New, trying to shed the last few pounds

[setvak]

Hey everyone, this is sort of a long post, so if this is the wrong section for that let me know.

I've been trying to lose weight off and on since my freshman year of college (about two years now) with OK results, but for the past few months I've been dedicating myself to losing the rest of the weight. Right now I'm 6'1" and 185 lbs., I've probably lost forty or fifty pounds since I started working out two years ago.

I've been doing cardio somewhat regularly for the last six months (I was studying in Beijing and got a membership at a local Bally's), at first it was 45 minutes to an hour on the treadmill a few times a week, then about two months ago I started doing a steady workout for an hour every day on the ellipsis, occasionally taking a day or two off if I had blisters or was away from the gym.

Now I'm home for about six weeks and the only exercise equipment available is a treadmill, no gym membership. Overall, I lost a noticeable amount of weight during those six months in Beijing and started eating healthier, but by the last month or so it felt a lot slower even though I was doing a more intense workout. Right now I'm still a bit chubby, and I'm hoping to get to about 175 or 170 lbs.

A friend told me about HIIT a while ago, and I decided that it would be the best way to get rid of those ten or fifteen pounds that have been hanging on, so I started today on the treadmill, 4 minutes warming up, then one minute at 9.5 mph, two minutes at 3.5-4 mph (7-8 sets), then cooled off for the rest of the time, half an hour in all. It was definitely intense, much more so than an hour running on the elliptical. (I've done crew for the last two years, so even though I'm overweight I am somewhat athletic)

The thing that I need help on is how I should integrate HIIT into my workout program. Two or three HIIT workouts a week seems to be what's recommended, but what should I do on the days that I'm not working out so I can stay active?

Sorry for the length, hopefully I was clear enough for you guys.

 

[KaraCooks]

Hi and welcome. And also congrats on your previous weight loss. That's a great achievement.

The first thing I'd point out is that HIIT is not a cure-all for those last few pounds. HIIT is good, but you shouldn't look at it as The Answer.

The key to losing weight - especially those last few pounds - is going to be the food you eat. I'd start by figuring out exactly how much you're eating and making sure your nutrients are balanced. I'd suggest registering for a free account with fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and logging your food to see what you're eating.

In addition to that, I'd investigate adding body resistance work to your workout before focusing on HIIT. Body resitance work and weight lifting will help build/maintain muscle which will increase fat burn (which is what you're after - more fat burning, less muscle).

There are some really good sticky posts here about exercise and nutrition. Check out those and feel free to ask questions!

 

[setvak]

Thanks for the tips! The main reason I decided to go with HIIT (as well as join this forum) is because I'm fed up with doing long cardio workouts with what seems like only a small payoff. I've been trying to have a healthy diet, but it's mostly just guesswork and common sense, so I took your advice and registered for an account at fitday.com, it should really come in handy once I'm back at school next months and my eating schedule is more regular.

I didn't realize that resistance workouts and lifting could actually help me lose weight, I was actually avoiding them because I thought it would interfere with that! What kind of routine would you recommend, and how frequently should I do it in addition to cardio? I'll have a free, well-equipped gym available at school in six weeks or so, but for now it's just a treadmill and a 20 lb. dumbbell.

Thanks again for your help!