For BG fitness fanatics, a question..

[Meat]

5'11

[Ryany]

I'm sure it's been mentioned here before, but I was just wondering if someone could reiterate to me how to manage your calorie intake to make sure you aren't building fat and losing weight. In other words, how many calories that I take in do I need to burn daily to effectively maintain a healthy weight loss. Can be described in sort of a percentage? Keeping in mind that I'm also trying to build muscle. I've been counting calories but I just want to make sure I'm doing the right kinds of things for my body. I really need to lose about 10 pounds of fat while building muscle to fit into predetermined height weight categories for the exams I have coming up -_-. Even though most these tests add 10% to the numbers for people with large frames, they don't define what a large frame means so I'm trying to be as close to the predetermined numbers as possible.

Since you have to keep track of things anyway, even if you use any random formula, all you really have to do is track things for a few weeks and see how the scale moves with how many calories you take in. You will then have a number that is accurate for YOU and not a one-size-fits all number. I might use a formula for a starting point if I were you and then fine-tune it based on how the scale is moving. (which you want to keep your weigh ins at a consistent time, like first thing in the morning because hydration levels can throw the numbers off throughout the day)

[*Shinzon*]

Since you have to keep track of things anyway, even if you use any random formula, all you really have to do is track things for a few weeks and see how the scale moves with how many calories you take in. You will then have a number that is accurate for YOU and not a one-size-fits all number. I might use a formula for a starting point if I were you and then fine-tune it based on how the scale is moving. (which you want to keep your weigh ins at a consistent time, like first thing in the morning because hydration levels can throw the numbers off throughout the day)

Wei actually helped me a lot and basically told me the same thing. Wei was able to explain to me as well how to help avoid plateauing out and basically how to plan things out monitoring my calorie intake. I also didn't mean to come across as begging and I'm glad atreides called me out on it before.

[tyven]

fuck i want to deadlift 415, GOING HARD TONIGHT

also link to that song

[richardd]

jan is such a sexy beast. true story

when you comin' down here man? we need to chill and ill get you some hookah's at some misc clubs that im workin'!

[Oreth]

Thanks for all the responces and help...

Something im worried about, i thought by doing more excercises and eating planned meals id find myself more hungry but im finding myself less hungry where i dont even want to eat even for snack times or even lunch or dinner. Is this normal?

In one sense its good because i want to loose weight but if i dont eat doesnt the body store the fat instead of burning it?

The off days from training i was going to go down and do some cardio like suggested. Just for cardio what would be good 6km on a bike? Also threadmills & ropes available to me. Also some weights was suggested as a maybe, starting out doing 20lb weights? 10 lifts for each arm or something?

[*Shinzon*]

Here's a question regarding soreness, and lifting. So I did extensive work on my arms and upper body two days ago. 3 sets of 10, increase weight by only 5-10 pounds slowly between sets to see what I could handle. I also mixed in some light work on the lower body and some cardio on a stationary bike. Now I'd like to go back today and continue some upper body work but I'm still pretty sore, so much so that it is actually restricting how quickly I move lol (I know I'm pathetic). Any advice on how to prevent this kind of tightness and soreness going forward?
Edit: It's actually more of a tightness than a soreness. I did nothing but a timed run yesterday but I'm still pretty tight.

[Oreth]

That sounds exactly like the same pains I was having last week, others referred to it as DOMS, apparently it's natural if u havnt done exercise or
a workout in a while, it gets better as u work out more

[*Shinzon*]

Well I'm just curious if it was safe to even try to lift with this kind of soreness. I'm not even sure if I could do much if anything, I might just go today do some cardio and then maybe a lower body workout I guess.

[tyven]

you can do it pussy

[Osede]

It is better not to do any weight lifting under this kind of condition. But you may do some lower body workout if want to.

[tyven]

you may want to man up and fucking bench press like a boss. shit.

[Moss]

Well I'm just curious if it was safe to even try to lift with this kind of soreness. I'm not even sure if I could do much if anything, I might just go today do some cardio and then maybe a lower body workout I guess.

Don't work the muscles if they are sore, they are still recovering. If it is tightness, do some stretching after your warm up your muscles with some light cardio.

[Oreth]

Yea i wouldnt do anything with the sorenss! I couldnt wipe my arse last week without crying like a little bitch!

[Weiing]

Thanks for all the responces and help...

Something im worried about, i thought by doing more excercises and eating planned meals id find myself more hungry but im finding myself less hungry where i dont even want to eat even for snack times or even lunch or dinner. Is this normal?

In one sense its good because i want to loose weight but if i dont eat doesnt the body store the fat instead of burning it?

The off days from training i was going to go down and do some cardio like suggested. Just for cardio what would be good 6km on a bike? Also threadmills & ropes available to me. Also some weights was suggested as a maybe, starting out doing 20lb weights? 10 lifts for each arm or something?

About working out, eating, and hunger: Sometimes I was always ravenous, while other times I wasn't. I don't know...it depended. It's normal, but you should try to eat at least a couple meals to nourish your body.

Your body doesn't automatically kick into conservation mode. It takes a few of weeks, I believe? But that's extreme, where you eat waaaay too few calories (500-800, even 900-1000 for men). What happens, at least from what I know, is that by then, your body will eat away at your fat and muscles, though I believe it'll go for your muscles for energy first. Then, whatever you eat will be stored as fat because your body wants to hold onto as much as it can. One day of eating low calories, or not eating at all, won't make this happen. However, that doesn't mean you should do it unless you have read more about intermittent fasting and know how to properly do it. Even so, intermittent fasting shouldn't be done all the time.

Obviously, it's best to listen to your body and eat when it's signaling physical hunger. However, if you're never hungry, you should try to program/train your brain to become hungry at certain times to eat. Your diet is the most important thing when you are working out, changing to a more healthy lifestyle, and/or losing weight.

As for your training:
What kind of weight lifting are you thinking about doing? 20lbs for what? You have to be more specific. It is good to lift some weights... As for cardio, do whatever you want to do I guess. I myself hate intense cardio because it's boring and is detrimental to my fitness goals, but you can do that. If not, you can try HIIT on bikes/treadmills/jump ropes. Jump ropes are actually pretty good because you can do it for like 5-10 minutes and get a great and killer workout.

[*Shinzon*]

Anyone have advice on sit ups? Specifically how to avoid injury and back damage by doing "proper" sit ups. I think over the course of doing sit ups I may have tweak some muscles in my lower back, as I get muscle tightness that radiates across my lower back and just over both hips occasionally. I haven't been able to get these muscles loose and I was also wondering if anyone had any advice on stretches or something to get those muscles loose.

[sephir]

My advice would be to avoid sit ups if they are leading to any type of pain. There are far more effective exercises that can build up your core muscles without that level of strain.

I'd recommend picking up a Bosu ball and doing sit ups, push ups and squats on those as they are very low impact but give very high results. The only down side is that Bosu balls generally are fairly expensive (at least for what you think its worth). Expect to pay about $80 for one, but it is worth it 1000x over.

[*Shinzon*]

My advice would be to avoid sit ups if they are leading to any type of pain. There are far more effective exercises that can build up your core muscles without that level of strain.

I'd recommend picking up a Bosu ball and doing sit ups, push ups and squats on those as they are very low impact but give very high results. The only down side is that Bosu balls generally are fairly expensive (at least for what you think its worth). Expect to pay about $80 for one, but it is worth it 1000x over.

My problem is I don't have a choice. At some point I'm going to be tested for as many sit ups as possible in a 1 minute time frame. The goal for men in their 20s for most the tests I'll be taking is around 37+/-. So at some point I need to get them down. Now the lower back tightness may not be a direct result of the sit ups, I had been sitting in a broken chair with no back support for a couple of days, but they definitely aggravated the pain.

[Meat]

hyperextensions might help you out, but if the problem is more than that, maybe a deep tissue massage or even a chiropractor

[tyven]

finally got some straps and really went for it on deadlifts last night. Broke well into 300s last night. going to make a desperate run at 4 and probably kill mysely