Lifting Legs

[Commando]

I'm not doing cardio for a leg workout, I'm just doing it to burn fat. I don't push my legs that hard when I run/cycle. I really don't do anything to work out my legs, and that's why I'm kind of wondering if I should.

well I should have been more clear. Just cardio will work your legs non-symetrically, leading to injury. Also what he said about added leg muscle mass boosting your metabolism.

[TripletDaddy]

I was just reading (in Shape magazine, so take it for what it's worth) that diet is the most important part of losing weight and losing fat. A work out helps up how fast the body burns the calories we eat, but the main way to lose is to get your 1.get your diet right 2. work out

I still don't know what I am doing re: diet.

I use fitday to monitor overall caloric intake (give or take depending on the accuracy of fitday, but I try to be as accurate as possible and don't skip entering anything). Over the past month or so, I have always consumed fewer calories than I have burned, and with an average difference of about 800 or so calories. Some days more, some days less, but never once have I gone over.

I am still trying to figure out how to take that next step. I am eating different foods and avoiding fast food and fried stuff, but I still wonder what I could be doing better. The right blends of carbs and fats, that sort of thing.

One thing is for certain...eating right sucks. Eating yummy foods is so much better.

[Surfah]

I still don't know what I am doing re: diet.

I use fitday to monitor overall caloric intake (give or take depending on the accuracy of fitday, but I try to be as accurate as possible and don't skip entering anything). Over the past month or so, I have always consumed fewer calories than I have burned, and with an average difference of about 800 or so calories. Some days more, some days less, but never once have I gone over.

I am still trying to figure out how to take that next step. I am eating different foods and avoiding fast food and fried stuff, but I still wonder what I could be doing better. The right blends of carbs and fats, that sort of thing.

One thing is for certain...eating right sucks. Eating yummy foods is so much better.

What are your goals? Are you trying to be more fit? Lose weight?

[MarkGrace]

Two days each. You implied that you couldn't fit lifting in because you want to do cardio five days a week. You may find your workouts more effective if your week is run/bike/lift/run/bike/lift/rest, or something like that. Something to consider, anyway. I'm not sure what all your goals are.

I think days. Since you said you were looking to run/ride 4-5 times a week.

Ah, I miscommunicated then. Right now I workout 4-5 times per week and do cardio and lifting on all those days. I jog down to the gym (just a couple blocks), bike 15 mins, run 15 mins, and then lift about 30-45 minutes depending on the day. What I meant was that if I lift my legs then I can't do cardio on one of those days because my legs are kind of burnt out.

Though I really I'm just making excuses not to lift my legs because I'm a wuss.

[TripletDaddy]

What are your goals? Are you trying to be more fit? Lose weight?

My main goal in all of this is my cholesterol. I am going to test it twice this year. June and December. I wanted to go into the June test with a legitimate few months of regular exercise and healthy diet under my belt.

I have been very unwise with my eating habits since graduation. My metabolism has afforded me the ability to not worry much weight-wise. I have hung around the 168-173 range for the past 5 or so years. But I never met a sauce or a high-fat food I didn't like. This was a mean thing to do to my cholesterol. I was tested about 2 years ago and it was borderline high...225. I didn't do much about it, but over Christmas I got to thinking that I wanted to make that my goal for this coming year. Also, learn to control my portions. I am slowly winning the portion control battle. The cholesterol battle...we shall see. As I may have already posted, I am deathly terrified of needles, so getting myself tested twice in a year is not going to be easy for me. But dying of heart disease is not easy, either, so I would rather get this under control now and maintain it.

I don't want to lose pounds. I would like to keep what I have, actually.

[Sizzle]

Ah, I miscommunicated then. Right now I workout 4-5 times per week and do cardio and lifting on all those days. I jog down to the gym (just a couple blocks), bike 15 mins, run 15 mins, and then lift about 30-45 minutes depending on the day. What I meant was that if I lift my legs then I can't do cardio on one of those days because my legs are kind of burnt out.

Though I really I'm just making excuses not to lift my legs because I'm a wuss.

Lift your legs. Your metabolism will increase, you will see a boost in performance and likely size (whose wife wouldn't love that) and after the pain the first few times, you'll learn to love the burn.

Just do it.

[MarkGrace]

PS what fat exactly are you wanting to burn, grace? Did you balloon out over the winter? I don't recall seeing much of it at our Seattle dinner. And I was looking everywhere, trust me.

Now, I didn't balloon, I probably weigh less now than when you saw me. My weight is fine (low 180s) but I'm still carrying just a little more fat than I want to.

I was just reading (in Shape magazine, so take it for what it's worth) that diet is the most important part of losing weight and losing fat. A work out helps up how fast the body burns the calories we eat, but the main way to lose is to get your 1.get your diet right 2. work out

This is my problem. I workout enough to maintain where I am, but I won't get any leaner unless I change my diet. My diet is awful.

[Pheidippides]

don't forget to get gracey over to fitday.com

Without proper diet, all that running around is not going to help him burn the phat.

PS what fat exactly are you wanting to burn, grace? Did you balloon out over the winter? I don't recall seeing much of it at our Seattle dinner. And I was looking everywhere, trust me.

Gracey, you should know that DDD also didn't think that I was overweight. 50 pounds later, and maybe he's had time to reconsider?

[FN Phat]

If you lift legs, please convince me that I should be doing it.

If you have a lifting partner, you can do donkey calf raises.

[MarkGrace]

Gracey, you should know that DDD also didn't think that I was overweight. 50 pounds later, and maybe he's had time to reconsider?

I was about 185-187ish when I saw DDD (I'm 6'2"), so I wasn't overweight by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, for the most part, I'm pretty skinny (I have arms and legs skinny enough to be the envy of most women). I just carry more weight in my midsection than I want to and would like to trim some of it off.

[TripletDaddy]

I was about 185-187ish when I saw DDD (I'm 6'2"), so I wasn't overweight by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, for the most part, I'm pretty skinny (I have arms and legs skinny enough to be the envy of most women). I just carry more weight in my midsection than I want to and would like to trim some of it off.

I can attest to the fit nature of MarkGrace, which he flaunted with short shorts that left little to the imagination. I felt like we were filming a Nair commercial.

[MarkGrace]

I lifted my legs this morning. They hurt.

[TripletDaddy]

Lift your legs. Your metabolism will increase, you will see a boost in performance and likely size (whose wife wouldn't love that) and after the pain the first few times, you'll learn to love the burn.

Just do it.

I meant to ask about this. Just to be clear, are you saying that lifting legs has a different effect on metabolism as compared to lifting upper body? Or just saying that lifting, in general, will increase your metabolism?

I have zero idea either way so i will defer to you.

[Donuthole]

I meant to ask about this. Just to be clear, are you saying that lifting legs has a different effect on metabolism as compared to lifting upper body? Or just saying that lifting, in general, will increase your metabolism?

I have zero idea either way so i will defer to you.

My close friend (a fitness instructor/personal trainer/nutritionist) insists that lifting legs increases levels of natural HGH and testosterone, which, in turn, helps in building lean muscle throughout the body.

[TripletDaddy]

My close friend (a fitness instructor/personal trainer/nutritionist) insists that lifting legs increases levels of natural HGH and testosterone, which, in turn, helps in building lean muscle throughout the body.

A quick google seems to agree with your friend re: weight loss and lean muscle. That is good to know. Thanks.