Training & Workout

>> If you have never been overweight, or had to loose weight YOU HAVE NO reason to make any comment about the subject.

That means I'm an expert. I was sure that I was, and now I'm really sure. I'm 5'11 and 175+/- but in my glutton days would hover around 225. My favorite and best exercise other than eating was bench pressing. All I got out of it was the need to buy bigger shirts. Stupid, yes. Fortunately I saw the light. Not only in a backpacking sense but in a life style change. It's been over six years and I've had no relapse. My mind has definitely changed. IMO your mind is the key to reaching a healthy weight and routinely exercising. You must alter your mind and embrace a new lifestyle. SIMPLIFY. All will start working out for you. Do it!

Unfortunately many people can not lose weight and when they do they regain. It is their mind doing its thing. The problem is there is way too much food everywhere. Much of the food is processed and horrible for people. Look around at any crowd. How many fat people do you see? I do agree that there are fat and fit people. I know some but they are the exception. Most fat people are unfit like I was.

back to pretzel logic…

I stepped up on the platform
The man gave me the news
He said, You must be joking son
Where did you get those shoes?
Where did you get those shoes?

(note: it's by Steely Dan for you young'uns)

I did a few walks with a guy 20 years younger than me ( I am 55)
During the walks he kept talking about his gym programme, martial art training and generally all of the physical exercise he does.
At one point he asked me what I do to be "this fit" (I was constantly ahead of him and a lot less tired at the end of the day) I told him that in fact I do not do any exercises at all, just some walks.
As we spent some time in between walks too it all became too apparent why he needed all that exercise and that was the way and what he eats.
Too many salty/sugary things pass his mouth in between meals and he has the tendency to eat his evening meal late at night and go to bed straight after.
However when I pointed that out that to him he promptly dismissed that , as people in his situation usually do.
Bring back the word gluttony and offer free full body X ray so that we all know that there are no large boned people.
BTW, if you are large and happy with that, that is fine with me, in fact it is none of my business.
Here is a tip : if you like to crave food in the afternoon, start the day by skipping breakfast and have a small lunch.
Franco

"Here is a tip : if you like to crave food in the afternoon, start the day by skipping breakfast and have a small lunch. "

Like:" Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper"

Yes along those lines but not rigidly so.
When you take the fun (pleasure) out of eating problems will arise.
So often is not exactly what you eat but how.
That is really the secret of the so called "French diet" . There is butter and fatty meat but there are also loads of herbs and spices, a little wine and some good conversation.
Learn the importance of variety, eat the colours

see the difference ?
Not hard is it ?

My direct experience is my wife. She eats a lot less than me during meals (no breakfast at all) but grazes (her term) in the afternoon and evening. Yes, she is fat.
Same for workmates over 30 years. No they cannot be told, they always know better.
Franco
BTW, at the end of a hike I like nothing better than a fat burger and a beer…

"fat burger" – but you are allowed only one…

Weight is not necessarily a barometer of physical fitness or strength. People who work all day lifting and carrying loads, often can hike up very steep elevations because their legs are very strong.

It really is about physical conditioning. People who walk, run, or jog several miles per day are going to be in better physical condition than someone who spends their days and nights in a chair and/or sofa.

"Crossfit is the latest hype in exericise. Next year there will be another exercise routine with another cool name."

I don't know about that. The US Army, amongst others, have been using it for the better part of a decade to train functional movements. It isn't a recent fad (ala P90X or whatever the TV is selling these days: see http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_USArmy_Study.pdf). But, that's neither here nor there. I've already stated that while I'm a proponent I am also very wary of the membership fees many Crossfit affiliates are charging.

Back to the point, I was really glad to see people talking about the benefits of healthy eating over dieting. Lifestyle changes in eating better foods pay off much longer than cutting calories or following diet plans. Outside of that any type of training or exercise activity will be of benefit to becoming a better or at least more fit backpacker. I don't think it really matters what you do so long as you work at eating right and get some exercise. The goal is to go light, so anything that helps with endurance will help us go light for longer.

Get in line
Do what you're told
Oh we're getting so fat
We've forgotten our toes

Cupolas and Cul de sacs
by Arann Harris and the Green String Farm Band

I've been reading with interest all that has been said here, and thats to those of you who have offered useful bits of information.

An interesting article about childhood obesity:
http://www2.med.umich.edu/prmc/media/newsroom/details.cfm?ID=1913
They are almost denying the effects of genetics in obesity.

I'll also add another vote for a healthy lifestyle to bring up your 'baseline physical condition' rather than having a poor lifestyle, poor 'baseline physical condition' and fighting to artificially raise it with workouts. I think working out or training should be done after a healthy lifestyle is established.

-Will

"The goal is to go light, so anything that helps with endurance will help us go light for longer."

Divorce worked for me. I go lighter and I'm a lot happier doing it…….

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/31/dietary.guildelines (second to last paragraph)

"The new guidelines recognize that obesity is the No. 1 public health nutrition problem in America and actually gives good advice about what to do about it: eat less and eat better," said Marion Nestle, a professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. " For the first time, the guidelines make it clear that eating less is a priority."

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PressRelease.pdf

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm

Doug – excellent point. We tend to focus on eating and exercising. However, our relationships, especially if living with someone else (married or not), can contribute in a beneficial way, but also can be detrimental to our health. Unhappiness will wreak havoc with your lifestyle if left unabated. Happiness on the other hand is what most of us seek and thrive in.

Just to throw the alternative hypothesis in the ring:
http://www.garytaubes.com/blog/
I don't have the time or inclination to debate nutrition on this forum but for those interested…

Recently I read something about treadmill desks, which allow you to walk, usually slowly at 1 mph, while you work at your desk.
You can build your own, or buy a ridiculously expensive one, a link for those who are interested: http://www.treadmill-desk.com/

As I've seen in some of Richard's posts and charts, just making the change from sitting to standing increases MET and probably burns more calories. In addition, if you are preparing for a big hike, spending a lot of time on your feet is important, just to get used to not sitting at a desk all day.

I recently made a make-shift desk high enough that I can use it while standing. I can't comment on the health benefits, but I seem much more inclined to walk away from my work now that I'm already standing.

As an alternative to the short intense workout camp, what about long and slow workouts, just trying to make each minute of your day more physically taxing? For those of us who can't be getting all sweaty doing short workouts between classes.

wear light wrist weights or ankle weights all day, standing instead of sitting. Keep the house cold and get up and do some jumping jacks when you get cold. Put a dictionary in your bag whenever you go somewhere (might come in handy sometime), etc.

From today's (2/1/11) New York Times –

"A 2008 study in the journal Nature found that the number of fat cells in the body is set in childhood and early adolescence and stays constant even after significant weight loss, for both lean and obese people.

“This explains why it’s so difficult to lose weight,” Dr. Aronne said. “When fat cells shrink, levels of a fat-cell hormone, leptin, drop faster than fat mass is reduced. This tricks the brain into thinking you’ve lost more weight than you actually have."

Good info.

Does makes sense. I believe you must literally re-program your mind to successfully lose weight and keep it away.

Your brain is tricking you so you must find a way to trick your brain back.

What I've found to be helpful is becoming aware of what is going on. This helps me when I eat a normal amount of food and then minutes later feel hungry. That's the Trickster Brain. What I do is start thinking to myself that I enjoy feeling hungry and that I feel hungry because I have not over-eaten. The hungry feeling fades quickly. The Trickster failed yet again. Sounds crazy but it has worked for me for years now.

Become aware of what is going on inside your head. Then you'll at least have a fighting chance. Get rid of those extra pounds and keep 'em away. When I was overweight I would feel sick when I got hungry – like I was going to die if I could not drag myself to a cookie. Get-t-i-n-g w-e-ak, h-e-l-p. AHHH saved by a eating a whole bag of chips!!!

This is very much what one has to go through when switching to a vegan diet.
It's very hard to convince yourself you're full when coming from a background high in animals fats, dairy, and animal protein. In the beginning, regardless of the size of the vegan meal, one seems to always still feel hungry. In my experience this is primarily psychological and one has to reset ones psychological baseline for what it feels like to be "full". The absence of the feeling of a slow digesting brick of fats/meat/greasy food in your stomach is often interpreted as being hungry…when actually, it's quite normal. This takes a lot of mental adjustment.

This is a personal issue concerning carbs (namely breads)…I have a hard time feeling satiated without them.

The concept of hunger is fascinating. It seems that many people no longer know what it truly is, mistaking cravings and impulsive behavior for biologic necessity to eat.

Hunger is indeed funny. I typically fast 18 hours a day between eating periods of high-fat-and-protein meals with some green veggies (with more fat, butter. Gotta get that A+K). When I stick with that basic eating template, the hunger I feel in the fasted state is not at all unpleasant. It's invigorating; I get more work done and my workouts are more intense. If I eat something carby, whether it's simple sugars or starches, the following fasting period is a lot less fun. Headaches, low energy, etc. Likely what happens is I'm stuck in the transition from glucose metabolism (promoted by carb intake and insulin regulated) to ketogenic metabolism, in the phase where there's little glucose circulating but still enough insulin going around to make those fat calories harder to access.

I used to be a voracious carb-addict. I've never had any problems with weight (probably never had more than 10% bodyfat) so tweaking my diet to get to where I am was entirely a matter of pursuing what makes me feel best. An interesting side effect of dropping the carbs is that I've become able to consistently GAIN weight for the first time; I've managed to add a good 15 pounds of lean mass onto the weight I was stuck at for years.

Now I realize low-carb diets tend to get a lot of flak (at least this isn't whiteblaze) so I may be sticking my neck out here. But I do think it's worth pointing out that conventional ideas of "healthy eating" really don't have a lot behind them (kudos to whoever linked to Taubes). I'm not interested in telling anyone what to eat aside from encouraging anyone and everyone to eat what makes them feel best; even if I didn't believe that how I eat is the healthiest in the long run, it's what makes me feel best while I'm here, and that's what I think gets left out of a lot of dietary discussion.

So what I'm getting at is: experiment. Don't take the conventional wisdom for granted. Find what feels best for YOU, as an individual, within your own needs of physical health, eating enjoyment, and ethical beliefs. After all, life should be about quality, not quantity.

I not 100% vegan but I believe I'm heading in that direction. Glad you brought up the fullness after eating animal fats, dairy, protein. I no longer drink milk. When to skim and then Silk and am trying Almond 'milk'. Some chicken and some fish, but very rarely beef or pork. I've rewired my brain to accepted that I could become a vegan and be happy and feel I'm not suffering or missing out on anything.

I ate breakfast at 6am and due to work did not eat until I got home around 6:30pm. I had a Mojo (peanut butter pretzel) in my bag and almost ate it around 3pm. Was feeling pretty hungry. Then got busy and forgot about it. This to me is a vivid example of the brain doing its feed me thing. The Mojo is still in my bag and I am alive. : )

Here's a good hard one for the time-strapped. I started it 6 months ago on recommendation from a student that just signed his SEAL contract; it's part of the recommended workouts for preparing for initial PT testing that he's been doing. The good thing about it is it's based on maxing-out reps…so max-out at whatever you can.
I wake up 35 minutes early to do this. I lay out my workout clothes the night before to save time. Pack a lunch the night before, have the coffee on a timer, lay out work clothes the night before. It's an easy routine to get into with practice/discipline. Nothing's needed but a few dumbells and a pullup bar.

I wake up at 5:00am to do this. Without working out, I'd be waking up at 5:30. I've learned that the extra 30 minutes of sleep does nothing for me, leaving me just as tired (if not more). Even though I'm working out and getting up 30 minutes earlier to do it, I end up feeling better anyway. Learn to trust that you wn't regret waking early to work out.

I think any home workout over 20-30 minutes will be too hard to stick to. That's why I like Ryan's advice of keeping it short/simple.

This workout packs a real bang for 20 minutes…do everything until failure and use light weights:

1) Bench press or pushups – max in 1:00 (I do pushups and alternate wide/standard/diamond every 10 reps).
2) Squats – max in 1:00
3) Pullups or pulldowns – 1:00 (do these assisted if necessary- foot on a chair. I alternate standard, wide, and close-grip every 10 reps)
4) Bike or jog – 3:00 (I run out of my garage, down the street for 1:30, turn around)
5) Military press – 1:00 (or dumbell shoulder press)
6) Lunges – 1:00 each leg
7) Bicep curls – 1:00
8) Bike or jog – 3:00
9) Tricep extensions.- 1:00 (done lying down)
10) Leg ext – 1:00 (requires leg machines – or repeat squats with weights…I do squats)
11) Leg curls – 1:00 (requires leg machines – or repeat lunges with weights…I do lunges)
12) Situps – 2:00
13) Crunches – 2:00
14) Stretch/cool down.

My afternoons/evenings are still free for trail running.

That looks like a pretty darn good workout. One thing you might consider changing, which I found quickly took my pressing strength to a new level, would be to replace the bench-press/pushups with a planche progression, maybe just every other day. There are a lot of different progression methods (most of them involve just holding a position for a length of time) but I wanted to incorporate more of a pressing movement. I started out doing single sets of two pushups from the tucked planche position and have currently worked up to two sets of 5 from the extended tuck planche and can press up from a tuck planche to a handstand and hold it, which I'm pretty thrilled with. Next week I'm trying out the straddle planche position.

My particular enthusiasm for the planche progression comes in part due to my lack of access to a bench-press rack (or whatever it's called). It also forces a lot of core integration, which is of course useful for backpacking.

You can see the positions here, along with a whole lot of additional stuff.
http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/
The author's approach is rather strict, to a degree I don't feel is really necessary for simply building strength and body integration. It would matter more for a competitive gymnast, I suppose. YMMV.

"As an alternative to the short intense workout camp, what about long and slow workouts, just trying to make each minute of your day more physically taxing? For those of us who can't be getting all sweaty doing short workouts between classes. "

I used to frame houses and joked with guys that I would turn a framing company into a personal fitness program and have people pay me to work. 8-10 hours a day of near constant motion, varying and sporadic exertion levels, repetitious heavy lifting, walking steep inclined roofs, balancing on narrow trusses/walls all while wearing 25+ lbs in a tool pouch and carrying loads. Nothing before or since has had me as cut and lean and conditioned as that did. I'm a firm believer in the drawn out strenuous work out. I have never gone on a 20 minute or 1 hour high intensity hike. Day long, taxing, full body work outs are absolutely best suited to hiking.

I'm not trying to discredit high intensity or explosive work outs. I do a daily jump rope/chin up/sit up/push up routine to get me going in the morning, it barely lasts more than 10 minutes but its supplementary to reduced physical exertion at work. If nothing prepares you for hiking like hiking, then to me the next best thing is grinding it out all day on your feet. Easier for some than others.

heres a simple question …

how many calories can you burn off in 10-20 min … not too many i suspect

Wow I cant believe someone mentioned Dragondoor on this site!
I recommend jump rope. Tried and true. Champions from Ali to the present still use it. trends come and go but the rope remains. 15-20 min anywhere, no runners mag subscriptions no fancy shoes no trophy no muscle loss just sweat it out.

Not many at all. If someone wants to burn more calories, realistically, it's better to alter lifestyle and diet to raise their basal metabolism. Burning an extra 30 calories an hour for 24 hours burns more calories than you're likely to ever burn in 20 minutes. Exercise is more useful to strengthen the body (including in terms of endurance) and to help raise it to a higher metabolic state.