am I doing enough to lose weight?

missbutterfly92

I go to the gym six days a week. I do cardivascular on the cross trainer between 30-45 minutes, intensity increases each week, and afterwards I swim about four laps but if I am not swimming I just use the cross trainer. I am planning on booking aerobic classes and legs, bums and tums (or do it at home using Jillian Michaels workout dvd) but is this enough to lose 2lb a week and I am also eating healthy! Cut down on my sugar and carb intake and increased protein and iron.

Alluminati

You don't say how much you're eating. Do you use a food scale to track calories?

livingleanlivingclean

You eat iron? Mmm, tasty.

You can exercise and eat "healthy" all you like, but unless you're eating less than your body requires you won't lose diddly squat.

BodyByBex

You don't have to go low carb. Just follow CICO.

Weight, measure, and log your food accurately and, for the love of all that is holy, incorporate a rest/recovery day.

SingingSingleTracker

missbutterfly92 wrote: »

I go to the gym six days a week. I do cardivascular on the cross trainer between 30-45 minutes, intensity increases each week, and afterwards I swim about four laps but if I am not swimming I just use the cross trainer. I am planning on booking aerobic classes and legs, bums and tums (or do it at home using Jillian Michaels workout dvd) but is this enough to lose 2lb a week and I am also eating healthy! Cut down on my sugar and carb intake and increased protein and iron.

The Bible: http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

BodyByBex

@SingingSingleTracker Thank you. I saw this posted not too long ago and wanted to show a friend but couldn't find/remember the link!

Xrix512

Also, if your main goal is to loose weight, using a heart rate monitor can help you stay in the correct zone for max fat burning. Probably way less exertion than you think.

Also, including some strength training will help you burn more fat. Throw in a couple of days of weights into your routine.

Alluminati

Xrix512 wrote: »

Also, if your main goal is to loose weight, using a heart rate monitor can help you stay in the correct zone for max fat burning. Probably way less exertion than you think.

Also, including some strength training will help you burn more fat. Throw in a couple of days of weights into your routine.

there's only 7 days in a week, my fren.

NekoneMeowMixx

Xrix512 wrote: »

Also, if your main goal is to loose weight, using a heart rate monitor can help you stay in the correct zone for max fat burning. Probably way less exertion than you think.

Also, including some strength training will help you burn more fat. Throw in a couple of days of weights into your routine.

^This. Cardio is great and all, (for some folks) but personally I'm a huge advocate for weight training. Utilize both in proper moderation (REST DAY! REST DAY! REST DAY!) And like it's been stated above, make sure you're eating at a deficit/close to. If you're weight lifting you (or for any reason, really) you don't want to be at a crazy huge deficit or your body will go all "Oh gosh, I'm starving, best not lose any weight!"

I did Stronglifts for about 2 months (albeit, sporadically) and now I'm onto Wendler's 3 days a week with 2 - 3 days of HIIT/Kickboxing, and hot yoga on the occassional Sunday (which is when I'll only do HIIT 2 days a week, so I can get that rest day in).

Depending on where you are, (weight/goal-wise) the scale may not budge. Personally I'm at about where I want to be for weight, but am looking to shred inches. I misinterpreted that as a weight loss goal. Now that I've been weightlifting, I'm actually seeing all those stubborn areas begin to tighten up!

Best of luck, hope this helps!

zoeysasha37

To lose weight you need to eat at a deficit. To make sure your eating at a deficit you'll need to weigh and measure everything you consume.
There is no need to give up carbs and sugar and do insane amounts of cardio.

rrruuunnn

What about your target heart rate. Are you going beyond aerobic to anaerobic? I always stay in my aerobic zone to build vo2 max.

arditarose

I don't see a single thing about how many calories you're consuming. That should have been the very first point in your thread.

rileyes

If you were at a stable weight (not gaining) and introduce cardio to your week you will lose weight.
3500 calories = 1 lb. Divide that by 7 days = 500. Burn 500 extra cardio calories a day and you'll lose one pound a week.

jemhh

Well...are you losing weight?

missbutterfly92

jemhh wrote: »

Well...are you losing weight?

I've lost 3lb so far

CatherineD9889

rileyes wrote: »

If you were at a stable weight (not gaining) and introduce cardio to your week you will lose weight.
3500 calories = 1 lb. Divide that by 7 days = 500. Burn 500 extra cardio calories a day and you'll lose one pound a week.

Thank you for this easy formula! Makes perfect sense! Finally!

portugaline

If you keep on reducing calories and add cardio you will end up not eating almost nothing doing a lot of cardio and not losing all the weight you want.

Try to eat the maximum amount of fiber, protein, and other complex carbs you can and hit your daily calories not staying much bellow.

The answer is most of the times more quality food and more exercise, not less.