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Eating Well, Exercising Regularly but Gaining Weight

In the last 4 years I worked in stressful sedentary positions, hardly ate and hardly drank water. I would often only eat at night with my family, and often go a whole weekend without eating. I don't get hungry. Over this time I had steadily gained 15 kg. Since being made redundant recently, I decided to improve my eating and exercise regime. For the past 6 months my daily routine has changed to include: eating 5 small meals which all contain some protein, drinking about 3 litres of water, and exercising for at least 30 minutes, both strength & cardiovascular. However, I continue to gain weight. WHY?
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
To lose weight when you are starting to feel good after doing lot of Physical work is a good thing and now squeeze on your calories further.
Milk, Curds and Cheese you should have double toned and decrease the oily and fatty food and increase fibres further.
You are advised not to take eggs (yolk is cholesterol rich) , pork, ham & beef.
Please visit a dietician and discuss what you want to eat/what you cannot and make a neat diet schedule of 500 cals less than required for your age and you will lose for sure  with Physical exercise.
Take care!
Helpful - 0
410943 tn?1202262442
I would want to firstly know what the portion size is of your suflower seeds, avocados, almonds, walnuts, feta cheese, or light chedder cheese. In my personal opinion try cutting out the cheese and eat more calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D rich vegetables or supplements. The foods I have listed are all very high fat foods. The avocados, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds are great for you but in a very very small portion and not so much at night time. 1 gram carbs and protein equal 4 calories, but 1 gram of fat equal 9 calories so you see the difference.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Jen for taking the time to respond. I've only just now logged back onto this site to see your response.

My kilojoule intake is between 3500 and 4500, that is, less than 1200 calories per day. I eat around 1000kj for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner and less for snacks in the morning and afternoon. With each meal I eat some protein, such as, 1-2 boiled or poached eggs, 85g tuna in springwater, 55-115g lean turkey breast, 55-115g chicken breast, 55-115g lean roast beef or 55-115g lean ham. I eat at least 2 pieces of fruit a day. Most lunches are a salad, of lettuce, cucumber, grated carrot, celery, avocado, mushroom & tomato, with some protein added. Most dinners are a combination of steamed and/or roasted vegetables with some protein. I occasionally have a small serve of wheat-free pasta or rice with the evening meal. I do not eat wheat crackers and rarely eat bread.  I snack on corn thins, rice cakes, fresh fruit, almonds, walnuts, feta, ricotta, cottage or light cheddar cheese. My breakfast cereal is a home-made combination of sunflower seeds, LSA, oats, bran & almonds, which I have with natural yoghurt & fresh fruit, such as, apple, pear, kiwifruit or banana. This is considerably more food than I used to eat.

I take a multi-vitamin & mineral supplement in the morning and a calcium supplement at night. I drink between 2 and 3 litres of water per day. I have about 2 glasses of wine a week and about 4 latte coffees a week.

I clean houses, which is quite physical, between 8-12 hours a week, as well as, do a 30 minute exercise circuit 4-5 days a week, with at least 20 minutes at the peak cardio rate.

Although I feel much fitter and stronger, I haven't lost weight. I want to be able to wear the clothes I have in my wardrobe, I don't want to buy bigger clothes!.

What is it I'm not doing correctly to get the desired results?

thanks,
copper59



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I want to add some more things here.
1. Weight gain will only occur if your take more than your required calories.
2. During weight loss do not eat deep fries, fats or anything sweet for a sustained period.
3. Start with natural products which have sweet in it like honey, fruits.
4. Fruits you should only consume the fibre ones and high water content.
5. You should eat 2 salads out of the 5 divided meals.
6. One meal with fruits, like water melons, apples and all fibre ones!
7. The other two meals should contain protein with high fibre carbs and mininmum fat as garnish
8. Burn calories by cardio, atleast 500 to start with and you can go upto 700-1000 after three months.
9. Total calorie intake should not exceed 1500 cals for an adult female and 1800 cals for adult male during weight loss regime.
By following these and doing the cardio under a professional without hurting yourself there is not way you will not lose weight.
Best of luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your input to my issues.  I will work on this and see where it goes.  Thanks much Jen.  
Helpful - 0
410943 tn?1202262442
As you get smaller you will have to tweak your diet more and more. Weight IS controlled by what we put in our bodies so that is where I would focus.

Secondly make sure you are exercising in the FAT BURNING ZONE 60-75% Max HR and not in the cardio zone 75-85% of Max HR.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Jen,

I too am having problems with weight gain.

Here is what I have been doing to loose the weight.

I am 55 years old, 200lbs.  When I joined Weight Watchers 4 years ago, I weighed 250 lbs.  I was able to loose 50 lbs. with their program and I joined a gym at the time.  I had a personal trainer which helped alot.  But over the years, I kept exercising and eating from the plan but seem to be at a plateau and can't get off of it.  I belong to Bally's and there are group classes for Kwando, Zumba and Aqua Aerobics.  I am doing the Kwando on Mondays and Zumba on Wednesday's and Friday's.  I had abdominal hernia surgery as well before I joined weight watchers and for some reason, I am still having trouble loosing that weight around the mid section.  After loosing the 50 lbs., it left me with a sagging abdomen from the weight loss.  The doctor says he won't do a tummy tuck till I loose more weight.  Still not sure how to get that stomach area reduced.

Can you help me with this situation.  Even if it is just some suggestions, that would be great.

Thanks much,
Cathy
Helpful - 0
410943 tn?1202262442
It breaks down to what are you eating for those 5 meals? what is the portion size? Remember if you have a sedentary lifestyle for 23 1/2 hrs/day then exercise 30 min that can only make so much difference. I am glad you are drinking water and protein, but what fats and carbohydrates are you eating and how much. Know that any extra protein you eat that your body doesn't need for rebuilding muscles, tissues etc. just turns to fat like anything else. Carbohydrates are your energy, protein your building blocks, fats help lubricate, trasport nutrients, create cell membranes (the right fats only).

Ex. if you consume 5 meals vegetables, fruits, meats, good fats but the calories amount to 2,500 and you need to eat 1,800 to lose weight then you will still get bigger. Also to lose weight 1 pound of fat is exquivelant to 3,500 calories so if you cut your calories by 500 every day then you will lose 1 pound every 5 days. If your calorie requirement is 2,200 then you need to consume 1,700 calories each day.

Does this help you?

Jen
Helpful - 0

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