Need advice on workouts and stupid stalls...

Hey all... I post a lot on the PA boards and well I am very frustrated... I am going to cut and paste over what I posted because someone said that you all might be able to help me... because I am just at my wits end right now...

Here is why... I love going to the gym... I love going... I don't care what others think in how I look because at my gym there is all different size people there...

I have always loved working out... I was the kid that played 3 to 5 sports at a time...

But, I am in another major stall... if you count losing a pound breaking the last one... but I keep getting such wacky info from the nuts at barix I just don't know what to do now... one said I worked out too much another said I didn't do enough... either way I don't know what to do... I do take the yoga/pilates class and did have a trainer (I want to resign up with him but just don't have the money)... one says I'm getting too many calories another says not enough... etc...

I have no issue going 4 to 5 times a week... I have been reading Body for Life and The Beck Diet also... but I just don't know what to do... I have now spent almost between a 1/3 to a 1/2 of my weight loss journey in a stall and I know that isn't normal... I did try to see if I could get in to see doc Brader (he was to be my doc before he left barix) but my insurance isn't sure if he is on their list of docs since he has moved his practice to Lancaster... the only way I can talk to dr. boe it seems is to drive in... and I'm not going to waste my time and money on that right now to see him for 5 mins for the same talk I could get on the phone from him... I have completely given up on the nuts!! And think next fall I am going to go for my degree to be a registered dietitian that is how frustated I am...

I have kept a food journal, tried mixing things up etc... and I did realize that I was getting in one too many carbs a day... I cut it out... the next weigh in I gained 5 pounds... I added it back in... I was back down the 5 pounds...

So, those of you farther out... help!! Right now I feel like I am sinking no matter what I do... because I just can't seem to find the right mix for me... and yes my blood work is all normal/perfect...

I know my body has NEVER been normal but I'm so tired of this... I'm so frustrated at all of this... and I am feeling defeated right now... I'm not giving up... just feel like I keep getting knocked down by all of this...

This is what I am doing now at the gym...
Monday- either yoga/pilates or cardio for an hour
Tuesday- weights- stomach and legs for 30 to 45 mins (depends if I have to wait for a machine lol)
Weds- mat pilates and then 15 mins of cardio or just 30 mins of hard core cardio on the arch machine and elipitcal
Thurs- weights- stomach and back and chest
Friday- pilates and weights- just arms or just cardio- 40 mins on the bikes, arch and eliptical

Normally take Sat and Sunday off... but if things are crazy during the week I work out then and take off like Tues or Thurs...

For a while the nuts told me to only do the yoga/pilates... that didn't work... so now I am trying to do a combo of those classes and cardio and weights...

I am also trying to keep all work outs under an hour not to over do it... I also make sure I eat some protein after working out... my chriopractor doesn't want me to do the treadmill anymore because she thinks that is tossing my whole body out of aligment since now almost all my excess weight is on the front of me...

so let me know if ya want more details hehehe...

You do work out alot! I have been with trainers for 8 yrs. and they all said cardio cardio cardio. You can do everything else but cardio needs to be 5 days for an hour. Now I'm only saying this to you because you work out (and of course I'm no expert). you need to find out your target hard rate and stay there for the max time (its not real high either) to burn fat your body needs oxygen. Find out from your trainer what it is. Also(like you have time for this) I use to split it up do cardio in the morning and at night. Thats when I have my best results. I know its so much work but you need to shake it up. Good Luck I hope I helped a little.

I can split my workout up once the new gym location opens by my house in a few weeks... but as of right now I have to drive way to the other side of town and with gas prices I can't afford to drive over twice hehehe...

My trainer had me doing the cardio that much but after 3 weeks and nothing happening (no inches lost of weight) we ditched that idea... so now it is 40 mins to 30 of high intesaty... aka going full force on the machines... and switching up the machines and that seems to work....

And doing the pilates class is cardio/strenght all at once... at least at this weight because let me tell you my heart is a pumping something crazy holding those moves lol...

Shannon,

I lost the last of mine running.  Personal opinion here.  High intensity cardio is the one thing that will help you the most.  It burns the most calories.  Strength training and yoga/pilates isn't going to do it.  They are really good in maintenance and for overall toning, but not so much for weight loss.  It did take me doing the cardio like I did over a month before I started seeing the scale move any, but that's where you'll see the greatest fitness improvements and fat reduction.

You also have to be eating properly both before and after your workouts to get the best benefits.  I usually eat something high carb before to fuel my workouts, and then something with a 4:1 carb to protein ratio right after to restore glycogen.  The rest of my meals and snacks are higher in protein, and I start that about an hour after the post-workout meal.

You also may not be eating enough.  I take in around 1800 calories every day.  Sometimes more, sometimes less depending on my activity level.  My BMI is 26, but body fat is only 18%.  By the way, I only do strength training in any form once or twice a week.  I run, spin, and swim.

In all actuality, if you do use the tread at a fast walk pace (4.0 or more) at a good incline, you'll get a good cardio workout without as much pound.  Walking is good for everyone at any fitness level.  I also wear 2 bras and compression garments to help keep the bounce in check.

Take it for what it's worth, but that's the only thing that worked for me.

Linn

I would love to run again but in May I started to have issues with my right hip... nearly all the weight I now carry is on the front of me and keeps pulling my hip out of place/aligment... I have been seeing a chriopractor to fix it and to keep it normal... which is why I do so much pilates is to help strenghen my hips... I also use the weight machines to help do that as well... but the impact that I get when I use a treadmill has now been banned by my chriopractor... she said to try it again once I hit 200 to see if the extra weight off helps with that... and i wear the best shoes around support and cushion wise and that hasn't mattered at all with my hip...

I have a huge fat roll on the front and when I did try to run it pulls so much on my back and hips that it is worse than the pain I felt when I went into labor lol... so I know that has to shrink a whole lot more before I can run... so one day it is my goal to run again...

But how do you get in 1800 calories and not stretch out your stomach? Can you give me some ideas of your meals... because I can hit 1000 to 1200 pretty easy but going over that well I feel all I do is eat all day long... kind of like I'm grazing but I'm not lol...

Shannon,

I highly recommend good compression garments no matter what form of exercise you do.  I can guarantee that my core is solid, but I have considerable jiggle because of the loose skin.  I always wear a compression top (usually a tank with a shelf bra) and often wear compression shorts (I also run in my bike shorts sometimes).  Those things help soooo much with the tummy bounce.  If you saw my before pics, you would see that I was also very top and front heavy.  Now everything bounces and jiggles.

You obviously like and trust your chiropractor, but you might also look to a physical therapist for help.  They often look at things from a slightly different perspective and could help you come up with some better cardio activities.  In your case, that really is where I think you're going to get what you need.

As far as my food goes, I do eat often.  It also seems like I'm grazing all day, but I truly require that many calories.  If I don't have time to eat before, I always have something right after my workout for glycogen recovery usually somewhere around 300 cal..  Then I eat another 300 an hour later.  Two hours later I eat an actual meal (lunch also about 300 cal or so).  That's 900 right there.  The eating slows down a lot after that, because I'm pretty well resored and don't get hungry again for a while.  I do another snack mid-afternoon, have dinner, and have another snack before bed.  I've done food journals for a few days at a time, and it always seems to work out about the same.

I'm 4.5 years out and have maintained where I'm at for the last 3.5.  I don't feel like I've stretched my pouch, but I also know that I am able to eat more when I need more.  Maybe I just chew better and it goes through faster.  But I also don't have much of an appetite when I don't work out hard so obviously I eat less on those days.

Don't know what else to tell you.  That's my life and it works for me.  I truly am an avid believer in higher intensity exercise.  It's better for cardiovascular health and fitness and there's plenty of time to work in strength training after the cardio.

Linn

The Beck Diet Solution and the Body-For-Life books are great!  I also bought the Body-For-Life for Women written by a different author.  I think the food plan is better for us.  We really shouldn't eat as much food in the original Body-For-Life plan.

As far as working out and weight loss goes, I can tell you that prior to wls I lost and then gained 100 pounds while continuing to exercise.  If you don't really monitor and control your intake, exercise alone won't make you lose much weight.  You mentioned that you kept a food journal.  How were your numbers?  Are you recording every single bite?  It all adds up quick!

It's great that you are exercising.  I do one hour of cardio (eliptical) twice per week and INTENSIVE weight training three days per week.  It works well for me.  Yoga/Pilates is great, but I don't think it will help you lose weight. 

I know it's discouraging, but don't give up.  It will all fall into place!

I haven't even looked at the meal plan in the body for life book lol... I got it more for the workouts hehehe...

Can you share with me some of the meals you eat and how many calories you take in? and I will try doing the eliptical for an hour and see what happens ...

and thanks