Help please

[mizzgeee]

Hiya

My partner and I were told we would need ivf however I had to get my BMI to under 28. They gave me 3 months to loose 2 and a half stone. Ive swam nearly every day and also ran on my treadmill ( I don't like it but I've been told this will work quickest ). My BMI is now 34 down from 39 ( won't reach the hospitals 2 month target)but I would really like to know what are the best exercises to get my weight down? I now exercise for at least 2 hours a day and I feel completely knackered!!!!! But much fitter , I've also completely changed my eating habits.
Also realistically how much weight should you expect to loose in a week or month etc.?

[Gary Turner]

Hi!!

Great work so far - let's get it speeded up for you!

OK...here we go...

Steady state endurance type training, ie. sustained low intensity, burns more fat (and more energy) than high intensity exercise (ie. weights) or high intensity interval work (sprint training), over say an hours duration.

All exercise burns fat as an energy source. The lower the intensity the more fat is the primary source - the higher the intensity the more carbohydrates are used as the primary source.

Moderate intensity burns more fat overall.

Some will say that the high intensity interval exercises raises the metabolism through the afterburn effect (excess post exercise oxygen consumption) which is true, yet this is balanced out against the metabolic down-regulation that happens afterwards.

In summary of this though - all exercise will help you burn fat.

Now for the details...

Exercising in a fasted state (first thing in the morning, around 2hrs plus after eating a meal) will stop the fat burning being inhibited through a reduced insulin response - training fasted means you'll burn fat quicker. So when you train do so in a fasted state.

To really burn fat quick, go for a very brisk walk first thing in the morning on an empty stomach - 45-60mins - and don't eat for at least an hour afterwards. That will start your fat burning furnace.

I would also mix in some high intensity interval work (sprint repeats at MAXIMUM effort) 2-3x per week allowing recovery in between - depending on your fitness levels of course!

Exercise helps reset your set point for your weight - your body becomes efficient at what it does. This is why exercise is key to weight loss - your body needs to understand that it needs less excess in order to exercise efficiently, and it will lower the set point as a result.

The most fat loss I have seen in any study under laboratory conditions is 3.5lbs per week - the body cannot metabolise fat quicker. I would suggest that any weight over 2-3lbs per week is mainly water loss as your body loses water retention. This is why it is possible to lose loads of weight quickly - the majority of it is just water.

Hope this helps! And good luck with the IVF!

[ericdeeson]

Hi, Mizzgeee!

Gary's reply is brilliant, but allow me to come back on your "Also realistically how much weight should you expect to lose in a week or month?"

I was horrified today to receive a message from WeightWatchers saying people losing more than a couple of pounds a week for four weeks (ie about 4 kg in a month) should seek medical advice. This message came only after twelve weeks in which their computer knows I lost at more than twice that rate. (I did so, by the way, by stepping up strenuous exercise from one to two hours a day and keeping to a WeightWatchers' diet.)

I shall check with my GP as suggested, but note that what your hospital's asking you to do is not much different from what I (and, as it happens, my GP) have done.

So I reckon that as long as one's diet is balanced, there's no harm in losing even 8 kg a month for a few months.

Professional I am not, though - maybe professionals may wish to comment on the above?

All the best - Eric

[mizzgeee]

Thanks Gary that's very helpful. I had lost weight before,then had a crash and couldn't do much for a while. We then went to see the fertility doctors and like I said they gave me a deadline- unfortunately I don't think I will make it. But I can't go any quicker...


I've been running 3 miles in the morning and swimming at night and like I said I'm shattered I was doing circuits however I was getting so exhausted with everything I ended up giving up although I preferred circuits to the treadmill. Would it be worth taking back up the circuits??

All that info has been really helpful and I appreciate it, I have been starting to feel like I'm not moving forward as fast as I did before we had the car crash. Physically I feel fitter and I've dropped 3 dress sizes but now I seem to be slowing down both weight wise and mentally if that makes sense ..

Thank you again

[mizzgeee]

Hi Eric,

Well done on loosing the weight, bet you are very proud of yourself.. In total I've now lost nearly 3 stone and feel completely different.

I have been thinking about joking weight watchers, my partner keeps buying me the weight watchers food, I have to admit I have always ate fairly healthy dinners my vice though was fizzy drinks and chocolate,and I now now I comfort ate ALOT!!

And I agree with you, a balanced is important and I lost most of my weight at the beginning very quickly---I think my body went into shock- and possibly withdrawal from junk!! But now it seems to be slowing down..

But I'm defo going to join weightwatchers now, you have given me the push..

Thank you and good luck on your weight loss journey