Having a hard time figuring out the answer...am I eating enough??
O,k so hears the deal. I am an intelligent woman. I also read everything I can get my hands on with regard to weight loss. 4 years ago I lost a bunch of weight. I kept my calories between 1400-1600 and I w/o 4-5 days/wk. I did aerobic walking and dvd's. I need to lose another 50 pounds. Haven't lost much in the 4 years since than. I have been trying really hard this past year. Still not lost much. I LOVE working out. I enjoy the feeling so I like to hit the gym hard. I have been using a heart rate monitor the past 2 months. My heart rate stays high which I know is not necessarily fat burning. But I also have asthma so I need to high level of cardio. But between what I do in the gym on the cardio machines and what I do during the week in classes and on dvd's I burn 800-1300 per time and I w/o 5 days/week. Cardio and weight training.
My stats: wt 207. Ht 5'6". I am 36.
I am not losing any weight. Yeah I know it could be that I am adding muscle. I also have a fat monitor and I am not losing fat. I also take my measurments and I am not getting smaller. I am eating right. I try to keep my calories from 1500-1600/day. I was originally trying to keep them 1200-1400 but that didn't work. I was starving and that waas a long time ago. You kmnow you think when you don't lose weight you should eaqt less...that's what I tried. Obvioulsy that did not work. Plus I know that's too low. All the info I can find says I SHOULD lose weight at 1500. I eat well. I do not eat processed foods. I have the small occassional treat. Not enough to derail any efforts. And my calories are still on track. I eat protein, veggies, whole grains, fiber. I take a multi. So what I am left thinking IS am I eating too little???
Thank you for any help or ideas you have!
I assume you've had your thyroid checked? You mention asthma, are you on any medications that might interfere with your metabolism?
You could always try an experiment raising your intake level to see how things go. It sounds like you are working out a lot and 1500-1600 might not be cutting it. You could raise to closer to 2000 for a week or two, to see how it affects your body.
Thank you for your reply. I DO have Hypothydroidism. BUT my Dr says it isn't bad enough to cause it to affect my weight loss. I do think he is wrong based on books I have read from top Endocrinologists. BUT I also don't want to use that as a crutch. I am on an inhaled steroid for my asthms. I don't think the inhlaed ones cause much trouble, but GREAT ideas! Thank you!!!
As Dr. G (Medical Examiner show) says-- "I don't like coincidences." If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism and unable to lose even at your significant calorie restriction and high activity level then it very well may be playing a role. Can you get a second opinion from a different dr?
Original Post by islandmommy825:
I assume you've had your thyroid checked? You mention asthma, are you on any medications that might interfere with your metabolism?
You could always try an experiment raising your intake level to see how things go. It sounds like you are working out a lot and 1500-1600 might not be cutting it. You could raise to closer to 2000 for a week or two, to see how it affects your body.
^^This. It sounds like your deficit is far too high. It could be your thyroid, and you may want to consult another doctor as well, but please up your calorie intake.
Original Post by islandmommy825:
As Dr. G (Medical Examiner show) says-- "I don't like coincidences." If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism and unable to lose even at your significant calorie restriction and high activity level then it very well may be playing a role. Can you get a second opinion from a different dr?
Yes, I would suggest getting a different opinion. It might play a more significant role than you realise. Because, like you say, you SHOULD be losing weight.
I still think you are not eating enough. You generally can't lose weight if your deficit is too big. Have you calculated it? If you are burning 1000 cals at the gym and burning 1800-2000 generally going about your day, for example. 750-1000 deficit is generally as big as you should go.
Have you thought about adding weights to your routine? It has really worked for me...
Steroids in any form cause weight gain and sometimes hunger.I would suggest really getting a second opinion as your dr should have told you this.I also think you are not eating enough.Your body will hold onto its fat to protect itself if it thinks you are starving.I would also suggest looking into peri menopause-it effects lots of women as early as the mid thirties.
You're not eating enough. If it was your thyroid you wouldn't have lost the first 50#. 1600 calories isn't enough to support your body at rest, add to that 1000 calorie burn and your body has hit that wall. Increase your calories a 100 calories a day for a week and increase again 100 calories a day for a week, and so on... soon you should start losing again.
