Lose weight fast. How to do it safely.

My schedule is an example of the volumetric cycle.

Sun: shoulders - 6 sets
Mon: rest day
Tue: abs - 6 sets
Wed: triceps - 6 sets
Thu: back & biceps - 10 sets
Fri: chest & abs - 9 sets
Sat: legs - 8 sets

The number of exercises for each muscle group varies, for abs & triceps it's 3 sets of 2 exercises. For legs it's 5 different ones. Obviously the groups with more sets take longer & I scheduled it this way on purpose because later in the week I have more time to spend at the gym. But even the longest workout takes less than an hour, probably about 45 min. At the moment I do not do any cardio, but if my weight loss slows to a level I'm not happy with, then I'll add a session or 2 a week to get things moving again.

kokusho, so strength training every 4-5 days? Do you alternate upper body vs. lower body? Like the following for example: Monday=Upper Body, Tuesday=Lower Body, Wednesday=day off, Thursday=HIIT, Friday=Upper Body, Saturday=Lower Body, and so on?

Also, what are your thoughts about fitting workouts into what works with your schedule? I've got kids at the age where there is lots of running around and not a convenient time to literally go to the gym like I used to. What do you think about the Power 90 and P90X videos since I can do them at 5am or 8pm depending on when I can fit them in? Are the really set up to get you toned good enough? I've been working out a variety of different ways the past 4 months (running and various workout tapes [Power 90, Slim in 6, ab videos] to fit my schedule) and have lost 15 pounds and I am only seeing toning results in my arms and my legs. Nothing great is happing in my midsection. Am I just spinning my wheels with the tapes?

Lots of people here have been happy with the p90x program... you can read about that here.



http://www.fatsecret.com/Community.aspx?pa=fp&t=58262


Thanks Kat for sharing your regimen.

Kokusho and Nat, thanks for putting cardio in proper perspective. I have zero concern about taking on marathons anytime soon! And I do love my zumba and water class. So I guess moderation in all things right....

By the way I was reading a statement from Kelly Minner, she was the girl finalist on the very first biggest loser (the only one AI watched). She seemed so broken from her extreme program... four hours of exercise a day... mostly all cardio. Even after she still was struggling to eat much without gaining.... she kept pushing hours of cardio. It was mental torture for her.

Now, you see the latest winners looking a lot more muscular... I hope its because they too (the shows trainers) realized that the needed mass to help them maintain. And just going for the shock and awe of weight loss was backing in their program in the long run.

I personally don't alternare upper and lower body but you can certainly do that if you want to. But it only takes me 45 min to do a full body workout with one set per muscle so I get it done in one go.

I don't think you're wasting your time with the tapes. If you're seeing definition in your arms and legs, that would mean that the workouts are doing something. The only issue I ever have with those workout videos is that there is no progression. Most of them don't utilize weights so you can't really add resistance when you get stronger. All this means is that you start seeing diminished results. It's usually great in the beginning but if you're not satisfied with the results/definition in a few months, you'll probably have to move on to weight training.

As for the midsection, this is the hardest part for anybody to achieve. In order for a man to be showing abs, he has to drop down to between 8 and 10% bodyfat. It's about 17% for women. So, even if you work your ass off with ab workouts, you won't be able to see results until you hit those body fat percentages.

Have you ever noticed how ab workouts don't utilize weights? Have you ever wondered why? I mean, abs are muscles just like biceps, triceps, etc. so they should be worked out the same way. I do weighted sit ups and weighted leg raises to help promote those Type 2 muscle fibers.

I'm not sure if showing abs is your goal, but that's pretty much how it goes. If you have a flabby stomach, you just need to get rid of that fat. No amount of muscle underneath is going to make your midsection look better so it really comes down to lowering your body fat percentage.

For what it's worth, although P90X is heavy on the pushups, pullups, and chinups, it also does use weights/bands for a lot of the exercises. And you are supposed to be recording how many reps you do at a given weight, and told to find the weight that will allow you to do 8 to 10 reps before failure - although it actually says to find the 8-10 rep weight if you want to bulk up, and 12-15 reps if you want a leaner look. Not sure if there's anything to that distinction, but I shoot for the 8-10 reps weight anyway...

I just think its misleading to claim that strength training alone is the answer, that cardio is setting you back and only to be tolerated at the bare minimum levels. From what I've read, 30 minutes 3-4 times a week of moderate aerobic exercise is what you should be getting in for your cardiovascular health. Yes, a little is better than none, but cardio is an integral part of your overall health and should be presented as something that supports, not undermines, your health and fitness goals. "Why risk it" is the wrong approach, because you need a balance of cario and strength. Let's face it- if people were moving enough, there wouldn't be so many people on this website!

Yeah, but that doesn't sound extreme at all. For a lot of people, that IS the bare minimum they need to lose weight, especially once they start getting closer and closer to their goals.

Still though, unless you absolutely love jogging, I would still recommend a short and intense HIIT cycle as opposed to running for a long period of time. It'll actually be better for your cardiovasular health (because you constantly raise and drop your heart rate), it's more efficient at burning calories, and it doesn't put your muscles in a catabolic state. That just sounds like a winner to me.

I think what I've gotten out of this thread is a new way to look at weight lifting... I won't shy away from it... or low rep, high weight. Its going to become part of my routine now.

Good for you, radiochick! I love P90X, but haven't been lifting since I started my new job 2 weeks ago or so. Although last night I did fit in 5 exercises before going to bed. Yay! I'll be sneaking in a little here and there - not because I don't have time, but my work is so physically challenging and I am EXHAUSTED. Until I get used to it (hopefully in a month or two), I won't be able to see Tony Horton much.

I'm a big believer in limiting cardio to 3-4 sessions a week of HIIT under 45 minutes (preferably 20-25). Otherwise, you are burning out your hard-earned muscle. I did a little experiment about two months ago to prove this to myself. In a 10-day focus on cardio I lost 4 pounds of fat, but almost 1 entire pound of muscle! Needless to say, I discontinued my experiment at that point. And it took me a month to put my pound of muscle back on!

People don't have to listen to what I say (or An00bis, whom I generally agree with about many things). You can always try it for yourself and see how it affects your body. I find that a much better approach than just arguing about it on the internet.

Wow! I am getting such an education from reading these comments. Since I am an old grandma who has not been hanging out in gyms, I have no idea what most of the exercise language means. I am assuming cardio means what I've known as aerobic? Anyway, my kids have been talking about me joining them at their gym where I was thinking along the lines of water aerobics and riding a bike. Am I thinking too old? Should I put higher goals on myself? I need to lose 60 pounds and other than some walking, I have been sedentary for some time. My doctor has said I need to exercise to ward off joint problems and to keep my blood sugar level (diabetes 2). You people seem so up on these things, what would be good healthy exercise for a 70 year old woman? And I don't think I want to be "ripped" or "cut".

Good post with lots of info (even though it's over a year old!). Saving this one to read later when I have more time.