Questions about exercise when swaying pink...

[sweetpea]

I understand that when trying to sway pink, you'll want to either do 60+ minutes of intense exercise 6-7 times per week, or NO exercise at all. I also understand that the goal is to have shrinking muscles. Got all that.

So here are my questions:

1- If we chose the first option, should we ONLY be doing cardio-type exercises? Or, can we do some light "toning" (not weight-lifting) along with the cardio? I'm not sure if I understand whether the point is to have 60+ minutes of just cardio, or if it can be 60+ minutes of INTENSE exercise (cardio AND toning exercises). I was thinking that doing that much exercise, while eating so few calories, would make the muscles shrink regardless of what type of exercise you do, but I definitely could be wrong.

2- What are some great, intense cardio-only exercises?

[amari]

I don't know the answer but I think only cardio. You are right though, muscle would probably shrink regardless, but any toning type might be enough to keep the muscle mass there a bit which would keep T levels up some. I don't know though. I have stopped all exercise, but I am contemplating starting it again b/c I am feeling really blah. But I don't know that I can start right up at 60 min 6 days a week b/c the reason I stopped was I hurt my knee right when I started swaying. Not sure what to do.

Cardio only would be running or eliptical or a mix of the two for an hour I guess!

[prayforprincess]

To be honest - your best bet when swaying pink is to be a couch potato. That ensures no muscle gain and only muscle loss which is what you want.
No toning at all. Any building of muscle will raise your T level. Choose a cardio that gives you the least amount of toning/muscle building -- if that is even possible. For instance, I would not do a stair master.

[atomic sagebrush]

1)As long as you're losing weight and eating less protein, you can add in some light weights with very high repetitions and in fact anyone who is in pretty decent shape may HAVE to do this in order to get enough intensity.

You just have to be careful that you're not building muscle, but the one-two punch of losing weight and eating less protein, will make it all but impossible to build muscle.

Even with straight cardio, you DO build muscle. Running, climbing steps, spinning etc. are all great cardio but of course you'll build leg muscles doing that.

2)It is very difficult to find exercises that don't build muscle at all - at least not without sacrificing intensity. A lot of straight cardio exercises like Zumba, are just not super intense. Running is prob. best but I think it's very difficult to get started running when you're not used to exercise. I would suggest doing something like Walk Away the Pounds or Zumba, but using very light hand weights throughout to up the intensity. So even during the warm up/cooldown phase, even when the instructor is not using any weights, you will use your weights and be doing bicep curls or whatever doesn't interfere too much with the exercise as a whole.

The Firm also has some very intense programs but they are more for building muscle - just replace the slow repetitions with heavy weights, with more/quicker repetitions of light weights.

The one thing I do think it may be best to avoid is any of the kickboxing workouts because I think going thru a lot of punching and kicking movements ferociously, might activate parts of your brain that work to raise testosterone. Dance-y kicking is ok, you want to avoid the kind of kick that makes you fantasize about being Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[amari]

Atomic , did I read somewhere that you said intense cardio with weight loss is the best sway as compared to no exercise at all long as you are not building muscle? I feel like I may need to start exercising again for mental sanity and also it may actually relieve some T levels for me as I have felt more stressed lately. Just trying to decide whether to delve back in or not. Thanks!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, but I'm afraid not for you amari, (because you are too thin already...not trying to call you out but for the benefits of others who will wonder why I am telling you that.) Sweetpea has a good amount of weight to possibly lose and you will dry up and blow away if you do that amount of exercise.

[sweetpea]

Thank you all for the replies! That is all so very helpful.

Let me ask about a specific exercise program that I'm doing then, if that's okay. I'm wondering if it would be a good exercise to continue while trying to sway pink. I've been doing the Tracy Anderson method, specifically, her 30-day bootcamp. I am almost done with it, and was going to switch over to her Metamorphosis program after I finished the 30-day one. The main idea to her programs is that she "sculpts long, lean muscles by working the smaller, accessory muscles," not the bigger, main muscles that are usually worked. It's so that you do not "bulk up." You don't use any hand weights, just light toning by using the resistance of your body, to work the smaller muscles. The other part of the exercise is doing a lot (about 60 minutes) or intense dance cardio. I'm not sure if, combined with the LE diet, this would be a muscle-building kind of exercise regime, or just light ("pink-swaying-approved") toning/cardio.

Thoughts?

[sweetpea]

Yes, but I'm afraid not for you amari, (because you are too thin already...not trying to call you out but for the benefits of others who will wonder why I am telling you that.) Sweetpea has a good amount of weight to possibly lose and you will dry up and blow away if you do that amount of exercise.

Yes, I probably should have specified in the OP that I have a good amount of weight to lose! I've lost 21 pounds this past month, but I still have at least 50 or more to lose before my sway!!

[amari]

Yes, but I'm afraid not for you amari, (because you are too thin already...not trying to call you out but for the benefits of others who will wonder why I am telling you that.) Sweetpea has a good amount of weight to possibly lose and you will dry up and blow away if you do that amount of exercise.

Is doing less amount time wise, like 30 min, an option for me or would that bring me into the blue zone? If that isn't an option, then what about upping my calories to match my cardio expenditure? Or is it still a better sway just to not do anything?
Thanks for answering!

edit: I think I was just pmsing and feeling, blah, it finally started this morning, so if I need to not do anything I think I can handle it.

[Navywife620]

Hmm this is interesting. I work out 5 days a week right now. i run pretty much everyday 2 to 5 miles and I lift 3 days a week. I currently weight 125-127lbs, I am 5'6'' .I am not sure if I could stop working out all together. I was planning on just dropping the weights and doing carido 6 days a week.