The Less is More Thread

littleman · January 04, 2012, 05:09:02 PM

>No doubt I'll go up in weight after the gym though.

How does that work? The gym makes you gain weight?

agerhart · January 04, 2012, 05:15:38 PM

if you lift and eat the right way it will

jetboy · January 04, 2012, 07:01:15 PM

I believe that weight training (at least after a layoff) makes your muscles retain water, so you tend to see an initial increase in weight.

grnidone · January 04, 2012, 09:13:27 PM

QuoteHow does that work? The gym makes you gain weight?

Yep. It does for me. When I'm out of shape, I'm about 105 pounds (47.6 kg, 7.5 stone) or less, when I'm in really good shape, I weigh around 117 pounds (53.7 kg, 8.36 stone). Oddly enough, I look thinner when I weigh more...

agerhart · January 06, 2012, 05:10:41 PM

I'm in

5 days a week

I, Brian · January 06, 2012, 07:50:48 PM

I've got a dog. 1-2 hours brisk walking everyday. Who needs a gym!!

mivox · January 07, 2012, 09:11:16 PM

I lose weight like I quit smoking... repeatedly, but never for very long. ;-) I used to be one of those people who couldn't gain weight if I tried, and I did try. Often commented that I'd like to gain weight. Then thanks to my thyroid taking a hike (probably starting about 10 years ago), I got my wish. Be careful what you wish for indeed.

My lowest weight in the last 10 years was 148 down from an all-time high of 200+ (The Drs office weighed me in at 199, but that's after I dropped a little weight). Then I slowly crept back up to the mid-160s, where I am now.

I know there are plenty of easy ways I could lose weight... I dropped 10lbs in a month by laying off the beer, but I don't want to lay off the beer. Therefore I must exercise. And I don't particularly like to. So having a bunch of people to be accountable to, even if it's just online, should help with motivation. *crosses fingers*

And after looking at Littleman's photos, damn. I have no good excuse for not dropping 15-20lbs.

Rumbas · January 08, 2012, 05:24:35 PM

>How does that work? The gym makes you gain weight?

Absolutely!

I've probably put on more weight than losing over the last year. Took a good cut the first few months and kept the same body weight since. Doing quite a bit of weights and definetly burned fat for muscle. Pants and shirts fitting better and feeling much better.

I've still got quite a bit of fat to shed but a few months ago my training buddy and I increased the speed and intensity of our weight training trying to burn more calories. Quite effective as Drastic mentioned above. Doing a least 2 sets of longer cardio excercises a week on top. Cross trainer for about 45 mins.

Littleman mentioned in another thread the excercise can't beat a bad diet. I have to concur completely.
Eating less and better is my main challenge. I love good food.. and plenty of it. Also eating more times a day will help, but I've never cared for breakfast and basically only have lunch and dinner and maybe some bad white carbs at night before bed - which is REALLY bad if you want to loose weight.

grnidone · January 09, 2012, 07:42:55 PM

>And after looking at Littleman's photos, damn. I have no good excuse for not dropping 15-20lbs.

I think Little should take a picture in a speedo when he gets the abs showing. He's got no excuse *not* to...

littleman · January 09, 2012, 08:09:28 PM

>speedo

no chance!

ergophobe · January 09, 2012, 10:53:12 PM

>How does that work? The gym makes you gain weight?

Ditto. I usually only get fat if under a lot of stress (e.g. finishing my doctorate when the deadline suddenly got moved from eight months to three months).

If under a little continual stress or just plain lazy, I get skinny - skinny arms, skinny legs. I go to the gym primarily to add weight. Or, actually, I go to the gym primarily to add *stength* which usually requires adding some weight. If I could get twice as strong without adding a pound, I'd prefer that, but aside from training neuropathways, it doesn't tend to work that way.

Weight is, in general, a terrible measure of fitness.

mivox · January 10, 2012, 10:47:40 PM

Quote from: littleman on January 09, 2012, 08:09:28 PM
>speedo

no chance!

hahahaha! Spoil sport. You're raining on Heather's parade.

So, I did a workout yesterday... I'm switching it up to the program I used last time I tried to stick to something and get in shape. My hamstrings and butt are KILLING me, but everything else feels fine. I guess that's what I get for using a female-specific workout regimen... apparently all we care about is our lower body?!

ergophobe · February 13, 2012, 01:31:40 PM

If you're struggling to find time or looking to mix things up and are already pretty fit, Tabatas are something to throw in the mix.

How: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_tabata_method

How 2: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_tabata_method_perfected

Why: http://www.cbass.com/FATBURN.HTM (short version: EPOC - excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).

Read and heed the warnings. A couple weeks ago I saw an article that cited two more studies confirming the value of Tabatas.

Love this quote from Dan John

QuoteI do either Tabata front squats or Tabata thrusters about twice a month. I'm sure someone will comment, "If it's so good, why don't you do it every day?" Go ahead, try it and report back after the second day.

(note in more recent articles he recommends against thrusters, though that's what I did this week, b/c of the high chance of... well... passing out and dropping the weight on your head.

Rumbas · February 13, 2012, 01:48:54 PM

Wow, that seem extremely effective. One guy here swears to heavy lifting and doing reps until you nearly pass out. Fits perfectly with the Tabata theory.

I'll try the front squats at tonight's training.

Drastic · February 13, 2012, 04:07:01 PM

I've seen people doing the front squats in the gym, just not to that intensity. Looks interesting, like good a Saturday extra workout trial. My knee is holding up surprisingly well playing ball, so I may be able to get back to leg strengthening exercises soon. Not yet though.

***Warning*** Be very careful doing any kind of squat - poor form can very seriously injure your back. If you don't have or know proper form, get someone who does to coach you the first few sets. This is the kind of mistake that can last for years.

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I seem to be leveling around 210 lbs. As lm mentioned in the commit thread, these last few are the hardest fought. I'm still leaning up overall though, so progress is still being made. That bit around the waist is dug in, war is definitely an apt description.