*spinoff* If you are a personal trainer, or you use a personal trainer...

[zephani]

Another shameless bump.

[BigRedV]

It could also mean you are toning up and gaining muscle. You should also always take your measurements as if you plateau on the scales, you can see if you are still losing weight with measurements.

If you have consistently been losing weight since November, I would say it is a plateau. They are inevitable.

[TripleTime]

Remember muscle weighs more than fat. So while you've gained a bit, it could be muscle, especially if your toning.

[Cheerilee]

I also thought that that amount of calories was low.

If you have put on muscle not just lost fat then your body needs more calories to work. It also depends on the amount of exercise you are doing.

Another thing you could try is to up your protein intake, for some people that makes a difference. By the way I don't mean to cut out carbs by that at all. Just increase protein in your diet as it is now.


Have a look at this one as it takes into account the amount of exercise you are doing as well as your weight and height

http://calculators.hpathy.com/calories-need.asp

[MissSteph]

Hi OP,

1200 calories is good for weightloss.

Your lunch isn't the best meal for weightloss. Baked beans would be better than spaghetti, but personally I would do something like canned Tuna or salmon, or grilled chicken breast (size of your palm) with salads (no dressing, or very very minimal ie a teaspoon). For breakfast I would have a bowl of oats. Keeps you fuller for longer and just a great breakfast all around especially as you are exercising.

As for exercise, I do YouTube work outs. I love the "8 minute abs" workout. There's also 8 minute arms, legs etc.

HTH

[confusd]

skipping is HARD! I was like Pfft... skipping thats easy.. i lasted about 2 min my goal was to get to 10min

I did personal training and we used to do a lot of kick boxing. Do step ups on your couch or anything you have available. Punch the air with weights in your hands. Run on the spot and lift your knees as high as you can.
We used to have to run/ ride the bike for a 2min as fast as we could then jump off and do a plank for 30sec-1min as "resting time" and repeat 10 times.
When your watching tv do crunches or start jumps or push ups during the ads.
My DD used to do it with me

My sister has some billy boot camp(?? i think) dvd's. You could do them when you get the time at home in your lounge room.
The goal is to get your heart rate up. Remember to warm up and stretch!

I cant help you with the diet stuff. I KNOW how to do it all and how to eat the right things but i have 0 will power to do so. ( i crave sugar ) I lost over 15kg doing exercise but not changing anything in my diet. I try not to think about how much i could of lost if i had just stuck to the Healthy eating.

Hope some of that helps.

[quitecontrary]

Zeph - there are all sort of dvds etc out there, plus those youtube 8 minute exercises sound great.
I would reckon that your gain is hormonal. My weight often fluctuates upwards, I usually call it a glitch! But often by a kg before AF.
I thought you had treadmill?? I know you have some stairs in your home!
Oh yeah, and skipping is deadly! I got a rope a while a back and used it a few times and boy oh boy is that exhausting!

[tiggerfields]

I use a TRX at home - love it love it LOVE IT. Can use while kids are up and about, in pretty much any room. I use mine over the loungeroom door. Cannot recommend it highly enough - gets your heartrate right up there and really builds muscle.

http://www.trxtraining.com/

[meme]

I would add some weight training into you r routine. Simple like squats, and lunges for legs (can be done with handweights too or just without, lots of variations on how to do them. so far I've done split squats, which are lunges repetitively done on one side for a certain amount of times and then the other leg, lunges where you step them up the hallway and then back again, squats with a medicine ball between outstretched hands, jump squats where you squat and then jump, regular squats, bench squats) and some arm exercises for biceps and triceps. Tricep dips can be done using a chair or bench fairly easily, and I use little dumbells for bicep curls. Also if you are strong enough push ups. And some crunches for abs. I personally like fitballs too, and the idea of strengthening the core.
I do variations of this stuff with and without a personal trainer, weight training stuff first usually as apparently you use the energy from the food you have eaten before stored fat, and then cardio after to try to shift the stored fat( although I can get puffed with the weight training too, so I feel it's quite cardio for me too).

I would up the protein too. I try to have some sort of protein with every meal. I really like adding some LSA to my cereal in the morning.

Muscle ups the metabolism, I think - so building your bodies muscle will help burn more fat even when you are sitting still.

I am no expert at all, and it sounds like you are doing fantastic anyway, this could just be a blip where you need a bit of a change to your routine.

[iMischa]

when i skip i knock myself out with a booby to the head. OR my gut which has 2 c section scars hiding under there, feels like its going to rip open! eeep.

do u have any exercise equip at home?

i'm desperate for a treadmill! then i can be fit and still continue to be a hermit!!