anyone worry about changing what seems to be working

Coleman73
Coleman73 Posts: 42
edited September 24 in Motivation and Support
Since I started I've been pretty successful with the weight loss. I was watching my calories and doing cardio. Now I starting to intergrate strength raining in because I read you need all 3 for total success. I admit it scares me to change what is working, am I insane to think like that?

Replies

  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    Congrats on your loss!! It seems tough to change it up, but strength training will help you build muscle to burn calories faster. Can't say no to that. :) Good luck!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    No! Don't worry. You may feel like it's not working depending on how much strength training you do, but trust me, you will notice in the way your body changes that it is working. The last couple weeks I haven't lost weight but I've lost inches and people have noticed I look smaller so I know what I'm doing is working. I'd rather be muscular and toned while weighing 160 lbs then 150 lbs and flabby with no muscle. I hope that makes sense.

    Go to a craft store and get a tape measurer for $2-4 and measure TODAY. Measure when you weigh: before you eat or drink, after you use the bathroom, naked. Measure the smallest part of your waist, the biggest part of your bum and around (hips), each arm right up to your armpit (usually the widest part), and same with your thighs, all the way up to your crotch. You can also measure your chest ('round the biggest part) and then measure again in a few weeks to compare. This really helps!
  • gnastro
    gnastro Posts: 239 Member
    Strength training has so many benefits for you, it helps you speed your metabolism while at rest.. Try strength training 3 times a week to start. It also helps tone your body .Sometimes the scale will not budge but by adding weight lifting your clothes will be looser. Hope this helps.
  • BrickHouse2011
    BrickHouse2011 Posts: 91 Member
    No you are not crazy because i was the same way. I just changed my routine from Cardio and strength training to all cardio. I think I am going bacl to Cardio and Strength training. it worked best for me.
  • dimoul
    dimoul Posts: 137 Member
    I'm with you on the "if it ain't broke don't fix it," but on the other hand, it's also good to mix things up. The same routine gets boring. I suppose if you cut down cardio in favor of weights, you will burn less. You also want to be careful you don't overeat because you overestimate the calories you think you burn due to weights. Also, if it isn't working after a week or two, you can always go back.

    I've been doing cardio 2-3x/wk (spin and run) plus weights 2x/week (8 basic stations, 2 sets of 8-10) and counting calories since January 13 and I've gone from 289 lbs to 261 as of last Friday. I don't know if weights help or not, but I like getting stronger. I'm losing weight like crazy so far, look better, feel better. If I ever stop doing this it's because I'm crazy!
  • PegasusDeb
    PegasusDeb Posts: 665 Member
    I bet when you add strength training you will see even more results. :happy:
    I love working with weights! Love the feeling of muscle, nice & firm in there! (Ok, right now mine has a protective layer of "insulation" over them, but I know they are in there!) Just be sure you give yourself a day off in between for them to heal. For lighter, toning weights, I'm not sure if you have to do that.

    Funny story: One day I was talking on the phone & was holding it in my hand and blabbing away, and I reached up with my other hand to scratch my shoulder (the one holding the phone) and I stopped talking in mid-sentence & said, "OMG! I have muscles! I have never felt this muscle before!" It was like the sky opened up! LOL Love the TotalGYm!! :love:
  • bdgstone1
    bdgstone1 Posts: 18
    Not insane, but cautious....and that's ok.

    You're not changing anything, you're adding something.

    The idea is to make sure you;re doing stuff that helps...for example you;re probably like me and don;t need to bulk up so what you need is rep's and sets with light weights. e.g. working the meat you got on ya.....also, make sure you go in to the cardio side and add in how LONG you did strength training and get the bit of cadio from that.

    The thing to do with this MFP thing is to remember to do your weekly weight ins. Why is this important?

    It takes more activity to burn calories when you are lighter (i.e. weigh less). I don't exactly know why but I think more calories are going to the muscles than being sotred as fat.

    OK blah blah blah...for me? I try and burn as close to 1100 cals a day. Sometimes I'm over sometimes I'm a little short, but I do something everyday. That combined with tracking my cals (my goal is 1400 I try to keep it to 1200) has been great and I am seeing the muscle shapes popping out from under the ever being wave of body goop.

    About 40 lbs to go...but its all good brother. Keep on chugging long.

    Just remember to weight in, eat your min calories and try and burn at least 1000 a day (if you can - work up to it).

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