| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 4:23:18 AM | Don't know if anyone else out there is in the same boat as I am on this, but after a very dramatic weight loss from Jan 1st through May 1st (237 down to 171.4), and loosing over 100 lbs from my highest point in 2005, It seems that these last pesky 10 to 15 lbs are the hardest to loose - aiming for the 155 to 160 lb range, but have been stuck between 170.8 and 175 for the last 2 months now. I know part of it is the fact I'm throwing in some foods I didn't eat before (like bi-weekly Chinese food "splurges" that I need to stop :-D ).... and I'm going to change my gym routine this next week.
Anyone have any further tips/advice?  | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 4:25:48 AM | | You have said almost nothing about current nutritional and exercise regime. No meaningful advice on changes can be made without knowing what may need to be changed. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 4:29:03 AM | Currently working out 5 to 6 times per week, at least an hour a day. Doing weights for 35 mins & Cardio for 30 3 to 4 times per week, doing a Pilates class, and doing a High Impact / Floor Aerobics class + 35 mins weights one day a week.
Not really a diet per se - more a lifestyle change. Eating out alot less, eating healthier foods. Throwing in salads when possible, and trying to keep as close to 1200 calories per day as possible. Some days above, some days below. Cycling it around. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:27:27 AM | Now we are in business.
5-6 times a week leaves you with a whole lot of spare time that could be spent exercising more. Optimal time for a weights session is tending towards 45-60 minutes as opposed to 35. Cardio is a hard way to lose weight, but upping the sessions to the better part of an hour gradually is going to increase energy output substantially for cardio. Pilates does not count as exercise. Aerobics does, but again, we are looking at the relatively low output of cardio. More sessions, longer sessions is the summation for exercise. No reason to not have two or three sessions in a day if you build up to it.
Calories are way too low. If you have been at that point for long, you have done yourself a terrible injustice. I have lost ~10lb in the last month eating 3000-4000 calories a day. The difference is my metabolism has not shut down because I have not gotten way below my basal metabolic rate. BMR will shift lower if you are inputting less than it needs, basic survival mechanism. That you have plateaued to me indicates you are well into survival mode.
So- in conjunction with your increased exercise load, you need to eat more. A lot more. Without knowing all your vital stats and not being formally qualified, I am not going to give a hard and fast figure. From what you have said though, you should be aiming at 2000 calories at the very least. Spread these out all the way through your day, try and get your carbs in in the morning and stick with proteins and fats for the later half of the day.
Yes, fats. The more of your ~2000 calories you get from protein and fat the better- fat does not make you 'fat'. If you are trying to burn body fat, getting the body into metabolic pathways including fat is your friend. Avoiding excess cholestrol is also your friend in the process, be careful what you are eating exactly.
In summation: More exercise, more food, low carbs, high protine, moderate fat, minimise cholestrol. Alcohol is definitely not your friend at this point either. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:56:52 AM | Excellent advice from Crazytimes! People don't realize the body does go into 'starvation mode' when too few calories are consumed, and that is one of the reasons people become frustrated when they reach a plateau. A healthy lifestyle is about eating properly, exercising in a manner which enables you to burn calories effectively, and shaking things up in order to keep your body on it's toes !
Best wishes OP ......Listen to Crazytimes because he knows his stuff ! | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 9:46:08 AM | Agree with Crazytimes 100%, although I will say that unless you're reasonably short, you'd probably be better served trying to add a bit of muscle to your frame and then trying to lose those last few stubborn pounds. Not only will you look better once you've lost them with a more muscular base, but you'll also find it a great deal easier to actually lose them with a bit of muscle on you. Good luck to you whatever you decide to do.
On the topic of which exercise to choose (CT has already covered diet pretty thoroughly) I would suggest looking to metabolically demanding stuff like complexes, supersets, giant sets, tabata, etc. Steady state aerobic stuff is OK but largely unnecessary and only really worth doing if you have the extra time to be doing it on top of a sensibly design weight training regimen. If you're sacrificing weights sessions to go for a jog then you're making a poor choice. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 10:37:25 AM | OP, congrats on the weight loss.
You seem to be exercising enough, so I suspect that your nutrition needs adjusting, probably to higher quality, fresh plant foods, and avoiding all processed, high-calorie-density, processed foods. Low carbs (no/low grains, no/low starches, no animal fats, no/low industrial beef/dairy, no fried foods) and low glycemic are key.
Keep is simple, nothing extreme. Nothing high-tech, synthetic, processed, complex is required. Ignore the abnormal advice here. Try being a normal person with normal nutrition, it works and is easily sustainable.
If you want to lose weight, keep it off, and be in top health, that's completely doable with nutrition alone.
If you want to be fit, exercise. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 1:06:44 PM | Sounds like you are doing just fine, but the last couple of pounds could be shifted with the introduction of what is call High Intensity Interval Training. Sounds complex but is really very simple
It involves high intensity cardio that you can only keep up for a short time, followed by low intensity as a recovery. I'm not expert, but it would be an idea to google it and introduce it into your regime.
an example would be on a running track
100 metres 100% effort
300 metres jog
and repeat 10 times, will leave you a gibbering wreck and apparently better at shifting unwanted fat than an hours steady state
Obviously you would need to warm up and cool down appropriately! | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 3:43:42 PM | I have to agree with crazytimes, you aren't eating enough. The trick is to eat every 2 to 3 hours a day, 5 to 6 times a week, make sure you eat breakfast the most important meal of the day. This will increase your metabolism without adding pounds if you stick to your diet. Next eat healthy fats, like flax oil, coconut oil and olive oil. Coconut oil slowly increases the metabolism.
Change your cardio routine constantly. Bike one day, jog the next, skip rope the next, etc. Last of all drink more water in between meals at least 10 glasses of water. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:26:12 PM | | Changing your routine will help, after a while, the muscles will get used to the same exercise, so eventually the body and weight does not change. I have to do that myself, and cut out the miller lites! | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:40:05 PM |
5-6 times a week leaves you with a whole lot of spare time that could be spent exercising more. Optimal time for a weights session is tending towards 45-60 minutes as opposed to 35. Cardio is a hard way to lose weight, but upping the sessions to the better part of an hour gradually is going to increase energy output substantially for cardio. Pilates does not count as exercise. Aerobics does, but again, we are looking at the relatively low output of cardio. More sessions, longer sessions is the summation for exercise. No reason to not have two or three sessions in a day if you build up to it.
Calories are way too low. If you have been at that point for long, you have done yourself a terrible injustice. I have lost ~10lb in the last month eating 3000-4000 calories a day. The difference is my metabolism has not shut down because I have not gotten way below my basal metabolic rate. BMR will shift lower if you are inputting less than it needs, basic survival mechanism. That you have plateaued to me indicates you are well into survival mode.
So- in conjunction with your increased exercise load, you need to eat more. A lot more. Without knowing all your vital stats and not being formally qualified, I am not going to give a hard and fast figure. From what you have said though, you should be aiming at 2000 calories at the very least. Spread these out all the way through your day, try and get your carbs in in the morning and stick with proteins and fats for the later half of the day.
Yes, fats. The more of your ~2000 calories you get from protein and fat the better- fat does not make you 'fat'. If you are trying to burn body fat, getting the body into metabolic pathways including fat is your friend. Avoiding excess cholestrol is also your friend in the process, be careful what you are eating exactly.
In summation: More exercise, more food, low carbs, high protine, moderate fat, minimise cholestrol. Alcohol is definitely not your friend at this point either.
Perfect post, finally someone knowledgeable with loosing fat. I just replied in another thread about this guy eating 1500 calories. He's doing way more harm to his body. If he's happy then fine but you will never loose the fat or loose skin. You dropped your calories too low and too fast. People think fats will make you fat but it's the opposite. Fats will help you lose weight. It's the fats in junk food that screw you up. Olive oil, almonds, peanut butter, flak seed oil, fish oil, etc contain healthy fats. | |
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| Loosing those last pesky pounds
Posted: 7/9/2008 6:33:40 AM | Reelmein & Crazytimes...
I Have lost about 50lbs over the last 12 months. Some where in Jan i started bench press (with 10-15 lb).. I felt like my shoulder hurts right in between joint and neck.. I heard it was rotator cuff hurt.. I took off lifting for 5 months..
I want to start lifting slowly.. BUt very low weight is it advisable to do that..
or should I just stick to just swimming which I beleive will give be a better shape may be not a muslcular look..
Any suggestions on this would be hlepful!
Thank you guys... | |
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