Do less and lose more!

ChristineDiet
ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Why is it that some people do 30 mins of a light walk, 2 or 3 times a week and eat crap (but within their calories goal - so ok!!!) Whereas others, like myself, literally bust a gut, doing a minimum of 4 hours a week of intense cardio and weights, trying to get the odd dvd at home and the odd walk in whenever I can. I eat home-made food, lots of vegetables and protein. Yet the weight comes off VERY slowly!

It can be very frustrating when you are trying so hard (and I mean over 4 months now - so it's not just a week or so), yet some don't really give much effort and seem to achieve a lot.

Ok vent over!

x
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Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    4 months, 17lbs lost - I'd say you're doing it right.
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
    It really does boil down to metabolism and everyone's body being different. I grew up with a very tall brother who could (and still does) eat anything and never gains weight. I on the other hand look at something now and gain weight. It can be frustrating. Remember that you are you. This process is a journey, not a destination and it's about taking care of the one body we have. Be healthy, happy and fit. The rest will come into place.

    But for today, venting is always good! Get the support here to keep on going! You can do it.
  • Jess5825
    Jess5825 Posts: 228
    I'm no expert, but this is my opinion. I workout 6 days a week, intense with cardio kickboxing. I do stregth training now once a week to failure. I think that sometime when you exercise a ton and restrict your calories you are actually eating to little. I went away for one week in January, did only one small session of the elliptical during that time. I ate out, I ate chips, I ate some cookies, and bad stuff. I came back home to find I had lost a pound. I attribute this to eating more, and cutting back on exercise. Unfortunately I've been trying to eat more now and either I'm still working out to much (which I am now addicted to it and don't want to stop), or I'm not eating enough, so it's not really working. But I still think this is the case.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    And the funny thing about weight lifting, it never gets any easier! Don't worry. Just keep working toward your goals. Humans were meant to work. No seriously, ever read about the ancient aliens theory?
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    In my *completely unbiased* opinion, there are two different goals
    1) make the scale love me
    2) look hot nekkid

    They can be accomplished separately. Working out hard and training with weights favors recomp and 2. Just maintaining a deficit favors 1. The degree to which they overlap is determined genetically, but in the last 2 pounds I've lost, I've gotten compliments on my legs (literally never happened before in my life. My thighs were always so big even as an infant I had trouble walking). So yeah, I am much happier having lost those two pounds than if I would have cardioed out and lost some muscle and some fat and ended up not looking as good.

    If you want to try the other way, nobody is stopping you.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    4 months, 17lbs lost - I'd say you're doing it right.

    ^ I agree with this! That is an average of 4.25 pounds a month. I think that 1 pound a week is very respectable because you will most likely be able to KEEP it off that way :wink:
  • kbc525
    kbc525 Posts: 149
    In my *completely unbiased* opinion, there are two different goals
    1) make the scale love me
    2) look hot nekkid

    ^^^ THIS IS TRUE... and I'd rather look HOT nekkid any day.. though it does help when the scale loves me.
  • Julietecosse
    Julietecosse Posts: 165
    I am exactly the same. There are definitely some lucky people who have faster metabolisms than we have. Mine changed after first baby.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    I think it just comes down to calorie deficit. Also, you could be gaining muscle which weighs more than fat does.

    I don't work out at all right now but am still steadily losing weight. However, it is obviously better to incorporate working out into your diet plan rather than dieting alone.
  • mohanj
    mohanj Posts: 381 Member
    I am with you. I could barely loose 20 pounds in 4 months with all the hard work and eating right. I just go away for one weekend trip....I put on 6 pounds even though I tried my best to eat healthy. Extreamly frustrating. But I got to admit......I got lot of compliments......So I think I look much thinner than just loosing 20 lbs. I think the metabolism, genetics, age etc., matters and we just have to accept our body type and do our best. We may not be skinny people like some but definetly can be healthiar. Good luck.
  • maurilax
    maurilax Posts: 51 Member
    Blame your parents and the DNA they gave you. then work harder. seems like you are doing fine anyway
  • BoxingCoachMo
    BoxingCoachMo Posts: 420
    Hi Christine (my favourite boo tay girl)

    You have lost weight steadily and i think you have forgotten how fit you felt hiking the other day where you completed the course and didn't feel gassed out!

    Also your forgetting clothes that didnt fit you last year but do now.

    You worked so hard yesterday that you actually burned more than what you consumed throughout the whole day... in that case you should really eat a LOT more to ensure you atleast hit BMR on days like that,

    But seriously Christine, don't forget how FAR you have come!
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    And the funny thing about weight lifting, it never gets any easier! Don't worry. Just keep working toward your goals. Humans were meant to work. No seriously, ever read about the ancient aliens theory?
    Never heard of the 'ancient aliens theory' - intrigued???

    x
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    4 months, 17lbs lost - I'd say you're doing it right.

    ^ I agree with this! That is an average of 4.25 pounds a month. I think that 1 pound a week is very respectable because you will most likely be able to KEEP it off that way :wink:

    Thanks Carrie - your awesome - just have a very frustrated day today. why is it that you lose 10lbs and feel amazing, you lose 17lbs and feel fat! WTF is that about!

    Frustrated when people put up that they've done a 10 min walk and lost 4lbs etc - why am I not losing! Arrr - I'm just having a bad day today - tomorrow will be better.

    Thank you to everyone who's left lovely comments. xx
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    In my *completely unbiased* opinion, there are two different goals
    1) make the scale love me
    2) look hot nekkid

    Yeah I'd rather weigh 400lbs and look fab naked than weigh 80lbs and look like crap! Though I'm being very extreme here. I am starting to tone up, so I guess "patience is a virtue" - God I hear myself saying that to others. why is it so easy sometimes to give 'good' advice yet we don't always listen to what we have said ourselves!

    thank you. x
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    In my *completely unbiased* opinion, there are two different goals
    1) make the scale love me
    2) look hot nekkid

    ^^^ THIS IS TRUE... and I'd rather look HOT nekkid any day.. though it does help when the scale loves me.
    I know - why are we so hung up on what the scale says - if we gained muscle definition over night we probably wouldn't notice - but if we gain 0.1lbs - OMG!!! Arrrgggggg! haha

    x
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    I am with you. I could barely loose 20 pounds in 4 months with all the hard work and eating right. I just go away for one weekend trip....I put on 6 pounds even though I tried my best to eat healthy. Extreamly frustrating. But I got to admit......I got lot of compliments......So I think I look much thinner than just loosing 20 lbs. I think the metabolism, genetics, age etc., matters and we just have to accept our body type and do our best. We may not be skinny people like some but definetly can be healthiar. Good luck.
    Thank you. I hear you with going away and gaining (although i just had a weekend away and incorporated about 4 hours of walking - and up a BIG hill too - I haven't actually been weighed yet as been to classes etc and don't want to jump on the scale when I know I will have water retention) But hey I have a friend who would eat an entire box of chocolates and not gain an ounce - I on the other hand would just had to sniff it and gain 4lbs! lol. so not fair. I guess I'm having a fat frustrated day!

    Roll on tomorrow (as long as I'm not 'rolling'). x
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Blame your parents and the DNA they gave you. then work harder. seems like you are doing fine anyway

    haha - maybe that's my problem. All my family are morbidly obese and my dad died at the age of 46 of a heart attack (too much crap food and no exercise). apart from my mum being ill recently and shedding loads of weight, I'm actually the smallest in my family. Ok where's the phone - I need to blame my mother for this body! haha

    x
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    The sooner you stop comparing yourself to others and focus on your own progress, the happier you will be. It really doesn't matter how fast other people lose, or the means they take to get there. Mind your own WLJ.
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Hi Christine (my favourite boo tay girl)

    You have lost weight steadily and i think you have forgotten how fit you felt hiking the other day where you completed the course and didn't feel gassed out!

    Also your forgetting clothes that didnt fit you last year but do now.

    You worked so hard yesterday that you actually burned more than what you consumed throughout the whole day... in that case you should really eat a LOT more to ensure you atleast hit BMR on days like that,

    But seriously Christine, don't forget how FAR you have come!

    Thanks Mo - your right, I know. I have come along way - its just frustrating sometimes when others do a lot less and seem to achieve a lot more. Yes I am healthier and yes I am wearing a dress on Saturday that I have never worn (although it is tight and I'm scared it may rip!!! haha - I actually bought a corset thing to go under it - sexy or what - and no, it isn't a sexy one - it just needs to hold me in! Ewwww! haha)

    xx
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    The sooner you stop comparing yourself to others and focus on your own progress, the happier you will be. It really doesn't matter how fast other people lose, or the means they take to get there. Mind your own WLJ.

    sorry - I'm not sure how this is intended and comes across a bit smart *kitten*! I apologise if it isn't meant to be intended that way. What is WLJ?

    x
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    Weight loss journey.

    It was not intended as snarky, just the honest truth. Comparison is the death of happiness. Is that your trainer that talked about your progress? Because those are great results. What someone else is eating/doing shouldn't enter your mind when you have those positive things to focus on.
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Weight loss journey.

    It was not intended as snarky, just the honest truth. Comparison is the death of happiness. Is that your trainer that talked about your progress? Because those are great results. What someone else is eating/doing shouldn't enter your mind when you have those positive things to focus on.

    Sorry!

    I don't have a trainer - well except for the instructor when I attend a class. No it wasn't anyone in my 'real' world. Just on here. It can be frustrating and sometimes disheartening when you see that some people "walked for 10 mins and burnt 50 cals and lost 2lbs", and then I burn 4000 cals in a week and lose a big fat 0!

    Don't get me wrong; some days it's great to see people have lost weight and lost inches etc, but other days it hits home hard and you just want to scream "it's not fair!"

    sorry again. x
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    Areyou eating enough? Taking a quick peak at your diary, you have huge calorie deficits lefotever after exercise. Unless you're not logging everything, you might be creating deficits that are too large and your body is resisting.
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Areyou eating enough? Taking a quick peak at your diary, you have huge calorie deficits lefotever after exercise. Unless you're not logging everything, you might be creating deficits that are too large and your body is resisting.

    Thanks - I always do a double or triple whammy on a wednesday and burn a lot, but don't feel like I want to eat a ton more to incorporate my exercise cals. I would literally have to eat 3 times as much on a Wednesday and I would be sick! Ew!

    thanks again for your comments. x
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    I would maybe eat a little more on Tuesdays and Thursdays then to try and reduce that deficit a little for the week. It can't hurt to try, right?

    Good luck!
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I hear you OP...but we all should keep in mind: never compare ourselves with others. Comparing with ourselves will clear our mind better.
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    To much cardio imho
    If i do a **** load of cardio, for too long a period of time, my loss slows or even stalls.
    Seriously try to reduce it to 3x a week 30 mins moderate intensity.
    To much cardio in a calorie deficit raises cortisol, a catabolic stress hormone, that will break down muscle fibres.
    Less muscle= lower bmr.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I am wondering the same thing. I was in a one month plateau, started slacking off, and dropped 6 pounds in 2 weeks. (Slacking off = eating less clean, eating all of my calories, exercising less, and exercising less intensely)

    This is the first week I am on what I call, "my normal" and I am up one pound this week, but I am blaming TOM.

    I saw a post the other day about someone who started 2 weeks ago and is down 5 inches in the waist. If I lose 5 inches I would be jumping up and down and shouting from the rooftops. I just don't get it.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Why is it that some people do 30 mins of a light walk, 2 or 3 times a week and eat crap (but within their calories goal - so ok!!!) Whereas others, like myself, literally bust a gut, doing a minimum of 4 hours a week of intense cardio and weights, trying to get the odd dvd at home and the odd walk in whenever I can. I eat home-made food, lots of vegetables and protein. Yet the weight comes off VERY slowly!

    It can be very frustrating when you are trying so hard (and I mean over 4 months now - so it's not just a week or so), yet some don't really give much effort and seem to achieve a lot.

    Ok vent over!

    x
    Water retention. Harder workouts cause more water retention for repair. That's why you usually lose weight faster without exercise at all. Exercise has a million health benefits, but to be honest, "losing weight" isn't actually one of them.

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