I see so many different workouts in tv etc.. diets. I have been reading about this fighter diet. Sounds like she is saying you cant do cardio and wts at same time in order to get ripped. Im so confused. I need to lose ten pds and want to get leaner but seems like my body is fighting me since turning 40. Dont know what to do. I run 3 days a week. Weight train high reps low wts 1 day and a cardio/wt combo workout 1x week. Still have back fat, tricep fat at armpit, cellulite and flabby inner thighs. Backside is moving up and taking shape but stomach has gotten thicker since turning 40 also. Very discouraged. I eat ok not healthy not always bad.
so many diets and workouts. which ti choose?
- Thread starter runfree
- Start date
maddiesmum
Cathlete
OK, first things first:
1) don't diet. Diets do not work. Restriction will always backfire. If you think it necessary, make a few small tweaks to what you already eat, but no major overhauls because there is only so much change anyone can take all at once. Be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Be forgiving.
2) a certain degree of acceptance is required of all of us as we age. We can fight back, but we are also human and biology cannot be stopped in its tracks forever. Aging happens and nobody, not even Cathe, can have the body at 48 that she had at 28. Don't beat yourself up for that which you cannot change.
3) Please don't speak so harshly about yourself. You say you only have 10 pounds to lose. That is a very small amount. You are not overweight, not a mass of unsightly fat at all. And yet, this is how you talk about yourself. A tune up, that's all you need. Don't we all?!!? I do. I am now 47, 48 in May and my body really started doing things I loathe about a year ago. I'm going to work hard, but I already know that I'm a little thicker than I have been and probably, that's how things will be from now on. So, in order not to make myself suffer and not to piss off the people around me with how bad I make myself feel, I'm also practicing a little more self-acceptance than I used to do. I am not an unsightly, lumpy woman, mother of two. I am a woman, healthy, athletic, mother of two, in good shape and looking to be in better shape and stay that way as the years pass by. But I also need to stay sane!
4) Make small tweaks also to your exercise routine. Add HiiT, add plyo, add tabata, add intervals. You can add 10 mins of this to your current routine, swapping out 10 mins of your regular cardio routine, and this will jump start the process towards getting off those last 10 pounds.
5) Leave the current weights routine for a while and change it up. The light weights, high reps is no longer doing what it used to do, so now is the time for heavy weights. Lift heavy for each muscle group at least once per week. In your place, what I would do is actually, 3 days running (include speed drills, intervals, hill work), and 3 days of heavy weights (Burn sets, Slow & Heavy, 4 DS, etc). If you have never before done the STS program, now is the time! Commit to a 3 month program of this and you will lose those 10 pounds for sure.
Good luck to you Runfree. The fact that you already work out 6 days a week speaks volumes about you: you are already taking so much better care of yourself than about 90% of the population of the US. You are going to age so well.
Clare
Runfree,
Just a note to add on to Clare's very wonderful advice to you. I personally did STS and did not lose 10 pounds, so I don't want you to think you've done something wrong or somehow have failed if that does not happen for you. It's impossible to promise someone results this way, so don't expect that your body will react the same way. To say you'll "lose those 10 pounds for sure" may be setting an expectation for you that is unrealistic.
I can say that I did STS and definitely firmed up and put on some muscle, and I was extremely happy with the results. What you can expect from the program is toning and definition. How that translates in to pounds lost or gained varies for each person.
Eva
Just a note to add on to Clare's very wonderful advice to you. I personally did STS and did not lose 10 pounds, so I don't want you to think you've done something wrong or somehow have failed if that does not happen for you. It's impossible to promise someone results this way, so don't expect that your body will react the same way. To say you'll "lose those 10 pounds for sure" may be setting an expectation for you that is unrealistic.
I can say that I did STS and definitely firmed up and put on some muscle, and I was extremely happy with the results. What you can expect from the program is toning and definition. How that translates in to pounds lost or gained varies for each person.
Eva
I'm sure a lot of people would disagree, but I've had the most success with two things, regular aerobic steady state exercise lasting approximately 1 hour per day, at least 6 days per week & a mostly plant based diet.
Fairly simple, jog a lot, and eat your veggies. I know it's tough, you can do it.
All the other stuff is just icing on the cake, so ta speak.
Thanks so much for the replies. I have sts and did one rotation. Did not lose but got unbelievably stronger. I am thinking about buying some of those books from the fighter diet website about cardio and wts. Maybe to get a different perspective on things and help me change it up. Thanks again!
L Sass
Cathlete
Hi Runfree. I think you've gotten some great advice here. You've said you have about 10# to lose and you want to get leaner. But then you said you "eat OK not healthy, not always bad." What does that mean? Without knowing more details and going strictly off of that comment, I would bet that your goal is very easily within reach. Easily within reach, but much harder to grab. Remember that for most people, we get stronger in the gym (or in our home workout areas with Cathe
) but we lose pounds in the kitchen. You said you're discouraged with the remaining fat you have, that you've done some heavier lifting (a la STS) and did gain strength. So it sounds as if it's not the underlying muscle that is producing your discouragement, but the overlying layer of fat that remains. I have most of Pauline's FD stuff. She's brutal - effective - but brutal, so if you purchase those just expect it up front. And yes, she is shredded to the bone, by choice. But realize that when she first wanted to get that way, she did 3 HOURS of cardio a DAY!!! On top of a diet that is more strict than most of us that call ourselves human beings would ever even think about. But she's also very upfront and says she does this because it's her choice. No relationships, no family, no boyfriend, no, no, no. I am NOT saying that you shouldn't purchase these, because I'm sure her diet would definitely hit the issue you have identified as your goal.
But before anything else, take Clare's advice. Take pride in who YOU are and all YOU can do. Then take your next step. Hang in there.
fit44
Cathlete
I'm 50 and I realized that the only way I can change my body composition is to lift heavy weights and stop focusing on scale to feel good about myself.
It is very possible to gain scale weight, and lose body fat.
Is your goal to reach a number on the scale? If so, diet and do lots of cardio.
If you want a lean, strong body...
Ditch the scale, eat whole food that will fuel muscle and strength, and give yourself 6 months- a year for real changes.
IMO, cardio is good for heart strength and endurance, and not so great for fat loss because your body adapts quickly to whatever you're doing. Nutrition and weight training is the best way to recomp. Sprinkle in HIIT and moderate cardio that you enjoy, but use weight lifting to change your body.
As far as nutrition, you have to find what works for you. I can tell you from experience, the older I get, the less my body tolerates processed food,,
It is very possible to gain scale weight, and lose body fat.
Is your goal to reach a number on the scale? If so, diet and do lots of cardio.
If you want a lean, strong body...
Ditch the scale, eat whole food that will fuel muscle and strength, and give yourself 6 months- a year for real changes.
IMO, cardio is good for heart strength and endurance, and not so great for fat loss because your body adapts quickly to whatever you're doing. Nutrition and weight training is the best way to recomp. Sprinkle in HIIT and moderate cardio that you enjoy, but use weight lifting to change your body.
As far as nutrition, you have to find what works for you. I can tell you from experience, the older I get, the less my body tolerates processed food,,
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First of all, I hear your frustration. I completely agree that we need to be kind to ourselves. But when we work so hard we want to look good, too. It is important, however, to have a realistic view of what it is to look good. Balance is crucial, but very hard to find. For me, I want to have a healthy, lean appearance. My build is not what I would desire, but I can't change that. Most importantly, I want to set a good example for my almost 16-year-old daughter. I don't want her to be obsessed about appearance. I just want my kids to be happy and healthy, so I need to remind myself to take the same advice.
Step 1: Set a realistic goal.
My goal this year is to firm up my midsection. It is very, very hard. Why do I care? Well, I can't wear my clothes and not have a muffin top--and the slightest bit really shows on my short-waisted frame. I'm not striving for perfection, but I have a build where my lower waist dips in just above the hip bone. So, if there is anything above that (back and front) it hangs over, even with loose clothing. Being over 40 has made the problem worse. So, I think I have a realistic goal.
Step 2: Be accountable for your food choices.
I hate tracking calories, but I've had to admit that it's the best way for me (personally) to get anywhere. But it's really tricky finding the right balance! Going too low sabotages my efforts just as much as going too high. Staggering calories between 1400 and 1700 is working for now. In the past, I've just used a notebook and my Calorie King book, but MyFitnessPal is very convenient. I enter all my Cathe workouts under 'aerobics, general' with the time and calories burned (according to my Polar HR monitor), because it's easy that way. I eat my base calories plus my exercise calories. I just changed my base calories from 1200 to 1400 because I was stalled and felt hungry all the time. Whenever I've been successful at losing weight in the past, I've found that I've had to increase my calories over time to keep the progress going.
I've spent the last year really paying attention to which foods work for me and which don't. I've always known that sugars and processed foods do NOT work for my body--I get headaches and joint pain, and plump out like a Stay Puft marshmallow. I try to steer clear of artificial sweeteners. I primarily use stevia for sweetening. Right now, I'm doing well with an approximate ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% good fats. If I have a whole grain (usually steel-cut oats), I'll have it in the morning. I use whey protein (w/o artificial sweeteners) for green smoothies (spinach or kale and 1/2 banana). A favorite go-to meal is an Eggland's Best egg and 2 egg whites scrambled with vegetables. I'll usually have a serving of raw nuts/day. Dinner is a lean protein with vegetables and sometimes quinoa. My only dairy is homemade kefir and homemade yogurt (yummy with frozen berries or cherries and walnuts). I've gone completely paleo, but it didn't work as well for me. I personally do better with something more like Tom Venuto's approach. I try to eat from his "A" list foods. I feel so much better and have much more energy when I eat really 'clean'.
Step 3: Exercise
I've really learned the hard way that 'more' is definitely not better. I'm having good success with the X-Train 90-day-rotation. I'm on week 7. Now that the weather has improved, I have been adding a short (but more intense) run on an upper body weight day. I always add the Heavy Bag Tabata to Hard Strikes. I've found that the shorter, more intense cardio works much better for me. If I go and run 15 miles at a slower pace, I technically burn a lot of calories, but my midsection starts packing on the fluff. I guess it's the stress of endurance cardio. I'm not saying that steady-state cardio doesn't have it's place--I firmly believe that it does. I just try to keep my cardio under an hour these days (since I'm not training for a marathon or anything right now).
Results?
In the past 2 months, I've lost a few pounds (fluctuates between 3 and 5 pounds lost). But, most importantly, my midsection has firmed up significantly. It never ceases to amaze me how much body composition can change at the same given weight. My progress is slow, but I'm very pleased with the success I've had. Doing things this way is something I can live with in the long term.
Step 1: Set a realistic goal.
My goal this year is to firm up my midsection. It is very, very hard. Why do I care? Well, I can't wear my clothes and not have a muffin top--and the slightest bit really shows on my short-waisted frame. I'm not striving for perfection, but I have a build where my lower waist dips in just above the hip bone. So, if there is anything above that (back and front) it hangs over, even with loose clothing. Being over 40 has made the problem worse. So, I think I have a realistic goal.
Step 2: Be accountable for your food choices.
I hate tracking calories, but I've had to admit that it's the best way for me (personally) to get anywhere. But it's really tricky finding the right balance! Going too low sabotages my efforts just as much as going too high. Staggering calories between 1400 and 1700 is working for now. In the past, I've just used a notebook and my Calorie King book, but MyFitnessPal is very convenient. I enter all my Cathe workouts under 'aerobics, general' with the time and calories burned (according to my Polar HR monitor), because it's easy that way. I eat my base calories plus my exercise calories. I just changed my base calories from 1200 to 1400 because I was stalled and felt hungry all the time. Whenever I've been successful at losing weight in the past, I've found that I've had to increase my calories over time to keep the progress going.
I've spent the last year really paying attention to which foods work for me and which don't. I've always known that sugars and processed foods do NOT work for my body--I get headaches and joint pain, and plump out like a Stay Puft marshmallow.
I try to steer clear of artificial sweeteners. I primarily use stevia for sweetening. Right now, I'm doing well with an approximate ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% good fats. If I have a whole grain (usually steel-cut oats), I'll have it in the morning. I use whey protein (w/o artificial sweeteners) for green smoothies (spinach or kale and 1/2 banana). A favorite go-to meal is an Eggland's Best egg and 2 egg whites scrambled with vegetables. I'll usually have a serving of raw nuts/day. Dinner is a lean protein with vegetables and sometimes quinoa. My only dairy is homemade kefir and homemade yogurt (yummy with frozen berries or cherries and walnuts). I've gone completely paleo, but it didn't work as well for me. I personally do better with something more like Tom Venuto's approach. I try to eat from his "A" list foods. I feel so much better and have much more energy when I eat really 'clean'.Step 3: Exercise
I've really learned the hard way that 'more' is definitely not better. I'm having good success with the X-Train 90-day-rotation. I'm on week 7. Now that the weather has improved, I have been adding a short (but more intense) run on an upper body weight day. I always add the Heavy Bag Tabata to Hard Strikes. I've found that the shorter, more intense cardio works much better for me. If I go and run 15 miles at a slower pace, I technically burn a lot of calories, but my midsection starts packing on the fluff. I guess it's the stress of endurance cardio. I'm not saying that steady-state cardio doesn't have it's place--I firmly believe that it does. I just try to keep my cardio under an hour these days (since I'm not training for a marathon or anything right now).
Results?
In the past 2 months, I've lost a few pounds (fluctuates between 3 and 5 pounds lost). But, most importantly, my midsection has firmed up significantly. It never ceases to amaze me how much body composition can change at the same given weight. My progress is slow, but I'm very pleased with the success I've had. Doing things this way is something I can live with in the long term.
L Sass
Cathlete
Hey Runfree. I told you the FD gal is brutal right? A girl on FB today said she was frustrated over her inability to drop weight, had tried everything, and she asked for Pauline's help. This was the reply:
Lisa... Nothing's working? Answer these questions:
1. Do you calculate your calories and know how much you're eating?
2. What foods are you eating?
3. Do you work out intensely?
4. Have you had blood work done?
5. How LONG have you been dieting consistently as in EVERY DAY AND ALL DAYS IN A ROW without slips?
I mention this only because it kind of goes hand-in-hand with when I said that I your goal is very easily within reach, though probably much harder to grab. It also totally squares with some of the steps that elsie3 mentioned for you to consider. HTH.
Lisa... Nothing's working? Answer these questions:
1. Do you calculate your calories and know how much you're eating?
2. What foods are you eating?
3. Do you work out intensely?
4. Have you had blood work done?
5. How LONG have you been dieting consistently as in EVERY DAY AND ALL DAYS IN A ROW without slips?
I mention this only because it kind of goes hand-in-hand with when I said that I your goal is very easily within reach, though probably much harder to grab. It also totally squares with some of the steps that elsie3 mentioned for you to consider. HTH.
exercise-lover
Cathlete
Awhile back, I read on this forum that it's 80% diet and 20% exercise. The person who said "we get stronger in the gym and lose weight in the kitchen" is right! You've got to do both, but get control of portion size and calorie intake (IMO). Good luck!
mini-natty
Cathlete
I can't add anything here that has not been said. Truly wonderful advice you have been given -- this forum is amazing. But I did I come across this article yesterday and would like to share it. I find it beautifully written and very motivational.
Chris Freytag » Why I Love My Age
This trainer, Chris Freytag, is 47yrs young. She is awesome. I hope you (and everyone else!) enjoy this as much as I did .
All the best,
Natasha
Chris Freytag » Why I Love My Age
This trainer, Chris Freytag, is 47yrs young. She is awesome
. I hope you (and everyone else!) enjoy this as much as I did .All the best,
Natasha
emigliori
Cathlete
Wow, I'm loving this thread. I just turned 39 and have spent the last three months doing a serious self assessment because my body has changed. I too have just 10 pounds to lose, but it turns out those last 10 are the hardest. I do a lot of reading on nutrition and I've returned to school to study Dietetics. After much reading here are my kernals of wisdom:
1. There is no one-size fits all Diet.
2. If the Diet is not sustainable, don't bother because you will not stick with it, and you will gain the weight back as fat.
3. Slow and gradual weight loss is the only way to do it. Sorry, it's not what people want to hear, but it's the truth. If you lose .5 to 1 pound a week, statistics say you will keep it off more than those who lose 2+ per week.
4. Get enough sleep. I lost 1 inch around my middle by increasing my sleep by an hour and a half a day. Here is a quote regarding this:
“It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,” explains Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep and the clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Ariz.
On average, we need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night, he says. “If you are getting this already, another half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but if you are a five-hour sleeper and start to sleep for seven hours a night, you will start dropping weight.”
4. Bloodwork is always a good idea. I had my thyroid checked and it helped to know that it was functioning normally, so I could work on the other aspects of my life that needed tweaking.
Good luck!
Elizabeth
1. There is no one-size fits all Diet.
2. If the Diet is not sustainable, don't bother because you will not stick with it, and you will gain the weight back as fat.
3. Slow and gradual weight loss is the only way to do it. Sorry, it's not what people want to hear, but it's the truth. If you lose .5 to 1 pound a week, statistics say you will keep it off more than those who lose 2+ per week.
4. Get enough sleep. I lost 1 inch around my middle by increasing my sleep by an hour and a half a day. Here is a quote regarding this:
“It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,” explains Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep and the clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Ariz.
On average, we need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night, he says. “If you are getting this already, another half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but if you are a five-hour sleeper and start to sleep for seven hours a night, you will start dropping weight.”
4. Bloodwork is always a good idea. I had my thyroid checked and it helped to know that it was functioning normally, so I could work on the other aspects of my life that needed tweaking.
Good luck!
Elizabeth
melagras
Cathlete
On average, we need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night, he says. “If you are getting this already, another half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but if you are a five-hour sleeper and start to sleep for seven hours a night, you will start dropping weight.”
I would be a happy person if I could sleep 7.5 hours every night.
I would be a happy person if I could sleep 7.5 hours every night.