Do you “never cheat” and still can’t make progress? Then stay tuned. This Q and A episode is for you.
Please help!!!! I am so frustrated! I am 59 years old, several years post-menopausal. I had been sedentary for several years and ended up gaining weight. I had always been average weight…not real thin, and a little prone to putting on pounds if I didn’t “watch it.”
When I was younger, though, I could lose weight relatively easily through dieting. Not anymore!! Several months back I started to try to lose weight through my old diet efforts. Nothing happened. I got frustrated and stopped dieting and ended up gaining 3 additional pounds. So, I tried to diet again. Same thing happened and I ended up 7 pounds heavier than when I first began.
I got so depressed…that’s when I realized diet alone wouldn’t do it anymore and I started exercising. I signed up for Debra’s 5-day flip, and I bought her book, You still got it girl. I’ve been exercising 5 days a week and trying to eat very healthy ever since. I do weights 2 to 3 times a week and HIIT exercise 3 days a week. I eat about 1200 calories a day. I am 5 feet tall. At first, I lost some weight. I lost the 7 extra pounds I had gained after I started dieting, (back to only where I was when I started) and then about 3 more pounds.
The Question
Now I am stuck. I haven’t lost an ounce in over 3 weeks and I’m exercising and eating healthy every day. I NEVER CHEAT! But I am so miserable because nothing is happening and I am trying so hard! I would like to lose about another 15 pounds. What am I doing wrong??? Am I eating too much?? (I’m practically starving at 1200 calories). Am I not eating enough? Am I exercising wrong? I’m so incredibly frustrated! Any guidance would be so appreciated!
-Bonnie
Help for Never Cheat
- Increase (and stop counting) calories – Your messaging your body to slow down. You need to have metabolic flexibility… and as you shut down the calories and increase the exercise your body has a foot on the accelerator and one on the brake
- Introduce Intermittent Fasting – an hour later in the morning, an hour earlier in evening
- Look at sleep, stress (your raising yours -said with love)
- Take a week and relax… catch up on sleep. Walk, do yoga, but nothing you think is calorie burning
- Look at your hunger levels, energy levels, and pay more attention to your protein per meal, your carb intake, your energy all day, and fiber intake.
There’s a Bright Side
- A plateau is not a bad thing… you’re not gaining. Consider that a plus and realize that your body won’t lose more without the ability to burn more. Your body pausing for a moment is okay. Weight loss never goes linearly.
- Weights 2x a week. Interval 1-3. Fill in with movement daily.
- Check your protein intake at each of 3 meals daily, especially around exercise.