any other students trying to lose weight?

[allthingsbright]

ugh, i am working on some major poundage and am looking for other nursing students who understand the concept of STRESS eating! -----------------------------------

anywho, i am on weight watchers and have lost over 40 pounds--with more to go. any takers? we can keep track of each other. i have three semesters left and my 34th birthday in in october--i want to lose about 20 pounds before my b-day and i want to look good in my whites at pinning! :)

[NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN]

Well, I found a reason for my snacking issues. I just found out that I am pregnant! I guess that means counting the weight gain now...

[kdavisnh]

Congratulations!!! :balloons:

[knittwhit]

The party smilie tells me this is a good thing. Congratulations!

[NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN]

We are very excited. Thank you.

[TRINI_RN]

Well, I found a reason for my snacking issues. I just found out that I am pregnant! I guess that means counting the weight gain now...

OMG, Congratulations!!!!!:balloons: :balloons:

[Daye]

week three weigh-in! share your week with us!

allthingsbright: -1

kdavisnh

dupre-ns

bbusymom

dratz: +2 :icon_hug:

darlanow

mel rn in 08

heatherp

nursecadet

nrsnfl

newyorkcityrn

daye gain 2.5 # aghhh:madface:

kiyatylese

hoping2/19/07

knittwhitt-newbie this week, goal of 10 lbs by sept 2 :)

oops rats...too much post nclex celebrating....everyone loves to celebrate w/food lol and of course luscious desserts! now i am going to have to get really really serious!

[Daye]

thanks for writing back so quickly! :)

i am familiar w/ nsv's...i think what is frustrating is that i bounce up and down about 3 pounds. i just cant seem to get beyond this number on the scale.

my husband thinks i need to stay away from the scale on a daily basis and i am beginning to think he is right. its one of those things where i know that if i stay op the weight will come off...eventually. i am just irritated right now.

my clothes are fitting better. i need to remember that.

but my scrub pants still dont fit and school is 4 weeks away. i really wanted to get back into them and not go up a size! they are just too tight to wear and not look like a freak. *ugh*

i sound like a crazy person today. negative!

ok, happy thought: my house is really clean. (yeah, that is all i could think of.)

hi amy hey girlfriend you hang in there!!! hope things are better for you today... i was out of town sorry i didn't get back to you sooner. hugs and prayers!

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

I've just started lifting heavy weights and only doing HIIT 2-3 days a week and I'm telling ya, this works.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Is It?

*The repeated alternating of periods of high intensity effort with periods of low intensity effort.

*The basic tenets of interval training can be satisfied on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine, or outside, with the latter 'probably' being the most effective.

*Normally defined by a 'work:rest' ratio (e.g. 1:3 or 1:2), in which the 'work' component represents the high intensity/sprint component and the 'rest' represents the low intensity/active recovery component.

*For example, alternating 20 second fast runs with 60 second brisk walks (or jogs) until the desired time has elapsed.

*Typically shorter in duration than traditional low intensity cardio owing to the higher intensity effort.

The Benefits of Interval Training Relative to Endurance Cardio

1.Greater Energy Expenditure and Resultant Fat Loss

*With increasing exercise intensities, the proportion of energy substrate derived from fat decreases, while the proportion of carbohydrate usage increases. (3)

*However, the predominant fuel substrate used during exercise does not play a significant role in fat loss.

*Total daily energy expenditure is more important for fat loss than the major fuel used during exercise. (3)

*The most notable study comparing interval training to endurance cardio concluded that interval training is the most optimal method for fat loss. (14)

oIn this study subjects engaged in either an endurance program (4-5 times per week for 30-45 minutes) for 20 weeks or a high-low intensity program for 15 weeks.

oNeither group was placed on a diet.

oThe mean estimated energy cost of the endurance protocol was 120.4 MJ, whereas the mean estimated energy cost of the high-low intensity protocol was only 57.9 MJ. (more than double)

oHowever, the decrease in six subcutaneous skin folds was greater in the high-low intensity group than it was in the endurance group. This is despite the lower energy cost during exercise.

oAfter statistical analysis it was shown that the high-low intensity group experienced nine times the fat loss of the endurance group.

oThis same study found the high-low intensity protocol to significantly increase the activity of an enzyme which is a marker of the activity of 'fat burning' over endurance protocol.

*While one burns less overall calories and less fat during interval training (due to the involved energy systems) compared to endurance cardio, when the post-exercise recovery period is factored in, interval training leads to significantly greater energy expenditure and fat loss.

*This is due to the effects interval training has on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)

oEPOC - post-exercise oxygen consumption above resting values used to restore the body to the pre-exercise condition.

oAfter exercise, oxygen uptake remains above pre-exercise levels for a period of time that varies according to the length and intensity of exercise.

*The number of calories burned following interval training is significantly enhanced due to the increased EPOC.

*There is much research to show that interval training protocols result in significantly greater post-exercise energy expenditure and fat utilization when compared to low to moderate intensity protocols. (1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 15)

*Another study showed that even with no significant difference in total work, groups that exercised at a high intensity lost significant amounts of fat, while no significant changes were found in the lower intensity group. (2)

*Another study showed that those who participated in high intensity exercise had lower skin fold measurements and waist-to-hip ratios than those who participated in lower intensity exercise. (13)

*Improved VO2max, as a result of interval training, has been associated with increased thermic effect of food (TEF) (6)

oTEF - An increase in energy expenditure due to an increase in cellular activity associated with digestion.

2.Improved Cardiovascular Conditioning & Fitness

*Interval training has been shown to increase both aerobic and anaerobic capacity whereas endurance cardio only increases aerobic capacity. (9, 11, 12, 14)

*It is well established that interval training increases aerobic capacity/VO2 max more than endurance cardio. (5, 12)

o28% increase in aerobic capacity with high-low intensity cardio vs. 14% increase in aerobic capacity with endurance cardio. (12)

*Maximal oxygen uptake, or V02max, is generally regarded as the best single measure of aerobic fitness.

*Interval training is more conducive to improving the muscle's ability to use fat. The more fit one becomes, the more likely they are to use fat as fuel for any given activity.

*Post training, you will burn more fat. Numerous studies show that HIIT can elevate your metabolic rate significantly after the workout - with most of the calories coming from fat.

*Fat/calorie burning is elevated afterwards to restore homeostasis (i.e. body temperature, catecholamines, hemoglobin, myoglobin, etc.).And it doesn't matter if you eat carbs right away either. This will not inhibit the oxidation of fat. In fact research actually shows that getting nutrients in immediately after HIIT will actually increase EPOC, reduces muscle protein catabolism, and increases recovery, all while having the wonderful benefit of not inhbiting lipolysis.

*HIIT dramatically increases the amount of GH released into the bloodstream. This has some fat burning implications. (muscle building benefits are questionable)

*Long periods of low-intensity/steady state cardio tend to convince some fast-twitch fibers to convert to slow-twitch fibers (or at least take on some slow twitch qualities). Conventional slow, long-duration cardio workouts tend to "overtrain" the fast-twitch muscle fibers and to convert the intermediate muscle fibers to slow-twitch suitors. HIIT prevents this from occurring, preserving your muscle growth potential.

*High intensity cardiovascular exercise increases oxygen expenditure and forces the body to adapt by becoming more efficient at oxygen transport (increase in VO2 max). That means healthy benefits for the heart, lungs and other components of your cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

I wanted to post this, I'm totally sold on doing cardio this way. More bang for your buck. Try to do 2-3 sessions of HIIT a week, and maybe 1 longer cardio session. HIIT is very intense, some may only be able to do 1 session a week and work up from there, especially if your doing a good heavy leg lifting workout (squats, lunges, press, etc).

Alternate the following

Workout 1

5 minute warm up

12 sprints at 20s on/40s off

5-10 minute cool down

Workout 2

5 minute warm up

8 sprints at 30s on/60s off

5-10 minute cool down

You can do either workout options. I personally do the 20seconds/40seconds...it is hard work. I do the elliptical because it is to hard to slow down and speed up really fast on the treadmill.

The sprints should be *major work* (all out as fast as you can go!! If you can go longer than the 20 or 30 seconds your not working hard enough) and you should strive to increase your speed as your conditioning improves.

The off period is active recovery - walking, jogging - basically lower intensity work. This depends on the person. For me, recovery is walking.

Options for doing HIIT are outside running, treadmill, elliptical, bike (not the recumbant).

Also remember HIIT (high intensity interval training) is more than just intervals. It is the high intensity for very short periods that makes it different than the intervals most of us are familiar with. If you can do more than 20-30 seconds of HIIT then your not doing it correctly.

There is a lot of good info online about HIIT if you google it if you want to learn more or see more of the studies that have been done.

[Dratz]

Todays weigh in: Saturday July 29th.

I am up another 2...which puts me right smack back to where I started. I devoured chocolate this week!!. I think I might stop the weekly weigh in routine since I obsess over it...what I think I might do, is at the end of this trial, I will post my total weight lost overall. LOL...I think also, that I need to lower my original goal of 20 lbs, to TEN....more attainable I think??

Good luck to everyone else. I have not a thing to wear to classes once they start up. Everything I own is so tight, I will be unable to breath and listen to lecture too LOL. :wink2:

I will TRY and behave myself this week. The wedding feast did it to me last week and I have holidays yet to go.....sigh.

Putting it on is EASY...taking it off takes forever.

[Daye]

I didn't gain this week yeah!!!

I didn't lose either

[knittwhit]

Down another 1.5 this week. That makes 2 down, 8 to go. Being mindful has payed off. I had a lot of stress this week (dog had to have her knee reconstructed) and did not turn to food to soothe myself which is a major accomplishment, YAY me!

Onward to the third week of my challenge. I found a food tracker for a 1200 cal ADA diet that looks a lot like the old Weight Watcher exchange list. That worked so well for me in the past (lost 52 lbs and kept it off for 8 +/- years). I am going to try that for a while. I can adapt it to my older WW recipes and most food labels still include exchange information.