Exercice... but not so much weight loss

marie_eve_78

Hi,

I need your advice please. I have been sedentary all my life, but last year I have started walking a little bit (maybe 3 times a week) for fifteen minutes to get from my job to my husband's job and just that seemed to have made a difference. Doing only that, I lost about 10 pounds.

On june 26th this year, I started my "new life". I am working out 20 to 30 minutes almost everyday (75% of the time). Since I am very heavy, and wear orthesis, I first started to walk at a brisk pace every morning for 20 minutes before breakfast.
I also reduced my calorie intake to 1850 calories per day. I did not want to go too low, because I want a food lifestyle that I can sustain in the long run.

After a while, because my legs hurt too much (I will see my foot doctor next week for my orthesis), I decided to do some 30 minutes cardio workouts provided by iPhone apps (Nike Training club and such). I can sense that my endurance and cardio is improving. I can do jumping jacks now, which I never could have hoped to fo before! (Just jumping was hard)

After a week or so, I had lost 4 pounds. I quickly regained two though, and I alternate between -2 pounds and -3 pounds since then. My understanding is that I build muscles, which weighs more than fat...

My problem is: it's been almost a month! Yes, I can fit better in my clothes, and for some shirts I now take a size smaller, but on the scale, I reached a plateau.

Do you know how much time I should wait until I will start shedding pounds again? I'm sure I won't build muscles forever...

It's affecting my motivation these days...

thank you!

MsSurrender

I'll share some great videos i tend to share with those trying to loose and keep regaining. It helped me understand my own issues I had. This one explains very well why we hit excerise platue in weight loss ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep9j7YaTfMg&feature=related

konamouse

Let your body adjust to a relatively rapid loss. You'll get another drop soon.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water.
Balance your meals (i.e. don't save all your calories for the end of the day).
Mix up your exercise.
Stay as active as possible to increase your daily caloric output.
Have a battle buddy/wingman to help you stay consistent and motivated. Help eachother stay on track.
Keep the faith.

kona
Registered Dietitian, Crossfit Masters

taso42

I just want to give you a high five for taking these great steps toward a healthy sustainable lifestyle. The scale is a very crude measure. I know it's easy to get discouraged by that number on the scale, but if you know in your heart that you're doing things right, stay the course. When I read "Yes, I can fit better in my clothes, and for some shirts I now take a size smaller", I know you're on the right track here.

The scale WILL catch up with your progress. Just keep making these great decisions! And take the # on the scale with a grain of salt, or stop looking at it.

marie_eve_78

Thank you MsSurrender for the video, it's very informative. It gives me the impression though that after I lose the 90 pounds I want to lose, I'm gonna have to maintain my last intensity and duration of exercices forever, right?

Also thank you a lot taso42 and konamouse, it really helps to read your encouragements.

Venturin

Everyone is giving good advice and I too commend you, Marie, on what you are trying to achieve.

My advice would be this;

Remember you are in a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to see what progress you make (if you apply yourself in this endeavor you will see constant and varied NSV's - Non Scale Victories) I would recommend buying a fitness or regular journal and make note of each of your little and big milestones along the way. They happen so often, I find it is inspiring to remember them.

For example, I have been doing this for over a year, and have become a runner. Today my milestone was finding out in the last 400 meters of a five mile run I can go FASTER and sprint to the finish. Prior to this I would just be chugging along to the end.

Find things you love doing that actually get your heart rate up and focus on safely increasing and pushing to do more. Really track your food intake and keep up the exercise AND really learn about basic nutrition and you will see slow but steady progress.

Again, IMO you should give yourself at least 2 years to lose 90 pounds. Slow and steady. Good luck!

-V-

shakew8

Great to see you making some progress. Some degree of weight variance is normal within a range based on water intake, carbs etc; and as others have said the scale is simply one measure.

The issue is definitely NOT muscle gain from this brisk walking and jumping jacks. If you would like a lifestyle that allows you more calories then I would certainly encourage you to look at a beginning strength program to complement what you are already doing. You can also develop hobbies that include activity so that it is an enjoyment rather than an obligation.

marie_eve_78

Thank you for the idea of the journal. I have had little NSV along the way already, like the first time I was able to jog a little bit instead of just walking, the first time I realized I could do jumping jacks, the fact that a shirt I could not wear anymore (for a couple of years) now fit me...

I should keep track of them! Thanks!

marie_eve_78

Having a hobby that involves physical activity really was out of the question for me before, because I was convinced I could not do it. But now I think it might be feasible. I'm wondering if I can learn to rollerskate for instance...

michellelhartwig

bump

Linda_Darlene

Everyone is giving good advice and I too commend you, Marie, on what you are trying to achieve.

My advice would be this;

Remember you are in a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to see what progress you make (if you apply yourself in this endeavor you will see constant and varied NSV's - Non Scale Victories) I would recommend buying a fitness or regular journal and make note of each of your little and big milestones along the way. They happen so often, I find it is inspiring to remember them.

For example, I have been doing this for over a year, and have become a runner. Today my milestone was finding out in the last 400 meters of a five mile run I can go FASTER and sprint to the finish. Prior to this I would just be chugging along to the end.

Find things you love doing that actually get your heart rate up and focus on safely increasing and pushing to do more. Really track your food intake and keep up the exercise AND really learn about basic nutrition and you will see slow but steady progress.

Again, IMO you should give yourself at least 2 years to lose 90 pounds. Slow and steady. Good luck!

-V-

What he said!

KerenCutNShoot

Way to go Marie!! You have great advice already. I am heavy and out of shape, however on the right track now. I do have a workout buddy and keep a journal. I just got a spiral notebook and log each machine or cardio work out I do. When I am weight training I keep my notebook with me machine to machine and increase slow in reps and weights. This in itself is a motivational tool. I too lost 10 lbs and thats is it. I eat healthy, or try real hard. I so far after only one week on mfp have stayed under my calorie goal. This site is a great tool and support avenue. I too have cut back so much diet coke from several a day to 1-2 a week. I drink water, water, water. And I added a protein whey powder shake after my work outs. Good luck, keep it up together we can do this!!!

iWaffle

I can sense that my endurance and cardio is improving. I can do jumping jacks now, which I never could have hoped to fo before! (Just jumping was hard)

Keep going. Fitness and healthy living/eating has a snowball effect. The strength and agility you're gaining now will allow you to have better workouts in the future. Losing some weight makes it easier to lose more weight if for no other reason than you don't have to carry so much around when you exercise. Don't stop now, you're on a roll.

konamouse

Yes, this is a marathon, this is for the rest of your life.

Losing weight is relatively easy compared to keeping the weight off.

Check out "Thin for Life" by Anne Fletcher, RD. She interviewed people from the National Weight Control Registry. What factors, what habits, do they have in common that has helped them keep their weight off for more than 2 years (and some for longer). Many of the folks she highlights have lost more than 50 lbs and kept it off more than 5 years.

You are correct that even after you get to your goal weight, you will have to maintain your new active lifestyle & healthy eating habits. But as you lose the weight you will find it easier to exercise, and find a hobby you enjoy, or a challenge you wish to accomplish (that you will "train" for).

Keep on truckin'

kona
Registered Dietitian, Crossfit Masters

ths103

Weight loss feels great at first, but there is a time where your body catches up to the challenges you are giving it during a workout. Even body builders and super fit people "plateau" after doing the same activity for a while. Start to change up the routine - I would certainly consider lifting weights some of the time, as muscle burns more calories than fat. Try a workout video or take a class at a gym. Yoga is great for all ages and body types - just find the right class. Kickboxing turned things up for me!

Remember that it's not just about the time you put in - it's about the intensity. Challenge yourself!

meshashesha2012

you havent reached a plateau if your clothes are fitting looser. that means that you are losing fat, but odds are your body is retaining water from the new exercise, hormones and depending on your diet.

eventually the water is released, so just keep doing what you're doing and maybe start taking tape or caliper measurements instead of 100% focusing on the scale

marie_eve_78

Thank you all for the advices!

I started with only walking but because of my problems with my feet, I can't walk for a long time anymore, it hurts too much. I now try a bunch of different videos on youtube (I did two Tiffany Rothe this morning), workouts with the Nike Training Club app, Wii Cardio Boxing, etc. I even got a podcast that features workout videos!

You are helping me stay optimist about the fact that I will start lose some weight soon!

thank you!

Marie-Eve

Maude_Lewbowski

*excercise

MsSurrender

have you an access to a pool then? Those with back back, bad kees, or feet make great process using the pool in their daily exercising.

marie_eve_78

There is one not too far from m'y job but I need more motivation to go There Alone...

RobynMWilson

You should start losing again soon but you have your progress right there! Before I started ChaLEAN Extreme (which is a program based on muscle burns fat) I was 137 and when I finished 90 days later I was 136 but I whole size down. I wasn't trying to lose weight, just body fat by my metabolism is in overdrive! I would stick to your current calories for another couple of weeks, keep up with the strength training AND cardio and see if you break through your plateau. But remember, just b/c the number on the scale hasn't changed, your clothes are fitting looser now and that's just as much progress and losing that 5lbs!! Take your body measurements too and then take them again Aug 23rd...I bet you'll lose inches if you keep up with the strength training!

kimad

Sounds like you are making some good changes, anything is better than nothing. Do what you can now and I promise you, you will get there. Along my journey I had bumps in the road but as I always say, it will all add up over time. I do agree that you need to find things that work for YOU as this has to be a lifestyle change not a diet to keep it off -- like the other people said, you have to maintain the exercise and eating habits to be success for life. So keep plugging away girl, you will get there. Good job!!!

wenders11

I've taken up bike riding in the past couple of months and it's been a great form of exercise for me. I've been fairly sedentary in the past year due to some health issues and as a result I'm really out of shape. I'm not super overweight, I'm just super out of shape. Jogging and aerobics classes and that kind of thing were just too much for me. Then I decided to start taking a daily bike ride to the park and it has changed my life. The first day I only went two miles, and after a week I was going three and now I do 5-6 miles every single morning. That's still not a lot on a bike, but I've only been doing it for about a month and a half. I'm working up to 10 miles and beyond. I go as fast as I can for as long as I can and it really gets my heart pumping. I come home sweaty and sore but it feels amazing! I can feel my legs getting stronger and my endurance is definitely getting better. I've only lost 6.6 pounds so far but I feel SO much better.

So if you're looking for some form of exercise to get your started, you might consider cycling. It's easy to get started for someone who is out of shape and it's really fun!

leejayem

You did say that you don't want to drop your calorie intake too low, but it sounds as though your focus is more on exercise than food intake & that may not help you with weightloss. I have been repeatedly told by my endocrinologist that weightloss is the result of eating fewer calories than you need for a consistent time period, not heavy workouts!! I went against his advise for about a year & joined a gym that had childcare (I have 4 young children & at the time as homeschooling!!) so I could focus on working hard at exercising rather than reducing calories too much. I was eating quite healthily but my portion sizes were too big. My calorie intake was close to 2000 each day, but I felt I would be burning lots of that off. Not so. I went back to him just over 6 weeks ago at my heaviest weight since my last baby was born & he very kindly said to come back to him when I was ready to take his advice cos he felt he was wasting my money!! It was a reality check I really needed. I got onto this website & in the past 5 weeks I've lost 6 kg by eating under 1200 calories a day (monitoring what I eat) for the first time in my life!) & going for a 20-25min walk about 3 or 4 days a week. I love the fact that I am losing weight even if I have a cheat meal - there was one day when my parents & I were going to see my daughter in a stage show so we had decided to meet at Macca's for dinner - knowing this, I had a protein shake for breakfast & just a salad & a boiled egg for lunch so that I could enjoy some Macca's & still be under the 1200cals!! Hope this helps - you sound like you're doing well anyway, so hang in there!

agibson2786

I have actually hit the same thing right now, I was doing well with weight loss and as soon as I started exercising (4 mile walks, and sometimes jogging as well as some tony horton 10 minute trainer videos) and then the loss stopped. Talk about discouraging!! I wanted to get a handle on what I was eating before I started exercising but now I'm getting to that "why bother" stage in the back on my mind. It sucks!

Phaedra2014

Thank you all for the advices!

I started with only walking but because of my problems with my feet, I can't walk for a long time anymore, it hurts too much. I now try a bunch of different videos on youtube (I did two Tiffany Rothe this morning), workouts with the Nike Training Club app, Wii Cardio Boxing, etc. I even got a podcast that features workout videos!

You are helping me stay optimist about the fact that I will start lose some weight soon!

thank you!

Marie-Eve

Just a reminder that if you haven't exercised in a long time and you carry a lot of weight, GO SLOW. You don't want to injure yourself (a knee, an ankle, shins, etc.) and then not be able to do anything for a while. Let your body ease into this new way of moving.

Your enthusiasm is great. You will meet all your goals