diet / exercise help please!

iwilldoitthistime

a bit of background - Ive managed to lose 25 pounds on SW, but the loss stalled, so I decided to start exercising, as my job is basically sitting at a desk all day.
Ive started at the gym, and have been going 3 or 4 times a week, for about an hour a time doing 35 mins cadio and some light weights (a program given by the instructor at the gym).
Problem is, that Ive managed to put on 7 pounds in the last month :eek:

I asked the instructor at the gym about diet, and he said to cut down the carbs and eat more protein, and if I eat anything sweet, eat a handful of nuts afterwards to stop the sugar spike.

problem is that Im veggie, so eating largely protein is difficult. (I did give it a try but was starving!) After so many years of dieting, I think Im in a bit of a rut with diet yogurts, salads etc and I really don't know what to do.

Putting the weight on has really made me think about stopping the exercise. I know its good for me, and I can see the difference in a few places where Im toning up, but I still need to lose at least 3 stones, so putting half a stone on is a massive blow!:(

Can anyone help? I really don't understand the science behind it all, and need help with the food part of the equation!

Thanks for listening ...:o

esmf73

If you're a veggie, no problem. Look at the protein within your diet and increase it. Reduce the carbs. Perhaps change the type of exercise you're doing as your body will have got used to it.

iwilldoitthistime

thanks esmf73. So can I still eat low fat, or should I go back to full fat? Ive read that low fat aren't good as they have loads of additives!

also - after checking lists of protein foods, the only ones I seem to eat are eggs. I have 'some' beans etc, but not too many. Is there anything else I can add?

pumpkinlife

:beer: On your progress so far!

Have you put on weight because you have built muscle? I think, instead of focusing on weight loss, it might be best to focus on your measurements. Measure your hip/waist/bust regularly and perhaps take a photo so that you can compare how you are doing. That would probably be more motivating.

There are so many different opinions about weight loss diets, but don't quit the exercise. It actually improves the way that your body handles calories for several hours afterwards and has tons of other health benefits.

Refined sugars have been in the news a lot recently - lots of calories, no nutrition; and usually packaged in very moreish forms. Avoid 'diet' products like the plague. They usually replace the fat with cheap sugars to make them taste good.

I was a vegetarian/vegan for many years and it is very easy to weight your diet heavily towards carbs. Focus on eating higher protein carbs like legumes and cut out refined cereals and sugars, choose veg over fruit too and try to make sure that you are getting larger portions of those foods than grains and on your plate.

thriftwizard

Cheese? Nuts? Bread? Mushrooms? Plenty of nuts in the hedgerows & mushrooms in the fields just now, if you're near any.

I'm not a veggie, though I do regularly cook veggie for some of our young PGs (foreign language students) and have to say, I avoid low-fat stuff like the plague. The more stuff has been monkeyed around with before it hits your plate, the less likely it is to do you any good. My sister-in-law lost loads of weight & finally fell pregnant with their much-longed-for son after giving up "diet" drinks & low-fat stuff; she went back to butter, full-fat yogurt & half a teaspoon of sugar in her tea, and her skin & joint problems cleared up, too. Seems to fly in the face of reason that going from 1200 carefully-controlled calories a day to anyone's-guess 2000+ can help you lose weight, but it certainly worked for her.

PS - a great form of exercise, cheaper than the gym & much more fun, is bellydance. It's low-impact & very toning, in all the right places, and you get to wear jingly bits & sequins! I go off to sessions feeling grumpy & can't-be-bothered, and always come out smiling all over my face & feeling great!

YORKSHIRELASS

I find that when I increase the amount of exercise I do it makes me hungrier for a time. Almost as if my body thinks it is under pressure and needs to fill up with fuel! Could this be happening with you? After a while it settles down.

I am a now a big believer in forgetting the calorie counting, chucking out the diet stuff and eating a healthy balanced diet. Proper meals - especially breakfast, lots of fruit and veg and an occasional treat when you fancy it. Its so easy to become focused on food so that its all you are thinking about.

You have done really well with the gym and if you enjoy it thats great. For me I prefer to be out doing a bit of jogging but its all about finding something you enjoy and can keep doing long term.

Good luck!

short_bird

Yeah, pretty much what everybody else has said: butter rather than marge, avoid low fat processed foods and anything with sweeteners.
Also, it might be worth having time off from the veggie meat substitutes if they are part of your diet.
Check salt contents.
Perhaps ditch the tea, coffee and any carbonated drinks for a couple of weeks.

And congratulate yourself on the "places where I'm toning up". I thought that was marvellous news:D

Taranaman

Are you still doing SW? If not keep it up as it is a good diet to follow alongside going to the gym. Also try to make sure you are more active generally - climb stairs instead of using the lift, park a bit further away than normal, get off the bus at a different stop and walk the rest, the usual stuff. Also, not all cardio is equal. Running is great, so is spinning, but why not try working towards a goal - a 50 mile charity bike ride or 5k - following a training plan can sometimes melt the pounds away. Weights are great for toning but not for calorie burning, so keep that up alongside but the main thing is to up the cardio. I lost 1.5 stone in my 40s this way after years of trial and error, so good luck!

krlyr

I agree with taking measurements as well as weighing yourself. I haven't weighed myself in years - or taken measurements actually, I tend to have "thin jeans" and "fat jeans" and use those as a guideline!

I would perhaps start something like a myfitnesspal profile to keep track of what you eat and what you burn off in calories. The latter can seem a bit disheartening - my OH and I have started the C25K running plan and seeing that we've only burnt off 100 calories despite the amount of effort it seemed can sting a bit, but it does stop you getting carried away, thinking that 20 minute gym session has 'earnt' you a cream cake when it's only earnt you a bite! But it will stop you 'forgetting' calories (you can download the app onto a smart phone too so update throughout the day), and help monitor your progress.

iwilldoitthistime

thank you all for the great advice - I really feel like I know what I have to do now.

I don't eat many meat substitutes anyway, so theres no loss there. I will go back to full fat yogurt (although it totally feels wrong!!) etc, and measure myself as an incentive.

Im in my 40s now, so am determined I need to get myself in shape for health. Ive been varying my cardio at the gym - using the treadmill, rower and bikes. My knee is 'iffy', so Im steering clear of the elliptical trainer for now.

I will take all of your suggestions on board - they have definitely made me feel more positive about this!

thankyou x

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I'm a veggie and have been on a weight loss regime for just over a year. The way I find easiest to increase my protien intake is a protien shake once a day (especially after going to the gym).

I can't offer any exercise/diet advice as I'm still learning. However, I would defo consider including a protien shake.