[exchpaypalgold]

Well since I started Doing atkins I have been shedding weight at an alarming rate. I am now very very active, I Use a Bike for 30-45 minutes then row 1500-2000 meters, then step onto the raquetball court for 1-2 hours about 6 days a week. I have a question about lifting weights now.. I hear people tell me that when lifting weights i may not lose weight as its just turning the fat into muscle. Well I honestly dont have much fat on my arms and legs is really a huge chunk in the stomach. Please tell me if I should start lifting to maybe tone my body as im shedding weight.

[elektikaka]

Finally got motivated - and rode for 70 minutes, burning around 600 calories (longest ride in about 6 months). No energy problems.

[Adwetyren]

Of course you should - muscle is good Some points:

You cannot turn fat into muscle. They are 2 different tissues altogether. You can build muscle, which will atrophe (shrink) if you don't maintain it. Fat comes off seperately.

Muscle weighs more than fat, but it is more compact.

Muscle burns fat. Each pound of muscle burns about 40 calories per day without you doing anything. If you add 5 pounds of muscle, you'll burn an extra 200 calories per day.

Fat loss cannot be "targetted". When you lose fat, it pretty much comes off evenly all over. Or, I believe, last on first off.

Now, log all those biking and rowing miles in the Nova Scotia Challenge! The first post in the thread explains how it works.

[ppaelkos]

Way to go Brian. Thanks for the advice on the cable row's by the way, I might try warming up with 40 on my first set and take it from there though.

[GooogleGuy]

Brian, are you still in induction, or have you increased carbs?

[Wavgbtif]

Patty - I must admit that I am not that good at counting carbs. To make it worse, I don't know when/if to count sugar alcohols or not count them. For the first 2-3 weeks, I was actually way below 20 - closer to 12 I'd say. Now I have consciously raised up to at least 20 - probably closer to 30.

I remembered reading in the Atkins book (Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, page 209) that if you exercise regularly you can raise carbs up to 90+ (regular = 5x a week for 45+ minutes). This is for maintenance. I wondering if that has an impact on OWL?

Jonathan - thanks. After feeling sick the whole next day after riding my bike last, I was a little worried riding again. I had forgotten to get a glass of water before I rode (I usually drink about 32 ounces over the course of a ride) last time, so made sure I had it this time. Maybe that was part of my problem. Anyway, last night's ride felt great, and I'm feeling energetic today. I'm gonna try another ride tonight!

Let me know how the cable rows feel next time!

Brian ()--^^--()

[Gudronich]

The end result of aerobics is higer "aerobic capacity" - meaning you can exercise harder and longer and burn more calories while exercising. (It has other health benefits too, but I'm speaking from a weight loss perspective only). But if you don't exercise, all the aerobic capacity in the world won't burn any calories. In fact, aerobics makes your body more efficient so that everyday tasks don't require as much energy as they do for less conditioned people.

Weight lifting is different. Although it's good exerciese, it doesn't burn anywhere near the calories that aerobic exercise does. However, the muscle you build (if you maintain it) will burn calories each and every day of your life.

If you gain just 1 pound of muscle and keep it for one year, that pound will burn about 15,000 calories (over 4 pounds of pure fat). 5 pounds of muscle will burn 8.5 pounds of fat, and 10 pounds of muscle will burn 17 pounds of fat - each and every year you have it. Think of the extra calories you can have in your diet and not gain weight with some muscle working for you!

And consider that as you diet and lose weight, 25% or more of the weight loss comes from muscle. (Atkins has some evidence that ketosis reduces this effect, which is one of the things that lead me to try it). The faster you lose, the higher the % of muscle loss. So if you don't do some type of muscle building exercise, you are actually losing your body's ability to burn calories (some might call this lowering your metabolism).

Aerobics is a good weight loss technique, and lifting a good weight maintenance technique. Doing both provides the best of both worlds.

[Now help me get motivated to do more aerobics - because although I did a solid hour at the gym today, I'm staring at my exercise bike and trying to think up a good excuse to skip it! ]