Help with losing weight

1holly1

Hi experts

I am wondering what I can do to try to shed a few pounds. I am female and weigh 11 stone. I would like to lose between half a stone and a stone. I need to cut out the evening treats but I would like your advice on my exercise plan.

This is a usual week for me. Walk 6-7 days a week. I throw a bit if running into this some days. Usually its three miles but can be 5 or so at weekends. I do 2 or 3 spinning classes, a circuit class and and 1/2 aerobics classes. I do some core work 4-5 days also and some light weights once or twice a week (excluding the circuit class). I think I need more weights possibly? Any advice welcome thanks guys.

ConorCBS

I can't comment on your exercise plan, but as you are looking to lose weight, the most important thing is your diet. You need to eat less calories than you expand. You can't out-exercise a bad diet.

Post a typical daily diet so that you can get feedback and see where you can improve.

1holly1

Thanks Conor

My breakfast is usually

2 Shredded Wheat, strawberries, an orange and natural yoghurt
or
Scrambled eggs, slice or toast, grilled tomato

Snack Apple or Banana

Lunch
Pitta with tomato, turkey, lettuce, cheese. Piece of fruit possibly

Dinner

Chilli con carne (with tons of veg and lean mince) or salmon stirfry with rice or chicken potatoes veg.

Evening treats Can range from none to a few things. Maybe 3 biscuits or a mini bar or bag of crisps.

Thanks

deelite

monti99 wrote: »

There are many ways to reduce the body weight such as the green tea and the lemon juice and the morning walk etc. If you have one lemon juice in a glass of water in the morning before break fast it is so good to reduce fat fro the body. you can have more water for one lemon if it is too sour.

Does that mean juice a lemon and drink straight, or does it mean juice a Lemon and add to water and drink?

cmyk

1holly1 wrote: »

Hi experts

I am wondering what I can do to try to shed a few pounds. I am female and weigh 11 stone. I would like to lose between half a stone and a stone. I need to cut out the evening treats but I would like your advice on my exercise plan.

This is a usual week for me. Walk 6-7 days a week. I throw a bit if running into this some days. Usually its three miles but can be 5 or so at weekends. I do 2 or 3 spinning classes, a circuit class and and 1/2 aerobics classes. I do some core work 4-5 days also and some light weights once or twice a week (excluding the circuit class). I think I need more weights possibly? Any advice welcome thanks guys.

Hi Holly, first off, well done on having the motivation to do all that. I'm guessing that's upwards of 6hrs of training per week? From that point of view you can definitely structure things a little differently to get some better return from time spent.

You've probably hit the nail on the head with 'need more weights', though in this case you should sacrifice some of your other activities to achieve that. Are you a member of a gym or just do classes there?

You can probably add some protein sources to your breakfast and lunch too, so try that to start....and forget the lemon in the water, that's not going to cure the world's obesity epidemic anytime soon.

Oryx

A glass of lemony water wont remove fat from your body. The only possible thing it might do is curb your appetite. Maybe.

Am I right in assuming the diet you posted is what you are on since you started to attempt to lose weight? If so, how long have you been on it?

And how heavy are your light weights, and what are you doing with them?

1holly1

If only it was as simple as having some lemon in water!

Firstly can't do the quote thing but @cmyk I am a member of the gym but really only use it for the classes as I don't have much spare time with the rest. Regarding protein for breakfast, what would you suggest? It's definitely more than 6 hours a week, it would be that in nearly walking alone!

@oryx i have being eating like this for maybe 3 months but probably longer as I've tried to make my diet cleaner over the past year or so. The weights I use are from 1kg to 2kg depending on what I'm doing. What am I doing with them? Good question! Don't really know most of the names but bicep curls, chest press, shoulder press, one arm row?? is that even an exercise?? They're just activities i've seen in various classes.

So what should I do? What classes should I cut?

Cill94

If by trying to lose weight you mean losing body fat, then here is what you should do:

First you need to understand the science behind this. The body has different sources of energy. The most efficient source is glycogen, which is got from carbs. However there is a limit to how much glycogen the body can store, so it tries to only utilizes it when exercise reaches a certain level of intensity. For anything below that intensity, the body primarily uses fat as a fuel source, as it can be stored in much larger amounts.

The optimum period for the body burning fat as a source of energy is when you're operating at 60% of your max aerobic output. That means walking up a steep hill/with dumbbells in your hands/pulling a sled etc. Essentially you should be just about out of breath. If you do this type of walking for about 60 mins a day, you should see the body fat start to shed pretty quickly, assuming you have a decent diet.

Slydice

A quick calorie reducer would be to replace a small amount of your rice/bread/potatoe with a mainly lettuce based salad (without salad dressing) for a while. You do a heap of exercise though, I can't imagine why you think you need to go below 11 stone. How tall are you?

cmyk

1holly1 wrote: »

I am a member of the gym but really only use it for the classes as I don't have much spare time with the rest.

Are there any trainers there that would show you how to use some resistance training machines, free weights etc?

1holly1 wrote: »

Regarding protein for breakfast, what would you suggest? It's definitely more than 6 hours a week, it would be that in nearly walking alone!

Any protein source really, lean meats, eggs, fish, even some yoghurt.

1holly1 wrote: »

@oryx i have being eating like this for maybe 3 months but probably longer as I've tried to make my diet cleaner over the past year or so.

Have you seen much in the way of change after 3 months?

1holly1 wrote: »

The weights I use are from 1kg to 2kg depending on what I'm doing. What am I doing with them? Good question! Don't really know most of the names but bicep curls, chest press, shoulder press, one arm row?? is that even an exercise?? They're just activities i've seen in various classes.

Yep your handbag probably weighs more than that. Get some instruction and spend a good 30mins a couple of times a week trying to get a bit stronger each week. Sacrifice some of your walking or even a class to accommodate but chop down your overall time spent as it will take more of a toll on your body than walking...you'll only have so much recovery to go round.

Alternatively I think there's a home bodyweight traing thread here if you do a search.

boxercreations

Cill94 wrote: »

If by trying to lose weight you mean losing body fat, then here is what you should do:

First you need to understand the science behind this. The body has different sources of energy. The most efficient source is glycogen, which is got from carbs. However there is a limit to how much glycogen the body can store, so it tries to only utilizes it when exercise reaches a certain level of intensity. For anything below that intensity, the body primarily uses fat as a fuel source, as it can be stored in much larger amounts.

The optimum period for the body burning fat as a source of energy is when you're operating at 60% of your max aerobic output. That means walking up a steep hill/with dumbbells in your hands/pulling a sled etc. Essentially you should be just about out of breath. If you do this type of walking for about 60 mins a day, you should see the body fat start to shed pretty quickly, assuming you have a decent diet.

I have been trying to understand this all week and now you''ve written in 2 paragraphs what 3 books and google have just confused me more on. thanks.

Will Heffernan

boxercreations wrote: »

I have been trying to understand this all week and now you''ve written in 2 paragraphs what 3 books and google have just confused me more on. thanks.

Unfortunately though it is incorrect.

Cill94 wrote: »

If by trying to lose weight you mean losing body fat, then here is what you should do:

First you need to understand the science behind this.

You can't start off posts like this when you don't understand the subject matter yourself.

Because as is the case here someone has read it and just assumed you are correct which you are not.

Cill94 wrote: »

The body has different sources of energy.

Correct.

Cill94 wrote: »

The most efficient source is glycogen,

Incorrect.

To keep this really simple.

Adenosine Triphosphate which is otherwise known as ATP is the most efficient source of energy.

All energy pathways in the body have ATP as an end product.

All the energy pathways are being used all the time and all the sources of energy are being used all the time...the only thing that alters is there relatively contribution to energy supply and this relative contribution is dependent on the energy requirements at the time.

So you have ATP stored...you only have small stores of this and it is being replenished all the time...about lets just say 10 seconds worth in a high energy demand environment...lets say sprinting. As I said...this is the most efficient source...you have it...you use it and it's gone...but you are constantly replenishing it....it just takes time.

Then you have your anaerobic system...anaerobic means without oxygen...this is the system that is used predominately in that high energy demand environment AFTER your initial stores of ATP are gone...this is the system that uses glycogen which is broken down to simpler sugars and then theses are broken down further but its pretty inefficient and one of the byproducts of this inefficient breakdown is lactic acid...so far from glycogen being the most efficient source of energy...in this case it is the most inefficient. You can keep up the utilisation of glycogen to supply energy in this way for maybe a couple of minutes...then you keel over...huffing and puffing...trying to do two things simultaneously...1. Get as much oxygen as you can in. 2. Try not to vomit

Then lastly you have you aerobic system...this is the one that does most of the work on a day to day basis...this is the one that is continuously supply your body with ATP. This is the one that is cleaning up the mess after your anaerobic work. This system uses predominantly fat to generate ATP through a few different energy pathways. This is the system that is doing most of the work most of the time. If any system is going to be called the most efficient then it is actually this one.

Whether you are utilising fat which is stored everywhere in realistically almost unlimited supply even in individuals most would consider 'lean' and in abundance in most average individuals aerobically or glycogen which is stored in the muscle and liver mainly or protein to generate energy the only energy source you are using is ATP.

This is a pretty simple explanation and if you want to understand it in more detail I'll be happy to explain it simply but in more detail if that makes sense. The only thing you really need to take away from it is that you are generating energy via ALL these pathways ALL the time. The only thing that changes is the relative contribution to ATP production of all of these and that the higher the energy demands (as in the harder you are breathing) than the more skewed the supply is towards the anaerobic pathways.

Cill94 wrote: »

which is got from carbs.

This is pretty much correct...making glycogen actually takes energy...the body takes excess sugars basically and packs them away in the liver and the muscle for use when needed.

Cill94 wrote: »

However there is a limit to how much glycogen the body can store, so it tries to only utilizes it when exercise reaches a certain level of intensity.

This is right...it's being used all the time but when energy demands are high stores start to get released in the liver and broken down inside the muscle to produce ATP to meet energy demands.

Cill94 wrote: »

For anything below that intensity, the body primarily uses fat as a fuel source, as it can be stored in much larger amounts.

As I said...all the fuel sources and energy pathways are being used all the time...the only thing that changes is the relative contribution.

Cill94 wrote: »

The optimum period for the body burning fat as a source of energy is when you're operating at 60% of your max aerobic output.

This is incorrect and get said all the time. You hear people talk about the 'fat burning zone'. If you really want to get technical....and if you really want to maximise and optimise your 'fat burning' you really don't need to do a thing...go to sleep, or just keep sitting at your desk reading this. You are in your optimal fat burning zone...as a relative contribution to energy demand you are never using or utilising fat as a primary energy source than you are right now.

What 'people' are actually talking about when they talk about 'optimising' or 'maximising' your fat burning is trying to get you heart rate up to a point at which that relative contribution changes...that is to get your heart rate up to a point at which you are still primarily using fat for energy.

This is pointless for a few reasons:
1. If you are fat and out of shape your heart rate is going to get out of you 'fat burning zone' just getting to gym. Literally most fat and out of shape people will be over that 60% threshold walking across the carpark, into the gym and getting on a bike or stepper. So what do they do then? Sit on the bike and do nothing until they get back in the 'zone'?
2. This fat burning zone tends to act an excuse for people to be fat and lazy...it ends up working as a brake to exercise not an incentive? 'Why aren't you even sweating?' the trainer asks...'Oh, that's because I read on boards that if I wanted to lose weight I had to stay in my fat burning zone.'.
3. Your total calorie burn is what's important...not the relative contribution of each energy system. How you burn them doesn't make any real difference. If you look at elite athletes at the Olympics the 100m sprinters and the 10,000m runners probably have a similar body fat...if anything the sprinters are leaner and have less body fat....do you think that is because of all the time they spend in their 'fat burning zone'?

Cill94 wrote: »

That means walking up a steep hill/with dumbbells in your hands/pulling a sled etc. Essentially you should be just about out of breath. If you do this type of walking for about 60 mins a day, you should see the body fat start to shed pretty quickly, assuming you have a decent diet.

That type of exercise would work.

Do you know what else would work?

Absolutely anything.

Do weights if you enjoy it. Do a spinning class. Play tag rugby. Jump on a rower. There is no 'best' way. The thing that is going to work the best on the energy expenditure side is the thing you like the best because that is what you are going to do the most and keep doing the longest.

Anyway I hope that helped. I don't want to confuse anyone. If people want it broken down and made simpler that is fine too.

I'm not picking on anyone. It is just that if I see stuff that is wrong and I've the time to correct it I will.

I get the feeling that a lot of people here would rather be wrong and ignorant of the fact than to be corrected, ask some questions, learn some stuff and move on. I hope that is the noisy minority though rather than the silent majority.

All hail the lurkers

Will Heffernan

gamingboy wrote: »

First you need to understand the science behind this. The body has different sources of energy. The most efficient source is glycogen, which is got from carbs. However there is a limit to how much glycogen the body can store, so it tries to only utilizes it when exercise reaches a certain level of intensity. For anything below that intensity, the body primarily uses fat as a fuel source, as it can be stored in much larger amounts.

Did I miss something? I am looking at this on my phone so I am not sure if there's a joke I missed but I thought I tried to clear this up?

g'em

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Did I miss something? I am looking at this on my phone so I am not sure if there's a joke I missed but I thought I tried to clear this up?

It was a spammer