At My Wits' End In Losing Weight - I've Tried Almost Everything!

[Pidgeon 10]

You eat a good breakfast and eat 3 meals a day?

[epiphany 10]

I've been overweight/medically obese (if you go by BMI) since perhaps the age of 16/17. I'm 5'4" and currently weigh 13st, which isn't healthy for me. I do have a large, curvy frame, with wide hips and a bust, with a nipped in waist, which does do me some favours as I do have a nice figure, but I'm wanting to lose weight for health reasons, as really I should be around the 10st mark.

 

I know this isn't helpful in the slightest, and will probably just **** you off, but from your description you sound absolutely gorgeous!

[Spyro 10]

The BMI is bull**** anyway. The British Rugby side is classed a clinically obese.

 

I suspect that you are not losing weight, because you are gaining muscle from all the exercise.

 

Get your body fat %age checked, it's a better check of your health anyway.

 

As a general guide for your normal every day person. The BMI is actually quite a good indicator to use.

[brianthedog 10]

I'd echo other people's comments about what you're doing at the gym. I joined a gym recently to tone up slightly - I'm not unhealthly, just needed to shed a kilo or two from my middle. I told the woman doing my induction this and she suggested just doing cardio, with a few stomach exercises (with a medicine ball) to tone up. I go to the gym 5 times per week (time permitting) and spend about 50-60 minutes on hard cardio followed by 10 minutes weights. I'm not loosing weight but am definitely a lot more toned - I suspect my weight loss is being countered by a bit of muscle gain so I'm happy.

 

The cardio I'm doing is hard enough to make holding a conversation impossible. My heart rate varies from 150-180bpm for the duration of each exercise. I also do not use the cool-down period on any of the machines until the last one, preferring to get off and straight onto the next one while my heart rate is still high. I'm approaching three months of this exercise and have gone from a mini beer gut to the beginnings of a 6 pack so I can vouch for it working. I'm also watching what I'm eating to ensure I'm way under my 2700 calories per day limit - I usually come in at around 1800 per day. Considering a session in the gym should be shifting updwards of 700 calories you can see why this will work.

 

I see a lot of people in the gym who are using cardio equipment but only half-heartedly. You need to really push it day in day out to see any benefit.

 

One other thing... 5 a day... Great idea, but you should really aim for 1 portion of fruit and 4 of veg, or else you'll be taking on absolutely loads of calories through the sugar in the fruit. Have a look at the portion sizes (for fruit) and how many calories this will give you each day and you'll see what I mean. A veg stir-fry is better than a fruit salad!

Edited March 2, 2009 by brianthedog
5 a day!

[Siân 10]

This thread has cheered me up no end. I always thought that at 5' 3.5" I should be between 8-9 stone (no idea what I do weigh as I don't do scales, I just go on how my clothes feel) I still need to lose weight - I don't need scales to tell me that - but it's nice to know I don't need to lose as much as I thought

 

I'll be absolutely no help on the exercise front but from a psychological approach I heard about a 'technique' recently where, instead of being asked to keep a food diary, people who were trying to lose weight had to take pictures of everything they ate during the day. You might also like to have a look for some of Deepak Chopra's stuff on healthy eating. I found it helped me to get my head around changing my attitudes towards food.

[whitehorses 10]

Can I ask how old you are?It does make a big difference to weight loss.

[nuttygirl 10]

I'm really chuffed at some of the responses on here - and not so chuffed at some of the dodgy PMs I've received...

 

Thanks to the postive comments everyone. Replying to them in no particular order:

 

I'm 24, no kids.

 

When I say I don't eat too much rubbish, I'll have a takeaway maybe twice a month, and don't drink alcohol or smoke.

 

I may eat the odd ready-meal, but only the low-fat versions, and eat plenty of fruit and veg, around 3-5 portions a day. I don't eat much bread, perhaps a sandwich 2-3 times a week and that's it. I don't have chocolate in the house, and might have a bar 1-2 times a month, and same for crisps.

 

I'm on the pill, but having changed in the past it caused some problems as I need a high oestrogen level - might try considering other methods...

 

At the gym I do a mix of fat burn and cardio, with a bit of weights, but nothing heavy. When I'm on the machines I couldn't hold a conversation, and breath harder, so I'm not taking it easy!

[epiphany 10]

and not so chuffed at some of the dodgy PMs I've received...

 

Please share!!!

 

Name and shame!!!

 

Come on, we're all adults here.

 

Family forum! Shut up! *hits self on head*

[Miss_S_83 10]

Please share!!!

 

Name and shame!!!

 

Come on, we're all adults here.

 

Family forum! Shut up! *hits self on head*

 

Hahaaaa!! You should be ashamed of yourselves whoever has sent nasty PM's to her!

 

Nuttygirl.. well you sound like you are doing everything right, so I am baffled! Do you have a lot of weight around your middle etc.? Are you naturally meant to be the weight you are or have you been thinner before?

I can't understand it, apart from maybe the pill you are on?

As I said I am same height and more or less similar normal weight to you but a different shape and I know it's too heavy for me but I wouldn't srtrive for 10st 4lbs, I would be happy and look fine at about 11, maybe even 11st 7lbs I reckon.

 

I hope you get answers soon! Ignore the idiots PM-ing you x

[nuttygirl 10]

Hahaaaa!! You should be ashamed of yourselves whoever has sent nasty PM's to her!

 

Nuttygirl.. well you sound like you are doing everything right, so I am baffled! Do you have a lot of weight around your middle etc.? Are you naturally meant to be the weight you are or have you been thinner before?

I can't understand it, apart from maybe the pill you are on?

As I said I am same height and more or less similar normal weight to you but a different shape and I know it's too heavy for me but I wouldn't srtrive for 10st 4lbs, I would be happy and look fine at about 11, maybe even 11st 7lbs I reckon.

 

I hope you get answers soon! Ignore the idiots PM-ing you x

 

I've been everything for 8st 7lb to 13st 2lbs. The former was due to bulimia, which unfortunately, I still have issues with. I looked like a skeleton with a lollipop head in a size 8 dress.

 

I'm a size 14-18 now, and ideally would like to get down to a 10-14.

[Miss_S_83 10]

I've been everything for 8st 7lb to 13st 2lbs. The former was due to bulimia, which unfortunately, I still have issues with. I looked like a skeleton with a lollipop head in a size 8 dress.

 

I'm a size 14-18 now, and ideally would like to get down to a 10-14.

 

Aww sorry to hear about that. 14-18 is about what I am, usually 16+ as big busted on top, and 16 on bottom but then my arse and legs don't fill them enough, looks daft!

 

Again I hope you get answers soon. Hope the issues you are still dealing with aren't affecting you too badly x

[Halibut 12]

How many hours a day do you walk?

If you use a car or a bus for any journey of a couple of miles or so, stop using it and walk instead.