I have been working out for quite a while now but haven't dropped any weight since I quit breastfeeding in March. Actually, I've gained 5 pounds. According to my BMI, I'm at the lower end of the obese range, so I should be losing weight. I'm so frustrated but trying not to be, because I'm feeling great and am enjoying challenging myself. I'm currently up to doing 3.5 miles on the elliptical 3 to 4 times a week. I also take a mat pilates and reformer class once a week. I've been eating between 1200 to 1400 calories a day, for the most part ( weekends are hard ). If i had an underlying medical condition keeping me from losing weight, wouldn't I have other symptoms? I just don't know if i should go to doc and get tested, to see if there is anything going on with me or if I should just give it some more time. I feel like what I'm doing should be adequate enough to be atleast losing some weight. Any thoughts or advise would be helpful . TIA.
Without knowing what you are eating and when, it is hard to say. But as a personal trainer, I find my clients usually are not eating enough and skip meals.
Drink a glass of water upon waking, do 10 minutes of exercise then have breakfast. Always have breakfast that contains protein and fiber. Then eat small meals throughout the day. Eat 5-9 vegetables and fruit everyday.
Add some weight training to your current routine.
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What is your carb intake like? Are you drinking soda, chips, breads (even wheat), juice, desserts, potatoes, rice, high fructose corn syrup, etc...? I know there is a big focus on calories, but that doesn't work for everyone. That's why some of the most active people are STILL overweight.
The easiest way to lose weight is to control your insulin release (even in non-diabetic people). When you eat carbs, it makes you hold the weight. The carbs basically turn into sugar and your body grabs and holds it. When you eat protein, you lose the weight and don't hold it as fat.
So...my suggestion would be to make sure you are eating a lot of protein (80 grams if possible) and VERY little carbs...like maybe under 100 grams of carbs a day (this does not include veggies or fruits - those are free food and you should eat a ton of it as they are full of super good stuff for you!).
Contrary to what many believe, fats are good for you, though, they are not all created equal. Some fats are not good, but many fats that many people think are bad are proving to be a lot better for you than you may think! I know this will make most people gasp, but I eat butter, leave the fat in my organic beef, and even eat bacon... I believe nature gave me the food that my body was meant to eat and low fat is a silly diet. that's not natural. AND there is beginning to be proof that this is true.
I'm 5ft 4in and weight between 117 lbs - 130lbs (depending on how soon after I've had a baby). I'm prego with baby #5 and am not overweight at all. This type of eating does work. It gives me energy and strength for the day, as long as I eat fruits and veggies too. Those are important - not just eating protein.
But I highly suspect that you need to adjust your carb intake and you'll see a big improvement.
If you haven't already, I also highly suggest watching "Fat Head". You can instant watch it on Netflix. It's funny, informative, and a real eye opener. It'll explain much better than me about weight gain/loss, and it won't make you feel bad either! (it's not like Super Size Me)
Good luck!
Are you losing inches and/or fat? Muscle weighs more than fat so when you lose inches you will gain weight in muscle. I gained 5lbs when I started Crossfit and the gym hard because I was more toned and had more muscle. Don't judge your success on the weight number, judge it on the pant size or physically looking at yourself to see what you have accomplished. Keep goin girlie and ignore that weight scale.
Also, watch what you eat. You can't eat one thing or another (like the all protein diets, pomegranate diet, etc) you have to have a well-rounded diet.
With all of the hard work you have been doing, perhaps you are not eating enough?? A quick rule of thumb is "the 10 calorie rule" which is to take your weight, multiply it by 10 = how many calories you should eat to lose weight (appx 1-2 lbs/week.) If you don't eat enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode which will prevent you from losing weight.
Also, be sure to eat breakfast every morning (within an hour of waking up) to jump-start your metabolism and get your body out of "starvation mode".
I really hope this helps!!
You're not eating enough.
1200 calories/day is the bare minimum a woman need to consume to function normally. Without working out. If you're only eating that, AND working out, you've likely sent your body into starvation mode, which means that it will hang on to every calorie you consume for dear life (it thinks you're starving!).
Bump up the calories another 200-300/day, and do it with lean snacks. Turkey roll ups, rice cakes w/ peanut butter, fruit and handful of nuts, etc...
You should start to see results with that. If not, then it's time for some bloodwork, yes.
Thyroid could always be an issue, of course (I'm hypo, myself), but you'd be feeling lethargic, dizzy, headeaches and hairloss would likely be involved as well.
Get your thyroid checked and also I think you need more calories- just focused on protein and whole grains, fruit and veggies and to add strength training to your regimen. Your body could be holding onto weight because it thinks you are starving it or pretty close- 1200 is the minimum a doctor- guided diet should ever go...and that would be too low for most people. Good luck and keep up the good work!
Remove all processed foods from your diet. Esp anything labeled "low fat." Eat foods your great grandmother would recognize. Man made vegetable oils can really contribute to weight gain. Eat real fat from coconuts, real, grass-fed butter, and from the animal itself. If it comes in a package, you should probably avoid it. If you can make it yourself, all the better. Eat REAL food!
