Exercise

[Caz]

Ahh... yeah... it's true though! I know exactly how food works. I know how my body deals with it. I know what exercise is best. The science of it all. How my body responds to certain things. In theory, I should be fit and healthy. But it's somewhere between theory and practice that it all falls apart!! But.. I'm learning the putting it all into practice bit. I actually love exercise.. when I do it! It's just hard work. But I think that once I've lost some more weight, I'll actually really start to enjoy it more. I'd happy go to the gym then swimming 3 times a week. Plus some kind of class. I do like it, I just don't like doing it while being fat!

 

[lunar jim]

'you're a funny guy'

 

[Guru]

Thanks Caroline, that's really interesting. I am going to pull my finger out and go swimming more often.

Let's face it, it won't be doing me any harm!

 

[catb1979]

I've just bought myself a wii fit and it's great! Don't even feel like I'm exercising as the games are really fun and motivate me to beat my last score. There are lots of different activities on there which work on cardio, balance, etc. It also records your weight & BMI (I don't own any scales). If you close the curtains, you don't look like such an idiot pretending to hula hoop in front of the TV! Got mine from littlewoods direct and used a code from vouchercodes.com to get £20 off!

 

[Laura Croft]

Oh boy this is long!

Our resting metabolism post exercise is increased based on how long and hard we've exercised. I've never heard of our metabolism rate having to do with the body temperature and not sure how that would work. I know when our bodies are cold we do burn more calories trying to keep warm...

When looking at calories used during exercise, there's obviously different intensities of exercise and (again generalising here big time) when people swim, their exercise can be more stop start stop start at the end of laps in comparison to something like walking or running which are more continuous actions.

I agree swimming or walking is great on SS/SS+ (but take it slowly) and just as importantly do some light resistance work to help prevent muscle loss. Doing some core work like Pilates will also help you no end.

With the low calorie intake we are on, there's no way you'll develop muscle and rest assured muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, but it will help you to tone up.

While we are having this discussion (and I love it ), you may also be interested in doing a bit of reading about heart rate zones. I'm keeping this fairly brief but depending on the heart rate level you train at, your body will either try to tap into your fat resources (and believe it or not this is actually at the lower end, approx 60-70% of heart rate zone) and as you move further up the scale into higher heart rate zones, the body will go for the glycogen.

Now as you know on this program, we don't have much of a glycogen store. I've been doing a lot of searching through the archives (truly I have no life) and there's a lot of people that have lapsed after a hard work out session. My theory (and really I have no idea) is that they've pushed their bodies too hard and so the body is really sending out feed me signals. In addition, I also *think* this is what can slow down the weight loss when people have been exercising. Again, I saw a lot of examples in the archives of people whose weight loss slowed down when they started exercising which *may* be due to them exercising at a too high heart rate.

I'm waiting for my new heart rate monitor to arrive and I can't wait to start testing this theory out. It may be all b*ll*cks so I'll let you know


Woo. Did anyone actually read this far

Seriously I hope that helps!

 

[amm451]

Hi,

Doing anything is great! Swimming is fab, as you get more confident you will raise your temperature, speed and breathing will all improve!
What stroke do you do? I used to do an interval training programme in the pool and it certainly raises my heartrate!

Also, just for a giggle you could look into some 'out there' activities. I recently went to a polercise class (it was part of a hen night) but let me tell ya, it was hard work but lots of fun!

Good luck with upping the exercise.

 

[eyeontheprize]

swimming is fab, I love it. Running might burn more calories but it kills my knees! I would rather swim anyday. But I am lazy as all hell, so really need to start doing something.

 

[Lizzylocket]

I've been going to a ladies only 30 minute workout gym since the second week of doing CD. It's based on air resistance weights and takes just 30 minutes so that means I don't get bored! Seems to be working as my body shape has changed and I'm certainly toning up!

 

[eyeontheprize]

anyone who swims reguarly noticed a change in how toned you are?

 

[Sunflowers]

Guru, I know you have a long commute but you live so near the beach how about getting up half an hour earlier and doing a power walk on the beach in the morning? I know that would really invigorate me - I'd even lend you hamish if we lived nearer!!