Going Well

It's been two weeks since I started the kettlebell training using the Kettlebellebody Program. I managed to lose 1.4lbs in the first week, this week was a little disappointing because my weight has stayed at 161.4lbs. There could be two reasons for this:

1) My scales are a bit wonky. They are the digital ones and the readings have been out a little every time I have used them. Hopefully it's just the batteries and replacing them will sort the problem out.

2) I am not surprised that I have lost no weight over the past week. Since kettlebells build muscle long after the exercise has finished I am guessing that I am at the point where the muscle is affecting my weight. Muscle is heavier than fat and there comes a point where your body has built up enough muscle to replace the fat lost, so there is no evidence of weight loss on the scales. You also need to factor into the equation the fact that bones become denser and heavier when people exercise (this is why it reduces the risk of Osteoporosis).

The second scenario has happened to me before when I tried kettlebells. It didn't last long and soon started to lose weight again. The best thing about this lack of weight loss is that it means the Kettlebells are working. Every piece of exercise I do with or without the Kettlebell burns more calories then if I had done the same exercise a week ago. Even when I am resting I am burning more calories. Fat burns just 4 calories per pound at rest compared to 14 calories for muscle. Kettlebell exercises continue to work well after the exercise has finished.

I have drastically noticed the difference with my waistline. Even a couple of days after doing the first exercise I noticed that my trousers were not as tight and my belly had shrunk. When I started my belly measurement was 102 cm around the fattest part. It is now 99cm and feels a lot firmer. In the space of two weeks I have lost 3cm. It may not seem like a lot in terms of measurement but you notice the difference when you see yourself in the mirror. If you want to lose belly fat quickly then Kettlebells are the answer. I have first hand evidence and I will stake my life on it.

Variety is key to a good workout.

For anybody interested in undertaking kettlebell training for weight loss I thought I would tell you what equipment and resources I have been using.

I own a 6kg kettlebell which is ideal for the beginner as it is completely manageable without being too difficult to handle. I also bought the "Kettlebells the Iron Core Way" DVD - which were bought from London Kettlebells(UK).

Kettlebells are also available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. If you cannot afford to buy kettlebells at the moment then dumbells are the next best thing.

Whilst the DVD I purchased is great for getting started I find the routine a bit boring. I have since purchased the Kettlebellebody Program. Whilst it is a bit more expensive I offers a lot more choice about what workouts you chose to do and when.

On another note, I cannot seem to find out how to calculate how many calories you burn exercising with kettlebells. It's quite annoying because I want to see whether this 1500 calories per hour workout is actually true.

I also need to point out how I am going to monitor my weight loss. I am going to measure my weight every morning then averages it over 7 days. This average weight loss (or gain) will show how effective the routines are. I expect I will gain weight initially then start to lose it after about two weeks.

Beginner kettlebell workouts - i'd forgotten how demanding they actually are!

I have started my workout routine as stated in a previous post. However, I have had to adjust the schedule a little bit already. I completed the first two, 15 minute sessions on Saturday, and the first session on Sunday but had to leave out the second session and I am going to leave the Monday session as well. The session on Tuesday will go ahead as planned.

The Reason?

Once you feel that your body is hurting from exercise, especially exercise that works on muscle; it is a good idea to leave any further exercise for about 48 hours. Your muscles need to repair and build themselves and they cannot do that if they are under constant strain. You also increase your risk of serious injury if you don't allow your body time to recover. It's all good though, more muscle means more calories burned. It is in your best interest to rest between exercise because it means that your next workout will be a more efficient calorie burner.

The revised schedule is as follows:

Tuesday 6 January: 1 x 15 minutes
Wednesday 7 January: rest
Thursday 8 January: 1 x 10 mins
Friday 9 January: rest
Saturday 10 January: Full workout (40 minutes)
Saturday 11 January: rest
Monday 12 January: 1 x 10 mins
Tuesday 13 January: rest
Wednesday 14 January: Full workout
Thursday 15 January: rest
Friday 16 January: rest
Saturday 17 January: Full workout

This schedule is ideal for beginner kettlebell workouts. You get enough exercise to begin the fat burning process without putting your body under too much strain. However, you have to listen to your body. If you feel that you are doing too much then adjust your schedule until you feel you are able to do more. There is no point injuring yourself - you will still get the results you are after.

A New Year, A new weight loss program

Well once again the Christmas gorgery has let me down once again. I put on half a stone over Christmas and I expect there is more to come. I am not worried though. I have managed to lose weight from undertaking kettlebell training and it was the only thing that has ever worked for me.

Today marked the first day of the new regime. I started off lightly as my body needs to get used to the exercise again but hope to be back into full training within two weeks. I am starting off with 15 minutes workout twice a day for the first two days, followed by 15 minutes every day for the next five days; followed by full workouts. The schedule should look a little something like this:-

Day 1 = 2 x 15 minutes (morning and evening)

Day 2 = As above

Days 3 - 7 = 15 minutes each day in the evening.

Day 8 = Full workout 60 minutes

Days 9 - 11 = rest

Day 12 = Full workout 60 minutes

Days 13 and 14 = rest

Day 15 = start days 8 to 15 again.

The above schedule is designed to ease the body into the full workout. The schedule following that is full workouts three times a week. The beauty about this schedule is that whilst your body has a kick start on the first two days it is allowed to adjust to the exercise over a course of a week. The timings for the workouts include stretching and warming up exercises before exercise begins and the stretching exercises afterwards.

I am going to work out how many calories each workout burns. I will post the results soon.