How much exercise do we REALLY do in a week?

**Anna Low** · 01-28-2010, 02:30 PM

I'll admit - I'm confused and befuddled by how much exercise I should be doing in a week. My typical mornings are as follows:

Monday: weight lifting class (1 hour), followed by run/walk on treadmill (1 hour)
Tuesday: training session (45 minutes), followed by run/walk on treadmill (1 hour)
Wednesday: training session (45 minutes), followed by run/walk on treadmill (1 hour), dance class at night
Thursday: day off (thank goodness)
Friday: weight lifting class (1 hour), followed by run/walk on treadmill (1 hour)
Saturday: weight lifting class (1 hour), followed by run/walk on treadmill (1 hour)
Sunday: run/walk on treadmill or elliptical (1 hour)

I'm not losing any weight. Not gaining, but also not losing. I've been slowly upping the intensity (heavier weights, faster speed on treadmill, adding to incline, etc.) but nothing seems to be helping. So, for those who exercise and lose weight, what are you doing?

My diet is pretty regimented. I limit bread-type things to breakfast only (oatmeal) and snack only on fruit or protein. I've also eliminated most sugar and alcohol.

**Reenie** · 01-28-2010, 05:15 PM

Two questions come to mind:
1) How many calories are you eating?
2) Have you had you thyroid checked?

**ellidew** · 01-28-2010, 05:37 PM

I agree with figuring out how many calories you're taking in. You might be taking in too many in a day to lose and just don't realize it. Though, with that workout schedule I'm shocked that you're NOT losing! I maybe get 1-2 hours of exercise per week but have been eating a 1200-1400 calorie diet and have lost about 11 pounds in 4 weeks. Start keeping a food journal and see if that helps. Good luck!

Reenie is right though, you might want to check for a thyroid problem. They can check all of your vitamin levels at the same time.

**udsweetpea** · 01-28-2010, 06:36 PM

If you're looking to lose weight, the biggest change you can make in your lifestyle is limiting calories. You have to exercise A TON to lose just one pound, but it's easier to limit your calories to create a deficit. Believe me, I ran 20 miles last week, and I lost absolutely nothing!

My weight loss doctor's formula to figure out how many calories you should be eating to lose weight is (your weight) x 7, but you shouldn't eat less than 1200.

I noticed you're really not allowing yourself enough rest days to let your muscles recover.

I'd start incorporating a little more variety to your workouts. Your body may be getting used to the same exercises every week. Maybe go for a swim or do yoga?

**conneals** · 01-28-2010, 06:37 PM

It really sounds like you are burning a lot of calories. In the last year, I lost 40 pounds (so this isn't coming from nowhere), but my keys were to write down everything I ate and to wear a heart rate monitor. My guess is that you aren't eating enough.

Are you wearing a hrm to determine your calorie burn? If you haven't tried it, Sparkpeople has a great program that can help you with your nutrition. You can plug in how many calories you are burning and it will give you the calories to eat, plus the breakdown between carbs/fat/protein.

I workout 6 days a week, but I rarely do ST and cardio in the same day.

**Anna Low** · 01-29-2010, 03:49 AM

I do keep a food journal and try to follow a rule that my trainer swears by. It is to eat something every 3 hours. For example, I usually have my breakfast (half cup of multigrain oatmeal with a tablespoon of honey) around 6am. At 9am, I have half of a grapefruit or an orange. Lunch is around 12-1p and is a lean protein and vegetable (usually salad with sliced turkey or chicken, lite dressing, lite cheese because it is easy), snack around 3-330pm of the other half of the grapefruit or some other fruit (I had a nectarine yesterday) and then dinner anytime between 630pm - 830pm depending on when DH gets home. We have fish or chicken with vegetables. Sometimes at night we will split some popcorn (I have a hot air popper and we don't add salt or butter) or I'll have 1oz of dark chocolate. DH still eats bread on occasion, but I try not to. If I do, I have a slice of Ezekiel bread. Neither of us eats pasta anymore. Sometimes I'll have one of DH's protein shakes, but not often. I've also eliminated salt, which was hard. I've also limited my dairy.

We've always at least tried to be somewhat healthy in our eating, even before I was trying to ditch these last pesky pounds. It's been a very long time since I've eaten fast food, fried food, cream based things, or soda (diet or otherwise). I love a cocktail when we go out to dinner, but we dine out once a week and if I have that cocktail, I opt for a glass of wine. My trainer says that isn't going to make any difference.

I take in between 1200 - 1300 calories per day and I've got a heart rate monitor that I wear faithfully to the gym. I've also begun to wear a pedometer to track my non exercise steps.

It's just frustrating. I'm not sure what else I could cut out to get past this plateau. It's like when I hit 40, my metabolism came to a grinding halt and nothing has been able to get it going again. Gah!!!!!!!!!

**KK812** · 01-29-2010, 07:39 AM

If you're working out that much and only eating 1200 cals, it's possible that you're actually not taking in enough and your body is going into starvation mode.

Outside of that, I would also suggest seeing a doctor to make sure nothing medical is preventing you from losing.

**conneals** · 01-29-2010, 08:09 AM

I agree with KK...I don't think you are eating enough for what you are burning. Maybe try some high calorie days mixed in with the low calorie days. Obviously, don't eat a whole cake, but some good high calorie choices, or just bigger servings. I don't see a lot of protein in your diet either. Maybe have your second breakfast be some greek yougurt? Chobani is really good and while it has more calories than Yoplait at 140, it also has 14 g of protein and no HFCS.

I'm going to be 43 in a week, so I know how hard it is to lose as you get older. If you have been doing the same workouts for a while, that could be it too. You body needs to switch it up too!

**kdotp** · 02-02-2010, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by KK812

If you're working out that much and only eating 1200 cals, it's possible that you're actually not taking in enough and your body is going into starvation mode.

I agree with this. Your Net cals (after exercise) should be in the 1200 range. If you intake 1200, but burn off 400 through exercise, your net is actually 800 calories, which is too low.

I also agree with switching up your exercises; try incorporate some yoga, pilates or swimming into your schedule. You may not feel like you're getting a hard workout like you do with the treadmill/lifting, but they are great for stretching and strengthening. I lost 45 lbs last year through diet/exercise (mostly walking/running and aerobic DVDs). This year, to try and get rid of those last 5-10 lbs, I added some yoga and pilates DVDs to my workout. Two weeks into adding those, I can already tell a difference in my core and my level of flexibility.

Just something else to think about.

**pewee9196** · 02-02-2010, 08:30 AM

I wholeheartedly agree that you are not eating enough! I would also recommend tracking your nutirents...are you getting a good balance of carbs, fats and proteins and other nutrients?

Great job on some incredible work outs! Throw in some intervals or something fun. How active are you during the rest of your day. I know I tend to be tired and lounge around more on days that I really push hard in the gym.

I would also check your trainers education. Does he have a degree in nutrtion? Does he have an ex phys degree? Is he ACSM, ACE or CSCS certified? Anyone can get a PT certification. Not everyone can get one that is respected and has a basis is science. A lot of people give advice and are in the field but don't have the proper education. Sorry, i will get off my soap box...