Is it really true that the less you weigh

[livenraw]

the harder and more intense your workouts must be to keep your body toned and in good shape - even if following a diet rich in raw foods?

[tglasco4]

never heard of that livenraw.....doesnt make much sense to me. But hey, I definitely don't know everything.

Peace.

Todd

[Revvell]

Not true at all in my experience. Actually, methinks it's the opposite.

[livenraw]

Revvell, you mean, like slower workouts keep your body more toned? Not harder workouts?

I remember someone who was at a plateau with her weight loss and she kept on working out harder and harder but the scale wouldn't move, and everyone told her to keep on making her workouts more intense, so she did...and the pounds stayed (she wasn't raw, either) Well, she got some common sense, decided to listen to herself and slowed down her workouts...in a weeks time, she broke through her plateau...so perhaps, working out harder isn't the case for everyone....

[sport]

"I remember someone who was at a plateau with her weight loss and she kept on working out harder and harder but the scale wouldn't move,"

This happened to me (years ago) but in the other way. I knew that I was eating more than usual but the scales kept reassuring me that I was the same weight so I just kept going and enjoying the ride. I was 7 lbs above my normal weight before I discovered that the scales was broken

[meganthevegan]

about 4 years ago I weighed 15lbs more that I do now. I worked out daily with a personal trainer and was complaining that I wasn't losing any weight. He told me that it had nothing to do w/ my workout, it was what i was eating. So , I changed what I ate and lost a bunch of weight. Now, as far as my workout goes. I workout much harder than I did 4 years ago and I am vigilant of both diet and exercise. So, I work out harder and am in better shape now. But really it's easier to work out harder now because I am in better shape. Now that raw factor is new for me... Does that help you?

[Revvell]

Revvell, you mean, like slower workouts keep your body more toned? Not harder workouts?

Livenraw ~

I thought you were asking if, the less one weighs, the harder one has to work out to maintain tone ~ as opposed to if one weighs more.

In either case, what I've found is, varying the workout every 6 weeks or so is what really makes the difference. The last time I trained w/ weights I was definitely out of shape as I'd not trained in many years. There was a major difference after 4 weeks. I'd lost all the mush and gush that was hanging over my pants and sport bra. I hadn't changed diet at all that I recall.

Now, I swim and walk while eating raw ~ much better food program than previously and I seem to be maintaining good muscle tone. When I was lifting, I was lifting for muscle. I stopped because I realized, what's the point of having all that muscle which I wasn't using ~ except to lift the weights I was paying to go to a gym for.

As far as varying intensity ~ what is intense for one is not so for another. I use to lift as heavy as I could ~ varying from as slow as I could to quick burn outs. Many have found doing veeerrrry slow reps will obviously account for few reps ~ and better tone. As I said, varying a work-out will make quite a difference.

[spockafina]

In either case, what I've found is, varying the workout every 6 weeks or so is what really makes the difference.

This is true - your body gets used to certain things - exercise included. If you don't vary your work-outs (via intensity, or just doing a new type of exercise), your body will become comfortable and you will plateau. You need to keep your body guessing to make progress.

[hsg1437]

opposite, imo.

to loose weight yes. to stay in shape, no.

[twinee1]

the harder and more intense your workouts must be to keep your body toned and in good shape - even if following a diet rich in raw foods?

IMO the opposite is true. when you are overfat it takes more effort to SEE the results. I think it easier to stay toned in shape, leaner on a raw diet.

The one thing that is harder is getting the min. protein in. A challenge when "Living Raw".

[mbf]

Hi Livenraw,

Thin and low body weight has nothing to do intensity training level. It is how fit you are ! difference between skinny and fit ? is lean muscle vs fat mass you have and your cardiorespitory system . There are more then a few skinny people who can't run down the block without huffing and puffing. There bodies are not used to regular cardio.Just like you need to build up your muscle strength and endurane you need to build up you heart and lungs as well.

I measure body fat 15 times a week and so many women are thin- avg. but they have very little lean muscle leaving fat mass and over 30% body fat is considered obese.

with that out of the way, i'll use myself as an example of what I think you are asking about. I am over FIT and Over train. Why, because it's my job. I teach 7 aerobic classes a week and teach Phys ED where I am running all over with kids all day.
So, in one of my classes my participants may be sweating and getting their heart rates up after a 1 hour class but I am so overfit that at this point I would probably have to do 2 hours of the same work to get to my target HRR and burn the calories they are burning.
Recovery Heart Rate, because I do so much cardio my recovery heart rate is very good, which means I can teach an intense step or kick boxing class and my heart rate recovers to normal very quickly.. this is a good thing.

So a very fit person ( or person who has reached a plateau) does need to work at more intense level to jump start the body to burn fat and build muslce again. How do you that ? you increase one of the following:
* Frequency: how often you work out
* Intensity : lift heavier weights, use weighted gloves for kickboxing or put 2 risers under your step,on a machine simply increase incline, intesity or difficulty level.
*time : length of work out ,run 40 minutes instead of 20
*mode : type of exercise, could be as simple as stop using the treadmill and get on a elliptical machine or stop taking step classes and try kickboxing. Mode also applies to weight lifting ! Do you use the same machines over and over ? Do you only do 1 exercise for your biceps, triceps etc. You need to change those up as well.

It takes only 2 Weeks ! for your body to adapt therefore I suggest changing one of the above every 3-4 weeks


I hope this helped and I did not totally misunderstand what you were asking, sorry to ramble but fitness is my thing :)

MBF