OK, I've tried to be patient about the numbers on the scale hovering around 167 for two weeks. I'm trying focus on the positive instead of obsessing about the numbers. I've lost 57 pounds. I've gone from size 18 jeans to size 10 and size 1X or 2X tops to medium tops. That's huge! But I am not satisfied with that. I really do want to lose 17 more pounds. Preferably in this decade, thank you very much. What's a girl gotta do, anyway?
I mentioned to my trainer this morning that I am getting a little frustrated with the fact that I haven't lost any weight in the last couple of weeks. He said that our bodies can get used to the routines and we need to shake it up. I said I didn't know how much more variety I could put into my workouts. I already run, bike, swim, do cardio machines, and lift weights. On top of that, my weight lifting routine changes every week. He said I could do sprint or hill training on my running days. Ugh, he sounds like my sister. Oh yeah, and I can do speed and hill training when I bike, too. *Heavy Sigh* I really did sigh as I wrote that. This whole training thing is not for the faint of heart. Just as it all seems doable, you've got to up your game. What's up with that?
I worked harder yesterday than I had on previous cardio days. (By cardio days I am referring to the one day a week that I work out on the stair master/row machine/elliptical). Instead of doing 100 floors in 24 minutes at level 7 on the stair master I did 112 floors on level 8 in 24 minutes. I also kicked up an intensity level on the rowing machine. By the time I got to the elliptical I was pretty much toast, so I kept the elliptical on level 7 for my 2500 strides. I've also re-implemented my evening exercise routine this week, after giving it a rest last week, so that feels good. Now I guess I need to seriously consider adding some sprint and hill training into my running and cycling days.
It's tempting to cut calories to lose weight, though when I compare what I am eating to what I am burning I know I am not eating too much. I have decided to start taking vitamins. I am really bad at remembering to take them. Maybe I should record my vitamins in my blog and that will help. This morning I took a One-a-Day multivitamin for women, a Super B-complex vitamin (150mg C, 100mg Thiamin, 20mg Riboflavin, 25mg Niacin, 2mg B6, 400mcg folic acid, 15mcg B12, 30mcg Biotin, 5.5mg Pantothenic Acit), a vitamin D3-5000 I.U. and 1200mg Calcium. I took the multivitamin because it's a multivitamin, seems like a good idea. I started taking vitamin Bs a long time ago when I switched to a primarily vegetarian diet because I read that it is hard to get enough of the Bs without eating meat. At a physical a few years ago I learned that I had a vitamin D deficiency (me and 35% of the US population, apparently) and I took a prescription vitamin D for a while and then switched to over-the-counter. And it seems like if I am taking vitamin D anyway, I might as well take a calcium.
My vitamin taking has always been sporadic. It's been over a year since I've tried to take vitamins on a regular basis. I guess I don't really believe they make a difference, but every now and then I think, "Well, they can't hurt." I've never read anything that made me a believer in vitamins. I also don't like the fact that I really don't know what's in them. The regulation on vitamins is pretty loose. If anyone has any good articles on vitamins or has any other information to share that you think might be helpful, please feel free to share it.
The Vitamin D is probably the most important of all of them, since I have a history of having a deficiency. It turns out that a Vitamin D deficiency and being overweight are often linked together. It is harder to burn fat if you have a Vitamin D deficiency and Vitamin D is stored in fat cells. So it's a vicious circle, if you're fat the fat cells suck the Vitamin D out of your blood stream, having too little Vitamin D available makes it easier to store fat, and that extra fat sucks up more Vitamin D. At least that's the way I understood it when I read about it a few years ago. Perhaps I need to do more vitamin research. For now, I will try to remember to take the 4 vitamins I mentioned above and see if it helps. It can't hurt, right? At least I hope not.
This morning's weight: 167.0
Yesterday's calories: 1587
Yesterday evening's exercise: 30 minute swim, 42 laps
This morning's exercise: Strength training as follows:
---This week's strength training routing is a circuit, with 15 seconds rest between each exercise. Repeat the following circuit 4 times:
------30 seconds of squats holding 16lb dyna ball
------30 seconds of mountain climbers with hands on 16lb dyna ball
------30 seconds of renegade rows 1st and 3rd round (push-up position with hands on 7.5lb dumbbells, pull up arm to side doing a row, alternating arms)
------------for 2nd and 4th rounds do 30 seconds of burpees holding the 7.5lb dumbbells in each hand
------30 seconds of split kicks, holding 7.5lb dumbbells in each hand. Start with right foot front and left foot back, jump up, switching to left foot front and right foot back while doing shoulder press with 7.5lb weights
------45 second plank
------30 seconds of box jumps. Stand in front of low stool (about 1 foot high) with feet together. Spring up onto the stool, landing lightly.
------30 second kettle swings with 20lb kettle ball 1st and 3rd rounds
------------for 2nd and 4th rounds do 30 seconds ball slams with 10lb ball
------30 seconds of jumping jacks
------30 seconds of lunges with bicep curls, using 7.5lb dumbbells.
After completing the circuit 4 times, do each of the following once:
------20 leg lifts, with a 20 second hold on last lift
------20 side crunches on each side.
Yep, it was plenty difficult, today!!
You knew it would get harder to lose weight once you got close to your goal. Don't cut calories. It does not make sense to lose weight just to gain it back when you start eating normally.
ReplyDeleteHigher intensity interval training will get you in better shape and better prepared for our tri, but it won't burn significantly more calories. If you want to add hills, start with 2 (running) hills on a shorter run. Sprint up the hill, walk down the hill. Add one hill per week for a max of 6. Don't jog down the hill. Don't do this on a long run.
Remember, you are about at your maximum workout level. If you do too much more, you will get too tired.
Instead of hills, you could make sure that you do an evening walk every day. Getting your body moving again after 8-10 hours at a desk is probably more effective than adding hills.
I know. I said I was tempted to eat less, not that I would eat less. I re-started the evening exercise this week and I know that will make a difference. I'm hoping within a few days it I see it on the scale. I think I will, it's just a slow go at the moment.
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