Can't shift the gut.

[Driller]

KH said:

Driller said:

Just my humble opinion, from someone who's done loads of sport all his life:

Forget the powerplate, waste of time. It's one of those pieces of equipment designed to make you feel like you're doing excercise and give you a clear conscience without you actually expending any energy. A bit like those Slendertone things.

Stop drinking alcohol (it's bad for you anyway) and go for a 5-6km run 4 times week. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water. Stay away from sweet desserts, fatty cheese, cakes etc

If you want to eat carbohydrate just eat it-it will fuel your running.

Do that for 3 months I guarantee you will lose your stomach. If you do some situps after each running session you'll get defined abs with it.

Edited by Driller on Sunday 23 January 13:05

Thanks Driller, the problem is, although I'm a fit bloke and can cycle all day long, I can't run/jog for more than five minutes without feeling a heart attack coming on. My body just can't run, never been able to for some reason. But I will try building up to it.

I'd agree with you on the Powerplate thing. I think you've hit the nail on the head. It certainly conned my wife.

On the running thing, best on the street or grass? I've got a field behind me which would be quite convenient but it's quite bumpy.

Edited by KH on Sunday 23 January 13:13

I'm st at running too! At 6'3" and 90kg I'm the wrong shape for longer distances and when I went back to it about 5 years ago it was so hard it shocked me, I never remember it being that hard when I was 20. But you just need to stick at it, the human body adapts so well. Build up slowly and progressively and you WILL get there, there is no other option but for your body to improve.

Make a record of your progress and this gives you even more motivation to keep going. There really is nothing like running to keep you fit and in good shape.

I have a ConceptII as well but I find this far more anaerobic than running and consequently much more difficult to keep it going long enough to have a good cardio effect. I've got a really good cross trainer too which I use in winter and although you work up a good sweat and have a nice low impact aerobic workout it just doesn't "blast" you like the way going for a run does.

I would echo what someone else said and say that running on tracks or roads is more stable or at least well cut grass if you're not too sure on your feet so as not to do yourself a nasty.

[KH]

Fadeaway, yes it was the same scales, first thing in the morning.

Thanks again, all. I shall definitely give the running a good try, on the street I think. I've never done it apart from at school, and it's the only sport/exercise routine that I've never done, so it might well work.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's so easy to give up on this stuff if you don't feel you're getting anywhere.


One more question if I may: Running shoes - are they that different to cross trainers? (which I have)

[Driller]

KH said:

Fadeaway, yes it was the same scales, first thing in the morning.

Thanks again, all. I shall definitely give the running a good try, on the street I think. I've never done it apart from at school, and it's the only sport/exercise routine that I've never done, so it might well work.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's so easy to give up on this stuff if you don't feel you're getting anywhere.


One more question if I may: Running shoes - are they that different to cross trainers? (which I have)

Yep, running shoes should have much better shock absorption than cross trainers especially if you are a heavier build. Get yourself to a shop where they know what they're talking about and they'll fit you up with something decent which will suite your running style. For eg I pronate quite badly so always buy Nike Structure Triax which gives a lot of support to the arches and stops the feet rolling over.

Good luck with reaching your goals, there's nothing quite like a good challenge!

[KH]

Many thanks to you all.

[Taita]

I have found Rowing and Sprint intervals to be excellent in improving fitness and weight loss.

[pacman1]

KH said:

Fadeaway, yes it was the same scales, first thing in the morning.

Thanks again, all. I shall definitely give the running a good try, on the street I think. I've never done it apart from at school, and it's the only sport/exercise routine that I've never done, so it might well work.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's so easy to give up on this stuff if you don't feel you're getting anywhere.
One more question if I may: Running shoes - are they that different to cross trainers? (which I have)

Ooh yes. Here's a place that might be local to you. Give 'em a call and ask some questions. Whatever your ability, they should point you in the right direction.

http://www.runninghub.co.uk/

[Tiggsy]

3 glasses of wine daily and cant run 10 mins non-stop.......drink less, jog more!

[KH]

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

[Ordinary_Chap]

KH said:

Driller said:

Just my humble opinion, from someone who's done loads of sport all his life:

Forget the powerplate, waste of time. It's one of those pieces of equipment designed to make you feel like you're doing excercise and give you a clear conscience without you actually expending any energy. A bit like those Slendertone things.

Stop drinking alcohol (it's bad for you anyway) and go for a 5-6km run 4 times week. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water. Stay away from sweet desserts, fatty cheese, cakes etc

If you want to eat carbohydrate just eat it-it will fuel your running.

Do that for 3 months I guarantee you will lose your stomach. If you do some situps after each running session you'll get defined abs with it.

Edited by Driller on Sunday 23 January 13:05

Thanks Driller, the problem is, although I'm a fit bloke and can cycle all day long, I can't run/jog for more than five minutes without feeling a heart attack coming on. My body just can't run, never been able to for some reason. But I will try building up to it.

I'd agree with you on the Powerplate thing. I think you've hit the nail on the head. It certainly conned my wife.

On the running thing, best on the street or grass? I've got a field behind me which would be quite convenient but it's quite bumpy.

Edited by KH on Sunday 23 January 13:13

To be frank with you, you're not a fit bloke if you can't run at all.

Cycling is a very easy activity unless you really go for it and most don't, even fat folk can cycle for extended periods of time not going for it.

Running is very taxing on the body and takes time to become good at but there are numerous benefits to it if you can stick with it (most don't). Running when you're not used to it can be very difficult but if you stick with it your body will adapt and at some point become able to do it. (I've been through this cycle many times and whenever I start running again the first month or two are brutally hard work).

The powerplate stuff is a pure gimic and will die a death before too long, as said like the slendertone machines and the ilk.

Doing situps will be futile unless you plan to get sub 10% bodyfat when your abs will be on show, this takes a great deal of effort and focus.

And you've got to kick the drink or at least moderate it to the weekends if you want to drop the fat, it's just a whole boatload of calories that will stall your progress (I know this, I love whiskey!)

The whole losing fat equation is a devilishly simple one but the message is lost in a sea of crappy gimics and marketing of different products/diets/training programs.

You really need to bring into focus how many calories you're consuming each day and how many you're burning and then you'll know if you're going to lose weight or gain it. If you need to understand how to do this just say and I or another on here will explain it to you.

If you can sort your diet out and find something you enjoy doing training wise then you'll be 90% of the way there. It doesn't have to be running, it can be a combination of things or something specific as long as you know what you're burning calorie wise and how many you are taking in.

All the best,
Lee

[silvagod]

Well if you are in the position I was....get your wife of 26 years to have an affair and leave you..lost 2 stone in 3 weeks! Often thought about copyrighting the 'divorce diet'

Mind you, now got a new lady and have put it all back on but I am happier than ever

[KH]

Cheers Lee, thanks for all that.

[pacman1]

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.

If you can do an hour of squash, then you're reasonably fit. If you take a gentle 10 min jog/walk at first and gradually build to 20 min, you shouldn't find it any harder, and with the correct running shoes it will prove way easier on your knees. I have two contemporaries, avid squash players in the past, who can no longer play or do much else due to the state of their knees. Mix and match the jogging with your weekly cross country walks. Take it steady and I predict you may get a taste for fell running. I did, all from a daily 10 min jog!
btw, I drink like a fish, and smoke!

[ShadownINja]

As I said, just use that rowing machine.

[ATG]

If you can cycle, row or play squash for a reasonable period, but can't run ... odd ... trying to go way too fast? A good lard burning pace is one where you're breathing heavily but it's under control, not gasping, seeing red and collapsing in a heap. If it's a struggle, slow down. Personally I prefer off road running. I've always been prone to ankle sprains since I was a kid, but for what it's worth I've only spannered an ankle running off road on one occaision and that was reinjuring it after I'd originally knackering it (trying to) play tennis and stupidly hadn't rested it enough. Might want to jog on road for a while to build up joint strength before going off-road, but if you're not trying to break a land speed record, off road is no biggy.

[Bill]

KH said:

Can't shift the gut or the man boobs and getting fed up.

Fed up after three weeks? Oh dear

[KH]

Thanks ATG, I think I was maybe running too fast and getting too out of breath too quickly, then got scared I was going to die and so I stopped. I think this time, building up is the key.

[Ordinary_Chap]

KH said:

Thanks ATG, I think I was maybe running too fast and getting too out of breath too quickly, then got scared I was going to die and so I stopped. I think this time, building up is the key.

Yep, most would recommend you run at a speed where you can keep going for at least 10 minutes. Even if it's at a slow pace, thats fine, you've just got to give your body chance.

[MacGee]

fat is lost in the kitchen. just like a six-pack is made. so weight loss is firstly thru diet, strength training then cardio. you need to run from Leeds to Nottingham to lose 1 pound of fat. I use the concept rowing almost every day. coming from 19.5 stones down to 17 in one year. But now very fit. Competed at the british indoor rowing champs at Brum and will be at English on sunday. Hoping to break 7 mins for 2k then. follow a plan and learn good technique first then you can row for longer. Interval training beats sitting there doing slow stuff. I recently did a half marathon inside 1hour 24mins and my butt hurt so much....and I'm still BMI obese. So if I can do it why not you. low stress on joints and works over 80% of your muscles.

[ShadownINja]

MacGee said:

I'm still BMI obese

Muscle, presumably. BMI is very good for people with weight problems. If you're at a position where you can call it nonsense then you've done what BMI was set out to do.

[ExPat2B]

Your problem is very simple. 3 glasses of Wine a day. Stop the bullst that tis good for your heart, you can drink red grape juice and get the same effect.

Have a look at this, alcohol effects the way your body burns fat and lots of other information.
http://www.delmillers.com/Alcohol.htm