In case any of you have ever wondered if you could do it and if it would work for you, I'm embarking on an experiment. I have time over the summer to devote three hours of my time to the gym and the rest of my days I intend to spend at parks hiking with my kids or at the amusement park, walking, walking, walking. I'm hoping to lose as much of this weight this Summer as I possibly can.

But, just one week in, I'm already feeling worn out, so I thought you might all want to follow along with my thoughts and impressions about doing it this way. We'll see how long I last. Plus, I want some documentation to remind myself of the following message...

IF IT GETS TOO HARD AND I WANT TO QUIT, I WILL BACK OFF!!! I will not quit altogether. There is something between BLACK and WHITE.

I'm starting to get those old feelings of "It's too hard and for what?" I gained two pounds this week! And that's ok...I'm used to it. But gosh...every day for a week I've given one hour of intense cardio (spinning or running) followed by one hour of lifting high reps, followed by another hour of low cardio (Elliptical nice and easy or walking). And the diet...right around 1200 calories.

I experimented with upping the calories on Friday. I had about 1500 calories. It was a good day for it because I got to eat birthday cake. But I gained, and have not lost, two pounds.

I can't tell you why you gained this week, but I can say that if you continue to workout like that, you will drop the weight. Are your muscles sore? If so, your body might just be retaining water to repair your muscles since you've been working out more.

I know a 2 lb gain can be dissapointing, but you ARE getting heathier! Just stay within your calorie range and stay active. The scale will have no option but to start going down!

For myself, I could not do it. If I decided that I would workout that much, I would definitely be eating more calories. But for me, I stay most focused on 30 minutes of some interval training that is pretty intense. For me, I would give up if I attempted to do 3 hours lol. Good luck with your experiment.

The most I've ever done consistantly is an hour & a half. Any more & I'd be totally worn out lol

good luck with your experiment!

You UP'D your calories to 1500?!? Wow, I would be exhausted too! I take in 1700 (zig-zagging) and loose much better than I did when I was on 1400. I (like you) exercise very intensely at least 5 days a week and I run a daycare, home school and have 4 children of my own.

People are different. Individual calorie needs vary. Remember: you need calories to continue to exercise like that + your daily activities. The Biggest Loser contestants get way more "rest" and solid sleep than we do.

I can't tell you how many posts I've see just like this...to low calories for your amount of activity, IMO.

I have to agree that 1200 calories seems way too low for that amount of activity. You have to feed your body if you want it to perform that way (imo).

Good luck on your experiment! I think it's awesome that you're able to devote that much time to activity!

That's the thing, since we're trying to create a calorie deficit, if we don't take in as many calories as we burn (require) - our bodies than have to turn to our STORED FAT for energy and use that up, thus we lose pounds. As long as those calories are good nutritious ones it shouldn't be a problem.

Eliana, I say do what you can, yes push yourself, but push yourself - intelligently. Don't burn out. It's NOT worth it.

Oh and I see a whoosh coming up in your very near future. Something to look forward to!

Good luck to you! I do cardio for an hour and weight training for three hours three times a week and I can't imagine doing more than that. But, if I had the time, I imagine I would. It's addicting. There have even been times over the past 20 years that I have devoted more time to working out, but 12 hours a week has been consistently maintainable for me. You have to find what you personally can commit to.

I just wanted to add, that you asked for our thoughts. Eliana, you know what I think of you and your commitment and your *way of thinking*. You've devised your own plan that is CLEARLY working for you. I know you are impatient, but you don't seem content to just *sit around* and wait for things to happen. You like to do your best to MAKE them happen.

So our thoughts are just our own thoughts. We all have to figure out what works for us - and what doesn't. And so far, you're doing a pretty darn good job of it. I think you should trust your own judgment. I think if you find this in not working, than you'll consider it an experiment and move on.

If it works for you, great! Please be careful. I seem to get injured whenever I throw myself into the deep end.

I don't have much to say on this.. except that I'm curious how you'll do! I have wondered if it was possible to do what they do on Biggest Loser at home, now I'll find out! Good luck.. and remember.. you can do anything you set your mind to

-Aimee

I don't have any advice...but I will say good luck, and I hope you meet whatever goals you have set for yourself!

Honestly Eliana-- I'm kind of jealous. I'd love nothing more than to work out 3 hours a day... in fact, I'm kind of disappointed because I was planning to start two-a-day workouts at the beginning of May and instead this turned out to be a CRAZY month workwise....

Let's put it this way-- people all over the world spend all day working in the fields and then come home to a bowl of rice...

I think if you really want to do it, you'll do GREAT.

I'm with you. June 8 is my last day of work for this school year. After that I plan to give myself a few days to chill and then start something very similar myself. If we are able to stick to it then there's no reason it should not work. I'm not shocked at you having a gain in the beginning if your body isn't used to that much exercise. I fully expect to gain at first as well. Good luck sticking to it.

Wow! I saw your post on another thread, and it looks like we had the same idea. I am finding that my work-outs aren't as high of quality as before, and that I am really physically exhausted, but I'm feeling good. For the first time, I am avoiding the scale because I know that exercise can make the scale go up. I did weigh on Saturday morning, though, and went down about seven pounds from Tuesday. But I am just starting again, so this is my initial "whoosh." (Personally, I'd rather be 50 pounds down than get the initial whoosh, though. ;-)

I'm interested in seeing how this works for you. Like you, I hope to fill my additional hours being as active as possible, and I suspect my house will be spotless by the end of the summer!

Oh - I'm also mixing it up so that I'm not stressing the same muscles constantly. Running/walking/elliptical/swimming/hoping to add biking soon.