Run, Baby run (The Fitness Thread)

Please remember that English isn't my native language. I'm sorry, it's quite a challenge for me to post here and I can't express myself the way I usually do. I hope the advice I give to you doesn't sound too harsh. I just thought if you don't see any real progress you need to adapt your training and/or your calorie intake. I see the point but my assumption was that because my dinner is light and made up mainly of low calorie, water based vegetables that it would not be putting back on the same calories as previously burned. If you're convinced that you've really burned more calories than you eat afterwards - alright. Also, I was told by member of gym staff that the body continues to burn calories for 17 hours after a workout and the reason why I have been going three times a week was because I was advised that the body requires a day to recover after a workout. Why exactly 17 hours? Sorry, I think that's one of those gym myths. It highly depends on your metabolism rate, on the muscle/fat ratio and on what you eat or drink. Example: if you eat carbs like pasta for dinner it increases the body's glycogen storage (=> more energy), but certainly decreases the fat burn effect. I used to go to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and go swimming on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays but in the end I had to stop because one was making it difficult to do the other due to a lack of energy. It's not really wise to do weight lifting for more than 3 times a week for the average person. After a longer training period & if your body can handle it (and only then!) it's perfectly ok to do endurance training 5 or 6 times a week. BUT you really need to train systematically with variable intensity and stick to strict recovery cycles. Otherwise you'll risk to exceed your recovery capacity (overtraining). That's probably what you have experienced. OK, if you're still with me (hello hello ;) ) and like to read more: => micro training cycle (per week): a day with high intensity training is always followed by a day with low intensity. Max. 3 days of training in a row, then pause. Example: Monday: intervalls, Tuesday: low intensity training, Wednesday: intervalls, Thursday: pause, Friday: low intensity training, Saturday: long low intensity session, Sunday: pause. => medium training cycle (per months): max. 3 weeks of above training, then 1 week complete regeneration. Then again 3 weeks training and so on. => macro cycle (per year): 2 times per year => extended regeneration period of 1 month, e.g. in June & in November. That said, if I can find a protein rich, sugar free drink (I've never heard of butter milk) then I am willing to give it a try. Well, buttermilk is very common over here. Kefir is something similar or try a pure whey drink. Final suggestions before I shut my mouth :mrgreen: - Don't waste too much time with ab workouts, crunches etc. What you really need is focussing on burning off the fat that's covering the abs. And that doesn't work with typical cardio routines like 30 min on the treadmill. - Change the intensity of the training frequently: do intervals (very effective), train longer, train more often, remember to train in cycles. - Do your training either in the morning before breakfast (the main energy source will be fat not glycogen, your metabolism will be elevated => not easy!) or train in the evening & don't eat anything or at least no carbs afterwards (also not easy, but stimulates fat burning & growth hormone level). Don't give up ;)

Please remember that English isn't my native language. I'm sorry, it's quite a challenge for me to post here and I can't express myself the way I usually do. I hope the advice I give to you doesn't sound too harsh. I just thought if you don't see any real progress you need to adapt your training and/or your calorie intake. I do understand and realise that English is not your first language (although you wouldn't know it judging by how well you write) and I do try to take account of that when I read your replies and also when I write mine. If it doesn't come across that way then I apologise and will try harder in the future. At no point have I disagreed with what you are saying or argued against it and have found your advice very helpful. I do see your point about adapting my training and/or my diet, if it seems like I'm making excuses I can assure you that I'm not, if anything I am just trying to figure a way to juggle other parts of my life around to fit in any changes. It didn't sound like you were being harsh as such, I probably read what you said in the wrong way, you just seemed to come across as frustrated or irritated. Again, I apologise if I read it wrong and I do genuinely appreciate your input here. If you're convinced that you've really burned more calories than you eat afterwards - alright. I'm not 100% convinced that I am. I just tried to pick foods to eat that were light in calories, low in carbohydrates and good for protein. I realise it isn't perfect (the quiche could probably be left out) but I was just trying to find something that was healthy and wouldn't leave me going to bed feeling hungry. It's not really wise to do weight lifting for more than 3 times a week for the average person. After a longer training period & if your body can handle it (and only then!) it's perfectly ok to do endurance training 5 or 6 times a week. BUT you really need to train systematically with variable intensity and stick to strict recovery cycles. Otherwise you'll risk to exceed your recovery capacity (overtraining). That's probably what you have experienced. I agree, I probably did overtrain. I was probably doing myself more harm than good at the time (although I mistakenly thought I wasn't) but I do see what you're saying and, if I am to train on more days, I need to find a routine that is going to prove to be good for my body and not leave me feeling low in energy. OK, if you're still with me (hello hello ;) ) and like to read more: => micro training cycle (per week): a day with high intensity training is always followed by a day with low intensity. Max. 3 days of training in a row, then pause. Example: Monday: intervalls, Tuesday: low intensity training, Wednesday: intervalls, Thursday: pause, Friday: low intensity training, Saturday: long low intensity session, Sunday: pause. I'm always interested to read more! I apologise for taking a little longer to reply to this post. I'm such an idiot that I actually had to look up what interval training, low intensity and high intensity were (I know what the words mean but not how they relate to training routines). I understand the principal of interval training (an example being a light run with short bursts of intense sprints and then going back to a light run etc) but could you give me an example of a 'long low intensity session'? I'm just interested to know how you would define it. I am hoping to go to the gym for an hour early tomorrow morning before breakfast to try out some intervals (probably on the treadmill or cross trainer)...everybody has to start somewhere. Well, buttermilk is very common over here. Kefir is something similar or try a pure whey drink. By 'pure whey drink' do you mean like a protein shake (you buy a protein powder and add it to water, it's virtually carb free and, obviously, high in protein)? - Don't waste too much time with ab workouts, crunches etc. What you really need is focussing on burning off the fat that's covering the abs. And that doesn't work with typical cardio routines like 30 min on the treadmill. - Change the intensity of the training frequently: do intervals (very effective), train longer, train more often, remember to train in cycles. - Do your training either in the morning before breakfast (the main energy source will be fat not glycogen, your metabolism will be elevated => not easy!) or train in the evening & don't eat anything or at least no carbs afterwards (also not easy, but stimulates fat burning & growth hormone level). Don't give up ;) I should say that abdominal exercises like crunches are only a part of what I do when I go to the gym (I probably spend 20 minutes on them in a 2 1/2 hr session). I tend to do 90 minutes cardio, 40 minutes strength and 20 minutes abdominals. I alternate my cardio between the cross trainer, the treadmill, the bike and the stairs (e.g. one day I will do 35 minutes treadmill, 35 minutes cross trainer, 20 minutes bike and then another day will be 35 minutes cross trainer, 20 minutes stairs, 35 minutes treadmill etc so that no two days are the same). With the strength I rotate the exercises for area of the body I am working so that one day I will do shoulders, pectorals and lats and another day I will do leg extensions, leg curls and leg press and another day I will do biceps, triceps and chest press. Thank you again for the advice, it is always welcome.

I used to go running lots, but havent for far too long now. Really need to get back out there, feeling so unfit at the moment!! :sad:

I just signed up to run 5k in the Race for Life at the end of June. It's not far, but considering that I haven't run with any regularity for about 8 years it's a big deal for me!

shrikes what am I doing in here :shock: Just wanted to say I to am doing the "race for life" at the end of June Bournemouth to Boscombe (check your wheels!) pier. Did it last year and on a serious note went with 7 of my close friends especially for one friend as her mum died at the age of 62 from cancer. Her mum was such fun I remember her telling us that on her 60th birthday after having such a wonderful party she got dropped of home and waved goodbye to her lift when she realised she had couldn't find her key! so what does one do ? she spent the night in the dog kennel outside whilst the dog was indoors snuggled up on the sofa.. :lol:

Ha! That's brilliant! She sounds wonderful, Madge, I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. 62 is too young, really. Good luck with the run this year! On my own serious note I'm doing this in memory of Charlie, my cousin who died of leukaemia two years ago when he was 1 year and 2 months old. He was just the most beautiful, smiley, good-natured baby boy I've ever met, he had a smile that could light up a room, I swear. I'd do anything to stop any other family having to go through losing a child like that.

Lots of luck to you as well KB .. tis a cruel world we live in. I was all ready to take it easy last year and walk with 5 of my friends when my vivacious nutter of a friend dear Angie said "Oi where do you think your going?" and dragged me literally to the runners start line! Oooo eck misses :shock: I put my ipod on full Pantera blast and did it in 34 mins! twas a fluke I'm sure... no training nothing just pure heavy adrenaline. Guess I may have to try and beat that time this year ... oo eck help :P

Good luck to both of you. The Race For Life is a very worthy cause to be running for.

I got my race pack today, so I panicked about being able to do it and ran 3k, which is not very far really but is the farthest I've run since I quit triathlon 7 years ago, and since I put on all this weight. I am quite proud of me.

Does anyone know what's happened to Kira and why she doesn't post here anymore? I miss her :sad:

Haven't seen her anywhere for a while. I know she gets swamped with work occasionally and doesn't post anywhere. I think this may be one of those times.

View Full Version: Run, Baby run (The Fitness Thread)