Getting older sucks!!

January 21, 2004

I am 27 years old 5'1" and I currently weight 173 lbs. I gained 50 lbs in the last 5 years. 30 of them in 2002 alone. Last year I was able to not gain any more weight. I maintained a steady 173-175 all year long.

On November I started to take boxing lessons. (real boxing,not the Cardio classes). I love the work out and it is extremely challenging. I work out for 1. 5 hours 3 to 4 times a week. I taught this was going to be enough for me to start loosing weight, but it wasn't.

At the beginning of January I decided to monitor my food intake and reduce my caloric intake to approx. 1700 calories. I also added a Cardio and weight training work out to my week. I am working out about 8-10 hours every week. To my surprise I am still not loosing any weight.

When I was in my teens I had to only say that I was going on a diet and i would immediately loose weight. I am healthy and I have no thyroid problems. So why can't I loose weight? Can anyone tell me?

Thanks,

Beatriz

January 21, 2004

The best person to advise you on why you can't LOSE weight is your physician.

January 21, 2004

Check with your doctor, but my guess is that all the exercise is building muscle - which is more dense than fat, so as you lose fat, your muscles increase and on the scales it looks like you are not losing any weight. Give it more time and you should see some toning and then some weight loss.

As for getting older----wait 'till you hit your late 40 - 50's and try to lose weight! You ain't seen nuthin' yet!

January 21, 2004

Thank you for your comments.

I got a physical and everything is fine with me. I have not thyroid problems so there is not reason why it should be so hard to loose weight.

As far as gaining muscle I am very muscluar by nature. Yes I have gained more definition and my abs, glutes and back muscles are stronger. But I haven't experience a significan't drop in dress size. I will stick with my routine. Giving up is not an option.

January 21, 2004

That's odd.

2 years ago I weighed 275 (I am a man 6 foot 3) I dropped 50 pounds in 4 months just by eating 2500 calories a day of low fat foods, no exersize.

It was easy for me to take the weight off...keeping it off is my problem now. I love to cook and eat.

January 21, 2004

Well it is always easier for Man to loose weight. Also you are over a foot taller than me you requiere a lot more calories.

I love to cook and eat too. But I enjoy making low fat meals . I cut on the fat but use a lot of spices. I need good flavor.

January 21, 2004

Getting older does suck...for more reasons than one. Every 30something single guy that I meet seems to be obsessed with dating some chick right out of HS. I'm only 28 and I feel over the hill sometimes. Ugh.

Anyway, when I tried to lose weight, I found the slim fast diet worked for me. I hated every minute of it, but I exercised and took that stuff and dropped back down to my HS weight. So far, I've been able to maintain.

January 21, 2004

Thank you for the tip on the slim fast diet. If i continue not to see results I may give it a try.

If a guy doesn appreciate as you are forget him. I want to loose weight for myself, but my husband loves my fat ass.

January 22, 2004

You have to seriously want to loose weight and make yourself walk, join a gym, just get active. Which you said you are doing cardio which is good, but if I were you I would do that along with making myself walk. Do the mall walking thing, just get more active and when you eat, eat smaller portions of food.

I can't relate to you, but I think my mom might because she used to be overweight and lost a ton of weight just from walking at a good speed, eatting sensibly and drinking slim fast.

Seriously, if you focus on your eatting habits and start drinking slim fast and excersize with doing walking at a good speed or doing more stuff other then cardio, then you would seriously shed the pounds. I have faith in you.

But you have to WANT to do it. It is just like anything else. But I do have to commend you on doing the cardio classes. Thats a start.

January 22, 2004

Bellatina,

I'm 5'7" and weigh 130 pounds. Tell you what.....I'll trade you MY weight for your 27 years!!! As a matter of fact, I'd throw in a whole bunch of other stuff too!!!!!

GAWD.....what I'd give to be 27 again!!!!!!!

HAHA!

Arabess

January 22, 2004

Losing weight by exercising takes much longer than by going on a diet. Not only are you burning calories but you're changing your body's metabolism. But when you work it off it stays off. Much better than any diet, which every study I've seen says they don't work for the long term.

I'm 5' 10", weigh the same thing I did in college (150) and am a 51 year-old guy. I've been mixing up cardio (running) with weight training (free weights) for close to 25 years. It really works! Just stick with and you'll be amazed at the results. Don't give up!

January 22, 2004

Arabess you are cute...:-)

everyone else.... thanks!!!

I am extrealy active that is why I am surprise at how hard it is for me to loose weight.

January 22, 2004

[
I am extrealy active that is why I am surprise at how hard it is for me to loose weight.

Because activity is NOT the key to weight loss. This is a myth that has been perpetuated for several years for reasons that are unknown to me.

This week's US News and World report touted the benefits of exercise by reporting a Duke University study that showed that people who walked briskly for 30 minutes daily, every day, lost [o]nearly[/i] 3 pounds in 8 months. At this rate, a person who needs to lose 30 pounds would require 80 months -- nearly 7 years -- to do so! Ironically, the heading on this blurb was "Walk it Off."

Yes, exercise can help with weight loss and there are other reasons to engage in exercise other than weight loss. But the quickest route to losing weight is to reduce caloric intake, plain and simple.

In your case, it would be helpful to keep a log of what you eat for several days (a week is optimum). Then figure out how many calories you are eating per day. Target your diet for 500 to 1000 calories per day less than what you are currently eating. This should result in weight lost of 1-2 pounds per week (3500 calories = 1 pound). Another method is to figure what your goal weight is, say 110 pounds, and then multiply this by 13 to arrive at the number of calories per day you should consume (1430). This is less precise but gives you an idea of what range you should be aiming for.

January 22, 2004

Thank You CDN.

I am already reduced my caloric intake to 1500 cal. a day. Read my first entry.

Thanks for the sugestion. My goal weight is 125 lbs. I like having some curves.

I weight train, do cardio, boxing. About 10 hours a week, plus I don't drive i walk every where.

January 22, 2004

I agree that activity is not the key to rapid weight loss. I said as much in my post. Sure you can lose weight quickly by cutting calories. But if you don't make a point of constant exercise afterwords (like she's already doing) eventually you're going to gain it all back. Like I said every study that I've ever seen shows that diets (no matter what kind) will not result in permanent weight loss.

We're the fattest country in the world because of gigantic portions, greasy high-calorie foods and sitting on our collective asses in front of the TV, computer, etc. We didn't use to be this way...up until the 70's I'm pretty sure we were the same size as everyone else. But now that quantity not quality is what we look for, well look at all the guts hanging over people's belts.

Compulsive exercise guy will now get off his soap-box and shut the hell up.

January 22, 2004

At the beginning of January I decided to monitor my food intake and reduce my caloric intake to approx. 1700 calories

I am already reduced my caloric intake to 1500 cal. a day.

I'm confused. Is one of these a typo or did you adjust your caloric intake?

Muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you are really working out, there is a chance that youwon't see a dramatic loss on the scale right away. BUT... it should come. Do you weigh yourself at the same time (first thing in the morning is best) each time and write it down? Water retention (fron salt, your period, etc.) can mask weight loss, but not for long, i.e., as you lose more than say, 5 pounds, you should still see it on the scale.

If you only began your diet this month, it is still very early. I'd recommend keeping a log of what you are eating, how much you are exercising, and your weigh-ins so that if you still haven't seen any changes in another month, you will have this information to bring to your doctor. Also, not to make you think of a problem where there may not be one, but thyroid testing (via blood work) is notoriously unreliable. Many cases of hypothyroidism are undetectable by blood test. A better predictor is to take your temperature each morning before you so much as move (keep a thermometer right next to your bed) and write down the result. If you are T3 deficient, you will find your basal temperature to be below 97.8°F. Keep a record of your first morning temps (and indicate where you are in your menstrual cycle, too, as that will affect things) as something else to bring with you to the doctor.

Good luck!

January 22, 2004

Hey Quick! Don't shut up. The points you make are valid.

I think overall health can only be acheved with both exercise and a sensible diet. To that end, you are correct that fad or crash diets won't be successful in the long haul. Permanent modification is needed.

I think we are saying the same thing, no?

January 22, 2004

Thanks for not clobbering me. I don't mean to get all preachy, but our national fatness is one of my pet peeves. But yes, I do think we're saying the same thing. Though I have found that I can eat pretty much of anything (in moderation!) without putting on pounds.

One of the famous marathon runners (I can't remember his name) used to eat candy bars all day long and of course he was as skinny as a rail. He said something to the effect of "the hotter you keep the furnace burning the more junk you can throw in there." I always kind of liked that idea and it seems to have worked OK for me.

I've seen other studies that claim the human body works like a pretty efficient computer when it comes to calories. Any kind of calories, fat, carb, whatever. If you don't burn them they get stored as fat. A very simple equation. So the calories in a low-fat granola bar and just as likely to add to your poundage as those in a few french fries. I'm probably going to get flak about this since the low-fat business seems to have become common folk-wisdom. But I don't believe its true. As far as your body is concerned, calories are calories. Period.

January 22, 2004

I've seen other studies that claim the human body works like a pretty efficient computer when it comes to calories. Any kind of calories, fat, carb, whatever. If you don't burn them they get stored as fat. A very simple equation. So the calories in a low-fat granola bar and just as likely to add to your poundage as those in a few french fries. I'm probably going to get flak about this since the low-fat business seems to have become common folk-wisdom. But I don't believe its true. As far as your body is concerned, calories are calories. Period.

You'll get no disagreement from me. If calories in are greater than calories out, you're gonna gain weight. You need a certain amount of fat in your diet - it's necessary for hormone production, for one, and it quells hunger signals. That said, we (Americans in general) tend to consume way too much fat. The body has a much harder time converting fat into energy than, say, carbs, so it is better to eat 200 calories of carrots than 200 calories of twinkies. But you are correct in saying that you can, in theory at least, get just as fat by overeating carrots as twinkies!

I like to weight train. I like the physique it gives me and increasing muscle mass raises your metablic rate 24/7. Exercise (i.e., walking, swimming, etc.) only burns while you are engaged in it. And I don't like any one thing enough to do it all the time, other than weights. I was a runner when I was younger, but it was always drudgery for me. I am envious of those who get the "runner's hgh." Do you experience this?

January 22, 2004

I alternate between weights and running. I try to do one or the other everyday, but it general works out to 6 days a week. When I'm running I do get sort a "second wind" after about 5 miles. Since I only run 6 or 7 it doesn't last that long, but it is pretty cool. All of a sudden I just start feeling all bouncy and strong. Not a bad way to feel after you've been around 1/2 a century! Since I started running back in '79 or so it's hard for me to imagine life without it.

But I'm a big fan of weights to. It's cheap and I've accumulated enough muscle mass over the years so that I burn calories pretty easy. Oh yeah...and check out those washboard abs, baby! Plain old sit-ups seem to work just fine, no infomercial ab-cruncher is necessary.

Do you use free weights or machines? I've been thinking about getting home gym, but after all these years with the dumbbells and barbell its hard to get motivated.

January 22, 2004

Do you use free weights or machines? I've been thinking about getting home gym, but after all these years with the dumbbells and barbell its hard to get motivated.

I use mostly free weights. I started at home last January and was able to make some significant gains (of course, I was starting from zero). But I found that I couldn't really keep my lower body challenged. In part because of my natural physiology and in part because of the running I used to do, my legs were quite strong. So I joined a gym. I've been using a Smith Machine (which is really a just cage with a barbell on a track) for squats and just started using it for bench and shoulder presses. You don't need a spotter with the Smith Machine, because the track will "catch" the weight if you release the barbell, but you are still using free weights. Other than that, I use free weights. I like them better than machines. It's sort of like driving a stick rather than an automatic, if that analogy is meaningful to you.

Plain old sit-ups work just fine. Especially on an incline board (ouch!)

I haven't lost any weight since I started working out (this wasn't a goal), but I am definitely firmer/shaplier. Weight has never been my problem - I eat pretty well. Our national fatness bothers me, too. The Econmist recently did a piece on worldwide fatness and it appears that other countries are catching up to us. China's fatness rate (they used a much nicer term for it, of course!) is accelerating faster than anyone's, if I remember right. And the UK is just a tiny bit behind us. Even kids are fat. My children's pediatrician told me that 80% of the kids he sees have elevated cholesterol levels. It is too sad.

January 23, 2004

I've also heard that the Brits are catching up to us. But if you've been there lately and seen the MacDonalds and Burger Kings on every corner you probably know why.

I've heard some health experts say that our current generation of children may be the first in decades to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Because they're getting so fat. I have 3 kids and know that its a real struggle. I blame the food companies as much as anyone else. They've got a million gimmicks to sell more and more. Capitalism at its finest.

I've only owned one car with an automatic and I'll never buy one again. I know precisely what you mean. In addition, I've heard that any single exercise with free weights actually works a number of muscles, while the machines are much more specific in their targets. I think the free weights help with your balance too.

The Smith machine sounds interesting. Is there just one machine or are there separate ones for different exercises?

I don't have an incline board at home so I've been piling up some weights on my chest when I do sit-ups. Seems to work OK so far, but I think a board would be a better solution. Not a particularly onerous investment either.

What time of the day do you work out with weights? I do it first thing in the morning and sometimes feel kind of nauseous and shaky afterward. Very different than after running when I generally feel just plain great.

January 23, 2004

Yes CDN it was a typo on the first one it is 1500.

January 24, 2004

This link shows a picture of a Smith Machine http://www.fitnessdestination.com/df4900.htm. This isn't the one I use but I am hoping it shows it better than I think I can explain it! Basically it is just a barbell on a track. The track has various stopping points that the barbell can be rested on. So you can do exercises like squats without having to raise a barbell over your head as you would with a totally free weight. And you can bench press without a spotter (useful if you don't have a work-out buddy). The only drawback is that the track helps to stablise the weight since the barbell can't move off the track. With a completely free weight, your body would have to create the stablisation. But, for me, this is ideal as I don't have the upper body strength to pick up a 90lb barbell and lift onto my shoulders behind my neck as for a squat, for instance. I consider the trade-off in stablisation minor compared to using a squat machine.

This picture is of a pretty basic machine. There are others with all kinds of bells and whistles but the basic mechanism is the same.

You can get an adjustable bench for about $50. You can also make your own incline board with some bricks and a board :-) I have done the bit with weights on my chest, too -- effective but it hurts!

I work out first thing in the morning (mostly because it's the only time I have) and it's fine. I have read that an early morning work-out is best for weight loss because the body doesn't use carbs but burns fat (assuming you don't eat before you go). I'm not after fat loss so I try to eat high carb before a workout and then high protein afterward.

I wish I could learn to like running!

February 4, 2004

Hi sorry reply is so late but have just read your letter. I have to agree with most of what has been said but this is what I have discovered.

As a woman of mature years I had dieted on and off most of my adult life. Forget it they dont work!!

Once "normal" eating was resumed weight piled back on. I now eat a healthy diet and my weight has been constant for 5yrs. Calorie counting is not on the agenda... Fat is kept to a minimum, low fat options of most foods are readily available. I eat 3 good meals a day but if I can help it never after 6pm!

I eat loads of carbs and plenty of protein, very little dairy products, and never snack between meals. I keep on the move! and never laze around after a meal.

I take supplements/vitamins to ensure I get what my body needs.

friends are amazed at the quantities I eat but it is all healthy....but most importantly for me I changed my attitude to food. I now eat to live and not live to eat.

Course I eat forbidden stuff sometimes Im only human!! But the occasional feast is good for you..... nothing is forbidden, I just choose not to eat it 99% of the time. I am happy with my weight and have no problem maintaining it

Hope this helps... good luck

Morticia xx

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