confused

ladytwilight72
ladytwilight72 Posts: 70 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I should loose 100ish pounds. I started doing walking videos on my lunch then I progressed to doing them on breaks and lunch. I've found that they relieve stress for me. My question is I heard if you do the same exercises your body gets to used to it...I've also read this is false This last week I've kept my cardio on breaks but after work 3 days a week I do a 30 min cardio with dumbbells and 3 days a week a strength video that's 30 min with dumbbells. I've heard don't do too much cardio or you loose muscle but I've heard don't do strength until you loose to your goal. I just don't know what the heck to do or believe.

Replies

  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Your body doesn't 'get used' to cardio, you just get better at it. It still burns the same calories. Also, you only lose muscle if you lose weight too quickly and/or do not do any kind of resistance exercise to help keep it.

    It is good to mix it up. Do the cardio and the dumbbells. But most importantly, work on the diet. That is where the real loss occurs. The exercise burns little but still do it for your health. Just don't count on it for weight loss.

    Good luck.
  • ladytwilight72
    ladytwilight72 Posts: 70 Member
    Oh no not doing the exercise for weight loss or to gain more calories. Just doing it for the health benefits and because it is making me feel better
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited November 2017
    My question is I heard if you do the same exercises your body gets to used to it...
    Your body adapts to exercise rather than "gets used to it". You get fitter, stronger, better endurance etc.
    Your body still needs to burn energy to move. There's some slight efficiency gains - especially in more technical exercises like swimming. As you get lighter you do need less energy to move less mass.
    But that's more than counter balanced for most people increasing their capabilities as they get fitter - you do more, you burn more.

    I've heard don't do too much cardio or you loose muscle.
    Utter nonsense. You lose muscle by inactivity not by exercise. Muscle isn't a fuel source your body will turn to unless you are starving. Besides which you know you should be eating back exercise calories - you get to eat more while still maintaining the rate of weight loss you selected.

    but I've heard don't do strength until you loose to your goal.
    No that would be bad advice. It's more important in some ways when losing weight than at goal weight.
    Benefits of doing it while losing weight:
    Retention of existing muscle or even adding some (either way the best you that you can be).
    You will be stronger irrespective of actual muscle gain.
    You will have established a great habit rather than have to start from zero when you get to goal.
    You will have honed your technique and found what you enjoy (or don't enjoy!).
    You will look the best you can be when you get to goal rather than risking just looking like a smaller version of the current you.



  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    You don't lose fitness by doing the same thing over and over, but neither do you improve.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    ladytwilight72 wrote: »
    Just doing it for the health benefits and because it is making me feel better

    your body 'getting used' to what you're doing IS the health benefit ;) so is you feeling better.

    it's honestly probably okay. all it means is you get adapted to the new demands, and that means you're in a position where you can expand the demands . . . and then your body adapts to that and you can expand them again.

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    its not that its not as effective, orthat your body adjusts to it, its as your fitness level improves, and as you lose weight, it requires more effort/longer duration/ whatever to achieve the same results.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    You are doing the right stuff! Keep doing it, get control of your intake, be consistent, and the weight will slowly but steadily come off.

    Losing 100lbs means a permanent lifestyle change, which is sterted, as all journeys, by a single step in the right direction. Best wishes for your journey!
  • creatureofchaos
    creatureofchaos Posts: 65 Member
    I had almost the same amount of weight to lose when I started, and I have always hated exercise. I also have venous problems that had gotten much worse as I gained weight and made exercise painful and hard. But I wanted to be healthy, so I started walking to try to get in 10,000 steps every day. It was simple, and I could do it at my own pace, and I could check off the "exercise" box and feel like I was doing all the right things to improve my health.

    After a while, what used to feel like a long walk felt short, and then like next to nothing. So I started walking more in order to get the same feeling of satisfaction I used to get from my short walks. And then I started walking more. And more. I felt weird if I didn't get my steps in, and actually craved it. I joined a gym, something I never imagined wanting to do, because I knew as winter hit it would be harder to walk. And wouldn't you know, the cardio machines started getting easier, and then I started to brave classes, and I realized I liked that, too.

    I started like you are now, without any exercise goal other than Doing All the Obligatory Things for My Health. Now I'm well over halfway to my weight loss goal, and thanks to all this exercise, I look much better than I did the last time I was this weight. And for the first time in my life, I actually look forward to working out.

    So yes, my experience is that your body will get "used to" exercise - but in the best way possible. Go at your own pace and listen to your body. Figure out a small, doable goal (like my 10,000 steps thing) and don't worry much about optimizing your workouts. Don't push or punish yourself. The tiny incremental difference between routines don't matter at this point. Over time, as you listen to your body, you'll find yourself needing to push those goals a little further, and you'll want to conquer new things. Go one step at a time.

    Best wishes for a successful journey.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I see some good advice on this thread. The hint that it’s time to challenge yourself is when your current routine gets boring or too easy. You can change it up by going longer or faster. Reps can be with higher weights. Vary your terrain. Find a complimentary sport to prepare for.

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