Weight Loss on a tight schedule

[locutusut]

I'm going to be 40 this year, and I have maintained the same weight (180 5'7") for about the last 10 years. I would really would like to be 10-15 pounds lighter, but every time I try a program, I can't seem to break the barrier. I can only lose about 3 pounds and I actually gain a few pounds when I introduce weight training.

I'm wondering what's a realistic program someone can do that can be done 3 days/week. Or is it just caloric reduction is the only way?

My current program is 3 days/week as follows:

Run 1 mile (10 minutes)
Core exercises for 10 minutes
Full-body circuit training (rest 30 seconds) for 40 minutes 3x8-12reps of varied upper and lower body exercises using mostly free weights
Elliptical for 10 minutes

My diet is pretty good. I usually eat small meals with 2 snacks a day. Probably around 1900-2200 calories/day.

Please help...thanks!

 

[Skivvy9r]

I'd say you're underestimating your calories consumed. At your height/weight/age, your BMR is approximately 1766 calories. Keep a food diary and do an honest assessment of what you're eating. Your workout sounds okay, but it's not going to drop the weight. Your diet is where change is needed and you can't do that until you know what you're currently consuming.

 

[summer123]

a 10 min mile? ehy I take my hat off to you- I can't run that fast and circuit training straight after? am assuming you've been exercising for a while now so are fairly adept to it all?
Have you considered HIIT? could add more to your exercise regieme without having to spend as long working out.

As far as weight loss goes, the rule is you gotta be consuming less then your body needs to survive, so count your calories. You really cannot do this without weighing exactly what you eat, cereal included, pasta, rice or potatos included, also don't forget to include fruit and vegetables, they also have calories in them.

 

[leemorg]

Weighty Considerations

In my experience, the best and "quickest" visual results come with a focus on weight and resistance training. About a year and a half ago, I used to workout consistently 5 times a week--mostly cardio, however. While staying "fit," I never really experienced a substantial change in the way I looked, on or off the scale. That said, the need to "trick" your body into working harder is a must. There are many ways of doing this: upping your reps/weight, changing your moves, throwing an incline into your treadmill routine, performing interval training, etc. I do recommend that you focus on the weight training, simply because the lean muscle mass you "gain" visually translates into a tighter, slimmer physique overall. You mentioned that you actually end up gaining weight while lifting. Arguably, the last 5 to 10 lbs are the hardest to shed; at this point, your body has become efficient in the way it is currently burning off the calories. Again, you need to focus on shocking your body into reworking its fat-burning potential. Don't be discouraged if, on the scale, your weight stays the same or goes up slightly. Muscle weighs more than fat, and, more importantly, it is possible to be theoretically slim and still have the appearance of a lumpy sack of potatoes. The most realistic fitness expectations you can have are to imagine a tighter version of yourself--not necessarily "skinnier" or lighter. Those terms are curiously misleading.

Working on the schedule and fitness parameters you've provided, I would recommend a high-impact routine to jumpstart your system involving short, intense bursts of running and/or sprinting, biking, or jumping rope, coupled with some moderate lifting, simultaneously increasing the weight and decreasing the reps with each set. I like that you circuit train; this is a great way to shock the system into firing up its calorie burn potential.

You have to remember though that if all you can afford to do is 3 workouts a week, that technically means you're on standby for 4 days out of the week; chances are that you, like most of us, lead a relatively sedentary life compared to people whose livelihoods depend on physical labour. Keep this in mind while considering your weight loss goals. Realistically, if the goal is to see results rather quickly, you will need to consider how active you are overall, in or out of the gym--it all adds up.

Best of luck,

Lee