VF> Well, there is a little of the loose stuff, I gotta 
 VF> admit. I figure it'll do what it's supposed to do 
 VF> in time. :)
 
Sometimes it will contract a bit, but sometimes it's too stretched out, and 
just stays that way.  The only thing you can do is grow the muscles to avoid 
that "last chicken in the shop" look.
 
 VF> I _REALLY_ don't swim well. Although, for what its 
 VF> worth, I went to the gyn tonight, and did a three-
 VF> set rotation of three exercises each for lower and 
 VF> upper body. Didn't kill myself or anything, but did 
 VF> put some pressure on the old system.
 
I don't know much about whether swimming well or poorly is better for burning 
calories.  It may be decent exercise, but it's usually not much of a fat 
burner.
 
Exactly what sort of exercised did you do?
 
 VF> eating better. Still I'm 193 now, still carrying 
 VF> flab, and what interests me is that in the loss of 
 
I weighed 200 a year ago, and used bicycling, physical labor, and monitored 
calorie intake combined with daily monitoring of body weight.
Worked very well for me, I now weigh 140.  Back doesn't hurt anymore.  Feet 
don't hurt anymore.  Feet don't get sore at all after a day of 
standing/walking.  I highly recommend it.
 
The biochemisty approach is what I suggest.  One pound of body fat =3,500 
calories (metabolized).  In order to consume 1 pound of fat (your body's 
stored fuel) you must have a deficit of 3,500 calories.  
Hitch: The body is designed to fend off starvation, which is why low calorie 
diets (typically 1,000 calories a day or less) do NOT work.
The brain requires glucose to operate, and will merrily tear apart your 
muscles in order to get it.  This is why you cannot go below 1,200 calories 
per day.  If you do, the body will start consuming your muscle (your fat 
burning machine) and use that for fuel, while trying to put on more fat to 
fend off starvation.  That's the last thing you want.  You want MORE muscle 
which burns more ugly fat.
 
Low calorie fad diets are particularly bad for active cyclists.  A weird 
phenomenon can occur where the legs stay fairly sized, but the upper body 
starts to waste away. (Often seen in elderly men who jog excessively).
 
Your bone size and muscle density may require slightly more or slightly less 
calories to maintain your lean muscle mass.  If you typically eat2,600 
calories a day, you may want to cut back to 2,000 and see if you begin to 
drop 1 pound per week.  If not, adjust that downward to 1,500.
Monitor your weight daily (same time every day, like in the morning when you 
first wake up).  Dropping more than a pound a week could be a danger signal 
that you're losing lean tissue.  The only people for whom it is appropriate 
to lose more than a pound a week are morbidly obese patients who contain a 
significant amount of water weight (the 390 to 1200 pound crowd).
 VF> Question, though: what kind of stuff can be done 
 VF> indoors, in one's own home, without having to go 
 VF> get a weight set?
 
Many, I've discovered.  Push ups are similar to bench presses.  Do them until 
you can do not one more (the point of positive failure).  You can also do 
tricep "dips".  Put your feet on a chair, and you hands slightly behind you 
on a bed.  Keep your legs straight.  Lower your body by bending your arms 
until your butt gets near the floor.  Push back up until your butt is level 
with the bed again.  Works the triceps (back of the arms) and lower pectorals 
(chest) and involves some shoulder muscles.
The next thing to get is a pull-up bar.  Pull ups are fantastic.  Works the 
biceps and the lats (back muscles).  When I weighed 190+ I could not do a 
single pull up.  These three exercises can greatly improve the arms, chest, 
and back with minimal investment in hardware (mainly a pull up bar).
 
I have discovered that stronger arms, wrists, back, and chest do assist me in 
my bike riding... helps to control the bike jumping over curbs, avoiding 
obstacles, cornering at high speed, etc.  
 
In addition to the weight bearing exercises I've mentioned, you can also do 
abdominal crunches, squats, calf extensions, and yoga-like stretching and 
balancing exercises all without purchasing equipment.
--- Maximus 2.02
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