I find that excercise, once I've found something I can do without it being awkward, is actually a really positive thing. I don't feel knackered afterwards, I actually feel more awake, more energetic. Bear in mind I used to do it the in the morning, before lectures.
From a biological point of view, the cutting down your food intake idea - while very attractive and on the surface intuitive - point blank doesn't work; mainly because the amount you over or undereat doesn't directly contribute to putting on or losing weight. Your body has an idea of the weight you should be; and is actually very effective at burning off excess calories without you even noticing - or alternatively, clinging onto them if you're eating less than it thinks you should. Why your body decides to up it's optimal level is still up for debate (some people reckon it's a sedentary lifestyle as much as food), but merely cutting your energy intake will not make you thin.
Don't get me wrong, there are many many good reasons to have a healthy diet - but losing weight is not one of them. The only way to healthily and sustainably lose weight is to exercise.
I can't find the reference, so this is anecdotal, but I saw some demographic data in a lecture that showed average calorific intake over the last fifty years and incidence of obesity - general calorific intake actually peaked in the mid eighties early nineties, and has been falling ever since - but obesity is still rising exponentially. Data like that are notoriously difficult to analyse, but to me it strongly suggests that (overall) calorific intake doesn't have much to do with getting fat. Another interpretation is that crash dieting (drastic and short term) is actually likely to make you more overweight in the long term.
Bah, I've done it again. I came back to say that I'd probably been a bit harsh on diets, and improving your diet will make you feel better in yourself, healthier, more active, less likely to die, that sort of thing and may even help losing weight - but I stand on the fact that you cannot sustainably lose weight by dieting. (Although you can lose a certain amount of "labile" body weight pretty quickly in the short term; but iirc it's not really stuff you want to be losing).
Also, you have three kinds of energy store - carbs (not much), fats, and protein. Carbs will deplete really quickly, and then your body will decide whether to get rid of the fat (which you want) or your protein stores (which you don't - as it's usually busy doing important things). If your sedentary, it'll go for the protein. If you're active, it'll go for the fat. Honestly, dieting instead of exercising is not wise. Making long term, sustainable changes to your diet while getting some form of regular exercise is much more likely to make you a healthier person.
Bah. Did it again. Never ask me for an opinion.
Oh, and while I remember, part of the reason I quite like circuit training is that you can concentrate on the bits you're worried about (e.g. belly), which isn't really the first place you lose weight with any other exercise (that i've found so far).
Also, not only does regular exercise burn calories in itself, but it boosts your metabolism too - almost as if your body has to be in a permanent state of readiness for the next bit of pointless exertion you ask of it ;-)
Conversely, reducing the 'calorie intake' side of the equation merely puts your body into 'starvation mode' - your body knows it isn't getting enough calories so what it does get, it stores as fat. Since a lower metabolic rate burns fewer calories, that's where you'll end up, with the engine barely ticking over. You'll have less energy, feel the cold more, all that kind of thing. This is basically because your body still thinks it's in the Stone Age (10,000 years is a heartbeat in evolutionary terms) where such a response could stop you succumbing to famine.
In answer to your other question, I haven't been cycling much lately, but I'm working back in Sheffield now and would be up for some lazy evening rides if you are. I could check your bike over sometime if you like...
I should be fine getting my bike working if I can find the relevant tools (which is one of the reasons I want to sort out the back room / sun lounge this evening - to move all the craft stuff onto the new shelves and uncover the tool/gardening shelves...
If more apathy seems to be setting in I'll be in touch :)
Yup. The actual amount of energy you burn in any given bout of exercising is pretty trivial; the reason you lose weight is because your basal metabolism goes up.
I find that excercise, once I've found something I can do without it being awkward, is actually a really positive thing. I don't feel knackered afterwards, I actually feel more awake, more energetic. Bear in mind I used to do it the in the morning, before lectures.
From a biological point of view, the cutting down your food intake idea - while very attractive and on the surface intuitive - point blank doesn't work; mainly because the amount you over or undereat doesn't directly contribute to putting on or losing weight. Your body has an idea of the weight you should be; and is actually very effective at burning off excess calories without you even noticing - or alternatively, clinging onto them if you're eating less than it thinks you should. Why your body decides to up it's optimal level is still up for debate (some people reckon it's a sedentary lifestyle as much as food), but merely cutting your energy intake will not make you thin.
Don't get me wrong, there are many many good reasons to have a healthy diet - but losing weight is not one of them. The only way to healthily and sustainably lose weight is to exercise.
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WARNING: Do NOT read any other encyclopaedia dramatica while at work.
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Bah, I've done it again. I came back to say that I'd probably been a bit harsh on diets, and improving your diet will make you feel better in yourself, healthier, more active, less likely to die, that sort of thing and may even help losing weight - but I stand on the fact that you cannot sustainably lose weight by dieting. (Although you can lose a certain amount of "labile" body weight pretty quickly in the short term; but iirc it's not really stuff you want to be losing).
Also, you have three kinds of energy store - carbs (not much), fats, and protein. Carbs will deplete really quickly, and then your body will decide whether to get rid of the fat (which you want) or your protein stores (which you don't - as it's usually busy doing important things). If your sedentary, it'll go for the protein. If you're active, it'll go for the fat. Honestly, dieting instead of exercising is not wise. Making long term, sustainable changes to your diet while getting some form of regular exercise is much more likely to make you a healthier person.
Bah. Did it again. Never ask me for an opinion.
Oh, and while I remember, part of the reason I quite like circuit training is that you can concentrate on the bits you're worried about (e.g. belly), which isn't really the first place you lose weight with any other exercise (that i've found so far).
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Also, not only does regular exercise burn calories in itself, but it boosts your metabolism too - almost as if your body has to be in a permanent state of readiness for the next bit of pointless exertion you ask of it ;-)
Conversely, reducing the 'calorie intake' side of the equation merely puts your body into 'starvation mode' - your body knows it isn't getting enough calories so what it does get, it stores as fat. Since a lower metabolic rate burns fewer calories, that's where you'll end up, with the engine barely ticking over. You'll have less energy, feel the cold more, all that kind of thing. This is basically because your body still thinks it's in the Stone Age (10,000 years is a heartbeat in evolutionary terms) where such a response could stop you succumbing to famine.
In answer to your other question, I haven't been cycling much lately, but I'm working back in Sheffield now and would be up for some lazy evening rides if you are. I could check your bike over sometime if you like...
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If more apathy seems to be setting in I'll be in touch :)
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