ooglesnboogles Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Hey all, One of my New Years Resolutions is to lose some weight/get fit. I've been dropping weight for a few months now but I've got 3 weeks till school restarts and I want to kick it up during that time. I'm eating well, and likely to do an hour of cardio 2 or 3 nights a week plus 2-3 hours on one night, as well as some living room exercises 5-7 days a week (pushups, situps, ab wheel, light weights, lunges, squats). When I was in high school, we had to run 1/3 mile four days a week for P.E., and 1 mile on Wednesdays. We also did other cardio things on the four 1/3 mile days, but I didn't put much effort at all into those. I was in the best shape of my life during that time, even though I was basically eating very poorly and quite excessively. Granted, my large growth spurts at the time most likely helped quite a bit, but I lost a ton of fat and gained a lot of muscle and cardio health. I'm wondering if the consistent running had much to do with it. I did a lot of sprinting during those runs since I didn't like running the whole way; I'd sprint when the coach could see me and walk the other half or two-thirds of the way (we ran around the block of the school). I didn't always sprint, but I did maybe half of the time. I know sprinting will really help metabolism. If I were to run maybe half a mile each day (on steep hills around my home) would it do a lot to jump start my weight loss? I'm sure it couldn't hurt, but I don't like running. I get nothing out of it mentally. If it'll be more beneficial than the 100 or so calories burned, I'm game for it. Will the extra activity help my metabolism or anything else? Would I be better off doing a few sprints (say, 2 or 3 three of 20 meters or so?) Any help is much appreciated! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_K Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 A couple of 20 metre sprints will achieve very little, but generally speaking HIIT is an excellent way to improve your conditioning and fat burning. Find a location for your sprinting, and go absolutely full pelt for 8-10 seconds. Then walk back. When you reach your starting position, sprint again. Ten of these and you'll be utterly drained. If you're intending to do it every day, so maybe half a dozen instead. It'll only take you a a matter of minutes. Otherwise, just keep your calories in check. Weight loss is at least 80% diet and 20% exercise. Link to post Share on other sites
soccerrprp Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Listen to music or audio book while running. I do not recommend running every day, 4-5x per week, but not every day. As good it is for you, it is also hard on the body, knees. I used to runny every day 3-5 miles, but cut it down to 1-2 with other cardio less demanding on body like biking. in the end my friend, watch your calories. fewer calories, more weight loss. Link to post Share on other sites
Author ooglesnboogles Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Thanks for chiming in! I might decide to do sprints every few days and run on the off days. I've definitely been trying to reign in my calorie intake. I've managed to keep the net total under 1800 (which is my current goal level) on most days but oftentimes it requires a lot of exercise. So I'm trying to see if I can keep the exercise level near the same but reduce my calorie intake to just 1800. Hell, I got this far mostly by cutting calories down to normal-people levels. Thanks again! Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Be sure to take one rest day per week. Your muscles grow when they are resting. You don't want to get shin splints. Link to post Share on other sites
Imported Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I'd start taking something like this Amazon.com: Nature Made Triple Flex, Glucosamine 1500 mg, Chondroitin 800 mg, MSM 750 mg, 120-Caplets: Health & Personal Care I am a very light and smooth runner, I don't hop at all and about 7 months ago I started having joint pain with my knees and ankles. Like always, I try to push through it disregarding the pain. It got to a point where I couldn't even walk. I actually stopped running for @ a month and also started supplementing with what I linked. It took over that month before I no longer felt joint pains and I returned to running everyday for close to 6 months now. I maintain taking that stuff at the min dosage everyday. Hopefully the pain won't return. Link to post Share on other sites
Author ooglesnboogles Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Funny you should mention that! My dog (13 or 14 years old) has been on glucosamine for a few years, it's helped a ton with his bad joints. Recently, my dad had to start taking it too. My mom realized that the Target brand glucosamine is exactly the same as the expensive dog-brand kind, so both my dad and my dog take the same type of pill =P I've been meaning to schedule an appointment with my doc actually, since I think I should be on a multivitamin anyway. I don't eat a ton of vitamin/mineral rich foods. Last time I tried a one-a-day kind of vitamin, it totally sapped my energy instead of giving me more. Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Trader Joes sells their own brand of glucosamine-MSM-chondroitin. I've taken it for years with good results. Link to post Share on other sites
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