Body viewing issues, what should I do?

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'6 and weight 196LBS but I work out 5 times a week, eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and drink water, but I'm not losing any weight and I'm starting to feel bad about myself every time I eat something (whether or not its healthy). Is there any way to loose weight or at least feel better about myself because I'd really not like to spiral into some eating disorder.

[Anonymous]

It can be discouraging to be working so hard and not see any results. The best thing you can do is to think about all the possible things that might be hindering your progress.

Keep a food journal (be honest!) and write down all the food you eat every day for a month. At the end of the day, review what you have eaten. At the end of the week, see how well you have done.

While you are journalling, write down what you have eaten, the time and why. Did you feel hungry? Were you feeling anxious? Were you bored? All of this matters. Find out why you are eating. Sometimes people eat when they are not really hungry. Even if it's something healthy, it still adds to your calorie count.

When reviewing, see if you have any patterns. Try to prevent impulse eating, or eating just because. If you are hungry it's okay to eat, but if not, then don't. If you aren't sure if you are hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 20 mins. This will give your brain time to process how you are feeling. If you are actually hungry, in 20 min you will know and be able to eat.

Review what you are eating. See if there's anything that you shouldn't be eating that can be cut out.

What types of exercise are you doing? A variety is best, if you are only doing one type of exercise, then you aren't getting the best workout. Find exercises that work your whole body. Do some aerobic exercies, do some weight lifting and also do some stretching and flexibility training. These will all work together to get you closer to your goal :)

[SpoiledJeano]

I have a great eating plan my parents do(they don't workout) and they lost a lot of weight, about 5lbs per week.

In the morning have only one type of fruit.

Lunch time have a light meal, low calorie

Try to eat at least one snack through put the day, one type of fruit

Dinner you may have fish or beef(steak, hamburger.. A real one without the buns) and one type of veggie

Follow these instructions and your workout is not helping, 5 days a week? I workout 3-4 and I'm ripped(see my pics). Rest days are just as important as workout days. Your body is probably exhausted from all the unnecessary work

[SpoiledJeano]

Tell me how it goes. Stick to it and you get one cheat day a week

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Well if you think you work out 5 times a week AND eat healthy.. and you're not losing weight.. I think the problem is what you consider working out and eating healthy. The reality is you either aren't working out hard, or you're not eating healthy (I eat pizza all the time-- yet I eat healthy, because I don't eat more than I work off and I make sure to get my protein). But likely it's you're not doing both. Eat less carbs and fats. Workout more. Problem solved.

The only real complications is you and your desire to lose weight. Clearly your desire to lounge about and/or eat excessively is greater than your desire to lose weight. Fix your priorities, spark your ambition, do whatever you can to change that fact around and there ya have it. Eventually through eating less and working out more you'll lose the amount of weight you'd like.

As for disliking your body, good. Let that drive you. Don't try to feel better about being anything less than your best. Discontent is what drives us. So maybe what you should really do is, take your shirt off, go in front of the mirror and ask yourself if you're okay with that? And if you're not, if you're discontent enough, you'll make your diet and exercise work and lose that weight.

[martyfellow]

Clearly you need help; most people do. Sign up with an organization that will give you an exact plan to follow, a scientific plan, and also give moral support. They'll show you some tasty but low calorie desserts as well, and allow you to reward yourself with occasional 'off' days if you are meeting their reasonable and healthy weight loss goals every month.

This way, it won't all be on you, you'll have people in your corner. Most of us need that.

I am most familiar with Weight Watchers but there are other organizations.

[chalobole]

Try to stay only on apple juice (100%) and water for at least 5 days. Then, start nuts - peanuts, almond, walnut, etc combined with apple juice. water for 10 days. Then eat fruits like berries, avoid bulky fruits like bananas etc - for 10 days. Check your weight every 5 days and see if this helps.

[McQuacker]

Count your calories and start lifting weights. You won't get bulky like a guy, you'll just lose fat.

You don't produce enough testosterone. Just work out like a guy. It'll go much faster

[Anonymous]

if you've been dieting for more than about 5 weeks, your metabolism has probably slowed down and adjusted to your lowered calories.

eat maintenance calories, just enough that you're not dieting, for a few weeks to get your metabolism back into gear, then start the dieting again.

I've had success with cycling the dieting and I read that's one of the first things a dietician will do if you've been dieting for a long time.

[Anonymous]

You are eating too much. That is the only way to not lose weight.