copperpuma96 said:Look, I’m not saying it’s literally body fat, but once you stop training, that mass loses its tone. It looks saggy and soft. It's not just fat.
You're wrong again. "Hanging muscles"? "Saggy muscles"? What are you even talking about? Get this through your head: if you don't maintain your physique, your muscles atrophy. That's it. Period. Try sitting on the couch for a year and tell me if your quads shrank or if they're actually hanging down past your knees.
copperpuma96 said:All those muscles they build up at the gym are just going to turn into pure fat the second they stop training.
What an absolute load of nonsense!!! Since when does muscle mass magically convert into fat tissue? btw. After you stop training for a while, your muscles just shrink. That’s literally it.
That’s just wrong. Your glutes actually work the hardest when you squat below parallel. Along with squats, I’d suggest adding hyperextensions to the routine.
If you want to actually survive a session out on the water, your back, biceps, and forearms are everything—and let me tell you right now, you aren't going to build any of that strength just by cranking out push-ups. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't ignore the rest of your body either; keeping everything balanced is non-negotiable if you want to avoid getting sidelined by an injury. You're cutting it pretty close here, but you still have about two weeks to prime your muscles for the physical grind of surfing. Get yourself to a gym or at least pick up some dumbbells for home.
redeagle7 said:Doing 100 crunches every single day. Is that enough? When should I expect to see results? Or maybe some advice? How do you guys train your abs?
Enough for what, exactly? I hit them during my workouts three times a week. I start with 3-4 sets on an incline bench using 10-pound dumbbells on my chest, followed by another 2-3 sets specifically targeting the lower abs. I run about 10-20 reps per set. Doing a single set of 100 crunches is honestly a joke. Without adding weight, without progressive overload, and just relying on high repetitions, you aren't going to see any real progress.
If your definition of "cutting" is already flawless, why on earth are you asking for advice on how to do it? I’m sticking to my guns: there is no such thing as "definition exercises." There is only a cutting diet. Doing sets of 60 reps is just mindless nonsense. Pick up heavier weights, aim for the 10-12 rep range, and throw in some cardio two or three times a week.
Getting shredded isn't about how much you lift; it's about what you eat. Doing sets of 60 reps is basically a waste of time—you might as well just stay on the couch. That said, I guess moving at all is better than doing nothing. Go to a gym, find a trainer to set up a real program for you, and get your diet dialed in. You can pump out 10, 12, or even 60 reps per set, but you aren't going to see any muscle definition until you drop below 10-12% body fat.
The single biggest lie floating around the fitness world is the idea that doing crunches is the secret to losing belly fat. Sure, ab workouts have their place, just like any other exercise, but they aren't some magic bullet for melting fat. Doing sit-ups doesn't burn more fat than doing squats, simply because abdominal exercises target the muscles, not the fat layer sitting on top of them. Fat loss comes down to burning calories, and if you want to actually move the needle, nothing beats a solid run. Training a specific muscle group has absolutely zero impact on directly burning the fat covering that exact area. If the logic behind this myth were actually true, having a massive, ripped core would somehow mean you have almost no body fat at all.div>
Maria Kelly6, you’ve already started several threads on this topic. Honestly, it feels like you’re putting more energy into arguing on internet forums than actually trying to lose weight. Take me, for example. I used to be a hopeless case when it came to gaining muscle and mass—I was painfully skinny. It took me five years of hard work to finally get myself in shape, and I did it: I hit my target weight, I'm no longer scrawny, and I couldn't be happier with how I look. If I had wasted my time talking about it instead of actually doing the work, I would have achieved absolutely nothing. At the end of the day, your goals are just plain foolish: "3 kg in 2 weeks." It sounds like some trendy, "miracle" crash diet you'd see advertised in a magazine like *People* or *Cosmopolitan*. Skipping breakfast, skipping dinner, sticking to 1,000 calories, no meat, no carbs...? What kind of nonsense is that? "Don't eat anything for 7 days" is the exact same thing as those other ridiculous diets. Look, if someone doesn't care about their health, they might as well just take amphetamines every single day—guaranteed weight loss success right there!
To put it bluntly, you’d act like you wouldn't go after it if it weren't for the fact that you actually want in! And let's not forget—sometimes it can be painful.
placidfox52 said:👍 Hey, thanks so much... I really need to check the exact breakdown of protein, carbs, and fats... but this definitely looks acceptable. And the price is right, too! 🙂
The one I'm using currently has 85g of protein, 4.7g of carbs, and 1.0g of fat per 100g serving. It's cappuccino flavored. ☕ 😁
That said, I’d prefer a cleaner protein source, so I was looking at this "Veg Fuel" from Twinlab—it's supposedly 100% protein... Not that it’s a dealbreaker, but since I'm still figuring out how to balance everything within the Zone, I want to keep things as simple as possible. 🙂
Don't let manufacturers mislead you with those percentages on the labels. Veg Fuel isn't 100%, just like most similar products—there's always at least 1-5% carbs and 1-2% fat in there. Once you factor in the flavoring and other additives, there is no way it's over 90% protein. Regarding cheese, I noticed nobody mentioned the best value option: low-fat cottage cheese. A half-pound of a brand like Tillamook costs about $4.25, and the nutritional profile is excellent—very low in carbs and fat. If you want better flavor, you can mix it with plain or even fruit yogurt. Cottage cheese is particularly great for athletes; you can read all about it here: http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1...e=RunnersWorld Speaking of links, I highly recommend the premier nutrition website run by Dr. Ignac Kulier: www.food.com
Alright, so there isn't a strict rule about it... If you want my advice, go for the best value—quality, taste, and price all rolled into one. Grab some whey protein from Inkospor; their vanilla and chocolate flavors are excellent, but the banana is absolutely insane. It'll run you $37 for 500 grams over at Helix.
Look, seriously: you can find protein powders in a few spots around town. I’d recommend checking out the Helix shop over on old Vlach Street; they have the widest selection you'll find in the entire US. It would be a good idea if you told us exactly which type of powder you're looking for, because there's a huge difference between needing whey protein and casein. There are tons of options out there, and prices can range anywhere from $100 up to $167. Before you head into one of those shops—where they absolutely love customers who don't have a clue what they're buying just so they can lighten your wallet—it would be best to give us some more specific details about what kind of protein you need and what your actual goal is.
placidfox52 said:Where can I pick up some protein powder?
Hold on, just wait for a few people on this Forum to jump in and explain how protein powder is nothing but pure chemicals—basically steroids that’ll give you a mustache overnight. They'll tell you it's totally toxic and that you'll end up with muscles looking like the Governor of California or Jarmila Kratochvilova. They'll insist you're better off sticking to bacon and onions like Janica—I mean, have you seen how far she got on nothing but bacon and onions? 🙂
Proprietary protein Blend: 85g 170% (from Whey protein Concentrate, Calcium/Sodium Caseinate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Powder, and Egg Albumen)
Yeah, that’s exactly it—besides the whey, you can clearly see soy, casein, and egg in there too. Just throwing whey into a mass gainer would be way less effective. I can tell you actually understand how this stuff works, so you already know why they do it.
I reckon it’s about 1,100 miles from ZD to Rome. The furthest I ever traveled was down to Rome for the Roma vs Hajduk match, though we ended up getting lost on the way back and added an extra 124 miles more 😢 to the trip.
That "Mega Mass" blend they mentioned consists of carbohydrates and protein (Whey Protein), so we aren't talking about isolated amino acids here, but hey, at least the guy knows that proteins are actually made of amino acids.
Actually, if you look at Mega Mass, I don't think it's Whey Protein. It's likely casein, maybe some Egg Albumen, and probably just standard milk protein.