1 Year Fitness Anniversary & Disappointed

Lauriee2014

I am "obsessing" tonight.. I'm coming up to one year at the gym and have only lost about 32 lbs. I wanted to be "hot" by now. Seriously, I thought I'd be going to the beach this summer. Sigh.. it's still better than nothing, but it doesn't seem I've gained as much as I've put in. I do weight machines.. started off shy, but am working my through the different sections. I do cardio 6 days a week. I've switched from "fat burn" mode one night and "cardio" the next.. to mainly cardio [80% heart rate]. Now I do "random" mode on the treadmill.. my heartrate sometimes going up to 159.

Like I said, I'm obsessing. I am under calorie intake nearly every day. Not by much often. I don't know.

emmaleigh47

And your disappointed about 32 pounds... are your exercising because you want to lose weight, or because you want to be fit?
Have you noticed significant gains in your fitness level, what you can lift, etc?

wildbio

I'm with emmaleigh. How do your clothes fit lately? What lifestyle changes have you made that you never considered over a year ago? I know it can be easy to be discouraged and to spiral but if you see how far you've come to this point and realize those 32 pounds are NEVER coming back, I think a happy dance should be in order. Allow yourself to be upset if you want but take that energy and use it to tackle the gym. Good luck to you!

Atlantique

And I quote you:
"Why I Want To Get In Shape
to have a strong, healthy body.
to increase my physical endurance.
to become more confident"

I'd have to believe that after a year, you've met these goals. Well, 2 of the 3 anyway.

And you've lost nearly a piund per week--that's admirable! Go pick up something that weighs 32 pounds ( a bag of dog food is close) and carry that around for an hour or two. You'll quickly appreciate what you've lost!

What does your diet look like? 90% of weight loss is what you eat.

EricMurano

Firstly acknowledge the work you've already achieved. 32 pounds is a fair amount of weight to lose no matter how long it took.

A few questions:

What was your starting weight?

What was your calorie goal and how did you determine it?

Have you lowered your calorie target slightly when you noticed that the rate of weight loss wasn't high enough?

Remember the closer to your ideal weight (actually body fat percentage) the slower the rate of fat loss.

The hardest part of calorie counting is determining that calorie goal. The automatic tools are good at guessing how many calories to eat but they're not perfect. Even if you have two people that are the same height, same weight and same body fat percentage their calorie requirements will not be exactly the same!

One strategy for determining your calorie goal for weight loss is to use one of the online calculators and try the calorie goal for two weeks. If you don't lose weight then remove 200 calories from the goal. Again try it for two weeks and if you don't lose weight remove 200 calories.

By the same token if you lose too much weight, then add 100 or 200 calories. The rule of thumb is 1% of body weight per week is safe. Any faster than that and you're losing too much muscle and lean body tissue.

purple1butterfly

I am "obsessing" tonight.. I'm coming up to one year at the gym and have only lost about 32 lbs. I wanted to be "hot" by now. Seriously, I thought I'd be going to the beach this summer. Sigh.. it's still better than nothing, but it doesn't seem I've gained as much as I've put in. I do weight machines.. started off shy, but am working my through the different sections. I do cardio 6 days a week. I've switched from "fat burn" mode one night and "cardio" the next.. to mainly cardio [80% heart rate]. Now I do "random" mode on the treadmill.. my heartrate sometimes going up to 159.

Like I said, I'm obsessing. I am under calorie intake nearly every day. Not by much often. I don't know.

Well done for your weight loss.
I was 180lb 5yrs ago & i lost 30lb over year. then i met my husband & become pregnant, two children later i now weigh 188lb. I am now trying to get fit again. I will get fit & stay there.
Please do not give in, you have done extremely well so far.

Vrooman

Girl, I am sooo proud of you! You have overcome so many obstacles in this past year to accomplish this weight lose - and you did most of them before losing the weight! You look awesome, you are so much more healthy, you are making great choices, taking healthy risks for your life and feeling great about working out. You have no reason to be discouraged or disappointed in yourself. . . YOU ARE AWESOME!

Vrooman

Oh, I almost forgot. . . and you have been my inspiration and motivation to stop having excuses and get myself in shape again!

Lauriee2014

Awwww, you made me cry. Instantly! You're right, there was a lot of other "stuff" going on to overcome besides the weight. Was just having a down moment I guess. ["Beach weather" coming up.]

Thanks! Love you!

Lauriee2014

Hi

Yes, I am way more fit than last year. I have way more endurance and stamina. I used to do weight training for about 30-45 mins then cardio for 45 to 60 mins. Now I do weight training for an hour or more, with 30-45 mins cardio. I have well defined muscles in my legs and stronger arms. I can run up 3 flights of stairs - or walk and carry a dog, gym bag and groceries..and not get winded. My blood pressure is no longer borderline high and this winter I didn't get the "winter blues" I used to sometimes get.

So, you've made me think. I am a much healthier, happier, more energetic person now than I year ago!

Lauriee2014

Thanks. I am actually in a 14 jeans..when I was in a 20. My tops are an XL when they were 2x. My workout pants are a large.. not 2x. In fact- last time I went into a fashion bug, the sales lady called me over and said I was on the wrong side [I was in the plus section..which is where I'd been shopping til recently!]

Lauriee2014

I'm feeling rebuked! Eeeek.

My nutrition is where I struggle the most. I eat a lot of "healthy" foods [fiber, protein, chicken, fish, turkey, egg whites, tuna] but emphasis on a LOT. Peanut butter and ice cream were downfalls, too. I now buy a single serve skinny cow as a treat on Saturdays. I use peanut butter on days I'm running too low on calories. I am trying to have salad with lunch and dinner. I am drinking water and taking vitamins, fish oil and chromium picolinate. Consistency has been lacking with nutrition, but I am at the gym 6 days a week. I went from a full time office job to a part time office job and another job where I am on my feet and moving. It's a process.. and until I realized I was reaching the year mark.. I was pretty pleased with my progress. I guess in looking back, I'd just hoped to see a bigger change. Before and after pics would have been helpful. Live and learn.

Lauriee2014

Firstly acknowledge the work you've already achieved. 32 pounds is a fair amount of weight to lose no matter how long it took.

A few questions:

What was your starting weight?

What was your calorie goal and how did you determine it?

Have you lowered your calorie target slightly when you noticed that the rate of weight loss wasn't high enough?

Remember the closer to your ideal weight (actually body fat percentage) the slower the rate of fat loss.

The hardest part of calorie counting is determining that calorie goal. The automatic tools are good at guessing how many calories to eat but they're not perfect. Even if you have two people that are the same height, same weight and same body fat percentage their calorie requirements will not be exactly the same!

One strategy for determining your calorie goal for weight loss is to use one of the online calculators and try the calorie goal for two weeks. If you don't lose weight then remove 200 calories from the goal. Again try it for two weeks and if you don't lose weight remove 200 calories.

By the same token if you lose too much weight, then add 100 or 200 calories. The rule of thumb is 1% of body weight per week is safe. Any faster than that and you're losing too much muscle and lean body tissue.

---

Thanks.

I was 237 at my highest. I was roughly 225 last January. I am not exactly certain what weight I was one year ago. I am now 184. So it's more like 41 lbs in 14 months. I really didn't have a calorie goal before I joined here. I just joined the gym... tried to eat healthy. and tried to burn 400-500 calories/day to help lose 1lb per week.

Now I use the recommended amount on MFP for the recommended 1 lb per week loss. I try to stay 200 or more calories under that, "just in case". [Like you said, it's not perfect.]

My BMI has also gone down over 9 pts. Which I am THRILLED about. That and lower blood pressure.

The comments here have made me think. So I still have a gut to work off, but I certainly AM better off now than a year ago, in more ways than just weight loss. I also have a firmer, stronger body, and I'd like to belive I've gained some precious muscle that weighs a little too! :bigsmile: