Support NeoGAF

[Jamesfrom818]

Well, I finally got my ass off the chair to do some running. Only did a mile and half though. I could've done a lot more if my feet weren't killing me.

 

[Christopher]

Well, I finally got my ass off the chair to do some running. Only did a mile and half though. I could've done a lot more if my feet weren't killing me.

update us in a week if your still doing something

 

[xBerserker]

So over the weekend I got my gf a "thermal suit" from a sports store. Basically it's a sweat suit, made of vinyl. She refuses to wear the top which is fine. She just wears the pants. And no that is not us :lol

Last night we went to the gym. She tried it out and she sweated a lot more than she usually does. Her workout is walking and biking. I would assume this would help he lose weight faster right? She wants to lose about 20 or so lbs. by late spring.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

So over the weekend I got my gf a "thermal suit" from a sports store. Basically it's a sweat suit, made of vinyl. She refuses to wear the top which is fine. She just wears the pants. And no that is not us :lol

Last night we went to the gym. She tried it out and she sweated a lot more than she usually does. Her workout is walking and biking. I would assume this would help he lose weight faster right? She wants to lose about 20 or so lbs. by late spring.

This will help you get a heat stroke.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Would help lose water weight. Which is not necessarily a good thing.

 

[xBerserker]

Should I return it then? Maybe just have her wear layers of clothes?

 

[demon]

So over the weekend I got my gf a "thermal suit" from a sports store. Basically it's a sweat suit, made of vinyl. She refuses to wear the top which is fine. She just wears the pants. And no that is not us :lol

Last night we went to the gym. She tried it out and she sweated a lot more than she usually does. Her workout is walking and biking. I would assume this would help he lose weight faster right? She wants to lose about 20 or so lbs. by late spring.

It'll help you lose water weight for a quick and very short-term weight loss, but don't bother with it if you're just trying to shed fat.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Should I return it then? Maybe just have her wear layers of clothes?

Having her eat and train correctly would be much more effective than clothing tricks. Sweating a lot is not the best determining factor of whether or not a workout is working. Understand? Fat is not equal to sweat.

 

[demon]

Yeah it might even hinder your progress, since you guys are probably measuring your progress by weight (which you shouldn't necessarily do), and the loss in water weight will throw you off and make you think you've lost more than you really have.

 

[Captain Glanton]

So over the weekend I got my gf a "thermal suit" from a sports store. Basically it's a sweat suit, made of vinyl. She refuses to wear the top which is fine. She just wears the pants. And no that is not us :lol

Last night we went to the gym. She tried it out and she sweated a lot more than she usually does. Her workout is walking and biking. I would assume this would help he lose weight faster right? She wants to lose about 20 or so lbs. by late spring.

The only people who need to worry about plastic sweat suits like this one are in training for combat sports. If you are only trying to lose weight, return the suits for some 'loose fit' or 'sweat absorbant' workout clothes [Nike, Under Armor, whatever]. As people have said, the only weight you lose with those sweat suits [or wearing too many clothes] is water weight, which comes right back when you rehydrate, which you'll have to do to keep your body from shutting down.

Real, long term weight loss comes from burning calories and eating properly.

 

[xBerserker]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll return it.

For the last half year or so she has been drinking muscle milk (not the gainer). She likes to drink it for a treat after a workout, but I'm been having her drink it as a meal replacement more lately. Or a lighter meal and then muscle milk. Strawberry Muscle Milk is damn good I liked the banana flavor too. Fun to mix them.

 

[-viper-]

Question:
Should I drink my postworkout shakes with 2% milk or water? Will the 5g of fat in the milk slow down the digestion of the protein? Or is it generally a bad idea to have fat postworkout?

 

[perryfarrell]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll return it.

For the last half year or so she has been drinking muscle milk (not the gainer). She likes to drink it for a treat after a workout, but I'm been having her drink it as a meal replacement more lately.

She should drink it after a workout, as she was doing. The body needs protein after the workout (because the muscles need to be refueled). You should do a little more reading before buying and using fitness products!

 

[BlueTsunami]

Question:
Should I drink my postworkout shakes with 2% milk or water? Will the 5g of fat in the milk slow down the digestion of the protein? Or is it generally a bad idea to have fat postworkout?

I've read that its good to drink it with Juice since after a workout the energy from said fruit is extracted quickly to replenish the glycogen levels of the muscles (or something along those lines). Milk being the worst because, as you stated, it takes a while for the body to fully process the milk and deliver the Protein from the mix. I think water is the best all round.

 

[BlueTsunami]

God, I bought THE worst Whey Protein mix ever. I got it from Shaw's as a backup for the main Designer Whey mix that should be coming in this Friday. I mixed it with water yesterday and took in the aroma at first. It literally smelled like cake mix, salt and ass. I then sipped it and gagged. I then dumped it out and tried it with Milk, it made the milk taste like salt water.

 

[Captain Glanton]

If you're going to be doing this stuff for the long haul, it is really really really worth it to spend the extra money for quality supplements. I used the cheap stuff when I started, too, and my gains went way up once I sucked it up and upgraded my supplements.

 

[Boogie]

So over the weekend I got my gf a "thermal suit" from a sports store. Basically it's a sweat suit, made of vinyl. She refuses to wear the top which is fine. She just wears the pants. And no that is not us :lol

Last night we went to the gym. She tried it out and she sweated a lot more than she usually does. Her workout is walking and biking. I would assume this would help he lose weight faster right? She wants to lose about 20 or so lbs. by late spring.

Dude, that's used for combat athletes trying to temporarily lose water weight to get to a certain weight for competition. Absolutely useless for sustained, healthy weight loss.

edit: nevermind, I see everyone has already jumped on him for this. :lol

 

[Captain Glanton]

People who are having a hard time picking the right foods at the grocery store might want to see this article from t-nation: http://www.t-nation.com/article/most_recent/atomic_dog_eat_food_not_much_mostly_plants

 

[Yoboman]

So i started lifting weights again a week ago, just barbell and dumbell exercises mainly. I think I've seen some surprising gains. My shoulders are a lot bigger and my arms are definitely bigger and more defined. My back seems a lot bigger too

Last time I jumped into exercise at a gym I saw really pathetic gains, why is it different now?

 

[Joe]

what's better for losing body fat %....hiit or say 30-45 minutes on a bike?

 

[Struct09]

what's better for losing body fat %....hiit or say 30-45 minutes on a bike?

Whichever method you actually want to do

I personally do HIIT for 15 minutes (3-4x a week) to get my bf down to the 5-6% range. You just can't be lazy about the high intensity part, make sure you're sprinting (or doing the equivalent of).

 

[perryfarrell]

what's better for losing body fat %....hiit or say 30-45 minutes on a bike?

From what I've read, HIIT is better for heart health. If you want good cardio, do short intense workouts. They also burn calories, that's an extra bonus.

Low intensity cardio training (what most people in the gym on ellipticals and bikes do) is useful only for burning some calories. But you can also achieve those results with eating a little bit less.

In my mind, low-intensity cardio is really a waste of time. It doesn't help your cardio much, and lowering your calorie intake has pretty much the same result.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Such a coincidence, I was actually going to ask about any Aerobic/Running Schedules people use. I'm going to try and incorporate HIIT into my regimen on every off day of my weighlifting.

I need to buy running sneakers though

 

[Captain Glanton]

what's better for losing body fat %....hiit or say 30-45 minutes on a bike?

I know bodybuilders who have earned pro cards doing it both ways. I do HIIT, but if you're already in decent shape you're going to see results whichever way.

ps, the guy I know who did steady-state cardio was always extremely lean, but he would do slow cardio for hours on end. It depends on what you have time for, too.

 

[genjiZERO]

Does anyone use this? It came recommended to me from one of my mates, but I didn't want to switch over and have it be rubbish.

 

[APF]

My advice is to do cardio for cardio, and diet for caloric restriction. Cardio works as a diet aid only when you have some compulsory reason to eat more than would be effective from a weight-loss perspective (ie when you already don't weigh that much, and need the nutrients). The actual metabolism gains and caloric loss from cardio is not that great.

 

[Captain Glanton]

^^^^I use Biotest. If money is a concern, I'd recommend PrimaForce. I used to use PrimaForce, but they seem to have stopped making their protein mix, which for some reason was called Substance anyway.

Supplements are something where you really do get what you pay for, though.

Edit: @ genjiZero, not APF.

 

[genjiZERO]

Such a coincidence, I was actually going to ask about any Aerobic/Running Schedules people use. I'm going to try and incorporate HIIT into my regimen on every off day of my weighlifting.

I need to buy running sneakers though

Find a local "running store". A shop that's dedicated to running shoes and apparel. They'll be really good at finding the ideal shoe for you - based on your running style and amount of running you plan on doing. Plus they're usually local and tend to be cheaper than the larger chains.

 

[Boards of Canada]

I've been doing an hour Billy Blanks workout tape everyday for the past 3 weeks. Also, at the start I was only able to muster 15 situps. I can now do 100 + 50 bicycle kicks + 50 leg raises for each leg + some other stuffs. I haven't exercised since high school. I'm 26.

 

[WickedAngel]

So i started lifting weights again a week ago, just barbell and dumbell exercises mainly. I think I've seen some surprising gains. My shoulders are a lot bigger and my arms are definitely bigger and more defined. My back seems a lot bigger too

Last time I jumped into exercise at a gym I saw really pathetic gains, why is it different now?

If you were extremely serious about it for a long time, the principle of diminishing returns would begin to apply. Aside from that, you might not have been reaching your optimal threshold of training (IE, going in and doing "the usual" without pushing yourself to do more).

 

[Barrage]

I figure this thread should be able to help me out.

I've recently gotten into DeFranco's Westside For Skinny Bastards program (What a great name. I'm sure most of you have heard of it, if not here's a link-http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_westside.htm)

Now, so far the program's been pretty effective, but I have a few questions.

1. One of the program's main features is it's variety. Problem being, the variety doesn't help when i'm not 100% sure how to properly perform many of the exercises. It's been fine for the first few weeks, when i've been attempting to steadily improve per session, but I don't want to do the same exercises over and over. Are there any sites that explain the proper form for various exercises?

2. Although I am hoping to be more physically strong, I wish to improve my physique. I've lost weight in the last few months and have much better stamina, but it doesn't show in my physique as much as i'd like it to. Basically, i'm saying that i'm hoping to get definition as well as get stronger. Will this program help me in that regard?

Thanks for any tips GymGAF can provide.

 

[Captain Glanton]

I figure this thread should be able to help me out.

I've recently gotten into DeFranco's Westside For Skinny Bastards program (What a great name. I'm sure most of you have heard of it, if not here's a link-http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_westside.htm)

Now, so far the program's been pretty effective, but I have a few questions.

1. One of the program's main features is it's variety. Problem being, the variety doesn't help when i'm not 100% sure how to properly perform many of the exercises. It's been fine for the first few weeks, when i've been attempting to steadily improve per session, but I don't want to do the same exercises over and over. Are there any sites that explain the proper form for various exercises?

Bodybuilding.com has pics of lots of the basic exercises. For the more exotic stuff, you might try www.t-nation.com, but their exercise pics are just included in articles as they're mentioned; they aren't catalogued separately so far as I know. You might have to try Google Images.

2. Although I am hoping to be more physically strong, I wish to improve my physique. I've lost weight in the last few months and have much better stamina, but it doesn't show in my physique as much as i'd like it to. Basically, i'm saying that i'm hoping to get definition as well as get stronger. Will this program help me in that regard?

If you put the intensity into it, yeah, it looks like it will. It's very 'athlete' centered; it looks like it's meant to improve your functional strength, your power. If you aren't gaining strength, I'd guess that you aren't eating enough. I know, you're already eating a lot, but trust me, you aren't eating enough.

I'm intrigued by the program. I'm missing workouts right now [work, don't ask, my Director is a cocksucking fuckwad douche], but when I start up again in a week or so and have lots more spare time, then I might adapt this to my own ends. Good find.

Thanks for any tips GymGAF can provide.

I kind of wish I'd thought of this term when I made the thread.

 

[Captain Glanton]

Double post, don't care.

Does anyone have experience with neck problems? I have been having a lot of grinding, popping sounds in my neck lately, even when I haven't been working out. I've been sitting on the couch, working on my dissertation and posting on GAF exclusively for over a week, and it's worse than ever. It's more than stiffness, too. There's no real pain, but it sounds like that gristly sound you get when you tear a chicken wing off [best comparison I can think of].

I pulled a muscle in the back of my neck a few years ago, and I had a lot problems with that, but it's been fine for a long time. It's possible that that problem evolved into this one, but they sure don't feel the same.

 

[BlueTsunami]

An article by Dave Draper about Cardio (and how pointless Low Intensity Cardio is) and his love for HIIT...

http://www.davedraper.com/article-124-spring-interval-training.html

What I'm wondering is...will Cardio effect gaining Muscle Mass in any way? I'm personally trying to juggle the two and HIIT looks like the best choice. From what I've read, most articles state not to eat 1 Hour after a HIIT session to maximize the Fat burning. Is this correct (after the Hour you would eat a balanced meal full of Carbs and Protein)?

 

[Jamesfrom818]

Well, I just got back from a 1.67 mile run/jog/walk. I'd like to do more but the concrete is killing my feet. I wish there was a padded track around. I guess I can always go to my mom's place after work and use her treadmill and exercise bike (and get free dinner).

 

[Dazzla]

I'm stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment, I lost 98 lbs between Jan 05 and Aug 06 but since then it's been creeping back on.

Initially dropped to around 186lbs but now I'm around 210 so it's quite a difference. My main method of weight loss back then was just diet and a stepper at home but to be honest I can't get motivated to get back on that thing.

I tried going running but it wrecks my shins and I've got a spur on my left heel waiting to be sorted out. What other cardio could I do to lose fat? I've still got a pretty decent diet but I'm open to change.

Mainly consists of Muesli for breakfast, a salad for lunch and something like fish and vegetables or chicken breast and stir fry vegetables (no sauce). Just can't shift any weight.

I walk around 2 miles each way to and from work but that alone is clearly doing nothing.

Oh, btw, nice job Mikazuki, keep it up.

 

[Lakitu]

I've been doing a lot of cardio lately, I go 3 times a week to the gym. And do primarily cardio. In April, I have a specific diet, along with creatine and I'm going to be following my weights schedule for 2 months and build up my strength for the next part in the summer.

 

[Yogi_bear]

An article by Dave Draper about Cardio (and how pointless Low Intensity Cardio is) and his love for HIIT...

http://www.davedraper.com/article-124-spring-interval-training.html

What I'm wondering is...will Cardio effect gaining Muscle Mass in any way? I'm personally trying to juggle the two and HIIT looks like the best choice. From what I've read, most articles state not to eat 1 Hour after a HIIT session to maximize the Fat burning. Is this correct (after the Hour you would eat a balanced meal full of Carbs and Protein)?

I'm curious about the same thing. I'm weigtlifting 5 days a week(spilt body routine - Day 1-Chest, Triceps, Shoulders, Abs, Day 2- Back, Biceps, Legs) with 2 Cardio days in which I do HIIT for about 30-45 mins. I also do a kickboxing workout almost every morning(trained with MMA fighters in college) for about 20-30 mins to get my metabolism up and going for the day. I eat plenty of calories(around 3200-3400) to compensate for the calories burned in the morning with the kickboxing. Even if I'm getting enough calories, am I still minimizing my muscle gains?

 

[Funky Papa]

Ok, I'm tired of this bull. Is there a GOOD tasting casein powder out there? I've tried no-name local brands, Muscle Milk and Syntrax.

Most generic powders disolve like shit; Muscle Milk tastes delicious but it's expensive considering the serving size/has a lot of calories; and Syntrax's chocolate is only barely tolerable. The cookies and cream flavour is actually one of the most horrid I've ever tasted. I just ordered a bag of HDT Pro-Rated (choco) and I hope this one is better.

I'd consider BSN's Syntha-6, but it was way too much sugar to take before going to bed and it's also relatively expensive.

 

[Slo]

Anybody have tips for keeping energy/aggression levels high while trying to cut fat? I'm cutting down for summer and trying to keep my kcals around 2200 @ 190lbs.

 

[RSTEIN]

I'm stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment, I lost 98 lbs between Jan 05 and Aug 06 but since then it's been creeping back on.

Initially dropped to around 186lbs but now I'm around 210 so it's quite a difference. My main method of weight loss back then was just diet and a stepper at home but to be honest I can't get motivated to get back on that thing.

You're not alone here. A workout routine can get boring quickly and if you start seeing it as a chore you're going to lose motivation. Do you have access to a gym? I would mix it up - 20 mins on an elliptical, 20 mins rowing, 10 minutes running. There are tons of ways to get your cardio without a machine, too. I don't know if you'd be interested in a fitness class/dance class (do you have a wife/girlfriend?) or even a martial art (even a 'soft' martial art like Aikido). You may want to hire a personal trainer to show you around and introduce you to the numerous cardio exercises out there.

Anybody have tips for keeping energy/aggression levels high while trying to cut fat? I'm cutting down for summer and trying to keep my kcals around 2200 @ 190lbs.

I take two GNC Mega Men Sport tablets. I find it really keeps my energy up during the day.

 

[Captain Glanton]

Well, I just got back from a 1.67 mile run/jog/walk. I'd like to do more but the concrete is killing my feet. I wish there was a padded track around. I guess I can always go to my mom's place after work and use her treadmill and exercise bike (and get free dinner).

Don't ignore what your feet are telling you! I pushed through that type of pain in the past, and now I wish I'd been smarter. [Actually, that pretty much summarizes my whole life.]

Anybody have tips for keeping energy/aggression levels high while trying to cut fat? I'm cutting down for summer and trying to keep my kcals around 2200 @ 190lbs.

I find that teenage angst has its place.

So does leftist angst.

I also use:

I think that it works, and its advertising has a little angst to it as well.

 

[demon]

Well I just started taking creatine three days ago for the first time. I seem to have hit a bit of a disappointing plateau the past few months, so it should be interesting to see how this works. If it does work like everybody says it does, I'll be more bulked than I've ever been. Can't wait to see.

 

[Slo]

I also use:

I think that it works, and its advertising has a little angst to it as well.

RAtM is already a steady staple of the Slo diet.

I'm thought about Alpha Male. Does it give you a noticable boost?

Spoiler

Will women start attacking me like in an Axe commercial?

Also, I've tried to eliminate all caffeine recently and drink water exclusively. Is that a bad idea when trying to lose weight? Most of the fat burners on the market are just stimulants. So am I shooting myself in the foot?

 

[Captain Glanton]

RAtM is already a steady staple of the Slo diet.

I'm thought about Alpha Male. Does it give you a noticable boost?

Spoiler

Will women start attacking me like in an Axe commercial?

Also, I've tried to eliminate all caffeine recently and drink water exclusively. Is that a bad idea when trying to lose weight? Most of the fat burners on the market are just stimulants. So am I shooting myself in the foot?

I find that

Spoiler

my enormous dick will just randomly attack women while I walk around the office and teach.

In all honesty, I credit it with helping me maintain my physical energy and mental vigor while I've been under enormous stress the past several months [job search, dissertation].

Caffeine is a fat burner. If you are cutting it out because you want to simplify your diet, or to resist addiction to it, or something like that, I'd judge that your goals in cutting it out should probably take precedence over the extra calories it'll burn each day.

Well I just started taking creatine three days ago for the first time. I seem to have hit a bit of a disappointing plateau the past few months, so it should be interesting to see how this works. If it does work like everybody says it does, I'll be more bulked than I've ever been. Can't wait to see.

In my experience, creatine is like that pump you get right after you eat a big cheat meal after you've been dieting hard for a few weeks. It makes a real difference.

 

[Onemic]

whoah, wait, hold up here. Caffene's a fat burner????

What other non-grain/fruit food items are fat burners?

 

[Captain Glanton]

whoah, wait, hold up here. Caffene's a fat burner????

What other non-grain/fruit food items are fat burners?

The problem is that the ones that work, like ephedra, have been made illegal, because they work. There are lots of fat burner pills on the market, but most of them are caffeine and stuff to make it look and smell weird.

Edit: I tried to find a pic of that Onion headline, "Stupid Kid Ruins Fun Toy For Everyone."

 

[Onemic]

The problem is that the ones that work, like ephedra, have been made illegal, because they work. There are lots of fat burner pills on the market, but most of them are caffeine and stuff to make it look and smell weird.

Are they actually safe to use though?

 

[Captain Glanton]

Are they actually safe to use though?

As long as you're not a Baltimore Oriole who shows up weighing 300 lbs at spring training, and then tries to cut down to 230 by swallowing handfuls of pills and running in plastic suits, yeah, you should be fine.

 

[Onemic]

Can you give out any recommendations on pills that are good to use?