First time in forum

[minime]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading these forums for a few weeks now and thought it was time to join in. I've been on Cohens for about 6 weeks and lost about 12kgs. I have found reading the forums a great inspiration and can't wait till I'm posting that i'm down to my goal weight. I have about another 40-45kgs to go.... Seems like such a huge number but if things go according to plan it shouldn't take too long.

I was wondering... I exercise quite a lot but it doesn't seem to help in losing. If anything it has possibly slowed down since I started doing more regular exercise (from 3 days to 6 days a week). I know it is not recommended to exercise but I feel better mentally to do so. Have other people found that exercise helps or hinders the program?

Congratulations to everyone in joining the Cohens program and doing something positive about our minds. bodies and souls.

Cheers
MiniMe

[heavenlylamb]

Welcome to the forum!
I have had one or two swims while on the plan, and while I was overseas recently I did LOTS of walking. THe thing I found with the walking was that I wasnt eating enough to cover the energy burn, and I was absolutely starving, and craving carbs. So, I think thats part of the reason why they dont encourage exercise.
For me, not having to exercise was one of the reasons why I chose this program, and I'm certainly happy that it works without exercising. Maybe switch to more stretching and toning type exercise, which could have similar mental benefits without interfering with hunger etc.
Pen

[Ididit4me]

hi minime,

Welcome aboard and congratulations on the 12 kgs.

I was back to exercising 3-4xs per week in january and for the first week of Feb when I started I cohens, I worked out 4 times. I was losing a pound a day.

Since then, due to other circumstances, I have slowed down my routine. I only went to the gym once this week. I haven't seen a consistent effect as to whether working out more or less has a direct effect on the weight loss. I'm hoping in another week I can test that out.

It is true that you could be hungrier, so make sure you aren't over doing the grams of your food to compensate for that hunger.

There are a lot of people who discourage exercise during the weight loss phase, but i find it hard to believe that it could be detrimental. I still feel exercise is important to keep your organs and muscles healthy. I know a lot of thin people who are just as tired or out of breath doing simple things as i was (am) being heavy. In my mind, there is no arguing the cause that exercise is beneficial.

having said that though, I have changed my attitude toward exercise. Instead of saying "this is going to help me lose weight faster" I look at it from a purely physical point of view in trying to keep my usually sedentary body in a state of motion for 45 minutes a few times a week. prevents the body from atrophying (real word?). Helps to build endurance, assists the food intake in keeping my heart healthy and dropping my cholesterol even lower.

As heavenlylamb said, I would also watch the types of exercise you are doing. If you are strength training, do very light weights and don't spend a lot of time on them, 15-20 minutes tops per session. Do more cardio at a moderate pace, and yoga or pilates. Then, when you are closer to your goal weight you can step up the pace and get the body ready for those marathons that you will now be able to do!

[minime]

Thanks heavenlylamb and ididit4me. So far I haven't felt hungry when exercising - when I do feel hungry during the day, I just drink more water or have my crispbreads or fruit so that hasn't been an issue. And I haven't felt hungry at all on this program so far...

I have always been of the school that exercise and healthy eating are the best ways to build a healthy mind and body. I sit for long periods at my desk (apart from the hundreds of times a day that i need to go to the toilet with drinking all the water), so feel that exercise is essential to get the heart and blood pumping.

I have tried to turn my thinking around like you ididit4me and instead of going hard to the point of collapse - I am now doing very moderate light exercise and try to mix it up so I'm still encouraging different muscle groups to build and strenghten.

I do 2x5 min reps of cross trainer, exercise bike and rowing machine totalling 30mins 3xs a week. I go for a 4km walk 2xs a week and I do an hour of yoga and pilates x1 a week. (Am going to start doing more yoga and pilates because I can feel already a change to my posture and well being). I am trying to keep my heart rate steady and not elevated too much so I'm not burning to much energy.

At this stage I don't know whether it's helping my weight loss but it definitely helps keep my mind focussed, stressed less and more creative.

[baloo]

The clinic I go to stressed quite strongly that increasing workout rates will be counter-productive. They said the biggest issue they have is people of have dropped weight and are feeling healthy again, start exercising more than before and that screws with the program. It doesn't help weightloss, if anything, it slows it down.

This is mentally one of the toughest parts of the program for me. I used to love a good hard gym session to get those endorphins pumping. Not exercising to lose weight is tough to comprehend but It seems to be working for me so I'll stay off them.

Minime, I'd suggest dropping back to your regular 3 times a week and light exercise too. While I don't understand the science behind not exercising, Santa seems to be on the money with his analysis.

[minime]

Thanks for your point of view on the exercise thing. It's such a hard concept for me to grasp that you can actually lose weight just by eating.

Never having been a big eater, always conscious of the food I ate and maintaining regular exercise, over the past few years I have steadily increased weight instead of decreasing it. I would get to the point where I would lose 10 kgs and then put back on 15kgs. I would then lose 15 kgs and put back on 20kgs. It was a never ending cycle and one that I am determined to break. And one where I have gotten to be the biggest I've ever been.

My clinic has advised me as well Baloo that increased exercise should not be considered as a means to faster weight loss. Although I was more under the impression that it was because by increasing muscle may increase weight (you know the whole muscle weighs more than fat thing) and as well for the whole hunger thing. So I was really interested to hear how other people where approaching it.

I am so confused. I thought that the whole point in stimulating the human growth hormone was to increase lean muscle mass and encourage rapid fat loss. So shouldn't exercise whereby working those muscles help???

Perhaps I will cut back to 3 sessions a week with the weekend off. And then maybe to 2 days and then none.... It's going to be hard!!!!

[Ididit4me]

Yes, the exercise thing is confusing. I suggest you talk to your consultant and find out for sure if you can keep going/decrease/increase your regimen.

Since i was exercising for my first blood test, i was told that was taken into account for my program. My plan says that i can continue to workout moderately if I was already exercising. I think the key is not to go overboard.

Maybe you can switch it up from one week to the next. Like, this week, go 3 times and do the cardio cross training only. Next week, just do the yoga, following week, go walking, and then come around to the beginning again. Something like that. I'm not sure that i would be going 5-6 times a week though.

Let us know what your consultant says.

[minime]

That's not a bad idea with the different weeks of exercise. That way I can still do my 3 days a week but I'd still be mixing up the exercise instead of doing different exercises each day. I like that idea and because I did include that I do exercise when I signed onto the program it shouldn't harm anything. I will definitely check next time I go in to the clinic (in about 2 weeks) and let you all know the outcome.

I weighed this morning and I have lost roughly 3.5kgs in the last 2 and a bit weeks, so it doesn't seem to be having any adverse affects. I guess it goes to show that you shouldn't weigh everyday because in the first month everytime I jumped on the scales I had lost another kg. This time the scales weren't moving at all - until this morning.

But because I'm only 6 weeks into the program I'm not entirely sure what my average loss should be. If there is one. i'm hoping to average about 7-8kgs a month.

Thanks for all your thoughts and I'll keep you posted with what the clinic recommends.

Cheers
MiniMe

[Peter 14.7]

Welcome Minime

Average Loss? You are about right.

From the tickers (guides of loss) of the long term dieters here it seems 1.5kg to 2kg a week is common.

But as my wife just said men lose weight quicker than women. Again must be that muscle mass thing.

Peter 14.7