For those losing the last 10 lbs - what's the secret???
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I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.
I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).
It comes down 80% to diet. The last 10 should come off slow to ensure you don't lose muscle while you lose fat. In other words your goal should not be to lose more than 0.5lbs/week. On top of that you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing.
A clean diet, intense workouts with a small caloric deficit should get you there. If you have not tried HIIT training I would highly suggest this.
^^^this^^^
there's no secret. the less fat you have to lose, the longer it takes to lose it. Those last few lbs take a while.
Put it this way, my last ten pounds took me almost 5 months to lose (about 1/2 lb per month average).
also you should remember that those last 10 may or may not really be necessary (vanity weight), if your body doesn't think it should remove that weight, then you'll have a very difficult time getting rid of it.0 -
I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.
I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).
It comes down 80% to diet. The last 10 should come off slow to ensure you don't lose muscle while you lose fat. In other words your goal should not be to lose more than 0.5lbs/week. On top of that you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing.
A clean diet, intense workouts with a small caloric deficit should get you there. If you have not tried HIIT training I would highly suggest this.
I agree, that it will mostly come down to tweaking your diet.
I would also suggest doing your cardio & weights on separate days now & since you have almost reached your goal i would recomend split training, 2-4 times a week with 24-48 hours of rest after your weight training sessions.
DO NOT listen to anyone who tells you to just increase the time of your cardio!0 -
Would that be considered HIIT?
no, that's just general circuit training.
HIIT is high intensity interval training.
take ONE piece of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical, or just sneakers and pavement), and do intervals of slow and fast. Like jog for a while, then sprint for a minute, jog again, sprint, etc. Use a timer of some sort to know when your interval is over.
I do Tabata style. 4 minutes of 20 second ALL out, then ten of rest (30 sec total, repeat 8 times = 4 minutes). with a warmup and cooldown around that 4 minutes. TRUE tabata intervals are made for you to be collapsed on the floor, possibly almost vomiting, when done. I have never pushed myself to the vomiting point but I am fighting to breathe and can't move afterwards for a bit.
sometimes I just use the FORMAT but not the intensity. Like I'll do tabata situps for 4 minutes, or pushups, but just not to the point I am going to hurl, go at a "8 or 9" level of difficulty instead of a 10. Real tabata is ten for the whole 4 minutes.0 -
bumping this for a friend0
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thanks!0
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EAT MORE (especially protein) and WEIGHT TRAIN....
Cardio wont do it.....
And ask yourself, are you trying to lose "weight" or "fat"
If its fat... follow the above plan, if its weight, well there isn't much I can tell you... its slow and intollerable... and you may never lose it... but you can lose fat..0 -
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I'm glad to see so many others feeling the same way (sorry you are having the same issues though!). And thank you for suggesting HIIT, which I actually had to look up, lol. I am sort of doing a HIIT workout 3 days a week: 13 minutes elliptical followed by a full body cycle of free weight lifting exercises and lunges. Then repeat the cycle 2 more times. The elliptical is set at 3 incline. Would that be considered HIIT? The other 3 or 4 days a week, I run 3 miles outside at a 9 or 10 min/mile pace. Later in the day I add some ab work, stretching and pushups.
Not quite HITT, HIIT is all out effort (90-95% of maximum effort) for 30 seconds to 1 minute, followed by a recovery period equal to the sprint or up to double the sprint portion. HIIT workouts should only last 15-20 minutes due to the intensity.0 -
As others have said, what you are doing is not HIIT. It is great that you are working out the way you are, but depending on how you lift weights, you may not be burning very many calories (think using machines, traditional 3x12--not a huge heart lifter). You will need to crank it up to push through, but only do high intensity (whether it is HIIT, or faster running/elliptical) one or two days a week, non consecutive days. This should not burn you out. If you feel like it is too much, keep the high intensity days, but instead of a lower intensity on another day, take a rest day.
Diet tweaks are definitely going to help. I'm not thin because I work out a lot, I'm thin because I eat right. I was a runner for YEARS and was still overweight. Food is the answer. Get food right, the rest will follow.
Also, how tall are you? You may not be able to drop to your goal of 118 depending on body type/composition. Is there a reason you've chosen that number? 128 is a very healthy weight for a wide range of heights, so you will need a huge amount of patience if you are committed to 118.
Good luck!0 -
As others have said, what you are doing is not HIIT. It is great that you are working out the way you are, but depending on how you lift weights, you may not be burning very many calories (think using machines, traditional 3x12--not a huge heart lifter). You will need to crank it up to push through, but only do high intensity (whether it is HIIT, or faster running/elliptical) one or two days a week, non consecutive days. This should not burn you out. If you feel like it is too much, keep the high intensity days, but instead of a lower intensity on another day, take a rest day.
Diet tweaks are definitely going to help. I'm not thin because I work out a lot, I'm thin because I eat right. I was a runner for YEARS and was still overweight. Food is the answer. Get food right, the rest will follow.
Also, how tall are you? You may not be able to drop to your goal of 118 depending on body type/composition. Is there a reason you've chosen that number? 128 is a very healthy weight for a wide range of heights, so you will need a huge amount of patience if you are committed to 118.
Good luck!
Thank you all for explaining the HIIT programs, I will definitely need to add something like this to my workout and can do so easily - although I'm prepared for it to be very challenging to actually get through. I used to work out with a trainer at the gym and he would push me to the point where I thought I might vomit - I was in the best shape, lol.
I'm 5'4" and very small framed. I chose 118 because that is my pre-babies weight from 8 years ago and I was able to maintain it just fine then. However, I'm not totally committed to that number. More importantly, I'd like to lose the "mom belly" and muffin top and lift the bottom a little. Which is why I took my measurements. If they fall in line, I won't be so worried about the number on the scale.0 -
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I know most are saying to not increase your cardio but doing that helped me.
I maintained in the 140s which is in my healthy weight range for my height for a few years.
I started running in August and now I am maintaing in the 130s by the increased cardio and doing nothing else different so my experience does not match what all the others are saying.0 -
I'm 5'4" and very small framed. I chose 118 because that is my pre-babies weight from 8 years ago and I was able to maintain it just fine then. However, I'm not totally committed to that number. More importantly, I'd like to lose the "mom belly" and muffin top and lift the bottom a little. Which is why I took my measurements. If they fall in line, I won't be so worried about the number on the scale.
good for you for not being overly committed to a number. SOMETIMES once you have kids it is NOT possible to get back to pre-baby weight. your body has changed. even things like a hip measurement...once those bones have spread to widen the birth canal they don't always settle ALL the way back in, you may have wider hips because of the bones, not because of the fat on them...things to consider.
It is possible though, barring any permanent changes to your structure. I DID get back to (and below) pre baby weight but it took a long time. My kids are 14 and 10! I'm in the best shape of my life at 33!0 -
Hi. I have 3 kids too and had the same problem. Scrutinize what you eat -- are you really eating "that" well or do you get into your kids' chocolate chip cookies once in a while :-)
It is really hard with kids.
HIIT, yes, definitely, but also more intense weight lifting. I found that it isn't necessary to increase the time spent at the gym, just the intensity.
Also, I started doing hot power yoga a few times a week in addition to my gym routine. This is a nice change because although you do get a pretty strenous workout from it, it is relaxing time away from the kids.
Good luck!0 -
What worked for me:
1. Increasing my calories, by decreasing my desired weight loss/wk (changed goal from 1 lb/wk to .5 lb/wk)
2. Started eating cleanly - I only eat/drink real food
Btw, I actually have SLOWED DOWN my workouts by 1/2 by doing this. I am working out half as much now, b/c I eat more and better.
I have more energy, am healthier, and feel great. And the weight is still just dropping off me. Honestly, it's hard to keep it on now. Well, unless I bite off another chocolate bunny's ear...0 -
What worked for me:
1. Increasing my calories, by decreasing my desired weight loss/wk (changed goal from 1 lb/wk to .5 lb/wk)
2. Started eating cleanly - I only eat/drink real food
Btw, I actually have SLOWED DOWN my workouts by 1/2 by doing this. I am working out half as much now, b/c I eat more and better.
I have more energy, am healthier, and feel great. And the weight is still just dropping off me. Honestly, it's hard to keep it on now. Well, unless I bite off another chocolate bunny's ear...
YES!!!0 -
unless I bite off another chocolate bunny's ear...
Mmmmm! Chocolate bunny ears....0 -
Thank you all again for your helpful posts and words of encouragement! Patience, patience, patience. Ugh, I know. It took 8 years to put on this weight, it's not going to happen overnight but vacation is looming, you know?
Lots of things to think about and try to incorporate. I possibly don't eat enough but it just seems so backwards to eat more to weigh less! And, it's not like I'm hungry. I eat little meals throughout the day and have probably not broken 1400 cals since I've been logging my food. I also do eat very well but that's a recent development, I know the results will start coming soon. For the past 10 days, I've completely taken out packaged foods and empty calories and upped the protein. I feel stronger (able to run farther than I have in over a year) and have lost 4" so I know the change is coming. Patience, patience, patience - this will be my new mantra :-).
And I'm going to look at my weight lifting routine, which has been the same for at least 10 years. It is in serious need of an update.0 -
What about intermittent fasting? Like Eat Stop Eat?
I've just started trying out Eat Stop Eat this week and I've fasted twice and I'll see in the end of the week if it's worked. I think it could shock the body a bit so maybe those last few pounds would give up.0 -
I can't believe I am going to say this but for and example of HIIT check out Turbo Fire at Beachbody no I am not a coach and usually hate it when someone recommends this but it will show you what HIIT is.0
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