Aerobic Exercise

[Genesis]

Anybody have any ideas about aerobic exercise and what kind would be the best. Also, I want to target a specific area to trim off some excess poundage (specifically my love handles). Can certain areas be targetted - I have heard yes and I have heard no


Bill

[Trainerdan]

Hi Genesis ...

Targeting a specific area for fat loss, often referred to as spot reduction, is a myth. If that were the case then all gum chewers would have thin faces. LOL.

The way to shed fat is by a combination of: diet (70%), cardio work (20%) and weight training (10%).

For cardio, pick an activity that you enjoy. Some examples are:

walking, jogging, inline skating, biking/cycling, elliptical training, hiking, swimming (laps, not playing Marco Polo ... LOL). You get the idea.

In the gym, elliptical trainers, treadmills, cross trainers (ellipticals with arm action), stair climbers, and exercise bikes.

Don't count out aerobics classes. Cardio kickboxing is "guy friendly", as is spinning (intense!). Trust me, I feel funny in step class as much as any guy. They are coming up with classes that appeal to men now ... one is called boot camp.

Those are some ideas.

[tamarian]

I second what TrainerDan said about the myth of targeting spots. Here's a cut and paste below from a previous post of mine:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=673&highlight=spot

1. When you lose fat, you DO NOT lose fat cells. You lose fat from those cells

2. Your fat cells are not equally distributed over your body, that's what makes your figure unique. It's genetic.

3. You can not control which fat to lose from which cells. You lose proportionally to your fat cell concentration. Spot training does not work in losing fat from a spot, it can only build muscle. If you lift weight with one hand, you'll grow muscle on that hand, but you'll lose fat equally from both hands. If you lost 10% fat from each hand, you've lost 10% from everywhere else.


Wa'il

[Trainerdan]

Great post Wa'il ... thanks for the back-up. Mind if I steal those statistics? LOL.

The saying goes, "You can spot build, but you can't spot reduce".

[Genesis]

Thanks for the info. Now, another thing. So I guess cardio workout can be done on a stationary bike, and if so, would doing it everyday be ok, and is there any benefits doing it in the morning, as compared to doing it in the evening after work. Also, some info on duration would be helpful

Thanks, again

Bill

[tamarian]

Trainerdan, feel free to use it if it helps. I think it was originally written in reference to breasts. :)

Wa'il

[Trainerdan]

Even though you may have to drag yourself into the gym to do it, doing cardio work first thing in the morning before you have eaten anything is the best way to use stored bodyfat for fuel.

There are studies that back this up, I just have to dig them up ... they're on this hard drive somewhere ...

When you do it in the morning before you have eaten (drinking water is OK, as is taking a fat burner -- asssuming it is safe for you to do so) your body has no other fuel source to get energy from ... ESPECIALLY if you are on low-carbs.

If you do it in the afternoon/evening, your body can convert protein to be used as fuel. I believe the process is called gluconeogenesis (hey look, your name is in there ...)

I may have spelled that wrong, but it is close. Morning cardio is the way to go, followed by cardio done after weight training.

But as a rule, ANY cardio is better than NO cardio ... LOL

Also, as you might have guessed, morning cardio isn't gonna be super high intensity stuff. Just give it what you've got.

As for duration, I usually reccomend people start with 15 to 20 minutes, and add 15 minutes to the workout each week. When you get to where your sessions would be 60 minutes in length, split them into two 30-minute sessions per day (one in AM, one in PM). Then use the same process, but add 5 minutes to each session until you are doing two 60-minute sessions per day.

Do this until your desired results are achieved. Take weekends off, to let your bodu recover. And every 8 weeks, take a full week off and just do "active recovery", which is a term trainer's use to sound important ... all it means is do activities that you enjoy that aren't (in your case) cycling.

For example, Fern and I did alot of elliptical training and tossed in some biking during our cardio sessions. For "active recovery" we played basketball.

Wow. How come every post I make is like a book? LOL. Face-to-face I am never this long winded ...

Hope it helps Genesis. Let me know if I can help with anything -- ot if I was unclear. I just woke up, and I am waiting for Fern to get out of the shower.

Have a great weekend!

[Trainerdan]

Wa'il,

LOL, that's funny. Well, I'm an equal-opportunity-trainer. I don't discriminate. Fat is fat, and I'll help get rid of it ALL. LOL

[Genesis]

Thanks for the info Trainerdan - just to make sure though - riding a stationary bike is ok as a cardio exercise - because if so, then that is what I shall do (sorry for being kind of ignorant towards this type of exercise)

Thanks again

Bill aka Genesis

[tamarian]

Hi Bill,

Any activity,I think, if done within your hearts's target zone, should work. I've worked the last 3 months at a client's office within a 25 minutes walk uphill, and had to walk 15 minutes for lunch as well, both are one way, so this makes a total of 60-80 minutes a day. It worked wonders and really helped speed my fat loss. I tend to prefer weight lifiting as I gain muscle easily, but this was an eye opener as to the benefit of aerobic exercise. Now that my contract is over, I'm planning on doing the same routine of walking for the sake of exercise.

I recall reading in "Fit or Fat" about a woman who compalained about not losing while exercising streneously (sp?). It turned out sho had been too sedentary for too long, and was exercising way beyound her range/zone. Finally, when they asked her to simply walk slowly, that did the trick and she started loosing, because a slow walk was all she needed to reach her target zone. This rings a bill, as when I was 400 lbs, a 5 minute walk would make me feel like I'm having a hear attack! :)

Wa'il

[fern2340]

Bill-
Riding a stationary bike is good cardio exercise just make sure you are pedaling at the right speed....

I know when I do the bike, as opposed to the elliptical say, I don't feel I get as good a workout. I don't think I pedal fast enough and to me, I just sit and pedal and kind of cruise along.

To each his/her own though.... I know people who only use the bike for cardio and get GREAT results!!

Good luck to you!!!

[Genesis]

Actually, I am quite lucky in that I have borrowed a relatives bike (quite a fancy one at that) with display that monitors heart rate as well

I plan on doing a good cardio workout every morning when I get up

Thanks again for the info guys

Bill :cool:

[fern2340]

it is a love/hate relationship!!

Hate getting up and when that alarm rings all you want to do is turn it off (or throw it across the room!!) BUT once you are doing it, feels pretty good! Plus, it works wonders...

Good luck to you! (gotta go to bed soon so I can get up and do my AM cardio---look out elliptical, here I come!!)

:)

[Trainerdan]

Bill,

Regarding intensity, I wrote about heart rate training in my CKD101 post (in the CKD section). It's the 4th or 5th post down.

It gives a pretty good overview of how to structure your workouts.

Good luck, and keep us posted!:)

[doreen T]

Get yerself two fat and lazy cats. At the first glimmer of daylight, they will come and sit on your head and purr directly into your nostrils with fish breath and make all kind of chortling noises until you open your eyes. Then, they will excitedly jump to the floor, and wait for you in the doorway. When it becomes obvious that you have only flipped over, and will not be vertical any moment soon, they will then repeat the performance, usually with some agitated kneaded with their paws ... this goes on until you either get up and feed them OR they give up their efforts, and kacckkkkKK up a hairball on your white rug in frustration.

Hasn't failed to rouse me yet .. :D

Doreen

[Susie]

I agree with trainerdan.
You cannot spot reduce. Your body decides where the fat will come off. And the love handles are usually the last to go because that is where the bulk of the fat is kept.

Aerobics in any form ex: treadmill, stationary bike, Tae-Bo, Roller Blading etc....done for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for 5-6 days a week, first thing in the morning will guarantee you results.

-Clean up your diet. (you what's good and what's not! :)
-Try incorporating some weight exercise in there to burn even more! Though if you're going to lift I suggest you do your aeorobics after your weight session.

Good luck to you!

Susie

[fern2340]

Doreen-
I tried to get up this morning and turned off the alarm and rolled back over........that is about the 4th time I have done that in the past couple weeks. I am missing the AM cardio and feeling like a slob! Maybe I should invest in lazy cats?!?!?! Oh well, I am getting up tomorrow to workout with my sis and her husband before I leave for NY. It's so much easier when you work out with someone else!!!

[Teresa]

Bill,
I started CARDIO kick boxing 1 year ago and have lost 27 lbs. Of course, the most improvement has been in my legs, but a good instructor also adds in an ab workout. There is a world of difference in instructors. Be sure you get one who is certified and can show you the proper way to kick and punch to keep you from hurting yourself and get the most from your workout. I also use the eliptical trainer at my gym, however, it doesn't have the moveable arms. After 10 miles, I usually head for the weight machines or the free weights to work upper body.
Good Luck!