No Good Results with Strict Diet & Exercise!

[MarieMcG]

Hi... I am a newbie here and would appreciate some help.  

I started a low carb diet (did no formal exercise but stay under 20 net carbs daily) on Jan 1st, and weighed in at 128 pounds.  I lost an initial 8 pounds in January from just dieting, which was great, however, I felt that my body looked grossly deflated in all the wrong places (my butt, especially) and my belly fat remains!  

So, to counter-act this "new look", I figured I would start exercising (light weights and at least 30 minutes of elliptical daily), to help tighten up the belly and to fill up those deflated areas with a bit of toned muscle. I never miss a day of exercise and I never cheat on my diet.  Since I started exercising, however, the only thing that is bulking up are my thighs (ugh)...no change in the belly fat or butt.  My weight has not changed since I started exercising, btw.  

I guess I should say that I am female, 50 years old, have a goal weight of about 115 pounds and body fat (per the aria scale) of 26%... I am not overweight, have normal BMI, but have lost my muscle through the years and gained inches in my middle (when I was younger, I was solid, with no more than 18% body fat.  I am hypothyroid, was diagnosed with PCOS and am in full blown menopause per my last blood work.  I take armor thyroid, metformin, progesterone and spironolactone daily.  I know that age and hormones have a little something to do with my current situation (no butt, big belly), but there has to be a way to fix this body imbalance.  Or, am I just unrealistic because this is the crap that comes with aging!

Any suggestions are appreciated.  Or a reality check that I should accept what I have got?  This has become very frustrating

Any recommendations for exercise to lose the belly fat?  to build the butt muscles ?

Thanks you , in advance, for your input.

[Dominique]

@MarieMcG: first of all, we are talking about a very short time-frame here. There’s only so much body transformation that can take place in two months, especially for someone your age and in the normal BMI range. The initial weight loss you observed at the beginning of your diet is typical of what happens when switching to a very low-carb diet: it’s mostly water weight. It would have been unrealistic to expect a large portion of it to come from fat (fat is lost from cuttin calories, not carbs).

As to the belly fat: as you may know, you cannot "spot-reduce" fat (except perhaps with liposuction). If you want to lower your body fat, you need to be in a reasonable caloric deficit for long enough and hope the fat will vanish from the "right" places. If you are lucky, it could be from your belly, but the midsection tends to be one of the area where the fat sticks the longest (at least it’s what I’ve observed myself).

Regarding building muscle: it’s a very slow process, especially for a female, especially at your/our (I’m 55) age and especially if in a caloric deficit. The good news (compared to fat loss) is that you can "spot-gain" muscle: just train those muscles you want to grow and they will respond to the stimulus by growing, though not necessarily as fast as you would wish. OTOH your butt probably isn’t the only area in your body that needs attention: wouldn’t an overall lean & muscular physique be desirable?

Regarding diet: my personal view is that low-carb isn’t optimal for someone very active who wants to train hard. It may be an option for people who are at risk of developing diebetes and need to reduce blood sugar levels, but if it’s not your case, why bother?

[Liquid_Diet]

@MarieMcG: Good on you for getting after your goals!

I think you would be better off throwing the idea of needing to reach an ideal weight number that may or may not be realistic. Here is a woman who ONLY lost 2lbs. numbers on a scale don’t mean a thing

Also good on you for keeping dedicated to your exercise regimen. You may need to slightly increase your (light) weights and get after it.

You are also on the right track for losing fat with low carbs but, be careful to not go too low. Many studies have reported that best brain health is achieved if we keep the carbs no lower than about 100g. I dropped 100lbs and have kept it off sticking to about 118g Carbs/day but filling up on protein and 4-6oz of EVOO/day.

So most of all, don't get discouraged. Don't give up. Don't give in. Get up and get after it!

[MarieMcG]

Thanks Dominique, for your response.

I do watch calories as well as staying low carb.  It was an eye opener when I got my fitbit and starting logging food - My morning coffee alone was totaling 252 calories, and my daily caloric intake was very high (2000+ daily), so now, I have reduced total calories to about 1000-1400 daily and maintains 20g or less of net carbs.  I have been sustaining, daily, about a 500-700 calorie deficit for the past few weeks.  I do feel good and satisfied with what I am eating, although I have to say that my love of food has diminished to almost nothing and food is just "fuel" at this point.  I eat meats and veggies, nothing processed.  The benefit for me has been that the aches and pains that had started to creep into my life (probably associated with age) have diminished to nothing...I feel as good as I did when I was 25, and I truly believe, for me, without the carbs, my mind thinks more clearly and my mood is more upbeat.

But, you are right... it has only been about 2 months of diet and 1 month of consistent exercise. Gone are the days when I would gain 5 pounds, diet for a week, and lose and maintain the weight loss, easily.  Now, as I am striving to lose 5 more lousy pounds, I find it to be a struggle.  Plus, my "other half" has also decided to diet with me, and he has definitely seen more success than I have, with about 18 pounds lost, predominantly in his belly!  And he cheats on his diet and does not exercise at all!  Watching his success, with little effort applied, probably has something to do with my frustration, lol.  He does have more weight to lose than I do (his BMI is in the "overweight" category, even with his weight loss).

I think that am going to find some hard-core targeted exercise for my deflated areas to see if I can plump them back up... and continue my cardio and hope for enough fat loss to affect the mid-section gain.  

I do appreciate your response... maybe patience is what is needed most!

[MarieMcG]

Hi Liquid_Diet,

Thanks for your motivational response!  Congratulations on 100 lb weight loss - that is awesome!

I glanced at the link that you provided...yes, she definitely transformed herself and looks like a new person!  She lost a ton of belly fat, too...amazing.  Maybe heavier weights are the way to go?  I will give it a try..  

Congratulations on your success!  Keep up the good work!

[A_Lurker]

@MarieMcG- time to put down the light weights and start lifting heavier.  I know a lot of women think they're going to bulk up but it takes a lot of work and very low body fat and hydration to get to that point.  I'm not anywhere near your weight, but take a look at something like:  https://www.amazon.ca/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1...

A lot of women think that lifting heavy isn't what they should do, but I went to pick something up at the post office the other day and the woman handing it to me said 'not too bad, about the weight of a toddler' and it's true.  Women lug children, groceries, pet food, kitty litter, take the Christmas turkey out of the oven with all the fixings, etc.  As @Dominique said you can't spot reduce but you can balance yourself out by building muscle.

[MarieMcG]

@A_Lurker, thanks for the reply.  You are right - the fear of bulk has probably blocked the idea of heavier lifting from my mind.  The last time I visited my doctor and complained about my loss of muscle and mid-section gain, he recommended that I get serious about lifting weights.  I brushed it off at the time, but maybe he (and you) and right.  

I exercise at home and have minimal equipment - maybe it is time to invest in a few heavier weights and other equipment and give this a try.  I will have to do some reading about what to start with, maybe how to use them adequately and beneficially to burn fat and build muscle, repetitions, etc.  In the past, I bought gym memberships and used the equipment, never free weights, so this is somewhat new to me.

Any suggestions on weights / equipment and beneficial exercises are appreciated!  What has worked best for you?  I know that this will be a slow process, but am wondering how long before any improvements are visible... 

Thanks again for your reply...I appreciate your input!

[A_Lurker]

@MarieMcG- I hate to say that I'm a unique case, but I'm not sure that my experiences will answer your questions.  Although I'm down 150lbs from my highest weight, and over a hundred since last year I still have a lot of weight to lose.  I've been on and off lifting for years though and I actually enjoy doing it.  It makes me feel, well, strong.  Functionally I notice a huge difference.  I used to struggle with the big boxes of kitty litter and the full propane tank.  Now I find it no issue to carry the tank in one hand (kitty litter use two as the cardboard doesn't always hold).  I started with the book I linked earlier, New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W), and I saw a difference within the first couple of months - but that was strength not necessarily weight.

I'm lucky in that my income allows me to pretty much purchase what I want (fitness-wise at least).  Space is usually more of an issue.  Years ago I bought a set of powerblocks (http://www.powerblock.com/index.php) which let you go from 5lbs to 50lbs.  I have an old classic set, but they have multiple options.  I also see that they have a bar add-on but there's an issue with that.  Women tend to underestimate what they can lift.  I purchased a cheap Canadian Tire set barbell with plastic sand-filled weights that went up to 70lbs and outgrew it in a very short period of time.  However, for a small amount of money (it had a bar, and 2 dumbbell bars) I decided that I liked it.  The other option is to go to a local fitness equipment store and try some stuff out.

Although the full machines are tempting (still looking for a cable machine that I can fit in my workout room) do try and avoid doing all your lifting in them.  Smith machines are popular with some gyms (they are safer) but they limit range of motion.  Free weights force you to work on your balance as well as your strength.

If your budget can stand it, I'd suggest:

- adjustable dumbbells

- bar with weights

- swiss ball

- step

You can probably build a step (you're a lot lighter than I am) that would do.  A squat rack is nice (but I started and worked out for quite a while without one.  NROL4W gives alternate exercises if you don't have a cable machine and probably more experience.  I hadn't thought of it before, but you can likely pick up a cheap copy of it at www.abebooks.com - I put the title in and there are 82 copies for sale:

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?isbn=9781583333396&cm_sp=mbc-_-9781583333396-_-all

My shipping options would get me one for under $10 - I'd suggest that you purchase one, start reading and see if you think it is for you.

abebooks.com was where I bought most of my school books when I went back to college for engineering.  I spent less than 25% of what I would have if I bought them through the college. Also, once you decide what equipment/items you want to purchase, eBay and even local papers can be a good place to buy decent used equipment.  Although the Christmas fitness buyers might not have given up just yet. 

[Dominique]

---

@MarieMcG wrote:

I exercise at home and have minimal equipment - maybe it is time to invest in a few heavier weights and other equipment and give this a try.  I will have to do some reading about what to start with, maybe how to use them adequately and beneficially to burn fat and build muscle, repetitions, etc.

---

@MarieMcG: check this recent discussion started by @NoMoreFat, who’s in the same boat as you.

Regarding burning fat and building muscle: it’s very hard to do both at the same time, especially if you’re already in the normal weight range and haven’t that much fat to burn.

Yes, it’s a slow process (except perhaps for males < 30), and you may notice you’ll gain strength before muscle mass (after starting resistance training).

[MarieMcG]

@A_Lurker  Congratulations on your weight loss!  Keep up the good work!  That is amazing!  I appreciate you sharing your experience, too!

I can certainly stand to gain strength.  I used to be able to shuffle furniture around the house, moving ridiculously large pieces from room to room, even up the stairs.  Now, moving the same pieces a few feet to clean behind them is a struggle!  I have lost muscle and strength with age.  

I appreciate you providing your opinion on starter equipment - this is a huge help to me because I am a definite novice in this area.  I think the only places that carry exercise equipment, locally, are Sears and Dicks Sporting Goods, but eBay / craigslist / online might be a better option for more variety, and price.   I will check out the book you referenced, too...It seems that it has been a good guide book for you, with your successful weight loss / strength training. Thanks for the link.

You are awesome!  Thank you!

[MarieMcG]

@Dominique - thank you.  Resistance Training = Weights???  Or is that something else?  

Anything you can recommend doing to achieve a positive result is appreciated!  I am a little impatient with things and like at least a small win here or there (like a pound lost), but if i feel I am gaining strength, at least, I can stick with this until I (hopefully) see some sort of result!

I appreciate your help!

[Dominique]

@MarieMcG: yes, weight lifting is one popular form of resistance training, but the resistance could be provided by your own body weight, by elastic bands, by machines etc. The idea is that something needs to provide a stimulus for your muscles to become stronger and grow. And as noted before, lifting heavy won’t turn you into a feminine Arnold. The New Rules of Lifting (or any other good book on the subject) should give you a decent idea of what to do and what to expect.

[A_Lurker]

@Dominiqueis right, you could start with bodyweight routines while you're thinking if heavier lifting is for you.  The following site gives a good cross section:

http://greatist.com/fitness/50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere

Pick one from each section and practice until you're doing them with ease, then move on to another item in the same section.

[MarieMcG]

@A_Lurker and @Dominique ... I just ordered the book ($4, shipped from AbeBooks).  Thank you so much!  I am looking forward to receiving it!

I also looked at the website with the 50 bodyweight exercises... This looks like something I should be able to do, and this does not look too intimidating - I will try a few of these exercises out, starting this evening.  

You have been so helpful!  I really appreciate your time and assistance!