Hi there Adey
That's quite the workout *ouch*
I have a few suggestions and comments. On your plan you say "low fat" I've got to tell you that low fat and low carb do not mix. When cutting down on the carbs you need the fat for a few reasons. First it makes you feel full and satiated. Second you need fat period. Your body needs it to function, some fats are even essential (They are quite aptly named Essentail Fatty Acids
) Cutting them out puts you at risk for all kinds of nasty things. If you are indeed following Atkins then I suggest following it to a T. Worry about the carbs but for the first while do not worry about anything else. Fine tweaking and dealing with fat and calories comes later, much later, as you approach goal.
As for the exercise, well I used to do workouts very similar to yours. 45 minutes of cardio 5 or 6 times a week (sometimes 2 bouts of cardio at 45 minutes twice a day). With LC I started lifting some weights for the first time in a while; this I have continued. I recently started another program (
body for life ) and changed how I work out. Cardio is now 20 minutes 3 times a week (high intensity interval training) and 3 days doing intense weight training. After just 5 days I'm noticing a change.
Research I have done has all pointed to one conclusion, if you want to lose body fat and not lose lean muscle mass you must weight train. Cardio helps you burn fat while you're doing it. It also helps with conditioning. Weight training burns fat long after you're done; it increases your metabolism by bulding lean muscle mass which in turn burns more calories.
Here are a few links to info on weight training/ interval training and fat loss:
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/WT%26End.html
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/DietExStudy.html
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/WeightLoss.html
and here are some medical abstracts relating to calorie deficit and wieght loss / fat loss :
http://www.exrx.net/Notes/WeightLossAbstracts.html
Giving up the cardio 45 minutes a day was not easy, I resisted and agonized. I've spent 13 years doing it and I actually enjoy it
The 20 minutes of HIIT are tough though, very tough and intense.
With respect to LC and working out it is adviseable you slow down or stop entirely at first. It takes a good 2 weeks for your body to adapt to burning a new fuel (Ketones). Go easy on yourself no matter what kind of exercise you're doing and ease back into it. Are you taking any supplements? Potassium would be a good idea as would magnesium and calcium. These help with fatigue and cramping. Here's some info on supplements:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...s+AND+potassium
I suggest that to combat that sluggish feeling you are feeling you increase your fat and calorie intake. You should be eating 10 -12 times your body weight in calories every day. This is just for basal metabolic functioning. With as much exercise as you're doing it is likely your body has been holding onto whatever it can thinking it's not getting enough food. An adequate fuel intake is essential for fat loss, you must get your body to trust that it will be nourished before it will comply and start giving up that fat.
I hope this helps,
Nat
Strenuous workouts???
WOW!
I'm walking living proof it works; I was the ultimate low fat dieter (and i was gaining weight with low fat / 1000 calories a day / 45 x 2 aerobic workouts a day). This works.
thanks for the replies....
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