Life The Getting in Shape Thread

[Jorge D. Dragon]

This summer I got an extra weight after breaking my ribs and I was fighting it, but still have something like 2-3 extra kilos and I don't have that much workouts this autumn and winter, because of the studies, but I try to practise as much as I can. I even had some running in winter, but now I just can't make me do it, when it's -23 Celsium out there with something from 80 to 90% of humidity out there.)

 

[baboysai]

duuuude! take it easy with the workouts if you're recovering from broken ribs!

 

[Zeltrax]

Hey guys, I need some help again and I figure you guys would be the best to turn for advice.
I've lost around 32 kg over the past year but the problem right now is..I'm not well-toned at all, there's loose fat all over my body ( esp my arms(flabby arms) and stomach) , sure I look slimmer but I'm like a beancurd, a marshmellow kindda body
Actually, I've been pondering over whether to keep on running (I run 4 times a week), my friend told me that running won't help me build muscles and I might even lose them in the progress. But since I'm currently 84kg and 5'5feet(169cm) tall, under the BMI, I'm still "overweight". I want to build muscle but I want to enter the "normal weight" zone first.

Should I start training now or keep running until I reach that zone?

What should I do to build a toner/good looking chest, stomach and lose the flabby arms ? I've checked a couple of workouts and so but I don't think they are suitable for someone starting out like me. Another thing is does push-ups & sit-ups help a lot? I'm thinking of doing them once per 2 days.

I'm actually aiming to have a fit and good looking body at the end of May. Is it possible, practically speaking? I don't ask for a 6-pack or 4 pack even, just want to lose all this obvious flabby/marshmellow parts of my body .

Thanks for listening to my rant guys, I know swimming helps a lot but I'm too embarrassed because I'll look really bad in trunks but I do plan to swim when I look better.

 

[Teubier]

I have a question for you Zeltrax : Why would you want to wait to reach a certain weight before you'd start building your body ?

From what I experienced/learnt, while it is indeed harder mentally since it's more demanding, bodybuilding is more effective while being heavier. Also, the loose fat probably wouldn't be there (or far less) if you did both at the same time from the very beginning (unfortunately, living in Singapore surely does not help you since you can't really count on the cold in that regard). Obviously, I don't think you should wait anymore. And if you do start bodybuilding, please make sure to listen carefully to your body, and adopt a pace and types of exercises that it can follow without being stressed too much (in that regard it probably wouldn't be a bad idea, if you can, to do a full check up of your body with a doctor, to determine what part of your body are to be cherished more than others, I think).

Also, do you love a sport in particular ? Because that's still the best way to shape up I think, since it also relieves your spirit. I don't know you well, but I reckon that the way you see & enjoy your body isn't only induced by your physical appearance, but how you feel when you move as well, and how often you move it. Again, from my experience, playing a sport that you love will give you a spirit boost for the bodybuilding part too.

Swimming is extremely helpful indeed (and probably even better in a pool for what you are trying to achieve with your loose fat, since it's usually colder), as soon as you feel confident enough.

Given what you already achieved -coming from 110 kg, impressive dear sir :takemyhatofftoyou:- and your height, I believe that if you find the keys to your enjoyment, you can reach 75 kg at the end of May. And with resolve and consistency on the bodybuilding part, you should be able to do so while greatly lowering your percentage of loose fat and growing an already pretty sturdy build, which you already started to do with your running sessions. Your friend apllied to your situation a concept about running that simply cannot be applied to your body yet I think. Maybe you can try to do more uphill jogging sessions though, or add squats to your bodybuilding sessions, if you feel the need to enhance your lower body strength.

walking is only like to start when you've never had any endurance or stamina.

-_Ô Try walking (with a few, short, running sessions within to relieve the stress on the legs and the abdominal muscles of course) for 2~6 hours straight and say that again. I dare you !
I do play football/soccer once~twice a week, but if it weren't for these 4~7 walking sessions per week, I'd probably still be around 86 kg and not 78 kg like now (1,82m btw). And stamina isn't an issue for me (average, but still able to play football for 3 hours straight without faltering). Walking is extremely useful for someone who can't run without a visible goal, or who simply don't enjoy running, or who simply enjoys walking, but it takes much time.

 

[Zeltrax]

I have a question for you Zeltrax : Why would you want to wait to reach a certain weight before you'd start building your body ?

Someone told me that fat loss and muscle gain are 2 different things.
You can't lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, as in converting fat into muscle is impossible. Am I wrong ? Also , I didn't really think about "being well shaped and cool" instead I thought about being "slim and normal" but now, no. I don't think my ambition is that small anymore. I want to look good and I'll do what it takes to achieve it.

From what I experienced/learnt, while it is indeed harder mentally since it's more demanding, bodybuilding is more effective while being heavier. Also, the loose fat probably wouldn't be there (or far less) if you did both at the same time from the very beginning (unfortunately, living in Singapore surely does not help you since you can't really count on the cold in that regard).

When a friend of mine "examined" my arms or something he told me that maybe I loss my fat the wrong way, as in if I did the right way, I won't be so flabby and such. I wonder if he was right. Count on the cold? Singapore's climate is pretty humid throughout the year.

Obviously, I don't think you should wait anymore. And if you do start bodybuilding, please make sure to listen carefully to your body, and adopt a pace and types of exercises that it can follow without being stressed too much (in that regard it probably wouldn't be a bad idea, if you can, to do a full check up of your body with a doctor, to determine what part of your body are to be cherished more than others, I think).

Uh..do you mind if I ask what are the basics to "start bodybuilding" ?
The most I can go for pushups is 3 sets..that's pathetic. And since I just started push-ups and sit-ups and chair-dips are the only thing I've been doing. I have a pair of 2kg dumbbells at home and I want to use them effectively.
The doctor thing seems like a good idea, maybe one day I'll drop by the public clinic for a check-up.

Also, do you love a sport in particular ? Because that's still the best way to shape up I think, since it also relieves your spirit. I don't know you well, but I reckon that the way you see & enjoy your body isn't only induced by your physical appearance, but how you feel when you move as well, and how often you move it. Again, from my experience, playing a sport that you love will give you a spirit boost for the bodybuilding part too.

I like swimming, in fact it's the only sport that I learned when I was young(putting asides bicycle). But like I said, I look bad in a swimming costume and until I get slimmer I don't think I'll enter the pool.
Other than that..no other sports I really do because I was a lazy ass, makes me feels like I'm wasting my youth . ITA about what you said on spirit boost tho

Given what you already achieved -coming from 110 kg, impressive dear sir :takemyhatofftoyou:- and your height, I believe that if you find the keys to your enjoyment, you can reach 75 kg at the end of May. And with resolve and consistency on the bodybuilding part, you should be able to do so while greatly lowering your percentage of loose fat and growing an already pretty sturdy build, which you already started to do with your running sessions. Your friend apllied to your situation a concept about running that simply cannot be applied to your body yet I think. Maybe you can try to do more uphill jogging sessions though, or add squats to your bodybuilding sessions, if you feel the need to enhance your lower body strength.

thank you I think my lower body strength is good, because my legs feels really hard and the fat doesn't feel like its there. I thank my walking/running sessions.

 

[baboysai]

of course that kind of walking is different, Teuber. What I meant was the one-hour thing.

 

[Teubier]

Someone told me that fat loss and muscle gain are 2 different things.
You can't lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, as in converting fat into muscle is impossible. Am I wrong ? Also , I didn't really think about "being well shaped and cool" instead I thought about being "slim and normal" but now, no. I don't think my ambition is that small anymore. I want to look good and I'll do what it takes to achieve it.

You are right, as is that someone. However, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. As for the change in your motivation, I find it to be pretty coherent. I was in a kinda similar situation to yours when I was 14~15 years old (~78 kg for 1,53m) and I followed almost the same path in my thinking, except that I realised that I needed to train my body a bit earlier (not around 70%, but around 50% of my weight loss goal) because of my lack of upper body power/balance while playing football.

When a friend of mine "examined" my arms or something he told me that maybe I loss my fat the wrong way, as in if I did the right way, I won't be so flabby and such. I wonder if he was right. Count on the cold? Singapore's climate is pretty humid throughout the year.

A cold climate (0°C or less) is a little helpful for your body being more toned and healthy looking, as well as for preventing muscle and bone loss since it acts against the aging process. Also, from what I could read and my own experience, weather based on heat and humidity isn't the best for the body, especially if it's all you have to deal with all year round. Weather's accessory, but it helps, especially in situations like ours when one loses a great amount of weight in so little time without the proper follow up in bodybuilding soon enough.

Uh..do you mind if I ask what are the basics to "start bodybuilding" ?
The most I can go for pushups is 3 sets..that's pathetic. And since I just started push-ups and sit-ups and chair-dips are the only thing I've been doing. I have a pair of 2kg dumbbells at home and I want to use them effectively.
The doctor thing seems like a good idea, maybe one day I'll drop by the public clinic for a check-up.

That’s what I can respond to by experience (no training grounds for me), without reading or asking my friends (who are far more indulged in body training than I am).
These three are great already. Regarding the push-ups, I’d advise you to use push-ups bars, or if you don’t, maybe, depending on your dumbbells’ shape, you can use them as substitutes. It lowers greatly the pressure on the wrists without the angle, which should be useful at first to improve your form, and all in all is necessary to avoid causing pain to your wrists.
There are plenty of exercises to do with the dumbbells, whichever you choose to do will be useful, just make sure, as for all other kind of bodybuilding exercise, to adopt the right form. Given what you are already doing though, I think that you’d better start out with biceps and shoulders exercises.
Once you'll be stronger (probably after 6~7 weeks of training), shoulder and arms wise, maybe you can try to fetch yourself a chin-up bar to add to your routine and strenghten your back with pull-ups.
Afterwards, it all depends on how often you will train, then how many repetitions, how much time of rest you’ll allow yourself between each exercises within your training session (cardio), and how you will eat between sessions to help your muscles’ restructuring. And try to have fun while training; it's almost as important as the visible results imho.

 

[Zeltrax]

You are right, as is that someone. However, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

Thanks for that website and the one with dumbbells workouts, I really appreciate it i'm not really sure about making changes to my diet...will it really not work if I don't eat enough protein?

A cold climate (0°C or less) is a little helpful for your body being more toned and healthy looking, as well as for preventing muscle and bone loss since it acts against the aging process. Also, from what I could read and my own experience, weather based on heat and humidity isn't the best for the body, especially if it's all you have to deal with all year round. Weather's accessory, but it helps, especially in situations like ours when one loses a great amount of weight in so little time without the proper follow up in bodybuilding soon enough

ITA, singapore weather doesn't do good for skin and healthcare. But the weather is good for burning fat when its humid.

These three are great already. Regarding the push-ups, I’d advise you to use push-ups bars, or if you don’t, maybe, depending on your dumbbells’ shape, you can use them as substitutes. It lowers greatly the pressure on the wrists without the angle, which should be useful at first to improve your form, and all in all is necessary to avoid causing pain to your wrists.

my wrists is not as painful as my arms after doing those pushups..I'll be honest and say that I don't do pushups or any form of muscle building exercises ever so this isn't going to be easy.

There are plenty of exercises to do with the dumbbells, whichever you choose to do will be useful, just make sure, as for all other kind of bodybuilding exercise, to adopt the right form. Given what you are already doing though, I think that you’d better start out with biceps and shoulders exercises.

thank you for this, it helps a lot for sure

Once you'll be stronger (probably after 6~7 weeks of training), shoulder and arms wise, maybe you can try to fetch yourself a chin-up bar to add to your routine and strenghten your back with pull-ups.

Really looking forward to getting a pull-up bar. I hope by 7 weeks of training I'll get better, I hit the gym only once a week so maybe it'll be longer

Afterwards, it all depends on how often you will train, then how many repetitions, how much time of rest you’ll allow yourself between each exercises within your training session (cardio), and how you will eat between sessions to help your muscles’ restructuring. And try to have fun while training; it's almost as important as the visible results imho.

ITA.
What's cardio exactly? I know jump rope and biking are forms of it but I dk the exact meaning/exercises behind it and what cardio I should take.

 

[Teubier]

Thanks for that website and the one with dumbbells workouts, I really appreciate it i'm not really sure about making changes to my diet...will it really not work if I don't eat enough protein?

You're very welcome. It will still work, but less. Given your goal (which is not to become a bodybuilder), you don't necessarily need to assimilate much protein. I think that eating well (diversified, with appropriate proportions, and with regularity for the meals' time/numbers) and above all hydrating yourself is the most important here.

my wrists is not as painful as my arms after doing those pushups..I'll be honest and say that I don't do pushups or any form of muscle building exercises ever so this isn't going to be easy.

Yupyup, I know that at the level you are now, your wrists are probably safe. But I'm sure that you will evolve quickly, and believe me, I've experienced the same kind of pattern before and the pain you can suffer in your wrists while doing many push-ups without any tool, plainly, on the ground, several times a week (or everyday), can become quite awful. Your wrists are also very important to all the other exercises you'll be doing. Better safe soon than sorry later I think.

ITA.
What's cardio exactly? I know jump rope and biking are forms of it but I dk the exact meaning/exercises behind it and what cardio I should take.

"Cardio" is a term used to designate one's heart rate. You should have gained a lot in that regard thanks to your running sessions already.
If you slowly lessen the time of rest between each exercise, it will slowly accustom your heart to maintaining a higher rate for a longer period of time. Do not change it rashly though, as it could hinder your whole routine. If you notice that by reducing this rest time, you end up too short of breath too soon to end your routine, you should adjust it accordingly.
Again, given your goal, that shouldn't be something you should concern yourself too much with.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

Finally I opened running season yesterday! It was fun. Didn't expect that I was in quite a good form after winter.
I've run about 5 kilometers and now I'll start do it regularly as the weater got fine and thus nothing will stop me.
After some time I'll change to two times per day 5 kilomets each. Hope I won't be to late to get into a good shape for summer))

 

[baboysai]

I wonder if you guys are familiar with yakult I have this great shake recipe and it's been awesome for the diet and digestion. Bananas, low fat milk, yakult, and sweetener to taste.

 

[Crude]

This year I've put on a bit of weight, which means I'm developing love handles. I've recently gone into a diet in which I only eat around four times, trying to make those meals lean meats, and also drink a lot of water, as well as tea if I'm feeling a little peckish. Thing is I need to do some exercises as well, so does anybody know any good exercises for losing weight which don't require me to go to the gym (right now I don't have that much time, nor an easy way to actually get there)? Preferably something that doesn't include jogging, seeing as my friends are unwilling to go with me and doing it on my own is dead boring.

 

[baboysai]

Do that. Requires only at least 15 minutes and you only need the floor you occupy- called the prison work-out for a reason- no need for equipment, minimal space requirement, you can do it in your room.

But it took me a while to get it together. For the first few days I'd been doing it I couldn't execute it properly because my muscles were still not used to it- and it took me a lot longer to accomplish. But eventually my time got shorter executing them properly.

 

[Crude]

I can see myself not getting it right the first couple of times ! So basically I do that exercise for at least 15 minutes every day (perhaps having a day to relax so that my muscles can rest)?

 

[baboysai]

no for beginners, you do a ten-rep then, thirty second break, then 9-rep , then another thirty secs, then 8 reps... etc. until you dwindle dwindle down to 1 rep.

 

[Crude]

Thanks! Today I actually discovered that a friend of mine does that same exercise during his work. He was talking about it when all of a sudden I said "Hey I know that exercise!" !

 

[BakaHaze]

This thread needs moar love.

Also good to see all babyosai does is stick to her burpees.

I recently learnt about the M100 set; which is apparently 10 x burpees, 10x (sets of 4) mountain climbers and 10 x squat jumps, in rotation untill you do 100 (so 4 sets burpeess 3 sets mountain climberes & squat jumps.) Apparently they're really effective.

I say apparently because I've never finished a set. I only ever get up to 60. lol

Speaking of which I have le 14 km City 2 Surf this weekend. Watching the womens marathon on sunday really makes me want to try really, really hard.

 

[blai]

I've tried M100 many times, I usually do it at the end of an exercise when I'm already a bit tired too. M100 is an excellent combo.

I can't get over 70ish on that but it's a steady progress :*

 

[baboysai]

i;ve never heard of that, and I don't think I'll try it... beyond burpees are insane

I've cut down on my alcohol though... Blai, that last pic of my wine was my last alcohol intake... ^^ so far.

 

[blai]

Hai you fit fucks, dropping by with an update on my progress.

Got back to the gym after a summer without exercise (worried about my heart so I spent the summer drunk -.-) but got back eight days ago as I now can give 100% in the gym without having to worry about anything.

Today, for example, we did back/abs and a normal routine looks like this;

Shoulderpress 68kg/150lbs (8rep x 3)
Full swing kettlebell 24kg/53lbs (8rep x 3)
One arm dumbbell row 30kg/66lbs (8rep x 4)
Hyperextentions 10kg/22lbs (16 x 3)
Sit-ups (8 + 8 + 8) x 3
Hanging leg-raise (10 straight, 12 straight, 10 straight + 26 curved 90degrees)
Kettlebell side-raise 30kg/66lbs (16 each side x 3)
Static side abs swing 8,66kg/19lbs 14 - 16 - 18 each side

It's not one of the more brutal routines like the one I have tomorrow (shoulder & biceps) or the leg one but it's still pretty rough.

Sparring with a friend and a normal work out takes us about 1h40 - 2hrs and that's without much rest. We basically only rest while the other one is doing his set but still, it takes a long time :P