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hi all
since my ha began ive gained 20 pounds.
I have been doing an hour of excercise a day. drinking loads of water and doing the weigt watchers plan and i have lost nothing.
i suffered from bulima when i was a teenager and im afraid if it dosnt start shifting im gnna go back down that road.
I dont understand why it wont shift. I have even stopped drinking to no avail.please help. i have just ordered some oprah recommended tablets called hoodia. anyone every try them??
How many points are you on ? Are you sticking rigidly to it?
I did really well on WW but then put it all back on again and more!
I am still dieting constantly but can't shift much either.
I have the same problem - about 10lb I can't shift, yet I eat less than ever, I eat healthily, exercise regularly and push myself hard, I'm always on the go. I thought maybe I had a thyroid problem (as I also have dry hair, dry skin, constipation, and I'm always cold) but I had a blood test a year ago and it came back normal.
However I came across a book by Marilyn Glenville called Fat Around the Middle (my weight is mostly on my belly!). I went on her website and this tells you a bit about why stress can cause you to gain weight.
I don't know if this will help you at all - the book lists an eating plan, exercise and supplements for you to try (but I've never stuck at it long enough to comment!).
Anyway, I thought you might find it interesting.
What’s the cause?
The main reason some people gather more fat around their middle than others is specifically because of the action of the stress hormone cortisol.
Millions of years ago, our bodies were designed to react quickly to danger. Like wild animals we were on constant alert so we could run or fight if threatened. When your brain thinks your life is in danger it stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol.
This fight or flight response is incredibly clever and thoroughly efficient. It provides instant energy for 5-10 minutes allowing you to react swiftly to dangerous situations.
These days, many of us live under chronic stress. But our bodies can’t distinguish between late trains, missed appointments, spiralling debt, infuriating work colleagues, family disputes and the truly life-threatening stress it gears up to challenge. So it reacts exactly the same as it’s always done.
The problem with many modern lifestyles is that stress (our ‘perceived threat’) is almost continuous and comes without the natural release that either fighting or fleeing might provide. Unless you do something physical (as your body is expecting you to) all that extra energy, in the form of fat and glucose, has nowhere to go. It must be simply re-deposited as fat.
Food cravings you can’t control
After a stressful event cortisol levels in the blood often remain high for a while, effectively increasing your appetite because your body thinks you should refuel after all this fighting or fleeing. This means people under constant stress quite often feel constantly hungry. Worse, their body urges them to stock up on the foods it thinks will be most useful after all that ‘activity’ – carbohydrates (like sugar) and fats.
It’s just the sort high-sugar, high-fat comfort and convenience food many people crave.
The fat around the middle connection
If you don’t fight or flee when your body expects you to, the fat and glucose swimming around your system get deposited as fat – around the middle of your body. And if you eat something sugary or fatty as a consequence of the post-stress appetite surge, any weight you gain as a result, will be around your middle too.
The reason fat targets the middle is because it is close to the liver where it can most quickly be converted back into energy if needed. There it provides the body with protection ready for the next stress attack.
Your body is only trying to help. To continue providing the energy it thinks you need, it tries to keep a convenient fat store ready for constant use and creates cravings and increases appetite to ensure good supplies of necessary fuel.
Are you stressed?
If you can see yourself in the list below, your cortisol levels are likely to be high:
A tendency to gain fat around your tummy, chest, back and hips
Increased appetite
Increased cravings for chocolate, sweets, breads, cakes, caffeine and alcohol (particularly any combination of carbohydrates and fats, such as chocolate and cakes because they are particularly high in calories)
Your immune system is low (you get frequent colds and infections)
Headaches
Nail biting
Teeth grinding
High cholesterol (if you don’t know, get it checked)
Blood sugar swings
Digestive problems (such as bloating and flatulence)
Chest pains - (you must see your doctor if you are getting chest pains but the effects of the stress hormones can mimic heart problems)
Muscle aches and pains
Shoulder and neck pain (stress hormones will keep certain muscles tense ready for fight or flight)
Hair loss
Irregular periods or no
Difficulty in concentrating or forgetfulness
Depression
Increased premenstrual symptoms (PMS)
Slower metabolism (which makes it harder to lose weight in general)
Low sex drive
Tiredness but an inability to sleep well
Tendency to get a second wind in the evening
Waking up in the middle of the night, finding it hard to get back to sleep and then desperately want to continue sleeping in the morning when you should be getting up.
I am definitely going to get that book Lass, I am really tired of being asked if I am pregnent :angry: My waist measurement is bigger than my hip measurement!
Miss D, I have tried WW too and it is so disheartening to stick rigidly to the plan and not lose a single ounce. I am about 4 stone overweight but finally gave up dieting a couple of years ago as no diet plan or exercise made me lose any weight.
I have read before about how not responding to the fight/flight situation can cause weight again. I have anxiety 24/7 and panic disorder so I know it is causing me to store weight.
I have several of the symptoms that Lass quoted from the book, hair loss being the most annoying :wacko:
Anyway just realise that there are tonnes of us in the same situation.
Take care
Eibhlin :hugs:
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yeah i gained the weight on my ass mainly and went from a 34c to a 36D
which im not happy about.ever tried finding a dress that fits over big boobs??? Im getting these hoodia tablet things they are meant to be good.
tried puh er tea but as soon as you stop drinking it your metabolism slows down to nothing.its really expensive also. I was going to go back to the weight watchers meetings as ive lost weight before. but i have all the info and i know the points of everything so whats the point??? maybe less stress will help!