Fat Kid turned Trainer, looking to help!

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  • LWakeman
    LWakeman Posts: 4
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    I hear ya sista!!
    it's like I have absolutely NO metabolism!! I spend do much time going 3 steps forward & 1 back. It can be very discouraging for sure!
  • mara6191
    mara6191 Posts: 7 Member
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    bump and add;-)
  • em3120
    em3120 Posts: 154 Member
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    Thank you for being so willing to help us out! I’m 5’4” female and I weight 127 lb. I am pretty happy with my size but I am still very “jiggly” for lack of a better term. From what I can see, this would be considered skinny fat?? I wear a size 4 but I would not be comfortable in a bikini. I’m still trying to lose about 8 more pounds, but how can I become more fit and toned? I don’t have access to a gym and the cardio I do doesn’t help. Is there a workout routine I could do? I have heard good things about P90x but I think that might be too intense for a beginner…

    Oops I forgot to add that my BF% is 26%. BTW, can you not edit posts after a certain amount of time?
  • Girl_du_jour
    Girl_du_jour Posts: 46 Member
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    Hi! No idea if you can help but you seem to know your stuff so no harm in asking...

    I was wondering if you have any tips I can use to help my mum. She's really overweight (needs to lose at least 70lbs) but she finds it hard to exercise because of various injuries (some of which were caused by her being so overweight!).

    She has arthritic hands and knees (one of which was also bashed badly ina car accident - it was a long time ago but she still gets pain from it occasionally), and has recently had steroid injections for a problem with her shoulder. She will be 60 next year. I just feel so sorry for her - she has been overweight for a long time and the older she gets the less she believes she can lose the weight. She lacks a lot of confidence and because she cares for a disabled child her time is limited. She also takes medication for hypothyroidism, which doesn't help!

    I paid for her to have swimming lessons once but she was very nervous in the pool and while she did okay for a while, her teacher got changed, she didn't like or trust him so she stopped going. I know swimming would be the best exercise for her because it's low impact and would support her joints etc, but it's going to take a long time to get her back in the water.

    Do you have any other ideas for exercise she can do? I really want to help her as much as I can but I'm running out of ideas for cardio she could manage to do on a regular basis!

    Any suggestions or advice really gratefully accepted!
  • AngelicxAnnihilation
    AngelicxAnnihilation Posts: 336 Member
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    It's so amazing to see someone living my dream. Thank you for the advice :) I'm going to add you!
  • SuperstarDJ
    SuperstarDJ Posts: 440 Member
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    Bump
  • buckleten
    buckleten Posts: 205 Member
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    Hi! That sounds great, I would love some of your professional help and advice, I really need it! Will add you as a friend if that is ok..
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    Hey guys,

    Wow! Lots of new questions! I've had a SUPER busy weekend, but I'll be on tonight/tomorrow to do some catching up!

    Sorry for the delay!

    Best,
    Kent
  • Hayaa79
    Hayaa79 Posts: 458 Member
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    I sent U this email just incase u didnt receive :)

    How U doing? just went thru ur links & answers got really impressed & m happy there is sum1 out there fr suggestions

    Would like to hear ur advice abt my case :)
    I ws workin in dubai & cz of fast paced life I got bulkier n bulkier & came to kno I hav PCOs & then 2 of my lower back discs slipped & when fitness became the only solution I came back to pakistan. now m here routine is good I ws more than 80kgs i.e 176Pounds & lost almost 10kgs i.e 22 pounds. this is an achievemnt fr me
    Now my target weight is 60kg i.e 132 pounds as my height is 5.3 & remember i hav never been less than 62 kg even when i was not married Oh forgot to tell ya I am 32 years old
    I love doin aerobics & walk but the issue is i always need some1 to workout with me & where ever i go I make a small gym of my own with a group of women so that we may support & motivate each other
    I do workouts but on and off some months r regular but some r pathetic i dont workout at all & get frustrated dying to get back on track same is the case now a days :D
    I wuld like to hav ur suggestion on Diet & Exercise can we make a plan that gets me to my target weight???
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    I am 5'11'', 240 pounds. I have been very active in martial arts in the past. However since being on graveyard and switching to a very inactive new job i just don't have the energy or drive to continue in martial arts. With that said i am trying to motivate myself to start my strength training but i am having trouble determining when i can do it. I have tried both before and after my graveyard shift and i just can't do it consistently. I do sometimes have success when i work out after i wake up in the middle of the day though. My schedule, and my goals, continue to be hard for me to pinpoint. I need to start working out in a way where i won't get too pooped out. I find that when i really try to "hit it hard" i loose my drive pretty fast.

    One of my main issues is that i have trouble figuring out what is the best way for me to work out. I am always confused as to whether or not i should be more focused on cardio or lifting. So here is my question.............

    I currently look a lot like your before pic..............how would you recommend i begin to transition myself closer to the after pic?

    Thanks................and it is really great that you take the time to answer questions on here.

    It sounds like you know where most of your issues lay - you gotta find the best way to fit exercise into your schedule. Shift work is really a bear, but if waking up midday helps you get in that workout, I'd make a commitment to sticking to that for a few weeks, and see if you can keep it up consistently!

    In terms of exercising, I always encourage strength training as a first priority. Cardio is great for burning calories, but strength training burns calories, builds muscle, and boosts your metabolism for hours... definitely the best bang for your buck!

    Hope that helps a bit!

    Kent McCann
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    Do you know anything about insulin resistance? I was diagnosed a while ago and i've tried to eat all different foods and exercise but i still can't lose any weight, if anything i gain it. I've been told that a low GI diet would be good for me but i have no idea where to start or how many calories i should be consuming!

    Low-carb would be the best bet for someone who is insulin resistant. Stick to protein/veggies/good fats for the majority of your meals, with some low-GI carbs (potatoes, whole grains) after tough workouts.

    Hope that helps!

    Kent McCann
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    First of all, Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to help us. That is so awesome of you and very sweet. :flowerforyou:
    I do have a little problem I need help with. I'm pretty bummed actually about some things.

    I'm a 40 year old single mother of 3 kids. I work full time and of course you probably know when I get home it's another full time job. I MAKE time for walking/jogging because to be honest...It relaxes me and helps me unwind. I actually have walked 11 miles in a day. ((I actually do that once a week it seems!)) But on other days I always walk at LEAST 3 miles. I have to force myself sometimes to NOT walk/jog so I can give my body a little bit of a rest. My problem is however, EVERY single time I reach 229 lbs, my scale wants to stop. I swear it just stops or it goes up like it did today. I'm very upset over it. I actually deleted my account a few months back because I was stuck at 230 lbs for over 3 months. I'm at the same spot again....230. Two days ago I was at 228....now I'm back UP to 230. I want to scream...seriously. I don't want to do this for 2 or 3 months where I can't lose anything.

    I eat around 1,450 a day. Actually, I try really hard to eat a little more than that because people keep telling me to EAT. Well ... I'm not hungry! I have to struggle to eat that 1,450 a day! There are times I will just stuff my face even though I don't feel like eating because people keep telling me to eat.... so I eat when I'm not hungry! I hate that....why eat when you aren't hungry? Seriously? I don't get that concept really.

    I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong at this point. I walk/jog 5 times a day, I stay around 1,500 calories....((I don't go over that because I'm just not hungry!)) and I'm getting frustrated. Any advice?

    Oh, and I don't drink pop (never really cared for pop) or juice, and I'm not huge into sweets so that isn't a problem either for me.

    It might not be how much you're eating at this point, but what you're eating, and when you're eating it! Be sure to emphasize lean proteins + veggies at every meal, with a bit of healthy fat as well, to keep your body utilizing it as an energy source.

    Also, there is such thing as too much cardio, just as you can eat too little food. My recommendation would be to start doing some heavy resistance training in place of an hour or two of your cardio. Resistance training burns calories, builds muscle (metabolically active tissue,) and increases your metabolism for hours after, assuming you're doing it with a high enough intensity.

    If you have any further questions, feel free to send me a message. It sounds like there's a lot of factors which could be at fault, I'd love to help you get to the bottom of it!
  • emmyelleNYC
    emmyelleNYC Posts: 27 Member
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    Do you have any ideas about what to do for lower abs? I feel like even when I have lost weight it always stayed there. Feel welcome to friend/message me! :)
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    in your opinion, whats the best cardio?? what do you do?? and what do you think about cardio first thing in the morning, on an emprty stomach??

    It depends on your goals, your nutrition, and your weight training regimen. Generally, I recommend either HIIT (hill sprints, tabata circuits,) or low intensity steady state (long walks at a brisk pace.) I currently get most of my cardio at work as an EMT (carrying people up and down stairs, for example,) or going for walks around town. Last summer I did sprint workouts periodically, but not with any regularly set schedule.

    Hope that helps a bit! Also, I have an article on my stance on cardio vs. strength training coming out in the next few days, so keep an eye out for that!

    Best,
    Kent
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    Hi, thanks for this! What's your opinion on fasting? I've heard differing stories - wouldn't mind a professional opinion! Thanks again .

    Ah fasting...

    Intermittent fasting can be a useful way to establish a caloric deficit, burn some fat, and it can be used in conjunction with proper strength training to maximize worthwhile utilization of macronutrients for muscle synthesis.

    However, it isn't a magic bullet, it doesn't fit every lifestyle, and it certainly isn't a way to make up for other poor nutritional habits...

    I'd read this post by John Berardi for a bit more information about different types of intermittent fasting: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting

    It's a bit lengthy, but it's written by a PhD who did some self experimenting (with meticulous documentation...) of different fasting protocols.

    Hope that helps a bit!

    Best,
    Kent
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    Thank you for being so willing to help us out! I’m 5’4” female and I weight 127 lb. I am pretty happy with my size but I am still very “jiggly” for lack of a better term. From what I can see, this would be considered skinny fat?? I wear a size 4 but I would not be comfortable in a bikini. I’m still trying to lose about 8 more pounds, but how can I become more fit and toned? I don’t have access to a gym and the cardio I do doesn’t help. Is there a workout routine I could do? I have heard good things about P90x but I think that might be too intense for a beginner…

    Ahh the skinny fat... You're very right, you need to do some kind of strength training to tone up and be comfortable in that bikini.

    I'm not a huge fan of P90X, it's basically just glorified (and expensive) cardio.

    The key with strength training is progressive resistance: making each workout slightly more difficult than the last. The best thing you could do would be get a gym and start a strength program, but if that's not an option, I'd recommend Convict Conditioning. It takes you through a progression of different difficulties of different body weight movements over the course of 6 months, progressively making each workout slightly more difficult than the last, so you are forced to get stronger, (build more muscle, and tone up!)

    Hope that helps a bit! And good luck with your goals!

    Kent
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
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    Hi :)

    WTF are net calories...lol

    and do I really need to eat my exercise calories back?

    I have been eating 1200ish calories a day, hit the gym for an hour or so 6 days a week, and stopped losing completely...Do I need to eat more, I have a hard time eating the 1200 calories as is (my problem is not eating enough, then binge eating a few times a week..)

    Net calories are the difference between how much you ate and how much you burned.

    It sounds like you know exactly where your problem lies! Eating too little and then binge eating is a surefire way to stagnate your weight loss...

    I'd recommend upping your calories to around 1400 per day in order to prevent those weekly binges. If you have trouble getting those last 200 calories, a handful of nuts would cover you!

    Also be sure to include some strength work in your time at the gym!

    Hope that helps,

    Kent
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
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    MFP seems to give such generous amounts of calorie burns, does it look right to you? And is working out for say 15 minutes here and there but adding up to 60 minutes really count for 60minutes? Don't you need to get your heart rate up and hold it there for a period of time? Really I am so out of shape 15 minutes of Aerobic Dancing is all I can handle right now and I don't feel like I am burning the calories.
  • zephtalah
    zephtalah Posts: 327 Member
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    Hi Kent,

    I am a 28 yr old mommy to 7 children. I am 5' 4". I have about 7 more pounds to lose till I am at my wedding weight and would like to lose 10 more after that. My twins are 8 months old and I have recently started to really push toward my weight loss goals. I was doing interval running and 30 day shred. However, I am having lots of pain on the top of my foot. I think maybe a tendon is sore from all the running? It seems to feel temporarily better if I wrap it up and ice it, but hurts when I move again. My question is how can I minimize the pain so I can continue and how can I prevent further injury. If you need more info let me know. Thanks for being willing to help!
  • mumof5
    mumof5 Posts: 328 Member
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    hi there, always keen to add like minded people. i dont really have any questions at the moment but i'll hit you up when i do!! Just wanted to say that you are really kind to share your knowledge with so many :) thanks.

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