Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Exercise Forums: Active Low-Carbers > Advanced/High Intensity
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Sun, Dec-21-08, 20:04
AlaneHilo's Avatar
AlaneHilo AlaneHilo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 255/241/170 Female 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: Kurtistown, Hawaii
Default Is my exercise routine keeping me from losing?

I am doing Atkins, I finished 2 weeks of Induction and I have lost 1 lb. At fist I started losing fast - I went from 210.5 to 203 in 5 days then I stopped losing and started gaining. I've been through Induction a few times over the years and I usually lose about 9lbs in the first 2 weeks. Well now it's day #19 and I am down a net of 1 lb. and my clothes are actually feeling tighter!

The only thing I am doing different from the times before are intense workouts 3x per week, coupled with HEAVY yard work for about 3 hours once or twice on the weekends (digging through rocks with a pick-axe, building rock walls and planters).

I started my regular workouts late November and go regularly, I started Induction on Dec. 2.

I had a problem with low energy and I've been eating more salads, as ordered in Atkins, that seems to have helped get my energy back up for the gym.

Last week I started doing HIIT, (right now doing 8 second intervals with 12 second recovery for 4 minutes and working to increase the time) then the rest of the 20 minutes finished on the elliptical.

Gym schedule - I go 3 days a week (MWF) and spend over 1.5 hours there:

5 minutes warm-up on the elliptical
4 minutes HIIT on the elliptical
12 minutes on the elliptical at the highest resistance I can maintain (right now level 9 out of 20 after the HIIT makes me noodle-legged)

8 minutes stretching
15 minutes basic yoga moves
15 minutes calisthenics (leg extensions, plies, squats, lunges)
8 minutes crunches

25 minutes weights - various machines, 2 sets of 12 reps at highest weight I can handle
10 minutes treadmill at 3.5 mph, 4% incline

I was ready to wait it out, figuring I was building muscle while losing fat but I but now I am really concerned with my clothes feeling tighter.

According to myPlan I average about 1900 cals/day, 19-20g carbs

So I am wondering if my body needs a different diet to lose. I don't want to stop exercising, I enjoy the tone I am seeing but I want to get my diet plan to work with my exercise plan. Or maybe I should modify my exercise plan, I'd appreciate tips to improve it.

Thanks!

Alane
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Sun, Dec-21-08, 21:44
DaddioM's Avatar
DaddioM DaddioM is offline
Northern Mike
Posts: 20,755
 
Plan: This time? LOL..
Stats: 251/228/190 Male 73 inches
BF:Weight in journal
Progress: 38%
Location: Houston, TX
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by maybe asking the wrong question

Is my exercise routine keeping me from losing?


Hi Alane,

If you continued to look better and better, but didn't lose a single pound, would that be a problem.

It is possible you are gaining muscle (which is about 4 times as dense.. i.e. if you trade a pound of fat, for a pound of muscle, muscle is 4 times as small so you look MUCH better.

The best way I can say it is with this picture from another member.

http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/...catid=favorites

She is 30lbs HEAVIER in the picture that she looks THINNER in.

You're exercising, eating well.. you see your body toning.. WOOHOO!! STay the course.. you'll continue to look better and the scale will eventually HAVE to move!!

Good luck!

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Mon, Dec-22-08, 10:51
kbfunTH's Avatar
kbfunTH kbfunTH is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,240
 
Plan: UDS
Stats: 199/190/190 Male 69
BF:12%/11%/6%
Progress: 100%
Location: Pflugerville, TX
Default

You're doing a fair amount of work and with your stats, 1900/day should be fine. Your BMR is going to be around 1600 and with your current activity level, your upper range will be around 2500. All of this combined should be a great starting point for you to start seeing the results you're after. Your level of conditioning prior to starting this lifestyle change will determine how much muscle increase you're going to see early on. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the scale doesn't, at first, reflect the amount of effort and time you're putting in. For this reason, I think it's best to use the mirror, clothes and friends to judge your progress.
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Mon, Dec-22-08, 17:45
AlaneHilo's Avatar
AlaneHilo AlaneHilo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 255/241/170 Female 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: Kurtistown, Hawaii
Default

Thanks for the answers and encouragement.

Wow Mike that is an awesome comparison, I will gladly be heavier if I get smaller! I guess the alarming thing is my clothes are actually feeling tighter!

My arms are looking better and my face is looking thinner, I see my body smoothing but not diminishing. Pulling on my pants the other day and having them feel tighter around my thighs totally shook my resolve. I weighed 210.5 this morning and I just took my complete measurements and I see almost 2 inches off from where I was 6 months ago at the same weight (argh I wish I had taken my measurements when I started Induction Dec. 2, I never imagined I'd be having this trouble). I will continue on and take measurements in a week to see how I'm doing. Do you think 1 week is a reasonable time to give before checking my measures again and expecting to see reductions?

I'd like thoughts on my weight routine, here are more details: I do the same weight routine each session, I see some folks work different groups of muscles on different days of the week. For my weights I do:

lat pulldown (widegrip, behind head <- I think I am going to switch to front though, just read anterior is more effective)
seated bench press machine
shoulder press machine
leg press machine
pull up/chin up/dip station
back extension bench (no weights)
triceps extensions (dumbbell <- these have been great for the flabby wings on my arms)
bicep curls (dumbbell)
shoulder press (dumbbell)

I do the same routine to make it easy to remember but if I could get more benefit doing things differently I could modify (I must stick to MWF though). I am thinking about reducing my elliptical time after HIIT to a 5 minute warm down and using the rest of that time to do more legwork on the weight machines. What do you think?

Thanks!
Alane
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Tue, Dec-23-08, 11:09
kbfunTH's Avatar
kbfunTH kbfunTH is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,240
 
Plan: UDS
Stats: 199/190/190 Male 69
BF:12%/11%/6%
Progress: 100%
Location: Pflugerville, TX
Default

1. tighter fitting clothes might not be a bad thing if it is from changes in body composition favoring added lean body mass

2. measurements are fine about every two weeks. skin fold measurements can be done a little more often

3. your routine is fine for now and it will probably work better for you this way as opposed to working certain bodyparts during the three days. for you, keep your rest times minimal and run through the circuit an extra time or two on at least one of the three days. your reps, sets and percentage of max load are far more important than the exercises themselves and should be adjusted at least occasionally.

4. substitute some of your machine movements with barbell and/or dumbbell movements at the beginning or middle of your routine until you can get to where the majority of your circuit is done this way. it doesn't all have to happen at once, so do it at your own pace.

5. focus on the positive (better looking arms, thinner face, down 51.5 lbs.) to keep your motivation high

IMHO, i think you are going about this the right way.
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Tue, Dec-23-08, 15:46
AlaneHilo's Avatar
AlaneHilo AlaneHilo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 255/241/170 Female 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: Kurtistown, Hawaii
Default

Ugh, I've hurt myself. I tried my weights with slow motion lifting last night and my muscles really felt worked and exhausted after that but I've done something to my left shoulder, I'm not sure if it was with the shoulder press, lat pulldown or doing Planks but with a faulty form. It's right at the top of my shoulder joint. Might have to give the shoulder a break for Christmas eve :/ I'm treating with arnica gel, advil and a heating pad.

On a plus side I felt more compact and over-all better this morning. I added coconut oil to my coffee yesterday and was absolutely reved up for the day, the workout was great (aside form the injury), I was up til 1am and woke up at 8 ready to go, lately I have been going to bed at 10 and waking up (grudgingly) at 9:30. Feels good to finally find some of that energy that has been lacking!
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Wed, Dec-24-08, 19:51
kbfunTH's Avatar
kbfunTH kbfunTH is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,240
 
Plan: UDS
Stats: 199/190/190 Male 69
BF:12%/11%/6%
Progress: 100%
Location: Pflugerville, TX
Default

probably a combination that hurt it. behind the neck pull-downs are a compromising position for the shoulders. best to do these in front.
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Tue, Dec-30-08, 15:24
danishdude's Avatar
danishdude danishdude is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: my personal plan
Stats: 285/220/195 Male 195
BF:
Progress:
Default

It does sound like you are doing quite a bit of workout I am currently in here to look for a work out plan and yours looks good but I will look around and see what people are doing
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Wed, Dec-31-08, 03:50
AlaneHilo's Avatar
AlaneHilo AlaneHilo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 255/241/170 Female 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: Kurtistown, Hawaii
Default

With the holidays I guess I was put on a break from my routine whether I wanted to or not! I missed 2 gym sessions last week with the holiday schedule and my shoulder healed up, I think I did it on the lat pull down. I had switched to the front pull down but I think I allowed myself to go too far on the return motion - I can feel things twist right in the spot where I injured it when I let the weight pull my arms too straight. I'm going to to try slow motion again but only after I have my form right, I'll stick to even and steady motion.

Thanks for the tips KB, I'll look at ways to replace the benchpress and shoulderpress, I found this site to demonstrate the ways to do it - http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises...ulderPress.html

Welcome to the forum danishdude!

Alane
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Thu, Jan-01-09, 17:46
Gostrydr Gostrydr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,175
 
Plan: close to zero carbs
Stats: 225/206/210 Male 73
BF:
Progress:
Default

I think you are working out to much.. 1.5 hours in the gym is alot..

Can you cut that back to 30-45 minutes top...maybe you have a lot of cortisol now from too much work?? That may be impeding your progress.
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Fri, Jan-02-09, 16:20
AlaneHilo's Avatar
AlaneHilo AlaneHilo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 255/241/170 Female 68 inches
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: Kurtistown, Hawaii
Default

Hmmm, well I'm open to modification. I guess I could drop a portion from the gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical eats up much of that time then leaves enough time to do my weight lifting. I can do the calisthenics/yoga portion at home on 3 non-gym days, do you think that's a good balance?

I can bring a book or something to wait for my gym buddy to finish.. and take my time relaxing in the sauna.... mmmmm

Alane
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 13:47.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.