The Weight Gain Challenge

[LotusBlossom]

So I was yapping with a girlfriend of mine who is so into her 'diet' plans and changes them constantly because she won't get off her ass and be active.

So she was yapping to me about how it's so wrong to leave wheat out of my diet etc etc. I said really? I had ONE wheat dish (sourdough apple and organic pork sausage stuffing) during the holidays, and with minimal exercise still mananged to lose 7lbs while she gained 10lbs with her whole-wheat infused diet.

I'm not saying to cut out grains completely (I don't believe in extremities like most Primal eaters) but to certainly watch which one of those you put in your body.

I don't understand why the least active people have so much knowledge to share about health and fitness. It boggles me.

[Cornuck]

I don't understand why the least active people have so much knowledge to share about health and fitness. It boggles me.

Because they have more time to sit around and read/watch about the latest fad diets?

[dr.dork]

I don't understand why the least active people have so much knowledge to share about health and fitness. It boggles me.

Because they have more time to sit around and read/watch about the latest fad diets?

Or because they're jealous ?

LB, are you off only wheat or are you limiting "junk carbs" as a whole ?

[LotusBlossom]

I don't understand why the least active people have so much knowledge to share about health and fitness. It boggles me.

Because they have more time to sit around and read/watch about the latest fad diets?

Or because they're jealous ?

LB, are you off only wheat or are you limiting "junk carbs" as a whole ?

\

I'm off the wheat for the most part but definitely limiting the junk carbs. Most of my carbs I get from fruit but every now and then (once a month) I'll have a little piece of sourdough.

Buying organic when I can because I find myself getting all the nutrients and eating less. Thing is, I am starting cross-fit next week but find myself just getting out and doing more things. My work is sendentary so, I find activities like skating, skiing and drop in sports as something to do for exercise. I hit the elliptical machine in our home gym daily but now doing more.

The food change has been the best thing for not only me, but for my entire family.

I've actually really enjoyed cooking more since I have to make most sauces, base, broth etc from scratch, or as close to it as I can.

I'm Asian and when I make Asian foods, I just keep my rice intakes to a minimum, half a cup or so.

[dr.dork]

I'm off the wheat for the most part but definitely limiting the junk carbs. Most of my carbs I get from fruit but every now and then (once a month) I'll have a little piece of sourdough.

So that means no gatorade (or sports drink) during cross-fit ?

[LotusBlossom]

I'm off the wheat for the most part but definitely limiting the junk carbs. Most of my carbs I get from fruit but every now and then (once a month) I'll have a little piece of sourdough.

So that means no gatorade (or sports drink) during cross-fit ?

I lemon and water it most of the time anyway. I do have G2's around for the other half and I, if we go drinking one night. The electrolytes help out, but yeah I am pretty frugal with the junk carbs.

Letting go of most things processed has changed the way I feel, in a good way. I'm not totally shut to sports drinks and what not, but it's not something I had on my grocery list to start. Tap water filtered-with a wedge of lemon squeeze in there is what I normally drink during and after the workouts.

[dr.dork]

I'm off the wheat for the most part but definitely limiting the junk carbs. Most of my carbs I get from fruit but every now and then (once a month) I'll have a little piece of sourdough.

So that means no gatorade (or sports drink) during cross-fit ?

I lemon and water it most of the time anyway. I do have G2's around for the other half and I, if we go drinking one night. The electrolytes help out, but yeah I am pretty frugal with the junk carbs.

There is some fairly recent studies showing benefits to exercising fasted (usually in the morning before breakfast). See:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/1 ... breakfast/

Some people think this might also be a way to train your body to use more fat vs carbs for fuel at moderate intensities which would be beneficial for endurance athletes (postpone the bonk). For me I just hate eating breakfast so this is a good excuse to skip it.

[LotusBlossom]

I try to workout before breakfast, but my work has me working in the Atlantic and Eastern time zones so, I'm usually having my Omega-3 eggs and organic coffee while I am on conference or working at my desk in my home office. But I 'snack' the rest of my day and have a good dinner, usually protein driven and start again the next day.

When I was working a regular job and not working for myself, I used to always hit the gym before eating my breakfast just before I head to office. Yeah I am in agreement with a lot of their points in the article. Thanks for the read

[Farhan Lalji]

The Farhan Lalji way:

This is literally all I eat and drink:

-Skim milk
-Organic vegetable juice (drink as much as I want)
-Apples (eat as much as I want)
-Raw Vegetables (eat as much as I want)
-Humus (with apples and vegetables)
-Juice smoothie (freshly blended fruits and vegetables, no fructose). --> When I'm at the mall
-Beans (varies) - (eat as much as I want...and then unleash a fury of farts).
-2 Gallons of water. If people wonder why I pee so much, that's their perogative.

-Banana, Other "juicy" fruits, and Banana Nut Muslix cereal is only consumed AFTER I lift weights....and it has to be within a 45 minute time span.

I usually go about 8-9 days doing this.....until I start feeling horny and need my fix of junk.

On my "off day", I'll usually get a box of cereal (Shreddies w/ 2% milk) and finish the box in one day. The dramatic spike in caloric intake for the one day helps speed up your metabolic rate.....which greatly aids in fat burning for the rest of the week (provided that you actually eat super healthy for the rest of the week....and not continue eating shit....otherwise there will be an obvious adverse effect).

On my next "off day", I'll eat an entire bag of perogies with low fat yogurt....and may also have a fruit smoothie with it.

Once a month, I will do a "sea salt flush" using Crystal Himalayan Sea Salt (non iodized).


For workouts: I only work out 20-30 minutes per day (usually on the lower end of that), but I go all out. Very short and intense work out. If I'm at a gym, I'll set the treadmill on the highest speed and one of the highest elevations.....and go balls out for 10 minutes. The other 10-20 minutes is focused on one other muscle group.....where I go high weight and low reps (I find that "toning" and doing high reps with low weights is a major waste of time).

I always try and look for new exercises to confuse my body. The more "unfamilar" your body is with certain exercises, and the more weight/resistance you use, the greater the result.

My system isn't perfect.....and probably has some signficant holes, but I'm not a health expert. I just work out and eat healthy to stay healthy and get laid.

[LotusBlossom]

My system isn't perfect.....and probably has some signficant holes, but I'm not a health expert. I just work out and eat healthy to stay healthy and get laid.

No one's system is perfect, but it's better than letting life pass you by or sitting around and complaining about deficiencies and not doing a thing about it.

[dr.dork]

For workouts: I only work out 20-30 minutes per day (usually on the lower end of that), but I go all out. Very short and intense work out. If I'm at a gym, I'll set the treadmill on the highest speed and one of the highest elevations.....and go balls out for 10 minutes. The other 10-20 minutes is focused on one other muscle group.....where I go high weight and low reps (I find that "toning" and doing high reps with low weights is a major waste of time).

You do this every day ? No warmup or cool down ? No easy days ?

[nucklehead_88]

i somehow have lost nearly 20lbs in the last 2 months.....eating wings and subway on a constant basis

[Farhan Lalji]

For workouts: I only work out 20-30 minutes per day (usually on the lower end of that), but I go all out. Very short and intense work out. If I'm at a gym, I'll set the treadmill on the highest speed and one of the highest elevations.....and go balls out for 10 minutes. The other 10-20 minutes is focused on one other muscle group.....where I go high weight and low reps (I find that "toning" and doing high reps with low weights is a major waste of time).

You do this every day ? No warmup or cool down ? No easy days ?

I usually do this about 4-5 days a week. My "dieters gone wild" day is my off day, and I usually have another off day as well. On a 'no work out' day and a 'dieters gone wild day', I'll stick to apples, veggies, and veggie juice. No milk and no white carbs.

I did forget to mention the warm ups. Warm ups = 500 jumping jacks. Cool down = stretching. I could and should do a better job of pre-stretching before lifting but I'm too lazy. Like I said - my system isn't perfect, but it was never meant to be. I'm not a professional athlete or an actor.

[dr.dork]

For workouts: I only work out 20-30 minutes per day (usually on the lower end of that), but I go all out. Very short and intense work out. If I'm at a gym, I'll set the treadmill on the highest speed and one of the highest elevations.....and go balls out for 10 minutes. The other 10-20 minutes is focused on one other muscle group.....where I go high weight and low reps (I find that "toning" and doing high reps with low weights is a major waste of time).

You do this every day ? No warmup or cool down ? No easy days ?

I usually do this about 4-5 days a week. My "dieters gone wild" day is my off day, and I usually have another off day as well. On a 'no work out' day and a 'dieters gone wild day', I'll stick to apples, veggies, and veggie juice. No milk and no white carbs.

I did forget to mention the warm ups. Warm ups = 500 jumping jacks. Cool down = stretching. I could and should do a better job of pre-stretching before lifting but I'm too lazy. Like I said - my system isn't perfect, but it was never meant to be. I'm not a professional athlete or an actor.

In my experience not warming up or stretching wasn't much of an issue until both the volume and the age went up. Then it lead to injuries (which is what anyone would tell you). Mid thirties (maybe earlier) is probably when you need to start being careful.

[Farhan Lalji]

In my experience not warming up or stretching wasn't much of an issue until both the volume and the age went up. Then it lead to injuries (which is what anyone would tell you). Mid thirties (maybe earlier) is probably when you need to start being careful.

Good point and thank you for the heads up.

Honestly though, knowing the way I am, I'll probably have to experience injury before committing to more stretching. I'm not completely sure as to why I'm like this, but I am! haha