GeekFit PodcastPodcast hosts: Jason Tucker and Steven Klassen discuss healthy weight loss for geeks.
Fitness
What’s The Secret?
Feb 2nd
I got a Facebook comment on a recent Body Bugg update (3944 calories burned, 2958 calories consumed, and a 986 deficit). The question: “How do you burn so many calories, must have the secret…”
This was my response (written first thing in the morning, so bear with me):
I wish I could say it’s all muscle, but that only accounts for maybe an extra quarter calorie per minute (225 calories over 15 hours)**. I burn ~2750 calories a day at an idle, so that extra 500-1000 comes from deliberate daily exercise. 30m on the treadmill, a couple 15 minute brisk walks, etc. The 4500 calorie days are a Zumba class or a combination of weights and some intervals.
I’ve had a couple surplus days though – no exercise and usual intake. That’s good food, too. After tracking with a Body Bugg like this it’s really easy to see how tossing a Double Bacon Western Cheeseburger in the mix (or something similar) would EASILY pack on the pounds.
So, why 3000 calories at an idle instead of 2000 (USDA break-even calorie number)**? I’m carrying 100 lbs of extra ballast. I’m used to carrying it, so it’s like a workout you do for too long and plateau.
If I had to guess I’d say 2000 is a average, 2500 (extra 500 for the muscle composition), and then an extra 250 for carrying the extra weight brings us to 2750.
So the secret is to either be 100 lbs overweight (I really don’t recommend this one!) and/or lift weights to get the added benefit of the extra burn.
** This is a complete WAG (wild @$$ guess) based on what I’ve been heard from other bodybugg users who average 1-1.5 calories/min at an idle.
Fitness Walk – Cake Walk… fail.
Nov 20th
We’ve all had this problem where we’re trying to do real good on our diets or healthy living choices yet things around us get in our way and try to make us fail. This photo on failblog captures that exact thing in just one picture.
What keeps you going? What helps you block out the negative indulgences around you? Leave a comment and let us know.
JrMint Drops Science
Jul 28th
Thanks to JrMint for answering the call to talk about his weightloss routine. He writes about his workout routine in his latest article:
I think a lot of people don’t realize that a lot of benefit in losing weight and working out comes from not being repetitive.
Fill the Gaps
Jun 27th
I knew that once I stopped going out to eat when I travel that there was going to be trade offs. The up side: I’d have time to hit the gym, and I’d be eating store bought food. The down side: nearly total lack of social interaction.
My routine so far for this trip:
- wake up at 6am
- get ready for work
- have breakfast in the room
- work for 8–12 hours
- head directly to the gym
- cardio or weights, alternating days
- back to the hotel & shower
- dress in comfy clothes
At that point it’s 8 or 9pm. I figure I have 2–3 hours of time I could spend filling the gaps. On a “school night” some TV in the room, a video on my laptop, or something else I can turn off when it’s time to sleep is probably a good idea.
What about Friday night through Sunday?
Noticed Progress
Jun 17th
There’s a particularly awesome trainer at my local Ballys. Her physique reminds me of Demi Moore in 1997’s GI Jane. The sum of our interaction since 2005 has been a wave and a smile and the occasional, “are you still using this?” when she’s training someone out on the weight room floor.
Yesterday I was laying on my back doing my ab workout and she walked right over to me.
“Want a tip?” she asked, and walked over to grab one of the half-circle balance platforms and placed it under my feet.
I had been doing leg lifts and touching my heels all the way back to the ground before pulling them back up to my chest. She put the balance platform under my heels and it made a big difference. I wasn’t bouncing when I hit the floor any more and there was a lot more control in the motion.
I thanked her for the tidbit and we got to chatting about my struggle with losing weight, what kinds of things I’d been doing, and of course, the GeekFit Podcast. She was really nice about everything; said she’d noticed how hard I’d been working and that she remembered where I was when I started at Bally years ago.
It was a really nice bit of motivation and one that was perfectly timed with me heading to Chicago for 3 weeks this Sunday. I’m armed with my national gym membership, a reservation at an extended stay, and a determination to return either 6–8 lbs lighter or 1.5 – 2% lower in body fat. It’s going to be awesome.
JrMint Continues To Dominate
Jun 16th
Another update from McBlog on JrMint’s transformation. Keep it going!
Today marks the 30th day of my “official” start of my new workout program and my new diet. After weighing and measuring up with my trainer today, I’m totally stoked to say that I’ve lost 18 pounds (down from 220 to 202), my body fat has lowered from 28.8% to 23.2%, I’ve dropped 1.6&Prime off my waist, 1% off my neck and about a 1/2% each off all the other areas (legs, thigh, etc…). Needless to say I’m very happy, and plan on continuing on with things until I reach my first goal weight of 192 and a body fat under 20%. I’ll regroup and set new goals there.
