Changing, but not changing

JonoK
JonoK Posts: 147 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So I've done this "losing weight" thing before - twice, actually. Both times I reached my lowest weight, I usually follow with a year of crashing and burning - gaining everything back and feeling horrible - leading to poor attitudes and depression.

So this time I'm changing my approach. I've read a lot about how gaining muscle mass helps raise your metabolism - which helps you maintain a healthier and more fit body over a longer period of time. Of course, nothing will help a person who is sedentary and won't diet and exercise at all, but forming new habits are important and growing muscle mass is a key part in this transition.

So I've been working out, lifting weights along with walking/running for most every day of a month and have noticed a change. My body is getting thinner, but my weight isn't dropping like before. I'm assuming that I am building muscle mass and have been making a conscious effort not to obsess over the weight scale. I keep within my allotment of calories and try to be under by a few.

The goal is healthy - not thin. Anyone else headed down this road with me?

Replies

  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
    I believe most of us are. The key that you didn't get before is that this is a lifestyle change. When you said crash and burned I'm assuming you ate like you did before in the same quantities... I'm glad you found something that is working for yah
  • fannyfrost
    fannyfrost Posts: 756 Member
    I have that same cycle. 1/2 time don't even reach goal weight before I crash and burn. The trick is to be like Ok I wasn't perfect, but I am going to keep going. It is really hard to adapt new habits. Exercise is easy for me, food not so much.
  • JonoK
    JonoK Posts: 147 Member
    fannyfrost wrote: »
    I have that same cycle. 1/2 time don't even reach goal weight before I crash and burn. The trick is to be like Ok I wasn't perfect, but I am going to keep going. It is really hard to adapt new habits. Exercise is easy for me, food not so much.

    I would agree that Exercise is easier than food choices. It's WAY to hard to avoid it all the time and as I read the blogs from others, food is a tough battle. There is a lot of emphasis in our culture about eating (especially social eating). So when you go make a change, you have to be particular about it.
  • JonoK
    JonoK Posts: 147 Member
    Confession: I took a few months off (Xmas, New Years) and gained a bit. The holidays are the worst for me - but I've found a new sense of motivation. First, my fitness tracking through Garmin Vivoactive. It's not perfect, but it works for me. It does calculate the Indoor Cycling I have been doing, and bases it primarily off of my heart-rate sensor. Second, I have found a lot of information about doing 5X5 Lifting routines. Many bloggers post about how they wish they had started 5X5 when they started working out, and although I have been back on my bike for about 2 weeks, this is me starting out for 2016. The goal is still to get my weight down within reason but to lift and become stronger - giving me a better metabolism. The goal isn't to lift a lot or lift heavy - but to be consistent - and to take adequate rest days. I plan to lift M,W,F followed by 20 minutes of Biking (slow burn) and then on Tu,Th,Sat,Sun I am going to cycle (slow burn) to induce body fat burning.

    My question now is about disruptions. What happens when your routine gets disrupted? Do you struggle (like me) to get back after it? For example, I went to visit my folks last weekend and missed two days of doing routine exercise. Then I came back Sunday morning and had to get back on the bike - and it sucked. Felt like my rythem had gotten thrown off and I needed a kick in the pants to get back after it.

    Anyway, tomorrow I plan to keep up with the routine and see how it goes for a few months. Excited to drop the pounds and gain some muscle. What have you found works best for you?
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