2016 Resolutions

[LittleRedHead54]

Started out wanting to lose 60 pounds for my 2015 resolutions. So far this year I've lost 20lbs. Hoping to hit my goal weight of 125lbs sometime next year. 

But it seems I've hit a wall and can't get pass it what so ever. Does anybody have any tips to help me get passed this wall? I've changed want I drink and eat and how much I consume in a day. And tried out different types of exercises. That all helped for awhile not doesn't seem to be doing anything now. People keep telling me I still look like I'm losing weight, but my scale is telling me otherwise. 

Also, what is everybody else Resolutions for next year? I'm hoping to get 20,000 steps or more in a day and try out yoga. 

[Vicnette]

Try high interval training. It involves short, intense bursts of exercise with less intense moves or complete rest in between. You could be spending less time in the gym each week while still cashing in on all the fat-burning, metabolism-boosting, and heart-pounding benefits. It helps you burn more calories during your workout and after you exercise "afterburn".

[Yvetteb]

It is possible that you don't loose weight but do become leaner. Before and after photo's are a better measurement or check how your clothes fit. This is because 1 kg of muscles is smaller than 1 kg of fat, so in the same body you can store more kg of muscles than fat, this will result in a heavier body weight. However you do look leaner and are more healthier. (I assume that you are getting more muscles since you are excersicing.) 

[Annie-NH]

My resolution is to do the best I can.  Nothing sets me up for more failure than to state I am going to lose xxx number of lbs in xxx days.  Sometimes even when we are doing everything right the scale doesn't show it, be it water weight, muscle increase, or just a slow metabolism it doesn't show.  We might lose inches but not lbs.  My goal is to work as hard as I can to get in my 11K steps and eat right, drink my water and stay away from alcohol. These are things that are within my control. 

[HelenaFitbit]

Plateau is an awful thing we all go through this weight loss process.

If you're doing it right, you'll encounter a plateau. I'm not as knowledgeable as @Heybales @Raviv or @I-train-hard. I'm sure they can provide some insight on this 

[awood08]

I have hit many weeks where I haven't lost an ounce, or even gained weight despite doing it all right! Don't rely on the scale as much as your overall body feel. How do you feel, how are your clothes fitting? I have always taken measurements of my body and weighed myself. Weighing a few times a week, and body measurements every other month. Even if my scale hasn't moved in a few weeks, the inches on the tape measure have dropped. I'm 10 pounds from my goal weight and now my body is slowing down with the weight loss. I'm not dropping 2-3 pounds a week, i'm lucky if I even drop 1. But I can tell by the definition in my arms, my stomach, legs, etc. that muscle is building in there. I can feel the difference. I hope this gives you a little boost, just keeping working hard!

[TandemWalker]

Hi @LittleRedHead54. First of all, don't be too hard on yourself and try to find satisfaction on your accomplishments so far and understand that you're doing great. You're being more active than you were, and you're eating healthier as well. So all this is commendable.

As @HelenaFitbit mentioned in her post, we have all reached a plateau, or plateaus I should say; and this is so very true. But you know, there are ways around them. You touched on one of them - introducing variety in your exercise regimen is one of them. Another contributor to this thread mentioned intervals, a scheme I am a big fan of as well.

You reach a plateau when your metablism gets used to a certain level of 'punishments.' I placed that word between quotation marks, because I don't really mean that exercise is punishment - I'm referring to energy expenditure demand of your exercise regimen. If that doesn't change, over time your body gets comfortable with it and your metabolism slows down.

What you have to bear in mind also is that the more weight you lose, the lesser your body has to work during the day, as it no longer has to carry that extra weight. So as disheartening as this may sound, loosing weight eventually results in lowering your metabolism, such that you have to work harder to achieve the same weight loss benefit from exercise.

I will give you a few tips and leave it to you to pick and choose which ones, if any, are suitable to your situation. But essentially the key here is to constantly challenging your metabolism and prevent it from settling down comfortably in same exercise regimen, day-after-day.

1. Do nothing for one week, except for daily routine steps and easy-going walks. Then shock your system with brisk half-hour walk. During the balance of the week, continue with those walk workouts, adding to the half hour if time permits, but introduce an interval scheme into it. The interval could be a two minute normal pace segment, followed by a two-minute brisk segment (walking as fast as you can, comfortably). I am not a big fan of 'do nothing' days or weeks; but I am a big fan of a slow day once a week; and a slow week once every six weeks; both of which will contribute to keeping your metabolism challenged.
   
   
2. If you do walk workout(s) one day, do something else the next:
   
   - Free weights
   - Resistance bands
   - Cycling or stationary bike
   - Rowing machine
   
   
3. The best exercises are the ones you enjoy; and for me, the exercises that I enjoyed the most in my lifetime were the ones that involved teams. There was a club I once belonged to that involved one-hour fitness classes; followed by free usage of tennis/badmington/volley ball courts. So after a one-hour coached workout, a bunch of us would end up on the volleyball court and play for an hour, sometimes even longer. The camaraderie and network that developed from these activities were not only the best motivators ever, but the social aspect made these activities enjoyable; such that it was not an effort to hit the club - I was looking forward to it to catch up with the 'gang.'  It doesn't have to be a club; it can simply be a group from work, or a few neighbours ... 
   
   
4. As you lose weight, you should also periodically re-assess your calorie intake. If your calorie intake is the same as it was before you lost the 20lbs, then it may be that you need to bring this down a little, subject of course to your exercise regimen. Conversely, if you significantly increase your exercise regimen, you have to make sure that you provide your body with enough nutrients, and the right ones, to meet the demand.
   
   
5. The timing of your food intake is also critical, and you'll find plenty of articles about this on the Web. But just as a few quick tips that come to mind, your lighter meal of the day should be dinner; and your larger meal one should be breakfast. Carbs 45 min. to an hour before a cariod workout will be burned immediately during your workout, such that they won't turn to sugar and fat; but if you do cardio on an empty stomach, you will burn fat reserves instead of your recent carb intake.  
   
   
6. While cardio is important for the immedate 'feel-good' feeling and burn, the importance of resistance training in an exercise regimen is crucial. Not only will free weights or bands help tone you up, but in addition to the immedate burn benefit that you get from your cardio activities, weight training will enhance your metabolism for the balance of the day. So it's always a good idea to incorporate resistance training in your workouts. If you want to fool your metabolism and kickstart it, get yourself a pair of wrist weights from your local sport shop and wear them on your next walk, swining your arms rhythmically. This is a very nice way to do it, every second day or so. One and half to two pounds is more than enough to start. You can always increase the weight size later.

Hope this helps, even if just a little. Have a great day.

    TW     

[SunsetRunner]

Personally ditched the scale so natural fluctuations don't determine having a good or bad day.. but go by feeling instead. When eating, trying to eat only when being hungry or when feeling something's missing, on nutritient rich foods mostly, until feeling satisfied not needing more. Basing portions on hunger, trying to listen to the body when it wants more vegetables for example at dinner or being satisfied with portion of choosing.

Not counting calories, but trying tuning into the body if eating, could eat a bit more or skipping a meal if still feeling so satisfied and would need to force feed instead..

Using a piece of clothing to keep in check if it's getting tighter, needing to cut back (fasting a little, eating more salads..), in the extremes when eaten too less.. starting to see the ribs (not happened yet..) knowing to eat more automatically.. but go by feeling and trusting the body instead of a food plan telling it's possible to eat more while not actually being hungry yet at all.

Our bodies know which nutritients / foods it needs, in which quantity, when hungry letting know when having enough when trying listening to.

See which foods make you feel most satisfied and feeling healthy, or which foods leave you hungry or can even trigger to binge eating while not really hungry anymore (having that one cookie while not hungry could trigger to have more just cause it tastes so good).. not judging or feeling guilty about, just be aware about how you feel before / during / after eating.. which foods look the most appealing to have, or even just a piece of fruit could do if not so hungry..

Every day being more in tune with your precious body. Don't deny any foods, though have everything in moderation.

We reach plateau's, though it's your wonderful body trying to protect from starvation, with current exercise, food habits (even if it means eating less calories / nutritients overall than your body actually needs).. though the desire for food can become so huge at one moment if eating less overall, that your body wants to bring everything back in balance, like having a feast which can continue for days..).. it's your body protecting yourself when it senses danger and doesn't like to starve..

Enjoy

[I-train-hard]

Lets see if I can fallow you.

You have been 185lbs dropped 20lbs and 165 it’s your current weight. 

you want to be 125 lbs next year. 

How toll are you?

How old are you?

Give me these numbers and I will tell you realistically what could be done.

The choice would be yours to make.

[LittleRedHead54]

I'm 27 years old and 5'1" Also, yes my weight is 165lbs.

[Paradise555]

My 2016 resolutions are the following. I am trying to walk across Canada virtually with using a fitbit. I am about 1/2 with about 2000 miles down and about 2300 miles more to go. I want to try to drink more water throughout the day, seen how I have been trying to fit more water in as of late but I can always improve. I want to lose a minimum of 20-25 pounds which I have done this year and I want a repeat. SLow and steady wins the race.

[TandemWalker]

---

@LittleRedHead54 wrote:

I'm 27 years old and 5'1" Also, yes my weight is 165lbs.

---

Hi again @LittleRedHead54. Just to add a couple of points to my earlier post, I am not a fitness or health care professional; such that the advice I offered earlier is strictly based on my own experience. 

Your're young and, on the assumption that there are no health issues, I think that your target weight is fine, even 130 would be fine. But if you're very serious about this, once you have your activity regimen mapped out, I would strongly recommend running this by your family physisian to see what he/she thinks; and seek a referral from your doctor for a dietitian. 

One the most common mistake people make when trying to reach diet and fitness goals is to lose sight of the importance to keep a proper balance between your food intake and the increasing demands being placed on your body from activities. Without the proper nutrients (diet) and timing of your food intake, an ambitious fitness regimen can become detrimental to one's health.

Hope this helps. Have a great day.

[awood08]

I'm 25, 5'3" and 184. BMI Goal range is in the low 130's according to my large frame size. However I know my body, there is no way I will get down that low without seriously loosing every ounce of fat and cutting into my muscle. My legs, thighs, hips have always been larger but are very muscle toned. BMI is not a good tool to go by because everyone has a different body composition.

[emili]

hi @LittleRedHead54... honestly #4 in Tandem's first post is the one you should pay most attention to based on my experience with weight loss. I am not currently losing weight, I am in maintenance and have been for almost a year. I have never hit a plateau. Not one time. If I over indulge on the weekend and the scale moves up a pound or two- I adjust calories in and out and its gone in a few days. At the risk of sounding preachy- you have to make up your mind that you want to do this, more than you want that delicious treat- every day for as long as it takes. Its a commitment to yourself - the ultimate commitment. It worked for me, completely understand this is not for everyone, but if you want to see results, you have to do the math. In vs out. And you have to get in the mindset that this is the most important thing you will do for yourself until you get where you want to be. It will not make you feel deprived or send you on a binge, it will make you feel powerful because you control what happens next. Your body and you are working together. I use this to help people understand the commitment... for me, for the first 42 years of my life, I have fed my body what my brain wanted to eat. For the next 42, I am going to feed it what my body actually wants to eat. Because what my brain wants, is the worst things I can do for my body. Good luck in your journey- we are all rooting for your success!

[emili]

@awood08 you are correct. what should be used is the body fat percentage tools. BMI has its place in health assessment- but it is a very small part.

[I-train-hard]

Littlered...

It’s time to work.

 Yes, you could have your perfect figure but it would cost you lots of sweat….

Do you have access to gym?

If yes, stairmaster should become your close friend. If you not used to this start easy. If you know that lovely machine do 30 up to 45 min.

If you already doing HITT change the approach to it.

2 min slow 2 min – max run times 5

next week

1 min slow 1 max run times 10

next week

1.5 slow 1.5 max run times 5

Lifting weight are extremely good tool for you.

3 days Monday Wednesday Friday – whatever you do 3 times 20 reps – break between 60 sec.

an example 1x20 rest 60 sec 1x20 rest 60 sec 1x20 rest 60 sec.

if your back if fine try squats, deadlift – works you whole body. Go easy on the beginning, learn proper form it is extremely important.

Jumping rope – preferably after lifting, if you could….10 -15 min top.

If you like to run- on easy days do 45-60 min easy running, no faster than 6mph.

The most important – calories intake. Do you like eating healthy? There is one rule that you can’t brake – no fast food of any types. If you do eat this garbage, all your work would be for nothing, your body would keep that junk for later.

Don’t count calories! Eat vegetables, plain protein, and good carbs after workouts.

Your body would become one burning furnace.

All the advices I have given to you I tried myself. It works, it is extremely hard.

Side effect- fatigue, need for sleep, might change PMS, people might start pissing you off much easier…basic life. Always use your good judgment.

[Heybales]

---

@LittleRedHead54 wrote:

Started out wanting to lose 60 pounds for my 2015 resolutions. So far this year I've lost 20lbs. Hoping to hit my goal weight of 125lbs sometime next year. 

But it seems I've hit a wall and can't get pass it what so ever. Does anybody have any tips to help me get passed this wall? I've changed want I drink and eat and how much I consume in a day. And tried out different types of exercises. That all helped for awhile not doesn't seem to be doing anything now. People keep telling me I still look like I'm losing weight, but my scale is telling me otherwise. 

Also, what is everybody else Resolutions for next year? I'm hoping to get 20,000 steps or more in a day and try out yoga. 

---

A plateau is normally figured to be 6 wks or longer - I don't see you comment how long this non-change has occured.

Several reasons why body changes shape but weight doesn't, when exercise is part of picture.

Body's first response to exercise is water volume increases - blood volume, muscle stored glucose with attached water, water for repair if you weigh at wrong time, ect.

Those are all good - all increase metabolism. At start of any exercise, may have gained some muscle. But sadly you can't gain nearly as fast as you can lose fat - despite people trying to sound encouraging you are swapping one for the other.

Sadly stress also causes increased cortisol, and that can mask fat loss for awhile, considering you could gain 20 lbs of mainly belly water that way.

How many weeks of fat loss on the scale could be hidden by gaining water weight that way - perhaps 20 lbs - would that be stressful?

Your measurements and your energy level at exercise usually give an hint as to which one could be happening.

Related to that is amount of stress from the diet. Which it does cause stress.

What was reasonable deficit 20 lbs ago may not be now with better workouts.

I'm guessing you don't get on treadmill at same speed you did 20 lbs ago, or lifting same weights as 20 lbs ago. While those workouts could seem easier in some ways, they should feel just as hard or harder if doing same intensity with less weight.

If they feel just as hard but same pace/speed/intensity - then body is trying to tell you something.

With only 40 lbs to go, a reasonable deficit if you have no body disease/health problems or high stress issues in life, and don't overdue exercise, would be 1.5 lb or 750 cal deficit weekly.

Up until you have 30 lbs left - then 1 lb weekly.

Then 10-15 would be 250 cal deficit.

If you lost that 20lbs faster than 2 lbs weekly (not counting first weekly extra water weight) - you probably already set your body up badly for keeping the momentum going.

While it seems you are in a diet break right now (because of not losing) - if the water aspect above doesn't seem correct as the reason - you may want to unstress your body for awhile.

For a week eat 100 extra calories daily. Week after add 100 more.

Slowly get up to what your Fitbit says you burn daily so you are eating at potential estimated maintenance - give body a break (maybe the timing will benefit the extra eating that always seems to go on - relieving stress too).

Then come the new year start with reasonable deficit.

You should gain at least the fast water weight you lost at start - no biggy - you were going to gain that sometime anyway.

I'd recommend against doing anything extreme - as that is rarely sustainable - and then what happens in maintenance mode?

Reasonable deficit, reasonable exercise with stuff you enjoy and that can transform the body - strength training best there as it seems it might be. But no need to stress body out going overboard either.

Oh, and what Fitbit are you using and what are your workouts?

Some Fitbits need manually logged workouts to have good estimate of calorie burn, otherwise could be way off. If step-based, usually underestimated and that increases the deficit - which isn't good.

Curious - what deficit amount did you try to keep for the 20 lbs?

And how long did it take to lose it, like if you had time in there where you know you weren't serious about it, ie fell off the wagon, is there span of time you'd say you were serious about it?

And was Fitbit used the whole time, or what was eating level based on?

[LittleRedHead54]

@I-train-hard

I do not have access to a gym.

I've been using a treadmill I bought at the first of the year. I also walk roughly 2 miles around my town couple times a week.

I have some weights up to 8lbs that I've been using a little bit.

I have also been trying my hand at some yoga as of late. Not as much as I want to. But hoping to change that soon and a little of Zumba.

[LittleRedHead54]

@Heybales

I've had a very stressful year. So, yes I have a lot of stress. I've been trying some yoga cause I heard it can help with stress and I've taking up some other hobbies to try lowering my stress levels as well. 

I've had some thyroid problems for years. I had hypothyroid. I have recently been checked out by my Doctor and was told I not longer needed to take medicine for my condition.

My goal calorie intake is around 2000. But I rarely get close to that. I usually don't eat much but I do drink a lot of liquids. 

The first of the year I have broken myself off of drinking Pepsi's and how many sodas I drink though out the day. I still drink 2 cans of Sprite a day. I have them even out from lunch to supper. I also started drinking green tea, black tea, and some fruity drinks. Like apple juice, orange, cranberry, and etc...

I know drinking too many fruity drinks can be bad for you cause of the sugar in them. So I limit how many I drink of them though out the week. 

I lost the 20lbs. I think took me 3 months to lose. Just from changing what I drink and cutting out the junk food intake as well as walking a lot. 

In October until November was when I backed off of too many workouts. I had gotten a really bad eye injury and my Doctor told me to lightly up with doing certain actives until my eye was fully healed. I now got the clear to being back up on my workouts again.

I have a Fitbit Charge HR.  

[I-train-hard]

LittleRead…

For your needs – follow the white rabbit, take the red pill J

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/create_bodyweight_workout.htm

 Bodybuilding.com's Workout Log

 Bodyweight Circuit

 DAY:

 DATE:

 TIME:

 am/pm

 CARDIO TODAY?   YES NO

 EXERCISE      

DURATION

LENGTH OF WORKOUT:

WEIGHT:

LOCATION:

MOOD WHEN STARTING:

Instructions: In the white spaces below, fill in the weight you used and the number of reps you performed. If you did 100 pounds for 10 reps, you would write "100 X 10". The gray boxes below are not used.

EXERCISE

Set #1

Jumping Jacks - 50 reps     

Prisoner Squat - 20 reps    

Push-up - 15 reps   

Bulgarian Split Squat - 12 reps per side  

Bodyweight Row - 20 reps

Twisting Lunges - 12 reps per side          

Mountain Climbers - 15 reps per side     

High Knees Running in Place - 20 reps per side

TRAINING, NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENT NOTES:

Litllered- this all sodas, fruity drinks and all sugary b/s has to go from your menu. 

it's time to train.