Hi Everyone

[JerseyGirl0718]

Hi Everyone,

 

First off I just wanted to say that I was a "lurker" here for a good hour, reading thru post after post before I said I'm joining. I think this is a pretty good site...I belong to a few other forums & this group seems like a happy, well informed one...Just wanted to let you know that

 

Ok..so here is my story, lol..

 

About 2 years back, life became well...a mess to sum it up. I am the mom of 3kids, marriage falling apart, & was totally out of shape etc. which also did not help any of the other stuff going on at home. From stress - not doing anything good (cause I was sitting home eating garbage all day so I KNOW it wasnt my "hard work" that did this), I went from 220lbs to 180 in about 3 or so months. Once I became a single parent (he disappeared to parts unknown) & things were looking about as bad as they could get - I said to myself that I'm pretty much "done". In my early 30's, a pack of kids, now renting an overpriced small little apartment..FAT...ugh..

 

Then I woke up one day & said ok, if I could loose all that doing NOTHING...I MUST be able to loose it doing it the "right way". I started a whole lifestyle change - I joined a gym (ya..cant afford it but I thought I'm worth the 45- a month...its my only "pleasure"), threw out all the yodels & ring dings, read read & then read somemore about carbs, calories, blah blah all so I can be educated on this weight loss plan. After all that work....I'm at 175. 1 yr later - 5 meezly pounds. Went to the doc - no thyroid or other issues - Just do cardio, eat right, blah blah...everything I know & what I SWEAR I've been doing all along...

 

I started getting a little desperate cause I REALLY am trying hard. I want to start over...I want to be able to shop for clothes, I want to be able to walk the length of the soccer field with my kids without running out of breath, I want to not be embarrassed with myself when I go out. I want to be able to say if he EVER decides to come back into town, I made it & I didnt need you...

 

Sooo...here is my question after all that babbling, lol (Sorry...my 1st post & I'm killing your eyes already): I now have a new plan of attack that I've been working on, lol...Since its sooo beautiful out with summer being here...the kids want to go out to play anyways (Something that as "lazy mom" back way when I was too "tired" to do & not only was the old me bad for ME...it was stealing their childhoods), I decided that while they are playing on the playground, I will walk/run the track 2 miles everyday. I'm getting out of the gym (which isnt really doing much for me...I am gaining muscle, yes, but I need CARDIO to get rid of the fat on top before that muscle will ever be able to poke its head out)... Sooo...here I am on the track everyday - do the 2miles - which is *maybe alllllmost* 1mile of jogging than mostly walking (but I'll build up to longer periods I know that), I'm eating all the chicken, fish, blah blah I can stomach, I cut the fat completely (just enough to say I've had the fat that everyone is *supposed* to have. I have NOT given up my coffee...cause I CANT. You guys cant take that from me too just yet - this is hard enough, lol...I WAS drinking Muscle Milk (per trainer suggestion) but stopped that cause thats loaded with calories & again...need the fat gone before I worry about muscle. What else am I missing here? Umm...I take (GNC) Woman's Multi Vitamin daily also I take extra iron (I am anemic they tell me). WATER WATER WATER...

 

I dont know what else to do but NOTHING is happenning. Its been over a month & I've seen NOTHING. I DONT use the scale that much cause thats a disappointment...When I did weigh myself & I GAINED weight - I got the old "Muscle weighs more than fat" answer from the gym...Its not the scale I'm concerned with here - Its the FAT thats on my tummy...the "wings" as I call them under my arms that I can flap back and forth & possibly fly if I tried, the big thighs that bounce when I run...haha...I sound pitiful but the only way to get an honest answer here is tell it like it is...and this is what it is...

 

Soooo what do you guys think I should do? Just keep running, eating well etc. & hope something will happen 1 day? Try some sort of suppliments I havent tried yet? Come to terms with like my mother told me when I mentioned this to her the other day that we are "Big boned girls honey...nothing you can do about it", lol...

 

What's your thoughts?

Thank you :-*

[seagirl]

Have you noticed that your clothes fitting any differntly? Sometimes you may not be losing wieght but may be losing inches instead. I know the plateaus can be frustrating, what I do when I hit one is just keep doing what I have been doing and eventually things will change, this is the hard part and why most people quit dieting I am told, hang in there.

[JerseyGirl0718]

Originally posted by seagirl

Have you noticed that your clothes fitting any differntly? Sometimes you may not be losing wieght but may be losing inches instead. I know the plateaus can be frustrating, what I do when I hit one is just keep doing what I have been doing and eventually things will change, this is the hard part and why most people quit dieting I am told, hang in there.

Honestly....no. I'm not going to quit, I'm already trying to figure out how I'm fitting tomorrow's park outting into my schedule but it really IS fustrating.

 

The one thing I havent heard yet of is the plateaus that you are saying. Would you mind explaining to me where you think, based on what I'm telling you I'm at, & whats coming next?

 

As for the clothes ?: Before all this started...I was at a 22. Then as of this past December, I was at a 13 juniors (I'm short, not thin, lol) & thats where I remain.

 

Forgot to add, I am 5ft 2inches. So, 5ft 2inches, 175 lbs is where I am. The pounds are not so bad I *guess*, its the spots that the fat is all at that is making it look so bad.

 

Thanks for your reply

[Craig]

JerseyGirl, it looks like you're doing pretty good and there are plateaus that occur with a decrease in size.

 

I'd suggest tossing the scale and stop weighing yourself. Use your clothing size to gauge your progress. You've lost fat and gained muscle. 1 lb of fat = 1 lb of muscle but 1 lb of muscle is smaller in volume (or size). So you can actually gain weight (muscle) while decreasing your clothing size. Muscle is good for many reasons and one of the best is that muscle burns more calories than fat. So even when you aren't exercising you'll burn more calories if you have more muscle.

 

If you can do a reasonable mix of weight training and walking/jogging I know you'll get the results you want. Think clothing size not how much you weigh.

[BigB]

Originally posted by Craig

JerseyGirl, it looks like you're doing pretty good and there are plateaus that occur with a decrease in size.

 

I'd suggest tossing the scale and stop weighing yourself. Use your clothing size to gauge your progress. You've lost fat and gained muscle. 1 lb of fat = 1 lb of muscle but 1 lb of muscle is smaller in volume (or size). So you can actually gain weight (muscle) while decreasing your clothing size. Muscle is good for many reasons and one of the best is that muscle burns more calories than fat. So even when you aren't exercising you'll burn more calories if you have more muscle.

 

If you can do a reasonable mix of weight training and walking/jogging I know you'll get the results you want. Think clothing size not how much you weigh.

 

I agree, I've often found that when I'm hitting the gym hard I'll gain weight at times even though I'm still getting smaller.

[JerseyGirl0718]

Ya, I'm seeing that & I REALLY have been learning as much as possible about all this so I understand the muscle/fat thing. I pretty much threw away the scale cause that does nothing but make me feel like I'm getting nowhere.

 

I guess its just not happenning at the rate that I want...I know that 1 day I'll get there if I keep this all up - (Ive been at this HARD since March) but its getting to the point that I'm saying ok...I havent been gone down 1 size yet, nothing *looks* different (well...my face has slimmed a lot) & I guess I really wanted to know if there is anything else that I'm missing here.

 

Also, I have a wedding coming up that I'm going to in July. I would like to be able to drop like 15lbs - or Idk if I'm saying that right...not the pounds thats important - I need to loose inches - enough to fit into what I want by then. Is there any way to tone quick to do just that while at the same time I'm still keeping up with this plan?

[BigB]

Maybe you've gotten to the point that you need to increase the exercise?

 

When I had a trainer her always made me step it up a little every six weeks.

 

ie: more weights, more running, shorter breaks between exercises, more days a week, etc.

 

Do you lift weights at all?

 

low weight with high reps will give you some tone with out getting big. Sit-ups will help the stomach area as well.

 

My trainer didn't believe in the "loose the weight before you built the muscle" thing, he always had me doing both.

 

even when I wasn't loosing weight, and couldn't do cardio(injury) I still looked a lot better once I got some tone from lifting.

 

You might PM ConfusedInOC, he's a gym rat

 

Also, when I started meeting with a trainer once a week, explained to him exactly what I wanted to do, and had him design an exercise plan for me, it made a HUGE difference. Does your gym offer anything like that?

[Marshbear]

I agree with Craig. The key to weight loss is to not weigh yourself but judge by how you look in the mirror and how your clothes fit. When you re-form your body by exercise the muscle you gain will weigh more and you might see a weight gain but the inches should be less. You also need to do lots of cardio to loss the fat ( at least an hour 3 to 4 times a week ). Progress is slow so don't expect instant results but with patience and will power you can transform yourself ( no matter if your family is big boned ). Keep you proteins high and fats low. Carbs are ok as long as you don't overdo them. Don't eat after 7 pm and measure your portions. Eat as much fish and chicken as you can stomach and lots of salads. You can spurge every now and then ( you deserve it sometimes ) so look forward to those times when you want a piece of cake or ice cream. Once you have achieved the body shape that you desire the added muscle will help you to maintain your weight ( muscle burns more calories ). You will have to also realize that if you were very heavy at one time the skin may not go back the way you would like it to. If it is a problem the only way is plastic surgery ( if you can't live with it ).

 

If you can find someone else to do this with you it is helpful. Two is better than one and just think. If you ever see your ex think of how much fun it will be to have him stare at you open mouthed in awe at the new you ( if you really care what he thinks ).

 

Weigh loss requires a life style change which means you will have to do it for life. It really isn't bad once you get into it and start seeing results. A slow steady pace will get you there. I might also add that your body does adjust to your routine. When you don't see results then you have to do something different. You might have to walk farther or faster. You might have to lift heavier weights to see change. You have to keep your body guessing what you are going to do or it will adjust to you.

 

Good luck..

 

Peace...

[JerseyGirl0718]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll answer all here together:

 

Yes, the gym offers trainers & everything I really need. The trainer does not think that I need to loose the fat first...do it all together, but I am enjoying this outdoor thing instead of the indoor treadmill. I'm doing both. I see muscle but ok...hard to explain but like my arms - I SEE The muscle on the arms but then there is flab all underneath. There MUST be a way to tone this a bit, lol..

 

As for the eating...got all that. The adjustment in life style really isnt too bad. Costs a lot more to be healthy, but I dont mind the adjustment at all.

 

As for my workout - I was doing the circuit & found that all I'm doing is training the muscle and not getting much in the way of results so I moved on to the regular machines and this seems to be doing well. Re: Jogging...I TRY sooooo hard, lol..you have no idea. When I first started, the BEST I could do was a "power walk". Now, (and I know this isnt the best, but my tolerance needs to build up...I push it till I know I've reached my limit though), I'm at a 2mile walk/jog combo. I'll walk a 1/4 or so...break into a little jog...build up a bit, then need to go back to a walk. I never stop...just cant really keep running...I start to get all crampy and wheeze. So yes, I'm still totally out of shape, but I'm trying to push myself to a healthy limit in the hopes of increasing it.

[jesusfist]

you could try running/jogging before breakfast, also interval training is brilliant for fat loss, 30 second sprint, 30 second jog then repeat. make sure your getting plenty of water aswell.

[Craig]

Originally posted by JerseyGirl0718

I start to get all crampy

If that's a cramp around the area where the bottom of your ribs are it's a sign you are pushing yourself too hard and/or not breathing correctly.

 

First try to breathe in even, slower, deeper breaths (don't hyperventilate). When you breathe your chest should remain stationary and your stomach should move out when you breathe in and and then move in when you breathe out. If that doesn't work then reduce your maximum jog intensity--ideally you should be able to talk when you are jogging and if you can't then you know you are pushing it too hard. If you increase the intensity of your jogging do it slowly to avoid the cramps.

[JerseyGirl0718]

Originally posted by Craig

If that's a cramp around the area where the bottom of your ribs are it's a sign you are pushing yourself too hard and/or not breathing correctly.

 

First try to breathe in even, slower, deeper breaths (don't hyperventilate). When you breathe your chest should remain stationary and your stomach should move out when you breathe in and and then move in when you breathe out. If that doesn't work then reduce your maximum jog intensity--ideally you should be able to talk when you are jogging and if you can't then you know you are pushing it too hard. If you increase the intensity of your jogging do it slowly to avoid the cramps.

 

Thanks...ya, thats where the cramping is. Sometimes its just burning legs, but ya, that is a problem too. I try to focus on something else besides breathing because when I start to *think* about breathing, I start to get winded. But then as soon as the getting winded starts, I start thinking more and more & the next thing, I'm cramping up.

 

Who would of thought something as simple as running could be so hard, lol.