Weight Loss

I'm looking for a 130/120 club, but I don't see any topics started.

If anyone knows of the proper topic, would you mind letting me know?

Thank you :)

Hi ladies! I would love to join this group, if it's okay with you. I've actually been reading for a long time (actually I joined the group when it first started, then got discouraged because I wasn't losing weight, and stopped posting). I figured I'd join on a weigh-in day.

Height: 5'5.75" tall

SW: bouncing from 130-136 for the last year

CW: 130.8

GW: 120-125

I love how encouraging you all are and I'd really like to interact with other people who are aiming for the same sorts of goals. I'd like to be able to stick around this time, even if my weight fluctuates. Can I also say, that I really with jredig could teach a weight lifting seminar? That's something that I wish I did better and more consistently.

Anyway, I love running, I'm 28, been married for a year and a half, and I'm trying to stop emotionally eating. I'm doing a half marathon this Saturday with my little sister, so I don't expect great things in the weight loss arena this week (I'll be eating at maintenance the next few days), but I really wanted to finally join up with you all. If you don't mind, I'm going to add you as friends as well. Thanks!

Great job girls!

SW: 148

LW: 131.5

CW: 130.5

I'm with you arose....weight fluctuation should be my middle name!  :) Next week, 129?  Oh to just break the 130 mark! Have a great day!

Welcome back, Ingrid!

SW: 144

LW: 134 (totm)

CW: 130

I'm super excited.  

burnyh - now I can join your "looking forward to under 130" club!!!

Margo - hope to hear from you soon! how are things?

congrats everyone! Welcome Ingrid. I'm so glad to see all the new members!

SW=133.5

LW=130.5

CW=128.5

Heck yes! lol i made it below 130! Hopefully I don't go back up now:)

Ooh some very good numbers, everyone! Hope to hear from Margo soon too. Welcome back, Ingrid! I too have found a nice text file to store all the weight lifting info Jen has given and would be happy to have more (hint hint lol). Maybe some shoulder advice, if you're not too busy... :D (lol I think that is one of the few areas left that I haven't asked you about yet)

I'm still at the same as last week, which is hovering between 122 and 123. I'm glad we do these weigh-ins every week, because I don't think I'd otherwise be motivated to get some more exercise in this week. After days of sunshine, it's gloomy outside today, but all the better to lift weights during.

As for my intake, I upped it to 1300-1400 this past week, but still really haven't noticed any difference. The way I figure it, if it's the same eating 1200 as eating 1350, why should I hold out on that extra snack? muahahaha more food for me. I think the problem must really be that I'm not working out enough. Besides lifting weights once last week, all I've been doing is less than a half hour of calisthenics every other day (or so)...

OMG!  Everyone is doing so great!  I was smiling as I read the weight ins.  All you girls are kicking a$$.

Ok do not tell anyone but I did weigh myself today.  Shhh,  I know I said I was not going to do that anymore, only on sundays when I do my bodyfat measurement but I could tell I lost some fat and couldn't resist the temptation.

So for the record I am 133.8 as of this morning, which is where I was a month ago but down 2% bodayfat from March.

ww-  your pics look great,  some good abs going on.  Keep up the great work.  How tall are you again??  (curious)

irothell -- welcome back!!  Everything I know I learned from experimenting  (ie doing it all wrong for years and wondering why I was not gettign results) and bodybuilding.com and t-nation.com (testosterone nation).  Both are great sites, lots of articles and the bodybuilding forums are great, as are the numerous workout ideas on both.

sauciedj -- shoulders are actually one of the most important things to me.  I still have a long way to go but have had good results with the following one day a week.

1) 4 sets of Arnolds (remember: pinkies up) for 6-12 reps, the first set is a warmup,  ie lighter weight. 

2) Followed by 3 sets of 8-12 Facepulls,

3) followed by Military Press using the smith machine (3 sets of 6-14 reps),

4) followed by supersetting side and front lateral raises with 12 and 10# dumbells , respectively, for 3 sets of 6-12. 

I lift to exhaustion every set of every exercise, while maintaining good form.  For the details of proper form you can google all the lifts or go to bodybulding.com  (they often have videos etc)  Shoulders day is a short day but your shoulders will burn!

Original Post by jredig:

ww-  your pics look great,  some good abs going on.  Keep up the great work.  How tall are you again??  (curious)

 

Thanks! The abs still have a long way to go...I feel like they look fine when I'm standing up, but as soon as I sit down, the true flab/muscle ratio is revealed.

I'm 5'7 btw...and now I'm curious...do I look taller or shorter than that?

Thanks again Jen! You said shoulders one day a week - do you only work on certain groups each day? And just wondering, but do you do cardio and weights on the same day, or alternate?

I've been doing light cardio and then weights on the same day, and when I do weights, I do every part I think of, so upper and lower. I'm just wondering if this is okay, or if it would be better if I split things up.

ww -- I was thinking you were my height or whereabouts (I am almost 5'7"), so you look your height to me.

saucied -- I really like to split up muscle groups because that way i can really hit 'em hard to make them grow.  So my shoulders have a whole day all to themself because there are so many exercises you can do with them,  i also like to space shoulders from chest day b/c they are used with incline bench press as well. 

My workout schedule including cardio is listed in my profile (scroll to the bottom).  I bike to and from work, which is my cardio.  So I eat a meal and watch a little TV between my cardio and weights which are in the evenings b/c that is when i can go with my husband. 

If you do cardio and weights back-to-back I would do weights first then only a half-hour or cardio or less after so you can go get your protein in you at a decent time following your workout.  But mostly cardio is for heart health, diet and weights are for your physique, IMO.

Hey you guys!

Very impressive talk about weights, and also very impressive weigh ins!! 

SW (Jan): 132

LW: 130 (you all recall my crazy sweet tooth week... ugh!)

CW: 128

I did it!  I knew it would take all week but there you have it, hopefully I will be either 128 or 127 next week.  I just will not tolerate anything above 128.  I've had enough of that number!

Good talk about shoulders Jen, I think that shoulders are some of the most important building block in making very toned and good looking arms!

Margo where the h4ll are ya!?

Hey.

So I was here for a little while and then fell off this and now I am back :]

I am trying to lose my last 7-9 pounds. I have been sick and my body has been exhausted this week. I think I may have over worked it. I need motivation! I have zero. I went shopping and I TRIED to buy healthy foods, everything was good besides ummmm..the bagels LOL. which I have ate three so far! eeeek. i cant help it though they are so amazing! :[ I want to get to my goal!

Yea, where is margo? She is always sunshine! anyway, good job everyone an impressive week for sure.

Simi-weren't we just complaining about how the forumk was slowing? Now look at all the new people! It's awesome.

Welcome Heather, glad your back. As for motivation, come on this site/forum everyday it always motivates me Sometimes I have to do something for myself to get motivated. I'll get a massage (course i get them free because im  therapist ) Or i'll buy myself a clothes that I really really want, but are just a tad too small. I work my butt off to get into it.

I have a really important question....have you guys found that doing a more balanced workout routine of lifting and cardio (more on the lifting end) has helped you lose actual fat, or has doing mostly cardio worked better for you?

Danni, I often wonder that myself. I hear both sides...

 Please help me understand too? Should I do cardio and lift weights? I am just concerned that if I lift weights I will actually gain weight. How does this work and what should I do? Right now I just do cardio, but I was going to start doing both tomorrow. Should I do weights one day and then cardio the next or combine both in the same workout?

I know alcohol is a no-no. I hardly ever drink and tonight I am going out with a friend to mexican food and I know that I will have a drink or two. Any suggestions on what might be a good choice?

Good afternoon ladies!

I know I've been AWOL for a while....I was really sick this past 2 weeks and haven't been able to keep up with my diet/gym for that time and then some. Plus this past weekend my bf and I moved into our new place, so this week has been really crazy too trying to work on getting the place ready to move in. We still have a lot to do, but tomorrow we should be able to stay there for the 1st time! haha.

Also, I'm certainly on the road to recovery too. Not sure exactly what I had or have, but it's on it's way out I think. :)

Thanks for the comments...

Though I have to admit I haven't been able to read a lot of the recent posts....from the little I have read, I want to just say, you ladies are doing fantastic!! :D

I did get to see the progress pics. from Wonderswhy and I must say, you're lookin' great! :D

To the new ladies here, welcome! :D

As for my weigh in....I didn't get to weigh in yesterday, but I weighed in on Monday and I was at 132.8  So, that's good, though I think part of that is due to my loss of apetite and being sick lately, but hey...I'll take it. :D

Well, ttyl and have a happy rest of your Thursday! :D

-Margo

I have lost the most actaul fat (not # on scale but fat), with a high protein diet and intense weight lifting than anything else I have tried to date.  That is why I push it so much.  And neither just weights, or cardio or just diet did it for me before.  It seems to me it goes diet > weights > cardio but all is helpful. 

And you will likely gain # on the scale (or stop lose slower) with lifting heavy weights.  You have to decide what your goals are.  I want to gain muscle so I can get really lean but still be of a healthy weight and not see all of my ribs.  I also really enjoy the strength improvements, it is amazing how little things around the house become easier when you are stronger.  It made me realize how weak I really was and I still want to be stronger.

I was thinking about weights/cardio question earlier today! I actually got my body fat tested this morning during a fitness test and found that while I tend to do mostly cardio (it's hard for me to get motivated about weights!) my body fat was pretty low at 16.4% (plus or minus 3%). The person doing the testing showed me the breakdown of the 4 places that she pinched and I saw that while my stomach/hips were fairly low in fat, my arms and thighs weren't. It seems logical that if I were to do weights with more consistency I would build muscle/decrease fat in those areas. I was definitely encouraged to work harder at lifting and find some challenging routines. I think that's how most of us who are already at a fairly low healthy weight will decrease body fat and tone up. I'd say go for the weights along with the cardio!

I do 3 days cardio 3 days weights.  My "weights" are not considered heavy lifting though.  I work out at home, so I use dumbells ranging from 3-10 lbs. (Yes I know....pretty weak, I'm almost ready to move up to 15s).  I do a lot of strength training/body sculpting videos which incorporates lunges, squats, working the triceps, biceps, shoulders, back, etc.  Do you think that this is ok?  I'm sure it's not as effective as heavy lifting at the gym, but it's what I have at home.  I do feel tons stronger than before I started using the weights (I did strictly cardio only for the first 6 months of my working out.)  I increase my dumbell weight when the videos start to feel easy.  I've also been wondering if using weights is the reason for my slower weight loss.  It was going down so much faster when I was only doing cardio....but then again, i was further from my goal weight back then too. 

Happy Friday all!! :D

Just wanted to comment....I was scrolling through the posts...since I have a lot of catch up on not being on here for a couple weeks.

Mrseric17 - On one of your posts a few pages back...you mentioned being 5'5" and tend to suck in your middle area b/c of the 'belly fat' issue. I wanted to say....you're not alone!  I too am that same height and tend to have the same issue. I also have grown accustomed to sucking in..haha..that I tend to forget that I'm actually not as 'trim' sometimes as I think...and it's a reminder when my t.o.t.m. comes around or other days when I'm really feeling 'ugh'. Though we can't give up!

Keep up the good work! :D This forum is really great.....

I hope to get back to the gym soon.

I did weigh in today though...this a.m. the scale said 130.2 lbs. So, even if my appetite has been slowed b/c of my sickness....and that's why I'm losing weight....I just hope this is a positive thing and I can keep up with having a smaller appetite. :D

Also, to comment, loving the progress pics. from all you ladies that are posting your 'bikini updates'! Fabulous!

Anyway...hope to hear fm. you all soon! :D

-Margo

UGH.

I want to continue losing weight, but I have a kidney infection and have not got antibiotics yet. I am going to the doctors tomorrow I HOPE. I feel like I cant do anything though. I want to lose these 10 pounds :[ I have no idea what to do, and I have to drink a LOT of cranberry juice. drinking calories :[

Hi heatherx33-

So sorry to hear you aren't feeling well! :(

Try to keep your head up, even with your illness at the moment. May I suggest, if you have to drink cranberry juice...maybe to help ease your 'drinking calorie' intake *as you say* then you could do 1/2 water, 1/2 juice...to help give your system the appropriate juice intake, but also keep with the more healthy fluid of water. :D Sorry if that was rambling...

Anyway, feel better soon! Just try and take it one day at a time...focus as much as you can at getting better and don't stress about trying to lose weight. The added stress may make you feel more run down and may detour you further...

So, good luck! *cheers* to getting healthy, so you can continue your 'weight loss journey'. :D

Take care. :D

-Margo