Exercise For Weight Loss – When Does it Matter?
I was talking to a buddy of mine who competes in bodybuilding the other day. We were discussing contest preparation and how he uses diet and exercise for weight loss.
He said he takes about 14-16 weeks to get ready for a show. He starts at around 2200 calories per day and finishes around 1600 calories per day in the final weeks (and just to let you know, this guy is well over 300lbs and 6’5)
By the end of his contest prep he cuts down to about 240lbs including a water depletion.
It takes dieting AND exercise to get this lean
Now this is where the interesting part comes in.
He cuts his calories down to about 1600 per day and does 1 weight training session and two ‘cardio’ sessions per day at the end of his preparation.
I did a bit of quick math and figured out that he likely burns all 1600 calories off during his 3 workouts each day. In other words, he is effectively burning off all his daily calories.
This is an example of the extreme measures bodybuilders (and fitness competitors) will go to in order to burn off every last ounce of visible bodyfat from their frame (including using some powerful stimulants to keep their appetite at bay)
3 workouts per day might sound like alot to you but it really isn’t. He will typically break it up into an hour morning walk (perhaps inclined on a treadmill for some added work) then an afternoon workout with weights, and finally another walk later in the evening.
That’s about 3 hours of working out (two of them for weight loss one of them for muscle building)
This extra exercise for weight loss can only provide a significant benefit if he keeps his calories in control.
In other words, if he wasn’t monitoring his calories he could easily replace all the energy he burned during each ‘cardio’ session by eating a bit more food at each meal.
The more you exercise the more likely you will get hungry and the more tempted you will be to overeat (or at least eat more than you were planning)
The treadmill can help if you're careful with your calorie intake
This is the catch 22 with exercise for weight loss. You’ll burn more calories and lost more weight faster if you add in extra exercise, BUT you’ll also be tempted to eat more food as you increase the amount of exercise you do.
So you’ve got to keep the calories you eat in control if you want to see the full benefit from adding in extra ‘cardio’ sessions.
The point is exercise for weight loss can be effective IF and only IF you’ve got a handle on your calories.
John
7 Responses to “Exercise For Weight Loss – When Does it Matter?”
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September 9th, 2010 at 11:55 am
In my experience, both controlling calories and adding exercise accelerate the process of hunger, so effective fat loss ultimately comes down to tolerating the feeling of wanting to eat.
(nice photo)
By the way, is there a way I can just get the Adonis 2.0 blueprint?
September 9th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I think it really comes down to this. People just totally WAYYYYY OVERESTIMATE how many calories they burn when they exercise and people have NO IDEA what 100 or 200 calories really mean. It’s like when you were growing up, you didn’t know the value of a dollar so you didn’t know how to spend your money. We still have people like that in their adulthood and thus continue to struggle with their finances. I think this is the same with fat loss.
“Oh, if I run for an hour, I’ll lose 100 calories. That sounds like a lot! Cool, that means I can eat this entire pan of brownies!”
I think it’s willful ignorance. People just don’t want to know the truth but also want to find an excuse to do things they know they shouldn’t.
September 10th, 2010 at 4:06 am
Is it possible to get this lean without drugs? I lost about 30 pounds but I see mayself only smaller but not ripped (ok I know there is 20 more lbs to go). Or is it possible, that I dont have enough muscle to look ripped?
How your friend is preparing to the show? Only caloric restcriction or the “good old” chicken rise, broccoli, fish 8-9 times a day thing?
September 10th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Oh yes, so true. It seems that many people underestimate the number of calories they eat and overestimate the amount they burn via exercise. Recipe for fat gain for sure!
I’ve had a higher level of activity/exercise than most people, and that allows me to eat a lot more than someone my size can normally eat without gaining fat, which I like, but even so I am very good with counting calories (digital kitchen scales rock) and like Jase Tagle wrote, if I want to lose fat I have to get used to the hunger to some degree, because no matter how satieting certain foods can be, when you’re trying to lose, hunger is something you must contend with. It doesn’t have to be insane, but it’s there.
lol for the brownie example, usernametooshortnowitstoolon. All too common!
September 10th, 2010 at 9:44 am
1 more thing.
What is you oppinion about this:
let’s assume my bmr is 2000 kcal and i do 2 treadmill session about 2*300 kcal. I try to create about 500kcal deficit in a day, so basicaly I dont have to undereat because of the cardio. But if I dont do it, I have to restrict my intake about 500 kcal, that means less protein, less nutritient so on..? Or the 2 case is the same?
September 10th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Wood,
“Less protein and less nutrient” is largely irrelevant because its easy to get your nutrient and protein requirement with far less than your BMR. The macronutrient requirement for men is about 1000 calories per day (for women is about 800)
So even if you’re only eating 1200 calories per day you can easily meet all of your base requirements.
September 10th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Wood,
“Is it possible to get this lean without drugs? I lost about 30 pounds but I see mayself only smaller but not ripped (ok I know there is 20 more lbs to go). Or is it possible, that I dont have enough muscle to look ripped?”
Yes, it’s totally possible to get very lean without drugs. Being ripped is just matter of maintaining your caloric deficit long enough. Most people just don’t maintain their deficit long enough. The drugs assist with staving off appetite and some also help with water depletion.