weight loss / metabolism problem

[jaedba2604]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 04 July 2013 at 17:52

[GBDG]

Yeah, calorie count. I suspect she's eating more than she thinks, is underestimating portions and forgetting about treats/booze

Also, a proper workout will help. Most women at my gym are probably burning about 200 cals an hour by walking on a treadmill. Swap that off for something intensive and you could easily do 1,000 an hour instead.

The whole "slow metabolism" thing is a total myth.

[jagracer]

jaedba2604 said:

and eats fairly small portions...

Of what, Mars bars? Small portions mean nothing if it's the wrong food.

[Hoofy]

Tell us how many calories she eats a day...

Other than that, weight lifting is a good idea as is cutting down on the cardio. Doing too much will raise cortisol levels. Guess what happens when you have increased cortisol levels?

[Ordinary_Chap]

Hoofy said:

Doing too much will raise cortisol levels. Guess what happens when you have increased cortisol levels?

You get pregnant!

Now what do I win?

[mft]

As above, I bet it's a combination of portion control, and misconceptions around the 'healthiness' of food. Common carbohydrate foods like porridge, some salad contents, baked potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread are all surprisingly calorific, and very easy to have too much of. And don't forget booze, either.

An easy way of testing *both* is to download a free WW ProPoints calculator on her phone. An ex-missus got me to look at what I was eating with this, and it really opened my eyes.

If she's game, she could also look an a low-carb diet like the Primal or paleo ones. I've not tried them, but some people seem to benefit from them. The jury's out regarding long-term health effects, mind.

ETA: the Primal people also have some things to say against 'chronic cardio' as they call it - so it could change her exercise regime too.

[Hoofy]

Ordinary_Chap said:

You get pregnant!

You do?

[davepoth]

mft said:

As above, I bet it's a combination of portion control, and misconceptions around the 'healthiness' of food. Common carbohydrate foods like porridge, some salad contents, baked potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread are all surprisingly calorific, and very easy to have too much of. And don't forget booze, either.

All of those things are healthy, they just have a lot of calories. There's a difference which many people sometimes don't realise.

Booze is the real killer for calories though. A vodka redbull will have something like 180 calories in it, 170 in a vodka and tonic if she's classy. A glass of wine has about 110.

I'm not a great fan of the gym for healthiness though. Five hours a week spent being all energetic followed by the rest of the week spent sat on an office chair, sofa or car seat is not going to make your metabolism go quicker, which is what the target has to be for easy maintenance of a lower weight. She needs to think of ways to build extra activity into her day.

[Hoofy]

davepoth said:

I'm not a great fan of the gym for healthiness though. Five hours a week spent being all energetic followed by the rest of the week spent sat on an office chair, sofa or car seat is not going to make your metabolism go quicker, which is what the target has to be for easy maintenance of a lower weight. She needs to think of ways to build extra activity into her day.

3 points here:
1) I am guessing healthiness has nothing to do with what she wants. If you asked her, "Do you want to be a dress size 20 and really healthy or a dress size 8 and really unhealthy?" I am guessing she'll go for the latter.

2) Depends what you do during those 5 hours. A moderate run or row for 5 x 1 hours is going to burn calories during and for an hour or so after I understand. 5 x 30 minutes HIIT is going to burn fat then and for up to 48 hours after the event. Add weight lifting for even more of an afterburn.

3) Metabolism doesn't change as quickly as you'd imagine.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

When the allied troops broke into nazi concentration camps in 1945, and filmed all those dreadful scenes we all know so well, where were all the people with slow metabolisms? Where were all the people who "could never lose weight, it's in my genes?"

From memory, they were all a bag of bones, having being worked like slaves for very little food. I don't recall anyone on the films at 18st saying "I've been in the camp for 2 yrs but I just can't shift the weight!"

[smiffy180]

How about foods that boost metabolism?
Such as spices in curry and Jalapeños?

[Tumbler]

A food and drink diary is the only way, but it has to be honest, the only person she is cheating is herself.

I love this app as it seems to have everything on it

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

[Hoofy]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

When the allied troops broke into nazi concentration camps in 1945, and filmed all those dreadful scenes we all know so well, where were all the people with slow metabolisms? Where were all the people who "could never lose weight, it's in my genes?"

From memory, they were all a bag of bones, having being worked like slaves for very little food. I don't recall anyone on the films at 18st saying "I've been in the camp for 2 yrs but I just can't shift the weight!"

They were eaten.

[lawrence567]

OP sounds like your friend is either doing 1 of 2 things, not enough exercise or eating too much.
Did you watch the programme 'fat ward' i think it was on TV just before xmas, about the obesity ward in a hospital.
They had a guy in there who was 40st or so, he was being given a strict diet in hospital yet after a week they couldn't understand why he wasn't losing weight.
It boiled down to the fact, he'd been having a chocolate bar off the trolley and not telling anyone.
If she's working out at the gym & still not losing it, i'd hazard a guess thas if she's been losing it up until now & has hit 'the wall' that her calorie intake is too high!

[theshrew]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

When the allied troops broke into nazi concentration camps in 1945, and filmed all those dreadful scenes we all know so well, where were all the people with slow metabolisms? Where were all the people who "could never lose weight, it's in my genes?"

From memory, they were all a bag of bones, having being worked like slaves for very little food. I don't recall anyone on the films at 18st saying "I've been in the camp for 2 yrs but I just can't shift the weight!"

You miss 1 point it may of taken some of those people at lot longer to get to that point

I shall take one of my mates for eg - Hes very slim always has been. Never works out these days, eats anything and everything in sight doesnt care how good or bad stuff is if he likes it he eats it, He's in the pub drinking fair few nights each week. He works in a office so presume hes sat down most of the time.

So if peoples metabolisum arnt different how does he stay so slim - lots of people are like this. Other onlu have to look at a bag of chips on the scales are shouting get off.