Help - Working out and eating right - fat not coming off

Gryphon410
Gryphon410 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
So, this is on behalf of my wife. She's losing motivation and her mind. Before we had our 6th kid, she was running and working out and losing weight just fine. Since having our 6th, she's continued running and done P90X and Insansity and can't lose the weight. She's gone to the doctor and the doctor told her to count calories, which is ridiculous because she has watched what she eats and no avail. She works out like 2 hours a day!

We had the Dr. do a blood draw to test thyroids and apparently they also checked other things like hormones. We were thinking maybe she has a hormonal imbalance since she has all the signs of that as well (heavy bleeding, depression, fatigue, weight gain, etc). Yet the blood work came back fine.

So, what should we be looking at next? She's so depressed that her efforts aren't working she's thinking of stopping working out and running and wants to do liposuction or some other surgery. Any ideas?
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Replies

  • sugarlemonpie
    sugarlemonpie Posts: 311 Member
    It's so discouraging... Don't give up! I would say get a second opinion from another doctor, and a nutritionist might help her. She may have a deficiency of some kind, so a nutritionist may be able to help guide her through things to figure out a solution. I'm not a professional, so I can't really offer much advice other than things I would do if it was me. Hope that helps!
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    If there are no underlying medical issues, weight loss comes from a caloric deficit. If she's not losing, there's not one. Watching what you eat really isn't enough. Most people grossly underestimate how much they eat and the intensity of their exercise.

    Weigh all solid foods, measure all liquids--have her see how much she's really eating. Count cooking oils, toppings, salad dressings, everything.

    Logging can be a pain at first, but quickly becomes habit/second nature and the folks here are terrifically supportive.

    Here are a couple of great threads to help!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Patience is key--but the results will come! Please give her a hug and tell her not to give up! It will happen, and we're all in here with her! :)
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    She watches what she eats but isn't counting calories so I assume them that she doesn't know how many calories she is actually eating. She is very likely eating more than she thinks and there is what she possibly eats when you are not around.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I'm not being rude, but she is eating too much. Unless there is a medical condition, that is the ONLY explanation.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Gryphon,

    Welcome. Send the Mrs. here so she can talk with us directly.

    I think it's sweet you have come here on her behalf, but this is really something she needs to do. :smile:
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    Working out 2 hours a day increases a person's caloric needs fairly significantly. If she is stalled, but not gaining, it's entirely possible that she needs to adjust her intake to be more appropriate for her exercise regimen. I know if I fall to more than a 1500 cut (which for me is about 25-40% of my daily burn depending on my exercise) I see zero weight loss for weeks and weeks.

    Obviously, if what she's doing now isn't getting her the results she wants, it's time to change things up. Regardless of the normal levels she tests at, having that many children can cause significant changes to a woman's body. There's no guarantee that her normal levels now are the same as they were prior to the 6th kid. It's likely she's not working with the same status quo that she was before.
  • Chelz2013
    Chelz2013 Posts: 176 Member
    Tracking caloric intake is a good suggestion, because of several reasons. I know if I were working out "two hours a day" I'd be ravenous (you do need to fuel your body). So is she eating too many calories or is she possibly not eating enough? If she's trying to eat less, but not fueling her body with all that working out, then maybe the body is storing fat. Or the opposite, as stated above- she may be eating more calories than she realizes. I'm no expert either. The thread to the guide to sexy pants above is a good read. Other than that, after 6 kids, our bodies change (mine sure changed after having one in my late 30's). Metabolism, many things change with age, too.
  • HaelaBaer
    HaelaBaer Posts: 44
    All excellent advice. It's true that she needs to log it and be realistic. If you don't eat enough you won't store fat. Starving underfed people don't stop losing or gain weight from not eating.

    Is she eating the right kinds of foods too? And drinking lots of water? Depression can cause you to overeat and not care. Especially sweets.

    Send her here, try a doctor recommended nutritionist if needed, but tell her to write down all her food an exercise for a few days to see what her habits are. If she's exercising for 2 hours, she needs to increase that burn.
  • Gryphon410
    Gryphon410 Posts: 4
    Thanks for all the replies. She started using "MyFitnessPal" at the recommendation of the Dr. to start counting her calories. She did it for about a week and it didn't work. But what's funny is that she turned me on to counting calories and I believe this site/app is really working well for me, but I'm a guy and I also have a lot more to lose then her.

    I suggested she try the forums on here for support and try posting what is going on. She's in depression mode right now and doesn't think anything will work, which is why I'm intervening on her behalf. I'll try to get her back on here and in the forum, but for now I just needed some replies I could show her.

    Some information I realized I'm missing -

    She's been working out since about a month after having our 6th back in 12/12. So it's been about 1 1/2 years of working out, running every day, doing workouts every day. She wasn't losing the weight from running, so she added strength training and the P90X and XBOX Fitness and Insanity and anything else she could (not all in the same days but, you know, something every day). She still weighs the same she did when she had our 6th. 1 1/2 years of working out and she can't lose the weight.

    Her runs are getting better (9 to 9 1/2 min miles down from 10 1/2 that she was at for a long time after having the 6th), she's training for a marathon, but to no avail for the weight loss. And as far as eating goes, there's nothing that seems to be killing her diet but I like the idea that she should continue tracking what she eats and then probably go to a nutritionist.

    Other than that, I'm playing middleman on the forum for her and trying to get whatever suggestions we possibly can :). Thanks!
  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
    A week is not enough time and was she eating any of her exercise calories back?
  • Gryphon410
    Gryphon410 Posts: 4
    Hey, one other thing I just realized that maybe the doctor didn't even know....my wife does breastfeed still. Just at night. But...I'm thinking that it could make a difference, right? It didn't with our 5th kid, she was able to lose the weight. But I'm thinking maybe with this one the breastfeeding is causing some of the prevention?
  • Gryphon410
    Gryphon410 Posts: 4
    Sorry, it was 2 weeks and she says that when she started tracking her calories she found that she was already eating at the recommended amount. She got discouraged when she realized she's been eating at that amount and that there was no realization to her that she was doing anything wrong.

    You know what I mean? Like with me, when I started tracking how I eat, I found I'm going over by about 1400 calories a day by the way I'm eating and living. And I could figure that out after a few days. But for her, she's within the guidelines and she's been that way for the 2 weeks she's been tracking it.
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
    If she's breastfeeding she needs to eat more to take that into consideration. Get medical advice on how much.

    Also 2 weeks is not enough, she needs to be at this for a couple of months to see results.

    And finally if she is getting really stressed/depressed about this then that in itself can cause problems.

    She needs to just calm down, focus on baby and her own wellbeing, keep logging accurately (weigh/measure every single thing that passes her lips and use correct burns for exercise) then see what's happening a couple of months down the line.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    So it's been about 1 1/2 years
    ...my wife does breastfeed still.
    Everybody loves milk, but maybe it's time for a change.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member


    So, what should we be looking at next? She's so depressed that her efforts aren't working she's thinking of stopping working out and running and wants to do liposuction or some other surgery. Any ideas?

    well, she should try counting calories, duh. And use a food scale. And give it more than 2 weeks. You can't tell anything in 2 weeks.

    Sounds like patience is her problem.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I will say it again, she is eating too much. It is that simple. The remedy may not be as simple, but that is absolutely the problem.
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
    Sounds like patience is her problem.

    This
  • ubranstetter
    ubranstetter Posts: 1
    With 6 kids you probably don't have any extra money, but have you looked at maybe going the Advocare 24 day challenge, helped me restart my metabolism. Have you looked at her possibly being Gluten intolerant? Just thoughts, all of the other suggestions above sound proper already, food scale, more fitnesspal use, and most importantly, being honest with oneself. Good luck :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    She's gone to the doctor and the doctor told her to count calories, which is ridiculous because she has watched what she eats and no avail.

    She might be watching what she eats but she might also be watching herself putting away more calories than she needs. Or does she eat in the dark?

    Put it this way, she might be thinking she's eating 1500 calories but unless she logs every-single-bite-she-swallows she is probably eating a lot more. Yeah, I'm sure she eats "healthily". You can still get fat eating healthy food.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    As a trainer I've heard this story a lot of times. So have I found out that works? You guessed it, counting calories. When the same people who claim they're doing "everything" to lose weight, this is one "everything" they aren't consistent with.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LifeJacketWaterJogger
    LifeJacketWaterJogger Posts: 231 Member
    all good advice, maybe she needs a cleanse by eating clean, lots of fruits, greens, fish and lots of water, some foods actually cause inflammation, and some times we can over train and stress our bodies so much it can't loose, look these things up on the internet, they are all true. I had to change from eating certains foods, I found out I have food sensitivites.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Has she measured herself? Also, I really believe in weighing and marking down all food eaten. One week is not enough time to see if it works. I'm only able to lose about 1/2 pound a week or I would go way below the calories recommended by MFP. That's a slow enough loss that sometimes the scale shows a weight gain from fluid retention instead of loss.
    Weight gained from pregnancy can be tough to lose. Kind of like weight gained from taking certain drugs.
    Is her weight goal reasonable?
    Finally, get a scale that measures body fat percentage. That should help give even more positive feedback.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    So it's been about 1 1/2 years
    ...my wife does breastfeed still.
    Everybody loves milk, but maybe it's time for a change.

    Yesterday I celebrated both my daughter's 2nd birthday and 2 years of nursing. Not your breasts, not your business.
  • LifeJacketWaterJogger
    LifeJacketWaterJogger Posts: 231 Member
    ok, just read the thread a little more closely, I have finished menopause, all those symptons are definitlely a part of the onset of early stage menopause and trust me, menopause will stop you from losing weight or make it extremely difficult, check into that also.
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    She eating more calories than she burns.

    It doesn't not matter is she is eating "healthy food".

    Tell her to count calories accurately. Stick to it and she will see results.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    So it's been about 1 1/2 years
    ...my wife does breastfeed still.
    Everybody loves milk, but maybe it's time for a change.

    Yesterday I celebrated both my daughter's 2nd birthday and 2 years of nursing. Not your breasts, not your business.

    It was a suggestion in regards to her not losing weight, not an indictment on breast feeding. Do be so defensive.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I saw no mention in your post of her tracking calories (prefereably by weighing and measuring her food). If she isn't do that, then how does she know she's eating at a deficit (a necessity to lose weight)?
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
    It sounds like she's not really trying, as snotty as that sounds.

    1) She needs to try whatever she is going to try for more than a week. It takes TIME do to this. That 94 pounds in my ticker didn't fall off in a month; it's taken a year and a half. No, it's not easy. But, it does get easier to do once you get your brain in the right spot.

    2) Is she logging truthfully? "It looks like a cup" vs "I measured a cup" can be a very dramatic caloric difference!

    3) If she's doing everything "right" then she needs to take a different tactic. Some people are more sensitive to macros than others. I found that I needed to change mine at the very last.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    So, this is on behalf of my wife. She's losing motivation and her mind. Before we had our 6th kid, she was running and working out and losing weight just fine. Since having our 6th, she's continued running and done P90X and Insansity and can't lose the weight. She's gone to the doctor and the doctor told her to count calories, which is ridiculous because she has watched what she eats and no avail. She works out like 2 hours a day!

    We had the Dr. do a blood draw to test thyroids and apparently they also checked other things like hormones. We were thinking maybe she has a hormonal imbalance since she has all the signs of that as well (heavy bleeding, depression, fatigue, weight gain, etc). Yet the blood work came back fine.

    So, what should we be looking at next? She's so depressed that her efforts aren't working she's thinking of stopping working out and running and wants to do liposuction or some other surgery. Any ideas?

    2 weeks of tracking calories isn't enough.

    Is your wife weighing her food with a food scale? If not, she's probably eating more than she thinks she is.

    Your wife most likely doesn't have PCOS because she's had no problem getting pregnant 6 times. When the doctor checked her hormone levels, DHEA and testosterone would've come back elevated if she had PCOS.

    My guess is that she is eating more than she thinks she is. Or she is exercising too much and eating too little which makes weight loss very difficult.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    So it's been about 1 1/2 years
    ...my wife does breastfeed still.
    Everybody loves milk, but maybe it's time for a change.

    Yesterday I celebrated both my daughter's 2nd birthday and 2 years of nursing. Not your breasts, not your business.

    It was a suggestion in regards to her not losing weight, not an indictment on breast feeding. Do be so defensive.

    Breastfeeding has absolutely NOTHING to do with her not losing weight. If anything, breastfeeding should be HELPING her lose weight because it burns about 500 calories a day.

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