What am I doing wrong when it comes to exercising?

[Happy Lemming]

9 hours ago, ironpony said:

Well so far I have been having two - three meals a day, especially on work days more so, because I burn more calories at work, but is that too much?

When you exhaust (use up) more calories than you intake (eat), you lose weight. 

Are you losing weight on the days that you work??

[ironpony]

Oh I can't tell what days the weight comes off specifically as it seems to take more than a day to come off. Should I be losing per day noticeably?

Edited March 26, 2022 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

4 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Should I be losing per day noticeably?

For me... yes, I write down each day what I weigh and if I exhaust more calories than I intake, then yes I will notice a loss of a 1/2 to 1 pound loss (on a day to day basis). 

***NOTE*** I have a digital scale that measures in decimal increments, so I can notice even a .2 loss.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks I will do that.  Should I only weigh myself after I have to go to the bathroom since thar make the difference?

[Happy Lemming]

1 hour ago, ironpony said:

 Should I only weigh myself after I have to go to the bathroom since thar make the difference?

Just do the same thing everyday, so you have consistency in your data.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks, I can do that.  I am hungrier on the days I work out on though, so I tend to eat more on those days, after the workout, but is that bad?

[Happy Lemming]

1 minute ago, ironpony said:

I am hungrier on the days I work out on though, so I tend to eat more on those days, after the workout, but is that bad?

If your goal is to lose weight, you are going to be hungry (at some point).  Again, its a simple formula of exhaust vs. intake.  If you work out you are exhausting and using up calories, if you eat back the calories you just worked off, your net loss of calories for the day is zero.  And you lose no weight. 

If you get to the point that you are just insanely hungry, try a stalk of celery or a raw carrot (peeled).  It is also good to drink plenty of water.

Losing weight is not easy, it is really hard work.  You have to be aware of every bite you take and how many calories are in that item you are eating.

As an example... if I walk for an hour, I'm going to burn up between 210 and 360 calories, then if I go and eat a small McDonald's cheeseburger, my net loss for the day is zero.  The small McDonald's cheeseburger has 313 calories in it, thus I just ate back all the calories I worked off by walking for an hour.

I don't know what exercises you are doing, but you'll need to look up how many calories each of your workout items burns, then look at the caloric value of each item you eat.  At that point, you'll know if you have a net loss for the day. 

[ironpony]

5 minutes ago, Happy Lemming said:

If your goal is to lose weight, you are going to be hungry (at some point).  Again, its a simple formula of exhaust vs. intake.  If you work out you are exhausting and using up calories, if you eat back the calories you just worked off, your net loss of calories for the day is zero.  And you lose no weight. 

If you get to the point that you are just insanely hungry, try a stalk of celery or a raw carrot (peeled).  It is also good to drink plenty of water.

Losing weight is not easy, it is really hard work.  You have to be aware of every bite you take and how many calories are in that item you are eating.

As an example... if I walk for an hour, I'm going to burn up between 210 and 360 calories, then if I go and eat a small McDonald's cheeseburger, my net loss for the day is zero.  The small McDonald's cheeseburger has 313 calories in it, thus I just ate back all the calories I worked off by walking for an hour.

I don't know what exercises you are doing, but you'll need to look up how many calories each of your workout items burns, then look at the caloric value of each item you eat.  At that point, you'll know if you have a net loss for the day. 

Oh okay I see.  Yes this is where it's tricky for me because I keep trying to exercise more and burn more calories but when I do I just get hungrier.  So it seems like it's a never ending paradox for the past couple of years.   I managed to loose half the weight I wanted to, over two years ago, but not the remaining half.

Edited March 26, 2022 by ironpony

[ironpony]

The personal trainer also told me that if I feel really hungry later it is okay to eat to keep going for the rest of the day.  Was she incorrect on that then, if it just means I am putting the calories back in?  She also says I am not eating enough though, because I don't have enough energy to be working out for as long as I should be.  In order to get more energy to work out more,  I need to eat more she says.  Unless she is incorrect on that as well?

Edited March 26, 2022 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

What is your BMI (Body Mass Index)?? 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html

 

[ironpony]

Just now, Happy Lemming said:

What is your BMI (Body Mass Index)?? 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html

 

24.1

[Happy Lemming]

Just now, ironpony said:

24.1

You are in the "Healthy" range but just a little on the high side of healthy, so it sounds like you have some "fat" reserves you want to burn off.

If each day you have a small "net loss" of calories, you will see your weight and your BMI go down.

Try keeping a log of every calorie your eat vs. the calories you burn doing your workout items.  Try to have a "net loss" each day and compare that to your weight.

As a side note, 24.1 really is a pretty good BMI number.  You are doing well with your weight.

[ironpony]

3 minutes ago, Happy Lemming said:

You are in the "Healthy" range but just a little on the high side of healthy, so it sounds like you have some "fat" reserves you want to burn off.

If each day you have a small "net loss" of calories, you will see your weight and your BMI go down.

Try keeping a log of every calorie your eat vs. the calories you burn doing your workout items.  Try to have a "net loss" each day and compare that to your weight.

As a side note, 24.1 really is a pretty good BMI number.  You are doing well with your weight.

Oh okay thanks.  The weight went back up after I got a new job.  The business I worked for went out of business when covid happened so I wasnt' working.  During this period of not working, I was only two meals a day about and I lost 20 pounds.  But I put the 20 pounds back on when I started this new job quite a while back because I went back to eating breakfast in order to give me enough energy to do the job for the first half.

Edited March 26, 2022 by ironpony

[ironpony]

Another thing is, I've been trying to work out for six hours a week, but I keep falling short hear and there because of other commitments I have in my schedule.  Like for example is it worth telling my gf I am just going to have to see her less if I want to exercise, but maybe that's okay...

[Happy Lemming]

2 minutes ago, ironpony said:

  But I put the 20 pounds back on when I started this new job...

In this case, you had a "net gain" each day.  This is where you ate more calories then you exhausted and you added 20 pounds to your weight.

If you want to eat breakfast, figure that into your caloric intake for the day.  As an example, a hard boiled egg has 78 calories.

 

[Happy Lemming]

5 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Another thing is, I've been trying to work out for six hours a week, but I keep falling short hear and there because of other commitments I have in my schedule.  Like for example is it worth telling my gf I am just going to have to see her less if I want to exercise, but maybe that's okay...

Can you take your girlfriend out on a nice hike (with you)?? 

My girlfriend and I have some local trails we hike, we spend time together, talk and have fun.  As an added bonus, I get in a nice walk/hike that burns calories.

[ironpony]

Just now, Happy Lemming said:

In this case, you had a "net gain" each day.  This is where you ate more calories then you exhausted and you added 20 pounds to your weight.

If you want to eat breakfast, figure that into your caloric intake for the day.  As an example, a hard boiled egg has 78 calories.

 

Oh okay.  Well if I hit the ellyptical machine for 2 hours a week in the 6 hour workout, the machine tells me that I loose about 300 calories a week, if I added up all the uses per week.  Should the number be higher than this, and maybe I am doing something wrong?

[Happy Lemming]

1 minute ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay.  Well if I hit the ellyptical machine for 2 hours a week in the 6 hour workout, the machine tells me that I loose about 300 calories a week, if I added up all the uses per week.  Should the number be higher than this, and maybe I am doing something wrong?

I'm not familiar with those machines or how they calculate the burn.  I imagine there are a lot of variables, speed, tension on the belts, your weight, etc. 

I tried to do some quick calculations and that sounds about right.  I got 350 calories for a 2 hour workout, so 300 doesn't sound too far off.

[ironpony]

5 minutes ago, Happy Lemming said:

Can you take your girlfriend out on a nice hike (with you)?? 

My girlfriend and I have some local trails we hike, we spend time together, talk and have fun.  As an added bonus, I get in a nice walk/hike that burns calories.

Oh well it's just that walking is not doing as much, because it doesn't burn near as many calories compared to running and weightlifting it seems.  But also, it's mostly flat land where I live so can't really hike, and just walk instead.  We have gone for walks, it's just the calories don't burn as much compared to other exercises.

[ironpony]

1 minute ago, Happy Lemming said:

I'm not familiar with those machines or how they calculate the burn.  I imagine there are a lot of variables, speed, tension on the belts, your weight, etc. 

I tried to do some quick calculations and that sounds about right.  I got 350 calories for a 2 hour workout, so 300 doesn't sound too far off.

Maybe I am eating too much and I could try skipping breakfast for more days to see, it's just I don't have as much energy to work in my job if I do, compared to when I eat breakfast.

[basil67]

What do you eat for breakfast?   And what's the quantity?

 

[ironpony]

7 minutes ago, basil67 said:

What do you eat for breakfast?   And what's the quantity?

 

Right now I have protein powder I order, since it helps with weight loss, and I take the recommended dosage for a meal.  I also will have an apple later on my first break since I am hungry by then, about two hours later..   I also have one cup of coffee in the morning at work, but just one for the day.  So I guess both of those are breakfast, since they are both before my lunch hour?

Edited March 26, 2022 by ironpony

[basil67]

Many protein powders have a load of hidden sugar.   How about eating real food?   Something low GI

https://www.her.ie/food/7-low-gi-breakfasts-that-will-keep-you-fuller-for-longer-342953

Edited March 26, 2022 by basil67

[ironpony]

Just now, basil67 said:

How about eating real food?   Something low GI

https://www.her.ie/food/7-low-gi-breakfasts-that-will-keep-you-fuller-for-longer-342953

Oh well I thought the powder would be better for weight loss based on what a couple of others have told me that I know.  But if I try real food, I thought that the weight would still stay on though, because ever since I have been having three meals a day now that I started a new job, the weight gain came back for me.

[basil67]

Everyone (including us) are just giving opinions.  That it works for us doesn't mean that it will work for you. 

Go and speak with a nutritionist.  They have proper training and will give you advice which is designed to support you, your work and exercise requirements.