A Challenging Post With Some General Questions.

macenro

I have spent the last 2-3 hours using the search feature of the forum to try and find some good answers to a few somewhat unrelated questions. I figure it might just be easier to post here all of my questions so that all the veterans on the site can either point me to posts they have found helpful, or personally answer some of my questions. In my other posts on the forum I have gotten responses that weren't exactly helpful...mainly because I wasn't specific enough. So I am sorry if this post is too long. I just want to make sure everyone knows my position before answering.

General Information:

Height - 5'10"
Weight - 204 lbs
BMI - 29.1
Weight loss so far: 6-8 pounds in 30 days.
Calorie Deficit: 750 calories per day (1.5 pounds per week)

Current Measurements

Neck - 15"
Waist - 43" <----Major problem area. I carry 80+% of my excess fat on my waist
Bicep - 14.5"
Calf - 16"

My exercise so far:

5 days per week I have been exercising
each day I exercise I do C25K walk/jogging
I total about 30 miles of walking/jogging per week and burn roughly 3000-3500 calories per week.

Restrictions

No equipment other than small weights (actually household objects used as weights)
Nothing too technical, because I am never good at keeping the right form for most exercises.
A diet change (other than calorie intake) is not possible at this time.

1) What are some ways to help burn fat quicker?

My main problem is definitely my stomach fat. I've read, in many posts, that you can't really burn fat off of one area so I was wondering if there was any ways to lose overall fat quicker. Would it help to do more cardio or a different kinda of cardio?


2) Should I try a certain exercise video?

I just started "Leslie Sansone - Walking at Home" and it was pretty easy. I was thinking about trying one of the more intense videos. Something like The 30 Day Shred or something else by JM. My main concern is not that I won't do the video consistently, but that I will not be able to do the exercises right. I am worried it will be a waste of time if I am doing incorrect push-ups or whatever exercise there is.

Another thing that worries me is that I will just add muscle (and inches below the stomach fat) but it will only make my stomach look worse.

3) Has anyone stuck with an exercise tape even though they had trouble doing the exercises correctly and still seen results?

I guess this is my biggest question. I am not afraid to try something new (video suggestions welcome) but I am afraid of wasting time and energy if I can't complete the exercises correctly.

MrsRobertson1005

I know that on the JM 30DS or any of her videos, i.e. 6 week 6 pack, she goes over how to do the exercises really well so you can make sure you have the right form. My bf does the 30DS with me and feels it, it's a great workout. Also I know you said diet changes aren't possible but if you can eat whole wheat bread or pasta instead of white it will help a lot with your stomach too, white carbs tend to like to build up there.

j99li

I am currently doing the 30DS and I cant do a push up correctly. Even though I try the easier version of a pushup (on knees) I still cant do it properly. If I find that I cant do the exercise, I will modify it a bit more myself to go a bit easier on me. JM is pretty good about showing form in her videos. There are the 2 girls at the back that are constantly doing the moves in good form and the video always pans to them. But JM actually shows you what she wants you to look like while doing the exercise and shows you what she doesnt want (the types of bad forms).

As for weight loss, I didnt do measurements at the beginning but I can definitely see that my arms are getting a bit slimmer and I can feel a sign of muscle coming in my biceps when I flex (lol). I chose the 30DS because I was getting bored of running on my elliptical so I decided to forego that and use the 30DS as cardio. I would get a lot more sweat from just a 20 min session with JM than I did running on my elliptical. Also, I can see my calves getting a bit smaller. Though there isnt much ab work cuz I want to be able to get my stomach down (similar to what you want)

stronglikebull

ok, you probably won't like this. buy you're going to have to take your balls, place them to the wall, and exert a lot more effort than you currently are. do you have access to like, big-ish soup cans? use them as hand weights and get the 20 day shred. you really should be lifting weights in a gym setting but you'll have to break yourself of the omg too scared to be wrong mindset first. no one is perfect the first time out. and honestly, the fact that you're using that as an excuse means you're scared.

so, start with a much higher demand dvd. in the sense that it will force you to exert more effort. second, you will have to change the composition of your diet at some point. again, sounds like another excuse. you have to have intensity to burn fat. you really also, like i said, be lifting real weights. look into stronglifts 5x5. its an absolute beginners program and if you google it there's even a 'stripped' ULTRA MEGA WEENIE beginner's version that works just as well for like, ultra mega weenie beginners.

start there. be bold and brave and you will get results.

edited! - open your diary. i understand you say you can not change the content of your diet but in order to get results, it will help to know if they're even possible with what you're eating. also, lol that everyone else in the thread so far has suggested 30DS

arw060310

If you have Netflix you can try different workouts without buying them first. But everybody is different. It took me MONTHS to figure out what worked best for me. Walking has made me lose 12lbs, compared to the 0 I lost trying other things. I tried Insanity for awhile but got really discouraged because it was too hard on my body, and a lot of people love that. Just try out different things. But for ME, walking is the only thing I can stick to that gives me good results =] Congrats on your first 8lbs! I hope you find something that works!

CaptainAmerica1970

I stuck with p90x, had trouble with the sit ups, but stuck with it. They eventually became easier. I did see results. are you eating healthy fats too? It takes fat to burn fat. Just as it takes protein to build muscles. Carbs, are for energy. the muscle you build will continue to burn calories for you.

courtneylwatson

My husband and I do both the Leslie Sansone vids and 30DS. It is good to find someone to do it with you for just a bit to help correct your form or exercise in front of a mirror so that you can see your form.

macenro

ok, you probably won't like this. buy you're going to have to take your balls, place them to the wall, and exert a lot more effort than you currently are. do you have access to like, big-ish soup cans? use them as hand weights and get the 20 day shred. you really should be lifting weights in a gym setting but you'll have to break yourself of the omg too scared to be wrong mindset first. no one is perfect the first time out. and honestly, the fact that you're using that as an excuse means you're scared.

so, start with a much higher demand dvd. in the sense that it will force you to exert more effort. second, you will have to change the composition of your diet at some point. again, sounds like another excuse. you have to have intensity to burn fat. you really also, like i said, be lifting real weights. look into stronglifts 5x5. its an absolute beginners program and if you google it there's even a 'stripped' ULTRA MEGA WEENIE beginner's version that works just as well for like, ultra mega weenie beginners.

start there. be bold and brave and you will get results.

edited! - open your diary. i understand you say you can not change the content of your diet but in order to get results, it will help to know if they're even possible with what you're eating. also, lol that everyone else in the thread so far has suggested 30DS

I don't have a job...so I can't change my diet because I am eating whatever my parents buy (and they don't have the money to buy healthy stuff just for me) and I can't lift weights because there is no place within walking distance I could do so...or even afford it.

Suedre

I don't know what you're eating, but I do know that what I eat is easily 85% of my success or failure. Check out the Men's Health ABs diet. You find it on Google pretty easily. It's all store bought foods, most of them quite affordable (cost is a real concern for me). I can eat dinner for a week on a dozen eggs, loaf of whole wheat bread, an avacado, a green pepper, flax seed and tomatoes. There's lots of ways to work the powerfoods together without breaking the bank.

I hope you find the answers you're looking for and get the results your're after. Good Luck!

dragonbug300

As stronglikebull put so eloquently, you need to bump up the intensity to see results.
However, you don't need weights to do strength training. Bodyweight exercises are efficient enough to burn fat and build muscle. I'm a proud bodyrocker, and you might want to check out the website (www.bodyrock.tv) for workout ideas. Many of the workouts are 12 minutes-20minutes long. You'll probably need to use the beginner variations for moves at first, which Zuzana has video examples for, but you'll be so much prouder of yourself when you finish a workout. Also, the results are phenomenal.
Again, it's going to take a lot of commitment and effort. If you have 2-3 hours to search the boards, though, I think you have it in you to push a bit harder physically as well.

Good luck to you.

MochaMixAZ

1) What are some ways to help burn fat quicker?

2) Should I try a certain exercise video?

3) Has anyone stuck with an exercise tape even though they had trouble doing the exercises correctly and still seen results?

Hi! 1st, congrats on your loss so far! And here's a couple of things to think about based on your questions and my personal experience:

1) Cutting calories is the most effective way to go. I've heard it's 80% diet, 20% exercise - but I think it's probably more like 90% diet. The key is to not cut TOO much, but cut enough. I didn't understand from your post what your actual calorie intake is. I'm guessing it should be around 2050. I'd also be wary of eating back all of the extra cals earned during exercise.

I am also of the mind that a calorie does not equal a calorie. How is the quality of your food? Meaning - are you eating processed, high fats foods but staying under calories? Or more whole foods, lean meats, etc? I know it's calories in and calories out, but I personally believe a more healthful calorie begets quicker weight loss. I know this is NOT science... but it's my humble opinion.

2) You may need more of a challenge for your workout. Consider mixing it up more - your body may be getting used to the walking. I would not be concerned about adding muscle to your belly right now - it's likely the benefits will outweigh (Ha!) the potential risk. And, the muscle will tone, lift, etc... so it may actually decrease your waist measurement, especially as the fat percentage decreases. Lastly, if you think the video you were doing was easy - it's time to upgrade.

3) Your last question was the trickiest to weigh in on. I'm not a fan of going through the motions. I don't think you'll see the same results, and you could actually hurt yourself. Consider going to the library and checking out a bunch of fitness DVDs and trying them all until you find you like and that is intuitive for you.

Best of luck to you!

stronglikebull

As stronglikebull put so eloquently, you need to bump up the intensity to see results.
However, you don't need weights to do strength training. Bodyweight exercises are efficient enough to burn fat and build muscle. I'm a proud bodyrocker, and you might want to check out the website (www.bodyrock.tv) for workout ideas. Many of the workouts are 12 minutes-20minutes long. You'll probably need to use the beginner variations for moves at first, which Zuzana has video examples for, but you'll be so much prouder of yourself when you finish a workout. Also, the results are phenomenal.
Again, it's going to take a lot of commitment and effort. If you have 2-3 hours to search the boards, though, I think you have it in you to push a bit harder physically as well.

Good luck to you.

why thank you!

body weight exercises are great too. pilates is a killer workout and you seriously do it sitting on your *kitten*. you can find it on youtube, netflix, maybe even hulu. zuzana is hot as **** so learn from her.



ok. do you or your parents drink milk? use vinegar? anything that comes in a plastic bottle with a handle?! save 2 gallon milk jugs. fill them with water. use them as weights. learn basic movements such as the goblet squat and dead lift. do them with your water gallon weights. i would hope you have access to a hardware store somewhere. buy sand and fill them with sand when the water gets too easy. this should cost you less than $5.

again, you are not 100% completely beholden to your parents. you can rearrange what you eat within the parameters you are given. if you let us see what you're given access to, we can help. trust me thousands of people on this website can't be THAT wrong. plus, don't you want to encourage them to eat better along with you?! by no means am i trying to imply anything bad about your parents. just let us see your diary and we can help.

i will make you my special project so don't expect to hide from me haha.. hmm that didn't sound creepy at all.

MelMoly

My husband...has a Gastro-intestinal issue that causes him to have a puffy middle, in January he decided to work out with me...we did p90. He lost 30 lbs in 90 days and is now in a size 34 pant. The only thing I can say he changed about his diet was yogurt (with lunch and after a workout), and/or probiotics (acidophilus) I just finished 30 Day Shred and some moves I had to modify till I got them.... its easy to give up..but even trying you get a better result than sitting on the couch. Good Luck

janeosu

I say Walk Away the Pounds videos are a great place to start and if you want to bump it up a bit, add in something with more intensity a couple times a week at first and go from there. I'm doing the Shred right now and while some of the moves are challenging, you really do see yourself getting better and stronger and more able to do the moves as you go along. I'm seeing great changes in my stomach - down 1.5 inches after about 2 weeks of the Shred. (I've had 4 kids and the last 2 were twins- my stomach is a wreck and I am amazed how much this is helping)

macenro

i will make you my special project so don't expect to hide from me haha.. hmm that didn't sound creepy at all.

I don't mind doing the work it is just that most of the time I have no idea if I am doing something right and how many I am supposed to do

Kalrez

I've been in the situation where you can't really control what comes out of the kitchen. What you CAN do control is portion sizes, and that will go a long way. Two scoops of mac-n-cheese? Nah, just have one. Pie for dessert? No, thanks! I lived with my boyfriend's parents for a year after I moved from Alabama to Ohio. I didn't have a job for months, so I couldn't buy my own food. They only ate super-processed, sugary, white-carb, canned crap. So I totally get your situation! Skip the soda, juice, etc and drink water - even if it's from your tap. Municipal tap water is regulated more heavily than bottled water, so on average it's safer to drink than bottled.

As far as exercise goes, if you have any spare change at all, a set of 5lb weights will cost ya around $8 at Walmart. In lieu of weights, you can use two big books, soup cans, jugs of water, tires, small children - whatever you have handy! You've got the internet (obviously), so search YouTube for videos. If you've got a P2P program, look for a torrent of exercise DVDs. I know Zumba and 30DS are available as torrents, along with many others. Some cable companies (Time-Warner, I know) offer Exercise TV on demand. You can try out various programs that way.

You said that you're able to walk. Maybe try starting a C25K program. That'll give you some changes in intensity.

freerange

Well we know you have a computer, so google body weight exercises, or something like “how to do a push up”. You need to do resistant type exercises to help burn fat and build muscle tone faster and better than cardio alone will do. You can do pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, jump rope, crunches, dips, and many other weight bearing exercises without any money invested.

And you need to get over the FASTER weight loss mentality, you lost 6-8 pounds your first month, that is pretty darn good. Five pounds a month is a good goal to shoot for, you can do better, but 5 is a good steady pace, and hell a year from now you will be down 60lb. Where would you be a year from now if you kept doing what you were doing?

I’m sure you’re looking but get out and get a job, even minimum wage stuff if you have to until you find something better, ask at all the gyms if they need a janitor or something a couple times a week for free if they let you work out there. Where there’s a will there’s a way,,,,,,,,, find your will and you will find the way.

AmyNVegas

Puffy middle means insulin resistance and exercise though helpful and needed for fitness will not fix this if the diet doesn't change. Chances are your parents have the same issues because genetics usually play a big part in this. You might want to have a chat with them about what they are buying. If you do not feel right talking to them maybe another family member they listen to will do it for you I know how family issues can get and that you do not wan to seem ungrateful to them. Reducing processed carbs and increasing vegetables and proteins will help and actually Walk Away the Pounds can provide pretty high intensity. I just keep increasing the weight I use with videos and I do this by increasing the can size. I started with smaller canned food and worked up to 32oz cans of tomato sauce these provide a pretty intense workout when you are raising them over your head continuously and doing the knee lifts in the workout videos. You can also lift things around the house. Start with lighter things then increase the weight. I am not sure why some people on here think you have to spend a gazillion dollars on equipment to get fit when we have heavy stuff lying all around us in our homes including our own limbs when we are starting out. Good luck with everything and I hope your situation gets better. It's a hard lot to have and I am proud of you for trying to make the best of it.

macenro

I think I might give P90 a try tomorrow. It just gets kinda frustrating because I don't mind the time and effort...I just seem pretty limited in what my body will actually do.

stronglikebull

well you can't expect to just magically be able to do everything silly! start with one thing and make a commitment to complete it, regardless of the program you choose. after reading a few more of your responses, i'd suggest starting with a body weight/no equipment workout, whether that be a dvd, running program, whatever. once you get acclimated to the basics you can incorporate some more extensive and detailed activity. you'll gain a ton of confidence and body awareness the more you move. just gotta get started.

another big thing is not to jump right into something you're not ready for. start with something marketed towards beginners, otherwise you'll set yourself up for failure. no excuses!