From: mlabow@orac.holonet.net (Marshall Labow)
Subject:  Re: Does exercise make you lose weight?
Organization: HoloNet Internet Access BBS: 510-704-1058
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 22:52:07 GMT

In article, avi@seal.imagen.com writes, in part:



"On a personal note, I  used to smoke for 11 years and quit cold
turkey about 6 years  ago (actually, the 6th "anniversary" is
this week !)

However, I gained 40 lbs in about 6-9 months after I quit, and
to this date I can not get rid of the "excess baggage"
regardless of what I do: aerobic or anaerobic !

Here's what I did (all at the same period of time): Jogging,
stationary bike, and LOTS of weight-training for about 2 years,
3 times a wee k: I will warm up with 20-30 minutes of aerobics
(bike or jogging) - checking that I was in the Target Heart
rate, and them spend another 1.5 hours with weights and Nautilus
Machines. Sure I gained muscle, but no fat was lost. (and I do
mean FAT not Weight).

In addition, on my "off" days, I would occasionally jog for
20-30 minutes. (add another once a week of aerobics).

Before I quit I was slim ! (not just by weight but by definition
as well, i.e. b ody-fat percentage, relatively speaking,
although I never saw my abs.)

I do not eat more, if anything I now eat less, and I hardly
snack between meals, I never did. While I was exercising I
observed a low-fat diet, but it didn't make any difference.

The metabolism explanation above might account for some of it
but not for the whole suddenly-gained-never-lost poundage.  I
started exercising Aafter I quit, and after I already gained the
excess weight, so while my metabolism has slowed by quitting
smoking, it should have been speeded up by the exercises.

As well, because of the extra muscle I gained (lean body mass),
my basal (resting) metabolism should have been increased more
than ever before, so I should have been burning more fat and
calories while resting.

Any Ideas ? "



 I do have a few suggestions:



1.     Do your aerobics AFTER your weight workout so that you
body burns more fat to do the aerobics since your glycogen
supplies are depleted from the weight workout.

2.     Do a 'split' routine rather than a full body workout. You
can only do a full body workout about three times a week, but a
split (for example I do a four day on, one day off routine)
allows you to work out almost every day. 

3.     You need to do a lot more aerobics, and at not too high
an intensity. High intensity aerobics maximizes cardiovascular
benefits, but moderate intensity aerobics maximizes fat burning.
If you are going by target heart rate (old technology), try to
keep you heart rate at about 60% of maximum. However, the newer 
technology is to use the 'talk' test. If you can barely speak in
sentences, you are at about the right level. If you can sing
"God Bless America", you need to pick up the intensity level. If
you can only speak in phrases, it's too intense. Try walking
instead of jogging. The key to fat burning is long duration at
moderate intensity. You burn as much fat walking a mile as
jogging a mile; it just takes longer to do it. But you are able
to walk a lot more miles than you can jog! 

4.     Drink a lot of water. I don't know all the reasons, but
it really does seem to help. 

5.     Try keeping a log of what you eat. EVERYTHING you eat.
You may discover that while you think you are eating a low fat
diet, in reality it is more fat than you think. Try to achieve a
diet that is about 60% carbohydrate (mostly complex) , 30%
protein, and 10% fat. Keep in mind these percentages are of
total calories consumed. Since fat provides 9 calories per gram
and protein and carbohydrate provide only four calories per
gram, by weight you should only eat about 5% fat!



Marshall Labow

mlabow@holonet.net