Keeping weight off ???

lisajane

I have reached my target weight after a year and a half. I lost 5 stone which is great.
I would like to keep it off but the problem now is im losing motivation. I used to always go out walking when i wasn't in the gym but now im really feeling the cold. Im getting bored with the gym, running on a threadmill and going nowhere. I like swimming but when i strip off i feel the cold even if its a swimming pool.
I dont like making excuses for not exercising as i really do enjoy it. But what can i do to keep myself motivated? Obviously im going to have to try something new and something im going to like but i dont know what.
Would it be a bit odd for a woman to lift weights? Heavy weights, for strength? I wouldn't mind trying that as im getting tired of the weak 3kg and 4kg weights for toning.

4Xcut

I won't talk about the reasons that weights are great for everyone, men and women, because someone more knowledgeable will come along later. However, why not take up a sport of some sort. It's obviously excercise in it's own right but will also be motivation to stay in shape.

rubadub

lisajane wrote: »

Would it be a bit odd for a woman to lift weights? Heavy weights, for strength? I wouldn't mind trying that as im getting tired of the weak 3kg and 4kg weights for toning.

Not odd at all, g'em is a power lifter and can lift well more than most lads could, there are several other women on here who lift "heavy". Weight/resistance training is really good for fat loss. And some would say it is of more benefit to women than men since it helps keep osteoporosis at bay.

Say you lift 3 times a week, 60mins. Now say you burn 400kcal in those sessions. All during the week your body is trying to build new muscle, this means it uses calories!, even when sitting around the next day you are using calories to build muscle. AND you need more calories just to maintain this new muscle. You can sort of compare it to being pregnant, you need more caloires to "build" the new tissue- i.e. the baby. Then just to keep the bump/muscles warm and alive it takes more calories. Also muscle needs more calories to maintain it than fat. So a muscular 15stone man lying in bed needs more calories than a 15stone fat man.

Well done on the fat loss. I lost weight and built some muscle, I know find it fairly easy to maintain my current weight, this is since I did raise my metabolism with weights.

It doesn't have to be weights too, just any resistance training, i.e. you can do pushups, chinups etc at home. Check out www.simplefit.org

Check this for the weights, www.exrx.net

and check this for more discussion on women lifting http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055457607

audrey hepburn

Hi Lisa Jane

If you are looking for motivation one of the best motivations is listening to someone else who lost motivation and put back on 8 stone after losing 4 stone 6 years ago because I couldnt get motivated.

I used to walk about 70 miles a week on and off or alternated it with cycling but as soon as i had my fab new figure i wanted to show it off all the time and went out a lot more, or spent my walking time shopping at weekends for clothes!!!

Please dont lose motivation, you have to channel the good feelings you have about your new look and remember how hard you worked to get where you are and if you arent up for a big swim or up for a big walk buy yourself a wii fit as you can use it in front of your telly and you will have so much fun using it you wont believe its exercise.

How about taking up salsa dancing? its meant to be great for keeping you in shape? There are classes all over the country. Horse Riding is also a great one for the summer. There are stables all over the country, do you like animals? These are just a couple of alternatives to compliment your gym membership to break up the monotony

good luck with the maintenance


Please keep up your good work.

scquinn

hi lisa if you are looking for something new to do and are intrested in lifting weights i would recommend the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women, its a great book which has a six month weight training routine with pictures of each exercise broke down, also some nice receipies. I have just started it and am finding it really good.

Otherwise why not start with full body weight training doing squats, deadlifts, lunges, crunches, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, seated row ect.

celestial

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php

Messy Missy

Hi Lisa,

Have you tried body combat? It worked wonders for me. I do body combat and weights 5 times a week, in addition to stretching once a week. It was hard at the beginning but now I love it and if I skip a day I start feeling cranky. I got a medical check-up last month and my colesterol, blood sugar levels and blood pressure were brilliant

A year ago I was pretty heavy so I started a 600 calories a day diet, which allowed me to lose 3 st. Now, I have to strongly emphasize that this diet was strictly supervised by a medical team and it included taking vitamins and mineral supplements (NOT any of that diet pills crap). I'm still on this diet but I'm bending the rules just a wee bit. I only allow carbs and alcohol on very special ocassions.

And as Audrey said in her post, please do not lose motivation. Try to find different excercise alternatives so as not to get bored and stop excercising at all. Just think how great you'll feel and look!

BossArky

lisajane wrote: »

I have reached my target weight after a year and a half. I lost 5 stone which is great.

I used to always go out walking when i wasn't in the gym but now im really feeling the cold. Im getting bored with the gym, running on a threadmill and going nowhere. I like swimming but when i strip off i feel the cold even if its a swimming pool.

You need to remember that maintaining a particular weight is as much about what you eat and not just what you do exercise wise.

If you eat rubbish you will need to exercise more. If you eat sensibly you won't have to be in the gym / on the road / in the pool 5 days a week.

Weight training & women = match made in heaven. Check out the fitness logs for some inspiration.