Laurie2

What have you done about your diet?

Since you started, what has your wardrobe been like? Looser, the same or ? You cannot go by the scales in the beginning. Too many factors cause daily fluctuations ....so your clothes are a better indicator of change at first as your body "shifts" around. Losing that "tire" is going to take time, patience. You will have to stay determined and stay motivated. The first place the body stores the fat, will be the last place to go. But the body takes fat from all over....not just one place. Why there is no such thing as "spot reducing."

What you are wanting to do is lose bodyfat. Losing weight is a misnomer really. You can stay the same "weight" but lost some bodyfat/waterweight and exchange it for muscle. Muscle is denser than bodyfat but smaller in size. A tangerine size portion of lean muscle weighs about the same as two grapefruit size portions of bodyfat.

But lifting does force the body to work harder and keeps the metabolism up longer than cardio. You might want to cut down the cardio and stick with the weightlifting. If you feel you need it, then just some after the lifting or on the non lifting days. What have you been doing in the way of sets, reps and weights? Strength training is lifting moderately heavy weights for 4 sets of 10 reps or lower. Try for a three day split for a hour/90 minutes a session. Rest a minute between each set. Use the cardio as a "cooldown" afterwards.

It sounds like you have everything there to do the job....you dont have to join a gym.

As for diet. Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day...about every three hours if you can. This keeps your metabolism up to burn fat for energy. Try to eat enough calories to keep the metabolism from slowing down and the body conserving fat ("Starvation mode") Increase your protien to about one gram per pound of lean body weight. Lower your carbs....cut the overly processed ones. Eat more complex like whole grains/veggies. Cut the sugar and drink plenty of water. If you cannot eat enough protein through your diet, then use a whey/soy protien powder to fill the gap.

I lost 60lbs taking a year's worth of college women's strength classes. Went from 245 to 180. I am 52 and 5'6"/largeboned. Got sick and tired of being overweight for the 33 years of my marriage. Now I am down to premarriage clothes sizes....although the scales show me to be heavier. I was never skinny and always hefty as a teen. I rode a 10 sp all over San Diego and to college and that kept me fit. But my diet was a mess....hardly ate or did fad diets.

After I started lifting, I noticed inches beginning to drop rather than scale weight. Noticed my jeans were starting to get looser after the first couple of months. But I was depending on my bodyfat to burn the calories for energy while lifting. When I relearned to eat properly.....I lost more weight and gained some muscle mass. Why I weighed more on the scales than my pre marriage clothes sizes would have me think. Then I realized what had happened.

I dont mind the exchange and the upper body strength especially I gained came in handy recently. Blew a rear tire on my 79 Cordoba and changed the tire myself. Last time I had to do this was several years ago when 245 and was exhausted afterwards. Not tired this time. Taking those classes made a big difference. I still lift twice a week since the classes ended six months ago. All I have is an Olympic style (adjustable) bench with Olympic barbell and plates. Have a couple of Ivanko standard dumbbells to go with it. My husband bought the bench/bar for me to workout at home with.

I still have a "tire" to work on and my abs are a mess after two c sections (21 and 18 years ago...both styles). But that "tire" is a heck of alot smaller than when I first started out. I can see definition in areas where fat was covering before. Unlike most women, I carry my fat in the stomach, back and shoulders...like a guy. Always had slim but muscular hips/thighs and butt.

Anyway....stick with it. Give yourself time. Maybe change your lifting routine abit. Go with more poundage maybe. Usually what is needed is a diet tweaking if you havent done it already.