Monday, February 13, 2012
Thursday, July 09, 2009 Frustrated asks

Q: I follow a strict diet and exercise but can't lose a pound.

I am starting to believe that some people are predisposed to hold on to weight.  I am 49 yrs. old, 5'5 and 165 lbs.  I exercise 5 to 6 times per week (cross training - combination of aerobics, walking, jogging, light weight lifting), for at least an hour a day.  I have been on a low carb diet eating small amount of meat and an abundance of fruits, vegetables, vegetable salads and water. I've been on this program for 5 and one half weeks and, I have gained 2 lbs!  Help...

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7/26/09 12:49am

If you aren't giving your body enough calories with your eating habits & extreme exercise, your body can go into "starvation mode" and try to hang on to the fat storage to protect itself from starvation.  I'd count how many calories you are taking in and try to up it some, if you are doing low carb & meat, try adding a handfull of nuts, they will give you healthy protein & healthy fat, and they will add a couple hundred calories to your diet, hopefully making your body understand that you aren't starving and that you'd like to lose those last pounds.  Have you used a BMI calculator?  With your height & weight, I don't think you'd have much to lose.

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