What is the deal with the incongruence of exercise and weight loss? After 4 months of training as a spin and yoga instructor I’m left feeling dissatisfied with the number on the scale. It keeps going up! How could this be when I’m working out so much?
I’m sure this has happened to many of you trying desperately to loose weight via excessive exercise. The problem here is that exercise isn’t the key to weight loss, counting Calories are. When I had begun training I began eating more, thinking “well if I’m burning more Calories then I can eat more.” Generally this is correct, if you don’t want to loose any weight. But, in order to have a negative net Caloric intake at the end of the day you still have to eat less. Also, it is important to note that with intense exercise muscles are going to have a lot of damage, and without proper rest periods for muscles to rebuild the body begins retaining water and desiring more food (especially high in fat) to maintain energy needs.
Currently I’m in the process of trying to consume less calories while exercising, which feels like death. So, what is to be done? My professor suggests eating much more fruits and vegetables. These kinds of foods are bulky, and therefore filling, without adding additional fat to your midsection. Although, this sounds like the perfect solution I’m currently dying for a large steak!
I don't know if you have an Iphone, but there is a great Iphone app called "Lose It", that helps you track your caloric intake. You can also log exercise as well. AS long as you don't exceed your caloric intake for the day (Let's say its 1500 calories), you should be fairly free to eat whatever you want. You just need to be mindful of getting proper nutrition, balance and portions under control. But what's nice is you can try to plan ahead to enjoy a treat, especially if you are working out that day. For example, I burned off 500 calories in an hour at the gym, and was able to enjoy a cupcake treat later!
ReplyDeleteAnd please re-title your blog. You're not fat and you're not stupid. If you think of yourself that way, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Check out my blog post on this same topic:http://www.chakrafive.com/2009/12/your-true-body-image.html