I was doing both weights and cardio, but weight loss stalled for months. I had increased carbs to 25 - 30 because of doing weights -- could not seem to lift with any less. Then I injured my hip and was off several months while it healed.

Without the exercise, no matter how careful I was, I regained several pounds. I did a 3 day fat fast variation and started back doing cardio, big time (see my gym log). Weight loss had been steady, and I'm almost back to where I was before the injury.

I haven't started back doing weights, though. Things are going so well right now at 20 carbs that I don't want to do anything to blow it -- this is the first time that I actualy am registering anything on the ketostix and am actually losing at a steady rate.

What I was thinking is that maybe I could do just upper body and abs and still try to stay with 20 carbs? I'm doing so much walking, etc., that I probably could count that toward lower body, at least for now, and just do upper? Has anyone else had success with weights on just 20 carbs? Will it be a problem? Would I damage my muscles lifting with so little carbs?

Thanks for your help!

hi Peg,

You might want to have a read through Marlaine's journal, starting here. Granted, she didn't have an injury to cope with, but she followed Body for Life while eating Atkins level low-carbs.


hth,

Doreen

Thanks, Doreen. I read through her journal, and decided to try adding weights back while staying with the 20 carbs. Not sure if I'll do as well, but if it doesn't seem to be working, I can always stop.

this is just a thought...
there are many different ways to strength train and get definition and more muscular w/o weights if you would want to go that route...pilates, stretch band, exercise ball, some kinds of yoga, callanetics, ttapp and isometrics...

also, another alternative might be a Leslie Sansone tape where she uses either real light weights, belt or bands. That way you get cardio and strength work at the same time.

I tend to get "bulky" so I have tried and enjoyed these and gotten some real good results. And its nice to have variety.

HI there,

Just wanted to share with you my new discovery. Resistance bands. I have always shyed away from them thinking they were kinda wimpy as I like to lift weights. OMG, they gave me a great workout yesterday. My arms were burning after 5 minutes. If you want to try a different workout, you should ck out resistance bands.

Also, from my experience, I didn;t lose many inches untill I started to do intense cardio. Light cardio did nothing for me. I usually jogged but lately I have been "running' and pushing my self and I have seen a dramatic difference. My traininer told me that you have to be working at a certain level to actually be burning fat. AFter he calculated where I should be at, I realized I wasn't doing cardio intensly enough. Hope that helps...

I concur so much about the intense cardio. I also did not lose or reshape until I really ramped up my cardio, both in terms of intensity and duration.
I think that each person has to find the individual mix that is optimal for them in the cardio/strength training training equation. But in terms of cardio, more sure can't hurt!
One other thing I have found to be true is that not only in terms of strength training but also in relation to cardion, variety helps. I try to do something different everyday, treadmill, elliptical, tramp.
Time will tell how effective this is. But it is fun!
And I really enjoy my all cardio days a lot...its like just cruise on til those endorphins kick in!

In ''The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution,'' by Fredrick Hahn, Dr. Michael R. Eades and Dr. Mary Dan Eades (those last two are the authors of "Protein Power"), the authors assert that resistance training of the type they advocate makes additional cardio work unnecessary. This is said in the context of getting fit and healthy, not specifically in the context of weight loss. My recent experience has been that I can walk up stairs more easily (i.e., without getting winded) after 3 months of Slow Burn work.

On the other hand, it seems undeniable that doing cardio work at high intensity and for a considerable time will burn enough calories to have an effect on weight loss. When I had good knees and ran 40+ miles/week, I ate prodigiously and kept my weight about where it is now, maybe a little lower. When I had to stop , I put on a good bit of weight before coming to understand that I could no longer eat like a distance runner can.

My point is that I am cautious about using cardio workouts as an element of weight loss -- cautious but not condemnatory. So long as one stays aware of the impact of the exercise on diet and is ready to make adjustments when and if the exercise has to stop, it seems like a good idea -- but it is easy to lose sight of where those calories are going.

Kacey, Kat123 & rfred -

Thanks for your answers. The cardio I'm doing does seem to be working well -- the weight is coming off, so I'm not too worried about that for now. I just want to be sure to tone and to regain some of the muscle I lost while I could not work out.

The resistance training is a great idea! I do have an exercise ball that came with tapes, and my DH has resistance bands that he used for PT after shoulder surgery.

I agree that intensity and mixing things up are good. Before my hip injury I was alternating exercise bike, Tae-Bo, and treadmill. I am not a runner, and at my age and with my joints, I never will be. But I use the incline and vary the speed on the treadmill so that I usually burn 325 - 425 calories (according to the display) in the a.m. Also have been walking for 30 min. at lunch and now that the weather is warm enough, after work I've been able to do the only 'running' that I'm able to do -- 'pool jogging'. I have a above ground 52 inch deep, 24 ft. round pool, and I run in the water for 30 - 45 min. as many days as I can. The resistance from the water is great! Yet, because of the water, there is no stress on the joints at all and no matter how hot it is outside I never get overheated. As soon as it stays a bit warmer at night, I'll run in the pool in the a.m. instead of using the treadmill.

Again, thanks for your terrific suggestions.