WW and exercise
 

I started working out on a daily basis about 4 weeks ago, and I've noticed that my weight loss has really slowed to a crawl- which, after posting here about it, I believe is mostly attributed to not counting points entirely properly (only off by .5- 2 pts) and not eating enough greens/oil. I fixed the points/greens/oil problem 2 days ago, BUT, I also haven't worked out in the last 2 days- AND on the 2 or 3 days i've skipped in the last 4 weeks, I managed to lose 1 lb each day- is it possible working out every single day might be contributing to the slowing loss? (building muscle, maybe?) Should I work out every other day? I'm working out to fatigue each time, but it's only 20 minute body weight work outs (bodyrock.tv)- technically I don't need a day off between because I'm not working out with heavy weights, and because I do upper body one day, and lower body the next.

Which is the more common sense approach? I promise I'm not trying to rush things, I just want to do what's healthier for my body- either enjoy my workouts (I love the feel of challenging my body, and my new "guns" lol) or give my body time to rest, even tho I don't necessarily *feel* like I need to.

If you just started working out your muscles may be retaining water and that is normal. Drink a bunch of extra water and just wait it out and you'll go back to normal. If it isn't a matter of you just starting I'd ask if you're eating enough. I went through a period where I was working out a lot (every day, for at least an hour, because I'm insane) and my weight was staying the same and I increased my food intake and that helped get things moving again.
I think it would be wise to give yourself a rest day or two but if you don't feel like you need it and you aren't sore/tired/overtraining then keep on doing what you're doing. 2 days isn't really enough to know if it is a food issue or an exercise issue. Even if the scale isn't dropping quickly you are doing things that are good for you and it will eventually catch up.
What is bodyrock?

Originally Posted by Spooky:
What is bodyrock?

Yeah, I know 2 days isn't a good enough gauge of time, I was just interested in peoples opinions. :)

Bodyrock is A-MA-ZING. It's this chick, who is SUPER fit, and she (with the help of her boyfriend who films her workouts) has created this "work out from home with minimal-to-no equipment using body weight only" movement. All the workouts I select use no equipment (my 194 lb. body is plenty, believe me).. it's a lot of variations on push-ups, lunges, squats, ab work, etc. But it's FUN, and CHALLENGING as all ****, and Zuzana is the cutest thing ever with her Czech accent. :D I don't aspire to look like her, but the fittest, tonest version of me... but she's definitely my inspiration. :)

The equipment she sometimes uses are: a dip-station- which I lay under my dining table and pull myself up on the edge for pull-ups; a sandbag- which she's joked about us filling duffle bags with dirty laundry (why not? lol); and a jump-rope- which I have, but don't have room to use, so I do high-knee jogging. I also use a free online interval/timer on my laptop for the interval timer.. cuz I can't afford to buy any equipment right now.

Wow, thanks for the heads up on this! I just looked at the site and it looks like exactly what I need! I might try this out, starting tomorrow. I don't really have any weights or equipment but I'm sure I can make it work (as Tim Gunn would say). I definitely need more intense training (long cardio bouts drive me bonkers).

I don't really have an answer but just wanted to chime in that I'm in the same boat. I've been working out 5 hours a week the last two weeks and have either lost almost nothing or gained a tiny bit. BEfore that I was working out but maybe only 3 hours a week and I wasn't as careful tracking as I have been the last two weeks. I do a mix of weights and cardio and have been really pushing myself lately because I need it, I need the challenge.

Anyway I'm trying to make more of an effort to eat all of my points this week (including most of my AP tho not all in case I overestimated them) and see if it helps. I mean the last time I really committed to WW I lost weight without working out, why would I think that working out would mean I couldn't eat back those points? Even if you eat back all of your Activity Points you are still at a deficit most likely because of the way AP are counted versus food points.

That just sort of clicked for me a day or two ago. :) I figure I'll stop being so strict and hard on myself and see what happens. The worse is I gain a pound this week? Better that and knowing the answer than to be stuck and under fueling my body!

Originally Posted by patchymama:
Even if you eat back all of your Activity Points you are still at a deficit most likely because of the way AP are counted versus food points.

So, question about activity points. Say I work out 5 days a week, 15-30 minutes of non-stop movement at maximum intensity (and then about 6 min warm-up and 15 min yoga-type cool down). It's basically interval training of back-to-back pushups, lunges, squats-type movement, and then I'm pretty sedentary through-out the rest of the day (in classroom @ college for hours). Is that worthy of activity points? Being 15-20 min the average #, and then sedentarianism (I think I made that word up), I didn't think it would be.

Just remember that muscle does weigh more than fat. Just keep up with the exercise and eating right. Make sure you count your points and eat some activity points to keep your metabolism up.

Originally Posted by dj mayhem:
Just remember that muscle does weigh more than fat. Just keep up with the exercise and eating right. Make sure you count your points and eat some activity points to keep your metabolism up.

This is untrue. 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat weigh the same. Think about it! 1 POUND of feathers and 1 POUND of bricks still weigh the same, they just look different.

Originally Posted by girlsenberry:
So, question about activity points. Say I work out 5 days a week, 15-30 minutes of non-stop movement at maximum intensity (and then about 6 min warm-up and 15 min yoga-type cool down). It's basically interval training of back-to-back pushups, lunges, squats-type movement, and then I'm pretty sedentary through-out the rest of the day (in classroom @ college for hours). Is that worthy of activity points? Being 15-20 min the average #, and then sedentarianism (I think I made that word up), I didn't think it would be.

I think if it is an activity you do not usually do and you are getting your heart rate up sufficiently to count as cardio/activity than you should count it :) I assume that you chose sedentary as your activity level when setting up your WW points to begin with so your calorie count is not accounting for that exercise. It might help to get a heart rate monitor to see exactly what sort of calories you are burning and how high it pushes your heart rate.

Originally Posted by patchymama:
I assume that you chose sedentary as your activity level when setting up your WW points to begin with so your calorie count is not accounting for that exercise.

Am I missing something? The PP calculator doesn't ask me for activity level?

Originally Posted by girlsenberry:
So, question about activity points. Say I work out 5 days a week, 15-30 minutes of non-stop movement at maximum intensity (and then about 6 min warm-up and 15 min yoga-type cool down). It's basically interval training of back-to-back pushups, lunges, squats-type movement, and then I'm pretty sedentary through-out the rest of the day (in classroom @ college for hours). Is that worthy of activity points? Being 15-20 min the average #, and then sedentarianism (I think I made that word up), I didn't think it would be.

I'm not quite sure I understand the whole question, but here... The 15-30 minutes of activity that you get IS counted towards activity points. Anything ABOVE and BEYOND what you do for a daily job is counted as activity points. Most people don't count a few steps here and there, as that's more likely considered NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...stuff like taking the stairs, making the bed, doing laundry) rather than a purposeful workout.

The number of Daily Points you receive is formulated to allow you to lose weight doing absolutely no activity. When the program is followed properly, it adds up to fewer calories consumed than expended while being mostly sedentary.

Adding in activity above and beyond means that we burn more calories, and again as long as we're adding them up honestly and correctly, then we earn Activity Points. You can choose to eat back some of your Activity Points... or not. That's very personal, and it's trial and error to find out if it works in your daily life.

I hope that clears some things up.

Originally Posted by Lovely:
I'm not quite sure I understand the whole question, but here... The 15-30 minutes of activity that you get IS counted towards activity points.

Well, the part I was unclear about was whether my 15-25 minutes counted towards points, because I thought the chart I saw a while ago was for activity 30 minutes and higher.

The explanation about PP daily allowance points was perfect, thank you!

Originally Posted by girlsenberry:
Well, the part I was unclear about was whether my 15-25 minutes counted towards points, because I thought the chart I saw a while ago was for activity 30 minutes and higher.

It counts towards points. I don't recall any chart saying that your activity has to be for 30 minutes or longer in order for it to count.

If someone has more updated knowledge of activity points, feel free to correct me, though.

Originally Posted by girlsenberry:
Am I missing something? The PP calculator doesn't ask me for activity level?

Hmm I could be wrong but I could have sworn that my WW online asked me my activity level when I took the initial start up survey. Maybe I'm mistaken tho ... I can't seem to figure out how to go back and retake that quiz to check. :)