What am I doing wrong when it comes to exercising?

[Wiseman2]

30 minutes ago, ironpony said:

It is somewhat yes.  I am a size 34-36 pants size, give or take.

Ok, that's why it's a good indicator. Once you firm up, your clothes will fit better without feeling tight or your abdomen hanging out.

[ironpony]

Oh my clothes fit fine now, I don't think clothes fitting is the problem, I just look overweight.  Once I loose the weight hopefully, then I would have to buy smaller pants.

[Wiseman2]

2 hours ago, ironpony said:

 I just look overweight.  

Yes, that's where muscle tone and mass come in rather than numbers on a scale. 💪. Work on weight training and getting your core in better shape.

[Doorstopper]

My 2 cents, presuming you have access to a gym, but if not, hills work.

Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. You generally do not want to exceed this. Your target heart rate when exercising should be 50-85% of your max heart rate. 

Get on a treadmill and set the incline to 5% or higher.  Set the speed for a brisk walk, or run if you feel comfortable enough. They all have heart rate monitors. If you're not at 50-60% of your max heart rate, increase the speed, or incline. DO NOT use the handles of the treadmill to support your weight. This is cheating. Continue to increase the incline until you reach a number between 50 and 85 % of your max heart rate.  If you get tired, or short of breath, slow down. It may take time to stay at the heart rate you choose. Anyone who is overweight,  can absolutely, get to a high heart rate on an incline treadmill, usually without getting faster than a brisk walk or slow jog. The key is to set the incline high. 

Get yourself a fitbit or other activity tracker that has a heart rate monitor.  Track your calories with an app. Fitbit has its own calorie tracker in its app, but you can get free ones such as myfitnesspal or loseit. There are many others out there. Track your calories for 2 weeks and then decide what you can cut out.

Exercise will make you healthier, but it will not necessarily cause you to lose weight. The added exercise will likely make you hungry and you will eat more to make up for the extra calories you burn. 

 

'Good Luck!

[Alpacalia]

I know there is a lot of information out there on losing weight and it can be overwhelming (and diet is key), try this:

Download a calorie counter app to your phone (I'm not sure I can link to one), but look for one that allows you to enter your current weight and goal weight, and it will calculate how many calories you need to cut each week based on how much weight you want to lose and your desired target weight date.

I would start off gradually with aiming to lose 1-2 pounds per week (which means cutting or burning 500-1000 calories each week).

Each day input every meal, snack, beverage and include the minutes you exercise.

The calorie counter app will track everything for you.

I, too, have tried to remove a few last pounds, but for the most part to stay within my "weekly calorie-zone", I have:

Breakfast/Lunch: Protein Bar and Protein Shake
Dinner: Something healthy

I allow myself a cheat meal here and there too!

As always, check with your doctor first.

Good luck. 😊

Edited June 9, 2021 by Alpaca

[ironpony]

7 hours ago, Doorstopper said:

My 2 cents, presuming you have access to a gym, but if not, hills work.

Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. You generally do not want to exceed this. Your target heart rate when exercising should be 50-85% of your max heart rate. 

Get on a treadmill and set the incline to 5% or higher.  Set the speed for a brisk walk, or run if you feel comfortable enough. They all have heart rate monitors. If you're not at 50-60% of your max heart rate, increase the speed, or incline. DO NOT use the handles of the treadmill to support your weight. This is cheating. Continue to increase the incline until you reach a number between 50 and 85 % of your max heart rate.  If you get tired, or short of breath, slow down. It may take time to stay at the heart rate you choose. Anyone who is overweight,  can absolutely, get to a high heart rate on an incline treadmill, usually without getting faster than a brisk walk or slow jog. The key is to set the incline high. 

Get yourself a fitbit or other activity tracker that has a heart rate monitor.  Track your calories with an app. Fitbit has its own calorie tracker in its app, but you can get free ones such as myfitnesspal or loseit. There are many others out there. Track your calories for 2 weeks and then decide what you can cut out.

Exercise will make you healthier, but it will not necessarily cause you to lose weight. The added exercise will likely make you hungry and you will eat more to make up for the extra calories you burn. 

 

'Good Luck!

Actually this has been happening as I need more food just to keep the exercise going.  If I exercise for half an hour and want to go for another half an hour, I feel I need more food to continue to keep running for example.

As for counting calories I have a hard time doing it because not everything I buy like fruits and vegetables, say the calorie on it and even the things that do are hard to measure.

[basil67]

If you don't like calorie counting, then try pre-prepared diet meal plans or something like Weight Watchers.  Or just do a low carb diet.  There are many, many options if you look.

Feeling the need to eat mid exercise indicates that you're doing something wrong.  Yet another reason to get a personal trainer.  Your habits need to be observed and corrected.

[elaine567]

Most apps will give the calories for fruit and veg all you need is a small kitchen scales and weigh them.
Apps will also give the actual calories and nutrition for most supermarket products too. 
On a calorie counting app you will be surprised at how many calories you consume.
Fruits can  quickly ramp up the calories.
The app will measure your protein, carb (incl. sugar) and fat intake, and you can adjust accordingly.
If you get your intake sorted out and eat healthily, you may not need to keep pounding your knees.

[Doorstopper]

15 hours ago, ironpony said:

As for counting calories I have a hard time doing it because not everything I buy like fruits and vegetables, say the calorie on it and even the things that do are hard to measure.

The apps have so much info in them, that even without a scale you can get a good estimate of almost anything. Amount can be entered in weight (oz, grams) volume (cups), quantity (#), even size ( large apple for example). You can even scan barcodes on food labels.  

One goal is to see that calorie number, but the other goal is to look at what you've been eating, so you can modify your diet.

[ironpony]

Oh okay, but the problem with the app is, is how do tell how many calories are in something, especially if it's something I make myself, that's an amalgamation of several different things?

[basil67]

Use recipes which have the calories already calculated.  Or by looking up the calorie content for each ingredient and working it out.

I find calorie counting a bit onerous, so am currently on a diet meal plan where all meals are premade and delivered to me.

Edited June 26, 2021 by basil67

[ironpony]

Okay thanks, I can try to do that, but is it possible to measure the calories in food by using some sort of technology, where I didn't have to rely on looking at the packages that everything comes in.  Just measure the calories on each piece of food on a case by case basis if possible, with any technology?

[basil67]

If the ingredient/meal has calories on the box, that is easiest.  Otherwise, google the ingredient.  

Yes, it's hard work and annoying - this is why I get tired of counting calories.  

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by basil67

[elaine567]

That is where calorie counting app comes in, it will count the calories for you.
 

[Wiseman2]

6 hours ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay, but the problem with the app is, is how do tell how many calories are in something, especially if it's something I make myself, that's an amalgamation of several different things?

The biggest mistake people make is wasting time on trendy diets, diet programs diet apps etc.

Unless you have significant weight to lose, increase your overall fitness. That includes cardio and increasing lean body mass.

Lean body mass increases your metabolism. Sitting around on diet apps increases flab and dieting decreases your metabolism.

Get your workout clothes on and begin an appropriate cardio and muscle toning/building program.

[basil67]

@Wiseman2  modern training of and from PTs is that it’s 80% food reduction and 20% exercise.   

I discovered this when I recently went to a PT for weight loss and he told me that a calorie deficient diet was essential and that the exercise would back it up.  A few younger guys training as PTs are learning the same theory.  We are talking about me losing only about 15lbs.  

That said, I have lost weight before with just exercise, but the intensIty required meant I ended up with an injury where I saw multiple people in an effort to diagnose, needed lots of rehab and lost all my gains  .   So I’m back to calorie deficient diet with moderate exercise.    It’s working.

[clia]

On 5/24/2021 at 1:24 PM, ironpony said:

Because I don't feel it working.  Cardio exercise should cause me to feel a burn in my heart and cause me to breath harder and feel the burn there.  I am not feeling it.  No I am not trying told muscle but cardio more.  The bodybuilder does do cardio he says too though, so I thought he would know.

And I did feel the burn in my heart when I was jogging before, so isn't that a good burn therefore, if I felt it from that?

Where are you getting the idea that you should feel burning when you do cardio?  Have you ever actually measured your heart rate while you are doing cardio?  

[ironpony]

Maybe burning is the wrong word, but when I do running, I breath hard from cardio and feel I had a good work out.  When I bike and go on the ellyptical, I'm not breathing hard.  Why is that?

[ironpony]

I tried going back on the machine because I want cardio exercise, but my knees get sore from running a lot when I exercise.  I was told to do an elliptical before because it's easier on the knees.

But when I tried to use it before it doesn't get my heart rate up near as much as jogging.  I was told I must be using iot it wrong.  But it seems that no matter how I set it, it always tires my legs out but never my heart so much.  Am I using it wrong?

[Johnjohnson2017]

On 10/3/2021 at 10:18 PM, ironpony said:

I tried going back on the machine because I want cardio exercise, but my knees get sore from running a lot when I exercise.  I was told to do an elliptical before because it's easier on the knees.

But when I tried to use it before it doesn't get my heart rate up near as much as jogging.  I was told I must be using iot it wrong.  But it seems that no matter how I set it, it always tires my legs out but never my heart so much.  Am I using it wrong?

Hello

Try starting at the lowest level (Level 1 or 0). Try using the arms as well. Try to speed up by "pedaling" faster to get your hear rate up. If you pedal too slowly your heart rate will not increase because you would essentially be "walking"

[ironpony]

8 hours ago, Johnjohnson2017 said:

Hello

Try starting at the lowest level (Level 1 or 0). Try using the arms as well. Try to speed up by "pedaling" faster to get your hear rate up. If you pedal too slowly your heart rate will not increase because you would essentially be "walking"

Okay thanks, but I have tried that, on the fastest setting and it doesn't go that fast.  I can pedal faster than the ellyptical is able to move, so is that a problem if I can run faster than it can move?

[Wiseman2]

Can a trainer work with you towards fitness goals?

[ironpony]

Possibly, it's just been a bit difficult getting one because of weird work hours in my job.  I can keep trying.

[Johnjohnson2017]

12 hours ago, ironpony said:

Okay thanks, but I have tried that, on the fastest setting and it doesn't go that fast.  I can pedal faster than the ellyptical is able to move, so is that a problem if I can run faster than it can move?

If you can peddle faster than the ellyptical, then increase the level one notch. Are you using it in the gym or do you have one at home? Differect ellyptical machines will feel different. Try different brands if you are using a gym. I have my favorite in the gym I go to. I hate using other ones but sometimes the one I like is taken. 

[Lotsgoingon]

If you pick up the speed of your pedaling the workout becomes harder.

As you raise the level of difficulty (resistance) the workout becomes harder.

Either you are pedaling too slowly or you are not raising the level of resistance. Or you are in amazing shape!