Fitness & Exercise Community

Lisa,

I answer virtually every question on this board. I don't understand your statement that your questions receive no answers. Please point to one of your questions that did not get an answer, and if there is one, I will answer it. In addition, I clicked on your username and no discussions are attributed to your username. Please clarify this as there is obviously some confusion.

As for your question, in order to lose weight you must consume fewer calories than you burn no matter how much exercise you do. Even if you run a marathon every day you will not lose weight if you consume more calories than you burn. So if you're not losing then you are consuming more calories than you burn, even if you think you're not. In fact, research shows that people can under estimate their calorie intake by as much as 40% to 50%. As for any medication that causes weight gain, or resistance to weight loss, you should discuss this with your physician as there may be alternatives.

As for your exercise, 2-3 hours of exercise a day is a lot of exercise. You didn't say what you're doing, but 45-60 minutes of cardio 3 or more days per week, and 2-3 days of resistance exercise, is the recommendation for health and fitness.

As for your weight, your BMI is 26.3. That's just eight pounds above what is considered a healthy body weight (a BMI of 25). A weight of 125 pounds for your height would put you at a BMI of 20.8 which would be low, unnecessary, and almost certainly difficult to maintain. A BMI of 25 for you would be a weight of 150. That would be a healthy weight, and with all the exercise you do, your health risks would be even more reduced. As a matter of fact, at your current BMI, and with all the exercise you do, the difference in health risk between a BMI of 26.3 and 25 is most likely trivial since there is research to suggest that women with BMI's in the 26-28 range can be just as healthy as women with BMI's that are lower. There are also limitations to BMI. See here:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm#limitations

Additionally, you didn't mention over what period of time you lost almost 40 pounds, but it's possible that if it was rapid (more than 2 pounds a week) and recent, that you have a reached a plateau. Plateaus pass.

As for losing the last eight pounds to get to a BMI of 25, which is all I recommend that you need, I suggest you do the following if you are serious about losing it:

1. For the next week write down every single morsel of food you eat, and every ounce of beverage with calories you drink. Estimate the portion sizes as accurately as possible, and weigh and measure everything. Get a food scale and measuring cup to do it accurately.

2. Then go to one of the following sites to figure out how many calories you are consuming

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-food-calorie-counter

http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner-calculator

3. Then check out this diet club for information and support

http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-10-25-lbs-exchange

and you can post your diet- and nutrition-related questions to these WebMD Communities:

http://boards.webmd.com/webx?50@@.5983fdc8

www.webmd.com/health_and_wellness/diet_and_nutrition.htm

http://boards.webmd.com/.5987f431/

Finally, you ought to consider shifting your focus from body weight to shaping your physique and to your body composition (the amount of fat and muscle on our body). You can monitor your body fat by using a bioelectric impedance (BIA) scale. You can buy a BIA scale for around $45. Check www.omron.com and www.tanita.com/ for more information.

Rich

Thank you much for responding. let me clarify what i meant when i said my letters dont get answered. I have written several support sites with no answer.....i felt helpless with no one answering. i did not mean this site....you were my last hope and then i was going to give up.
with that being said.....
I carry almost all of my over weignt in my stomach area.. that is why i said my ideal weight was 125....when i was 125 i felt good about myself...i had a flat stomach.. and i looked good... my legs and arms are in good shape...
it took me 12 years to lose 40 pounds but i have yoyo diet....
i beleive i am scared of sucess...my children have never seen me at a health weight....i want to be healthy so bad...

I keep a food journal daily... I have it by my side
i usually burn 700 to 900 calories daily and eat 1200 to 1250 daily.
my diabetic pills i have talk to my doctor about who suggest even more pills...i lose about 2 pounds a week only to gain 1 and half pound back at the end of the week. I am so upset that it makes me want to give up

I know i am a stress eater and maybe i need to be on a strict plan with someone tell me what to do each step...what to eat...all i know is i cant do this on my own I dont know what to do anymore.

Ok, got it. So go ahead and follow my suggestions from above and then if you have more questions feel free to post back.

Take care. Rich

Lisa, I know exactly what you mean. I'm having the same problem(s) with my weight.

While I'm no poster child for 'ideal' weight loss, especially right now, I *can* tell you that I have had quite a bit more success with support-centered weight loss groups like Weight Watchers and a few other things like that. Weight gain - for me - is when I get lazy and skip a meeting or two here and there....then skip two in a row....then get busy and quit going. "participation" is key to success - you need to learn 'support' stragies (and use them!!!) like calling one of the group members, working together with other people....

I wish you success with your weight loss. I'd be delighted if all I had to lose was 10 to 20 pounds or so.

Stress-reduction strategies might help, too.

Hang in there. Even if you don't succeed, keep working on it - that will have you eating healthier and being more careful with blood sugar and everything else we need to keep tabs on.

Hello Lisadee46,
I too am a type 2 diabetic and boy have I struggled with my weight. I am on the 90 Day Body By Vi Challenge to lose weight. I only been on it for two weeks and I have lost 8 pounds. I have had a steady blood sugar reading for the past five (5) day and I am excited about that. Check out this website and tell me what you like about it. http://loveanewu.myvi.net or email at vickibradley008@comcast.net because I am excited about my progress and I want to share it.
SINCERELY Vicki.

The suggestions you've received are all great. I would just add a couple of things.

Maybe your doctor could change your diabetes medication. There are some that don't cause weight gain, some that even help a person start losing.

Is it possible that you're on any other kind of medication that might cause weight gain?

Also, as you exercise, your body becomes more efficient at whatever you're doing. Mixing up the types of workout you do, changing which large muscle groups you work on from day to day, etc. doesn't let your body fall into a comfortable rut.

Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Many trim-looking athletes have a BMI that's higher than advised as healthy. As you exercise, you'll be losing "fat weight" and gaining "muscle weight." So, the scale might not show much change, but your clothes will start feeling more comfortable.

While most of us would like -- and need -- to lose weight, the most important thing to remember is that being healthy is more important than any number on the scale or tape measure. Stay with a sensible exercise plan. Gradually just keep upping the amount of veggies, whole grains, and fruits that you eat and there won't be as much room for the things that aren't as helpful toward weight loss. You'll be healthier, feel better, and the weight will gradually start coming off.

Instead of staring at your weight on the scales, break out the tape measure. Muscle mass is heavier .and more dense than fat tissue. Like you I lost a lot of weight after having my babies (gained a huge amount of weight), am diabetic (very strict control of my diet) and then the weight loss stopped. I was ready to give up and absolutely in tears when my doctor became angry at me for not losing more weight - at the time I was doing physio for a bad knee as part of an experiment they were doing they had a record of all my starting stats. My physio took new readings showing that I had lost inches even if I hadn't lost pounds. Instead of being obese as the bmi calculator had classed me I had actually moved down to the midrange of overweight. Here is one calculator http://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html. Talk with your health care provider and don't give up!

I was in the same boat as you--getting fat on diabetic "diet", which contained carbs, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc. contain carbs--it's not the calories, it's the carbs. I was 216 lbs. at 5'1 and am now down to 169 and still losing.
I cut carbs almost completely out of diet--instead of 1/2 potato baked, I have 1/4, instead of 1 slice of any kind of bread, I have 1/2, etc., etc. cut all carbs into 1/4 of what you are eating. Chips, snacks, etc. 1/4 of a serving--just to get over wanting the taste of those things and not feel deprived. When we are hungry, most of the time, it seems, fill up on zucchini w/marinara sauce and low fat grated cheese(small amount of sauce and cheese)--very filling, low carb. I also make eggplant same way--steam those veggies and then add the sauce/cheese--you will feel like you have eaten lasagna, pasta--in those dishes, it's the sauce and cheese we are tasting-not the pasta. If you absolutely need to taste pasta, use whole wheat and only use 1/4 cup added to the zucchini or eggplant dishes. I also use egg whites, 1/4 cup italian bread crumbs and fry eggplant or zucchini strips in EXTRA LIGHT OLIVE OIL--VERY LITTLE OIL, BUT STRIPS COME OUT CRISPY AND YOU WILL NOT EAT FRIED POTATOES--these satisfy the craving for fries. You can make fat free thousand island dressing and a little horse radish for the dip for those veggie fries. You can eat tons of zucchini and eggplant and not get logger headed. Add some walking to this regimen and you will lose weight, even on those darn pills. If you like eggs, use the egg substitutes, but add one real egg white from a real egg and add some sauteed peppers and onions and you have a low carb, low fat breakfast, lunch, etc. Take in chicken, turkey, fish--none of it fried. Use canned tuna fish to make dips/lettuce sandwiches w/o bread.
This is what I have been doing the last six months and don't feel guilty if I have a tiny peice of cake or dessert--not more than what equals two tablespoons so as not to get sugar problems and fatigue.
Of course, this is just some of the things I do to ward off that fatigue and depression from what I was calling failure, but in reality was the "diets" and those pre-packaged program foods with carbs that was the culprit.
You have to stick to this for at least 3 weeks to really feel the difference, but you will start losing weight within the first week.
Hope some of this helps

What Dr. Weil fails to mention is that diabetics are highly sensitive to carbs in any form--he seems to focus on people that don't have diabetic problems w/meds and carbs--he seems to focus on calorie counting--well, you can count calories but if all 1200 calories come from carbs, diabetics on meds will have fatigue and will not lose weight

Dear lisadee,
Am am diabetic so I can identify with your frustration with weight loss. There is no logical explanation for your not being able to lose weight with the exercise you describe along with the diet calorie restriction. Anyone (diabetic or not) who adheres to that kind of regiman would lose weight. There is no way one would not! The pills you take for controlling your blood sugar wouldn't 'make you' gain weight. 33 pounds from your ideal weight is nice to think about, but you needn't shoot for that goal. What's wrong with 5'5" and 138 pounds? 138 at your height size 8 (or by newer scales a 6?). I would gladly settle for 140, even at my height (5'2")/ I suspect you are eating more than you say and/or not exercising as you say. Also, to lose 33 pounds safely should take 8 months, losing 1.5 pounds a week. Patience : )

have the same thing

Why doesn't anyone recommend going to the library and looking at the diabetic books and cookbooks? Some of them are just the same old, same old but there are some good ones out there. like: Metabolism Miracle by Diane Kress, RD, CDE and Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello (Editor of Prevention). If your local library does not have either, they can order them in through InterLibrary Loan. If you like them and they are helpful you may choose to buy them yourself.
I myself am on a gluten free diet (for gluten intolerence) which makes many suggestions in normal cookbooks almost useless for me. And I also have some other food allergies or sensitivies. And I agree with another responder, don't just watch the carbs, learn about them. The dietitian I consulted was almost useless so I was forced to read a ton of books. You might also want to look at a book about the Glycemic Load rather than the glycemic index. You can also see book reviews and recommendations on Amazon to narrow down the list you might want to read - be sure to read the negative reviews and weigh the information.

Read about Chromium Polynicotinate, many studies indicate that hypoglycemia and diabetes is related to a deficiency in this trace mineral, and I am 52 with same situation, mother died of diabetes complications. This comes as a surprise to me, but it allows your cells to digest carbs and sugars like normal cells with this trace mineral, and also so you aren't hungry all the time. Its worth a look. http://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Chromium-Polynicotinate-200mcg-veggie/dp/B00012NIAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312027020&sr=8-1

Cinnamon, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and CoQ10 are also great for blood sugar lowering. They are also fantastic antioxidants, and are beneficial for anyone. Be well!