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Are You Metabolism Smart?

By September 10, 2010 - 11:34am

How's your metabolism? Could you be sabotaging it unknowingly? Here is an article about it:
https://www.empowher.com/weight-loss/content/top-3-metabolism-wreckers

By January 14, 2011 - 10:01am

Great info., Roxygirl15! Thanks for posting again...

January 14, 2011 - 10:01am
By January 14, 2011 - 8:23am

Hi Sadi, I just wanted to give you some hope. I don't know your medical history, or how bad your illness really is, so I can't tell you exactly what to eat or do. What I can tell you is you don't have to keep gaining weight because you can't make it to the gym. Through diet, you can maintain muscle tissue and continue to lose weight, even without exercise. You won't build new muscle, but at least you can maintain what you have for a while. You should keep your protein high (and the amount depends on your weight, muscle mass, and activity level), and don't cut out all carbs. Your carbs should definitely be lower than when you workout, but there is a common misconception about carbs and weight gain. Carbs actually work with protein to break down foods in your system. Yes you will lose weight without them, but your brain needs them to function in order to maintain proper brain function and digestion. I don't know your weight (fat to muscle ratio) so I can't tell you exactly how much protein and carbs you should consume. You should also be eating a source of healthy fats. Believe it or not, people who have a considerable amount of body fat (which I'm not saying you do) can actually lose weight by eating things like natural peanut butter, almonds.....etc(handful of almonds or 1 tbs natural peanut butter is plenty). with protein, in place of carbs (but you stll need some carbs). Try and stay away from the sugars and greasy foods. Your body needs to stay clean, and you arn't burning as many calories when you anrn't working out. To tell you the truth, the only time you should be eating sugars is immediately after a work out, when your body needs to replenish its glucose levels which in return will help to restore the glycogen levels in your mucsles and liver. Glycogen is basically stored energy from carbs and calories for future use. Sugar at any other time of the day, will only end up going to fat stores if not digested by the body. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that its not the amount of calories you eat on its own that determines weight loss, it's the amount of calories and types of food you consume. With the right diet ratio, you can still burn fat and keep your muscle for a considerable amount of time. When you are healthy again, you do need to return to the gym. Your body will maintain muscle for a while, but will eventually deplete over time. You want to continue to build lean muslce mass, because the more musle you have, the more calories you burn. I hope you feel better soon, and if you have any questions for me, I will be happy to help. Good luck!

January 14, 2011 - 8:23am
By January 10, 2011 - 8:30am

Hi Sadi,
It is OK to take a break from physical activity if you are feeling sick and not up to exercise. But as soon as you are feeling better, a little physical activity actually may help you regain your strength faster. Many times, when a person is sick, they may lose weight from not having an appetite. How long have you been sick? If it has been an extended amount of time, have you been to see a doctor about it? It may be a good idea to get checked out. Were you diagnosed with flu? Have you gained a lot?

January 10, 2011 - 8:30am
By January 7, 2011 - 7:34pm

i dont think im doing any activities as the flu virus is realy bad and is making me very lethargic ,i wish i could be motivated but right now im realy gaining instead of losing

January 7, 2011 - 7:34pm
By December 8, 2010 - 12:25pm

Thank you guys for letting me share. If you are struggling with drinking plain water, it is ok to add some crystal light to your water. I know there is controversy when it comes to sugar substitutes, but I have not had any problems with it. I admit that I add crystal light to my water, I also have trouble drinking that much, I have to force it down. I only need to drink it completely plain a week before my competition. As far as carbs go, you don't necessarily need to take them out. You just need to eat the right ones, at the right quantitiy. If you are looking for weight loss, try to stay away from the breads. Eat sweet potatos or rice. If you don't like sweet potatos, red potatos are good too. Whole grain pasta is ok, but sparingly. Sweet potatos are also good for curbing sugar cravings. The best fruit to eat is grapefruit. Make sure all the white skin is off, and it won't be so bitter. Grapefruit is not only low on the glycemic chart (low sugar), but it is also a fat burning fruit. One a day (split between two meals) should suffice. Veggies are always good, but be careful of the ones that arn't green. The yellows and oranges can be high in sugar. I have given many diets to people, all which were tailored to their needs based on goal, gender, size, and activity level. The ones who followed it were very pleased. I hope all of this helps, and like I said, ask questions anytime you need to. Good luck everyone!

December 8, 2010 - 12:25pm
By December 2, 2010 - 8:09am

Great discussion, Ladies!! Thanks for your post, Roxy, and May, keep up the good fight. :)
That's what this group is for, DISCUSSION. No toes damaged here. I also can appreciate a good bit of humor.
I struggle with taking in enough plain water on a daily basis, especially this time of year when I just want to drink coffee or tea all day. I also have a bad carb addiction--it's always a struggle to force myself to eat a more balanced diet. I subscribe to an organic produce service that brings fresh fruits and vegetables to the house twice a month so I always have good things to eat around. I don't really struggle with portion control, just eating balanced, and eating right. On that happy note, I'm going to go get some greek yogurt with fruit out of the fridge for breakfast!

December 2, 2010 - 8:09am
By December 1, 2010 - 7:33pm

Great post RoxyGirl, really interesting information and thank you for sharing. I guess I've read about the small frequent meals (also the not eating after dark and only eating 3 meals a day and who knows what else!) but you've explained this in a really understandable way that makes so much sense. You've summed it up in a nutshell which I find so much easier to remember than long waffling explanations. (And waffles aren't healthy food either, if you'll excuse my weird sense of fun LOL). I'm going to try this idea. It has been brought home to me lately that I do eat too much at each meal. It's for fear of being hungry 'too soon' which shows that the 3-meals-a-day doctrine is deeply ingrained in me. Most odd, considering I usually eat 4! I'm going to endeavour eating within that 3-4 hour time slot every day and see what happens. Thank you so much!!!

December 1, 2010 - 7:33pm
By December 1, 2010 - 2:02pm

Hi everyone, I am new to this thread, so here goes. I am a personal trainor and a figure/bodybuilder competitor. Dieting is a very confusing topic, even for the professionals. Things are constantly changing, and what was good one day may not be good the next. I will tell you that the frequency that you're eating your food is just as important as the health content of the food. To much of a healthy thing can also be bad. The human body typically digests every three to four hours. If you keep eating before the three hour mark, you may gain weight, even if its healthy food. If you wait to long past the 3-4 hour mark, you run the risk of entering a catabolic state, meaning your body will start eating away at muscle tissue. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. That being said, you certainly don't want to lose any muscle. I'm not sure what you are eating, but what you call healthy, may not be as healthy as you think, or may hurt your weightloss efforts. Protein is important, make sure you are getting an adequate amount, and please don't fast to achieve weight loss. Your body is smart, if you starve it, it will hold on to whatever you do eat, and place it in fat storages. You may seem to lose weight, but when you start eating again, the weight will fly back on. The same goes with water. The less you drink, the more your body will hold on to water (bloating). Thanks for all the wonderful advise and articals presented by the leaders. I hope that my comment wasn't out of line. I don't want to step on any toes. Thanks again!

December 1, 2010 - 2:02pm
By October 5, 2010 - 3:42am

Thank you very much Christine, those were great articles.
I'm definitely burning more calories than I'm taking in. I don't eat any manufactured foods at all, and exercise hard regularly. I'm 54 years old so maybe the 'water before eating' article will help me after my next birthday LOL
I'm doing my best with water intake now. The more I drink the thirstier I seem to feel but perhaps that's a deficit situation that will rectify soon.
Thanks again
May

October 5, 2010 - 3:42am
By October 4, 2010 - 12:00pm

Hi May in Oz,
Don't we all have those weight loss struggles? Here is an article I found on EmpowHER about drinking water for improving weight loss:
https://www.empowher.com/weight-loss/content/could-drinking-water-meals-help-you-lose-weight
Here is information about drinking water from the Mayo Clinic website:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
Hope this information answers your question. If you are at a weight loss plateau and can't seem to get past it, don't give up! Try adding 15-30 minutes to your workout, or increasing physical activity at home (clean house, or do more yard work). Additionally, make sure you are burning more calories than you are taking in every day, and eating healthy foods.
Good luck,
-Christine

October 4, 2010 - 12:00pm

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