posted
A quick and dirty calculation for when you walk or run is 1 mile = 100 calories. It's pretty much the same regardless if you walk or run it, the difference is if you run you get more miles, and hence more calories, in the same amount of time.
You need to burn 3500 extra calories to lose a pound, incidentally.
Now, as you add muscle you'll burn more calories all the time because muscle uses more energy just sitting around than fat does, plus a good workout will keep you burning calories at a higher rate for a little while afterwards. But those effects are both pretty minor, especially for people just starting out.
Anyway, since you're currently walking/jogging about 2 miles a pop, I really would say you shouldn't add any more calories in the form of protein shakes. Kinda just negates the weight-loss effects of your workout. You still get teh cardio and muscular benefits, of course. Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
So, cut out the shakes, work on running longer distances to burn more calories, and try to cut more calories from my diet, but while still eating meats to keep my protein intake up?
And seriously, only 100 calories? After I finish a mile, I feel like I've earned a LOT more than just 100 calories having been burned.
Edit to add: I've been pretty much the same weight for the last couple years, and I wasn't really exercising at all during those years. Shouldn't ANY exercise upset the balance and cause me to lose weight?
posted
Nutritionists are also a big help--they can make things really easy for you. I favor losing weight over a long period of time, so it's easier to keep it off. I lost about 30 pounds over about 2 years. The first year, I just ran 25-30 miles a week. The second year, I actually started watching what I was eating, and I ran about 8-12 miles a week. My food was starting to get very drastic--not lean chicken and egg white drastic, but not good either. So I saw a nutritionist who suggested I eat a little more, and I'm up about 8 pounds. I feel much better, and I am gradually able to work out more often.
There are a bunch of estimates floating around out there for estimating the amount of calories you burn while you run/jog, depending on your pace.
Geez, Eljay, that's a heck of a workout routine; I will just bet you were cut. I should hope so. Yikes.
Posts: 516 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lyrhawn, yeah, realizing that I have no credentials at all, your first paragraph sounds good to me.
And if you truly don't change your eating habits, any exercise should upset the balance and cause yuo to lose weight. But like you said, after a mile you feel like you've "earned" extra calories, and probably a lot more than you've actually burned. It's really easy to start adding food without noticing it and not lose anything. 'Cause you will feel hungry, because your body doesn't want to lose fat. It wants to stay the same.
bunbun, I looked pretty good, but I would have had to go down another 5 - 10 pounds to be really cut. You could just start to see my abs, but I didn't have a six-pack yet. My arms and back looked great, but there was still some extra padding on my hips and legs, I'm a classic pear shape, that's where I carry my weight. But yeah, that's being picky. If I'd've kept it up for another month or two, I probably would have added a bit more muscle and lost the last of the fat that I could and still be healthy.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
ElJay, thanks for all the information in your first post on this page. I found that really helpful.
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
You're welcome. Again, let me say that this is all information I've picked up over years of running, not running, reading exercise magazines, doing research, etc. It might not be current, and my memory might be faulty. But it at least gives you someplace to start from.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
One of the many things that infuriates me about food and exercise is that when you are speaking of calories in the context of food and exercise you actually mean kilocalories. One "food/exercise calorie" == 1,000 real calories == 4,187 Joules.
Bah.
[Edited to fix my numbers.]
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I tried to go swimming, but the pool's night hours don't start until next week. I was all psyched too.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Also, how accurate is the Basal Metabolic Rate scale thing? Sadly, I went to the Biggest Loser page on the NBC website, and in addition to the BMI thing, which I don't find to be a very accurate portrayal of healthiness, there was a BMR calculator.
The BMR calculator supposedly tells you how many calories you burn while resting. In other words how many calories you would burn if you just sat in bed all day. Mine came back as appx. 1700 calories per day.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Anyone willing to suggest some stretches for before and after jogging? I've been cramping up really badly, so clearly I'm doing something wrong.
Posts: 650 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I do the same set. I walk for a little bit just to slightly warm them up. I'm told you're never supposed to stretch a cold muscle. I don't know the names of the stretches, but I can describe them.
Stand on one leg and pull your other leg up behind you, that should stretch out your thigh muscles.
Okay, describing these is harder than I thought, I'll let someone else do it. But make sure you hold your stretches for at least a 15 count, or you aren't doing much good.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Very hard to find the words to exlpain stretches but I will try:
Hamstring:
Touching your toes is always a good stretch
Sitting on the floor with one leg extended out. Bring the other knee to your chest and that food to the outside of the stretched out leg. Rotate your upper body to the outside of the bent leg. (also stretches your torso)
There is another really good one but it is really difficult to explain without showing you.
Calves: (Standing up)Find your nearest wall and place your toes on the wall with your heel on the floor. Press your body foward.
Also standing up cross one foot over the other and touch your toes, repeat for opposite leg.
Quads- What Lyrhawn said above is a great one.
Make sure your also stretch your Upperbody as well. Roll your shoulders and neck, stretch your torso, stretch your arms. You dont want any parts of your body to be tensed up after you work out. There are many other stretches that are just too hard to explain.
Stretching is the most important thing you do when your work out. Make sure your do it before and after for at least 15 minutes each time. Hold your stretches for 30-60 seconds each.
It is also very important that you dont just suddenly stop after your cardio work out. You need to cool down, walk for 5 minutes at a steady slow pace. If your just collapse after your jog all of your muscles will cramp up.
Cool down and stretching are very important dont leave them out of your workout!!
Posts: 218 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: I didn't understand a word of that.
Is there a version for stupid people?
*laugh* Dunno 'bout that, but here's what I tell my chemistry students: "The 'calories' in all the food you eat are not really calories! *pause* No, they'rekilocalories, 1000 TIMES the size of a calorie!"
(There's usually a buzz at the notion that they've been somehow consuming 1000 times what they thought they were.)
"But that's ok, because the 'calories' you burn every minute just sitting here in class are also kilocalories." (More buzzing, and then I move on to defining what a calorie is in classical terms.)
Today I came within a block of jogging 2 miles straight, which is my short term goal. My next short term goal is 2 and 1/2 miles. My long term goal is still 10K (6.6 miles).
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: So the amount is the same, pound for pound, we've just been calling it by the wrong name?
Pretty much. Except . . . well, a Calorie is the same thing as a kilocalorie. So if we just consistently capitalized Calorie, it would also be correct.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Last week, I did two strength workouts and ran three times, each 30-40 minutes.
So far this week, I've done two strength workouts and 1 long run. I'd like to do one more long run today (a little over 3 miles, I think) and a short run at the track either Saturday or Sunday morning.(about 20 minutes.)
Posts: 516 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:So, cut out the shakes, work on running longer distances to burn more calories, and try to cut more calories from my diet, but while still eating meats to keep my protein intake up?
And seriously, only 100 calories? After I finish a mile, I feel like I've earned a LOT more than just 100 calories having been burned.
Edit to add: I've been pretty much the same weight for the last couple years, and I wasn't really exercising at all during those years. Shouldn't ANY exercise upset the balance and cause me to lose weight?
The 100 calories per mile isn't strictly true. I mean, for ElJay it probably is, because she's a girl. For me, I burn about 170 cal/mil, because I weigh 200 lbs.
It's directly proprotional to your bodyweight. One of my good friends is 6'6", 310, and he burns around 225 cal/mi. (don't ask how I know this, I figured it all out years ago).
One thing ElJay mentioned that I think is worth mentioning again is that your burn the exact same amount of calories from walking a mile, slowly, as you do sprinting it. So when I jog, distance, not time, is the most important thing. I might go 4 miles, but only jog 2 of them.
If you've been working out but your weight hasn't changed that doesn't mean you're not losing weight. Chances are you're losing fat while adding lean muscle mass, so your bodyweight stays the same. I was handcuffed to the scale while I lost all my football weight. Once I got down to 200, I weigh myself maybe once a year. I judge my fitness solely by how my body looks. I'm still 30 pounds away from my high school weight, but I have a totally different build now, so I don't even think about it.
That's something I especially recommend for the women in this thread. Forget about the scale, it's not a good measure of fitness or skinniness. Judge yourself by how you look in the mirror, or your favorite pair of jeans.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Is there a way to figure out how much you burn per mile? One of those easy to use calculations? I'm 5'8, Male, and weigh 150lbs, any idea offhand what I burn per mile?
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Do you have access to a treadmill? I like treadmills and gyms precisely because they do all the calculating for me. Also, you can adjust the incline. You'll burn five times as many calories on a 15.0 incline than you will when walking/running on the level.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Whooeeee. Today I lifted, ran a mile and a half, and then biked ten. My legs are currently in a full mutiny.
Also, Lyrhawn, I believe they have calorie counters for that online. Just google calorie calculator or something, that should work.
You'll need to know the rate you're going at, though.
Also (so many also's), I believe that's true about the calories, JT, but if you go at a higher rate it's much better for your heart. Of course, that's probably obvious, and I probably didn't need to say anything.
I wish this was the good ol' days. Also, I'm sick, so that makes it that much harder.
Doctor gave me these stupid oral steroids, but they never do anything... I need freakin' antibiotics, I don't care about the superflu. Last time I spent about a week on these decongestants befor the doctor realized I had a severe case of pnemonia. Then she gave me a course of antibiotics and the solid pound of phlegm was gone in about four days. > Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
The rate you run at absolutely makes a difference for your cardiovascular fitness, but if you're just trying to lose weight (which is the only reason I'll jog; I play basketball for fun) all you need to do is burn the calories.
Lyr, I would guesstimate you burn about 120-130 cal/mi.
My preferred method of getting in shape is to cut back on portion control and fast food, and to ramp up my cardio. That's strictly for weight loss. I'm young, so I generally mix in some weight lifting 2-3 times a week whenever I can swing it.
ps - I don't trust the calorie counter on most cardio machines, because a lot of them don't take bodyweight into account. Any one that does is probably alright.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Started running on Wednesday. Don't know the actual distance - I ran with a friend of mind who had to go to one of his colleagues to check if he got a package, so we mostly ran through the city. But I plan to make this an every-other-day thing.
I didn't run yesterday though, cause I went to play beach-volley with some friends of mine.
I felt great both times, not very tired which is strange considering I haven't exercised much in a while. I wasn't THAT out of shape, I mean I played volley regularly last school-year, but usually after I stop for a while it's hard to start again. Oh well, I shouldn't complain that things are good, should I?! Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Is there any difference, calorie burning/fitness wise, between running outside and running on a treadmill inside?
I really prefer to run on my treadmill, but I've been told by my friend who runs track at Purdue, that running outside is much harder and better for you. I just want to be able to burn a certain amount of calories.
Basically, is 2 miles on a treadmill equal to 2 miles on the street?
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
There's not really any difference b/tw outside and inside, as far as I know. At least, I've never seen any studies done on such a thing, and my gut says there's little difference.
One of the reasons I like to run outside it because my gym is so cold I can hardly break a sweat. Some surfaces outside are harder to run on, and thus a slighty better workout for your legs. Think sand as an extreme example; grass for a more realistic one.
Asphalt vs. Treadmill - about equal.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was able to swim 200 meters in a lake on Saturday. Hopefully I'll be able to get out with my swim buddy tomorrow to do some more (and the pool will be open).
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
The reason running outside is a better workout is because of the Temp. difference. When you run outside in the heat you get your heart rate up faster and you sweat more.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ron and I have been walking quickly around our neighborhood and the adjacent one right after putting the boys on the bus. Today we added a side street. The area is very hilly.
This past weekend, Ron took me shopping for jeans. My favorite pair (had 'em for years) finally got the seat worn out of them. I'd kept wearing them even after I lost the knees, but wearing them knowing I might flash some buttock was simply beyond me.
In any case, I had been wearing tens, ever since just after Liam was born (almost six years now).
I am now the proud owner of two new pairs of size EIGHT jeans. (And one pair of elevens in the Junior sizes, because Ron liked the style.)
P.S. We've had a gym membership with personal training for over two years, but with the walking, we have not been going to the gym. Can't afford it anyway. Plus, walking with my Beloved gives us time to talk, and keep our lives in focus.
Without the gym fees, I can afford new jeans for my new, svelter behind.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think I'm still shaking off the bug that tried to get me really sick last week. I'll feel fine, but then I'll work out and get all achey and lymph node sweling-y again. On the other hand, when I don't work out I really feel like crap, so there has to be some balance in there. I've been doing an hour every other day, but am thinking about doing a half hour every day instead.
Anyone with any experience know if that will make a difference?
As for the treadmill vs. outside question, I much prefer the treadmill because you can set the incline. The surface is softer, but it is much, much harder to run slightly uphill the whole time than on a flat surface, and I don't know of any outside route where you can run uphill for the whole time.
Unless you live in Escher's world.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, the outside suits our needs better at this time-- it's just so much easier to carry on a conversation than it is at the gym, and I'm seeing better results, too.
But few things work the same for everyone. I just like being outside better, but I'm sure the gym offers more efficient workouts.
Anyway, working yourself too hard when you are ill can actually prolong your fight. Keep up with the exercise, sure, but don't wear yourself out.
And take your vitamins, Sweetling. I hope you feel better soon. *pat,pat*
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
In Montana I had a couple of routes from my house to campus that were pretty much all uphill.
I had one 4 mile loop in particular that started off with a nasty hill for a half mile, then leveled off for a quarter mile, then slowly climbed for a mile, then slowly descended for a mile, then another climb/descent at the end. It was the perfect mix of brutal uphill, breath-catching after, then slow incline/declines the rest of the way. It was torture. I loved it.
Katie, I would skip your workouts till you're fully recovered. I know you're probably going stir crazy, but I think it'll help your recovery. It shouldn't hurt to do something low impact (i.e. walking), but I wouldn't raise your heartrate a lot until you feel better. And just walking around the block will make you feel better.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ever since I arrived at school 4 weeks ago I have not excercised. I am sure I am well on my way to my freshman 15. I just ordered a workout tape that has been recommended to me by a few dancers who use it to stay in shape durring the summer. It is a ballet tape for beginners to advanced. Going to the rec center, working out, and coming all the way back just seems like it would take too much time away from other things. I am hoping that having a fun easy workout to do in my room at anytime will help to get me motivated.
Posts: 1015 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lyrhawn, I would count my overall protein grams a day and if you're doing weight training, try to get at least 70-80 grams a day of protein or more. (Normal people not in training need at least 40-50 grams a day.) You are right that it makes no sense to do all that work and suffer the pain if you don't eat enough protein for your body to be able to rebuild the muscle tissue. I'd recommend 1000 mg a day of calcium too, since your bones also bulk up during training. I love the Viactiv calcium chews since they taste like candy.
If you're trying to cut your fat intake a whole lot at the same time, protein shakes might be a great source for you. I am rather fond of the Hood brand of low carb chocolate milk. It's more expensive than milk but has a lot less carbs. Skim milk, drunk by the gallon, is also an excellent (and cheap) source of protein, and many a bodybuilder swears by it.
Alternatively, you can just eat broiled chicken breast (remove all skin before cooking), or healthy choice hotdogs or deli meats. Look for meats with less than 3g of fat per ounce. Eggs are another great source of protein. If you want to cut the fat and cholesterol you can remove half the yolk and discard it before cooking. This tastes almost the same as real eggs, nothing like those horrible egg beaters, but has half the fat.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had knee problems about a year ago - my legs had atrophied and I jumped back into the old routine - injury resulted. I've been biking about ten miles a day for a month and a half before school started, and now I started running again. Can't stress how important stretching is, and warming up.
The important difference between running at a track and outside is the stress on your joints. Rubbery, cushiony surfaces are much, much better and do less damage to your knees and ankles. Running over hard, uneven surfaces and hills can really mess you up if your connective tissues aren't strong enough to handle it already, and over sustained periods it can do damage.
I run on an inside track because it has a clock and it's timed. It's cushiony, air conditioned, and I run along glass windows so I have some nice background. I prefer it to the one across the street, which is outside.
I've cut down on what I'm eating, but I have a question - I massively prefer eating canned vegetables to eating salads - creamed corn, steamed rice, green beans. Is this a good idea? At a meal I'll eat two cans of whatever, but is this just substituting other sugars and oils for the usual types?
Lost about seven pounds so far. Heads down, power through.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Here's my strategy for weight training. I like to do 3 or 4 workouts a week, alternating between focusing on chest, triceps, and shoulders on one workout, and back and biceps on the next. I do abs on every workout. I wait until my soreness from the prior workout is gone before doing another for the same focus muscle group. I skip legs now because I get plenty of leg workout from running and rollerblading.
I do what is called Inverted Pyramids, meaning for each exercise in my focus group, I do four sets, trying for 12-10-8-6 reps in the 4 sets, and increasing the weight each time. The first set is just warmup, so choose a weight that's much lighter than your current ability to lift. Lift each rep slowly and in control, with good form, and concentrating on the musles you are working. Lower slowly as well, getting the most out of each rep. This is how you avoid injury with free weights which are notorious at causing injury. Pause about 30 seconds between sets to allow your muscle to recover, then increase the weight at each set. By the fourth set you should be at a weight which is higher than you can really lift right now easily. For maximum benefit you should choose a weight that you will almost not be able to lift without help from a spotter by the sixth rep. I don't work out that hard any more, though, because I hate being a semi invalid from the soreness in the days afterward. :-P
Rest and recover a minute or two between exercises, but cluster all the exercises for the same muscle together. In other words, on your back and bi day do all the bicep exercises first, then the back exercises, then the abs.
The advantage of inverted pyramids is that it's quite easy after a few times at one level to increment to the next level. For instance (and don't laugh at the puny weights I lift) I might do flies with 3-5-7-then-10 pound dumbbells for my sets of 12-10-8-and-6 reps. After a few workouts doing that, it's quite easy to jump up to 5-7-10-15 pound dumbbells. Because your body isn't locked into a single weight, it doesn't scream and whine as much about increasing. You're able to trick it into increasing without it noticing much.
It depends on a number of factors (then, what doesn't). The most important one is salad dressing. If you eat fresh salad with fat free dressing, I think that's probably better. If you smother your salad in ranch, the canned veggies are probably better (depends which veggies and how they're cooked).
2 cans seems like a lot though. Is that your entire meal, or just a side? The other thing is that some of those canned veggies are loaded with sodium. Read labels.
EDIT: (This is to Tatiana)
I do a similar weight program (I rarely make 4 times a week anymore - job is too time consuming). My only change would be to advise anyone following such a program to do the major muscle lifts first, then the supplementary muscles. In your example, do your back lifts before your bicep lifts. This is because your secondary muscles are often the limiting factor in how much you can do with a major lift. For example, when benching, tricep fatigue is usually the reason for failure. So if you bench first, while your tris are fresh, you'll get a better burn for your chest because your tris are less likely to fail. Then, when you lift tris later on in that workout they'll already be a little fatigued from benching and you can really iso them.
I know that's way too in depth for this thread, but I think it's a crucial distinction.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
EJdS, you're right! And I actually do it in the order you say, but I never realized why before, thanks!
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
If I'd've kept it up for another month or two, I probably would have added a bit more muscle and lost the last of the fat that I could and still be healthy.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Party]](graemlins/party.gif)
