The Fat Loss TroubleshootThis is your place to troubleshoot your fat loss problems from nutrition to training. This section is led by Leigh Peele, author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," the ultimate fat loss manual. If your results have slowed or stalled this is the place to come for advice for all your fat loss needs.
1) Clarifying question - for weeks 10-12, in resistance workouts C1 and C2 - are we supposed to hold each position of the plank progression for 30 seconds? i.e. plank on forearms, then side plank on each side then plank on forearms lifting one leg and then the other leg? So, a total of 5 - 30 second holds? Not 10 repetitions of each position for 30 seconds? (I think not, but want to check). Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I want to make sure I'm doing this workout correctly.
2) Will doing a little extra cardio (nothing extreme-just about 20-30 minutes of cardio at about 50 MHR) during weeks 5-8 jeopardize results?
3) If I haven't lost all the weight I'm looking to lose at the end of the 12 weeks of OPT, what would you recommend doing? Staying in a deficit? Taking one week off and then repeating? Something else entirely?
1) I'm not looking at it right now, but planks are always for times, not reps.
2) you can do what you want, in reality, but it may end up being too taxing for you, may not. The "danger" is that you go too high intensity/work and then can't be up and about with your neat the rest of the day, lowering expenditure, or you get too hungry and eat, raising cals. If neither happened, good for you.
3) She talks about that, go back and read. Somethign like, take a bit off then start again.
Thanks so much experts! No, neither is happening with regards to number 2. I'm just a wierdo that craves cardio, I guess, so I try to keep it low-level.
How much time does Leigh (or anyone else) recommend taking off (resting) before starting up again? is a week sufficient?
Sounds good then. I like even a little above but that usually doesn't have to be stated because once you start eating you don't have much of a problem stopping, usually
One other question - can you work out during that rest week? will the fact that I'm eating at maintenance restore my hormone levels (ie leptin and ghrelin) even if I'm working out?
I'm not Leigh and I don't have OPT here in front of me, but generally speaking rest weeks mean no weight training of any significance. Walks, easy bike rides, frisbee, OK - but not a workout week.
whoops - Lisa - I actually meant "maintenance" week versus rest week. I'm talking about when I'm done with OPT and I want to eat at maintenance for a week or two before I got back to any kind of a deficit in calories, I'm wondering if it's okay for me to work out.
From what I've read, if there is no scale loss in 3 weeks, something should change.
1. I'm beginning Stage 2 Rest, today. I have lost 0 lbs in 3 weeks. I ate avg 1431cal over the 3wks (Range was 1275-1410 but avg deficit was still 725cal). My GWF says I should have lost 4.5 lbs from the deficit in my spreadsheet. My macros were a bit high in the carb and low in the protein, on average 31%fat, 39%carb, 32%pro...
I have lost inches:
-1" ribcage
-1.5" waist
-3.5" stomach
-1" hips
My plan for this week, stage 2, is to have my macros spot on, theory being that I will flush out water retention.
Stage 2 questions:
1. Can you give me more facts I may be missing, like
a. how much sodium
b. 64oz water enough?
c. how do I monitor potassium (see supplement list at bottom)
d. Anything else I should focus on, to cause scale loss? My goal is 4-6lbs/month, and my deficit is on target for that, even if I may be underestimating or not counting 100 cal/day.
2. Also, for phase 2 REST, can a deficit still be 800-1300cal?
Need I keep my deficit low, or can I continue NEAT: recreational walking, housecleaning, burnin' cooking, yoga... I plan on eating 1176cal. (50%protein)
Great simple program OPT for Fatloss, I love those low to high Woodchops, feels like a primer for kettlebells. Also, 3 weeks ago I was creaky from my back sprain, and generally weak from 4 months' post surgery immobility. I have been very conservative, using 3lb dumbbells instead of my usual 12-15lb, but by 3rd week, was beginning to increase the weights and generally feel stronger and less creaky and my energy is back!
Leigh,
Stage 3 question about cardio:
1. INTERVALS: I love my Jazzercise class. During the Jazzercise class, could I alternate between pumping hard and walking through the exercises. Might that work instead of boring exercise bike?
2. How intense?: 75% of my MHR, or 124 (55% is 90), is kind of low for what I'm used to. So is that okay? At 120 this past 3 weeks, I hit vigorous on my GWF only for 5-7 min of the class. For Jazzercise it seems fine, but for intervals on exercise bike, it seems to light.
3. And why intervals instead of steady state for Stage 3 weeks 5-8? Does this make a difference with fat loss? When I did intervals last year with Turbulence Training, and I was going from about 110 low, to about 150 for the high minute, it's not like I lost any weight anyway.
Guess I'm asking you if I can continue Jazzercise instead of intervals? What detriment will that be in the OPT program? What benefit if I switch to intervals?
Leigh,
Stage 3 question about cardio:
1. INTERVALS: I love my Jazzercise class. During the Jazzercise class, could I alternate between pumping hard and walking through the exercises. Might that work instead of boring exercise bike?
2. How intense?: 75% of my MHR, or 124 (55% is 90), is kind of low for what I'm used to. So is that okay? At 120 this past 3 weeks, I hit vigorous on my GWF only for 5-7 min of the class. For Jazzercise it seems fine, but for intervals on exercise bike, it seems to light.
3. And why intervals instead of steady state for Stage 3 weeks 5-8? Does this make a difference with fat loss? When I did intervals last year with Turbulence Training, and I was going from about 110 low, to about 150 for the high minute, it's not like I lost any weight anyway.
Guess I'm asking you if I can continue Jazzercise instead of intervals? What detriment will that be in the OPT program? What benefit if I switch to intervals?
thanks!
Reposting this question, hoping Leigh will see it:
SUMMARY:
1. What are the drawbacks to my doing Jazzercise hour class instead of intervals for weeks 5-8 of OPT for Fatloss
Etana, just a thought--maybe you want to start a new thread with "For Leigh" or something in the subject line? Since she's already replied to the OP, she may be assuming there's nothing else for her in this one.
Etana, just a thought--maybe you want to start a new thread with "For Leigh" or something in the subject line? Since she's already replied to the OP, she may be assuming there's nothing else for her in this one.
I hate threads "for Leigh"
what is OP?
When I have a thread with new messages, they appear bolded, so I know there are some that haven't been read... If she doesnt' see it in a day or so, I may take you up on that.
I assume she follows all the threads with OPT in the Subject
thanks for the suggestion. I don't think it's an emergency. Bottom line is calories....
If whatever you do gets you in target ranges (or close enough) for the time periods necessary, then do whatever you want.
IIRC, her intervals are intervals, not HIIT, and it's prolly to help you build a bit of conditioning and keep you entertained, get the heart rate up some, and still allow for recovery. Or it may be simple variety. Just because intervals aren't necessarily any (visibly) better a weightloss tool for you doesn't mean they shouldn't be in a program.
As for what your intensity is, if you've been doing stuff for a bit, there's better ways to figure out your anaerobic threshold than just doing a 220-age percentage… esp for people who are better conditioned. Which is also how you manage to work out what's your appropriate threshold for various kinds of cardio… since conditioning and adaptation/efficiency will change.
If whatever you do gets you in target ranges (or close enough) for the time periods necessary, then do whatever you want.
IIRC, her intervals are intervals, not HIIT, and it's prolly to help you build a bit of conditioning and keep you entertained, get the heart rate up some, and still allow for recovery. Or it may be simple variety. Just because intervals aren't necessarily any (visibly) better a weightloss tool for you doesn't mean they shouldn't be in a program..
Yeah, I know it's not HIIT....
ehh, but I love jazzercise and hate interval or hiit (dont' find it entertaining in the least..... Oh, I guess you mean the change from fast to slow) ... hate the exercise bike... The time flies with my jazzercise class. I was asking if there'd be much difference in results if I just do Jazzercise and skip the interval....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aoife
As for what your intensity is, if you've been doing stuff for a bit, there's better ways to figure out your anaerobic threshold than just doing a 220-age percentage… esp for people who are better conditioned. Which is also how you manage to work out what's your appropriate threshold for various kinds of cardio… since conditioning and adaptation/efficiency will change.
Very interesting. Could you explain, examples, specific.
I got a rate 70% of 164 is 115; with the intervals
75% x 164 = 123
55% x 164 = 90
seems very very moderate
On a bike, I think my high doing HIIT or intervals (probably intervals)... was 151.. so maybe 123 is way too low... I thougth maybe Leigh's point is to be moderate not intense in exercise....
I wasn't assuming you thought it was HIIT, just saying that it is meant as variety and some moderate intensity, but certainly not super-high intensity like HIIT, and therefore intervals (however you're gonna do them) make sense in the program.
I can't find a reason for you to not do them how you want. I mean, there's walking/jogging (treddy or outdoor), there's cycle (indoor or out), there's ellipticals, jump rope, dancing… whaddeva makes you move. The point is moving and varying the heartrate/intensity… not to do something specific. Hell, I'd think personally dance or jazzercise or whatever along those lines is better simply because you're moving more of your body… better for all over balance and movement and whatnot… ya know?
I'll have to look for what I was talking about. Basically, you start doing whatever it is you are choosing to do, (wearing a HRmonitor makes this easier) and go for a bit. You end up increasing the intensity as you go and as you increase at some point you hit AT (anaerobic threshold… basically where you're working too much to effectively burn oxygen and turn to ATP stores or something…) And you use that number for that to calculate your max, and whatnot… it's been a bit and I'm vague on some details … but you get to the point where you can't go for long (anaerobic) before lactic acid builds up enough and the burning happens and blah blah blah there you go.
So, it's possible, with training to increase you threshold point. It's why Lance is like so badass. But, to an extent it's also a matter of specificity due to adaptation and mechanical efficiency… so your numbers can vary depending on what you do (cycling v. running, for instance). Is why when Lance tried the running thing he wasn't nearly so damn badass.
I'll look later and see if I can find somethng that explains this much way more better than me.
I've hesitated to post as don't want to second guess Leigh but I don't think that substituting Jazzercise for intervals will be a problem or in anyway affect your results negatively. You're not new to exercise--you know what you like and what works for you. I'm a fan of the philosophy that the best exercise is the exercise you're more likely to actually do.
I am a big advocate of following programs as much as possible as they are written. But this isn't always realistic and no matter how good a program is it still isn't going to suit everybody in all situations. Sometimes modifications make sense. In situations like these I tend to step back and look at the forest not the trees to decide if my modification or substitute will work or not. It doesn't sound like your Jazzercise is that much different than what Leigh outlines in terms of overall intensity and duration and frequency so I don't think it'll be a problem.
My polar uses more than just age to set up heart rate zones but I don't remember the formula off hand. If I'm not wearing my monitor I go by percieved exertion and just use the heart rate guidelines to gauge recommended intensity.
a couple of OPT questions for Leigh
Linear Mode
