Hello. I am a twenty seven year old mother to two children. Long story short I was anorexic and weighed around 110 pounds on my 5.7 frame for around 4-5 years. After suffering some negative health consequences I decided to work hard at overcoming the eating disorder. I with great success. However, I am now 143 pounds and it's nearly all excess fat:speechless:. I lost a great deal of muscle while starving. Now I'm just interested in getting healthy and fit. I don't care too much about the number on the scale anymore. I would just like to get rid of the extra fat that is hanging around mostly on the lower part of my body, from about mid stomach down, and replace it with toned muscle. However, I am completely lost and have no idea how to do it. It's always been all or nothing for me, eating everything in sight or nothing at all. I am totally confused and frustrated with trying to find balance. Basically, I would like to be in excellent shape by March of 2014. I want next year to be my healthiest and happiest year (fingers crossed). Can anyone offer me some helpful advice?
Lose fat and tone muscle in 4 months?
- Thread starter Dakins86
- Start date
The best thing you can do is stay away from all diet material. The best and healthiest way to loose excess bodyfat is to exercise, build strength and muscle mass and implement a good nutritional program that supports your end goal of being fit healthy and in the best shape ever.
It's kinda difficult getting proper advice in online forums as there is so much information that needs to be collected and instruction given. The best instruction you can get is face to face with an industry expert.
There are so many mis conceptions about weigh loss that you will be confused by all the misinformation out there and most likely become very frustrated and depressed trying to figure it out on line.
My advice to you is to seek out a reputable trainer and nutritionist and go and chat with them about your situation. Your metabolism has been badly damaged due to your previous lifestyle so only people that can see you face to face should be dealing with your situation. I am also guessing that you have not got a lot of experience with weight training and or developing training programs so at the very least you should get a handful of lessons from a good trainer who can show you how to lift correctly and teach you all the basic exercises you should be engaging in.
I am happy to help you out once you have spoken to a nutritionist and or trainer who can asses your situation first hand and give you the down low on what they think you should be doing. The training aspect is not as important as the nutritional program at this stage, as food will take up much of your devoted time to weight loss each day. This can be anywhere up to 3 hours of the day every day dealing with food. There are many things to think of when dealing with your nutritional requirements and the time it takes to develop good and healthy eating habits. It's not just about getting the nutrition down your throat... you have to have a list of all the foods you can and will eat regularly, you have to plan your meals ahead of time, you have to buy, unpack, cook, eat and cleanup after you and you should also be eating 5-7x a day so it is very time consuming and the deal breaker as far as most athletes and non athletes alike are concerned and the biggest cause of most peoples failure to reach said goals. You have greater issues than the average person because of your past lifestyle, so you should be guided in the ways of knowing your BMR and how much food you should be eating each day and to gradually build upon this as your metabolism is regaining it's rightful spot in your physiology. You need to add in the calories required at a slower pace than the average person because of this, as upping your caloric intake too fast will cause you to gain body fat which is not what you want. Your nutritional requirements in particular should be monitored more closely than the average person. Strength and muscle building exercise is a critical component of your success and will pretty quickly improve your metabolism but that is not as complicated as the nutritional aspect is concerned.
If your serious about your plight to get healthy lay down the dollars to seek professional help face to face initially so that you can get accurate base levels of your current condition...
If you cannot afford to see these professionals immediately then don't hesitate to get in touch with me and I will guide you thru the initial phases of your journey, but you will have to be willing to talk a lot, fill out many questionnaires and figure out some solutions to issues that occur along the way... Like learning to lift properly. It's easy to watch a video or have someone explain good form from the other side of the country but that does not usually translate well to the gym floor for the un initiated. So there is a big learning curve there if your not sure what your doing.
Hope this helps some. But please if you can afford it go and see someone locally so that you can talk face to face, they can see you, test you and off you expert opinions.
It's kinda difficult getting proper advice in online forums as there is so much information that needs to be collected and instruction given. The best instruction you can get is face to face with an industry expert.
There are so many mis conceptions about weigh loss that you will be confused by all the misinformation out there and most likely become very frustrated and depressed trying to figure it out on line.
My advice to you is to seek out a reputable trainer and nutritionist and go and chat with them about your situation. Your metabolism has been badly damaged due to your previous lifestyle so only people that can see you face to face should be dealing with your situation. I am also guessing that you have not got a lot of experience with weight training and or developing training programs so at the very least you should get a handful of lessons from a good trainer who can show you how to lift correctly and teach you all the basic exercises you should be engaging in.
I am happy to help you out once you have spoken to a nutritionist and or trainer who can asses your situation first hand and give you the down low on what they think you should be doing. The training aspect is not as important as the nutritional program at this stage, as food will take up much of your devoted time to weight loss each day. This can be anywhere up to 3 hours of the day every day dealing with food. There are many things to think of when dealing with your nutritional requirements and the time it takes to develop good and healthy eating habits. It's not just about getting the nutrition down your throat... you have to have a list of all the foods you can and will eat regularly, you have to plan your meals ahead of time, you have to buy, unpack, cook, eat and cleanup after you and you should also be eating 5-7x a day so it is very time consuming and the deal breaker as far as most athletes and non athletes alike are concerned and the biggest cause of most peoples failure to reach said goals. You have greater issues than the average person because of your past lifestyle, so you should be guided in the ways of knowing your BMR and how much food you should be eating each day and to gradually build upon this as your metabolism is regaining it's rightful spot in your physiology. You need to add in the calories required at a slower pace than the average person because of this, as upping your caloric intake too fast will cause you to gain body fat which is not what you want. Your nutritional requirements in particular should be monitored more closely than the average person. Strength and muscle building exercise is a critical component of your success and will pretty quickly improve your metabolism but that is not as complicated as the nutritional aspect is concerned.
If your serious about your plight to get healthy lay down the dollars to seek professional help face to face initially so that you can get accurate base levels of your current condition...
If you cannot afford to see these professionals immediately then don't hesitate to get in touch with me and I will guide you thru the initial phases of your journey, but you will have to be willing to talk a lot, fill out many questionnaires and figure out some solutions to issues that occur along the way... Like learning to lift properly. It's easy to watch a video or have someone explain good form from the other side of the country but that does not usually translate well to the gym floor for the un initiated. So there is a big learning curve there if your not sure what your doing.
Hope this helps some. But please if you can afford it go and see someone locally so that you can talk face to face, they can see you, test you and off you expert opinions.
Thanks!
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to reply!
I panicked once I started to realize what starving was doing to my body. So I immediately started shoveling the food in. It was painful to go from eating practically nothing to trying to get in 1500 cals a day which is what my doctor recommended. The lack of nutrition screwed with my adrenal balance something fierce so I was also afraid to exercise out of fear that it would further strain my adrenals. I do believe I have gotten the adrenal issue remedied though, so I'm ready to get started.
I would love nothing more than to hire a personal trainer or nutritional expert, and in fact I have looked into it. But, at this time with two small children to provide for my finances will not allow for the extra expense
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to reply!
I panicked once I started to realize what starving was doing to my body. So I immediately started shoveling the food in. It was painful to go from eating practically nothing to trying to get in 1500 cals a day which is what my doctor recommended. The lack of nutrition screwed with my adrenal balance something fierce so I was also afraid to exercise out of fear that it would further strain my adrenals. I do believe I have gotten the adrenal issue remedied though, so I'm ready to get started.
I would love nothing more than to hire a personal trainer or nutritional expert, and in fact I have looked into it. But, at this time with two small children to provide for my finances will not allow for the extra expense
That's totally understandable. Unfortunately most doctors are ignorant of good nutritional planning. 1500 calories a day is not much but if your metabolism was so down in the dumps that your not burning up that many then body fat will be the end result... which is what you are experiencing currently. I have to leave the office and get to clients now but will be back later with a plethora of questions for you...
I am happy to help you out the best I can being that we cannot meet face to face unless you are in Minneapolis... but please keep in mind that it will not be the easiest time in the world for you to get where you want to be so expect some hiccups and delays in getting there ok. It seems that you are serious about what you want to do and I applaud your efforts so far...
I will be out of the office for a good 3 hours or so, so I will try and get back to you tonight but if not then most definitely first thing in the morning... one way or the other you will have something to look at by 7am. What part of the country are you in?...
I am happy to help you out the best I can being that we cannot meet face to face unless you are in Minneapolis... but please keep in mind that it will not be the easiest time in the world for you to get where you want to be so expect some hiccups and delays in getting there ok. It seems that you are serious about what you want to do and I applaud your efforts so far...
I will be out of the office for a good 3 hours or so, so I will try and get back to you tonight but if not then most definitely first thing in the morning... one way or the other you will have something to look at by 7am. What part of the country are you in?...
Kiwi will undoubtedly ask many other questions too and as someone focussed on bodybuilding he will be able to give you some good advice to rebuild the muscle mass your body will have catabolised, which will help you burn the fat you have aquired.
These are from experience of many with eating disorders and the answers will make a huge difference to what you can do. I am not doubting Kiwi would have asked them but as I'm sure he will appreciate it's better to be safe than unsure.
Do you have any known or suspected mobility, joint or bone issues? This includes hyper flexibility.
What other hormonal issues have you encountered? Adrenal issues are rarely the first, thyroid, eostrous etc. usually preceed them. Are these now within safe levels or are you taking things to get them sorted?
What activities do you enjoy most, now or from the past?
You will have finished one long journey and will be starting one that will last the rest of your life. Your body will take a good deal of time to recover fully from the damage caused but you aren't alone in having to repair after major issues. It takes time but is worth it when you look back and say I did that, all the help in the world never takes away that you are the true success.
You will have to do a mix of resistance and cardio work to rebuild your health and fitness. There will be no muscle in the body that will not have been damaged and catabloised with an eating disorder of that duration, including your heart and diaphram. Much as it will be annoying the chance are some of the cardio you start with will be the static state most find very boring, I am the exception but am also a freak. Once you have built up initial heart and lung strength you will be able to do more interesting stuff like prolonged endurance circuits that work the muscles as primary and cardiovascular system as a secondary just by keeping the heart rate high. This is more the realm of Kiwi's style and a lot more fun for 95%+ of the population.
These are from experience of many with eating disorders and the answers will make a huge difference to what you can do. I am not doubting Kiwi would have asked them but as I'm sure he will appreciate it's better to be safe than unsure.
Do you have any known or suspected mobility, joint or bone issues? This includes hyper flexibility.
What other hormonal issues have you encountered? Adrenal issues are rarely the first, thyroid, eostrous etc. usually preceed them. Are these now within safe levels or are you taking things to get them sorted?
What activities do you enjoy most, now or from the past?
You will have finished one long journey and will be starting one that will last the rest of your life. Your body will take a good deal of time to recover fully from the damage caused but you aren't alone in having to repair after major issues. It takes time but is worth it when you look back and say I did that, all the help in the world never takes away that you are the true success.
You will have to do a mix of resistance and cardio work to rebuild your health and fitness. There will be no muscle in the body that will not have been damaged and catabloised with an eating disorder of that duration, including your heart and diaphram. Much as it will be annoying the chance are some of the cardio you start with will be the static state most find very boring, I am the exception but am also a freak. Once you have built up initial heart and lung strength you will be able to do more interesting stuff like prolonged endurance circuits that work the muscles as primary and cardiovascular system as a secondary just by keeping the heart rate high. This is more the realm of Kiwi's style and a lot more fun for 95%+ of the population.
I have no mobility or joint issues. I had my thyroid checked 3 times and the test turned out with normal measures each time. I have had horrible issues with my reproductive hormones. But, they seem to be regulating a little now. The only things I'm taking now are vitamin and mineral supplements. I do enjoy bike riding and nature hiking.
I know this will not be easy, but I feel that I'm ready. I'm motivated! Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question
I know this will not be easy, but I feel that I'm ready. I'm motivated! Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question
I have no mobility or joint issues. I had my thyroid checked 3 times and the test turned out with normal measures each time. I have had horrible issues with my reproductive hormones. But, they seem to be regulating a little now. The only things I'm taking now are vitamin and mineral supplements. I do enjoy bike riding and nature hiking.
I know this will not be easy, but I feel that I'm ready. I'm motivated! Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question
You did well coming out that clean. You can be pleased that you weren't among the worst half of cases.
Hormonal imbalances being sorted and a healthy thyroid will help you so much. The training will be able to help a bit with adrenal issues to. Kiwi will likely be aiming to get you working at a relatively high intensity when safe to do so, this will kick of the release of endorphins most know about but another substance known as noradrenalin, which is the bodies mop up for excess adrenalin. When this starts being released on a regular basis it helps your body redress the balance. It's not a cure but it will help a lot.
if you fancy being bored, noradrenalin is needed because adrenalin like all other hormones only stops working when it degrades, but unlike most others it's only needed for short bursts so needs something to tell the body time to chill. Hormones are switch activators, they don't do anything themselves but flick switches telling the body to do various things then go to the next switch adrenalin releases blood clotting agents causing high blood pressure, unlocks energy sources, accelerates heart rate, slows digestion and absorbtion, and many other interesting things. Noradrenalin does nothing to the adrenalin itself but goes around turning things back off again.
Why do I know or care? Years of high adrenalin sports, one competetive, meant I could do things most couldn't imagine such a scrawny tyke doing but had blood pressure 140/90 (average for a lardy couch potato) was used to seeing some of my food coming out evidently not processed properly. Combined with my hyperactivity I would find myself physically shaking when I had finished some activities and the noradrenalin hadn't kicked in yet to give me that wonderful low. When I stopped I had a major issue stopping what had become a basic addiction to adrenalin high and the low that followed and took away mental pain I was ignoring. I realised I wasn't going to be able to sort this out without learning more about what I had done to myself, so learned it to a level guaranteed to cure insomnia.
Most people end up with major issues from catabolising musle and other connective tissue, resulting in hyper flexibility when the body hasn't had the strength to prevent literal slippage of these tissues.
You will have obviously weakened muscles that will need to be rebuilt. You will find the early stages will just feel hard and thankless then your body will just switch back on and you will see results coming on faster than you could have imagined. As someone used to being very small this is the time you will find most difficult mentally. You will be used to detecting tiny changes in body volume and panicing and seeing even the small muscle gains you will in reality be getting will seem dramatic for you. When this happens remember it will be relatively short lived then settle to a steady gain that you will be able to direct as you wish. Also remember that every pound of muscle you gain will be eating away at those fat stores 24 hours a day every day even at rest.
I tend to give some pretty dismal accounts of what will happen during the training progression. It's not intended to scare, purely prepare. There is nothing worse than having something happen no-one warned you about then having them respond to your concerns as if you should have expected it.
I have done this to such extents a few times people have come back saying that a number of things I had warned were nowhere near as bad as they expected. They'd felt I was wasting their time until they saw others freaking about it when unwarned.
You have demonstrated a good deal of motivation and patience to have got this far. These are the two most valuable things you can bring to training and why you will find so many here willing to help you. It doesn't matter how far from your target you start, with these in the kit bag there is nothing you can't achieve.
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Dakins
There is little I can add to the fine posts and replies you already received above.
Like most things in life, we can control 2/3 of what we experience.
Success in Business or Career ?
It boils down to a great idea, hard work and determination .... luck
You control the first 2, not the 3rd.
Being healthy?
Diet, exercise and ...... genetics
Again we control 2 of the 3.
As for your goals.
Fitness really for the most part (once we stop worrying about genetics) boils down to 3 principle areas ....
1) Diet
2) Resistance Training
3) Cardio
In your case of course, you are looking to lose fat and increase your lean muscle mass and thus your BMR also.
Obviously the lean diet with sufficient protein and complex carbs will be important for the diet part.
Weight training with sufficient intensity to stimulate muscle growth is vital for your goals.
Additionally Cardio is always recommended for heart and lung health .... and yes, also some fat burning benefit.
However, people often over emphasize the idea that you can just "burn away the fat with lots of activity" concept.
You will get tons of varying opinions but assuming you have no medical issues, I tend to suggest people in your situation start with something as follows ...
1. Estimate what your ideal lean bodyweight will be. (example 127 lbs)
Of course keep in mind at some point scales are useless -- only the mirror matters, but you need some reference point to start with.
2. Using this example, structure a diet of 4-6 meals per day that put your total protein intake between 90-127 grams
Meaning about 20 grams of protein each meal
3) Get about 20-35 grams of fat per day
4) Start with your carbs at about 1.5X your desired bodyweight ... thus in this example around 200 grams or so.
Note- this is only a rough estimated starting point.
While the protein and far number above are pretty fixed, you will have the most variety in this section depending on what you really need
The guidelines from others above for food selections are good guides
Figure on weight resistance training where you are working each body part 1 to 1.5 times per week with 3 different exercises for each body part, 3 working sets of 8-15 reps each.
Cardio .... 30-45 min .... 3 times per week ........working inside your THR range
Now... what is reasonable to expect in 4 months
Here is a personal example of a 16 week transformation following guidelines such as I briefly summarized above .
Your goals will of course be different, but this should serve as a brief summary of one method by which to start on your goals.
I am sure others will offer other suggestions that may be as valid.
What is most important is what really works for you best.
Good Luck
Michael Spitzer
There is little I can add to the fine posts and replies you already received above.
Like most things in life, we can control 2/3 of what we experience.
Success in Business or Career ?
It boils down to a great idea, hard work and determination .... luck
You control the first 2, not the 3rd.
Being healthy?
Diet, exercise and ...... genetics
Again we control 2 of the 3.
As for your goals.
Fitness really for the most part (once we stop worrying about genetics) boils down to 3 principle areas ....
1) Diet
2) Resistance Training
3) Cardio
In your case of course, you are looking to lose fat and increase your lean muscle mass and thus your BMR also.
Obviously the lean diet with sufficient protein and complex carbs will be important for the diet part.
Weight training with sufficient intensity to stimulate muscle growth is vital for your goals.
Additionally Cardio is always recommended for heart and lung health .... and yes, also some fat burning benefit.
However, people often over emphasize the idea that you can just "burn away the fat with lots of activity" concept.
You will get tons of varying opinions but assuming you have no medical issues, I tend to suggest people in your situation start with something as follows ...
1. Estimate what your ideal lean bodyweight will be. (example 127 lbs)
Of course keep in mind at some point scales are useless -- only the mirror matters, but you need some reference point to start with.
2. Using this example, structure a diet of 4-6 meals per day that put your total protein intake between 90-127 grams
Meaning about 20 grams of protein each meal
3) Get about 20-35 grams of fat per day
4) Start with your carbs at about 1.5X your desired bodyweight ... thus in this example around 200 grams or so.
Note- this is only a rough estimated starting point.
While the protein and far number above are pretty fixed, you will have the most variety in this section depending on what you really need
The guidelines from others above for food selections are good guides
Figure on weight resistance training where you are working each body part 1 to 1.5 times per week with 3 different exercises for each body part, 3 working sets of 8-15 reps each.
Cardio .... 30-45 min .... 3 times per week ........working inside your THR range
Now... what is reasonable to expect in 4 months
Here is a personal example of a 16 week transformation following guidelines such as I briefly summarized above .
Your goals will of course be different, but this should serve as a brief summary of one method by which to start on your goals.
I am sure others will offer other suggestions that may be as valid.
What is most important is what really works for you best.
Good Luck
Michael Spitzer
Last edited by a moderator:
Figuring out how to lose weight is a challenge for many of us, particularly considering that the quickest path to weight loss is different for everyone. Of course, the common denominator is always proper diet and exercise, which not only aid in weight loss, but also keep a body healthy. Of course you've heard this before - the challenge is to follow through. Others have lost weight by following these simple guidelines, and so can you.
1. Set small, realistic goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit and then go for 5 more.
2. Start a regular exercise program and stick with it.
3. Sneak in extra exercise in addition to your regular program. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk; take the stairs instead of the elevator.
4. Eat healthy fats from nuts, seeds and olive oil, and high-fiber foods such as vegetable salads and whole-grain pastas.
5. Choose foods that you like. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating dull.
6. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This way, your body starts to increase its metabolism so that calories are burned faster. Also, mini-meals can prevent overeating.
7. Plan ahead. Keep the fridge stocked with healthful food and you'll be less likely to run out for high-calorie, high-fat junk food.
8. Determine your favorite snack time and be sure to have plenty of healthful options available when you get hungry.
9. Keep a food diary. This will help you pinpoint where you can improve your diet.
1. Set small, realistic goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit and then go for 5 more.
2. Start a regular exercise program and stick with it.
3. Sneak in extra exercise in addition to your regular program. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk; take the stairs instead of the elevator.
4. Eat healthy fats from nuts, seeds and olive oil, and high-fiber foods such as vegetable salads and whole-grain pastas.
5. Choose foods that you like. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating dull.
6. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This way, your body starts to increase its metabolism so that calories are burned faster. Also, mini-meals can prevent overeating.
7. Plan ahead. Keep the fridge stocked with healthful food and you'll be less likely to run out for high-calorie, high-fat junk food.
8. Determine your favorite snack time and be sure to have plenty of healthful options available when you get hungry.
9. Keep a food diary. This will help you pinpoint where you can improve your diet.