HEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!!!!

I have been going to the YMCA nightly and completing an hour on the spin bike on the cross country setting. According to the machine I clock in 11 miles nightly and maintain a speed of 12-15mph buring around 300-500 cals. I have been watching my calories and have been between 1200-1700 as recommended. I am not loosing anything though! I have barely lost 3 lbs and its been 3 weeks doing this. I must add that I also am recovering from some bone and ligament surgury and the docs only want me swimming or using the stationary bike or walking. what can I do????

Replies

  • 3 pounds in 3 weeks? That sounds healthy. Great work keep it up.
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    Eat the same amount of cals every day and make it an amount that causes 2 lbs per week loss. Eat at least 1g\lb of LBM in protein and half that in fat. Fill the rest with whatever.
  • al142005
    al142005 Posts: 8 Member
    You are probably losing fat but also putting on some extra weight in muscle mass, so the scale isn't moving at much as you'd like. Would using the elliptical machine with the moveable arms fit into your routine. It's a little more total body than the bike, also your hair won't smell like chlorine. If you add some high intensity intervals(30-60seconds of either greater resistance or faster speed or both) to whichever cardio exercise you choose, it may help boost your fat loss even more. If possible try to keep your heart rate at 60-70% of your heart rate max(220-your age) I would also recommend adding a weight routine 2-3 times a week. Just focus on the major muscle groups to start (examples: squats, lunges, hamstring curls, bicep curls, tricep extensions, abs, and back extensions). Aim for a few sets of 3-6 different exercises each time. Good luck!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.

    ^This.

    Well done! :drinker:
  • I would be ecstatic to see a pound a week loss!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.

    Right. I'd kill to still be losing 1lb a week. Keep doing what you're doing.

    Ignore the people who say you might be putting on muscle, you're not. Period. 3lbs of good fat loss in 3 weeks is great, no need to sugar coat it with lies.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    3 pounds in 3 weeks is good!! That's a pound a week! Congrats:flowerforyou:
  • Thank you everyone for the encouragement and tips! I appreciate it very much!
  • ravengirl1611
    ravengirl1611 Posts: 285 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.

    ^This.

    Well done! :drinker:

    agreed - try tracking your inches more than your weight for a while - as long as the inches are coming off you're doing everything ok - your weight loss is great and a very healthy loss.
  • SeaChele77
    SeaChele77 Posts: 1,103 Member
    Make sure you net at least 1200 (that is after exercise).

    And I agree with above - 3lbs in 3wks is a nice steady and healthy loss!! Keep it up. I'm not sure how much you have to lose, but it is not recommended that you lose more than 2lbs per week. So you are doing great. Its not an overnight thing - but you must stick with it!!

    Make sure to eat protein and drink lots of water.
  • Francesca3162
    Francesca3162 Posts: 520 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.

    ^This.

    Well done! :drinker:

    ^^^^^^^DITTO^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  • karawRN
    karawRN Posts: 311
    3 pounds in 3 weeks is great!
  • jollygreencc
    jollygreencc Posts: 14 Member
    The only thing that I can add to the other great suggestions is to watch your sugar. It's great to watch calories, but it's easy to stay within your calorie limit but overeat sugars. Sugars (like in breads, snacks, fruits) don't burn in your body as naturally as proteins (nuts, beans, eggs). Try eating more proteins and less sugars and see what happens.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    The only thing that I can add to the other great suggestions is to watch your sugar. It's great to watch calories, but it's easy to stay within your calorie limit but overeat sugars. Sugars (like in breads, snacks, fruits) don't burn in your body as naturally as proteins (nuts, beans, eggs). Try eating more proteins and less sugars and see what happens.

    The science behind this advice?
  • Sweeteepi
    Sweeteepi Posts: 7 Member
    You are doing GREAT! I was training for a triathlon and was discouraged by the fact that I wasn't losing any weight. But think about how much stronger you are right now. Think about what you can do now that you couldn't do a month ago. The scale may not show it, but you ARE becoming more fit.

    I read an article that compared weight loss to being fit, and which was more important. It was an interesting article. It stated that the ultimate goal is being fit and healthy and active. You are doing that. Your body will start changing and you will feel stronger. The weight will come. Hang in there!!!
  • You are doing GREAT! I was training for a triathlon and was discouraged by the fact that I wasn't losing any weight. But think about how much stronger you are right now. Think about what you can do now that you couldn't do a month ago. The scale may not show it, but you ARE becoming more fit.

    I read an article that compared weight loss to being fit, and which was more important. It was an interesting article. It stated that the ultimate goal is being fit and healthy and active. You are doing that. Your body will start changing and you will feel stronger. The weight will come. Hang in there!!!

    Thank you and I noticed that last night I finnished a bike workout while adding freeweights to my upper body and noticed I wasnt tired until that last 20minutes. I got off did some swimming and I felt so good. I am noticing more muscle defination in my legs and that a bathing suit i bought in july does not fit well any longer. =]]
  • Sweeteepi
    Sweeteepi Posts: 7 Member
    I noticed the change in my arms and shoulders from swimming, first. It was like I was finding 'new' muscles. ha ha
  • No kidding! I am starting to notice some abs forming too!!! I didnt know I had any muscles there under all my flabb haha. I just bought a new bathing suit in July and now it is falling off me. i have not lost musch pound wise but inches I am loosing quite a bit.
  • ggcat
    ggcat Posts: 313 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. A pound a week is a solid and steady weight loss. Don't worry about trying to change anything until you find yourself at a sustained period (a month or more) of non-loss of either weight *or* inches.

    ^This.

    Well done! :drinker:

    That's a great loss!
  • pattijustice
    pattijustice Posts: 1 Member
    The science behind this advice?

    All carbohydrates are technically sugar. Before your body will use the carbohydrate in table sugar, a baked potato, or a green bean, it must break this carbohydrate down to glucose, the form of sugar that your body can “burn” for energy. Glucose is also stored as glycogen in the muscle cells. So, since all carbohydrates eventually end up as a sugar, the mere fact that they begin as sugars is irrelevant. So what is relevant? The rate at which the sugar enters the bloodstream...So... a huge surge in blood sugar due to a rapidly ingested carbohydrate would cause the liver to convert most of that sugar to fat, regardless of whether or not you required it for energy.

    This, complicates matters: whether or not you eat table sugar or a green bean, guess what? By the time your liver “sees” it, it has been broken down to a glucose molecule. There is no practical way that your liver somehow “knows” that the glucose molecule came from a green bean instead of a grain of table sugar, except that your entire body benefits from additional nutrients when you consume the green bean. :smile:

    (edited from:http://www.everydiet.org/1001/sugar-and-artificial-sugar-facts)
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