Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - I could try to see if I can add more cardio too and go for a short run on days I don't do strength/HIIT. I work a desk job and worry about not being active enough. However, it's also hard to eek out the time to work out (take turns with my DH who likes to go for a bike ride). Just gotta push myself and mornings would be easiest before the kids are up, but have been exhausted (baby sleeps well, but seasonal allergies have been kicking my butt lately)

Being in the habit of working out gives you more energy to work out. Weird but true.

But even if you gave up workouts entirely, you could still lose just by tightening your calories.

I would not add in more exercise or cardio. Accurately track calories and you will lose.

But OP should still get an HR monitor and see how “H” that supposedly HIIT really is. My mom got one and found out she was never even hitting cardio zone.

I don't think that really matters. I did orangetheory for 2 years, wore the HR monitor/knew I was in "the zone", burned a lot of calories based on the monitor and readout. Lost some weight, but not much over those 2 yrs, and I had plenty to lose, also thought I was eating pretty healthy. Still I didn't really start to lose until I dialed in my nutrition. I always say not to worry about calories burned during exercise because to lose you shouldn't be eating back those calories.

Because you were actually getting good workouts you were probably hungrier and eating back your burn. As long as OP is ALSO carefully monitoring calories cardio will help.

Not saying cardio doesn't help, but I don't think it is necessary to track your HR to get an effective workout or to lose weight. I also think you know if you are working hard or not, you don't need a HR monitor to tell you that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 44 with two little kids. I've never had a super fast metabolism but I've found that if I track calories, I lose weight. As other PPs have pointed out, track calories and weigh your food. Pre-plan what you're going to eat - even if that just means quickly inputing your food for the day into Myfitnesspal while you drink your coffee in the morning. I'm not a meal planner AT ALL but I usually manage to plan one day at a time.

You don't mention your current weight (or maybe I missed it) and your height. For me, I'm short and my slow weight loss calorie target is 1420 a day. I'm aiming for .5 lbs a week because I know I'll freak out if I only eat 1200 a day. It's just me. Because I often go slightly under that amount each day, I am free to eat more on Saturday or Sunday. I do this so I don't feel too deprived and I can do it long-term.

OP here - I'm 5 foot 6 and 165 pounds, goal weight 145 pounds (was there pre-pregnancy)

Anonymous wrote:I'm 44 with two little kids. I've never had a super fast metabolism but I've found that if I track calories, I lose weight. As other PPs have pointed out, track calories and weigh your food. Pre-plan what you're going to eat - even if that just means quickly inputing your food for the day into Myfitnesspal while you drink your coffee in the morning. I'm not a meal planner AT ALL but I usually manage to plan one day at a time.

You don't mention your current weight (or maybe I missed it) and your height. For me, I'm short and my slow weight loss calorie target is 1420 a day. I'm aiming for .5 lbs a week because I know I'll freak out if I only eat 1200 a day. It's just me. Because I often go slightly under that amount each day, I am free to eat more on Saturday or Sunday. I do this so I don't feel too deprived and I can do it long-term.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - I could try to see if I can add more cardio too and go for a short run on days I don't do strength/HIIT. I work a desk job and worry about not being active enough. However, it's also hard to eek out the time to work out (take turns with my DH who likes to go for a bike ride). Just gotta push myself and mornings would be easiest before the kids are up, but have been exhausted (baby sleeps well, but seasonal allergies have been kicking my butt lately)

Being in the habit of working out gives you more energy to work out. Weird but true.

But even if you gave up workouts entirely, you could still lose just by tightening your calories.

I would not add in more exercise or cardio. Accurately track calories and you will lose.

But OP should still get an HR monitor and see how “H” that supposedly HIIT really is. My mom got one and found out she was never even hitting cardio zone.

I don't think that really matters. I did orangetheory for 2 years, wore the HR monitor/knew I was in "the zone", burned a lot of calories based on the monitor and readout. Lost some weight, but not much over those 2 yrs, and I had plenty to lose, also thought I was eating pretty healthy. Still I didn't really start to lose until I dialed in my nutrition. I always say not to worry about calories burned during exercise because to lose you shouldn't be eating back those calories.

Because you were actually getting good workouts you were probably hungrier and eating back your burn. As long as OP is ALSO carefully monitoring calories cardio will help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - I could try to see if I can add more cardio too and go for a short run on days I don't do strength/HIIT. I work a desk job and worry about not being active enough. However, it's also hard to eek out the time to work out (take turns with my DH who likes to go for a bike ride). Just gotta push myself and mornings would be easiest before the kids are up, but have been exhausted (baby sleeps well, but seasonal allergies have been kicking my butt lately)

Being in the habit of working out gives you more energy to work out. Weird but true.

But even if you gave up workouts entirely, you could still lose just by tightening your calories.

I would not add in more exercise or cardio. Accurately track calories and you will lose.

But OP should still get an HR monitor and see how “H” that supposedly HIIT really is. My mom got one and found out she was never even hitting cardio zone.

I don't think that really matters. I did orangetheory for 2 years, wore the HR monitor/knew I was in "the zone", burned a lot of calories based on the monitor and readout. Lost some weight, but not much over those 2 yrs, and I had plenty to lose, also thought I was eating pretty healthy. Still I didn't really start to lose until I dialed in my nutrition. I always say not to worry about calories burned during exercise because to lose you shouldn't be eating back those calories.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - I could try to see if I can add more cardio too and go for a short run on days I don't do strength/HIIT. I work a desk job and worry about not being active enough. However, it's also hard to eek out the time to work out (take turns with my DH who likes to go for a bike ride). Just gotta push myself and mornings would be easiest before the kids are up, but have been exhausted (baby sleeps well, but seasonal allergies have been kicking my butt lately)

Being in the habit of working out gives you more energy to work out. Weird but true.

But even if you gave up workouts entirely, you could still lose just by tightening your calories.

I would not add in more exercise or cardio. Accurately track calories and you will lose.

But OP should still get an HR monitor and see how “H” that supposedly HIIT really is. My mom got one and found out she was never even hitting cardio zone.

Thank you - I'm the OP and will look into a HR monitor, but it has to be inexpensive. Any recommendations for one that doesn't break the bank? I feel the HIIT more or less depending on the workout, some I definitely have to pause. Not sure if anyone here is familiar with Fitnessblender and their workouts, but I've been using them for years and find that they do help me stay fairly fit if I keep up with them consistently and push myself during the workouts. I haven't had time to do some of their longer 40+ minute workouts lately, hard with two young kids, job, yadda yadda. I do think I could push myself for heavier weights on some basic strength training moves.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - I could try to see if I can add more cardio too and go for a short run on days I don't do strength/HIIT. I work a desk job and worry about not being active enough. However, it's also hard to eek out the time to work out (take turns with my DH who likes to go for a bike ride). Just gotta push myself and mornings would be easiest before the kids are up, but have been exhausted (baby sleeps well, but seasonal allergies have been kicking my butt lately)

Being in the habit of working out gives you more energy to work out. Weird but true.

But even if you gave up workouts entirely, you could still lose just by tightening your calories.

I would not add in more exercise or cardio. Accurately track calories and you will lose.

But OP should still get an HR monitor and see how “H” that supposedly HIIT really is. My mom got one and found out she was never even hitting cardio zone.