So I've lost 40 pounds in (less than) 80 days, what do I do next? (1 Viewer)

[Vince Maskeeper]

A sequel to my previous:
So I've lost 25 pounds in 40 days, what do I do next?.


As predicted, my weightloss slowed down a little (if I kept my original pace, I'd be 50 pounds lighter now, not 40). I went from 255 on Jan 23rd to 215 as of today (78 days later).

I am still a bit frustrated that my measurements didn't shrink as much as I would have liked. I am at a 39 inch waist now (down from 41.25 when i started)-- it seems most people lose more in the waistline from dropping less pounds- but I'm happy for any loss at all! Although i did drop about 7 inches from my stomach which is great.

My original goal was to hit my Highschool era weight by the summer- which I was in the 2-teens in HS (and was heavy then), so I have reached my goal a few months ahead of schedule. So now it's own to toning and muscle mass addition...


My goal now is to start putting back on muscle, so I can gradually increase my calorie intake again and not watch my eating as closely as I have. Not to say I plan to go nuts, just for now I'm very strict with my calorie intake- and would like to be in a position where i could cheat here and there and not worry as much about it.

Some folks made some excellent suggestions last time around as far as workout basics and ideas... I have been trying to get the gym, although i'm still not going as often as I'd like (although not for lack of desire, I'm just AMAZINGLY busy coming into finals for my very last semester of college).

I have a friend of a friend who is a personal trainer and has volunteered to design some workout routines for me (and he used to work at the gym I currently go to- so he knows all the gear and everything- so that's a plus).

Hopefully by the 100 day mark (which will also be my last final) I will be in a better position to hit the gym a couple days a week and start lifting for muscle gain instead of the aroebic things I've been doing. Until then i'm gonna see what I can do around the house and keep up the diet and treadmill and see what happens.


Anyway- i'm back with some questions:

1) Since i might not be able to get the gym as often as I'd like, but would still like to get into muscle building mode, are there any real use to old Pushup and Situps from gym class? I wouldn't mind trying to do some of those everyday when i wake up, if nothing else. I started doing a routine a few weeks back where I did as many pushups and situps as I could comfortably do- and then everyday I tried to add one. Is this a useful activity (ie, better than nothing)- or am I just wasting my time?

2) I know that situps can be dangerous in terms of back strain and whatnot- is there anywhere i can see diagrams of what to avoid, that are worthy of looking at? Are there more effective situp activities (like crunches) I should do instead?

3) A silly question, but what is the best exercises to build glutes? My family has notoriously flat asses, which is even worse when you have a big waist (pants makers seems to assume if you have a big waist, you have a big ass, so my pants sort of fit me like a dres-- tight at the waist and then just hanging).

4) I asked this last time but no one really answered: I'd like, since i'll be probably adding weight with muscle, to stop keeping track of pounds so closely and start watching the mass index. I know the doctor is the best source of this measurement, but I know there are some scales that also offer this measure. Are any of them useful? I know there are mega cheap ones at Walmart- but I was reading reviews of nicer ones on Amazon, and they seem to not be a completely waste of time... Anyone know if they are the least bit useful?

-Vince

 

[John Stone]

Hey Vince, congratulations!

On to your questions...

1) I do 50 pushups every morning as soon as I get up. It helps wake me up and gets my blood pumping. Pushups are a great general fitness exercise and they can really help with muscular endurance, however they are not nearly taxing enough to build lean mass. You need heavy weights for that. As for sit-ups, see next question.

2) Crunches, reverse crunches and leg lifts are more effective and safer than sit-ups when it comes to strengthening the abdominal region. If you are doing them correctly, you won't want to do them every day - you've got to give your abs a chance to recover. Abs tend to recover relatively quickly, though, so hitting them 2-3 times a week is about right for most people.

3) Not a silly question at all. I used to have a very flabby, flat ass but now I can crack walnuts between my cheeks. Heavy squats and weighted lunges are the keys to tight glutes. As a former lifelong "flat-asser", I can tell you that those exercises really do work.

4) The BAI scales tend to be inaccurate, especially as you become more muscular. I suggest investing in a good set of fat calipers. They are not expensive, but they do require practice to get accurate readings. I use these.

Hope this helps. You are doing fantastic - you should be very proud of yourself. Keep it up!

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I'd recommend trying swimming. I lost almost four stone in weight in my early twenties and it took about eight months but my waist never get below 34". Couple of years ago I dropped 3 stone in four months and went from a 36/38" waist down to a 32". The big difference the second time was exercise - I hit the pool probably 4/5 times a week and in most sessions did a 1km swim (40 x 25m lengths).

The great thing about swimming is that it doesn't put undue strain on your joints and you can vary the pace instantly. I have a lot of problems with my knees to the point where load-bearing aerobic exercise can be tricky. I don't get those problems with swimming. Some days I go fairly steady, other days I'll push myself and really get out of breath. Do lots of lengths and vary the stroke to work different muscles. Breaststroke is the easiest for distances but throwing in the odd crawl length gets your heart up quite a bit. Swimming on it's own wont give you big muscles, but it will trim you down and give your entire muscle set a flex while at the same time getting your aerobic capacity up.

 

[Steven Simon]

Vince,

I just lost 40 pounds, and I am on my way to being around 200. I have tried every diet under the sun, and failed. Atkins was what I did most offen, and after I lost some weight, and went back to the carbs, I would gain all the weight back. Around 2 months ago I spoke with a Nutritionist, and got help from a doctor. As far as a diet, they have me on a low Glycemic Index Diet... Meaning all foods I eat break down very slowly in my system. Rather than eating High Index items, which contain more sugars, that digest very fast, and give you as sugar high.. IE.. Candy, Cakes, Sweets... Goal is to keep your blood sugar levels sustained throughout the day... I eat 4 times a day.. Every 3-4 hours... Also I am eating a very low fat diet.. Only white meats.... Nothing fried, no oils, and no sugars..... Next thing I did besides changing my diet was start working out 5 days a week. My nutrisionist, also a body builder, as well as my doctor, say that lifting is (One of)the best way to loose weight. The goal is to speed your metablosim... Lifting is best way to achive that result. I also do 30-40 minutes of cardio after lifting... That will enhance your fat burn off.....

If you want, I can send you the Spread sheet with the Glycemic Index... has almost every food you can eat...


My typical day looks like this...

6:00am : wake up...
6:30-7:45 Gym
8:00 : 3 Egg Whites, Toasted Wheat Bread, and some fruit
12:00 Turkey or Chicken on Whole Wheat or Rye with and Apple...

4:00 Fruit or Some Veggies...
7:00to 8:00 1/4 White meat Chicken, Grean Beans, Pita Bread...

Water all Day long.....



Vince,

Do you feel tired?? Or have lots of energy??? If tired, you need to increase your calories...

 

[Steven Simon]

Here is some info I took from John sites above, that explains Glycemic Index Vince....

The Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a means of assessing and clarifying the blood glucose response to carbohydrate foods. It compares the blood glucose levels and the rate of carbohydrate digestion into the system. Foods are given a rating of 1 (lowest) to 100 (highest). The lower the GI of the food, the slower but more sustained is the blood sugar response. Because of this slow release of energy Low GI foods keep you feeling full longer and you get fewer cravings. Foods that are digested rapidly (causing a rapid but short term release of energy) have a high GI rating which causes the dreaded insulin response (explained below).

The following info isn’t really that essential but it explains why low GI foods are good for fat loss. If you want you can skip over this part.

When you consume high GI foods you experience a sudden increase in your blood glucose levels, which trigger the insulin response. The pancreas releases heaps of insulin with the aim of reducing the blood glucose levels. Before I go on there are two enzymes and their functions you must understand.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is an enzyme that takes free fatty acids from the blood and stores it in the fat cells as triglycerides. This is called lipogenesis, the making of fat. It expands the size of fat cells by filling them up.

Hormone Sensitive Lipase (HSL) is an enzyme responsible for the release of fat from the fat cells and back into the blood stream making it available to the body for energy. This process is known as lipolysis. It reduces the size of the fat cells as the fat is being released.

Now, when insulin is released into the blood stream it increases the action of LPL (lipogenesis) in the fat cells and suppresses the action of HSL (lipolysis). So when you eat foods high in sugar, your blood glucose levels rise and the pancreas releases insulin. The insulin increases the process of lipogenesis, which means more fat is being stored in fat cells instead of being used for energy. Its even worse eating high sugar and high fat foods at the same time because the sugar increases the insulin response and the fat in the blood stream goes straight to the fat cells.

So to lose fat we must increase the use of HSL (lipolysis), which will speed up the breakdown of fat in the cells and cause it to be used as energy. Adrenaline and Cortisol enhance HSL production and are produced in response to stress. Physical stress in the form of exercise increases the rate of fat breakdown and uses the resultant free fatty acids to power muscles. Emotional stress also increases the rate of fat breakdown, however, fat stays in the bloodstream putting you at risk for artery disease. Stimulant drugs like caffeine and amphetamines also increase the above hormone production.

So, successful fat loss is dependant on maintaining blood sugar levels during the day, thereby reducing the negative effects of the insulin response. This state is produced by eating Low GI foods, preventing peaks and troughs in blood glucose levels and therefore insulin levels.

Glycemic Index Values

A High GI Value is 70 or more.

A Medium GI value is 56 to 69.

A Low GI Value is 55 or less

Below are some links to lists of popular foods are their GI values:

http://www.glycemicindex.ca/glycemicindexfoods.pdf
http://www.lowglycemicdiet.com/gifoodlist.html
http://www.geolucid.com/sauderfamily/steve/foodgi.htm


For more info about the Glycemic Index and for a really good GI database check out this website.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

 

[Mike Broadman]

It sure can't hurt.

Gluts: squats are killer. Make sure you learn the proper form first, it's a difficult exercise.

 

[Anthony_J]

Let me second the "push-ups and sit ups are good" opinions above.

I started my workout regimen by doing nothing by push-ups and sit ups and can attest to the fact that they work. You'll immediately see results in your tricepts and chest and will see a noticeable improvement in strength.

I started with 4 or 5 sets of 10 "normal" push-ups three times a week, and the same amount of sit ups. They're very effective to get you into a workout routine, as you can do the entire routine in about 30 minutes and it doesn't require any special equipment. You'll then find yourself taking that desire to workout and building it into a more rigorous program and commitment.

After you build up a certain amount of strength in your abs and lower back, start doing leg lifts and roman crunches (lateral twists while sitting up). I've actually found that 8 Minute Abs is totally killer and effective. Get the DVD and you won't regret it. It shows you the right form and forces you to hit all of the right muscle groups.

Over time, you'll want to gradually change your routine to keep hitting different parts of your muscles and increase reps to keep yourself challenged. I got up to 160 or 200 push ups five times a week (4 sets of 40 or 50, two in the normal position (wide and narrow hand distances) and two with legs on a bench) or lower reps with 50 pounds of weight around my waist, before deciding to move on to actual weight work.

I'm still in the same routine for my abs. 8 Minute Abs with 5 pound ankle weights, then 4 sets of weighted crunches (10 pounds), 4 sets of leg lifts with 10 pound ankle weights, and 4 sets of standing lateral twists. I finally have a six pack and am not going to let that go that easily.

Because the push ups and sit ups got me into the workout routine, I've also been running 4 to 5 miles 3 times a week, pull ups for my back and shoulders, and curls for my arms and shoulders.

Bottom line - do push ups and sit ups. They're good.
They're both great for building "core" strength that tends to make everything easier, whether it be lifting boxes or improving posture. And the added strength and definition you'll see are great motivators to get you into more sustainable dedicated programs.

Just make sure you're concentrating on form and the strength will follow. The only pain you should feel should be muscle soreness the day after the workout.

 

[Darren Haycock]

Add me to the "lost about 40 lbs" club. It's really a great feeling, but I'd still like to lose a bit more. Vince, I'm not a big fan of situps either. However, I do like to use the ab machine at the gym. You sit upright and you can adjust the weight resistance. I really like it, and have never felt my neck strained or have had any kind of back problems with it.

 

[Josh Simpson]

My suggestion...spandex. All spandex. Where's the spandex section? .........ok, maybe not. My suggestion is swimming for a complete workout.

 

[JonZ]

Congradulations Vince,Steve and Darren!!!

If your concerned abotu doing squats, use the self spotter.

I do heavy squats but only on the self spotter. I have a old back injury and if I ever find myself in trouble,I dont have to worry abotu hurting myself.

Also u can do the leg press machine. What you do if place ur feet higher up on the plate. This will work your hamstrings and glutes more.

 

[Armando Zamora]

Hey Vince Congratulations.

I would recommend doing push ups. I don't do them everyday, however, I usually do a set as a warm up on my upper body workout days. Try varying the width of your hands as well. You can target your chest or triceps by differing the placement of your hands when performing the push up.

As many have noted, crunches are safer and probably more effective than situps. Try this site to view how to properly perform a crunch. I wouldn't worry about using weights until your abdominals become stronger and you feel that you need more resistance.

Try the straight-legged dead lift for your glutes and hammies, and also hyperextensions (or the glute-ham raise). You'll really feel the effects of these exercises in your hamstrings and buttocks.

I use a body fat caliper like the one John suggested. I also like using the mirror as a tool. While everyone would ideally like to have low body fat (

 

[Lary Larson]

If you're serious about getting into lifting, I'd recommend reading Beyond Brawn and The Insider's Tell-All Handbook on Weight-Training Technique - both by Stuart McRobert.

Beyond Brawn basically teaches how to go about putting together a safe lifting program. It's weird to read, though, because it's not written as a narrative. Each chapter covers a topic (table of contents), but the contents of a chapter are a series of bullet points (sample). There's a lot of repetition - but that's ostensibly by design to hammer home the most important stuff.

The second book goes into great detail on proper and improper technique. He puts great stress on proper form for maximum results.

I was already reading these when I started visiting a personal trainer. I mentioned to him (a former competetive power lifter) that I was reading these and he told me to keep right on reading - McRobert is spot on with his advice. Gave me some confidence that I'm on the right track.

 

[Jonathan Burk]

Congrats Vince! It's always cool to hear about a real success story. It sounds like you have a good understanding of the basics, and you've got a lot of good options to choose from for future improvement. I've been thinking about getting one of the body-mass scales myself, and I've heard the newer ones are pretty good (especially the ones made for athletes).


And in the interests of making a decision based on all the information, I recommend reading up on the glycemic index here:

http://www.nutritionnewsfocus.com/

(just search for "glycemic index")