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

[BigChocFrenzy]

Why Exercise ?

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

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

Increasing your % muscle and / or reducing your % body fat lowers the risk of death from all causes LowerRiskMuscle

Regular exercisers gain the greatest benefits over their lifetime and theyj can minimise biological aging, i.e. "Bend the Aging Curve BendAge

Fasted training

i.e. training on FDs, seems to increase the benefits of both training and IF.
Most experienced exercisers soon manage fasted training without loss of performance for session of up to 90 mins.

Hormesis

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"
Hormesis Mattson , BlackSwan and Hormesis is cutting edge science for nutrition and fitness.

Its principles are that alternating between "extremes" of feast and fast (5:2 / IF) or intense training and rest (HIIT), 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 , Hormesis-Edge , and AntiFragile The following recovery period avoids damage from over-stressing.

INEFFICIENT: Low-Medium Intensity Steady state Cardio

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

Walking outdoors 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

Also low-moderate or steady state exercise tends to increase appetite, whereas intense exercise can suppress appetite for up to 15 hours.

BEST 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 both HIIT cardio and lifting / resistance training.

FAST Exercise

Dr Mosely developed a Fast Exercise program to complement his 5:2 WOE FastExercise

He lists many HIIT and strength routines that only take a few minutes, but can make significantly improve metabolism and fat-burning capability FastExercises

HOW to Exercise

The cardio machines and the girlie pink dumbbells that gyms push are NOT adequate to significantly improve fitness or burn fat.

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.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

HIIT is an exercise strategy which alternates brief intervals of high intensity exercise with less-intense recovery periods.
Examples:

• 20 seconds high intensity + 10 secs recovery
• 60 sec high + 30 sec low etc.

HIIT is very time-efficient, producing the greatest fitness benefit in the least time (the advantage of hormesis).

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 also improves the insulin metabolism, which is very important for health.

HIIT reduces risk of heart problems more than doing lower intensity SteadyState , pp. 31-34.

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 HIIT classes, e.g. spinning, circuit training, CrossFit, Tabata, Fartlek*(Fartlek = HIIT with irregular intervals)

RESISTANCE Training / LIFTING

Helps retain muscle mass during weight loss and hence to maintain TDEE.
You can lift at home, or in the gym weights area, or in a pump class.

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.

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.

WARNING
Do not lift massively heavy barbells, more than bodyweight, unless you are really fit with good technique.
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.

Press ups

• By far the best upper body exercise
• Keep attempting one full 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
• Hand Release Pressups are good to build up strength for full ones
• Also build up via inclined pressups InclinedPress , see bottom of wiki page
• To increase the number of pushups IncreaseNum

ATG Arse To Grass bodyweight squat

• 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. -bring your arms forward

• keep your back straight, but angled slightly forward, not vertical.
• Go down as far as you can without knee pain.

Pullups

• Very few women can do full ones, but assisted ones build excellent muscle
• Work the same muscles with the much easier Australian pullup or imverted row InvertedRow

If you have access to dumbbells / barbells, then for maximum effect, work the large muscle groups:
squats bent-over rows (press button "female") Behind neckPress (press button "female") dead lift

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.

To Build More Muscle
Lift lower (NOT Girlie) weight, do 3 sets x 8-20 reps, i.e. totalling 24-60 lifts.

AVOID OSTEOPOROSIS

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

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 for osteoporosis than lunges, also for knees:
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.

Note: Cycling normally does NOT increase bone density, as it does not load bones along their length. Osteo

KETTLEBELLS Kettle
Beginners:
. Two-handed swing
. Sumo Deadlift
. Turkish Getup
. Swing
. Clean and Jerk
. Press

Improve your GRIP STRENGTH GripMen , BodyBuild

CALCULATORS:
Fast Fitness Calculators: 52FastExercise
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

Betsy Please could you put that pic back up?

Now I can see you.
Looking kick-ass mean, Betsy !

Wow, I hadn't realised you wore all that protective gear - is that just for sparring ?
I just have gloves and a mouthshield - well I did: boxing ended several weeks ago, because once again too few people. Strange, as it is for both men & women. I don't know if it is because they only schedule it for 8-9:30 pm.

You'll make a really motivating instructor.
Good luck with the grading.

Anglaise Good luck to you too, with the 10k. It will be very interesting to see the comparison to your last race. Main thing is that you feel good and enjoy yourself.

Right, I'm off to spin now and I'll do 20 mins lifting after, before they close.

sed You said you were lifting. What kind of routines and how are you doing ?

Did you get your new purple belt, Betsy? Photo please??

Thanks for your good wishes everyone, the race was this afternoon and I am very happy. Back to my normal time of 46m30s after the near 48mins a couple of weeks ago. It would possibly have been my PB if I didn't stop and chat to the girl I crossed the finish line with before we had our chips scanned?
The girl told me I had the strangest running style ever with legs and arms all over the place, she was amazed I managed to do a reasonable and very steady time. I know I have a terrible style with arms too relaxed, but changing your running style is very difficult to do and my coach doesn't seem interested.
I felt good and maybe the 3lbs I lost since the last week helped too. Plus running 10k is very different from trail racing and it takes a while to get back into the habit.

Well done, Anglaise Great time
It's logical that when you switch between the longer endurance trail and 10k, you don't immediately reach your PB time. Your body goes through a transition period to adjust.
You may find your next trail race isn't your fastest, but your 2nd is better.

That's a great time Anglaise My running style is too bouncy apparently but I'm thinking if I'm not bouncing I'm not having fun so not planning to stop. Run how you like - I'd imagine having relaxed arms burns less calories so good for fuel preservation on those long trail runs of yours.

I've put up a photo of a pretty cool flying kick which happened today in grading, which is more fun than my posing in new shiny purple belt picture

The protective gear is just for sparring yes BCF, at my level we just stick to chest hits, no head shots for a couple of belts yet. We have to do a certain amount of timed sparring per belt from green upwards.

I still can't see any pics, Betsy!

Well done for yesterday's run, Anglaise, and though I'm not much of a runner, I don't see how being bouncy is important, especially as your coach doesn't seem at all fussed? The girl's comment to you seems rude to me.

BigChoc I started doing lat pulldowns and leg and chest presses, lifting about 20kg, as well as my usual cardio about four times a week in June but with the stresses of work a few months ago I've let this slide and now I'm lacking either the time or motivation to get back into a routine. But I know that getting back to it will help with feeling mentally stronger, as well as physically.

MN fail I think, they were working yesterday - Twitter pics links instead flying kick

Greenbelt preparing to spar

I'm lacking either the time or motivation to get back into a routine

That's precisely why I went down the home-based exercise route, SED. At any convenient time of the day I can drop down and do my press-ups, etc. And I do my kettle-bell routine - takes me about 30 minutes - whilst watching Newsnight in the kitchen. No special gear, no expense except the kb - no thinking, "I've had a hard day - and the weather's filthy - I'll do it tomorrow," kind of thoughts.

Works for me.

Hope you get back in the groove, soon, SED, whatever you do.

Just thought - maybe you could combine the two? On the days you feel up to it, and you have time, you go to the gym; on the days you don't, get stuck into your home-based exercises - then you won't feel you've wasted a day.

I'm now back to 20 reps of each exercise (except the chin-ups) I do - with a gap of 2 minutes between each set. I'll get this down to one minute, then I'll think about going onto my 9kg kb and weighted press-ups.

I reckon I'll be back to where I was before my strains/sprains by about before the end of Jan.

Comgratulations on the sparkly new purple belt, Betsy
You are our TKD warrior

Brilliant pics Betsy and huge congratulations on your purple belt
Blimey you look fierce!
SEast I think you are right - even though things are far from easy for you at the moment some physical exercise could do you some good, for your head as well as for your body. Do you have any idea of what you are going to do yet?
I think it is Betsy's running style that is bouncy. Mine is more arms flailing uselessly and a very small stride without lifting my knees enough (I'm 5'8" so tall enough with long enough legs to have a very large stride if I could remember to lift my knees more!)
Bigchoc I did some mini fasts and logged what I ate on MFP to lose the 3lbs. It seems to have worked. I can do it, but find it difficult to fast all day and eat very little in the evening when I'm averaging 2400cals burnt nearly every day (normal TDEE would be around 1400 if I did no exercise at all).

Anglaise You are obviously very lean & fit, so whatever suits you.

I also have a high TDEE from exercise and I do 600-cal FDs (25% TDEE) or mini-FDs. I've always prioritised exercise performance and my lifting in particular seems to demand lots of fuel for muscles.
However, I don't eat breakfast, so I usually have at least a 16-hr daily fast. I like this and I think fasting has health benefits.

Strangely, I find it nearly impossible to fast on a training rest day - exercise distracts me from food.

Strangely, I find it nearly impossible to fast on a training rest day - exercise distracts me from food.
I know what you mean Bigchoc!
Unfortunately I love my breakfast - even though it is relatively low in calories (200 cals, a piece of wholemeal toast and cup of tea). So 16:8 daily is difficult. I think it is a French thing, I don't know one French person who ever skips breakfast - although it is usually quite light. I don't have any other races planned until mid January so will do a couple of fasts per week over the Christmas period.
I agree, there are a lot of health benefits to fasting and I must get back into that mindset

Article in the Telegraph today perhaps of interest to gym bunnies and B&W - weight training is better for reducing abdominal fat than running

Many scientific studies e.g. Ref , have shown weight-lifting burns fat, for men and women. Abdominal fat is especially helped because weights, like HIIT, can help insulin metabolism.

On these threads, I advocate heavy lifting to work the major muscle groups (chest, back, thighs/bum) Good article for women Here

. 1kg of fat burns 3 calories per day
. 1 kg muscle burns 50 cals !

. Strength training has long "afterburn": continued calorie-burning for up to 48 hrs.
. So does HIIT
. Steady state cardio has almost no afterburn, though.

Special Groups
. Dieters: Without lifting heavy weights, you will lose muscle too and reduce TDEE / metabolism.
. Mums: Pregnancy accelerates muscle loss, because the baby takes protein from you
. Runners: Steady state cardio is great for CV but even lean women who do too much will lose muscle. Lift and also vary cardio with sprints.

Tks for those links, Anglaise and BC.

Just came across this on Twitter:

You lose 50% of your workout if you don't eat within 30mins after you finish.

I've asked for the reference, but I bet I don't get it.

One more day of slothfulness for me until I resume my daily exercises on Monday. I shall be upping the weights/decreasing the intervals - we'll see how that works out.

Thanks for posting that link Anglaise - most of the chaps I see lifting at the gym have flat stomachs so I can fully believe the findings from those researchers at Harvard. I think reducing or eliminating sugar also plays a part. I really do dislike my flabby tummy and can especially feel it when I'm on the rowing machine.

sed I know you are a cardio fan, but I think you would benefit more by concentrating on lifting
You chaps especially can achieve amazing progress in body composition by short sets lifting heavy weights, e.g 5 reps x 5 sets is classic

The most effects come from working the large muscle groups, so:
. Say 3 sets of 20 pressups, 3 sets of as many pullups as you can
. then the heaviest barbells you can lift 5x5 for say deadlifts, bentover row, bench press, squats, lunges.
You should see rapid improvements in what you can lift, continuing for several weeks.

B&W On an NFD, the average gymgoer doesn't need to eat after exercise, unless it was very strenuous and you feel the need.
BUT, a very heavy lifter (probably your author is one) trying to build muscle should indeed do so within 30 mins, even on an NFD.
That is 100% established bodybuilding/ lifting practice

Resistance exercise, in particular, breaks down muscle fibres, which then repair and become stronger during the next day or so.
This process is how muscle gets stronger / bigger and depends on sufficient fuel during the period immediately after exercise, plus the next 24 hrs+.

FDers need protein after training, to retain muscle
. For evening trainers, have a protein shake to tide you over until you can get home, then eat any remaining cals.

. Whatever time you exercise on an FD, eat the full 500 FD cals (600 for chaps). Otherwise, your training progress may slow or even stop. Also, if you lose muscle, this negates health benefits of fasting.

My FD evening lifting:
. Fast with only zero-cal drinks until 1hr before
. 1hr before - a protein shake or small can of tuna
. 10 mins before - a high caffeine drink, e.g double espresso
. Immediately after - zero-cal BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) drink
. After shower etc - low carb protein shake
. At home - another LC shake or tuna

(Yes B&W, I know you have sometimes trained on zero cals, but you could have progressed even more with proper fuel)

Ah, thanks for all that, BC! I must confess I didn't expect that.

But it's good to challenge received wisdoms every now and again, don't you think?

Finally resumed my exercise regime after a full 8 day lay off. Thought I'd wait a week before upping the weights, etc, but I was delighted to discover my press-ups were, if anything, slightly easier than before!

Exercise vs diet - which is more important for losing weight?
Interesting article - I thought it was 80% diet and 20% exercise if you want to lose weight, but this implies the diet has even more importance.
However, exercise has lots of other benefits, of course!

Exercise substantailly increases my TDEE. Tip, Errol have reported similarly.
So, for those of us who exercise sufficiently, we can eat a sufficient amount for a sustainable WOL.

However, some obese folk eat 3000, 4000, 5000 ... calories daily.
Diet would control 99% of weight loss for them, because only a top class (male) athlete could burn that amount.

Exercise doesn't help much for many folk because:
. They don't exercise at a sufficiently high intensity - too many folk on low intensity cardio machines
. They don't exercise regularly. 3-6 days per week is necessary for real effect.
. Moderate intensity cardio can increase appetite and hence intake
. People feel entitled to eat back exercise calories - but eat to excess.
. People & gadgets over-estimate calories burned
. Overweight people usually badly under-estimate their daily calorie intake

All very good and valid reasons for doing exercise, BigChoc.
Muscle burns more calories than fat so another reason for the TDEE requirement increase.

I've just realised that you've legitimised my late night gluttony, BC!

I do my kettlebell and body weight exercises whilst watching Newsnight and/or the paper review - and I give myself a good workout.

Then I often follow this up by munching on whatever I have to hand. Tonight I have leftover chilli on the stove, and earlier I made a ginger cake. Both of which I've just had a good sample of.

The only drawback to this otherwise excellent routine is that I'm often forced to have a glass or two of red with anything savoury!