target heart rate, frustrations and such....

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joyzoso
joyzoso Posts: 66 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I am a pretty healthy 35 year old. I am very aware of my body (so I think). I am 5'11 and 200 pounds. I have been working with a trainer once a week for about 2 months now AND have also been attending her classes (spinning, cardio kickboxing, lift class AND a per (boot camp) class) totaling about 10 hours at the gym at least and burning close to 1000 calories 3/4 days of those. I take one day off from working out.

I have been staying pretty much at my intake (which is set at about 1370, but do about 1700 when I am working hard). I feel I am getting stronger, see some definition happening, but still not seeing a huge difference in my clothes. Its odd. I feel back in my 20's when I was unhealthy and barely worked out it was easier to drop the weight!!!!!

I am wondering now if I should cut out salt and up the protein (which I feel I get more than my share). I sincerely watch what I eat (maybe have an off day here and there). A classmate and I were talking that when on the machines, my heart rate is beyond the fat loss zone and goes into cardio... could this be my problem when doing cardio? I am going to fast and not burning enough???? So frustrating. I am going to start a running program next month, and hoping to run a 1/2 marathon in Feb, so maybe incorporating more jogging will also help.

I just feel I have been so diligent with the gym and diet, but not seeing a huge difference (feeling stronger for sure), but I swear I had quicker results doing yoga 4 times a week.

Would love some advice or just some friendly motivation! It can be so frustrating!

Ahhhh!!!!

Replies

  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
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    If you truly are eating only 1300 calories on normal days and 1700 on "hard" days AND burning 500+ calories when working out, I'd say you're not eating nearly enough! You need to feed your body and keep it fed in order to "burn" the calories. Otherwise, you're burning your muscle, a little fat, but just burning your body out.
  • joyzoso
    joyzoso Posts: 66 Member
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    I'd say it is more 1500 calories on normal days and close to 1800 on days I workout. I feel I eat 3 very good meals with 2 snacks and never go hungry.

    I can't bring myself to eat calories remaining.

    If I feel weak, heck yeah I will eat, but feel completely healthy and that I get enough (sometimes more than enough) for weight loss.

    I appreciate your reply though!!!!!
  • CrystalFlury
    CrystalFlury Posts: 400 Member
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    So I am a pretty healthy 35 year old. I am very aware of my body (so I think). I am 5'11 and 200 pounds. I have been working with a trainer once a week for about 2 months now AND have also been attending her classes (spinning, cardio kickboxing, lift class AND a per (boot camp) class) totaling about 10 hours at the gym at least and burning close to 1000 calories 3/4 days of those. I take one day off from working out.

    I have been staying pretty much at my intake (which is set at about 1370, but do about 1700 when I am working hard). I feel I am getting stronger, see some definition happening, but still not seeing a huge difference in my clothes. Its odd. I feel back in my 20's when I was unhealthy and barely worked out it was easier to drop the weight!!!!!

    I am wondering now if I should cut out salt and up the protein (which I feel I get more than my share). I sincerely watch what I eat (maybe have an off day here and there). A classmate and I were talking that when on the machines, my heart rate is beyond the fat loss zone and goes into cardio... could this be my problem when doing cardio? I am going to fast and not burning enough???? So frustrating. I am going to start a running program next month, and hoping to run a 1/2 marathon in Feb, so maybe incorporating more jogging will also help.

    I just feel I have been so diligent with the gym and diet, but not seeing a huge difference (feeling stronger for sure), but I swear I had quicker results doing yoga 4 times a week.

    Would love some advice or just some friendly motivation! It can be so frustrating!

    Ahhhh!!!!

    If heart rate is what you're interested in learning about you should invest in a heart rate monitor-- not going by the machines. Most of the time those machines with the incorporated HRM is wrong. My dad gave me a Polar FT4 HRM this last Christmas as well as a book by Sally Edwards called The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook. I highly suggest getting this book because it'll tell you all about the heart rate zones-- fat burning, cardio etc. It'll definitely educate you about what you're getting out of your workouts. I learned when I was jogging (funny thing is I wasn't in the best shape, wasn't controlling my diet) I was running too high a heart rate to really be having a productive workout.

    Hope this helps, take a look at the book and heart rate monitors on Amazon.
  • j_courter
    j_courter Posts: 999 Member
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    If you truly are eating only 1300 calories on normal days and 1700 on "hard" days AND burning 500+ calories when working out, I'd say you're not eating nearly enough! You need to feed your body and keep it fed in order to "burn" the calories. Otherwise, you're burning your muscle, a little fat, but just burning your body out.

    i know it's not what you want to hear because it doesn't make sense... but eat more to lose! yep! it works! are you eating back any of your exercise calories?
  • joyzoso
    joyzoso Posts: 66 Member
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    If you truly are eating only 1300 calories on normal days and 1700 on "hard" days AND burning 500+ calories when working out, I'd say you're not eating nearly enough! You need to feed your body and keep it fed in order to "burn" the calories. Otherwise, you're burning your muscle, a little fat, but just burning your body out.

    i know it's not what you want to hear because it doesn't make sense... but eat more to lose! yep! it works! are you eating back any of your exercise calories?

    Some days I do, but I am also conscious of trying to create the deficit!!!!!
    This is such a journey!!! And it seems now that I am educating myself so much on it, the harder it is!
    Its nutty!
  • tulip07
    tulip07 Posts: 167 Member
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    I have been on the 17 day diet and first time in years I am losing weight (and quickly too!). Look it up. Check out the facebook page for 17 day diet, there is a lot of activity on that page. Just something to think about? I have heard (and now seen) what you eat is as important as (or more important than?) how much you eat and how much you exercise.
  • joyzoso
    joyzoso Posts: 66 Member
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    I have been on the 17 day diet and first time in years I am losing weight (and quickly too!). Look it up. Check out the facebook page for 17 day diet, there is a lot of activity on that page. Just something to think about? I have heard (and now seen) what you eat is as important as (or more important than?) how much you eat and how much you exercise.

    Thank you, but while that might work for you... it seems very unhealthy to me. I do not want to cut my calories so low and only do 17 minutes of exercise. I enjoy working out and need it to keep me sane. I have been around the block with fad diets and know this time it might be slower, but healthier.

    I suppose I am just trying to hear if other people have experienced similar problems. Here is a sample day, just fyi (and sorry I tried to have it formatted!) :


    Your Food Diary For: Prev Wednesday October 26, 2011 Next
    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein
    Sweet potato - Cooked, baked in skin, without salt (Sweetpotato), 1 small 54 12 0 1
    Trader Joe's Dsf - Almond Butter, 2 Tbsp 190 3 17 8
    Honey, 1 tbsp 64 17 0 0
    Lundberg - Buttery Caramel Rice Cakes, 1 cake 70 16 1 1
    Eggs - Hard-boiled (whole egg), 2 large 155 1 11 13
    Add Food Quick Tools 533 49 29 23
    Lunch
    Generic - Delicata Squash, 1/2 squash 30 18 1 2
    Trader Joe's - 100 Calorie 70%Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar 100 7 8 1
    Cabbage - Red, raw, 2 cup, shredded 43 10 0 2
    Chicken - Breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, 1 cup, chopped or diced 231 0 5 43
    Lundberg - Buttery Caramel Rice Cakes, 1 cake 70 16 1 1
    Add Food Quick Tools 474 51 15 49
    Dinner
    Trader Joe's - Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup, 1 can 260 38 7 12
    Whole Foods - Roasted Garlic and Chive Hummus, 1 oz 80 5 6 2
    Lundberg - Buttery Caramel Rice Cakes, 1 cake 70 16 1 1
    Add Food Quick Tools 410 59 14 15
    Snacks
    Raw Almonds - Almonds, 1 oz (23 almonds) 160 6 14 6
    So Delicious - Coconut Milk Yogurt - Plain, 4 ounces 80 12 5 0
    Generic - Black Seedless Grapes, 1 cup 69 18 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 309 36 19 6

    Totals 1,726 195 77 93
    Your Daily Goal 2,370 325 79 88
    Remaining 644 130 2 -5
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein
    *You've earned 1000 extra calories from exercise today
  • tulip07
    tulip07 Posts: 167 Member
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    Don't mean to argue at all :) but just thought I'd correct you that it's not a fad diet. My doctor recommended it and that's how I came to know of it. It's just got a gimmicky name to it, it's a high protein diet (promotes clean eating) to start with that goes on do some calorie cycling to reset metabolism and prevent plateaus. Goes on to add whole grains slowly eventually getting to the point where you can eat what you were eating before albeit making more healthy choices ( which it seems you are already doing but so was I) it's a book that was written by a doctor and I saw it being promoted on the doctors show and the dr.Phil show.

    I am not a spokesperson for the diet :) just happy it's working for me and everyone I told and just want to help others in the same boat. Good luck!!

    Also the 17 minute a day exercise is to get people moving and also there is no calorie restriction. You can eat as much as your exercise regimen requires! The restriction is only on what kinds of food you can eat and not on how much.
  • tulip07
    tulip07 Posts: 167 Member
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    While I can understand not every diet is for everyone, just wanted to respond abt what you said about the diet being unhealthy or being a fad diet. Also most days on the diet i eat more calories than what you are eating and i am 5 ft 1 and 132 lbs (have lost 14 lbs since sept 1st) so its not as low calorie as you may think. Like I said, my doctor who treats me for my hypothyroidism recommended it. I hope my comment helps others who read this.
  • joyzoso
    joyzoso Posts: 66 Member
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    thank you tulip07!!!
    I just might have to start limiting salt, and start restricting some other foods.
    I am trying to avoid having to really limit myself with foods as we all know this is a lifestyle change and I think its ok if we want have a piece of dark chocolate here and there or glass of wine or even some pizza.
    i will definitely read into it more. I know there are many different ways and different body types to shed weight.

    And at the end of the day, even if I am having results very slowly, at least I am getting stronger and more motivated than ever to be healthier into my late 30's and beyond!
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
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    Totals 1,726 195 77 93
    Your Daily Goal 2,370 325 79 88
    Remaining 644 130 2 -5
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein
    *You've earned 1000 extra calories from exercise today

    Your net calories for the day was 726. Your body is going to hold onto that esp. if you keep it up long term.

    MFP builds in a calorie deficit for you, based on what you told it you wanted to lose. You don't need to add a whole lot more to that, which is why people say to eat at least half of your exercise calories, or more -- depending how much you do.

    Examine your diary for the past week+ and see how your net calories figure in.
  • dannylives
    dannylives Posts: 611
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    Keep your heart rate at 70%-80% of your maximum heart rate. I have a Polar FT7, works fine.
  • tulip07
    tulip07 Posts: 167 Member
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    You are welcome. After I posted yesterday that I being much smaller than you am eating the same or more than you are and not exercising as much as you (I stay active, but am not doing boot camp so not burning as many calories!), I realized I agree with what everyone is saying. You are eating too less. That's what I was doing before this diet, the diet taught me to eat the right food at the right time. Anyway, enough about my diet :-P, what I mean to say is your body is going into starvation mode now and will hold on to every little thing you give it!!

    thank you tulip07!!!
    I just might have to start limiting salt, and start restricting some other foods.
    I am trying to avoid having to really limit myself with foods as we all know this is a lifestyle change and I think its ok if we want have a piece of dark chocolate here and there or glass of wine or even some pizza.
    i will definitely read into it more. I know there are many different ways and different body types to shed weight.

    And at the end of the day, even if I am having results very slowly, at least I am getting stronger and more motivated than ever to be healthier into my late 30's and beyond!
  • grneyedgf
    grneyedgf Posts: 23 Member
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    I was doing a workout in the same heart rate range as you and I'm close to your age. My doctor suggested that I do a milder routine and keep my heart rate at 155 for at least 30 min. I thought .... "phsssh, way too easy!" Let me tell you I kept my heart rate lower than usual and I have never sweated so much in my life. It was literally dripping off my finger tips. It takes about 20 min of that steady heart rate to burn through your glucose or stored carbs, then you start burning off fat. He also said to not adjust my calories for the workout. It will create the calorie deficit to improve the weight loss. You body burns carbs, then fats, and then protien. The only time you would eat those extra calories is if your at your ideal body weight and want to maintain your weight. If a person has low body fat and does a hard workout, the body will then use protien (muscle). Also, if your training harder with weights you will gain muscle mass. It may not look like much but it does weigh more that fat mass and takes up less room. Compare a pound of fat vs. a pound of muscle. The weight is the same, but fat has more volume.

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