The Exercise Enigma - both genders

[atomic sagebrush]

You have to eat something before a workout, that's just how it goes. Make it pure carbs, a gel is fine or a banana or something like that. You will burn the cals from the gel first but then after awhile you will start to burn off the muscle/fat too and if you're losing a bit of weight at the same time, you'll lose muscle. Be warned, your blood sugar will crash and you may end up feeling worse than if you had eaten nothing. One of the worst crashes I ever had was when I ate a banana and worked out and made it 30 min in and literally could not continue and could barely even function to get myself anything to eat.

I suspect that yes, you've ~probably~ swayed pink to some extent with your exercise habits but exercise is only part of the puzzle, your diet while you exercise is part of it too. If you have low bodyfat you probably DON'T have a lot of muscle (esp. in your arms) it's just that your muscle is more visible, just as you say. i would feel good about proceeding with a sway at this point and continuing doing the same amount of exercise in the same pattern you are doing.

[Atsaukina1]

so just read the boy plan and that is what i have been doing for 5 days but I'm swaying GIRL! ahhh lol. I never exercise, am very out of shape and the tae bo videos I found I thought were 100% cardio/no weights and had me sweating but are only 45 min. long. I can't really go much longer than that. What if I walked for an hour does that count? Or not intense enough. I def. cannot RUn for an hour lol. Any cardio hour long videos to recommend??
I really wanted to do the exercise route as I never exercised w/ any of my boys so tryign to do it differently

[atomic sagebrush]

so just read the boy plan and that is what i have been doing for 5 days but I'm swaying GIRL! ahhh lol. I never exercise, am very out of shape and the tae bo videos I found I thought were 100% cardio/no weights and had me sweating but are only 45 min. long. I can't really go much longer than that. What if I walked for an hour does that count? Or not intense enough. I def. cannot RUn for an hour lol. Any cardio hour long videos to recommend??
I really wanted to do the exercise route as I never exercised w/ any of my boys so tryign to do it differently

Well, they're cardio but the type of cardio with the squats and kicking builds muscle mass - you ARE lifting weights, it's just that you're lifting your own body if that makes any kind of sense.

What you have to understand aobut the exercise recommendations is they're just guidelines. THere is NO WAY I can make a blanket prescription for exercise - that's just what I think will sway pink for most of the people most of the time. If you're super out of shape and losing weight while eating a low protein diet, that level of exercise may sway pink for you.

The one thing I would for sure have you discontinue is the Tae Bo. The punching and kicking moves may send some signal to your body that you are fighting for survival. I recommend "Walk away the pounds" and this will also be easier for you to get thru at your present fitness level. You can always do more than one tape, that's what I used to do back when I was in good shape and 45 min was not enough exercise.

[Atsaukina1]

thanks that is what I did today and just rewound the tape and did anotehr half of it to get my full hour. I also jogged during some of it instead of the walking. I think I will continue with that since it is on the safe side and I love seeing the miles I walked
thanks I left a question on the "review my sway" section about my diet

[butterfly girl]

Would the stair climber and arc trainer for an hour considered to be intense?

[atomic sagebrush]

Would the stair climber and arc trainer for an hour considered to be intense?

yes!!!

[woca]

Great topic. I'm trying to ttc a girl. When ttc'ing my first son I Sid competitive ballroom dancing, but also a boys diet without knowing. Second and third no exercise and boy diet without knowing again. So this time trying to follow the LE diet.

I do zumba once a week for an hour and running twice a week for 40 minutes. Twice a week I ride my bike for half an hour to get to work and the same going back. Would you recommend to up my exercise refine or cut it all out? I just started two months ago on this regime thinking cardio would be enough but reading here makes me think I'm still not doing enough... Than you for your advice. It's highly appreciated

[atomic sagebrush]

competitive ballroom dancing is def. exercise!!

how much weight do you have to lose?

[woca]

Thanks Atomic. "Unfortunately" for the diet I can't lose more than 8kg. 4 more and I would be underweight.

I haven't done any ballroom dancing or other exercise since my first pregnancy in 2007 until I started zumba last year and running last September.

[atomic sagebrush]

8 kg is PLENTY. I only lost 3 lbs with my successful sway.

Since you don't have much to spare, my inclination would be for you to do the couch potato route but if you're already used to the exercise, you might not lose as much weight as someone just starting out, would.