Obesity Discussion Forums

[Lionsroar]

Hi, I had recently gone overseas to india for holidays. and I started going to the gym there for around 2 months. Almost 5 days a week in the mornings.

The thing was the guys at the gym (they were pretty helping) made me do weights and exercises rather then just plain old cardio.. I felt great after every workout (around an hour and a half) and they did let me do cardio, but not as much. I only lost around 4kgs though.

Now I'm back home and I've got a stationary bike here. I usually do that for 30-40 mins a day. And i'm gonna pick up jogging in the mornings for 30 mins as well.

But I've heard this thing about muscle memory, that if you just do the same exercise everyday your body gets used to it. I think thats why I never lost any weight when I used to do the Stationary Bike (ive had it for like 3 years now).

The gym guy told me to do the Bike one day, then jogging the next. Does this sound okay? Or should I be doing both hard out to lose weight?

Also, is weight lifting and other exercises necessary to lose weight, or can I just focus on cardio?

PS: Is green tea really that good for you? I picked it up when I was in India, but boy it tasted like crap. I just drink it like medicine now haha, making a sour face and gulping it down fast.

[d_tox]

i don't know about muscle memory.

i do know it takes energy to push weight whether it be pumping pedals on bikes or pushing weight by jogging... the laws of physics do not change.
i do know that your muscles will get stronger for any particular exercise - however, it still takes X number of calories to push bike pedals at a rate of 25 foot pounds per hour irregardless if your muscles are very strong or mildly string. in the very strong muscle case, you can just go further before tiring out.

energy consumed - energy spent = weight change
(ignoring the short term noise caused by water retention/dehydration)

it's as simple as that imo.

[Lionsroar]

I dunno.. If it was that simple I would be one awesome buff guy haha
I'm currently doing cycling one day and jogging the next day, just to see if its true. I used to do it both on day before, and dint really have that big results.

[Obesity Discussion]

Weight lifting is important because it helps prevent your muscles from wasting away during weight loss which it tends to do. Muscle memory applies very much to weight lifting, which is why you don't want to do the same exercises, same reps too many times in a row. It's not bad to do the same thing a few times in a row so that your body can improve, but then yes you do want to switch things up after you see/feel your body starting to adapt and the gains decrease.

Same principal for cardio. You don't have to do something different every day, but vary up your routines, exercises, etc, and don't do the same thing too many times in a row. :0

[stringfinger]

Oh the green tea note, I agree, I tried to drink it a few years back as I heard it was good for you, but it tastes awful! It can't be that great, well, not worth putting up with that taste for.

[fyseng]

i agree, i think you must not do the same routine exercise every day, each day must be different, so that your exercise would rather be effective in loosing your weight..