, squeeze your abs as much as you can.

-muscle confusion - comes into play a couple of months down the road when your muscles have gotten used to your "routine". When this happens and you are no longer sore the next day, find new lifts to do that break away from what you normally do.

There's a start. Hope it helps.

 

[zoogs]

yeah, this is great! This thread is pretty awesome, thanks for the tips.

 

[HuskerShark]

Katch-McArdle:Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean. Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %.

BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100

You then multiply these by an 'activity variable' to give you your maintenance requirement. This Activity Factor[/u] is the cost of living and it is BASED ON MORE THAN JUST YOUR TRAINING. It also includes work/lifestyle, as well as sport. Average activity variables are:

1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise + desk job)

1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Little daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)

1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately active daily life & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)

1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)

1.9-2.0 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)

___________________________________________________________

Alright, Zoogies. Here is the formula that you should use to find out how many calories that you should be eating. Note that the lean body mass is in kg instead of lbs. To find this, estimate your body fat % (BF). Then calculate your lean body mass (LBM) using this formula from your total body weight (TBM): LBM=TBM-(TBM*BF)

Then convert to kg by dividing by 2.2.

If you want me to walk you through an example using my stats, I will. Just let me know. Some of the verbiage on these things can be kind of difficult.

 

[krc1995]

There are plenty of ways to get cardio and strength traning in at the same. Ever done a plank? Hold it for a minute, jump rope for a minute, do pushups for a minte, and then do walking lunges with weights for a minute. This is pretty much the premise for most bootcamps. Also, checkout itrain.com to download some workouts for your mp3. I love the cardio/stregnth workouts. There is one in particular that guides you through a 30 minute spin class that then 30 minutes of upper body strength training in the weight room. It's like having a personal trainer, but cheaper. Much, much cheaper.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

You man want to calculate the percentage of body fat that you have. 15 % is healthy for a man. To lose another 10 lbs you would have to be carrying 38 lbs of fat at 195 which is 19.7%. Your % of body fat is a much better indicator of your health than is your total weight. An excellent book about all of this s "Fit Or Fat" by Covert Bailey. Good luck and stay healthy. That's the important thing. When you get to be an old timer like BRI [ ] you may want to do less weight and more reps.

Body Fat Formula For Men

Factor 1

(Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42

Factor 2

Waist measurement x 4.15

Lean Body Mass

Factor 1 - Factor 2

Body Fat Weight

Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass

Body Fat Percentage

(Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight

T_O_B

G>B>R

Fat is typically not the enemy (consumed), but has been well documented in research that visceral fat in certain regions of the body, specifically the superior iliac crest region(area above the hip) and your fat deposition on your back, just below your scapula, has been shown to be high indicators for heart disease risk and how well you metabolize carbohydrates (per Charles Poliquin specifically). Sugar, specially the breakdown into glucose, is typically the big culprit in fat deposition in many white Americans and then general population. I have, however, have friends and have met people that handle carbohydrates very well. They can eat a TON OF THEM and still stay quite lean. Healthy fat consumption is very beneficial for your body (esp. Omega-3 fatty acids) and can help combat inflammation in the gut and throughout your body. 15% BF isn't unhealthy in my opinion from all the research I've gathered, but when you start getting higher, it's typically an indicator of multiple factors: poor diet and stress are the top two that immediately come to mind. I'll do what I can to help people out and I hope to learn some new and useful information from this board as well.

...and this has to do with my post how?

T_O_B

G>B>R

I just felt like chiming in....it honestly really has no significant relevance to your post...but you got on the discussion about fat and I wanted to disclose some info. that may be helpful

Was just wonderun' Chaddy. Too many worry about scale weight, or the weight the insurance company says you should be that they go for the next fad BS diet and it drives me crazy. I picked up on Bailey 12 to 15 years ago and I'm I;m 147 lbs tomorrow AM. There ain't no magic or easy way you just need to disapline yourself and not eat anything you buy in a drive through.

T_O_B

nice! I always believe there is no one "fad" diet for anyone...gotta experiment and find out what works best for you. I've done a high protein, low carb and low fat diet with carb cycling and I got ripped to shreds, but my muscles were flat often and I loss some muscle mass and strength. Now...strength loss typically comes with the territory...but I hate losing muscle lol. I am now on a high protein, low to moderate carbs, and a moderate fat diet. I've done it before with positive results.

 

[hskerprid]

Used to lift weights in HS but haven't picked up a barbell in 30 years. Worked at a meat packing plant for a number of years and still have the remnants of the mass I built in my upper body. I still have good strength but the middle age spread has hit SEVERELY around the gut and I've lost alot of definition ( ya, man boobs).

I don't understand all the jargon on lifting and dieting.

Are there any websites that a dummy like me can go to and pull up a daily or weekly diet menu for losing the fat? and one for regaining definition and strength?

My wife has a six pack and is a cardio fanatic ( see avatar), but that isn't for me. I just want to lose weight and get back into shape gradually. Any ideas??

 

[Chaddyboxer]

Used to lift weights in HS but haven't picked up a barbell in 30 years. Worked at a meat packing plant for a number of years and still have the remnants of the mass I built in my upper body. I still have good strength but the middle age spread has hit SEVERELY around the gut and I've lost alot of definition ( ya, man boobs).

I don't understand all the jargon on lifting and dieting.

Are there any websites that a dummy like me can go to and pull up a daily or weekly diet menu for losing the fat? and one for regaining definition and strength?

My wife has a six pack and is a cardio fanatic ( see avatar), but that isn't for me. I just want to lose weight and get back into shape gradually. Any ideas??

I really enjoy this site for info. regarding nutrition and performance: www.tnation.com Also, www.bodybuilding.com isn't a bad website as well, I just think Tnation spits you more of the real deal and gives you information that can be highly beneficial. I believe there are some websites out there were you can track your daily caloric intake and it will disclose your ratio's for the day, here's one that may be useful, www.fitday.com. Also...look into Paleolithic dieting principles and methods...I find the paleo diet is beneficial for a solid portion of the population, but it is not for everyone. A lot of your fat loss comes from utilizing the right nutrients and the right ratios to put your body in a fat-loss environment.