Weight loss ideas
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Discussion

geeteeaye

Original Poster:

2,369 posts

188 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Just interested to get some opinions as to the best way to lose weight/get fitter.

Have been hill walking most days for the last 4 months, 2-3 hours most days has seen me lose 9 kg or so. In the last 2 weeks I have got my old MTB out about 4 times, today for a 15 mile ride. Will do more now I'm not such a lump!

My question is: which is the better way to lose weight and get fitter? Another issue is that my lower body is now fairly toned and pretty strong (always had good lower body strength) but upper body is lacking, unwilling/unable to pay for gym membership so what are the alternatives for upper body? Will the fat eventually come off my belly etc by losing weight in general?

EDLT

15,421 posts

235 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Cut off your legs.


Or post in the health matters forum.

Victor McDade

4,395 posts

211 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Losing weight = diet, diet, diet.

Getting fitter = continue to do what you're doing and try to lift the intensity as you progress. i.e periods of high heart rate and increase the length of these as you get fitter.

But remember, if you're putting the wrong things in your mouth then it's highly unlikely you can do enough exercise to burn off the excess calories and thus lose fat.

geeteeaye

Original Poster:

2,369 posts

188 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
EDLT said:
Cut off your legs.


Or post in the health matters forum.
boxedin I did, but there are seemingly 3 people in that forum and I am but a novice.

Amuptation might hinder my ideas but thanks.

alfabadass

1,852 posts

228 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Buy a weights/bar/dumbell set off argos for £50 and jump on youtube.

pmanson

13,388 posts

282 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Kettle bell(s) can give you a varied up body work out, medicine ball for sit ups.

simoid

19,774 posts

187 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
geeteeaye said:
Just interested to get some opinions as to the best way to lose weight/get fitter.

Have been hill walking most days for the last 4 months, 2-3 hours most days has seen me lose 9 kg or so. In the last 2 weeks I have got my old MTB out about 4 times, today for a 15 mile ride. Will do more now I'm not such a lump!

My question is: which is the better way to lose weight and get fitter? Another issue is that my lower body is now fairly toned and pretty strong (always had good lower body strength) but upper body is lacking, unwilling/unable to pay for gym membership so what are the alternatives for upper body? Will the fat eventually come off my belly etc by losing weight in general?
How about 5 a side football/touch rugby/something else along those lines? The hillwalking won't burn as many calories or get the heart pumping as much as a good run about or ride on the bike. Or what about a few swims? That'll be good for the upper body. Or some mental sexual positions.

Don't worry too much about the scales, as if you're building muscle this will offset some of the weight lost by burning fat. Worry more about getting any flabby bits off. I've never been fat, but I did have a bit of podgey lovehandles when I stopped playing 5 a sides for a while last October-December, but I've pretty much lost them with a game a week in 2011.

Xaero

4,063 posts

244 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
cut down carbs and eat more protein. You probably should focus on diet more than exercise to lose weight. Exercise will put weight (muscle) on.

The 4 hour body is a great new book (new york times best seller beating the guinness book of records for christmas last year) which has lots of ideas on health and weight. I'm following the diet and exercise routine in it and have lost 5Kg over the past month.


Bill

58,505 posts

284 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
simoid said:
The hillwalking won't burn as many calories or get the heart pumping as much as a good run about or ride on the bike.
You've clearly never been hillwalking wink

OP Add in some scrambling or climbing to get your upper body going a bit more, or just add some press ups, pull ups and dips. And limit what you're eating. It's tempting to pack some chocolate etc for when you're flagging but you really don't need to.

simoid

19,774 posts

187 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Bill said:
You've clearly never been hillwalking wink

OP Add in some scrambling or climbing to get your upper body going a bit more, or just add some press ups, pull ups and dips. And limit what you're eating. It's tempting to pack some chocolate etc for when you're flagging but you really don't need to.
I've got a grand total of 6 Munros actually smile I think you could do something more intensive and fun than climb a hill, but that's just a matter of opinion.

Indeed, replacing the fatty, crappy foods for protein will help too.

goldblum

10,272 posts

196 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Activities with the highest MET (energy cost),or cals used..thereby aiding weightloss.

Cross-country skiing

Rowing

Fast running

Rope skipping

Jogging

These are all classed as 'vigorous intensity activities'.

Bill

58,505 posts

284 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
goldblum said:
Activities with the highest MET (energy cost),or cals used..thereby aiding weightloss.

Cross-country skiing

Rowing

Fast running

Rope skipping

Jogging

These are all classed as 'vigorous intensity activities'.
How do those compare to hillwalking? Particularly as I could do a good few hours hillwalking vs 30 seconds "fast running"hehe

goldblum

10,272 posts

196 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Hillwalking is classed as a moderate intensity exercise.So on a scale..

Bicycling,stationary

Bicycling

Walking 3.5 mph

Hill Walking

Bicycling,stationary,very light effort


.

RemainAllHoof

79,978 posts

311 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
Bill said:
How do those compare to hillwalking? Particularly as I could do a good few hours hillwalking vs 30 seconds "fast running"hehe
It's the rate of burn that's relevant here but then again one has to consider rate versus likelihood of wanting to continue doing it every week/enjoyment.

Vron

2,541 posts

238 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
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I've just signed up for race for life 5K so going to dust off the treadmill - will be heavy going, not been running properly for 3 years!! Hopefully will lose some flab too.

BountyHunter

1,050 posts

223 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
as stated weight loss and fitness are 2 different things.

i do personally know someone who has lost a full 12 stone in 16 months following Slimming World for his food and simply walking where possible instead of driving (not that easy as he has a bad back - which has contributed to the weight being there in the 1st place)

obviously he needed to lose the weight as being that overweight is not healthy, but everyones amazed that simply carefully following a decent eating plan has worked so well.

its certainly opened my eyes to the viability of these things.

RichyBoy

3,749 posts

246 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Someone is probably going to come along and shoot this down. Try the 7 minute muscle exercise and diet thing, lots of info on the net.

7 minutes a day, 2 exercises for one body part : 10 to 1 reps for 5 minutes/15 second rests for the power phase then 5 to 1 reps for 2 minutes/15 second rests in the mass building phase. I've been working out for a year, I tried the back workout Wednesday and I'm still aching now. Diet is a bit more relaxed than keto with a big feed meal on Sundays.

Edited by RichyBoy on Friday 1st April 04:03