Need advice

L

losinit

0
I weighed 340 lbs. about three years ago and have slowly, through diet change, cardio, and weight lifting, lost 70 lbs. About a year ago I had lost 85, but then moved home and ballooned back up to 270. Anyway, I got back into my program about two months months ago. I eat right and I'm serious about my lifting and cardio, but I've gained five pounds. My upper body, back and legs are as toned as they've ever been, but I don't seem to be losing much in the midsection (and I do a lot of abs). I've lost about two inches off my waist and shirts fit a little better, but the progress is minimal. What can I do?

I know about plateauing, but two months with no results seems extremely odd (I haven't lost weight during any week and this week, which I thought was my best, I gained four pounds). I'm really frustrated and at a loss for what to do. I'm at the point where I can really commit to my fitness, and I'm just not getting results. The only thing I can think of is that I need MORE calories. Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
Well congrats on getting back on the horse! It does take a lot of determination and desire to find your new footing in a healthier world.

Now, you definitely need to look at *what* you are eating not just your caloric intake. Also you aren't very clear about exactly what you are doing as a workout "plan".

Could you be a bit more specific?

Maybe with more info we could help you hon in on what isn't working for you.....
 
As far as foods go, I eat mostly whole wheat bread products (no condiments except mustard), lean meats (lots of fish, chicken and lean ground turkey - some red meat, but 2x a week max), peanut butter (breakfast only), low-fat yogurt, granola, baby spinach and some romaine lettuce, and fruits (mostly apples, oranges, strawberries and grapes) and vegetables. I also use Clif Bars and Nature Valley oatmeal bars fairly regularly (3-4x a week) for snacks.

My workout program is six days a week - three lifting, three cardio - with Sunday to recuperate/stretch. One of my old college roommates is a trainer and he actually designed the workouts for me. Each lifting session takes about an hour and hits different muscle group's. I do abs as a warmup (three sets, 20 reps each) and hit some form of crunch (workout ball, twisting crunches, etc.), obliques (oblique ups, v-ups, twists) and lower abs (leg raises, bicycles, hanging leg raises). The actual lifting is heavy on resistance stuff. My Monday workout, for example, goes standard pushup (10-12), standard bicep curl (8-10), wide grip pullup (10 w/ foot on chair), jump squats (30), lunges (30), calf raises with butt clench (30), wide grip pushups (10-12), The curls where you raise over the middle of your body (not sure what they're called), and standard grip pullups (10, foot on chair). I do two sets - I'm almost ready to add a third - and my friend stresses speed from one lift to the next. Every lifting day is similar with variations in everything to work different muscle groups (Wednesdays, for example, I do wall sits, kitty corner pushups, military pushups, close and reverse grip pullups, explosive ski position, and isolation curls, 7-up). My cardio is not where it should be, but I'm working back into shape. I usually do light jogging and I try to incorporate P90X Cardio X, Plyo, or Yoga at least once a week. I also usually double up on cardio at least twice a week.

Like I said, I'm seeing good results in my arms and legs...I'm actually sort of amazed that I already have better tone and muscle mass than I did before my layoff...but my midsection and weight just don't seem to be responding. I normally don't pay much mind to the scale other than as a way to monitor what my body is doing...it's just really frustrating to have gone this long with no results when I'm working out harder than I was when I was losing weight every week (again, I know it's harder as you go, but I've gained a bunch of weight).
 
Although a lot of abs exercises develop the muscles in that region a real key that people often don't look at is food. Its been key to me for keeping my abs in good shape. Have a deeper look into your diet.
 
losinit said:
As far as foods go, I eat mostly whole wheat bread products (no condiments except mustard), lean meats (lots of fish, chicken and lean ground turkey - some red meat, but 2x a week max), peanut butter (breakfast only), low-fat yogurt, granola, baby spinach and some romaine lettuce, and fruits (mostly apples, oranges, strawberries and grapes) and vegetables. I also use Clif Bars and Nature Valley oatmeal bars fairly regularly (3-4x a week) for snacks.

My workout program is six days a week - three lifting, three cardio - with Sunday to recuperate/stretch. One of my old college roommates is a trainer and he actually designed the workouts for me. Each lifting session takes about an hour and hits different muscle group's. I do abs as a warmup (three sets, 20 reps each) and hit some form of crunch (workout ball, twisting crunches, etc.), obliques (oblique ups, v-ups, twists) and lower abs (leg raises, bicycles, hanging leg raises). The actual lifting is heavy on resistance stuff. My Monday workout, for example, goes standard pushup (10-12), standard bicep curl (8-10), wide grip pullup (10 w/ foot on chair), jump squats (30), lunges (30), calf raises with butt clench (30), wide grip pushups (10-12), The curls where you raise over the middle of your body (not sure what they're called), and standard grip pullups (10, foot on chair). I do two sets - I'm almost ready to add a third - and my friend stresses speed from one lift to the next. Every lifting day is similar with variations in everything to work different muscle groups (Wednesdays, for example, I do wall sits, kitty corner pushups, military pushups, close and reverse grip pullups, explosive ski position, and isolation curls, 7-up). My cardio is not where it should be, but I'm working back into shape. I usually do light jogging and I try to incorporate P90X Cardio X, Plyo, or Yoga at least once a week. I also usually double up on cardio at least twice a week.
Click to expand...
Your workout seems a little unstructured, and it's hard to follow based on the way you listed. Rewrite everything exactly as performed in like this:

Day:
Exercises Sets x Reps

Also, you said the stuff using weights is heavy, but it seems that you hardly use any weights at all.
losinit said:
Like I said, I'm seeing good results in my arms and legs...I'm actually sort of amazed that I already have better tone and muscle mass than I did before my layoff...but my midsection and weight just don't seem to be responding. I normally don't pay much mind to the scale other than as a way to monitor what my body is doing...it's just really frustrating to have gone this long with no results when I'm working out harder than I was when I was losing weight every week (again, I know it's harder as you go, but I've gained a bunch of weight).
Click to expand...
I can almost guarantee the lack of fat loss is because of a bad diet. Fat loss is ALL about diet. You will never, ever be able to out train bad eating habits. Some things that stood out for me as far as your diet goes are:

  • You eat "mostly healthy" - usually code for "I guess I sort of eat healthy but I really don't know"
  • Granola bars should be removed
  • Cliff bars and Nature Valley also should probably be replaced
  • You're probably lacking in protein and fat and too high in carbs
  • You're probably just eating too much since you aren't tracking
 
Monday
crunches on core ball 2 sets 45 reps
Leg raises 2 sets 20 reps
Oblique v-ups 2 sets 20 reps each side
jump squats 2 sets 30 reps
lunges 2 sets 30 reps
calf raises with butt clench 2 sets 30 reps
standard bicep curls 2 sets 10 reps (35-45 lbs)
standard grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
wide grip chinups 2 sets 10 reps
side curls 2 sets 10 reps (35-45)
wide grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
standard grip chinups 2 sets 10 reps

Tuesday
Cardio - 30 minute jog or P90X cardio, yoga or plyo video

Wednesday
wide leg twisting sit up 2 sets 26 reps
lower bicycle 2 sets 30 seconds
oblique ups 2 sets 20 reps each side
military pushups 2 sets 10 reps
outward curls 2 sets 10 reps (35-45)
close-grip pullups 2 sets 10 reps
kitty corner pushups 2 sets 10 reps
7-up 2 sets (curls, 7 first half, 7 second half, 7 full curls)
reverse grip chinups 2 sets 10 reps
Wall sits 2 sets 2 minutes (one quick break)
explosive ski position 2 sets 3 minutes

Thursday
same as Tuesday

Friday
crunches on ball 2 sets 45 reps
leg raise w/ upward extension 2 sets 20 reps
oblique twists 2 sets 20 reps each side
chair dips 3 sets 12 reps
isolation curls 2 sets 10 reps (35-45)
standard pushups 2 sets 10 reps
side laying shoulder ups 2 sets 10 reps each side
side leg raise 2 sets 30 reps
side inner thigh leg raise 2 sets 30 reps
standard grip chinups 2 sets 10 reps
standard bicep curls 2 sets 10 reps

Also, I do monitor my calories closely along with trans fat, saturated fat, and sugar. I stay between 1,500 and 2,000 calories per day with low suger and fat intake. My biggest vice is that I'll drink the occasional diet soda (2x per week) and beer (5+ once every month or so). I agree that I probably need more protein and less and carbs, and I also will try to cut out Clif Bars and Nature Valley bars. I don't rely on them heavily, but they are nice when I'm on the run and don't have time for a proper snack (I try to eat a big breakfast and then small meals/snacks every 3-4 hours).
 
Oh, and on Saturday I try to get in a long run and Sundays I stretch

I should also add that I drink a glass of orange, milk and green tea every day along with at least 8 glasses of water.
 
I dont know, but seeing from your daily activities....you seem to be "over-exercised" compared to what you eat (which I concur, probably isnt enough)
 
First note on the diet. Is it 1500 or is it 2000? That's a huge difference. And track your intake. Let's see what your macro split is like.

If I may make suggestions, I would do change to something like the following:

Volume reduced, main muscles still hit.
losinit said:
Monday
crunches on core ball 2 sets 45 reps
Oblique v-ups 2 sets 20 reps each side
jump squats 2 sets 30 reps
lunges 2 sets 30 reps
calf raises with butt clench 2 sets 30 reps
standard grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
wide grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
standard grip chinups 2 sets to failure

Tuesday
Cardio - 30 minute jog or P90X cardio, yoga or plyo video

Wednesday
wide leg twisting sit up 2 sets 26 reps
oblique ups 2 sets 20 reps each side
military pushups 2 sets 10 reps
close-grip pullups 2 sets 10 reps
kitty corner pushups 2 sets 10 reps
Wall sits 2 sets 2 minutes (one quick break)
explosive ski position 2 sets 3 minutes


Thursday
same as Tuesday

Friday
crunches on ball 2 sets 45 reps
leg raise w/ upward extension 2 sets 20 reps
chair dips 3 sets 12 reps
jump squats 2 sets 30 reps
lunges 2 sets 30 reps
calf raises with butt clench 2 sets 30 reps
standard grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
wide grip pushups 2 sets 10 reps
wide grip chin ups 2x failure
Click to expand...
 
My first guess would be you are not eating enough, 1500-2000 calories is low if you are at 270. How tall are you? I am 5'6" and 171 pounds and I eat 1900 calories on a regular day and that is with a 700 calorie cut. Not to mention how much more off you are calorie wise on your workout days. I think if you get your food consumption figured out you will find that everything else will come together and you will see the results you want!!

PS...Like everyone else mentioned...get rid of the bars

John
 
You might want to talk to a nutritionist who can really focus on your food intake and how you should be eating. There could be one thing affecting your metabolism right now. The guide only goes so far.
 
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