| donitag
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We, as a family, started this WOE in Jan. 07. As a family, we lost over 100 pounds last year. :lol: I will never go back to the old way of eating.
Now, my question. We joined the YMCA in Sept of 2007. I have gone to the "Y" 4 days a week since then. I started out just walking because I had not done any form of exercise for years. Gradually, I increased the walking to 3 miles each visit and joined the Fitlinx program. It is a weight program. Now each visit, I walk 2-3 miles, and do 2 rounds on the weight machines. I am so suprised, and a little discouraged, that I have not lost a single pound and only a total of 1.5 inches. Yes, I feel so much better and can tell parts of me have firmed up, but I thought I would lose inches like crazy.
Any suggestions on what I may be doing wrong that I am not losing inches or weight? |
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Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:30 pm |
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| oldpjams
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If you've been walking, presumably on a track or treadmill, for five months then your body has almost certainly adapted to that amount of "stress" and results will slow down and eventually stop altogether. You may have to change that exercise in some way to start seeing results.
In my experience it takes a good six weeks to see measurable results from a resistance program. I don't know how long you've been doing a resistance program or what the Fitlinx program is or how it is set up...what are the exercises, how may repetitions do you do, at what point do you stop? |
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Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:51 pm |
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| donitag
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I do walk on an indoor track. The Fitlinx program is Nautlius machines, if you are familiar with those. I do 12 machines, 12 reps each. I do the machines twice a workout. I have been doing those since the end of October. I have been strict in doing them. Only missing for 1 week during that time.
For instance, the leg press, I started out at 80 pounds and am now up to 230 pounds. the ab machine I started out at 40 pounds and now I do 90 pounds. The machine for inner thighs, and the one for outer thighs, started out at 80 pounds and up to 140 pounds. There are 8 other machines that mostly work the upper body and I have been able to increase the amount of weight on those also, although, not as much. Seems I have very little upper body strength at all.
I stop at the end of 2 sets.
Also, once in a while I do another cardio machine, but only for 10-15 minutes.
So, maybe I need to cut out the walking and start somekind of cardio machine instead?
Also, should I add more machines to the workout? Or just change some machines? |
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Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:02 pm |
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| scotch32
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Donitag,
Those strength improvements sound like pretty good results to me!
I don’t know your personal circumstances well enough to suggest specific training regiments, but given that you have been walking for 6 months my guess would be that you are nowhere near your target heart rate while walking. I’d suggest trying a treadmill with a heart rate monitor to determine what level of exertion is necessary for you. You can use information here to figure out what is appropriate for your age:
http://www.health24.com/fitness/Cardio/16-1371-2173,19285.asp
Regarding the weights. I am not a believer in the idea that lifting weights burns fat in targeted areas. For example, I see a lot of women doing endless tricep exercises trying to lose underarm flab, and in my opinion it doesn’t work.
One suggestion is to extend your cardio workout into your resistance workout. This can be accomplished by simply speeding up the tempo of your training and decreasing the time between sets/exercises. Again, you are basically just trying to keep your heart rate up.
Also, I’d suggest speaking with the trainer or instructor your working with on the fitlinx program. They are in a much better position to tailor a program for you. |
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Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:47 pm |
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| cottonlily
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| Well since you feel better and more toned that's great in itself! And remember when you start an exercise program you will be gaining muscle, which weighs much more than fat. I think weight lifting in particular isn't going to lose inches for you, in fact will probably do the opposite! Maybe you could up the intensity of your current workout or switch your routine altogether. I think sometimes our bodies get accustomed to workouts and stop responding to the same old thing. |
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Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:41 pm |
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| oldpjams
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| Muscle does not weigh more than fat. Muscle is denser than fat. It is possible to lose fat and gain muscle and be a smaller size while the scale remains unchanged. Weight lifting can absolutely result in a loss of inches, particularly for women. |
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Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:49 pm |
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| Kimboroni
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| Muscle does weigh more than an equal volume of fat. That's what people mean when they say that, even if they don't understand it. That's the definition of having a higher density, so you're saying the same thing. |
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Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:37 pm |
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| oldpjams
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Kimboroni wrote: Muscle does weigh more than an equal volume of fat. That's what people mean when they say that, even if they don't understand it. That's the definition of having a higher density, so you're saying the same thing.
That's true, but I tend to believe that is not what people are thinking when they say muscle weighs more than fat. :D A handful of rocks weighs more than the same handful of feathers, but a pound of rocks does not weigh any more than a pound of feathers. |
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Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:14 pm |
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| donitag
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Thank you to all that have given advice. Sorry it has taken a while to write back. We picked up a nasty virus on our computer and it has been a long healing process. :lol:
I did take everyones advice and have switched up my routine. I will keep you posted on how it goes. |
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Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:38 pm |
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