Can't shift it

LegacyUser

I don't think this is appropriate to the Fitness Forum or whatever because the advice there is basically just from fitness fanatics, which I'm not.

Here's my plight.

In the last 6 months or so I've put on 1/2 stone.
(About 2 years ago ! lost 1.5st & kept it all off no probs until 6 months ago)

Anytime I would gain 1-2lb, I'd just cut back on my carbs & hey presto, weight gone.

However, I cannot get even 1lb to shift now, & I've been strictly / seriously trying for 2 weeks now (& being very careful about what I ate for atleast 1-2 months before that)

I'm at my wits end. I'm quite short so every extra lb on me makes a BIG difference.

For the last 2 weeks I've ate practically nothing each day, like a small sandwich, or a chicken filet, or something like that for the entire day!!!!! & not one lb has budged.

Everyone talks about the simple equation:- weightloss=consume less calories per day than what you burn.

I can't possibly NOT be doing that!

I also play a team sport twice a week so I do get some good hard exercise, though, ye I could probably add a little bit more to it.

Thing is, the weight before this, would drop off me without doing anything!!!

The only thing that has changed is that I went back on the pill & I'm now starting to think that this is the cause for both the weight gain & the inability to get it off.

Going off the pill is not an option, as I'd rather be fat right now than pregnant, but I'd rather not be fat either.

It's seriously getting to me to, to the point where I'm considering complete starvation (seriously )

I mean, how much less can I eat from what I'm already eating in order to lose weight?

(I'm mid 20's, & I'm in the ideal weight range for my height, but so is 1/2st lighter, & I look alot better at that weight)


Any suggestions as I know starvation is not a healthy way to go, but right now it seems like my only option.

Thanks.

Nevyn

Welcome to your mid 20s and the fact that your meatbolism is slowing down.
More gentle excerise would be the way to go and have a look that what it is that your body is taking longer to burn.

damo

If you want to lose weight i.e burn bodyfat the only way youre gonna do it properly is by eating clean and training hard. Thats it, you just gotta get up and do it im afraid, go for runs and get a bike, go swimming etc.

It works.

zAbbo

I'd say the fitness forum has less than 10% fanatics, 30% trying to get fitter, and then 60% interested in weight loss.

Post there and you would get better advice, eating less puts your body in starvation mode and slows down your metabolism.

Aim to eat more often(5-6 times a day) with an evenly balanced diet, coupled with exercise and you won't have a problem.

Like i said, post over at the fitness forum, and give your age/height/weight/build/goals etc.

That way you will get better advice.

Velvet Vocals

If you cut back on food dramaticly your body can sometimes think it's in a food shortage and hold on to body fat, you should keep eating well, just watch the callories but get out and some some hard exersise, that's the only thing that'll shift it!
Go for run or a very fast walk. Get some leg weights (tesco's have them) and walk with them on.
Good luck!

is_that_so

Exercise 2-3 times a week along with sensible eating and if possible smaller portions. I have dropped nearly a stone in the last three months from that combination. But it takes time. I have been told (by a dietitician) that 1 kilo per week is really the max you can drop without putting it back on. You need to do some strenuous exercise. Power walking may be an option. Set yourself a 2-3 month target, that is achievable. TBH if I go down a kilo a month these days I am happy. Any reduction is good as it is going in the right direction. Good luck with it.

Miss Fluff

If you are eating so little and fasting for sustained periods you are going to wreak havoc on your metabolism. Every time you eat now, your body is going, "SH!T!!!!!! Food is on it's way, better store it as fat!" as you're not taking in enough fuel. Eat little and often. So not a good idea to be eating so little when you are exercising too!!

DOLEMAN

Starving yourself will make you gain weight quicker. Your body thinks you're in trouble so retains everything. Also, once fat cells are created only surgery can remove them. Dieting only temporarily empties them.

You need to make a lifestyle change and be patient. Eat healthily and exercise and with time you'll get a body you can maintain.

Lifestyle change is the key, not dieting!

LegacyUser

thanks for all your replies.

Problem is I've done the eating small & often approach.
Didn't lose any weight, so I thought, must be eating a little too much, so I cut down, still no good, ...........continue to fade......................

..............which has resulted in me being where I am now. Eating practically nothing & still the weight won't go anywhere & I'm SO depressed.

Regardless of slowing down my already crawling metabolism, my body still has to be getting its energy from somewhere, so from where??????
There's certainly nothing coming from my big wobbly belly & fat arse!!!!!

& after my 1.5hr training sessions I go for a 1/2hr jog, & nothing, it's SO frustrating!!

& to the poster who said welcome to mid 20's. I'd believe you only awhile back (not long before I started the pill) I did put on a few lbs due to eating crap, I just cut back for a few days & off it came, I was in my mid 20's then too.

I the last few years I've had no problem losing any weight I wanted. The only thing I can see now is the bloody pill.
Have any of ye experienced the pill doing this?


(To make matters worse, my sis eats take away junk ALL the time & has a perfect figure, it's SO unfair)

Dragan

bignugly wrote:

For the last 2 weeks I've ate practically nothing each day, like a small sandwich, or a chicken filet, or something like that for the entire day!!!!! & not one lb has budged.

I'm going to through out a concept to you.

The human body is very particular. It likes to be a certain weight, to get bigger you need to eat more, to get smaller you need to eat less.

HOWEVER, if you eat too little, your body will trigger an alarm reaction and assume that food is short so will amp down your metabolism, use less calories and generally go into whats called starvation mode.

This occurs because your body wants to live, so it will store any excess energy it can for the long haul ( i.e fat!!! )

What you want to do is have 3 smallish meals a day, based mostly around proteins and healthy fats, with a small ammount of carbs ( mostly whole wheat stuff ) and two snacks, once again protein if you can.

You need to be getting to the gym as well, but thats for another thread.

Now then, as previously pointed out the Fitness forum is the place to be, as we're not all freaks ove there but we are all happy to help you out.

As an added note, stress leads to a release of a hormone called cortisol, which makes your body far more likely to store fat, so how have the stress levels been?

metrovelvet

Yes everything that Dragan said. Also hormonal shifts can affect your weight. If you are adding estrogen to your system then you will store fat. Im not sure what your prosterone/estrogen intake is but it is not unheard of to gain weight on it. Are you sure its not water retention? Have you gained inches?

From my own experience of having lived in rice milk for 8 weeks, I can tell you your metabolism will shut down into survivor mode and when you eat again you will gain weight like you will not believe. [All i lost was 10lbs btw - and it was due to illness not vanity].

Stress is a waistlines enemy!!! That ****ing cortisol.

Dragan

metrovelvet wrote:

Stress is a waistlines enemy!!! That ****ing cortisol.

Exactly, but sadly it's a vicious cycle most of the time

add some weight , get stressed over it, add some more, get more stressed and so forth. :eek:

Faith

Dragan wrote:

I'm going to through out a concept to you.

The human body is very particular. It likes to be a certain weight, to get bigger you need to eat more, to get smaller you need to eat less.

HOWEVER, if you eat too little, your body will trigger an alarm reaction and assume that food is short so will amp down your metabolism, use less calories and generally go into whats called starvation mode.

This occurs because your body wants to live, so it will store any excess energy it can for the long haul ( i.e fat!!! )

What you want to do is have 3 smallish meals a day, based mostly around proteins and healthy fats, with a small ammount of carbs ( mostly whole wheat stuff ) and two snacks, once again protein if you can.

You need to be getting to the gym as well, but thats for another thread.

Now then, as previously pointed out the Fitness forum is the place to be, as we're not all freaks ove there but we are all happy to help you out.

As an added note, stress leads to a release of a hormone called cortisol, which makes your body far more likely to store fat, so how have the stress levels been?

All of this is very much true. Also, you may just be at the lowest weight your body wants to be for your age and height.

Roen

First off, come of the pill for a period of 3-4 months and keep up with your exercise regime. If you lose weight it's obviously the pill that's to blame. If you don't lose weight then see a doctor.
I don't see why coming off the pill isn't an option, there are a huge amount of contrceptives available these days. Ultimately if your boyfriend isn't willing to use condoms longterm to benefit your health and or provide you with peace of mind, then find one who will.

LegacyUser

My bf does use condoms, we use both.
I'd never rely on just one method.

Though I know you probably didn't mean anything bad by it, please leave my bf out of it. They don't come much better than him, so I'm not planning on doing any 'new boyfriend' shopping anytime soon.

thanks for all your advice

Dragan

BignUgly wrote:

thanks for all your advice

Do me a favour and let us know how you get on, alternately you can visit my forum on http://teamtest.freeforumsite.com/ there is a Weight Loss Section and a General Fitness section that your questions will be more than welcome in.

There is also a good group of people over there who will help you out any way they can, and more importantly provide the encouragement that a lot of us need!!!!

Best of luck.

Dreamer 7

If you starve yourself or cut down to very little, ur body will preserve itself and burn very few calories so you are hindering yourself by doing that. Im small too and know what its like trying to loose weight. Im drinking 3 litres of water a day, walking to work and watching what i eat. Dunno if Ill be sucessful but I fell better anyway

Roen

BignUgly wrote:

My bf does use condoms, we use both.
I'd never rely on just one method.

Though I know you probably didn't mean anything bad by it, please leave my bf out of it. They don't come much better than him, so I'm not planning on doing any 'new boyfriend' shopping anytime soon.

thanks for all your advice

Soz, just got back from 10 days holidays, apologies for assuming it was boyfriend pressure that was preventing you from choosing an alternative. Best of luck.