Think of this post as a Dear Abby column, only you all are Abby.
I had my last child 5 1/2 years ago. I lost most of the weight immediately (as I was lucky to do with the other two as well). However, I'm still hauling around the last 10 pounds.
One of my totally selfish reasons for trying a vegan diet was the somewhat promised claim in Skinny Bitch (I still love the book) that going vegan = weight loss.
Nearly a year into the diet with very very few instances of cheating AND exercising most days (minimum 30 minutes, max 90) and I STILL weigh the same.
I'd like to think it's "all muscle," but one look in the mirror shows otherwise. Three pregnancies = no waist to speak of. Certain "assets" are smaller than ever. The thighs are "too big".
I know part of it is my age (42). Anybody who thinks you can maintain the body you had at 20 for the rest of your life is NUTS. Metabolism slows down; muscle is harder to maintain. Things get...soft.
Still, I harbor this dream that I *should* be able to lose these last 10 pounds (preferably all from my hips and thighs).
OK -- please advise! :)
About Me
- Elaine
- My interests include veganism and vegetarianism, health, ethics, politics and culture, media, and the environment. I have three kids; I teach college part-time, study piano and attempt to garden. I knit. I blog on just about anything, but many posts are related to my somewhat pathetic quest to eat better, be more mindful of the environment, and be a more responsible news consumer. Sometimes I write about parenting, but, like so many Mommy bloggers, my kids have recently told me not to. :) Thanks for reading.
i hate relying on just lecture notes because most often they quote standards that don't factor in everyone, so i can share my personal experience as well? according to the USDA, it's 30 minutes to stay healthy, 60 minutes to maintain weight, and 90 minutes to lose weight. all daily. the degree of the exercise is important too. on top of that there's the energy in = energy out theorem. so even though you've been eating a vegan diet, you still might be eating as much as you burn? and then there's the muscle factor. complimenting cardio with weight training is supposedly a great combo. muscle burns more during workouts and everyday motion.
ReplyDeletewhat works for me is alternating everyday so my body doesn't get used to the work outs and then i take a break one day out of the week but i stay active that day. i run, walk, go on the stationary bike, pilates, yoga, weight lift, and do cardio workouts i find through netflix. i know you have a busy schedule with kids, and i honestly don't know how i fit this in between school and commuting from phil. to NYC - so i don't want to think about adding kids to the mix! but somehow, it works. hope this helps a little??
If I were in your shoes (which I SO am not) I would hire a personal trainer. Are you doing weight-bearing exercise? Working with free weights at all? Just some thoughts from a woman who is 30 pounds heavier than when she delivered her last baby, 10.5 years ago!
ReplyDeleteA THOUSAND APOLOGIES for the original WRONG link I posted for the book Skinny Bitch! It's been corrected! (The link is skinnybitch.NET; if you go to .com you end up on a porn site -- not what I intended!!)
ReplyDeleteHi, I am doing the same thing right now, and using a web site that allows you to track calories and nutrition daily. I am losing weight, slowly, through both exercising 5 days a week and counting every single calorie. It just takes much more work to lose weight than it used to.
ReplyDeleteThe web site I use is:
http://caloriecount.about.com/
though I imagine there are many others. And I use a personal trainer at the gym.
Marina