The Conservative Cave
Interests => Health & Fitness => Topic started by: obumazombie on June 10, 2013, 11:22:32 AM
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I promised to start this thread about a year ago when I observed the occasion of my 5,000th post on the forum.
I will post a chapter every day or couple of days until I have posted my whole treatise.
I welcome all comments including any knowledge, experience or information other forum members might have on the subject.
If it seems appropriate I will try to answer all replies.
I hope you enjoy the thread !
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Preface...
I have been wanting to tackle this project for a long time. I have talked a lot about it. I have written about it. I have thought a lot about it. I have even threatened to do it. But now I have done it.
What I was hoping for ideally, is to post my outline first, and then one subject a day thereafter to allow comments, criticisms, and even snide remarks, until I have posted all subjects.
I am especially looking for constructive criticism, but any comment whatsoever will be appreciated. You can offer additions, deletions, rearrangements, your own experiences, whatever blows your skirt up.
You may notice that I didn't follow the exact order of my outline. As I fleshed out my outline, I did rearrange some topics to flow more logically as I perceived flow. But further input on topic order would be appreciated for an even better possible flow and overall content.
Therefore, Mods, I request quite a bit of latitude in amending and modifying all my posts in this topic. I don't know what the default modify deadline is. It seems to me like it's an hour or so. I might need a week or more, at least in this one thread.
As you know, I have a congenital hatred of lurkers in my threads. I detest lurkers generally, but in this thread, they are not allowed. If you took the time to come here and see what's going on out of curiosity, or whatever, then take the time to make a comment. I don't care if it's "boo", or "fat rules". Just make a comment. THERE ARE NO EFFING LURKERS ALLOWED IN THIS THREAD. THAT GOES FOR YOU. If you don't believe me, try me, and I'll tell you how I really feel.
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It's all about carbs. Limit carbs and, for me, not eating past 6 PM and weight drops. Real simple.
Fat doesn't seem to make a great deal of difference. So cheese and nuts - within reason - are okay.
It's all about carbs and cutting way, way back on 'em.
Lurk on that one, 'zombie! :-)
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^Beautiful !
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I've lost 5 pounds in the last 3 weeks or so, and I have a good 50 pounds to go before I reach my goal weight. For me it is about being honest with myself about what I'm eating and eating in moderation. Also, physical activity is huge when it comes to weight loss for me. I was running regularly until I sprained my ankle a couple weeks ago. I think it is just about healed enough for some easy jogging.
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I am curious to see what does work for people, as I could stand to shed some weight myself. The not eating after 6pm doesn't work for me, as I am not even home from my workday at 6. I know I need to exercise
more as well. Motivation is a challenge for me. Boo! Fat Rules! :-)
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I am curious to see what does work for people, as I could stand to shed some weight myself. The not eating after 6pm doesn't work for me, as I am not even home from my workday at 6. I know I need to exercise more as well. Motivation is a challenge for me. Boo! Fat Rules! :-)
One thing I'll do for exercise when I'm feeling particularly unmotivated is stick an audiobook on my iPhone and go for a nice long walk.
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Celtic, and Iassa, Beautiful posts !
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OMG, I'm afraid to get a zobbie spanking for lurking :popcorn:
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OMG, I'm afraid to get a zobbie spanking for lurking :popcorn:
Some spankings might be pleasant. :naughty:
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I know I need to exercise more as well. Motivation is a challenge for me. Boo! Fat Rules! :-)
I'll be the chubby guy in the same corner as Tots holding the other side of the "Boo! Fat Rules" banner. :lmao:
I'm hoping Jtyangel sees this thread, she seems to be someone very well versed in fitness.
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here, Eupher, CC, wonderful. Thank you for not lurking.
I was going to publish my table of contents tomorrow, but due to a great response to the thread, here it is...
Basal metabolism ✓
Heart rate zones✓
A pound of fat is 3,500 calories, or 4 sticks of butter weighing one pound✓
Rate of weight loss✓
Ideal caloric deficit✓
Ideal weight loss rate✓
Methods of weight loss✓
Dieting✓
Exercising✓
Diet and exercise✓
Fat density versus muscle density✓
Muscle, water, and fat loss hierarchy ✓
Muscle, water, and fat gain hierarchy✓
Yo-yo dieting✓
Diet and diet items interaction✓
Alcohol and Dieting✓
Tobacco and Dieting✓
Caffeine and energy drinks and dieting✓
My experience with weight loss✓
Vitamin supplements and weight loss✓
"The 1,000 pound man starving on 15,000 calories a day"✓
Exercise✓
Muscles
Smooth✓
Cardiac✓
Skeletal✓
Fast Twitch Sprint type , bulking heavy weights✓
Slow twitch endurance type toning lighter weights✓
Pyramids✓
Up✓
Down✓
Neggies✓
Exercise effect on hunger✓
Physiolgical exercise effects✓
Psychological exercise effects✓
Methods of exercise✓
Warm up and cool down✓
stretching✓
isometrics (static anaerobic)✓
aerobic (calisthenic)✓
anaerobic (dynamic)✓
plyometric✓
additive property of exercise✓
Amount of exercise✓
Buildup of exercise✓
Post exercise metabolism effect✓
Overexertion and injuries✓
Methods of calorie reduction or diet alteration sometimes aka "Lifestyle change"✓
elimination✓
substitution✓
reduction✓
Spreading✓
Managing hunger✓
Ravenous✓
Hungry✓
Not hungry✓
Full✓
Sated✓
Timing your hunger✓
Mechanism for hunger✓
BMI (Body Mass Index) aka % body fat✓
Marathoner/Triathlete✓
Male 6%✓
Female 8%✓
Normal 12 to 18(M) 14 to 20 (F)✓
Overfat 18 to 26(M) 20 to 28 (F)✓
Obese above 26 (M) 28(F)✓
Discipline, managing habits✓
Mindset✓
Fasting✓
The starvation reflex✓
On muscles✓
On the stomach✓
Weighing protocols✓
Spot reducing✓
Snake oil weight loss machines✓
Snake oil weight loss supplements✓
Sauna effect, and hazards steam saunas, dry saunas✓
Fad diets✓
Weight Loss plateaus✓
Hydration✓
Thirst levels✓
Hydration levels✓
Hydration and egestion✓
Proper hydration✓
Diuretics✓
Tea✓
Colas✓
Coffee✓
Any form of caffeine✓
Dehydration✓
Cellular cleansing✓
Amount of intake✓
Alcohol✓
Substitutes to hydration✓
Survival/ fasting starvation vs dehydration✓
Body types✓
Endomorphic✓
Ectomorphic✓
Mesomorphic✓
Thyroid: my High School football coach✓
Age and Weight Loss✓
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Good God, 'zombie. Just go ahead and write an f'n dissertation.
At least you'd get credit for that in a PhD program.
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I am at my ideal weight at all times. My ideal weight is determined by a flexible scale that aligns with whatever my weight is when I happen to weigh myself.
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I am at my ideal weight at all times. My ideal weight is determined by a flexible scale that aligns with whatever my weight is when I happen to weigh myself.
That's actually not a bad marketing idea. If you could come up with a product like that it might be "the better mousetrap".
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That's actually not a bad marketing idea. If you could come up with a product like that it might be "the better mousetrap".
I would never make ugly "profit" from my system. I shall provide it free to all the huddled masses for a nominal shipping/handling charge.
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^And the world would beat a path to your door !
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I would never make ugly "profit" from my system. I shall provide it free to all the huddled masses for a nominal shipping/handling charge.
Don't tell me -- let me guess.
A case of non-pasteurized Guinness, flown overnight directly from Dublin, and a box of whatever kinda Cuban cigars that stink up the night air.
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Don't tell me -- let me guess.
A case of non-pasteurized Guinness, flown overnight directly from Dublin, and a box of whatever kinda Cuban cigars that stink up the night air.
Nothing so complicated. My system will fit on a three fold pamphlet and, as I said, will be free. There will be a nominal shipping handling charge for postage and, not unlike the above mentioned cigars, to pay young Cuban girls to fold them on their thighs.
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^You mean dominicans...
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqQIm-AtsXs[/youtube]
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Coincidence? Nah, Act of God.
As you can tell by my username, I am Tiny1. That name was given to me when I was a bodyguard in Hollywood, 30 some years ago. Then, I was 6'3 and 307 lbs. I had a 40 inch waist, and a 60 inch Chest. Now, that seems reversed.
I was injured 15 or so years ago. I was out of work for almost 2 years. Then, I had a genetic heart issue. Seems I've had an enlarged heart, all my life. With the onset of severe arthritis, I have gained almost a hundred more pounds. My Dr. and I set down this week, and had a straight talk. He seems to think my Testosterone may be slightly low, causing me pain with my arthritis, difficulty sleeping, and trouble exercising. We discussed how to raise my numbers, without putting me on hormone therapy.
We talk for about 30 minutes, and I realize he is talking about a "modified" version of Atkins. High protein, and high mono and saturated fats, complex carbs, with the addition of some T building foods. Things like, walnuts, avacados, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Even though you can never exercise your way out of bad nutrition, exercise is critical. But not just exercise, but intense interval stuff. Big Movement Weight exercises, with lightweight, and loads of reps. Intense cardio, like sprints. 90 second recover rates, and short term workouts.
The reason I even commented, is that we always hear how our advanced age makes it harder to lose weight. I think the reason in men, is this testosterone connection. It only needs to be a bit low, to screw up your weight loss. As soon as my Testosterone Test comes back, I'll begin. I'll keep everyone posted.
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Nothing so complicated. My system will fit on a three fold pamphlet and, as I said, will be free. There will be a nominal shipping handling charge for postage and, not unlike the above mentioned cigars, to pay young Cuban girls to fold them on their thighs.
Beware the pubes.
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I usually need to shed the winter weight I put on. This winter I put on 13#. I enjoy going to a warm water therapy pool and doing water exercises in a group of us old farts. There's also lap swimming and water walking. Water walking really helps therapy-wise.
The warm water is bath temperature and is very nice to joints. A pal who goes with me is healing from surgery, so I've been procrastinating going alone. It's a bit of a drive.
Good luck to us all :cheersmate:
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Swimming is an excellent exercise for weight loss. It is low impact on the joints, and it has a doubling effect on calorie expenditure.
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Installment 1...
My experience with weight loss
As a toddler on up, I was always very skinny, and all the way through high school, college, and until midway through my military service. I had the endomorph body type. I would estimate my body fat levels at somewhere between 5 to 7%, and I could eat anything I wanted. All that came to a crashing halt in my later 20's living as a bachelor in a 3 bedroom house with a guy room mate from my AOCS class. I had full days going where if I wasn't doing something career related, I was studying my 4th point of contact off. So there seemed to be no time for a well balanced home cooked meal, or even time to go to a restaurant for a decent meal. My diet consisted of, for nearly a year, a concoction I called meat dip, Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies, and large quantities of soda. The main ingredients for meat dip were velveeta cheese, and ground pork sausage. I was getting most of the major food groups. That winter, my exercise regimen decreased to next to nothing, and as a result, I put on over 20 pounds by spring. I was literally shocked. It seemed like something unimaginable had happened overnight, and without warning. I have been skirmishing with up and down body weight ever since. My max was 210, or maybe more, I was too much of a coward to weigh myself when I was that big. As a baseline, I graduated high school just over 160 pounds, and maybe a pound or two more before my winter of discontent about 9 years later. Since high school I would like to think I have gained in muscle mass so that I imagine my ideal 7 to 9% body fat weight to be 170 to 175. At 170 that would mean I would have to lose 40 (or more) pounds to get to my target. That is a decent amount of weight for anyone to lose. I don't consider it to be small potatoes. And I fear, as I get older, it will be harder and harder to lose any excess weight, so I really want to get something done about it sooner rather than later.
The current weight loss program I am on now, I describe to you as you continue to read.
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I've lost 5 pounds in the last 3 weeks or so, and I have a good 50 pounds to go before I reach my goal weight. For me it is about being honest with myself about what I'm eating and eating in moderation. Also, physical activity is huge when it comes to weight loss for me. I was running regularly until I sprained my ankle a couple weeks ago. I think it is just about healed enough for some easy jogging.
This. I have lost over 100 lbs and within 15 up or down maintain it(coming down pretty quickly off of 15 winter hibernation fat lbs;) something that happened while I still hunt for a fitness home in winter which I think I have. I also started training As a group fitness instructor before divorce necessitated much more regulate employment and time and attention to other things. Suffice to say this topic is a great interest for me to. The important thing for me I have found is activity and weight training for a slower metabolism. The muscle helps add a boost to the metabolism. But slack on the activity and I gain. Never been one to drop weight on diet alone.
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I'll be the chubby guy in the same corner as Tots holding the other side of the "Boo! Fat Rules" banner. :lmao:
I'm hoping Jtyangel sees this thread, she seems to be someone very well versed in fitness.
Haha. I have arrived but an in vacation visiting my family in Florida so my contributions will be sporadic:)
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Ill add that my favorite workouts are hiking, boxing/kickboxing, and high interval low weight programs like body pump.
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I realize now that my admonition to avoid carbs, drink lots of water, and not worry too much about fat, was only half the story.
I agree with the consensus - that exercise is crucial to any weight loss program.
Gotta stoke the internal furnace and keep it stoked.
For me, during my active duty Army years, it was long-distance running. I was a smoker and I thought I was going to die while running a mile in late 1978. I was but 22 years old. In early 1979, I quit smoking (went to a pipe to kind of "bridge" that process) and began running.
I was never a fast runner, but I'd routinely run about 5 miles in 40 minutes. I remember the first time I ran for an hour, and getting to that milestone was surprisingly memorable. Back roads in Germany. Beautiful.
Once in Berlin in about 1985 or so, I ran my first 10 km. It felt like a cakewalk. Quickly graduated to 20 km runs (mostly while doing volksmarches, which weren't always accurate, distance-wise) but were always entertaining because there was always something different to see just up ahead. Did I say this was Germany? Lovely terrain.
I ran my first volksmarch marathon in 1988. This one was every bit of 42 km 195 meters. Took me 4 hours and 30 minutes. I was pumped.
There were plenty of runs of 20 or more kms. One course in Berlin, which took you through the Grunewald, was 29 kms. The crowning glory on that run was the final 2 kms or so would take you by a nude beach. :-)
In 1992, I ran 5 marathons that year. On weekends, sometimes it would be a marathon on Saturday and a 20 km on Sunday. Kept the weight off nicely, but my diet wasn't anything to crow about.
Since retirement, I've had to stop running -- the knees just simply scream at me anymore. So I use an elliptical these days, or quite often just walk. And since 2011, I've incorporated weight training into the mix as well. Lots of pushups, situps, and various dumbbell exercises -- nothing really too heavy -- along with a modest weight machine we have in the basement.
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Here are my responses in no particular order:
Pubes, Euph, didja have to go there? :thatsright:
CC, I know where we can get poster board for dirt cheap! :wink:
JTY, Celtic, etc...my current medical dilemma doesn't allow for tight fitting anything, especially shoes. Can you recommend any kind of cardio that would work in this case? If I wear my tennis shoes for a work out one day, they are swollen with hives the next, and I am unable to wear any shoe, with the exception of a pair of flip flops that look oh-so-chic with big ole red swollen feet.
I have never had any metabolism to speak of, the fact that I don't exercise is more than likely a good part of it. I really need to find something to do.
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Here are my responses in no particular order:
Pubes, Euph, didja have to go there? :thatsright:
Why, yes. Yes, I did. :-)
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Here are my responses in no particular order:
Pubes, Euph, didja have to go there? :thatsright:
CC, I know where we can get poster board for dirt cheap! :wink:
JTY, Celtic, etc...my current medical dilemma doesn't allow for tight fitting anything, especially shoes. Can you recommend any kind of cardio that would work in this case? If I wear my tennis shoes for a work out one day, they are swollen with hives the next, and I am unable to wear any shoe, with the exception of a pair of flip flops that look oh-so-chic with big ole red swollen feet.
I have never had any metabolism to speak of, the fact that I don't exercise is more than likely a good part of it. I really need to find something to do.
Swimming is always an option. Another possibility might be doing work out videos at home with bare feet. Jillian Michael's kickboxing workout DVD's are fun, and a pretty good workout. I've heard good things about Zumba as well.
Additionally, you might want to look into "unshoes" or "luna sandals." They were developed by proponents of barefoot running to protect the bottom of your foot while allowing it a full range of motion. Full disclosure, I've never tried them, but if your main issue is that you can't wear shoes while exercising they might be an option.
(http://unshoes.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/pink-31.jpg?w=640&h=458)
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I am so glad so many forum members decided to say Boo, or Fat Rules ! x_0
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Swimming is always an option. Another possibility might be doing work out videos at home with bare feet. Jillian Michael's kickboxing workout DVD's are fun, and a pretty good workout. I've heard good things about Zumba as well.
Additionally, you might want to look into "unshoes" or "luna sandals." They were developed by proponents of barefoot running to protect the bottom of your foot while allowing it a full range of motion. Full disclosure, I've never tried them, but if your main issue is that you can't wear shoes while exercising they might be an option.
(http://unshoes.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/pink-31.jpg?w=640&h=458)
Thanks CR! I am going to check into those shoes. I love swimming, but hate to get a gym membership just for the pool.
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Installment 2...
Body Types
Form birth we are gifted,or cursed with one of 3 body types...
Endomorphic
Ectomorphic
Mesomorphic
Some have a body type that is naturally skinny, naturally fat, or naturally muscular. With the right exercise program or sloppy habits, we can change our natural body to any other. Furthermore, the older we get the stronger the tendency to become the ectomorph, the fat body type. It is nice to have the desired body type, but not necessary, and certainly not a major obstacle to achieving specific weight loss, or fitness levels.
Basal Metabolism
This is the caloric consumption of your body at rest, not asleep. Your body position would be supine, when heart rate is at it's minimum, respiration at it's minimum, and all muscles relaxed. There would be little to no digestion taking place. In this state no demands above the minimum for vital signs are being tasked on the body. For the average American male that metabolic rate would require about 200 calories to sustain basal metabolism. For women slightly less. That baseline runs in the background of caloric output constantly. Any other caloric demands on the body are over and above basal metabolism.
Basal metabolism can be changed most desirably by higher fitness levels. On the downside basal metabolism decreases with weight loss, though not as much metabolism loss with fat loss as with muscle loss.
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Installment 3...
Body Mass Index (BMI) aka Body Fat Percentages
One measure of cardio vascular health, or even fitness levels, is the BMI. It is a measure of total body fat as a ratio to non fat. There are a number of ways to measure BMI, the least accurate (but more than accurate enough) that I am familiar with is the tape measure method. A tape measure is used to determine the circumference of the neck to set a baseline for a non fatty portion of the body that will give a fairly accurate indication of the proportion of the rest of the body in lean mass. Then a measurement of the widest part of the abdomen is used to reveal the circumference of that area which for males is the area most likely to accumulated fat. Another more accurate method of determining BMI, is a submersion method using Archimede's principal to determine body density converted to fat percentage.
In terms of body fat percentages, as a baseline, a competitive male marathon runner, or triathlete will have about 4 to 6% body fat, a female, 6 to 8% body fat.
As for the non marathon runners we have…
Normal body fat percentage……….about 12 to 18% for males, 14 to 20% for females
Overfat body fat percentage……….about 18 to 26% for males, 20 to 28% for females
Obese body fat percentage……….anywhere over 26% males, over 28% for females
But really, once you get into the higher overfat numbers and above, once you have reached to 25% body fat arena, who wants a quarter or more of their body weight to be pure fat ?
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Installment 4...
Heart Rate Zones
When exercising, the most effective weight loss will occur at the proper target heart rate zone. An individual's heart rate zone increases with fitness levels, and decreases with age. Depending on the type of exercise being performed will dictate the proper heart rate. For fat burning you would be in zone at about 55 to 65% of your max heart rate for your age. Cardio vascular exercise would be around 65 to 75%. For anaerobic exercise such as weightlifting 75 to 100 % of max. It should be considered dangerous and ineffective to try and purposely exceed your max heart rate without a thorough knowledge of the proper regimens to build up your max heart rate.
Fat Comparisons
A pound of fat has a caloric content of 3,500 calories. A calorie is also known as a btu ( British Thermal Unit). The working definition of a calorie is the amount of heat required to raise 1 cc of water 1 degree centigrade. If your pound of fat could be burned at a perfect efficiency, and all the heat released by the burning of it was transferred to 100 cc's ( about a coffee cup full) of water at room temperature ( approx. 22 degrees) it would raise the temperature of that 100 cc's to about 57 degrees centigrade, which is more than scalding hot water. Talk about a cup of hot coffee spilled in your lap at the McD's drive thru !
A pack of butter of the most popular size is a 1 pound pack with 4 sticks. That closely resembles the caloric content of a pound of fat. For every pound you are over your ideal weight you might as well spread one pound of butter over your body, and don't let any melt off.
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Installment 4...
you might as well spread one pound of butter over your body
OK!!!! now we're getting kinky here. Tell us more.
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OK!!!! now we're getting kinky here. Tell us more.
Now I know how to get the forum's attention !
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Now I know how to get the forum's attention !
I'm reading but I don't get it
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Installment 5...
Rate of Weight Loss
Ideal Caloric Deficit
Ideal Rate of Weight Loss
A difficult, and aggravating fact of weight loss is that the rate of weight loss will be equal to or less than the rate of weight gain once your diet "ends". If you want to lose weight rapidly, it is certainly possible, but just remember, the "back end" weight gain will be just as fast if not faster, all other things being equal. Furthermore rapid weight loss is inadvisable for many reasons, not the least of which it can become very hazardous to good health very rapidly. Very slow weight loss is also possible, and much more of a healthy option. Also any weight lost at this rate would be regained at an approximately equal rate, if not a little faster. The optimal weight loss rate is for most people 1 to 2 pounds a week, which for our purposes is a median rate. For really obese people these numbers can be proportionally but carefully increased.
Recalling our fat to calorie ratio, and applying it to our pound of weight loss per week, we find that we must decrease our weekly caloric intake by 3,500 calories. By the same token we could substitute a caloric output increase of 3,500 calories per week, or some combination of the 2. On a per day basis a 500 calorie deficit would need to be established. On the diet side for the average person that would represent a one fifth reduction of the approximately 2,500 calorie per day intake. On the exercise side that would be about an hours workout at a moderate exertion level on a daily basis, or some combination of both.
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Installment 6...
Water, Fat, and Muscle Weight Loss Hierarchies.
Water, Fat, and Muscle Weight gain Hierarchies.
When on a weight loss program, especially one that includes exercise, the first results will almost always be water weight loss. Diets that do not include a good exercise program will then yield weight loss results as a result of muscle loss. Diets that continue past this point will begin to yield fat loss results. Fat loss for women is especially harsh on their appearance as it will be lost from the last place it was gained. This is also true for men. For women, the last place they gained fat is almost always in the breasts, therefore that will be the first place fat loss will be experienced. This can be emotionally and mentally grueling and many become despondent and quit their diets with that excuse. The problem is, if that woman begins to regain fat weight, she will not regain it in her breasts until she has gained fat weight in all the other trouble areas that she really wanted to lose fat from. The thighs, the hips, the stomach, the triceps region, the chin, what have you
The same goes for muscle, and water. Water weight will be the first to be regained, then fat, then muscle.
It is prudent to be aware of these facts before beginning a weight loss program to prevent discouragements of this sort.
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Installment 7...
Starvation reflex
The body has a natural calorie counting ability that is curiously accurate. From it's current calorie intake, if it senses any excess, or deficit it responds quickly to each. The first reaction of the body to new caloric intake that can be immediately used, such as simple sugars, that there is a current demand for, it will prioritize those immediately. Then if there is any deficit in blood sugars, the digestion process will program digestive system caloric output to replenishing blood sugar levels. Any increase in calories processed and made available by the digestive system over and above current caloric demands by the body. is converted directly into fat production. Any reduction in caloric intake beyond the current levels of digestion and blood sugars causes the body to react rather quickly into burning muscle mass to make up the deficit. It does this because muscle is a quicker easier, and lmost effective reserve to draw on. Also on a per volume basis the caloric content is comparable. The direct burning of fat is a longer process, and once it is triggered, very painful for the body. If anyone has ever seen a long distance athlete hit the wall, and become unable to continue, possibly unable to even walk or crawl, this is the stage that direct fat burning has been triggered. It is much easier for the body to just tap in to the muscle. The only way to turn off the starvation reflex trigger is to stress the muscles beyond their normal use. This causes the body through hormones and other chemical triggers to rearrange the nourishment hierarchy, and directs nutrients to the muscle to cause them to grow and build to answer the newly imposed exertions placed on them.
The starvation reflex on the stomach initially brings on increasing levels of hunger pangs that peak after a day or 2, then subside at a similar rate to near nothing after another day or two. The hunger sensations then level out at a nuisance to background level, and remain there throughout the starvation process. The stomach begins a shrinking process that continues at a slow rate until the eating process re instituted. The stomach will also atrophy somewhat, but not anywhere close to the rate that other musculature will atrophy.
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BTW, I still don't get what you are doing. Is this a warm-up to a regimen, not yet started?
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BTW, I still don't get what you are doing. Is this a warm-up to a regimen, not yet started?
I believe your question may be answered by a closer inspection of my posts in the thread. If not, it shouldn't be much longer, and I will have my complete treatise included in the thread to be evaluated as a whole...work in process.
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BTW, I still don't get what you are doing. Is this a warm-up to a regimen, not yet started?
It's always darkest before the dawn.
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It's always darkest before the dawn.
Hmm, I'll keep checking, till I'm warned about the explicit photos :-)
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Hmm, I'll keep checking, till I'm warned about the explicit photos :-)
Those are located over in the Short Bus. You can't miss it. :naughty:
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Installment 8
Comparative Densities of Fat and Muscle
Muscle is more dense than fat. Equal weights of muscle take up less room than equal weights of fat. When muscle loss occurs during weight loss, it occurs faster than fat loss, thus greater weight loss faster. When fat loss occurs during weight loss, the first evidence of it is more often noticed as inches lost than pounds lost. A lot of inches can be lost without much weight being lost due to the lower density of fat. If at the same time the muscles are being exerted more than normally, and growing in response, an actual weight gain may be encountered even though fat is being lost, and inches are being lost. Any weight plateau or weight gain must be considered against this baseline.
The Hunger Mechanism
Physiological feelings of hunger originate in the nervous system. The stomach has a network of interconnected nerves, much like a fishing net, embedded in the stomach wall, that expand and contract along with the stomach in response to stomach content volumes introduced and digested. The nerves are at a null stimulation level about halfway between full empty, and full capacity. At this center point, the individual stomach nerves are neither stretched nor contracted, so they are in a neutral and relaxed state, and don't relay any nerve stimulation which would then be interpreted as hunger or fullness feelings. The more the individual nerves in the stomach's nervous system are stimulated towards either extreme the more the associated feeling will be transmitted.
The nervous system has another mechanism that is wondrous in some ways, in that it has the ability to normalize stimulation levels. Said another way, it can build up immunity to levels of stimulation. Often, when a physiological pain event occurs most commonly with an injury, original pain levels appear to recede long before the injury has begun any level of healing that would justify the pain reduction. This phenomenon applies to the hunger mechanism in that any level of hunger allowed to continue long enough will abate on it's own.
Another vexing problem surrounding body weight and body fat is psychological hunger. The wise dieter will learn to disassociate these two, and only respond to the physiological hunger signs, otherwise the psychological influences will booby trap the diet.
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Installment 9
Managing Hunger Pangs and Hunger Side Effects
I describe feelings of hunger and fullness as a continuum, on a list that I identify with. It goes from ravenous to sated…
Ravenous…I could eat anything in sight
Hungry…….I want to eat right now
Satisfied..…I just stopped being hungry
Full……...…I first felt the full sensation
Overfull……I kept eating once I was full, but I could still eat a little more. Maybe room for dessert.
Sated…...…I couldn't eat another thing. A good Thanksgiving meal.
It is best to avoid, by ingestion, feelings of ravenous hunger. Once a level of ravenous hunger is achieved not only will the physiological effects be felt, but psychological responses will compound the condition. If one should experience ravenous hunger while on a weight loss program, they should eat only until they are just hungry. The problem is for most people, they will power through the hungry stage, and eat more before the stomach can relay lower levels of hunger, or higher levels of fullness,most usually to the sated state.
The hungry feeling is the feeling that the good dieter will become comfortable with, and learn to desire. If you want to lose weight you will have to learn to not only live with the hungry state, but learn to like it and enjoy it, and the knowledge that in this state the diet is at it's most effective. But let's face it by intent or default you will have some type of arrangement with hunger. You can make it your ally, your servant, and make yourself, through discipline make your hunger work for you as you make yourself the master of your hunger. Or, you can have a truce with hunger, in which case your weight loss will likely stall out, or plateau. The only other option, and one of the 3 is mandatory, is that your hunger will rule you, and drive you to heavier and heavier weights, and more unhealthy fat gain.
A good dieter in the hungry state will know by feeling and timing how to avoid the hunger state from becoming the ravenous state by shrewd placement of meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. The good dieter will also know how to eat portions at mealtime that will only alter his hunger state to satisfied, or possibly even full, but never more. Needless to say, eating till overfull or sated are counterproductive to weight loss, unless the food being consumed is of a very low calorie level, and even then should probably be avoided.
The award winning dieter will wake up hungry, and eat only enough to be hungry, but not ravenous at lunch. The same strategy should apply for dinner.
When eating dinner one should only eat enough to ensure an onset of hunger at the same time the tiredness and sleep mechanism occurs. That is, you should go to bed a little hungry. The nice thing about going to bed hungry is that as long as your hunger level is less than or equal to your sleepiness level, the tie will go to the sleepiness , and as you doze off you hunger feeling will seem to abate.
The wise dieter will never go to bed on an full stomach. The food you consumed right before going to bed will sit in your stomach as your metabolism plummets to near it's basal level. Your body will sense the caloric excess and channel nearly all of it into fat conversion. The only exception to this would be an exhaustive anaerobic workout prior to eating where the body would sense the demand for musculature requirements, and the body would target excess calories towards muscle production. Aside from that I can only think of one other legitimate reason to ever eat right before going to bed, and that would be if starting a hunger strike the next day. If you do have to eat shortly before going to bed try to minimize your meal, and try to at least walk it off with a good length walk.
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Installment 10
Methods of Weight Loss (Non Surgical)
Starvation diet weight loss.
Starvation diets are possible, and the most rapid method of initial weight loss, but except for very closely medically monitored, fasting should be avoided for the level of health risk they pose. Just about everyone can afford to miss a meal or 2. In fact for many medical procedures overnight and longer fasts are prescribed. Just about everyone knows someone who should go on a hunger strike.
Amateur starvation diets often fail rapidly because the same reason that caused the overweight condition, and the decision to look for a short cut are most likely to also be the cause of quitting the diet…discipline, or lack of it.
Diet only weight loss.
Dieting is the second fastest method for initial weight loss. Cutting down on current diet items or cutting items out of the current diet will lead to some very immediate weight loss. The reason for this is often not welcome news to the dieter, water weight loss and the starvation reflex. A contributing reason for this is also the density difference between fat and muscle. The unwanted side effects of dieting alone is often the cause of nearly all diet only diet's failures. Seemingly unmanageable hunger pangs are most often the most unwanted side effect of diet only diets.
Exercise only weight loss.
Exercise only diets will yield little to no positive and rapid results. Often the first symptom of these type diets is a weight gain, with some possible inch lost results. But if continued past this point the exercise only method will catch up, and eventually surpass all other methods except the diet and exercise method. One seemingly positive aspect of this approach is that the dieter will not have to change their current diet or eating habits. But unless they are armed with the foreknowledge of the first results of this approach, this can lead to disappointment, and another in a long list of excuses for quitting.
Diet and exercise weight loss.
The first results of this approach may be minimal on the same time scale as the other methods. A small weight loss may be experienced, and inches lost will be more noticeable. This approach will eventually meet the results of all the other approaches sooner, and exceed them by ever increasing margins. Diet and exercise is by far the best method by in the medium to long term, and will also afford the best long term post weight loss lasting results. The caveat being, at the end of the weight loss program the exercise can be scaled back a little with no further change in diet, but if eliminated altogether, then diet must be decreased to sustain the desired weight. On the flip side if the routine exercise regimen is kept into the weight sustaining phase, the diet caloric content can be increased somewhat.
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It's all about carbs. Limit carbs and, for me, not eating past 6 PM and weight drops. Real simple.
Fat doesn't seem to make a great deal of difference. So cheese and nuts - within reason - are okay.
It's all about carbs and cutting way, way back on 'em.
Lurk on that one, 'zombie! :-)
This
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Well I've just skimmed this stuff but, it looks like I need to be on the starvation/exercise diet.
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Well I've just skimmed this stuff but, it looks like I need to be on the starvation/exercise diet.
Me too. I am so screwn.
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Bad Dog, and Iassa, this installment is dedicated to you...
for your "fat rules" and your "BOO" !
Installment 11
Methods of calorie loss or diet alteration, sometimes aka "Lifestyle Change".
Many people see weight loss as a project to be completed then forgotten about. They also see the accomplishment of their weight loss goal as permission to go right back to the lifestyle pre diet. If they take this course of action as a result of those attitudes they end up at the same weight they started, and maybe even heavier and fatter. Many people find themselves going through a number of these transitions, and each time through the cycle they wind up back where they stated, but far more often, they bounce back heavier and or fatter.
This is referred to as the Yo-yo effect.
If you want to maintain a desired weight goal that you have achieved through your weight loss program, you must permanently change some aspect of your life, and seldom if ever return to it.
If your weight loss plan included exercise, then you must continue an exercise regimen that may be more relaxed from your weight loss exercise program. The same goes for diet alone, or the combination of diet and exercise. There is an option of trading back and forth between a lifestyle diet change and a lifestyle exercise change, but some aspect of your post diet life must remain changed from the lifestyle that you had pre diet in order to maintain the weight goal you have arrived at.
So the possible options for a necessary lifestyle change, to maintain your desired weight are diet only, exercise only, or a combination. Switching between options will also work.
But whatever option you select, or switch between, you must make a permanent change from your pre diet lifestyle habits.
As regards diet, there may be some item in it that can be eliminated altogether. It may be desserts, soft drinks, high fat/ carb snacks, alcohol, etc.
Substitution is also an option when altering a diet. Maybe an artificial sweetener for certain amounts of sugar in recipes. Maybe diet drinks instead of soda pop.
But don't rationalize a substitution as a license to more than make up for the difference. Just because you drink a diet soda doesn't mean you are justified in adding in extra Big Macs or Whoppers to your diet.
Reduction of portions of all or many food items is certainly a viable option for initial weight loss, and ongoing weight management as are the previously mentioned elimination, and substitution.
You also have the option of spreading portion control across all your diet items, reducing each portion of each item.
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Bad Dog, and Iassa, this installment is dedicated to you...
for your "fat rules" and your "BOO" !
So the possible options for a necessary lifestyle change, to maintain your desired weight are diet only, exercise only, or a combination. Switching between options will also work.
But whatever option you select, or switch between, you must make a permanent change from your pre diet lifestyle habits.
I'm working on it!
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Installment 12...
Vitamin Supplements and Weight Loss Regimens
It seems to me it was the Health Channel that put together a documentary about a 1,000 pound man around the late 90's. Just before the man was started on a weight loss program, his health and nutrition levels were measured, and it was found that even while on a diet of high nutrition food that exceeded 20,000 calories a day, essential vitamins and minerals were not sufficient and being leeched out of his body such that he was literally starving for want of the proper levels of vitamins and minerals. Imagine that, starving on 20,000 calories a day !
Many doctors and nutritionists will tell you to eat a balanced diet to get all your nutrition, and daily requirements of absorbable vitamins, and minerals. Some vitamins and minerals are water soluble, and some are fat soluble. The ones that are water soluble cannot be stored in the body, and are easily flushed away with exercise and larger than normal volumes of water ingested, therefore they must be replenished on a daily basis. Fat soluble vitamins can be stored in the body so ordinarily they are less of a concern. But with a weight loss program that is producing fat loss, fat soluble vitamins and minerals will need to be replenished also.
Even with non dieters, I have not met , nor has any doctor I have ever known, met anyone who eats a balanced diet on a regular basis. Furthermore, there are many vitamins and minerals required by the body for good health that are in such small quantities in the balanced diets that are talked about, you would have to eat an exorbitant amount of one food or the other that is the source of theses vitamins and minerals, as to be impractical. That would be to achieve the MDA, or minimum daily allowance, not to mention how much more impractical it would be to reach the level of RDA, or recommended daily allowance.
Then, for the weight loss pro, there is the added consideration that any diet reduction is also reducing their vitamin and mineral intake, not to mention the increased demands of calories and energy that are going into an exercise program that is part of the weight loss.
So you are left in a situation where your vitamin and mineral supply is being attacked on all sides.
This is why it is so imperative to be taking a high quality multi-vitamin, multi-mineral, multi supplement while on a weight loss program. I most certainly take one. There are actually very few with the proper potency, form, and absorbency. A surprisingly large amount of vitamins on the market will pass right through the body with little to no absorption. Furthermore, they have to be bio available, that is the vitamin or mineral in question has to be in a form that the body can metabolize. Take iron for instance. You could get all the iron you need in your daily diet if you ate iron ball bearings, if iron ball bearings could be absorbed and metabolized by your body, which they can't.
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I'm working on it!
Me too! I have been eating mostly proteins and vegies (and some fruit) the past couple weeks and exercising more; on my lazy day(s) where I don't want to really work out, I do isometrics.
I can tell there's been a bit of core tightening already.
Good luck to ya. :)
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My next installment will be dedicated to JLO. I don't know what it is yet, but it is a method to reward thread replies.
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My next installment will be dedicated to JLO. I don't know what it is yet, but it is a method to reward thread replies.
Don't worry, 'zombie. I'm reading your stuff.
And I'm really glad you mentioned the vitamins/minerals thing.
I've been taking not just an all-around supplement, but several other things as well:
1. Vitamin E with tocopherals
2. Vitamin D (this has been VERY beneficial in warding off fever blisters and cold sores.)
3. Glucosamine/Chondroitin
4. Vitamin C
5. Fish oil (this is controversial, I know, but I take it)
And one or two other things I can't think of at the moment.
There are so many things, that I have to split them up in two batches. The first round I take in the morning after breakfast and round 2 I take after dinner.
I have to take these things with food, otherwise I get nauseous.
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^Good stuff Eupher !
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Installment 13, Dedicated to Eupher...
Exercise
Sometimes fitness and exercise are used interchangeably, and I refer to "fitness" often. So what I will do is define what I mean when I say fitness. Fitness is the ability to exercise at a high intensity, and then after exactly a one minute rest period, have your heart rate return to normal resting levels. The more strenuous the exercise you can do, and have your heart rate return to resting levels in one minute, the higher your fitness level.
Understanding exercise is best accomplished by having specific knowledge of the engine of exercise, the muscle.
There are 3 types of muscle each can be effectively exercised either directly or indirectly. When most people think of muscle they think of body builders and the bulky skeletal muscles than can be developed to sculpt a body. The skeletal muscles can be exercised directly, and can be controlled directly being cause to contract and relax at will.
While exercising the skeletal muscles the cardiac muscles, and many smooth muscles such as the diaphragm will be exercised indirectly. The cardiac muscle and a few of the smooth muscles can be controlled somewhat, but only partially and indirectly at best. To an extent you can somewhat regulate your breathing and heart rates, but not wholly or indefinitely.
Of the skeletal muscles, their makeup consists of a combination of fast and slow twitch muscles. The amount and percentage of each are mostly hereditary, and or related to racial determinants. Fast twitch muscles are more suitably adapted for sprint, and explosive type muscle contractions. When exercised properly over a period of time these muscles develop a noticeably bulky appearance. These muscles are best built by heavier weights, explosive contractions, minimal repetitions, and continuing to exercise the muscle in question to failure. Muscle failure can most efficiently induced by up and down pyramids, that is on each successive set, adding reps until the muscle fails, or at some point when failure is imminent reducing reps on successive sets. Even the use of pyramids will eventually become tolerated by the body and it will develop an immunity to the techniques often causing a plateau. At such times negative exercises can often bypass the plateau. Negative sets or "Neggies" consist of allowing a partner to set the weight or assist with the contraction phase, then resisting the weights return to the starting position of the exercise by the slow release of contraction during the contraction phase of the repetition. Slow twitch muscles are more suitable for endurance types of repetitive motions, and when exercised properly over long periods will not bulk up appreciably, but will tone with a more intricately detailed appearance. These muscles are best built by lighter weights, slower contractions and more repetitions.
Increasing exercise levels, especially increasing the minimal if any exercise levels, have some very direct effects on hunger levels. While exercising properly, endorphin levels and other body chemicals reduce hunger levels and keep them reduced until the effects of the exercise wear off, which is a good time after ceasing the actual exercise. This is in the short term. In the long term an exercise program will increase hunger levels over the starting baseline, but not to the extent or to the proportion of the calories being burned. So for example, let's say your starting baseline levels of hunger average equivalent to your caloric intake of 2,500 calories daily, if it were able to be so easily quantified. Then let's say that you jump into an exercise regimen that burns 500 calories a day. It may seem safe to deduce that your hunger level will rise to a 3,000 calorie a day hunger level, but it doesn't. It may increase to say 2,600, or 2,700 calories a day hunger level equivalent. So it has a synergistic effect on your overall weight loss program. The downside to the exercise hunger effect is that if you quit your exercise regimen, in this case your hunger levels would rise to the 3,000 calorie a day level, at least until your body adjusted to the absence of the former exercise effects. So overall exercise has a very positive physiological effect for the weight loss pro, at least in the arena of hunger levels. Other physiological effects of exercise are increased levels of endorphins, the dopamine effect, and MAOs stimulation.
On the psychological side there are desirable benefits to exercise. After you body adapts to an exercise program it begins to become used to increased dopamine, endorphin, and MAO's stimulation. Then after a while of that it begins to crave them.
The endorphin effect is the good feeling you get during exercise after being acclimated to it. The dopamine effect is the good feeling you get after exercise. The MAO effect is the sensation of excitement and adventure that is being stimulated by exercise. These physiological reactions over a period of time build up a physical addiction to exercise. After a period of physical addiction to exercise, a psychological addiction begins to manifest.
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I will never forget a distinctly euphoric endorphin-based rush I got during a particularly fast 5-mile run in the late Eighties.
In those days I ran 5 miles 4-5 days per week, and often on weekends, 20 kms or more.
That particular run, which sticks with me to this day, occurred along the Teltow Canal in Berlin. I was in about mile 3, on the way back, and something just told me to am-scray. Running quite fast (for me, anyway) at about a 6-minute mile pace, versus a more sedate 8-minute mile pace, brought me to a psychological level I'd never experienced before or since.
Little wonder that there are so many exercise addicts out there. It's quite compelling.
As to the weight training thing, I do modest amounts of the "slow-twitch" variety. I have no desire to "bulk up" and, besides, I've always hated doing pushups.
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^Good stuff Eupher.
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Installment 14...
Methods of exercise
Warm up and cool down
stretching
isometrics (static anaerobic)
aerobic (calisthenic)
anaerobic (dynamic)
plyometric
For younger weight loss pros, warmups before and cool downs after exercise are not as crucial although they would certainly be worthwhile. For older, and or more obese younger weight loss pros warmups and cool downs become more essential for avoiding injuries, and for avoiding other negative health effects. Two of the most effective warmup routines are stretching and walking.
Although stretching is not an exercise method in and of itself, it does have exercise benefits while stretching and limbering the body, and preparing it for exercise. Stretching will elevate the heart rate above your baseline non exertion levels, and it will increase your caloric output somewhat. Stretching the muscle groups and body parts you intend to exercise will greatly reduce the chance of injury to that area while exercising.
Warm up intervals vary with the amount and intensity of the exercise intended. For instance, a short run would best be served with a longer warmup. A long run would best be served with a shorter warmup. Walking as a warmup is best conducted after stretching of the associated soft tissues, and then begun at a slow pace increasing in pace as the body temperature rises. Once the body temperature has risen to it's optimum exercise level, full intensity exercise can much more safely be conducted.
A cool down period after a workout is recommended to keep the muscles from cramping or spasming, or otherwise tightening to the point where injury is more likely. For most workouts, continuing the workout but at a slower and slower pace for a minimum of 5 minutes is recommended.
Isometric exercise is static, and anaerobic in nature. It consists of isolating muscles, and muscle groups, and contracting them against an unmoving resistance. The advantage of this form of exercise is that it doesn't require any equipment, it is only limited by the imagination of the isometricist in finding ways to implement static resistance. The disadvantage is that muscle groups don't get their full range of motion stimulated.
Aerobic exercise is probably the best for calorie and fat burning. It elevates the heart rate to a target rate zone that is able to be sustained for long periods by the equilibrium of aerobic capacity on a cellular level. Aerobic exercise precludes debilitating buildups of lactic acid. Running is a good aerobic exercise. Swimming is a beautiful aerobic exercise, as the body not only burns calories to perform the exercise, the swim response causes more calories to be burned by the body's temperature regulating system. Also, many more muscle groups are exercised in swimming than other exercises.
Any aerobic exercise performed at a high enough intensity becomes anaerobic. At anaerobic levels of exercise, the cellular ability of oxygen to be delivered is exceeded. Also, lactic acid levels build to a point where the muscles involved become unable to further function. Aerobic ability can be increased to levels that were once anaerobic, and anaerobic levels can be increased to the point where direct fat burning processes take place, and the anaerobic period is extended. All this happens as the routine and intensity of your exercise regimen strengthen your aerobic, and anaerobic capacities.
Weightlifting is an example of a dynamic anaerobic exercise. Although at lower resistance levels, weightlifting can be conducted as an aerobic exercise.
Plyometrics combine elements of stretching, short periods of anaerobic, and longer periods of aerobics, even isometrics, and have become very popular after the eclipse of the jazzercise and aerobics crazes. Plyometrics have their roots in good old fashioned calisthenics.
For most people the daily minimum for health benefits from exercising is 30 minutes. If you have been in a long routine of exercising, and absolutely cannot get in 30 minutes of exercising one day, it can be added to the next day's exercise time with no adverse effects.
A curious aspect of exercising, to me, is that is additive. Any exercise you do in a day that elevates your heart rate above your normal exertion baseline levels, even for a minute or two, will have the same positive effects as if you were to do all 30 minutes together. So 2 minutes 15 times a day, or any combination that achieves a total time of 30 minutes is equally effective as the whole 30 at once.
To minimize the risk of injury, all exercise levels should be built up to gradually. Also the weight loss pro will learn to read the bodies exertions signals, and never overexert themselves. This is an open invitation to injury, or other health risks. Injuries are at least doubly unwanted, as they are often painful, but they also can completely derail what was otherwise a wonderfully orchestrated weight loss plan. While you are debilitated, this also greatly increase the risk that your now more sedentary routine will include diet detours, and psychological letdowns, all which conspire to sabotage your weight loss goals. I am at the age where I can get non debilitating (but almost) injuries, and have no idea how I sustained it. As for debilitating type injuries, I am at an age where they will take considerably longer to heal than in my youth. Once you are on a steady and gradual buildup of fitness levels, more and more will be possible for you and desired by you. Some examples are 5k races, 10k's, half marathons, marathons, biathlons, triathlons etc. But for one as for all, walk before you run.
A very advantageous short term effect of exercise, is that a post exercise period will elapse in which your body will have higher metabolism and higher calorie burning levels, for fairly long intervals after exercising ceases. The calorie loss rate won't be as high as during the actual exercise, but it will be proportional to the intensity, and time spent exercising. It's like a calorie burning bonus time.
The best exercise program is one that makes use of the most methods of exercise. Anaerobic exercise builds the muscle's strength, and size which will elevate metabolism. Aerobics will also increase the metabolism somewhat, but are better suited for calorie and fat burning. An excellent weekly exercise routine would be, weightlifting twice a week, and one day each of biking, running, and swimming, and a day of basketball, or tennis, or soccer. One day of the week can be taken off completely if 6 good workouts have taken place during the week. In any event, one day should be reserved for a light to no workout day. If you follow a regimen like this, you will derive all the benefits of all the methods of exercise, and you will stimulate if not all, just about all muscle groups.
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Installment 15...
Diet and Diet Items Interaction
The effects of alcohol on diet are surreptitious but very influential. Even one ounce of alcohol is very high calorie, not to mention the additional calories in the volume that accompany the alcohol depending on the drink. For regular beer, one serving can be 200 to 300 calories, and more for the darks rich beers. A serving of a sweet wine is approximately the same. Mixed drinks can go from the same calorie level to about twice as much in one drink. Even servings of distilled alcohols straight will have equivalent amounts of calories of other servings of alcoholic beverages. Also, since alcohol suppresses inhibitions, it makes food cravers more prone to overeating while drinking.
If you drink 2 servings of alcohol a day, and then cut them out of your diet completely, that will easily account for the target 500 calorie daily deficit. If you are used to drinking more, just cut out the 2, and you are on your way.
Tobacco, for all it's health hazards, actually has a positive effect for dieters, especially in hunger suppression. It also has a minute effect on body weight by causing the body to waste away from the inside although almost imperceptibly until the end stages of tobacco caused diseases. The short term downside to smoking tobacco is that if it is terminated, any weight lost as a result of smoking will be regained and probably then some. The same is likely as true for dipping, and snorting.
Caffeine is a strong stimulant, as such it has a tendency to increase the body's metabolism. The overall effect of caffeine on a weigh loss program is positive, but like tobacco, weight lost will be regained if caffeine is eliminated from the diet. There are also some negative side effects while using caffeine, and upon it's discontinuance. Many energy drinks contain large doses of caffeine. There are a few that are just as effective but caffeine free but with all natural ingredients. Those are the best energy drinks and have no side effects like their caffeine laced brothers.
Weighing protocols
Many who set off on weight loss pursuits, rapidly develop a near obsession with checking their weight frequently. This is not only unnecessary, it is often counterproductive. The body goes through natural daily weight cycles that are at a low in the morning, and peak after meals, and vary in response to other intake and output. Weight checking does not need to be done daily, or even weekly for that matter. The less the better in most cases. But if it is done daily, or whenever, it should be done with consistent conditions. Dry naked weighing is the best clothing condition, but if not then the same clothes and or coverings at each weighing. Even a wet towel will be a distractor as it is difficult to ensure the same water content of the towel every time. Weight checking should occur at the same time of day taking into account hydration levels, meal timing, bladder and lower colon condition, the less variables the better. Weight also has a natural weekly, and monthly, and seasonal rhythm as well, but less in terms of magnitude of variation. Just remember to try your best to keep all conditions consistent each time you weigh in. And may the best man (or woman) win !
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Installment 16...
Hydration
The body's hydration sensing and control system is not near as accurate as it's metabolic or hunger systems. The hydration levels at which one perceives the need for rehydration, already has the body in a significantly dehydrated state. Accordingly, thirst levels will have corresponding hydration levels. Here is how I see them.
Parched……….Seriously dehydrated
Thirsty……..…..Significantly dehydrated
Not thirsty……..Somewhat dehydrated
Full…………….Hydrated
Bloated……….Over hydrated
It's really very difficult to fight through a full hydration sensation, not to mention a bloated one. Therefore, a hydration control system in proper working order is nearly improbable to be overcome. It is possible, and has been done before, and people have died from it. But you would really have to work hard at it and tolerate high levels of discomfort and even pain to overtake it.
On the dehydration side, you can see that by the time your body notifies you that you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. There is of course a proper level of thirst and hydration for the aspiring weight loss candidate. Weight loss causes a relative high cellular concentration of waste, and toxins, and free radicals, and all sorts of undesirables that should be encouraged by our circulatory system to be purged out of the body. Water is the perfect medium for this purge, it has no equal when it comes to cellular cleansing. Furthermore, if your weight loss program includes exercise, you will excrete more than normal water through your bodily functions, particularly egestion, but also excretion increasing the demand for pure clean water. Another good symptom of insufficient hydration is hard stool.
There is no other substitute for water, especially for the weight loss pro. You must learn to drink every time before you become thirsty, and continue drinking until you are full. 8 glasses a day is a good start, but even more might be needed or useful. You almost can't drink enough. If your drinking supply is free from contaminants, tap water will suffice.
There is no need to drink either pure water, or distilled water, or mineral water, especially if you are on a good quality multi vitamin/mineral. Filtered water is the best. There is no need for bottled water either, and no benefit from it apart from filtered water.
Once you get good at disciplining yourself to drink the proper quantities of water, you should work hard at loving to drink water, even over your previously favorite beverages. Just before you are thirsty, and when you are thirsty, learn to savor the refreshing flavor of water, enjoy it's coolness, and it's wetness. Fall in love all over again with water, just like you loved it as a kid.
Water also offers a great boon as a temporary quench to hunger pangs. So when your are hungry enough to take action, instead of grabbing a snack, sip on some water.
Some of your previously favorite beverages should be reduced dramatically, or cut out altogether. This especially includes any with caffeine such as tea, coffee, colas, energy drinks, you name it. Caffeine is a strong diuretic. It will cause you to excrete the volume of the drink you consumed (containing the caffeine), and then some, leaving a net deficit of hydration.
Electrolyte drinks are fine at a minimal intake. Maybe one for each hour or two of strenuous sweaty exercise, but by no means are they a substitute for your water intake, especially if you are taking a good multi vitamin/mineral. Besides for most people, there is more than enough salt content in their daily diet to negate any need for electrolyte drinks.
The effects of dehydration are debilitating and dangerous. If you are involved in an activity that is causing your thirst, even short periods of ignoring the condition will quickly bring harmful side effects. Overheating, sunstroke, delirium, disorientation, light headedness, and more. There is no need for it. You should allow for the proper preparation to preclude and chance of dehydration. Plan ahead and plan well.
Another negative side effect of alcohol consumption in the area of hydration is dehydration. Alcohol has some diuretic effects, but probably the biggest threat from alcohol towards driving dehydration is that for most people, when they start drinking alcohol, they stop drinking water. Some alcoholic beverages are more diuretic than others, but absolutely without question alcohol is no substitute for your required water intake. It may go without saying that this is another strong reason to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption while on a serious weight loss program.
There are no viable substitutes for good hydration. Hydration requirements may be reduce if the subject is kept in a cool moist place, and remains sedentary. Nonetheless that individual will need some level of rehydration.
Water is so important, that in a survival situation, it is more important than food. The average person will not live more than about 5 days without water. That same person, with sufficient amounts of water can last up to a month or maybe more without food. Also, the consuming of food increases water demands.
Water, drink it, like it, love it.
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Yikes, so much information .
Questions-------
Grand son went to Marine boot camp, 5'11 weight about 135. Weeks later he came home same height but weighing 165 solid muscle. How do the Marines do this to the recruits in such a short time ???
Lots of protein and constant exercise ?
Now to my personal reason for getting involved in this topic. Hubby looks 9 months pregnant, he works 10 hour days on his feet moving about all the time. He seldom drinks booze and keeps a bottle of ice water at his side most times.
So I am curious about those diet meals advertised on TV -------3 meals a day with 2 snacks for $10.00 a day. Sure would work for me as I would not have to cook for him or try to plan low calorie meals for him.
I have heard of the TV dinner weight loss diet, eat only TV dinners and total calories will be at the 1500 calorie mark.
Any information about these different frozen meals and weight loss from a personal view point I could use before I spend $300 .00 a month on a useless product.
Has anyone tried these meals, do they taste good ???
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As for military training, my basic training was as you describe. We were told early on by our Drill Sergeants that the fatties would lose weight, and the skinnies would gain muscle. I didn't see how it was possible, but at the end that was the result across the board.
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Installment 16...
Spot reduction
It may seem like an area of your body that accumulates fat more detestably than all the others, would be able to be reduced through some direct method. Nothing is further from the truth. As has been mentioned before, the putting on and taking off of fat is in inverse order. The first place to lose fat is the last to gain it. Also, the first place to gain is the last to lose it. Some have hyped targeted exercising in the muscle groups of the unwanted fat will reduce fat in that area more than all others. While it is true that some fat may come off there eventually, unless it's your last trouble spot, it won't come off right away. You may however gain an esthetic benefit from the underlying muscle giving the area a more formed look. A number of crackpot exercise machines have been produced hoping to be the answer to spot reduction, none have worked, not even a bit. The only true answer to quick spot reduction today is surgical liposuction, and even that is not the be all end all. The other answer to spot reduction is to continue to lose fat from other areas until it's your spots turn. Then…see spot run. Run spot run. Run run run.
Discipline, managing habits, Mindset, Fasting
One of the biggest challenges for the eager beaver weight loss prospect is overcoming the momentum of current habits. Habit patterns are well within our comfort zones, just the thought of changing some if not many of our habits is daunting. None of it will be done just on a lark. It will take a level of discipline you may not already have, will power, and perseverance. A good substitute for these is that you are so sick and tired of your current situation, that you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Then the pain of changing habits and lifestyle will be less than the intolerable situation you perceive yourself to be in.
Some don't see these pitfalls at the outset. They fantasize about delighting in the accomplishment of their weight loss goals, but when they are met with the first pain of change, the wisps of their intangible imagination fade quickly weighed against the current and very tangible discomfort. Then once reality smashes and washes away any remaining vestiges of their weight loss fantasy, they face a far easier task of just quitting. It's just another in a long list of excuses to quit. It's just human nature to be disposed to quit what is good for you, and not quit what is bad for you.
So, apply yourself, and foresee these little excursions off your chosen path, then you will remain focused and intent on achieving your goals. As you overcome one bad habit, a new and good one will appear in it's place. Old habits are not really broken anyway, in the absence of a new habit to replace it. Be patient and then give the new habit a chance to form and anchor in. A new habit needs at least 21 days of repetition before it can be fully formed.
Your mindset can be your greatest ally or your most cunning foe. Your mindset should be fully aware of the impending pitfalls that certainly await you, then you can ready yourself for them. Nothing is more difficult to conquer than a surprise attack. Minimize or eliminate surprises. There are short and mid range benefits that you will appreciate, and that will make the rest of your task easier. Make an informed decision, then stick to it. Remain positive. Put your will power to work. Let your discipline grow to the task. Discipline is nothing more than will power consistently applied. Persevere against all challenges, your will to win is greater than all the struggles and privations. Then, you will be in control, your worries will few, you'll have a "New Attitude", Donna Summer.
A word about fasting that has already been discussed. There are good reasons to fast, but none that I can see that are strictly weight loss related. If you have a reason to fast outside of your weight loss, don't let it interfere. Do it, get it over with, and get back to your weight loss program without the fast ever having affected your plan.
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Installment 17...
Snake oil weight loss exercise machines
My Father in Law made a vow once, after buying an item of merchandise after seeing a TV infomercial about it, that he would never again buy something he saw advertised on a TV infomercial. The advertised product is shown in the best possible light, and is trumpeted as the best thing since sliced bread, with all flash and glitter. I have found this to be true of any weight loss, or exercise machine I have seen on television. You get them and they don't work at all as intended, or nothing like the claims that were made. They are a modern day version of snake oil applied to the fitness, and weight loss industries. I have not seen one yet that I thought was worth buying. My best advice would be to refrain from buying any current or new to the market miracle weight loss and or exercise machines. That is of course unless you have money to burn, and have a temperament that causes disappointments from having any effect past an initial one on you. They are a waste of time and money almost without exception. There may be an exception or 2 out there, but I haven't seen one yet.
Snake oil weight loss supplements
All my life I have been hearing about this or that new miracle weight loss pill. Not one of them has ever worked, and I wondered how long it would take for the public to grow weary of each new entry into the snake oil weight loss scene. But they haven't wearied of the hype. It almost seems like they can't get enough of the something for nothing hard sell. I guess that's another aspect of human nature. So the next weight loss pill that comes along, and says it will absorb fat, or burn fat or cause fat to not be absorbed, or whatever, you have a 100% probability of being right in predicting that it won't work. I remember one so called miracle weight loss supplement advertised that you would take it before bed, and wake up having lost weight. No feces Sherlock. The same thing happens if you don't take the miracle pill before bedtime. Some new age snake oil salesman figured out this wasn't common knowledge, and used it to set sail on his fortune. Just about all of them come with a disclaimer, "Best results occur with diet and exercise", in the fine print. Another no feces Sherlock. But people are starved for an answer to their problems that is immediate, and not requiring any effort on their part. Don't be that guy or gal.
Put that same money towards a top notch multi vitamin/mineral/supplement.
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Installment 18...
Fad diets.
Over the years, many fad diets have come into vogue, promising remarkable results, and have faded from vogue right into obscurity. There are the no fat all carb diets. There are the Atkins type diets, which are no carb, as much fat as you want type diets. There are the vegetarian type diets. None of them in and of themselves works with any of the types of remarkably enticing results. At their essence they boil down to 2 considerations, calories in, and calories out. That really is the long and short of it. Those boutique type diets which are all of one portion of the food pyramid, and none of the others, actually can be quite counterproductive. Take the all carb diet, it will deprive you of the proteins in meats and fish and other foods that you will need to build and sustain your muscles if you are exercising during your weight loss pursuit.
If you are on a diet and exercise weight loss program, a balanced diet including proteins, fruits, vegetables, some carbs, and minimal sugars will be best.
I have yet to see a fad diet that has produced the suggested results to a degree that is justified by it's herald.
Sauna effect, and hazards steam saunas, dry saunas
The sauna has it uses I suppose. I just don't think their supposed benefits amount to enough to make use of them. The principle use is ostensibly for sweating without much effort in an attempt to clean out pores, and wastes, and toxins. Some have inadvisably tried to use them for the purposes of weight loss, and they work. But as has been covered before it will all be water weight loss, and regained as soon as you rehydrate. They are also dangerous, as they can easily lead to unhealthy overheating, high blood pressure, heart rate, and other clinical risks. The same goes for these rubberized work out outfits, a waste to say the least, a serious health risk to say the most. Dry saunas are not as bad as steam saunas, but not by much. I would recommend against their use, unless of course in the course of some closely monitored medically prescribed therapy I am not aware of.
Besides, the once touted benefits and cultural rage that surrounded them and some famous tourist destinations has all but disappeared. Hot Springs Arkansas was once a therapeutical tourist boom town. In addition, it used to be all the Vogue. Now all but one of the dozens of bath houses have closed permanently, or have been converted to some other sort of attraction or other business. In the end analysis, saunas and their like are not worth the time of day.
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Installment 19...
Weight Loss plateaus
Once your weight loss gets on track, and despite some ups and downs is predictably trending downward, you will most probably encounter one of the most challenging weight loss difficulty.
You will see your steady progress stall in a mexican standoff. This is referred to as weight plateauing. It is almost as challenging physically as it is mentally. All the hard work you have done to get there, and all the hard work you do while there seem to have been wasted as you struggle with this obstacle. You can and should exercise patience, and be willing to remain at this plateau until it becomes obvious that something dreaded might have to be done, more. And not the same old more, that is more of the same, more of the more. Increased calorie reduction might be in order, or increased exercise, or even some combination. The plateau might get left behind with patience only, but be ready and willing to make increased changes if necessary. The other disagreeable aspect of plateaus is that they will always be possibility. You may have to work your way through a number of them to finally reach your goal, but do not despair, again with forewarning you are forearmed. Forearmed just might allow you the ability to not fall into the trap of another in a long line of excuses, to quit.
Stretch marks
Skin has a wonderful ability to grow and stretch with our bodies, as we grow out of childhood and into adulthood. It also has the capacity to stretch further than is needed for our ideal body weight, in response to larger musculature growth, or fat growth, or even Lord forbid, in response to some sort of abnormal growth. If the skin stretches in this way too quickly, or sometimes even at all, stretch marks will be formed in areas of the most concentrated stretch. These will sometimes not be very apparent until if and when weight loss occurs enough in that and the surrounding area. Don't let this be an excuse to quit your weight loss program. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Diets low in carbs can and do lead to weight plateaus. What happens is that the body tells itself it's being starved, so instead of metabolizing as it always had, it begins to shut down and the "furnace" seems to be stoked.
The secret -- for me anyway -- is to alternate carb intake (moderately, and without resorting to sucrose), with a re-return to low carb intake. That process tends to fool the body that starvation is NOT imminent and the metabolic furnace remains on high, which means more calories are being burned and weight loss continues.
This is difficult to gauge and can be frustrating in and of itself, but the key point is that weight plateaus will happen. One should not lose the faith and stick to the program.
We need just enough carbs to keep the furnace rockin'.
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^Nicely done Eupher !
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Installment 20...
Thyroid: my High School football coach
When I was a sophomore in High School, one of the varsity football coaches happened to walk by during a practice. He had to weigh well over 300 pounds, if not closer to 400 pounds. He had a fatty kind of fat that wrinkled and had a cottage cheese effect on his skin. I remember the guys in our huddle looking at him as he walked past the football field and one of the guys making the comment, rather respectfully actually, that "He has thyroid problems". Since that time I have heard all about glandular problems, and other excuses for morbid obesity that just don't wash. I am not saying people's body chemistries are all the same. Some people have slower metabolisms, some metabolize fat or carbohydrates better, some have more active and inactive glands, but when all accounting is complete one fact is inescapable. Calories in and calories out is the final arbiter. You cannot gain weight without eating. You cannot metabolize fat out of thin air. In order to gain weight you must have a caloric surplus. In order to lose weight, in the long term anyway, you must have a caloric deficit.
That's just the long and short of it. You can be tactful, and diplomatic, and say someone has a gland problem to mitigate someone's responsibility for their obesity, but they ate the food and consumed the calories that got them to that place, any actual medical condition notwithstanding.
So while it's possible to be sympathetic to one's plight when it comes to weight, sometimes there is a very well defined line between sympathy and enabling. I won't argue with anyone who says they are fine with their weight and don't want to lose any weight. But I won't swallow the line that people throw out excusing their weight and their responsibility for it.
Age and Weight Loss
I am not one who uses age as an excuse either. Without being unreasonable, I don't think there are age limits for anything. This is especially true for weight loss. But I will say this, by 50 years old your weight patterns are nearly permanent. I have noticed that as I got out of my teens that my athletic abilities waned and continued to do so. I noticed that in my mid to late 20s I just couldn't keep up with guys just a few years younger than me. As the next couple of decades came I not only lost a step in speed and power, I lost a couple or more, and I found it so much easier to be sedentary, and harder to be active in the kinds of activity that were aerobic. I'm not sure about endurance, I think that ability wanes much less quickly. I assert that from my own experience and from observing octogenarians participate in marathons, triathlons and the sort. I have also noticed in the later 40's that injuries are much easier to come by. Little tweaks and sprains and pains can appear seemingly out of nowhere. Then the time it takes for a particular injury to heal has become increasingly long. some injuries seem to nag along not getting any better for weeks up to months at a time. While it is true that letting an injury rest will allow it to heal faster, sometimes in doing so you will destroy or eliminate your exercise habits. Sometimes it is possible to work around an injury by changing workouts, but sometimes not. Sometimes it is possible to continue working right through the pain of injuries while they heal. You must be very in tune with your body to discriminate the type of pain that will further injure an injury, and the pain that will not. Also if in doubt there should be no reservations about consulting with a physician. I have also noticed the time it takes to get out of shape aerobically has lessened with age, and the time to get back in aerobic shape has increased. I say all this to say that for the vast majority of people, if they have any serious plans for weight loss they should implement their plans and have them established as habits by the time they are 50. After that, while it is possible to accomplish weight loss goals, it becomes like trying to tread water while holding an anchor. Obviously 50 is a moving target. For some it will be a younger age, others an older one. I use 50 as an approximation, but I would caution against using that figure as a means to procrastinate. I would also caution against using that or any other age as an excuse.
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Long dissertation of fitness and weight loss with a lot of great information there Obamazombie. I for one used to be in great shape when I was younger. Played sports and did track and field, even 10 speed bike raced before I got my drivers licence. I used to ride my bike 20 miles a day average....but licence and other injuries over the years have brought all that to a end. looking forward to finding some exercise regiment I can do to keep me going if ya know what i mean. I know this is a few month old thread but it is still good info.
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Well thank you very much biersmythe ! I was planning to come along at some point and wrap up the thread with a concluding paragraph or so. You might have knocked me off of dead center.
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Long dissertation of fitness and weight loss with a lot of great information there Obamazombie. I for one used to be in great shape when I was younger. Played sports and did track and field, even 10 speed bike raced before I got my drivers licence. I used to ride my bike 20 miles a day average....but licence and other injuries over the years have brought all that to a end. looking forward to finding some exercise regiment I can do to keep me going if ya know what i mean. I know this is a few month old thread but it is still good info.
I'm in the same "boat". Bone spurs in my ankles keeps me from ANY activity that involves impact on the feet.
So I hunt, fish, etc... and watch the carbs.
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Well thank you very much biersmythe ! I was planning to come along at some point and wrap up the thread with a concluding paragraph or so. You might have knocked me off of dead center.
That's what i'm here for buddy! all things aside you know more about this than I do. You started a fitness post so I went hey maybe i can benefit from it. Im all ears.