help with weight loss

D

dakota

Member
Ok, I won't be the first nor the last to ask this but here goes:
I am have been working out regularly for about 9 months now. When I first began, I started w/ the Firm and lost a size immediately. I continue to work out even through my plateau and increased my cardio to lose more weight. I bought Cathe tapes and used the Wedding tape with my walking and Firm tapes in a rotation and I lost another size. I have been eating healthy the entire time. Here I am, it's 9 months later, I could have had a baby by now but I cannot seem to budge another size! I walk about an hour 5x a day, I do weight workouts 2x (Wedding part 2) and I do anything active that I possibly can rather than staying inside and watching TV. However, I am not losing and now to top things off, I have knee pain in the muscles underneath my knees. So, I cannot do the Cathe tapes the way I once could.
How can I still take off the weight?! It seems that my body is plateau'd with what I am doing! Should I do more weight? Should I do more cardio? Any ideas? I am desperate!
thank you
 
Hi!

I am not Cathe. It sounds you are exercising enough. Take a good look at your diet and make sure it is very, very clean! Try to cut a calorie or two here and there and you'll break the plateau.

Good luck!
 
Hi Dakota, I have been in the process of losing a great deal of weight so I've hit a stall or two and have learned to keep "shaking up" my system.
By keeping both a food log and a workout log, with the food log, you'd be surprised how quickly calories add up, much faster than you think, and with a workout log, you'll be able to guage how many weeks at a certain weight or routine you can do before you begin to plateau. For instance, by keeping a workout log, I've learned that 6-weeks on any rotation is maximum for me to continue to see changes (weight changes), and that basically the 7th and 8th weeks were a waste of time as my weight would not be affected, so I've learned to do whatever rotation, in 6-week intervals, but I wouldn't have known that without a workout log. And prior to keeping a food log, I'm sure I was scarfing down more calories than needed, simply because by 7pm, you may have forgotten about the muffin you had at 6am, but when you're logging each meal/snack and counting it up throughout the day, it forces you to chose your calories more wisely.
So I'd start by getting a log for both food and workouts, and by charting, you'll be able to see what's working and what's not.
Just my .02
Donna :)
 
You have lost several sizes and that's great. Now ask yourself are your goals realistic? Do you need to lose more weight or are you where you should be? If you truly feel you need to drop a bit more weight then the suggestion that you tweak your diet may be the way to go. There are many online tools to help you if you feel you need help in that department. You might also change the emphasis of your exercise. That is, if you are currently focusing on cardio do, change the focus to strength or vice versa. Always keep those muscles guessing! Good luck and do let us know what works for you!

Bobbi
 
I should have mentioned that I also joined WW about 4 months ago. I have been using their online tools to keep a food journal but I haven't been keeping a workout journal. That's a great idea. Also, as for the need to lose more weight? I have a long way to go. Still just under 200 and only 5'4". My upper body seems to be responding well but my lower body is just not budging!
I have definately seen an improvement in my muscles. In fact, my arms have bulked out a bit but I am sure once the fat underneath is gone, that will be better!
 
Hey, you go girl, and just to let you know, I'm 5'4" also but I've got some pounds on you, I am down to 220lbs as of last Monday (my weigh in days), so let me know if you want to partner up for the rest of the journey. We can swap ideas, info, etc., and just be support for one another. I cannot WAIT for the scale to hit 199lbs :) Just to be inside the 1-hundreds will be a happy place in time for me! That Monday I'll be the happiest 199lb woman on the face of this planet, and then I'll have to set my new goal~but patience, I'm still trying to reach the 1-hundreds :)
So let me know~you can just email me by clicking on the little icon on this post.
Good luck :)
Donna
 
Dakota,

You might consider giving up a walk or two and substituting some sort of interval training. Interval training is a great fat buster. Perhaps you could add 1 minute intervals of running to your walking? You could blast for 1 minute recover for a few minutes then repeat the blast. Short bursts of intensity can really break a plateau. Running's just one way. There are many others. You've come a long way and those plateaus are frustrating but remember to be kind and patient with yourself!

I don't know much about WW but I know it has some great fans in the forums. My favorite diet advice is eating lots of high fiber foods, especially whole grains and fruits and veggies! Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Dakota,
Hi, I’m in a plateau, well until yesterday, I hope. My 2cents, I would keep track of
everything you eat. Commit to a healthy way of eating for now and the rest of your life. I
have gone to a nutritionist to cinch it for me and learned portion control and balance.
Some calories are worth more nutritionally than others. Your body needs a balance of
good foods. When a birthday comes up or something allow yourself a piece of cake if you
can. I can’t, I’m a all or none type of person, but I’m getting better.
I started out in May at 218, now am down to 162. Getting to 168 was quick for me, now
getting into the 150’s, that’s another story. I remember not too long ago wanting to get to
199 so I could be out of the 200’s, once you commit to good eating along with cardio and
weight training, it comes off. Then I would check into rotations, like suggested above. I
just want to encourage you, your on a good forum with info and support. I just wanted to
add my 2 cents and encourage you. I’m struggling to get into the 130’s again and only
have about 27 to go to be at a healthy weight for me at 5’3”. I have come down 4 sizes
and have 2 to go. Many family members and friends of mine complain (as I once did) that
they can’t loose the weight, but they eat whatever they want. They don’t want to learn
control when they eat. Most can’t say no to ourselves. Well in May something clicked and
it was just as much a spiritual thing than physical to me to deny myself. It became a
challenge. As far as food goes just because you say no to yourself, doesn’t mean you can
NEVER have it.
There was also issues I had to deal with, which I know God had to heal me of on the
inside before I could face dealing with the outside. Thankfully, I am going through to the
outside now. Sometimes issues we need to deal with are in the way and we don’t even
know it.
I know I went on a bit, but can feel your struggle, just hang in there and make a
commitment to be a balanced eater and exerciser. You may be already, I don’t know, but
just had to add some encouragment, which I hope it’s received that way. Good luck.
Faythe
 
Faythe,
Thank you for the encouragement! It really has been tough for me. I have been logging all of my meals for almost a year now and eating healthy has become a way of life for me. I feel that the eating is under control; but I am still not doing something right with working out. I know that has to be it. My body must have hit a plateau - I just don't really know. I am not going to give up but it does get frustrating. The rotations worked well for me so I may go back to that.

Again, thank you. From everything you said, I am definately doing the right things so maybe...hopefully, eventually i will see some change????
 
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