Need help shifting weight.

[ewwen27]

Hi, I need someone to put me on the right track, I have recently started back up at the gym and started a new machine - the elliptical. But I just seem so bloated all the time and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong?

I'm 23, 5"3 and weigh approx. 136 pounds, which doesn't seem like a lot but there is excess fat on stomach area (especially lower stomach, love handles) I just want to get rid of. I get cardio in on the elliptical through the "weight loss interval" which lasts 28 minutes + 5 minutes of cool down and then I do some kettle bell exercise as well as dumbbell exercises. I'm a noob when it comes to exercising, I'll be honest, I never know if what I'm doing it right and good for what I want.

eating is taking some work but I am getting there, I've cut out all fast food but am still constantly wanting the chocolate (which I haven't touched in the past couple of days but I'm dying for it).

Just if anyone can point me in the right direction I'd be more than grateful.

[Boss Man]

Hi Ewwen, good to talk to you.

What times do you eat at and what foods do you eat at those times?

[ewwen27]

Hi there, Boss Man, thanks for replying.

Well as I do work late - ish I do be up around 12 - 1pm daily, when I wake I usually drink a pint of water and around 1:30 pm I'll eat 1 and half weetabix with warm milk. I tend to hit the gym for about an hour about 2:30 and once I'm finished I'll eat a sandwich, usually tuna or egg. For dinner today I had the rest of the chicken casserole I made yesterday (chicken breast, potatoes, mushrooms and carrots) which was about 6:30 then I go to work and ate a yoghurt about 2 hours ago and that'll be me for the day and then it's off to bed around 2:30am. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day and I do tend to sneak in a can of coke zero after dinner some days.

I have had a few people tell me I could be eating too little, would that be the case? If it is, I never feel hungry enough to eat anymore food throughout the day.

[Boss Man]

Firstly, yes you look like you're not eating enough and could be causing a "starvation mode", where the body hangs onto fat and won't shed it because it thinks it's being starved.

I'll highlight potential changes below.

12 - 1pm daily, when I wake I usually drink a pint of water and around 1:30 pm I'll eat 1 and half weetabix with warm milk.

(I'd increase your protein intake there, from things like boiled eggs, ham, chicken, turkey and beef.)

I tend to hit the gym for about an hour about 2:30 and once I'm finished I'll eat a sandwich, usually tuna or egg.

(That's fine, but I'd say don't have tuna too much due to recommendations concerning metals. I'd limit to 3 portions a week as per current guidelines / thinking.

For dinner today I had the rest of the chicken casserole I made yesterday (chicken breast, potatoes, mushrooms and carrots) which was about 6:30

(That's fine)

then I go to work and ate a yoghurt about 2 hours ago and that'll be me for the day and then it's off to bed around 2:30am.

(You can have plenty of fast options here that count as partial or complete snacks, like microwave baked beans, soup and rice dishes, vegetables like pineapple, raw carrot and celery sticks, low sugar yoghurt, peanuts, nuts, low fat cheese, oat granolas, flax seeds, fruits including cucumber and tomato, pre-boiled eggs, bread, sandwiches and beef, turkey, chicken or ham from a packet.

Obviously you'll be able to workout what is a partial snack versus a whole one in most cases and depending on the time frame between the dinner and the first snack if say it's 2.5-3 hours, you could then wait another 2.5-3 hours and add another snack in, assuming it wasn't being scheduled in past bedtime.)

[ewwen27]

Okay, I will work on eating more throughout day. Thank you for such a detailed response, it really helped me see what I was doing wrong.

[Hanssen1]

Considering many others already addressed some other areas. Start limiting the amount of times of the day that you eat chocolate. For example, allow yourself the opportunity to eat chocolate after lunch or dinner. But not any other times during. Studies showed that people who did this gradually lost the craving for chocolate.

[Boss Man]

I admit I have never heard of such studies before.