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April of last year I got very dedicated about losing weight. I restricted my calorie intake from what I estimated to be about 5000-7000 down to 2500 per day. I also began strict weight training on my bench at home, and I started running. At first I could only run a block-walk a block etc. But before I new it I was running a mile, then 2 miles 4 times a week. Using this method I lost 75 lbs between April and October. I was 345 and in October I was 270. I also went from a 46 inch pants waist that fit tightly to a comfortable 38. Then I hit a nasty plateau. I kept everything the same and stayed 270 it was very discouraging. Then winter came. I never do well in winter anyway. I don't have a treadmill and I ended up injuring my ankle running on the ice (posterior tibial tendinitis). I was unable to run for about 2 months, and in that time I lost most of my will power and ate everything in site. Needless to say I gained weight...20lbs to be exact. around the beginning of march I ended up getting back into strict discipline mode. I gradually got back up to 2 miles again and now I'm working on 5k a day. I never miss a run or weight training for anything. I also cut my calories back down to 2500. the fist week I lost 5 lbs making me currently 285 (345 minus 75 plus 20 minus 5 = 285). And I haven't been able to budge from there. I would like to lose the extra 15 that Im holding on to that I gained this winter plus and additional 25 or so bringing me just under 250, but I feel stuck. There's the background, here is my question:
The running/biking/weight training makes me feel great (even when it sucks). the diet makes me feel horrible, not just hungry, but anxious, depressed, etc. Can I say forget the diet, and just train hard...could that increase my metabolic rate? could I perhaps even lose faster? I mean Im working up to running 12+ miles a week at 9 or less minutes per mile (for now) how many fat runners are there in the world, it has to come off right? Im just very discouraged...and advice will be greatly appreciated.
Keeping your routine will only keep your weight where you have gotten it at this point. You talk about calories but make sure they are healthy calories of course...I would suggest supplements to help you out with 'cravings' because it sounds as if you eat like 2 meals a day which will slow your metabolism down. Eat about 4-6 times a day while not eating more than that 2500 calories. A hard workout will increase your metabolic rate for up to 12 hours afterwards so running before breakfast and strengthening after dinner is the best way to keep it up while losing weight. Make sure your breakfast is the 'biggest' meal of the day because if you skip breakfast cravings are like 10x worse and you actually crave junk food...congraduations on how far you have gotten but I would not stop until you are down to at least 20% body fat...
As for supplements I use hydroxycut for cravings and it has caffiene for a "booster". Make sure not to drink soda or coffee while taking it because it will be terrible for the kidneys...a protein shake is good before and after strengthening, because you will put on more muscle and if you don't get enough protein, your body will burn your muscle whenever you run...
A rest day is actually a part of training, your body NEEDS to rest. Take 1-2 days a week to just rest...Do not work out on these days because your body will be effecient from days before to keep your metabolic rate up and body functioning perfectly well. I hope this helps, if you have any more questions, feel free to funmail... ;)
no sh*t, good for you man. I'd stick wih the same routine thats been working for you. The diet might make you feel horrible but if you ate anything you wanted it would defeat the purpose of working out. they go hand and hand, exercise and eat well. And don't get discouraged, a lot of people get discouraged when results are slow, but theres no way to speed it up. And 75 punds in 6 months is really good, you should be real proud of yourself. Because I just started working out at the begining of the new year and I became discouraged because the results were so slow, but I kept with it and now I can tear peoples heads off, lol. You must feel so much better, and you can outrun me. Keep with it man, you'll be happy you did.
