Oh Help Me Great Fitness Gurus!

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 3:04pm

Over 300lbs? I'm astonished. I'm not being sarcastic. Cardio. Cardio. Cardio. Be careful and consult your doctor. Good luck.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 6:32pm

Originally Posted by Eddie Hardon

Over 300lbs? I'm astonished. I'm not being sarcastic. Cardio. Cardio. Cardio. Be careful and consult your doctor. Good luck.

Astonished about what? The weight?

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 9:34pm

Are you training to be in a specific weight class or just for the health benifits?

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 10:59pm

You're a big lad, that's for sure. While I was doing stronglifts, I had a similar problem. I seemed to be getting good shape, but the whole "best way to lose fat is gain muscle" thing never really took hold. For me, anyway. I remained at 110-115kg even when I was squatting around 100kg.

Reiterated, cut out sugar and starchy foods. I don't eat potatoes or rice if I can avoid it and sugar is long gone from my diet. It hurt at first, I got those shakes, etc but the reality is that it is an addiction (of which I know a lot about). I tried to take out carbs as well. I don't shatter myself over it, it's not worth it because you end up binging, but if you can, take out what you know is shitty slowly.

Try to listen to your body. If you are halfway through a meal and aren't hungry anymore, stop eating. You can always go back to it when you're hungry again.

Protein supplements *thumbs up*, but with water instead of milk. I cut out milk altogether. As was suggested to me recently, just drink three a day whether you are training or not. They are negligible in the calorific content area and your body will start realising it has protein source constant for muscle regeneration, so will eat fat stores rather than muscle. It seemed logical at the time, don't know if I am explaining it well enough, though.

Another thing I have been doing over the last couple of years, along with BJJ, is walking. Incidental exercise might seem minimal, but it can work. If I see stairs, I take them two at a time. If the only option is a travellator/ escalator, I walk the whole thing. If there is a choice between walking/ public transport and taking the car, I'll go the first option. It's a couple of extra kilojoules, not much, but they add up.

Source: I'm at 90kg, down from max 120kg one and a half years ago.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 3:54pm

Originally Posted by gregaquaman

Are you training to be in a specific weight class or just for the health benifits?

Health benefits, when I saw my doctor awhile back he said that I'd be hard pressed to get much under 250, and that was before Stronglifts. So I know I'll never be out of the open weight class.

I've started rowing after lifting, trying to hold 31-33 spm. I'm up to 12 minutes, and I'm drenched after. I don't know if it'll help much in the long run, but man I'm spent after.

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 5:09pm

TheRuss and Gypsy Jazz make some very good points.

As with anything, those equations used to figure your BMR are by necessity built around population averages. Which means that they statistically fit the overall numbers, but don't necessarily mean anything to a singular individual. Thus, if you're following your calorie intake and are still gaining when you want to lose, you need to adjust your calorie intake.

Gypsy also makes a good point that mis-measurement of portion sizes is a very common factor to dieting errors. There are two things you can do for that. The first is to fix the way you measure. The second is to forget about it entirely, keep measuring the way you do, but start decreasing your caloric intake. As long as you measure the same way each time, you'll factor out any mistakes. But the bottom line is too many calories = gaining weight.

Reducing carbohydrates, especially the concentrated forms like sugar and refined grains, will help a lot. Carbs are either used for direct and immediate energy, or are stored as fat. So if you have an intense and immediate need for energy, feel free to scarf some carbs (still try to make them better quality, not sugar). But otherwise, keep them as low as possible. It's not necessarily LOW carb as it is SMART carb intake. However, overdoing carbs is very common. Sidenote: Protein has a mild metabolism boosting effect. It's not enough to overcome eating too much in total. But the more carbs you can replace with protein, especially during low-activity times, the better your metabolism will function.

Doing cardio is fine if you wish to. The bottom line is activity+diet. That activity doesn't have to be cardio, but adding cardio is a good way to increase your overall activity levels. On that subject of cardio: If your primary goal is burning fat, moderate but not intense, sustainable levels of activity are the way to go. The rowing is a great workout, it whoops my ass too. 31-33 SPM is pretty high, which I imagine is one of two things: You're working too hard and burning yourself out, or your form isn't too good and your strokes are very short (you want fewer but long, powerful strokes; as opposed to a bunch of fast short ones).

I would advise starting out in the other direction. Pick an amount of time, maybe 20 or 30 minutes. Then do your workout at a pace that allows you to last that long. As you get more fit, pick up the pace and fit more and more work into those 20-30 minutes. That's a pretty simple way to moderate your effort level.

Hope this helps

**itwasntme** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 8:33pm

Can someone explain the difference between "activity" and cardio? Weight lifting is an activity, yet the OP is not getting the desired results.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 9:19pm

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Can someone explain the difference between "activity" and cardio? Weight lifting is an activity, yet the OP is not getting the desired results.

Activity can be anything you do; cardio is an activity. It is one that raises your heart rate to a level (target heart rate) where you're working, but can still talk. Cardio helps you burn calories and to lose weight. Cardio increases your lung capacity and makes your heart strong so that it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood. Cardio reduces the risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 10:15pm

Originally Posted by Gypsy Jazz

I'm going to disagree on the interval training unless you're doing it once a week or so. Especially if you're having trouble recovering already, more stress is not what your body needs. Additionally if you are overweight, many traditional means of interval training (running, skipping rope, etc) is not very kind to joints. Some light to moderate activity like walking outside, riding a bike, or using an elliptical on non-resistance training days couldn't hurt. I don't care for treadmills much.

1) If he can handle judo, he can handle intervals.
2) Metabolic stress is, in fact, exactly what his body needs.
3) I approve of walking, bike rides, etc. because they're great for one's health, but they take a long time to have an effect on one's waistline.

That said, joint impact is a legitimate concern. My preferred activities for intervals (for many reasons that I can elaborate on upon request) are stationary cycling and rowing machines, and swimming is an intriguing alternative if one can perform it at a high enough relative intensity.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 11:57pm

Originally Posted by ignatzami

Health benefits, when I saw my doctor awhile back he said that I'd be hard pressed to get much under 250, and that was before Stronglifts. So I know I'll never be out of the open weight class.

I've started rowing after lifting, trying to hold 31-33 spm. I'm up to 12 minutes, and I'm drenched after. I don't know if it'll help much in the long run, but man I'm spent after.

I know what i am going to post is anecdotal nonsence for a physical forum. I will ask at the gym tonight and get back.

I think it was stronglifts that are supposed to make you thicker. Just physicly more mass rather than the bodybuilders definition that isolation gives you.(I was told it may not be the right thing for me because of it. I want to be 80kg. so I can fight 80kg people)
Now that is a lot of weight that can be put on if it is being spread over your whole body.

If you just wan't health benifits I would suggest. **** it. You are doing exersise and eating right let your body do what it wants.

Also I am too heavy for the BMI at 180cm and 90 kg. It is a load of bullshit normally. I bet you everybody who trains is to heavy for their BMI.

As far as diet goes eat healthy. Which in simplest terms is eat foods with less proccessing. I have no issue with eating carbs if it is fruits and vegatables.