Tips for a sluggish metabolism

[blossom]

I already have a REALLY sluggish metabolism - does anyone else have this and find it really hard to shift weight and find it comes back on stupidly quickly?All last year (yep ALL year) I did 6 days out of 7 at the gym/classes sometimes 2 a day, max calories consumed was 1000. Sure, I shifted 2.5 stone. This brought me to near my goal weight but I still had quite a lot of fatty storage around tummy/thighs/back of arms.

I have since gained a stone because I don't have time to keep that up, my work has got a lot busier plus 2 kids,dog, home etc all the usual stuff, I now get to the gym/class 3 times a week. And the weight is going back on.:cry:

It amazes me that I only seem to need to eat around 1200 cals a day just to maintain my weight, not lose...so depressing.:cry: Life must be a permanent diet just to stay the same. And the only bad thing about being a nail tech is that you have to sit on your ar5e a lot.

Anyone else have this problem? Are there ways of boosting a slow metabolism? (maybe i should add, I am 48 - something hormonal going on maybe?)

I have had a thyroid test and its normal:irked: lol that was a couple of years ago but I don't suppose its changed.

 

[tonicj]

I'm 49 blossom, wore a size 12 through my teens, 20's, 30's and early 40's. Pre-menopause arrived around 42 and things started to change. I was finding it difficult to sustain my size 12. From 45 til now I'm between size 14-16. I am a fairly healthy eater and rarely eat rubbish. I don't enjoy exercise but have attended the gym which didn't make much difference.
I have read recently about short, sharp bursts of exercise which is supposed to be good and I have been trying this by running upstairs very fast for about 3 times, then doing it again a bit slower and repeating the process. It's too early to say about noticing change. Nearlyme is good at all this. Maybe she could explain it better. I will be reading this thread with interest.

 

[Mobile Manicure]

Yes Blossom, I'm exactly the same. I want answers too. :o

 

[blossom]

Makes me laugh, for years I have read that the "average" woman needs 2000 calories a day - what, the kind of average woman who is really muscly, walks 5 miles to work, spends all day doing a manual job and does wrestling in her spare time?

(and I always thought I was mrs average lol - clearly NOT!)

Actually does anyone on here actually maintain their weight eating 2000 cals a day? omg, maybe they do!! (Maybe they have a PROPER metabolism!!)

 

[Mobile Manicure]

Makes me laugh, for years I have read that the "average" woman needs 2000 calories a day - what, the kind of average woman who is really muscly, walks 5 miles to work, spends all day doing a manual job and does wrestling in her spare time?

(and I always thought I was mrs average lol - clearly NOT!)

Actually does anyone on here actually maintain their weight eating 2000 cals a day? omg, maybe they do!! (Maybe they have a PROPER metabolism!!)

No, like you, if I go over 1200 I'm buggered, the excess goes on my thighs. I wouldn't say I'm that sedentary either. I'm up and down the stairs 400 times a day, cleaning, shopping, walk to school and back x 2. Ok, I don't do gym, haven't got time but I'm not sitting around all day.

 

[w1nnie]

I've always had a fast metabolism, I was always a size 10 or 12, but it's definitely not the same anymore. Over the last 3 years I've ballooned, I'm not as hungry any more but that doesn't stop me from eating cakes, and I'm out later stuffing myself again with an afternoon tea for two, I will be unashamed too. So I look forward to nearlyme coming on here, as she is an inspiration to us all.

My family are a healthy bunch for Thier own reasons, maybe if I just controlled myself I could lose weight, but I find it so hard to resist temptation !!

 

[Andrea85]

When you say you were attending gym classes, what were you doing? The best way to increase your metabolism is to lift heavy weights. The more muscle you hold, the higher your resting metabolic rate.

I exercise 6 days a week and eat more than ever! I am a size 6-8 and eat in excess of 2000 calories per day, but I eat the RIGHT foods. You can eat a lot if you know what to eat.

 

[fluffy26]

I was watching a tv programme, a while ago & I think it was a doctor/professor type person that said, NOTHING CAN CHANGE YOUR METABOLIC RATE! It's programmed genetically unfortunately, there are things like caffeine, that are stimulants, but nothing more, but there is also a lot said about caffeine interfering with weightloss .Also there was something else said about some people being "non-responders" to exercise, which means no matter how much they did it didn't change physiological things within their body, fat/cholesterol etc, don't know too much more about that though, you may have to google it!!


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[pure]

I'm in my mid 40's now and struggle to stay at a size 12 When I turned 40 I was size 10 but the weight has slowly been creeping up. When I find my jeans starting to pinch I will do My Fitness Pal and like others I just can't go above 1200 calls a day, and that's just to maintain!!

I do have an under active thyroid and take meds so my metabolism is definitely wrecked which also leaves me with barely enough energy to get through the day often so the gym is out of bounds for me...I've tried it and failed miserably lol

Doesn't help that I have a very sweet tooth and a passion for baking and eating cakes :green:

 

[ch-ela]

Count me in! I didn't have a problem until I hit 40-42. Was always a size 10 (but fell way underneath this a couple of times due to illness) and had no problems shifting few kilos if they appeared.

Carbs don't do me any good whatsoever. So I try to cut them out as much as I can. Don't eat junk food, occasionally have a treat. I think that I tend to eat large portions so I'm trying to cut down there.

I've always suffered low blood pressure and I think that might contribute to my low metabolism.

Look forward to some good advice from those in the know.

 

[Deena]

I don't know what the answer is, apart from the dismally obvious conclusion to be permanently on a very calorie restritive diet, but I definitely believe it gets harder to keep the weight in check/lose it as we get older. Loads of extra exercise plus a matching quantity of very few 'Naughty' culinary delights - permanently, I guess?!? :irked: :sad:

 

[virtues2011]

Why is it that none of the 'healthy foods' taste as good as the 'Naughty foods'...

I'm going to try slim fast bars in the day and healthy meal at night. .. Anything has to help now...! If I don't get involved with food in the day at all I may have a fighting chance.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Deena]

Why is it that none of the 'healthy foods' taste as good as the 'Naughty foods'...

I'm going to try slim fast bars in the day and healthy meal at night. .. Anything has to help now...! If I don't get involved with food in the day at all I may have a fighting chance.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

Although I genuinely do have a liking for a reasonable variety of 'Healthy' food and don't care for pastry, fry ups and takeaways even if they weren't 'Naughtly,' I've tried hard over the years to gain an appreciation for stuff like cottage cheese and failed dismally.

I like sweet stuff so yogurt, fruit and certain Slimming World 'Cakes' and quark based desserts have to suffice - until I occasionally think to hell with it and have something I 'Really' want. :o:evil:

 

[Lucy_Lu]

Look up Kick Start Fat Loss (KSFL) with Rachel Holmes. Eating properly is actually the opposite of what were taught to believe through the government and clever marketing. "Low fat/calorie" options aren't the solution, they're the cause.

I know all of this but I definitely don't stick to it lol. But when I did I was eating at least 2000 calories per day and loosing weight (5lbs in first week!). I also wasn't really doing the exercise part because I'm lazy haha xx

 

[blossom]

When you say you were attending gym classes, what were you doing? The best way to increase your metabolism is to lift heavy weights. The more muscle you hold, the higher your resting metabolic rate.

I exercise 6 days a week and eat more than ever! I am a size 6-8 and eat in excess of 2000 calories per day, but I eat the RIGHT foods. You can eat a lot if you know what to eat.

my schedule was: Sat Kettlercise using a 6kg and 8kg Sunday gym (cardio) burning 400 cals Monday day off Tues Kettlercise again Wed Gym doing 15 mins cardio then lifting as much as I could without making my head bang and doing 3 reps of 12 using: pulley, stomach thing (looks like an Alton towers ride lol), Adductors, Abductors, Back Raise holding 3kg ball out above head, free weights for arms using 6kg, lay on back on bench with 10kg dumbell and bring above head to work abs 4 sets of 10, Thursday Bootcamp (dont even ask, hardest thing I did) Fri gym (cardio)

There thats what I did all last year.

This year: 2 x gym sessions and 1 abs class per week.

Think I can see where I'm going wrong lol:cry:

 

[Mobile Manicure]

I was watching a tv programme, a while ago & I think it was a doctor/professor type person that said, NOTHING CAN CHANGE YOUR METABOLIC RATE! It's programmed genetically unfortunately, there are things like caffeine, that are stimulants, but nothing more, but there is also a lot said about caffeine interfering with weightloss .Also there was something else said about some people being "non-responders" to exercise, which means no matter how much they did it didn't change physiological things within their body, fat/cholesterol etc, don't know too much more about that though, you may have to google it!!


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek mobile app

Yes, I saw that programme too. It was with the same doctor who does the 5:2 diet.

 

[Nicolahayley]

I've heard that weight training helps boost your metabolism as it works so many muscle groups at once. Drinking plenty of water keeps your body constantly flushing out the toxins and apparently if you drink green tea after every meal it helps the digestive system and your metabolism break down the food a lot faster..

I mentioned to my friend last night who's a complete health freak if green tea really was good for metabolism and she said 'it's a Chinese thing green tea isn't it' I said I dunno maybe? She said well out it this way,,, all that stuff that the Chinese eat and they stsy that slim.... It's gotta be the green tea!!! Never laughed so much!!




Nicola! Xxx

 

[virtues2011]

Although I genuinely do have a liking for a reasonable variety of 'Healthy' food and don't care for pastry, fry ups and takeaways even if they weren't 'Naughtly,' I've tried hard over the years to gain an appreciation for stuff like cottage cheese and failed dismally.

I like sweet stuff so yogurt, fruit and certain Slimming World 'Cakes' and quark based desserts have to suffice - until I occasionally think to hell with it and have something I 'Really' want. :o:evil:

I know exactly what my problems are. One being quantity and the other being sweet and fats like creams and cheeses and the fat and skin off any meat. I don't eat a lot that is savoury junk so to speak. . . No sausage rolls, pies, pastry, crisps, limited potato. . Hardly ever eat chips, bread is minimal. My main diet consists of seafood, pasta, meat and veg and fruit. . four punnets a day easily (that's excessive in itself) . All washed down with probably three people's allowance of sweetness for a week in one meal. I go through 600grm of truvia a week... That alone will kill you I'm sure. Can't even blame it on alcohol. I very rarely drink but somehow have fab skin! I've now come to the conclusion replace the fruit with a sachet of fibregel, Eat a chocolate slim fast bar as a meal replacement and if that doesn't work just start digging my grave... That can be classed as exercise surely.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Andrea85]

my schedule was: Sat Kettlercise using a 6kg and 8kg Sunday gym (cardio) burning 400 cals Monday day off Tues Kettlercise again Wed Gym doing 15 mins cardio then lifting as much as I could without making my head bang and doing 3 reps of 12 using: pulley, stomach thing (looks like an Alton towers ride lol), Adductors, Abductors, Back Raise holding 3kg ball out above head, free weights for arms using 6kg, lay on back on bench with 10kg dumbell and bring above head to work abs 4 sets of 10, Thursday Bootcamp (dont even ask, hardest thing I did) Fri gym (cardio)

There thats what I did all last year.

This year: 2 x gym sessions and 1 abs class per week.

Think I can see where I'm going wrong lol:cry:

Maybe try and get back in to a more regular routine with the exercise again and change it up regularly.

Have a look at what you are eating rather than just how much. Cleaning up my diet made the biggest difference to me. I am currently sat at my desk eating cod, green beans and sweet potato. In a couple of hours I will eat another big meal. Lovely fresh, healthy food! When I eat badly now, I actually start to crave clean food again!

You can do it if you've done it before. Everyone's body changes as they get older, it's just finding what works for you and sticking to it x

 

[MissyMuffin]

I have thyroid problem and my metabolism is shot to bits. It's gone I think despite thyroxine.
I also have bad muscle soreness from previous thyroid illness. So exercise is difficult.
However, I'm following advice to eat clean food, raw when possible and little fat/no sugar and I've lost 7lbs. Miraculous!