need some clarification

ninavivi

im pretty new at counting calories and working out. i have been on here for 3 weeks now. The first two weeks I stayed within my calories (a little over the first week, and just below the second week) i lost 3 pounds each week. I went for a walk this weekend plus my usual weekend run arounds and lost nothing. why? also, i bought a heart monitor/calorie counter, it says that to be in the "fat loss" zone I can't go over 124 heart rate. if i go over that, then i'm in the fitness zone. I want to lose weight and be at 130 before i start toning up. then if i go up, its muscle. is this wrong how i'm looking at this? what should i do?

DanaDark

Start with muscle now. It will NEVER do you wrong.

Your body's weight will naturally fluctuate some, so try not to be too worried about no results in a particular week. But be sure to weigh yourself in the same conditions... so the same day of the week every week at the same time wearing the same thing. (Nude before/after a shower is best).

shannond1980

6 lbs in 3 weeks is good. Some weeks the scale just isn't your friend.

If you're working out and eating clean and healthy things and not eating over your calorie budget you should still see results if you keep going. I wouldn't worry about a week of maintaining. If it keeps happening you may want to adjust your calories or your workouts.

If by toning up you mean building some lean muscle mass, why wait? It'll help reshape your body and adding some muscle will help burn more calories even at rest, increasing your metabolism and ultimately helping you reach your goal.

I guess I've never been one to chase a number on the scale. I just want to look more fit. But I understand the frustration of not seeing your work pan out on the scale. Keep it up though! 6lbs in 3 weeks is pretty decent.

heybales

im pretty new at counting calories and working out. i have been on here for 3 weeks now. The first two weeks I stayed within my calories (a little over the first week, and just below the second week) i lost 3 pounds each week. I went for a walk this weekend plus my usual weekend run arounds and lost nothing. why? also, i bought a heart monitor/calorie counter, it says that to be in the "fat loss" zone I can't go over 124 heart rate. if i go over that, then i'm in the fitness zone. I want to lose weight and be at 130 before i start toning up. then if i go up, its muscle. is this wrong how i'm looking at this? what should i do?

If you only do the cardio for 30 min or less, or up to 60 min every other day - forget the fat-burning zone.

You burn a higher percentage of fat because you are burning less calories overall in that zone.
But if you work at higher zone you burn more calories, same amount of fat, but that means lower percentage.

So, do you want to burn the same amount of fat AND more calories overall?

Work as intensely as you can.

Again, this only applies if you are doing daily 30 min or less, or up to 60 min every other day. In which case, your inbetween days should be in fat-burning zone - which is also a recovery zone.

Working at high intensity in upper zones for extended periods of time is hard on your body, and if you want your body to get stronger from the effort you put into it - it needs a rest from it.

But that doesn't apply if the workout was short.

But it would be better to do your strength training every other day, followed by 20 min in fat-burning zone on those days. The in-between days, you can do 30 min in upper levels if you just love the cardio, but it's not as good for fat loss nor for maintaining the muscle mass you already have while eating at a deficit.

ErinBeth7

I wouldn't worry about your "fat burning zone." It really is just good to get activity in and working out in different hear rate zones is good for you. I'm having trouble keeping my weight down and my scale has been going up and down the last two weeks. I don't even know if my lowest reading was accurate. I've decided to put the scale away for a couple weeks. Maybe you could try that? The scale is really a deterrent to me this time and I don't know why.

Determinednoob

There is no magic fat burning zone. Cardio itself of any type is not a magic fat burner. It is just an activity that burns calories like any other. It is not needed to lose weight. You could simply eat less instead.

Weight training on the other hand is needed to maintain muscle mass. If you were going to do only one form of exercise, it should be heavy weight training.