Advice needed

[AmberSD]

I am currently doing the C25k, I'm on week 2 day 1. I'm doing it 3 days a week. I really have no interest in running AT ALL but from the other threads I've read it seems as though running has helped a lot of people burn fat. I walk anywhere from 15-30mins at 3.7-4mph before I start the running portions of C25k. I stretch after 5 mins and also stretch afterwards. Prior to starting the C25k thing, I was just walking on the treadmill for 30-50mins.

I'm also lifting weights for my arms, back and chest and I do lunges, squats, sit-ups, pushups, back extensions, calf raises....basically a whole body workout twice a week. I've been able to stick to it on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I'm having trouble staying motivated to do it on Saturday and/or Sunday. Ideally I'd like to do this part 3 days a week. I warm up my muscles for 5 mins on the treadmill before doing weights and I also stretch before and after.

Can I get some input on this strategy? Should I do anything differently?

I have a diary posted for more details.

I'd really like to reduce my body fat and would love if the scale read anything between 110lbs - 115lbs....but ultimately I don't really care what the scale says.

I'm a little discouraged because earlier this year I was doing the same things (with a whole lot WORST diet) and saw results after 2 weeks. As of today, I've been doing this for 4 weeks and eat WAAAAAAAAAY better and haven't seen much results.

 

[KaraCooks]

Well first of all, any cardio will help you burn fat. If you don't like running, then by all means - move to another type of cardio. You'll be much happier doing something that ... well ... if you don't love it, at least you don't hate it.

About your weight lifting/body resistance work - are you really pushing it, lifting heavy? Or are you doing lots of reps with light weight? If you're doing the latter, then all you're really doing is adding more cardio to your workout. And at some point more cardio is just more of the same. If you want your weight/strength workouts to be effective, you need to make sure that you're really working your muscles - if not to failure, no near failure.

Ok, now ... that I've touched on all of that, I went and looked at your diary and I will bet my next paycheck that the reason you're not seeing progress is what you're eating. Your diet ... is ... well ... um ... Abysmal is the word that comes to mind. Sorry ... don't mean to be blunt or anything but it's really pretty bad.

First of all, you're not eating nearly enough. What you are eating is pretty junky with a few small exceptions. It's a ton of carbs and barely any veg - except some with dinner each night. I don't know if your sandwiches and muffins are on whole grain bread - but if not, that's even worse.

AT your weight and with the amount of working out you're doing, I suspect the reason you're not seeing any progress is that you're in the process of stalling out your metabolism.

The problem with trying to lose when you're already w/in a "healthy" weight range is that your calories get pretty limited. I'm figuring you should be eating around 1300-1400 calories to lose at a healthy rate. When you have so few calories, you HAVE to make every one of them count, nutritionwise. That means you cannot have margaritas. You cannot eat sandwiches - that much bread is just a no-no. You can't eat pizza, breadsticks, and burgers (even if they are turkey burgers) on the same day.

Additionally, a lot of what you want probably is less about losing more lbs (although a few more wouldn't be unhealthy for you), but about reshaping your body. And you cannot reshape your body if you're carb loading and not getting enough veg and protein.

When you're limited to 1300 calories, you MUST make sure that your macros are dead on and that you're eating enough protein to support muscle maintenance.

It really sucks - because people who are heavier than you and who have more to lose have more flexibility in what they eat. I can get away with a margarita now and then or pizza for lunch or whatever ... but I know that the closer I get to my goal, the more strict I'm going ot have to be in managing my macros.

I am willing to bet that if you clean up your diet, you'll see a lot more progress a lot faster.

 

[AmberSD]

Thanks Kara!!!! I appreciate it SO MUCH!! I need that kick in the ass, the extra push

I'm trying to keep my calories right around 1300 like you said...it hardly works out like that though. I know my food intake isn't perfect and is down right WRONG and junk...not to justify it or anything....but it's a lot better than it used to be.

I'm really trying to make baby steps in the food department. The english muffins I eat are half whole grain half regular....I can't really taste the difference in the whole grain so I imagine I will be eating 100% whole grain shortly. If I make pasta, it's half regular and half whole (for now) and I'll continue to increase the whole grain and decrease the regular. As for the sandwiches, I haven't found a whole grain that I like so I"m still eating regular bread. I'm doing really limiting the margarita's and I will continue to improve. It just makes me sick to see other skinny/tones/in shape people drink away and I know I can't do that if I want to look like them.

I know what you mean about how I cannot eat burgers, pizza, margarita's etc. regarding the flexibility in my calories. I found some where that I should be getting 50% carbs, 30% fat & 20% protein. My carbs are usually right around there....Should the percentages be different? How much protein do I need for muscle maintenance?

As for the weights, I'm working my way up to lift heavier and heavier. Right now I'm on 10lb weights for my arms. I do as many reps as I can, usually the last 2-3 reps hurt BAD! and I do 2 or 3 sets, depending on my motivation that day.

 

[KaraCooks]

Ok. A few more suggestions for you.

I personally think that a macro balance of 40/30/30 is much healthier, especially when you're trying to lose weight. When you cut your calories, you want to make sure that you're getting plenty of protein to help lessen the lean muscle loss. I personally go for 40/35/25, but that's personal choice.

Weights: how many reps are you doing? "As many as I can" could mean 5 or it could mean 50. If you're doing between 5-15, that's ok. If you're doing 30 or 50 or whatever, then you're not really doing any good for your muscles.

Ideally when you're starting out, you should be lifting heavy enough weights that by the 3rd set of 12-15, you are having a hard time finishing.

Don't just focus on your arms, though. Look at doing some bodyweight work - things like squats, lunges (you can do these holding on to the 10lb weights too), dips, pushups, planks, etc. Those will build your whole body, including your core (back and front) and be a lot more effective than arm exercises with 10lb weights.

Hope that helps some.

 

[AmberSD]

Great THANKS!!!

I will try 40/30/30 and see what happens.

I do 8-12 reps with the 10lb weights and I already do all of the stuff you list below.

things like squats, lunges (you can do these holding on to the 10lb weights too), dips, pushups, planks, etc. Those will build your whole body, including your core (back and front) and be a lot more effective than arm exercises with 10lb weights.

Hope that helps some.

I'm also lifting weights for my arms, back and chest and I do lunges, squats, sit-ups, pushups, back extensions, calf raises....basically a whole body workout twice a week.

 

[Tom001]

Zoloband + Exercise + Diet

These 3 will combine to give you the best weight loss results. there's nothing better than using all the 3 techniques together...

 

[Jeanette401]

I'd like to note that you should definitely try to make sure you at least get the protein intake up there. Protein is absolutely needed to maintain your muscle (and even though you want weight loss, being 100 lbs of flab and no muscle probably wasn't your true goal!), it makes you feel more 'full', and it can cause you to burn more calories processing it than fat or carbs.

If your goal weight is 110 to 115 lbs you should aim for at least 110g of protein a day. That's the ideal for maintaining your current muscle mass, and it comes with the other benefits too. That's just the protein count - so a 100g steak isn't the same since that's got some water and fat weight in there too.

Hope this makes sense!