I have never worked out in my entire life although I have been active in various ways. 8 weeks ago I realized I was nothing but a completely sedentary 57 year old man who weighs 260 pounds at 5'10" but at least I was still otherwise very healthy. I had a complete physical, pulmonary and cardiac exam within the last year all of which found no problems or concerns.
8 weeks ago, for no apparent reason, I decided to start doing something about my weight and conditioning. I began a closely monitored calorie count (using a software program and a food scale) and also began a workout regimine on a treadmill (an old Nordic Track Walk-Fit manual model set at about 35% of its total resistance, fully inclined and at a relatively slow pace of not more than 2.2 mph). My average intake of calories over the 8 weeks has been around 1500-1700 calories per day. Within 2 weeks, I went from 5 minutes on the treadmill to 20 minutes every day. In the past week I have added a daily BowFlex workout that lasts about 20 minutes (I have two programs working different muscles which I alternate every day).
Now for my question. After all this, I have not lost a single pound and I am still breathing really hard after just a few minutes on the treadmill. I only get through the treadmill work because I am pigheaded. I hoped I would find that the treadmill was getting easier but it is not. It would appear that my recovery period after the treadmill exercise is markedly decreased but I am still concerned about being so wiped out so quickly. Is this a normal situation?
You're not eating enough. You're about 1,500 below your maintenance calories. Bring you calories up to 2,500 (make sure you're not eating garbage). This is why you don't have the energy. You should still lose weight at this level.
And take a day off too. You make progress during rest periods. If you're hitting it every day your body has no chance to make any gains.
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Chances are you are not losing weight because your body thinks it's starving and try to store everything as fat and probably burning some muscle as fuel to keep you moving.
You also mentioned that you were tired. As OG said no fuel no energy. If you are doing a routine every other day while running for 20 minutes there is also the chance you are over training and not giving youself time to heal and rest.
The hardest thing was deciding to do something the rest is tweaks. Congrats on taking the hardest first step.
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Past performance is not indicative of future success.
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Sounds like you need to up your calorie intake from the other members posts. Dont think of this as a bad thing. Seperate the new calories into smaller meals over the course of your normal day.
Remember if you want to increase your metabolism you need to increase your food intake throughout the day.
I also read that you were doing cardio. Are you doing it after your lifting program? You should be. Also you should trying doing high intensity interval training, more commonly know as HIIT around here, for your cardio workout. HIIT involves cycles of sprinting and joging. For example sprint at 80% of your max effort for say 30 seconds, and than slow down to a jog for 90 seconds. Repeat the cycle for a duration of time. I hope some of this help.
Post up your current diet and we might be able to help even more.
Oh and welcome to the board!
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What time of day are you exercising? Is it on an empty stomach in the morning, late at night, etc. this can have a lot do with your endurance during the cardio.
Welcome to the fitter you. I would have to agree that you are NOT eating enough. If you are too low on calories, you metabolism will slow down, and you will feel tyired all the time. Pick up the calories. If you are arould 300-500 less than you calorie requirements you will lose weight and still have energy.
Peter
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Peter
After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend…
Welcome. Glad to hear that you are taking charge of your health. I can't add a lot to what the others have said, just wanted to say don't give up. Hang in there and keep posting with us.
good luck!
__________________ "I'm growing older but not up. My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck. So let the winds of change blow over my head. I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead."
Jeff, Congratulations of making a life improving decision. The hardest thing for you now is to not get discouraged before you see results. Once you start seeing results, that itself will be your motivation.
I think everybody is right on the money about your calorie intake. I'd like to reiterate what OldGuy said because it is important. When you increase your calories, don't do it with junk. I don't know if you have ventured into the Diet forum, but there are some stickeys that can be the foundation of your diet.
As far as the workouts, I also agree on taking rest days. They are more important than some people realize. Also, have you taken any measurements? That is one sure way to track progress.
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Thanks to everyone who has written so far. There are a couple of matters that I think I need to clarify and a couple of others that I need clarified.
My current diet is based on about 1500-1800 calories a day. Generally the day looks something like this
Breakfast options
1. (total 450 cals) Bagel (150 cal lenders), egg (fried in Pam 70 cals), slice of ham (lean 3 oz 130 cals) and piece of colby cheese (100). Coffee and a bunch of water.
2. (total 315 cals) Bagel (150 cal lenders), neufchatel cheese (1 oz. 75 cals), smoked salmon (3 oz. 120 cals), fresh tomato and onions (slices 10 cals).
Lunch Options
All include diet cokes and water.
1. (total 450 cals) Grilled Chicken Breast no bread(290 cals) Salad (1 cup lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and lite italian dressing 150 cals)
2. (total 450) 6 oz Burger extra lean and broiled or grilled (no bread 290 cals) Salad (1 cup lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and lite italian dressing 150 cals)
3. Subway Club no cheese about 300-375 depending on bread.
Supper
Almost always home made and portion controlled to about 500 calories or so.
After dinner snack.
Anything I want based on the amount of calories available.
My 2 month report shows an average of 1456 calories at about 50% carbs, 25% protein and 25% fat.
Sometimes I do go wild but nowhere near what I used to do.
I am amazed that people suggest this diet is short on calories. I understand that most "requirements" calculators are based on a normal spread between fat and muscle and that in a fat person (and that is me, much as I hate to admit it) the calculation of needed maintenance calories is skewed because the fat cells do not need the calories to burn. I took this to mean that a 260 lb fat man will need considerably fewer maintenance calories than a 260 lb. muscular man when both have the same activity levels. Can someone confirm or deny that for me?
The second issue has to do with the cardio exercise program. Should I also be doing that program on an every other day basis rather than the every day program I have been on for 8 weeks. My calves ache like crazy on the treadmill and I wonder if that may be because I have only missed 2 days in 65.
Finally as to the resistance training. There also I have been working out every day, but I have been working different muscles on alternate days and never the same muscles two days in a row. Should I be taking days off? I am still fairly confused about the whole day off thing.
I appreciate you guys sticking with me here and I am very committed to this new program. All help is greatly appreciated. I also thank you for your kind words of encouragement.
Originally posted by myr11: What time of day are you exercising? Is it on an empty stomach in the morning, late at night, etc. this can have a lot do with your endurance during the cardio.
I thought I should answer this separately.
I exercise between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning on an empty stomach with about 1 cup of coffee and some water in me.
Undereating and overtraining come to mind immediately.
I am 5'7' and started about a year and change ago (77 kg). I ate at about 2000 cal (about 200 cal less than my calculate requirement) because I wanted to stya above 2000 cal (which is what Lou suggests as the min to keep testosterone levels up) I have lost about 12 kg while puttting on muscle. So I would say you are undereating with some degree of confidence.
As far as you "working different muscles on alternate days and never the same muscles two days in a row"
I think you need to look at a premade program in the FAQ section (I like HGM). One of the "basic ideas" that people seem to subscribe to here is "bang for your buck". That is to do exercises that give you the most calorie burn for your time. This means the big ones that most newcombers do not do/like to do (myself included).
Anyway, have a look at some of the programs, you may want to give TAP a look.
Peter
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Peter
After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend…
It is my understanding the there is no difference in maintenance calories between fit and fat individuals. To illustrate why I believe you are seriously under eating I’ll use myself as an example. You out weigh me be ~100 lbs and are eating several hundred calories below my maintenance. That type of deprivation will shock the body.
Have you done the same program for 2 months? If you have your body has adapted and become efficient at those exercises. The goal is to force yourself to work not let your body take the easy way out. This could be a great plateau buster. If not I’d be interested to see your routine to see if some optimization can be gained that way but assuming that your program is balanced still working every day is too much. Most professionally constructed programs I’ve done have you resting almost 2 days or more before hitting another muscle group so that your muscles can rebuild and heal. The older you are the longer this takes. Like Peter said there are several on this board that have proven results for a person with your goals.
In summary even with the additional information I believe that you are tired and hungry and that is hindering your progress. I hope this helps.
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Past performance is not indicative of future success.
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Believe it or not you have already achieved all the hard parts to achieving your goal.
You've established ALL the required habits.
All you need to do is refine what you are already doing, so don't drastically change too much.
Do this...
Increase your calories to about 2000 or so. Don't panic. You've been exercising, but not feeding the needs of a body that is exercising. At best guess you're not even eating your BMR in calories. Once you do this, the body will have sufficient nutrients to give up the body fat. Seems like a contradiction but that's why so many folks have it wrong and quit before they come to the realization that they were doing it wrong. Don't increase your calories per meal but add meals.
Eliminate anything that man made. Bagels are not picked from trees nor do they roam wild on the praries. If it didn't one have a pulse or potentially have one (eggs), don't eat it. If it wasn't grown or picked, don't eat it. If it doesn't require some form of protection from spoilage, then it must be processed. Don't eat it. Eat real food. Try an omlet or a quiche for breakfast. Increase good fats, eliminate refined carbs.
Vary the intensity of your treadmill work. By the way it's supposed to always feel like it's hard. That's why it's called exercise. Rest is what you do when not exercising. If it ever gets easy, you're missing something. Start with a 3-5 minute warm-up and then increase the speed to whatever you can do for about one minute then slow it down for 3 minutes. Repeat that 4 or 5 times. Keep a log and try to break intensity records - how hard you worked - rather than duration. Duration sucks and won't drop the fat like intervals explained above.
Bowflex? Beats the hell out of nothing. You may want to consider adding some bodyweight exercises like high rep squats, push-ups and chin-ups (you'll be able to do some variation eventually).
Congratulations on your PROGRESS, you are well ahead of the game. Refine. Document progress. Assess. Plan. Act. Repeat.
"I'm growing older but not up. My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck. So let the winds of change blow over my head. I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead."
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