Need Help. 61, female, nothing is working

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GrannyDH
GrannyDH Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
I have been working out on an Arc trainer for 7 weeks with no results. I have it at resistance 100 now and go for 60 minutes burning, it claims, over 1,000 calories. Nothing happened. I gained weight. I feel better but getting depressed. My niece told me to do 15 minutes of cardio, work on the machines for upper/lower body, and then do 15 more cardio either on arc trainer, elliptical , or treadmill. I started doing that yesterday. I am watching carefully what I eat and am not snacking on junk.
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  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
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    Are you counting calories? Even if you're not eating junk, you could still have a calorie surplus. I also question the 60 minute, over-1,000 calorie-burn workout. That seems pretty optimistic. Are you eating those calories back?
  • swet02
    swet02 Posts: 52
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    I agree with eld2310, you should also monitor your caloric intake, the food you are eating. What I realize about losing weight, its not all about exercise actually, its all about discipline. Discipline yourself to eat the right food and the right amount of food. Its really useless if you do exercise and eat those loss calories back throughout the day, and its never good to starve yourself either.
  • hddeuce1966
    hddeuce1966 Posts: 104
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    If you are building muscle it can cause a temporary weight gain because muscle weighs more than fat. Keep it up eventually the muscle will take over and you will begin to lose unless you are really overeating.
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 408 Member
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    Weight loss happens in the kitchen. Weigh everything and maintain a sensible deficit. You will lose, promise!
  • eazy_
    eazy_ Posts: 516 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • 53welshlady
    53welshlady Posts: 136 Member
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    Hi - stick at it, I've lost and put on over the last 10 years, and am always happier when I am slimmer so don't know why I allow it to go back on again. Every time it is harder to lose. You really have to count everything.

    I'm starting out again today so feel free to add me as a friend if you want - I was 60 last month and hate the way I am now.
  • Liliansamata
    Liliansamata Posts: 102 Member
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    Hello GrannyDH, I was 61 in September. Do not work, but go the gym six days a week. You can add me a s a friend if you want:smile:
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    Just saying what everyone else has. Exercise is great for good health and burning up some extra calories, but you MUST eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Figure out how many calories you should be eating, buy a food scale and get started!
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    If you are building muscle it can cause a temporary weight gain because muscle weighs more than fat. Keep it up eventually the muscle will take over and you will begin to lose unless you are really overeating.

    This is false. Muscle and fat weigh the same. Muscle takes up less space. It also wouldn't stall loss for 7 weeks. ..

    OP, make sure you're logging consistently and weighing and measuring your food. Exercise will help you look better throughout your journey but if your diet isn't in check, it's not going to overwrite it.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=road+map

    I suggest reading this post. It has helped me greatly.
  • oldman1415
    oldman1415 Posts: 1
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    Watch your sodium intake also.
  • dejavuohlala
    dejavuohlala Posts: 1,821 Member
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    you can add me to support you as a friend if you would like to, it is harder to loose weight as we get older, but the key is to log everything you eat and the exercise you do daily
  • cramervogt
    cramervogt Posts: 5
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    You sound like you are on the right track! With all your exercise you can expect to gain weight. dont worry. thats muscle!! Try measuring yourself. awesome workout!! I need ti start back aggain!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    If you're eating your exercise calories back, you should know that the arc trainer's calories are very likely an overestimate of around 30-50% above what you actually burned. Try only logging/eating back 1/3-1/2 of what the machine says and see if that helps. So if it tells you 1000 calories, only log 500-700.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    You sound like you are on the right track! With all your exercise you can expect to gain weight. dont worry. thats muscle!! Try measuring yourself. awesome workout!! I need ti start back aggain!

    Stop it. OP is not gaining muscle. I've been weightlifting for nearly 5 months and haven't had a weight loss stall yet. First week or so, maybe water retention would mask OP's loss but at 7 weeks, she should be seeing loss. Barring any medical condition, eating at a deficit will result in weight loss.
  • hddeuce1966
    hddeuce1966 Posts: 104
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    If you are building muscle it can cause a temporary weight gain because muscle weighs more than fat. Keep it up eventually the muscle will take over and you will begin to lose unless you are really overeating.

    This is false. Muscle and fat weigh the same. Muscle takes up less space. It also wouldn't stall loss for 7 weeks. ..

    OP, make sure you're logging consistently and weighing and measuring your food. Exercise will help you look better throughout your journey but if your diet isn't in check, it's not going to overwrite it.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=road+map

    I suggest reading this post. It has helped me greatly.
    Duh. That is the same. The same volume of fat and muscle do NOT "weigh" the same amount!
  • GrannyDH
    GrannyDH Posts: 2
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    Thank you all for your help and inspiration. I am keeping track of everything that goes in. Y mouth. I have lost 9.4 pounds! And 6 inches. I am confused about the calorie thing on here though. I try to limit between a 1200-1500 calorie I take but when I add exercise on it, it tells me I should eat more calories.

    Also, if anyone has experience on an Arc Trainer, you know you burn a lot of calories. I have it at the highest resistance now at 100 and go between 45 minutes to an hour. I also started doing the weight machines. Feeling good.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
  • harleygroomer
    harleygroomer Posts: 373 Member
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    Lets start at the beginning.. Exercise is fine BUT you need to count your calories as well. And second, THIS IS NOT A DIET, NEVER SAY THAT WORD AGAIN. This is a lifestyle change--one where you will always exercise and always watch what you eat and always keep a positive attitude about this whole process. This will not happen over night, but your first step is to go thru and clean up your foods. No processed or fast food (for a while) no sodas, and nothing white, i.e. bread rice potatoes and sugar. Hopping on the exerciser is not going to be a quick thing. This is one step at a time--you are changing your life. People fail at diets, but they never fail when they change their lifestyle. Good luck and we are here for you.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,119 Member
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    Thank you all for your help and inspiration. I am keeping track of everything that goes in. Y mouth. I have lost 9.4 pounds! And 6 inches. I am confused about the calorie thing on here though. I try to limit between a 1200-1500 calorie I take but when I add exercise on it, it tells me I should eat more calories.

    Also, if anyone has experience on an Arc Trainer, you know you burn a lot of calories. I have it at the highest resistance now at 100 and go between 45 minutes to an hour. I also started doing the weight machines. Feeling good.

    Read those posts that are linked above. (click on the blue text)

    Weight loss is all about calorie counting,

    1. Buy a digital food scale ($20 at Target or online at Amazon).

    2. Don't use 1,000 as your calorie-burn. That's more than a sprint-runner. No. Use 300-500 per HOUR for any continuous exercise. 1,000 is way too high.

    3. Do the above for a month, track and LOG every calorie. Adjust at the end of that time based on YOUR personal tracking and results. This is on you.
  • jerney623
    jerney623 Posts: 19 Member
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    I try to limit between a 1200-1500 calorie I take but when I add exercise on it, it tells me I should eat more calories.

    When you begin with MFP you entered your current weight, current normal daily activity level, and weight loss goal. MFP calculated based on this info how many calories you should eat (at a deficit) to lose weight WITHOUT additional exercise. So when you exercise (lets say you burned 100 calories exercising) the calorie intake measure will allow you to eat an additional 100 calories and you should still lose weight because it is still a deficit. Hope this clears up this confusion.

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