I work out 6 days a week, folllowing STS/STS cardio rotation. Anyway, I have great definition in my arms and know I do in my lower body somewhere under this pesky fat over top of it. This is the second time in the past two yrs this has happened to me...like almost overnight I've gained like 12-15 lbs. I haven't changed a single thing to cause this, heck I hardly eat much as it is, but I've always been that way, so what the h***?! Do I need to kick up my cardio or what? problem is time, don't have alot of it to be working out 2 hrs or twice a day. Any suggestions, please.
FRUSTRATED MESS!!
- Thread starter ckanuckel
- Start date
syzygy314
Cathlete
You mention not hardly eating - what is your calorie intake and how is your nutrition? There are a lot of things in your diet that could be happening to cause this. You need to include a bit more info on that part of what you're doing before anyone can really help you.
I tend to hold my BF around my middle, so although my upper body and legs are getting nicely trim and defined, my abs still do not show and I'm quite flabby. Is your lower body the last part to lose?
Possibly the fact that you don't change anything about your routine is taking its toll.
Do you change your rotations frequently or are you solely running an STS rotation continuously?
It's really hard to say without a little more background.
It may take some space, but give more detail and background on what you've been doing over the last 2 years, both with your program and your diet (I really hate that word, but you know what I mean).
I tend to hold my BF around my middle, so although my upper body and legs are getting nicely trim and defined, my abs still do not show and I'm quite flabby. Is your lower body the last part to lose?
Possibly the fact that you don't change anything about your routine is taking its toll.
Do you change your rotations frequently or are you solely running an STS rotation continuously?
It's really hard to say without a little more background.
It may take some space, but give more detail and background on what you've been doing over the last 2 years, both with your program and your diet (I really hate that word, but you know what I mean).
RapidBreath
Cathlete
Tricia said much of what I would have. Have you changed any medications? Did you eat something out of the ordinary (for me anything with the letters K F and C makes me fat overnight.) Have you had your thyroid checked? Do you get enough iodine or eat sea vegetables?
Are you insulin resistant? Are you leptin resistant? Often those two things go hand in hand.
What helps with leptin resistance is reducing the number of meals per day to 3 , adding enough healthy fats to make that tolerable, doing high intensity cardio for less than an hour per day (too much will back fire and produce cortisol, give you a hit of testosterone and insulin all at once.) and some yoga. The very act of relaxing, sitting in a cross legged position and saying "Om" relaxes the vagus nerve which has a beneficial effect on leptin sensitivity. Most people who are plump (like me) are leptin resistant and have an overabundance of the hormone in their bodies.
You can continue with STS if its working for you. Or, you could change it up and do a rotation with some circuits or whole body workouts. For me, doing 4-5 days of cardio with yoga as my strength workouts is more effective on my body fat.
Btw, it is possible to put on fat when you are under eating. My grandmother had been put on a 500 cal/day diet and put on weight. Don't buy the 'calories in/calories out' theory. Its bogus. If it were that simple then I wouldn't loose weight on more food and I wouldn't gain on less, but I do!
I hope some of this helps.
Are you insulin resistant? Are you leptin resistant? Often those two things go hand in hand.
What helps with leptin resistance is reducing the number of meals per day to 3 , adding enough healthy fats to make that tolerable, doing high intensity cardio for less than an hour per day (too much will back fire and produce cortisol, give you a hit of testosterone and insulin all at once.) and some yoga. The very act of relaxing, sitting in a cross legged position and saying "Om" relaxes the vagus nerve which has a beneficial effect on leptin sensitivity. Most people who are plump (like me) are leptin resistant and have an overabundance of the hormone in their bodies.
You can continue with STS if its working for you. Or, you could change it up and do a rotation with some circuits or whole body workouts. For me, doing 4-5 days of cardio with yoga as my strength workouts is more effective on my body fat.
Btw, it is possible to put on fat when you are under eating. My grandmother had been put on a 500 cal/day diet and put on weight. Don't buy the 'calories in/calories out' theory. Its bogus. If it were that simple then I wouldn't loose weight on more food and I wouldn't gain on less, but I do!
I hope some of this helps.
I've actually gone to the doc for the issue and had blood tests run and everything "normal"
I had alot of female issues and actually lost the 15 lbs i gained 2 yrs ago (that was on me for 1 yr) kept that off til about 3 months ago when it all came on again. I have a gluten problem so don't eat that and don't eat sugar or fat. I don't eat red meat, do eat salmon, other fish and turkey, some chic now and then, veggies, fruit all good.
No different meds or anything like that. I'm always stressed, but thats nothing new either.
Not exgaterating when I say it literally came on like overnight. All's I know is it is really wearing on me.
I had alot of female issues and actually lost the 15 lbs i gained 2 yrs ago (that was on me for 1 yr) kept that off til about 3 months ago when it all came on again. I have a gluten problem so don't eat that and don't eat sugar or fat. I don't eat red meat, do eat salmon, other fish and turkey, some chic now and then, veggies, fruit all good.
No different meds or anything like that. I'm always stressed, but thats nothing new either.
Not exgaterating when I say it literally came on like overnight. All's I know is it is really wearing on me.
poohpeggy
Cathlete
Perhaps a strong change of pace is needed. I am doing the High Step Training Celebration June 04 rotation with excellent results. My legs are shaping up beautifully and my cardio endurance has never been better. I am sprinkling in STS Meso 1 Upper Body throughout. Since you have been doing STS you could maybe sprinkle in Gym Styles Upper Body. Another rotation that comes to mind is the Boot Camp Aug 05 rotation. I have never been strong enough to do that one, but after doing this June 06 rotation I am strongly considering it.
The point of these rotations (or one of your own) is to really shake up your body. I hope these suggestions will help you.
Peggy
The point of these rotations (or one of your own) is to really shake up your body. I hope these suggestions will help you.
Peggy
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syzygy314
Cathlete
If it came on that quickly, I don't think its your workouts or eating habits. There has to be something going on medically (hormonally). When you had blood work done, did your MD do a full endocrine check? What about vitamin deficiency of any kind, did he/she test for that?
If not, I'm thinking a referral to an endocrinologist might be a good idea.
If not, I'm thinking a referral to an endocrinologist might be a good idea.
I had female hormones checked, thyroid, vitamin D, CBC and not sure what all else. I told doc of the sudden on set of weight so I think she checked for whatever reasons she thought it could be. i'm do for pap and physical, actually was sched for mon and doc had to resched, anyway going to ask for a battery of tests to be done. Talking about cortisol levels going up due to stress, well heck, this certainly isn't helping
Cathe Friedrich
Administrator
Hi Christine! Most everything that I was going to say has already been suggested. But I'd like to add that you need to request a specific Thyroid test to find out if there is a problem. Many times the general test for thyroid (testing the overall level of thyroxine in the blood) comes out normal even when the specific T3 and T4 test comes out positive. Tell them you want a test to specifically check your T3 and T4 levels. These are the ones that tell the true story as to whether you have a thyroid condition or issue.
Also, high stress leads to the increased release of cortisol in the bloodstream. High levels of cortisol in your system have been linked to abdominal fat storage.
Hope this helps!
Also, high stress leads to the increased release of cortisol in the bloodstream. High levels of cortisol in your system have been linked to abdominal fat storage.
Hope this helps!
beskinny
Cathlete
Can you point me to this rotation? I would love to check it out - it sounds great!
Thanks!
Kelly
If it came on overnight, my bet would be on an allergic reaction or extreme sensitivity to a particular food or additive. (Eg. soy, gluten, dairy, nuts, etc.)
When you eat a food that your digestive system can't handle, it sends your body into high stress mode leading to cortisol overproduction. Excessive cortisol affects your body's ability to metabolize glucose properly. Overtime, this can lead to adrenal fatigue, metabolic syndrome, even diabetes. (ETA: you can develop allergies to foods you've eaten all your life so don't discount something like peanut butter even though you might have eaten it since childhood w/o a problem)
Soy is in EVERYTHING these days!! It's disguised by many labels including innocuous ones like "natural flavoring" which makes it even harder to identify when you read food labels. Soy protein & soy milk are being pushed as the latest & greatest but there are many studies than indicate soy affects estrogen production--which can lead to disproportionate weight gain as your body makes more fat.
BTW, nearly all protein bars use many forms of soy for their protein content.
Do you keep a food journal? If not, it would probably be a good idea so you could identify what you're eating before one of these episodes.
HTH and good luck!
When you eat a food that your digestive system can't handle, it sends your body into high stress mode leading to cortisol overproduction. Excessive cortisol affects your body's ability to metabolize glucose properly. Overtime, this can lead to adrenal fatigue, metabolic syndrome, even diabetes. (ETA: you can develop allergies to foods you've eaten all your life so don't discount something like peanut butter even though you might have eaten it since childhood w/o a problem)
Soy is in EVERYTHING these days!! It's disguised by many labels including innocuous ones like "natural flavoring" which makes it even harder to identify when you read food labels. Soy protein & soy milk are being pushed as the latest & greatest but there are many studies than indicate soy affects estrogen production--which can lead to disproportionate weight gain as your body makes more fat.
BTW, nearly all protein bars use many forms of soy for their protein content.Do you keep a food journal? If not, it would probably be a good idea so you could identify what you're eating before one of these episodes.
HTH and good luck!
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poohpeggy
Cathlete
Kelly
Here is the link. I am sorry, it is the June 04 rotation. Just scroll down past the beginner one.
http://www.thecathenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235794
Peggy
Here is the link. I am sorry, it is the June 04 rotation. Just scroll down past the beginner one.
http://www.thecathenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235794
Peggy