Crossfit for fat loss?

[romistrub]

a) I know this isn't a bodybuilding forum, but I figured that a lot of athletes on here have experience with "cutting"
b) I know that crossfit is pretty heavily hated on around here

All I want to do is lose fat. I'm not at a high enough level of competition to really care about losing a little bit of muscle with it, so I don't need an "ideal" routine. I have a *lot* of fat to lose (upwards of 40 lbs). I keep getting stuck in the "make a routine" rut, and I'm getting kinda frustrated with it.

The one reason that I like the strength forum so much is because there are cookie-cutter routines that work very well (Bill Starr, Starting Strength, etc.). I'm in search of something similar for fat loss, using compound lifts, and high intensity, with very minimal implements (barbell, skipping rope, maybe heavy bag / kettlebells).

As such, I am tempted towards crossfit for its simplicity and, more importantly, it's WOD method. I intend to work out four days on, one day off, and don't really care about overtraining (so long as I don't get injured). My problem is the ridiculous nature of those workouts:

Thursday (today):
Ten rounds for time of:
3 Weighted Pull-ups, 45 pounds
5 Strict Pull-ups
7 Kipping Pull-up

Being that I can't do a single pull-up, I need a more beginner (read: fatty) approach.

For example, this is the workout I just did:

- clean x 1 to press x (10 to 5, depending on what I could do)
- clean x 1 to press x 1
- clean x 1 to push press x 5
(these were very off-the-cuff... 30 second to 1 min breaks between sets ... and 6 or so sets)

BOR to pushups to bodyweight squats to deadlifts complex
(3 sets ... I think ... before I couldn't move/breathe)

Shovelled the driveway as a cooldown... lol

I like this stuff, but now I don't know what I will be able to do tomorrow, considering I covered pretty much all of my bases. Maybe I just need to man up and do something similar again.

[Oblivian]

Honestly, I think you'd be better keeping it simple in another way. Are you still lifting? Here's a simple answer:

Day 1: Run (LSD), Light GPP
Day 2: Lift (If you are doing a 2 day split, alternate days obviously), stretch + core work
Day 3: Burpees (Tabata) + Heavy Bag
Day 4: Timed Run (Fast): Between 1-3 miles, GPP
Day 5: Rest

That routine is really simple. In the long run, you may want to switch it up. Your goals should be to run farther each time on Day 1. Day 2 is obviously to lift more. Day 3 is to improve number of burpees in tabata and increase # of rounds on heavy bag. Obviously you are trying to improve time on Day 4. If you are doing all of these things and eating properly, there is no way you won't lose a lot of weight.

Edit: Obviously I don't like Crossfit because of the randomness. Some of the workouts are just too damn confusing.

[DrBdan]

If you haven't already you should read the FAQ in the D&S forum. It's been beaten to death around here but weight loss really does start with a good diet.

[Sonnyk]

I did crossfit for 3 months and didn't change my diet and lost 8 pounds. I got really strong and was in pretty good shape but I'm still fat. Since around Dec 18th I changed my diet (low carb just meat and veggies and fruit) and I've lost 10 pounds. Bottom line is you have to change your diet or you won't lose weight.

[romistrub]

Originally Posted by DrBdan

If you haven't already you should read the FAQ in the D&S forum. It's been beaten to death around here but weight loss really does start with a good diet.

lol, I'm *in* the FAQ in the D&S forum. Also, I've already lost like.... 120 (I lost track now) lbs in a year. I'm just trying to keep shit interesting. Thanks though!

[romistrub]

Originally Posted by Oblivian

Honestly, I think you'd be better keeping it simple in another way. Are you still lifting?

Yeah dude, I'm still lifting. I don't go to heavy right now (being on a caloric defecit and what not, I don't want to run myself into the ground), but I still do the big strength and power lifts. I usually make complexes out of 'em, as described in my first post.

Day 1: Run (LSD), Light GPP
Day 2: Lift (If you are doing a 2 day split, alternate days obviously), stretch + core work
Day 3: Burpees (Tabata) + Heavy Bag
Day 4: Timed Run (Fast): Between 1-3 miles, GPP
Day 5: Rest

I have a couple problems with LSD. I've been doing it forever, and I find it deathly boring (shit, that sounds bad... we really need a new acronym for that). Also, I'm still fat (255-ish), and I'd rather not be hitting the pavement quite yet. Lastly, it's winter in Canada, and I've never really run any significant distance before, so I don't want to start in the Winter (ice). Don't get me wrong, I fully intend to make running part of my routine (probably just for shits in between classes when I get back to Uni in the Spring), but it doesn't seem like the best idea right now.

In the long run, you may want to switch it up.

Hehe. I guess that's my problem. This *is* the long run, and I *do* want to switch it up .

I really like the burpees+heavybag combination, though. Very complimentary! Thanks for the help

[cheath]

Why do people hate CrossFit? My wife is considering it to lose some weight. Seems a lot better than the cardio machines at the gym.

[B3rserk3R]

Originally Posted by Sonnyk

I did crossfit for 3 months and didn't change my diet and lost 8 pounds. I got really strong and was in pretty good shape but I'm still fat. Since around Dec 18th I changed my diet (low carb just meat and veggies and fruit) and I've lost 10 pounds. Bottom line is you have to change your diet or you won't lose weight.

This is pretty much it. Having lost a fair bit of weight myself (from 255+ 2.5 years ago to just under 215 right now), what I've found is it's all about diet. Doing more exercise means you have to eat more to keep your body from being constantly exhausted. That's about it. So I would say do whatever training floats your boat as long as your consistent with it and making progress. That's the difficult part of CF: it's hard to measure progress.

And that doesn't mean you can't build some randomness all your own. This article by Dan John gives an awesome method for randomizing your workouts ina way that will allow you to measure progress.

[B3rserk3R]

Originally Posted by cheath

Why do people hate CrossFit? My wife is considering it to lose some weight. Seems a lot better than the cardio machines at the gym.

It lacks progression. However Crossfit seems to put out the hottest women ever. Encourage her whole heartedly.

[ForeRunner]

Crossfit lacks a CLEAR progression, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it lacks progression. Every crossfit workout has some type of measurement you can use to compare your previous efforts (usually weight, time, or rounds).