fatty wants to loose weight but very discouraged...any suggestions

[FineChyna]

over the years i gained a lot of weight--to the point where i was be super embarrassed when i went to see my doctor.

anyway starting in january i started going to the gym to work out 5x a week. first i started out with a half hour of cardio a day, then moved it up to 45-1hr in addition to walking the mile to work.

currently i do a solid hour of cardio 3xs a week (dividing it between the ellipitical and treadmill) and doing 35-40mins cardio and the rest of the hour with some light upper body weights. i still walk the mile to work everyday too

sometime last month it was confirmed i have PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) i suspect that i have had it for a long time now but it wasnt detected until i stopped taking my birth control and no longer got my periods. the reason why i stopped taking birth control is because i thought it would help me with my weight loss

when i was at the gyn he basically had a disbeliving attitude toward me saying i DO exercise 5xs a week and walk to work, saying if that was the case i wouldn't have gained 7lbs since i started seeing him. while according to his scale i gained 7lbs i now fit into pants that i haven't fit into in over a year and a lot of my dress slacks for work are ultra baggy now.

i should add that the gyn thinks me having PCOS is due to my weight but i really disagree with that, i think i have had it for years but no one ever caught it until now.

i also try to watch what i eat and drink and have made big progress IMO in choosing lower cal foods and drinks and mointoring my cal intake, but it seems like no matter what scale i am on it doesn't move down.

the scale at the gym has been at the same weight for 6 weeks now to the point that i just get upset looking at the thing

this is an issue of high stress for me due to the fact that i have to see a medical professional regularly to monitor my response to my treatment for PCOS and i know my doc is going to have jokes on the side making it seem like the only action i do during the day is put the fork to my mouth.

i know some will say to find another doc but i am trying to be open minded over his criticisms and not be the in denial fat person he probably sees everyday. i just assume that maybe i am doing something wrong.

everyone says i look thinner (even a random woman who stopped me at the gym to say i look awesome) but i kid you not when i say the scale doesn't move.

anyway my official weigh in at the doctors is on tuesday (i am already stressed over that).

so basically to wrap all this up is there something i can do differently to assist with me seeing actual number results? i have varied my cardio workout since i started in january so i don't think that is the issue.

is there something i am missing in my workout routine?

i have done research online about PCOS and it says that a lot of suffers have trouble loosing weight. my gyn never mentioned that (again disappointing but maybe he did that so i didn't have an excuse to try harder to loose weight?) so if that is the case, is me working out to lose weight hopeless?

any suggestions and links to threads are greatly appreciated.

[PinkSkates]

I noticed that you did not mention anything about your diet and your eating habits.
According to the experts... successfully losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercising.

[FineChyna]

I noticed that you did not mention anything about your diet and your eating habits.
According to the experts... successfully losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercising.
i try to keep it 1800cals a day and under. should i give you a rundown of what a typical day is for me eating wise? other than that i am unsure how to answer.

[jrae]

i try to keep it 1800cals a day and under. should i give you a rundown of what a typical day is for me eating wise? other than that i am unsure how to answer.

:wave: Hi FineChyna,

1800cals a day seems high to me... is this what your doctor recommends? I wouldn't be seeing a doctor who was laughing at me. But anyway... what are you drinking? I would stay away from anything sugary. Sugar is very addictive for most people and increases the appetite but slows down the metabolism. Continue by implementing small changes at a time, like decreasing your sugar intake, and you will see a difference.

[FineChyna]

he didn't give me a cal recommendation. he said to try weight watchers

someone recommended 1200cals but i was starving all day

i figured 1800 would be ok with the high amounts of activity i do daily and based on a BMR calculator.

as for sugary drinks i do not buy them-only diet soda, water, unsweetened tea or crystal light. that was the first thing i cut out.

so how many cals should i eat per day 1600?

[Oasis]

I read that most women can lose at around 1600 cal a day but it really depends on your age, height, weight, etc.

Sometimes people gain when they do a lot of strength training, but you only mentioned light upper body strength training and that shouldn't make you gain 7lbs.

I honestly think you should find another physician.

[20Pearls_Girl]

I have PCOS as well. It is EXTREMELY difficult to lose weight and maintain the weight loss thereafter. Our bodies are sensitive to simple carbs like bread, sugar, potatoes and rice. If possible, please eliminate these things and you will see great improvements along with your exercise routine.

In addition, try adding weights to promote lean muscle.

Also, try finding another doctor that is knowledgable regarding PCOS and has more tact than the person that you are currently seeing.

Best of luck to you.

[curvycurly78]

I think 1800 cals a day is fine depending on your BMR and activity level. If you've already figured that out then I wouldn't attempt to go any lower on calories....(you can find an online BMR calculator here (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/))

Anyway, calories are just part of the story. It also depends on where those calories come from. Sugar is a definite no-no. Also refined (bleached, white-this includes rice and pasta too) flour is a no-no. It took me over a year to figure out that, although I was working my butt off at the gym and keeping my calories in a certain range, carbs in general were sabotaging all my efforts. I would eat the "good" carbs, but still eat too much of them. Not to mention that sometimes, I'd eat the "bad" ones too. Once I stopped the bad ones altogether and only had the good ones in moderation, I not only began to see a loss on the scale but inches too.

So don't give up!!!! Sometimes you really have to be honest with yourself and scrutinize your diet. And as Pinkskates said, it's 80% diet and 20% exercise :yep:

[FineChyna]

I have PCOS as well. It is EXTREMELY difficult to lose weight and maintain the weight loss thereafter. Our bodies are sensitive to simple carbs like bread, sugar, potatoes and rice. If possible, please eliminate these things and you will see great improvements along with your exercise routine.

In addition, try adding weights to promote lean muscle.

Also, try finding another doctor that is knowledgable regarding PCOS and has more tact than the person that you are currently seeing.

Best of luck to you.

ok thank you for this post. i didn't know PCOS makes you sensitive to simple carbs.

also do you have a recommendation for how to go about weight training. i do light weights but i am always scared to really dive in because i don't want to "bulk up" like a man and i already have a large frame for a woman and i would prefer to thin and tone out than to bulk up

i think the last time i really tried weight training in college i looked too bulky for my liking.

[OceeMom]

I don't normally use imitation sugars, but tried them when I started Atkins years ago. I figured out that they don't agree with me- messed with my skin and stalled my weightloss. Something to think about with your Crystal lite and diet sodas.

Oh, and I'd definitely find a more supportive doc.

[20Pearls_Girl]

If you are new to lifting, I would suggest lighter weights with more reps. With a quick search on Google, you will find a variety of activities to do at home. You can also find some light hand weights at Target or Walmart. 2 or 3lb weights should be just fine. These typically yield a long n' lean look versus Hercules.

ok thank you for this post. i didn't know PCOS makes you sensitive to simple carbs.

also do you have a recommendation for how to go about weight training. i do light weights but i am always scared to really dive in because i don't want to "bulk up" like a man and i already have a large frame for a woman and i would prefer to thin and tone out than to bulk up

i think the last time i really tried weight training in college i looked too bulky for my liking.

[jrae]

he didn't give me a cal recommendation. he said to try weight watchers

someone recommended 1200cals but i was starving all day

i figured 1800 would be ok with the high amounts of activity i do daily and based on a BMR calculator.

as for sugary drinks i do not buy them-only diet soda, water, unsweetened tea or crystal light. that was the first thing i cut out.

so how many cals should i eat per day 1600?

Glad to hear you've already cut out the sugary drinks. :yep:

How about another small dietary improvement... How are you doing with fruits and vegetables? They are low in calories but very filling. When I aim for 5 a day, its hard to get too much junk in. :yep:

[SkinnyMocah]

First of all ((HUGS))) sounds like you been through it. I second the advice on finding a new doc. I hate to be called a damn liar. Ya know?

Second, when you see your new doc, ask about metformin. It's been great for women I know who have had PCOS.

Lastly, women with PCOS are recommended to follow a low(er) carbohydrate diet. Maybe you should try something varied and healthy like South Beach?

Your doc should be more educated on these issues instead of deciding you just need to eat less and you're lying about exercising.

[FineChyna]

Glad to hear you've already cut out the sugary drinks. :yep:

How about another small dietary improvement... How are you doing with fruits and vegetables? They are low in calories but very filling. When I aim for 5 a day, its hard to get too much junk in. :yep:

through the week i usually have a salad with a fruit smoothie and pick at it throughout the day at work

for breakfast i usually have a high fiber cereal with low fat milk

dinner is usually heavier on the protein but their are some simple carbs in there but smaller portions or the left overs from my lunch are eaten

overall i was counting how many cals i eat and making sure to avoid the jumk (sugary drinks, candy, potatoe chips, ice cream oodles and noodles, etc)

but now that i am reading the responses here that appears to not be the best way either especially if i am showing insuline resistance

[kweenameena]

he didn't give me a cal recommendation. he said to try weight watchers

someone recommended 1200cals but i was starving all day

i figured 1800 would be ok with the high amounts of activity i do daily and based on a BMR calculator.

as for sugary drinks i do not buy them-only diet soda, water, unsweetened tea or crystal light. that was the first thing i cut out.

so how many cals should i eat per day 1600?

First of all chica, hugs to you because losing weight is hard.
As far as the diet sodas, I would cut them out because mostly everything in soda is bad for you. Plus fake sugars are bad for your brain. Crystal lite has fake sugar as well.
I agree with everyone else about cutting out the refined sugars and starches. But I also wanted to add maybe cutting back on dairy (yogurt, milk, ice cream, cheese). Dairy usually makes me bloated.

As far as strength training...perhaps you could try doing a workout video with a set of 3-5 pound weights. I love the Turbo Jam Series. It's fun. You can do the Turbo Sculpt video with some 3 pound weights for a start. Keep it fun!
Also, maybe you could start off with some sort of fruit and veggie detox so that your body can cleanse itself of the stored up sugars and help get rid of some of those sugar cravings. I recommend the first week of dr. ian's fat smash diet.
There are plenty of weight loss challenges going on in....Pinkskate's, fitness bootcamp, etc. Get in where you fit in and join one at least for the motivation.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck and much success.

[FineChyna]

^ thanks for the suggestions.

i should clarify that i do not drink the diet soda everyday or the crystal light every day because do realize the items in there are horrible for you but i figure they take the edge off. a lot of times water and skim milk aren't making the cut.:lachen:this past week i only had the 2 once the whole week.

if i have the desire for a sugary drink what can i choose?

[SkinnyMocah]

Personally, I would weigh what you think is important and do what keeps you sane. I don't think you gained 7lbs from diet soda. I try to cut back on them because some sodas impede my loss and my skin looks much better when I don't drink so much of it. But when I want a diet pepsi, I drink one. I just don't keep a 12 pack in the fridge anymore. My habits need to be manageable for the rest of my life. I won't commit to a life without an occaisional diet pepsi.

For the most part I drink water with a squeeze of lemon, or a sprinkle tsp of Crystal Light On The Go-- the lil packets you can just put in your water-- just enough to add a hint of taste. I hate plain water. Or I buy the sugarfree calorie free flavored carbonated waters. I love the white grape. I usually dilute a 32 oz bottle of water with half the flavored water and half plain water.

Goes down much faster and it's better than soda.

[SkinnyMocah]

There is also Fresca, which is sugar free and calorie free.

[kweenameena]

^ thanks for the suggestions.

i should clarify that i do not drink the diet soda everyday or the crystal light every day because do realize the items in there are horrible for you but i figure they take the edge off. a lot of times water and skim milk aren't making the cut.:lachen:this past week i only had the 2 once the whole week.

if i have the desire for a sugary drink what can i choose?

I don't really have any suggestions except maybe some NATURAL fruit juices. I'm on my way to my mom's house now to steal her juicer. I'm trying to be like Chicoro. Also, instead of skim milk, try almond milk. I got it at the regular grocery store. I would recommend soy milk but I can't stand the taste. My almond milk is called Almond Breeze. I'm having some with my granola cereal as we speak (or type). I have the Vanilla flavored one.

[FineChyna]

thanks for the suggestions

ok lastly how should i interpret the fact that i am loosing inches but the scale isn't reflecting that?

people who are friends with my mom and only met me 1x noticed that i have slimmed down a lot since they've met me and like i said my clothes (especially pants) are baggy now whereas before they were fitted. even some shirts that were too snug now fit nicely.

i just find it hard to believe that all my hard work isn't translating to actual lbs lost. i don't know if the scale at the gym is maintained properly i just know it doesn't move :nono: and i stopped touching it 2 weeks ago cause it was just making me upset

i could by a scale for my home but i really don't want to be a slave to the scale like i was and frantically weigh myself regularly and get even more upset over this than i already am.