Can anyone explain to me where I’m going wrong please?

[StudentHelp]

I piled on the weight due to a medication I was taking for my migraines. I’m talking 3 stone in around 5 months and a combination of not moving as much (due to pain), eating more comfort food and being engrossed in studies ended up with me at 188lbs. I was going to the gym still but usually only 3 times a week and would often struggle with long walks as I’d be knackered by the afternoon due to the meds so I’ve stopped them.

I started taking the gym more seriously in from November through to January and lost around 12lbs going 5-6 times a week, I was sometimes burning 900 calories and sometimes only 200 but I was going and that was the main thing. I was also walking to/from uni (3 miles) when the weather permitted.

Anyway, fast forward to lockdown and 2 weeks ago I weighed in at 180lb which upset me so I upped the workouts and continued counting all calories. MFP recommended 1340 to lose weight and I’ve been eating around 1600-2000 but making sure I burn atleast an extra 4000 calories through workouts each week so I’ve been earning them back, I think? This is not including a daily walk.

I’m getting stronger and more toned, moving up the resistance bands I’m using and doing more sets of exercises but I’ve weighed myself today and I’m 182lb. Is it because I had clothes, Apple Watch etc on and I’ve drank 2 litres of water already? Should I re-weigh myself in the morning before eating? Are the calculations made by my watch wildly out and I’m over eating?

I just feel like no matter what I do I’ll always be heavy. My BMI is almost 27. I’m 5 foot 9 and my clothes are getting loose (I still fit into a size 10-12 jeans but my busy is 32HH so top size varies) but I’m just not shifting the weight, and I should be, because I’m overweight!

I’m not in denial, I am weighing everything, the butter on a bagel, any oats I use, my veggies, any dipping sauces, everything!

What else can I do?

No forget about any 'fat burning zones' and that a gentle easy aerobics should be better for weight loss than a high intensity session. Not how it works. Training harder burns more calories. Yes, a slightly lower proportion of fat, but overall still more. Just google fat burn zone myth if you want to read about it.

You should always be doing a mix of GR zones throughout say the week, because high HR improves your cardio (fitness) function but if you primarily want to burn fat, then you need to spend a higher amount of around zone 2.

For example, i do distance running and triathlon so the majority of my running time is spent in zone 3 (training my body to burn stored energy for distance events) but I still do low HR sessions on weights (for core strength) and Z4 HIIT and intervals to improve overall cardio capacity.

It's not about only training in one zone, but focussing you're training based on what you want the outcome to be.

Does that make sense?

HR not GR!

I believe the phrase is "train smarter not harder" - going all out every session just isn't necessary, you end up wasting energy/making yourself sick and risking injury.

Also, ignore all the posters saying "don't eat your exercise calories" that's just bullshit, you need the calories to fuel the exercise!!!

But I do agree that most trackers can over estimate your calorie burn so the best balanced view is probably to do as another poster suggested and only eat around 70-80% of the calories from exercise.

But also (and I say this on every weight loss thread!) it's about your mix of calories too. I try to stick to something like 50% carbs 30% protein 20% fat when I'm training hard (give or take) but if I want to shed pounds then I reduce the carbs and increase the protein

I eat all fruit and veg except I limit peas and sweetcorn as they were more "points" when I did weight watchers.

When I'm actively dieting I actually eat more than when I'm not. But it's the "right" things, ie. More fruit and veg, less carbs and more protein. You don't have to be hungry.

You can make really delicious slimming recipes. It's the time and bother of making them that is the problem. Whilst I don't bother with weight watchers any more, I do still use some of their recipe books as they are often quite simple recipes. I'm sure you could find plenty of recipes on line too.

Whatever you do, don’t stop eating your chocolate treat. It’s good for stress as the cocoa lowers blood pressure and the flavins improve mood.

Other foods can do that too. I think if you’re really serious about losing weight then it’s no good eating chocolate everyday - I’m not trying to lose weight currently and still don’t eat it everyday, not even weekly. Many act like chocolate is a sacred everyday must and it really isn’t - no desert is. If it means that much to you then limit it to once or twice a week.

I know that I've got a huge stomach and I'm now at a higher risk of health issues.

Size 10 - 12 is not exposing you to any particular health issues. Relax. You are too hung up on the health aspect. Just eat the fruit and veg you like, up the protein and limit carbs. It's not rocket science.

Calories in < calories out. It doesn't matter how you do this as long as the diet includes all the food groups. The more you vary the fruit and veg the better.

Chill out more.

Also, ignore all the posters saying "don't eat your exercise calories" that's just bullshit, you need the calories to fuel the exercise!!!

It’s really not ‘bullshit’ as proven by the OP not losing weight whilst eating her exercise calories.
Apart from the fact that most apps grossly overestimate calorie burn through exercise, your body already HAS calories stored for the exercise. In fat. Which it then uses.

Also, ignore all the posters saying "don't eat your exercise calories" that's just bullshit, you need the calories to fuel the exercise!!!

If you’re maintaining weight you need to fuel the exercise, yes. If you want to lose weight then obviously the aim of the exercise is to burn the calories in order to do that. If you replace the calories again then the weight obviously won’t shift.

I’m very much more a 12 than a 10 though I’d say. The jeans might fit but they’re not flattering and I’d never wear them that way! I am big, I’m under absolutely no illusion regarding that.

Here are some pics I took for my ‘before progress picture’ it was about 10pm so I’d eaten and just gone about my day. I hate the structure of my legs as I have ‘knock knees’ the valgus deformity so my knees go inwards. I get very painful knees at times but that could also be because juvenile arthritis runs in the family as well as osteoarthritis and my mum started suffering around 20. So my knees often look bigger due to swelling and my thighs swell too. I’ve been looking for exercises to help correct my knee but worried about doing more damage, I was planning to go back to the doctor before all this escalated. I’ve attached a photo of that too (sorry about all the clutter behind me) on a mild day, it does get a lot worse and both are slightly swollen here but one more so.

By chocolate every day, I mean a multi pack one like a dark chocolate and sea salt from aldi that’s 25g but I’ll stop it all together!

I’ve got some ideas for things to eat and I’ll just try a bit harder.

Also, ignore all the posters saying "don't eat your exercise calories" that's just bullshit

Please don't. And it's not. You've tried this approach, OP and it wasn't working.

Yes, of course you need calories to fuel exercise and that's exactly how it should work: eat to train, don't train to eat. So you work out a healthy diet — with a few treats (if that works for you) — that allows you to run, lift and so on, comfortably. You shouldn't need to log the calories from each session in order to consume more (or less).

I have a strict training diet, prepared for me by a qualified trainer. I eat it. Every day. He doesn't say to me: 'Hey, NiceLegs, you've lifted a little more than usual today, so treat yourself to a bag of chips on the way home' Equally, if I'm under the weather and we have a light sesh, he doesn't tell me to cut back on my proteins and complex carbs at dinner.

This is his advice as an expert; not mine as a chartered accountant. He was instrumental in my transformation from a (six stones) overweight woman to a bodybuilder (in my 50s). What he's done is gobsmacking . Worth a listen, surely?

Keep at it

Sorry, think this photo might be more helpful as my hand is in the way on the other one.

You don't need to stop the chocolate, altogether. Factor it in — maybe not every day — and enjoy it when you have it

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace
Thank you, you’ve been really helpful and it certainly worked for you! I’ll trust it and see how I go.

I’m not hoping to be a body builder just healthier, less flabby on the belly and less on the arms and a bit off the legs. But mostly I’d like to tackle fat in the stomach area, for health reasons.

You look in pretty good shape to me. However ..... that's a pretty futile statement. It's what you think that counts

But you are being a little hard on yourself (in my honest opinion). That doesn't mean that I'm telling you to accept the status quo by the way: just that you're starting from a pretty good place.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace
Thank you! It’s having a BMI of 27 and my stomach being so much bigger than it was that’s worried me. As I said, I had a BMI of 20 this time last year, that’s a huge difference!

Oh, no: I don't think many women want to be bodybuilders: it's hugely derided for women. I get a lot of flack from random (men)

Thing is, I love it. It's a personal choice. I'm single, live alone, have time to devote to it and I'm not affecting anyone else with my choices. And I want to stand on stage in a (hideously expensive) sparky bikini! What's not to like?

You won't turn into a muscle woman with your lifting, trust me: that's sadly what puts many women off and it's hugely beneficial (especially at my age). It's quite difficult for women to put on muscle without the aid of drugs (which I don't take), so you'll be perfectly fine.

Keep going, OK

Great, so you have a goal. 20 sounds a perfectly reasonable target.

Mine's 19 at the minute, will be 18 on show day and may go up to 20/21 in the off season. All are fine. I'm NOT skeletal and I feel fantastic.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace
I think you look amazing and looking like you wouldn’t put me off but I really don’t think I have the dedication. I’m mostly happy with the way I look when I suck my stomach in, I used to still have a pouch just above the navel but now it’s almost gone so I think I just need to keep going with toning up and cutting sugar as I’d ideally like to look like that without breathing in.

I feel uncomfortable when men are in the gym which is one of the reasons I haven’t trained properly using weights, I felt so out of place. One man came over to me on the rowing machine about 6 months ago and starting touching me ‘correcting my posture’ but it was just us in the gym, it was unsolicited and I was terrified. It was dark outside too and I kept thinking he was behind me on the walk home. I have had some worse experiences than that, let’s just say so it shook me and I haven’t used the rowing machine since. I also didn’t tell the gym staff, which I should have.

Thank you @StuentHelp

Of course you don't have time to dedicate at the moment. You're a student: education first, bodybuilding later (maybe)

And yes, if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable in the gym, please do bring that to the attention of the staff. Many women are put off and it's sad. I would have been as a younger woman. I grow ever more resilient as time passes.

Hi OP, I very rarely post, but can see from what you've written you have lots of stuff going on and you seem unhappy. I wonder if it would be useful to write your worries down? Then look at ways to work on them by breaking them down into specifics.

I work in student wellbeing at a University and frequently see students with a myriad of issues similar to yourself. To be studying Vet Science you are a high achiever, likely to be a perfectionist and have a lot of stress to deal with. How are you coping with your academic work? As it seems you are fixating on your weight, is this a replacement for the time you would have spent studying? Do you have a student wellbeing department at your University? They are likely to be working (albeit remotely) and could offer you some specialist support. I think you need to be kinder to yourself, as the pressure you appear to put on yourself re weight loss is causing you anxiety and upset. Are you doing anything nice for yourself on a daily basis?

Your migraines can be linked to your diet, hormones and stress management. Did you see the University doctor about migraines? If so it may be worth seeing your 'home' GP, as they can refer you to more specialist services in the community (obvs maybe difficult at the moment - but longer term may be helpful). Keeping a record of migraine symptoms, triggers etc can be useful.

Lastly it would be good if you could reconnect with the important people in your life - Zoom/Skype/WhatsApp etc. We are living in strange times and can fixate on things due to our isolation. Speaking to friends/family can get us back into the present and reduce the 'pressure cooker' feelings.

@MrsO1980
Hi, I’m coping fine with university work but I have a deadline in 2 weeks and I always like to be finished at least a week early so I’m just trying to get that done. I enjoy my course and I’m currently on a 2:1 but would like to try and bump it up to a first.

My house at uni haven’t been kind to me so I’m in the process of looking into moving out but that’s a long story.

I try do nice things every day but I struggle with time management but it is something I’m working on.

I saw the GP in my university town (12 times in total regarding migraines) and my GP at home won’t register me as a temporary patient. I had glandular fever in 2018 and they made me drive 200 miles to go to my uni GP for the tests 5 days before my exams.
I have a support plan for the migraines but I’ve actually had about a 70% reduction so I’m doing much better, I think things just got on top of me and I’m better at managing stress now. I took myself for a walk yesterday as I started to get a bad head and it didn’t manifest into anything more. I’ve done the whole diary thing as it’s been going on almost 3 years and they can’t suggest anything except chill out.

I am speaking to some friends and speaking to my boyfriend once or twice a week. I’m coping okay, I think everything just hit me yesterday, I generally feel better today and much more positive. My sister is working on the COVID ward which was also worrying me a little and I don’t think I’d realised that.

I’ll keep an eye on it though and will contact uni if I feel like I need more support.

Thank you

As for studying, I’ve been following the university timetable as much as I can so I’ve been doing around 8 hours a day.

Thanks for your reply! Eight hours of Uni work a day is a lot, have you spoken to your Personal Tutor recently? What work do you have due in? They can help with time management and often can provide you with a student mentor (great to get advice from someone who has been in your position). It's great that you are on track for a 2:1. You could get some feedback re wanting to up to a first, but that could cause you more stress, so it's worth weighing it up in terms of your wellbeing. Do you have any educational needs e.g. dyslexia? You mentioned the possibility of autism in a earlier post. Students with additional needs can be assessed by disability services and given more flexibility with deadlines, support packages etc. Are you on a Fitness/Support to Study programme?

Lots of students have difficulties in their student houses, so I'm sorry to hear this. Do you have Uni friends outside of the house? You could contact the accommodation office for advice, particularly if you are locked into a contract. The SU will also have a private sector housing advisor - def worth emailing them to see if they can help. Lots of students move as they are unhappy/stressed in that environment. It can make a huge difference to how you feel just by living somewhere you are happier. Again your student wellbeing service can offer lots of support and specialist guidance with this too.

Sorry to hear that you were made to do that to get medical help. Did you do as you expected to in the exams? You may be able to apply for retrospective extenuating circumstances if not. I wonder if doing a daily timetable would be useful for you? It would give you a clear time line of when to do what, factor in breaks, exercise and eating properly. Are you taking breaks at the weekend? What does your day currently look like?

I'm glad you are keeping in touch with friends! Sending best wishes to your sister doing such an important job, I can understand why this is such a worry for you. Are you spending much time watching the news etc about Covid? Perhaps limit this to once a day, it will help you feel more in control and less anxious.

You sounds like a lovely person who is overwhelmed at the moment. Things will get better and ultimately you are doing your best. Please feel free to PM me (hopefully I'll be able to work out how to answer lol).