5:2 Exercise & Fitness: Advice and information for those following 5:2 / IF (Intermittent Fasting)

[BigChocFrenzyAteYourReindeer]

Why Exercise ?

Maintaining a normal bodyweight and taking regular exercise are 2 major areas of life which we can address to improve our health.

Fasted training, i.e. training on FDs, seems to increase the benefits of both training and IF, but it is advisable to first become used to fasting

Exercise alone does not produce significant weight loss for most people. However it can improve body shape and can help overcome weight plateaux.

Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart diesease, high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoporosis, dementia, depression.

• Try to train regularly, building up to 3-6 days per week.
• Develop a training routine you enjoy and want to continue long term.
• Regular exercisers gain the greatest benefits over their lifetime and they can minimise biological aging, i.e. "Bend the Aging Curve" BendAge

WARNING: If you are very obese or have health issues, check with your GP that you are able to start exercising and also if there are types of exercise you should avoid.

Fat and Metabolism

Body fat is highly active tissue which secretes hormones (e.g. leptin, adiponectin) and microphages (which cause inflammation) directly into the bloodstream. These substances can significantly affect metabolism & weight and increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers.
E.g ref and ref

Visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous - a study found that liposuction removing up to 20lb of the latter did not improve health indicators. Visceral fat needs to be reduced by exercise and a calorie deficit, preferably both together.

Hormesis

"What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger"
Hormesis Mattson and Hormesis can be applied to exercise, analagous to how 5:2 /IF uses it for nutrition.
Alternating between “extremes” of feast and fast (like 5:2) or intense training and rest, makes the body more resilient.

The intermittent stress of lifting an extreme weight or performing at high speed for a short period pushes the body to overcompensate and prepare for an even greater future challenge HormesisTrain and AntiFragile
The following recovery period avoids damage from over-stressing.

INEFFICIENT: Low-Medium Intensity Steady state Cardio

Steady state cardio is not necessary and should only be a small part of your weekly cardio, unless it is all you can manage to do.

Only high intensity exercise recruits the fast-twitch muscle fibers that have the most glycogen (stored glucose). Steady State Cardio does not empty the glucose stores in those particular muscles. Hence, the circulating glucose has nowhere to be stored — except as bodyfat.

Moreover, the muscle cells will lose their sensitivity to insulin and become inflamed by the high levels of insulin, which the body has produced to deal with the high levels of circulating glucose. The body mortars this inflammation with LDL cholesterol.

Hence, those exercising only at low-medium intensity are at greater risk of cardiovascular problems than high intensity exercisers SteadyState (pp. 31-34).
Obviously, non-exercisers have the highest risk of all.

RECOMMENDED TYPES of Exercise

HIIT cardio and resistance training / weight lifting are recommended to boost the effect of 5:2/IF, to increase weight loss, reduce body fat, retain muscle and maintain TDEE / BMR.

Anyone who is not specialising in a sport at a high level should aim to do a variety of training: HIIT cardio, resistance and flexibility.

HOW to Exercise

The cardio machines and the girlie pink dumbbells that gyms push are inadequate to significantly improve fitness or burn fat.
However, 10 mins walk on a treadmill or outside is beneficial after training, especially after heavy lifting.
Scientists have proved that cardio and resistance training can be done in the same session, without detriment to either, e.g. TrainBoth

Whether you join a gym or train at home or in the park:

• Train as intensively as your time, health and fitness level allow.
• Do not remain in your comfort zone, or you will not improve.
• You are supposed to drip sweat and pant heavily !

However, a brisk 30 mins daily walk plus 5 mins hoop is better than nothing and if done regularly will bring some health benefits.

Flexibility

• Stretching for 5 mins before and after each training session is recommended
• Yoga and Pilates classes can be added if additional flexibility training is desired. Some such classes also provide additional strength / toning.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

HIIT is an exercise strategy which alternates brief intervals of high intensity exercise with less-intense recovery periods. Time intervals may be equal or different and their length and the number of sets depends on fitness level.

Start with one session per week and build up to a maximum of 3 (no more).

HIIT is very time-efficient, producing the greatest fitness benefit in the least time (the advantage of hormesis). However, beginners should build up gradually, starting say with just 1 or 2 intervals.

Scientists have proved that HIIT burns more fat than steady state lower intensity exercise and speeds up the metabolism, which helps burn more calories for up to 48 hrs.

HIIT increases both aerobic and anaerobic endurance

HIIT can be applied to cardio: e.g. cycling, running, skipping, jumping, mountain climbs
or to bodyweight exercises, e.g. squatting, situps, burpees, pressups

Most gyms offer classes, e.g.
spinning, circuit training, CrossFit, Tabata, Fartlek(Fartlek = HIIT with irregular intervals)
which each use a form of interval training.
These classes require less planning and are often more enjoyable (music, socialising, equipment) than training on your own.

A typical HIIT session could consist of:

• 4 mins warmup
• 8 sets of intervals
• 4 mins cooldown

and last 12-60 mins in total.

Recovery time is usually half the high intensity time.
Examples of typical interval sets are:

• 20 seconds high intensity + 10 secs recovery OR
• 40 sec high + 20 sec low OR
• 60 sec high + 30 sec low

Detailed HIIT example plans: (scroll down to Workouts section and ignore whether entitled "cutting" or "bulking") BodyBuild

RESISTANCE Training / LIFTING

This helps retain muscle mass during weight loss and hence to maintain TDEE.

It is easier in a gym, especially re equipment. You can lift in the weights area on your own OR in a pump class.
Whether @ gym or home, before you start lifting, have a few lessons with a trainer to learn the correct form and avoid injury.

It is best not to train the same muscle groups 2 days in succession, so have rest days, or cardio, or train different muscle groups on different days.
Try to build up to weight training for 30-60 mins twice per week.

WARNING
The "Heavy" lifting described here should not exceed bodyweight unless you are really fit and expert.
Women who have given birth and / or are aged 40+ have a higher risk of pelvic floor / prolapse injuries when lifting heavy than young non-mums.

Main Lifting / Resistance Exercises

Reps = the number of repetitions in a set of a particular lifting exercise
Sets are normally separated by brief rests
E.g. you might do 3 sets each of 12 reps all of the same exercise.

If you have access to dumbbells / barbells, then for maximum effect, work the large muscle groups. Alternatively, use bodyweight.
squats
bent-over rows (press button "female")
Behind neckPress (press button "female")
dead lift
The abs and smaller muscle groups will automatically be trained by these exercises, but you can add optionally 20 mins weekly abs exercises:

Basic Abs

• Situps: build up to 3 sets of 20 reps. Try to put your arms in front of you, instead of behind your head
• Angled situps: with one ankle resting on the opposite knee. 2 sets of 15 each side
• Plank: 3 sets, each 45 secs
• Leg extensions: legs bent 90 degrees, so your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Stretch each leg in turn, parallel to the floor. 3 sets of 10.

Lifting To increase Strength Rather than Muscle Mass
Lift as heavy as you can, low reps, with 1 minute rest between sets
e.g. 5 sets x 5 reps each, i.e. totalling 25 lifts.

Lifting To Build More Muscle
With a lower weight, do 3 sets x 8-20 reps, i.e. totalling 24-60 lifts.

Additionally, or if you don't have heavy barbells, use your bodyweight.
Example to build up to:

• 3 sets of 30 press ups, proper ones, see detail below +.
• 40 deep squats, with thighs parallel to floor, i.e. ATG (Arse to Grass) see ++.
• 3 set of 8 reps inverted pullup /row Inverted OR assisted chin-ups on a gym machine OR full chin-ups if you can manage them (Amazon have pullup bars which fit over doors from about £15)

+Press ups

• It is best to keep attempting one proper pressup rather than doing several dozen girlie ones with your knees on the floor.
• Once you can do one pressup, you will soon be able to build up to 5, then 10 etc.
• Tip: keep the abs rigid, so strong abs are as important as strong shoulders & arms.

++Squats

• Are the best exercise for the large muscle group in bum and thighs.
• Basic principle: It is like having a pee on a public loo - get your bum down low and pointing to the rear, but not actually touching the seat.

-Lean back on your heels, so that weight is on them, not on your toes. -For bodyweight squats, bring your arms forward -Keep your back straight, but angled slightly forward, not vertical.

• Go down as far as you can without knee pain.

CAUTION With Leangains-Type Protocols

5:2 is an easier WOL than other forms of IF, with most days being NFDs during which the body can recuperate.

Some women have had injuries or health problems with very tough LeanGains-type protocols, which combine ADF or daily 16:8 with fasted lifting of multiples of body weight.

Some women have achieved excellent results on LeanGains-type; others had problems after a few months, or even from the start. Particularly at risk are women with very low (11-18%) body fat, possibly already with irregular menstruation, or with EDs.

Post-menopausal women seem to do well, as do men, presumably due to differences in hormones, body fat %, metabolism.

RECOMMENDATION: Don't lift more than your bodyweight and mostly lift well below it.

Running versus Walking

Walking is beneficial psychologically, is easy on the knee joints and has some physical benefits.

However, at speeds of 5mph or faster, running will burn more calories per mile than walking Ref . Typical values:

• For running (5 mph and higher): Total calories burned per mile = .75 x body weight (in pounds); net calories (see ++) burned per mile = .63 x weight.

• For walking (3 to 4 mph): Total calories burned per mile = .53 x body weight; net calories burned per mile = .30 x weight.

++ Note: net calories = total calories - cals the body would have burned at rest (calculated from BMR)

AVOID OSTEOPOROSIS

We start losing bone density from about age 35. Women can lose a great deal before, during and after menopause.

Other risk factors: Smoking, heavy drinking, inactive lifestyle, very slim build, family history of osteoporosis, longterm steroid use.

To retain bone strength and avoid a painfully disabled old age, start now:
Ideally weight bearing exercises that load the bone along its length

Impact exercise E.g. walking, running, jumping, skipping rope, step class, hitting a heavy punch bag.

Lifting: squats, press-ups, bench press, overhead press etc.

Squats are much better than lunges: The weight in a squat is transmitted down along the spine, through the hip, and down along the bones of the leg, whereas in a lunge, it is transmitted across the shinbone and puts pressure on the knee joint.

Cycling normally does NOT increase bone density as it does not really load bones along their length. A study found that cyclists who did no other exercise had low bone density because of the combo of this with their training Osteo

KETTLEBELLS

Useful exercise descriptions and videos: Kettle
Recommended for beginners (and shown in the link):
. Two-handed swing
. Sumo Deadlift
. Turkish Getup
. Swing
. Clean and Jerk
. Press

How to Choose a Gym (if you want to)

• gym offpeak can be as cheap as £30 p.m. as you don't need expensive pools, sauna, juice bars, massage etc.
• within journey time 20 mins
• plenty of classes at times to suit you
• creche if needed
• don't bother with expense of a personal trainer.

Start with these classes if available:

• weekly spin, because you can set your own resistance and speed 45-60 mins
• any additional interval training class, see earlier for list.
• weekly pump 60 mins
• weekly abs class 15-30 mins

======================================

CALCULATORS:
Estimate your fitness age: FitAge
Estimate Vo2Max iTunes App: Vo2APP
Body Fat Calculator:BF
Healthy Body Fat Percentages at Different Ages:
HealthyBF
TDEE with detailed activity times: TDEE

More links: 52FastDietForum-Fasting & Exercise 52exercise GettingStronger.Org-Hormesis Hormesis GettingStronger.Org-Fitness Fitness LeanGains Protocols : Leangains MarksDailyApple-Home Workouts Without Equipment WorkAtHome

ELR- the 7 minute workout is designed to be done daily, so no need to rest. If you want to, then once a week resting should be fine. The idea is also to do 2-3 circuits, so it's really a 15 minute workout . You can work up to that.

ELR Firstly, well done on starting exercise ! You have taken the most important step for your health and it sounds a good daily routine.
Once your body is used to exercising properly again, which may take a week or two, you shouldn't have muscle aches.
As Earslaps said, you don't need restdays on a short routine, but you could take one weekly, if you feel you need to.

Note to anyone doing resistance training for 30 mins or more:
you probably need to rest those particular muscle groups every other day and you definitely do if you are lifting heavy.

ELR If you take a brisk walk (at least 10 mins) and do some stretches after your routine, that might reduce future muscle aches.

Thanks guys, I downloaded the tabata app too so did that instead, did jumping jacks so heart rate def went up!
I feel like a wimp but my muscles are really aching and I feel really tired like I could just fall asleep! Have done 30 day shred loads of times before and never had such aching muscles.
I am anemic and have a slight underactive thyroid, just finished my period and have a slight cold so maybe that's something to do with it.

ELR You should leave a rest day in between Tabata sessions, at least to start, because most Tabata versions are so demanding on the CV system.

Tomorrow, see if you feel like just doing the 7 min workout and a brisk walk. If you feel too off-colour / lurgy / totm, then just have the walk and maybe start exercising again the next day.

Thanks bigchoc will do the 7 min work out tomorrow will also be walking kids to school tomorrow which is a mile each way so that will be 4 miles with drop off and collection.
Just realised I washed down all the kitchen cupboards yesterday and then buffed them dry. There is about 20 cupboards plus the island unit so that is prob why my arms are aching so much it took about an hour!!

I'm particularly pleased to hear that there's no real benefit to long cardio sessions, as I only have half lung capacity and can't do much cardio anyway...I find it very tough because I can't get the oxygen I need.

I started a spin class at the gym last month and struggle 15 mins in, so I don't put to much resistance on and do my own thing, must stay with it as I tend to put cardio off because of my lungs and make the issue worse.
But I aim to go in the gym and get a programme using the weights as I do enjoy that, but in an all or nothing and need to master little and often.

Hello all, just completed a 7km run in 53 minutes thwn did my 50 squats, am on a FD too and bizarrely don't feel hungry at all. Haven't eaten since 8pm last night.

Chocupid Cardio remains very important for CV health.

However, current science recommends short bursts of intense exercise as interval training, e.g. HIIT, to get the heart-rate up, rather than long sesssions of low intensity.

BUT If you have only half lung capacity, then full HIIT may not be for you, at least not yet.

I realise it must be very tough for you, but I definitely recommend you do gentle intervals of cardio to build up your CV health. "Use it or lose even more of it" ?

I suggest trying this type of cardio 3-4 times per week, if you can safely do so (ask GP ?) , with rest days in between.
Spin sounds good, maybe just pedal very slowly or even don't pedal, every 2nd song, as recovery.
Also, try walking intervals, i.e. periods of a few mins mins very fast walk, followed by 2 mins slow to recover. Repeat a few times per walk.

Maybe not what you hoped to hear !

Is spinning a type of HIIT?

Also, is it something a 41 yr old not that fit and still atleast a stone overweight could do? Without embarrassing herself if she ended having to sit at the front?

Im nervous about trying it if its too hard because its so public! But I would like to try something different that gets me out of steady safe easy now cardio.

Peplum HIIT is just short intervals of High Intensity exercise alternating with much lighter exercise to recover your energy. Many kinds of exercise can be done as HIIT.
Typical HIIT spin is when during some of the songs you do a series of sprints with slower speeds in between. In contrast, some spin classes are fairly steady state. In one of my earlier posts, I detailled a really good tough HIIT spin class I took.

Don't worry. You certainly won't look daft, because everyone is concentrating on their own work, not yours. Ask your gym if they have HIIT or even ordinary interval spin and say that you are a beginner. Nobody normally minds if you only do a couple of the sprints at first, and then have a rest.

Well done, BadGirl, that's very good work.
if you feel energetic / not hungry doing fasted training, it probably means you have managed to access your fat store for energy. Got to be good !

Aww Thanks for that bigChoc

yeah I do hate cardio because I find it so hard and don't ever see an improvement because of the Lung issue.
Which means I find it frustrating. And a Heart Rate Monitor flashes high heart rate in the first few minutes...
Always thought I was just unfit till it was discovered!

but your right I can't let it slide (as it's easy to use as an excuse) and need to keep what I have so my gym programme has 15 min on the cross trainer 3 to 4 times a week, I do it first to get it out the way then on to squats and weights.

Find the little spurts of intensity easier than the long stuff so it's good to know that there are health benefits.

Thanks again for the info, You are like a virtual Personal Trainer [Grin]

He he thanks bigchoc, they have a spin class in the corner of my gym on Friday evenings, which is one of my times to go. It sounds very loud and intense, but I fancy a go...thought maybe if was for the future when I'm much fitter though rather than a sort of muddler who dabbles in fitness.

Thanks again. A mine of useful you are!

Hello everyone.
Hi Trucks its really great to "see" you again!!

My "workout" today consisted of taking DC to the sticky hell which is soft play (and walking there and back pushing one in stroller and one on buggy board). Not exactly HIIT but never mind.

NFD here but a mindful one. Did lots of cleaning. Post Christmas grime removal now that the tree is gone. And ovens had to be cleaned from all those Xmas roast. Blurgh. Yuck. Had to resort to that oven pride stuff with sodium hydroxide. Manky.

You are very welcome Chocupid, Peplum, ELR
Let us know how you get on.

Love the fact that lots of you do gym work outs at home.
Because I work from home my only exercise here is housework or gardening.

Today was swimming (3/4 mile out in the sunshine, bliss) then yoga (vini / iyengar but v v technical) then bodypump (88, new routine so I took it easy)

Interesting in BodyPump to watch the silly people doing big weights badly and only actually doing half the repetitions !

.....saunters in, looks thread up and down. Walks over and fingers the wallpaper......

...."s'alright in here innit??".......

...pulls hidden ghetto blaster out of rain mac......

...cranks it to the MAX...

Olivia Newton-John : Let's get Physical

Rips off rain mac, pulls on head sweat band ...

Exercise thread - I AM IN YOU!

..launches into JM style jumping jacks, hears a rip, wets self...

...that's me then folks! See ya!!

Excellent thread BigChoc!!!!

Have been catching up. Am very inspired. Lots of questions which have all just vanished from brain typically!!

Will be putting together an exercise plan this week, incorporating lots of what been reading on here.

Feel like push ups are going to be my big goal as they are something I have never mastered and am really inspired by all of your advice on here.

Hope you had a nice break over Christmas and congrats on achieving SWATH - didn't doubt you for a second!

[missed you loads]

Ooh, definitely do push ups cuckoo- I have always struggled with them but I've made an effort recently. Back in July I could do one- yesterday I did three sets of 15, and the first seven or so felt pretty easy. I can only do them with fairly wide arms, but once I can bust out 30 I'll try with different arm positions.

I would love to master chin ups but I don't trust our doors for any of the home gym ones so it will just have to wait until the boys are older and I can join a gym.

Oooh Earslaps Thanks for that! Am doubly inspired now. Very impressive stuff!! 3 sets! Can't imagine doing 3 let alone a set.

Were yours the with or without knees variety? avoids girly ones title as it is only first day back and don't want to upset the locals too soon

The idea of a pull up is so far out there I don't even need to consider where I would do one! Love the idea of it though.

Maybe we could start a challenge One proper ie NOT girly PULL up in one year???

Would love to be that fit one day. 2014 is definitely the year of fitness, so who knows!

Cuckoo A chin-up challenge is a great idea ! Let's go for it
^^

Full chins are one of my 2014 aims: Currently, I have to take a bit of a jump to the bar, but then I can pull my chin above it and hold while I do a few knees up, then lower myself very slowly down.
I do the assisted chins on the machine, of course, and various exercises to strengthen the relevant muscles.

(SSSh: I may sneak into the school outside playing area in the evening and check out their climbing frame ) I have a bar on my cellar door, but I'm worried about smashing my face if the bar gives way.

Let me know who wants to join in and what your planned program is, or I can help create one. It doesn't have to be full ones.

I can do a set of 5 pull ups, from a dead hang.
My record is 13 at which time I had a BMI of 25.6
I'm a bit puzzled as to why I can only do five now, I guess the extra weight must have been all muscle

Cuckoo "Girly" pressups are with knees on the ground. Your fitness is improved more by struggling through 3-4 proper ones than 100 girly ones.
My 1st pressups were grownup ones because I hadn't heard there were others.

Let's have a press-up challenge too, for those who don't feel ready for chins

Right: sign up / line up here - chins on the right, pressups on the left, clenchers on the loo
Who's up for What ?

Someone suggested to my 14yo DD that she should try some chin-ups (she's into windsurfing, quite strong already) but how on earth can you without a gym?

I find it hard to imagine how you actually make the movement happen!