Fitness or Weight?

psuLemon

I am actually surprised by the amount of people who care about being fit over weight since the two are slightly different approaches. Now for all those who say fitness, do you have a smaller deficit in order to maintain lean muscle mass and do your workouts consist of weight training?

Have a smaller deficit than what? I include some weight training, but more strength training without weights (I don't have a lot of weights or a gym membership) as well as plenty of aerobics and calesthenics. I've stopped counting calories every day because it was just too much so I don't always know my deficit.

When I speak of a small deficit, i refer to a 250 calorie deficit or even a 500. In many case, many people on this forum aim for the good ol' 2 lbs per week which is a 1000 calorie deficit or people will have a 500 calorie deficit and not eat back exercise calories.

bzmommy34

A few years ago I was at the salon getting my hair done by a twig of a girl and we started talking about the C25K program. She proceeded to tell me that she was so completely out of shape that she couldn't even jog for one block the week before. Up to that point, I have to admit that I was one of those that believed that as long as I could get skinny, I would be healthy and fit. From that day on I did what I needed to do to actually educate myself on what it truly means to be a fit person. Last August, after training for six months, I rode in a 125 mile bicycle ride at 168lbs and there were much smaller people in the ride that were getting picked up by the sweep vans - I finished every single mile. What an awesome feeling that was!

I took several months off of being good to my body after that ride and that is why I am back here. Of course it feels good to see the scale go down when you are considered obese by BMI but that definitely is not my focus and never will be again.

I bet that was awesome! Good for you. I'm 169# right now and training for back-to-back century rides this summer (Seattle to Portland) and they don't offer any sweep vans. You don't make it, you arrange your own rescue ride. Failure is not an option, LOL.

I started this journey focused on weight but in the last few months, my goals are focused on fitness goals (strength and endurance) and losing inches. The weight loss seems to be following along just fine. I only weigh weekly because I'm in a family contest which requires it. If I had my way, I probably wouldn't weigh more than once a month.

Good for you! I did not allow myself to view the sweep vans as an option and believe you me, there were plenty of times I thought I was going to die! Cat 5 hills (mountains!!!) - BIGGEST mental accomplishment of my life!

Good luck on your rides! I am so ready for spring (Minnesota) to come so I can get my road bike out. There's only so many miles you can put on a trainer before you are going crazy!

SabrinaJL

It actually started out as being all about health. I was never terribly bothered by my weight. What did bother me was that I was 33 and had been on bp meds since my mid 20s. My main goal was to get my blood pressure down to normal and off the medication. That's happening now. At my doc on Tuesday, she told me to start taking half of one pill every 3 days and after 2 weeks, to stop taking it.

But for some reason, I've totally become fixated on the weight lately. Maybe it's because I'm coming up on a year and am nowhere near my goal. The weight loss has slowed to a crawl and it's frustrating. :ohwell:

CakeFit21

For me it's definitely WEIGHT. Like, how much weight I can lift on a bar.

LOVE IT!!!!


BTW, sick picture.

Thank you!!!

nk17

I started at 100% weight. I will end at 100% fitness. I'm probably at about 70% weight, 30% fitness right now. The more I lose the more I see the necessity of having what I have left be in good condition.