Fit by 60! - TomO's Pledge
- Thread starter TomO
- Start date
cinderelly
New member
WOW quite a work out...So hwo are you doing this intravel Cardio training ??? You mentioned going to the gym - do you do it on a machine ? Is it tread mill running?
daiseeangel
New member
good morning, tom! 
TomO
0
Monday, April 16, 2007
Weight: 236.0. Wow!
I guess last night's workout in honor of the scale gods paid off. I'm down 3.2 pounds since the beginning of the month. At first I was skeptical whe Steve told me a week off would be good for my metabolism, but now I'm a believer. The pounds are melting off the way they were when I first started last July.
I'm especially surprised after yesterday's phenomenal cheat meal. I marked the quality of my food as a 1 out of 5. All together, it came to 3,243 calories - 206 gm of fat, 66 saturated, 56% of total; 206 gm of carbs, 30 of fiber, 25% of total; 145 gm of protein, 18%; and 10 gm of alchohol, 2%. Definitely not a day I intend repeating any time soon. Sometimes, though, you need a cheat day. Today it's back on the straight and narrow.
Tomorrow I see my doc about my umbilical hernia. I sure hope I can get this thing taken care of with a minimum of down time.
Weight: 236.0. Wow!
I guess last night's workout in honor of the scale gods paid off. I'm down 3.2 pounds since the beginning of the month. At first I was skeptical whe Steve told me a week off would be good for my metabolism, but now I'm a believer. The pounds are melting off the way they were when I first started last July.
I'm especially surprised after yesterday's phenomenal cheat meal. I marked the quality of my food as a 1 out of 5. All together, it came to 3,243 calories - 206 gm of fat, 66 saturated, 56% of total; 206 gm of carbs, 30 of fiber, 25% of total; 145 gm of protein, 18%; and 10 gm of alchohol, 2%. Definitely not a day I intend repeating any time soon. Sometimes, though, you need a cheat day. Today it's back on the straight and narrow.
Tomorrow I see my doc about my umbilical hernia. I sure hope I can get this thing taken care of with a minimum of down time.
TomO
0
Hi, Sophie. Yeah, six months ago I would have sat myself down in the couch and gone to sleep. Now it's hard for me to let a cheat that big go unchallenged. And, as you can see above, I'm glad I did.
Wishes, I can't recommend these workouts enough. The soundtracks can be a bit corny at times, but they make a world of difference in my workout. And if you do them right, they are incredibly intense. Doing them for two months is what got me ready for HIIT.
Thanks, Steve. It was nice of you to come by after your most difficult weekend. And let's not forget, you deserve a lot of the credit for my success.
Maybe, but you are strong in other areas that I'm weak in. That's how we inspire each other, and you have inspired me a lot!
Hi, Daise. Aren't you looking forward to summer? It's not far off now!
bethann1156
New member
hi Tom! i am so impressed with your workout! I checked out the cardio coach website....that looks like a great way to push yourself. I may try that out too.
Congrats on your success!!
Congrats on your success!!
TomO
0
hi Tom! i am so impressed with your workout! I checked out the cardio coach website....that looks like a great way to push yourself. I may try that out too.
Congrats on your success!!
Thanks, Beth. If you do try it out, I would suggest you start with #2 or #3. Spend some time with those and gradually work your way up to #5, #6, and Press Play, which is truly brutal.
Do you own an HR monitor? They are very useful in determining your zones. But you can do cardio coach based on perceived exertion, too.
236! You must be stoked!
I deserve no credit for it, Tom. If you had any idea how many people I "lend" advice to, you wouldn't believe it. You see my interactions here on this forum. You don't see the PMs I go through. Plus, this is only one of many forums I chat on. I admit, my interactions are mostly weighted to this forum, but I am all over the place, talking to a lot of people.
Not to mention the amount of people who know me, personally, who I help.
A small percentage actually make good use of my help. The ones that do, realize results. The ones who don't, throw out my advice and look for the next gimmick to buy into.
So, you should be proud of yourself. The credit belongs to you. I merely helped you develop a map.
TomO
0
Steve, I am stoked, that's for sure. The lowest weight I got down to 8 years ago (on Atkins) was 234. I'm withing shouting distance of that now.
Sorry, but you are being too modest here, my friend. Yes, I won't deny that I have worked my ASS off. But, if you have had the time to read that book I recommended, Zen and the Art of Archery, you will remember that hard work in the wrong direction does not yield very good results.
People don't fail just because of will power. They mostly fail because lack of knowledge sends them down the wrong path, and their will power is frittered away.
The credit I take in all this is being willing to listen. I am at the point where quick fixes don't interest me one iota, and I do know that this is a hard, brutal battle. Winning this battle is not just knowledge, but the willingness to drag yourself to the gym when everything in your mind is telling you to veg out.
That said, I can't tell you enough how it feels to finally have a RATIONAL outlook on this struggle, to have a plan that really makes scientific sense, and one that I am in control of.
If you know me, then you know I don't believe people have success all by themselves. They are coached along the way -- given knowledge by mentors, inspired by those who are fighting the same battles they are, given love by friends and family around them.
Sorry, but you are being too modest here, my friend. Yes, I won't deny that I have worked my ASS off. But, if you have had the time to read that book I recommended, Zen and the Art of Archery, you will remember that hard work in the wrong direction does not yield very good results.
People don't fail just because of will power. They mostly fail because lack of knowledge sends them down the wrong path, and their will power is frittered away.
The credit I take in all this is being willing to listen. I am at the point where quick fixes don't interest me one iota, and I do know that this is a hard, brutal battle. Winning this battle is not just knowledge, but the willingness to drag yourself to the gym when everything in your mind is telling you to veg out.
That said, I can't tell you enough how it feels to finally have a RATIONAL outlook on this struggle, to have a plan that really makes scientific sense, and one that I am in control of.
If you know me, then you know I don't believe people have success all by themselves. They are coached along the way -- given knowledge by mentors, inspired by those who are fighting the same battles they are, given love by friends and family around them.
Tom, that is just possibly one of the truest statements I've ever read.
Your new work-out sounds like a lot of fun (and hard work)...and it seems the scale gods approve
TomO
0
Curvie Girlie
New member
I'm so glad for you, Tom, for working your ass off and staying on track--and taking breaks, too! Those really seemed to help! See? No plateaus yet! YAY!
wishes
Coffee Addict
I would give you credit because you give the advice DESPITE having seen it not used repeatedly.
And yeah, im sure i was one of those people who would ask 'oh so how can i <insert something here>' and it would go in one ear and out the other.
Though now i have booked with a personal trainer of my own
I would give you credit because you give the advice DESPITE having seen it not used repeatedly.
And yeah, im sure i was one of those people who would ask 'oh so how can i <insert something here>' and it would go in one ear and out the other.
Though now i have booked with a personal trainer of my own
Good news Wishes. Make sure he/she is not a boob! There are a lot of them out there!
bethann1156
New member
Thank you for that heads up, Tom...I was wondering which one to try or start with and figured I'd look at it more carefully at home tonight...I don't have an HR monitor...but thank you for that tip too.
TomO
0
Exercise Log - April 16, 2007
This was day 8 in my 18 day program - Weights, Routine "A".
The weight lifting to 44 minutes and burned 450 calories. I burned 630 calories overall, because I did 10 minutes of cardio afterwards. I was going to do more, but I heard Steve's voice in my head, "manage fatigue. . . MANAGE FATIGUE . . . MANAGE FATIGUE!" -- so I stopped when my legs started cramping up.
Difficulty ratings: 1 = too easy, ready to up the weight next time; 2 = just about right; 3 = OK, but close to failure; 4 = failed on one or more sets/reps
BB Squat
1 x 5 - bar only
1 x 4 - 95 lbs.
1 x 3 - 135 lbs.
5 x 5 - 170 lbs.
Diff = 2
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
BB Bench Press
5 x 5 - 145 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Assisted Pullups
5 x 5, Level 16
Diff = 3
Decreased assistance by 1 level from last time
Standing Military Press
3 x 5 - 95 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Dumbbell 1 Arm Row
3 x 5 - 65 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Swiss Ball Crunch
3 x 10, Diff = 3
While I was finishing up with cardio, I spotted a young kid who was actually doing ATG squats. I went up to him and congratulated him on his form, telling him that I hadn't seen more than 3 people in the whole gym who did real squats. He seemed very happy. You can't really go up to people who are doing them wrong, but it does feel good to compliment someone who is doing them right, especially a young guy like that.
This was day 8 in my 18 day program - Weights, Routine "A".
The weight lifting to 44 minutes and burned 450 calories. I burned 630 calories overall, because I did 10 minutes of cardio afterwards. I was going to do more, but I heard Steve's voice in my head, "manage fatigue. . . MANAGE FATIGUE . . . MANAGE FATIGUE!" -- so I stopped when my legs started cramping up.
Difficulty ratings: 1 = too easy, ready to up the weight next time; 2 = just about right; 3 = OK, but close to failure; 4 = failed on one or more sets/reps
BB Squat
1 x 5 - bar only
1 x 4 - 95 lbs.
1 x 3 - 135 lbs.
5 x 5 - 170 lbs.
Diff = 2
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
BB Bench Press
5 x 5 - 145 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Assisted Pullups
5 x 5, Level 16
Diff = 3
Decreased assistance by 1 level from last time
Standing Military Press
3 x 5 - 95 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Dumbbell 1 Arm Row
3 x 5 - 65 lbs.
Diff = 3
Increased weight by 5 lbs. from last time
Swiss Ball Crunch
3 x 10, Diff = 3
While I was finishing up with cardio, I spotted a young kid who was actually doing ATG squats. I went up to him and congratulated him on his form, telling him that I hadn't seen more than 3 people in the whole gym who did real squats. He seemed very happy. You can't really go up to people who are doing them wrong, but it does feel good to compliment someone who is doing them right, especially a young guy like that.
Cannon 2006
New member
Hey Tom, not too much to add other than have a great day
TomO
0
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Weight: 237.2. BP was 115/72 with resting pulse of 55 - nice! I knew the scale gods were toying with me yesterday, so I'm not upset at the "gain." Shoot, I won't even be upset if I'm stuck here for a few weeks. After all, my goal was to get to 239.0 by the end of April, so I'm ahead of schedule. According to FitDay, since last July, I've lost an average of 0.79 pounds a week, which is more than I thought I would when I started. FitDay also has a 12 week projection, and at the rate I'm going, in 3 months I'll be in the 220's!
Yesterday I hopped back in the saddle nutritionally, with a food quality of 4 out of 5. I consumed 2,290 calories - 82 gm of fat, 16 gm saturated, 31% of the total; 290 gm of carbs, 48 gm of fiber, 47% of total; 107 gm of protein, 18% of total; and 10 gm of alcohol, 3% of total. Everything I ate was healthy, but I didn't score it a 5 out of 5 because I'm afraid I didn't get enough protein. A lot of my carbs came from fruit & veggies.
With the 630 calories from my workout, I ended the day with a deficit of 627 calories, and an accumulated deficit this month of 2,215 calories. Way down from last month, but this includes my vacation "cheat week," so it's all in the plan.
Today's my doctor appt., and I'll see what needs to be done about this umbilical hernia.
Weight: 237.2. BP was 115/72 with resting pulse of 55 - nice! I knew the scale gods were toying with me yesterday, so I'm not upset at the "gain." Shoot, I won't even be upset if I'm stuck here for a few weeks. After all, my goal was to get to 239.0 by the end of April, so I'm ahead of schedule. According to FitDay, since last July, I've lost an average of 0.79 pounds a week, which is more than I thought I would when I started. FitDay also has a 12 week projection, and at the rate I'm going, in 3 months I'll be in the 220's!
Yesterday I hopped back in the saddle nutritionally, with a food quality of 4 out of 5. I consumed 2,290 calories - 82 gm of fat, 16 gm saturated, 31% of the total; 290 gm of carbs, 48 gm of fiber, 47% of total; 107 gm of protein, 18% of total; and 10 gm of alcohol, 3% of total. Everything I ate was healthy, but I didn't score it a 5 out of 5 because I'm afraid I didn't get enough protein. A lot of my carbs came from fruit & veggies.
With the 630 calories from my workout, I ended the day with a deficit of 627 calories, and an accumulated deficit this month of 2,215 calories. Way down from last month, but this includes my vacation "cheat week," so it's all in the plan.
Today's my doctor appt., and I'll see what needs to be done about this umbilical hernia.
TomO
0
Calculations
I answer a fair number of questions about calculations, so I though I would consolidate my answer into one post that I can refer to more conveniently.
Calculating your maintenance calories
There are two important concepts here: BMR (basic metabolic rate) and NAMR (normal activity metabolic rate). Your basic metabolic rate is the rate at which you burn calories by just living. This is an important number, because it will account for most of your calorie expenditure. There are many calculators online for BMR, and here is one I use:
.
Use any one you like; they all have pretty much the same formula, and just because you have your BMR, doesn't mean you're done! The real challenge is to calculate your NAMR, i.e. the calories you expend every day doing what you do normally, without exercise. A lot of calculations take your BMR and use a multiplier for the level of activity you have. A good example of this is the . The problem is, as you can see if you look at this link, it includes your exercise activity.
What I do is this: I take my BMR and use the "sedentary" multiplier of 1.2. In my case, my BMR is 2,059 calories. Using the multiplier of 1.2, I get 2,471 calories. Since I have a sedentary job, this is just about right for me. However, if you have a job that requires a lot of walking, e.g. a school teacher, you would probably bump up this number a bit. My wife walks around 5 miles a day in her job as a teacher, so I would multiply her BMR by 1.2, and then add another 500 calories to that.
Now we want to get a weekly NAMR, so we multiply 2,471 calories x 7, which is 17,297 calories a week.
Next step: calculating your exercise calories. The best way to do this is with a heart rate monitor. Polar makes one that will also measure your calories, based on your heart rate, for around $80 US. It's much more accurate than the machines. If you can't get an HR monitor, then you'll have to use online tables or the machines. Just keep in mind that machines typically overestimate calorie expenditure, except in the case of heavy interval or HIIT cardio, in which case they typically underestimate it.
The key here is to get your average exercise calorie expenditure per week. For me, a typical week looks like this:
Day 1: HIIT Cardio, 600 calories
Day 2: Weight Training, 550 calories
Day 3: Interval Cardio, 1000 calories
Day 4: rest
Day 5: Weight Training, 550 calories
Day 6: Interval Cardio, 1000 calories
Day 7: HIIT Cardio, 600 calories
-------------------------------------------
Total: 4,300 calories
Now I have my weekly calorie expenditure: 21,597 calories per week.
This gives me a daily maintenance expenditure of 3,085 calories. In other words, if I consume about 3,000 calories a day, and keep exercising the way I do, I won't lose weight and I won't gain weight.
Since I want to lose weight, but not lean muscle mass, I want to set the right calorie deficit level. For this, I use body fat percentage.
Calculating your Body Fat Percentage
I think this is one of the most critical components of your plan. Forget about BMI, which is just a convenient index for insurance companies, and one that will penalize you severely for holding onto your muscle. (I'll give you an example of this later). Short of immersing yourself in a tank of water and paying for a scientific test at a lab, there are many less exact ways to do it.
One way that is a complete waste of time is buying a scale that measures body fat. These scales work by sending a light current through your legs. If you are male, and don't have a lot of fat on your legs, you will appear to be totally ripped. Another way is to get a cheap pair of plastic calipers online, and measure your skinfolds. This works well if you are consistent. I've actually found that the handheld devices give me a fairly accurate reading.
The key here is that you'll have to find a method that works for you, and then stick with it.
Once you know your body fat percentage, you can use it to calculate two important things: your "ideal" calorie deficit, and your target weight.
Currently, my body fat percentage is 25.8%. Not good, I know, but that's what it is. From this, I can get my lean body mass and my fat body mass, using my current weight of 237 lbs.
Lean Body Mass = 237 x (1 - 0.258) = 176 lbs.
Fat Body Mass = 237 * 0.258 = 61 lbs.
My formula for a safe deficit: 10 calories per pound of fat body mass. In my case, this would be 61 x 10, or 610 calories. In other words, if I set my average daily deficit at 610 calories, this will give me a healthy rate of weight loss that does not cut into my lean muscle mass, and one that especially doesn't trigger the "starvation" response in my metabolism.
This formula scales well, too. As you get closer to your target weight, your deficit will have to go down a bit; if you are really obese, it allows you to set a much higher deficit level, at least in the beginning.
Calculating your "Ideal" Weight
As I said, forget about BMI. Instead, use your Lean Body Mass (LBM) and your Target Body Fat Percentage (TBFP). My goal is to get to 12% body fat. (If I were a woman, this would be higher, of course) The reciprocal of this is my Target Lean Mass Percentage (TLMP). In my case, this is 88%. My target weight is my current lean body mass (LBM), divided by TLMP:
LBM/TLMP = 176 lbs. / 88% = 200 lbs.
I think you would agree that a 58 year old, 6 foot, male with 12% body fat would be pretty darned good, right? Well take a look at the BMI for this: it's 27.1, right in the middle of the "overweight" category. This is a good example of how worthless BMI is in setting your goal, and how silly it is for anyone who has any muscle mass whatsoever.
Fine-Tuning As You Progress
One of the reasons I go to all the trouble of getting these calculations is that they're good measures to have as you go along. For example, I change my Normal Activity Metabolic Rate into a rate per pound, which in my case is calculated as:
NAMR / Weight = 2,471 / 237 = 10.4 calories per pound. This is important, because as you lose weight, you have to adjust your NAMR. For example, when I weighed 270 lbs., my NAMR was 2,808 calories per day; when I am at my target weight, my NAMR will be 2,080 calories a day, a difference of 728 calories a day!
This, by the way, is one of the reasons people "plateau." They forget to adjust their NAMR after they've lost 20 or 30 pounds, and the difference of 300 calories a day, which comes to 3 pounds a month, causes them to maintain rather than lose weight.
I answer a fair number of questions about calculations, so I though I would consolidate my answer into one post that I can refer to more conveniently.
Calculating your maintenance calories
There are two important concepts here: BMR (basic metabolic rate) and NAMR (normal activity metabolic rate). Your basic metabolic rate is the rate at which you burn calories by just living. This is an important number, because it will account for most of your calorie expenditure. There are many calculators online for BMR, and here is one I use:
.
Use any one you like; they all have pretty much the same formula, and just because you have your BMR, doesn't mean you're done! The real challenge is to calculate your NAMR, i.e. the calories you expend every day doing what you do normally, without exercise. A lot of calculations take your BMR and use a multiplier for the level of activity you have. A good example of this is the . The problem is, as you can see if you look at this link, it includes your exercise activity.
What I do is this: I take my BMR and use the "sedentary" multiplier of 1.2. In my case, my BMR is 2,059 calories. Using the multiplier of 1.2, I get 2,471 calories. Since I have a sedentary job, this is just about right for me. However, if you have a job that requires a lot of walking, e.g. a school teacher, you would probably bump up this number a bit. My wife walks around 5 miles a day in her job as a teacher, so I would multiply her BMR by 1.2, and then add another 500 calories to that.
Now we want to get a weekly NAMR, so we multiply 2,471 calories x 7, which is 17,297 calories a week.
Next step: calculating your exercise calories. The best way to do this is with a heart rate monitor. Polar makes one that will also measure your calories, based on your heart rate, for around $80 US. It's much more accurate than the machines. If you can't get an HR monitor, then you'll have to use online tables or the machines. Just keep in mind that machines typically overestimate calorie expenditure, except in the case of heavy interval or HIIT cardio, in which case they typically underestimate it.
The key here is to get your average exercise calorie expenditure per week. For me, a typical week looks like this:
Day 1: HIIT Cardio, 600 calories
Day 2: Weight Training, 550 calories
Day 3: Interval Cardio, 1000 calories
Day 4: rest
Day 5: Weight Training, 550 calories
Day 6: Interval Cardio, 1000 calories
Day 7: HIIT Cardio, 600 calories
-------------------------------------------
Total: 4,300 calories
Now I have my weekly calorie expenditure: 21,597 calories per week.
This gives me a daily maintenance expenditure of 3,085 calories. In other words, if I consume about 3,000 calories a day, and keep exercising the way I do, I won't lose weight and I won't gain weight.
Since I want to lose weight, but not lean muscle mass, I want to set the right calorie deficit level. For this, I use body fat percentage.
Calculating your Body Fat Percentage
I think this is one of the most critical components of your plan. Forget about BMI, which is just a convenient index for insurance companies, and one that will penalize you severely for holding onto your muscle. (I'll give you an example of this later). Short of immersing yourself in a tank of water and paying for a scientific test at a lab, there are many less exact ways to do it.
One way that is a complete waste of time is buying a scale that measures body fat. These scales work by sending a light current through your legs. If you are male, and don't have a lot of fat on your legs, you will appear to be totally ripped. Another way is to get a cheap pair of plastic calipers online, and measure your skinfolds. This works well if you are consistent. I've actually found that the handheld devices give me a fairly accurate reading.
The key here is that you'll have to find a method that works for you, and then stick with it.
Once you know your body fat percentage, you can use it to calculate two important things: your "ideal" calorie deficit, and your target weight.
Currently, my body fat percentage is 25.8%. Not good, I know, but that's what it is. From this, I can get my lean body mass and my fat body mass, using my current weight of 237 lbs.
Lean Body Mass = 237 x (1 - 0.258) = 176 lbs.
Fat Body Mass = 237 * 0.258 = 61 lbs.
My formula for a safe deficit: 10 calories per pound of fat body mass. In my case, this would be 61 x 10, or 610 calories. In other words, if I set my average daily deficit at 610 calories, this will give me a healthy rate of weight loss that does not cut into my lean muscle mass, and one that especially doesn't trigger the "starvation" response in my metabolism.
This formula scales well, too. As you get closer to your target weight, your deficit will have to go down a bit; if you are really obese, it allows you to set a much higher deficit level, at least in the beginning.
Calculating your "Ideal" Weight
As I said, forget about BMI. Instead, use your Lean Body Mass (LBM) and your Target Body Fat Percentage (TBFP). My goal is to get to 12% body fat. (If I were a woman, this would be higher, of course) The reciprocal of this is my Target Lean Mass Percentage (TLMP). In my case, this is 88%. My target weight is my current lean body mass (LBM), divided by TLMP:
LBM/TLMP = 176 lbs. / 88% = 200 lbs.
I think you would agree that a 58 year old, 6 foot, male with 12% body fat would be pretty darned good, right? Well take a look at the BMI for this: it's 27.1, right in the middle of the "overweight" category. This is a good example of how worthless BMI is in setting your goal, and how silly it is for anyone who has any muscle mass whatsoever.
Fine-Tuning As You Progress
One of the reasons I go to all the trouble of getting these calculations is that they're good measures to have as you go along. For example, I change my Normal Activity Metabolic Rate into a rate per pound, which in my case is calculated as:
NAMR / Weight = 2,471 / 237 = 10.4 calories per pound. This is important, because as you lose weight, you have to adjust your NAMR. For example, when I weighed 270 lbs., my NAMR was 2,808 calories per day; when I am at my target weight, my NAMR will be 2,080 calories a day, a difference of 728 calories a day!
This, by the way, is one of the reasons people "plateau." They forget to adjust their NAMR after they've lost 20 or 30 pounds, and the difference of 300 calories a day, which comes to 3 pounds a month, causes them to maintain rather than lose weight.