Problem loosing weight

[pammcgowan]

HI Everyone,

I have been working out hard since April 2009. I joined a gym which I love going to and I go between 5-6 days a week. My routine is 5 days of weights (apprx. 2 hours) and three days I do the 2 hours of weights and then go to an hour class. The classes use weights, step, bands, balls, a good mix and gets my heart rate right up there. I am 43 years old and want to get in the best shape of my life. I am 5'2" and weight 138. I am considered overweight. I can tell I am building muscle but the fat is not going away nor are cloths fitting any looser. I have stopped weighting myself because of the disappointment. My diet is extremely healthy, or at least the healthiest it has ever been. About 1500 calories a day, no sugar and lots of protein. If I need to break it all down I will. But even with Halloween just over and two kids with bags of candy I have not touched one piece. I am very dedicated and determined but it is getting very discouraging with no physical changes. No medical conditions either. Any one have any suggestions to get things going finally?

 

[NoLoveLost]

HI Everyone,

I have been working out hard since April 2009. I joined a gym which I love going to and I go between 5-6 days a week. My routine is 5 days of weights (apprx. 2 hours) and three days I do the 2 hours of weights and then go to an hour class.

ok, WAY too much weights. 2 hours? You should be able to have an effective weight routine that is no more than an hour top. An what exactly are you working out? What sort of rest are your muscles getting between routine?

The classes use weights, step, bands, balls, a good mix and gets my heart rate right up there. My diet is extremely healthy, or at least the healthiest it has ever been. About 1500 calories a day, no sugar and lots of protein. If I need to break it all down I will.

Break it down for us gal. There are only two things that are happening. Either you aren't working out hard enough (and I really doesn't sound like that is happening) or your DIET isn't right. Healthy isn't the only aspect of someone's diet that they need to look at.

I don't care what anyone says, a calorie AIN'T just a calorie, some calories are better than others.....

 

[pammcgowan]

Thanks for responding. Here is a breakdown of my diet:

Breakfast, plain oatmeal with sugar free maple syrup, snack such as an apple and banana, lunch I have a tuna fish sandwich with fat free mayo (very little), snack protein bar, dinner usually fish or chicken with some pasta and veggies (lots of veggies). I do drink about 32oz water, a tea with sweet and low and fat free milk as well as a whey powder with fat free milk after my workout.

My workout routine, I believe I work out hard. I put all I have in to them and feel great after. I am no wimpy 43 year old woman and will push myself. I continue to increase the weight on the machines I use when I feel it is starting to become easier. I am the one in the class dripping sweat.

Of course I am a novice here and have been told by my a doctor that this is probably how it will be and I will have to continue this workout routine just to maintain what I have. I do not and will not accept that. Unacceptable to me. So any advice for me is greatly appreciated.

 

[NoLoveLost]

Thanks for responding. Here is a breakdown of my diet:

Breakfast, plain oatmeal with sugar free maple syrup, snack such as an apple and banana, lunch I have a tuna fish sandwich with fat free mayo (very little), snack protein bar, dinner usually fish or chicken with some pasta and veggies (lots of veggies). I do drink about 32oz water, a tea with sweet and low and fat free milk as well as a whey powder with fat free milk after my workout.

My workout routine, I believe I work out hard. I put all I have in to them and feel great after. I am no wimpy 43 year old woman and will push myself. I continue to increase the weight on the machines I use when I feel it is starting to become easier. I am the one in the class dripping sweat.

Of course I am a novice here and have been told by my a doctor that this is probably how it will be and I will have to continue this workout routine just to maintain what I have. I do not and will not accept that. Unacceptable to me. So any advice for me is greatly appreciated.

I hear ya, I'm not a wimpy 44 year old either, so lets see what we can do...

This can be a bit tedious, BUT if you really want to see some progress what I would suggest is try a site like Fitday.com ( FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal )and punch in *everything* you eat and if you have to measure, measure. This will give you an accurate calorie count.


Then You should check out this thread:

http://training.fitness.com/286248-post1.html

there is a lot of good info here, and you can accurately figure out what your BMR is and what sort of caloric intake you should have.


I *think* fitday will also give you a break down of proteins, carbs, and fats. It looks like you may not be getting enough protein with your diet. (on a side note: most protein bars tend to be a lot more sugar than anything, I'd probably eliminate that from the diet)

when you have recorded that for a few days you can see what sort of percentages of protein, carbs, and fats you are taking in, and then we can see what/if it needs to be adjusted.

Now, workout. What *exactly do you do? Are you doing a full body workout 5 days a week? 3 day split? Can you break down the exercises you do? The cardio 3 days a week is fine, but I'm concerned about the 5-6 days of weights and the fact that it is 2 hours long.....

What are you doing exactly?

 

[pammcgowan]

Thanks for replying again. I appreciate it.

Thanks as well for the links and will definately check them out. The protein bars I eat have 2 grams of sugar, I make sure to look at that. Any suggestions for another snack with a lot of protein? I did write down my diet before and was told I wasn't taking in enough protein so I really jacked that up. But I really should keep better track to make sure I am doing what I can each day.

My workout could probably use some help. I do weights 5-6 days a week (mostly 5 days), weekends is tough to get there with kids football games but that ends this weekend. I do all the weights, meaning all muscle groups. I was told 24 hours rest is good, do you think differently? Doing the weights is addicting to me. I love doing them and everytime an hour rolls around I say "just one more bicep, leg lift, whatever". Which ends up being another hour. It is almost like I can not stop. The classes (3/week) use free weights, generally I use 5-12lb. Depends what exercise. But a lot of cardio there as well. I do weights before the class (those days I do 1 1/2 hours of weights) and the class lasts for an hour.

Let me know if you have any further questions. Thank You!!!!

 

[David the PT]

I can tell I am building muscle but the fat is not going away nor are cloths fitting any looser.

This is something I hear so much from my clients, especially female. If you’re doing 2 hours of weights (which is too much even before you then go on to do a class!) then you’re going to gain a lot of muscle so obvioiusly your clothes are not going to get any looser. Also did you know that muscle weighs a lot more than fat and so you may find that your weight doesn’t change or might even go up. Your weight is irrelevant anyway, your measurments are more important which you can easily get someone to do for you at home with a tape measure, but more important than that it’s your body fat percentage that counts. Most gyms have one so ask them, though it’s usually cheap and not very accurate but better than nothing.

Another suggestion I have is that basically you’re over-training, 5 days of weights for 2 hours followed by a class 3 times a week is far too much. Even if you were doing the weights in the morning and the class at night it’s still too much. Because of all this exercise your required calorie intake is way higher than 1500. Now most people think that the less they eat the better to lose weight, but as I have to tell my clients over and over again, there is a minimum amount of calories the body needs each day to lose weight, otherwise the body may actually GAIN weight. I know I know, that doesn’t make sense when you first hear it, but let me explain.
If you take in far less calories than your body needs each day you will put your body into what is known as starvation mode. One effect of which is a slower metabolism, where the body adapts to a constant lack of calories by basically slowing it’s functioning down so less calories are needed, another effect is what it does with the calories it does get which is store as much of it as possible as fat. By eating less than your minimum requirements (which is known as the Basal Metabolic Rate) you are actually encouraging your body to store fat!

It is very difficult for me to comment accurately on you as I don’t know your past and it is obviously not easy to find out on here, but that might be something worth bearing in mind as it is something I encounter a lot, especially with my female clients.

David.

 

[joebedford]

I'm 41, but some days I'm a wimp. ;-)

48 hours rest from weights, not 24, unless you are doing a "split" routine. I am currently lifting six days per week, but alternating upper and lower body, so each "section" gets the desired two days rest. Ten hours a week does sound like a lot. I do about 4.5 hours, and I thought I was a little nutty. Cardio, on the other hand, you can safely do most every day, particularly if you are "cross training".

Does that sound like not enough food to anyone else, especially for someone who is working out so hard? Also, remember that the minimum recommendation for fruits and vegetables is five servings per day: unless you are eating four servings with dinner, it sounds like you are falling short. Add some beans and nuts in there while you're at it. Also, you don't specify if the bread and pasta you are eating our whole-grain.

Everyone on here worries so much about protein! A shortage of protein is just not a problem in the average person's diet. More people get too much than not enough. And--say it with me, class--I always recommend "real food" over bars and powders (same goes for "sugar free" products, for that matter).

Hope this helps!

 

[David the PT]

Here is a breakdown of my diet:

Breakfast, plain oatmeal with sugar free maple syrup, snack such as an apple and banana, lunch I have a tuna fish sandwich with fat free mayo (very little), snack protein bar, dinner usually fish or chicken with some pasta and veggies (lots of veggies). I do drink about 32oz water, a tea with sweet and low and fat free milk as well as a whey powder with fat free milk after my workout.

Yes, joebedford, that does sound like not enough food to me when someone is doing 13 hours of exercise a week. And this is clearly not the average person if she's doing 10 hours of weights so extra protein is probably a good idea unless she doesn't want to gain muscle, in which case why do so much?

 

[pammcgowan]

Thanks guys for the posts. I do realize it is hard to get the complete picture on here. I am starting a diet chart in hopes it will help me better understand what foods I need to add and when I need to eat them. I was one who used to starve myself to get thin and it always worked but of course over time would gain it back. I want to get fit and stay fit for life, no yo-yo dieting or anything like that. Plus I do consume a lot of protein because I do want the muscles. I want people to think wow she is ripped! Yes, I could eat more veggies and I am sure a lot more other healthy foods. I do also agree eating real foods then processed. My grandmother was a dietician and passed away at 100, her motto was "everything in moderation". Never did she use anything artificial and she was lean and very healthy her entire life. If you have any suggestions of healthy snacks (besides fruits) let me know. I always get stuck as to what is good. The pasta I use is whole grain as well as any bread I have. Hopefully with my food chart I have started I can get a better idea as to what to do. I also do not wieght myself any longer. Thanks again for your advice and comments.