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

Thanks, BC. I was about to come back on and give that same link - he's the guy I've been following.

Up to now I've been practicing every other day - I'll do as you suggest.

Thank you for your help! I've always been scared of being hungry which is why I've gained weight, hence needing reassurance that I won't collapse!!
I'll let you know what happens. Next fast is Monday. I think I am pretty fit, but my weight is slowing me up and I look overweight. Tmrw I am cycling for an hour, then delivering for three hours, then running club.

Now looking forward to my fast with exercise on Mon rather than dreading it. Marmite is a great tip, and I'll drink more which isn't hard as I get so thirsty on my rounds. I'm thinking of eating lots of eggs on my fast days.

Exercise is important for health, but diet is what determines weight for almost everyone except elite athletes.
So, to lose weight, do the FDs and eat within TDEE on NFDs

I'm living testament of the above; I'm walking for four hours a day four days a week and running and I've hardly lost anything. Fast days really suit my way of thinking as I hate thinking about food all the time which is why diets depress me. Thank you!

Have just bookmarked NerdFitness : its a great site.

It is a good site - you can sign up for regular emails. He's very inspirational.

I've just had a great NSV!

This afternoon I visited my nephew, who was home from the States for a few days for his dad's birthday. When we hugged, he grabbed me by the arms and said, "Wahey! You're developing some guns there!" So I told him about my exercise routine - and we swapped a few tips!

Big guns B&W Doesn't it feel good to impress the young 'uns !
He'll probably tell a few folk about his fit, muscular uncle.

Even if he is already lean, did you tell him about the health benefits we think that fasting has ?

Runners ! Very interesting Article - book excerpt about how the running greats, including Dr Roger Bannister, trained. Lots about sprint interval training.

Thanks for the link BigChoc it is always interesting to see how the great runners trained. There are always new ways of thinking - some follow the Arthur Lydiard model of more slow and long runs and fewer intervals...others like Roger Bannister who I think trained in his lunch hour favoured fast short training periods. I think you do what suits you and your availability. Personally I prefer the 80:20 model written about by Matt Fitzgerald which gives the priority to long slow runs over interval training but I'm never going to be a great runner!

As I mentioned in the main thread, my midlife MOT went pretty well. It included a musculoskeletal assessment, I got good scores on nearly everything (a quite awesome ATG included ) but middling on core stability. The woman doing it recommended pilates, I said I'd thought about it but not found a class but she reckoned some of the DVDs are actually pretty good - anyone on here got any recommendations please?

My body fat was also a bit higher than I'd expected (not excessively, and my waist is good and BMI fine so not a health concern) but they recommended more muscle building (yeah, it's a work in slow progress!) - the doctor particularly recommended I should try a kettlebell. I've taken a look at the link in the OP ... the video image is a bit small and the instructions, while they look good seem a bit wordy to follow in practice. So again, I'm wondering if there's a good DVD - and also, how to tell what size(s) to get. I'm not sure I'd feel safe hoiking anything too heavy overhead in something like that 'clean and jerk' one, whereas the sumo deadlift looks like it'd want something larger. TBH not quite sure with some of the non-swingy moves why you wouldn't just use dumbbells?

Errol Maybe go to a sportshop and hoik a few kettles to try. Or you can get a reasonable feel for the size you need by trying with your dumbbells - but kettles are much better for actual kettling.

To build up strength, I again recommend you invest in a few hrs with a PT, mainly to finally nail pressups, the absolute best uoper body exercise; Bus upthread went reported she went from 0-20 with just 6 sessions. I'm sure you have a technique or other issue which a PT would soon put right. Maybe even 1 hr would do it.
Also good to have your other main lifts, like squats, row etc and your abs exercises checked for form.

But how does one find a PT - not in a big city and don't know anyone who's had one.

Most gyms would hire out a PT even if you are not a member

Errol, signing up to a block of PT sessions was one of the best things I've ever done for my health, well being and self esteem. Pretty life changing to be honest.

I'll think on't. But really just want things to do at home at the moment, DH is booked for surgery next week and then recovery takes several weeks, just doesn't seem like a good time to be thinking about PTs.

Sounds like you've got a lot on. Hope the surgery and recovery goes smoothly

Best wishes to MrErrol
Maybe think about a PT once he doesn't need TLC or for you to ferry him around.

Anglaise HIIT helps people achieve high intensity in exercise, but in short bursts, so it is bearable.
You don't need much HIIT, because your normal pace is high intensity: most hobby runners come nowhere near your normal pace even during the "sprint" part of their intervals.

Best wishes to your DH, Errol - let us know how he gets on, won't you!

My exercise routines upgrades are working well after my break:

I did 20 chin ups - 4 sets of 5 - earlier;
Tonight I did 20 press ups with 5kg on my back, then 3 x 20 with 8kg;
I'm now consolidating all my 9 x 9kg kettlebell routines - 4 x 20sets. Later this week I'll bring out the 12kg.

And I had a PB with my HIIT this morning!

All I need now is the all clear on the ultra sound scan on my 'scar tissue' on Wednesday morning.

Thanks for your kind thoughts - DH had his surgery this morning and it all went well.

B&W, you're such an inspiration!

That's great, B&W You're back and fighting fiit !
You might like this:

Pressup Fans
This is one of the current routines in our BodyBuilder class:
. Performed without breaks for a 5 minute song
. Alternating sets of 5 reps of 3 exercises:

1. Kneeling upright, let yourself fall forward and catch your weight in the lowered kneeling pressup position. Push upwards in one movement back to vertical. Repeats.
2. In the full pressup position, lower halfway, then use your core muscles to propel yourself vertically in the air, keeping your body rigid horizontally, so you are briefly airborne (just a couple of inches). Repeats.
3. Big Girls (Standard full pressups)

Good to hear MrErrol is on the mend.

Ooh Big I did those diving press ups with my PT. They were fun but hard!

Bread do you put weights in an ordinary back pack?

Excellent, Errol, thanks.

Well, the best laid plans, and that!

Had my U/S scan this morning - and had some bad news and some hopeful news.

First the bad news - despite the surgeon's doubts, it appears that I do have a hernia!

And the hopeful news is that the practitioner reckoned that, as long as it wasn't causing me any problems, I could carry on as I have been doing, and not have the operation.

So I expect I'll be given an appointment back again with the surgeon to see what the options are. And I'll consult my MD, of course.

I need to have conversations with them both regarding exercise. I think it's best to leave the 9 and 12kg kettlebells alone until I've seen someone. It may be that the 12kg kb exacerbated, or even brought on, the hernia.

So I'll have to leave that press up fan exercise in abeyance for a while, BC, but thanks, anyway!

On the brighter side, I can do some light lifting whilst in a seated position, and I can do a form of HIIT in the swimming pool. Plus I'll keep up my back exercises - on my front, lifting up with my hips on the floor, and on my back, curling up with my lower back on the floor.

Just remembered I have a 3' by 4" rubber band that my son gave me. I've tried it whilst sitting on the kitchen stool - passing it underneath the seat, I can stretch it by lifting up both arms, which feels pretty testing. And I can double it up and exercise each arm. Any other suggestions, BC?

drivethebus, that's right. My back pack weighs 2kg (with a paperback) and I've been putting either my 3kg or 6 kg kb in there. That's something else I guess will have to go on the back burner for a while!

Neh mind, eh! Worse things happen at sea! There are other, much more serious things I could be suffering from! [countingmyblessings]

That's tough, B&W
I recommend you specifically ask your specialist about each of the main types of exercise you do: pool HIIT, pressups, pullups, kettles ....

In the meantime, obviously keep well within what feels comfortable. I recommend cutting out the pullups - I always feel my stomach under maximum strain with those - and any twisting exercises.

With your bands, you could try seated: bicep curls, front deltoid raises, lateral raises, benchpress, triceps (vertical arm, then bend at elbow, behind the neck), leg (quad) extensions.
With caution, these are non-seated Bands for Boxers