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Very Hard To Lose Fat

adab8ca

By adab8ca
in Sports and Fitness

Recommended Posts

adab8ca Enthusiast
adab8ca
Posted

Ugh. I work out with a trainer and we are stumped. I have totally plateaued. I eat tons of protein, exercise lifting the heaviest weights I can, do interval training, take all kinds of supplements designed to boost your metabolism (CLA, green tea) get lost of sleep, pretty low carb yadda yadda yadda and I cannot get past this weight and body fat% point. Now, I am not "fat" but I am irritated that I am working so hard with no new results. Has anyone found this? Is my body hoarding calories from years of undiagnosed Celiac? I was only diagnosed 18 months ago at the age of 42 after thinking that I was going to die. I should be way more fit and muscular than I am.

My other thought is that I am taking an anti depressant (that I am weaning myself off of, which is a fresh hell unto itself). It didn't cause me to gain weight, but can they screw up your metabolism? I am so frustrated.

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tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

Besides changing your workout patterns and your eating patterns, you may just be at a place that your body is happiest with. If you haven't changed how you're using your body in the past two or three months, though, I'd certainly try that. Also checking on your stress level, as cortisol can keep you hanging on to fat. (This is physical AND mental stress, so working *too* hard may be counterproductive.)

Kjas Newbie
Kjas
Posted

Hmmm things to consider:

1) have you actually checked all your vitamin, minerals, trace, amino acids etc? Most of these have a bigger effect than what we think. Lots of these things end up regulating our hormones, so if they're not optimal, then that could be affecting your fat loss / muscle gain. Vitamin D is a great example. It's actually a hormone, not a vitamin and regulates various things throughout the body, including weight gain / loss. Get everything checked out and try to bring everything up to scratch. For some vitamins, the low end of the "normal" range will be too low for you, and particularly if you're active.

2) You say you're going "low carb". Good overall strategy and it works great to start with but it can plateau quite quickly. Have you considered "cycling" them (i.e carbs)? Often, when we start running low on our carb storage (an empty tank), we stop losing weight or fat. Sometimes you might have to have a cheat day once a week or so. Also, you could stick to very low carb on the days you do cardio, and on the days you do weight training or resistance training, you could have more carbs on that day, particularly at breakfast, pre workout and post workout. This should keep your (carb) tank at a nice even level between empty and full, which is ideal for burning fat.

3) Hormones. If your hormones are working against you, it can cause you to stop stop losing fat. Our body likes being stable and our hormones are the ideal for keeping it that (they don't like change). So essentially, get enough sleep, enough water, de stress less and re check your magnesium levels. This is something you should read up on and check into if the above two don't work.

Tarnalberry may have a point, what body fat percentage are you at? You may have reached the point that is right for you.

BarryC Collaborator
BarryC
Posted

I feel your pain. I have spent lots of money on supplements and trained like an olympic athelete-to no avail. It wasnt until recently I started seeing a little progress, after being mostly gluten free for a couple months. I changed my workout a bit too-I am doing more weights and less cardio.

  • 1 month later...
ShymmyBeta Newbie
ShymmyBeta
Posted

I have been gluten free for 2 weeks and I noticed that I am losing fate but not weight. I have been walking every 2-3 days but then I need 2 days to recover. Aside from gluten, I also have an issue with eggs, soy, casein, corn products, potatoes, all canned and processed foods and the only meat I can tolerate is steak. How can I lose weight and build muscle on this strict diet?

JonnyD Rookie
JonnyD
Posted

I'd suggest counting calories and/or reducing what you are eating. I've been pretty active for a long time and only recently started dropping weight but it's correlated with fewer calories. Be real careful of portion size and how much you are eating in the process. Even if you are eating the 'right stuff', you won't start dropping if you're consuming too much of it. Try a food journal to keep track, it helps. Good luck.

JonnyD

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I suggest cutting sugar. Since I did that, I have lost all my fat.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Susanna Newbie
Susanna
Posted

Such a tough question--how can one lose weight? It's affected by so many things. You are doing lots that should help. Beyond that, here are my thoughts:

1. Now that you've been gluten-free for 18 mos, it's possible that your gut is finally healed (it can take 2 years, they say) and you're absorbing your nutrients through your gut adequately for the first time in your life. This is good, because you're finally absorbing the vitamins, etc. that you need. But it also means you're a set up for weight gain.

2. Work to reduce stress--Stress makes you secrete cortisol, which triggers your body to hold onto fat--especially belly fat. All the literature says do meditation daily--it's great for decreasing cortisol production.

3. Accept that it's going to be a battle for you--in middle age, our metabolisms slow down and it's harder to lose weight.

4. Cardio, cardio, cardio! This is where the fat is burned. Mix it up--try Crossfit, or spinning, or anything that is high intensity

5. Think about a time when you were losing weight successfully. What are you doing differently now? Were you keeping a food or calorie journal then and you've quit that? There may be something you changed that accounts for your current plateau. Go back to your methods when you were successful--they mayhelp you again.

You sound very motivated--hang onto that! Good luck!

1974girl Enthusiast
1974girl
Posted

I also wanted to add to make sure your thyroid levels are normal. They go hand in hand with celiac. My dd has low thyroid and celiac.

  • 1 month later...
donnajen Newbie
donnajen
Posted

I think that it's also important to take noted of your diet and you may need to change your workout plan. I also need to make certain adjustments especially when I feel like my regular plan is no longer effective.

  • 1 month later...
nomoregluten Newbie
nomoregluten
Posted

the advice to change up your workout and maybe up cardio could be good. what is your exact training schedule?

also sleep a lot.

  • 1 month later...
mbrookes Community Regular
mbrookes
Posted

I'm not sure of your gender, but if you are female you might consider that you are possibly entering a pre-menopausal period. At that time, our metabolisms go heywire. Weight loss becomes very difficult. This could also contribute to your need for the anti depressants. You might want to discuss this with your gynecologist as well as your GI doctor.

  • 2 weeks later...
kittty Contributor
kittty
Posted

Now, I am not "fat"...

That could be your answer. Maybe your body has found a comfortable and healthy point, and doesn't want to lose any more. Is your BMI in a healthy range?

NightOwl Newbie
NightOwl
Posted

I realize this post is now 8 mo. old and the OP may not need help but I noticed NO ONE answered her question regarding the anti-depressant he/she was taking and that bothered me because from what I've learned the answer could be "yes", but that would depend on which a/d it was, some can actually help weight loss. But since several SSRI a/d contain fluoride, which has a suppressive effect on the thyroid by virtue of blocking iodine absorption, perhaps taking supplemental iodine could (or could've been of) help in this situation.

  • 3 weeks later...
M-Rods Newbie
M-Rods
Posted

Some good advice here, early 40's, can't gain muscle or lose fat, ask about your testosterone levels.

  • 2 weeks later...
jimi2 Newbie
jimi2
Posted

Hi guys, i am 52. I had 3 months of huge stomach pain before being diagnosed with celiac. I just changed my way of training and feel so much better i stopped all supplements, creatine and over the counter, i control all my food, mainly salads, lentils ( for proteins ), chicken and fish. I changed also my exercise a bit like Mike Chang says : few rest, not so long, push ups and so on...

I am so happy and really wil never ever go back to my previous life. Many people complain because they can not eat that or that, they forget that many sport men now go gluten free for the sake of exercise itself....I lost 7 kgs, i see my abs, i feel lighter and i dont care when people drink a beer or have cake. I dont envy them. I am happy of my new life. Hope you can get also te same results, just what u need is .. a iron will and good mood.

simon-n Newbie
simon-n
Posted

Ugh. I work out with a trainer and we are stumped. I have totally plateaued. I eat tons of protein, exercise lifting the heaviest weights I can, do interval training, take all kinds of supplements designed to boost your metabolism (CLA, green tea) get lost of sleep, pretty low carb yadda yadda yadda and I cannot get past this weight and body fat% point. Now, I am not "fat" but I am irritated that I am working so hard with no new results. Has anyone found this? Is my body hoarding calories from years of undiagnosed Celiac? I was only diagnosed 18 months ago at the age of 42 after thinking that I was going to die. I should be way more fit and muscular than I am.

My other thought is that I am taking an anti depressant (that I am weaning myself off of, which is a fresh hell unto itself). It didn't cause me to gain weight, but can they screw up your metabolism? I am so frustrated.

Considering changing your workout to running only. It's the single most powerful exercise to loose weight and it worked well for me and my friends. Good luck and think positive!

  • 4 weeks later...
dprice81 Newbie
dprice81
Posted

ive been having this problem of fatigue/low carb. im trying to add denser gluten free starchy carbs like potatoes, rice. so far its been helping with my constipation and my muslces feel like they have more energy.

  • 1 month later...
teruff Newbie
teruff
Posted

I have have been living with celiac for about 6 years now. I lost a TON of weight when I first became gluten free and am pretty lean now. I've noticed when I begin to plateau and just aren't seeing results anymore it is always because I have changed something in my diet and that product is not gluten free enough for me. I would just re-check your diet, maybe cut things out, and see if that helps you. It always does the trick for me!

zamm0 Apprentice
zamm0
Posted

Considering changing your workout to running only. It's the single most powerful exercise to loose weight and it worked well for me and my friends. Good luck and think positive!

Or cycling - because it's low impact and you'll be able to do more of it. Running is better for losing weight as weight-bearing but easy to get injured. If I were you I'd mix the two.

NorthernElf Enthusiast
NorthernElf
Posted

If I could 'weigh' in here - try to hit some weights a couple times a week.

Working/building muscle helps keep the metabolism going strong. More muscle means a higher basal metabolism. After lifting some weights you get a bit of an afterburn effect - metabolism stays up for a few hours afterwards. Weight training also helps ensure that more of your weight loss is fat as opposed to muscle.

Most important thing is to find activities you like or you won't stick with it. Good luck.

  • 1 month later...
cavernio Enthusiast
cavernio
Posted

The antidepressant could have been working against you the entire time by not letting you lose weight. Same thing as causing weight gain.

I've never been down as low as I had been before starting antidepressants. Like typical depressed people and classic celiac patients, I lost a fair bit of weight. Antidepressants made me gain, and I too remember it being frustrating because the one point in my life where I actually worked out regularly and pushed myself, I still gained.

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