Dear Robert Zoul

Hi Robert,

I am writing this straight to you, however i am sure there are others here
that can help me. You happen to be one of (i think) the more knowledgable
people here who posts alot, and i have some questions, so here goes.

I went to the Gym today for the first time ever.
I did alot of cardio, and some muscle, but i did not want to overdo it.
In case you wonder, here is what i did do:

-50 Minutes on the stationary bike, the bike has level 0-9, and i stayed
between levels 4 and 5.

-1.25 miles running. This was the very hardest part of it all, the treadmill
was amazing though, and i enjoyed it a great deal.
When i was done, my legs were rubber for a minute. It was a good feeling
though.
It took me 14 minutes of alternating a heavy run with a brisk walk/jog to go
this distance.

It SOUNDS alot worse than it is.

My question though is about calories.
The basic diet principle that 80% of everyone uses says "burn more calories
than you take in", and all the machines will tell you how many calories you
have lost, which is great, but how does that relate to a low carb person?
Does a low carb person worry as much about the "burn more than you eat"
school of thought?
I imagine no, but i still watch my calories and try and keep it between 1500
and 2000 cal/day

Using fitday.com, i can see that on most days, i am sticking around 1500
calories, give or take a few here and there (like if today, after the gym i
have a 175 calorie atkins bar and i forget to list it)...

Since a low carb person is always taking in less carbs, how does this effect
the dymanics of the body when working out, working muscle, etc.
I am not very concerned with the muscle, because i get alot of protien (i am
a big meat eater, i had beef after this workout), so that isnt really an
issue.

If you need to know, here are my totals from fit day for today, the first
time i went to the gym since... well, last summer:

Tot. Cals 1591
Tot. Fat 109g 984cals (63%)
Sat Fat 54g 483cal (31%)
Poly 2g 22cal (1%0
Mono 26g 235cal (15%0
--
Tot Carbs 13g 49cal (3%)
Fiber 1g
--
Protein 133g 530cal (34%)
Alcolol - none.

**Usually i eat WAY more fiber, but today was an off day for me. No salads
at all i am afraid

Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: Hi Robert,
::
:: I am writing this straight to you, however i am sure there are
:: others here that can help me. You happen to be one of (i think) the
:: more knowledgable people here who posts alot, and i have some
:: questions, so here goes.

Lots of knowledgeable people here, but i'm happy to help. Oh...I go by
Roger on here

::
:: I went to the Gym today for the first time ever.
:: I did alot of cardio, and some muscle, but i did not want to overdo
:: it.
:: In case you wonder, here is what i did do:
::
:: -50 Minutes on the stationary bike, the bike has level 0-9, and i
:: stayed between levels 4 and 5.
::
:: -1.25 miles running. This was the very hardest part of it all, the
:: treadmill was amazing though, and i enjoyed it a great deal.
:: When i was done, my legs were rubber for a minute. It was a good
:: feeling though.
:: It took me 14 minutes of alternating a heavy run with a brisk
:: walk/jog to go this distance.

Good. Sounds like you're working into HIIT!

::
:: It SOUNDS alot worse than it is.
::
:: My question though is about calories.
:: The basic diet principle that 80% of everyone uses says "burn more
:: calories than you take in", and all the machines will tell you how
:: many calories you have lost, which is great, but how does that
:: relate to a low carb person? Does a low carb person worry as much
:: about the "burn more than you eat" school of thought?

IMO, yes. There are some theories that say someone on LC can eat more
calories and still lose weight (I think it means you can lose as much as
someone not on LC while eating more calories). Still, it comes down to
calories in vs calories out. You want to burn more calories than you eat --
many claim that some of the fat eaten on LC WOE comes out in your poop, so
that fat doesn't count in terms of calories in. Still, even if that's true,
at some people calories will matter...simple as that. LC works because most
people eat less once the excessive carbs are removed from the diet (in my
experience). There seems to be some voodoo going on in terms of
understanding what is really happening. I personally count everything (most
days) and estimate calories used in exercise. The exericse calorie burn is
really the tricky part. Many say the machines aren't accurate and the
numbers in fitday aren't either. Who knows. I still pay attention to those
numbers and caloric intake. When I do everything right, I lose weight.

:: I imagine no, but i still watch my calories and try and keep it
:: between 1500 and 2000 cal/day.

How much do you weigh? 10x bodyweight is typically a good place to start.
So if you are 170 lbs, then 1700 kcals/day is good place to start. If you
can lose on that, its good. If not, you can burn more in exercise or eat
less.

::
:: Using fitday.com, i can see that on most days, i am sticking around
:: 1500 calories, give or take a few here and there (like if today,
:: after the gym i have a 175 calorie atkins bar and i forget to list
:: it)...
::
:: Since a low carb person is always taking in less carbs, how does
:: this effect the dymanics of the body when working out, working
:: muscle, etc.

Low carbs means less glycogen (carbs) in muscles and liver. This can have a
big impact when doing very intense exercise -- especially with weights
(lifting heavy) -- you'll be weak and won't have energy to work hard. Low
glycogen levels in muscle can cause problems with running very fast
(sprinting), riding the bike very very hard, or high intensity aerobics or
HIIT. When you're not working very intensely, the body will tend to use fat
for fuel, so low to moderate intensity exercise (aerobics & light weight
training)) can be done readily while consuming few carbs.

:: I am not very concerned with the muscle, because i get alot of
:: protien (i am a big meat eater, i had beef after this workout), so
:: that isnt really an issue.

Gotta be concerned about muscle, dude. That's really what a young fellow
like you wants -- a good amount of muscle and low bodyfat. LC is good in
allowing you to keep muscle while losing weight, since you tend to get
plenty of protein in the diet. Some on LF diets then to eat too little
protein and hence will lose more muscle mass while losing weight.
Generally, that's not good.

::
:: If you need to know, here are my totals from fit day for today, the
:: first time i went to the gym since... well, last summer:
::
:: Tot. Cals 1591
:: Tot. Fat 109g 984cals (63%)
:: Sat Fat 54g 483cal (31%)
:: Poly 2g 22cal (1%0
:: Mono 26g 235cal (15%0
:: --
:: Tot Carbs 13g 49cal (3%)
:: Fiber 1g
:: --
:: Protein 133g 530cal (34%)
:: Alcolol - none.

Well, you're definitely at induction level carbs. Do you really need to be
there? Is this a temporary after-the-holiday thing? If not, I'd work on
increasing carbs a bit as well as the fiber. Certainly, if you keep working
out you'll be able to consume more carbs and may indeed need to. For me,
when I keep the carbs really low (30 g) and ride my bike several miles
while lifting weights later that night , I'll just run completely out of
energy -- bonk -- later on. That is not fun. It's really bad if that
happens *while* riding the bike or working out with the weights. It is a
kind of hell, if you ask me.

::
:: **Usually i eat WAY more fiber, but today was an off day for me. No
:: salads at all i am afraid

Ah....well, you can get fiber from ground flax, which you can eat as a hot
breakfast meal.

BTW, how was the new gym? Do you think it will be to your liking? What
kind of resistance training equipment do they have -- free weights,
machines, or both?

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: Hi Robert,
::

I called you by the wrong name.
I feel REALLY bad for this.

Sorry man.
I will reply to you later on after i have read what you posted.

Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
::::: Hi Robert,
:::::
::
:: I called you by the wrong name.
:: I feel REALLY bad for this.

No sweat! Roger isn't my real name anyway

::
:: Sorry man.
:: I will reply to you later on after i have read what you posted.

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
::::: Hi Robert,
:::::
::
:: I called you by the wrong name.
:: I feel REALLY bad for this.

No sweat! Roger isn't my real name anyway


You've shattered my illusions.

JC Der Koenig wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
::::: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
::::: ...
:::::: Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:::::::: Hi Robert,
::::::::
:::::
::::: I called you by the wrong name.
::::: I feel REALLY bad for this.
:::
::: No sweat! Roger isn't my real name anyway
:::
::
:: You've shattered my illusions.

You'll live.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 08:34:36 GMT, "Steven C. \(Doktersteve\)"
wrote:

I called you by the wrong name.
I feel REALLY bad for this.

Mo problem, Shane.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031121.html
Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 08:47:12 -0500, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:

No sweat! Roger isn't my real name anyway

That makes you a troll.

A Zoul Troll.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031121.html
Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.

Sunset Mu_nlight wrote:
:: On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 08:47:12 -0500, "Roger Zoul"
:: wrote:
::
::: No sweat! Roger isn't my real name anyway
::
:: That makes you a troll.
::
:: A Zoul Troll.

Cool! Now I'm like you

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Steven C. (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: Hi Robert,
::
:: I am writing this straight to you, however i am sure there are
:: others here that can help me. You happen to be one of (i think) the
:: more knowledgable people here who posts alot, and i have some
:: questions, so here goes.

Lots of knowledgeable people here, but i'm happy to help. Oh...I go by
Roger on here

::
:: I went to the Gym today for the first time ever.
:: I did alot of cardio, and some muscle, but i did not want to overdo
:: it.
:: In case you wonder, here is what i did do:
::
:: -50 Minutes on the stationary bike, the bike has level 0-9, and i
:: stayed between levels 4 and 5.
::
:: -1.25 miles running. This was the very hardest part of it all, the
:: treadmill was amazing though, and i enjoyed it a great deal.
:: When i was done, my legs were rubber for a minute. It was a good
:: feeling though.
:: It took me 14 minutes of alternating a heavy run with a brisk
:: walk/jog to go this distance.

Good. Sounds like you're working into HIIT!

::
:: It SOUNDS alot worse than it is.
::
:: My question though is about calories.
:: The basic diet principle that 80% of everyone uses says "burn more
:: calories than you take in", and all the machines will tell you how
:: many calories you have lost, which is great, but how does that
:: relate to a low carb person? Does a low carb person worry as much
:: about the "burn more than you eat" school of thought?

IMO, yes. There are some theories that say someone on LC can eat more
calories and still lose weight (I think it means you can lose as much as
someone not on LC while eating more calories). Still, it comes down to
calories in vs calories out. You want to burn more calories than you
eat --
many claim that some of the fat eaten on LC WOE comes out in your poop, so
that fat doesn't count in terms of calories in. Still, even if that's
true,
at some people calories will matter...simple as that. LC works because
most
people eat less once the excessive carbs are removed from the diet (in my
experience). There seems to be some voodoo going on in terms of
understanding what is really happening. I personally count everything
(most
days) and estimate calories used in exercise. The exericse calorie burn
is
really the tricky part. Many say the machines aren't accurate and the
numbers in fitday aren't either. Who knows. I still pay attention to
those
numbers and caloric intake. When I do everything right, I lose weight.


So i weigh (according to the GOOD scale at the gym), about 173lbs. Of
course, that was late in the day, so i may drop 1 or 2 lbs in the morning, i
dont know. The scale in my bathroom is way off.
I am five foot 7 inches, and my waist is likely around 33 or 34 inches now,
i think.
it isnt fat, and it isnt slender either.

What i am mixed up on is the burning part.
If i need to burn more than i take in, and i take in 1500, then that doesnt
mean that i need go to the gym and burn off 1500 calories... Because i know
that a person's body also requires calories to carry out it's basic
functions... That is why a person cannot starve themselves.

My weight is 173, so i can take in 1730 calories, and hopefully burn them
off. How do i calculate a ballpark figure of what i would need to burn to
keep myself going if i exerted no real energy other than day to day things?

:: I imagine no, but i still watch my calories and try and keep it
:: between 1500 and 2000 cal/day.

How much do you weigh? 10x bodyweight is typically a good place to start.
So if you are 170 lbs, then 1700 kcals/day is good place to start. If you
can lose on that, its good. If not, you can burn more in exercise or eat
less.


so 173 lbs (sounds heavy, doesnt it) at five foot seven. 1730 calories.

::
:: Using fitday.com, i can see that on most days, i am sticking around
:: 1500 calories, give or take a few here and there (like if today,
:: after the gym i have a 175 calorie atkins bar and i forget to list
:: it)...
::
:: Since a low carb person is always taking in less carbs, how does
:: this effect the dymanics of the body when working out, working
:: muscle, etc.

Low carbs means less glycogen (carbs) in muscles and liver. This can have
a
big impact when doing very intense exercise -- especially with weights
(lifting heavy) -- you'll be weak and won't have energy to work hard. Low
glycogen levels in muscle can cause problems with running very fast
(sprinting), riding the bike very very hard, or high intensity aerobics or
HIIT. When you're not working very intensely, the body will tend to use
fat
for fuel, so low to moderate intensity exercise (aerobics & light weight
training)) can be done readily while consuming few carbs.



:: I am not very concerned with the muscle, because i get alot of
:: protien (i am a big meat eater, i had beef after this workout), so
:: that isnt really an issue.


That is to say, at first right now, i am primarilly concerned with cardio
first, muscle second.
I want to trim my body fat down and be able to build muscle at the same
time, however my goals are a better endurance at all things physical, no
more getting winded running for the bus (which doesnt happen now, but i use
it as an example), and the ability to run for fun, not because i want to get
the fat off.
I want to get a flat stomach, and have muscles that SHOW, and as far as i
understand, this starts with cardio.

Gotta be concerned about muscle, dude. That's really what a young fellow
like you wants -- a good amount of muscle and low bodyfat. LC is good in
allowing you to keep muscle while losing weight, since you tend to get
plenty of protein in the diet. Some on LF diets then to eat too little
protein and hence will lose more muscle mass while losing weight.
Generally, that's not good.

::
:: If you need to know, here are my totals from fit day for today, the
:: first time i went to the gym since... well, last summer:
::
:: Tot. Cals 1591
:: Tot. Fat 109g 984cals (63%)
:: Sat Fat 54g 483cal (31%)
:: Poly 2g 22cal (1%0
:: Mono 26g 235cal (15%0
:: --
:: Tot Carbs 13g 49cal (3%)
:: Fiber 1g
:: --
:: Protein 133g 530cal (34%)
:: Alcolol - none.

Well, you're definitely at induction level carbs. Do you really need to
be
there? Is this a temporary after-the-holiday thing? If not, I'd work on
increasing carbs a bit as well as the fiber. Certainly, if you keep
working
out you'll be able to consume more carbs and may indeed need to. For me,
when I keep the carbs really low (30 g) and ride my bike several miles
while lifting weights later that night , I'll just run completely out of
energy -- bonk -- later on. That is not fun. It's really bad if that
happens *while* riding the bike or working out with the weights. It is a
kind of hell, if you ask me.


Yes, definately an after christmas thing. I dont plan on even doing
induction for two weeks this time, i just needed to clean the junk out of my
system after going a little crazy with sugar based foods on christmas.
Interestingly enough, the worst i managed to do was eat one bun when it
comes to starch or flour. Most of the bad stuff was really just ****e sugar
(some regular coke, chocolates, etc).

::
:: **Usually i eat WAY more fiber, but today was an off day for me. No
:: salads at all i am afraid

Ah....well, you can get fiber from ground flax, which you can eat as a hot
breakfast meal.

BTW, how was the new gym? Do you think it will be to your liking? What
kind of resistance training equipment do they have -- free weights,
machines, or both?



Good!
I was impressed. All the equipment is very modern, there is always a
professional onsite, and even last night after 7pm (when it becomes half
price) it wasnt that busy.

They have free weights, weight machines, resistance equipment, and cardio
equipment.
All in all, i was most impressed.