Cardio for weight loss - what's your experience?

Shanahan09

For myself. I stagger my strength training and cardio. Strength train 3x a week, cardio 3 or 4x. For cardio I either go hiking, or put my treadmill on a program that has an incline every couple of minutes, or make up my own circuit with a mixture of the two (cardio and weight bearing excercises). By upping my heartrate every few minutes it burns calories more effectively for me. Personally, I hate weight machines at the gym. I've always prefered free weights, and incorporating my own body weight. Sorry to say..but if you're eating chips and other goodies, that can impede your success for weight loss. Right now I'm eating clean and the lbs are coming off nicely...as soon as I eat junk...BAM, they're on, either with the sodium intake, or just simply too many calories per day. Up the ante maybe...change up your workout to shock your body. Everyone is different on how they lose weight. Food is 80% of it for me.

servilia

It's not your workout that's sabotaging you. 90% of weight loss is the food you eat. Lots of people claim they're keeping track well, but then when pressed, admit they don't include the milk/sugar in coffee, or ketchup, or mayo, or dressing... you get my point. Do you have a measuring cup? A food scale? You'd be shocked how much people underreport.
For loss you should have a lower goal than net 1800. I would go back to 1500, or even 1200.

wendorfa

For myself I do not eat back my exercise calories. Some days I might eat some of them if I've gone out or something. I generally do cardio 5 days a week, don't go over my calories, and a LOT of days I'm at around 1250 calories for the day. Since the end of June I have lost almost 30 lbs (will weigh in tomorrow and should be down again). It's working for me! Oh and in August I had 3 weeks of NO exercise because I got really sick, but I did stick to my diet.

Shanahan09

Why did you bump it up? If you bumped it up and aren't losing, then maybe it's not enough of a deficit. Was there a reason you bumped it to 1800?

This! Too many calories. I know everyone is different but I need to be between 1230-1300 to lose (& not eat back my exercise calories)!!

Same here...I try to stick to 1300-1350, and never eat back my exercise calories. (If I was training to be in a marathon, then yeah)

fromaquasar

Question for the OP - do you weigh your food?

lawtechie

OP, how much do you have to lose? How much are you aiming to lose a week? If you don't have a lot to lose, it can be very slow. You might want to try switching to a goal of losing 1/2 pound per week (if you have 20 or less pounds to lose). On the flip side, you may actually not be eating enough. Do you eat your exercise calories?

I'd like to lose about 30 more pounds, but I'd be happy to get down to 150 (I'm at 173 now). My MFP settings were originally set to lose 1 pound a week, but I've changed that to 1/2 pound because I need to increase my calories for the extra strength training. I try to eat my exercise calories but I don't always. It's occurred to me that the problem might be that I'm not eating enough calories... but I'm nervous about eating more. Also after months of restricting my calories I just don't feel hungry anymore so I'm not sure how I could increase my calories without resorting to junk food.

How tall are you? I'm about your same weight for me to lose 1 lb a week I need to eat about 1320 calories before exercise, and I strive to exercise at least 1 hr/day for 5 days to burn about 360 calories/day, and I don't generally eat ALL my exercise calories back.

Has a professional (e.g. nutritionist/dietitian) calculated your BMR? MFP's isn't necessarily accurate. You may be eating too much to expect the pound loss. As others said sodium can be a factor too. Your metabolism may be a bit out of whack tooo, but I agree with the others it is mostly diet that helps w/ the weight loss. The exercise helps your hearts and lungs.

SafireBleu

I lose best when i am doing cardio. I do not loose weight with strength training but gain muscle. For me it is all about the food. I can't do lots of carbs. I have to do higher protein. Try switching up what you are eating for a few weeks and see what happens.

Lozze

Why would you want to have a thyroid issue. There are so many other options to get you to lose weight but we need some basics that I don't believe I saw in this thread like your height (I know your age and weight). We need to first establish what your basal metabolic rate is. Then we can determine how much energy you expend throughout the day (TDEE) and the form a deficit. We can discover your caloric needs. So lets take this in steps.

Because she's working her toosh off and nothing is helping?

Wait for your doctors results. Talk to them first. Maybe go see a nutritionist? It would also help to open your diary.

I would also try lowering your calories as higher doesn't seem to be working.

kristyemilia

It is frustrating! but I agree, don't eat back your exercise calories if you can help it. I don't think you're doing anything too wrong other than that.

I definitely think seeing a nutritionist or dietician could really help you get your calorie intake back on track?

There are lots of yummy treats out there lower in calories and bigger portions that you can have other than ice cream. (check out some blogs etc, chocolate covered katie is a fav of mine)

psuLemon

Why would you want to have a thyroid issue. There are so many other options to get you to lose weight but we need some basics that I don't believe I saw in this thread like your height (I know your age and weight). We need to first establish what your basal metabolic rate is. Then we can determine how much energy you expend throughout the day (TDEE) and the form a deficit. We can discover your caloric needs. So lets take this in steps.

Because she's working her toosh off and nothing is helping?

Wait for your doctors results. Talk to them first. Maybe go see a nutritionist? It would also help to open your diary.

I would also try lowering your calories as higher doesn't seem to be working.

Just because ehat she has tried isnt working isnt a reason to wish for bodily function issue. There sre other methods i have jn mind and have used on many others that could help her. I also think we need to see her food diary because there might be other issues in there, ei high sodium, higher carb, etc. I know jts frustrating but its not an excuse in my opinion. My friend had thyriod cancer and that was rough to see someone go through and even more, thyroid medicine wont gaurentee weight loss.

Molissa08

Wow, you look fantastic! Very motivational.

What you eat is at least 90% of the equation. I have lost 110 pounds and it took me a year. I changed my way of eating completely (but slowly) and the only exercise I did for that year was walk.. I walked a LOT, anywhere from 3 miles to 13 miles a day! But I was extremely strict and careful as to what I ate. Now a year later I still mainly do cardio but I am now a runner, I bike and still do a lot of walking. I started weight training over the summer a few times a week (not consistently) and that got me toned and lost clothes sizes, but no drop on the scale. Make sure you are eating whole foods, as natural as possible, only good whole grain carbs, keep your protein intake high, eat TONS of veggies and fruits, and let yourself have a cheat day or meal. I have had Sundays as my cheat day for 2 years, and again- I lost 110 pounds

LessOfMePlease

Okay, folks... Hope this doesn't make me unpopular. I've been using MFP since mid-August. Started workouts and calorie counting on 8/29. Lost 20 lbs between 8/29 and 10/24/11. Got frustrated that so many others were losing more; I was eating my exercise calories and doing everything "by the book". So in my frustration, I ate over my 1370 allowed calories for THREE DAYS... and noticed the scale moving to smaller numbers.

So I upped my daily calorie limit, and I've lost six pounds in the last ten days.

I hate to say this, but... it IS possible the daily calorie requirement given by MFP might just not work for everyone - like ME! So to the OP, I suggest you add a bit to your intake and see what that does. Cardio is good for you. Strength training is key, too. Good luck!

santini1975

I am one of the unlucky people that could pretty much starve myself and not lose a pound unless I work out I've been doing nutrisystem and walking on a treadmill at the highest incline or using an elliptical for 45mins to an hour- about 5 days a week. If I cut down on the cardio, the weight loss slows down. Sucky.

psuLemon

I am one of the unlucky people that could pretty much starve myself and not lose a pound unless I work out I've been doing nutrisystem and walking on a treadmill at the highest incline or using an elliptical for 45mins to an hour- about 5 days a week. If I cut down on the cardio, the weight loss slows down. Sucky.

Have you tried strength training or HIIT training? Because unless you modify your workout, you body will adjust and plateau
Also once you get to the point that you want definition, cardio wont cut it. ST is criticial to an increased metabolism as well. So long term ST will burn more calories. Cardio is good for short term loss.