exercise program--comments? advice?

[lunaris]

hi! i'm planning on starting a work out program to lose weight. i'm currently 5'3 and 140 lbs. i want to lose about 20 lbs by december, so i'm entering a 10-week recreation program at my university.

here's my schedule

monday to friday - morning - 45 minutes cycling class
monday and wednesday - afternoon - 110 minutes of aerobics/body conditioning class
tuesday and thursday - afternoon - 50 minutes kick boxing.

i'm going to try and compliment my work-out plan with a sensible diet--even though i'll be busy with school and work, i'm thinking i'll limit my caloric intake to around 1000-1200 a day.

is this a good plan to lose weight? of course i want fast results, but i also want to keep the weight off and i heard the best way to do that is if you lose weight in moderation so your body doesn't go into starvation mode.

any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

 

[maleficent]

Advice before you do anything - read the stickied threads.. especially in on topic, nutrition and exercise.

your calories are extremely low especially given the amount of cardio you're contemplating - how to you plan on keeping up that schedule for the rest of your life?

 

[Steve]

That's a great schedule for losing weight, sure.

Oh yea, but...

That's a horrible, awful schedule/plan if looking and feeling good is your goal.

Mind you, looking good isn't a matter of what the scale says.

 

[lunaris]

Advice before you do anything - read the stickied threads.. especially in on topic, nutrition and exercise.

your calories are extremely low especially given the amount of cardio you're contemplating - how to you plan on keeping up that schedule for the rest of your life?

well, i know the plan is a little extreme, and i have no intention of keeping it up after i lose the first 20 lbs. after i do reach my goal, i'm going to try a more low-key diet/exercise plan to lose 10 lbs more and maintain it.

That's a great schedule for losing weight, sure.

Oh yea, but...

That's a horrible, awful schedule/plan if looking and feeling good is your goal.

Mind you, looking good isn't a matter of what the scale says.

to be honest, i'm giving myself a lot of allowances in this exercise plan. i know there will be days when i will refuse to get out of bed, which is why i want to have my schedule filled with as much opportunities to make-up on any missed work-out. does that make sense? point is, i know the plan is extreme, but i also know i'm very inconsistent, so i'll hopefully (by happenstance) arrive 20 lbs lighter after the 10-week program!

 

[Steve]

Well, if even in the face of logic you want to pursue such a plan... have at it. I'm not one to stop you.

Might I suggest you look into what preserving muscle entails though. That's mightily important assuming a) health and function are things you value and b) you have no interest in simply being a lighter, still soft version of your former self.