The Just Thought I'd Share Thread

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

Agreed with everything but no cardio. That's a weight loss staple....




My mom was a major high-end fashion model for the majority of her young life and eventually did Playboy shoots (all while dating Clint Eastwood). Girl, no one hears you like I hear you on family pressure to be hot. It has dramatically affected my entire viewpoint on life, and it's given me some serious insecurity issues from a very young age. Yaaaay.

There is no question that cardio is good for the heart and it helps to develop fitness and stamina. But I am a bit skeptical about it as a means of transforming your body. The problem with cardio is that it tends to burn off carbs, then muscle, then fat. Hence, you don't see lots of big-muscled endurance athletes. And when the body is depleted of carbs, the tendency is for it to crave more and more carbs, which can be a vicious cycle. Muscle burns more calories at rest and actually transforms the shape of your body. Strength training not only helps to build/preserve muscle, it also helps to strengthen bones, improve posture and the increase in strength leads to an overall feeling of wellbeing. I hate to say it, but I think people who do only cardio are, well... lazy. Not physically lazy, but mentally lazy. Cardio is mindless and repetitive and requires no concentration at all. Weight training, especially when you are working your muscles to the point of absolute fatigue (which is needed to stimulate growth and strength gains), requires absolute concentration and mental focus. If you are really serious about attaining/maintaining an ideal physique, I think weights (supplemented with a sane, non-gimmicky diet) are the way to go; walking and taking the stairs should be all the cardio you really need. Just IMHO.

Also, contrary to popular myth, women are not going to become instantly "bulky" from weight training. Unless you are in the gym 6 hours a day and bench pressing 300 pounds, you aren't going to get bulky. It's hard enough for a man to build muscle mass; it is a gazillion times harder for a woman.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

John, the whole day.
And I'm failing now. It just ain't a working no mo'.

And I'm pissed.

Starvation, is what I'm staring down.

I'm getting lumpy. FUKC lumpy. Lumpy can bite my ass.
Thank god this ASSHOLE of a winter, is finally over. More than anything, I just need to get out, and WORK my ass off.
This is 2011, can we really not regulate metabolism with a pill?

Just for $h*ts and giggles, just try my tips on for size. To recap:

-no calorie counting.
-avoid any food that is white (except egg whites). This includes sugar, milk, white bread, white pasta, cheese, etc.
-no meat.
-lots of veggies, fruit and nuts.
-low salt.
-no eating three hours before bed time.
-no cardio. Only weights

This is a very simple set of rules to follow. First of all, this is not about starvation. It's mostly about eating as much natural, unprocessed food as you can. Instead of white bread, try whole wheat or sprouted grain. Instead of white rice, try brown rice. Instead of cow's milk, try soy/almond/cashew milk. Instead of Skippy peanut butter, try the Trader Joes version with no added salt or sugar. Nuts are your best friend- full of protein and essential oils and very filling. If you are used to eating lots of salt, sugar, butter, cream, etc., yes, it takes some adjustment. But your tastes will adjust over time.

BTW, after a winter of being a sloth and eating poorly (e.g., TJ's honey mustard pretzels- the love of my life! ), I have my abs back.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Coffee has both diuretic and laxative properties, so "consumer beware".

My Dr is on my case about my weight and said that each cup of coffee is about 60-100 (or more with sweeteners/creamers), that just drinking water in the mornings should give you enough "kick" to get your day started. Water= 0 calories. So, say two cups of coffee each morning, you'd be cutting back on 840-1,400 calories (or more) a week, that's a couple of meals.

Well, yeah if you put all kinds of crap in it!

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

Thanks for weighing in, Paula.

Okay, do you guys promise not to give me too much hell for it if I confess my number? Seven cups a day. The calorie argument is huge, though.

That's...a lot.

Originally Posted by mezzoforte

Weight loss:
I later found out that when you have that kind of an addiction to a food group, it can be a sign that your body doesn't process it well. Sure enough, the constant stomach aches I've had all my life got much better and I even lost some weight. Now I no longer crave bread and I can finally show some self control.
Obviously not everyone has those specific issues, but I always encourage people to look at their problem food areas and consider cutting them out entirely. I'm also a big believer in long-term changes as opposed to diets.

Oh, and as for coffee: I agree with everything Paula said, but had to throw in a warning about artificial sweeteners if anyone uses them. They aren't caloric like creamers and sugar, but they're probably ultimately less healthy. I still use them in small amounts, but since they cause an insulin response and are often hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, they screw with your body's reactions to sugar and can often make you gain weight. Definitely worth googling, though, because I know there's more to it than that.

1) I went to a seminar about food addiction. Crazy. It's mainly regarding processed food - so much of our food is so far from being natural that it kind of f*cks with our brains & makes us crave it more, even though it has less nutritional value for our body.

2) Sweeteners are scary bad. The Food Addiction lady (who is a dietician) recommended no more than 1 serving a day. I thought I was all good since I limit myself to 1 diet soda per day at lunch. But then I realized I take 2 splendas in my coffee every morning, a shot of sugar-free flavored creamer, and a glass of diet iced tea with dinner. Ooops. I do drink an obscene amount of H2O, so I can only hope it flushes me out (but I really do need to cut down.)

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

No, no, no... black brewed coffee is virtually calorie-free. Why would you want to ruin a perfectly good cup of black coffee with sweeteners and gunk anyway?

Another misconception- artificial sweeteners do not cause an insulin response in humans. It is just mechanistically not possible. However, I do agree that it's not a good thing; in fact, anything that does not exist in nature in a non-refined state is probably not good for you. Whew, triple-negative!

1) It tastes good.
2) I agree. But I need to practice what I preach.

Originally Posted by CreepingDeath

Yes, they are. I won't bore you with the details, but people who I thought were friends completely disappeared when I stopped doing certain things. Las Vegas isn't the easiest place to live sometimes...

I know it's really, really hard but it's worth it. You need to keep yourself healthy. You will make new friends, but it will take time.

Originally Posted by Meowi

I might have a date on Saturday!

Good for you! Yay!

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

This is 2011, can we really not regulate metabolism with a pill?

HA! No, unfortunately we need to work hard to achieve results.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There is no question that cardio is good for the heart and it helps to develop fitness and stamina. But I am a bit skeptical about it as a means of transforming your body. The problem with cardio is that it tends to burn off carbs, then muscle, then fat. Hence, you don't see lots of big-muscled endurance athletes. And when the body is depleted of carbs, the tendency is for it to crave more and more carbs, which can be a vicious cycle. Muscle burns more calories at rest and actually transforms the shape of your body. Strength training not only helps to build/preserve muscle, it also helps to strengthen bones, improve posture and the increase in strength leads to an overall feeling of wellbeing. I hate to say it, but I think people who do only cardio are, well... lazy. Not physically lazy, but mentally lazy. Cardio is mindless and repetitive and requires no concentration at all. Weight training, especially when you are working your muscles to the point of absolute fatigue (which is needed to stimulate growth and strength gains), requires absolute concentration and mental focus. If you are really serious about attaining/maintaining an ideal physique, I think weights (supplemented with a sane, non-gimmicky diet) are the way to go; walking and taking the stairs should be all the cardio you really need. Just IMHO.

Also, contrary to popular myth, women are not going to become instantly "bulky" from weight training. Unless you are in the gym 6 hours a day and bench pressing 300 pounds, you aren't going to get bulky. It's hard enough for a man to build muscle mass; it is a gazillion times harder for a woman.

I get your theory, but only to a point. I think cardio is good for the body - it certainly doesn't make you gain weight & is great for your heart. BUT I don't think anyone should do cardio only. You absolutely need regular weights/strength training as well. I also think that lots of people don't do hard enough cardio - if you're not sweaty & slightly short of breath with a noticeably increased heart rate, you're not working hard enough & there's no point.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

My rules for weight loss:

-no calorie counting.
-avoid any food that is white (except egg whites). This includes sugar, milk, white bread, white pasta, cheese, etc.
-no meat.
-lots of veggies, fruit and nuts.
-low salt.
-no eating three hours before bed time.
-no cardio. Only weights

Oh dear. Most of that just isn't happening for me, I'm afraid. Especially the no cheese or meat thing. And I find most veggies flavorless without a little salt.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

My Mother's side of the family lives in the bayou country in East Texas right along the Louisiana border. Lots of Spanish Moss over there. In fact, several of the shots during the opening credits of True Blood are filmed at Caddo Lake, which is just 5 miles east of the town my Mom's side of the family lives in. Caddo Lake makes several appearances in True Blood, actually. When Jason Stackhouse meets Amy Burley and is making out with her beneath spanish moss near water, that's Caddo Lake. When you see Sam Merlotte running naked through the swamps, that's Caddo Lake. Here are some shots of Caddo from True Blood:

Just so you know, I'm originally from Bossier City, so just seeing the word Caddo makes my blood pressure spike. I hate that whole area, but b/c of the people, not b/c of the landscape.

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There is no question that cardio is good for the heart and it helps to develop fitness and stamina. But I am a bit skeptical about it as a means of transforming your body. The problem with cardio is that it tends to burn off carbs, then muscle, then fat. Hence, you don't see lots of big-muscled endurance athletes. And when the body is depleted of carbs, the tendency is for it to crave more and more carbs, which can be a vicious cycle. Muscle burns more calories at rest and actually transforms the shape of your body. Strength training not only helps to build/preserve muscle, it also helps to strengthen bones, improve posture and the increase in strength leads to an overall feeling of wellbeing. I hate to say it, but I think people who do only cardio are, well... lazy. Not physically lazy, but mentally lazy. Cardio is mindless and repetitive and requires no concentration at all. Weight training, especially when you are working your muscles to the point of absolute fatigue (which is needed to stimulate growth and strength gains), requires absolute concentration and mental focus. If you are really serious about attaining/maintaining an ideal physique, I think weights (supplemented with a sane, non-gimmicky diet) are the way to go; walking and taking the stairs should be all the cardio you really need. Just IMHO.

Also, contrary to popular myth, women are not going to become instantly "bulky" from weight training. Unless you are in the gym 6 hours a day and bench pressing 300 pounds, you aren't going to get bulky. It's hard enough for a man to build muscle mass; it is a gazillion times harder for a woman.

Christ is this true. I absolutely love running, but it is such a pain in the ass to run without my bloodsugar going low. And if I manage to prevent ot from going low while I am running, it usually skyrockets upward after I am done. Oh diabetes...

[LikeAWillow]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There is no question that cardio is good for the heart and it helps to develop fitness and stamina. But I am a bit skeptical about it as a means of transforming your body. The problem with cardio is that it tends to burn off carbs, then muscle, then fat. Hence, you don't see lots of big-muscled endurance athletes. And when the body is depleted of carbs, the tendency is for it to crave more and more carbs, which can be a vicious cycle. Muscle burns more calories at rest and actually transforms the shape of your body. Strength training not only helps to build/preserve muscle, it also helps to strengthen bones, improve posture and the increase in strength leads to an overall feeling of wellbeing. I hate to say it, but I think people who do only cardio are, well... lazy. Not physically lazy, but mentally lazy. Cardio is mindless and repetitive and requires no concentration at all. Weight training, especially when you are working your muscles to the point of absolute fatigue (which is needed to stimulate growth and strength gains), requires absolute concentration and mental focus. If you are really serious about attaining/maintaining an ideal physique, I think weights (supplemented with a sane, non-gimmicky diet) are the way to go; walking and taking the stairs should be all the cardio you really need. Just IMHO.

Also, contrary to popular myth, women are not going to become instantly "bulky" from weight training. Unless you are in the gym 6 hours a day and bench pressing 300 pounds, you aren't going to get bulky. It's hard enough for a man to build muscle mass; it is a gazillion times harder for a woman.

I've been reading a lot about how this idea is become the new school of thought in the fitness world. I feel like I, personally, need to keep cardio at least for now, though. I'm in pretty terrible shape, and the smallest things will leave me out of breath. I'm just lucky that I have a fast metabolism.

Another question-- is there any time of day that is most effective for a work out? Should I aim to get up every morning and go or are afternoons/evenings preferred?

[LikeAWillow]

And a general discussion question! Who do all of you work out for? Yourselves? Your partners? The perception of the world at large? Your crush?

I'm mainly trying to get in better shape for myself. I hit a slump every single winter, and my mental and physical health just plummets. I think the two are incredibly tied together, and I'm hoping that if I commit to taking better care of my body, I'll start to feel a little emotionally more sound.

But let's also not kid ourselves here. There's a guy in this picture as well. He and I have had that charming little "you're not my friend, you're not my love" vibe going on since we broke up, and I want to start things back up this summer, at least physically. Having the body that I want when that time comes around might help me have the balls to actually go through with it.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by markolas

Just so you know, I'm originally from Bossier City, so just seeing the word Caddo makes my blood pressure spike. I hate that whole area, but b/c of the people, not b/c of the landscape.

Ahh, we're from the same area then! Insanity must be something in the water there . All of my family is in Jefferson, TX (you've probably never heard of it). I have many memories of going to Shreveport and Bossier City. In fact, I was just there in November.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

And a general discussion question! Who do all of you work out for? Yourselves? Your partners? The perception of the world at large? Your crush?

Myself. BUT, all I can say is- I only have 3 days off this week, and I have FOUR different date offers. I'm not ****ting anyone. If I had a 4th day off, I could go on 4 different dates. My mind is reeling. They're coming out of the woodwork, and I don't know why.
I can only say that it must be a testament to staying somewhat in shape, and being a happy person(happier than I used to be, anyway). Because my life hasn't been like this, before.
^^I don't mean for any of that to sound like bragging. I'm quite confused about who I want to go out with....too many options.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

I've been reading a lot about how this idea is become the new school of thought in the fitness world. I feel like I, personally, need to keep cardio at least for now, though. I'm in pretty terrible shape, and the smallest things will leave me out of breath. I'm just lucky that I have a fast metabolism.

Another question-- is there any time of day that is most effective for a work out? Should I aim to get up every morning and go or are afternoons/evenings preferred?

A "girl" I used to work with was a classic "skinny fat." For all intents and purposes, she looked like an attractive, thin (maybe even skinny) city girl. But she was sooo out of shape in terms of fitness. She joined an Equinox gym for their yoga classes, and they basically told her that she had an insanely high body fat percentage. Anyway, after several months of attending classes, she doesn't really look any different, but she claims to be much "tighter," more flexible and has greater stamina. The bottom line is that, unlike straight cardio, yoga is essentially a form of strength training that concentrates on the core. If weights are not your thing, I think yoga is the next best thing.

In terms of time of day... I'm sure there is an optimal period; I just don't know what it is. Ultimately you should choose a schedule that is sustainable- something you can stick with indefinitely. I don't think it makes any sense to start a regimen just to achieve a specific short-term goal; if you make it compatible with your lifestyle, then it' something you will stick with, which is the most important thing.

[fringed n fab]

I think some of you wanting to be lean look just fine as you are. Hej, you look absolutely in fine shape to me from your recent pic you posted. I guess what some of us see as looking fine in others, they see as some flaw in a mirror.

[CreepingDeath]

Originally Posted by skcin

I know it's really, really hard but it's worth it. You need to keep yourself healthy. You will make new friends, but it will take time.

You're right. As hard as it is, I am trying to stay healthy. It's just a little difficult not to have a friend to bitch to. I was pretty much a loner growing up. I think I might go back to that, and forget about friendships...

[Silver Springs]

Originally Posted by CreepingDeath

You're right. As hard as it is, I am trying to stay healthy. It's just a little difficult not to have a friend to bitch to. I was pretty much a loner growing up. I think I might go back to that, and forget about friendships...

I was a loner growing up and I was miserable. Everybody needs somebody.

[ButterCookie]

Beeee Bee B-Beee glad to see you back