Why are the scales not shifting despite loads of cardio exercise???

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Been doing a 30 min Tae Bo DVD 4/5 times a week, plus press ups and weights....although I've lost inches, clothes feel better etc. The scales are not budging!!

When can I expect to see something? I am not dieting but I have drastically reduced my junk intake and don't smoke or drink

[PussinJimmyChoos]

PS

DS is two and not breast feeding

[dinny]

honestly, I think you should put your scales away for at least 3 months and concentrate on how well you are doing/feeling (brilliantly!)

[hatcam]

Dinny totally agree that HR monitor is important and useful gadget esp if you're worried about overdoing it, but think you need someone to advise you on your own HR requirements to really get the best out of it - it's totally individual and needs a proper fitness test to measure (otherwise it's very vague). In absence of fitness test, the effort level (if you're disciplined about it) will work really well.

I'm so daft, get really fired up about this as it's lazy gym instructors who just work out people's max HR based on 220bpm-age and it's not helpful!

[CoteDAzur]

Puss - Re your weight/height (which took me a while to convert to kgs/cms), I think you should focus on cardio first, lose some serious weight, and then combine cardio with weight training.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Yes, am doing cardio at the moment - I do the Billy DVD (and mmm...isn't he just buff??!!) then before the cool down, I pause the DVD and do 50 push ups (the girly on your knees ones!!) and then have two 3lb weights that I do a variety of arm reps with as I hate my bingo wings. When that's done, I then start the DVD again and do the cool down....

[MissingMyHeels]

30mins exercise only burns about 300 cal, which is probably your lunch - if that, it's not really enough to cause weight loss.

My PT says exercise should be a maintenance thing as without big diet changes it has little impact unless you're doing 2hour workouts everyday.

[CoteDAzur]

I don't know what a low Gi diet is. Just telling you what I was told by two separate dieticians.

Something to do with carbohydrates increasing blood sugar. You should eat carbohydrates 2-3 times a week ("So your body doesn't forget them. Or you will gain weight fast once you start eating them again") but with a simple tomato sauce and no cheese (protein).

Lasagna is a no-no, obviously, because you are eating meat with pasta.

Try it. It's very simple once you get used to eating carbohydrates and proteins in separate meals. Eat fish or meat with veggies or salad.

Forget corn, carrots, and potatoes, by the way.

[hatcam]

but you still burn calories even if you're doing strength work....think 30 mins is quite realistic pure cardio as if you do 5-10 mins warm up, 30 mins cardio, 15 mins strength, 10 mins cool down you've done an hour which is as much as most people can fit in for an exercise session? Promise it would be effective.

think that pussinjimmychoos is doing all the right things and just MUSTN'T get disheartened.

try keeping a food diary (even if it's on the back of an envelope), write down everything you eat. It's a great way of seeing where you might need to change your diet, it's usually pretty obvious.

I'll pipe down now.

[naughtynoonoo]

Don't be disheartend - you have only been doing it for 2 weeks, I have tried all the quick fit diets to loose weight fast, lost some quick then put it back on, back adn forth. Finally gave that up and started to eat really healthy and bike / walk more, slowly but surely the weight has come off, its all about patience i'm afraid, i am the most impatient person in the world, but it does pay off. Last June I weighed 11.7, now I am at 9.11 (finally in normal BMI!) and it still seems to be shifting, all good things come to those who wait, so don't give up, u sound like you are doing really well already - so well done.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

I thought that going from nothing to a work out 5/6 times a week would sort me out good and proper!

Maybe its the carbs with meat??? Arse though...I've got DS to cook for - fussy fussy, won't eat what we eat so have to do him separate meal, then have to take DH into account - 6ft 2" and bloody hungry by the time its dinner time and then trying to keep the food so its not processed, filling, not fattening but convenient at the same time...I thought brown pasta was a good compromise...

[CoteDAzur]

hatcam - With all due respect, what is your claim to authority on the subject?

30 mins cardio is not enough for weight loss. I have been told this by different personal trainers and dieticians in different gyms in different countries.

Heart rate is very important for weight loss. As you said, you should be able to talk, even sustain a conversation, when doing cardio. I've never heard of '220 bpm - age'. That is over 180 for me, and I have been told to aim for 120-130 & certainly wouldn't be able to say two words at that bpm! Ten years ago, I was told to aim for 150. I think your information is incorrect.

[hatcam]

no no no (was shuffling off to corner to pipe down but can't help it) you're doing all the right things! Pls don't be disheartened.

afraid I also disagree with the ole carbs/protein separation thing. You may want to cut down on carbs but I don't believe food combining (IMHO and in my experience) makes any difference.

Give it a few more weeks and go buy yourself a treat for doing so well so far.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Hatcam - can you be my personal trainer??

What I'm aiming for, is something sustainable and fits in with our lifestyle...I can't faff about with food combining when I work p/t, have a toddler and a DH that can't boil an egg (totally different thread whinge there!! lol!!) so I thought right, lets make the best of what I have got - still make pasta, but switch to brown, eat normal meals but cut out the crap, don't eat processed crap and exercise. I know lasagne or curry with rice is carbs but its all homemade so I think that makes a big difference...

Or am I just prattling now?

[dinny]

my fat-burning HR is between 122-154, of the top of my head, and you can really really tell when you are in the right zone, as it feels as if:

you can keep going for ages
you break into a light sweat
you don't really go red though
you can talk quite easily
you enjoy it and kind of zone out

Basically, I have to run a lot slower than I otherwise would to keep my HR low enough - if I run at 10k per hour, it is way too high. prob 8.8 - 9.4 kph keeps mine at about 140bpm

X-trainer amazing for keeping HR in high enough but easy-to-maintain rate - easier than treadmill to fine-tweak it

[mckenzie]

please don't get disheartened PJChoos, you've made a fantastic start and it sounds like you have the right attitude to make it work. I would ditto the other comments about ditching the scales for a while - go by how your clothes feel, how YOU feel, how you look etc.
Can I add my tuppenny's worth of advice please? Don't forget to eat carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates. They will filll you up for longer, give you the energy you need to do those workouts and also help to keep you digestive system working properly so that you're not carrying around heavy waste that should have been disposed of .
If you dont give your body the fuel that it needs to exercise, after a while it will start to panic and go into storage mode whereby when you do give it some fuel, it will store it up ready for when it thinks you are going to exercise again without providing fuel. Does that make sense? So yes, don't eat excessive carbohydrates but make sure you do eat them and eat good ones (which you are doing with your wholegrain rice and pasta).
Good luck.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Dinny - when I'm doing the work out, I sweat loads (tmi but true) and am purple by the time I finish with a high heart rate...but I thought that was the whole idea of it! Isn't the govt recommendation any form of exercise that gets heart rate up for more than 30 mins 3/4 times a week???

[soapbox]

Hatcam's advice is very, very close to the advice given to me recently by the personal trainers at my new gym.

Strength training as important as cardio weight loss - need to build muscle to increase basal metabolic rate. They advised interval training for heart rate - taking it up and down several times throughout the workout.

[dinny]

no, way too high intensity, Puss

yes, you are meant to get your HR up but not so high you are purple!

can you get yourself a HR monitor? Mine was about £70 and I nevere ever do a workout without it, it is amazing.

Go to a good independent sports shop and they will recommend you one - honestly, I bet you find your HR is up at 170bpm or something crazy

I think Tae Bo has a place when you are really fit and need a challenge, like spinning, but initially, I think you'd be a lot better with longer cadrio - like an hour alternating walking/joinng (and keeping you HR in the right zone) - incidentally, my HR monitor has an alarm that beeps when you go above or below your correct zone.

[dinny]

no, way too high intensity, Puss

yes, you are meant to get your HR up but not so high you are purple!

can you get yourself a HR monitor? Mine was about £70 and I nevere ever do a workout without it, it is amazing.

Go to a good independent sports shop and they will recommend you one - honestly, I bet you find your HR is up at 170bpm or something crazy

I think Tae Bo has a place when you are really fit and need a challenge, like spinning, but initially, I think you'd be a lot better with longer cadrio - like an hour alternating walking/joinng (and keeping you HR in the right zone) - incidentally, my HR monitor has an alarm that beeps when you go above or below your correct zone.

[hatcam]

mais oui, bien sur!

(I really am a PT, nutritional adviser, fitness writer and totally evangelical about my job but quite normal and sane, still drink wine and everything. sometimes until i fall down, but not right now as am very up the duff)

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Confused yet Puss? lol

My twopence worth FWIW; as I said before, try to work a little 'less hard' but for a longer period.

HR thingy not accurate just based on 75% or whatever of 220- age. You really need resting HR and stuff taken into account. But with that in mind, it's a useful guide.

Food combining works for some people there's no doubt but if it doesn't fit into your lifestyle it ain't going to work.

Ditch the scales - keep moving, eat more fruit and veg and less crap and you'll get there.

And hey - enjoy yourself!

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Puss - I'm pretty fit but look like a turkey cock after a 10 minute walking warmup on the treadmill. Some people just get more red than others.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Fark!!! How can it be too high??? Thought I was doing it right!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

pmsl at Turkey Cock!!!

[dinny]

pmsl - turkey cock!!!!

Puss, you just may be going too hard at it - much easier and enjoyable to do it at less intensity