[ChelseaF]

Okay...So I'm needing advice from all the in shape chicks!!! I have stalled...I'm stuck...these last 20 or so lbs are killing me!!! I've done the low carb thing since October 2007...everything was fine, cravings actually went away (I am a reformed fast food junkie...BIG MACS were my life!) the lbs were coming off steadily which was just fine with me...inches came off and I started to shape up quite nicely.

I am only 5'0'' tall...my heaviest weight (in October) was 225...I went down to 168...now up to 174 again. I have been going from 169-174 since April. Tried "shocking" my body by not excercising for a whole week...nothing happened...no gain...but no loss either. I went from a size 22 (almost 24) size pant to now wearing a 14 comfortably (and a pair of stretch 12' from the GAP). I'm okay with my pant size now...I'm just really wanting to see 150 lbs on the scale...even for just a day.

Now for some...150 lbs for 5ft tall woman seems like a lot...and according to that DAMN BMI index...still considered overweight. But I am quite fine with that. My goal is to be curvy and not TOO hard...to tone up my arms more (i'm very happy with my legs) and get rid of this belly fat (my main and last area to work on). Although I've lost weight all over...and I have waist line again, I still have quite a bit of belly fat.

Like I mentioned before, I've tried to modify my "diet" by not excercising for a bit...doing the Mayo Clinic diet for a whole month (which is harsh for me since you can only eat 3 times a day), The Mayo clinic diet had me lose 5 lbs in six days..and not another lb after that-I thought it was gonna bring me to my goal for sure. And now my family in California will be seeing me for the first time in almost a year...I don't think I will get to 150 in 3.5 weeks...but I want to lose as much belly and inches and weight as I can before they see me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Witch King]

Chelsea you may want to try some thing call Fahrenheit 451 it is geared towards women and also the treadmill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for about thirty minutes or so. Another thing is that as long as you take a pure protein no matter how much of it you take you wont get fat you will only be feeding your muscles and amino acids.

[musclemaniac uk]

Originally Posted by Witch King

Chelsea you may want to try some thing call Fahrenheit 451 it is geared towards women and also the treadmill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for about thirty minutes or so. Another thing is that as long as you take a pure protein no matter how much of it you take you wont get fat you will only be feeding your muscles and amino acids.

that is completely UNTRUE! protein just like your other macros have a caloric measure.

fats = 9cals/g
carbs and protein = 4cals/g

any intake of macros can make you fat if you have too much.

if you don't know don't give advice, especially if you're gonna say things like that.

Also training on an empty stomach is a bad idea. your body needs fuel to perform. no fuel leads to a shitty w/o. also the risk of muscle catabolism.

[islander]

what does your diet look like now? what are you doing for exersice? What everyone will prob tell you is cardio, it is the best thing for fat lose but of course to keep your body burning fuel/fat and hopfully not muscle all day nothing works better then weightlifting. So knowing your workout and diet will help us figure out how to break threw your platue. I dont know about that Fahrenheit diet but this is a thread from another section which has a similar practice of exercising first thing when you wake up to get you metabolism going. Ive known a few people who have loved this diet. Body For Life competition

[ChelseaF]

I have been doing low carb since October 2007. Not super low carb..but low carb overall, my caloric intake went down considerably as well, and I finally have portion control which for me was the biggest breakthrough!!!

I didn't excercise for the first 2 months...then started out slowly, doing 30 minute walks around the neighborhood w/the family & dog. Then joined a gym in March and have been going pretty regularly...sometimes 6 days a week. I love the Ellipitical...started off w/30 minutes...moved up to 60 minutes pretty quickly and started burning 600 cals...I am now back down to 30 minute workout where I burn between 300-350 cals.

Just today I decided to step it up and start doing cardio 2 times a day because I think I need it. And I'm also back on the Mayo clinic type diet (minus the grapefruit this time). I am trying to blast the most fat and inches in the next three weeks before I see my family again.

They know I've lost approx 60 lbs...but have no idea what that looks like...they will be amazed...but I really want to be as close to my goal weight as I can be before I see them.

The low cal/ low carb mayo clinic diet is not friendly to me, I get bad headaches and mood swings (lol) from it...Low cal diets have always done that to me...but I am so BORED w/dieting...I just want to be at my maintence level already. Oh and I also started weights last night...I did upper body...tonite is lower body as well as abs.

So for now, my diet is bacon /eggs for breakfast...salad and chicken breast, or burger patty or ground chicken patty (not all three, one or the other) and the same for dinner. LOTS of water...but I must have an iced coffee w/one sweet n low in the morning...only 15 calories or something like that. (just coffee over ice...nothing fancy) So...I'm just looking to blast these last pounds off as quickly as possible...also, hoping to tone up my arms a little more...triceps are in need...pretty soft.

[islander]

so just elliptical until last night? what exerices did you do? i would plan on doing one good workout a day with weight training first then cardio after rather then two cardio sessions. have you ever used a calorie counter like .fitday. or anything might be a good idea. do you know exactly how much protein ,carb and fat your gettting 'low' just isnt quite enough info.

[ChelseaF]

Hmmm...I just got the link for that Fit Day...haven't done it yet. And yes, I've only done the Elliptical all this time...I tried the treadmill once for a change...since I know all about the "your body gets used to the same routine". I HATED IT. I hate the treadmill...boring...didn't burn hardly any calories...my legs and feet hurt too. I was a big baby that day. And yes, just started weight "training" yesterday.

I read somewhere once that you shouldn't incorporate weight into your routine until you are within 20 lbs of your goal (unless your a body builder I guess). but as far as weight loss, I heard it was a no no until the last 20.

I will need to calculate my calories and all that on Fit Day website and get back to you.

[ChelseaF]

Okay got it!!! According to Fit Day, I have consumed:
TOTAL CALORIES: 1149

CARBS 17
FAT GRAMS 52.3
PROTEIN 139


OOPS I ALSO HAD ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BABY TILAMOOK CHEDDAR CHEESE THINGS.

[islander]

biggest load of bullshit ive ever heard. (the waiting until the last 20 thing) get on the machines start light since your new and find out what weight the machine needs to set at so when you get to say 12 its really hard, then do that 3 more times, go to the next machine do it again. look at the little picture and see what area is supposed to be being worked and when you do the motion make sure thats where your feeling it. ok best way if youve been going to the gym you may even if not go talk to the trainer on duty and let them know your intersted in using the machine and if they can show you a few. id also up your carbs and cut your fat. where is all that fat coming from? is it saturated fat..you mentioned cheese.. work on keeping the calories the same those are good and your protein is good. just in a hurry sorry. but wow dont lifting weights...what a crock..

[monkeybiker]

Eat more vegetables at dinner time as they will fill you up and are low in calories. Water can help fill you up as well I've heard so you could drink a big glass of water after your meal.

It ain't complecated you just need to be eating less calories. Don't do any stupid fad diets just eat a healthy diet that you can stick to.

[robbyybt]

According to Zir Red the elyptical trainer doesnt give accurate readouts. Hears the quote from a different thread.

Originally Posted by Zir Red

First, the elyptical. Worst piece of machinery ever created quite useless to 99% of the population except those with severe joint issues or anyone holding and elyptithon. Why?
Well, you neither have control over displacement nor rotation. Your on a fixed rotation. There is no impact. It partially removes hamstrings, quads, adductors, abductors, and plantar flexors (calves) from the movement.
Thus you do less mechanical work.
Thus your oxygen consumption is less.
Thus you burn less calories depsite what they machine tells you.

Example: My gf and i would bicker over this every day. "But I feel like I'm working" she would always say (whine).
one day I had her take her heart rate. It was at 170. She was still talking to me!!!
I made her elevate her heart rate to 170 on the treadmill. She was gasping for air, barely able to get out a stiffled "You're right. I hate you right now.".

Because of this I feel you should just try a stepping machine, running machine, cycling machine or rowing machine instead.

Good luck with the weight loss

[ChelseaF]

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice. Now just so ya know...I KICK BUTT on that Elliptical...I have that thing on a 10 incline and a resistance between 9-12...My legs look pumped when I'm done (my fave body part). I have sweat dripping off of me...and I do get out of breath.

I tried that StairMill thing (looks like an escalator) and it was HARSH...10 minutes nearly killed me. I will go ahead and try the StairMaster...I used to do that. I also thought my fat grams were high...so, I will try and cut that down too. The fat is definately coming from the bacon and eggs...and the salad dressing (which is allowed on that mayo clinic diet). I will definately try to modify my "diet" and try something new at the gym. Thanks again.