Can we talk about weight for a minute?

Blueyed228

Ok, so the last year and a half with all this fertility stuff, I have gained weight and Im disgusted with it.  Im not a big work out person, but Im going to start doing it 3 times a week and set a 3 month goal.  I want to drop 25 pounds in 3 months.

For all you excercise junkies, is this a good goal or is it too much?  Im really not super concerned about a number, I just want to start feeling good about myself again and since we have stopped treatments, this is a great time to do it.

Also, any tips?  Im never going to be a runner, so running is out.  My starting plan is to hike the mountain that is near my house and walk the pond it is attached to (2.6 miles) with Gia.  I think it will be very theraputic for me as well since I need some head clearing.  Plus, that old betch Gia could use the excercise, lol.

cheeseandrice

That averages you about 2 pounds a week, which is doable.  Just don't get discouraged if you don't magically hit 25 pounds exactly in 3 months.  Even if you don't, I'm sure you will feel a lot better though  

That's about all I have to offer, since I've always sucked at the whole exercise thing.  Make sure you're eating healthy too. It's kind of pointless to work your ass off if you're eating like crap. When I've really stuck to a healthy eating pattern, I've felt so much better- even without the exercise part.  Thankfully it's summer, so you can easily load up on fresh produce!

LetsHikeToday

I used to use myfitnesspal.com because it helped with setting a realistic goal and it's really easy to use. You can access it as an ap or as a website on the computer. I also used Jillian michaels workout DVDs and obviously love hiking. Swimming was also pretty awesome too. I'm sure Gia will love the walks. :-) Definitely don't push for more than a 2lb weight loss each week. My fitness pal will able to help you figure that out.

VeggieLove1022

I lost 25 lbs in 3 months, but I won't lie, I busted my ass for it. I ate 6 really small meals a day- never cheated, only drank water, ran on an elliptical for an hour, and spent another hour on various weights. Every. Single. Day. I know I gained quite a bit of muscle so you may be able to lose 25 lbs if you don't plan on doing any weights, but that 25 lbs was pretty tough for me.

AllAboutTheBenjamin

I think that's a reasonable goal. I think you have a good plan and hiking and walkin is great cardio! I'd suggest sticking to a schedule. If you plan to do it three days a week, pick the days and the time you want to do it and stick to it. Don't cheat!! Also if you get a little harder core into it I recommend the Brazilian Butt DVDs. Noshit, they are awesome lol.

Blueyed228

Know whats weird?  I do eat pretty well.  I think I just dont eat enough?

Im like 1 meal a day and maybe salad or toast or something.

Im not stuck on this 25 pounds as something that i NEED to hit.  I just remember feeling my best at that weight and I was really healthy looking.  Not too thin, but in shape and toned.

Athsea

I think I remember reading that a healthy weight loss plan is 1-3 pounds per week, depending on how much you weigh to begin with. So it seems pretty reasonable to me. 

[Deleted User]

I'll second the swimming. I despise exercise, but I freaking love to swim. That's the one thing I retained from a childhood of jumping from activity to activity. If I had a pool, I'd be doing laps every day.

I'm also not a runner, and I prefer to work out at home (don't like people watching me, and I like to watch TV at the same time). The Kinect has helped me a lot since it's like a game and TV and exercise all in one. You wouldn't think that would get you in shape, but holy crap do my muscles burn afterwards.

Nebb

theres a HUGE swimming complex they have been building down the street from my house that opens on tuesday, I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out their programs, costs and times because I would love to start swimming. I need a suit though.

LetsHikeToday

You might be eating too little.

LetsHikeToday

Nebb- you will love it. Swimming laps is so kick ass. Get a speedo. They always felt the most supportive.

Nebb

lol Id get a swimsuit if I could afford it but im going to be flat broke until sometime in August I will have to keep working out at home until then.

anna.oskar

With all the fertility stuff, it's likely that you're just holding onto a bit (or more) of bloat that you can get rid of pretty easily if you really watch the diet.  I had a 15 lb gain pretty quick and am down 9 since Monday so it was pretty much all bloat.  Cutting the starches like breads/rice/potatoes to a minimum was all I really did this week besides making sure I'm eating at least 1400 calories a day by tracking on SparkPeople.

LesPaul

25 lbs in 3 months is doable, but also be conscious of how you feel and losing sizes/inches but not necessarily pounds if you gain some muscle.  I won't run either - sounds like punishment to me.  I do well with classes at the Y - I put them on my calendar and make it like any other appointment, so I'm more likely to go.  Having a support system (i.e. SB ladies) helps me tremendously too.

ErinG93

I know I'm a little late to this, but I second the support system. I've been working out twice a week with some ladies at work and it's helping me a TON. They are great ladies to work out with and I'm actually finding myself looking forward to when exercise time rolls around. If you could find a really good buddy to exercise with it might make it easier for you.

Blue, I have been feeling the same way and even though I don't think I've lost any pounds, just working out has helped me feel better. 

Denise91980

It definitely sounds like you are not eating enough. Before the wedding, which I am trying to implement now, I did the Jillian Michaels videos (H also started to do them when he noticed I was losing weight). I also ate a crapton of hardboiled eggs, either 2 for breakfast, or 2 for lunch with a salad. I tried to cut down on carbs and eat them for one meal a day, usually dinner, and a lot of protein and vegatables. I lost about 30lbs before the wedding. I know I will never be skinny, it is not me, but I do know I can get down 30lbs again because I gained almost all of the weight back since the wedding and I am sick of myself also. I feel your pain. I also want to lose weight before I get pregnant again, since everything else seemed normal according to the loss prevention specialist. We shall see.  

SpartanCat

That sounds like a good goal! Much luck!
Make sure you drink lots of water - keeps your organs well lubricated and working properly.
I know how you feel with not wanting to run. It's too noisy for me, all that wheezing and gasping... But for serious, I pay too much attention to how badly it hurts to run that I can't get past my pain threshold for a good work out. I have Zumba videos that I've found are great cardio. I'd never go to a class because I feel like an idiot as I am no good at dancing. It's a lot of fun though when you're not worrying about what you look like.

TheBaney

You could try blogilates.com, she's got a 90 day fitness challenge with a meal plan and stuff. I'll be starting that next week, after our fourth of july barbecue.

Loopyseven

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_can-we-talk-about-weight-for-a-minute?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:7e972d6a-8b2e-4cd8-8209-fc17aa5247f8Post:d04c4eaf-27a9-43f0-b035-3d8093ee0990">Re: Can we talk about weight for a minute?</a>:
[QUOTE]I used to use myfitnesspal.com because it helped with setting a realistic goal and it's really easy to use. You can access it as an ap or as a website on the computer. I also used Jillian michaels workout DVDs and obviously love hiking. Swimming was also pretty awesome too. I'm sure Gia will love the walks. :-) Definitely don't push for more than a 2lb weight loss each week. My fitness pal will able to help you figure that out.
Posted by LetsHikeToday[/QUOTE]

<div>Ditto this.. about 110%.  When I was watching/working out this is pretty much exactly what I did.  I get bored doing the same thing all the time, so switching between hiking with H, Jillian Michaels, walking the dog, and sometimes swimming (when I was paying for a gym membership with a pool) keep me doing enough variety of stuff I didn't get too bored.  A walking buddy always helps keep me on track too cause I'm less likely to cancel on someone else if I have plans made.</div>

VeggieLove1022

I'll second Dot's idea of ww. My brother and SIL have lost around 120+ lbs combined in the past few months on ww. They look fantastic and I'm so proud of them for sticking to it. 

Blueyed228

I just downloaded myfitnesspal. It looks really interesting. I put in a few things I like and had no idea what the calorie count really was. I put in my current weight and my goal weigh/timeline and st 2 pounds a week they set a 1200 calorie a day diet. Also, when you put in exercise it gives you more calories. Does that mean the new total they give you is the goal? And I have a pool. As soon as i get the all clear to swim from the RE ill be doing laps. Doggie paddle tho since i dont get my hair wet lol. Im pretty excited.

VeggieLove1022

 

This kitty sympathizes with you about the hair ordeal.  

alynne1113

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_can-we-talk-about-weight-for-a-minute?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:7e972d6a-8b2e-4cd8-8209-fc17aa5247f8Post:3ae8f745-16de-45a8-b79e-1566098f5388">Can we talk about weight for a minute?</a>:
[QUOTE]Ok, so the last year and a half with all this fertility stuff, I have gained weight and Im disgusted with it.  Im not a big work out person, but Im going to start doing it 3 times a week and set a 3 month goal.  I want to drop 25 pounds in 3 months. For all you excercise junkies, is this a good goal or is it too much?  Im really not super concerned about a number, I just want to start feeling good about myself again and since we have stopped treatments, this is a great time to do it. Also, any tips?  Im never going to be a runner, so running is out.  My starting plan is to hike the mountain that is near my house and walk the pond it is attached to (2.6 miles) with Gia.  I think it will be very theraputic for me as well since I need some head clearing.  Plus, that old betch Gia could use the excercise, lol.
Posted by Blueyed228[/QUOTE]
I gained about 16 pounds in a year due to a back injury that left me in bed. Now I run
 on the eliptical 4 times a week for 45 min and walk an hour every day (cant do much else because of my back) and  I have lost 17 pounds in about 3 months. I think 25 in three months would be really hard for me and my goal was 15 in three months but 25 is doable for some people for sure! 

kcbee

I recently lost a lot of weight by tracking on SparkPeople.com and exercising 6 days a week. I found DVDs that incorprate weight and cardio intervals worked best for me (my favorite is Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30). If I did just cardio my weight loss really slowed down, but as soon as I added back in weights, it sped up. And don't get discouraged if you don't lose anything for a few weeks, you'll probably drop the next few pounds quickly. Sucks the body doesn't stick to the 3500 calorie deficit = 1 pound equation! 

The most important thing for me was tracking calories. I weigh and count every thing I eat, and I know that helped so much. Otherwise I would grab a handful of this here, and a handful of that there...and that really adds up.

Good luck, you can do it! 

celticmyss

My weight loss has been slow as shite 35 pounds in 10 months so I may not be the best example but I have pretty much done what PPs suggested. 

 I track everything I eat which is really eye opening. Some things that don't seem that bad are terrible for you and vice versa. The issues I have here is focusing on the number of calories rather than the quality of those calories.

 I seem to be incapable of exercising at home so you'll have to learn what works for you. Swimming is great since it is so low impact. I wish my gym didn't charge an exorbitant amount for the short period the pool is open. 

I had been going to the gym 4 days a week too, doing a mix of weights and cardio, but I have been too busy and/or too lazy the last few weeks. This really shows in my lack of weight loss during this period. 

Another thing I use that I know a few other people on here have is a Fitbit. It's like a fancified pedometer that also tracks stairs climbed and calories burned. I find it really gives me more motivation to take the stairs or find excuses to walk at work. It syncs with Myfitnesspal too, which gives me a better idea of what I should be eating.

lbarr088

Blue to answer your question... Yes. If your calorie goal is 1200/day and you burn 300, MFP ups your daily caloric intake to 1500 for that particular day to make up for the calories burned. Otherwise, you're body can go into "starvation mode" and it will be a lot harder to keep the weight off once you start losing it and even harder losing it for that matter.

StefffiC

Blue - you can try a swim cap. I have two, a latex that is fully waterproof and a Lyrcra that is easier to get on put not waterproof. The chlorine in the indoor pool made me look like I stuck my finger in a light socket.  When I was dying my hair the pool water didn't do the color any favors, either. LOL I got mine at REI. The Latex one is a witch to get on over my hair.

You can also get a kick board and flippers and just kick, it's a decent workout and will tone your legs. DH bought me scuba flippers instead of swim flippers, they're about 24" long and are too big for most pools. He thought bigger must be better! LOL

I'm really funny about getting water on my face and have to wear goggles that don't leak even if I'm not planning to get my face wet. If you haven't figured this out yet, I'm strange.

Nebb - I found Speedos at the Goodwill. If you're not weirded out by that, check the Goodwill. I also wear Nike and TYR for swimming. I'm short bodied and unless I find short Speedos they tend to be a little long. I love my Nike suit.

I swam everyday for a few years and between my work schedule and picking up a really agressive funk at the gym from the swim team there I've quit. It's on the todo list when my life calms down. There's not a gym that is near our house we live in now, but when we move there's more options.

The gym we just left had  Water Zumba classes and Water Yoga classes, both were fun, but neither felt like great workouts to me. One of the Y's in Charlotte has a water treadmill and that was a great workout, I wish I lived closer.

J&K10910

You've gotten some great advice, and I just want to add a little something.

Working out doesn't HAVE to be terrible.  A lot of people think if you don't do it at a gym, or in front of a TV with a crazy fit person barking orders at you, it doesn't count.  Anything that gets your heart rate up counts.  Especially going from not really working out--small changes are good.  I think your plan to start with hiking and walking Gia is an awesome and very doable one.  So many people try to do too much too soon and get discouraged.

Also, when you're tracking (which is good and I fully support), don't cut out everything you love.  A good eating plan has room fo rthe things you love in moderation, otherwise you won't stick to it.  And if you do have a crappy eating/exercise day, remember it's just one day, one day will NOT undo all your progress, and you can do better the next day.  Don't let it throw you completely off. 

J&K10910

Dot:  No, that's a myth.  I mean, well, it's sort of a myth.  Weight training definitely helps with fat loss--but you want to lift a weight that feels heavy and that you can do about 10-12 reps with.  When you do a bunch of reps at a low weight, you're building muscle endurance, which is different than building strength, and building strength is what's going to make the muscle bigger and ultimately boost your metabolism (plus it looks hot) faster.

The vast majority of women are not capable of "bulking up" because we simply don't have enough testosterone to build big, bulky man muscles, so that's not something to worry about (not that you seemed to be, but many women do).

So, in short: yes, lifting weights helps with fat loss, but lift heavier. 

Blueyed228

Thanks guys for all the awesome advice.

I am being pretty realistic about it and know that for me, I need to start slow so that I stick with it, and to set realistic work out goals.  Things that I know I can and will do.

Starmusica

Blue- if you sign up for myfitnesspal- friend me! I can message you my info if you'd like. I love that app. I use that combined with my fitbit to track how much i am burning vs how much I am eating. I was on WW forever and had totally flatlined. I started tracking calories and I am WAY down and I've been able to keep things pretty steady.