I Can't Lose Weight and I Have a Personal Trainer!

I know of an excellent cleansing program that can help people - especially those who are exercising - to lose weight - if you are interested in more details feel free to contact me.

Hypnotherapy has a really good success rate with weight management. I can talk to you more about this if you are interested.

My daughter lost over 120 pounds, and she might be interested in talking to you about how she did it. She did a variety of things along the way, and can tell you what really was the most help for her. Let me know if you want more info about either.

Look on t-tapp.com. I've loved Theresa Tapps's workouts, and they really helped me flatten the belly and other areas (at least while I was doing it--I'm not as motivated as you are). I'd try to explain it all, but the website is much more helpful than I would be.

R.,
Do you know your blood type? There is a whole different diet for prople with a specific blood types. I am o+. I cannot have my favorite foods which are breads, pastas, whole grains, corn, peas, milk and dairy. (plus alot more) I lost 60 lbs just by ommiting these foods. I need lots of meat proteins and lots of little bursts of exercise. Kale and high protein veggies are allowed for me. It was hard. I was trying to be a vegitarian after having my kids and still not losing weight. Google blood type diets in your browser.
Good luck,
stop spending money on a personal trainer until you get your nutrition needs right.
N. White
www.aromaticbotanicals.com

www

Hi R.,
You are doing everything right! AND, I am so glad that you are no longer on a 900 calorie diet! In my business as I counsel my dieters, my biggest challenge is to get people to eat! We are so used to counting calories that my dieters were skipping breakfast, lunch to save on calories, starving themselves, and then splurging on what they shouldn't eat or just slowing down their metabolism!

It doesn't sound like you are doing this! So good! If you are not already, eat every three hours! Eating every 3 hours will keep your metabolism burning calories for fuel. When you reduce your caloric intake and skip meals, your body thinks it is starving and does not want to let go of any weight!

BE patient! 15 pounds is fantastic! Keep focused on what you have done and feel fantastic! DON"T GIVE UP! It is normal to lose that amount of weight and then stabolize for a month or two!

For fun, support and motivation, and win up to $300 a day just for working out, visit my website at www.getfitandfab.com - it's FREE and choose 'play the game'.
This will be a fun way to stay motivated and have some fun! Just enter the workout you are doing with your personal trainer!

We are such an instant society! Permanent changes take time! Don't be tempted by fad diets that promise fast weight loss. They will do more damage in the long run! So keep up the good work! We are creatures of habit so if you are eating the same foods every day, change it up! And your personal trainer will change up your work outs! Our bodies get accustomed fast and need a change! So choose some new fruits and veggies, etc and change up your diet and of course don't forget the water!

Recommended reading: "The 3 hour diet" by Jorge
visit: www.jackmedina.com, www.wellnessforum.com, www.juliahavey.com, www.nutrapoints.com

AND, I have an awesome DVD by personal trainer, Jack Medina that I will be glad to send to you, just send it back when you're done!

AND, I'm having a lunch and learn tomorrow, Friday, June 20 at the Arabian Public Library in Scottsdale. Email me at ____@____.com and I'll send you an invite, FREE as my guest and meet nutritionist, Debby Pool!
S. Fritz
Get Fit and Fab with S.
###-###-####

Don't give up!!! You need to be at atleast 1200 calories per day, even 1300 is fine especially if you are working out. your body is in starvation mode and is robing from you. You have to fuel to work out and burn calories. I myself try to stay at 1200 calories a day but do reward myself with sometimes 1400 a day. You will not gain at this rate. Why don't you just count your calories forget those protein shakes. Start with the new Quaker oat High fibre oatmeal for breakfast with 10 grams of fiber and 4 grams of proetein. For lunch have a yoplait fat free 100 calorie yogurt and a Apple 100 calories and a Weight Watcher Frozen meal under 220 calories there are alot of them. Also the Fibre one bars are so good and good for you at 140 to 150 calories with tons of fibre in them. Dinner do a breast of chicken 160 for a bigggg breast of chicken like the costco skinless ones, a cup of cottage cheese nonfat 80 calories per half cup and steamed veggies as much as you can eat. Also a small baked potatoe is only 100 calories with nonfat sourcream. See where I am getting, there are alot of foods you can eat and lose weight with that are normal foods, not those protein shakes. For dessert you gotta have strawberries 2 cups cut up are only 100 calories and lots of fibre. I put tons of fat free whip on them, yummy!!!! Strawberies are natural dieretics and I promise you will lose weight. Try it for one week and let me know. Oh yeah don't forget Golden Spoon Nonfat Yogurt for Dessert either say once a week only 70 calories per 40z Good luck E.

Hello! You may want to consider including cocnut oil in your diet. I have read information about the medium chain fatty acids that exist in the oil. It is suppose to be really good for you. I have also heard that it aids in losing and maintaining weight! Check out some books on it and you may find it helpful! Good Luck!

You've ONLY lost 15 pounds in 4 months? Actually that is reasonable, since it sounds like you lost 5 pounds a month for the first 3 months, then have plateaued, giving your body time to adjust to the change. And since you've been working out, you are removing the fat and building the muscle! MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!!!!!!! Keep up the good work, and don't get discouraged. Think about how long it took you to put on the 60 that you want to lose. It didn't go on in 6 months, so why do you expect it to come off that quickly? And don't let yourself get so emaciated that you look like the walking dead. In spite of what fashion designers seem to think (Why should women care what gay men think is beautiful for a woman to look like?) women should be shaped like women, not teenage boys!

Good Morning. I just wanted topass along something that I learned since I have been going to the gym, which has only been about 2 months now. In order to burn enough calories to lose weight you have to do one hour of cardi 5-6 days a week. I have lost 2 pounds this week and this is after not losing any the first 7 weeks at the gym. I hope that helps. If you go to a gym try a couple classes. The gym I go to has some fun ones. Good luck!!!!
J.

Hi Rene,

First, Congratulations on wanting to be healthy. It is a hard mountain to climb to lose weight...especially in our culture when we have Big Macs on every corner and then magazines that glorify skinnyness. Where is the common sense here???

I dont' really have weight loss advice. But I have some questions that pop up for you to ask yourself.

Why are you still with your trainer if you don't feel that it's working? Do you REALLY feel supported by him? What is your gut telling you?

What are you telling yourself about your progress so far? You have lost 15 pounds...that is amazing!!! Did you give yourself a realistic time line to lose 60 pounds? Try this: Embrace your amazing body for what it can do NOW. Embrace it for all the womanhood it is. Embrace it for giving birth to 2 babies. Love your body and yourself for who and what you are NOW....not what you will look like or be like 45 pounds from now. Having a goal is awesome and inspiring. Having a goal and not embracing and being aware of your process??? How is that helping you?

And, I'm not an expert on weight loss. I know that it can be as simple as calories in and calories out. It could be a little more complex as eating certain foods that is right for your body type or even your blood type. Maybe seeing a nutritionist or acupunturist or any holistic expert who is knowledgable on weight loss can give you a different perspective and can kick it up a notch. Also, possibly you aren't getting enough of the right calories and your body is just holding on and storing the calories so it won't starve. So maybe you can bump up your protien even more and bump up your workout routine...I know being a mom -time is precious. But can you work out 6 days a week for 45 minutes? And really REST on the 7th day! Try adding yoga and /or dance to get your body moving in a different way. Do what feels good and right to YOU. But dont' give up. It takes love for yourself, faith in yourself and sheer determination to do something difficult. Surround yourself with people who will support you. But at the end of the day - YOU are the one who has to dig deep and get it done. You are more beautiful than you think and stronger than you feel.

I wish you much good energy for a healthy, beautiful and truthful life!

A.

Hi R.,

I too have been working on this. I was working out alot and lost 25 lbs in 3 months and then the weight loss just stopped. I went to the gym approx 4 times a week for a hard work out of 1 1/2 hours every time and was eating right. Not a super low cal. diet but it worked! Took a break during the summer which turned into a Christmas break and put back on 10 of those wonderful pounds.
I thought it would be easy to drop the 10 pounds again with working out and watching what I ate but no go. So I joined a group called Team Fitness at my gym which meets three times a week with a trainer and a nutritionist.
My coach is making me write down everything I put in my mouth and it is shocking. Try breaking down and recording the fat/protein/carb. grams of EVERYTHING you eat. She is tough about the fat grams. No more than 30 grams per day! Take # of fat grams and multiply that by 9. Then divide that number into your total calories for the day. The number must be 23 or less (trust me, it's not easy). She also says I need to eat 1300 calories a day. Anything under 1000 is not good for a person. Need lots of protein too, like at least 130 grams (super hard). She says I can have carbs (whole grain etc) like 120 grams/day. Sounds crazy, but you know it worked! It took me a while to get the fat grams under control but once I did I saw the results. Every time I was on the scale I saw a weight drop, about 2 lbs. per week. I still have 20 more pounds to go to be in a range I want to be and I know that I can do it. There are a million ways out there and different things work for different people but working out and monitoring what I eat so carefully worked for me while other things didn't. Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!! See you at Macy's!!

C.

Hi R.,

My name is L. and I am a cleansing coach. I teach people how to cleanse. This is not a colon cleanse but an overall cleanse to help remove impurities from your body. Let's face it, the nutritional value in our foods has been depleted and everything in our foods contain preservatives, high fructose syrup, artificial flavorings, and the list goes on. You have probably hit a plateau and I am glad your trainer added some calories to your regimen because you actually have to "add fuel to the fire" especially when you are working out on a daily basis. Cleansing could give you a jumpstart to get over the hump. We also have whey protein shakes that have the very best whey protein(from Australia, organic and processed at a lower temp., no trans fats, barley, wheat, and gluten free) which contains flaxseed, amino acids and live digestive enzymes that work immediately to speed up your metabolism. We have several programs: a 9 day program and a 30 day program. I was not as fortunate as you to have a personal trainer, but a year ago I couldn't lose lbs. and I would work out every week. I came across this new cleansing technology and tried it. During the initial program, I lost 12 lbs. and 17.5 inches. I realized now after losing 30 lbs. and maintaining without strenous workouts at the gym that my body was stressed and toxic. I was never great at taking vitamins or supplements. I get everything in my shake and I cleanse on a regular basis since I can't always afford the organic food. I think that this program along with a personal trainer will help you reach your goals. Reasons to cleanse: our world is full of herbicides, chemicals, heavy metals, etc.; animals that we consume are injected with large amts. of hormones, steroids, etc.; our fruits and vegetables contain residues of pesticides/insecticides; Tissue studies have found that many impurities have been found within our fat cells. Trace minerals are very important in fueling our cells and aid the digestive tract in optimum absorption of nutrients. I see a lot of people purchasing supplements and vitamins but if they not taking in their trace minerals and cleansing then they are paying for expensive urine. I have received a clean bill of health from my doctor. I feel younger and healthier and I owe it to this new technology. So, now I am helping others to reach their health goals. If you would like additional information you can go to two of my sites: www.gocleanse.com/gsmeter or www.gsmeter.isagenix.com. I hope you check it out.

L. M.

R.,
I do not know where you are doing your training, but I am having great success at Anytime Fitness with Colleen. I think sometimes we need to find the right person to work with. Also, have you cut out caffeine, sugar and sugar substitutes? I had my best success when I did that. I will tell you that I eat 1200-1500 calories a day in the form of 6 small meals. I also do 3-4 1hr spin classes a week. 2 training sessions a week with Colleen, and Pilates. I do cardio 5-6 times a week depending on schedule. I have lost 35lbs since October, but doing it in a very safe manner. I think the reality is that it does take time to overcome and you have to be with someone that you trust.Good luck and e-mail me if you need more specifics.
M.

R.,
sounds like you need a different trainer! All trainers are not created equal. Not knowing what part of town you are in, I would recommend Kathy Howard at La Camarilla on Shea and Tatum. Runs a group training that is affordable and awesome! Could be how you are working out or even that you are not eating enough so your body thinks it needs to store more fat than use it. Fran Wilkes is a dietition there who runs a wieght loss group. Helped me lose 20 lbs. Look around. Change what you are doing but don't give up. You have such a great start and you don't want to lose that momentum!!

I think that your weight is turning into muscle and you are toning.... That is why the scale is staying the same, as muscle weighs more then fat.....I don't know what your weight training consists of, but maybe lay off the weights and do more cardio and for longer time..... you could pla-to too and your body gets use to the same stuff. So if your doing a lot of treadmil, try doing stairmaster or something else (sp???) things like that are just a few things to think about. good luck.

When you say working out do you mean free weights? IF that is the case you should be seeing results without getting on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat so you would be smaller but weigh the same. If you are not working out with free weights, start. It raises your metabolism so you burn more calories and it helps your bones retain calcium.

It sounds like you may not be eating enough. Limiting calories, will keep your body in "save the fat" mode. Eating every 2-3 hours (at least 3 meals and 2 snacks) is key. They should include protein/good carbs/fat Drinking 10-12 glasses of water is essential too.

I would also suggest taking Vitamin D, which has proven to really help! Google vitamin D and weight loss....

Best,
C.

R. - First thing to do is not give up or lose your patience. 15 lbs after fours months is actually a very good pace, especially when your goal is 60 lbs. I know it is frustrating, but what is happening is that you have hit a plateau. All things are level now - your body has gotten used to its new food/exercise program and you just need to change it up. I am surprised your trainer has not told you this. Sounds to me like you know what to do as far as diet and I am sure by now you know your way around the gym, so if the money to the trainer is frustrating you then drop him and use the money on something else - new workout clothes for yourself, a spa treatment, etc. There are other kinds of weight your body may be carrying - did you know that at any given time you can carry as much as 20 lbs of solid waste in your intestines? Also, and this is especially true for women, you could be carrying as much as 10 lbs of water weight. You also have to take into consideration the fact that your body may be replacing your excess weight (what we would consider fatty tissue) with muscle mass depending on how much weight training you do, so while you may not think you are losing weight you actually are just replacing the "bad" with the good.
It took me a little over a year to lose a healthy 40 lbs with my first daughter. I too changed my diet and worked out 3 times/week with a trainer. I just found that patience and change are key. Good luck to you!
J.

R., I've been training for several years and I can tell you for sure that your problem is cardio. If your diet is where it should be (and starving yourself is NOT the answer - that's the best way to kick your metabolism into SLOW gear while it hangs on to every fat cell and calorie it can) and you are doing strength traning, then you must increase your cardio. Do it 5 days a week. Intensity is important - do not sit on those bikes at the gym and pedal away, or walk on the treadmill and call it cardio - these do nothing. Get on the hiking treadmills or the stairmaster, or sprint on the treadmills. Make sure you are doing speed intervals (fast followed by slow, repeat and repeat) and do them for 20-30 minutes plus warm up and cool down. This is the best way to burn fat, but it must be done in COMBINATION with a good, healthy diet and strength training. You can't do 2 things without the third. Also, make sure your trainer is pushing you hard enough. If you are replacing fat with muscle, your weight will not change as drastically so that's not always the best way to judge your success. I always pay more attention to how my clothes fit, than my scale. Also, check your protein shakes. Many of them on the market today contain a large amount of sugar - you may need to change it if that's the case. Hope that helps! Don't give up!

I hear you and I have been there 3 times with 3 kids. You said you saw a Dr....so your Thyroid gland is okay?
I went to Dr Suzanne Bentz at the red mountain spa , quit my trainer and got phentermine 37.5 mg once a day and lost 12 pounds in 2 months. Give up dairy, wheat and corn syrup.I am finally back to my normal size
A.R

I understand why you are frustrated, you probably want to see that weight melt away quickly. Try to remember that due to the fact that you are working out, you have probably gained a good amount of muscle as you lost fat. Since muscle weighs more than fat, the number on the scale isn't reflecting all the good you have done for your body. Try to remind yourself that you have managed to lose an average of 1 pound per week, which is an ideal amount to lose, because you will be less likely to gain it back if it's lost slowly. You also need to give yourself more credit. It's a major accomplishment to just maintain your weight, let alone lose more! I would suggest having that personal trainer look at how many inches you have lost and how much your body fat percentage has decreased. If you really want to boost you weight loss though, you will probably need to increase the length of your cardio workouts on non trainer days. Continue to build some muscle, as it will increase your overall metabolism, and aim to drink a gallon of cold water each day. Remember...you're doing great!!!

Everyone hits a dry spot in their weight loss. Change up your routine, try yoga, kick boxing something new.

Also check out free sparkspeople.com this sight has really kept me encouraged.

Hi R.,

Fire the personal trainer and get a different one. Maybe you need to spice things up a bit. If you have realistically taken a look at your eating habits and have changed to healthy ones AND you aren't cosumming as many calories as you burn you WILL loose. However, our female bodies are geared toward storing fat. It takes a long time to get rid of what we easily seem to put on. Give yourself permission to loose slowly. It probably took you a while to gain, so the loss isn't going to happen all that quickly either. Don't think of what you are doing as a diet. ALL diets fail because they are short-term actions for a long-term issues. What you want is a life-style change. Healthier food choices, with smaller portions, and indulgences here and there. (you must have some fun) :)

As for exercise, if you only have a short time to do cardio, then try to go faster or increase the difficulty. Your largest muscles are in your legs so those are the ones to work first. That will really burn your legs and those calories. Also, cross-train. Instead of walking all the time, swim, bike, hike or rock climb on alternating weeks. This keeps your workouts fun and fresh, keeps you motivated and uses more muscle groups. It's good to keep your body off balance if you want to recondition it. Remember it's fighting you. It's wants to store fat and maintain the status quo, you have to shake it up if you want to win.

Good luck.
J. in Phx

I do not have much advice but I do know that it is unhealthy to lose more than 5 lbs in a week. I also know that you may be losing the fat and replacing it with muscle... Unfortunately gaining muscle does not mean you will lose weight. It only means you may lose clothes size.

Well that is all I can tell you.... HTH

Too much protein turns itself not into muscle, but into fat. It honestly sounds like you're getting too much protein. In addition, it causes a huge overload on the kidneys, resulting in serious issues down the road. I'm questioning how much your trainer really knows about nutrition. Your calorie count sounds too low for the amount of exercise you are doing, so your body is going into starvation mode to save itself. How do you have the energy to work out effectively? I would strongly suggest you run all this by your doctor, who can evaluate the total picture for your BMI, weight, size and other factors. You need carbs. Period. Not too many, of course, but this whole fad thing about overloading on protein is finally being called on the carpet, as it should be. Are you doing aerobics and weights, either together (like the Firm videos teach) or on separate days? It's possible you need exercises for your body type. For years, everyone eschewed the benefits of moderate weight lifting (not the guy kind). I always felt the aerobic benefits. Finally, now they are doing the research and finding that weights are one of the best anti-aging factors out there. Also keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less room, except in the beginning, when you have both. Let me guess...he is supplying the shakes? You pay him for them? Why else would he bump it up? Only heavy, competing weightlifters and those looking to overload on the muscles need that much protein (and pay for it later). If he's making add'l profit off the shakes, he is def. steering you wrong.

1/2 hour may also not be enough. I'd increase this to 45 min. to an hour. Also, be sure you stretch EVERY day. That is one HUGE factor in developing long, lean muscles and flexibility as you age. An extra protein shake to increase the calories? Bad. More fruits and veggies (esp. veggies) are the way to go. I don't know your height or how much you weigh, and please do check this out - there are many great charts on the web, or you can check with your doctor, but I seem to remember the range of 1500-2000 (avg. 1800) calories being the recommendation. And I'd think about dropping or changing the trainer.

Starving yourself while working out will keep you overweight. think of it this way that your body is thinking it needs to hang on to everything it can because it doesn't know when it will get fed again (survival mode). I used to cook for someone who WAS a personal trainer and had the same problem. I made 7 small meals for him a day and he lost weight within 2 weeks. My theory being that if you constantly keep the metabolism going, your body will take/use what it needs. Eat little bits all day long. Tailor this diet to the workouts. For example, before a workout I would give him something filled with iron & protein but not too heavy like spinach salad with a tablespoon of tuna. Here's an average day:
Yogurt smoothie w, fresh or frozen fruit & Soy milk
Small breakfast sandwich (w/salmon, cream cheese & spinach)
snack of dried fruits & nuts
salad
lunch sandwich (like chicken breast on whole wheat)
portion of any yogurt you choose
snack of cheese, crackers and lunchmeat (2-4 small pieces)OR
snack o veggies like carrots
snack of 1 or 2 small cookies or 2 snickers "bites"
dinner like rice w/ veggies
All of these portions should be small. With all this food you will not be able to eat big portions anyway. Then tailor this to yourself. Do not worry about fat content etc. Your body will tell you what you are craving/lacking. Keep working out. If you see something you want to eat, eat it! (just in smaller portions). Also, remember that if it takes nine months to put on the weight it takes that long to take it off so be patient with yourself.

Kudos to you for losing 15 pounds despite having a male trainer who may not fully understand how female bodies function and lose weight. I've got the perfect book for you! It's called Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell after pregnancy by Debra Waterhouse. The book is loaded with great information and the author has a great sense of humor and really makes you feel validated. she says that in the female body, fat burning begins after 30 minutes of aerobic activity (which is when you are stopping). she also talks about "starvation mode" and over working out. she also has a food journal.
Here's the website:
www.waterhousepublications.com
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to put her principles into practice YET, but I look forward to doing so soon! Reading your entry was good motivation for me, thanks.
feel free to email me if you'd like to chat some more. best of luck to you
M.

What does your trainer say should be your weekly/monthly average weightloss? Start probing him with more questions to decide if the $$$$ is worth it, or if you can work at this on your own--even if you've only lost 5 lbs a month... that is progress!!! But it's difficult when you see those game shows on television where people with trainers are rapidly losing weight at unmarkable speed! Don't get fooled by those programs that are contrived for audience astonishment. Your trainer is probably serving you great emotional support too. If not, get another one and try out another trainer to see if there is a differece... good luck!

Hi-

Sorry if someone has already posted this...and sorry for commenting after you have finished, but I have to say that I had the same problem: eating healthy, working out, etc. and stayed between 185-190 FOREVER! Then one night I saw an infomercial for Body Makeover. I am the biggest skeptic ever, but I just happened to be unusually depressed about my weight that day and looked them up online (and other unbiased sites that reviewed them). Basically it is eating healthy, but for your body type. I was eating healthy, but I wasn't eating often enough of the right combination of foods for my body type. This was in January. In the first 7 weeks I lost 30 pounds--all with regular diet and exercise. It is not a gimmick. I had a personal trainer at one point also. Basically I feel this program is like having a personal trainer, but with much less money!

Also, I am a SAHM of 4 children 4 and under. I thought it was going to be hard to eat every 2-3 hours with little ones running around, but it really wasn't.

Anyway, the website is: www.mybodymakeover.com

The person that came up with it is the same guy that did the eating plans on Extreme Makeover.

Sorry if you are already overwhelmed by everything, but this program really works (I know someone who lost 100 pounds in 7 months on this program--all done naturally and healthy--no pills and no starvation). I started the 3rd week in January at 187 and I am now maintaining my weight 137. I highly recommend it! (Oh...and where I lost the most weight was my belly....)

Yes, you are starving yourself and that is why you are not losing weight. It sounds weird to eat more to lose weight but it is true. I too am 5'4" and use to weigh 175 lbs before I ever even had kids. I now weigh 140 after 2 kids and look and feel great. Luckily, I had an awesom trainer that told me I wasn't eating enough, especially carbs. He had me write down what I was eating and took one look and said I needed to add more calories because I was eating high protein low carbs. If you are doing cardio you need calories/carbs. If you don't get enough your body starts to burn your muscles as fuel which is not good for you and prevents weight loss. If your body feels starved it will slow it's metabolism as a self preservation tactic which makes weight loss difficult if not impossible. Also, you should alternate cardio with weight training/sculpting. Never do cardio 2 days in a row and don't do weights on the same body part two days in a row. Your body needs a chance to rest and recover from your workouts, plus when your body gets "used" to your routine it no longer is stressed and doesn't build muscle. You need to build muscle to burn fat and lose weight. Bottom line you need to add strength training to your workout. Pilates, yoga, light weights/band workouts. Vary your routine. Try spinning/cycling or water aerobics or something new. If you are bored your body probably is too. Try kickboxing. Most importantly, add good quality protein to your diet, make sure you are eating enough calories so that your body doesn't think it's starving and add strength training to your routine. And fire your trainer because he is not giving you the information you are paying him to give you! It sounds like he is pumping you full of harmful products that aren't giving you the results you want. There are several vitamins and mineral supplements that are perfectly natural like calcium, chromium, choline, inositol, that if you are lacking could prohibit weight loss. Go to Sprouts or Trader Joe's and get a good quality plant based protein powder that you can make shakes with by adding your own fats and fruits. Also, look up chia seed and hemp seeds on google, lots of good info on good sources of protein. One last thing, you need to eat lots of fiber. Take psyllium fiber, metamucil, whatever helps add fiber to your diet. These products don't have added calories to throw your diet off and help your body rid itself of toxins and unwanted things. Best of luck to you. If you ever want to work out together, let me know. Depending on where you live we could get together and motivate each other. I have lots of videos that I do from home and lots of info on fitness.

I have a couple questions...

Have you ever hear of Metabolic Typing? see here: http://khushmark.com/ She is quite amazing I would highly suggest you consult with her.

Do you have written goals? Do you have a dream?

Are you happy with your workout?

I really don't believe in diets... the 1st three words are DIE... Are you happy with what you are eating or is it grueling?

Are you happy with your life? Because as you get excited about life and have a life plan, all of everything else will seem to follow suit.

All the best,
dlm

Hey R.,
It sounds to me like you aren't worth this guys time. I'd gt rid of him. All I can offer to you is your eating right from what you are telling us. I'd like to tell you I worked out at the gym since I was a teen and even after having kids, with trainers, doing classes and none of that ever worked for me. You sound very structured, motivated and goal oriented. I think you could do a DVD program my husband and I enjoyed doing together. It's on beachbody.com and it's called p90x. We followed the workout and in 90 days were very satisfied. It allows you to work out at your own pace and your ability level. Good luck with whatever you decide! A. G.

R.,
I know it is very frustrating. Some things you may think of doing is
1. Get a heart rate monitor so you know you are getting everything out of every minute you are working out. If you are not getting your heart rate up enough or maybe your heart rate is to high. If you don't get your heart rate up enough you aren't burning many calories but if you get your HR to high then you are not burning the fat off.
2. Change up your cardio and do more. You need to do about an hour each time and for at least 3 hours a week.
I have never heard of a personal trainer that did only 1/2 hr at a time but you need to do at least 1 hr a day of exercise. So when you work out with him ask what other exercises you can do for the other 30min. I am assuming here that you are using some kind of weight bearing exercise to build muscle. If you are building muscle it will help with burning calories.
3. There are alot of sites on the web where you can find your approximate Resting Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn if you do nothing all day. This should help you find out how many calories you should be eating. Remember that your calories should come from about 55% protein, 25% carbs and 20% fat. So if you are writing everything down remember that also.
If you don't eat right the weight will not come off and that includes as you stated starving yourself will not work.
I hope this helps.
2 lbs a week is a Great loss.

Seems like you an I have the same problem! I feel better since I have been working out 3-4 times a week, and I workout for 1 hr each day. The weight isn't coming off. I am looking into YORHEALTH.com for information on a new vitamin/fat burning product and working with Fernando Garcia, rep. Other than that, I am not sure what else to do. Keep me in mind if you find another way. Sorry I couldn't be helpful.
Thanks!

HI
Check out www.perfectweightamerica.com this has free workout,meal planning,support group all free with Pwa code
check out the shakes your doing it may be making you gain.I do perfect meal by garden of life fills me upand helps me lose weight.
i know some people need to cleanse the body. eating 6 small meals a day helps. also i workout at least 20 mins a day doing pilates,yoga, or what perfect weight america website has or walk. yoga or pilates helps you lose weight to
i first started the makers diet by jordan rubin (a lifestyle change) i lost 50 pds but i cut the grains,sugar
i did honey or real maple syrup as a sweetner. The website is very helpful. i ve been following the for about 9 years .the best things ive ever done for me ,husband and my kids.
Hope helps
God bless M.

You are doing the right things by working out and eating right. Always remember that when you work out that you are replacing your fat with muscle...which is heavier. Forget about the "poundage" and focus on how you feel. If you are feeling better than you are doing the right stuff. To actually drop weight you will need to bump up your cardio. Try doing more of it instead of strength training. Stick with it!!!

Hello my name is C. I just got started on these products by Herbalife. I've been on it for 2-3 weeks now and I've lost 2 lbs have tons of energy, and I am a stay at home mom. If your Interested please take the time to check out this website. www.PTIlive.com and if your interested please contact me
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I'm not a professional, but I think that you actually may not be eating enough. From some of the things that I have read and heard, sometimes if you don't consume enough calories, you body will hold on to what it has.

After I had my son, I had about 45 lbs to lose. I went on the Body For Life diet. You eat 5-6 small meals a day and work out 6 days a week. I know that it sounds intense, but the workouts are not that bad. Three days a week you work out for 45 minutes and the other three is only 20 minutes of cardio. I highly recomend it. It worked wonders for me! I hope that this helps! Don't be to h*** o* yourself, every body is a little different! :)

Hi R.,
I would say that you are not eating enough calories. My guess is that you should probably be eating around 1500 calories a day. You can probably go on-line and find a calorie calculator. You add in your weight and how much you exercise and it should tell you how many calories you should be eating. If you don't eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and stops using your food as fuel. It hangs on to it because your body thinks it is starving. Really what you are doing is slowing down your metabolism. Also something to do is have one day a week off your diet eat about 500 more calories that day. A couple of the health books I have suggest this to jump start your metabolism. It sounds like maybe your personal trainer knows a lot of exercise, but maybe not so much about nutrition. I would ask if your gym has a nutritionist you can talk to. Good Luck and congratulations on the 15 lbs. A lot of people can't even do that, so be proud of yourself.

R.! I can't get motivated! I just bought a universal workout machine for 1800.00 and I have a treadmill. I hired a personal trainer too, but then decided a trainer at 1400.00, a gym membership at 70.00 per month when I could not make the time to go was a waste of money. Now I have my own gym and I am still not working out--when I do, I start losing immediatly. I got down to 157 and now I am back to 161 lbs. My goal is 123--my weight before becoming pregnant. I need a workout partner to motivate me! If you want to ditch your trainer you can work out with me for free on the "body for life program"-it works, I used to work at a gym and helped many of my clients lose the weight. I think most of my problem now is I that I finally made the decision to part with my boyfriend of 3 yrs, we have a beautiful 15 month little girl named "Pamela Johaan" and we call her "Pami-Jo"-I tried to stay with him for her but it just became to apparent that we were not getting along and it was becoming an unhealthy situation for her. The other thing is I am a lender and the crash of the market was very stressful so I just started a new job right after giving birth. All of this "weight" was symbolic of my physical weight. I am so much happier!!! I just won my child custody case yesterday---I am through all of the hard part-now I am ready to become physically fit again--I used to be a size 3, now I am a 10!!!!! Maybe we can motivate eachother and it would be free for you!!! I live in Nob Hill-my phone number is ###-###-####-Call me if you want to begin asap!!! Hugs and good luck!!! K.

Hi R.,
Losing weight is very emotional for women. Sometimes it's helpful to take a look at what is going on in your life and where you feel "emotional weight". Also, it's essential to start learning how to feel really good about yourself, treating yourself well and having your focus become "What would be in my best interest today?" instead of doing a workout that you may not like. Starving yourself does not work, because your body/mind feels deprived and can't be satisfied. You'll always crave more. Start moving more, doing things that you love. Maybe it's gardening or riding your bike. Get a friend and do something together - keeping each other motivated. If you would like to know more about exercise that helps you with confidence, emotions and metabolism, check out www.consciousworkouts.com. Above all, keep in mind that you can do it and the right thing will come to you!

You should check out burnthefat.com to get some insight on the "starvation diets"... they don't work. If you're spending money on a trainer they should have better info than "eat better"! I'd look for a different trainer, one with more nutritional information. Another good source is The Body For Life (book and website). There is another great article at www.muscleandbodymag.com about calories. Good luck.

I did weight watchers.I started one week before I had surgery on both feet. I was totally bedridden for eight weeks. My food was brought to me. I followed the program exactly. I lost 3-4 pounds a week with no exercise at all. When I was able to go back to work I started skipping meals or shorting myself on points. I not only did not lose weight but if I didn't get enough calories I GAINED weight. I asked my coach and was told that there are a certain % of the population whos metabulism shuts down and goes into starvation mode in a few days. That is why it is suggested that people do not go on a very low calorie diet for more than two weeks. I experimented and found that I shut down after three days. If I ate enough calories every day than I lost weight. I lost 45lbs. in one year. I still have to be careful and eat enough or I start to gain. Every body is different. The human body is designed to be an omnivore. Protein shakes don't have all the necessary things in them. You need to eat some protein. Just not too much of ANYTHING. Try things out for yourself. You are the one who knows your own body. Good luck.
K.

Same thing happened to me!! I was talking to my doc about it and she said that personal trainers only know what works for them and what they were taught to teach you at the gym. They are not nutritionists(sp?). I found out that eating less than 1200 cal diet left my body in starvation mode and anything I ate was stored. Everyones body is different so ask your doc about how many cals a day is good for you. I hope this helps a little. Good Luck!!
J.

I joined Weight Watchers after having my son. I lost 50 pounds (with little to no exercise). Theres something about the support group and other people applauding when you lose weight. It's rewarding. Plus you hear other peoples stories,
new recipes, and you applaud them when they reach goal. It makes losing fun! I don't know if you have ever joined Weight
Watchers, but it is not a diet, it's "a way of eating". And you can eat ANYTHING you want, just in moderation. You can save your points and have a banana split... real food!
I joined with a friend of mine. (Buddy System) Once a month, we both put in $20 and purchased a $40 gift card from JCPenney, the one who lost the most weight in 1 month, won that gift card to buy a new outfit. Competition always helps too! Good luck. I believe portion control is everything.

Hi R.,

I am a group fitness instuctor and own a fitness franchise called Stroller Strides in the Mesa/Tempe area so I work moms spefically. In regards to your diet it sounds like you are making very healthy choices. Remember that if you are nursing your caloric intake is much to low and your body can go into surivial mode storing more fat than it burns. I do have a few questions for you to answer that may help you in undertanding why you are not losing weight as quickley as you would like.

1.What kinds of stength training exercises are you doing with your personal trainer?

2.What time of day are you eating your meals/ how many meals do you eat per day?

3. What do you do for your cardio exercises?

Besides monitoring your weightloss your personal trainer should be tracking your progress through inches lost. Remember muscle weighs about 3 times more than fat so you could be builing a lot more muscle then you realize right now. I would track your progress through measurments this month.

You may need to increase your intensity and frequency or duration of your workouts at this point. What worked for the first 15 pounds may not necessarily work for the remaining 45 pounds.

You may want to check with you doctor to see if you have any possible food allergies. This may have already been done since you said that you had bloodwork done prior to starting your current program.
I have a client that found out she was allergic to wheat and that her allergy was preventing her from losing weight. This is just an example of some chemical setbacks that can be really frustrating.

Don't give up regardless of how little or how much weight you have lost or continue to lose. You eating healthy and staying active which is setting a great example for your husband and little ones.

If you feel you are not getting the support you need from your personal trainer then you have every right to look into other options. I would also reccomend incoporating little exercises into your daily routine such as squats while your in the kitchen cooking or a set of ab exercises during commercials while watching tv.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions or gives insight into where you should go next.

Sincerely,
N. Sietsema

Hi R. -

It may not be what you are eating, it may be that your body is not assimilating the nutrients like it should be. You can correct this problem by adding Chlorella (in powder form to your protein shakes) or Spirulina (which is 60+% protein) to your daily diet. Do you take any other supplements? There are whole food herbal supplements available to help heat up the digestive process, clean out your arteries & veins and help the body eliminate what it needs to in a healthy manner. If you have additional questions, come see me at Chakra Botanika Herb & Tea Room - Hwy. 87 & Hwy. 260 - Payson.

Blessings,
M. M. Ernsberger
Certified Clinical Herbalist
Certified Hypnotherapist
Certified Life Coach
Holistic Healthcare Practitioner

I lost 19 pounds (my goal was 20) over a year ago, and have kept it all off. I agree with all of the advice already typed in.

1200-1400 calories would be ideal. Any less and your body is starving. Are you eating every 3 hours and recording EVERYTHING you put into your mouth to ensure you are within the calorie guidelines? I went to a REALLY boring diet to ensure I was within the caloric intake I was shooting for. It took me six months to lose only 19 pounds, but I did it with support of online weight loss buddies. We could share our secrets, our successes, celebrate together, and commisserate together when we had minor failures (and we ALL did.)

You can read about weight loss plateaus. They are VERY common. The answer by most nutritionists is to eat MORE calories for 3-6 days, then back to the lower calorie goal. That gets your body out of starvation mode to start losing again.

Plus, are you REALLY drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day. That is a MUST! So is dropping the caffeine, pop, and sugar substitutes. You won't have to do this FOREVER, just during your weight loss mode.

And, I agree with the others, 30 minutes 3 times a week isn't enough. Try to kick that up to 45 or 60 minutes. Rest 2 days a week and push hard the rest. And, can the trainer. He doesn't seem sensitive or in touch to you. Keep looking. You'll find someone supportive and knowledgeable.

Most important, DON'T give up. 15 pounds is awesome. Keep it up, the right way, and it will stay off for life!

Hi R.!

I am not sure what part of town you live in but my husband is a firefighter and does personal training and nutrition counseling as well. He also works as a fitness trainer for the fire department. He works from our home in Gilbert. His workouts combine cardio and strength training. I also had two babies in two years and after the first one the weight seemed to fall off. However, since my second baby it has not been so easy. He has been working with me for two months now and helped me to change my diet. I am noticing a huge difference and I am eating great and not starving. If you would be interested in talking with him you can call him or check out his website. His number is ###-###-#### and his website is www.crossfit2260.com.
Good luck!

Fifteen pounds in four months is a totally normal amount of weight to lose. There will be times when you lose more quickly and times that you lost more slowly.

About staying at the same weight for a month: you don't seem to be getting very much exercise. What do you do for the thirty minutes you meet with the trainer? What is the "cardio" that you do by yourself? You would get more exercise taking three dance, yoga or aerobics classes per week, or playing a sport. It sounds like he is helping you with weights and you are doing cardio work on your own. Maybe you should try doing cardio with a group and weights on your own.

The most important thing a personal trainer does is motivate you to keep going. If this guy makes working out fun and satisfying, he's worth the money. If not, you need another trainer.

The most important thing you can do is keep going. Make sure you are getting enough calories to support your workout routine otherwise, your body will just hold on to its fat stores to support itself. It is a survival mechanism. Maybe talk to a nutritionist about calories in vs. calories out and in addition try to add a little more cardio. Keep in mind that some people lose weight more slowly than others and losing almost 4 pounds per month is not bad. Don't get discouraged. You can do it!

I too am trying to lose about 45-50 pounds and it is hard work--though I don't have a personal trainer yet. But I know (at least, I hope) at some point it will get a little easier and by then I will have changed my life for the better.
Good luck and best wishes!

As a fitness facility owner I hear your complaint ever day. Your increasing your caloric intake is a smart move. You want to take into consideration how much you weight now, your height etc., since your resting metobolic rate may be even higher and cutting your calories to much is just going to put your body into starvation mode i.e. you feel like your starting you probably are.

There are computer programs online that can help you find this number out. Example if your RMR (the number of calories your body believe it needs in a resting status like laying down all day doing nothing, like we have time for that right?)is 1800 then you should be consuming around 1400 calories and working out like you are. You never really want to go below 1200 and if you do you should be doing so under Dr. supervision, making sure you are taking in the appropriate nutrients you will be missing. We carry the Dr. Siegal's Cookie which can put people at about 800 calories a day, but even then I have had women that have had to step that up to about 1400-1500 to lose weight. But even his program takes into consideration that some need more calories.

We are now offering Yoga, Pilates, Body Works, Latin/Zumba and Exotic Dancing Classes with more to come, and we also provide personal training to help you learn how to do it on your own at really great rates, so if you are in the area of Northern Ave and I-17 you might want to check us out. My trainer loves to work with women to help them reach there go and has been in the business for over 15 yrs. Our website is http://www.pwfspa.com We are also a Women's Only Facility and Spa. Take care and even if you just want to talk please call I am happy to help in anyway I can. ###-###-#### D.

My husband is a personal trainer and I consulted him about your dilemma. This is what he said:
How many times do you eat a day? You should be eating six small meals about 3 hrs apart. Sounds like you are eating the right things, but you need to eat frequently to boost your metabolism. Also, are you pushing yourself enough on your cardio workouts? You should be increasing slightly with each work out.
Try looking into the BODY FOR LIFE program by Bill Phillips. My husband swears by it.
Don't give up and good luck!!
D.

Hi R.,

Sounds so frustrating! You need to get at least 1200 calories a day or your body won't burn calories as efficiently. Increasing your exercise to 45 minutes daily will help as well.
If those tips don't work for you, consider consulting a naturopathic doctor, www.naturopathic.org.. they are great at helping people eat healthy and lose weight naturally.

Sincerely,
L.

A couple of things- you need to eat at least 1200 to 1500 calories per day sp that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. You should also try adding more time for your cardio- at least 60 minutes per day is needed for weight loss. Save the time with your trainer- especially if it is only 30 minutes for weight training/ core training.

For the good news- it is best to loose weight at a slow pace, so 15 pounds in 4 months is great. It sounds like you are at a plateau, so it is time to change up your routine.

Hope this helps!

You may not be eating enough. Your body will hold on to the weight if you're not supplying it with what it needs. I am a recent member of Weight Watchers and that is one thing I have learned...you have to feed or body in order to have the weight come off, especially when you're working out. You might consider Weight Watchers. It's not that expensive and it really helps take the weight off and you do it the right way. Good luck.

R.--

Everyone seems to be stressing cardio and calories. I am no expert and have had little motivation to lose my babyweight, but out of college I was trained by a fantastic man who trained one of the catchers of the Diamondbacks and his wife and I learned several things that no one seems to be touching on here:

Cardio doesn't do it! Lifting light weight to gain muscle burns off more fat, and to gain muscle, you have to eat enough calories to not pass out while lifting. 1200 calories is ridiculous!

Change routines: your body adjusts to your routines, so you need to try new activites that offer both cardio and muscle-building to trick the body into staying on track with the weight loss

Pilates: the scale may not say what you want it to as you gain lean muscle and burn fat, so STOP obsessing! Pilates can help you drop 2 - 3 dress sizes as you tone and firm up your body and it builds your core for added strength and flexibility that assists with muscle-building. Slimming and toning to look better in clothes and drop dress sizes should be your goal, not the actual scale number. The scale number will eventually catch up with your progress.

Your trainer, in my opinion, should be a life-coach, not just some dude that teaches you how to do triceps correctly. My trainer talked to me about very personal things, like my relationship with food, my relationships with partner, fears, nutrition, etc. This was key to out trust and my motivation to try new things since I knew how supportive he was of my goals. He also took me hiking, rollerskating, etc. to try new things and gain advancement from activities outside the gym. For me, and I would assume most women, a trusted person who could give me honesty and the nutrition education I needed was a God-send. He moved to Vegas and I was so sad.

If anything, I have heard that there's this place on 7th Steet called Major League conditioning or something like that and there is also private gym training that gives you more than 1/2 hour of attention. The chain gyms hire anybody; find a specialized group to spend your $ on.

By the way, thanks for giving me some motivation....

I would recommend two different options. I have had great success with seeing Dr Steven Komadina, M.D. for help. His number is ###-###-#### and really cares about helping people lose weight. He also works with a gym called Quickgym that is awsome too. I know you can try the gym for free a couple of times and they do free evaluations that really help. Their number is ###-###-####. You can lose weight, but it really takes someone to help you review what you are doing and change as needed. Keep working on it and don't give up! A.

Hi R.,

It doesn't sound like you are exercising enough. Sorry. I would try to incorporate a cycling class 2 to 3 times a week. Most cycling classes involve interval training. This means that your heart rate peaks randomly throughout the class. Interval training sparks metabolism and increases your stamina. If you are not into the cycling incorporate interval training when using exerise machines for cardio. On the days that you are not doing the cardio see your trainer for weight training. Good luck.

Everyone's advice is great, but one thing you need to know: Your body will shed the fat while building muscle if it realizes that the muscle is necessary! I tried just cardio (I'm about 40 lbs overweight), thinking I wanted to lose some fat before building muscle. Mistake. When I started doing both (weights one day, cardio the next) I shed my first 7 lbs in 17 days. It's coming off slowly, which is healthy, but not too slowly as to discourage me. I workout 6 days a week.
MON/WED/FRI Weights (I alternate upper body w/ lower body, so each group gets a rest in between - this takes 30-40 mts)
TUE/THUR/SAT Cardio (I jog, row, bike once each week to change things up, and work different muscle groups - I'm only out for 20 mts)
I feel really good, and even if I only lose 2 lbs aach week, it motivates me to keep going. Remember that you body needs to know that it WANTS the muscle, so it will lose the fat. I eat when I'm hungry, and I STOP when I'm full. As long as what you're eating is healthy, and a good variety, your body will know it's going to get fed regularly. As long as you're not in starvation mode, your body will use the fat for energy, realizing that you're going to need the muscle.

Good luck, and don't give up!
M. Whipple SAHM of 6

I feel your pain!! Have you been to your Dr. and got your bloodwork done? You may have a thyroid issu or something else. I also read Dr. Phil's Weight Loss solution and it has some wonderful advice that you may not have heard before. I have always struggled no matter how I eat or workout. It sounds to me like you are not eating enough calories because if you go below 1500 your body goes into starvation mode and will not give up any fat, only muscle.
Good luck!

I did the "Body For Life" challenge. IT WORKED!!! Weights 3 times a week along with cardio 4-5 times a week! You can get the book "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips. I never felt like I was dieting ~ It was simply a life style change! For cardio, sometimes I just turn on some good dance music and Pretend I am an awsome dancer in the comfort of my own home. surprizingly, Its a great little workout and nice to change things up a bit!
Good luck!

Hi R.,
I start a program by Tony Horton called P90X. You may have seen his program on TV. Well, the program is tough but the results are amazing! In only 3 weeks I can already see ab muscles and definition in my arms not to mention body fat loss. If you have about an hour a day, 6 days a week, you can get the results you need. This is not an occational work out, it takes lots of dedication and hard work and you should already be healthy enough to keep up with the program. You can google P90X and find out information from the web site. Good Luck!
C.

Hi R.
I am confident you have been given a lot of sites.
This site is GENERIC and not affiliated to me.

Visit http://www.weightlosshalloffame.net

I did this program and in 11 days
I lost 14 lbs 9 inches and my cane.

C.

I do weight watchers and have had wonderfull results they have 2 plasn 1 is a points plan where you count every thing you eat and the other is the cor plan where you only eat whole grains and souch you should check out there web page at weightwachers.com to find a meeting that would work for you the first is free and every trainer that I have talked to said that it is a sensable diet I have lost 23 lbs with weight watchers and dont feel cheeted.

best of luck
T.

Try www.oxygenmag.net

There is a great forum of a lot of nutritionists, personal trainers, even professional Figure competitors. I have used their advce regularly on my own dietary/fitness questions.

You'll get a lot more concentrated expertise on your diet, caloric intake, etc.

Congratulations on losing 15 pounds! It's great you are doing strength training and you should keep that up. I am sure someone told you muscle weighs more so expect about 1 pound of wieght gaina month for muscle gain. Also, sounds to me you need to look at burning more calories. You should NOT reduce your caloric intake. I belong to Lifetime fitness and do spin classes. It's one of the few exercises that gets your heart rate up and that's what you need. It's excellent for your overall well-being. Caroline P. is right on about the cardio.

You did not mention what weight you are at and how tall you are. Sometimes women are at their best healthy weight but think they need to be skinny. Make sure your goal is correct and doable. I would break it up into segments as well. Try doing at least 3 hours of cardio plus what you are doing now (a week). Get a heart rate monitor if you do spin and a MAP test.

PS healthy and long term weight loss = one pound per week. Sounds like you are on target. That means the other 35 will take another 9 months.

Hello!

Similar to Julie I thought that 1200 cal may be too low for you. 1200 cal is not a lot to start with, if you add to that a rigorous excercise program, you may not get enough fuel for your body to want to let go of anything.
I just googled for "daily caloric intake" and got a few sites with calculators. One of the calculators put me at almost 1400 calories if I wanted to loose weight without excercise...
With guidance from your doctor or maybe a referral to a nutritionist, you might want to try to increase your calorie intake (with good choices) while maintaining your excercise program.
Good luck to you!
You have already shown a huge amount of commitment! You can get where you want to be!

D.

The one program that really worked quickly for me was Atkins. I know it's controversial, but if you're looking for quick results you will get them. There are a lot of misconceptions about this diet out there. NO, I did not eat bacon dipped in mayonnaise followed by a triple-cheese burger :-) What I did eat was turkey and avocado in romaine lettuce leaves, a lot of berries and salads. I really like the lettuce sandwiches (just hold the bread.) The one concern I had with the list of foods you're eating is fruit as it is composed of a lot of sugar. It could be the reason for the slow weight loss. How much fruit are you eating a day? What kinds? Atkins allows berries as they are healthier than other fruits. Also, superfoods are great to add to your diet....i.e. blueberries, almonds...

Hope this helps!

First off water has no calories so that did not increase your caloric intake. You need to eat more! I know this sounds counterintuative but your body is in starvation mode and with all the exercise it is holding on to everything you take in because it doesn't know when it is getting more food. There are many food programs out there that will teach you the proper way to eat. I like weight watchers core program that has all those foods you listed on it and you don't have to be hungry. You should consult a nutrition specialist (this is not your trainer no matter what they tell you!) so that you can increase your calories and get your body out of starvation mode. The most important thing to remember is you need to eat enough to fuel your body but not more than you are outputting everyday. Good luck! M. B.