Most effective form of exercise?

Random

What's the most effective form of exercise for weight loss?

I don't like the gym. I don't really like the idea of mindless walking. Is cycling any use? Is walking really effective though?

Any ideas welcomed. Thanks.

sc4rf4ce

if you really want to cut down, protein shakes instead of a meal. like have a big lunch/dinner, then instead of having another dinner. Have a protein shake, followed up then later on with a bowl of muesli or a can of tuna.
that way your body is still getting its energy, but the right energy.

JayRoc

ciaranfo wrote:

What's the most effective form of exercise for weight loss?

The one you stick at.
If I were in your position I'd be more inclined to just find some physical pursuit I actually enjoyed, rather than worrying about the fine print at this stage

JayRoc

sc4rf4ce wrote:

if you really want to cut down, protein shakes instead of a meal. like have a big lunch/dinner, then instead of having another dinner. Have a protein shake, followed up then later on with a bowl of muesli or a can of tuna.
that way your body is still getting its energy, but the right energy.

I'm afraid I'd have to take exception to , well, pretty much all of that.
Sorry!

Protein shakes, or for that matter, any kind of food supplement, are designed to do just that- supplement a healthy and balanced diet.
Replacing a main meal with a protein shake would really fly in the face of the intended use of that kind of product, in my opinion.
And alternating a liquid shake "meal" with a larger than normal meal, as I understand you're suggesting (apologies if I've picked you up wrong) probably wouldn't lead to the kind of fat loss the OP is looking for either.

Something a bit more suitable would probably be to eat moderately-sized meals regularly (ie 5-6 times daily) and get loads of fruit and veg.

sc4rf4ce

well it worked for me. thats why i suggested it.

Pherekydes

ciaranfo wrote:

I don't like the gym. I don't really like the idea of mindless walking.

I take exception to this! I haven't seen any zombies on my walks. Plenty of time to think...

You need sustained activity that raises your heart rate to at least 120 BPM. Cycling, walking, running/jogging, swimming are all good, but you have to be able to sustain them for, at a bare minimum, 30 minutes, and usually a lot longer.

Random

I say mindless walking because it holds no interest for me. If I was walking somewhere it would be a different matter.

Gonna start walking to and from work - that way I'm going somewhere. That's about 30 mins 5 times a week - although it is a slow drawn out walk

brianthebard

I feel the same way about walking a lot of the time ciaran. I think Jayroc said it best, you need to find what something you are interested in doing, its the only way you will keep doing it consistently. Are there any sports you are interested in?

Random

brianthebard wrote:

I feel the same way about walking a lot of the time ciaran. I think Jayroc said it best, you need to find what something you are interested in doing, its the only way you will keep doing it consistently. Are there any sports you are interested in?

No.

Roper

ciaranfo wrote:

No.

Aw come on there has to be something? If I were you I'd think outside the box on this one. I know plenty of people who've improved their fitness from poor levels, and by and large, you'll find they took up an activity or started a programme of some sort. Sports are more fun, there's set training times (usually) so you are more likely to turn up, theres a social element and if the atmosphere is right, they promote health and fitness.

A good example is tag rugby, love it or hate it its an excellent 'inclusive' sport, anyone can play it. Granted, there aren't a lot of sports like that but think about squash, tennis, even cricket! I don't know of too many minority sports clubs in Ireland that won't take a new member.

You might not think of yourself as a 'sporty' type but in my experience, 'sporty' types just refers to people who've already got out and done it!

Boru.

A variety of scientific studies have shown that resistance training ie lifting weights or moving your own bodyweight, burns more fat in the longterm then cardio, which has a negligable impact.

With that said weight loss is 80% nutrition. If you don't have your nutrition right (notice I don't say 'diet", they are percieved as tempoarary, proper nuttition is like a puppy, it's for life), then regardless of what you do or don't do in a gym it is unlikely that you will succed in your goals.

I'd recomend getting your diet right either by reading the stickies or using one of these programs.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle, by Tom Venuto
or
Precision Nutrition by Dr. John Beardi.

Both are excellent comprehensive systems that will help you with your goals.

Once you start to see the results of eating well, you will no doubt want to accelerate these results and that's where the motivation to exercise kicks in.

Get right what you do 90% of the time (eat) and worry about the 10% stimulous later (exercise). When you get them both right though be prepared to buy a lot of new clothes.

Oh and on the sports thing I;m right there with ya. Not a big fun of soccer, or rugby or anything like that. What I am a big fan of though is me. It may be ego driven, but nothing makes me happier then catching a shot of rippling tight abs when getting dressed in the morning. (I just wish they were mine not my girlfriends - just kidding).

How you look can say a lot about you, regardless of what we like to think nowdays. A tight hard lean muscular physique implies some looks after themself, eats right and has a great deal of mental and physical discipline and values and repects themself. A slightly flabbyer physique, while not always, may imply that that don't make time for themselves, that they don't have the time management skills necessary, or worse don't care and have low self esteem. (Of course I know many examples of just the oppostite. Over weight people who love life, themselves and food and don't deny themselves the sensation of eacting, and others who are thin emaciated fitness obsessive nuts, whoare not at all fit or healthy but look great).

If you don't like sport don't do it. If you don't want to eat right, that's okay to. It's your body and your choice, just accpet the consequences of eiher decision and make sure you're okay with that.

Nutition and Exercise = slim, tight and hot.
No exercise and eating what you like = weaker, flabbier and maybe unhealhtier, BUT possibly happier.

If not, well what do you want more?

pwd

low intensity exercise performed over a long duration causes you to use fat as an energy source more than any other form of exercise. Walking is the most obvious example, but really any exercise that doesn't tire you out quickly would be good.
Weight training will cause you to lose fat because you need energy to build muscle as well as to replace the calories used during the exercise itself. It boosts testosterone levels as well as other hormones which also causes your body to store fat less readily.

Boru.

pwd wrote:

low intensity exercise performed over a long duration causes you to use fat as an energy source more than any other form of exercise.

Only over a short term period of time. But I highly recomend it. These article, it might help...

Walking for Weight Loss -Slow and steady is the key to long lasting weight loss

rubadub

ciaranfo wrote:

I say mindless walking because it holds no interest for me. If I was walking somewhere it would be a different matter.

Gonna start walking to and from work - that way I'm going somewhere. That's about 30 mins 5 times a week - although it is a slow drawn out walk

I could not go walking myself, without reason. You can only go so far anyway, unless you drive somewhere to walk. I cycle just for the sake of it, you get to travel different places and it is more exhilarating. I also walk to places, even if it is the pub!
I cycle to a butchers once a week, cycle to work and to do shopping in town etc. There are many benefits, my trip to work is 20mins, in a car I would have to give myself 40-50mins to allow for possible traffic. I know guys who drive to work then drive to a gym. This is a terrible waste of your own spare time, plus the cost of the car, petrol etc. It is also easy to miss out on the gym session, yet you are not going to miss cycling to work.

If you were to exercise for just 3 hours a week then I would also strongly recommend lifting heavy weights. Helped me shift a lot of fat, 2-3 full bodyworkouts per week. If you have more time then do cardio too, too much weights will result in overtraining.

brianthebard

ciaranfo wrote:

No.

Nothing at all? Try thinking outside the box, like roper said. If you don't like team sports, even stuff like fishing, archery, hiking are good. Just look at the list of sports forums on boards to see how many things there are out there. Do you swim?

Boru.

I actually use books on MP3 or podcasts. That way I can go jogging and still keep up with my reading and work load.

brianthebard

Cool idea. I generally don't like walking unless there's a purpose but since being at college I've started to appreciate the countryside more so I plan to spend more time outdoors this summer.

thirtyfoot

If you aren't sporty hiking could be a good option. I do lots in the off-season from my sport and even in-season as an active recovery. Its pretty good for weight loss and is definetly walking with a purpose. You can start in Ireland, loads of great trails wherever you are and it could open up some great holidays in the future anywhere in the world.

A multiday hike carrying your own pack and cooking your own food is one sure way to lose weight!!

rubadub

In another thread I was asking people about ideas for exercising for money, e.g. delivering leaflets will get you walking and a few €. Labouring jobs or charity work.

They are meant to have walking couriers now. I would like a weekend job that I was paid for the work I do, rather than the time, i.e. I could work like a dog lifting bricks or something, paid by the brick. Delivering leaflets is similar you could jog around, though I hate junkmail myself so wouldnt fancy it!

Transform

JayRoc wrote:

The one you stick at.
If I were in your position I'd be more inclined to just find some physical pursuit I actually enjoyed, rather than worrying about the fine print at this stage

Totally agree with this.

Most people piss and moan about what the best of this and that are and NEVER get to doing anything.

Get your ass moving and take it from there as the old phrase goes

"For most people when all is said and done, more is said than done."

Marathon Man

ciaranfo wrote:

What's the most effective form of exercise for weight loss?

I don't like the gym. I don't really like the idea of mindless walking. Is cycling any use? Is walking really effective though?

Any ideas welcomed. Thanks.

Has to be Running. cycling is of use too.

just think do you see fat runners or cyclists on t.v.