Trouble losing weight...

I don't know how tall you are or what your BMI is. Going to the gym all the time could mean you are changing fat to muscle which weighs more and you could be loosing inches. How do you look in your clothing?

I gained a lot of weight on prednisone that I could never diet off when I had UC. I always said if I could get into a certain size again I'd be happy. I lost 65 pounds after the surgeries and am into that size but still a few numbers too high on the BMI index. I would like to get down into the healthiest range but am happy that I'm maintaining the weight loss for now.

So I say keep up the good work and you might just be at the point where you need to change up your diet or workout to start loosing again. My daughter is on a program where they vary the exercise program and don't do the same routine every day.

Have you ever had a heart stress test? I had one in my 20's and found out my heart rate jumped up quickly once it reached a certain level so I couldn't run. They told me it was no problem that would affect my life expectancy. Walking is good cardio and burns calories plus is easier on our joints.

Keep up the good work! I know how depressing it is to diet and stand still. Been there, done that too.

Thanks for the response TE Marie! I'm 5'6" and my bmi is a little over 22%. I may just be in a plateau in general like a healthy person would be but it's just so frustrating to be hungry all the time I probably should get a stress test done. My heart rate has ran really high since right before my surgeries because I was very anemic (my hemoglobin was 6.1) and it just never stopped even when my blood count came up. It's weird. I'm just going to try and stick it out and maybe eat smaller more, frequent meals or something. Congrats on your weight loss btw! That's awesome!!

There are lots of things that can make you extra hungry. I'm guessing it's already been checked for, but just in case: diabetes can feel that way.

Scott F, I've actually been a little concerned about that lately, I have a few symptoms of diabetes but by doctor just brushed it off whenever I mentioned it. I'm going to bring it up again at my next visit.

Leahmer,
My heart rate also goes up faster since surgery when doing aerobic exercise. I sometimes have to stop in the midst of class to catch my breath and lower my rate while others are moving on. It may be related to dehydration so drink a lot before your workout, during and after.

Gee, I don't want to tell what to do, but a BMI of 22 is normal. If your trainer is encouraging you to lose weight, I am not sure that he is giving you good advice. Since you are at a normal BMI, you can work on toning, muscle strength and cardio for overall fitness. Remember, weight is just a number. Also, chronic use of hydrocortisone can make you retain fluids and even some fat.

If you are cutting back intake and working out like crazy, no wonder you are hungry! When you've had chronic illness, your body may want to hang onto a few pounds, just in case. If you are too lean, it can be worse, because you have no reserve.

Just my 2 cents.

Jan

Jeane, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one!! I'll definitely try to focus on my hydration and hope that it helps. Jan, honestly I carry all my weight in my belly and don't feel comfortable with the way I look, I made that very clear to my trainer and he is helping me to reach goals that I set not goals he set. I'm making sure I do it in a healthy way. If I ever got to an unhealthy weight he would let me know

Also I got mixed up. My BMI is 24.1 my body fat percentage is 22%

I'll take that 20 pounds from you I'm 6'1" and I've been stuck at 155 for a long time. I got up to 160 and I was celebrating but I believe that's when my rheumatologist put me back on steroids for inflammation markers spotted in my blood work. I was at 140 for a long time after surgery boy did I look scary. It was a mission to put that 15 lbs back on. So if you wanna trade problems we can even things out ha ha. Good Luck.

A BMI of 24 is still normal, just upper limits. The fat percentage is normal too. Some people just carry their weight differently. Nobody like belly fat, so I can understand that. i also wonder if you have belly issues because of your surgical scar tissue. Things kind of get messed up in there sometimes. I know my bikini days were over long, long ago.

Maybe if you focus more on building muscle than weight loss, you mmight be more successful. When you get closer to your goal weight, it becomes more difficult to lose. I guess it all depends on what you want. You can stay the same weight, but your pants fit betterwith toning.

Jan

Leah,
Leah,
5'5 and 150? You are just about perfect. Not that you may like your body but according to the numbers, you are...but you are not telling me what you do at the gym and how long you do it???
What percentage is aerobic and what percentage is anarobic? How much weigh bearing exercise do you do and for how long do you do it (low weights, hight reps or high weights low reps? Does he make you do a pyramid (lost of reps with low weight first then building to higher weights and less reps or the opposite)?)
It makes a difference...it may also mean that your body in particular needs a different exercise regime and a Higher calorie count. You may not be eating enough for your body's needs and therefore it refuses to shed pounds...it may perceive 1500 calories as starvation given the amount of exercise you do...you may need to up the protien intake to kick up the furnace...
Sharon