Re: Delphi book for beginner

From: Kirk Halgren (khalgren_at_sti.nasa.gov)
Date: 01/03/05 

Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 10:32:12 -0500

"Liz" <liz_wants_no_spam@xcalibur.nospam.co.uk> wrote in message
news:41d84b20@newsgroups.borland.com...
> Jim Cooper wrote:
>
> > Fat burning actually requires a lower rate of exercise than going for
> > cardiovascular fitness. There are formulae to work out your heart
> > rate range, given age, height, weight etc. Slower for longer will
> > work :-)
>
> Aye, I can run for so little I kinda made the assumption it wasnt going
> to do anyone any good, while may not physically cause harm to me, or my
> house (doing it on a tredmill remember) it doesnt feel productive.

Any increase in exertion is good, and worth the effort. Doing even 10
minutes of calisthenics daily is better than planning an hour's weight
training which you intend for every other day but actually do weekly.

> However, walking even only a mile a day, I do feel now less crap after
> walking the mile, so, I hope to increase it to say 1.5 miles in the
> next couple of weeks, problem then though becomes the amount of time
> spent plodding away.. If it takes around 18 minutes a mile.. which is
> my average at the moment, I start getting bored, my brain starts
> turning to mush.. I thought of reading a book but I remember from my
> choir days that reading and walking even in a straight line is hard. I
> try and watch tv but the content of that turns your brain to mush even
> quicker than staring at wall :(
>

What about contemplating a design problem or your current bug? You could
also join Netflix and watch movies on DVD. If the weather is suitable, why
not walk outside? Much less boring and the fresh air will do you good.

> Id go down the gym, but, Im a shy soul, (stop laughing) and standing
> next to twiggy in her leotard whos on her 20th mile on the bike (which
> gives me pains in my back and bum in about a minute) or twiggy on the
> tredmills running again passing like her 20th mile just make me not
> want to be there, I dont find it inspiring at all.

Try not to compare yourself with others. Compare only with earlier versions
of yourself. What counts is your progress, and those people may not be
pushing themselves.

Personally I just don't have time for a gym. I have a weight machine at
home, bar and dumbbells, and I roller blade outside.

> I dont mind my size so much its more the lack of fitness, yeah I would
> love to lose buckets of weight and be thin and stuff, but realism says
> just be healthy

If you really want to get fit, approach it like an engineering project. Set
the long term goal and break it up into smaller, approachable goals. Read a
lot since human bodies are much more complicated than computers, and there
are lots of best practices such as drinking at least 2-3 quarts of good
water daily if you seek to lose fat. Even if you burn more calories than
you eat, if you're not hydrated, the weight stays on. The liver is the
organ which burns fat, but if you don't drink enough H20, you kidneys lean
on the liver for help in purifying the blood. The liver can't spare the
capacity to metabolize the fat.

Stretching is a big help, especially for dissolving emotional tension. I've
lost weight purely with diet and a little exercise, and other times added in
frequent (2-3 times weekly) stretching and found it easier with stretching.
Stretching cannot be done in a hurry.

Strength training can make a big difference, even though you probably don't
want to get big and muscular. Most women (and most men with a small
skeleton) will not bulk up, and you can also gear the routine for strength,
not size. For bulk, chose the biggest weights you can handle for 8 reps and
lift for two seconds, then lower for 6-8. Aim for exhaustion in a single
set, and never lift sooner than 48 hours later. To build strength and
stamina, lift lighter weights for multiple sets.

The more muscle tissue your body has, the more energy it uses, even
sleeping.

This year I exercised a lot, after years of broken resolutions. I skated
about twice weekly, lifted weights 2-3 times weekly for about 6 months, and
tracked my workouts. I lost about 20 pounds of fat, gained about 10 of
muscle and raised my energy level. My waist is 3 in smaller and my
shoulders, triceps and pectorals are bigger, although I didn't take
measurements. I still have plenty of belly fat to lose, but I'm stronger
than I've ever been. I was at least 50 pounds over my ideal weight when I
began, and I was 33% fat.

If you want to, you can do it. Aim for making exercise a regular part of
your life but do it for a good reason (i.e. feeling better, improving long
term health, etc) not to look better than someone else.

You might want to look at the book "Body for Life", by Bill Phillips. His
program includes aerobics, weights and diet. Using all three tools will
increase your progress. His website has discussion groups and most people
are supportive. Another excellent book is "The Path of Least Resistance",
aimed at mental methods for changing your life, not just your fitness level.

If you're interested in this, please feel free to email me directly. I'd be
glad to help.

Kirk Halgren

"Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical."
-- Yogi Berra

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