weight loss frustration...help!?

Question

Does anyone else have this issue? I've lost 35 pounds and have had it off for a year now. I exercise daily for an hour doing cardio for 4 days and weight training for 3 days. (i'm always changing up my routines) I eat1500-1800 calories a day all healthy foods with some treats.
I am still trying to lose the fat around my middle because i'm considered to be an apple shape. I've been trying everything and am getting frustrated that nothing will budge. I'm trying hard not to focus on the number on the scale, but the tape measure around the waist. (AT most I could lose another 10-15 pounds)
Any suggestions or has anyone else had this issue?

Answer 1

CUT YOU AMOUNT OF FOOD IN HALF AND DON'T EAT ALL THE TIME!

Answer 2

Have you tried power exercising? Taking 3-4 different abdomen exercises and doing them in quick sucsession for a set time period...ie 7-10 minutes. Short exercise sessions that work the heart well are much better than 30 or 40 minutes. Ab exercises in particular don't become more effective if you do them in long sessions, i.e. 1 hour sessions, instead a quick 7-15 minute workout gives more benefit and results because you have to condition your abs...and they condition best with short periods of exercise often.

No counting of the number of crunches etc, simply doing them as quickly as you can and until you feel that burning sensation and can't do another crunch or whatever...on to the next one and do it for as long as you can as well etc.

Don't worry that you haven't completed all exercises, it will come. You will most definitely need a shower after these exercise sessions. You'll do best to have a timer set to the 7 or 10 minute mark...as soon as the alarm goes off, stop the exercising...it will feel like a long session tho...but it's a great one.

After only 2 weeks I found that I had wittled away some of the fat around my middle and I actually began to see that curve in the waist area coming back :) It's a lot tougher session than most cardio routines. This one gets the heart really pumping and surprisingly I found that the increase in energy is really a bonus. Also, the amount of water taken in during this session and afterwards, keeps the appetite in check and you don't eat near as much food before you are full. Also, sit down at the table to eat if you don't already...this lets you eat, remove yourself from the table and be less likely to simply lounge around.

Also with this routine, do it on an empty stomach and don't eat until 40 minutes afterwards...then eat one of your regular diet fashioned meals...during the 40 minutes wait and throughout the exercising session drink lots of water...you'll notice that you are thristy perhaps even throughout the day...

I used to do treadmill, weights etc...but now I do the power exercises and weights and sometimes I do the exercises using the swiss ball which adds an extra oomph to things.

Good luck with this....

Here are some of the exercises that would work best with this routine:

This is a report that rated the best and worst ab exercises...there are three that were rated as best...check them out and see if any appeal to you...the good thing about this routine is you can pick the exercises you feel comfortable doing. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/star/alert05222001.jsp

Top ten most effective ab exercises: http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm and how to do them...note that situps and crunches alone aren't in the top ten. Pick 3-4 from this list and you'll be on your way.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I lost about thirty pounds in less than two months on The Movie Star Diet, by Steve Simmons. The new version won't be out for a couple of weeks, from what I can tell on their website, but it's definitely worth it in my humble opinion. It covers the gamut from nutrition and exercise and they are even selling a workout book now, so I might pick that up, too. It's a really different kind of diet than anything else I've tried, and I've tried a LOT. It works well because it doesn't try to restrict you from eating the kinds of foods that you love. It works WITH you, instead of trying to get you to eat a bunch of stuff you've always hated and always will hate.

Answer 4

First off, It sounds to me like you are doing really well with your excercise plan. And for the record, lipo is not the way to go. You can try simple things like decreasing the intake of calories or extending the length of your cardio workouts. Also, boost the intensity of your cardio workouts. Muscle burns fat also, so you can try strength training in the places where you would like to lose the fat. It sounds like you have just reached a plateau in your results. Keep it up, and it will go away. I hope this helps.

Casey

Answer 5

There comes a point when you have lost a significant amount of weight and have been exercising/eating healthy for 6 months to a year that you hit a plateau.

In some cases the plateau will dissapear and you can lose more fat. In other cases, you hit a wall.

At that point, you should, in my opinion, consider surgery to remove the last of the fat, and the extra skin.

Answer 6

Here is what you need to do, if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off. Eat 6 small meals a day about every 4 hours. Here what that will do for you, your metabolism will increase (i.e. Loose weight) and you will have more engry. If you go on a diet and eat less, your metabolism will slow down and store to fat. That is why diets dont work. Only the size of your fist, carbs (examples:baked potato, pasta, oatmeal, beans, corn, melon, apples, fat free yogurt, whole wheat breads)in one and protien (examples:chicken breast, swordfish, shrimp, turkey breast) in the other. You can also eat vegetables and salads with any meal, they dont have none or little fat). 30min cardo exercise every day. Any of these(examples: walking, jogging, swimming,running, biking, ect), Monday cardo, tues upper body (arms: curls, tricep extensions,pull ups, front press)(abdominals: leg pull crunch, leg raises), (chest: bench press, butterfly, pullover)(shoulders: front press, arm pullover, cross county skier machine)(back:seated row, lat pull downs, back extension)(YOU DONT HAVE TO DO IN ONE DAY, mix it up) wed cardo, thurs lower body (legs: leg pull,leg press, squats, lounges) fri cardo, sat upper. Sunday eat anything you want and dont exercising, you do this on sunday so your body doesnt go into starvation mode. YOU NEED TO TAKE SUNDAY OFF. If you stilck with this you will have a great body. also drink aleast 8oz of water daily! Stay away from Mcdonals, Wendys, ect because there is nothing good for you on the menu's even the salads are bad (beaon bits, cheeze, dressing, ect) Good Luck :)

Answer 7

Lipo.

It's possible that, no matter how hard you workout, those stubborn spots will not go away. You are doing everything I would do to lose the weight. Maybe up your weight training to four days and your cardio to five.

Answer 8

I'd say do alittle jogging or speed walking either outside or treadmill, doesn't matter. If you are already doing this, increase the intensity in some way.....by either increasing the time by a few minutes or the rate. Good luck.

Answer 9

i dont have that issue, im pretty normal sized but kind of muscular...increase cardio but dont do it on the tredmill ...thats too easy ...go on some trails in the woods or run for 40 minutes around town, or at the park...do some sight seeing too...dont give up though your just at the point where its gonna get harder to lose weight

Answer 10

Plateau's are truly frustrating. My trainer told me to take in more calories for awhile, and then cut back again. Your body is expending exactly what it needs to. You have to trick it into thinking it has more calories to burn and doesn't need to store energy.

Answer 11

try changed yr deit and exercise pattern. read tips on other weight loss programs and exercises on this site