Unfortunately, as my muscle tone improves, my weight loss has stalled somewhat, and that is so annoying. I still have at least 50lbs that I want to see gone, and I'm doing all the right things, just my body has decided not to cooperate on the numbers side of the game.
I can notice the difference - I can feel the musculature in my upper legs, thighs and butt under the padding that has been covering it for years. My workouts are at higher levels, longer times or more sets of reps, and those are the things that I am measuring by.
I do love my Planet Fitness, too. I use the hydro-massage bed 2 or 3 times a visit. One time, I may focus solely on about 8" of my lower back, another I'll do lower back down the back of my legs to just above my knees ... the latter usually after I've worked my legs on the machines.
My favourite machine is the Intellistrider, which is a seated stepper. I could barely manage 2 minutes at level 1 when I began, now I do 30 or 45 minutes at level 3. On the triceps press, I started doing 5 sets x 20 reps at 20lbs, and now do 5 at 40lbs and then an additional set at 50lbs.
At home, I have my elliptical cycle and most days do one to two hours of pedalling in anything from 15-45 minute increments. It began as a way to get my heart rate up a bit when the meds had it so slow it was scary. I'd pedal to bring it up into like the mid 40s where it didn't feel as weird. It was very stressful when it would drop to 33 or 34. Thankfully, getting me off some of those drugs have helped but my norm is 45-50. The pedalling continues as a way of exercising now, and I read a lot of good books while I'm doing it.
I can definitely see the difference :
At my highest weight, I was 317lbs, which is absolutely awful. I was over twice what I had weighed when I was younger (from 15 to 30 I weighed 140lbs other than during pregnancies and just after).
and feel it in so many ways.
Each day is another step in the journey, and I'm just keeping on keeping on.
