On December 1st I posted these goals:
1.) Lose 35 pounds of fat
2.) Get to a consistent pace of 9:45 a mile or better
3.) Be able to run 6 miles at the 9:45 pace twice twice a day.
Well, it's been 4 weeks. Where am I at?
1.) I've lost about 4-5 pounds. More on that next monday. I got about 35 weeks left till the
race. So, I'm ahead of schedule on this one.
2.) My pace is at about 10:55. I dropped a minute in 4 weeks. This ahead of schedule as well.
I like it.
3.) My last treadmill jog was about 5.3 miles. I'm trying to add about 0.1 miles a week. We'll
get to that 6 miles twice a day thing later on. I'd say I'm on track on this one.
One other random fact: My resting heart rate has dropped to 53ish.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Jogging on Christmas?
So, I got some running/jogging gear on Christmas. New shoes, new moisture-wicking shirts x3, and new jogging pants x2. I had skipped exercise on Christmas Eve. So, it was only reasonable that I test out my new gear on Christmas!
Mind you, the gym was closed. So, I had to hit the road. Couple problems: It was pretty stinking cold out. Oh, and did I mention the REE-DICULOUS Troutdale wind going on? This was the kind where you end up with your neighbor's garbage cans etc. Gotta love it.
Doesn't matter. I threw down 5 miles. In that 5 miles, I did a mile pace check on a nearby school track. 10:55 was my mile time. That's over a minute reduction on my mile time. This isn't like "how fast can I run a mile." This was a consistent pace thing. As in, I can do 3 of them at that pace, etc. Now, I've already hit that pace and better on a treadmill. But, on the road with no machine helping, it's different. You also burn more calories! I thrashed some 1000 calories. Not bad.
Speaking of buring calories, I measured this morning. I'm down about 0.5% body fat since last check. It's a step in the right direction. I'm ALMOST not obese. I'll let you know. :)
BTW, I strongly recommend Brooks Beasts shoes for jogging/running. They last. I'm on my 5th pair I think. It's the only kind I wear. I've used Nike and Reebok in the past. They look nice, and they're light. But, they are not nearly as durable or substantial as Beasts. Maybe it's just for us fatties. Well, I'm stickin' to 'em.
Merry Christmas. Praise God for a baby in a feed trough a couple millenia ago. Amazing.
Mind you, the gym was closed. So, I had to hit the road. Couple problems: It was pretty stinking cold out. Oh, and did I mention the REE-DICULOUS Troutdale wind going on? This was the kind where you end up with your neighbor's garbage cans etc. Gotta love it.
Doesn't matter. I threw down 5 miles. In that 5 miles, I did a mile pace check on a nearby school track. 10:55 was my mile time. That's over a minute reduction on my mile time. This isn't like "how fast can I run a mile." This was a consistent pace thing. As in, I can do 3 of them at that pace, etc. Now, I've already hit that pace and better on a treadmill. But, on the road with no machine helping, it's different. You also burn more calories! I thrashed some 1000 calories. Not bad.
Speaking of buring calories, I measured this morning. I'm down about 0.5% body fat since last check. It's a step in the right direction. I'm ALMOST not obese. I'll let you know. :)
BTW, I strongly recommend Brooks Beasts shoes for jogging/running. They last. I'm on my 5th pair I think. It's the only kind I wear. I've used Nike and Reebok in the past. They look nice, and they're light. But, they are not nearly as durable or substantial as Beasts. Maybe it's just for us fatties. Well, I'm stickin' to 'em.
Merry Christmas. Praise God for a baby in a feed trough a couple millenia ago. Amazing.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Update: Christmas Eve Eve
Well folks, despite the lack of recent posts, Fatty has been on track. In fact, I hit a new level yesterday on pace. I did a 5+ mile jog on a treadmill and was able to do it at a pace of 5.6 mph (10:42). In fact, I bumped it up to 6 mph (10:00) for about a mile. This is a big improvement over my starting place of 12 min miles.
What about the weight? Well, it's not easy with Christmas food and treats everywhere. BUT, I believe I did drop a little. I'm down to about 283 right now.
My goal is to hit January 1st at LESS than 283. If I do that, I will have succeeded through the food gauntlet that is Christmas/New Years.
I have been trying to increase protein some and decrease junk carbs. Also, I've tried eating less in general. It's revolutionary, I know.
Back to pace for a moment. You'll notice I refer to myself as "jogging." That's because I do not considering it running until I hit the 6 mph point. So, the blog's name is questionable at this point. However, I hope to justify the title soon given how I am closing in on that pace.
Fatty might be "runnin" for real soon.
What about the weight? Well, it's not easy with Christmas food and treats everywhere. BUT, I believe I did drop a little. I'm down to about 283 right now.
My goal is to hit January 1st at LESS than 283. If I do that, I will have succeeded through the food gauntlet that is Christmas/New Years.
I have been trying to increase protein some and decrease junk carbs. Also, I've tried eating less in general. It's revolutionary, I know.
Back to pace for a moment. You'll notice I refer to myself as "jogging." That's because I do not considering it running until I hit the 6 mph point. So, the blog's name is questionable at this point. However, I hope to justify the title soon given how I am closing in on that pace.
Fatty might be "runnin" for real soon.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Important Measurements
When you are trying to get fit, it's important to know where you're at to start with.
Now, most people focus on only one number: The readout on the scale.
But, that number can be REALLY misleading. Sometimes people will look at BMI charts that use height and weight to come up with a number for your Body Mass Index.
Don't use that number either!! It's practically worthless for too many people. Just like the heart rate charts on the wall of the gym, it will only give you a ballpark figure. It should not be trusted.
So... What do we use instead? I'm glad you asked.
The answer is body fat %. "Oh sure Fatty! That's a really easy number to calculate!" Actually, it can be. "HOW?" I'm glad you asked.
The super-accurate method is to get dunked in a big tank of water while some dude in a lab coat jots notes on a clipboard.
There are two other ways that work okay too. You can have a trained person do a skin fold test with some calipers. Or, you can do bioelectrical impedance using little devices that shoot electricity through your fat to see how much there is. Some fancy scales have these built in. You can buy a separate one online for like $40-$50.
OR... You can use an easier/cheaper method. A measuring tape! Do you have one of those 60-inch measuring tapes lying around? If you don't, you can buy them for $2-$3 at the grocery store.
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS
The above link goes to an online preview of the book The Ultimate Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey. Look at chapter 5 (pp 27-32) to get directions. It's pretty easy, but there are some tips and some math involved. I suggest you read the whole chapter (it's short) before measuring. Actually, I highly recommend the whole book. It's excellent, and it's a fun/easy read.
Now, I calculated this for myself this morning before breakfast. I got 30.71%. That's called obese folks.
Here's a short article with a chart
BUT, if I look at BMI, the picture is much worse. I get a BMI of like 41+... That puts me in the obese class III (worst). Why? Because I weigh a lot man. But, I have roughly 196 pounds of LEAN body mass. According to BMI charts, I'd be highly overweight and almost obese (BMI 29) if I had ZERO fat on my body. I'd also be dead since you have to have about 3% body fat to survive.. But whatev.
Principle: Don't trust BMI charts. Calculate your own body fat %.
Now, most people focus on only one number: The readout on the scale.
But, that number can be REALLY misleading. Sometimes people will look at BMI charts that use height and weight to come up with a number for your Body Mass Index.
Don't use that number either!! It's practically worthless for too many people. Just like the heart rate charts on the wall of the gym, it will only give you a ballpark figure. It should not be trusted.
So... What do we use instead? I'm glad you asked.
The answer is body fat %. "Oh sure Fatty! That's a really easy number to calculate!" Actually, it can be. "HOW?" I'm glad you asked.
The super-accurate method is to get dunked in a big tank of water while some dude in a lab coat jots notes on a clipboard.
There are two other ways that work okay too. You can have a trained person do a skin fold test with some calipers. Or, you can do bioelectrical impedance using little devices that shoot electricity through your fat to see how much there is. Some fancy scales have these built in. You can buy a separate one online for like $40-$50.
OR... You can use an easier/cheaper method. A measuring tape! Do you have one of those 60-inch measuring tapes lying around? If you don't, you can buy them for $2-$3 at the grocery store.
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS
The above link goes to an online preview of the book The Ultimate Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey. Look at chapter 5 (pp 27-32) to get directions. It's pretty easy, but there are some tips and some math involved. I suggest you read the whole chapter (it's short) before measuring. Actually, I highly recommend the whole book. It's excellent, and it's a fun/easy read.
Now, I calculated this for myself this morning before breakfast. I got 30.71%. That's called obese folks.
Here's a short article with a chart
BUT, if I look at BMI, the picture is much worse. I get a BMI of like 41+... That puts me in the obese class III (worst). Why? Because I weigh a lot man. But, I have roughly 196 pounds of LEAN body mass. According to BMI charts, I'd be highly overweight and almost obese (BMI 29) if I had ZERO fat on my body. I'd also be dead since you have to have about 3% body fat to survive.. But whatev.
Principle: Don't trust BMI charts. Calculate your own body fat %.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Training Day 8 Highlight
Yeah, I already have a highlight. I came off a weak workout yesterday, so I was able to kick it up a bit today. I went for a 5.2 mile jog. That's a new distance. Also, I was able to do a new faster pace of about 5.6 mph (10:42). Both of those numbers do not include warm-up/cool-down. This is pretty good progress. The treadmill said I burned 1355 calories... But those things are full of bull, and I forgot my handy dandy watch today.
You just never know what might happen when you're Runnin with Fatty.
You just never know what might happen when you're Runnin with Fatty.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Training Day 7
Well, it was a quick one today, so I pulled out the HIITs again. I spent about 30 min on the treadmill.
From here on, I'll try to do just a weekly overview and/or highlights. No one wants to read 653 posts a week. Besides, how much can you really milk the bowel problems material? Okay, I probably could milk it a bit... We'll see. For now, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day, and I'm pooped... get it?
From here on, I'll try to do just a weekly overview and/or highlights. No one wants to read 653 posts a week. Besides, how much can you really milk the bowel problems material? Okay, I probably could milk it a bit... We'll see. For now, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day, and I'm pooped... get it?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Training Day 6
Well, I got my rear to the gym again today. I had a pretty good session. I jogged 8.05 kilometers at a pace of 8.7 km/h. This was about 55 min of aerobic work not including warm-up/cool-down.
I've decided that converting things into metric makes it seem WAY more impressive. It sounds like I did way more than 5 miles.
It works the other way too. If I convert my weight into kilograms, it comes to only about 130. Doesn't that seem trim? :)
Semantics aside, the mirror still says the same thing, "DANG YOU'RE A FATTY!" Stupid mirrors.
I've been toying with the idea of doing a diet. By "toying with" I mean that I'm trying to convince my wife that it's not expensive. For the most part, I hate diets. But, let's be honest- it pretty much needs to be a factor if I want to reach my goals. So, I've been thinking about the kind where you buy all the food from the company. As long as you just eat their food, it's pretty idiot proof. That's the exact kind of proofing I need.
I've decided that converting things into metric makes it seem WAY more impressive. It sounds like I did way more than 5 miles.
It works the other way too. If I convert my weight into kilograms, it comes to only about 130. Doesn't that seem trim? :)
Semantics aside, the mirror still says the same thing, "DANG YOU'RE A FATTY!" Stupid mirrors.
I've been toying with the idea of doing a diet. By "toying with" I mean that I'm trying to convince my wife that it's not expensive. For the most part, I hate diets. But, let's be honest- it pretty much needs to be a factor if I want to reach my goals. So, I've been thinking about the kind where you buy all the food from the company. As long as you just eat their food, it's pretty idiot proof. That's the exact kind of proofing I need.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Training Day 5
Hey Folks, Fatty Here.
I am coming off a short workout (training day 4) and a day off. So, I went longer and a little faster.
I jogged a hair over 5 miles at a pace of about 11:06 per mile (5.4mph) on a treadmill at the gym. That was about 56 min of cardio not incl. warm-up/cool-down. I thought I would be feeling it afterward. I'm not. I feel totally good. I probably won't repeat that tomorrow though. We'll see.
Oh, and about 40 min. in.... I experienced some... distress. I did a mini cool-down, hit the throne, and was back at it in no time- feeling a little lighter somehow.
According to my handy watch, I burned about 1000 calories. I'd say the watch is somewhat accurate. It adjusts to your heart rate. It always reads lower than the treadmill. According to that, I was at like 1300. A drop in the fatty bucket I'm afraid. But, that's how we do it- one drop of buttery lard at a time.
I am coming off a short workout (training day 4) and a day off. So, I went longer and a little faster.
I jogged a hair over 5 miles at a pace of about 11:06 per mile (5.4mph) on a treadmill at the gym. That was about 56 min of cardio not incl. warm-up/cool-down. I thought I would be feeling it afterward. I'm not. I feel totally good. I probably won't repeat that tomorrow though. We'll see.
Oh, and about 40 min. in.... I experienced some... distress. I did a mini cool-down, hit the throne, and was back at it in no time- feeling a little lighter somehow.
According to my handy watch, I burned about 1000 calories. I'd say the watch is somewhat accurate. It adjusts to your heart rate. It always reads lower than the treadmill. According to that, I was at like 1300. A drop in the fatty bucket I'm afraid. But, that's how we do it- one drop of buttery lard at a time.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Training Day 4
Well, today the wife and the new baby came home. I took the opportunity at nap time to hit the gym. The wife instructed me to keep it short today because she wanted me back before the kids woke up. Apparently, she didn't want to deal with all three boys by herself little more than 48 hours post-delivery. I know, selfish right? I had about an hour and a halfish. That's about how long Caleb sleeps.
So, I did a 30 min treadmill jog (not incl. warm-up and cool-down). I did kick the speed up a bit to compensate somewhat. So, I managed about 3 miles at a pace averaging about 11:15.
Those of you who are good at math might be wondering what I did with the other half of that gym time. You only used 30 min of 90? What's the deal? Okay, so, I do about 8 min on either side of the jog for warm-up and cool-down. So, we're up to 46 min. That's like half right? Okay, then there is travel to and from the gym. That's another 15-20 roundtrip give or take. Ok, so were at 66 tops. Why cut the workout so short?
In a previous post, I explained that I fight a little "bowel distress." Time to explain.
I can remember back to the summer between 7th and 8th grade. I would go rollerblading for hours with friends. And right as I would leave the house to initiate such a thing, it would happen. Distress. Specifically, I HAVE to grab and toilet and hit the “twice”, “the deuce”, the “#2”… You get the idea. This happened without fail.
It still does. My body knows when exercise is imminent. I WILL have to go. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. “Just go sometime before.” My response: It does not matter. You think I’ve never thought about this? You think I’ve never tried it? Many times?? Let me repeat: IT DOES NOT MATTER. In fact, if we’re talking about extended aerobic sessions (over an hour), there may be a secondary… um… appointment. I’d say given those circumstances, there’s a 1 in 8 chance based on experience.
The question is WHY. I have no idea. Everything just… moves downward I guess. Does it have to do with being a fatty? Is it just too much for my body to handle and so my bowels are rebelling? Answer: No. How do I know? Two reasons: First, it happened even when I was at my fittest. Second, I’m not the only one. That is, there are marathon runners who have similar problems. I’ve done some research. In fact, some are so dedicated that they run right through it. I’ll let you meditate on that.
Exercise can be an ugly business. I hope your gut is more stable than mine.
For relatedish laugh
So, I did a 30 min treadmill jog (not incl. warm-up and cool-down). I did kick the speed up a bit to compensate somewhat. So, I managed about 3 miles at a pace averaging about 11:15.
Those of you who are good at math might be wondering what I did with the other half of that gym time. You only used 30 min of 90? What's the deal? Okay, so, I do about 8 min on either side of the jog for warm-up and cool-down. So, we're up to 46 min. That's like half right? Okay, then there is travel to and from the gym. That's another 15-20 roundtrip give or take. Ok, so were at 66 tops. Why cut the workout so short?
In a previous post, I explained that I fight a little "bowel distress." Time to explain.
I can remember back to the summer between 7th and 8th grade. I would go rollerblading for hours with friends. And right as I would leave the house to initiate such a thing, it would happen. Distress. Specifically, I HAVE to grab and toilet and hit the “twice”, “the deuce”, the “#2”… You get the idea. This happened without fail.
It still does. My body knows when exercise is imminent. I WILL have to go. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. “Just go sometime before.” My response: It does not matter. You think I’ve never thought about this? You think I’ve never tried it? Many times?? Let me repeat: IT DOES NOT MATTER. In fact, if we’re talking about extended aerobic sessions (over an hour), there may be a secondary… um… appointment. I’d say given those circumstances, there’s a 1 in 8 chance based on experience.
The question is WHY. I have no idea. Everything just… moves downward I guess. Does it have to do with being a fatty? Is it just too much for my body to handle and so my bowels are rebelling? Answer: No. How do I know? Two reasons: First, it happened even when I was at my fittest. Second, I’m not the only one. That is, there are marathon runners who have similar problems. I’ve done some research. In fact, some are so dedicated that they run right through it. I’ll let you meditate on that.
Exercise can be an ugly business. I hope your gut is more stable than mine.
For relatedish laugh
What is "aerobic" anyway?
Here are the basics of aerobic exercise the condensed-abridged version:
1. It uses big muscle groups (butt and legs)
2. You're breathing deeply but not out of breath
3. Your heart rate is in the range of 65-80% of maximum
4. The exercise is sustained for a minimum of 20 minutes
That's it. But, how do you know where you're at on the breathing and heart rate thing?
There are charts at gyms that tell you good heart rates. Ignore these. Why? Because up to 40% of people DO NOT FIT the chart. Only trust these for a real ballpark figure.
First, I'll give you the technically accurate way, and then I'll give the super easy way.
Technically Accurate (aka the Karvonen method)
1. Find your RESTING heart rate (RHR) by taking your pulse for 60 seconds before getting out of bed in the morning (best time) or after lying down and really relaxing for 15-20 minutes or so. Even better, do this like three times over 3 days to get an average.
2. 220 - your age is your MAXIMUM heart rate (MHR) calculate that.
3. Subtract your RHR from your MHR to get X. (MHR-RHR=X)
4. Multiply X by .65 and then ADD BACK your RHR. This gives you your LOW END of your aerobic range.
5. Multiply X by .8 and then ADD BACK your RHR. This gives you your HIGH END of your aerobic range.
EXAMPLE: My resting heart rate is about 55. I'm 29, so to get my max heart rate I subtract 29 from 220.
220-29= 191 = My MHR
191-55 = 136 = My "X"
136 * .65 = 88.4 + 55 = 143.4 = My LOW END
136 * .8 = 108.8 + 55 = 163.8 = My HIGH END
So, when I exercise, my heart rate should be between 143 and 164 beats per minute.
When you're exercising, take your pulse for 6 seconds and multiply by 10 to get your heart rate. OR you can be like me and buy a little watch for 25-30 bucks at Wal-Mart that does it at the touch of a button.
There's got to be a simpler way though right? There is.
Remember the song "Row Row Row Your Boat"? Sing it to yourself while exercising. If you can't get past the second or third "ROW" without taking a breath, then you are exercising too hard. If you can get to "merrily merrily..." without taking a breath, then you are not exercising hard enough. Simple huh?
Those are the basics. Now quit reading and get out there!! :)
1. It uses big muscle groups (butt and legs)
2. You're breathing deeply but not out of breath
3. Your heart rate is in the range of 65-80% of maximum
4. The exercise is sustained for a minimum of 20 minutes
That's it. But, how do you know where you're at on the breathing and heart rate thing?
There are charts at gyms that tell you good heart rates. Ignore these. Why? Because up to 40% of people DO NOT FIT the chart. Only trust these for a real ballpark figure.
First, I'll give you the technically accurate way, and then I'll give the super easy way.
Technically Accurate (aka the Karvonen method)
1. Find your RESTING heart rate (RHR) by taking your pulse for 60 seconds before getting out of bed in the morning (best time) or after lying down and really relaxing for 15-20 minutes or so. Even better, do this like three times over 3 days to get an average.
2. 220 - your age is your MAXIMUM heart rate (MHR) calculate that.
3. Subtract your RHR from your MHR to get X. (MHR-RHR=X)
4. Multiply X by .65 and then ADD BACK your RHR. This gives you your LOW END of your aerobic range.
5. Multiply X by .8 and then ADD BACK your RHR. This gives you your HIGH END of your aerobic range.
EXAMPLE: My resting heart rate is about 55. I'm 29, so to get my max heart rate I subtract 29 from 220.
220-29= 191 = My MHR
191-55 = 136 = My "X"
136 * .65 = 88.4 + 55 = 143.4 = My LOW END
136 * .8 = 108.8 + 55 = 163.8 = My HIGH END
So, when I exercise, my heart rate should be between 143 and 164 beats per minute.
When you're exercising, take your pulse for 6 seconds and multiply by 10 to get your heart rate. OR you can be like me and buy a little watch for 25-30 bucks at Wal-Mart that does it at the touch of a button.
There's got to be a simpler way though right? There is.
EASY WAY: (aka the "talk test")
Your breathing will tell you where you need to be. So, when you're exercising here's an easy way to tell where you're at.
Those are the basics. Now quit reading and get out there!! :)
Training Day 3
Last night I hit the gym for about 45 min of general cardio. This would be my cross training session #1 for the week. "Crosstraining" rests the jog/run muscles somewhat while still improving overall fitness. The key is just to use a different exercise. In my case, I went for stairs and high-incline walking. Crosstraining also helps your body NOT get too used to one exercise. That way you burn more calories.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Training Day 2
Treadmill jog for 40 min aerobically (not including warm-up and cool-down).
AVG Pace 12min/mile (5mph)
I didn't feel too great today. I've felt a little sick since last night. Kinda like mild food poisoning. But, I'm glad I went. 80% of getting fit is just getting out there or getting your butt to the gym.
Looks like I won't be getting a workout in tomorrow since my wife is being induced into labor with our third son. That's a decent excuse.
Thankfully, our sons- so far- do not appear to be fatties. We'll see though.
AVG Pace 12min/mile (5mph)
I didn't feel too great today. I've felt a little sick since last night. Kinda like mild food poisoning. But, I'm glad I went. 80% of getting fit is just getting out there or getting your butt to the gym.
Looks like I won't be getting a workout in tomorrow since my wife is being induced into labor with our third son. That's a decent excuse.
Thankfully, our sons- so far- do not appear to be fatties. We'll see though.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Let's say you want to get fit fast. Doesn't everyone? Well, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. You want to progress farther faster? You need intensity.
Now wait a second Fatty! Maybe I'm not ready for anything intense right now. I'm a freaking fatty for crying out loud! You want to take a big fatty and throw them into "intense" exercise?! That's crazy talk.
Yes I do. But let me explain.
Okay, so despite being a fatty and morbidly obese, I'm actually "in-shape"... at least cardiovascularly speaking. Physically, I'm only in-shape if you consider a land-based beluga whale the ideal shape that we're talking about.
So, yes, you should probably establish some baseline of fitness first. BUT, even then you can use intensity to your advantage.
What about injuries? Intense exercising for a fatty? That sounds like a recipe for chocolate cake- I mean getting hurt. Sorry my mind was wandering..
What do I mean about intensity? Well, here it is in a nutshell:
That's it!
See, even if you are a fatty that can only briskly walk, you can add a slow jog for a minute or two and then back off to the brisk walk.
If you're a marathon runner, the same concept applies. Say you run at an 8 minute pace normally. Bump it up to 7 minutes for like 3 minutes. Then go back down to the 8 minute pace for 1.5 minutes or so (until you've caught your breath) and repeat.
How many times in a workout/in a week?
At first, just do it once per workout, once a week. After two weeks, throw it in twice in a work out, once a week. Eventually, you can do 5 or 6 reps in a workout once a week or even twice a week if you're really going for it.
Couple of key concepts:
1. Don't go ALL OUT during an intensity interval. Just go from comfortable aerobic pace to a little out of breath.
2. Recover after the interval at your original pace NOT a slower pace. That's what pushes your body to make fitness gains faster.
3. Don't start these intensity intervals until you have some basis for aerobic fitness. I don't mean that you can run 5 miles. I mean like you can walk a mile in 20 minutes without getting out of breath. If you can do that, you can SLOWLY start incorporating intervals. Start with one and work your way up.
4. Start wherever you're at. If all you can do is walk, then walk a little faster for 20-30 seconds for an interval, then resume your regular walk. If you can jog at 5mph, and then jog at 6mph for a couple minutes and back to 5.
Adding these intervals or "wind sprints" to your exercise will make you fitter faster. Pretty sweet huh?
BUT WAIT, I haven't said the best part: Doing intensity intervals will allow you to REDUCE the duration of your workout. Cut 5-10 minutes out. That's right. The increased intensity will get you better results in a shorter time.
Say you're already in-shape. HIITs can be used to really move to the next level as well. What I've posted here is for beginners. There's a whole world of HIIT. Google it already, you're on a computer for crying out loud.
Maybe this is over your head. You're not quite sure what aerobic exercise is all about. Next post, I'll step back and explain target heart rate and the basics of aerobic exercise in terms even a beluga can understand.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Training Day 1
Did a 4 mile jog and added 5 reps of distance running HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Basic pace for my jog was 5.1 mph (11:45); HIIT pace was 6.1 mph.
I started with a 8-9 min warm-up. Gradually increasing from 2.5mph walk on a 2% incline to a 3 mph walk to a 4 mph slow jog on 0% incline then 4.5 mph on up to 5.1 mph. Once warmed up, I did 15 minutes at 5.1 mph. Then I started 3 min HIIT reps followed by ACTIVE REST of 2 minutes at my original pace. Repeat 5 times. Started a gradual cool down once I got to 42 min of aerobic pace.
In my next post, I'll explain HIIT.
I started with a 8-9 min warm-up. Gradually increasing from 2.5mph walk on a 2% incline to a 3 mph walk to a 4 mph slow jog on 0% incline then 4.5 mph on up to 5.1 mph. Once warmed up, I did 15 minutes at 5.1 mph. Then I started 3 min HIIT reps followed by ACTIVE REST of 2 minutes at my original pace. Repeat 5 times. Started a gradual cool down once I got to 42 min of aerobic pace.
In my next post, I'll explain HIIT.
A little history
I grew up a fatty. I can't remember a time before I was 17/18 years old when I wasn't fat. Call it genetics, call it laziness, call it eating too much deep fried potatoes at home. Whatever. The fact of the matter is, by the time it was my 17th birthday, I weighed about 290 pounds. Did I mention I was about 5' 8"? Um... yeah.
There's a whole story involving becoming a Christian and having someone who bought me a gym membership. But, the short of it is that by the time I graduated high school, I weighed about 185. I ran a 6.5 route about 4 times a week. This is summer 1999.
Then I went to college and got married (Aug. 2001). For a guy who lacked discipline with regard to eating and exercise most of his life, this was a factor in some... weight gain. Poor routines, and less free time for the gym saw me packin on the pounds. By June of 2008, I weighed about 340 pounds. Amazing isn't it? And not in a good way.
By summer of 2008 I had finally graduated with an M.A.T. and was done with school. I now had more time to get some exercise habits established. I began hitting the gym regularly (4-5 times a week). Over the course of another year, I lost 55 pounds. Not bad right.
Right now I'm still in that same spot. I exercise regularly. When I jog, I go 3-4 miles at a pace of about 11:45 a mile. I weigh about 285 pounds. Oh, and I gained an inch somewhere since high school. So, now I'm 5' 9". According to my best measurements, I'm about 31.5% body fat. Healthy for a male is 15% or lower. I'll explain how I got those numbers in the future.
Problems: 1.) I'm morbidly obese 2.) 11:45 a mile is too slow for Hood to Coast 3.) 3-4 miles is too few for Hood to Coast.
Goals to be acheived by August 2010: 1.) Lose 35 pounds of fat 2.) Get to a consistent pace of 9:45 a mile or better 3.) Be able to run 6 miles at the 9:45 pace twice twice a day.
How will I do it? Stay tuned and you'll find out.
There's a whole story involving becoming a Christian and having someone who bought me a gym membership. But, the short of it is that by the time I graduated high school, I weighed about 185. I ran a 6.5 route about 4 times a week. This is summer 1999.
Then I went to college and got married (Aug. 2001). For a guy who lacked discipline with regard to eating and exercise most of his life, this was a factor in some... weight gain. Poor routines, and less free time for the gym saw me packin on the pounds. By June of 2008, I weighed about 340 pounds. Amazing isn't it? And not in a good way.
By summer of 2008 I had finally graduated with an M.A.T. and was done with school. I now had more time to get some exercise habits established. I began hitting the gym regularly (4-5 times a week). Over the course of another year, I lost 55 pounds. Not bad right.
Right now I'm still in that same spot. I exercise regularly. When I jog, I go 3-4 miles at a pace of about 11:45 a mile. I weigh about 285 pounds. Oh, and I gained an inch somewhere since high school. So, now I'm 5' 9". According to my best measurements, I'm about 31.5% body fat. Healthy for a male is 15% or lower. I'll explain how I got those numbers in the future.
Problems: 1.) I'm morbidly obese 2.) 11:45 a mile is too slow for Hood to Coast 3.) 3-4 miles is too few for Hood to Coast.
Goals to be acheived by August 2010: 1.) Lose 35 pounds of fat 2.) Get to a consistent pace of 9:45 a mile or better 3.) Be able to run 6 miles at the 9:45 pace twice twice a day.
How will I do it? Stay tuned and you'll find out.
It Begins
Recently I signed up to participate in "The Mother of all Relays." This will entail running around 15 miles in three segments with something like 6 hours between them. It's my first time.
Ok, big deal right? Well, there is a catch- I'm morbidly obese. It's true, I'm a fatty.
I'll give you the details in the future, but let's just say most people with my body fat would rather watch this relay on TV while eating a box of doughnuts and washing them down with a gallon of Kool-Aid.
While it is true that I am classified morbidly obese, it's also true that I am confident that I will complete this race (deo volente) successfully AND in a reasonable amount of time.
This blog has three goals: To inspire- other fatties may be encouraged by my journey; To educate- fatties may also learn something that will help them become less of a fatty; To make you laugh- let's be honest, the idea of a morbidly obese man running 15 miles is... well... funny.
Finally, a two-part disclaimer: If you're a fatty and too unhealthy for exercise in some way, DON'T LISTEN TO ME. Go to a doctor for crying out loud! Also, if you're uncomfortable with hearing about the realities of a fatty running such as bowel distress (euphemism for flatulence and diarrhea), chaffing, and bleeding male nipples, then don't read this blog. You've been warned.
Ok, big deal right? Well, there is a catch- I'm morbidly obese. It's true, I'm a fatty.
I'll give you the details in the future, but let's just say most people with my body fat would rather watch this relay on TV while eating a box of doughnuts and washing them down with a gallon of Kool-Aid.
While it is true that I am classified morbidly obese, it's also true that I am confident that I will complete this race (deo volente) successfully AND in a reasonable amount of time.
This blog has three goals: To inspire- other fatties may be encouraged by my journey; To educate- fatties may also learn something that will help them become less of a fatty; To make you laugh- let's be honest, the idea of a morbidly obese man running 15 miles is... well... funny.
Finally, a two-part disclaimer: If you're a fatty and too unhealthy for exercise in some way, DON'T LISTEN TO ME. Go to a doctor for crying out loud! Also, if you're uncomfortable with hearing about the realities of a fatty running such as bowel distress (euphemism for flatulence and diarrhea), chaffing, and bleeding male nipples, then don't read this blog. You've been warned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)