subaruturbo_18

What is the best way of toning up and getting into shape?

I've got a set of wieghts, dumbells and a barbell, a bench and **** load of determination

Is it better to do a few reps on a high wieght, or lots of reps on lighter wieghts?

Would cycling do much for losing my gut? I can't think that it would but if anybody knows otherwise let me know.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Cycling, swimming, running, football, tennis .. anything really .. weights .. if you have to low weight high reps to tone .. high weight low reps to build..

Thats basically it.

LG John

Low reps, heavy-*** weights for strength.
Med reps, as heavy as you can manage for size.
High reps, lower weight for toning.

^^^ That's the general rule

I'm personally on a strength program at the moment to get a core bed of strength and to build some muscle to help burn up excess fat (muscles need more energy, even at rest). After that I'll probably switch between bulk and toning programs to try and move muscle size and definition forward a step at a time.

The best way to lose your gut is to:

a) Eat better
b) Build Muscle
c) Do some cardio to burn off more calories

The crucial thing is to avoid your muscles being overly consumed (i.e. starvation response) and your metabolism from crashing. Doing some hard weight-lifting will elevate your metabolism and convince your body to retain or build muscle mass. I personally see cardio as the icing on the cake but many here will probably hold the view that cardio is key and weight-lifting is the cherry on top

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

Running is great for fitness but if you have never ran before take it easy as you will not be able to walk if you push too hard.

Will

A **** load of ********

Tam the bam

Your built like the Hulk now too!!

No one should ever type you're here ever again, just your!!!

Will

She refused to suck it once, so i got angry and...............

DYK

GlesgaKiss

Do loads of cardio! Start running, or, if you've been out of it for a while you could start with a brisk walk for half an hour or so. Helps if you have somewhere cross country to walk of course!

If you do start running, try doing 15 mins to start with, possibly 2 or 3 times a week, and then increasing it to 30 mins after a few weeks. Then 45 mins and so on. Just run/jog at as fast a pace as you can manage over that length of time. If you're pretty unfit I garantee you will feel totally different within a month, or even less. It will be a transformation!

Also, the pounds will start coming off everywhere and you'll be much more toned all over. If you keep a strict cardio routine up for a few months and look at pics from before you'll even see a big difference in your face, as your jawline will be more defined etc.

Get right into it! Good luck.

Tam the bam

Your doing it wrong!!!

GlesgaKiss

Also, for what you want to achieve I would recommend medium to light weight and medium to high reps. That will give your muscles tone over time but won't do much in the way of building size. A lot of people in your position would go on a body building diet and exercise plan to pile on the size before cutting it and getting fit, while maintaining as much size as possible. However, I really think you'd feel a lot better about yourself if you just got fit, before starting to put on size eventually with a different routine, but keeping the emphasis on being fit!

subaruturbo_18

Ok, would cycling be as good for me as running?

Here's an interesting question....if one was to consume a lot of calories, would it work where, if more exercise was done to suit the intake?


In other words if i go out on the lash *on the odd occasion*, can i just do a bit more exercise that someone who doesn't drink

GlesgaKiss

If you push yourself as hard as you can(you'd only be cheating yourself if you didn't) then cycling can be good exercise, but running is in a different league for increasing cardio fitness in my opinion. As said, start with walking as fast as you can cross country - if you have countryside nearby! It would be a shock just starting to go for runs after so long out the 'game' . Don't think your legs/ankles would like it as they might need to strengthen up a bit before you can go hard at it.

GlesgaKiss

You're never going to be as fit as you possibly could being a drinker, but unless you are an alcoholic I wouldn't worry about it...plenty of paras and special forces soldiers etc drink more than you could imagine, and that is a level of fitness beyond most people!

LG John

Drinking is never ideal as your body will process alcohol first - it is a toxin after all! This often results in other energy in your system from carbs, fats and proteins being stored as fat. That said, being realistic there are plenty of people that look and feel great and enjoy a night out. You just can't go daft every weekend and expect results.

I'm in two minds whether to tell you this because this information can be abused soooo easily. However, I will.... There is a weight loss technique called zig-zagging and it refers to switching your calorie intake about a little to prevent your starvation response. Btw, as I type I'm tucking into a peanut butter sanny as I just realised I've only consumed 750 cals today so far and that's woefully low. My metabolism is probably crashing and I'm loading up with a high cal meal before bed time = fail. Anyway, zig-zagging is where you identify your intake for maintenance and apply a deficit to bring about weight-loss. However, every 3rd or 4th day you have a 'high calorie' day where your overall intake is perhaps 200-300 more than maintenance. For example, if you need 2500 a day to maintain your current weight you might eat 1600-1700 most days but every 3rd or 4th day you take in 2700. This prevents your metabolism from crashing. I personally try to avoid this approach because I know that I'll just see it as an excuse to go nuts every 3rd day.

To answer your question:

Weight loss and gain is simply down to calories in versus calories burned. All diet, even Atkins and other low-carb, rely on you taking in less than you burn. However, there's a big problem in running a substantial deficit - your body isn't daft. When faced with a noticable shortage it figures that food is in short supply and does everything it can to make your usage of energy more efficient. Firstly your metabolism slows down and then your body consumes muscle tissue and even organ tissue whilst trying to retain it's fat stores. It does this because at rest muscles require more energy to service than fat. Therefore, by taking out muscle tissue first your body can reduce your daily calorie requirement further whilst trying to hold on to your vital fat supplies until the bitter end.

Consequently what happens is that someone might start with a 2500 cal maintenance level and take in 1500 a day. Then they find their maintenance level drops to 2000 and so they drop the intake to 1000 to try and maintain the results. Their body fights back harder and the maintenance level drops more....the cycle continues. To make matters worse, if that person then eats normally again they might consume 2500-3000 cals a day when their body is geared for just 1500-2000 and the weight goes flying on in the form of fat.

Hopefully, all this should explain why doing heavy weight training can be so beneficial to weight loss. It doesn't burn many calories during your work out but it releases a lot of hormones that tell your body it needs to build additional muscle mass to allow it to achieve the 'work' next time. Without surplus calories your body won't have the resources to build muscles very much but it will at least be trying to retain them, rather than using them. Meanwhile, by running a calorie deficit your body needs to get energy from elsewhere and so must turn to your fat reserves.

Personally, I got pissed off with my weight when I hit 16st 3lbs and I've been restricting my calories intake to around 1500-1600 cals per day. That's around 900-1100 below my maintenance level (arguably too much deficit btw). I've been hitting the gym hard and in particular doing heavy squats, bench press, pull-ups, etc. I'm fairly confident I've put on some muscle mass as my quads are miles bigger than they used to be. I see those puppies as little fat burning miracles Meanwhile, in 6 weeks I've dropped to 15st 2lbs and, of course, the weight is only part of the story. I've put on some heavy muscle mass and lost quite a lot of fat. I'm hoping for 15st dead by the end of October and between Nov 1st and xmas I'd like to drop into low 14st. It's hard to say, but I guess that if I get to mid-high 13st I should be quite lean looking and reasonably well defined if I can retain my muscle tissue.

Oh, also, you asked about exercising away what you eat. That can work as you might have a maintenance level of 2500, eat 3500 and burn off 1500 calories for a 500 cal deficit. All well and good in theory until you realise how much effort is required just to burn off a bloody mars bar let alone:

10 x Corona at 150-cal a go = 1500
1x 12inch peperoni pizza = 2000
Less drunken walk home + fight = -250

Total = +2750 on top of whatever else you ate that day

Hope that helps you understand what you are up against

subaruturbo_18

Thanks for all the advice guys, Saxo boy thats very detailed, helps a lot, thanks mate.

i think i shall start keeping an eye on my diet as of tomorrow.

Is there a way to determine the amount of calories i need per day ? for example can i use my current weight etc to work out whats best for me?

i would just look at what i eat normally and work it out but my diet varies so much.

Alg

The diet advice is relevent.
Cycling is excellent for weight loss and toning up as long as you do it regularly enough and for long enough.
Join a boxing club and attend twice a week.
You don't have to fight, just train.
The cycling quickly tones up the lower half and the boxing does both.

Hammer man

iTrader: (25)

Saxo Boys advice is spot on. I would avoid zig zagging too. I would also suggest that you try and bulk up over the winter months (low C/V and low rep/heavy weight) You will tend to eat more in winter because its colder. In the summer months you will tend to eat less. When spring comes along, lower the weight, increase the reps and introduce some C/V. Increase the C/V as the summer starts(train for longer) and then decrease as autumn starts. My summer weight would be 2 stone less than my winter weight(in the old days when I was young) If you do indeed have "loads of determination" avoid all alcohol in the winter but then you can enjoy a few drinks in the summertime and look good at the same time. "simples"....

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

Saxo Boy is doing just weights enough to burn off fat? or is it best to have a mix of weights and cardio? Ive just started lifting weights 5 days a week resting over the weekend, would i be better to do 2 days of cardio instead of the weights?

Snazy

Cardio is always a good thing. Burns calories and keeps the heart working
If you do a 5 day week of training (as I do) try and mix it up so there is either cardio on each session, or/and a dedicated cardio day, if not 2 a week.
I do 3 days of weights, 2 days of cardio. Each weight day includes 30-40 mins of cardio also.
What is the breakdown of the 5 straight days of weights? Which groups per day?

yoza

Just be careful all of you.

You don't want to be getting too big, OK.

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

classic Yoza

Banny

TelBoy

I feel the need. The need to scream.



Good advice on this thread. I'd concur about boxing training - that's brutal. For many blokes the battle of the bulge is centred around all things alcohol, unless you're naturally a fatty. Avoid snacking too, that's lethal. None of it is rocket scienc.e The hard part is actually doing it.

yoza

Terrance.

There are times when it IS important.....



And there are times when its not so important.

LG John

In an ideal world you'd have a good mixture of diet, weight training and CV work.

I personally couldn't face that war on all fronts. I've been really disciplined about what I eat and that has caused me some heartaches (turning down meals at friends, etc because I know 100% if I turn up I'll get pizza/curry like them). I have also managed to quite consistently go to the gym 3x a week and do heavy weight lifting for around 45mins-1h. My only CV is a game of 5-a-side football on a wednesday night and remember I work from home, so it's not like I'm even walking that much.

However, I've achieved some great results and the fat/weight is coming off slowly and steadily. If I did more CV I'd be fitter overall and would achieve greater results but I simply can't motivate myself to 'go for a run' as I hate CV work. I guess we'll know in 2-4 months time if losing substantial amounts of body fat is achievable with just weights and diet as there will no doubt be another thread like this and I'll no doubt contribute to it

The one thing I would say is that aside from having to turn down what I'd call 'eating opportunities' (I still treat myself to some) the whole eating sensibly thing and doing weights has been easy. Far easier than going on a specific 'diet'. Tonight for example the in laws are round with friends and we are going to do a sort of steak stroganoff (sp?) on a bed of rice. I've calculated that a portion of the dish is around 700-800 cals, which is fairly heavy for one meal when you're on circa 1500 a day and, there's a fair chunk of single cream in the sauce. There will no doubt be a desert and in total I'll probably touch 2000 cals today. However, 2000-2500 cals is my idea of 'treating' myself and I defo get extra enjoyment from days when I get to eat/drink like that. In the past though I'd not bother to calorie count on a 'treat day' and looking back I was probably smashing 3000+ with ease. That's just stupid when you've been good for the rest of the week and then you have such a big blowout.

For me the key is always calories counting. I'm not obsessed with it, I don't weigh up everything but I read labels and always over-estimate rather than under. You'll be amazed when you start to count everything you eat or would consider eating how many horrific eating mistakes you used to make. Here's an example of my worst 'meal':

Every other weekend or so we'd go to my uncles and aunts for some chow. Usually we get a pizza from the local chip shop as they have a pizza oven and the guy that makes them is really good. I'd normally gorge myself and have:

1x 12inch Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese
1x Half-bag (shared) of large portion of chips
1ltr of Red Cola
1x Deluxe McFlurry (i.e. mint areo or whatever the special is)

I sat down and tried to guestimate the damage from that meal and it's as follows:

Pizza = 2250 (I based this on pizza hut, regular crust 12" which is just over 2000. However, this has 'extra cheese' and is dripping with fat and oil)
Chips = 500
Red Cola = 250
Flurry = 385

I'd factor +/- 15% to account for a degree of guestimation. Nevertheless, that one meal was putting 2877-3892 calories into my system. Even the bottom figure is well over an average man's daily allowance. If it's closer to the upper figure then it's a total disaster if that's your idea of a 'treat' when you've been on circa 1500-1700 cals a day for the rest of the week.

Knowledge is the key IMHO. Know what you are facing, understand how your body works and - crucially - actually know what you are eating! Leave nothing to chance. As I said earlier, eating well isn't about 'dieting' for me. I'm not on a diet, I'm just not being a douche about what I eat any more. The key benefit of this is that I'm not 'looking forward' to eating 'normally' again or being 'off' my diet. Once I reach my desired weight I'll try to adjust my eating to ensure healthy maintenance and that might allow me to take a few more liberties. However, I'm not counting the days until then as I'm not being overly denied of enjoyment just now.

My final tip is keep an eye on drinks. I bet you sneak a sh*t load of calories into your system through beer, fizzy drinks, full sugar apple juice/OJ/diluting juice and milk (even semi-skimmed is a nightmare).

Tam the bam

I take it you didn't highlight the tiny white text under my post? (#6)

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

You have to be borderline obsessive/obsessive sometimes with bodybuilding/keeping fit and it is not everyones cup of tea.

This is why so many people get into shape and become out of shape again after 6 months.

The physical part is probably the easiest side the psychological is the hardest, beat that and you are on to a winner

Banny

TelBoy

Damn you i missed that


Don't encourage them

TelBoy

Checks for more hidden text

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

Saxo Boy I'm 6' tall and 13 stone so I'm not really over weight I'm just wanting to get a bit stronger and more defined, basically get rid of the fat round my tummy and sides though its not excessive. My diet is not paticulayheathly but the fat and calorie content is normal 2000-2500 cal per day, very rarely drink now a days.

I might change 2 day per week for cardio just to vary it a bit.
Today i did:- 3 sets of 10 reps of bench press with 20 sec rest between sets
3 sets of 10 reps of dumbbell flye with 20 sec rest between sets
3 sets of 10 reps bent-over rows 60 sec rest between sets
3 sets of 8 squats 60 sec rest between sets
1 set of dumbbell shoulder press
1 set of dumbbell biceps curls
1 set of triceps pushdown
1 set of calf raise

As said above Boxing is excellent at burning fat when i was Thai Boxing 4 nights a week i was down to 11 1/2 stone but its VERY hard work

Some great advise guys