A year-long plateau...help needed please (LONG)

[RubyBlue]

Originally Posted by D72

Hi again Suzanne. So glad all the reccs are helpful! I was thinking a little more today about this and here's one more that may interest you. Granted-it's an older workout (from 1988) that some may find dated but I think it holds up pretty brilliantly today. I've sung its praises before here :].

Have you ever tried Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout? This was really the one that put Kathy 'on the map' so to speak and is considered a true classic by many. It's now on DVD as part of a compilation called Fat Burning Classics and it's pretty inexpensive too. Of the three workouts on the DVD-this is (in my opinion) the one that stands out a mile. It's the third workout on the disc-just FYI.

It's about 40 minutes of low(er) impact cardio combined with lower body strengthening/toning that works everything. The warmup and cool down are longer than they tend to be today as it was the late 80's but there is *great* and thorough stretching segment at the end which really takes care of the flexibility spoke in the fitness wheel. The whole workout is about an hour-maybe a little less.

There is a lot of good waist work throughout (I love that-very 80's in a good way!) and some unweighted arms but they're pretty peripheral. You get a two for one here (cardio plus lower body toning) and it can work kind of in the Slim Series/Tracy Anderson philosophy of 'controlled overtraining' to slim you down if you do it 4-5-or 6x a week. i believe it was meant to actually.

Add on a short ab/core and upper body workout (not even everyday necessarily) and you've kind of got it all covered. If I could only choose one or two videos for life-this would be one of my keepers.

Not to keep plugging Kathy-but the Upper Body Section on her Total Body Lift is short (15 minutes) and an amazing burn for the time and use of light weights. Since you've been focusing on heavier, more intense work up until now-this one might be a great add-on for the arms. Or even using just the upper body work on Tracy's Mat would be great too.

The sister workout to Fat Burning was called Weight Loss Workout which came out in '90 and is sort of the next level. It's hi/lo cardio with lower and upper body toning-also incorporating light handweights. No specific abs here either though but they can easily be added on of course.

Here is an older thread I remember well where another VF-er (scroll down to JeepGirl/Christine's post) talk about her past success with the FB workout. There's a bit more talk of it on Page 5 too.

http://forum.videofitness.com/showth...eisdorf&page=4

Here's also a link from Collage with a clip and reviews. I think Amazon US has it for even cheaper and Amazon UK might too. There are definitely lots of reviews for it on Amazon-both as a DVD and on its own under VHS.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-...-classics-7724

Lots of Good luck! And please say hi to London for me :] too.

Diana

Hi again Diana,

Thanks for the recommendations and for taking the time to write- I appreciate it.

I DO have Fat Burning Classics- funnily enough, I got it free from Mary at Totalfitness when I did a big order! Haven't done that one in years- must did it out. Thanks for the links- will look at them now.

I might actually go and do that video now...

I did have Total Body Lift and traded i! Sill me.

Thanks again. I wills ay 'hi' to London for you (I can see the London Eye from where I am typing.)

[D72]

double-

[RubyBlue]

Originally Posted by D72

Cheers Suzanne! My pleasure-totally ;]. That's so funny and great that you already had the KS DVD from Mary! I hope it's fun to revisit it. Nothing better than "shopping" in one's own collection, right? I always feel really good after the FB workout too for some reason. Luckily TBL is pretty cheap too these days in case you you decide to try it again but I'm sure many other things you have can sub for it.

Please definitely keep us posted on your progress and again-best of luck with everything. I know you'll do wonderfully with whatever workout(s) you choose.

How great that you can see the London Eye! I'm lovingly envious as there are few cities on Earth I love as much as London. So nice!

Best and thank you too-

Diana

Thanks, will decide soon and post progress. Have ordered Weight Loss Workout from Mary and TBL from Amazon and it's not yet 7 am here! Thanks for the enabling!

[susan p]

Originally Posted by RubyBlue

I'm worried about cuting my intake...it's so difficult. Working out hard gives me an excuse to eat more!

I'm wondering if this isn't part of the problem? Maybe there's more of an intake issue than you realize?

I do think, though, that others who have posted are onto something... Sometimes we just do TOO MUCH and our bodies have a cortisol-mediated stress reaction that causes us to hang onto fat. Sounds like that could very possibly be your problem!

Two other simple things to consider: you body needs water to burn fat; so make sure you are drinking plenty of water. And your body needs sleep to recover; so make sure you are getting enough sleep (to the degree that that is possible, anyway.) I have found at various stressful times in my life that even if I'm doing other things right, my weight loss stalls if I'm not drinking enough and sleeping enough. It truly takes diet-exercise-water-sleep for me.

[sundari]

Perhaps trying out a rotation with Ellen Barrett and Classical Stretch.

[JP44]

When your hormones levels were checked, did they also look at your iron & vitamin D levels? Your lack of energy could be anemia or vitamin D deficiency.

Joan (JP44)

[Sue B]

RubyBlue, I looked back at some of your earlier posts - you've only done FBB for about 2 weeks? That's not long enough to see any results. It's understandable if the program just isn't for you; I did it for nearly 2 months and lost 8 pounds, but it was too hard for me to keep going to the gym regularly, so I switched to doing kettlebells at home.

Programs work if you stick with them, but it takes time. Don't think you'll lose 10 pounds per week like on Biggest Loser. That show is total FICTION!

[RubyBlue]

Originally Posted by Sue B

RubyBlue, I looked back at some of your earlier posts - you've only done FBB for about 2 weeks? That's not long enough to see any results. It's understandable if the program just isn't for you; I did it for nearly 2 months and lost 8 pounds, but it was too hard for me to keep going to the gym regularly, so I switched to doing kettlebells at home.

Programs work if you stick with them, but it takes time. Don't think you'll lose 10 pounds per week like on Biggest Loser. That show is total FICTION!

Sue, FBB wasn't really my point. It's not FBB that's the issue- it's ANY programme. I am aware that results take time.

[D72]

Originally Posted by RubyBlue

Thanks, will decide soon and post progress. Have ordered Weight Loss Workout from Mary and TBL from Amazon and it's not yet 7 am here! Thanks for the enabling!

You're so welcome-that's great! I mean-so sorry too of course.

[RubyBlue]

[QUOTE=susan p;1580576]I'm wondering if this isn't part of the problem? Maybe there's more of an intake issue than you realize?


Two other simple things to consider: you body needs water to burn fat; so make sure you are drinking plenty of water. And your body needs sleep to recover; so make sure you are getting enough sleep (to the degree that that is possible, anyway.) QUOTE]

I'm sure that's all true. I do not sleep enough- still up once/twice a night with my little boy so I get very little unbroken sleep. Don't drink enough water either any more (don't know why.)

I am quite consistent about logging food although I would not pretend to be a clean eater or a truthful logger!