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Fitness |OT4| Squat Booty, Summer Cuts, and Super Swoletrophy

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CrankyJay

Banned
Anything over 2000 caused weight gain. I've spoken with my doctor and they've done thyroid tests (hypothyroidism runs in my family), but that came back normal. Essentially my metabolism sucks, and I get that, but the workouts should be helping fight that, right?

2 weeks isn't really enough time to measure things....

Do you have some samples of your diet?
 

Jeff-DSA

Member
2 weeks isn't really enough time to measure things....

Do you have some samples of your diet?

Breakfast is almost always the same, with only slight variations. It's almost always the Fage 2% Greek yogurt with the honey or strawberry topping. It's roughly 180 calories, I believe.

Lunch is, as mentioned, usually a sandwich of sorts. This week I've had 6" Subway turkey on wheat, a Carl's Jr. grilled fish sandwich, and today I'm planning on Subway again.

Dinner has been salmon with a spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing. We've had that the last two nights, tonight is a pea soup.

These are typical days and meals for me. As mentioned before I don't like to snack.

Here are my daily averages (picked 2 months at random) when I was tracking food and exercises.

Daily Average
Exercise: 2986kcal
Food: 1408kcal (Fat: 34.02g, Protein: 66.89g, Carbs: 113.32g)

Daily Average
Exercise: 2269kcal
Food: 1442kcal (Fat: 52.30g, Protein: 96.21g, Carbs: 41.03g)
 

CrankyJay

Banned
Breakfast is almost always the same, with only slight variations. It's almost always the Fage 2% Greek yogurt with the honey or strawberry topping. It's roughly 180 calories, I believe.

Lunch is, as mentioned, usually a sandwich of sorts. This week I've had 6" Subway turkey on wheat, a Carl's Jr. grilled fish sandwich, and today I'm planning on Subway again.

Dinner has been salmon with a spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing. We've had that the last two nights, tonight is a pea soup.

These are typical days and meals for me. As mentioned before I don't like to snack.

Here are my daily averages (picked 2 months at random) when I was tracking food and exercises.

Daily Average
Exercise: 2986kcal
Food: 1408kcal (Fat: 34.02g, Protein: 66.89g, Carbs: 113.32g)

Daily Average
Exercise: 2269kcal
Food: 1442kcal (Fat: 52.30g, Protein: 96.21g, Carbs: 41.03g)

I feel your calories are too low...and so does your personal trainer.

I plugged in your numbers of 5'8 and 234lbs and just guessed you were around 30 years old because I didn't see an age.

BMR was 2100+....I also plugged in the LOWEST activity factor of 1.2 and that brought your maintenance calories up to 2600.

Let's pretend that's entirely accurate...some days you're piling on exercise on top of that, which tells me you're undereating by quite a bit given your activity level. Your body is doing its damndest to fight your weight loss because of a metabolic stall.

I'd recommend either upping your calories to 2000-2100 for at least a month to see how that goes, despite what you said about only gaining weight on it, and if you don't trust that, go see a nutritionist. Something isn't adding up here.
 

Petrie

Banned
Yeah it is difficult. Was told that I came off too hard as a trainer and not as a bf.

Trainer and b/f are just polar opposites. And they need to be.

Just wanna express my love for sandbag training.

Five years ago I was 65kg@5'11, hit the traditional gym "pumping iron" deal and upped to about 75kg.

Still, after this I wasn't too happy because I had muscle but the fitness and function was lacking. So I took a gamble and went in for the ultimate sandbag and it drove me right up to 90kg and a helluva lot fitter/stronger. It also redefined my shape quite a bit in a good way.

I don't see myself ever stopping with this. I'm at a plateau I'm happy to stick with. Even happier because now I don't have to spend loads on protein and carb supplements. Back to regular food and regular meals!

You don't have to do any of that for proper barbell training either, why you think you'd need any more or less protein and supplements for barbell stregnth training than sandbag shit is beyond me, but it's false.

If you were doing a proper strength program the fitness and function comes right along with it.
 

Petrie

Banned
As long as he leaves trainer at the gym door...

Agreed. Which can be hard to do when she wants you involved in her diet and such as well. I found that acting in that capacity was just too much of a strain on the actual relationship. Women aren't the same as men when it comes to leaving things at the door.
 

cryptic

Member
Anything over 2000 caused weight gain. I've spoken with my doctor and they've done thyroid tests (hypothyroidism runs in my family), but that came back normal. Essentially my metabolism sucks, and I get that, but the workouts should be helping fight that, right?

Read into Ray Peat and Danny Roddy. The way thyroid tests are done today(or have always?) they don't detect if you're sub clinically hypothyroid. The best way to tell this is by taking your basal temp in the morning and throughout the day(after meals, etc.). If it's below 98 then you have issues, but because environmental temp. can cause issue, you also need to check your pulse rate. Anything below 85+ beats per minute is bad news.
Just a while back my thyroid was all fucked up from low carb for years coupled with high intensity workouts and general stress, my temp was below 95 F and my pulse was around 72 bpm, I've followed Peats advice now my shit is getting to normal and I can eat a shit ton before I gain weight lol because the thyroid controls energy production and therefore it's very important it's working.
Contact me for any more info.
 

blackflag

Member
Trainer and b/f are just polar opposites. And they need to be.



You don't have to do any of that for proper barbell training either, why you think you'd need any more or less protein and supplements for barbell stregnth training than sandbag shit is beyond me, but it's false.

If you were doing a proper strength program the fitness and function comes right along with it.

Well said, it makes no sense.
 

Jeff-DSA

Member
I feel your calories are too low...and so does your personal trainer.

I plugged in your numbers of 5'8 and 234lbs and just guessed you were around 30 years old because I didn't see an age.

BMR was 2100+....I also plugged in the LOWEST activity factor of 1.2 and that brought your maintenance calories up to 2600.

Let's pretend that's entirely accurate...some days you're piling on exercise on top of that, which tells me you're undereating by quite a bit given your activity level. Your body is doing its damndest to fight your weight loss because of a metabolic stall.

I'd recommend either upping your calories to 2000-2100 for at least a month to see how that goes, despite what you said about only gaining weight on it, and if you don't trust that, go see a nutritionist. Something isn't adding up here.

Thanks, man. I'll give it a try. I'm 31, by the way, so it was a good guess.

Read into Ray Peat and Danny Roddy. The way thyroid tests are done today(or have always?) they don't detect if you're sub clinically hypothyroid. The best way to tell this is by taking your basal temp in the morning and throughout the day(after meals, etc.). If it's below 98 then you have issues, but because environmental temp. can cause issue, you also need to check your pulse rate. Anything below 85+ beats per minute is bad news.
Just a while back my thyroid was all fucked up from low carb for years coupled with high intensity workouts and general stress, my temp was below 95 F and my pulse was around 72 bpm, I've followed Peats advice now my shit is getting to normal and I can eat a shit ton before I gain weight lol because the thyroid controls energy production and therefore it's very important it's working.
Contact me for any more info.

I'll look into this too. Thanks!
 

CrankyJay

Banned
Agreed. Which can be hard to do when she wants you involved in her diet and such as well. I found that acting in that capacity was just too much of a strain on the actual relationship. Women aren't the same as men when it comes to leaving things at the door.

I wouldn't want to be like that...would hope my wife would want to learn these things herself.

As it is, I'm the cook of the family so she gets what I make or she can make something herself. It works out well. There will be at least one night per week or every two weeks where we "fend" for ourselves.
 

Petrie

Banned
Well said, it makes no sense.

I have to assume he was doing curls, benching, triceps kickbacks, and other accessory work, but not the real "meat and potatoes" of barbell training. I don't think you can follow a proper program and not get incredibly functional results, given that the movements are based around the most basic things we as humans are designed to do.

I wouldn't want to be like that...would hope my wife would want to learn these things herself.

As it is, I'm the cook of the family so she gets what I make or she can make something herself. It works out well. There will be at least one night per week or every two weeks where we "fend" for ourselves.

I know my g/f would want me to help with her diet and such, but then be incredibly hurt when she'd say she was craving pizza or a burger, and I'd suggest something more appropriate to her goals. For me, simply taking a hands off approach was the only way to make our relationship work. Then again all women are different so YMMV.
 

CrankyJay

Banned
I know my g/f would want me to help with her diet and such, but then be incredibly hurt when she'd say she was craving pizza or a burger, and I'd suggest something more appropriate to her goals. For me, simply taking a hands off approach was the only way to make our relationship work. Then again all women are different so YMMV.

I think a pre-planned and agreed upon cheat is a fair compromise...
 

Szu

Member
I'm 5'8" currently weigh 234. I want to get down to 190. I've never done weights as a means to lose weight before, so I am wondering about time tables and results a bit. The trainer says that I can get there in 4 months if I'm dedicated. I haven't missed a workout yet.

After three weeks of regular lifting and interval training, I've not lost even half a pound. I don't notice any difference in my look physically either, and my clothes are fitting the exact same way. I know that 2 weeks is a very short time, but shouldn't I have seen at least SOMETHING so far?

When I started training, I was close to your weight. Weight loss happens different for everyone. I didn't personally see any significant weight loss until about 6-7 months into it, but at best it was about 5 lbs.

Granted, I had no guidance or diet plan. I barely touched free weights. However, when it finally "clicked" for me, I started experiencing dramatic weight loss over the course of a few months.

So right now, you're definitely on the right track.
 

Petrie

Banned
I think a pre-planned and agreed upon cheat is a fair compromise...

Completely agree. I should mention these comments would typically be after we had already had a cheat the day before.

At that moment she wanted a b/f who would tell her "get yourself some pizza then sweetie", not the trainer who'd steer her away. The problem came from me having to be both. I applaud you if you can balance the 2, unfortunately it just didn't work for us.
 

Petrie

Banned
This is the best book I've ever seen for women lifting. Explains a lot, debunks stupid myths, trains the barbell movements. Squat, deadlift, etc. Says to focus on those. It is a great book for any women interested in fitness and lifting.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Bookmarked in case my girl ever comes to me about weight training again. For now I'm happy to let her go to her kickboxing classes and such.
 

Cagey

Banned
It depends on the person and the relationship, really.

Though I'd add the situation varies depending on whether the partner was told they should lift v. the partner requested some help and tips. My GF is one of those Equinox HIT class types, but wants to try something else because she wasn't liking the results as of late, and asked about trying her hand at actual lifting as resistance training. Simple enough.

EDIT: Reason why I picked SS was two-fold. First, squats are good for you. Second, the incremental linear gains evident in the numbers are the easiest means of getting a person to stick with an exercise routine when they begin. When a person can measure "gains" in such an easy counting manner, it's easier for them to maintain motivation because there's a feeling of progression and success. She used to use the scale for that feeling until a few years ago, which is never good, and her decision to change that mindset promoted a healthier lifestyle.
 
You don't have to do any of that for proper barbell training either, why you think you'd need any more or less protein and supplements for barbell stregnth training than sandbag shit is beyond me, but it's false.

If you were doing a proper strength program the fitness and function comes right along with it.

Oh I didn't mean to suggest barbell training and whatnot needed more. The regular food/no supplement thing was more about the fact that having hit my weight goals I was able to ease off. I was supplementing to similar proportions for both barbells and sandbags.

Nutritional supplementation was a shortcut/crutch I leaned on heavily because I have a stomach the size of a golf ball and rather ectomorphic so it was hard for me to eat enough to gain weight - which honestly was more of a secondary concern compared to actual fitness.

Again, I don't know much (obviously) but I never enjoyed traditional weight work as much as sandbag work, which is why I changed to it. I have to work out from home and I have limited space. So having a few bags that can go from 40-160lbs, with six handles allowing for easy variation and manipulation between each and every workout really helped keep me motivated.
 

cryptic

Member
Does that apply to all body types or is there a scale somewhere out there?
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/hypothyroidism.shtml

Here's an except from an article clarifying what I'm parroting:

RayPeat said:
Stress, besides suppressing the TSH, acts in other ways to suppress the real thyroid function. Cortisol, for example, inhibits the conversion of T4 to T3, which is responsible for the respiratory production of energy and carbon dioxide. Adrenaline, besides leading to increased production of cortisol, is lipolytic, releasing the fatty acids which, if they are polyunsaturated, inhibit the production and transport of thyroid hormone, and also interfere directly with the respiratory functions of the mitochondria. Adrenaline decreases the conversion to T4 to T3, and increases the formation of the antagonistic reverse T3 (Nauman, et al., 1980, 1984).

During the night, at the time adrenaline and free fatty acids are at their highest, TSH usually reaches its peak. TSH itself can produce lipolysis, raising the level of circulating free fatty acids. This suggests that a high level of TSH could sometimes contribute to functional hypothyroidism, because of the antimetabolic effects of the unsaturated fatty acids.

These are the basic reasons for thinking that the TSH tests should be given only moderate weight in interpreting thyroid function.

The metabolic rate is very closely related to thyroid hormone function, but defining it and measuring it have to be done with awareness of its complexity.

The basal metabolic rate that was commonly used in the 1930s for diagnosing thyroid disorders was usually a measurement of the rate of oxygen consumption, made while lying quietly early in the morning without having eaten anything for several hours. When carbon dioxide production can be measured at the same time as oxygen consumption, it's possible to estimate the proportion of energy that is being derived from glucose, rather than fat or protein, since oxidation of glucose produces more carbon dioxide than oxidation of fat does. Glucose oxidation is efficient, and suggests a state of low stress.

The very high adrenaline that sometimes occurs in hypothyroidism will increase the metabolic rate in several ways, but it tends to increase the oxidation of fat. If the production of carbon dioxide is measured, the adrenaline/stress component of metabolism will be minimized in the measurement. When polyunsaturated fats are mobilized, their spontaneous peroxidation consumes some oxygen, without producing any usable energy or carbon dioxide, so this is another reason that the production of carbon dioxide is a very good indicator of thyroid hormone activity. The measurement of oxygen consumption was usually done for two minutes, and carbon dioxide production could be accurately measured in a similarly short time. Even a measurement of the percentage of carbon dioxide at the end of a single breath can give an indication of the stress-free, thyroid hormone stimulated rate of metabolism (it should approach five or six percent of the expired air).

Increasingly in the last several years, people who have many of the standard symptoms of hypothyroidism have told me that they are hyperthyroid, and that they have to decide whether to have surgery or radiation to destroy their thyroid gland. They have told me that their symptoms of “hyperthyroidism,” according to their physicians, were fatigue, weakness, irritability, poor memory, and insomnia.

They didn't eat very much. They didn't sweat noticeably, and they drank a moderate amount of fluids. Their pulse rates and body temperature were normal, or a little low.

Simply on the basis of some laboratory tests, they were going to have their thyroid gland destroyed. But on the basis of all of the traditional ways of judging thyroid function, they were hypothyroid.

Broda Barnes, who worked mostly in Fort Collins, Colorado, argued that the body temperature, measured before getting out of bed in the morning, was the best basis for diagnosing thyroid function.

Fort Collins, at a high altitude, has a cool climate most of the year. The altitude itself helps the thyroid to function normally. For example, one study (Savourey, et al., 1998) showed an 18% increase in T3 at a high altitude, and mitochondria become more numerous and are more efficient at preventing lactic acid production, capillary leakiness, etc.

In Eugene during a hot and humid summer, I saw several obviously hypothyroid people whose temperature seemed perfectly normal, euthyroid by Barnes' standards. But I noticed that their pulse rates were, in several cases, very low. It takes very little metabolic energy to keep the body at 98.6 degrees when the air temperature is in the nineties. In cooler weather, I began asking people whether they used electric blankets, and ignored their temperature measurements if they did.

The combination of pulse rate and temperature is much better than either one alone. I happened to see two people whose resting pulse rates were chronically extremely high, despite their hypothyroid symptoms. When they took a thyroid supplement, their pulse rates came down to normal. (Healthy and intelligent groups of people have been found to have an average resting pulse rate of 85/minute, while less healthy groups average close to 70/minute.)

The speed of the pulse is partly determined by adrenaline, and many hypothyroid people compensate with very high adrenaline production. Knowing that hypothyroid people are susceptible to hypoglycemia, and that hypoglycemia increases adrenaline, I found that many people had normal (and sometimes faster than average) pulse rates when they woke up in the morning, and when they got hungry. Salt, which helps to maintain blood sugar, also tends to lower adrenalin, and hypothyroid people often lose salt too easily in their urine and sweat. Measuring the pulse rate before and after breakfast, and in the afternoon, can give a good impression of the variations in adrenalin. (The blood pressure, too, will show the effects of adrenaline in hypothyroid people. Hypothyroidism is a major cause of hypertension.)

But hypoglycemia also tends to decrease the conversion of T4 to T3, so heat production often decreases when a person is hungry. First, their fingers, toes, and nose will get cold, because adrenalin, or adrenergic sympathetic nervous activity, will increase to keep the brain and heart at a normal temperature, by reducing circulation to the skin and extremities. Despite the temperature-regulating effect of adrenalin, the reduced heat production resulting from decreased T3 will make a person susceptible to hypothermia if the environment is cool.

Since food, especially carbohydrate and protein, will increase blood sugar and T3 production, eating is “thermogenic,” and the oral (or eardrum) temperature is likely to rise after eating.

Blood sugar falls at night, and the body relies on the glucose stored in the liver as glycogen for energy, and hypothyroid people store very little sugar. As a result, adrenalin and cortisol begin to rise almost as soon as a person goes to bed, and in hypothyroid people, they rise very high, with the adrenalin usually peaking around 1 or 2 A.M., and the cortisol peaking around dawn; the high cortisol raises blood sugar as morning approaches, and allows adrenalin to decline. Some people wake up during the adrenalin peak with a pounding heart, and have trouble getting back to sleep unless they eat something.

If the night-time stress is very high, the adrenalin will still be high until breakfast, increasing both temperature and pulse rate. The cortisol stimulates the breakdown of muscle tissue and its conversion to energy, so it is thermogenic, for some of the same reasons that food is thermogenic.

After eating breakfast, the cortisol (and adrenalin, if it stayed high despite the increased cortisol) will start returning to a more normal, lower level, as the blood sugar is sustained by food, instead of by the stress hormones. In some hypothyroid people, this is a good time to measure the temperature and pulse rate. In a normal person, both temperature and pulse rate rise after breakfast, but in very hypothyroid people either, or both, might fall.

Some hypothyroid people have a very slow pulse, apparently because they aren't compensating with a large production of adrenalin. When they eat, the liver's increased production of T3 is likely to increase both their temperature and their pulse rate.

By watching the temperature and pulse rate at different times of day, especially before and after meals, it's possible to separate some of the effects of stress from the thyroid-dependent, relatively “basal” metabolic rate. When beginning to take a thyroid supplement, it's important to keep a chart of these measurements for at least two weeks, since that's roughly the half-life of thyroxine in the body. When the body has accumulated a steady level of the hormones, and begun to function more fully, the factors such as adrenaline that have been chronically distorted to compensate for hypothyroidism will have begun to normalize, and the early effects of the supplementary thyroid will in many cases seem to disappear, with heart rate and temperature declining. The daily dose of thyroid often has to be increased several times, as the state of stress and the adrenaline and cortisol production decrease.
 

balddemon

Banned
Is a resting heart rate of 70 a good thing?

my resting heart rate during cross country in high school was between 55-60 each time we measured it. I daresay it's a little higher now, probably 65-70 because I don't train for endurance anymore but do plenty of sprinting.
 

JB1981

Member
There is no dropping in the full clean or the power version. As soon as the legs extend, the shoulders shrug DOWN to pull the body under the bar forcefully. Some people's feet land a bit wider in the power clean but there is no fundamental difference between the two lifts.

The way it was taught at my crossfit affiliate there certainly is. A power clean is an explosive jump. The jump is what facilitates movement of the bar upward. Once the bar is pulled and makes contact with the thigh, the jump, gravity and momentum take care of the rest.

The affiliate I went to did NOT teach an jump and simply taught "scare crowing" of the arms and then basically dropping into a front squat. Very different movements.
 

y2dvd

Member
I worked out this past Monday and squats killed me. I'm still feeling sore today. Would yall just work out through the soreness or wait until you've healed?
 
Is a resting heart rate of 70 a good thing?

There are different schools of thought on this.

The conventional view is that a low resting heart rate indicates high cardiovascular fitness and therefore good health. Most endurance athletes have resting heart rates in the 40s and 50s, presumably because their cardiovascular systems are more efficient.

The "alternative" view is that a low resting heart indicates low metabolism, low thyroid activity, and that a high pulse rate means high thyroid activity where your body is consuming energy at a faster rate, delivering blood and nutrients to your tissues - and this is a good thing. Kids tend to have resting heart rates between 70-100, and proponents of this view say that a higher pulse rate indicates a more youthful metabolism. They'd say that athletes have low resting heart rates because of chronic stress (overtraining) which can lead to subclinical (won't show up on a standard blood test) hypothyroid function.

The confusing thing is that stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can elevate pulse rate, too, which may be why elevated heart rates are sometimes linked to heart disease. The trick is distinguishing between a pulse rate elevated by stress and one elevated by strong thyroid/healthy metabolism, because the two may "look" the same diagnostically but have very different health ramifications.

So, to sum up, I don't really know. One way that might work is if your pulse is high but you feel cold (cold hands, etc), it's probably stress-related. If your high pulse comes with warmth, you're probably good.
 
I worked out this past Monday and squats killed me. I'm still feeling sore today. Would yall just work out through the soreness or wait until you've healed?

If you are just sore, then work through it. It will go away once you start working out.

Yo, fuck front squats and fuck hack squats. Those two kick my ass so much more than anything else I am doing. I hate them both so much.
 

ToxicAdam

Member
I would still work out, but be careful. When your legs are that sore it might make you more inclined to lift things with your lower back instead of using your legs.

Keep using those legs! (Even if you can't feel them)
 

SeanR1221

Member
Completely agree. I should mention these comments would typically be after we had already had a cheat the day before.

At that moment she wanted a b/f who would tell her "get yourself some pizza then sweetie", not the trainer who'd steer her away. The problem came from me having to be both. I applaud you if you can balance the 2, unfortunately it just didn't work for us.

The way I handle this?

"You can get whatever you want, I'm eating (healthy alternative)"
 

grumble

Member
There are different schools of thought on this.

The conventional view is that a low resting heart rate indicates high cardiovascular fitness and therefore good health. Most endurance athletes have resting heart rates in the 40s and 50s, presumably because their cardiovascular systems are more efficient.

The "alternative" view is that a low resting heart indicates low metabolism, low thyroid activity, and that a high pulse rate means high thyroid activity where your body is consuming energy at a faster rate, delivering blood and nutrients to your tissues - and this is a good thing. Kids tend to have resting heart rates between 70-100, and proponents of this view say that a higher pulse rate indicates a more youthful metabolism. They'd say that athletes have low resting heart rates because of chronic stress (overtraining) which can lead to subclinical (won't show up on a standard blood test) hypothyroid function.

The confusing thing is that stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can elevate pulse rate, too, which may be why elevated heart rates are sometimes linked to heart disease. The trick is distinguishing between a pulse rate elevated by stress and one elevated by strong thyroid/healthy metabolism, because the two may "look" the same diagnostically but have very different health ramifications.

So, to sum up, I don't really know. One way that might work is if your pulse is high but you feel cold (cold hands, etc), it's probably stress-related. If your high pulse comes with warmth, you're probably good.

I'm very skeptical regarding a pulse of 85+ being healthy in an adult. That's well above the average for people who are otherwise healthy. As far as overtraining, a high resting pulse rate is an indicator of being overtrained, not a low resting pulse rate. If I met someone with a resting heart rate of 90, say, I'd recommend they see a doctor immediately (and give them some electrolyte water).
 
I want to go back to New Orleans. So much good food ;_;

I think I'm done trying to bulk for a while. Eat at a bit of a surplus and adjust my macros. Go for more of a recomp right now.
 

grumble

Member
If you are just sore, then work through it. It will go away once you start working out.

Yo, fuck front squats and fuck hack squats. Those two kick my ass so much more than anything else I am doing. I hate them both so much.

I've found for squats that there's sore (largely goes away after a warmup, some residual soreness) and SORE (vicious leg cramps during squat sets). I've been both.
 
I've found for squats that there's sore (largely goes away after a warmup, some residual soreness) and SORE (vicious leg cramps during squat sets). I've been both.

yessir but that is when you push through it and tell yourself how great you are.

YOU CAN DO IT. NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER SURRENDER.
 

Mully

Member
yessir but that is when you push through it and tell yourself how great you are.

YOU CAN DO IT. NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER SURRENDER.

Doing HIIT after Squats or DL days is exactly like this. It gets really difficult the first three heats, and then suddenly, a weight lifts from your legs and you begin to run like Usain Bolt.
 

cryptic

Member
There are different schools of thought on this.

The conventional view is that a low resting heart rate indicates high cardiovascular fitness and therefore good health. Most endurance athletes have resting heart rates in the 40s and 50s, presumably because their cardiovascular systems are more efficient.

The "alternative" view is that a low resting heart indicates low metabolism, low thyroid activity, and that a high pulse rate means high thyroid activity where your body is consuming energy at a faster rate, delivering blood and nutrients to your tissues - and this is a good thing. Kids tend to have resting heart rates between 70-100, and proponents of this view say that a higher pulse rate indicates a more youthful metabolism. They'd say that athletes have low resting heart rates because of chronic stress (overtraining) which can lead to subclinical (won't show up on a standard blood test) hypothyroid function.

The confusing thing is that stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can elevate pulse rate, too, which may be why elevated heart rates are sometimes linked to heart disease. The trick is distinguishing between a pulse rate elevated by stress and one elevated by strong thyroid/healthy metabolism, because the two may "look" the same diagnostically but have very different health ramifications.

So, to sum up, I don't really know. One way that might work is if your pulse is high but you feel cold (cold hands, etc), it's probably stress-related. If your high pulse comes with warmth, you're probably good.

This is interesting. When I was younger and running a 100+ miles a week my pulse rate was very low.
 

grumble

Member
This is the best book I've ever seen for women lifting. Explains a lot, debunks stupid myths, trains the barbell movements. Squat, deadlift, etc. Says to focus on those. It is a great book for any women interested in fitness and lifting.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I bought my girlfriend this book recently. She's often complained about how she feels, but lacks the confidence and desire to do something about it. She's a good looking girl, but it's obvious that she'd feel better if she led a more active lifestlye.

She has a very poor diet, and I've enabled her by not sticking to my guns regarding my own diet when she wants to order a pizza or something. I'll take the advice in this thread and avoid mentioning anything about exercise to her, but try to lead by example. Healthy food and plenty of out-of-gym activity ahoy!
 

cryptic

Member
I'm very skeptical regarding a pulse of 85+ being healthy in an adult. That's well above the average for people who are otherwise healthy. As far as overtraining, a high resting pulse rate is an indicator of being overtrained, not a low resting pulse rate. If I met someone with a resting heart rate of 90, say, I'd recommend they see a doctor immediately (and give them some electrolyte water).

I'm also a bit skeptical of 85+ being a healthy rate considering Peat doesn't provide links just states healthy and intelligent individuals were found to have that rate.
I might contact him to ask why he says this or if it's just anecdotal.
 

bardia

Member
I'm also a bit skeptical of 85+ being a healthy rate considering Peat doesn't provide links just states healthy and intelligent individuals were found to have that rate.
I might contact him to ask why he says this or if it's just anecdotal.

60-100 is considered the "normal" heart rate by physicians. Range is so wide because many things can cause variations in your heart rate such as your blood pressure, being sick etc.
 

Pollux

Member
So I'm trying to eat healthier, and today is my rest day for lifting, so would 2 turkey burger patties, eggs, and cottage cheese be a good dinner?
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
Pretty fantastic 2013 so far.

Weight 111,7 -> 107,9 kg (-3.8 kg)
Lean mass 77kg -> 79,4 kg (+2.4 kg)
Body fat 31% -> 26,4%

I am pretty stunned that I have managed to lose fat and put on muscle simultaneously. I thought that was near impossible. 5/2 IF, gym, spinning. No extra protein yet. Now starting Gold Standard Whey and BCAA supplements.

Very long road still ahead to the Fight Club look, but at least the scale is moving to the right direction.
 

MjFrancis

Member
When I got my blood work done last week my heart rate was measured at 53bpm. Looking at the measurements they've made in the last five years that's pretty much the average I run since I've been as low as 47bpm and as high as 62bpm. I'm more interested in this phenomena now that I've read Prince Dalton's post. I'm especially curious since I'm by no means engaged in what most people would consider endurance work. I do resistance training for 45 minutes 4x/week and run stairs once or twice a week for 15 minutes.
 

grumble

Member
Is Insanity legit? And how much is it for all together (payment). Thinking of trying it out. Got to get in shape.

It's a pretty good cardio program for aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. A lot of people have used it and combined with the right diet have lost some weight. If they're total beginners, they might even put on a couple of pounds of muscle; to be honest though I would recommend against Insanity if you haven't gotten reasonably strong first, as it's a more efficient use of your time (ie being strong is a foundation for other movements. You'll get in better cardio shape faster if you're already strong than if you jump right in).

You don't need to buy insanity to do a good high intensity cardio program though; burpees, jumping squats, pushup variations, situp variations, high knees, lunges, etc would be fine. Something like this thinkg I made up:

1 minute: walking in place

then repeat 3x:
1 minute: high knees (walk and bring your knees high, it's a warmup and rest)
30 seconds: fast air squats to parallel
30 seconds: strict pushups, done quickly
30 seconds: mason twists
30 seconds: jumping lunges
30 seconds: burpees (jump high!)
30 seconds: bicycle crunches
30 seconds: jumping squats
30 seconds: mountain climbers

Take breaks only when absolutely required, and for no more than 30 seconds.

That would get you in decent cardio shape in a few weeks, done every other day. Not the strongest muscle building or strength program though.
 
When I got my blood work done last week my heart rate was measured at 53bpm. Looking at the measurements they've made in the last five years that's pretty much the average I run since I've been as low as 47bpm and as high as 62bpm. I'm more interested in this phenomena now that I've read Prince Dalton's post. I'm especially curious since I'm by no means engaged in what most people would consider endurance work. I do resistance training for 45 minutes 4x/week and run stairs once or twice a week for 15 minutes.

All the guys on the college cross country team i was on had low heartrates. I remember one of the guys had a heartrate in the low 30s on his physical. The top guys on that team are the type that can run under 4 mins for the mile and in the 13s for the 5k.
 
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