Tone Body Just McDgoualling?

[happyalyssa]

Boy I know that feeling! I was in Vegas last summer with a bunch of people (hot hot HOT) but I refused to get into a pool when they all were around.

The main reason your 70 year old mum has lost at the same rate as you (I'm assuming here) is that you're building muscle at the same time as losing fat; whereas she's just losing fat. Body fat is lighter than muscle by volume.

Building muscle while losing fat is better for your health moreso than just losing fat, so what you're doing is a good thing. And many studies show that the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you'll burn every day just maintaining it. However! Personal trainers are expennnnnnsive! If you've been with one for 3 times a week now since November, you're probably quite comfortable with the gym you're going to and know the routines fairly well. I would imagine that by now, you could get just as much of a workout without a trainer as you do with as long as you continue to push yourself and add more weight or make the cardio workouts more intense as you continue to get stronger and leaner.

Granted personal trainers can be a great wealth of information and inspiration, so hiring one for a session even once a month could keep you on track if you need that. If your gym offers classes, try taking one. The instructors I have had are great about answering questions before and after class as well. You could even talk to your trainer about what classes would be good for your ability range.

Anyway, what you're doing is great I'm doing the diet & exercise too and each day in itself can be a challenge to make good decisions but I find it is getting easier. Some days I am dying for a cookie, but there are other days where I just can't wait to go to the gym.

Best of luck in your journey!

[hope101]

Warrior: I don't know what Dr. McDougall himself recommends other than moderate exercise, but most reading I have done says we should do resistance exercise twice a week for an hour and an hour or so of cardio most days of the week. I guarantee you the weights will give you more definition (especially if you do higher weight, lower reps) than just doing cardio alone. Now, there is no reason you can't do resistance training and cardio on your own, or in a gym without a trainer. But you yourself know if your motivation is liable to flag without a trainer to push you.

If you decided to pursue it on your own you might want to consider a workout partner to remain accountable. For that matter, you might consider splitting your trainer with another person. I know there are some trainers who will come to your home or meet you in a gym and share the hour with another person for a reduced fee. Some places like the YMCA will allow a certain number of consultations with a trainer included with your membership price. They help you set up the program, you do the program on your own, and they have prearranged followup to tweak the program as you improve.

If you go on your own at home, look at The Firm workout tapes. They kick my butt because they rely on free weights and your own body weight for the resistance training. I actually find them harder in some ways than the weight machines in the gym.

[DianeR]

A second for the Firm tapes. I own a number of them and change which ones I do. It is supposed to be good for your body not to get too used to one particular routine.

Something else about the Firm -- you get your aerobic training at the same time you do resistance.

I've added in yoga too (I have the Firm tape and some others). As you get older particularly, I think it is important to do something to help with posture, flexibility, and balance. It is also great for stress relief.

It is hard for a woman to get "obvious muscles." I've heard only a small percentage of women have the genes that would allow them to get muscles like body builders get -- and that is only after extensive work with very, very heavy weights. It isn't something that is going to happen to you unaware! I've been doing resistance work for the past year and I don't see my muscles have gotten bigger at all. Actually, I would like to have some more defined muscles ... but perhaps my skin has to tighten up a bit to see what I have. I lost 25 pounds last year; I'm short so this was a pretty high percentage of my body weight. My muscles FEEL toned underneath

BTW I would be concerned with losing weight while not exercising, particularly an older person. Past a certain age, we lose muscle and gain fat each year if we don't exercise -- even if the weight stays the same. Diet without exercise can cause loss of both fat and muscle. Resistance training is actually more important for older people to do, whether they are losing weight or not. In addition to avoiding the loss of muscle, you need it to keep bones strong. A lot of the frailty that people normally associate with older age is from years of inactivity.

70 is not too late to start. See, e.g., http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/streng ... ng/AN01114

A while ago I posted a link about a woman who started weight training at age 73. Obviously she has the genes I mentioned. She is a body building champion now -- at age 86!

[LJ]

Another thumbs up for The Firm videos. They really do whip me into shape. I use to be quite the gym rat, doing free weights and cardio. I was at the gym 5 days/week. (was in great shape then too). Now, few years later and 2 children later, I don't have time for the gym. A few years ago I began using The Firm videos in my basement and they get me into shape just as well as if I went to the gym. I like to do them first thing in the morning, take a shower and be done all before the kids get up. It works for me. My favorite Firm series is the fanny lifter series..I also have the Transfirmer and INcline step series. They are all awesome.

One thing to be said for McDougalling is that, yes, you can lose weight without the exercise. For us women I think it is especially important to do weight bearing exercise because that is the KEY to avoiding osteoporosis. I know the dairy industry would like us to think its lack of calcium, but its actually lack of weight bearing exercise. I can't seem to find the article right now because I was going to post the link but, in summary, it stated that our bones are a lot like muscle. When we exercise them, the healthier they are. Lack of exercise leads to osteoporosis. Thats it in a nutshell anyway. So, whether you need to lose weight or not. Exercise is simply needed for our overall health. Sidenote, I've also read research about exercising regularly and how it can keep you from shrinking in height as you age.

[DianeR]

I know the dairy industry would like us to think its lack of calcium, but its actually lack of weight bearing exercise. [snip]

Sidenote, I've also read research about exercising regularly and how it can keep you from shrinking in height as you age.

If you read what Dr. McDougall has to say on the subject, a major factor in osteoporosis is also animal protein.
http://drmcdougall.com/med_osteo.html
http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougal ... htdiet.htm
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/ ... tefive.htm

If you look at a chart of dairy consumption versus rates of osteoporosis in assorted countries, you will find that the more dairy, the more osteoporosis! There's also that study financed by the dairy industry (which they never mention) where the group supplemented with dairy ended up with less bone than the other group.

I know everyone here probably knows all this already, but I thought it worth mentioning in case someone didn't.

About shrinking ... I had a thread awhile ago about how I measured my height because it hadn't been done for years, my mom has osteoporosis and has lost height, and I'm now menopausal. Well, I'm 1/2 inch taller than I used to be in my 20s and 30s (hadn't been measured in my 40s) I think it is due to the yoga.

I'll have to look into the Firm videos you mention. I have all of the early ones. Then I stopped buying each new one, asking myself why would I need any more? Thinking about it now, it would be nice to try something new, though. Of the ones you mention, which would you say is your favorite?

[LJ]

Diane, here's a link on ebay to the Firm system that I use A LOT. THey are wonderful. You'll definitely need the fanny lifter step and the sculpting stick.....this set has everything you need.

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-FIRM-DVD-Fanny- ... dZViewItem

The Firm has many different series. I also have a series that uses an incline step...I like those a lot but the fanny lifter is still my favorite.

[DianeR]

Thanks!