Need some encouragement.... please and thank you

mommabenefield

Thinking that my routine needs some addition of cardio- been doing the Stronglifts 5x5 (without any deliberate cardio) for 3 weeks (9 sessions logged) and although I am happy at my progression so far - meaning my strength has been going up: squatted 85lbs, bench press 65lbs, barbell row 85lbs, deadlift 125lbs, struggling with overhead press I've stalled at 60lbs.
My pictures showed some change, my weight not so much even my inches haven't showed change but that may be due to inaccurate measuring on my part. My diet is good most days, but I end up falling off the wagon often - found that I am an emotional/bored eater (but thats not a good excuse)

Anyway a comment(s) was made to me that I wasn't doing anything in the gym, I still have a spare tire, if they could they would buy me a personal trainer, I don't know what I'm doing.... Yes this person tends to be very insensitive and has some own issues they're working through but tends to take it out on me either knowingly or unknowingly. It was very discouraging.

Just the fact that I've stuck to the program for 3 weeks is an accomplishment. And I know I should probably just ignore it and keep going just to show them they were wrong but as human as I am, I'm discouraged, and I feel like I need to add some cardio just to try to push the results faster. I'm afraid though that may end up pushing me too much and I will get tired out. Even knowing weight loss is mainly diet, I cant help but feel that way now. When I lost weight the first time around it was mainly cardio, towards the end was when I began discovering weight lifting, but i fell into a shlump and then off the wagon and back up to square one....

Sorry for the rambling...

Any words of encouragement to offer?

kgeyser

Ok, words of encouragement….

1. Three weeks is awesome, many people give up on an exercise program within that timeframe. You are doing great.

2. Whoever talks to you like that sucks. Kick them in the shins. Hard. With cleats.

3. I too tend to be an emotional/stress eater, and it is very frustrating. I wish I could be one of those people who could just take a walk or count to ten and be ok. Instead, I eat everything I can get my hands on. I have no real advice on how to deal with it, but I do think it is awesome that you have been able to recognize your triggers, because that's a step in the right direction of getting it under control.

4. Three weeks is awesome, but it's three weeks. You aren't going to see amazing changes in that short period of time. Your body is still getting used to the new exercise routine, and since you are lifting weights and progressing with the amount of weight, you are probably retaining a lot of water. Keep going and don't worry so much about the scale or the measuring tape, just make it a goal to get it done. The weight loss will come, and you are making a change that has so many benefits beyond just weight loss. I would hate to see you get derailed by a stupid scale when you are able to squat 85 lbs. You should be proud of that!

5. As for cardio, cardio does have great cardiovascular and endurance benefits, and it can help in creating a calorie deficit for weight loss. I think that often people believe that they need to do much more cardio than they actually do. I mean, if your goal is to run a marathon, obviously you are going to need to be able to do cardio for a long time. If you are looking to help create a calorie deficit, there are ways to do it that don't involve being on a machine for half your workout. Have you looked into HIIT (high intensity interval training)? It's cardio, but you do brief stints of anaerobic exercise (basically pushing yourself so hard that you move out of the aerobic zone into the anaerobic) for really brief periods, followed by short breaks where you work at a lower level. It's often done at a 2:1 ratio, maybe 30-40 seconds of hard work followed by 15-20 seconds at the lower level, and repeat that pattern for the duration of the workout (warm-ups and cool down not included). You could knock out your cardio quickly, and it is supposed to have great benefits as far as fat burning. It might be a good option that would allow you to include cardio without taking up too much time or burning you out. The nice thing about HIIT is that you determine the time, so you could start out with as little as 4 mins. I'm sure one of the staff or trainers at your gym could tell you more about it, and there are tons of articles online about it.

6. Do not ever do anything to prove something to someone else. Why would you want to improve yourself to impress someone who talks to you like that? People who care about you recognize your successes and encourage you, they don't berate you for what you didn't accomplish. Going from no exercise to 3 days a week is awesome, and you should be proud of yourself. Do not listen to them. Some people just need to have everyone else around them be miserable in order to feel better about themselves. It sounds like you are making much more progress in your own life in just three weeks than this other person is in dealing with their own issues, so keep being awesome and don't let them drag you down.

Fridaklo77

I agree, do it for YOU .... at the end of the day we stand on OUR own 2 feet. Keep going!!! You look good !!!!

TheFangsKittie

I tend to find those with their own issues have the sharpest tongues. I am sure some lifters will be around to help you out. Stivk with it

mommabenefield

Ok, words of encouragement….

1. Three weeks is awesome, many people give up on an exercise program within that time frame. You are doing great.

you are amazing

Thank you, 100% right, 100% right... and I will probably be saving your comment to read over again when I get down. As for hiit, I actually started looking into it yesterday, I am still teetering on it... kinda an old dog new tricks mind frame going on here lol


Also.... Just wanted to note that When I first began trying to get back in shape I was doing it for people other than myself but over the last 3 weeks its become for me only me no one else will reap the benefits of my hard work.
It's hard to hear someone say something so discouraging when you've been trying. Granted my diet needs help still but my activity level is where my accomplishment is right now.

thank you everyone