Where did my metabolism go? (2 questions)

J

jeffsmom

Active Member
Hi Cathe (what a cute baby...) and everyone:

I am frustrated. I am an advanced exerciser; work out 4-6 days per week; usually one total body weight, 3-4 cardio and another weight. I use Cathe with a very occasional Firm just for a change. My level of fitness is a good as ever. I am 36. BUT....I have not seen the results I want. I did about 3 years ago and now have put on weight (still OK though...but I know I am carrying about 10-15 lbs too much.)How did this happen? OK; I know. I do not eat clean constantly, but I do not blow it constantly either. With the amount and intensity I work out, I would think I would not have to adhere SOOOO strictly to the type of clean eating that professionals do. I feel like I have no metabolism at all anymore and it used to seem like I could almost feel my body working for me.

I am not concerned about what my scale says...I know better. But I have gone up a size and I am working on another and it has to stop. I have taken some time off and rested and felt strong coming back after that so I know it isn't overuse. Has
anyone have a similar experience or knowledge to share? I am very disappointed because I am very fitness minded. HELP!! (I WILL NOT GIVE UP!!!!!)

One more thing if you all have time...I do not define as well as I would like in my arms. They are muscular and hard but not too cut. I would consider myself one of those who do not cut very well. Has anyone been able to improve their definition in their arms when they are built like this?? Thanks for anything you can give me!!!!!

Becky
 
Becky, boy do I understand. I think some of it has to do with age and having children (but I haven't had kids, so what's my excuse??).

Anyway, maybe you're being too strict on your diet and exercise program and you're body is fighting off what you do to protect itself. Maybe you should try exercising a bit less and making sure you don't under-eat.

Also, take a good look at yourself, maybe you're being too critical. Are you trying to look like someone in a magazine or like a real woman? Lots of women in magazines and in competitions do very unhealthy things to maintain their figure. Think about your real goal and consider what you're willing to do.

Finally, ask someone close to you, like a husband, sister or mother or best friend, to judge your body honestly. You may be surprised to find that your eyes are seeing something quite different to reality.

Hope this helps - Laurie
 
Hi Becky! Maybe you've already tried keeping a food journal but this does give you a real eye opener. Maybe your not taking in enough calories. I think you may need to tweak your diet and confuse your metabolism a bit. Don't know what your currently eating but try a fruit smoothie in the morning and for a snack have an energy bar in the afternoon. Your probably eating 5-6 small meals a day and sometimes when eating really healthy your actually not eating enough. That's what I discovered in my journal. I'm lucky if I take in 1600 calories a day. Still trying to eat 1800 but not succeeding. As far as upper body is concerned I too have the same problem. I'm doing these 3 different rotations to see what kind of results I've achieve:

Sat: S&H chest/back + 30 min. cardio
Sun: S&H Legs & Shoulders + 30 min. cardio
Mon: 60 min. cardio
Tues: Yoga
Wed: S&H Tris & Bis
Thurs: 60 min. hi/lo + Pilates
Fri: REST
I saw a lot of definition in my arms which is exactly what I wanted. Did this for 4 weeks. Now I'm on to this rotation:

Sat: PS chest/shoulders/tris + 30 min. cardio
Sun: PS Legs & Abs
Mon: Rhythmic Step
Tues: Yoga
Wed: PS BBA
Thurs: 30 min. hi/lo + Pilates
Fri: REST
Still at this (its my 1st week) so I'll have to let you know what results I've seen. Now on to the 3rd rotation:

Sat: Power Hour
Sun: 60 min. cardio
Mon: Yoga
Tues: Power Hour
Wed: 30 min. cardio + Pilates
Thurs: Power Hour
Fri: REST!!!

Don't know if I'll be able to survive 3x a week of PH but we'll see. Maybe this will get you cut and me too! Good luck! Kathy
 
Becky,

You are not alone and things *are* probably happening to your once-upon-a-time speedy metabolism. At least that's exactly what happened to me! I would recommend you read a great book by Debra Waterhouse called Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell. (Subtitled: Winning Weight Control Strategies for Women Over 35 to Stay Fit Through Menopause) It explains how women's fat cells, especially the ones in the torso, react to changing estrogen supplies as we get older, and what we can do to enhance the resultant changing metabolism as we age. Very eye opening was the fact that most of the recommendations we see in magazines, etc. for weight loss/management is a direct result of scientific studies on *men.* Reading it was a real revelation for me. At long last I knew I wasn't going bonkers and that the weird things happening to my formerly (deep sigh) 105 pound/23-inch waistline after children self (double sigh) were not entirely under my control!

Christiane Northrup also addresses how this same thing happened to her and how she got thangs under control in her latest book, The Wisdom of Menopause.

Hope this helps!
Lisa, Larger but Holding Her Ground, Kalmar :)
 
Thank you for the encouraging suggestions! They were all so thoughtful. What a treat to read them.

I think fooling my body may be the ticket. I have to clean up my eating a bit but as I think about it, I don't intake a ton of food either so a food journal is probably a good idea. I am going to try that.

I would love to run (I used to) but my knees really suffer. My main choice of workout is Cathe's type. But my body may be very used to it. And I wish I was being hard on myself! I know thought from going to a sure size 6 to going on a 10, there are weight gains there. Maybe it is getting older...not my son's fault though! I had gained 70 lbs with him (I was in shape before I had him) and with a lot of work; lost it and got back to normal so I have been there since I had him 7 years ago.(He was worth the extra lbs!)

I do love the rotations though and will print them out. I was doing a rotaion with s&h and stopped becasue I really bulked up with that. Even my suit sleeves were too tight. After I stopped those tapes, my arms trimmed down a bit. Those s&h are fun and I love lifting but I think I need to concentrate on maybe doing them with less weight.

So, no magic formulas I guess. Thanks for the book info too..I am going to check them out! You are all great. Anyone else??
 
Hi Jeffsmom,
I just had to reply to your message. It's like I could have written it mayself. I'm older than you, 41, and have one daughter, but my problem is exactly the same. Like you, I refuse to give up. Up to three years ago I used to be able to work out 3x/week and after 6 weeks I would see results. Now I work out a lot harder (at least 5x/week) and hardly see any changes after 12-16 weeks. I have gone from a size 4 to a 6 and I'm trying really hard not to move to an 8. My problem started last year when I had to stop exercising for about 9 months due to a job that was ruinning my life. Surprisingly, I didn't gain any weight during that time but my body composition shifted towards fat very drastically. When I started exercising again I followed a rotation to build muscle and I gained a lot of strength, but didn't lose any bodyfat. As a result, my clothes fit tighter and I could not see any definition even though I know I had gained some muscle. I felt like my efforts were a waste of time and was kind of depressed for a couple of days.
I have kept a food diary. Counted carbs, protein and fat grams not just calories. I have accepted that my metabolism is not what is used to be and I feel like my body fights me every step of the way. But I'm not giving up. Now I'm going to start one of Cathe's 16 weeks rotations to lose fat and after that I'll follow one to build muscle.
I figure since this is the only body I have and I plan to be around for at leat another 40 years I have to be happy with it even if it means working harder and harder.
I would like to know what you plan to do next and how it is working for you. It would be good to compare notes with someone having the same problems.
 
Hi Becky- I have a suggestion that helped me get past a long and frustrating plateau a few months ago. Change things! If you Power Hour once a week, then stop. Don't be afraid to do ALL your old videos- you'll be surprised at how sore a simple old Firm can make you after not doing it for a few months! And do you have Interval Max? That video in particular helped me bust through my plateau. So maybe replace something you usually do with IM a few times, but not forever- just keep your body guessing. The more confused it is about what workout comes next, the more changes you'll see in your body. Good changes!
Best of luck- we're all going through these same issues!
Lisa
 
Hi Becky

Did I heard you mention metabolism, what's that. I haven't had one in years LOL. I feel you on this one. It seems so hard for me now; to even lose a lb.

I was feeling kinda depressed the other day, saying things to my dear boyfriend like; what's the use, I'll never have the body I'm trying to get. I'm fat, I'm this, I'm not that and so on...and so on. He just looked at me and said girl go ahead with your workout. If you don't you're going to get even fatter, the way you eat sweets, and he's right. He was kidding about something he said, cuz I was irritable. But I wasn't *BABE* I was There!!!!! PMS or something had me going, hehe.

So I've decided to give it another shot eliminating sweets, chocolate and breads all three are my biggest problem, man oh man do I love sweets. Anyways, I'm going to get the body I want.

I am getting ready to start another rotation (MIS) I got good results with this workout months ago. I was a lean, mean sex machine, just thought I throw that in, but really I lost the weight and felt really good about myself. Now, well that's another topic. Good luck. We'll get there chip by chip.

Missthang
 
Thanks again for all of your support. This is the best forum, I must say.

Well, I think I will keep a food journal again. Maybe I have lost a bit of control over my eating. I need to see...

Also, I did do Tough Tape (Firm) last week and although I breezed through; I was one sore girl!! It felt great. I do do Interval Max but only occasionally. so I think I will through that and MIC in a bit more for longer cardio. And maybe I shouldn't shy away from S&H...(I bulk up) I could just use lower weights.

Anyhoo, I am hard at it still. I hope I can recapture my figure somewhere (once I find it). But, to put it all in perspective...there are not many women who can crank out numerous pushups, do cardio like Cathe's, and squat like a guy so we are all fit...just like we should be!
 
I don't have anything to add, except to say I am right there with you. I am trying all kinds of things without success. I'm 36 and I've gone from a size 6 (and smaller previously) to a size 10 within the past 2 years. I have always been thin, so this is a totally new thing for me. I think I am doing all the right things (exercising, eating healthy, mixing things up), but nothing is making the scale move (or bodyfat either). In fact, I have recently added 2 more pounds. Luckily, the bodyfat is staying the same. Please post if you find something that works for you. Angela
 
I don't have anything to add, except to say I am right there with you. I am trying all kinds of things without success. I'm 36 and I've gone from a size 6 (and smaller previously) to a size 10 within the past 2 years. I have always been thin, so this is a totally new thing for me. I think I am doing all the right things (exercising, eating healthy, mixing things up), but nothing is making the scale move (or bodyfat either). In fact, I have recently added 2 more pounds. Luckily, the bodyfat is staying the same. Please post if you find something that works for you. Angela
 
RE: Kathy, I wish I had your problem

consuming up to 1800 calories instead of 1600. :) I need to learn to count and keep track but my guess on any given day is at least 2200 if not more. I have a voracious appetite and find the "ideal" portions to be a joke. Perhaps I need to take them more seriously to lose that 5 lbs. I have been trying to shed.

Kim
 
At least it is comforting to know that I am not alone!

I will post if I see something work for me...I am not quite sure of the game plan but I know it is going to have to involve strict eating and cross training.
 
Becky,

I will also be 36 this year and gained 65 lbs with my son 5 years ago (yep, worth every ounce!).

I just found it VERY difficult to lose my "baby fat." It took me over a YEAR to lose 15 lbs. Yes, I wasn't trying REALLY hard, but STILL! That averages out to a pound a month, sheesh.

I agree with the "shaking up your routine." Our bodies are absolutely amazing and quickly adapts to anything. For me, the "shake-up" was - you won't believe it - WALKING. Yep, I just added 50 minutes of walking every day to get off my plateau.

I was on another plateau and recently added 30-45 minutes of NordicTrack in the evenings and it's working. So, a shake-up doesn't necessarily mean something intense. (We Cathe fans LIKE intensity, though, eh?)

I also highly recommend the food journal. I thought I wasn't eating a lot either until I wrote it down. I was eating 600 calories in snacks before bedtime (thought it was 200). Duh!!

And, lastly, INTERVALS! I've been reading in several sources that you can burn more fat in LESS TIME by doing intervals even though you burn FEWER calories. I have to look for that link.

Good luck! I feel your pain!



"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
 
Becky,

I will also be 36 this year and gained 65 lbs with my son 5 years ago (yep, worth every ounce!).

I just found it VERY difficult to lose my "baby fat." It took me over a YEAR to lose 15 lbs. Yes, I wasn't trying REALLY hard, but STILL! That averages out to a pound a month, sheesh.

I agree with the "shaking up your routine." Our bodies are absolutely amazing and quickly adapts to anything. For me, the "shake-up" was - you won't believe it - WALKING. Yep, I just added 50 minutes of walking every day to get off my plateau.

I was on another plateau and recently added 30-45 minutes of NordicTrack in the evenings and it's working. So, a shake-up doesn't necessarily mean something intense. (We Cathe fans LIKE intensity, though, eh?)

I also highly recommend the food journal. I thought I wasn't eating a lot either until I wrote it down. I was eating 600 calories in snacks before bedtime (thought it was 200). Duh!!

And, lastly, INTERVALS! I've been reading in several sources that you can burn more fat in LESS TIME by doing intervals even though you burn FEWER calories. I have to look for that link.

Good luck! I feel your pain!



"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
 
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