Hi Everyone,

I am 5/2 and weigh 132 currently. This is a heavy weight for me. I am more comfortable and happy in the 120-125 range. My best friend and I had a conversation recently about what it takes to lose weight. She threw out the thought that everyone she has ever known to lose a significant amount of weight has incorporated 1 hr. or cardio a day. What do you think?

I know it is really a matter of calories in/calories out. I eat about 1700-1800 calories of healthy food a day. I have made attempts to diet (counting calories, WW, etc.) but I feel as though dieting does not benefit me ultimately. I end up overeating as a response to feeling restricted. I wonder if I am better off just eaing sensibly and upping my exercise.

I am a teacher and I am off for the summer. I have gone from no exercise to doing the elliptical 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes and doing strength training with videos (Minna Lessig or Tamilee Webb) twice a week.

Would I maybe lose weight by upping my exercise intensity and just keeping my food the same??
Michelle

I think that if you just increased your exercise intensity without changing diet or exercise duration you would lose weight very, very, very slowly or probably not at all. I'd do cardio 5-6 days a week and increase it to 45-60 mins, but I'd also decrease calories as well. An extra 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week creates, at most, a 900 weekly calorie deficit. At that rate, it would take about 4 weeks to lose a pound (given the 3500 cals = 1lb rule). It's very difficult to lose weight without changing your diet.

Isn't the standard that 80% of weight loss is diet and 20% exercise? Lowering your calories by 100 - 200 per day and increasing your exercise to 45-60 min. should get those last 10 lbs. off. To avoid hunger issues, try eating small meals of high fiber foods every two to three hours. You might consider more strength training, too, to increase your muscle mass. Muscle helps you burn more calories besides giving you a leaner look.