Teknoe Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 The work grind can get to one but four times a week I head to the gym for some circuit training. Not only has my waistline shrunk, but my overall confidence and attitude in life is far healthier than it's ever been. Because I know I am being productive and doing something few people are willing to stay committed to. 8 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Try weight training too. The combination of the two will give you a great, strong physique 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Try weight training too. The combination of the two will give you a great, strong physique Thanks for the tip but with my CT going Monday through Thursday, I'm not sure when I might have time for weight training. Plus I don't want to mess up a good routine I got going now. And my body needs time to rest or heal. Link to post Share on other sites
Chris2016 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Tabata training is good also. If when you get bored and want to change things up. I like your remark, "doing something few people are willing to stay committed to". I need to keep that in mind. Staying committed, maintaining is the tough part. Life gets in the way and then bam, back to square one. But the saying, "successful people do things other don't want to do". Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) The problem w/Tabata training is that 95% of people aren't doing it correctly. Izumi Tabata was a speed skating coach and had athletes pushing up to 150% of their Vo2 max. That's why after 8 rounds of 20/10 they were destroyed after only four minutes. These days you have group exercise classes teaching "Tabata" where they do countless circuits of eight 20/10 rounds for an entire hour. Tabata isn't just about the 20/10 interval ratio. It's about pushing yourself beyond max capacity on every round. The average person just can't push themselves that hard. If you're doing Tabata correctly, you should feel absolutely trashed after four minutes and be done. Circuit training is awesome. I'm just personally not a fan of the "Curves" version where you jump from machine to machine. In my opinion, great circuit training involves both body weight and free weight compound exercises with resistances that actually challenge you and short rest periods. We're talking of 8-10 reps max with 20-30 secs rest between, etc.. For example, an effective circuit would be : Heavy deep squats Dips Heavy walking lunges Pull-ups Full push-up burpees Minimal rest between and 60-90 secs rest after each round. But I do agree that when you're doing true actual circuit training, it can be amazing for fat loss and fitness. Great results in only 30-45 min workouts. Edited February 3, 2016 by fitnessfan365 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Quick update: I've been going to my circuit training class every Monday-Thursday since January 4th. Until recently though have I dedicated myself again to losing weight. From January to mid February I was losing 3 pounds, gaining 3, losing 1.5, losing 1.5, gaining 1, etc. and thus not making much progress, weight-wise. But now I'm hitting my eating choices hard, and last week I lost 4.1 pounds I'm down to 177.4 and I know I just need to do this a few more weeks and I'll be under 170 easily. I also realized I can eat a cheat meal once a week and still be OK. I had pizza Saturday, but ate healthy M-F and still lost 4.1 pounds. I plan to have a cheat meal Saturday and I was told by my trainer tonight that it's OK to have a cheat meal once in a while and that your body even needs it. I think he meant we can't deprive ourselves of the food we love, like burgers and pizza, we just have to eat it in moderation and be smart about portion control. So yeah, things are looking up. I've eaten healthy this week so far and have a good feeling when I hit the scale Monday morning I will be 175 or under. Another two weeks from that and I should see the 160s (which I haven't seen since probably freshman year of high school lol) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Thanks for the tip but with my CT going Monday through Thursday, I'm not sure when I might have time for weight training. Plus I don't want to mess up a good routine I got going now. And my body needs time to rest or heal. You will get to a point soon where you feel you don't want to get smaller. In fact may prefer to put some muscle on. Then perhaps decide to do CT only twice a week and do weights once. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted March 11, 2016 Author Share Posted March 11, 2016 You will get to a point soon where you feel you don't want to get smaller. In fact may prefer to put some muscle on. Then perhaps decide to do CT only twice a week and do weights once. Yeah once I hit say 150 I definitely will change things up. Still got about 25 pounds to go though! Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Yeah once I hit say 150 I definitely will change things up. Still got about 25 pounds to go though! Don't get hung up on numbers too much, that's my advice. Just see how you look and feel and gradually change to a new routine when it feels right. Building muscle helps to burn fat because it increases your metabolic rate as muscles are expensive to run. While the likes of CT make you lose muscle (especially if you don't eat enough protein) which can leave you lighter but with a higher body fat % Just look at some girls that look skinny and pudgy at the same time. Skinny fat. You don't want to end up like that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 So, I've found myself in a bit of a holding pattern as of late. Meaning, I'd be good and eat clean one week (and lose 3-4 pounds) but then I'd relax and "reward myself" by eating less clean (i.e. pizza from a chain) and then I'd end up gaining 2-3 pounds right back. I've been fluctuating between 177-182 for a good while now, and recently got fed up. I ate SUPER CLEAN this past week, followed my trainer's diet to a tee, and did circuit training 4x in the week. I weighed in at 181.0 last Monday and today I weighed in at... 176.3! Holy smokes, I dropped 4.7 pounds in the last seven days (a personal best for me), AND I finally cleared the 177+ hurdle! I feel like this is a huge mental breakthrough for me, as my goal is to eventually hit 160-165. Honestly, I just want to see the 160s. I probably haven't been under 170 since middle of high school lol. So I did the math and figured if I drop 3.2 pounds this week, and 3.2 more pounds the week following that, I would be at 169.9. It is a constant battle with junk food for me though... I know as soon as I get confident I've cleared the hurdle, I slip and fall. I think it comes down, ultimately, to portion control and smart eating. Having a slice here and there won't kill your weight, but consuming several slices too often is an entirely different story. Anyway, just really excited and pumped. I threw my fist in the air this morning when I saw 176.3 and realized I dropped 4.7 pounds. Pretty nuts. So, heading on the right track! Just gotta keep it up and sustain it for a few more weeks. It's all about positive momentum and keeping the ball rolling. Hey, as long as you're heading in the right direction, good things will happen. Inch by inch, we'll get there some day. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Tek, My advice would be to make sure that you're consuming enough water. When you don't, your body can retain fluid to stay hydrated. Especially when you're doing more intense training like you have been. So drinking at least a gallon of water per day will make you flush all the excess out of your system. When you're retaining fluid, it's going to take your body awhile to get rid of it, which is what causes the scale to fluctuate. I bring this up because having fun junk food once in awhile is not going to mess with your results that drastically. Unless by eating "less clean" you mean that you were binging non stop which I don't think is the case. Having fun junk food once a week in moderation is actually a good thing. It helps to restart your metabolism and make it work harder to burn it off. You also get to enjoy the reward for you hard work. But the trick is not to turn it into cheat "days" where you just eat crap from beginning to end. So eat clean 85% of the time, drink at least a gallon of water per day, and enjoy junk food in moderation once per week. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Update: I did the whole lose 3 pounds, gain it back routine the past couple weeks. My current weight is 177.2 which is about one pound heavier than the last time I posted. I am finding it difficult to go 2-3 weeks straight clean. I just need to though. No excuses. This week so far I am doing well and looking to get under 175 for the first time since October 2015 when I was roughly 172. That's my goal for next Monday's weigh in and I know it's very reachable. Just gotta say no to sweets and junk food! Link to post Share on other sites
WasOtherWoman Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Maybe you are going "too clean". Years ago, I was in the same cycle as you are. Drop a few lbs and reward myself with cheat food. What i have learned works for me is, rather than completely depriving myself and then binging, I allow myself a few squares of dark chocolate, or a small treat every day and then I don't feel the need to binge. Maybe something to think about. Depriving yourself every single day will lead to overindulging on "cheat day." I don't think that is a good routine to get into. Congrats on the dilligence and commitment to being healthier! Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 Update: Still going to the night classes and still loving the process. Last weigh-in Monday was 174.7 -- the second best weight I've been since January 2016! My previous best was 174.6 so I'm eager to weigh myself Monday. I've had a pretty clean eating week and did the circuit training four days so I anticipate dropping, at the very least, another 2 pounds to hopefully bring me down to 172.7 which would tie a personal best (I hit 172 in October 2015 before allowing the holidays to do me in). I'm eagerly anticipating July 11th's weigh-in though. If I get down to 172-ish on Monday 4th of July, then I'm positive by the 11th for the first time since HIGH SCHOOL I will be UNDER 170! My goal is 165 but I just want to see 169 as I haven't been in the 160s since 1999, lol. I may want to get to 155 eventually, but baby steps. First things first... clearing that pesky 170 mark and getting into the 160s Link to post Share on other sites
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