Vegetarian weightloss

Here is my problem...

I am 5'2" and about 114 lbs. Technically I have a low average BMI...but I still have the little pooch/love handle thing going on. I eat very healthy ( I think) and I work out about an hour per day usually 6 times per week.

I know that I cannot determine where I lose weight (fat) but the rest of my body if very toned...it seems like my midsection is very stubborn!!

I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating a day really, I've been shown different numbers. I think Ideally I would like to be about 105lbs, which is still healthy for me. I do shape and tone exercises on my podfitness so one would think that should be helping my midsection.

I also take One A Day weight smart multi-vitamins, along with vegetarian carnatine, L-Glutamine, selenium, L-Lysine, and I get plenty of protein per day.

Any tips/advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

That midriff podge - especially in very slim people - is often more due to fluid retention than it is to fat.  So rather than trying to lose weight and cut calories it can help to have a look at your diet first.

Fluid retention can be made worse if you eat foods high in salt (cheese? processed foods? ready-meals? restaurant food?  takeaways?).  Sugary foods (or excessive amounts of fruit)  are a culprit as are caffeinated drinks and alcohol.   Drink plenty of fluids... 2 litres and more if you work out so much. 

Original Post by gi-jane:

That midriff podge - especially in very slim people - is often more due to fluid retention than it is to fat.  So rather than trying to lose weight and cut calories it can help to have a look at your diet first.

Fluid retention can be made worse if you eat foods high in salt (cheese? processed foods? ready-meals? restaurant food?  takeaways?).  Sugary foods (or excessive amounts of fruit)  are a culprit as are caffeinated drinks and alcohol.   Drink plenty of fluids... 2 litres and more if you work out so much. 

 I totally agree with that!  If I eat veggie burgers I have a little more of a tummy than if I eat whole foods...lots of sodium in those things, but I do still eat them once in a while and they can be handy.

I also noticed that when I was trying to lose weight and working out a lot, I lost my weight from the top down and from the bottom up...so, my legs and hips toned up and my arms, shoulders and chest toned up and my tummy was the very last thing to change.   I felt pretty depressed about it  as I was trying as hard as I could, but my trainer explained that its a common thing for women..so hang in there!  Keep working out and eating right.  

 

I don't drink any soda, coffee, nor alcohol. The only thing I drink is water, maybe every other day I'll have a glass of 100% fruit juice or cup of decaf mint green tea. I don't really eat veggie burgers and stuff like that because I'm not a big fan of soy. I do eat the morning star crumbles maybe once a week. Let me give you a typical day of food that I eat..maybe you're seeing something I'm not, I HOPE!

7:30 am -100% Whole Wheat english muffin with a little less than 2 tbsp of Peanut

butter. I usually have about 1/4 cup all natural no sugar added apple sauce with that and a bottle of water.

11:30am-Usually a fiber one bar or a granola bar with some water while I'm in class (I'm 20 yr old female by the way)

1:30-@2:30ish- Usually homemade veggie soup w/ organic low sodium fat free veggie broth.

3:30ish- Whole wheat pita chips w/ roasted red pepper hummus

6pmish- I like to make homemade black bean burgers with brown rice and salsa.

And I'll have a salad or something with that.

7pmish- I'll usually make a fruit smoothie with some yogurt

9pm- Skinny cow ice cream sandwich or weight watchers sherbert bar.

Sometimes I'll add in another snack-healthy-somewhere.

I don't really go out to eat since I've become a vegetarian. I've stopped really eating cookies and candies, I don't even eat them once a week.

i also have a little roundness and softness at my tummy/lower back and i don't eat sugery, salty, or processed foods or drinks.  for me, it's never gone away regardless of weight, exercise, diet...i think it's my body composition, skin, and normal digestive system holding food/fluid.  i try to wear clothing that takes attention away from it.  good luck!

I would watch your sodium level and try to eat more raw fruits and vegetables. 

I would start googling weight training. We have a tendency to do well below our ability and the barbarella methodology (think someone running around with 3 lbs dumbbells in their hands that are really doing nothing for them) is not going to work. If you burn 60 more calories for additional pound of muscle, developing one should counterbalance the other, you just have to do enough to fatigue the muscle.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_ experts.asp?q=54

Should give you a few answers.

Hi Ashley,

Sounds like I am in the same boat as you.  I'm the same height and weigh 118 but have that pooch thing too UGH!

 

I just started a low GI plan and eating alot more fruits and veggies and dropping the amount of bread I usually ate.  I've had 2 children so I don't know if I can get rid of the whole pooch but I'd be happy getting down to 108-110 and I am hoping that cutting most of the bread will help getting to my goal.