For me, the journey to physical fitness is more a change in attitude than anything else. Getting up and getting moving every day is a choice. It requires constant effort and commitment.
I'm still moving in the right direction, but the going is slow because I have so much weight to lose.
Bob Greene on exercising for weight loss
I asked Bob Greene, author of The Best Life Diet and 20 Years Younger and Oprah's trainer, what advice he had for me and others who have 100 pounds or more to lose.
After the how's your health? do you have any injuries I should know about? and consult your doctor stuff was out the way (and that applies to you, too!), he explained how the old way of thinking is wrong.
You know the old exercise advice, right? You're supposed to walk slowly enough that you can carry on a conversation.
Bob told me that exercising hard - sweating a lot, pushing your heart rate (up to 70-80% of your max heart rate) and breathing rate higher, talking only in sound bytes, not really wanting to talk at all, not being sure if you can finish - that's where the real progress is made. That's where the most fat is burned, he said.
I was glad to hear all of that because that's how I feel every single time I do the two-mile walk with Leslie Sansone. About twenty minutes in, I always think, "I'm not sure if I can keep this up for another ten minutes!" But I always keep going. Sometimes I walk instead of doing the side steps or knee lifts, but I keep the pace. I keep my heart rate up in the 150-160 range (which is 75-80% of my maximum heart rate), and I finish the workout and stretch with Leslie.
He also mentioned that breathing rate is a more reliable indicator of exercise intensity, but I didn't have time to ask him more about that, and I couldn't find any reliable info about it online.
Bob Greene on the length & intensity of workouts
As our conversation continued, Bob told me that 20-30 minutes of intense cardio is better - expends more calories, burns more fat - than an hour of lower intensity exercise.
He also said that walking continues to be the best cardio exercise, especially for those with a lot of weight to lose.
It's better to increase the intensity of a walking workout by walking hills or adding an incline on the treadmill than it is to increasing the impact of the workout (by running or jumping, for example). For those with a lot of weight to lose, increasing the impact of the workout will cause unnecessary wear and tear (and injuries) to the joints.
So, for those of you who wanted me to ask him about the best exercise to do to maximize your time, it sounds like it's not the actual activity that's important, but the intensity with which you do it.
Bob Greene on workout scheduling
I have been working out every other or every third day. If I exercise much more than that, I get really sore and end up walking around like an old lady.
Actually, not even Old Grandma walks around like that.
Some of you wanted to know how to schedule workouts for maximum calorie and fat burn, so I asked Bob about that. He said that losing weight requires 5-6 days of intense cardio each week. Some days, you'll work out harder and other days a little less so, but cardio should happen no less than five days a week.
I asked specifically about strength training, and Bob said something that was ground-breaking to me. He said strength training stimulates appetite, and he recommends delaying it for at least a month after making a lifestyle change.
He said that it's necessary to get your eating habits under control before having to deal with the increased appetite caused by exercise. Once you're in that place, you should do strength training three times a week in addition to the cardio.
Bob Greene on healthier snacks
Snack foods can be a struggle for everyone. We all have those moments in the mid-morning and late afternoon where we get snippy or tired or sleepy and need a snack to keep ourselves going until the next meal.
Bob stressed that all snacks should have protein and calcium but not too many carbs.
He recommends warm foods; he says they are more satisfying and comforting to our bodies than cold ones. He specifically mentioned vegetable soup or a healthy latte (made with 1% or skim milk).
Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest things you can eat, he said, and my mind went immediately to the baked sweet potato chips or baked sweet potato fries that we make at home.
He also said that nuts were a great snack, but only in the correct portion size. He explained that's a handful in which the fingers actually close against the heel of the hand, not a handful in which the fingers remain open as if holding a soft ball. The image of his closed fingers up in front of the camera are etched in my mind. That's not many nuts in that hand, but that's the point.
This post is sponsored by Bookieboo LLC in a blogger campaign with Omron Fitness and contains affiliate links.
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect says
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/MaryCarver/status/179398864460189696
Thanks for sharing this interview. Great information, especially for those of us needing to lose significant weight. The workout info is a bit depressing for this couch potato, but now I can't say I didn't know, can I? 🙂
Kala says
I've always been good about working out...my problem is the food. I've been trying to eat more greens and whole foods. Something I've never done!
Lauren says
My fitness goal is to continue exercising 5 times a week, but to more closely monitor my food intake!
Lauren says
Here's my tweet!
https://twitter.com/#!/LaurenRamirez/status/179530728323809280
Betty says
I woud like to get more fit.
Lolli @ Better in Bulk says
I'm curious to know what I can do about my diastasis recti. My stomach muscles are non existent and it shows!
Jessica @FoundtheMarbles says
I alternate daily between motivated and deflated. This post was super helpful because today is a deflated day and I was going to skip the treadmill but now I am going to suck it up and get moving. Thanks, Tara & Bob!
Vickie Couturier says
My goals are to start simple,drink more water less diet sodas,an now that the weather is getting nicer ,im going to walk a bit more each day
vlbelk9at)Hotmail.com
Vickie Couturier says
tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/vickiecouturier/status/179677327540748288
vlbelk(at)Hotmail.com
Felicia says
My fitness goals are to stay at the weight I am now without going over. I lost almost 20 pounds last summer and I have been trying hard to keep it that way! I exercise at least 20 minutes a day and try to avoid carbs.
Caryn B says
My fitness goals are to do cardio at least 3 times a week, firm and tone
MamaFeelgood says
My goal is to also lose more than 100 lbs. I think that in and of itself is a lofty enough goal
Feels Like Home Blog┞¢ says
It sure is! From my experience, you might want to start with a smaller goal at first. My first goal was 25 pounds by Easter. I'm at 24 now; I'll reward myself when I get there. I have my eye on something from Lisa Leonard as a reward. I'll work on the next 25 once I hit my first target.
If I looked only at my eventual goal (which is 180 pounds), I'd get discouraged long before I reached it.
Sadie says
My fitness goals for the year include toning up and relaxing with yoga.
Sadie says
https://twitter.com/#!/OhioCatfish/status/179748105007267841
Eugenie says
I want to increase my endurance so that I can do a lot of hiking this summer.
Eugenie says
tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/wizardewu/status/179769829413224448
Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy says
Great post!
I totally agree about the warm foods thing. And ugh...I cannot make myself eat a sweet potato for anything!
Howell says
My goal is to play tennis at least 3 times a week and eat a healthy diet.
Howell says
tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/leedhowell/status/179778353425944576
Mariana says
I just started Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 DVD workout... and it's kicking my butt. I'm hoping I can get stronger, tone my arms and my belly. 🙂
Mariana says
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/#!/ohMariana/status/179781775361454080
Erica Best says
i try to start to day with working out on my bike .
Erica Best says
https://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/179794885937864704
Erica Best says
wrong link https://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/179795527163068416
Milehimama says
I just started trying to lose. I'm on MyFitnessPal, which has been really helpful. I did 5 minutes of stairs the other day though and though I was gonna die! I have a ways to go. 🙂
Feels Like Home Blog┞¢ says
A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. 🙂 The first step is the hardest, too. Pat yourself on the back for getting started, and keep up the good work!
Laura Lynch says
I don't have a lot of weight to lose but I'm not at my goal weight. What I really want to do is get healthy and fit with diet and exercise, since I really slacked through college. I think I'll be able to lose the pounds I want to in the process. I've started by changing my diet and running throughout the week, but I want to get some yoga/more stretching, and some strength work into my routine as well. lmlynch2 at gmail dot com
Laura Lynch says
my tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/curliecue15/status/180014132962131969 lmlynch2 at gmail dot com
anash says
i want to lose about 30 lbs before smmer! Thanks for a super giveaway!
anash says
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/anashct3/status/181239191563276288
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Nony (A Slob Comes Clean) says
I need to lose 20-30 pounds. At that weight, I look pretty good and feel great.
Feels Like Home Blog┞¢ says
The giveaway is now over, and a winner has been chosen. Feel free to leave a comment about the post, though. Let the conversation continue!