Not sure where to start

bailey3199
bailey3199 Posts: 7 Member
edited November 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using MFP for about a month and also do 30 min most days of week on the elliptical at home. I don't seem to be able to lose the weight like I used to using that routine in the past. I want to began strength exercises and have no idea where to begin. Any suggestions on YouTube links to good beginner workouts? Or home workouts? I don't have any equipment and thought if I built muscle I would see better fat burning results.

Replies

  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    Strength training is never a bad idea, and I'm sure there will be people more knowledgeable than I am who can help you with that.

    However, before you decide that lack of muscle is the cause for your lack of weight loss: do you weigh your food on a food scale? Log everything you eat? Do you eat back any of your exercise calories, and, if so, how do you measure those calories (i.e., are you using what your elliptical tells you that you burned, the MFP database, etc.)?

    Like I said, strength training is good, but if you're not measuring your calorie intake/output accurately, it really won't matter.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    I'm not real clear about your goals. If weight loss is top priority then in addition to rigorous diet (net calorie management), cardio will really help with burning calories and keep your net cals in deficit (the key). Now, couple that cardio training with strength training--it is smart and necessary for total fitness. YouTube is a great source, just do searches for beginner work outs. I'd recommend a gym with all the equipment available and some trainers standing around on staff to answer questions (which they are dying to answer--trust me). If you are just starting--go easy and focus on form. Use machines until you learn the ropes. Watch others, ask others and don't worry about being a rookie--only rookies who think they know it all are frowned upon. All the literature says building muscle helps long-term weight control so go for it. Just be clear about how long you want to wait to get into that pair of jeans.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    If you haven't read the "Most Helpful Posts" thread, take a look at the stuff that's linked in it, especially the first one:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads/p1

    For what it's worth, when I was in my 20s, I was able to lose weight by increasing my activity and trying to eat more healthily, without counting calories, but that no longer worked for me in my 40s. I had to learn how to carefully count food calories and accurately estimate exercise calories. I found I was eating more than I thought, and burning less in exercise than I thought.
  • dearmrsowl
    dearmrsowl Posts: 151 Member
    Building muscle is never wrong and starting with body weight exercise is a good beginning. Look up fitnessblender on YouTube. They offer a lot of different workouts.
  • bailey3199
    bailey3199 Posts: 7 Member
    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Strength training is never a bad idea, and I'm sure there will be people more knowledgeable than I am who can help you with that.

    However, before you decide that lack of muscle is the cause for your lack of weight loss: do you weigh your food on a food scale? Log everything you eat? Do you eat back any of your exercise calories, and, if so, how do you measure those calories (i.e., are you using what your elliptical tells you that you burned, the MFP database, etc.)?

    Like I said, strength training is good, but if you're not measuring your calorie intake/output accurately, it really won't matter.

    I log all in MFP and use that to determine calorie burn from elliptical too... How can I do that more accurately? Could I if I had a fit bit or something?
    I eat some calories back from exercising but not always. Should I or no? I just try not to go over the allowed amount for the day (1200 or if exercise more)
    I do not weigh food but in the past I never did and lost.. I only want to lose about 10-15 lbs.
  • bailey3199
    bailey3199 Posts: 7 Member
    mulecanter wrote: »
    I'm not real clear about your goals. If weight loss is top priority then in addition to rigorous diet (net calorie management), cardio will really help with burning calories and keep your net cals in deficit (the key). Now, couple that cardio training with strength training--it is smart and necessary for total fitness. YouTube is a great source, just do searches for beginner work outs. I'd recommend a gym with all the equipment available and some trainers standing around on staff to answer questions (which they are dying to answer--trust me). If you are just starting--go easy and focus on form. Use machines until you learn the ropes. Watch others, ask others and don't worry about being a rookie--only rookies who think they know it all are frowned upon. All the literature says building muscle helps long-term weight control so go for it. Just be clear about how long you want to wait to get into that pair of jeans.

    Do I eat my calories burned from exercising or no? Is that what you mean net calories deficit?
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    1200 calories is too low if you only want to lose 10-15 lbs. Choose a goal of losing .5 lb/week to receive more calories. You may find that with more calories to work with (plus as you know you earn more calories with exercise) you won't be as hungry. With so little to lose, it comes off slowly. Give it time.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1


    "Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.
    However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity."
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html


    Goal setting, including weight, calories, and macros
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-setting-goals-667045

    Exercise basics
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-667080
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    bailey wrote:
    Do I eat my calories burned from exercising or no?
    Is that what you mean net calories deficit?
    Many people here on MFP say we should "eat back" exercise calories.
    Both my dietitican & doctor (endocrinologist specializing in weight issues) had never heard of the concept.
    They said just to eat at the healthy calorie goal we'd settled on, and treat exercise as a bonus toward weight
    loss... but it's essential for health.

    Net calories = difference between calories eaten / in (CI) & calories burned / out (CO)
    For people who are gaining weight, CO < CI
    If you want to lose weight, CI < CO

    The reasons not to "eat back" exercise calories:
    1 - most people underestimate what they eat
    2 - most machines (including MFP) overestimate calories burned

    For most people, most of the time, those pretty much cancel out.
    If you find yourself losing too fast, or feeling bad, or unhealthy,
    have a portion (1/4 - 1/3) of what you think you've burned.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    As to how much you should be eating...
    This is from that blog post I linked above, about goal setting.
    This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI, but how many
    servings of various foods to eat to maintain any weight.
    https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

    It takes into account your age, height, activity level.
    For a 35yo woman who's 5'6" tall, and 150 lb,
    that gives a BMI of 24.3 (in the top end of the healthy range),
    and if inactive, she'd need 1325 cal/day to maintain that weight.
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    vivmom2014 wrote: »
    1200 calories is too low if you only want to lose 10-15 lbs. Choose a goal of losing .5 lb/week to receive more calories. You may find that with more calories to work with (plus as you know you earn more calories with exercise) you won't be as hungry. With so little to lose, it comes off slowly. Give it time.

    Our bodies do not know how much weight we want to lose. OP, please don't listen to this advice. The weight WILL come off IF you have a consistent calorie deficit.

    But you need to weigh your food. Please start doing so today.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    MKEgal wrote: »
    As to how much you should be eating...
    This is from that blog post I linked above, about goal setting.
    This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI, but how many
    servings of various foods to eat to maintain any weight.
    https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

    It takes into account your age, height, activity level.
    For a 35yo woman who's 5'6" tall, and 150 lb,
    that gives a BMI of 24.3 (in the top end of the healthy range),
    and if inactive, she'd need 1325 cal/day to maintain that weight.

    This must be wrong! I'm at a similar size, older and lighter and have over 1500 to maintain weight.
    Scoobies: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ gives me about 1770kcal with those numbers above to maintain weight.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    from the link: "Find out how many calories to eat each day and how much of the different food groups are needed to provide those calories for a healthy diet for ages 2 to 20 years."
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »

    It takes into account your age, height, activity level.
    For a 35yo woman who's 5'6" tall, and 150 lb,
    that gives a BMI of 24.3 (in the top of the healthy range),
    and if inactive, she'd need 1325 cal/day to maintain that weight.

    This must be wrong! I'm at a similar size, older and lighter and have over 1500 to maintain weight.
    Scoobies: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ gives me about 1770kcal with those numbers above to maintain weight.

    Correct. I am 1.63m and my maintenance calories (bmi of slightly under 23) will be a glorious 1750. I can't wait to get there :)
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
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  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    bailey3199 wrote: »
    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Strength training is never a bad idea, and I'm sure there will be people more knowledgeable than I am who can help you with that.

    However, before you decide that lack of muscle is the cause for your lack of weight loss: do you weigh your food on a food scale? Log everything you eat? Do you eat back any of your exercise calories, and, if so, how do you measure those calories (i.e., are you using what your elliptical tells you that you burned, the MFP database, etc.)?

    Like I said, strength training is good, but if you're not measuring your calorie intake/output accurately, it really won't matter.

    I log all in MFP and use that to determine calorie burn from elliptical too... How can I do that more accurately? Could I if I had a fit bit or something?
    I eat some calories back from exercising but not always. Should I or no? I just try not to go over the allowed amount for the day (1200 or if exercise more)
    I do not weigh food but in the past I never did and lost.. I only want to lose about 10-15 lbs.

    Then you really need to be weighing your food on a digital scale--it makes no difference what worked in the past. If you check the forums, everyday someone is upset and confused because they "used to " lose weight doing this or that. Things change.
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