Yoga and weight loss****Update***

[Sabeking]

A little background info. I have been running long distance for 10 years. I have not done a race in two years and have decreased my runs to three times a week. I have noticed over the past two years I have put on about 15 extra pounds. I have been dieting for a month now. Running three days a week, a 750 calorie deficit, cut alcohol to one drink a week. In a month I have gained a pound!!!! My clothes don’t feel any different, I am really frustrated. A friend of mine has suggested yoga a few days a week. Anyone have experience with yoga and weight loss?

 

[wenrob]

A little background info. I have been running long distance for 10 years. I have not done a race in two years and have decreased my runs to three times a week. I have noticed over the past two years I have put on about 15 extra pounds. I have been dieting for a month now. Running three days a week, a 750 calorie deficit, cut alcohol to one drink a week. In a month I have gained a pound!!!! My clothes don’t feel any different, I am really frustrated. A friend of mine has suggested yoga a few days a week. Anyone have experience with yoga and weight loss?

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit and not the type of activity you are doing. If the activity doesn’t burn more than you’re consuming it won’t help. Yoga will change your shape though. How are you keeping track of your deficit? Are you weighing/measuring your food? How often do you weigh? A loss could be missed if long periods go by between weigh ins. Bottom line, if you’re not losing, you’re not in deficit.

 

[Sabeking]

I know about the deficit through my Fitbit. It calculates what I am burning and I log everything I put in my mouth into the system. I set up the deficit through Fitbit based on what I wanted to lose per week. I am eating fairly healthy and limiting carbohydrates. I am weighing on Friday mornings.

 

[donac]

Yoga might help as it helps you to think more about your health and your body. It couldn't hurt

 

[Jdbsfw]

If you wanna go by the scale (which it appears you do) weigh yourself first thing in the morning as your weight can obviously vary through the day. If you want to “look better” try weightlifting with the yoga (if you have the time of course)

 

[Sabeking]

If you wanna go by the scale (which it appears you do) weigh yourself first thing in the morning as your weight can obviously vary through the day. If you want to “look better” try weightlifting with the yoga (if you have the time of course)

I just did a class Monday called sculpt yoga. It was hot yoga with weights. Loved it!!! I hurt so good; I could barely lift my arms for two days!!

 

[wenrob]

I know about the deficit through my Fitbit. It calculates what I am burning and I log everything I put in my mouth into the system. I set up the deficit through Fitbit based on what I wanted to lose per week. I am eating fairly healthy and limiting carbohydrates. I am weighing on Friday mornings.

I wear a FitBit also. They’re not always accurate. Logging what you eat and logging measured/weighed amounts are two different things. With only 15lbs to lose you have to be precise, you can’t be guessing at the amounts. From a purely weight loss standpoint *what* you eat doesn’t matter, it’s *how much* you eat. People tend to under estimate their food intake and over estimate their exercise output. A FitBit and logging are great tools but if you’re not losing the math is wrong somewhere.

 

[OhMari]

Your age has something to do with weight loss. The older you are, it is a lot harder to loose weight. Yoga will make you stronger, especially in your core, since most moves deal with the core.
I belong to my local YMCA and we have a lot of Les Mills classes. I take a core class called CRX once a week, and it really helps my back. Strengthening your core is key. I also take a Kick boxing class which is called Body Combat, lift twice a week with weights-Body Pump and a spin class for 30 minutes twice a week. It helps to change up your work out too. Your body will get used to doing the same exercises, so it is good to change up routines. Plus, they say to loose weight, 80% is what you eat, exercising is only 20% beneficial. Download MyFitnessPal, it is free and it will tell you how many calories you need in a day to loose weight, after you put in all your info.

 

[DLgal]

Try weight training instead. Running is known to decrease muscle mass and cause you to hold onto more fat. You need to gain more muscle to offset the lost muscle mass. You don't need any fancy equipment. Look into Bar Method DVDs you can do at home...amazing results with this program, personally.

Cut back DRASTICALLY on sugar and you will likely see the scale tip in your favor. Stop counting calories. Eat as much whole food as you can. Eat only when you feel hungry and stop AS SOON as you feel satisfied (not full). Drink nothing but water and 2% or whole milk.

Do no more than 150 minutes per week of cardio. More has been shown to be less beneficial for weight loss due to causing cortisol levels to increase. Science is catching up to the "old standby" advice about weight loss and it's very interesting to see how much they got wrong in the past.

 

[DLgal]

Also, look into HIIT workouts. Very effective at fat loss and take much less time to do. I use an app on my phone called 7 Minute Workout by Johnson & Johnson. It is great and requires no equipment.

 

[Sabeking]

I wear a FitBit also. They’re not always accurate. Logging what you eat and logging measured/weighed amounts are two different things. With only 15lbs to lose you have to be precise, you can’t be guessing at the amounts. From a purely weight loss standpoint *what* you eat doesn’t matter, it’s *how much* you eat. People tend to under estimate their food intake and over estimate their exercise output. A FitBit and logging are great tools but if you’re not losing the math is wrong somewhere.

I have done the same thing in the past and it hasn’t been a problem; I have lost weight. I am looking at ounces and serving sizes. I feel like eVer since I turned 50 the same things just aren’t working.

 

[Sabeking]

Your age has something to do with weight loss. The older you are, it is a lot harder to loose weight. Yoga will make you stronger, especially in your core, since most moves deal with the core.
I belong to my local YMCA and we have a lot of Les Mills classes. I take a core class called CRX once a week, and it really helps my back. Strengthening your core is key. I also take a Kick boxing class which is called Body Combat, lift twice a week with weights-Body Pump and a spin class for 30 minutes twice a week. It helps to change up your work out too. Your body will get used to doing the same exercises, so it is good to change up routines. Plus, they say to loose weight, 80% is what you eat, exercising is only 20% beneficial. Download MyFitnessPal, it is free and it will tell you how many calories you need in a day to loose weight, after you put in all your info.

I’m using Fitbit for the logging, irs pretty close to My fitness pal. I totally agree with age thing and really going to try and mix it up!

 

[wenrob]

I have done the same thing in the past and it hasn’t been a problem; I have lost weight. I am looking at ounces and serving sizes. I feel like eVer since I turned 50 the same things just aren’t working.

I am 50 also and am working on “vanity pounds.” I know my FitBit is off by about 250 calories so I keep a 250 “deficit” when I’m in maintenance and a 750 decifit for a 1lb (500 cal) loss. I’m already small, short and old so yeah, it’s slow going but if I dial in precisely I lose the predicted pound a week.

The same things aren’t working because your circumstances are different, your output has changed which means you have to do something different, kwim? At it's core weight loss is a mathematical equation, your math is not right somewhere. I’m not saying this as a criticism, I hope you know that. I truly want to help. I am in my ninth year of maintaining an 89lb loss, 90% of that is being aware of portion control. I personally count calories, it’s not for everyone but it works for me. No matter how you do it, no sugar, no carbs, low fat, keto, whatever, your calories in must be lower than your calories out. If what you’re doing isn’t working you need to have a closer look to figure out why.

 

[Klayfish]

Try weight training instead. Running is known to decrease muscle mass and cause you to hold onto more fat. You need to gain more muscle to offset the lost muscle mass. You don't need any fancy equipment. Look into Bar Method DVDs you can do at home...amazing results with this program, personally.

Cut back DRASTICALLY on sugar and you will likely see the scale tip in your favor. Stop counting calories. Eat as much whole food as you can. Eat only when you feel hungry and stop AS SOON as you feel satisfied (not full). Drink nothing but water and 2% or whole milk.

Do no more than 150 minutes per week of cardio. More has been shown to be less beneficial for weight loss due to causing cortisol levels to increase. Science is catching up to the "old standby" advice about weight loss and it's very interesting to see how much they got wrong in the past.

Yes, this. A hundred times this. Except for the not counting calories. I have no real problem with that. You will not loose weight with yoga. You also really won't sustain weight loss with running either. Unfortunately, so many people think cardio is the key to weight loss. It's not. Don't get me wrong, any exercise is better than none. And cardio can have short term success for those who are overweight. But long term, it's not the way to do it. As DLgal said, it can actually cause you to lose muscle and make it even harder to lose weight.

You also don't want to be at a deficit every day, long term. Your body will adapt, and go into a "starvation mode". Your body will try to hold onto every calorie (which is a unit of energy) it can, so it will make it even harder to lose weight. Calorie deficit is sort of like a law of diminishing returns. It'll work fantastic at first, then results will slowly decrease and eventually stop if you continue doing the same deficit. You need to allow yourself a re-feed periodically. Lots of ways to do that. Hence why my feeling that you don't need to stop counting calories. DW counts every single one, right down to weighing her salads.

Weight training will do wonders. No, you will not get all bulked up like the Incredible Hulk, unless that's what you want. To get that kind of mass, you need to eat like it, and lift really hard. You can do lighter weights if you wish, and if your diet is right (not starving yourself, but not on a "bulking" diet either) you won't get overly massive muscle.

The number on the scale really should be irrelevant. What matters more is body fat and overall fitness. I won't tell you DWs' weight......but it's higher than you'd think. That's simply because she is incredibly ripped with muscles, but her body fat count is ridiculously low. She's about the most fit mid-40's person you'll ever see (and I'm beyond proud of her).

 

[Sabeking]

I am 50 also and am working on “vanity pounds.” I know my FitBit is off by about 250 calories so I keep a 250 “deficit” when I’m in maintenance and a 750 decifit for a 1lb (500 cal) loss. I’m already small, short and old so yeah, it’s slow going but if I dial in precisely I lose the predicted pound a week.

The same things aren’t working because your circumstances are different, your output has changed which means you have to do something different, kwim? At it's core weight loss is a mathematical equation, your math is not right somewhere. I’m not saying this as a criticism, I hope you know that. I truly want to help. I am in my ninth year of maintaining an 89lb loss, 90% of that is being aware of portion control. I personally count calories, it’s not for everyone but it works for me. No matter how you do it, no sugar, no carbs, low fat, keto, whatever, your calories in must be lower than your calories out. If what you’re doing isn’t working you need to have a closer look to figure out why.

No I’m not taking it as criticism and I do appreciate your feedback!! It’s just frustrating putting in all this work and not seeing results!! I will be more conscientious of my intake. I wonder if my Fitbit is off?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Yoga can be a tool in weight loss (I know because I've done it). It just can't be the only thing you rely on (obviously diet is the biggest thing) and you can't take the easy way out with it. Not all yoga programs are created equally. Some are more geared to flexibility and relaxation. I do a combo yoga/pilates program that focuses on strength. It has a lot of the same benefits as weight training, it just uses your own body weight instead.

 

[wenrob]

No I’m not taking it as criticism and I do appreciate your feedback!! It’s just frustrating putting in all this work and not seeing results!! I will be more conscientious of my intake. I wonder if my Fitbit is off?

It could be. I don’t think by 750 though. I know mine is by 250 through trial and error. I knew my food was spot on because weigh it to the gram and account for every crumb but the scale was barely moving. I was only losing a 1/4 - 1/2 a pound when I was set to 1lb deficit. Set it 1.5lb deficit and there came the 1lb loss like clockwork. My advice if you want it is to dial in your food logging for a bit. You don’t have to be ultra precise forever but to get a handle on things you have to start from somewhere. A small amount to lose calls for more precision than a large amount. Make sure the FitBit has all your stats right. Let it calculate your exercise don’t add anything to it. And well, I hate to say it but you’re going to have to cut some calories. It’s easier to do that through intake than it is through exercise. You don’t get the activity you did when you were a runner, you can’t eat like one unfortunately.

 

[Klayfish]

No I’m not taking it as criticism and I do appreciate your feedback!! It’s just frustrating putting in all this work and not seeing results!! I will be more conscientious of my intake. I wonder if my Fitbit is off?

Don't rely on things like Fitbits. They're neat tools, but only general guides. They're not super accurate. I'm sure it is frustrating to do the work and not get the results you want. Definitely suggest changing the running and deficit routine. From what I've read in your descriptions, it's the "classic" scenario with running/dieting.

 

[Christine]

I'm going to chime in with "you're eating more than you think" and at our age and with little to lose, it really, really matters. I learned I had to weigh just about everything I put in my mouth and I do it in grams to get the most precise measurement.

 

[Mirielle]

Yes, this. A hundred times this. Except for the not counting calories. I have no real problem with that. You will not loose weight with yoga. You also really won't sustain weight loss with running either. Unfortunately, so many people think cardio is the key to weight loss. It's not. Don't get me wrong, any exercise is better than none. And cardio can have short term success for those who are overweight. But long term, it's not the way to do it. As DLgal said, it can actually cause you to lose muscle and make it even harder to lose weight.

You also don't want to be at a deficit every day, long term. Your body will adapt, and go into a "starvation mode". Your body will try to hold onto every calorie (which is a unit of energy) it can, so it will make it even harder to lose weight. Calorie deficit is sort of like a law of diminishing returns. It'll work fantastic at first, then results will slowly decrease and eventually stop if you continue doing the same deficit. You need to allow yourself a re-feed periodically. Lots of ways to do that. Hence why my feeling that you don't need to stop counting calories. DW counts every single one, right down to weighing her salads.

Weight training will do wonders. No, you will not get all bulked up like the Incredible Hulk, unless that's what you want. To get that kind of mass, you need to eat like it, and lift really hard. You can do lighter weights if you wish, and if your diet is right (not starving yourself, but not on a "bulking" diet either) you won't get overly massive muscle.

The number on the scale really should be irrelevant. What matters more is body fat and overall fitness. I won't tell you DWs' weight......but it's higher than you'd think. That's simply because she is incredibly ripped with muscles, but her body fat count is ridiculously low. She's about the most fit mid-40's person you'll ever see (and I'm beyond proud of her).

Oh yes! Agree with every word. I began slowly with weights, enjoyed it so much and felt better (and younger) than I had in years. Loved it so much that I got into power lifting. Having strength and energy was wonderful!!! I wore smaller clothes than I had in a long, long time but weighed more. Distribution of muscles. Wish I could get back into it!