| drmelanie
|
|
|
| I have some questions about exercise. Let me first give you a little bit of background information. I am a 31 year old dentist. I am 5'2 and 150 lbs right now. I have packed on 40 lbs in the last 6-7 months. How??? Easily, no exercise at all and fried fast food constantly. In high school, I was a gymnast, cheerleader, track and cross country runner. In dental school I played on the co-ed softball team. Last year, my trainer/friend, who is an executive with a gym equipment company and former Gold's gym owner, was training me. At this point, 6 months ago, I was a size zero and my nickname was "Nicole Ritchie". No one believed I weighed more than 90 lbs. I maintained a high protein, low fat, low carb diet. My point is that I was super skinny, ripped, and in awesome shape. So, here is my question. In all seriousness, my trainer and I never worked out for 3-4 hours, I had to be in great shape to do an hour of hard core pilates at the gym, and I walked every day, but not 3-4 miles, not the 2 to 3 times a day for hours, and I wasn't running marathons. How can all of these people be exercising this much, following the diet and not look like professional athletes? I'm not trying to sound sour, but let's be realstic! I am doing the South Beach Diet now, just started. I need realistic advice on how much exercise is really necessary and what types of exercise have given people the best results. |
|
Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:16 am |
|
| oldpjams
|
|
|
Enough exercise to create the necessary caloric deficit for your body to lose weight.
I ride a bicycle for sport, sometimes 20+hrs per week. I can do that and not lose an ounce. Or, I can bike 7 hours a week and lose weight if that's the goal and I stay on track with food. Everyone is different, not all exercise is equal, and it's more complicated than many people think, as your question suggests.
As an aside, a high protein, low fat, low carb diet set you up to gain weight at an alarming rate as soon as you introduced high fat, high carb to your menu. |
|
Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:20 pm |
|
| luvs_torun
|
|
|
Hmmm... don't think jams has his pics up anymore..... he looks "professionally athletic"!
You may want to check out some of the pics in the "Before and afters"....
There are a lot of very fit people!
As well as many inspirational pictures of people who've incorporated exercise along with South Beach and have made amazing transformations!
You don't have to look like a professional athlete to be fit. :wink:
I agree with jams..... and my experience is similar.
I run, usually 30 plus miles weekly.... depending on how hard I am training, and what I am eating I can either.... lose weight, maintain weight, or even gain.... I have "tweaked" South Beach to fuel my running.
Keep in mind also.... "working out" 2 - 3 hours doesn't necessarily mean you are burning tons of calories. Just as one persons "hard core" workout may not be as "hard core" for someone else.
For myself... I run 7 mph .... so most days I run an hour (maybe more, maybe less).... doesn't really take up much time.... I seldom spend "hours" working out.
You have to find your balance.
The exercise that will give you the best results??
The one you will enjoy and stick with! |
|
Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:45 pm |
|
| Kimboroni
|
|
|
drmelanie wrote: How can all of these people be exercising this much, following the diet and not look like professional athletes? I'm not trying to sound sour, but let's be realstic!
Maybe I'm missing something, but who are "these people" to which you are referring? |
|
Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:33 pm |
|
| drmelanie
|
|
|
| Thanks guys for the advice on exercise. I agree that my weight flew up the scale because of my poor diet and lack of exercise. I can be very strict with my diet because I actually hate exercise (but you would not guess by looking at me). So, now I'm walking briskly (some days more than others) and weight training. I wish I was at the point where I was doing more, but I have to regain my stamina. Oh, I will give an example about people exercising like crazy. In either the book or cookbook....There is a woman who started at appox 250 lbs. She lost I think 50lbs and I quote "is well on her way to reaching her goal of 135lbs". She said that she wallks like 2-3 miles, 3 times a day! I wear a size 4-6 at 135. I'm 150lbs and would be thrilled to weigh 135 at this point! My point, for someone who wants to lose over 100 lbs this is a dramatic amount of exercise. I have girl friends who weigh 200lbs and they CANNOT walk 2-3 miles, 2-3 times a day. Look at the amount someone needs to lose and you can bascially determine how good of shape they are in. A woman who wants to weigh 135 and is currently 200 is not a svelte athlete! I personally am not buying what she's selling, lol! Continued luck to all of you!!!!!!!!!! :D Oh, I'm going to look for recent pic of me at 135 for reference. |
|
Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:26 am |
|
| RedRox
|
|
|
| sounds like she is a very inefficient exerciser! ;) intensity can make up for some amount of duration. even at 200 + lbs. there are things you can do to get into a regular habit without killing yourself. just ask Nessa! ;) |
|
Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:16 pm |
|
| oldpjams
|
|
|
| I know people that are 50-75lbs overweight that are very athletic. It's amazing how much you can do if you are motivated...both in terms of how much exercise you can do, and also how easily you can overcome the benefits of that exercise with poor food choices. |
|
Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:19 pm |
|
| ladybugnessa
|
|
|
I heard my name got mentioned.
I started at 286 pounds 2 years ago. I started slowly exercising then I caught the Yoga bug... and just about the time I really got into it, I got sidelined with a stress fracture... now i'm going back.... I also got "sloppy" with my eating for about 9 months and stayed at the same weight in other words I was doing Phase 3 without actually being done doing my work...
today i weighed 219.
next week I'll be back in the gym doing weights 2-3 times a week, cardio 6 days a week and yoga 3-5 times a week. (the cardio is done at the same visit the weights and/or yoga is done so it just sounds like a lot more than it is).
I have pages and pages and page of my journal where I HATE TO EXERCISE. till i found what worked for me.
Last time I took a class my skinny 15 yr old came with me... after one class i wanted to try spinning class... we went in.. she bailed on me after 10 minutes.. could not keep up....
it can be done... |
|
Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:12 pm |
|
| Doc_plus25
|
|
|
I know this is an unpopular angle, but I lost my first 20 pounds on South Beach without doing any formal exercise routine. I just wanted to control my eating, and I did that. I added exercise after nearly 6 months of faithfully adhering to the eating principles and watching my overall calories. Now I run about 15-20 miles per week and try to fit in other exercise when I can. I still watch what I eat to keep from gaining. I would LOVE to regularly do yoga and strength training in addition to running, but I haven't yet managed to work it in consistenly.
You must still have pretty good muscle mass if you're a size 4-6 at 135! When I was 135 I was a size 8-10, and I'm 5'2" as well. Now at 110 I'm a size 2-4.
Good luck! :D |
|
Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:54 pm |
|
| drmelanie
|
|
|
I will post some pics after I have reached the min 10 post requirement. Thank you all for helping to keep me motivated. I increased my cardio to one hour today and did some stregth training. To answer the last post, I have been told I have really good muscle mass. I guess when I post my pics you can decide.
I was watching a rerun of "The Biggest Loser" and there was a woman (one of the internet contestants) that was running marathons, but she was really overweight, kind of like when Oprah ran a marathon. How can people run 24 miles, with obvious training and still look fat? (sorry for using the word fat, but I really am using it medically) Is it loose skin? Is it lack of diet? Is is body fat?
Thanks guys! You are very helpful and awesome! Much continued success to you all! |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:58 am |
|
| oldpjams
|
|
|
drmelanie wrote: How can people run 24 miles, with obvious training and still look fat?
Motivation to accomplish the goal and poor diet or other factors. |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:49 am |
|
| PixiesMom
|
|
|
| I'd also like to point out that we never know a persons health. I have PCOS and often look fat. I've even had Drs berate me for having horrible eating habits and sitting on my butt - all while following a normal diet and training for a triathlon. I also am a coach for a track team. I see the surprise on parent's faces when the "fat" coach runs distance. Now that I've ditched the "normal" diet and started SBD I'm finally loosing weight and my body is starting to reflect my actual habits. |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:29 pm |
|
| luvs_torun
|
|
|
Marathon .... 26.2 miles :wink:
Btw..... One "Bloomin' Onion" w/dipping sauce at Outback Steakhouse..... would cancel out calories burned running, "said" marathon..........
We tend to over-estimate our caloric burn as well as under-estimate our caloric intake...... :) |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:30 pm |
|
| Doc_plus25
|
|
|
luvs_torun wrote: Marathon .... 26.2 miles :wink:
Btw..... One "Bloomin' Onion" w/dipping sauce at Outback Steakhouse..... would cancel out calories burned running, "said" marathon..........
That is, if we manage to eat the whole thing and keep it down.... (a puking smiley would come in handy here). |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:04 pm |
|
| luvs_torun
|
|
|
Doc_plus25 wrote: luvs_torun wrote: Marathon .... 26.2 miles :wink:
Btw..... One "Bloomin' Onion" w/dipping sauce at Outback Steakhouse..... would cancel out calories burned running, "said" marathon..........
That is, if we manage to eat the whole thing and keep it down.... (a puking smiley would come in handy here).
:D |
|
Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:10 pm |
|