Can't shift the gut.

[pugwash4x4]

www.britmilfit.com

happily lost 4 stone in 6 months doing this and a moderately healthy diet. Of course then went back to having a very unhealthy diet and not exercising so put most of it back on

it will get you fit, and force you to burn calories though.

[slk 32]

Have you thought about getting a Garmin?

I got fed up of not knowing how far I had run and bought one a couple of years ago- its great- you can set a training partner on it and even download your route to google maps. what is great is that it allows you to see your progress- you can pick them up for buttons on e bay ( i have the older 305 which also shows heartrate- its a bit chunkier than the new models but still does the same job)

with running the key is to persevere- you won't believe how quickly you get accustomed to it- at one stage I was doing 10k a day and 20k at weekends but got sucked back in to drink food and working late and am how getting back into it. Also the first 15 minutes tend to be the worst as the blood is diverted from your gut to your legs- once you get over this it becomes a lot easier but as other posters say dont try and do too much too fast( always stretch beforehand to avoid the dreaded shinsplints!)

another option- what about boxing? I go twice a week to a local club and just work out on the bags and some padwork- I'm too old / useless to fight but it really keeps you fit and helps you get rid of some work stress too- google aba and they have a list of local clubs- they are always really helpful

Keep it up

[Vladikar]

deckster said:

Vladikar said:

You need to make sure that when you are jogging/running that you are not exerting yourself to a point where you are gasping after 3 minutes. You will burn more fat and drop the bad weight if you stay in the aerobic 'fat burning zone'.

Can. Of. Worms. Current thinking doesn't agree with you, and neither does the page you linked to if you actually read it.

At the end of the day it's just calories in vs calories out, and whether you burn fat directly during exercise, or later on as you've raised your metabolism and also need to replace the carbs that you burnt during high-impact exercise, isn't important. Interval training is generally accepted as the best compromise between expending energy quickly, and being able to keep it up for long enough to burn enough - from that point of view, the previous recommendation to run a minute, walk a minute is spot on. Added to which is the very real, practical and psychological issue of doing 30 minutes interval training vs an hour of lower impact to burn the same number of calories. I know which I'd rather do.

Course its calories in vs calories out but what I am clearly saying in my post is that in order to reduce fat content then I would suggest sticking to that as closely as possible.

Raising your metabolism is fine by doing more intense exercise, but it concentrates on carbs more directly if you read into it on other pages. Im pretty sure man boobs do not come from having to much pasta for tea.

[ATG]

slk 32 said:

Have you thought about getting a Garmin? ...

A Polar heart rate monitor helped me pace myself (by slowing me down a lot) and a Suunto X10 records distances and roots. The feedback they provide is a good motivator.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Vladikar said:

Course its calories in vs calories out but what I am clearly saying in my post is that in order to reduce fat content then I would suggest sticking to that as closely as possible.

Raising your metabolism is fine by doing more intense exercise, but it concentrates on carbs more directly if you read into it on other pages. Im pretty sure man boobs do not come from having to much pasta for tea.

I don't agree.

What you have suggested isn't bad but I'd far prefer to do hiit training and not spend hours trying to live in the fat zone. I think the whole concept of fat zone is rubbish anyway, for most starting out the fat zone will be their walking pace and quite clearly that won't ever get them fit nor will it help in the longer term aims.

I'd suggest the OP builds fitness and when they do, they will also improve stamina and coniditioning too, once they reach a reasonable level they can then choose do whatever they see fit, slow long sessions or hiit or just carry on as they are.

I do hiit because I want to intensely train and most now believe short hiit sessions are far more effective anyway.

Once you understand it's a simple calories in vs calories out equation you understand it isn't all about the exercise.

And with everything exercise, there is usually many different ways to achieve the same aim.

[Tiggsy]

deckster said:

Can. Of. Worms. Current thinking doesn't agree with you, and neither does the page you linked to if you actually read it.

At the end of the day it's just calories in vs calories out, and whether you burn fat directly during exercise, or later on as you've raised your metabolism and also need to replace the carbs that you burnt during high-impact exercise, isn't important. Interval training is generally accepted as the best compromise between expending energy quickly, and being able to keep it up for long enough to burn enough - from that point of view, the previous recommendation to run a minute, walk a minute is spot on. Added to which is the very real, practical and psychological issue of doing 30 minutes interval training vs an hour of lower impact to burn the same number of calories. I know which I'd rather do.

Not just current thinking - I was a gym instructor in the early 90's and we took down all the dumb "fat zone" charts back then as the women plodding on the joggers in their "zone" where fat.....the ones killing themselves on the steppers at 180bpm were thin. We thought that may tell us something!

[Bill]

Ordinary_Chap said:

for most starting out the fat zone will be their walking pace and quite clearly that won't ever get them fit nor will it help in the longer term aims.

Starting out walking is great, and it will get the inactive fitter without risking overdoing it on their joints. Add some hills and proper days out for progression and you have an enjoyable and, crucially, sustainable exercise program.

As for long term aims it depends how much they do. I went from pretty inactive to as fit as I've ever been in 3 months just by walking* and I suspect that a 50-year-old doing brisk 5 mile walks every other day would be as fit as most his age.



*I'll admit that carrying the best part of 50lbs on treks and regularly getting above 5000m helped

[Vladikar]

Ordinary_Chap said:

I don't agree.

What you have suggested isn't bad but I'd far prefer to do hiit training and not spend hours trying to live in the fat zone. I think the whole concept of fat zone is rubbish anyway, for most starting out the fat zone will be their walking pace and quite clearly that won't ever get them fit nor will it help in the longer term aims.

I'd suggest the OP builds fitness and when they do, they will also improve stamina and coniditioning too, once they reach a reasonable level they can then choose do whatever they see fit, slow long sessions or hiit or just carry on as they are.

I do hiit because I want to intensely train and most now believe short hiit sessions are far more effective anyway.

Once you understand it's a simple calories in vs calories out equation you understand it isn't all about the exercise.

And with everything exercise, there is usually many different ways to achieve the same aim.

I guess it depends on how you feel you want to exercise, personally I do both for different reasons.

My suggestion was simply based on the facts behind fat. Sure both will shift weight, but the OP specifically picked up on the fact he had fat stores.

[chevy-stu]

KH said:

Agreed, not good. But as I said before, I've never been able to run, even when I was super fit at school. An hour on the squash court though, no probs. Weird.

Pacman, thanks for that link. It's 20 mins away from me. I shall go there tomorrow.

Edited by KH on Sunday 23 January 19:07

I'm same as you, never really been able to run, even when fit in my youth too. Alot of people who can run don't understand this.

Now have a dodgy hip with arthritus coming on, and also knees aren't too great from skiing mishaps in my teens, so running is a definate no-no. I have to do non weight bearing like rowing/cycling machines as and when I can instead...

[Ordinary_Chap]

chevy-stu said:

I'm same as you, never really been able to run, even when fit in my youth too. Alot of people who can run don't understand this.

Now have a dodgy hip with arthritus coming on, and also knees aren't too great from skiing mishaps in my teens, so running is a definate no-no. I have to do non weight bearing like rowing/cycling machines as and when I can instead...

I don't believe nobody can't run unless they have a medical condition.

Whenever I try to run after not running at all I find it very difficult and it's very uncomfortable but by persistently working on it I can get to the point where I can run properly.

Being able to run is a strong indication of fitness. I don't run at all at the moment as I'm trying to gain muscle and I have certainly lost fitness and would definately not consider myself fit right now.

If you can't run, you're probably not fit.

[Bolognese]

Ordinary_Chap said:

I don't believe nobody can't run unless they have a medical condition.

Whenever I try to run after not running at all I find it very difficult and it's very uncomfortable but by persistently working on it I can get to the point where I can run properly.

Being able to run is a strong indication of fitness. I don't run at all at the moment as I'm trying to gain muscle and I have certainly lost fitness and would definately not consider myself fit right now.

If you can't run, you're probably not fit.

I'm doing the same at the moment, just weight training and not really doing cardio. When I originally started getting into shape and shifting the flab I was running allot and could easily do the work lunchtime run of about 4 miles. After about 3 weeks of no cardio and just weight training we went for a run on Tuesday and it was very challenging.

[Ayahuasca]

Running a great, but many people find it boring or hard, or boring and hard.

One solution - find your local Hash House Harriers group - they make running fun!

Check them out.

Link here: http://www.gthhh.com/

[jimbobsimmonds]

There is a lot of talk of running on here but I have a bad knee and find that the running itself is fine but its the next day that is awful...

I at the moment am trying to throw a bit of cardio for the last 20 minutes of my sessions and love cycling but unfortunately the bikes face a bloody wall... Was wondering what the opinion on walking is. Am walking at 6.0kmh on a 15% incline for 20 minutes. Its not leaving me gasping but its certainly getting me warm...

[Ayahuasca]

Re 'fat burning', your muscles first burn energy from carbohydrates stored in the blood (lasts few seconds) then from carbs stored in the muscles (lasts around one to two hours) and ONLY THEN will they start to burn fat.

For most people, the running itself will not burn any fat at all.

Unless you are on the Atkins diet, but that is soooo 2003.


What works is, if you exercise regularly, your base metabolic rate rises so you burn more calories all the time EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT EXERCISING.

[KH]

Update:

I did the 20 mins jog ( 2 x 10 mins) on Monday, and by Tuesday could hardly walk, the pain was so bad in my quads. I've only been able to row since then with a bit of slow walking.

It's now Friday and it's eased off to the point where I can bend and sit down without feeling it. I'll start again tomorrow but keep it to 1 min jog, 1 min walk for around 20 mins as suggested. See what happens.

No booze at all this week, which makes the evenings very dull, with nothing to look forward to at the end of the day. Not even a Kit-Kat.

I suppose something will give (or give way) sooner or later.

[Ayahuasca]

KH said:

Update:

I did the 20 mins jog ( 2 x 10 mins) on Monday, and by Tuesday could hardly walk, the pain was so bad in my quads. I've only been able to row since then with a bit of slow walking.

It's now Friday and it's eased off to the point where I can bend and sit down without feeling it. I'll start again tomorrow but keep it to 1 min jog, 1 min walk for around 20 mins as suggested. See what happens.

No booze at all this week, which makes the evenings very dull, with nothing to look forward to at the end of the day. Not even a Kit-Kat.

I suppose something will give (or give way) sooner or later.

You should be able to avoid a lot of the pain if you stretch after the run.

[pacman1]

Ayahuasca said:

KH said:

Update:

I did the 20 mins jog ( 2 x 10 mins) on Monday, and by Tuesday could hardly walk, the pain was so bad in my quads. I've only been able to row since then with a bit of slow walking.

It's now Friday and it's eased off to the point where I can bend and sit down without feeling it. I'll start again tomorrow but keep it to 1 min jog, 1 min walk for around 20 mins as suggested. See what happens.

No booze at all this week, which makes the evenings very dull, with nothing to look forward to at the end of the day. Not even a Kit-Kat.

I suppose something will give (or give way) sooner or later.

You should be able to avoid a lot of the pain if you stretch after the run.

Well done KH! It will get easier. You are doing the right thing by not getting belligerent and forcing yourself back out no matter what.
That's the quickest way to pull a muscle and sink your aspirations. As you progress you'll start to understand when to push it further and when to ease up.
Trying to be upbeat in your approach and honest in the progress assessment with yourself both at the same time, is a mental juggling act. It's harder than it sounds, particularly at the outset. It'll ease though as you get the measure of your abilities.
And don't forget, it's supposed to be fun!

Edited by pacman1 on Saturday 29th January 13:59

[rlw]

So if I eat too much every day - probably around the 3000+ calorie level - and I drink a bottle of wine every night (at least)and I weigh 12.75 stone and I'm 58, what would you recommend to get backdown to about 11.75 stone.I swim a bit when I can but thats it.

[Ordinary_Chap]

rlw said:

So if I eat too much every day - probably around the 3000+ calorie level - and I drink a bottle of wine every night (at least)and I weigh 12.75 stone and I'm 58, what would you recommend to get backdown to about 11.75 stone.I swim a bit when I can but thats it.

Stop drinking and start looking after yourself, thats it.

It's all about choices, you can either choose to be healthy or not.

[GTIR]

rlw said:

So if I eat too much every day - probably around the 3000+ calorie level - and I drink a bottle of wine every night (at least)and I weigh 12.75 stone and I'm 58, what would you recommend to get backdown to about 11.75 stone.I swim a bit when I can but thats it.

It's not so much the calories but what you eat that makes the difference. If you eat 3k cals but it's all loaded with salt and fat you're body can't process it. Eat 3k calories of greens, carbs and fruit you'll be fine, ish.

Your weight depends in your height and body type. I'm 5'10 but weight nearly 14stone but i have very dense bones and broad shoulders and am slim, but I don't work out.
My mate is the same weight but has a massive gut, he was really shocked when I weighed myself at his home.

You're eating far to many calories and that wine isn't helping. Don't forget your body is having to work extra hard to process and carry that weight and at your age I'd suggest you take a look at what you eat as your body is starting to get less efficient.