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Group: General Fitness & Exercise

inability to lose weight

J_Cat Posts: 10 Joined: 2011/11/30	2012/11/10, 10:24 PM Hi Everyone, I have a strange dilemma. I started seriously exercising about 6 months ago or so. I first started going to the gym a few times per week, either taking classes or doing weight training + cardio. At the time I was more or less my normal weight (I have always been very small) but had just gained a few lbs. I started noticing that slowly I kept gaining weight (fat not muscle weight) and I started looking into what I was eating. I kept track of my caloric intake for a week and tried to cut out any excess unhealthy/fatty/starchy foods and added more fruits, veggies and lean meats into my diet. Since I started working out, I have actually gained about 5 lbs or so and have been exercising more and more. I know it's not muscle because I can see that it is fat that has accumulated around my thigh/calves/and hip region. I find this very strange and disconcerting given that I have been doing everything in my power to stay healthy. Can anyone think of any reasons why this could be happening?  I thought that maybe it was stress or something, but working out has actually significantly reduced it. I thought about seeing a doctor as maybe there are some digestive issues going on, but I thought I would check in here and see if anyone had any ideas about what could be going on. Thank you!
Davetheman26 Posts: 81 Joined: 2007/07/24	2012/11/11, 12:00 AM (Edited: Davetheman26 - 2012/11/11, 12:01 AM) Hello,  My name is David. Well at first I do believe a person might gain some weight… It may be water retention… I would say drink more water… but for me when I say drink more water that would be like 10 liters a day. If you have been watching the food you consume for 6 months now and still have not lost any weight you have been cheating yourself in some way but you did not say that you said you have been exercising for 6 months but did not say eating a proper diet. A proper diet is the key to losing weight… A person could exercise until their legs fell off and never lose weight if they do not have their diet in check.  I do not know if you really care about this but I go on;; My wife is very small only 5 foot 2 inches tall and she has problems losing weight. Although she is not over weight she and I both agree she would look better if she lost about 10lbs. But, a person’s body... how shall I say it ... has its optimum weight and naturally it should hover around that weight even as you grow older. I know why she does not lose the weight and that is because of her diet. She is convinced that she eats healthy and she is right. She is Korean and only eats Korean food which is quiet possibly the healthiest choice of food a person could eat. Her problem is she eats an amount that maintains her optimum weight. It really does not matter what kind of food a person eats if they eat less of it every day they will lose weight but eating healthy foods would be best all around. I am not dead set on this but eating fruits while beginning your weight loss may not be the best way to go about dropping pounds at the start. Cutting calories and exercising is a sure way to lose weight fast but knowing how much calories to cut and for how long is the tricky part… Then keeping that weight off is the hardest part because your body will want to go back to its optimum weight… Unless you are willing to change your entire diet and fitness life style until the day you die you will never stay as lean as always would like to be… Then there are the people genetically destined to maintain… I do not care what people may say genes do play a significant role in how a persons optimum weight is set.  …. Okay, but there is always the fight where a person goes against genes and is able to maintain through diet and fitness.     DISCLAIMER: None of what I just said is backed by scientifically proven data and is only my opinion.
kolhy Posts: 108 Joined: 2011/12/31	2012/11/11, 07:47 PM (Edited: kolhy - 2012/11/12, 05:53 PM) H J Cat, Thanks for the information you provided in your post.  I'm still a little unclear on your diet/fitness regimen but I'll bring up a few things that might apply to you. ? Problem with Intake 1. Increasing your activity level may temporarily increase your appetite (beyond what's needed for energy requirements).  I noticed this when I first started intense training and it took 4 months for it to settle down. Yes, during this time, I did notice some weight gain that disappeared once my appetite normalized. 2. Are you drinking any sports drinks?  These drinks are loaded with sugar and IMO not necessary the majority of the time.     3. Are you eating to satisfy your hunger? If you're cutting back on calories OR not eating enough of "filling" foods, you may be more vulnerable to unhealthy snacking/eating.  Add foods like Quinoa, oats, and foods with lots of fiber to help satisfy you.  Make your own meals and plan to have them handy during the day. ? Problem with Exercise Regimen Strength training improves muscle mass and tone as well as help raise your metabolic rate but if you're looking to lose fat you should increase your cardio.   How much of the two are you doing?  Try sticking with your current strength training regimen but focus on hight intensity interval training for your cardio sessions.  You may respond better to this rather than steady state cardio.
kolhy Posts: 108 Joined: 2011/12/31	2012/11/12, 05:52 PM One more thing! Are you eating a lot of Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower)? Are you eating raw vegetables? Did you suddenly increase your intake of them? Certain vegetables and fruits can cause bloating (particularly if you there is a sudden intake).  If this is the cause, rest assured that this is not fat!  It's gas :)  Ease up and gradually add them back to your diet to allow your body time to get used to it.  If you still experience bloating, try experimenting with eliminating certain vegetables (start with the aforementioned cruciferous vegetables) and take note how you feel/look. We're still learning all the ways in which vegetables/fruits are so important for our current and future health.  They are chalk full of disease fighting and immune enhancing components and should not be cut out all together.  Find the ones that don't agree with you and continue to enjoy as much as you can of the rest!