Marsia's Diary

I'm afraid I have to spoil the fun a little: exercise is amazing and getting your muscles more active can definitely help tone your arms but weight training isn't going to make you lose fat in the area you're training. Nothing does, sadly, other than losing weight all over.
 
Agreed on all points, although it´s mostly true when you´re working your large muscle groups. HIIT actually combines most of the benefits of weight training with an even greater cardiovascular improvement than cardio training. If you´re strapped for time that´s a great solution. I tried for a while but I´m a relaxed person who doesn´t enjoy high-intensity stuff :)
A caveat for weightloss and exercise in general: most of your weightloss is going to come from diet. Especially in the long run most people will lose very little weight from exercise because they feel like they can reward themselves for their workouts - with food. And if you´re burning 600 extra calories three times a week that´s easily compensated by a few extra bars of chocolate. Exercise is mostly there for its own benefits (which are plentiful), to make sure you don´t lose too much muscle mass while dieting and thus to make weight maintenance easier.
 
:iagree: with LaMa too. I like to see how many calories I have burned from exercise, but usually don't eat any of them back, unless I am ravenous & then I make sure the extra is very nutritious & usually some extra protein.
I can see you making permanent healthy changes too, Marsia. Finding that balance is the key & then maintaining it forever. We can do this!
 
I should point out that if you are not lifting enough weight while in your calorie deficit you will still loose muscle you want to keep, and you will only build muscle while in calorie deficit if you are both new to lifting and only maintaining a small deficit.
 
At 53 is is very important to maintain your muscle, at 60lb over you still have plenty of leeway so 1.5 lb per week is fine, however do not eat back calories from lifting, the calorie burn is really not very much unless you are doing very heavy large compound movements. All strength training is beneficial, it is not the small weights that shrink your muscles, it is the calorie deficit. When you loose weight some of it will be fat, some of it will be muscle, the ratio depends on several factors, including the size of calorie deficit, how much fat you have to loose, and the type and style of exercise you are doing. Weight training changes the ratio in favour of keeping muscle but Lifting heavier for fewer reps is better than adding a whole lot of lighter reps when in calorie deficit. Bodybuilders looking to build size will often use lighter weights for moderate reps to build size but this is only when they are in calorie surplus.

As for the 5lb weights, do you have difficulty carrying shopping bags ? if not then 5lb weights are way too light.

Yoga is great for your flexibility, but is also not a big calorie burner.
 
I agree that it's good to take stock & be happy with how you're progressing. This healthy living caper is for forever & has to be sustainable. Enjoy your meditation Marisa. 6 lbs in 2 weeks is excellent. Well done!
 
Good for you taking stock, praising yourself where it´s absolutely well-earned and making sure you´re getting a bit of rest. Building your body up goes more quickly and is less frustrating with enough rest.
 
Hi Marsia I came and read your last 2 pages too and thank you for visiting mine too . You are doing super well and I think you are right not too stress and see this as a change in lifestyle. I know I said on springtimes diary that I would too start dumbbells but so far I haven't . I'm amazed you can lift 5lb ones . I doubt I could. But I have 3lb so will start with those. I don't like the gym I spend the whole time clock watching . I love walking , I also enjoy aerobics workouts ( Leslie sansone my favourite) so that's all I do now .
I made the decision if I'm going to stick at this it has to be what I like as I just give up. Dieting clubs the same . I go for a while lose some weight , have a bad week , don't turn up for weigh in and then the vicious cycle begins .
I feel positive that this is the real beginning of my lifestyle change .
 
I am really enjoying seeing the two of you encouraging one another (& others). I can see you both making positive & permanent lifestyle changes :)
 
What Cate said. Also being creative and flexible with your exercise, finding your own solutions when you can´t find exact numbers: that´s the kind of active problem-solving that´ll get you to goal!
 
Marsia yes I have the dumbells where I do my workout. I have the Leslie sansone subscription so I get a daily workout to do. Some of them include weights and resistance band. I will try now to incorporate the weights more going forward. Recently I haven't used the workouts so much as the weather is so beautiful I like to walk outdoors.
You are inspiring me too to do more outdoor work. I have lots I could be doing .

Well done on the 9lb loss , that's great news .
 
Marsia said:
I grew up on the east coast where there were these old Italian woman working in their gardens in their 70s and 80s and my family would always say that their gardens kept them young and healthy.
Click to expand...
Near where my parents lived there was a little old lady living in a little old house with a little garden full of old roses in front. She died at 104 and never stopped tending her garden until then.
 
Marsia thanks for sharing all that . Sounds really beautiful. Are you in Italy then ?
I think when one is with nature life can be very long and fulfilling.
Sounds like you get plenty of workouts in the garden
 
Yay for budding veggie love in the rest of the family! Weed whacking definitely counts as exercise in my book.
 
Gardening is great exercise. I think it is an exercise in MFP (gardening, general) although maybe I added it years ago.
Yay for kids learning to love veggies!
 
I just compared the 2 exercises & "shoveling snow", according to MFP, burns 281 cals per 30 mins & "gardening, general" 181, so vigorous gardening might be somewhere in between the 2. You can create your own exercises & put what you think is about right for calorie burn.
 
Marsia
lol I was way out on the Italy angle but north California sounds super.
My kids eats veggies and the good news is as they get older they eat more and more. I found a recipe in my sons jeans one day while throwing them in the wash ( he lives away for college) and it was all peppers , onions, carrots , chicken and spices . I was amazed .

Good idea for the weights to do outside.
Sounds like you are in the zone
 
Have a lovely vacation Marsia :)
 
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