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Weight & Fat Loss | Frustrated and lost from returning to work after mat leave


Hi Everyone! My first post here.. :)

Just a bit about myself.. I am (goint to be) 25 years old. I had a daughter more than a year ago, been off for a year and returned to work since Feb of this year.
I am a slim build tiny little girl. 105lb at 5"3
I am proud to say I had been very good with my exercises and (sometimes) my diet.
I had been exercising everyday for a few years now, kept it up during my mat leave as well.

But after returning to work, I feel what I had been doing for years isn't working any more.
I used to exercise for no more than 20min on the treadmill, max inclined at around 4.6 speed.
during my mat leave, I only ate 2 meals a day (bad I know, but I sleeping time is weird & not constant due to the baby) along with the cardio I do (roughly 20min 5 times a week). My weight & figure was never a problem.

I am really struggling to maintain my weight now. I feel like my belly is growing bigger and bigger. I have increased my cardio to 25min everyday and it's 7 times a week now instead of 5 like before.
On top, I do more cardio after dinner. I know I probably eat just a little bit more than I did when I was on my mat leave, but the "extra" stuff I eat is pretty healthy. I eat breakfast which is usually 1 whole wheat bread or cereal, then i eat a yogurt. lunch time is salad or sandchiwhch no more than 300cals, then fruits for snack afterwards. Then dinner is more heavy but it was the same kinda things I was eating during my mat leave.

I don't know what the problem is, but even I increased my exercise time, I am really struggling to maintain my weight.
I need some help!! What am I doing wrong??



Replies


Posted by Reply
FitforTwo.TV
Stage 1 Fit
19 Posts
4/7/2010 1:59:50 PM
Try doing some resistance training in addition to
your cardio. You need to work your muscles
differently to jumpstart that metabolism again.
Try this workout:

Also, you don't need a gym or equipment.

Here's an acronym to help you remember a circuit:

Some Lucky People Deserve Brock and Marta

(I'm Brock, my fiance is Marta).
The first letter of each word stands for an exercise:

Squats
Lunges
Push-ups/Plank
Dips
Burpees
Move (skip, run on the spot, etc.)

Do each exercise for 1 minute then move right to
the next one. If you can get through the circuit 3
times I guarantee you'll be sweating!

As for nutrition,
Breakfast - oatmeal, eggs, fruit
snack - yogurt (plain), peanut butter, fruit
Lunch - grains (cous cous, beans, veggies)
Snack - Fruit, nuts
Dinner - Protein, veggies, grains (quinoa).

Avoid those simple sugars ( that can be hidden in
yogurt and other snack foods).
I hope this helps!


Dan
Newbie
3 Posts
3/11/2010 10:20:35 PM
Hi
You lose muscles that you don't use (they become smaller and softer).
Choose 1-2 exercises for each body part legs, chest, back etc.
Like I said you are eating mainly carbs and your biggest meal is dinner.Bad.
By doing only treadmill you get the body used to that and will spend less and less calories on that(like a car using gas when on a highway), so do stairmaster, rowing machine etc.
Crunches don't make the waist smaller(like people who are chewing lots of gum don't have skinny faces).


devilangel
Newbie
2 Posts
3/11/2010 10:37:40 AM
Ok I will definetly start doing weights again..
I read the article that you posted. So I am getting "old" and losing muscles.. haha But I don't consider my inactive at all. =(
Anyhow, it listed a bunch of weights exercise for starters.. but there is too many I need to do.. haha is there a shorter version I can concentrate on??

And I am doing 3 meals a day + 2 snacks already..
Breakfast: cereal or whole wheat bread
Snack: Yogurt
Lunch: Sandwhich or Salad
Snack: Fruits
Dinner: meat, veggies, rice

I thikn at work I start to snack a little bit more.

I had been starting to do 200 crunches almost everyday to tone down my stubborn tummy. And hula hopping at night. lol

If I start doing weights, can I cut down the daily 25min cardio I do everyday??


Dan
Newbie
3 Posts
3/11/2010 9:33:19 AM
Hi
The difference is that you are back to work, so you have more stress (changes the metabolism), you've lost some muscles during that year and you are one year older(see what happens after the age of 25 in the first article on that blog: www.nfafitness.blogspot.com).
Stick to weights, cardio, and good nutrition(3 meals and 2 snacks), and you'll see results).


devilangel
Newbie
2 Posts
3/11/2010 5:57:32 AM
Thanks for your response, Dan!
But how is it different from my exercise/diet regime during my mat leave and now that I am back to work can make such an impact??
I didn't do weights during my mat leave and I could maintain my weight.. =(


Dan
Newbie
3 Posts
3/10/2010 11:19:06 PM
So
What you are doing wrong is the nutrition, and the exercise.
1. You're eating mainly carbs, almost no protein.
2. you are doing only cardio. Not using your muscles (by lifting weights moderately, I'm not talking about bulking up, just to be tonned) you are losing them. Muscles are metabolic active tissue, so the less muscle mass you have the slower your metabolism will be and the easier will be to gain fat.
Because you're doing lots of cardio and eating low protein you're losing even more muscles.
You'll find more info here: www.nfafitness.blogspot.com
P.S. You are eating only 3 times a day. Try 3 meals and 2 snaks instead.





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