[Food] Very Low Calorie Diet

jonnyrovers said:

So I buy the weights, but other than bicep curls I wouldn't know where to start..... Head to YouTube?

Click to expand...

Well the first exercise is arm pumps which is just an exaggerated running motion with your arms,
Shoulder press, from shoulders to maximum upward stretch.
Bicep curls as mentioned either together or one arm at a time.
Arms to side, so from arms by side, raise arms to shoulder height and back down.
Arms to front, arms by your side the raise to the front to shoulder height and back down.
Chest press, Hands Chest height in front touching chest, then push your elbows to the rear at shoulder height stretching chest.

Some exercises demonstrated here

https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/get-fit-5-minutes-rockstar-arms-workout

Once you get a rhythm increase reps or weights, but don't do this too quickly as you want to strengthen the muscles in your lower back first.
The weighted belt should help a little with support in this area but don't rely on it.

IMHO exercise is an important counter point to diet control in a well balanced weight loss programme. I have been using the Weight Watchers programme and have gone from being 15 stone 7 lbs in July last year to 13 stone 2 lbs now. This has been achieved through using the WW food tracker app and the following weekly exercise regime:

Tennis - 2 times per week for apx 2 hours per session, singles or, more frequently, doubles
Gym - Pilates 2 times per week + 1 High Intensity Interval Training session pw + weights for toning rather than muscle build + walking/running for at least 30 minutes per session
Cycling - at least one ride out per week of between 20 - 45 miles (electric bike)
Walking - whenever practicable

I should add I'm 70 and retired so I do have the time to do these things but I'm probably fitter now than at any other time in my life, which is more a testimony to a fairly dissolute lifestyle up until a few years ago when I packed up the fags and wanted to avoid putting on weight.

The key to exercise is to do what you enjoy rather than to exercise for the sake if it and to do a range of different exercises

If you are going to hit the gym, focus on ‘functional movements’ rather than meathead weight lifting. So stuff that transfers over into everyday life, like walking with heavy weights, lots of lunging/stepping up movements. Will prevent injury long term and will make a difference to your whole life rather than just your physique

Withdean11 said:

There is plenty of bad advice in this thread. Unfortunately, when it come to fitness/nutrition everyone seems to have an opinion they are convinced is right, based on something they have read. Same with everything i guess..

The best thing you can do is invest in an PT/Coach - There are plenty of online coaches which will tailor everything (training and nutrition) to your needs. Without that, and without knowing any of your details and lifestyle, it's best to follow the basic rules of thumb;

- Increase daily steps
- Daily Calories = 10-12 x body weight in pounds
- Daily Protein = 0.8g - 1g x body weight in pounds
- 3 resistance training sessions per week (weights)
- Look to losing up to 1% of body weight per week, any more is muscle.

And definitely ignore Joe Wicks.

Click to expand...

Disagree with everything you say. There's loads of different ways to achieve what the OP wants to achieve, many listed in this thread. You're obviously wedded to your own method and I'm not saying it's wrong but I've highlighted the parts where you've just done exactly what you're complaining about other people doing. The protein and caloire counting is outdated and certainly not necessary for what the OP needs at this time. Making it that complicated is what puts people off in the first place.

Joe Wicks has got famous off the back of being up to date.

[MENTION=28232]jonnyrovers[/MENTION] how are you getting on 2.5 weeks in? Hopefully you're in the groove now any any hunger and side effects have gone.

paulfuzz said:

Well the first exercise is arm pumps which is just an exaggerated running motion with your arms,
Shoulder press, from shoulders to maximum upward stretch.
Bicep curls as mentioned either together or one arm at a time.
Arms to side, so from arms by side, raise arms to shoulder height and back down.
Arms to front, arms by your side the raise to the front to shoulder height and back down.
Chest press, Hands Chest height in front touching chest, then push your elbows to the rear at shoulder height stretching chest.

Some exercises demonstrated here

https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/get-fit-5-minutes-rockstar-arms-workout

Once you get a rhythm increase reps or weights, but don't do this too quickly as you want to strengthen the muscles in your lower back first.
The weighted belt should help a little with support in this area but don't rely on it.

Click to expand...

That's excellent thank you!

Billy the Fish said:

[MENTION=28232]jonnyrovers[/MENTION] how are you getting on 2.5 weeks in? Hopefully you're in the groove now any any hunger and side effects have gone.

Click to expand...

Yes mate.

At my 2 week weigh in I was 16'13" which means I've lost 11 pounds. As previously mentioned there'll be some water in there. A few centimetres are missing from my belly and a couple from my waist.

I've been doing some light exercise on my bike but it's not easy on 800 calories a day. If I can average 2.5 to 3 pounds a week I'll be under 15 stone after 12 weeks and my knees will be able to cope with couch to 5K and park run. I'll be eating more calories from 12 weeks too. I had the rotten sh1ts right through week one, and I'm hungry all day every day, but drinking lots of water really helps and also feels great. The meal replacements are mostly ok, and they all taste like cake mix no matter what it says on the packet.

I have a blood test booked in at 12 weeks to measure HBA1C. If this has improved then I'm on my way to avoiding/reversing type 2 diabetes (I was one decimal place away from a diagnosis). They will also check my liver function, my GP said it likely had the consistency of pate given previous results. This is all a bit embarrassing as you may know from previous posts that I'm a healthcare professional with a very good understanding of what this all means, and should've known better. But you only have to look at the mental health thread to see how I got from running marathons to diabetes and liver disease. Awful anxiety and depression for 7 years, medication, therapy, abusing food, and only now it's critical do I feel capable of doing something about it.

I think it's worth noting that exercise and diet advice is fantastic, but often the person needs to learn to like themselves again before they can be kind to themselves and do something about their health. Certainly that's the case for me.

I really appreciate all of the advice in this thread, and it pleases my that folk are contributing and also sharing their own stories, some very successful. I definitely won't be employing all I've read on here, but I'll be cherry picking the plans that will suit me and hopefully work for me. My goal is to go for a nice long run-on the downs like I used to. No watch, no garmin, no phone, just me & the hills & my legs. I'm more focused than ever.

Billy the Fish said:

Disagree with everything you say. There's loads of different ways to achieve what the OP wants to achieve, many listed in this thread. You're obviously wedded to your own method and I'm not saying it's wrong but I've highlighted the parts where you've just done exactly what you're complaining about other people doing. The protein and caloire counting is outdated and certainly not necessary for what the OP needs at this time. Making it that complicated is what puts people off in the first place.

Joe Wicks has got famous off the back of being up to date.

Click to expand...

okay mate.

I guess my professional athlete background and extensive list of qualifications in this industry stand for nothing.

I mean no offence by this, but you clearly have no clue what you're talking about.

Withdean11 said:

I guess my professional athlete background and extensive list of qualifications in this industry stand for nothing.

Click to expand...

Obviously not if the only advice you can offer is what the meatheads at the gym were talking about in 2001 Everyone else is talking about their own personal experience.