Fat loss with rowing

[Abes]

Hi everyone,

I just started rowing on my brand new concept 2 model D on January 5. I am practicing the proper technique based on the video on c2 site. I started Pete plan workout today and did 5k. The plan is a 24 week plan, quite intimidating, but I do not look beyond the week at most. I am watching the food I eat. I am 5'7" and 203lbs, most of it on my belly. I do not care so much about the weight but want to lose the fat. Where do you put me on the success scale? What more do I need to do?
Thanks for any advice...
Abes

[jamesg]

Looks fine, keep at it.

Long but not too slow (so sweaty anyway) gives fitness and weight control; tho' of course what we don't take aboard we don't have to chuck overboard either.

The advantage of reasonably hard work is that it gets us fit but not tired, and getting fit lets us do even more. So it's all a problem of what's reasonable, and HR is the usual gauge: UT2 mostly, some UT1.

These plans can help a lot too:
http://therowingcompany.com/weightloss/interactive

I usually find 5 sessions a week to be practical.

[Abes]

Thank you. This is very helpful.

[Quatroux]

Don't want to sound like I'm being negative, but you gave us details on exactly the wrong things. Exercise is going to get you fit - rowing the Pete Plan especially so. However, fit isn’t thin. Your body composition will change somewhat thanks to rowing. If you can resist your body’s natural inclination to balance out the extra calories you are burning, you will also see some weight loss. However, the key to losing weight is 99% what you do in the *** DELETE - SPAM ***. The only exception is serious athletes and even then it takes a lot of time to work up to the level where you need to change your diet to accommodate your exercise.

In short, good start on the rowing, but you need to focus on your diet if you want to lose the fat.

[Abes]

In short, good start on the rowing, but you need to focus on your diet if you want to lose the fat.

I absolutely agree with you. Thanks!

[sba55]

I am new to the forum but thought my experience would be useful. I have a son who rowed in high school winning 2 national championships. His 6% body fat convinced me to try the erg to lose some weight. I bought one and the program I used worked wonders for me.

I did not have time to row long pieces and recent articles on exercise suggest that shorter more intense sessions are more beneficial than hours of aerobic workouts.
I simply rowed the following pieces with a 2 minute rest in between. 1100m, 900m, 700m, 500m, 300m. I rowed each of these as hard as I was able to do it with the goal of lowering the 500m rate on each successive set. At the end of each set I was exhausted but kept going until finished. The routine takes me about 22-23 minutes total with rest added in. I did it 3- 4 times a week.

I was 56 years old when I started and weighed almost 280 pounds. I lost 40 lbs in about 6 months or so. I made zero changes to my diet, drinking etc. In fact it seemed whatever I ate was burned off with no trouble. I have a friend and a brother in law who both bought ergs when they saw what it did for me.

The key to this was maximum effort. There was no rowing at a "conversational pace". That effort level is not for everyone in my age group but if you can stand it you will see results. You may want to check with your doctor first, my wife was often worried when she saw me red faced, gasping for air and soaked with sweat.

[bernd57]

Abe's, success is not measured by anyone else, but by you. You are just beginning, so don't ask for others to judge you already. Obviously, you have set yourself goals. At 5'7 and your current weight you obviously recognize that something has to change. Given that you say yourself most of your fat is around your belly, that is called visceral fat. Unfortunately, it is precisely this type of fat distribution that is the most dangerous to your health. First and foremost, before you get into heavy workouts that will push your heart rate to the max, make sure your doctor checks you out from a cardiovascular standpoint. If all is good, then get going..... Rowing is a great way to go.
Physiologically, I would pretty much guarantee that you are in some degree of metabolic syndrome, along with the concomitant insulin resistance. A recent study shows that insulin resistant muscle is exercise resistant. Thus, the posting that talks about your diet are absolutely right on.... Look at your carbohydrate intake, shift away from simple sugars as much as possible, choose good fats, good sources of quality protein, avoid processed foods etc.....
You may want listen to a lecture given by Dr. Peter Attia about his personal quest to become healthy here: http://youtu.be/kX2OCKvXAu4 ( or Google the Peter Attia presentation at the IHMC)
It may just help you understand what is going on with your body. Once you do, you can make positive changes with lasting results. You may want to consider supplements that improve insulin sensitivity...
Slow, long aerobic workouts are not nearly as good as high intensity workout with regards to body composition (lean muscle mass, visceral fat loss etc). Don't burn yourself out by going to fast too hard, as it will likely cause you injury. A great book with regards to the type of workout I am talking about is Dr Al Sears' book called "PACE, the 12 minute fitness revolution"
I am a physician as well, and I have used these type of workouts all my live ( I was a competitive gymnast in my younger days). I can tell you, they work. Rowing is uniquely adapted to these type of workouts.
Do get a heart rate monitor, and make sure you look for recovery between intervals.... An ABSOLUTE MUST!
Let me know how you progress... I wish you best of luck and lots of success

Bernd

[DuffyF56]

bernd57

A recent study shows that insulin resistant muscle is exercise resistant.

Could you provide a link to that study or an explanation of what is meant by exercise resistant?

Thanks for your assistance.

[DuffyF56]

bernd57

BTW...the link you posted was for a video tour of the Military Academies........

[bernd57]

Oops, sorry Duffy. I will definitely get you the link. I have the study in my metabolic syndrome folder... I will post it here tomorrow.
Essentially the issue is that in order to get glucose into cells you need insulin. In individuals with metabolic syndrome there is a degree of insulin resistance. That means, the cells have lost their sensitivity to the hormone insulin which is needed for glucose uptake. As we exercise, we shift from burning fatty acids at rest to carbohydrates (ignore ketones and lactate for now) Because of the cell's inability to uptake the glucose, essentially our ability to work out hard is limited......less training = less ability for the muscle tissue to respond...less ability to develop EPOC.....less fat burn....etc...

Here is the proper link...don't know what happened, as I pasted the link directly off the video...

http://youtu.be/NqwvcrA7oe8

[bernd57]

As promised:

Insulin-resistant muscle is exercise resistant: evidence for reduced response of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes to exercise
Elena De Filippis , Guy Alvarez , Rachele Berria , Kenneth Cusi , Sarah Everman , Christian Meyer , Lawrence J. Mandarino
American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and MetabolismPublished 1 March 2008Vol. 294no. E607-E614DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00729.2007

There is tons of info on this stuff in other studies.

Having said all of this...you will be successful if you stick with it. I just see so many folks try so hard to work out and give up because it's not happening as fast as they wish. That is why diet is so important. You can improve insulin sensitivity with the exercise, it's just harder. Also, consider some supplementation... Whey protein (Not pasteurized), Selenium, Zinc, Coq10, (UBIQUINOL, not ubiquinON), B vitamins, chromium picolinate, Vitamin D. All of those help glucose metabolism.