Should I increase my workout?

kellijauch

Okay, so I have been working out every other day, maybe every 2 days on bad weeks. I have been running and doing strength training, as well as counting calories of course. I have lost 36 pounds (yay!) I am in a wellness challenge at work. I need to lose 50 pounds by September first, so that leaves me with 14 pounds to burn in about a month and a half. I refuse to take diet pills. I want to do this the healthy, sustainable way, but I also want to win this wellness challenge (the reward is a free all inclusive 4 day trip to Mexico, so obviously, I want this pretty bad). My question is, should I start working out every day? (I'm worried I won't be able to keep that up) What exercises can I do to help give me faster results without buying videos? 14 pounds in a month and a half is going to be tough. Any advice would be appreciated, please.

dangerousdumpling

That is pretty tough, but for a paid vacation I'd give it a shot, too. If it were me I'd eat clean and low cal, vegan if possible, and do lots of cardio. LOTS of cardio.

kellijauch

When I first started this, I ate super clean and the pounds melted off (but I had alot to lose and made some significant changes). I haven't been strict about that lately, and my body is getting used to working out, so things have slowed. I was planning on eating clean again (I actually have been making a grocery list over the past few hours), but do you think I should start running every day then? That sounds so exhausting. Or should I just work out more on the days I already do?

Capt_Apollo

get stricter about your diet. stricter does not mean eat less. just eat better.

your weight is about 80% your diet. exercise for fitness.

that being said, be more consistent with your exercise. strength train three times a week, and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

drink plenty of water.

kellijauch

strength train three times a week, and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

Should be doing these on the same day, or alternating days?

kellijauch

And any advice on specific exercises I should be doing to burn fat?

kellijauch

Anybody else have any advice?

Capt_Apollo

strength train three times a week, and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

Should be doing these on the same day, or alternating days?

what do you think?

kellijauch

Well I normally do them all in the same day. I run a couple miles, then do my strength training. I take it you are suggesting I do them on alternating days?

dangerousdumpling

I have to say that I would only advise this because a free vacation is on the line and it's a temporary thing. Normally, I'd say weight training is the way to go for anyone trying to get in shape. But weight training will make me lose inches and not pounds. It changes the shape of my body, which is great, but I don't lose many pounds. Since the competition is more about losing pounds I would focus on cardio and a clean low cal diet. Run as often as you can. It does sound exhausting but try on your bikini and think about Mexico...and then run.

psuLemon

I have to say that I would only advise this because a free vacation is on the line and it's a temporary thing. Normally, I'd say weight training is the way to go for anyone trying to get in shape. But weight training will make me lose inches and not pounds. It changes the shape of my body, which is great, but I don't lose many pounds. Since the competition is more about losing pounds I would focus on cardio and a clean low cal diet. Run as often as you can. It does sound exhausting but try on your bikini and think about Mexico...and then run.

I would suggest this too. Keep in mind that your weight loss will consist of muscle loss too. Additionally, the 2-3 weeks before the end of the competition, go low carb. The first few weeks of low carb will help you cut a good amount of water weight. But don't expect to keep it off once you start eating carbs again. I would suggest around net 50gs. Net carbs is carbs - fiber. So 80 carbs -30g of fiber = 50 net carbs.

jhstroebel

Interval training... Get the most out of your cardio workout by introducing some intervals... 30 seconds running hard, 30 seconds walking, alternating or something similar. This will help you burn more calories. As for the 15 lbs in a month and a half it'll be difficult but attainable, you'll have to be strict on the diet, keep the calories down, and optimize your calories for pre and post workout to keep from wearing yourself out (if you're gonna up your workout days). For me, I found using strength training as a break from running days work sometimes, and kept me in the gym everyday instead of having a rest day that turned into DAYS. But theres nothing wrong with doing strength and cardio in the same day. Theres alot out there about which you should do first... most say you should get a warm-up before your strength training, but also say you're less likely to lift as heavy and hard after a full cardio workout, so there are trade offs.

Anyway, moral of the story, up your workouts, use strength training to take a break from cardio (you can do it the same days too), introduce some intervals, and most importantly, focus on the diet... its the most important thing!

Good luck, hope you get that trip to MEXICO!

rumplesnat

I workout 7 days a week, but would recommend 5-6 minimum. I love HIIT (high impact interval training) and the Fitness Blender workouts that you can find on YouTube.

Showcase_Brodown

2+ lbs a week? That's fast.

That borders on a crash diet. I'm sure it is possible, but if you are really looking for something healthy and sustainable, keep losing it slowly at about a 20% deficit. That may not be fast enough to win the contest, but you'll be better for it. If you torture yourself now just to get a vacation, it all evens out anyway. Not to mention a vacation will likely cause you to temporarily backslide on some of your goals.

But hey, if you really want to do this, others have pretty much covered how. Good luck. Don't burn yourself out too much and make sure what you are doing is safe.

Capt_Apollo

Well I normally do them all in the same day. I run a couple miles, then do my strength training. I take it you are suggesting I do them on alternating days?

yes.

look,m i'm no stranger to two-a-days. but it takes months of conditioning.

i'm about to do the new york city triathlon, and have only recently started doing two-a-days. and mine are carefully planned. i only do a couple of times a week, and only after having conditioned myself to a stronger level of fitness AND i have balance.

For instance i'll swim in the morning and bike in the afternoon, or i'll bike in the morning and run in the afternoon, or i'll lift in the morning and run or bike in the afternoon (as long as i didn't do legs that morning). or maybe if i did squats that morning i'll bike in the afternoon since squats work the quads which are running muscles. if i did dead lifts in the morning, i'll run in the afternoon because dead lifts work the hammies which are used on the bike.

i have a plan, and goals. but i learned from a lot of trial and error. i remember one time i swam at night, and the next morning went to lift (upper body) and i was spent.

good luck.

kellijauch

Thanks everyone. This is all great advice.

I went to Trader Joes and stocked up on all kinds of organic foods. Clean eating and low calorie all the way!

I am going to try to increase how many miles I run. The only issue is I had knee surgery as a child (pretty bad injury), so every time around 3 miles my knee starts to hurt, and it gets pretty bad if I try to push on further. You think I should get a knee brace? It's a pretty old injury. Would that be beneficial?

What kind of cardio can I do in addition to running (that wouldn't require a gym membership. I work out at home)?