Not sure how I should loose weight

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MelissaRunning

New member
Im 26yrs & 165lbs. It doesnt sound like alot but this is the thing, I've been between 100 and 125lbs my entire life! When I got pregnant with my daughter I went up to 185 and lost it naturally with breast feeding over a year. I stayed between 120 and 130 for the next 6 years! Without diet or exercise. Suddenly in January 2009 I started gaining weight until June when I stopped at 165. Ive never had to watch what I eat, when I gained weight I tried all kinds of methods to lose it, and none worked. I tried starving, diet pills some exercise and eating healthy. I just started a new workout routine 4 weeks ago, Ive been keeping a daily journal of what I did to work out, and of what I am doing with the rest of my day. I typically run on the treadmill, I push the first mile into 11 or 12 minutes, then stay on the treadmill till I get to about 150 calories, then I do the elliptical for 150 calories, then back on the treadmill to cool down for 20 calories. Then I spend 15 minutes stretching, doing a few sit ups and lifting weights. I eat fairly healthy, I have sweets or soda about once a week, I dont eat until about 2 or 3pm Im typically not hungry in the mornings I just have coffee and Ive always been that way, I have a light snack, then a home cooked dinner, and sometimes a snack before bed like a bagel or popcorn. All in all I dont take in that many calories and Im not noticing any weight loss yet. Am I doing it right? Or is it too soon? Is it guaranteed that I will loose weight through exercise or am I wasting my time? Thanks.

Additional info: Also I am essentially flat chested so 165 is really alot and I work out mon-fri
 
Last edited:
There's no guarantee you'll lose weight just through exercise. For some people it works, for others it doesn't.

One thing I notice though is that you're tracking the calories you burn through exercise, but you don't really seem to be tracking the calories you eat. You may consider using a site like to track your calories for a week and see exactly how much you're actually eating.
 
The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you eat. There are no tricks, or magic methods, or special programs. Until you know what you're eating, then all you're really doing is guessing.

I'd recomend that you sign up with fitday.com or livestrong.com and start tracking your food. I'm pretty sure that you're eating a lot more calories than you think you are. It's pretty easy to get to 1500-1800 calories easy with a "home cooked dinner" and a bagel.

Really that's the bottom line. Eat fewer calories. Not less food - fewer calories.
 
Strikes me strange that this has "suddenly come on". Has your diet or lifestyle changed dramatically? Could be worth getting a medical opinion to determine your thyroid efficiency. Don't want to panic you but this isn't uncommon.
 
Thyroid

My doctor tested me for a type of cyst that causes weight gain and it came back neg, and the obgyn said to ask him to test for thyroid problems I just havnt done it yet. I did have a big lifestyle change, I got married the December before and quit my job waitressing. My husband drank ALOT of soda when I met him and ate alot of junk food and I kinda fell into his habits, but by June we had both broken ourselves of it. So I was thinking it might be the quitting working though because I used to drink a good amount of soda before I met him, I dont drink ANY now ... UGH! I also quit drinking alchohol about the time I met him so I thought that might make me loose weight. And in Febuary I quit smoking for a couple of months and ive heard that makes you gain weight, but when I started again I didnt lose any weight. Im hoping maybe I am loosing weight and just dont know it. I dont have a scale at home, but my clothes are fitting exactly the same. And this Thursday makes 4 weeks Ive been running 5 days a week. I looked up a calorie counter and I planned my workout routine to mimic the calories I was burning waitressing, only in less time.

Thanks for all your responses guys!! :bigear:
 
MelissaRunning said:
Im 26yrs & 165lbs. It doesnt sound like alot but this is the thing, I've been between 100 and 125lbs my entire life! When I got pregnant with my daughter I went up to 185 and lost it naturally with breast feeding over a year. I stayed between 120 and 130 for the next 6 years! Without diet or exercise. Suddenly in January 2009 I started gaining weight until June when I stopped at 165. Ive never had to watch what I eat, when I gained weight I tried all kinds of methods to lose it, and none worked. I tried starving, diet pills some exercise and eating healthy. I just started a new workout routine 4 weeks ago, Ive been keeping a daily journal of what I did to work out, and of what I am doing with the rest of my day. I typically run on the treadmill, I push the first mile into 11 or 12 minutes, then stay on the treadmill till I get to about 150 calories, then I do the elliptical for 150 calories, then back on the treadmill to cool down for 20 calories. Then I spend 15 minutes stretching, doing a few sit ups and lifting weights. I eat fairly healthy, I have sweets or soda about once a week, I dont eat until about 2 or 3pm Im typically not hungry in the mornings I just have coffee and Ive always been that way, I have a light snack, then a home cooked dinner, and sometimes a snack before bed like a bagel or popcorn. All in all I dont take in that many calories and Im not noticing any weight loss yet. Am I doing it right? Or is it too soon? Is it guaranteed that I will loose weight through exercise or am I wasting my time? Thanks.

Additional info: Also I am essentially flat chested so 165 is really alot and I work out mon-fri
Click to expand...

KaraCooks said:
The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you eat. There are no tricks, or magic methods, or special programs. Until you know what you're eating, then all you're really doing is guessing.

I'd recomend that you sign up with fitday.com or livestrong.com and start tracking your food. I'm pretty sure that you're eating a lot more calories than you think you are. It's pretty easy to get to 1500-1800 calories easy with a "home cooked dinner" and a bagel.

Really that's the bottom line. Eat fewer calories. Not less food - fewer calories.
Click to expand...

I agree with Kara here. You haven't given any specific information as to how many calories you're eating, so you could just be eating too much. You mentioned how many calories you're burning, but, if you're consuming more calories than you're burning, then it's not going to matter - you're not going to lose any weight.

So, figure out how many calories you're eating and compare it to how many calories you are burning. If you are consuming more than you are burning, than you're not going to lose any weight.
 
Myth....stop smoking and you'll gain weight! Fact.....stop smoking and you'll regain your taste buds! Food tastes better so you tend to eat more. As both Kara and Mr Chef says, count and control your calories. Try, if it's possible, to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks (fruit, low fat yoghurt) per day at set intervals. Do not eat within 2 hours of bed time. If your target is say 1500 cals a day try 350 at breakfast, 100 mid morning snack, 400 lunch, 100 mid afternoon snack, 450 dinner and 100 early evening. This will keep your metabolism burning nicely and gaurd against hunger pangs. Include at least 3 relatively vigorous workouts a week (an hour at a time). Try this for 4-6 weeks and see how it goes.
 
Try, if it's possible, to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks (fruit, low fat yoghurt) per day at set intervals. Do not eat within 2 hours of bed time.
Click to expand...
Neither of these is necessary. Eat when you want to. Just make sure your calories and nutrients are within a healthy range.
 
Kara I say that because having something in the stomach means the metabolism is working. Empty tummy will slow the metabolism as it will go into preservation mode. Food in tummy and it will go into burn mode, ergo high rate.
 
having something in the stomach means the metabolism is working. Empty tummy will slow the metabolism as it will go into preservation mode.
Click to expand...
Incorrect. That's a complete diet myth.









Etc.
 
fitness dave said:
Think we'll agree to disagree.
Click to expand...


Yup because facts really sucks when put against opinion. I mean how can you argue effectively again multiple scientific studies. You just basicly said 'lalalalala I can't hear you'. You have come here day as a quote "Personal trainer and diet advisor " so show some knowledge that is backed by facts.

Don't pull that crap. I think you might be better than that Fitnessdave
 
Last edited:
Thermogenic effects aside - I've been reading about both sides and I think the science is definitely saying that there is no difference. Everything I've read (from Venuto to Jillian) said the opposite, so I initially started down this road b/c I thought it would give me an edge. Fine - so, it doesn't help. Then it's up to your preference and what will help you eat fewer calories.

Personally, I find it much easier to manage my meals by eating 4-5x per day. Knowing that I'm not more than 3-4 hours from my next "feeding" is mentally easier for me. Also, when I have larger meals I tend to indulge more, so that's another reason I avoid it.

Find what will work best for you and do it.
 
Jericho said:
Yup because facts really sucks when put against opinion. I mean how can you argue effectively again multiple scientific studies. You just basicly said 'lalalalala I can't hear you'. You have come here day as a quote "Personal trainer and diet advisor " so show some knowledge that is backed by facts.

Don't pull that crap. I think you might be better than that Fitnessdave
Click to expand...

I deal in facts. I see my practices work day in day out. Regardless of your barbed comments, I know what I believe and trust in. My clients would argue all day that my way works. Hey, if you think I'm some sort of charlatan, fine! I came on this site to try help. Forget it!
 
ChefChiTown said:
With all due respect...

If you deal in facts, then why did you disagree with the facts that Kara showed you?
Click to expand...

I think its because there are articles and facts to suggest both sides of this argument. It's a pretty circular argument in my opinion.. because there are so many facts either way you look at it.

Increase Your Metabolism -- And Start Losing Fat
Eat often. Berardi recommends eating every 2 to 3 hours. Each time you eat, you stimulate your metabolism for a short period of time, which means that the more often you eat, the more you’ll increase your metabolism. Eating every 2 to 3 hours feeds muscle and starves fat. By eating frequently, you reassure your body that you aren’t going to starve; that food will always be available. Skipping breakfast, eating only a sandwich for lunch, and pigging out at dinner, on the other hand, frightens your body into storing fat, just in case your next meal never comes. Research from Georgia State University shows that people who eat every 2 to 3 hours have less body fat and faster metabolisms than those who eat only 2 or 3 meals per day.

The-Weightloss-Guide How to Increase Your Metabolism at the Office
Smarter eating. Skip going out to lunch with co-workers most of the time and consider eating smaller, healthier meals at work instead. A small lunch of healthy foods coupled with snacks that are low-calorie and help improve metabolism is a much better choice. Don’t forget to pack or buy healthy snacks to keep a good mini-meal schedule going.
 
Except that the webmd article you linked is from 2007 and it's more recent studies that have shown there isn't actually a metabolic advantage from eating more frequently. Not saying not to eat frequently if it works for you, but the belief that it actually 'stokes the metabolism' or that fasting for any length of time puts you in starvation mode is not actually correct.

If you can actually find a study that shows your metabolism dropping whenever your stomach is empty I think all of us would be interested in reading it.
 
Posting a blog entry isn't scientific.

Posting an outdated WebMD article isn't either.


And fitness, you came to find help or give it? I was confused based on all your other posts. Now, You deal with facts but you turn a blind eye to any that shows you are wrong. That's not dealing with facts. If you prove me wrong with scientific case studies, then I admit I'm wrong..I don't throw a tantrum like you just did.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top