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

You MUST check this out !!
Really great 3D Body Visualisation & Calculator with cool sliders and awesome graphics.

^If you click ripped, it visualises your body if you did a lot of sport*

Motivation !!

D2 of 30DS done, fasted. There's a point in the first cardio set (jumping jacks/jump rope) where I feel like I can't continue but after a short breather it starts feeling more manageable.

There's an Instagram account I wanted to recommend too, I've been following her for quite a while, she's a PT and posts some good exercises, and talks about lifting. And has pretty much a perfect body in my opinion!
instagram.com/powercakes

Well done for persisting when it got tough, stripy and thx for the link.

Well done stripey. I started shred with a 5lb pair (2.2 kg) but found I needed a bit smaller for the 'anterior raise' and larger for bicep curls and chest flies. I've gradually aquired a few more over the last 2 years( DH had some).

I was reading another thread in which someone mentioned that the bags of compost at the garden centre were too big to lift. I had this problem- used to have to get the more expensive small ones. But now I can get the full size bags! They're still a bit hard to lift if they're waterlogged but even then I can get them from car boot to wheelbarrow so I can manage them. This is one of those little examples of how regular exercise including building strength makes real life that bit easier.

Well done stripey. I started shred with a 5lb pair (2.2 kg) but found I needed a bit smaller for the 'anterior raise' and larger for bicep curls and chest flies. I've gradually aquired a few more over the last 2 years( DH had some).

I was reading another thread in which someone mentioned that the bags of compost at the garden centre were too big to lift. I had this problem- used to have to get the more expensive small ones. But now I can get the full size bags! They're still a bit hard to lift if they're waterlogged but even then I can get them from car boot to wheelbarrow so I can manage them. This is one of those little examples of how regular exercise including building strength makes real life that bit easier.

Well done stripey. I started shred with a 5lb pair (2.2 kg) but found I needed a bit smaller for the 'anterior raise' and larger for bicep curls and chest flies. I've gradually aquired a few more over the last 2 years( DH had some).

I was reading another thread in which someone mentioned that the bags of compost at the garden centre were too big to lift. I had this problem- used to have to get the more expensive small ones. But now I can get the full size bags! They're still a bit hard to lift if they're waterlogged but even then I can get them from car boot to wheelbarrow so I can manage them. This is one of those little examples of how regular exercise including building strength makes real life that bit easier.

Sorry double post, it said it hadn't connected both times.

D5 of 30DS done. I'm actually really enjoying it which has surprised me. 1cm off both waist and hips after just four days too!

Slight issue with an old knee problem raising its head, though... I always get this when I start a new type of exercise. Had it 15 years ago when I got into ashtanga yoga, had it when I did C25k a few years ago... It's the back of my knee that hurts. Going to have a rest day tomorrow anyway but any other advice, anyone? I've been very careful with the squats and lunges, making sure not to twist my knees or get them over my toes. In the past rest and then getting back into being active has eventually sorted it. I really don't want to lose the momentum and give up on 30DS now!

Well done so far, stripy
tip is our knee expert, with lots of practical experience from her own dodgey ones, so I expect she'll be along soon

Bigchoc knows me too well : she knows that I skim the threads of an evening and spot my initials

stripytees
you will have to adapt ....

squats
you need to REALLY focus on getting your feet the right distance apart ....
stand with your feet together ... heel toe one foot out - that is your pelvis with ... heel toe out twice more .... that is your shoulder width
THEN
you need to focus on getting your bum as far back as you can so that your shins stay as near vertical as you can ... fronts of knees no further forwards than instep
if you cannot stay back, stay up

lunges
no weight at all ... go for technique
again, ensure that your feet left to right are hip width apart
front shin stays vertical
body drops directly downwards
not forwards or backwards at all : fold at the toe joints to let the back knee come forwards to let your pelvis stay square
USE MIRRORS while you train your muscles

NOTHING is worth further knee injury.
www.nhs.uk/news/2015/06June/Pages/Knee-surgery-waste-of-time-researchers-argue.aspx

Hi all. Am a regular on the main thread but haven't posted here for a while.
DH and I are getting out money's worth since rejoining the gym. I'm really enjoying fasted exercise too, I find that my perfoamce is miles better, even when I'm feeling tired and sluggish. I find it easier to push myself to new limits too.
I've just begun reverse pyramid lifting so I'm going to work a bit on that instead of steady, regular reps / weight. I put muscle on pretty quickly, so I'd be interested to know how this affects me.
I've given up on steady state running on the treadmill - too bloody boring! Intervals all the way now. I may have a steady outdoor run on the weekend though.

Hi confused That's great that you and DH are enjoying gym together.
It's such a sense of achievement when you see how much your fitness and strength have improved.

Long treadmill sessions, like a hamster scrambling around on its wheel, are pointless the way they are usually done.
So many women give up gym, because they get stressed out by long boring cardio sessions, without seeing improvement.

I'm a great believer in intervals, especially for cardio, but for lifting too. They boost fitness quite quickly.
I do a range of lifting sets on different days:
. 5-rep sets of very heavy weights
. 10-15 reps of heavyish ones
. advanced bodybuilding class where each set lasts through a 4 minute song, so 100+ reps.

A brilliant runner like our Anglaise benefits fully from an hour's running at her (very very fast) pace.
However, for a typical hobby runner, a longer steady state run won't give your body the intensity to improve as quickly.

If you lift and do HIIT, a gentle 15 mins jog afterwards on a couple of days can help fat-burning, as well as being a good cooldown.

If you enjoy running, I suggest sprint intervals as soon as you've warmed up, then say 30 mins at quite a fast pace, so you are panting heavily afterwards and your legs are tired.

With running, the max health benefit for most folk is 20-45 mins.
I've posted studies showing that after a 90 min hard run, the immune system takes up to 3 days to recover.
Good long distance runners have the immune system to cope, but for most of us longer runs are not the best form of exercise.

Also, tough half-marathons and longer races need 2 weeks recovery, to deal with temporary (usually minor) heart damage that many experience, e.g. HeartStudy

Thanks TiP, that's really helpful.
Any thoughts on cardio, is impact ok or some types better than others? I think when I had an issue with running before it was mostly because the park I was running in had several hills - so my legs ended up doing something not that different from the lunge motion, running up and down all those hills.

stripy
My cardio is swimming.
I cannot even run for last orders any more
I do not run or jump at all at all at all
I avoid all impact type exercise
I can cycle - but tend to do that out in the countryside.

Tip Is that all due to protesting your knees, or because of your Vulcan BP ?

LOL
Knees
If I run or jump I get bruises appear on my knees from where the bones grind on each other.
I've just done 3 hours exercise fully fasted with no dizziness ....

Back on the Shred today with some kettlebell moves I know are OK for my knees in place of the squats and lunges for now. Still felt I got a good, intense workout. Knee feels much better today anyway; I'm hoping it was an injury from twisting it the wrong way rather than an overuse injury.

Well done stripey. Making modifications or substitutions is a good idea.

So.... Yesterday was DD's last GCSE so today we were free to sail and windsurf! And thanks to keeping going with the exercise (more or less, a bit iffy over the last few weeks) it felt good. Drizzle and fog didn't dampen our spirits, who cares when you're wet anyway.

Poor DH stayed home, he can't even go for a decent walk because of this wretched hernia. He'd been doing really well exercise-wise with the rowing machine and can't think of anything much that he can do instead. He has looked up the session times for the local pool and will try a gentle swim to see how it goes.

Lovely way for your DD to chill after the exams, Errol
So frustrating for MrErrol though. Is he having an op soon ?

Chill quite literally! But we're tough and the club galley charges 40p for hot drinks and we eat what the heck we want when we're there (5:2 def helps allow me to do this happily).

DH only went to the GP on Monday so he's not seen the consultant yet - will need scans I think especially as repairs are a lot trickier than if it's the first occurrence.

B&W How is your exercise buildup going, after your long layoff ?
I hope you are enjoying being back in the exercise swing < cracks whip >

I have a question: can someone recommend a protein shake? I'm completely bamboozled with the choice on offer! I think it would be a quick and easy way to up my protein.

Had my very first go on the plyometric jumping boxes today. I managed to jump 27". I am proud as punch! ???? Aiming to make 30" by the end of the summer.

)))))protein shakes(((((
handful of nuts is much better for you
and do you need to up your protein above a healthy diet?