Exercise!

[Wibblewozzer]

I know a fair number of you do a bit of exercising throughout the week so I figured we could use a thread to discuss what we're up to and to ask questions or whatever.

I tend to use the warmer months to get in shape for a month or two before it either gets too cold or something else comes up but this year I started earlier and tonight will be my third night of working out.

Keeping things really simple all I do now is a 2.5 mile loop and sit-ups and push-ups. I'm really just aiming to increase the speed while working up to doing a total of something like 200+ sit-ups and 100+ push-ups like I was doing last year. All I really want is more tone instead of being a skinny little guy so nothing all that tough.

That said, I figure I should make some sort of shake to drink to get calories and maybe protein into my diet. I'm definitely not worried about bulking up, though. Any suggestions that don't include actual protein powders or anything ultra healthy. Hell, right now I'm considering just putting together chocolate ice cream, milk, and peanut butter to make a very tasty shake that will have a decent amount of protein and still be deliciously bad for me

What sort of exercise do you guys do?

[Lobo Calrissian]

I usually bust out the skates or bike and giver for an hour every day once it gets warm out (lol Manitoba, bout 2 months of the year) which is just approaching at the moment. I'm also planning on dusting off the weight bench because yeah, these skinny arms could use a little buffing over the summer. During winter I spin myself into a chrysalis and pupate.

[LoneSage]

i need to start doing sit ups during commercial breaks

[Nug Blazer]

The very best thing for you is simply getting your heart rate up for a solid half hour per day. Doesn't matter how you do it.

[FriendlyFlammable]

In all fairness, cocaine is probably a poor choice.

[Tyrael]

I usually just hit my campus gym and each day I focus on a different muscle group:
First Day: Chest
-Bench Press: incline, decline, normal
-Chest Flys
-Dumbbell chest press

Second Day: Back
-Pull-ups & Chin-ups
-Bent-over rows
-Incline rows
-High rows

Third Day: Lower-Body
-Barbell Squats
-Dumbbell Lunges
-Deadlifts
-Calf raises
-Leg extensions

Fourth Day: Arms
-A variety of free weight exercises

Offdays:
-Sprints
-Push presses
-High pulls

Although, ever since I got sick on Saturday, I haven't been going to the gym. =[

[Ebo]

Eh, I want to lose about 5 lbs. to get back to where I was this past summer. I have no immediate plans besides not eating as much to achieve this. If the weather around here ever stops acting batshit crazy, I'll go out and run.

[Nug Blazer]

FriendlyFlammable Wrote:In all fairness, cocaine is probably a poor choice.

Pretty funny.

But, in all fairness, coke really doesn't elevate your heartrate that much -- not NEARLY as much as excersising anyways. It's been blown outta proprotion by programs like DARE and whatnot.

[LoneSage]

when I run and feel like my heart and lungs are about to explode because I have the worst asthma in the world, I ask myself "What would Rock Lee do?" and keep on truckin.

It's nice to live only two miles away from a park, makes for a real nice jog and then a warm-down walk around the park itself.

Sucks that they took out the giant slides, though. And when kids are there I can't play on the jungle gym or swings.

[Frosty Raptor]

I found this section from The Book of Muscle to be extremely helpful in determining how many calories you need. So I'll go ahead and post it....

How Much To Eat

Step 1: Your weight in pounds ___ x 11 = ___ Your Basic Calorie Needs

"This calculation tells you the amount of energy you'd burn without eating or exercising. It reveals your basic calorie needs--the caloric cost of being you."

Step 2: Your basic calorie needs ___ x Caloric cost of Your activity level ___ % (From Following Chart) = ___ Your Metabolic Rate

"Since you do eat and exercise, the total number of calories your body burns in a day is higher than your basic calorie needs. How much higher depends on your age, the amount of muscle you have, and the intensity at which you make that muscle work. Multiply your basic calorie needs by one of the following percentages to estimate the number of calories you burn metabolically. (Note that these percentages are averages; your actual metabolism may be faster or slower than these typical rates.)"

Said Chart

Age------------------Under 30---30 to 40---Over 40
Mostly Sedentary---------30%-----25%--------20%
Moderately Active--------40%-----35%--------30%
Dedicated exerciser------50%-----45%--------40%

Step 3: Your basic calorie needs ___ + Your Metabolic Rate ___ = ____ Your Maintenance Total

"This sum reveals how many calories you need just to maintain your current body composition, without growing muscle or shedding fat."

Step 4: Your maintenance total ___ + 500 = ____ To Gain Muscle

"To build muscle, increase your daily calorie intake by 500 calories."

Step 5: Your maintenance total ___ - 500 = ____ To Lose Fat

"To lose weight, subtract 500 calories a day."

Hope this helps a bit.

[Wibblewozzer]

Looks like I should be taking in about 2300 calories? I imagine with all the shitty fast food I eat that I probably hit well over that a lot of days.

[B-maz]

2112 Calories seems a bit high for me, add 633.60 for exercise and thats 2745.60. That's a lot of calories. Essentially that amount is three big mac meals a day with a milk shake with every meal. I think that's wrong.

I know that I could eat less than I need at the moment majority of my work is sitting down now so I'm not as active at work. Though when I bike ride I feel hungry when I get home. I admit I'm probably more out of shape now than ever before but I don't think the math adds up.

[Ebo]

So, for me it's about 1850 calories a day minus 500 if I want to lose weight. Fun.

[Frosty Raptor]

B-maz Wrote:2112 Calories seems a bit high for me, add 633.60 for exercise and thats 2745.60. That's a lot of calories. Essentially that amount is three big mac meals a day with a milk shake with every meal. I think that's wrong.

Well you can't eat anything you want. It's just a basic guideline to how much you can consume in general calories. The next section of the book talks about what you should be eating and what you shouldn't, so I don't think you can get away with 2,000 empty calories and be OK. The book was published under the Men's Health Magazine brand.

Are you sure three Big Mac meals with a shake each meal comes in at just 2700? I would have thought it'd be pushing twice that amount if you throw in fries.

[wilcofan]

I've got the excersise down, and I'm pretty close to my ideal weight but I really need to start eating better. I eat a lot and most of it is pretty junky food.