h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now if those of you who have met me would stop laughing for five minutes I have a bit of a question.

I'm currently rather nicely cuddley, aka round and padded, aka, practically as wide as I am tall. Lets put it bluntly I'm fat. And I quite fancy toning up, I don't really want to weight less, but I'd like to convert fat to muscle!

I have some motivation *displays motivation for all to see* and I do rather enjoy going to the gym but can't afford a personal trainer. I know that you do the weights to build muscle, and cardiovascular stuff to loose weight.

Three questions.

What if you want to loose fat and get muscle?

How much weight training do you have to do to build up without over doing it? I've heard three times a week..

Anyone know a good book on the subject?

When I was in the Army I had a personal trainer. He was called an Army Physical Training Corp Instructor and he was a sadistic b*&^%$d.

He always said that weight training only had limited use. Good for muscle tone but for cardiovascular fitness running was the best thing. Gets the heart and lungs working better than any amount of time spent in the Gym. I won't call it jogging because jogging wasn't in his vocabulary. Jogging was something you did between the Gym and the NAAFI.

You cannot convert fat in to muscle. You can only get rid of the fat and replace it with muscle. Don't get to preoccupied with muscle though. To much muscle is almost as bad as to much fat.

Donald

Timing's important.

Sounds gruesome, but a jog before breakfast (i.e when your body has nothing but its fat reserves to use) is the most effective way to shift pounds.

I did have a good book...trying to remember the name of it....

I need to introduce you to my daughter, the Sports Scientist, Z - she knows all about this stuff. And I wanted you to meet each other anyway.

Find something you enjoy doing be it running, cycling, swiming, rowing and do that.

Phil - good point about enjoyment, and that's the main plan. I have a feeling I could enjoy going to the gym, but the last time I went I didn't do enough to make a difference so I might as well do it right this time.

Teucther - that sounds like a great idea! I'm geeky enough to want to know the science of what I do.

Ah running, well, erm, perhaps, excercise in the morning is a good idea. I've found that when I go to the gym in the evening it takes up my whole evening, which isn't something I really have to spare. Or certianly not something I want to give up three times a week.

I guess I could find the time to go running in the morning, though I can only run for ten minutes without dying. But when you're as spherical as I am then that actually does quite a lot of good doesn't it?

The thing about running in the morning is:

You don't have to run far.

You don't have to run fast.

You don't even have to do it every day!

Just get out there and DO IT!

Try for a week, every other day, 10 minutes.

You're right, instead of feeling you've wasted the whole evening at the gym, you've now got the whole day to feel virtuous!

If after a week, you think, well that was OK, then up your time, gradually.

Ok, humm I guess getting up fifteen minutes earlier wouldn't ruin my life, I'd have a shower in the morning anyway, and running would also make me awake enough to study on the train.

Should I do it before or after breakfast?

The main reason I don't go running in the evening's is that the little oiks who hang around would laugh, but they're not going to be up at 6.45am.

I have no motivation and don't like any type of sporty thing. The only thing I can really do (I'm a bag of joint and muscle problems) is walk...and I wouldn't go out after dark by myself. And it's dark after work. Hence I am a bit of a hopeless case, becoming a bigger bit daily!

Jules

Get a rebounder... one of the those mini trampolines.

According to Nasa it is damn near perfect exercise and its great fun too. I can bounce away for hours... and sometimes I use the rebounder too!

Weak ankles I fear I would sprain them instantly. I am 'hypermobile' (double-jointed) and you wouldn't believe the number of bad sprains I've had.

s Jules.

Maybe I will try running tomorrow, or maybe I won't I think I'll make changes gradually. I know if I make a lot of changes then I won't be able to keep them up, but if I make small changes, and then let them become part of my daily routine then it will be more likley to stick.

Hmmm poor you.

It would probably work for Z though.

Yes, and I do realise it was his question!

I'd love to take up jogging, always felt envious of those who do, but seriously I'd be over in seconds. I've had physio and tried to retrain the offending bits of me...but I still don't trust them not to 'go' again, as I call it!

I could swim, though. I'm just rubbish at getting out and doing it!

Jules

I'm by no means athletic, being about 15 or so pounds overweight myself, but I have gotten some good advice on working out. I found that getting up early and running/jogging/walking (I have torn ACLs in both knees and do poorly with anything that puts a lot of strain or impact on them) in the morning did me the best. It is, as was previously mentioned, when your body has nothing *but* fat reserves to burn. And it actually energizes and exhilirates you for the day, instead of wearing you out.

I think my best "workout" regimen consisted of roughly 20 minutes in the morning three times a week (and found myself at one point "jogging" for 60 minutes every morning, and enjoying and looking forward to it!).

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

That's a begining running program, Z. It works on the assumption that you're physically inactive - called "Couch to 5k". Might be worth a look.

That looks like something that Amy the did to train up to her 5K run. I seem to remember that she enjoyed it and felt it was a good way to do this.
hmm, I must get going swimming again...

I signed on at a gym about 4 years ago swearing that I'd never run anywhere in my life and I wasn't going to start *but* I eventually started just running on the treadmill for a couple of minutes, interspersed with walking, and got the bug. Now I run as often as I can, love it and am toying with the idea of training for a marathon. All I can say is lots of bits of me that used to wobble don't wobble any more even tho my weight is much the same. Good luck Z

I think cycling is a far safer way of exercising than jogging or running. It puts far less strain on the body especially if you are of a large build. Some place to ride your bike might be more of a problem. maybe a park , reservoir, canal or some other trackway. I used to cycle round Edgbaston reservoir and the canal towpaths when I lived in Birmingham. I live in Essex now and have a large country park next to me with beautiful paths through fields , lakes and woods, ideal for cycling. If you are after the body beautiful thro exercise, that is only available for a tiny percentage, but you will get fitter and might knock a few fractions of an inch off your waist. I never seemed to lose much weight myself thro exercise alone.

Currently alternating a yoga video and a ballet video. Can't get out much because of the kids.

Or adopt some kids and have them chase you round the park and then do a bit a of weigt lifting with them (2 yr old and 4 yr old). Progress from 2 yr old to 4 yr old as you get stronger.



Ice.