Metabolism Boosters

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I agree with the others. your fat is way too low. that can be whats causing you to not have a period. fat helps with hormones.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

JeanieWww wrote: »

actually there are doctor prescribed meds that DO boost your metabolism, but normally they don't prescribe them unless you have your heart checked and are morbidly obese. If you're wanting to try to boost your metabolism, look at foods that are great for your thyroid. Ones that help it do its job more effeciently. Also look at ones that aren't great for it. Compare that to what you've been eating. Sometimes, and I hate to say this, but if you haven't pooped enough, that can make you sluggish and heavy feeling in your tummy. You may also feel that way as you near your period.

why does she need to eat foods that are great for her thyroid? she didnt say she had a thyroid issue.Also,what foods help with thyroid to be more productive? Im pretty sure hormones have a lot to do with that as well.

Spliner1969

I think if the OP could post her stats, Height, Weight, Exercise routine, many of us could post a suggested macro split and calorie goal. It's likely a combination of not eating enough, working out too much, and not getting enough fat or other macros. Many people restrict their calories to lose weight (that's what we all came here for right?) but when they hit their goal they are in a plateau or something close to that and are afraid to increase their calories to what their maintenance level should be. I did the same thing, I increased my calories but not enough and was still losing about a quarter of a pound a week even though I thought I was at maintenance. I found that I could still significantly raise my calories and still be at my goal weight +/- 2-3 lbs and feel much better. It took time though to wrap my mind around it. I purposely went 5 lbs below my target weight because I figured that when I increased my calories I would gain a little. I was right but held off a bit longer than I likely should and managed to lose a few more pounds before I evened out and then had to gain some of it back then try and level out again. It's a learning curve for sure, but one thing is for certain, eating more makes you a stronger athlete, and you can do it without gaining a lot of weight as long as you keep up the exercise routine. Again, just my .02.

https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/what-really-causes-irregular-menstrual-cycles-in-female-athletes

rileysowner

In many ways what she is experiencing sounds like the early stages of over training. Not having details on stats, activity, exercise it is really difficult to say. Regardless, the fat amount needs to be increased.

LivingtheLeanDream

I didn't think we felt our metabolisms slow down! certain foods can make us feel slow and sluggish /bloated.

If you're wanting help your metabolism...move more!

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Spliner1969 wrote: »

I think if the OP could post her stats, Height, Weight, Exercise routine, many of us could post a suggested macro split and calorie goal. It's likely a combination of not eating enough, working out too much, and not getting enough fat or other macros. Many people restrict their calories to lose weight (that's what we all came here for right?) but when they hit their goal they are in a plateau or something close to that and are afraid to increase their calories to what their maintenance level should be. I did the same thing, I increased my calories but not enough and was still losing about a quarter of a pound a week even though I thought I was at maintenance. I found that I could still significantly raise my calories and still be at my goal weight +/- 2-3 lbs and feel much better. It took time though to wrap my mind around it. I purposely went 5 lbs below my target weight because I figured that when I increased my calories I would gain a little. I was right but held off a bit longer than I likely should and managed to lose a few more pounds before I evened out and then had to gain some of it back then try and level out again. It's a learning curve for sure, but one thing is for certain, eating more makes you a stronger athlete, and you can do it without gaining a lot of weight as long as you keep up the exercise routine. Again, just my .02.

https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/what-really-causes-irregular-menstrual-cycles-in-female-athletes

I stated she may not be eating enough. overtraining could definitely be it too.

BlackPantherChick123

I'm 5'2, my weight fluctuates around 114-123 lbs, I track everything on weekdays, I been doing intense workout for about 4 years, 2 hours on an incline treadmill (38 incline at 3.8 mph which is very intense). I do track macros but I don't follow a IIFYM kind of diet because I would like to eat whatever I want but I do eat very healthy foods during the weekdays and weekends have treats and my cheat meal. I always eat high fiber and low sugar foods, I count net carbs but eat a high carb low fat diet, it says I need to eat at least 112 grams of protein but a lot of times I go over that because I love quest bars and meat. Since I tend to eat 1400-1500 on weekday and whatever on weekends, sometimes I have good workouts and for the last 2-3 weeks they have not been fun. I try eating more like at least 1800 because that's my goal but for some reason, if I eat more than 1400, my workouts are horrible. I feel weaker which doesn't make any sense at all. I take at least 1 day off and eat whatever I want and the next day I have lots of energy but then after that when I go back to normal or try to eat more, I feel weak. I do stick to the same types of foods on weekdays like quest bars, CarbMaster yogurts, high fiber low carb tortillas, light progreso soup, 2 100 calorie popcorn packs, potatoes (I eat baked potatos everyday), halo top, salad, vegetables, sometimes VitaTop, seasoned tilapia, cheddar rice cakes, and I drink 1-1.5 gallons of water a day.

BlackPantherChick123

My diary is open if anyone wants to see my typical meals.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

My diary is open if anyone wants to see my typical meals.

ok first of all your calorie burns are HIGHLY exaggerated,no way in 115 min you can burn over 4000 calories. another thing is you arent weighing your food,so a lot of your entries are saying they are more calories than what they should be,some are under. so the entries you are picking seem off.are you using any butter,sour cream,etc to out on your potato?. a lot of things are off. your goal is set to 2300 but you said its 1800. get a food scale and weigh everything and pick correct entries for at least a week and see where you really are calorie wise. some days it looks like you are under by quite a bit.I would try to get more fruits and veggies in too. I dont see many of those things.you do eat a lot of sodium so I would say you are probably retaining a lot of water.

leajas1

In addition to seeing a doctor, maybe take a full rest week while eating at maintenance.

TavistockToad

You eat plain potato?

leajas1

TavistockToad wrote: »

You eat plain potato?

...and plain lettuce with tuna? Your sodium has been really high, which can lead to water retention and feeling bloated. I really have no idea if that's attributing to the problem, though.

BlackPantherChick123

Yes I eat plain potato with salt and pepper, I weigh my food, I use Walden Farm products, and I just track what my treadmill says. I don't gain or lose weight but I feel like I do, but it could just be I'm always feeling bloated.

psuLemon

I still suggest that you lower carbs and increase fats. You can't get all essential fatty acids at those levels, which is probably screwing with your hormones, thence the reason you lost your period.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

Yes I eat plain potato with salt and pepper, I weigh my food, I use Walden Farm products, and I just track what my treadmill says. I don't gain or lose weight but I feel like I do, but it could just be I'm always feeling bloated.

if you are weighing food on a scale then you need to log accurately by picking accurate entries. you can cross reference most things. for veggies and fruits I try to find a usda entry with the numbers(I still cross reference it to make sure its accurate).are you weighing everything? even things on the weekends? because a lot of those entries dont look like they have been weighed.

could it be that maybe the walden farms products could be screwing with your stomach and giving you issues there? it can happen. certain foods I cant eat because it gives me stomach issues too.
fat wont make you fat,so up your fat intake like psuLemon said.cut out the walden farms products for a little while(a couple of weeks) and see if that makes a difference in your stomach issues,including the bloating.I would also cut back a little on the sodium as that can help with not bloating as much.

rileysowner

If your weight is staying about the same, say a range of + or - 4 pounds or so for a significant time (4+ weeks) no matter what your logged calorie numbers are, you are at maintenance calories for your stats. While tighter logging would give you a better idea on a more accurate number, that will help you plan things out. Again, it seems part of the issue is not enough fat. Using some oils or eating full fat dairy, and the like will quickly help that.

Spliner1969

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

I'm 5'2, my weight fluctuates around 114-123 lbs, I track everything on weekdays, I been doing intense workout for about 4 years, 2 hours on an incline treadmill (38 incline at 3.8 mph which is very intense). I do track macros but I don't follow a IIFYM kind of diet because I would like to eat whatever I want but I do eat very healthy foods during the weekdays and weekends have treats and my cheat meal. I always eat high fiber and low sugar foods, I count net carbs but eat a high carb low fat diet, it says I need to eat at least 112 grams of protein but a lot of times I go over that because I love quest bars and meat. Since I tend to eat 1400-1500 on weekday and whatever on weekends, sometimes I have good workouts and for the last 2-3 weeks they have not been fun. I try eating more like at least 1800 because that's my goal but for some reason, if I eat more than 1400, my workouts are horrible. I feel weaker which doesn't make any sense at all. I take at least 1 day off and eat whatever I want and the next day I have lots of energy but then after that when I go back to normal or try to eat more, I feel weak. I do stick to the same types of foods on weekdays like quest bars, CarbMaster yogurts, high fiber low carb tortillas, light progreso soup, 2 100 calorie popcorn packs, potatoes (I eat baked potatos everyday), halo top, salad, vegetables, sometimes VitaTop, seasoned tilapia, cheddar rice cakes, and I drink 1-1.5 gallons of water a day.

You didn't really say how many days a week you were doing the 2 hour treadmill walks, but since you said you take 1 day off a week I'll assume 6. At 6 days a week, 2 hours at a time, and with your height, weight, age, assuming the rest of your day is pretty sedentary, you need around 2500 calories a day just to keep up. That's using the calculators over at iifym.com. Their calculator was giving me fits at the time so I didn't get to the macro split suggested but I can guarantee it was more than 30-40g of fat a day. Hop over to their site and give their calculator a try, if you're exercising as hard as you say for a full 2 hours a day six days a week you simply are not eating enough. It's no wonder your hormones are out of whack, it can get worse so you may want to consider adjusting slowly up on your calories. For two hours on a treadmill I'd guess around 2k burn at the most, and that's probably a bit over-inflated. I walk about 4mph average (close to a slow jog) on the weekends in the park and it's all hills, one after another. I walk for five miles or a hair more and it takes me a bit over an hour. Calorie burn averages about 750-800 max. I even run up the hills then at the top of the hills do 15 push ups just to make it more punishing. But regardless if your over-estimating your calories, I think you're under eating, especially for the amount and intensity of exercise you're doing. Just my .02 as usual.

BlackPantherChick123

Ok my hours vary actually. 5 days is 2 hours, Fridays at least 1 hour and Saturdays 3-4 hours. I do love to exercise on weekends because that's when I have the most energy when I'm not counting.