vdubb96;1752904 wrote:Doing a new series from Mens Health a 60 day shred. Pretty nice so far, about a week in. Basically a shorter version of P90X.

vdubb96;1753036 wrote:http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/mh60-faq

I got a free 3 week trial. I think it's only like $40 anyways. So far I like it so I'll probably just buy it.

Is it pretty intense? I work out with two other guys in the mornings, and we want something faster paced to get the heart rate up, but get a good strength workout as well. We're kind of hitting a "lull" where we're losing motivation to continue, as we usually just make shit up.

ernest_t_bass;1753500 wrote:Is it pretty intense? I work out with two other guys in the mornings, and we want something faster paced to get the heart rate up, but get a good strength workout as well. We're kind of hitting a "lull" where we're losing motivation to continue, as we usually just make shit up.

Ask belly he knows!!!
It's a pretty good workout as far as getting the heart rate up. If you've ever done p90x or any workout programs like that, its very similar. Not a whole lot of weights so far, just a lot of "Plyo" type stuff.

vdubb96;1753588 wrote:Ask belly he knows!!!
It's a pretty good workout as far as getting the heart rate up. If you've ever done p90x or any workout programs like that, its very similar. Not a whole lot of weights so far, just a lot of "Plyo" type stuff.

Still going strong? I think we're going to order the DVD's and give them a try.

ernest_t_bass;1753500 wrote:Is it pretty intense? I work out with two other guys in the mornings, and we want something faster paced to get the heart rate up, but get a good strength workout as well. We're kind of hitting a "lull" where we're losing motivation to continue, as we usually just make shit up.

Do you guys have access to a tractor tire? My gym has one and flipping it is killer. Also - I do sledgehammer workouts sometimes to get the stress out. Good strength and condition work.

I'd also try barbell complexes - like the bear complex.

[video=youtube;Laa7BJHJWrw][/video]

Raw Dawgin' it;1755615 wrote:Do you guys have access to a tractor tire? My gym has one and flipping it is killer. Also - I do sledgehammer workouts sometimes to get the stress out. Good strength and condition work.

Excellent suggestions. If they can get their hands on a prowler/sled, I'd also suggest loading it up as heavy as possible and set a goal to push it for distance. Example: 300 lbs for 50 yards 6x's (up and back 3x's)

Being 100% serious here:

As of this morning, I'm down about 40 lbs. since April 26th when I stopped drinking. Since then, all I've really done is basic moderate workouts, nothing too strenuous. I walk about 3-4 times per week, at least 30 minutes, at about 14 minutes per mile. I lift 2x per week, but nothing over the top. I play basketball 1x per week and I really get my heart rate up then. My diet has not really changed. I don't NOT put things in my body. I don't eat a ton, but I don't NOT eat for the sake of losing weight.

Is this much weight loss something to set off any alarms?

Height? Age?

How much do you weigh now?

- Heaviest I've ever been is about 220. Pretty steady at 215.
- Age: 34.5
- Height: 5'11"
- Weight: 175 (this morning around 3:30 a.m... after a piss)

I cannot remember the last time a) I felt this good & b) I've been under 180 lbs.

ernest_t_bass;1756762 wrote:Being 100% serious here:

As of this morning, I'm down about 40 lbs. since April 26th when I stopped drinking. Since then, all I've really done is basic moderate workouts, nothing too strenuous. I walk about 3-4 times per week, at least 30 minutes, at about 14 minutes per mile. I lift 2x per week, but nothing over the top. I play basketball 1x per week and I really get my heart rate up then. My diet has not really changed. I don't NOT put things in my body. I don't eat a ton, but I don't NOT eat for the sake of losing weight.

Is this much weight loss something to set off any alarms?

How much did you drink on average? Some quick math estimates that giving up one serving of alcohol each day would yield about a 10lb loss over that time period given no other lifestyle changes.

queencitybuckeye;1756767 wrote:How much did you drink on average? Some quick math estimates that giving up one serving of alcohol each day would yield about a 10lb loss over that time period given no other lifestyle changes.

I was hitting the hard stuff, but when I was on the beers, I'd easily go through an average (weekly) of 8-10 per day. Drank plenty of whiskey.

The weight loss seems fine to me. I'm assuming you dropped a ton of excess fat due to booze.

An old roommate of my had the opposite happen to him. He always drank, but he moved for a job and didn't have much of a social circle. He got on hard liquor regularly and blew the fuck up. I bet he put on 30-40 lbs in a year easily.

ernest_t_bass;1756769 wrote:I was hitting the hard stuff, but when I was on the beers, I'd easily go through an average (weekly) of 8-10 per day. Drank plenty of whiskey.

With that intake, your weight loss would not be cause for alarm at all.

Alot of people that I know who drink a ton aren't overweight. More malnourished and "skinny fat" body types.

I've read so many conflicting things about how much of alcohol itself was a factor in adding to weight. I found it hard to navigate.

You guys have a trusted scientific source?

Commander of Awesome;1756783 wrote:I've read so many conflicting things about how much of alcohol itself was a factor in adding to weight. I found it hard to navigate.

You guys have a trusted scientific source?

You need a scientific source to deduce that the intake/reduction of alcohol can have a bearing on your body weight?

Do you not understand how nutrition and the human body works?

You don't need a study. Research how alcohol is metabolized. It's a toxin. The body spends tons of energy trying to eliminate it. As soon as it hits your system, the metabolic process to get rid of it kicks in and takes precedence over everything. It's very, very difficult to turn alcohol directly into body fat. Almost impossible actually, considering the energy requirements and physiological reactions that happen. Where you get fat on alcohol is when the secondary effects kick in.

I drink alcohol with a bunch of sugary mixes.
I drink and I don't sleep well.
I drink and I eat too much.
I drink and I'm less active.
I drink, make bad decisions and become stressed.

This is an older Martin Berkhan article, but it basically goes through ways to hack your body to become and stay absolutely shredded while going off the rails on the weekends. It provides a whole day of what to eat, what to do and what to avoid when you know you're going to let it go.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

Beat me to it, I was going to post that exact article.

Bottom line...you can drink, multiple times a week...and get shredded. I'd argue that stress of sitting in traffic has more negative impact on your waistline than just drinking.

Like my friend for example, he also was lazy/sedentary and I'm sure his diet was terrible. Daily booze on top of that didn't help. In my leanest days, I never completely cut out alcohol. Just practice moderation and always staying away from sugary stuff.

Azubuike24;1756790 wrote:You don't need a study. Research how alcohol is metabolized. It's a toxin. The body spends tons of energy trying to eliminate it. As soon as it hits your system, the metabolic process to get rid of it kicks in and takes precedence over everything. It's very, very difficult to turn alcohol directly into body fat. Almost impossible actually, considering the energy requirements and physiological reactions that happen. Where you get fat on alcohol is when the secondary effects kick in.

I drink alcohol with a bunch of sugary mixes.
I drink and I don't sleep well.
I drink and I eat too much.
I drink and I'm less active.
I drink, make bad decisions and become stressed.

This is an older Martin Berkhan article, but it basically goes through ways to hack your body to become and stay absolutely shredded while going off the rails on the weekends. It provides a whole day of what to eat, what to do and what to avoid when you know you're going to let it go.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

Automatik;1756791 wrote:Beat me to it, I was going to post that exact article.

Azubuike24;1756792 wrote:Bottom line...you can drink, multiple times a week...and get shredded. I'd argue that stress of sitting in traffic has more negative impact on your waistline than just drinking.

Thanks, great read. I remember an article in Men's Health that basically said a beer gut wasn't real. It was a "what I eat when I drink, and how sedentary I am gut".

Of course, there are many other health reasons to not drink a shit ton, but I guess waistline isn't the main one.

Yeah. A dozen vodka and club sodas will fuck you up, but a dozen vodka and tonics along with a whole pizza will fuck you up and make you obese. I know which route I'd rather go...if I know I'm going there.

Azubuike24;1756790 wrote:It's very, very difficult to turn alcohol directly into body fat

True, but it's a technicality. Your body metabolizes alcohol first, which means it probably won't store it... But you still have to consider the calories you take in elsewhere throughout the day.

If you eat a cheeseburger and drink a beer, the beer will get metabolized first but it's not going to metabolize with the burger. Calories don't work that way.


You can drink on weekends but you still have to reduce the caloric intake somewhere else, otherwise you risk weight gain.

Literally the only thing you can drink that won't make you potentially gain weight is water.

Depends why you're drinking. I've always been one who drinks for the effects. I don't drink because I love the taste or because my weekends involve sitting there drinking a six pack, eating wings and watching sports.

You're right though. Pick your vices and your battles wisely. There's never a free ride. I just hate that alcohol gets such a bad rep. It's the dumb decisions you make along with it...

I was going to post that leangains article as well.

Commander of Awesome;1756796 wrote:Thanks, great read. I remember an article in Men's Health that basically said a beer gut wasn't real. It was a "what I eat when I drink, and how sedentary I am gut".

Of course, there are many other health reasons to not drink a shit ton, but I guess waistline isn't the main one.

Depends on what alcohol you drink too. Most liquor doesn't have any carbs/fat/protein. Beer does.