I need help from someone better versed in exercise physiology and diet than I. I need some insight into what’s happening with my body—basically, why what I am doing is not showing up on the scale as weight loss. I am frustrated.
I am 54, 9 years post-menopause and 7 years post-hysterectomy (no ovaries). I weaned myself off hormone replacement a few months ago. I am carrying 30-40 lb. more than I should. My weight had been stable for the last 4 years or so, including no winter weight gain. I am blessed with what I consider “natural” physical stamina. For example, last May, after only about 200 trainer miles and 40 road miles, I did an “all you can ride in 12 hours” cycling challenge and managed 135 miles. Felt OK afterwards! I always have been irregular with exercise—get into it for a while, then nothing for months, then back into it. Last summer, it was a little cycling, that’s it.
I’ve now made a commitment to keeping myself in better shape. That natural stamina won’t be there forever unless I work at it. I am an older single parent, my kids are 6 and 4, and I want to do what I can to ensure that I’m around for them as long as possible. And, I was becoming energy challenged. Toward the end of October 2006, I began to row on a regular basis, prepping for the holiday challenge. Did 221K in the challenge. During that time, I was not paying much attention to diet, but my clothes weren’t fitting any differently. I got on the scale at the end of the challenge and was unpleasantly surprised—I was up 5 lb. After all those years of stability! After all that rowing!! Over the next couple of months, I continued to row, watching my diet more carefully. Up 2 more lb. Grrr.
So, for the last 5 weeks, I have been keeping a food diary AND I have been following a prepackaged food plan. I know what my calories are. Very little sugar; complex carbs only; fair amount of protein (chicken, fish). I have continued to row, anywhere from 30-50 minutes 5-6 times a week (early morning). Total of 728K since October 27. I’ve been cycling through C2’s 3 week winter workout schedule, so sometimes it’s intervals, sometimes pyramid, sometimes long rows—but not the same thing every day. Last week I added strength training, my goal is 2-3 times a week (only 3 sessions so far). Got on the scale this morning—down only 3 lb in 5 weeks. Which is still up from where I was when I started to erg in October.
If I do what I consider a fairly conservative estimate of calories out minus calories in, I get considerably more than 10,500! I know my body can’t defy the laws of thermodynamics. Today I am wearing pants I used to only be able to wear when I’m about 8 lb lighter than I am now. I know I’m doing the right things, I know I’m benefiting, clothes are looser—I have more muscle and less fat. But what’s really happening inside—how much muscle gain is reasonable, how much fat loss, and why has my total weight gone up after all this? I’ve never experienced this before, although my last serious attempt at weight loss was pre-menopause. What should I do differently (I have no additional time in the day for exercise), or is it a matter of being patient and trusting that eventually I’ll see downward action on the scale? Am I going to be 65 by the time I take my 30 lb off?? I start imagining all sorts of crazy things—giant fast-growing tumor inside somewhere, a haywire thyroid, whatever. Ha ha! I’m trying hard not to be demotivated by the scale, to focus on the positive results, but I’d sure like to know what’s really going on inside. If anyone can offer up some insight, I’d appreciate it!
Desperately seeking weight loss, and working really hard at it...
Liz
Help--I can't lose pounds. Need insight.
Liz, as you undoubtedly know, muscle weighs more than fat, so you could well be both losing fat and gaining muscle (both good things--and apt to happen when you launch into a regular exercise program if you have been mostly sedentary before that) as well as gaining weight!
That your clothes are looser would suggest that's what's been happening. I'd get a set of pretty specific body measurements now, so that you can compare at later dates.
If you have a pair of jeans that were "close fitting" when you were at the weight you've been shooting for, you'll be able to assess how you are doing at regaining that body size.
Finally, your body metabolism can make you think you're defying the laws of thermodynamics. If your body thinks a famine is coming (meals are few, far between and sparse), it will slow down your metabolism so that it can run on fewer calories and store as much fat as possible so that you'll survive until abundance returns! When you reach your goal and start eating "normally" again, it can take a while for your body your metabolism to normal. It's best to try to avoid triggering that famine reaction (both to allow easier weight loss and avoid regainning what you lose). That's why lots of diets talk about 5-6 small meals a day...
Just some thoughts. Presumably others will be along w/ more info...
Alissa
That your clothes are looser would suggest that's what's been happening. I'd get a set of pretty specific body measurements now, so that you can compare at later dates.
If you have a pair of jeans that were "close fitting" when you were at the weight you've been shooting for, you'll be able to assess how you are doing at regaining that body size.
Finally, your body metabolism can make you think you're defying the laws of thermodynamics. If your body thinks a famine is coming (meals are few, far between and sparse), it will slow down your metabolism so that it can run on fewer calories and store as much fat as possible so that you'll survive until abundance returns! When you reach your goal and start eating "normally" again, it can take a while for your body your metabolism to normal. It's best to try to avoid triggering that famine reaction (both to allow easier weight loss and avoid regainning what you lose). That's why lots of diets talk about 5-6 small meals a day...
Just some thoughts. Presumably others will be along w/ more info...
Alissa
I think you're on the right track. Just keep up the good work. I also found that my progress showed up in the fit of my clothes before it showed up on the scale. I'm pre-menopausal, but from what I've heard, it is harder to lose weight after. Keep reminding yourself that you are doing the right thing.
If you really think the thyroid is an issue, get your TSH and T4 checked (a simple blood test). My TSH finally crept high enough that a doctor prescribed thryoid hormone. I feel so much better. I used to feel like I was dragging through the day. It took a while, but I've lost close to 10 lbs.
Welcome to the boards, and come check out the Women's Forum.
If you really think the thyroid is an issue, get your TSH and T4 checked (a simple blood test). My TSH finally crept high enough that a doctor prescribed thryoid hormone. I feel so much better. I used to feel like I was dragging through the day. It took a while, but I've lost close to 10 lbs.
Welcome to the boards, and come check out the Women's Forum.
Schenley
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)
Thanks, Alissa and MomofJBN (PS I did join the women's RIAR team in January, but only posted an intro then. Haven't posted since.) Yeah, I know about the relative densities (weights) of muscle and fat, always used to make that joke "it must be muscle" when I gained weight! That has to be a factor--I'm just not familiar with muscle development rates to know whether this can explain it all. I think of erging primarily as cardio, not muscle building, and I just started the strength training, so...gosh, with the strength training, will the scale slow down even more?? 
Some additional data. I am eating 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks. Trying not to eat after dinner. I eat 1200-1500 cals per day. The meal plan varies calories day to day in theory so your body doesn't learn to expect the same intake. I'm drinking lots of water. No diet soda, not much caffeine. Tons of veggies, moderate protein, low to moderate fats. Even with my activity, that level of calories isn't enough to send my body into "starvation--hold on to the fat" mode, is it???
Could poor sleep be an issue? I get no more than about 5 hours a night, and never seem to get a good, solid, deep sleep. I've read about sleep being a factor in weight management.
I haven't had blood work done for a couple of years, but last time thyroid function tested normal. Maybe it's time to look at it again.
I am trying to focus on the looser clothes, being able to run up stairs, etc. and NOT what the scale reads, but it's still frustrating. I did buy a tape measure yesterday so I could get a set of measurements.
No rowing today, lunchtime bike ride instead...
Liz
Some additional data. I am eating 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks. Trying not to eat after dinner. I eat 1200-1500 cals per day. The meal plan varies calories day to day in theory so your body doesn't learn to expect the same intake. I'm drinking lots of water. No diet soda, not much caffeine. Tons of veggies, moderate protein, low to moderate fats. Even with my activity, that level of calories isn't enough to send my body into "starvation--hold on to the fat" mode, is it???
Could poor sleep be an issue? I get no more than about 5 hours a night, and never seem to get a good, solid, deep sleep. I've read about sleep being a factor in weight management.
I haven't had blood work done for a couple of years, but last time thyroid function tested normal. Maybe it's time to look at it again.
I am trying to focus on the looser clothes, being able to run up stairs, etc. and NOT what the scale reads, but it's still frustrating. I did buy a tape measure yesterday so I could get a set of measurements.
No rowing today, lunchtime bike ride instead...
Liz
Liz,
Don't beat up on yourself. You can fit smaller cloths, you've gained muscle and lost fast, and you are much fitter and healthier. 3 lbs in 5 weeks is 30 lbs in a year which the kind of weight loss that is not likely to come back, but it is also deceptive becase of the muscle gain. Focus on how you feel and don't obscess about the scale. You're really doing great.
Two things that are important for me, is 1) getting back to exercise no matter how long I've been off. Missing some time for whatever reason is not an excuse to not start working out again (it sometimes means starting gradually.) Because I know I will contiue to workout, I don't feel bad about not doing what I had planned and the longer the break the more motivation I have for getting back to it. 2) Not eating much protein or fat before I go to bed. I try to emphasis vegtables for dinner and try to eat a few hours before bed time. I find that this makes it much easier to loose weight.
Don't beat up on yourself. You can fit smaller cloths, you've gained muscle and lost fast, and you are much fitter and healthier. 3 lbs in 5 weeks is 30 lbs in a year which the kind of weight loss that is not likely to come back, but it is also deceptive becase of the muscle gain. Focus on how you feel and don't obscess about the scale. You're really doing great.
Two things that are important for me, is 1) getting back to exercise no matter how long I've been off. Missing some time for whatever reason is not an excuse to not start working out again (it sometimes means starting gradually.) Because I know I will contiue to workout, I don't feel bad about not doing what I had planned and the longer the break the more motivation I have for getting back to it. 2) Not eating much protein or fat before I go to bed. I try to emphasis vegtables for dinner and try to eat a few hours before bed time. I find that this makes it much easier to loose weight.
Sleep could be an issue. I know when I'm tired I eat "to get energy." Of course, that doesn't work. I'm sure it's tough being a single mom of 2, but if I were you, I'd make sleep more of a priority. My 2 cents.
Schenley
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)
Ha ha, no sleep and tons of stress...that's my life. Ah, well.
The sleep issue is complex. I get up at 5, because that's the only time I have to myself. My girls are 6 and 4, and the 4 year old is ADHD to the max. Dealing with her behavior wears me out on a daily basis. By the time I get them to bed I'm almost catatonic. If I sit down, I'm apt to fall asleep--but that's for only an hour or two. So then I get up and either run around trying to get things done or just give up and go back to sleep. So already I've set myself up for no deep sleep cycle. Also I have fibromyalgia, and one hallmark of the condition is no or poor deep sleep cycle. Well, and I'm post-menopausal, and lots of women sleep poorly and sleep less at that stage. If I give in and just go to bed at 9:30, I'm stressed out because I get NOTHING done around the house. That time between 5 and 7 am is my only time, and now I'm using much of it to exercise (and feed the dogs and cats, scoop the cat boxes, make lunches, take a shower, etc. etc.)
The behavior challenges with my younger daughter place enormous stress on me. I work full time, and I adopted both girls as a single parent, so there's no spouse I can hand them to and say, "they're yours for the next 2 hours." No family in the area. I'm perpetually tired--a big reason I've made this commitment to health and fitness, because I'll pay a toll for the stress in my life, and I need to offset that. Actually the doctor has told me the fibromyalgia is a physical response to stress, and I believe it--it developed shortly after I became a parent, had a difficult job situation, had major surgery...
Anyway, I've got some strikes against me when it comes to maintaining a completely healthy lifestyle. I'm trying to control the things that I can.
Thanks for all the input.
Liz
The sleep issue is complex. I get up at 5, because that's the only time I have to myself. My girls are 6 and 4, and the 4 year old is ADHD to the max. Dealing with her behavior wears me out on a daily basis. By the time I get them to bed I'm almost catatonic. If I sit down, I'm apt to fall asleep--but that's for only an hour or two. So then I get up and either run around trying to get things done or just give up and go back to sleep. So already I've set myself up for no deep sleep cycle. Also I have fibromyalgia, and one hallmark of the condition is no or poor deep sleep cycle. Well, and I'm post-menopausal, and lots of women sleep poorly and sleep less at that stage. If I give in and just go to bed at 9:30, I'm stressed out because I get NOTHING done around the house. That time between 5 and 7 am is my only time, and now I'm using much of it to exercise (and feed the dogs and cats, scoop the cat boxes, make lunches, take a shower, etc. etc.)
The behavior challenges with my younger daughter place enormous stress on me. I work full time, and I adopted both girls as a single parent, so there's no spouse I can hand them to and say, "they're yours for the next 2 hours." No family in the area. I'm perpetually tired--a big reason I've made this commitment to health and fitness, because I'll pay a toll for the stress in my life, and I need to offset that. Actually the doctor has told me the fibromyalgia is a physical response to stress, and I believe it--it developed shortly after I became a parent, had a difficult job situation, had major surgery...
Anyway, I've got some strikes against me when it comes to maintaining a completely healthy lifestyle. I'm trying to control the things that I can.
Thanks for all the input.
Liz
Re: Help--I can't lose pounds. Need insight.
Take a look at this site http://www.paleodiet.com/ it may be of help to you.LizD wrote:I need help from someone better versed in exercise physiology and diet than I. I need some insight into what’s happening with my body—basically, why what I am doing is not showing up on the scale as weight loss. I am frustrated.
Bob
LizD
You are very tough and seem to be doing a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Take it, a bit of satisfaction never hurt anyone. Lack of might well do, even been said to cause overeating.
On the purely numbers side, what sort of 3 meal + 2 snack = 1200 / 1500kCal? Either that's your blindspot or they're very small meals, not really worthy of the name. Or did you mean each? If so remember the C2 is a bit generous in its kCal sums.
You are very tough and seem to be doing a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Take it, a bit of satisfaction never hurt anyone. Lack of might well do, even been said to cause overeating.
On the purely numbers side, what sort of 3 meal + 2 snack = 1200 / 1500kCal? Either that's your blindspot or they're very small meals, not really worthy of the name. Or did you mean each? If so remember the C2 is a bit generous in its kCal sums.
08-1940, 183cm, 83kg.
Late 2024: stroke 4W-min@20-22.
Late 2024: stroke 4W-min@20-22.
Re: Help--I can't lose pounds. Need insight.
rtmmtl wrote:Take a look at this site http://www.paleodiet.com/ it may be of help to you.LizD wrote:I need help from someone better versed in exercise physiology and diet than I. I need some insight into what’s happening with my body—basically, why what I am doing is not showing up on the scale as weight loss. I am frustrated.
I echo that suggestion. I have been eating this way for several years. I think grains, starches, processed sweets, etc., account for much unwanted fat-weight.
You may find www.fast-5.com of interest as well. If it works for you, it is a way to "find" more time in your day, improve energy, potentially help with some of the conditions you are dealing with, and more.
All the best,
Eddie
LizD,
Gosh, you have a lot going on, and I hesitate to give advice. I can, however, share my thinking on dealing with a somewhat similar situation (though not quite as extreme). In fact, for me, life has been downright.... ROCKY recently.
* I have a kid that turned 4 years old, and until the last few months, I have had frequently interrupted sleep. I have been absolutely exhausted. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 3, and then she has been getting colds very frequently, waking us up, and then giving the colds to us. When I used to bathe her at night, I had to prop myself up against the wall while I fought to keep from falling asleep! Things have gotten better in the last few months; she is getting fewer colds and so have we! But it was extremely difficult for many many months.
* I have been trying to lose weight for about a year now, and have been exercising and erging regularly. I've only lost about 6 lbs in that time, though I am down a size. I've tried a few things that DO NOT WORK
* My work stress has been crazy and my job hours have been outrageous.
* Though I have a husband who is wonderful, child care tends to fall to me, and we have no relatives in the area.
* I am approaching menapause.
Here's what I have learned:
(1) I read somewhere that diets below 1200 Calories a day kick the body into famine mode. I did not lose weight in the weeks where the total Calories minus the energy total on the erg workout was under 900 Calories. I was also extremely irritable, and got sick -- bad heartburn and GI symptoms. Ironically, I wasn't all that hungry! So, I am trying for a more moderate weight loss program.
EDITED: I looked back at my workout journal and saw that for several months, my target caloric input was 1500 Cal, and my workouts on the erg were reading 650-700 Cal. No wonder I was sick and unable to lose weight!
(2) I agree with many posters here: not enough sleep makes it much harder to lose weight.
*I have shifted my prioirites so that sleep is higher priority than anything. Basically, if when the alarm goes off in the morning, if I feel like crying when I try to get up, it means I am too tired. For a long time there, it used to feel like I was dying when I tried to wake up. Now, I sleep the extra hour instead of working out. Believe me, this is a MAJOR shift in thinking for me, and it has had good results; my resting heart rate is coming down, and I feel better. I'm letting go of the weight loss goal for just a while, trusting that more sleep and a moderate diet will even out my metabolism.
(3) Since the sleep became a higher priority, it means I don't get as much of a workout in as I would like. On days I sleep in, I try to get some kind of workout in, even if it's 15 minutes just before bed. On the weekend, I get a good long workout (1 hour) both days. I don't feel good about it, but I put on a DVD for the kid, and I erg while she watches. We usually restrict TV watching as much as we can, but I'm desperate to get in a workout.
I find that most weeks I can get 4 workouts in, with 3 of them of 45 minutes or longer. As my kid has gotten older, I've been able to work out more.
(4) One thing we have that you have not mentioned is a CLEANING SERVICE. This is the best investment we have ever made. Our house is pretty much chaos, and I don't do much more than pick up so that the cleaning people can do their thing. Again, this is not the way that I was raised, but sleep now wins over picking up the house. Because if I don't get sleep, I can't work productively and I can't take care of my health and I can't take care of my family.
If you have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep, you might also try buying a book on sleep managment. There are behavioral techniques that are very easy to learn and apply. You can learn them from a book or go see a Behavioral Medicine or Mind/Body specialist (usually a psychologist). They also treat fibromyalgia (usually by treating the sleep disorder). This is a very fixable problem, and it shouldn't take big $$ or time to address!
(5) This thread is inspiring me to get organized and start packing small meals for work. Usually I do a big salad for lunch. Gosh, thinking about organizing and packing for three small meals at work feels overwhelming at the moment. (Know what I mean?)
I don't know if any of this blathering has been any help. You are in a tough situation, and I feel for you. Let us know what ends up working for you, and hang in there! It sounds like your kids have a great mom!
-C
Gosh, you have a lot going on, and I hesitate to give advice. I can, however, share my thinking on dealing with a somewhat similar situation (though not quite as extreme). In fact, for me, life has been downright.... ROCKY recently.
* I have a kid that turned 4 years old, and until the last few months, I have had frequently interrupted sleep. I have been absolutely exhausted. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 3, and then she has been getting colds very frequently, waking us up, and then giving the colds to us. When I used to bathe her at night, I had to prop myself up against the wall while I fought to keep from falling asleep! Things have gotten better in the last few months; she is getting fewer colds and so have we! But it was extremely difficult for many many months.
* I have been trying to lose weight for about a year now, and have been exercising and erging regularly. I've only lost about 6 lbs in that time, though I am down a size. I've tried a few things that DO NOT WORK
* My work stress has been crazy and my job hours have been outrageous.
* Though I have a husband who is wonderful, child care tends to fall to me, and we have no relatives in the area.
* I am approaching menapause.
Here's what I have learned:
(1) I read somewhere that diets below 1200 Calories a day kick the body into famine mode. I did not lose weight in the weeks where the total Calories minus the energy total on the erg workout was under 900 Calories. I was also extremely irritable, and got sick -- bad heartburn and GI symptoms. Ironically, I wasn't all that hungry! So, I am trying for a more moderate weight loss program.
EDITED: I looked back at my workout journal and saw that for several months, my target caloric input was 1500 Cal, and my workouts on the erg were reading 650-700 Cal. No wonder I was sick and unable to lose weight!
(2) I agree with many posters here: not enough sleep makes it much harder to lose weight.
*I have shifted my prioirites so that sleep is higher priority than anything. Basically, if when the alarm goes off in the morning, if I feel like crying when I try to get up, it means I am too tired. For a long time there, it used to feel like I was dying when I tried to wake up. Now, I sleep the extra hour instead of working out. Believe me, this is a MAJOR shift in thinking for me, and it has had good results; my resting heart rate is coming down, and I feel better. I'm letting go of the weight loss goal for just a while, trusting that more sleep and a moderate diet will even out my metabolism.
(3) Since the sleep became a higher priority, it means I don't get as much of a workout in as I would like. On days I sleep in, I try to get some kind of workout in, even if it's 15 minutes just before bed. On the weekend, I get a good long workout (1 hour) both days. I don't feel good about it, but I put on a DVD for the kid, and I erg while she watches. We usually restrict TV watching as much as we can, but I'm desperate to get in a workout.
I find that most weeks I can get 4 workouts in, with 3 of them of 45 minutes or longer. As my kid has gotten older, I've been able to work out more.
(4) One thing we have that you have not mentioned is a CLEANING SERVICE. This is the best investment we have ever made. Our house is pretty much chaos, and I don't do much more than pick up so that the cleaning people can do their thing. Again, this is not the way that I was raised, but sleep now wins over picking up the house. Because if I don't get sleep, I can't work productively and I can't take care of my health and I can't take care of my family.
If you have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep, you might also try buying a book on sleep managment. There are behavioral techniques that are very easy to learn and apply. You can learn them from a book or go see a Behavioral Medicine or Mind/Body specialist (usually a psychologist). They also treat fibromyalgia (usually by treating the sleep disorder). This is a very fixable problem, and it shouldn't take big $$ or time to address!
(5) This thread is inspiring me to get organized and start packing small meals for work. Usually I do a big salad for lunch. Gosh, thinking about organizing and packing for three small meals at work feels overwhelming at the moment. (Know what I mean?)
I don't know if any of this blathering has been any help. You are in a tough situation, and I feel for you. Let us know what ends up working for you, and hang in there! It sounds like your kids have a great mom!
-C
Rocky has some great insight! Even before I logged on and saw her post, I was thinking that you might actually want to cut back on your erging. I know it's counter-intuitive, but if erging is making you too tired, then the work-outs may not be helping as much. You might trying erging 4x/wk. This will give your body a chance to recover in between as well as giving you some time to do other stuff.
4x/wk has been optimal for me, but I know there are no "one size fits all" solutions.
4x/wk has been optimal for me, but I know there are no "one size fits all" solutions.
Schenley
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)
Wife of Jeff
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/momofjbn/dudes_small.jpg[/img] Mom of Jonathan (12), Benjamin (10), and Nicholas (8)