Food/Exercise question

Ok I'm trying to lose a bit of weight. I'm 5'3'' and about 9st. But despite eating healthy and exercise I actually seem to be gaining weight! Im not sure if I still eating too much, eating too little so my body storing fat or if its muscle from exercising too much. Heres a typical day....

Food: half banana, yoghurt, apple, wrap with veg in, slice of toast and marmite, pear, proper dinner (eg. lasagne and peas yesterday), another slice of toast, orange.

Exercise: either 45 mins of high impact aerobics or half hour run or occassionally swimming.

This is pretty typical, any idea why im gaining weight?!

Cheers

Reply 1

Joce

You could be gaining weight because with the exercise you are doing you may be gaining muscle which weighs more than fat. Ive had that happen to me before

Reply 2

KerriT

9

You're eating healthily! Your diet is much better than mine and you are exercising. You can't really cut out food! It might well be muscle.

Reply 3

*titanium*

12

gaining muscle? trust me that is not the reason, muscle isnt that just easy to gain, especialy not for girls and especialy not with aerobic activities.

It could be that it is water weight if you are drinking a lot more, thou this will only increase during the first few days.

Honestly, i think for someone of your size, thats quite a lot of food you are eatinf for someone who is trying to loose weight. I am male 5ft 10 i obviously eat more then what you just wrote but when i dieted to get to under 10% body fat (combined with lots more excerszie then you are doing) i ate less then you are eating.

I would say have cereal for breakfast, sandwhich fruit and maybe something else small for lunch, proper dinner and then a fruit or 2 in the evening, combine this with the excersize you mentioned (i assume you excersize every day going by the way you said it) thou it would be beneficial to do more.

Reply 4

Happy_Rocker

1

how long have you been doing it for: diet and exercise? i cant explain why you could be putting on weight, but maybe your not giving it enough time, sensible weight loss takes time even with enough exercise and a healthy diet.
and also how often do you exercise?

Reply 5

Flopifloor

You should also keep in mind that it is better to eat in the morning and then have a light dinner (so no lasagne)

Reply 6

*titanium*

12

Flopifloor

You should also keep in mind that it is better to eat in the morning and then have a light dinner (so no lasagne)

no lasagne? then she is just haveing peas for dinner! You need a proper dinner, the only problem is maybe she is haveing too much, i couldnt say because she does not mention how much of it she eats, but it is a possibility.

Also, dosnt lasagne have lots of chesse in it? chesse is fattening. Maybe lasagne is not the best choice of dinner to loose weight!

Reply 7

hugsnkisses

9

you may not be eating enough, because you are exercising as well your body might think it is starving

Reply 8

bedbug

14

CrystaLite that is quite a ridiculous way to lose weight. You know it's not healthy as you've said so why do it? Instead of having something small and bad for you for lunch, why not have a big salad? You're bound to end up feeling really run down on that diet, so why bother? Sure, you'll lose weight initially, but when you start actually eating again you'll pile it all back on. Unless you're ready to eat like that for the rest of your life and end up in an early grave I wouldn't bother with it.

Reply 9

WokSz

17

Your diet seems fine, however I would eat a more balanced dinner. Meaning, try and eat half a plate of veg, a quarter meat and a quarter carbs. If you don't eat a balanced diet or eat enough, your body will get 'muddled' up. Once you do eat something well, your body will try and save up everything, rather than try and use it in respiration. Also, for your toast do you eat wholemeal? Bananas supposedly have a high calorific value - maybe alternate those with other fruits?

Reply 10

halfoflessthan50p

12

OP: you should keep going for a few more weeks. Sometimes when you start a new diet you put on weight for a bit before you start losing it (i dont claim to understand these things, something about your body's response to having less food available.)

If it is your diet. Id cut out the bread and the lasagne (carbohydrates)

Reply 11

CrystaLite

squirly

CrystaLite that is quite a ridiculous way to lose weight. You know it's not healthy as you've said so why do it? Instead of having something small and bad for you for lunch, why not have a big salad? You're bound to end up feeling really run down on that diet, so why bother? Sure, you'll lose weight initially, but when you start actually eating again you'll pile it all back on. Unless you're ready to eat like that for the rest of your life and end up in an early grave I wouldn't bother with it.

I was thinking of doing that only until I lose the extra stone I have gained...cravings doesnt necessarily mean "bad" food. Like you said, I could have salad, or maybe sushi, or a sandwich...Anything I feel like, really..

What would you suggest then? The fastest way to lose the extra stone I have gained during the past 2-3 months.

Reply 12

bedbug

14

Eat HEALTHILY and exercise every day. Healthily as in a bowl of whole grain cereal with skimmed milk for breakfast, a piece of fruit mid morning, a big salad for lunch, another piece of fruit mid afternoon and then a balanced healthy meal for dinner (ie chicken/fish and steamed veg)

If you watch your carb intake and try to avoid things high in saturated fat (ie choc, crisps, cakes, biscuits, even red meat I think) and eat lots of fruit and veg you can't really go too far wrong.

Portion size wise, I'd say have as much veg as you want, lots of fruit and then a portion of protein should be about the size of a loosely clenched fist and a portion of carbs should be about the size of your palm (I don't stick to that but I'm not trying to lose weight)

Then if possible try to go for a 20 min brisk walk before each meal and do some cardio every day (ie swimming, running, cycling, etc - anything to get your heart rate up and get you burning some of that fat)

Reply 13

Anonymous #1

OP

Hiya,
Thanks for replying. I have been eating like this for a while but have just upped the exercise this week. I can easily cut out bread but I was just worried I'd go under 1200 calories and start storing fat! Lasagne was just an example. I get evening meanls made for me so i just have to eat what Im given I'm afraid. I am pretty much avoiding cheese anyway, one of my downfalls and trying not to eat too big portions. Its so frustrating!

Reply 14

bedbug

14

Can you not swap the bread for something else? A bowl of cereal maybe? I find that when I eat bread I look bloated and put on weight quite easily so I generally try to avoid it. I'll have the occasional sandwich now and again if I need something fast and on the go but I refuse to eat white bread. It's absolute poo and does nothing for you at all. If you're going to keep on with the bread then at least make sure it's wholemeal.

Reply 15

Anonymous #1

OP

Yeah sorry, forgot to say it is wholemeal and I know bananas are highish calories for fruit so i only eat half. DO you think I should be doing more exercise then? will that make a big difference?

Reply 16

bedbug

14

Exercise definitely makes a big difference. How often are you exercising?

Reply 17

Zlatan

1

Can somone clear this up for me, and i cant be bothered to start a new topic :smile:

They say you are supposed to eat 2500 calories, and have 30grams of saturated fat a day.

However, say for example cereal, they are really low on fat, and are about 400 calories for 100 grams, but to equal the 2500 calories its low on fat. So which is better? can you go miles over the daily calories and be still under the fat limit? or should you be on the 2500 calories still?

Also, for every pound of muscle, you burn 50 calories through the day, so does that mean you are able to go 50 over the daily limit? or still stay on the 2500 they reccomend.

Thanks,

Reply 18

K.T.

12

You want to lose a ton of weight? Just break your foot.
Not only do you burn 3x as much calories as anyone else trying to move around, you can't walk and carry things at the same time, making snaking impossible...

On a serious note, instead of measuring weight, if you're doing a lot of exercise it makes more sense base progress on size of waist, upper thigh, etc as these will definitely shrink but weight could fluctuate depending on muscle development.

Also, for every pound of muscle, you burn 50 calories through the day, so does that mean you are able to go 50 over the daily limit? or still stay on the 2500 they reccomend.

No, I think they factor an 'average' muscle mass into the 2500 reccommendation, although obviously if you are extremely muscly you will need more protein than most.

On the whole 'what to eat' question in general, I believe 3 square meals a day + snacks are the way to go - just stick to unprocessed meat & veg and you can't go wrong. Oh, & oatcakes. They are amazing.

Reply 19

Barny

17

You're eating too much.

Food/Exercise question

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