Weights vs. Running

QUESTION:

I have been following you since January/February and have found that you give some of the best advice to anyone who wants to lose weight.

I am writing to you though; because I have come across a problem. I have stopped working out (running) since the start of September and have not been motivated to run again since then. I believe this may be because I started running properly (every day for varying times up to 90 mins) during my summer break for 6 weeks, but now that college has started up again I am having trouble getting back into the swing of things... I also stopped seeing results after the first few weeks of running (I had lost 2 stone) probably due to my diet, but I do not handle the shopping/groceries...

I started running a few months before the holiday I had, but the holiday was the time when I could work out the most. I also have a bench and some weights in my back garden that I rarely use because I have just not had the motivation to do so...

Thanks Tony, you have been and still are a huge inspiration to me! I hope you can help me with my problem.

ANSWER: 

Thanks! It's always nice to hear I've helped inspire someone.  

If you can find the motivation I would do high intensity interval training like sprinting for 30-45 seconds and then walking for 60-75 seconds.  I would also look up some beginner weight lifting routines online and see if you can do the majority of the exercises with the weight lifting equipment you have.  If you find that you are capable of doing these exercises I would definitely start a weight training program because I feel that it is the best way to lose weight, keep it off, and get healthy.

Go back and re-read these past posts here and here.

Feel free to come back every couple of weeks and give us an update. I'd like to hear how you're doing and it may help motivate you to stay on track. Good luck!

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Good Beginning Exercises

QUESTION:

Hi,

I stumbled on your videos on youtube and I’m amazed. You deserve so much credit for having the willpower and determination to do what you’ve done so far. I respect that and it has inspired me.

I feel a lot like you describe. I’m 25, just over 6 feet tall and weighing 265 pounds. I don’t have access to gym equipment and I have really bad eating habits. I’m going to cut out the foods you talk about in your blog but the exercise idea always freaks me out a bit! I get out of breath just going up the stairs these days, so what would you recommend I try, just to get me started?

Thanks for reading this, and thanks for sharing your experience. You must feel so good about yourself, that is how I need to feel.


ANSWER:  

The main thing you should focus on right now should be diet in my opinion.  eat a lot of lean  protein sources and vegetables, get in your healthy fats with a few servings of nuts or peanut butter a day, and limit the majority of your carbohydrate intake to the morning and early afternoon and be sure they are complex carbs.  aim to lose 2-3 lbs per week.  



until your cardiovascular system gets stronger i suggest going for a 60 minute brisk pace walk every day.  the more weight you lose the easier it will be for you to run and do more intense exercises.  you should not have to lose much weight in order for you to feel a  big difference in your cardiovascular performance.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Weightless Exercises

QUESTION:

I wanted to know what exercises you did that helped you lose the weight. I don't have access to a gym so i can't do anything that involves weights.
I have been doing 100 sit ups a day and drinking alot of water and i cut out all junk food.
Im 16, about 5'6-5'7, and i weigh about 185 so life is kinda hard for me :(
Thanks Tony!!

ANSWER:

the absolute best exercises you can do at home to increase weight loss and utilize your muscle groups would be squats, jumping squats, lunges, pushups, close handed pushups, chin ups, and pull ups.  the reason for this is that these are compound movements that involve a lot of muscle groups, therefore they burn a lot of calories.  i would suggest doing a home workout combination of lunges, squats, and jumping squats, and situps (optional as situps won’t directly burn belly fat) on monday, wednesday, and friday. then on tuesday thursday and saturday do pushups, close handed push ups, and chin ups or pull ups.  by splitting up your workouts like this it will give your muscles time to recover. keep your rest periods as short as possible and use high repetitions.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

How to Squeeze in Workouts

QUESTION:
I'm 17. I’ve been trying to lose weight for a while but I often fall short. When I run, I can only run for short distances. Eating is also a bit of trouble for me. I try to do my best but don't always have money to buy proper foods, and am left to eat what's in the house. Any advice, exercise, or eating plans?

Also, because of school and working, I'm not left with a lot of time to work out, any way around that? You're very inspirational


ANSWER:  

Hello.  I just did a post about healthy foods to buy on a budget so check that out right away to answer your first questions.

Second, if you are not comfortable running that is absolutely fine.  one of the best forms of cardio is simply walking and it is my favorite kind to do when i'm trying to lose weight.  if you have access to a treadmill raise the incline and set the speed to a brisk walk and walk for 30-45 minutes 4-6 times a week.  if you do not, you can go for a walk outside, but it must be at a brisk pace and you can do this for 30-60 minutes.  




also, if you are very short on time you can look into doing something like body weight exercises in your house and using very short rest periods to reduce the amount of time you work out and to burn more calories.  Here is an example: 50 squats with your thighs parallel to the ground or below( a wider range of motion burns more calories and utilizes more muscles), 30 pushups ( you can rest on your knees), 50 lunges, and 25 jump squats( squat down and explode into a jump).  you should do all these exercises in a sequence with as little rest as possible and when you complete the entire sequence you should take a 3 minute rest and repeat the exercises. then once you've completed it again take a 5 minute rest and do it one more time. by doing this kind of high volume low rest workout you  will burn a lot of calories and it can be completed within 15-25 minutes. Of course, only do any exercises with the approval of your doctor.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

The Price of Food and Dieting

QUESTION:

Hey man! Just started watching your YouTube videos and found them very inspiring.
My question is when you were losing weight/gaining muscle was money ever an issue?
I ask this because the majority of weight loss people I've listened to normally say what food to eat but that obviously requires money to buy the foods. E.g plain chicken, vegetables etc.
I don't want to ask my parents for the money, so I can't really be picky with what I eat. Most of the food in my house is bad, in one way or another.

Do you have any advice for what I can do? I’m currently at college so most of my time goes on doing assignments, so getting a job is difficult.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks :)

ANSWER: Hey man.  Eating a healthy diet can be very cheap if you shop around for deals and choose the right foods.  Chicken, canned tuna, eggs, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, peanut butter, and nuts are all very cheap foods and will last a while considering the fact that you are trying to lose weight (you won’t be eating as much).  These foods are staples in my diet and i eat for around $50 (USA) per week when i'm trying to gain weight.  

However if i'm trying to lose weight and I primarily eat oatmeal, nuts, and chicken i can eat from around $30-$35 per week. I highly suggest these foods if you are trying to lose weight and are on a budget because they are great foods for weight loss and they are generally very inexpensive.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Cardio or Weights?

QUESTION:

Hi Tony!,

I'm 16 and overeat a lot! I've decided to slim down and look good before I start college!
I have been lifting weights since I was 13, I have a lot of muscle on my arms, barely any fat can be found on my arms.

The problem is, I have a lot of fat around the rest of my body, should I do a lot of cardio and eat less? or keep doing weights and eat less?

This is my last year of High school, so I have a lot of exams and not much time to exercise. What should I do?

Keep up the good posts and videos!

ANSWER:

Ideally you want to incorporate both forms of exercise into your routine for the best results.  Since you do not have much time i suggest lifting weights 3-5 times a week for 45-60 minutes per day, building your routine around the squat, deadlift, overhead press, barbell rows, and close grip bench press. 



Then after the session or on an off lifting day i would do 15-25 minutes of high intensity cardio to burn as many calories as possible.  I would do the cardio 3 times per week.  Be sure to eat enough protein and healthy fats to ensure you do not break down muscle tissue for energy.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.

Tony's Workout Schedule

QUESTION:

How many days per week do you work out?

How many minutes per day?

If you don’t have time to go to the gym, do you do something at home to make up for it that day?

ANSWER:


Most weeks out of the year i work out 5 days a week and this is weight training.  Each training session lasts between 55-70 minutes depending on if i do a few extra sets that day.  I take 1 minute rest periods between all sets in order to fatigue the muscle and burn calories by increasing my heart rate.  By using short rest periods and increasing your heart rate you are actually doing weightlifting and cardio at the same time.

If I'm out of town and don't have access to a gym i will do at-home exercises such as squats, push ups, close grip pushups, chin ups, crunches, and leg raises.  i will usually do 25-50 reps of each exercise one after another, then take a 3-5 minute break and repeat the workout 4-5 times.  this exercises the main muscles of the body and burns a lot of calories because of the high volume and intensity.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.