Lose Weight 9

shopaholictiedtheknot

Consultant31 - Yes its me bride2be do you like my new name lol!!

Tiny tot, hello and welcome over from the DFW thread!

Catmeister

Thanks Consultant and Honey2B - you gave different cooking instructions for the chips so useful to have both opinions!

The lack of fat then explains the weight loss - simple really! I was imagining all sorts of fatty foods on the diet, which you could then gorge on - very confusing! But now I see the truth, and whilst I still don't know why having separate days for carbs and proteins work - maybe because the body process one faster if the other isn't there to complicate things? - but then how does the mix and match diet work??!

And the success express one sounds excellent as a boost to start with. However I can't join a class as out of the five near me, not a single one meets at a time I can make (I work 7-7 ) ... I think I understand the diet so this hopefully won't be too much of a hindrance, and I have you guys to spur me on, however how do I lay my hands on a book which will give all the info I need in terms of syns and which foods are free etc? There is a 7 day trial menu but there are a few foods I don't like (not faddy, but hate spicy food - you wouldn't guess I'm half Indian!), and there's no info on substitutions so a little tricky to follow!

Catmeister

Oh and thanks lisyloo - I think I'll give SW a try, but if no good, RC sounds good, although it's weight loss mainly that I'm after - I'm quite lucky and have good skin etc - for now!

Cupid_stunt I tried googling but nobody actually seems to say why it works - only that it does!

redpoison

Hi thanks for adding me to the chart

Can i ask if anyone has ever tryed the soup diet? its known as the sacred heart diet but it isnt really if you get me... but i have done it many times before and lost around a stone every time and it stayed off.. cus i just had a baby i would like to do it again for a kick start would anyone care to join me? i only do it for 5 days..

Catmeister

Well I've had lots of help from this thread already so thought I'd give some advice on ergo machines in case anyone uses them / is thinking of using them in the gym.

Ergs have to be the most ill-used equipment in the gym - I've even seen gym instructors incorrectly advising how to use them, so below is a quick outlay on how to do it, and common mistakes. I rowed in uni teams and have been shown how to use the ergs by professional rowers (past and present rowers for GB etc) and coaches - whilst as with most things there are various schools of thought, at least by following the below you won't be doing anything wrong!

The Breakdown
Start fully extended with your legs, with your hands gripping the handle against your tummy, leaning back ever so slightly, so that you're sitting squarely on your bum.

Extend your arms, and 'rock' your body over from the hips. Go gently up the slide until the handle is just beyond its resting place on the frame - not right at the back of the frame where the chain starts - if you go too far you're giving yourself a break as this is time off the 'drive'. The drive is the only place you use energy - at this point (when the handle is just beyond its usual resting place), push hard against the foot plate (where your feet are strapped in), and and utilize your leg muscles. If you're finding it hard to find which muscles you should be using, stand up on the machine with your feet strapped in and gripping the handle (you might want to make sure someone is nearby to help you as it's easy to fall!) - the muscles you use to stand up are the same as the ones you should be feeling with each drive.

Your arms should be straight at all times, and your legs shouldn't move until your hands are over your knees - if you move too early you feel sick. Your back shouldn't hurt but your bum should. With every stroke your hands should go back to your tummy - the 'arms only' bit of the stroke - ie the bit where your legs don't move - should be quick, but the slide - the bit where your legs move up towards the fan - should be slow.

What I always see are people going ridiculously fast up the slide, yanking on the handle with their arms, and breaking their legs far too early (ie bending their knees before their hands have gone over them). This is terrible technique, and what's more, will get you nowhere - if you did this technique in a boat you'd go backwards! (The more effort that goes into the slide, the more you're working against the flow of the boat, as rowers sit backwards - ergs are designed with this in mind). It also makes you feel sick and can damage your knees.

The way to know you are doing it right is to look at the split - this is the time taken to row 500m. To give you an example, when I went last week, I was (am) totally unfit, but my split was between 2:05 - 2:10, despite going up the slide at a very leisurely 18-20 stroke rate. The fit, slim man beside me was haring up the slide at stroke 30-40, but his split was a feeble 3:15-3:47, so he took nearly double the time to do the same distance! This meant that even though he was exhausted, he hadn't actually utilized his body properly, and so hadn't really done any good. Remember rowing is not a cardio activity - your legs and bum should ache more than you get out of breath (but you'll still get breathless!). NB by all means the better you get, the faster you can go up the slide, but only if it doesn't have a negative effect on the split. Race pace is about 32, and Oxford recently rowed at 36 for The Boat Race.

Tinker about with the display (there's a display button below the screen) until it displays a big number in the middle (split) and the stroke rate in the top right hand corner (s/m). After you can check your calories burned by changing the units. (Button beside display.)

Hope this is clear and is of benefit to someone - let me know if you want further clarification.

PS to find out what resistance you should be on, go to options, then display drag factor. Take a few strokes (using correct technique!) and change the resistance level until your drag factor is 130. Do this befoer every work out as the resistance will change as the batteries wear down etc. Oh and NEVER use the water machines - too easy! Only use the ones with the black air fan.

Catmeister

Hi redpoison - just looked up the sacred heart diet and I have to say, I agree with the critics - looks like it would only provoke a loss in fluids, but am very intrigued by the fact you say your weight stayed off - did you drop a dress size / notice inch loss reduction too? How long til the weight came back on?

emmaBZ

well i tryed to do my dvd today (despite my cold ! ) but my elec kept going off !!! so i gave up and did my stepper for 25 mins plus some jumps ect.... me and OH have both started eating better and have decided to chalenge each other mind you he doesnt need to lose weight but wants to build up so we will wait to see who gets to their goal faster !! so it spurs us on !!! im doing well ....feeling a lot better about myself so if i can get through the weekend and nxt week and stick to my routine then thats half the battle for me ( phsycologically ! ) then i will be focused and carry on....i always find the initial 2 weeks hardest to stick to...

redpoison

catmeisterIt stayed of because day 6 and 7 you eat meat with the soup i just restarted sw red days .. i never came back on me, i didnt notice any inch loss i only measure onece a mnth..

honey28

I did that diet many moons ago and have to say it was the worst few days of my life:D Anyone I know that did it put the weight straight back on once they started eating "properly" again. If it stayed off for you then you are in the minority and very lucky!
I'll just stick with SW - nothing is restricted and you can eat large portions of healthy, fulfilling food without depriving yourself of anything. I couldn't put myself through it again. Good luck, let us know how you get on with it.

honey28

Called into Sainsbury's ealier for a few bits. They had Quorn tandoori pieces for half price at 99p - just looked them up and it says they are 1 syn on red or green :eek: They taste absolutely lush and would be lovely with rice or in a sandwich.

Might help someone, I'm glad of something new for a change

Have the SW alternative Chicken kiev in the oven - will let you know how it goes.