After I ran a marathon 6 yrs ago I took a break from working out...a 6 yr break. Currently I'm 31 years old 5'5" and 139 lbs (135 lbs before I started working out in the last month). I wouldn't be bothered too much by the weight gain because I know muscle is more dense, but why are my pants tighter in the waist? My stomach looks bigger than when I started. It is really frustrating. I watch what I eat and don't have a sweet tooth so I'm not scarfing down oreos every night either. Help? I've never had this happen...is there an end in sight?
Pants are tight in the waist after a month of cardio.
- Thread starter becca6281
- Start date
It is your food. Tell us what you eat and the exact amount and please don't put things like 'a little'. EXACT amounts. And drinks, sauces, alcohol, snacks and basically anything you put in your mouth.
I started drinking Almased for breakfast after I work out...it's a protein/enzyme shake. It's about 250 calories. For lunch I have a sandwich (peanut butter/lunch meat & cheese) or a lean cuisine... snacks I eat 1 serving of almonds or the cottage cheese and fruit packs...last night I had tomato soup (low fat) with less than a handful of shredded cheese and 7 crackers.
you seem to have a lot of salt in your diet. How long ago did you start working out again? maybe your body is in "shock" and its retaining water with all that salt (lean cuisine, lunch meat, peanut butter). Do you feel bloated? what time of day do you work out? all of these could be factors.
Be wary of "low fat" products. Typically read them as "high sugar".
"Food" that's "low in fat" will still make and keep YOU fat if it's high in sugar.
"Food" that's "low in fat" will still make and keep YOU fat if it's high in sugar.
A few basic concepts to remember, which you maybe following already, but still worth mentioning just in case:
1) For any kind of weight loss, calories consumed must be less than calories burned. So even if you've stepped up your workout frequency, you still may need to eat less volume. In any case, it's worth recording and analysing exactly what you're eating over say a 2 week period and reduce calories consumed if possible.
2) This may seem to contradict point 1 on the surface, but you should eat more often. Meaning, your overall daily volume can stay as it is or be less, but you can have 5-6 meals instead of 3. This will keep your metabolism ticking over instead of slowing because your body perceives your long breaks between meals as a food shortage. Also, eat your largest meal at breakfast and smallest meal last.
3) Water - you've already mentioned that it's what you mainly drink, but just make sure you're having enough. Even if you have water retention issues, reducing water intake will only exacerbate the problem.
4) Alcohol can hinder your body's ability to burn fat, so reduce your intake or go easy on it.
5) Increase the fiber in your diet - for most people the best opportunity to do this is at breakfast. In your case, it might be worth trying having cereal as solid foods can be more effective than liquids in terms of keeping your metabolism active. Try adding nuts to your diet for insoluble fiber.
6) Are you incorporating weights / strength training in your workouts. If not, try it as more lean muscle can improve fat burning, but if you are already doing weights, just be mindful that your body can get confused when trying to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. These are separate processes and therefore it might be worth trying a phased workout plan whereby you focus on muscle building for 4-6 weeks (greater calories) and then after this, spend another 4-6 weeks on burning fat (reduced calories). I've explained this in more detail here... http://training.fitness.com/nutrition/gain-muscle-lose-weight-52914.html#post431324
7) You could try cycling calories and carbs, meaning you could increase overall calories and/or carbs for 3 or 4 days of the week, then reducing calories/carbs the other days, so long as your weekly calorie/carb intake remains the same. Of course, this will affect energy levels on the down days so it's only something I would do as a last resort.
8) Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
Good luck!
1) For any kind of weight loss, calories consumed must be less than calories burned. So even if you've stepped up your workout frequency, you still may need to eat less volume. In any case, it's worth recording and analysing exactly what you're eating over say a 2 week period and reduce calories consumed if possible.
2) This may seem to contradict point 1 on the surface, but you should eat more often. Meaning, your overall daily volume can stay as it is or be less, but you can have 5-6 meals instead of 3. This will keep your metabolism ticking over instead of slowing because your body perceives your long breaks between meals as a food shortage. Also, eat your largest meal at breakfast and smallest meal last.
3) Water - you've already mentioned that it's what you mainly drink, but just make sure you're having enough. Even if you have water retention issues, reducing water intake will only exacerbate the problem.
4) Alcohol can hinder your body's ability to burn fat, so reduce your intake or go easy on it.
5) Increase the fiber in your diet - for most people the best opportunity to do this is at breakfast. In your case, it might be worth trying having cereal as solid foods can be more effective than liquids in terms of keeping your metabolism active. Try adding nuts to your diet for insoluble fiber.
6) Are you incorporating weights / strength training in your workouts. If not, try it as more lean muscle can improve fat burning, but if you are already doing weights, just be mindful that your body can get confused when trying to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. These are separate processes and therefore it might be worth trying a phased workout plan whereby you focus on muscle building for 4-6 weeks (greater calories) and then after this, spend another 4-6 weeks on burning fat (reduced calories). I've explained this in more detail here... http://training.fitness.com/nutrition/gain-muscle-lose-weight-52914.html#post431324
7) You could try cycling calories and carbs, meaning you could increase overall calories and/or carbs for 3 or 4 days of the week, then reducing calories/carbs the other days, so long as your weekly calorie/carb intake remains the same. Of course, this will affect energy levels on the down days so it's only something I would do as a last resort.
8) Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
Good luck!
Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate your thorough response...I am doing some of these things, but not others so I will definitely take your advise.
A few basic concepts to remember, which you maybe following already, but still worth mentioning just in case:
1) For any kind of weight loss, calories consumed must be less than calories burned. So even if you've stepped up your workout frequency, you still may need to eat less volume. In any case, it's worth recording and analysing exactly what you're eating over say a 2 week period and reduce calories consumed if possible.
2) This may seem to contradict point 1 on the surface, but you should eat more often. Meaning, your overall daily volume can stay as it is or be less, but you can have 5-6 meals instead of 3. This will keep your metabolism ticking over instead of slowing because your body perceives your long breaks between meals as a food shortage. Also, eat your largest meal at breakfast and smallest meal last.
3) Water - you've already mentioned that it's what you mainly drink, but just make sure you're having enough. Even if you have water retention issues, reducing water intake will only exacerbate the problem.
4) Alcohol can hinder your body's ability to burn fat, so reduce your intake or go easy on it.
5) Increase the fiber in your diet - for most people the best opportunity to do this is at breakfast. In your case, it might be worth trying having cereal as solid foods can be more effective than liquids in terms of keeping your metabolism active. Try adding nuts to your diet for insoluble fiber.
6) Are you incorporating weights / strength training in your workouts. If not, try it as more lean muscle can improve fat burning, but if you are already doing weights, just be mindful that your body can get confused when trying to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. These are separate processes and therefore it might be worth trying a phased workout plan whereby you focus on muscle building for 4-6 weeks (greater calories) and then after this, spend another 4-6 weeks on burning fat (reduced calories). I've explained this in more detail here... http://training.fitness.com/nutrition/gain-muscle-lose-weight-52914.html#post431324
7) You could try cycling calories and carbs, meaning you could increase overall calories and/or carbs for 3 or 4 days of the week, then reducing calories/carbs the other days, so long as your weekly calorie/carb intake remains the same. Of course, this will affect energy levels on the down days so it's only something I would do as a last resort.
8) Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
Good luck!
A few basic concepts to remember, which you maybe following already, but still worth mentioning just in case:
1) For any kind of weight loss, calories consumed must be less than calories burned. So even if you've stepped up your workout frequency, you still may need to eat less volume. In any case, it's worth recording and analysing exactly what you're eating over say a 2 week period and reduce calories consumed if possible.
2) This may seem to contradict point 1 on the surface, but you should eat more often. Meaning, your overall daily volume can stay as it is or be less, but you can have 5-6 meals instead of 3. This will keep your metabolism ticking over instead of slowing because your body perceives your long breaks between meals as a food shortage. Also, eat your largest meal at breakfast and smallest meal last.
3) Water - you've already mentioned that it's what you mainly drink, but just make sure you're having enough. Even if you have water retention issues, reducing water intake will only exacerbate the problem.
4) Alcohol can hinder your body's ability to burn fat, so reduce your intake or go easy on it.
5) Increase the fiber in your diet - for most people the best opportunity to do this is at breakfast. In your case, it might be worth trying having cereal as solid foods can be more effective than liquids in terms of keeping your metabolism active. Try adding nuts to your diet for insoluble fiber.
6) Are you incorporating weights / strength training in your workouts. If not, try it as more lean muscle can improve fat burning, but if you are already doing weights, just be mindful that your body can get confused when trying to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. These are separate processes and therefore it might be worth trying a phased workout plan whereby you focus on muscle building for 4-6 weeks (greater calories) and then after this, spend another 4-6 weeks on burning fat (reduced calories). I've explained this in more detail here... http://training.fitness.com/nutrition/gain-muscle-lose-weight-52914.html#post431324
7) You could try cycling calories and carbs, meaning you could increase overall calories and/or carbs for 3 or 4 days of the week, then reducing calories/carbs the other days, so long as your weekly calorie/carb intake remains the same. Of course, this will affect energy levels on the down days so it's only something I would do as a last resort.
8) Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
Good luck!
Few things:
1. Increasing frequency has nothing to do with increase in metabolism. Have as many or as little meals are you like.
2. It doesn't matter whether your breakfast or dinner is the biggest meal, as long as you hit your daily macronutrient limit.
3. Can you show me the study where it says solid foods are superior to liquids when it comes to metabolism?
4. You body does not become 'confused.' You can not trick your body with the amount of calories you consume.
5. Cycling is not necessary. Again, you can't trick your body.
Yes, it’s all about your diet. From my all experience I can say that you can’t lose your weight up to your desired level without proper dieting.
I recommend eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, I recommend focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.
Here are more tips for you. Just add those in your daily diet:
• Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get tempting foods out of your home.
• Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
• Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
• Don't skip meals.
Just try to keep a food journal; write down everything you eat would also help you stay on track.
Keep in mind if you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating; please consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other ways to handle your feelings.
I recommend eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, I recommend focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.
Here are more tips for you. Just add those in your daily diet:
• Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get tempting foods out of your home.
• Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
• Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
• Don't skip meals.
Just try to keep a food journal; write down everything you eat would also help you stay on track.
Keep in mind if you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating; please consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other ways to handle your feelings.