Need Help

Faythe

Cathlete
I was recently laid off and have lots of time to workout. I am currently doing 2 hours in the morning. I am sticking to my balanced 1400 calarie diet given by a nutritionist. But the past 2 wks I have maintained the same weight. For the past few months I have lost 45.5 Lbs (2.5 each wk) and I am doing more exercise now and sticking to my water intake and eating what I need to but I'm stuck. I am alternating all my tapes and yet sticking to somewhat of a program:
M W F Upper Body w/ weights and Cardio & Abs = 2 hrs total
T Th Lower Body sculpting (partically w/ weights) & Abs = 2 hrs
Sat Cardio and Abs only (1+ hrs)
I was thinking of adding one more hour before or after dinner of pure cardio. Is that too much or ok????
I give my body a rest by just doing cardio on Sat and nothing (except perhaps a walk in the park) on Sun.
I am loosing inches and fit into a smaller size (14)over the past month, but I have 20 or so Lbs to go to be a healthy weight for my frame (5'3") What is a good weight for that size? I can't get below 170 Lbs. I know that is too high. I just want to be healthy once again. (in my early twenties and younger I was 117 - 120Lbs and now if I were 135-140 I will be happy, because I am muscular now and more fit, but not 170) I know most people don't worry about numbers in this forum, but once I'm back into a normal size I'll be happy. Thank you in advance for your help.
Faythe
 
Faythe,

I'm 5'4" and started at 197 lbs. When I hit 172, my weight loss pattern changed so that I would stay the same weight on the scale for 4-5 weeks and then over the next week and a half I'd go down 4 or 5 pounds. During the time that the scale didn't move, I could still tell that I was getting smaller because clothes were fitting looser, so I took to going clothes shopping every 6 weeks or so for encouragement. I'm 135 now and pretty satisfied, but I gotta warn ya, the plateaus got even longer and the drops even smaller near the end--though I don't think my calorie intake was as low as yours. I just wanted to say that it's possible all you need right now is patience with the plateaus. And best of luck to you--the results are SO worth it!! --Karen
 
Remember that it's size and not weight that matters. Super-fit people can be "overweight" for their height. As long as you are getting smaller, it doesn't matter what the scale is doing. It sounds like you are doing it right, slow, steady and healthy.
 
Thank you guys for your imput. I weighed myself today and lost 2.5 Lbs again, but I know your right that size is more important than Lbs. It's hard though, remembering what I use to weigh and looking at the scale now. Patients is not my best quality. I just want to be in some lower #'s I don't even care as much where, as long as it's below a certain point. My husband can't stop talking about the muscles I have and the shape my new body is taking on. Even my calves (which were always too big) are somewhat thinning out and so I know I'm doing something right. I just wanted people's input as far as if I should do more because the weight is coming off slower than previous months. Now I have more time and could spare an extra hour at night. Plus I feel so good and liberated when I exercise, I can't explain it. I feel like I'm doing what I was made to do, like some sing and some paint. well, thanks again for your input, any others want to join in with their comments, that would be great.
Faythe
 
Hi....I was wondering what type of cardio workouts you were doing?? If you arent already incorporating an interval type of workout like Interval Max or even Circuit Max using no weights into your schedule, maybe that might work. Also, maybe you could split your 2 hour leg workout into parts and do a shorter cardio workout plus legs on Tuesday and Thursday. Just a few suggestions.

:) Stacy
 
Oops...forgot to add one more thing about Circuit Max (hopefully you have this tape), by "no weights" what I really meant was since you're doing upper body on MWF, you could possibly use Circuit Max as more of a leg workout (using a barbell resting on your back, or dumbells at your side, whichever you prefer) instead of using the weights as an upper body workout as Cathe does in this tape. Hope that makes sense.

:) Stacy
 
Stacey,
Thanks for the advive.
I just bought 5 of Cathe's tapes. 3 I got for my b'day and 2 I'm getting for Christmas. (Rythmic Step & Step Fit-Christmas gifts) and (Cardio Kicks, Body Max and Max Intensity I just started last week) I already have PS Chest, Tri and Shd and PS Back, Bicep & Abs.
My
schedule consist of:
Cardio Choices:
Cardio Kicks Treadmill Step (any) Body Max(beginning) Max-Intensity

Monday
Cathe’s Chest, Tri & Shd
Cardio (choose one from above)
Ab workout

Tuesday
Firm - Lower Body Parts and or
Firm - Lower Body Split and or
Firm - Standing Legs
Ab workout
Cardio (choose from list above)

Wednesday
Cathe’s Back, Bi & Abs
Cardio (choose from list above)

Thursday
Firm - Lower Body Parts and or
Firm - Lower Body Split and or
Firm - Standing Legs
Ab workout
Cardio (choose from list above)

Friday
Firm Upper Body Parts (for shorter workout) or
Cathe’s Bodymax (for longer full body intense workout)
Ab workout
Cardio (ONLY IF did Firm’s UBP, choose from list above)

Saturday (cardio & Abs only)
Cardio Kicks or
Cathe’s Maximum Intensity
Ab workout

That's my set up for now. I do have some of Gen Millers Step Interval video's and I have a lot of the Firm video's that incorperate weights in the aerobic's.
What do you think? If you do step, how often do you do step a wk?
Faythe
 
Hi Faythe - are you sure that 1400 calories is enough, considering the amount of time and level of intensity you are working out?? It seems very low. The average woman is supposed to consume 1600-1800 calories, more if she is exercising every day. You may be forcing your metabolism to go into starvation mode; holding on to what little calories it is getting, to get you through the workouts. Also, are you eating a balanced diet of fat/protein/carbs? Are you getting enough vitamins through fruits, veggies, whole grains? Drinking enough water? All of these factor into weight loss and muscle gain.

marnie
 
Hi,
Your not the first one to bring up the 1400 cal's. I just spoke
to my nutritionist today, and she said it's ok if I want to loose
weight. Once I'm in the maintanance mode, then I'll be eating between 1800 - 2000 a day. I def. eat good, whole grains, lean meat, and lots of fruit and vegies, and milk for calcium. So far it's been working, just for the past 2 wks I didn't move weight wise, and this Sunday I went down 2.5 Lbs so well see. I think if the exercise is too much, my body will let me know, but I'll stick with 1.5 - 2 hrs a day for now m-f and sat 1 hr. and rest on sun. Everyone thinks I'm crazy to do more than that. If something comes up (like my husband's surgery) next week, I'll take that day off. (he's getting his tonsils out, ouch). Well, if I do find I need more food, I will take that into concideration. I'm keeping a record of the responses. Thanks.
Faythe
 
1400 is not enough

I can tell you that EVERY TIME--EVERY SINGLE TIME--I have cut back to 1400 or less--my body rebels by hanging onto every pound.
Not to say that 2500 calories of pretzels and beer is the thing to do--but, you need to eat, girl. (From a person who was 220# at 5'8" and now at 155#.) :7
 
RE: 1400 is not enough

Your not the first person to say that. I will look into it. Thanks. As a matter of fact, tomorow I will have a few extra servings of bread (ie, stuffing and mashed potatoes and yams)and vegies and I can have 5 oz turkey. Have a happy holiday all!!!
Faythe
 
RE: 1400 is not enough

Hi Faythe,

My $0.02 would be that the 1400 calories may not be enough considering your training. I speak from my own experiences on this. I have hit various plateaus (have lost 75 pounds so far/about 10-15 from goal weight)... sometimes, I need a week of lighter exercise, and sometimes I need a couple of weeks of higher calories. It just depends. I've hit some longer plateaus and been so frustrated that I ended up eating more than I should, and, inevitably, it seems like that's the week I have good weight loss! Go figure. (Granted, this only works up to a point... believe me!)

Our bodies adjust to whatever we put them through, so we need to keep them guessing in order to see the best results... this goes for exercise as well as eating habits... just think of it as crosstraining for your digestive system!

Take care,
Zoelda
 
RE: Had to jump in

Hi Faythe.
I just had to jump in here, and no offense to any fellow forum members with whom I am disagreeing here.
First of all, I am 5' 3", and at 160, I currently wear a size 9. At 150 I wear a 7. I can't get any smaller without sacrificing muscle and don't want to. I struggle with food allergies and have gone up as high as 209, even though I never stopped working out. You said 2 things....you are slowly and steadily losing weight, and you are consulting a nutritionist.
What you are doing is working...you may need to shake up your workouts, shock your system, but I disagree that you need to necessarily add calories, esp. against the advise of your nutritionist. Most definitely be very very careful of what you eat...esp complex carbs like bread. I completely cut out bread several years ago on the advice of my doctor. 1400 a day sounds perfectly fine to me, provided you are eating healthfully. If you have energy for your workouts, sleep well, and continue to loose, that doesn't set off any warning bells to me.
Just my little old cent worth. Good luck, keep up the hard work. It sounds like you are doing just GREAT and should be super proud of yourself.
 
RE: Had to jump in

Hi Faythe.
I just had to jump in here, and no offense to any fellow forum members with whom I am disagreeing here.
First of all, I am 5' 3", and at 160, I currently wear a size 9. At 150 I wear a 7. I can't get any smaller without sacrificing muscle and don't want to. I struggle with food allergies and have gone up as high as 209, even though I never stopped working out. You said 2 things....you are slowly and steadily losing weight, and you are consulting a nutritionist.
What you are doing is working...you may need to shake up your workouts, shock your system, but I disagree that you need to necessarily add calories, esp. against the advise of your nutritionist. Most definitely be very very careful of what you eat...esp complex carbs like bread. I completely cut out bread several years ago on the advice of my doctor. 1400 a day sounds perfectly fine to me, provided you are eating healthfully. If you have energy for your workouts, sleep well, and continue to loose, that doesn't set off any warning bells to me.
Just my little old cent worth. Good luck, keep up the hard work. It sounds like you are doing just GREAT and should be super proud of yourself.
 
RE: Had to jump in

Kristina,
Thanks for jumping in. I'm not nec. obsessed with # but I was surprised to hear you say that at 160# your a size 9 and at 150#
your a 7. That make me feel that there is hope and I don’t have to loose another 50 #.
When I was a 7 I was 117# - 120#. and when I was a 9 I was 135#.
I am now 170 and size 14. I am 5’3” and I was up to a size 22 at 218 which was too much for my frame. A thyroid condition didn’t help, which now I’m being treated for.
I have so many tapes now & I continue to mix up my routine. I bought so many tapes over the past few months (before I lost my job) and I kind of went over board so I have to rotate them all so I can use them all. :)
But to think I could be a 7 again weighing 150# with muscle sounds good to me. My body seems to be very muscular, and it seems easy for me to gain muscle. I already see a 6
pack on my upper abs, but my lower abs.....that’s a different story, but it’s coming off,thank God. Thanks again for your reply to my post.
Faythe
 

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