Bob Green

[muppet]

I happened to catch Oprah today. I rarely watch her, but as I was channel surfing, I happened to catch her sitting with Bob Green, her trainer.
I'm always interested to hear what these diet and exercise gurus have to say, and for the most part I get where he's coming from. He makes sense, and didn't really say anything I could argue with. One thing I thought was odd though -- one lady said she plays tennis and goes biking with her husband. Oprah said, that Bob told her that playing tennis, biking, stuff like that are just 'activities', and should never take the place of a workout. Now, I don't know if he mean that specifically for Oprah, and he never really said. But I guess I would have to question that. If he means if can't take the place of a strength workout, then I would agree. But tennis, biking, lots of other sports and activities, are aerobic, so if you do that, why would you need to go and do another aerobic workout? I'm sure it would be good for you, but there are so many people who hate the idea of 'working out', but love the idea of playing a game of tennis -- why tell them that doesn't count for a work out? I dont' get it.
But what they discussed that I really liked was that you have to feel hunger, iin order to lose weight. They didn't mean starving hunger, but just that little 'I just need a little something else' hunger. I believe that, and have experienced that. They explained it as that's when the body is ready to 'eat the fat'. And, if you give in and feed it, then it won't. I know exactly the feeling they're talking about. And I think that thinking about it in this way will help me to resist.
I was struck yet again though, but how different everyone's philosophies are. You really, REALLY have to do what's right for you, and only you can determine that. Bob stressed that the key to weight loss is consisitency. You have to do whatever it is that you do, and keep it up for the REST OF YOUR LIFE! Consistency with eating, and exercise-- and it WILL happen.
Anyway -- just thought it was interesting. You just never know what you might hear in a show like this, that you will keep with you, and might help change your life. I guess that's another reason why I like shows like TBL , Celebrity Fit club, etc. and message boards like this. You just never know what might strike a chord with you, and really make a difference.

[Trying4Thin]

I am going to take a shot at this....

I agree that cardio is not the same as lifting. Lifting raises your metabolic rate, tones your body, and increases lean muscle mass so you can burn calories when you are at rest. Cardio burns fat during the workout and then for about an hour after you exercise (just at a lower rate). Heart rate plays a huge role in weight loss. The higher your HR; the more sugar and carbs you burn; and less fat. The lower it is; the more fat you burn. Those "activities" he mentioned are higher HR workouts. Unless you are a pro athlete; you dont need to do them everyday at high intensity. Regular cardio like walking, jogging, etc can be done everyday and not raise your HR too much. The more you do them; the more conditioned you will become and the lower your HR will be equalling more fat burned. You dont have to kill yourself to consider it a workout. The lower intensity workouts can be sustained for longer than the higher ones and you will still come out ahead. It is easier to work out longer when you arent going full steam ahead. So you can compromise with your body....Do the lower HR stuff first; like taking a walk, or a bike ride with relatively low hills, and burn off the fat. Then, if you have time and energy left, go all out doing something else; like a crazy intense workout video or sprints down the street, or hefty incline on the elliptical. If you go all out all the time; you will wear yourself out and become more prone to injury. I can back up the fat burning statements with numbers if you are interested. Your HR is unique to you because it all depends on your current level of physical fitness, weight and age. When your body becomes used to an activity; it will get easier and easier to do it, and harder to raise your HR and that is why experts say to "shake it up" every few weeks to keep your body guessing. When your body becomes an expert in a particular activity it wont have to work as hard as when you began it, and you will lose out because you arent burning as much as you could be. So shake up (one or more) of the variables...duration, resistance, speed, direction (if you usually go forwards on the elliptical stepper or crosstrainer, try going backwards and/or add incline....now that is a heck of a good shake up!)

I didnt watch the show so I cant really imagine what he was getting at. I do have one of his books (that I have yet to open); but I do know his reputation. He can slim down Oprah more than once; and a heck of a lot of other morbidly obese people, so he knows his stuff. Hope this helps. If not, I just gave my fingers a good workout typing all this!

[Rocky]

I definitely hear where you are coming from in all that. It makes perfect sence. I really need to stop beating myself up at the gym is what I got from it. I always go hard the whole time I am there, hopeing for better results, when in actuality I could be slowing down the rateof my results.

[muppet]

Hmm -- so what he might have meant was that doing these activities is fine, but they can't take the place of your regular workout, because you don't elevate your heart rate in the same way? I"ve never played tennis, but I can see that it's not a slow, steady game. I'm kind of surprised he said biking didn't count either, but maybe he just meant touring around the neighborhood with the kids. I've done that a million times, when my kids were littler, and no, you don't exactly raise your heart rate, in a steady manner.
And it probably just goes back to what he was saying with being consistant. Your work-out is non-negotiable.

[Missy]

I guess that I am different because I need to do my workouts at a high intense pace in order to get results. I have tried doing my weights slower, but my results also were slower. I push my reps out when I am lifting weights really fast because it's good for fat burn. Lifting weights slower is to work the muscle harder.

I do my cardio at a pretty medium pace...I keep my heart rate between 120-135 most of the time. When I first finish lifting weights my heart rate is around 160 when I first start my cardio, but I slow it down and then go for an hour on the elliptical.

[Trying4Thin]

That is easy....Consider how freaking conditioned you are now!! I bet you would have had a stroke if Dennis gave you your current routine when you were at your top weight. The more efficient you become; the more you have to keep changing it up. Your first workouts you could now do with both eyes closed and not break a sweat. You have to work out hard enough to get benefits from it; but not so hard that you hurt yourself or burn no fat at all.

[Michele]

At my gym we have a cardio cinema where you can watch movies on the big screen with surround sound. There are tons of machines in there and many ceiling fans. I love it.

[Trying4Thin]

Fitworks????

[Missy]

That's awesome. We don't have the cinema with the surround sound stuff, but each cardio machine in my gym does have a tv with cable and a place where you plug in your earphones.

[Michele]

we have those too. Isn't it great that I'm paying good money for a fantastic gym that I'm too tired to go too?