Short Term Fitness - What and How

Short Term Fitness - What and How

Author
Discussion

dtmpower

Original Poster:

3,972 posts

252 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
Here is my mini dilemma:

Am finishing work in 2 weeks.

Will be going on holiday end of April.

Will have about 3 weeks to get 'fit'. I have been doing an office job for about 2 years solid and my fitness has fallen away. Want to get 'fit' again before spending a few weeks on holiday which will be lost of walking/travelling about.

I have access to a mountain bike with slick tyres / running shoes / indoor exercise bike / fixed gear racing bike.

What training schedule would PH propose for this short term injection of fitness... will be joining a gym on my return just want to make the most of the time off work to get started.

andy400

10,730 posts

238 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
Worked for me, but everyone's different:

Run 4/5 times a week, between 3 and 7 miles depending on what else you've got going on and time spare.

Cycle 3/4 times a week between 12 and 25 miles qualified as above, keeping the pace up as much as possible. I tend to get the shopping in by bike - saves on fuel too!

Walk instead of motorised transport wherever possible - including stupid minor stuff like always using the stairs instead of escalators/lifts in the office/shops etc.

Some, but not much at all, free weights at home so as to not neglect the upper body.

Can do more if necessary, but important to take days off from the running/cycling.

Slate99

2,270 posts

192 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
andy400 said:
Worked for me, but everyone's different:

Run 4/5 times a week, between 3 and 7 miles depending on what else you've got going on and time spare.

Cycle 3/4 times a week between 12 and 25 miles qualified as above, keeping the pace up as much as possible. I tend to get the shopping in by bike - saves on fuel too!

Walk instead of motorised transport wherever possible - including stupid minor stuff like always using the stairs instead of escalators/lifts in the office/shops etc.

Some, but not much at all, free weights at home so as to not neglect the upper body.

Can do more if necessary, but important to take days off from the running/cycling.
Thats about the best advice you will get really. Also diet is key make sure you keep tabs on what your eating, stop drinking alcohol and beer try and stop eating junk food aswell (not that i know what your diet is like).

A good diet and lots of Cardio-Vascular work will do work wonders. Although 3 weeks is really a bit too short to achieve anything different

Edited by Slate99 on Tuesday 17th March 16:35

dirty boy

14,744 posts

216 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
Eat little and often

For example, spread this evenly over the day

Cereal/milk
Apple
Half a sandwich
Half a sandwich
Banana
Tea (decent meal as usual - not chips or crap)
Plenty of water, scrap teas/coffees with sugar

Then running is the best way to shift fat, you need to do over 20 minutes, as that's the point at which you burn the fat, and not what you've just eaten, but get on your bike as often as possible.

Start playing five a side/badminton with mates for a few weeks too?


andy400

10,730 posts

238 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
dirty boy said:
Start playing badminton with mates for a few weeks too?
What's the hardest theng about playing Badminton?










Admitting you're gay.

shalmaneser

6,037 posts

202 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
dirty boy said:
Eat little and often

For example, spread this evenly over the day

Cereal/milk
Apple
Half a sandwich
Half a sandwich
Banana
Tea (decent meal as usual - not chips or crap)
Plenty of water, scrap teas/coffees with sugar

Then running is the best way to shift fat, you need to do over 20 minutes, as that's the point at which you burn the fat, and not what you've just eaten, but get on your bike as often as possible.

Start playing five a side/badminton with mates for a few weeks too?
That's all very well but what you've got there is a weight loss diet and an exercise regime. How do you expect your body to react if you stop eating and increase the amount of exercise you do?

I'd suggest the OP watches when he eats (ie no kebabs or takeaway pizza fests) but ups the exercise.

dirty boy

14,744 posts

216 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
shalmaneser said:
dirty boy said:
Eat little and often

For example, spread this evenly over the day

Cereal/milk
Apple
Half a sandwich
Half a sandwich
Banana
Tea (decent meal as usual - not chips or crap)
Plenty of water, scrap teas/coffees with sugar

Then running is the best way to shift fat, you need to do over 20 minutes, as that's the point at which you burn the fat, and not what you've just eaten, but get on your bike as often as possible.

Start playing five a side/badminton with mates for a few weeks too?
That's all very well but what you've got there is a weight loss diet and an exercise regime. How do you expect your body to react if you stop eating and increase the amount of exercise you do?

I'd suggest the OP watches when he eats (ie no kebabs or takeaway pizza fests) but ups the exercise.
That's not a weight loss diet IMO.

That's eating sensibly for an office worker. Plenty of calories there, i'm training for a marathon on that diet. My evening meal is usually a 'decent portion' spag bol, meat and veg, curry etc.




The jiffle king

7,054 posts

265 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
I said this on a thread yesterday, but if you are looking to lose fat, then you need to work at between 65% and 75% Max Heart rate (MHR) In this zone, you will lose most fat (Probably) This does not involve going mad on your runs/cycles, but taking a steady pace and keeping it going. Take a training partner to keep it interesting.. at this pace you should be able to chat quite happily.

T-J-K

King of Dings

437 posts

199 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
Didn't Chstian Baile (actor) eat a can of tuna and an apple each day for three months to get that incredible weight loss for a recent movie.

anonymous-user

61 months

Tuesday 17th March 2009
quotequote all
http://hundredpushups.com

I'm currently on week 5 and it makes a hell of a difference (or it does for me, but I used to be a lazy little fecker)

dtmpower

Original Poster:

3,972 posts

252 months

Wednesday 18th March 2009
quotequote all
andy400 said:
Worked for me, but everyone's different:

Run 4/5 times a week, between 3 and 7 miles depending on what else you've got going on and time spare.

Cycle 3/4 times a week between 12 and 25 miles qualified as above, keeping the pace up as much as possible. I tend to get the shopping in by bike - saves on fuel too!

Walk instead of motorised transport wherever possible - including stupid minor stuff like always using the stairs instead of escalators/lifts in the office/shops etc.

Some, but not much at all, free weights at home so as to not neglect the upper body.

Can do more if necessary, but important to take days off from the running/cycling.
Symbolica said:
http://hundredpushups.com

I'm currently on week 5 and it makes a hell of a difference (or it does for me, but I used to be a lazy little fecker)
I think this will be the key for the 3 weeks. Longish bike ride and run nearly everyday followed by starting out on the bicep curls/push ups/sit ups/squats.

dtmpower

Original Poster:

3,972 posts

252 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
I am still on Week 3 of the pushups - although it was about 3 months ago - been out on the bike a few times, need to get back into it, now it's a bit cooler.

cheeky_chops

1,603 posts

258 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Running. Proper running outside. I used to flirt with the runner in the gym, 10mins here and there. As a benchmark, i would HIT train - 1min @16kmh, then 1.5mins @6kmh. I would do 3 or 4 sets and be knackered.

Then i decided to do a half marathon. Took a while to build up to 5 miles, but my fitness shot up. I did the HIT 10 times 1min @16kmh, then 1.5min @9kmh was over the moon!

Go easy building distance up - i am currently off running with achilles tendonitis overdoing it frown