What was/is your worjout while trying to losing weight?

cosobsession

This is a long post but I hope you'll take some time to read it:

I currently weight 99 Kg (218 lbs) and am folliwing a meal plan provided by a nutritionnist in order to stay in a caloric deficit (I get a new meal plan every week).

As per my workouts, the doctor says i should stick with doing long walks every day but:

1- It's not very safe for women where I live and I always get anxious if I walk alone in the streets (Catcalls, staring, creeps following you etc);
2- I find it boring

So I opted for renewing my gym membership and do some workouts.

For context, I have been working out on and off for the past three years and my workouts consisted of HIIT circuit training, boxing, crosstraining... I do run from time to time but that's not something I enjoy. I also tend to overworkout, I used to track my workout sessions and if I didn't burn 900 calories per session (I know fitness devices are not 100% accurate) I would'nt consider it a good workout. Last march I got a severe ankle splint (It was so dumb, I was so exhausted from working out I tripped while boxing and ended up wearing a leg cast for 3 weeks, doing physical therapy etc).

It's been 5 months and My ankle is 90% back to normal but I am now more aware of avoiding injuries and not overworking my body.

So now I try to only workout 3 times a week, and my workouts consist of walking 15 min on the treadmill as a warmup followed by circuit training (I mostly use kettle bells and dumbells and stick to static exercises and avoid jumping because I don't want to put too much pressure on my knees and ankles).

The thing is, I would also like to do some weight lifting but am afraid it does'nt burn calories? I don't adhere to the popular beliefe that you should only start weightlifting when you dropped the weight but I don't know how helpful weightlifting is to my weightloss.

I would like to know what you think about my approch and also if you could share with me the type of workouts you were practicing while losing weight and how it helped your body.

springlering62

Ummmmm….. popular belief? Where in the world did you get that idea?

If you want to weight train, the best time to do it is during the weight loss process, not after.

Why wait til later to start working on muscles and shape? So many people here reach goal and then complain about so called “skinny fat”.

A lot of people cut so hard losing weight that they also lose muscle and then have to start from scratch to rebuild it.

I started weight training about six months into my weight loss and am so glad I did.

I don’t record weight training sessions as “exercise” for calories because they are so stop and start. But that’s just me.

I started out simply walking and doing yoga a few times a week. My yoga wasn’t particularly “power” because I was so big, but I had yoga goals I desperately wanted to reach. Those required upper body strength, so I started working out with a trainer.

I found I really enjoyed weightlifting. I’m no great shakes at it, but I like it nonetheless, and it’s helped (dreaded word here:) tone me into a shape I now like.

The weights helped the yoga, and then I took up Pilates, then tried my own version of Couch to 5k. I also do aquafit several times a week, and then started doing some spin and HIIT classes my gym offered. I usually walk or ride my bike to the gym.

I’m looking forward to trying their barre class tomorrow.

Next on the agenda is walking a bunch of state park trails with my husband for a mapping project. We walk the trails, their BETA app will map us, and hopefully make the info available for other users. I’m really looking forward to that.

I like a variety of things. It holds my interest. I would absolutely climb the walls if I had to do a treadmill or elliptical, but again, that’s just me.

I still want to try jump roping and rebounding, and I got an SUP two months ago I haven’t even had a chance to try yet.

Do what you enjoy. Try something new. If you don’t like it, move on and try something else. There’s sooooooo many choices and so little time.

springlering62

Os nutritionist or dietician? In the US, any Tom Dick or Harry can call themselves a nutritionist, including multi-level marketers or gym personnel hawking shakes for a commission.

Dietician is a college degree.

My dietician was worth her weight in gold. She recommended foods but never tried to sell me any.

cosobsession

I don't live in the US and mine is a doctor who after graduationg medical school decided to focus on nutrition.
Thanks for sharing your experience

15822

I'm in a similar boat - I started my current streak at 101 kg and I walk a lot, but the weather is getting worse so I've started transitioning to gym time. I used to run 10K twice a week a few years ago and it sure made me lose weight, but deep down I've never really enjoyed it. I was just so bored and stared at the stats the whole time (just keep running until 2 KM - now keep running until calories burned is a round number - now run until the next full 5 minutes). There was one time I brought my iPad in with me and stuck it on top of the treadmill and participated in a work zoom call (with camera off) while on treadmill. I felt like I was getting away with something - I still got all the information, but got 2 boring activities out of the way at the same time. Perhaps walking for the duration of an episode of a TV show is a way to go for you?
With my current streak I don't run at all, but cycle instead. I got roped into a spin class once about 7 years ago and I fell in love! If your gym has exercise bikes, you can stick your phone on and play a spin class video - it's completely different from just riding a bike (I enjoy both, but it's two different activities). For comparison, typical stats from a 45 min spin class (left) and an hour long outdoor bike ride (right) and it's much easier to manage intensity than on a treadmill.


I also used to do olympic lifting. It's completely static (there are moves with jumps in them, but considering the combination of individual moves I have to master before I can do an entire clean&jerk or snatch in one go, that we can just assume that no there aren't). I loved it! But I've got arthritis in my back and I recently recovered from a particularly bad bout of it, so I am terrified of hurting my back again (I currently lift 2.5 kg dumbbells at home just to exercise my motion range). I'm totally going back to weightlifting once I'm ready though. Like you, I don't feel like I'm exercising though. I lifted a barbell without even any plates on 5 times? That doesn't feel like anything! And as a data junkie, it does not help that my Fitbit doesn't pick that up as exercise, particularly because I spend a lot more time resting and changing plates than I do actual lifting. Here's how I trick my stupid brain into appreciating weight lifting:
1. Progression journal. The heaviest weight I can currently lift is just the bar? Well, let's make it bodyweight this time next year. Make a plan for how much I would need to increase each week, just like with my weight loss plan. Then plot my progress in a spreadsheet (there's a lot of fluctuation week to week for me, so it helps to see the overall trend). Boom! Data points! Motivation!
2. You can only lose weight so fast. If you do extra cardio, you have to eat more to avoid a dangerous calorie deficit. But if you do extra strength training and eat those calories back, you can end up with a smaller/tighter body at the same weight and lose a dress size quicker while maintaining the same 500 cal deficit.
3. If it really doesn't feel like you're working out when you do strength, remember it's going to make you stronger, so carrying your shopping home/taking cobwebs off the ceiling/pushing the couch out of the way to clean the floor will make you less tired. Less tired = fewer rest breaks after housework = higher TDEE.
4. Do my strength work after I ride the bike as a cool down activity for 20 min.

cosobsession

15822 wrote: »

I'm in a similar boat - I started my current streak at 101 kg and I walk a lot, but the weather is getting worse so I've started transitioning to gym time. I used to run 10K twice a week a few years ago and it sure made me lose weight, but deep down I've never really enjoyed it. I was just so bored and stared at the stats the whole time (just keep running until 2 KM - now keep running until calories burned is a round number - now run until the next full 5 minutes). There was one time I brought my iPad in with me and stuck it on top of the treadmill and participated in a work zoom call (with camera off) while on treadmill. I felt like I was getting away with something - I still got all the information, but got 2 boring activities out of the way at the same time. Perhaps walking for the duration of an episode of a TV show is a way to go for you?
With my current streak I don't run at all, but cycle instead. I got roped into a spin class once about 7 years ago and I fell in love! If your gym has exercise bikes, you can stick your phone on and play a spin class video - it's completely different from just riding a bike (I enjoy both, but it's two different activities). For comparison, typical stats from a 45 min spin class (left) and an hour long outdoor bike ride (right) and it's much easier to manage intensity than on a treadmill.


I also used to do olympic lifting. It's completely static (there are moves with jumps in them, but considering the combination of individual moves I have to master before I can do an entire clean&jerk or snatch in one go, that we can just assume that no there aren't). I loved it! But I've got arthritis in my back and I recently recovered from a particularly bad bout of it, so I am terrified of hurting my back again (I currently lift 2.5 kg dumbbells at home just to exercise my motion range). I'm totally going back to weightlifting once I'm ready though. Like you, I don't feel like I'm exercising though. I lifted a barbell without even any plates on 5 times? That doesn't feel like anything! And as a data junkie, it does not help that my Fitbit doesn't pick that up as exercise, particularly because I spend a lot more time resting and changing plates than I do actual lifting. Here's how I trick my stupid brain into appreciating weight lifting:
1. Progression journal. The heaviest weight I can currently lift is just the bar? Well, let's make it bodyweight this time next year. Make a plan for how much I would need to increase each week, just like with my weight loss plan. Then plot my progress in a spreadsheet (there's a lot of fluctuation week to week for me, so it helps to see the overall trend). Boom! Data points! Motivation!
2. You can only lose weight so fast. If you do extra cardio, you have to eat more to avoid a dangerous calorie deficit. But if you do extra strength training and eat those calories back, you can end up with a smaller/tighter body at the same weight and lose a dress size quicker while maintaining the same 500 cal deficit.
3. If it really doesn't feel like you're working out when you do strength, remember it's going to make you stronger, so carrying your shopping home/taking cobwebs off the ceiling/pushing the couch out of the way to clean the floor will make you less tired. Less tired = fewer rest breaks after housework = higher TDEE.
4. Do my strength work after I ride the bike as a cool down activity for 20 min.

Thank you for your answer, I should definitely try watching a movie or a show while walking on the threadmil or while cycling (We do have an RPM space in the gym)

And since you brought up fitness devices, for now I've decided to stop wearing my fitness watch as I was getting obsessed with the numbers instead of enjoying the workout... I use the app "Strong" to plan and log in my workouts and seeing the progress is definitely rewarding.

cmriverside

As far as weight loss, that's going to be mostly about controlling your food intake.

Walking is great exercise, but you're not going to burn a ton of calories so focus on food calories mostly.

I did mostly walking, swimming, and a little light resistance stuff during weight loss. That's still what I do to maintain my loss. I've been at my goal weight for 15 years.

I agree with the above, it's better to start your weights training now rather than later, but don't count it as much of a calorie burner.

I would also suggest weighing yourself daily while you're losing and recording it on some online weight trending site or app. It's important to learn about your personal weight fluctuations.

Chef_Barbell

I lifted heavy things then put them back down the whole time I was losing. 🤷‍♀️

Retroguy2000

You're correct that doing weights burns fewer calories at the time than cardio, but there are many other benefits. Most of your calorie management is probably coming from diet anyway, rather than the delta between a cardio workout and a weights workout. That said, if you have a lot to use, I would suggest initially doing more cardio with some weights, then as you lose more, do more weights.

Don't waste your time doing isolation stuff either, like triceps pushdowns, biceps curls etc. Stick to the compounds for max rewards with less time: squats, lunges, rows, presses, lifts.

sijomial

"The thing is, I would also like to do some weight lifting but am afraid it does'nt burn calories? "
But how could this possibly be true?
Where does the energy come from to move heavy objects if not from your body's energy stores?

"I don't adhere to the popular beliefe that you should only start weightlifting when you dropped the weight but I don't know how helpful weightlifting is to my weightloss."
I hope that's not a popular belief because it's really dumb and I'm glad you don't believe it.
Strength/resistance training while losing is really important if your goal is fat loss rather than just weight loss. There is a danger of losing muscle in a deficit (especially a big deficit) and training is one of the biggest factors in avoiding unecessary muscle loss.
But change your mindset from exercise FOR weightloss to exercise DURING weight loss (and beyond...). It's a great thing to do for your health and body composition and that applies whether you are losing weight or not.
It's not a big calorie burner (quite similar burn rate to walking) but that's really not the point.
It's eating a bit less that drives your weight loss.

"I would like to know what you think about my approch and also if you could share with me the type of workouts you were practicing while losing weight and how it helped your body."

A combination of cardio and restance/strength training is ideal for your health so thumbs up for your plan. Not a fan of walking on a treadmill (visons of hamster on a wheel.....) but there's loads of options so why not try them? You might find something you actively enjoy and that's one of the keys to exercise becomming a habit for life.

My routine during weight loss was strength training for an hour x3 a week and mostly cycling for cardio.
At maintenance my strength training is similar but my cyclng volume has gone through the roof.

cwolfman13

The thing is, I would also like to do some weight lifting but am afraid it does'nt burn calories? I don't adhere to the popular beliefe that you should only start weightlifting when you dropped the weight but I don't know how helpful weightlifting is to my weightloss.

Everything burns calories. You burn a *kitten* ton of calories merely existing and nothing else. You burn calories going about your day to day stuff and burn calories with exercise. You burn calories 24/7 even if you're in a coma.

Burning some extra calories is a nice biproduct of regular exercise, but really shouldn't be your reason to exercise. I do the same exercise in maintenance as I did when I was losing weight...the major difference between those two goals is how many calories I'm consuming, not what exercise I'm doing. Again, a handful of extra calories (for the average person) from exercise is nice, but it's generally a pretty small piece of your overall energy (calorie) needs relative to merely existing and going about your day to day stuff.

Most health bodies recommend 150 minutes of light cardio (such as walking) of 75 minutes of more moderate to strenuous cardiovascular exercise per week to keep your cardiovascular system in good health...nothing to do with weight loss. Those same health bodies recommend at least 2x per week of full body resistance training of some kind to help maintain muscle mass and bone density. The latter being particularly important for women who are more susceptible to osteoporosis.

I'm not sure where it is common knowledge to only start lifting when you've already dropped weight...this is most certainly not the recommendation of anyone into health and fitness. In the absence of resistance training while dieting, you will lose more muscle than you otherwise would. This sucks in that lost muscle also reduces resting metabolism...and muscle is a *kitten* to build back. Maintain what you have to the greatest degree that you can.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

My pals above are right that resistance training does burn calories, but it doesn't burn that many unless you do it in an aerobic manner. (Whence it's called "circuit training.") Generally, the purpose is to get stronger, which has many benefits.

Your statement that you want to burn 900kcals per workout is telling. That is a high goal to meet on a regular basis. To burn that by walking you'd be going at a good clip for a couple of hours. You might clock 7 miles, for example. No wonder you get bored!

I have a bit of tension about wanting to burn calories in order to eat what I want. It can get out of hand if you focus solely on the calories burned. Ideally, you mix up your workouts: aerobics, weights, hard days, easy days, and rest days.

Best of luck!

TicTacToo

As a newbie, one thing I've enjoyed about doing strength training even though I'm still overweight is that the signs of progress boost my otherwise low self-esteem. I often don't like trying to find clothes that fit, or meeting strangers, or looking in mirrors at my current weight. But I do feel proud of myself for my achievements in strength training... my shirts and pants fit differently now I have a bit more muscle, I can feel myself walking more confidently, and I like how my arms feel. Also I can clearly manage heavier weights now than I could 8 weeks ago, and those weights machines aren't just saying that to be nice! So I reckon you should give it a go :-)

cosobsession

Thank you @Retroguy2000 , @sijomial , @cwolfman13 , @Jthanmyfitnesspal and @TicTacToo for your kind replies.

Thank you also for reassuring me that strenght/resistance training (Which is what I enjoy most) is good for me, and for emphasizing that I should workout in other goals in mind thank weight loss which definitely makes it more appealing.

As per the "Popular belief" I made reference to, I have never been to a gym or spoken to a fitness coach without being told I should focus on cardio training rather than weight training because it's going to "Bulk me up" and not burn fat. I have even been told that it would "Stop my body from burning fat and build muscle around the fat I already have and make me huge", which is absolutely ridiculous. Even on the internet I find conflicting information about this which is why I wanted to learn from other people's experiences.

Thank you again for your insightful replies, now I can plan my workouts in peace and actually do things I enjoy lol.

Chef_Barbell

👍 Good luck

cwolfman13

cosobsession wrote: »

Thank you @Retroguy2000 , @sijomial , @cwolfman13 , @Jthanmyfitnesspal and @TicTacToo for your kind replies.

Thank you also for reassuring me that strenght/resistance training (Which is what I enjoy most) is good for me, and for emphasizing that I should workout in other goals in mind thank weight loss which definitely makes it more appealing.

As per the "Popular belief" I made reference to, I have never been to a gym or spoken to a fitness coach without being told I should focus on cardio training rather than weight training because it's going to "Bulk me up" and not burn fat. I have even been told that it would "Stop my body from burning fat and build muscle around the fat I already have and make me huge", which is absolutely ridiculous. Even on the internet I find conflicting information about this which is why I wanted to learn from other people's experiences.

Thank you again for your insightful replies, now I can plan my workouts in peace and actually do things I enjoy lol.

In a calorie deficit, this is biologically impossible. Not to mention that "bulking up" is a very deliberate thing both in terms of training protocol and diet. Not all weight lifting programs are conducive to putting on significant mass...there are very specific programs for hypertrophy (bulking). When you're dieting, you are also in a catabolic state...building any significant muscle outside of newb gains requires you to be in an anabolic state (calorie surplus).

I have been lifting for years and I'm in no way bulky or remotely look like a body builder or anything like that. At maintenance my aesthetics are "sporty" or "athletic" or "fit". My lifting program doesn't involve enough volume to bulk on significant muscle mass as to body build or bulk up, nor do I eat the requisite calories to do so. Rest assured that bulking up requires significant energy (calories), and optimal hypertrophy programming. It is difficult for a male without those genetics, but even more difficult for females due to lower testosterone production.