Burn the fat, Feed the Muscle

mikemac

Hmmm, I couldn't think of a witty name so I'm calling it the title of the book I'm reading by Tom Venuto.

Oh and it kinda suits my goals as I am the very definition of "skinny fat". Don't eat very much, do hours of cardio but have poor strenght and carry quite a lot of bodyfat.
Some say it's must to be terrible to not be able to motivate yourself to change. I think it's worse to put months of effort into the wrong areas and waste your time. Trying hard but no results!
I started a thread on this about two months ago and got advice but did nothing about it....till now!

Tools of the trade:
York Bench and Argos weights set.
Proper running shoes and the longest promenade in Dublin on my doorstep
Trek racing bicyle
Membership of gym (very expensive and I'm not sure why I still pay it )

The vital stats:
Male, 26
Height: 1m 77cm (5' 10'' I think)
Weight: 151.4lbs (I normally use kg but that's all my scales show)
Skinfold Measure: 21mm
Bodyfat: 21.3% :eek:
Don't own a measuring tape so that's all the stats for now

Goals:
Bodyfat to 14% (Slash by a third)
Cycle 100km (about 60km now)
Continue Marathon training (Belfast in May)
Learn about weights (increase strenght levels if possible.)
Eat small and regular meals.
Maybe learn some new sport. Used to do Taekwondo and tennis but left

Day 1 to follow and let me just say I've read most of these fitness logs and they are truely inspiring
I spend a lot of time of boards, mainly posting rubbish but I'm going to quit that until I can firmly get this fitness log going and updated

mikemac

Day 1

Cardio
12 mile run
Calories burnt: 1385
Location: Drumcondra to Sutton along Dollymount promenade

Stats are from my Nike & Apple pedometer. Great bit of kit if you've an ipod.
Gotta be honest, it wasn't hard and it's a longish distance but I've done it countless times . Sure I was tiring at the end but it's dead flat the whole way.
Possibly I need to find a hilly area or do HIIT.

Upper Weights workout:

Bench Press:
10 x 3 x 40kg

Dumbell Press
12 x 3 x 10kg

Side Raise
12 x 3 x 8kg

Seated Dumbell Press
12 x 3 x 10kg

Tricep Dips
15 x 3

Dumbell Extensions
12 x 3 x 8kg

Full stretching routine

I'm only learning about free weights so I don't know my ideal weight yet.
The chest exercises were tough going but everything else wasn't.
Must try harder here

celestial

First off well done on deciding to take action!

I would say that running 12k on a flat surface is a great way to burn muscle and stay fat!! Endurance running (marathon training included) is a great muscle-stripper as your body will inevitably use muscle as an easy source of energy. You are right - you need to incorporate HIIT in to your training and add some lower-body exercises - the squat is the king of these. If you want to achieve your goals, i.e. build muscle and lose fat, training for a marathon is the last thing you should be doing. Focus on short bouts of high-intensity body-weight or weight training exercise, coupled with HIIT.

www.exrx.net is also a great resource for learning how to perform weight-training exercises.

mikemac

Thanks for the feedback Celestial.
Hmmm, long distance running doesn't burn fat .
I'd say you have a point. I've fantastic endurance (well better than average) but still in lousy shape.

Day 3

Interval training at local soccer pitch
I'd no real plan, kinda made it up as I went along

1. Jog length of soccer pitch (goal to goal)
2. Sprint length of soccer pitch

Repeat x 10 times

15 x pressups
15 x burpees
15 x Jumping jacks

Rest 1 minute and repeat all above again

Rest 1 minute
Sprint 3 laps of football pitch-100% effort
Jog 1 mile home

Was good craic though I need to find a better lit area. Was pitch black and it isn't the smartest thing to be in a field on your own at 5:30am

Will be up early tomorrow do lower body weights.

celestial

micmclo wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback Celestial.
Hmmm, long distance running doesn't burn fat .
I'd say you have a point. I've fantastic endurance (well better than average) but still in lousy shape.

Day 3

Interval training at local soccer pitch
I'd no real plan, kinda made it up as I went along

1. Jog length of soccer pitch (goal to goal)
2. Sprint length of soccer pitch

Repeat x 10 times

15 x pressups
15 x burpees
15 x Jumping jacks

Rest 1 minute and repeat all above again

Rest 1 minute
Sprint 3 laps of football pitch-100% effort
Jog 1 mile home

Was good craic though I need to find a better lit area. Was pitch black and it isn't the smartest thing to be in a field on your own at 5:30am

Will be up early tomorrow do lower body weights.

Now you're talking!! (although yes not a good idea re the field at 5.30am;)

Well, to clarify, yes running long distances at an even pace will of course burn calories and fat. However, doing it over and over again won't challenge your body enough for it to use your fat reserves for energy as it will adapt to using a certain amount of energy from food and glycogen to fuel the run. On the other hand, when you do intervals, you increase the energy requirement so your body will start burning more fat - plus - and this is the big plus to HIIT - you will burn more calories after the workout as your body seeks to recover after a the higher-intensity workout (by using calories).

celestial

Hey man how are ya gettin on with your training?

mikemac

Exercise- 22km cycle
It wasn't much but I was facing a very strong headwind for the second and it took me three times longer to get home than it did on the outward leg.
So tough going indeed even if the distance wasn't particularly long

Day 7 to follow shortly

mikemac

10 mile run

celestial

What kinda shape you in now man?

What happened to the resistance exercise/weight training?

mikemac

Morning

Benchpress 3 x 10 x 42kg
Dumbell Press 3 x 10 x 12.5kg
Dumbell Lunges 2 x 10 x 12.5kg (Hardest exercise by far)
Dumbell Squats 3 x 10 x 12.5kg
Tried to do a deadlift but that's something I need instruction on as I've not done it before so will ask an instructor for that.
Kinda following this which seems to be highly recommended around these parts http://www.startingstrength.net/workouts

Evening
2 mile run - round trip to local soccer pitch
(which is in bits due to kids cycling all over it :mad:)
Interval training
Sprint length and jog back by 5
20 x Pressups, 20 x Jumping Jacks.
Sprint lenghth and jog back by 5
20 x Pressups, 20 x Jumping Jacks.
Sprint 3 laps of 2 pitches