Plateauing! Help! 15 lbs. down but cannot lose another lb!

[arguy1973]

Originally Posted by njsocks

so if I walk 5 mi. a day 7 days a week will that help? I heard doing 30 min. a day on whatever it may be will help...but I need extra so ..............

I know this question wasnt directed at me..but Id cut down on cardio to about three days and go heavy on the weights three days and take at least one day off.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by njsocks

so if I walk 5 mi. a day 7 days a week will that help? I heard doing 30 min. a day on whatever it may be will help...but I need extra so ..............

You'd be a lot better off doing a higher-intensity exercise. Walking really doesn't get your heart rate up very much and takes a long time, walking 5 miles would take you at least an hour and a half. I'd recommend doing some jogging or running, you can burn the same amount of calories in much less time, and the higher intensity of the exercise will make cause you go gain muscle and tone, and lose weight quicker.

Also, if you want to tone up you need to use heavier weights. If the exercise is easy and you don't get sore (at least the first few times you do it), its too light. A higher intensity workout will burn more calories, build more muscle, and make you lose weight faster. You will gain very little muscle mass if you use light weights, the body builds muscle after you take a lot out of it, small tears form in the muscle fiber (making you sore), and it then grows back stronger and larger.

And again, diet is important. For weight loss, IMO it is more important than excercise. Again, how much do you weigh? You may be eating far too few calories with only 1400-1700 calories per day. Here is a simple calorie needs calculator you can plug you info into and get a ballpark estimate for what you need to be eating everyday (to maintain you current weight or to lose weight, I'd recommend normal weight loss rather than extreme weight loss): Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs

[gym rat]

This happens to all of us. Be careful not to let your calories go to low. You do have to eat to lose weight. I am 5' 3" and have dropped 36.4 lbs (Down from 154.4) over one year, but I eat 1800 to 2100 calories a day. I follow the bodybuilder's diet, which I believed helped me the most. Your exercise plan...Does it include weight training of any kind? I also added a Polar heart monitor to my workout. I try to hit 400 to 600 calories at each workout. I cycle, swim, and do cardio three to four times a week; but I weight train four times a week. I hope this helps. Oh, yes, I have 5 lbs left and have been dropping .5 of a lb a week now. But I am still dropping weight.

[BButrell]

Originally Posted by njsocks

so if I walk 5 mi. a day 7 days a week will that help?

Not really. Weight loss is not a science, just a money-making market. You lose weight by burning more calories than you consume. Your problem isn't your calorie consumption - it's your lack of calorie burning. Walking will certainly keep you toned, but if you've hit a plateau, it won't do much for weight loss.

As others have said, your body has probably gotten used to your routine. Because of that, you're burning less calories than you were when you started. For "fun" exercise, I nominate swimming, kickboxing, or cycling. It'll get your heart rate WAY up and you'll burn far more calories than walking, which is a low intensity workout.

[TwiloMike]

Originally Posted by njsocks

so if I walk 5 mi. a day 7 days a week will that help? I heard doing 30 min. a day on whatever it may be will help...but I need extra so ..............

If you are starving your body, and it looks like you are, then it will hold on to fat. Walking more isn't the ticket- eating smart and working out smart is the ticket.

[gym rat]

Originally Posted by BButrell

Not really. Weight loss is not a science, just a money-making market.

BB,

I could not have said it better myself.