Losing weight before doing more?

My main concern right now with my body weight is that I am very weak..I’m at the point that my push ups are not on my feet but my knee’s to complete 10..I power walk (3.5 speed) and run (4.5 speed) on it..my power walk distance is 3 1/2 miles my running is 3/4 miles..

I also use a set of free weights I use to own..the plates you can lock onto barbell bars..I do some arm curls..i raise them above my head..and hold them onto my shoulders to do the squats..2 bars with 2 5lbs plates on each of them..

My main question is that if I work like this can I lose weight..I’ve been eating right and though I haven’t been using the nutrition log on here, if anyone wants to know it I can post it on this thread. I would like to get to a point when i can do push ups from my feet..but with my body weight and how weak my arms are it’s very hard at the moment..

I have been working hard and making the right decisions every day…but since the only thing I’ve noticed is that when I started my knee’s hurt so much I couldn’t kneel and that went away finally..it’s hard to tell if I’m really going to hit my goal. All i can do is keep trying because that’s all I have to give..but it is always nice to hear from someone that might be going through the same situation that might have been working on it longer and has seen the results.. Thanks

It is possible to lose weight without working out at all. So don’t worry about only being able to do a bit.

Whether or not you work out, the MOST important factor is your diet. It isn’t enough to “eat right” – you need to journal everything, and be accurate with your portion sizes. Weigh your portions, instead of measuring them by volume.

The more weight you lose, the easier exercising gets. Your knee will hurt less, and that will make walking, or even running, easier.

I do measure out my portions, though I’m not doing a journal (which i know i should) I’m trying to lose weight without being obsessive x.x

Unless you know exactly how many calories you are eating, you probably won’t lose weight. Sad, but true. You have to know the number of calories in is less than the number of calories out.

Most people underestimate what they eat, unless they see the numbers added up for them. It’s one thing to know that breakfast was 170, snack was 150, lunch was 450, etc, and another to know that at the end of the day you ate 1900 calories.

There is a difference between obsessing, and keeping track. Until you start worrying about the impact of a single grape, it’s important to keep track.

hmm..well I’m not sure what my calorie out is at the moment..i do try to work out as much as i can and luckily i found a job that that is a bit physically demanding..But in a family that doesn’t eat right i made sure to get Oatmeal for my breakfast, whole wheat bread for toast, using that for a sandwich with turkey meat and mustard..i eat almonds and carrots throughout the day, and chicken breast or fish and mixed vegetables for dinner. I do throw in Special K drink mix and protein bar too. My meals are not the most exotic but it’s a start with my budget x.x

OK, well here are some ideas then.

Do you portion out your almonds? They are very nutritious, but incredibly calorie dense. A portion is about 24 nuts. It can fit in a shot glass.

How often do you eat bread products or other carb rich meals in a day? You mention oatmeal, toast and a special k bar. That’s a lot of carbs, and thus a lot of calories. It’s good that some of this is whole grain, but that doesn’t mean you can eat unlimited amounts. I’ve never looked at a sepcial K bar, but most of those cereal bar products are junk – lots of sugar and not much else.

Do you drink a lot of soda or juice? These have more calories than most people know.

I’m thinking you must be eating more than you described, because unless you are eating enormous portions of them, that’s probably sufficiently few calories for me to lose weight, and I’m sure I need fewer calories than you since I’m female and don’t have a physically demanding job.

Nope really that’s about all I eat…I eat 2 portions of almonds a day. Only drink water. No juice or Soda. I take a multivitamin too. I eat 4 pieces of bread a day and 1/2 cup of oatmeal.

Well, just from the almonds, bread and special k bar, you are already at 900 calories (or so, depending on bread you use). The other things you eat, meat, veggies, condiments, etc are unknown at this point.

Do you know what your BMR is? How many calories can you eat in a day and maintain your weight?

It might be helpful to use the Nutritional Log here for a couple of days. Once you see how you are really eating, big picture, you might see things to change. Or you can ask people here for targeted advice. It’s hard to do with generalities.

well from doing the math my BMR is 2300..with exercising and manual labor..I’m sure i burn quite a few amount of calories..but i will start using the nutrition log on here to see what I’m eating per day..500 calories burned per day is 1lbs a week right?

I agree with dianebl, starting to keep a log of your food so you can get the big picture is the right direction to take. It’s not obsessive. It’s not something you have to do for the rest of your life (unless you want to), it is giving you the data you need to take the correct actions to achieve your goals.
Yes, 500 calories per day equals 3500 which should equal 1 lb of loss. It isn’t an exact science because everyone is different, but a good guide to get you where you need to be.
Pamela

www.ThrivePersonalFitness.com

well I’ve done what I’ve eaten so far..
752 Calories
42g of Protein
22.4g of Fat
100g of Carbs
so I’m not sure if I’m doing good or bad

Have you ever had Daily Burn calculate your calorie needs? To do so, go to the Nutrition tab, and select “Update Goals”.

For activity level, you’d probably pick one of the two highest ones, depending on just how physical your job.

This will also give you suggested amounts for carbs / protein / fat for you to compare against

Wow ok… i just did what you said Dianebl x.x and i’m /way/ under my calories needed…i’m not sure how to increase it since i’m really not hungry x.x

Well, you’ve only entered up to the afternoon so far. I typically eat half my daily calories after noon. You may do something similar. Don’t freak out yet.

But for someone with a really physical job, you don’t eat much in the morning at at lunch. Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough energy?

I don’t. which is kinda weird. I’m not tired x.x i just jogged 1 mile on the treadmill at 4.5 speed…power walked for 1/2 mile for 3.5 speed…I’m not tired, not hungry…I’m kinda worried..

Hi, I’m in a Physical Fitness and Wellness class and from what I’ve learned it sounds like you are on the right track. The recommendation from the book is to try to be active for 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week.You can increase the time so that by the third week you are working out 4 to 5 times at 20 minutes a session and can continue to build up. This will help you build up to doing 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week, and this is when you will start losing weight.

I woundn’t worry too much. If you are used to eating really calorie dense foods you may be used to eating little but getting a lot of calories, so eating the low calorie density foods may seem like you are eating a lot more. Keep making gradually making adjustments. I don’t know your stats, but if you have a lot of weight to lose it could be beneficial to see your primary doctor for physical. Just to make sure everything is working properly before you start to increase exercise volume.
Pamela

www.ThrivePersonalFitness.com