PT twice a week, being good put on another 5lbs

[Inliverpool1]

Wtf
I’ve hit 43 and my body has gone crazy. It’s all on my stomach which is now hanging like a shelf. Again never happened before. I’m at my wits end with it all

Are you measuring portion size consistently? And logging all drinks?

Those were always my downfalls. (Plus the urge to nibble if the drinks were alcoholic). PT sessions will tone you up but are unlikely to make much difference to your weight. So check what you are eating

I don’t drink at all
I’m having 4 protein shakes a day and shit loads of water 1000 max, my survival calories are 1800 with age and height so 1300 should have me loosing I’m just like what is going on

Cut out the protein shakes for starters totally unnecessary have proper food instead of those awful shakes.

If you're seeing a PT (ie building muscle) stop measuring your progress by the scales.
I once dropped nearly 2 dress sizes and reduced my body fat by 30% but I was only 2kg lighter on the scales.
Do you feel tighter and slimmer?

Sorry, just seen you feel your stomach is bigger. Do you go to a gym that has a body composition analysis thingy?

palahvah - literally the only way to measure body fat is by conducting a post Mortem.... real food is what’s made me fat in the first place unfortunately

Eating the correct food doesn’t make you fat but sugar filled whey protein shakes are not great for the digestive system especially 4 a day that’s a stupid amount to consume.

real food is what’s made me fat in the first place unfortunately

This simply isn't true in any way, shape or form. Calories are calories are calories. Those shit protein shakes you're drinking are also loaded with carbs and artificial ingredients. REAL food, vegetables, lean proteins, eggs, etc in proper portions, and NO processes foods, will have you losing weight.

I’m not drinking shit ones filled with sugar at all. I’m having very little carbs, 11% hence the disbelief

If you looked at it as calories are calories it wouldn’t matter if I was having 4 250 calorie mar bars a day I should still be looosing on 1000 a day

I find after exercise and the days following I'm heavier. I did some googling and found something about sore muscles hold water to repair and so would show heavier on scales but no reflective of a loss. However I'm no expert!!!! Maybe wait a few days and weigh again or try measuring instead?

That’s a good point, I’m working hard and lifting heavy weights

How long have you been your regime? I always get a bit of a gain/plateau then scales start dropping after a month. I suspect water retention. Perhaps take measurements/photographs?

That sounds like a plan FFL I just seem to remember this was a lot easier 10 years ago 😭

I feel your pain @inliverpool1 ! X

Who worked out your 'survival calories'?

That's awfully low, especially if you're exercising 3 times a week hard.

As for 4 protein shakes a day, Why?

Eat real, clean food and enough if it to fuel your body. Don't cut calories to a ridiculously low level so you bugger up your BMR and end up just getting fatter once you stop this regime.

I worked it out myself online 🙈
The thing with the shakes is that they are measured ya know, there’s no portion control no sneaking an extra this that or the other so until I’ve shifted this stone I’d really like to stick with it if I can work out what’s going wrong. I don’t actually enjoy food. I don’t like going out wasting my lunch hour buying a meal deal or something like that which is all that’s available near work and I’m no where near organised enough to bring it in tbh.

My worry was is stress/depression causing the belly weight or something medical I guess because on paper I should be shrinking and anytime I’ve done this previously it’s worked quickly .... I have just given up smoking but again that didn’t affect my eating habits I’ve never snacked, couldn’t afford to with the cigarettes 😂

This could be a few issues, or a combination.

1. You mention stress/depression in your latest post. I have read that cortisol (which is produced when we are stressed) can cause fat to be laid down around the belly. So anything you can do to reduce stress may help.
2. You are doing heavy lifting. You could be building up muscle - though if you are not eating to fuel muscle, which it seems you are certainly not - then I would have thought the effect would be that you would lose less weight than expected, rather than putting on weight. Nevertheless don't judge progress by weight alone. Check the fit of your clothes, or measure yourself.
3. You could be hitting perimenopause and fluctuating hormones can mean all manner of unexpected weight fluctuations. Another reason not to rely solely on the scales to measure progress.
4. I find that my weight spikes just before a loss - maybe this is happening to you?
5. If your survival calories are 1800 and you are eating only 1300 maybe you are actually doing yourself no favours. Your body may be grabbing onto everything it can get, especially as you are lifting weights. It sounds counter intuitive, but my suggestion is to up your calories a little so your deficit is only about 300 a day, and see if that makes any difference.

There's a load of really good articles on this sort of thing on the Girls Gone Strong website. I suggest you take a look. Good luck with the weight loss.

Thank you, appreciated. It’s so bloody confusing