[swtbttrfly23]

My last few months have been a little crazy, and my patterns have been so up and down that I'm not sure what is going on. In February, I was in Montana (I live in Cali) pretty much all month working. Lots of hiking around in the cold, coupled with less than on-plan eating and a lot of beer drinking, but I actually lost weight (I think it was all the hiking!). Then in March, I was in Ghana, West Africa, all month working. Lots of carbs, definitely not keeping track of my cals, but I walked a TON and even lost a bit of weight there too.
Since April I've been back in LA, and I pretty much fell off whatever wagon I was previously on until a few weeks ago. That said, I was still pretty conscious of myself, I didn't go off bingeing each day or anything, and I was still doing lots of running around so I got some movement in. I pretty much stayed the same, or maybe went up like 5 pounds. Nothing too major. So now I'm getting back to being serious about this. Counting calories and exercising. Except...I'm not really exercising like I used to. My gym membership lapsed in february and I haven't been bothered to re-up (kinda don't want to spend the $!) I've just been working on walking a lot, not driving everywhere, and just generally moving a bit more. Did start taking a piloxing class (pilates/boxing) a couple times a week, but I'm not doing the "everyday at the gym for an hour or more" routine that I used to do when I was trying to lose. I've also increased my calories a little bit (from my usual 1800 to 2100/2200) which has really helped me stay with it, and to resist the urge to binge. What I don't understand is....I'm actually losing at a better rate than when I was exercising like mad. It's like my body finds it easier to shed the weight when I'm not exercising a ton. What gives??
I still love exercise, if nothing else just for the toning benefits and for the mental boost I get. But is it possible that it's better for me not to exercise so much? Can exercise hinder weight loss?

[fight2winthis]

You're probably right, yeah, it happened to me too! I used to do 2hrs of circuit strength training three times a wk, (two tough dvds back to back), then every other day i'll do 15mins high intensity interval cardio followed by 40mins long duration moderate intensity cardio. My weight loss was oh sooooo slow, like 2pounds in two weeks! I've heard that that's some sort of 'healthy recommendation for weight loss', but busting my **** like that just for those meagre results just seemed so unfair (not to mention unnecessary)! Now i workout to just one dvd, 3times a wk, varying the workouts each time, followed by a 20minute yoga stretch, i get four good days of workout-less rest&recovery, and i'm currently losing 3-4pounds/wk, and i'm less hungry cos those previous workouts left me ravenous, so now I crave less and have consequently improved my diet! Winning on both ends!! Overexercising i think makes ur body hold on to fat, kinda like starving to lose weight.

[fitmom]

You might be overtraining which can hinder your progress. Muscles need proper rest to change and grow. Work out smarter not necessarily harder. I know for myself if I just dropped the weight without the exercise I would look very flabby and unfit. The exercise tightens me up in ways that diet alone simply can't. That's what works for me.

[TapasLover]

I'm a big believer in moderation when it comes to exercise. At my heaviest, I was exercising the MOST (I'm a runner) and training for a marathon. On my long training days (15-20 miles) I found it IMPOSSIBLE to control my eating.

Moderation has been a total game changer on this journey. I still run most days of the week (4-6 on average) but NEVER more than 6 miles. Period. Adding in strength training and NOT obsessing over running EVERY day has also helped.

It also sounds like you've found ways to walk more/ not drive as much (as a former LA resident, I know how impossible this is, so congrats! No one walks in LA!) and that is also a huge key for me. I walk to work, I walk to the store--- if its walkable and under 2 miles, I walk it. No negotiations.

Best of luck getting back into your groove!