5:2 / IF Exercise & Fitness Thread Number 3: Advice and information for those following Intermittent Fasting .... and anyone else too

[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 they can minimise biological aging, i.e. "Bend the Aging Curve BendAge

Recent Research showed that lack of exercise is twice as likely to lead to premature death as being obese (BMI 30 -35)

Body Fat, Exercise & Diet
People who maintain their weight through diet alone without exercise are likely to have major deposits of visceral fat (the more dangerous kind around organs), even if BMI is ok.

They are TOFIs (Thin Outside, Fat Inside)

A MRI study found that:
45 % of women and nearly 60% of men with “healthy” BMI, had excessive levels of visceral fat i.e. clinically overweight

A Can J Card study showed visceral fat can be burned off via exercise, even if weight is unchanged (increased lean mass)

Hormesis

Hormesis, see Mattson , BlackSwan and Stronger is cutting edge science for nutrition & fitness.

Its principles are that alternating between “extremes” - e.g. feast & fast (5:2 / IF) , intense training & 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.

Fasted training

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

TYPES of Exercise

Main types: Aerobic, anaerobic, flexibility.

All exercise will burn fat, the more intense the faster the fat burn

Anaerobic
e.g. HIIT (see below), sprints, strength training
. Shorter training period
. Increases the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) for up to 48 hrs
. Soon increases fitness
. May help correct insulin metabolism issues & target abs fat.

Aerobic
e.g. walking, running, cycling, swimming
. Longer training period
. May burn more calories during exercise, if it is lasts much longer than HIIT, but burns fewer afterwards
. It is easier to do for the less fit

Flexibility, Stability, Relaxation
e.g. yoga, stretching

The best exercise routine is one you enjoy and is sustainable.

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

HOW to Exercise

If you are a very overweight unfit beginner:
. Check with your GP before starting exercise
. Start by walking 5-10 mins twice per day, gradually increase
. Try walk intervals: alternating 1 min faster pace, 1 min normal
. Build up to a brisk 30 mins daily walk and you will significantly improve your health & fitness
. Swimming is also good, preferably crawl or back stroke for less strain on back & joints.

Everyone Else:
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. But stop immediately if you feel any sharp pain.
• You are supposed to drip sweat and pant heavily !

Efficiency / Intensity: This Study proved that at speeds of 5mph or faster, running will burn more calories per mile than walking

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

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

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

. Increases both aerobic and anaerobic endurance

. May improve insulin metabolism, very important for health and abs fat.

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

HIIT can be applied to cardio or to bodyweight exercises, at home or gym.
Most gyms offer HIIT classes, e.g. spinning, circuit training, CrossFit, Tabata, Fartlek (=HIIT with irregular intervals)

FAST Exercise

"No time" to exercise ?
Or want to boost fitness & fat-burning metabolism

Dr Mosely developed a FastExerciseProgram to complement his 5:2 WOE
His Fast HIIT and strength routines can significantly improve metabolism & fat-burning capability

Other scientists like Tabata have developed routines now wisely incorporated in training.

HIIT Fitness Blasts

A few mins per day, 3-5 days per week

START with 2 mins warmup then EITHER

Sprint or Rope-skipping intervals
. 1 minute sprinting / skipping @ max effort +90 secs jogging to recover
. Do 5 intervals

OR

Fast Blasts
Choose from:
Running, stationary bike @ low resistance, rope-skipping, burpees, jumping jacks, spotty dog, punching air or bag, step-ups, swimming, squats, lunges, pressups, tricep dips, situps ... or any combination you like.

Choose type of Blast:

4-minute Blast
. 4 mins @ 90% effort

OR "Tabata" = 8 x intervals of 20 secs @ 100% effort + 10 secs recovery @ rest or slow speed
( FreeTimerApp )

OR 2 x20-sec intervals=
. 20-sec @ 100% effort
. 2 mins walk to recover
. 20-sec @ 100% effort

END any HIIT or Fat Blast with a few mins cooldown walk / jog

RESISTANCE Training / LIFTING

Helps retain muscle mass during weight loss and hence to maintain TDEE.
Lift at home / in the gym weights area / 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 lifts
Sets are separated by brief rests
E.g. 3 sets of 12 reps = 36 lifts
Breathing: Inhale before lifting, exhale while lifting. Don't hold your breath.

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
Video

• 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 IncPress , see bottom of wiki page
• To increase the number of pushups IncNum

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
• Squat down as far as you can without knee pain or hunching your back
• Push up from your heels, exhaling.

Pullups

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

If you have access to dumbbells / barbells, then for maximum effect, work the large muscle groups:
Squat BentOverRow (press button "female")
BehindNeckPress (press button "female")
DeadLift

To increase Strength
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 Muscle
Lift lower weight, 3 sets x 8-20 reps, i.e. totalling 24-60 lifts

To Build Endurance
Lift lower (NOT Girlie) weight for 3-5 mins, preferably without pauses

BUM / GLUTES
Squats & lunges are excellent
Also this 2-min bodyweight workout especially for women, targeting the bum:
WorkYourBum

ABS
Choose the exercises & number of reps for your fitness level

The plank
. Start at 2 x 15 secs. Build up to 2 x 45 secs
. Advanced:

1. Use TRX slings, picture 2

Side plank + hip raises
. If you can, keep the side of 1 foot plus 1 forearm on the floor, free arm straight up in the air, picture 3
. Easier - free hand on your hip. Easier still - keep calf & knee on the floor, instead of bent at the knees
. Start at 3 sets of 3. Build up to 3 x 30

Leg raises
. Lie flat on your back, with legs bent to 90 degrees
. Lower the legs one at a time to 1" above the floor (straight leg if you can) then raise again
. Start at 3 sets of 3 each leg. Build up to 3 x 15
. Advanced:

1. Lower both legs at the same time

Situps
. Hands forward to really work abs & avoid pulling the neck
. Alternatively, cross your arms over your chest
. Start at 3 sets of 3. Build up to 3 x 30
. Advanced:

1. Raise legs to 90 degrees & bring them towards you when you situp (double crunch)
2. Legs nearly flat on the floor
3. One leg bent at 90 degrees, the other held straight 1" above the floor
4. Hold a weight disc / dumbbells / barbell above your head

Angled Situps
. Lie on your back and rest one ankle on the opposite knee
. Angled situp so your opposite elbow touches the knee
. Keep the other hand be in the air by your knee, or alternatively supporting your head - do NOT pull on the neck
. Build up to 3 sets of 20 each side
. Advanced:

1. with dumbell
2. Situps with legs rotated 90 degrees to the left, resting on floor. Then repeat set with legs rotated to the right, on floor
3. Lie on the floor, rotate legs 90 degrees to the left. Raise and lower legs like that, keeping back on the floor. Repeat set with legs on other side
4. Keep legs raised & rotated to the left and do situps (double side crunch) Repeat with legs raised & rotated to the right

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

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 GRIP STRENGTH GripStrength , GripBuild

RUNNERS

. Sprinting improves fitness
. Regular 5 - 10 km runs burn significant fat, especially fasted

Running illustrates the "J or S-curve" effect, where increasing exercise improves health, up to a certain point, after which health worsens e.g. MayoClinic , RiceUni , JMed :

. Running 20 mins improves immune system

. A run of 90+ mins may weaken the immune system for up to 3 days.
With insufficient recovery periods, the damage is cumulative.
Elite runners have immune systems that handle that strain

. Long races 20k+ may cause micro-tears to the heart muscle in some runners, hence a 2-week recovery period is recommended.

CALCULATORS:
Calories Burned for specific exercises: ExerciseCals
Fitness Calculators: 52FastExercise
Estimate fitness age: FitAge
Estimate Vo2Max iTunes App: Vo2APP
Running Calories burned: RunningCals
Running Standards: Age-RelatedRunCalculator
TDEE 24hr activity times & body fat TDEE-Detail

Very well done on your trail race Anglaise that's a brilliant time, especially given the temperature! You will be my new inspiration when I start moaning to myself on hills!

And thanks again BigChoc for the extra info, I'll be keeping most of my training under an hour but will build up over the weeks as my race is 15k, so I'll need to be looking at 90 minutes (and the rest!) but it'll be a steady build up.

Yes, indeed, congrats, Anglaise!

An article in the D Mirror today, on the secret to looking and staying youthful, led me to search for Drs Peeke and Wisloff.

Which led me to this fascinating article in the NT Times.

There is a link in the article to a previous article on 'Fitness Age', which had a link to the VO2 Max calculator. If I'm not mistaken, Dr Wisloff was involved in developing this.

Of course, I had to have another go at this - and discovered that my VO2 Max is 33 and my fitness level is that of an average 41-yr-old!

I've just looked back on my blog, and the equivalent figures, back when I began seriously my exercise in Jan 2014, were 47 and 45!

This whole article validates everything that BigChoc says - and everything that you're doing, Anglaise!

Wow B&W those stats are AMAZING!

I'll def. have a look at that and see what mine are, though I'm sure they won't be nearly as impressive! Better than they would have been a couple of years ago though .

I did a 90 min. beach bootcamp today. Did one at the start of the summer, which was my first. Was definitely better prepared mentally today. I survived! Took my DH along and he vomited, much to my delight as he can be a little bit of a smart arse and likes to think he's fitter than me! It's the first time we've ever worked out together. Hopefully the first of many.

Well done again on those stats b&w.

So, in RL I'm 34 with an expected VO2 Max of 40.

However, according to the calculator my fitness age is 29 and my VO2 Max is 42.

Yay! I'm really pleased.

It came out ridiculous the first time - I had my height/weight in metric but had put my waist in inches (and had changed the units) but I think it had got confused. Anyway, putting that in cm I came out as 37 with Vo2max 39. (The choices for activity level didn't quite fit so I understated rather than overstated)

However, I had it measured a month or so ago, it was actually 32 - which while still (slightly) above average for my age isn't that good!

Not been exercising regularly over the last few weeks - but did a tabata session this morning, mostly outdoors which was nice and hopefully will get some exercise every day this week. DH and DD have left for Exmoor this morning, he's well enough to do some walking now (We did a lovely 13km along the wharfe from Bolton Abbey on Friday) and doing DofE has made her quite keen (she went off walking for a while but now she knows she can outwalk us!) She's going to carry the heavy stuff like water, he will carry clothing so it looks like he's not exploiting child labour .

Yes, age is no barrier (or excuse!) for not being fit. One of the guys who runs in my club is 70 and can run a 10k in just over 50 minutes. If I am still running at 70 I'll be happy, let alone racing and doing a good time!
I did the test, according to the results I have a fitness age of 20 and VO2max of 50 (Ill be 50 in November)
How is your training going FurryTurnip?

Evening all

I've decided to work on my flexibility, alongside the strength training I'm doing. Read a fab article on Nerd Fitness about the benefits and they gave 4 suggested exercises that literally take a couple of minutes. I'm ridiculously embarrassingly inflexible so I'm aiming for being able to touch my toes. I already do a few body weight exercises every day that I don't do formal exercise, so I'm thinking it should be fairly easy to stick at.

Bring on bendiness!!!

Flexibility is a funny thing - I can touch my toes with my palms and scratch any part of my back unaided, but any sort of 'splits' type stretch is very limited. Don't know if that's mainly ligaments/tendons or if it varies with your hip configuration or suchlike.

But then again, IRL I don't think I've ever needed to do the splits beyond what I can manage.

Everyone should aim to be able to touch their toes, unless some disability prevents this. Flexibility is important in avoiding injury and also in maintaining independence in later life.

Doing the splits is NOT necessary though, unless you want to do something like ballet or gymnastics at a good standard.
Do be careful trying to split. It takes time to build up that degee of flexibility and you may need to build up the necessary support muscle.

yes - I figure that if I can do a good lunge and a wide squat, that's all that a normal person needs!

Hi guys!

Just came across an article in the DM (that's Mirror, not the other one!) reporting that 20 mins of exercise can cut older men's risk of heart failure by a fifth.

So I went in search of the research and found this.

And it seems to be recent activity, not past activity that's important.

My question is, would this not apply equally to women? How about it, BC?

Just had a very fit and satisfying - not to say virtuous - morning!

I'm finding more and more ways of incorporating HIIT principles into my daily activities:
Went to post a letter and threw in a couple of quick jogging spurts
Mowed the lawn - and ran after the mower along the long bits
When running upstairs, instead of sort of jogging up, as I have been doing, I now go flat out up each flight.

Couple of PBs to report - well, 8 actually! I exceeded my previous best on each one of my HIIT stints!

I'll be having pizza tonight, cooked on my chiminea - and I won't be particularly watching my alcohol units! Well, I have been rather good, recently!

For men and women, several scientific studies have shown that the ability to do exercise is a more reliable predictor of mortality / health risks than age or weight.
That ability is obviously higher for a current exerciser than someone who gave it up last year, in turn higher than someone who has never exercised.

Hi, I would like to do some strenght exercise at home when I come back from C25k runs (still in running clothes and shower after probably). It would be after a run so no cardio necessary and no jumping.
I also have 1 yoga class and 1 dance lesson a week, usually).

The thing is my back, core and arms are quite weak. I am not able to do one proper push up, doing a plank or side plank is difficult (I can manage 20 sec max). I have scoliosis an I am overweight - working on it with 5:2.

I need a foolproof plan to follow mindlessly, no thinking. I can use a tabata timer, I have no weights at home.

10 hand release pushups
2x 10 girly pushups
5x 10 squats
2x10 inverted rows (using a table)
2x20 lunges
2x20 sec plank
4x20 sec side plank
2 min situps
work your bum 2 min
stretching

What do you think? Thanks.

Today's Times magazine has an article on a fasting experience which works well. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/magazine/article4530742.ece

Hi, MrsCoyote That looks a good plan to start you off.
I suggest you also add 2x 10 tricep dips, with your hands on a step.

If you want to add some cardio, rope skipping is good. Start with 2 minutes, because it is tough at first.

Thanks for the link, Janet
I crashed against the paywell after the first few paras, but I've seen quite a bit the last year about the Buchinger Clinic mentioned here. They are one of the leading fasting clinics.

This kind of fasting is termed "periodic fasting", i.e. longer fasts done as a medically supervised intervention say 1-4 times per year, instead of weekly fasts for 1-2 days.
I've read several papers by Longho (a leading researcher) and this is an interesting interview with him: Periodic Fasting

Important: prolonged fasting of 3+ days MUST be supervised by professionals; definitely not something to attempt on one's own.
The first step is always a very detailled medical assess,ent to check the lerson is suitable, then there is a daily medical to check all is well.

I hurt my shoulder messing about with the kiddies at the start of the week. Hoping it's nothing serious and trying to rest it as much as possible but it's hard with the toddlers.

Pretty gutted to miss my gym workouts this week. But am trying to be really sensible. Have been doing some squats and lunges to keep ticking over with something. But I'm really annoyed.

Sorry to hear that, Bus
Sounds like a muscle strain or minor tear, so rest is the best treatment.

Plenty you can do to work bum, abs and legs in the meantime:
You could do a squat Tabata and a lunge Tabata, to boost your fitness..
Check out the BUM / GLUTES video and the ABS section in the OP for more ideas.

Thanks Big. Surprised at how gutted I am to be missing my weights session today. I hadn't thought of doing the lower body stuff as tabata so thank you for the suggestion.

Any newbies:
Science background and types of exercise are explained in the OP, but do post if you'd like suggestions how to start. Or if you are quite experienced, but would like new ideas.

I can suggest a customised routine that might suit your needs.
Or we can just offer general encouragement to move that bod
Has anyone achieved any milestones recently, say in c25k, squat challenge, lifting or had an interesting race ?

BigChoc regarding my ongoing GI problems...I did a HM yesterday and ate just pasta, ham and Gruyere cheese for 2 days prior to the race (the doctor said 3 but I just couldn't take that as I like my food!) Race went well (I even qualified for the French national HM finals because it was a championship race!) and after I had a little tummy ache and had to go to the loo, but just once instead of 20 times
Snuck in at under the 1H45 cut off time to qualify for the French HM finals, lol.

Congrats about qualifying for the French HM finals, Anglaise That's a fantasic achievement and time.
Sounds like your doc knows his stuff.
Think of all the months and weeks of training you do. You know you can manage just 3 days of boring food, to avoid that one loo dash after the finals.
Remember, you have 2 weeks recuperation, during which you can indulge in delic food & wine.

Hey, Hey, Anglaise! Well done to you!

What an achievement - but you've worked hard for it.

Now for a period of R&R - enjoy yourself!

Thanks BigChoc and B&W! I won't go to the finals (I'd be one of the last to finish!) but it was just nice to qualify. Thinking about it, I'm not even sure I'd be eligible because I'm still British. Yes, next time I do a big race I'll do 3 days of pasta instead of 2, just to make sure there is no fibre residue at all left. I was very impressed that the diet worked, it just goes to show how sensitive some people are to the effect of fibre when you force your body hard physically.