Glad to help ans. Q's on weight loss/fitness

[BuilderMan]

Mike - I just wanted to chime in here and say that I agree with your previous answer. Correct me if I'm wrong, but muscle holds more water than fat which is why, on some scales, your BMI % goes down and the hydration % and weight goes up when you are toning. This can lead to a false reading of weight gain, but it is only temporary as the body adjusts itself. That's why drinking water is so important when trying to lose weight (or any other time for that matter.) Exercising and burning more calories than what you are consuming will lead to an eventual weight loss.

 

Lynn

[LadieSadie]

Thanks Mike & Lynn too. I know I just have to be patient and give it some more time. However ... I just got a call from my doc. I don't know if I told you, but my thyroid was removed in '96. I've been on a supplement since then. Well, over the past 14 months, he's been trying to get my levels regulated. He keeps changing the dosage up and down because I'm either too high or too low. This has been going on every month to 6 weeks for over a year. In addition, I was put on premarin.

 

Anyway...doc just called and said I'm too low (hypothyroid) and have been for quite some time. He is FINALLY referring me out to a specialist. Guess that might explain why I haven't lost anything and in fact am gaining a little. I just thought the 5-7 lbs was because of my knee surgery and lack of exercise (cardio). He also told me that because I'm also on premarin, it's making it even harder to regulate my thyroid levels. They're working against each other. PERFECT:(

 

Well, thanks for the support. I'll keep up with what I'm doing diet wise as well as exercising. Not sure what level of exercise I should be doing. I'm a little confused about that. Moderate cardio 5 times per week or cardio bursts between strength training. I'll get in to the specialist and hopefully he/she can get me back on track.

 

Ain't it grand being a woman in her early 50's. (I'll be 52 next week - YIPPEEEEEEEE:rolleyes: )

 

I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your help and support. I really appreciate it.

 

JC

[WeirdEyes]

Mike - I just wanted to chime in here and say that I agree with your previous answer. Correct me if I'm wrong, but muscle holds more water than fat which is why, on some scales, your BMI % goes down and the hydration % and weight goes up when you are toning. This can lead to a false reading of weight gain, but it is only temporary as the body adjusts itself. That's why drinking water is so important when trying to lose weight (or any other time for that matter.) Exercising and burning more calories than what you are consuming will lead to an eventual weight loss.

 

Lynn

Lynn, from all of the research I've done, you are totally correct. That's why when I increase my weights, I don't worry if I gain a pound or two. My muscles are holding water and the weight will come off.

 

JC ~ Glad your doc figured out what was wrong. Talk to your specialist about balancing your hormones. I've been working on balancing mine. I assume that you're going to an endocrinologist? Good luck!

[BuilderMan]

Mike - Recently I realized that my strength exercises were becoming too easy for me and decided I needed to "up" them a bit. Is it better to increase the number of reps or keep the same reps and increase the weights? I've been at my goal weight for over 3 years now so weight loss is no longer my main focus. Toning up is my main goal now. Thanks!

 

Lynn

[manmtnmike]

Mike - Recently I realized that my strength exercises were becoming too easy for me and decided I needed to "up" them a bit. Is it better to increase the number of reps or keep the same reps and increase the weights? I've been at my goal weight for over 3 years now so weight loss is no longer my main focus. Toning up is my main goal now. Thanks!

 

Lynn

Hi Lynn,

Most of the time you should increase the amount of weight when current weight resistance becomes easier.

What are the reps your doing now?

Another idea, if you've been working-out for awhile and you "know" your body, sometimes you can just vary your w/o avoid counting reps, and work till you can't do anymore.

 

Try this if you'd like...

 

Mike

[LadieSadie]

Sheila

When you say "balance my hormones" are you speaking about female hormones or thyroid hormones? If it's female should my endocrinologist be the one to handle that or my gyne? I'm not scheduled to see her until January. At this point, I'm not sure I want the Premarin adjusted since the endocrinologist just adjusted my thryroid supplement up yesterday. He says I'm quite low. (But he also said that adjusting it up won't necessarily mean I will lose weight).

 

I'll keep in mind the muscle vs. fat theory and not get soooooo concerned about the pound up or down thing. It really should be more about feeling good instead of stressing about what the scale says anyway. (I'm still in a size 6/8).

 

Lynn - On the reps, my trainer has told me to do exactly what Mike is suggesting. Prior to increasing the weights, she said she'd rather me increase the reps and/or work till exhaustion (feel the burn). Exactly, get to know your body.

[nycruiser1975]

I walked to work today. Not quite sure how far it is, but I was told 5-7 miles. I think it is longer. I walked briskly and it took me 15-20 minutes..YEAAAAAA. GO me, go me:D :)

[WeirdEyes]

Sheila

When you say "balance my hormones" are you speaking about female hormones or thyroid hormones? If it's female should my endocrinologist be the one to handle that or my gyne? I'm not scheduled to see her until January. At this point, I'm not sure I want the Premarin adjusted since the endocrinologist just adjusted my thryroid supplement up yesterday. He says I'm quite low. (But he also said that adjusting it up won't necessarily mean I will lose weight).

Yes, I'm talking about female hormones. When we take only Estrogen, our bodies become Estrogen dominant and it can wreck havoc on our hormones. I've done a lot of research on this because I became surgical menopausal at the young age of 34. You can talk to your endo about it or GYN. One of my friends gets her hormones (female) thru her endo. My gyn thinks that if my estrogen levels are good, I'm OK. Not! Maybe yours will be open to balancing. I take estrogen (Vivelle-dot patch), progesterone (OTC), DHEA (OTC), and Adrenal Complex. I feel so much better! I was using a cream testosterone, but it made my face break out really bad. To be on the safe side, you should only take what your endo allows you to. Good luck!

[WeirdEyes]

I walked to work today. Not quite sure how far it is, but I was told 5-7 miles. I think it is longer. I walked briskly and it took me 15-20 minutes..YEAAAAAA. GO me, go me:D :)

Fantastic job! Yes, YEAH you!!!!!! :D

[nycruiser1975]

It feels good to share a tiny accomplishment with someone else who can understand and be there to support you. THank you all for the support, and I feel like I am working not just for myself but our little family here. Once again thanks

[LadieSadie]

Sheila

Interesting. He never said ANYTHING about handling the female aspect of this problem. He has increased the dosage of my thyroid hormone and said he'd see me again in 7 weeks to check the thyroid levels. Maybe I'll call my gyne and see what she says about checking my other levels. (I had my hysterectomy when I was 40 but asked that they leave one ovary if possible.) I'm now 51 (52 next Tuesday!) Menopause (hot flashes and extreme night sweats) started a year ago. I originally tried bioidentical hormones, but they didn't work the best for me so doc switched me to Premarin this past January.

 

After talking to endo, he indicated that a lot of my symptoms could either be thyroid related OR menopause related. You'd think he would have suggested checking those levels as well. Hmmmmmm. Anyway, thanks for the input and I'll keep checking.

 

I'll tell you what ... we as patients sure need to really take charge of our health care and really stay on top of things. We shouldn't just take what the doc says at face value.

 

JC

[BuilderMan]

It feels good to share a tiny accomplishment with someone else who can understand and be there to support you. THank you all for the support, and I feel like I am working not just for myself but our little family here. Once again thanks

 

Making a committment to good health is never a tiny accomplishment! Big congrats!

 

Lynn

[WeirdEyes]

JC ~ I tried bio-identical hormones also, but couldn't ever get them regulated. I also tried coming off the estrogen patch, but my symptoms were horrid! Good luck getting yourself sorted out. And YES, we do have to manage our bodies ourselve. ;)

[nycruiser1975]

Can anyone tell me about NV. Is it a diet pill? Are there any side affects? Has anyone taking them? I need help with my wieght loss. Or is it better just to go at it with exercise and watch what you eat? Thank you for your knowledge!!:)

[manmtnmike]

Can anyone tell me about NV. Is it a diet pill? Are there any side affects? Has anyone taking them? I need help with my wieght loss. Or is it better just to go at it with exercise and watch what you eat? Thank you for your knowledge!!:)

 

Hi!

 

Sometimes we answer our own questions....

Check out this review on NV

http://www.sybervision.com/reviews/Review_NV.php

 

Mike

[wernew2cruising]

Hi!

 

Sometimes we answer our own questions....

Check out this review on NV

http://www.sybervision.com/reviews/Review_NV.php

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for all your answers and help on here. I have been going through this thread tonight and I have a quick question. I went to the sybervision site you gave the link to and I was trying to find where it talks about the author. I couldn't find anything. Do you know anything about this site? Who is making all these reviews? I mean can one person really try EVERY one of the diet pills out there? The reason I am asking is because one of the pills sounds very intriguing. But should I be wary? Yes I am eating right and I am walking every day..trying to reach my 10,000 steps a day goal. I just want a little help to kick start it for a bit so some progress can be seen.

[manmtnmike]

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for all your answers and help on here. I have been going through this thread tonight and I have a quick question. I went to the sybervision site you gave the link to and I was trying to find where it talks about the author. I couldn't find anything. Do you know anything about this site? Who is making all these reviews? I mean can one person really try EVERY one of the diet pills out there? The reason I am asking is because one of the pills sounds very intriguing. But should I be wary? Yes I am eating right and I am walking every day..trying to reach my 10,000 steps a day goal. I just want a little help to kick start it for a bit so some progress can be seen.

 

Hi ,

Actually I can't vouch for that site, it's just a review I came across....so one may want to do more research before proceeding. Some things work for some people, but not others...also always check with your doctor.

 

Mike

[manmtnmike]

Just thought some info here may help recent poster:)

 

Mike

[happysinglemom]

 

I like the situp-type exercise that has you lying on the floor, legs up on a chair with the back of your knees on the edge of the chair.

It's good on the back and it doesn't require as many reps to work the abs.

 

I agree. This exercise actually was measured to be the single most effective abdominal exercise by one study (of course there are many MANY studies - be careful of the source...;) ). Basically it's a "safe" crunch in that is does not cause injury to the back. It's one of my core exercises in my own workout.

[McCabe]

After reading all the questions and answers and thoughts posted on this thread, I think I really want to explore home cardio equipment more. I keep thinking I should try to build muscle and whatnot with strength training machines but the reality of it is, I don't like weights much no matter how much I want to try to like them. I am researching home fitness equipment on the internet right now. Preferrably an elliptical since it will be easier on my knees. Any recommendations?

[happysinglemom]

After reading all the questions and answers and thoughts posted on this thread, I think I really want to explore home cardio equipment more. I keep thinking I should try to build muscle and whatnot with strength training machines but the reality of it is, I don't like weights much no matter how much I want to try to like them. I am researching home fitness equipment on the internet right now. Preferrably an elliptical since it will be easier on my knees. Any recommendations?

 

Don't give up strength training for cardio. You need to do both! Read this article: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/cardio-vs-strength-training-workouts?page=1

[manmtnmike]

After reading all the questions and answers and thoughts posted on this thread, I think I really want to explore home cardio equipment more. I keep thinking I should try to build muscle and whatnot with strength training machines but the reality of it is, I don't like weights much no matter how much I want to try to like them. I am researching home fitness equipment on the internet right now. Preferrably an elliptical since it will be easier on my knees. Any recommendations?

 

Hi McCabe!

You really need to try equipment before purchase...one idea is to try a nearby gym on a one day pass and see what is fitting to your needs and likes and dislikes.

In my experience, people tend to do what is agreeable, so some - is better than none! Please don' simply by without "test driving"...Otherwise it will end up at a garage sale by next summer!;)

Good luck!

Mike

[McCabe]

Thanks for the advice! I have been asking around to the few people Ive met so far since Ive moved here and one of them purchased some fitness equipment a while back off the internet so I plan on going by her house this week to test it out. Only problem with testing out equipment in a gym is no matter what I will not find that type gym equipment online since its commercial use equipment. I will look around a bit though for some fitness retailers around here. Hopefully I can find something I like and find it online. Tax here is outrageous!!

[smoothdancer]

Thanks for bringing this up to the top again. There is great information here. Actually, when at the gym yesterday I was thinking about this thread and used some of the advise.

 

As to my question... Right now I am about 5 pounds away from where I should be according to the charts. I know that once there I am still not going to be where I want to be regarding my center. I have read that you loose weight equally throughout your body and so isolation excersies do not work.... Yet I dont need any toning except through my center, so what do I do??? As a side note, I am a competitive ballroom dancer and a strong center is an absolute must have for me. This is also the reason I dont need to tone my legs, arms, ect, I am already there and my 3-4 times a week dance lessons and practice will keep me there.

 

One more question... I am age 50, weight 120, height 5'4. I do a cross trainer every day for 30 minutes and I reach an average heartrate of 133 and a max of about 155.... Is that the right rate for my age and weight or do I need to push it harder??

[manmtnmike]

Thanks for bringing this up to the top again. There is great information here. Actually, when at the gym yesterday I was thinking about this thread and used some of the advise.

 

As to my question... Right now I am about 5 pounds away from where I should be according to the charts. I know that once there I am still not going to be where I want to be regarding my center. I have read that you loose weight equally throughout your body and so isolation excersies do not work.... Yet I dont need any toning except through my center, so what do I do??? As a side note, I am a competitive ballroom dancer and a strong center is an absolute must have for me. This is also the reason I dont need to tone my legs, arms, ect, I am already there and my 3-4 times a week dance lessons and practice will keep me there.

 

One more question... I am age 50, weight 120, height 5'4. I do a cross trainer every day for 30 minutes and I reach an average heartrate of 133 and a max of about 155.... Is that the right rate for my age and weight or do I need to push it harder??

 

Hi smooth dancer!

Wow people would love to trade with your stats and w/o habit!~

1. It's tough to fight genetics and body type. You're doing great, but make it fun. When you feel like pushing harder -do it and go back to standard w/o.

2. How's your diet? Sorry, had to ask;) maybe some changes there will help.

3. Have you plateau-ed in weight over last 6 weeks?

4. You may want increase a few minutes on the cross trainer or add more weight resistance excer.

Let me know...

BTW...Any hints on dancing, afer taking a "buffet" dance class 6 monthes ago, we kinda get the different steps mixed up...I'd like to stay with the basic box steps....How's that work for cruising music?

 

Mike