dietary cholesterol intake will not affect your serum cholesterol as much as you are afraid it will. If your liver is destined to make cholesterol (from genetic predisposition) then you may end up needing meds anyway.

Pay more attention to the trans fats and SATURATED fat intake. They do more harm than dietary cholesterol intake.

also if you were stressed out when the labs were drawn........stress can make your cholesterol crazy high.

9/30/2011 12:02:17 AM

When yall do cardio do you do HIIT? I'm giving it a serious look, it seems it would cut my gym time down. The last two days I've done 20 mins regular then the last ten mins 30 secs full on blast w/ 60 secs of rest til cool down. I get my sweat on like crazy and feel really good even though I get looks from people in the gym. (I dont care)

Wondering if I should switch to a 3min warm uo, 8-10 sets of the 30/60 sec then 3 min cool down or what? People claim to see major results AND it cuts that lame 45min - 1 hr time frame too!

9/30/2011 9:59:33 AM

i do HIIT 6 days a week and fit in about 5-6 days of cardio (running) ranging from 20-40 minutes (mostly 20 minutes).

for me it works. i've seen a lot of amazing results in the last few months and really seem to enjoy it a lot.

9/30/2011 11:48:52 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6uNTpYtacw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

totes.

9/30/2011 5:09:30 PM

Gimmicky fitness piss me off.

I need to create one

Something that causes dynamic muscle confusion at all angles.

9/30/2011 6:34:24 PM

What's the best way to go about evaluating my starting weight for squats and deadlifts?

9/30/2011 7:29:00 PM

^^^That has got to be one of the gayest workout things I've ever seen

Just sayin'

9/30/2011 7:31:18 PM

^^^my thoughts exactly! one day I'm going to write a revolutionary new book about this crazy new method for weight loss/strength gain/sex appeal...then I'm going to make a workout video, then sell pills and creams and all kinds of products

9/30/2011 7:42:59 PM

I could see myself producing a product line of supplements. I'd order bulk chemicals from China and then get a bunch of migrant workers from the Walmart parking lot to help me mix and package them.

9/30/2011 8:14:57 PM

About 6 weeks ago I posted the 400 burpee challenge. I said that I was going to make it my goal to finish it by the end of September. Well today is the last day of September but I am going to attempt it again tomorrow and goal is to complete it.

9/30/2011 9:56:43 PM

Quote :

"dietary cholesterol intake will not affect your serum cholesterol as much as you are afraid it will. If your liver is destined to make cholesterol (from genetic predisposition) then you may end up needing meds anyway. Pay more attention to the trans fats and SATURATED fat intake. They do more harm than dietary cholesterol intake. "

Not necessarily true. My 57 year old mom has a family history of high cholesterol. She's incredibly active. Does triathlons. Ideal weight. For years her cholesterol has been anywhere from 235 to 255. She finally decided to do something about it and basically eliminated most cholesterol from her diet. Within 6 weeks her cholesterol had dropped to 202. Beforehand she had been eating quite healthy anyway but still eating cheese/lean meats on a regular basis. After going almost completely vegetarian her cholesterol started to drop drastically.

9/30/2011 10:09:57 PM

and what makes you think that eliminating cholesterol from her diet didn't result in a massive reduction in saturated fats from her diet?

Dietary cholesterol has almost no impact on blood cholesterol; saturated fat is the one to be weary of.

9/30/2011 10:22:13 PM

Because she never really ate saturated fats. Aside from the saturated fats in the cheeses/lean meats she really didn't eat any. She's an extremely healthy eater. Getting rid of cheeses, all red meats, etc dropped her cholesterol drastically.

I mean I guess as a result of not eating foods with cholesterol she also drastically reduced her fat intake but her triglycerides have always been really low. Her doctor was amazed but he said it was due to the reduction in cholesterol.

I don't know.

-Wouldn't her triglycerides have also gone way down if she stopped eating so many fats? They stayed relatively the same and her LDL cholesterol tanked.

[Edited on September 30, 2011 at 10:40 PM. Reason : s]

9/30/2011 10:33:34 PM

her doctor is probably like most doctors in that he understands very little about nutrition. 15 years ago most doctors were saying to avoid eggs, even though it's common knowledge nowadays how stupid that advice was.

you say she was a healthy eater with little saturated fat intake, but then you say she was eliminating red meat and cheese from her diet. those two statements contradict each other. Did she also use margarine and vegetable oil spreads instead of butter thinking that was healthier?

regarding triglyceride levels, that more an indication of energy storage in the body than dietary intake. if it was already low to begin with, it's not going to get much lower.

10/1/2011 9:57:50 AM

A lot of ignorance about how the body works ITT

Diet is a piece of the puzzle, but IMO more important parts are activity level, total lean body mass and body composition, stress/sleep quality, and genetics.

10/1/2011 11:35:59 AM

Quote :

"Diet is a piece of the puzzle, but IMO more important parts are activity level, total lean body mass and body composition, stress/sleep quality, and genetics."

Totally agree. I have learned in the last year that so what if something works for one person, it doesn't mean it'll work for me - we're all created differently and I have to listen to what my body needs. I used to get so jealous of friends who could eat and drink whatever they like and not gain a pound but then I realized that it's okay because it's how their body is and mine is different. Once i started listening to what my body wants and needs, everything fell into place.

Genetics is also huge - both my parents (and up the line) carry weight in their mid-section. As as much as I would love to have a lean 6 pack stomach, the chances of that is slimmer for me than for someone else. I can definitely see the muscles starting to poke out and I have a lot more self confidence about that area than before but it's always going to be one of my "trouble spots." but that's okay because it will help me monitor how I am doing.

At the end of the day, I am REALLY happy with my progress. I am down 22 pounds, have put on a good amount of lean muscle, I look great in clothes, I feel great, and my self confidence is back. Sometimes I am in awe because I wished for this moment for so long. And now I am here with 4 pounds left to go and I continue to feel inspired

10/1/2011 12:30:00 PM

Quote :

"her doctor is probably like most doctors in that he understands very little about nutrition. 15 years ago most doctors were saying to avoid eggs, even though it's common knowledge nowadays how stupid that advice was."

Not her doctor her nutritionist. Who had previously told her it was almost impossible to lower her cholesterol because of how healthy an eater she already was (due to genetics). But she did.

^^^No matter which way you slice it she cut most cholesterol from her diet and it drastically reduced her LDL numbers. I'm not saying it wasn't due to the reduction in fats too. She was already in great shape, high activity level, active job, healthy eater just higher cholesterol. Reducing/eliminating that last bit of cholesterol (yes and fats) caused her LDL to drop. I guess cholesterol and saturated fat come hand in hand so it's hard to determine which it was.

I guess to test that she'd have to eliminate all cholesterol from her diet but still eat foods high in saturated fats? That would be a challenge.

Not disagreeing with you though. You're right saturated fats are what you should avoid to reduce your cholesterol levels and do play a bigger role than dietary cholesterol.

Quote :

"Diet is a piece of the puzzle, but IMO more important parts are activity level, total lean body mass and body composition, stress/sleep quality, and genetics."

All but one you can control. You can do all the others great but get shitty genes and still have high cholesterol.

[Edited on October 1, 2011 at 12:43 PM. Reason : d]

10/1/2011 12:31:59 PM

i feel like diet is more like 70% of the puzzle.

you can work out like mad and eat like crap and not reach your goals...

10/1/2011 2:51:25 PM

^ agree 100%

10/1/2011 4:00:15 PM

Realize that blood work #s are simply risk factors, not diagnosis. Your numbers may be high, but it doesn't necessarily mean you will have cardio vascular disease.

It boggles how many doc's rx statins due to blood work numbers alone.

[Edited on October 1, 2011 at 4:17 PM. Reason : o]

10/1/2011 4:16:35 PM

Yea, you can't out train a bad diet. However, from what I've learned and experienced, if you are above 15% body fat it is much more of a factor of total calories rather than macronutrient (fat/protein/carbs) break down.

10/2/2011 10:34:50 AM

For those of you interested in the cholesterol/saturated fat thing, Fat Head is a documentary that provides a view for the other side of the Super Size Me mindset. Both documentaries are bias towards their own agenda, so I recommend researching this stuff on your own. The videos just give you some ideas of what to look for.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head

10/2/2011 11:11:42 AM

We ate at Poole's Diner last night and ZOMG there was SO much sodium in the food. I actually gained a pound from that mess.

But I got up, did my HIIT and then set off for what I expected to be a 20 minute run but ended up going on a 4 mile hilly trek because the weather was just so nice (I run my best when it's cold out).

10/2/2011 11:56:00 AM

So I'm on acation and I thought this place would have a gym but it only has weights, no cardio. I'm not a good runner so I'm trying to think of things I could do to get my cardio in. Any ideas?

10/2/2011 11:16:39 PM

CassTheSass is trying to make me fat.

This is going to kill my ability to meet women.

10/2/2011 11:22:41 PM

^^
Cardio is the one thing pretty easy to do without any equipment.

Running, walking, plyometrics, wind sprints, punches/kicks/tai-bo or kenpo type workout, most sports especially one with pretty continual running like soccer or basketball, swimming (if there is a pool), hiking, rowing/paddling (if you have access to a boat or machine) to name a few.

^^^
It's pretty much impossible to gain one pound of fat from a meal. High sodium will make you retain water and make you feel blah especially if you aren't used to it.

[Edited on October 2, 2011 at 11:27 PM. Reason : .]

10/2/2011 11:25:22 PM

Quote :

"^^^ It's pretty much impossible to gain one pound of fat from a meal. High sodium will make you retain water and make you feel blah especially if you aren't used to it."

well aren't we captain obvious (sorry bad headache = bad mood). i know it was the sodium hence why i said the food was super salty and that's what caused the pound gain. it also royally screwed up my stomach. i barely ate anything all day yesterday. i just drank a lot of water.

and Stein everyone loves my cheesecake chocolate chip bars.

10/3/2011 7:45:30 AM

damn knee. stupid thing is sore and really only hurts when I walk, especially if I walk uphill, but not necessarily stairs. running, no problem. though, I can't imagine that it's not making my knee more pissed off when I run, it just doesn't actually hurt with a running motion. gonna give it some rest from running, which sux, cause I've been making some improvements recently. I know some of that is the temperature dropping and me being at my folks' place, where I inextricable always run better. The gym here that used to be a Gold's isn't anymore (thus the "used to" part), so I have to pay to workout, and that aint happenin right now. Heading home tomorrow or wednesday, so I can do some gym stuff there when I get back. I'll just cut out the exercises that involve the knee and call it a day. That'll be a short workout, lol


on the other front, what should I do for my knee? ice it, or heat it? I don't see any swelling, but that doesn't mean there isn't inflammation.

[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 11:00 PM. Reason : ]

10/3/2011 10:59:17 PM

I have my endoscopy tomorrow.

I'm pretty terrified.

10/3/2011 11:07:06 PM

^^ Ice your knee and foam roll your quads and IT band.

Knee issues arise from either ankle or hip mobility restrictions. How is your ankle dorsiflexion? Can you glide your knee ~4" over your toes with your heel on the ground?

Can you perform a full squat while keeping your heels on the ground?

If no to these two things, fix your ankle/hip mobility and your knee should fix itself. If not, you may have some other hidden issue.

[Edited on October 4, 2011 at 11:58 AM. Reason : oo]

10/4/2011 11:57:51 AM

^^ hopefully all will go well

10/4/2011 11:58:55 AM

it sounds like you have a similar knee problem as me. i went to the ortho about it a few years ago because i noticed the same problem - no issues when working out but after i would have bad pain moving around, squatting, going up and down stairs, or keeping it bent for too long. the ortho said that cartilage behind my knee cap gets swollen when i work out and rubs against the knee cap causing the irritation.

i have found that doing more leg activities has actually helped the problem and it's pretty much gone minus a random day here or there. i focus more on squats and lunges and i actually run more. i guess i built up enough muscle around the knee cap so that it's not sliding and rubbing against cartilage anymore.

i could be wrong but this is my educated guess

10/4/2011 12:16:25 PM

Just canceled my gym membership for the first time since enrolling at State (10 years!).

I haven't been in maybe 3/4 weeks?? I've recently reduced my workouts to running, pushups, situps, box jumps, air squats, and lunges. I've been more sore doing these workouts to exhaustion then I have in the past few years of lifting weights. I'm going to get into more serious stuff after I get a hold of some kettlebells...but I like my new workout format. I feel great and this is so much easier with my schedule. No rushing to the gym and trying to find parking, waiting for treadmills/benches/machines, etc (and I save $45/month!).

Only negatives are working out in bad weather. But I like running in the cold and the rain. Summer will be tough, but I'll just have to get up earlier.

10/4/2011 12:18:58 PM

^ I just did the same. My membership ended September 30. Figured I should just save the $$$ since I stick to running, tennis and golf for the most part.

10/4/2011 12:36:34 PM

^ i did the same thing a few months ago. i have a few key items around the house but i do everything at home now and just run. i found i enjoy it so much more than trucking to the gym.

10/4/2011 12:36:37 PM

Nice.

Good trend! It became such a hassle to get to the gym. You save so much time and money by working out at home. Especially if you have basic workout needs.

Also, Jillian Michaels and Insanity FTW.

10/4/2011 12:38:23 PM

but no one will see me checking out my guns in the mirror in my garage

10/4/2011 12:45:22 PM

Lucy are you still teaching spin? Usually instructors get free memberships.

10/4/2011 12:49:27 PM

My mom also got me one of these:



From:

http://gymboss.com/

That really helped me in my workouts last week. I have a tendency to take longer rests...and this will not let me.

10/4/2011 12:50:51 PM

^ the website i use for training swears by the gymboss timer. i need to order one but for the time being found a free app for my iphone that i use that works the same way. it's great for interval training.

10/4/2011 12:52:35 PM

Quote :

"Lucy are you still teaching spin? Usually instructors get free memberships. "

I do, but I only teach once a week right now ... and the gym location is not really convenient for me. It's 5 miles from my office, but 50 miles from my house (I'm a super commuter). It's also in a kind of sketchy part of town.

I teach there as a favor to a friend, but will probably stop teaching there in the near future. Have been there a year and really don't feel safe in the parking lot there. Especially at night.

10/4/2011 1:34:29 PM

Just started yesterday at Washington sports clubs. Holy swanky gym batman.

10/4/2011 1:41:10 PM

Quote :

"I have a broken and sprained right ankle. I want to get back in the gym, but I'm going to need to modify my routine accordingly. I'm a little hesitant to use dumbbells until i get more stabilty back. I'd like to hear ideas for cardio and I'd also like to hear ideas for splitting an upper body workout into multiple days. Thanks! 8/15/2011 1:03:26 "

Well, I'm pretty much back to normal. I hadn't weighed myself since 2 days before I hurt myself. I'm 2 pounds lighter than when i broke and sprained my ankle. I'm sure some of it is muscle loss, but I had really expected to gain some weight because of this.

10/4/2011 2:03:35 PM

i dont think i can workout how i want to without a gym

i work out two diff MMA gyms, a jiu jitsu gym, and a fitness gym


i use them all like crazy, if i lose one i feel i am really at a disadvantage, the expense is worth it to me

10/4/2011 2:42:21 PM

^Obviously different strokes for different folks. My workouts as well as what kind of shape I want to be in has changed drastically over the years. 5 years ago I couldn't live without a gym. Now I can...easily.

10/4/2011 2:49:11 PM

ITT we still buy into the lipid hypothesis

10/4/2011 3:23:24 PM

So here's a question:

I feel a lot skinnier... and I feel that I look a lot skinnier... but my measurements aren't really very different.

Thoughts?

10/4/2011 3:31:44 PM

Its normal and good. Proceed without thought on numbers.

10/4/2011 3:43:13 PM

Walk shirtless around the gym

If girls check you out, you're good

If they don't, keep trucking

10/4/2011 3:46:21 PM

^

Valid.

10/4/2011 4:56:34 PM