Gaining weight?

AnnPT77

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48694106#Comment_48694106

Recommendation: Very slow fat loss via calorie deficit, a good progressive strength training program faithfully performed, good overall nutrition especially but not exclusively ample protein, and work on improving posture (there are exercises for that, too), be patient, persevere.

If you want to drink the alcohol, do so . . . but accept that it isn't doing you any favors for nutrition or health. (I drink some; I'm not moralizing about it, just being realistic.)

Whatever your calorie goal is, stick close to it on average. After the 4-6 weeks or one menstrual cycle of data is available, add the calories represented by weight loss to the calories eaten, divide by the number of days, and that will be your approximate personal maintenance calories. (If you gained, subtract the calories of weight gained from the calories eaten.) Assume that a pound of weight change is roughly 3500 calories, and use arithmetic for partial pounds. Knock around 250 calories off that maintenance calorie estimate for half a pound a week weight loss, and keep going.

All that adjusting your calorie goal now will do is make that arithmetic harder. For now, just be consistent long enough to get enough data for a reasonable weight-change trend. Think of it as an investment in improving weight loss predictability. If you tweak your goals and change up your exercise too frequently, you don't get a clear picture from your experience data.

I can't run, either. For cardio, anything that elevates your heart rate and doesn't cause injury is fine. With bad knees, if you have pool access, water exercise could be good. With my knees, rowing (boats when I can, machines when I must) and cycling (trails and stationary) both work. I'm not saying those would work for you, don't know, but cautiously experiment and you'll likely find something that does work. There are dozens of options.

Best wishes!

Lietchi

Losing the 'pouch' requires patience: you can't spot reduce fat - your body will decide where to lose fat and for many people that will be later than they'd like 🙃