The Health, Wellness, weight loss, and fitness thread

[Jwar]

Yes. Resistance training/lift weights. That's what's the best IMO. Cardio, yoga and the like are good, but not nearly as effective as resistance training.

[Twangasaurus]

Yes. Resistance training/lift weights. That's what's the best IMO. Cardio, yoga and the like are good, but not nearly as effective as resistance training.

They are both good for different things. Resistance and weights are good in the long term because they boost your metabolism a fair amount so you pretty much lose weight just by existing. Cardio however will give you more noticeable results faster if you are just trying to trim down, make you more limber and improve your breathing (which is handy). Also good for decreasing recovery time when you pick up those weights again.

Basically that's just a long winded way of saying don't skimp out on either.

EDIT: Also here's a fun fact. Stretching has never been unanimously scientifically proven to decrease recovery time. It does however increase muscle mass and flexibility to you might as well do it anyway.
(Source: I did health science at uni for a bit and I'm friends with a few of physiotherapists).

[Jwar]

See I actually disagree. I think cardio gives you results the slowest. Especially if you're excessively overweight. You can burn triple the calories doing a leg resistance workout than being on a tread mill for an hour. I could do cardio all day and not see any noticeable difference. I've actually done my own little studies in this as well with my own body. I've only noticed drastic body composition changes from resistance training. Cardio however does help tighten up some lose ends (LOL). Overall though, I think they are both important but the right resistance training program will whip you into shape faster and more efficiently IMO.

[MaxMaps]

Yes. Resistance training/lift weights. That's what's the best IMO. Cardio, yoga and the like are good, but not nearly as effective as resistance training.

When I get back form vacation, my wife and I are going to get our memberships going at the gym. I am going to get into the habit of going multiple times a week and essentially through trial and error get a work out program going until I can afford a PT.

I will let you all know what I come up with.

[Twangasaurus]

See I actually disagree. I think cardio gives you results the slowest. Especially if you're excessively overweight. You can burn triple the calories doing a leg resistance workout than being on a tread mill for an hour. I could do cardio all day and not see any noticeable difference. I've actually done my own little studies in this as well with my own body. I've only noticed drastic body composition changes from resistance training. Cardio however does help tighten up some lose ends (LOL). Overall though, I think they are both important but the right resistance training program will whip you into shape faster and more efficiently IMO.

The problem is that different people react differently so yeah, you have to find what works best for you. It also depends on what sort of punishment you're willing to take and within that what sort of pain. For example I'm a pretty heavy guy right now and I can't do shit on a treadmill but put me on a bike and I can out do people with half the body mass. I couldn't tell you why, I guess I can just take that sort of endurance style pain. I burn fat way faster doing that than I could ever do with resistance training. But again, that's just me and it works for my exercise mentality and body.

[yallerhon]

Resistance training performed at high intensity will burn more calories than steady-state 'cardiovascular' training.

Amount of muscle recruited = calories burned both during and after an exercise session (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). The net amount of calories burned during a training session & EPOC is greater from resistance training than cardiovascular training.

However.

Not everyone is able or willing to perform high intensity resistance training. I would not give a heavily overweight, beginner client (with potential hypertension, asthma, etc) a high-intensity session of any kind. In such instances, a low-impact (low joint stress) session involving a stationary bike, crosstrainer or rowing machine would be more suitable. The goal with these types of clients is to take them from a completely sedentary lifestyle into daily movement, of any sort. I would give them resistance exercises (low intensity) within the first 2-3 sessions, and move from steady-state cardiovascular sessions on the bike/X-trainer/rower into light interval training (eg a 1:2 work:rest ratio) on these same machines. Boxing is also quite popular with my clients at this stage.

Hope this helps.

[yallerhon]

Here are some articles which may be of use to those of you looking for effective fat-loss training.

I can recommend all three methods.

Complexes for fat-loss: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... r_fat_loss

Farmer's walks for fat-loss: http://www.t-nation.com/testosterone-magazine-630

Interval training for fat-loss: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_los ... cardio.htm

If anyone has questions about these training methods, please fire away.

[goosekevin]

Resistance training performed at high intensity will burn more calories than steady-state 'cardiovascular' training.

Amount of muscle recruited = calories burned both during and after an exercise session (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). The net amount of calories burned during a training session & EPOC is greater from resistance training than cardiovascular training.

However.

Not everyone is able or willing to perform high intensity resistance training. I would not give a heavily overweight, beginner client (with potential hypertension, asthma, etc) a high-intensity session of any kind. In such instances, a low-impact (low joint stress) session involving a stationary bike, crosstrainer or rowing machine would be more suitable. The goal with these types of clients is to take them from a completely sedentary lifestyle into daily movement, of any sort. I would give them resistance exercises (low intensity) within the first 2-3 sessions, and move from steady-state cardiovascular sessions on the bike/X-trainer/rower into light interval training (eg a 1:2 work:rest ratio) on these same machines. Boxing is also quite popular with my clients at this stage.

Hope this helps.

Come to nsw and be my spirit guide
I'm not heaps over weight but just a bit 'chunkier' than I'd like to be, I will try and do some more swimming and maybe some boxing/biking
Any benefits of a stationary bike over a proper bike? Health wise

[yallerhon]

Come to nsw and be my spirit guide

I charge too much! But I can be your spirit guide from here

Any benefits of a stationary bike over a proper bike? Health wise

None really (beyond being able to always manage the level of resistance / intensity, plus avoiding bad weather), I only listed it in the context of the other two pieces of equipment If you have a regular bike, use that! Some fresh air and sunlight have their own benefits.

[tuffteef]

i just copped a fixie to ride around at night through the noir sydney city
upwards and onwards

i dont know how the hipsters do it though
that shit is tough in tight jeans

[Jwar]

Resistance training performed at high intensity will burn more calories than steady-state 'cardiovascular' training.

Amount of muscle recruited = calories burned both during and after an exercise session (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). The net amount of calories burned during a training session & EPOC is greater from resistance training than cardiovascular training.

However.

Not everyone is able or willing to perform high intensity resistance training. I would not give a heavily overweight, beginner client (with potential hypertension, asthma, etc) a high-intensity session of any kind. In such instances, a low-impact (low joint stress) session involving a stationary bike, crosstrainer or rowing machine would be more suitable. The goal with these types of clients is to take them from a completely sedentary lifestyle into daily movement, of any sort. I would give them resistance exercises (low intensity) within the first 2-3 sessions, and move from steady-state cardiovascular sessions on the bike/X-trainer/rower into light interval training (eg a 1:2 work:rest ratio) on these same machines. Boxing is also quite popular with my clients at this stage.

Hope this helps.

Isn't it interesting how many schools of thoughts there are on this subject? I find it fascinating.

[hbombgraphics]

monday night basketball ends next week so It's time to start running more and biking a bit more for the summer

the biking is tough because I pull my two kids in a bike trailer so I am getting tons of leg resistance which I don't at all need (although i understand I may be wrong about that)

Summer is easy though, coaching soccer and tons of outdoor stuff.

hows everyone else doing with their health quest?

[skullservant]

Dropped about five pounds over the past few weeks. I think it has to do with being sick the past two, but who knows. Other than Sunday I've been trying to cut back on junk a bit with the lunches that I eat. I haven't been having much time to eat breakfast though before I run out of the house for work. But it felt nice for the scale to go down for once.

[controlFreak]

Find something fun and active that you can get into long-term.

Have fun.

Try hard.

[Achtane]

Been going to the gym with my friend 3x a week for the past month, SHIT ROCKS. Even though I'm comically weak right now, the first day left me feeling more positive than I have been in like two years. I nearly could have cried...had I not wanted to preserve those critical salts to further my GAINZZZ.
Doing cardio and gonna start doing bodyweight jank on the off-days since his gym's not more available.

Right now I'm about to set a home deadlift record, a 36" Sony TRINITRON CRT, fuck me. It's gotta go, though...Odin, save my spine.