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Post-chemo, I have had a lot of trouble losing weight. I gained 60 pounds in 6 months as a result of the lack of energy during chemo (I had to crawl up the stairs to my 3rd story apartment at the end of a work day), lots of steroids, and only finding "white" foods palatable a good chunk of the time (ie rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, toast). When you gain 10 pounds a month for 6 months straight, it throws EVERYTHING out of whack - and I already was on the larger side. It's been over a year and I haven't lost anything.
This is while maintaining at 1400 - 1600 diet (and writing down every bite in Sparkpeople - I actually probably overestimate my calories many days), taking spin class once a week (est. 1000 calories at my weight for an hour class), stationary biking for an hour the other days, and also go rock climbing or hiking when I can. I also toss around a kettlebell at night while watching tv, and do flash rounds of push ups or situps every 15 minutes. My blood counts are good, my cholesterol is perfect, and I've been told I have a "blood pressure that people would kill for" - but I still need to lose at least 100 pounds. Nothing works.
This week there have been a lot of treats in the office. A coworker gave me a packet of 3 pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate on Friday. I ate one Friday, another Sat, and a third on Sunday... and I'm up a pound today on Thursday. I didn't reduce my calories in other areas, but I also didn't change other behaviors. It just does NOT make sense!
This seems to be really common following lymphoma. So many of us struggle with weight as our hormones are all over the place, our metabolisms are out of whack, and many of us struggle with chronic fatigue (if I don't sleep at least 10 hours a night, I'm out of whack until I can get a good 14 hours in on a weekend).
I love hiking and rock climbing - but it's especially difficult when trying to do either at over 250 pounds. I move a WHOLE lot, a lot more than many of my slimmer friends, and yet it's a constant battle. Throw in PCOS for good measure, and I'm an endocrinologist's nightmare.
From what you are saying, I suspect that you are over-estimating the number of calories you are burning. You are sleeping 12 to 14 hours per day. Has your thyroid been checked just to make sure the fatigue is not just related to the lymphoma treatment?
The info on the spin classes does claim 1000 calories per hour, but I have trouble believing that. It would pretty much mean a sustained 20 mph effort for an hour with no warm up or cool down.
With regard to the PCOS, you might want to discuss metformin with your doctor.
It improves sensitivity to insulin and promotes weight loss. Metformin also improves the other symptoms of PCOS. You can get it free at Publix.
From what you are saying, I suspect that you are over-estimating the number of calories you are burning. You are sleeping 12 to 14 hours per day. Has your thyroid been checked just to make sure the fatigue is not just related to the lymphoma treatment?
The info on the spin classes does claim 1000 calories per hour, but I have trouble believing that. It would pretty much mean a sustained 20 mph effort for an hour with no warm up or cool down.
With regard to the PCOS, you might want to discuss metformin with your doctor.
It improves sensitivity to insulin and promotes weight loss. Metformin also improves the other symptoms of PCOS. You can get it free at Publix.
Also, with the exercise you are doing you may have lost body fat even though the scales do not seem to be moving.
The post lymphoma fatigue does improve for many folks. Hang in there!
Keep in mind that I am 260 pounds. The typical 120 pound woman in a spin class would burn a whole lot less, even if they are working harder. For instance, most calorie calculators say that if I'm cycling at 14 - 16 mph for an hour, I am actually burning closer to 1200 calories. I aim to average 15 MPH during spin class - but there are also a lot of standing climbs and high resistance isolation strength work going on. During my other stationary bike rides, I work for endurance rather than strength and keep a steady pace at 16 mph with low resistance.
My thyroid has been checked many times since I was a kid. In my most recent test, I was "borderline" but they will not give me medications for it since at the time, I was still on about 40 pills a day (down from the 80 I was on during chemo!) and they weren't giving me anything that wasn't absolutely necessary. I'm meeting with a new PCP tomorrow so fingers crossed. Same deal with metformin, and
I wish I could say that I was gaining muscle mass and losing fat, but in actuality, my clothes are not fitting any differently and my measurements have not changed since the first month of spin class. It makes no sense to me - it's like I'm waking up in the middle of the night, walking 4 blocks to a store, and eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's every night in my sleep. :P
No, thats not the case. I understand why you would think so but this one i know for sure. The only reason I came on here to tell this story, is because everything is not black and white. I wish people would understand that.
I don't buy it unless you are with this man 24/7, joined at the hip, and you are personally counting every calorie. Its actually more black and white than you think. There is a very, very small % of ppl who are obese due to gland issues or other medical issues....most and that's a huge most..are self induced by over eating.
I don't buy it unless you are with this man 24/7, joined at the hip, and you are personally counting every calorie. Its actually more black and white than you think. There is a very, very small % of ppl who are obese due to gland issues or other medical issues....most and that's a huge most..are self induced by over eating.
Believe what you want. Im done trying to convince people who knows nothing about my situation.
The reason they know nothing..... is because you won't tell them.
Not sure why you would expect anything different.
If you read the thread you would see that my whole point with my post was to point out that not all fat people are over eating. But too,many people refuse to understand that. My situation is different. I dont want to explain it all here. All i want is peoples views to be less ignorant. Like i said, it is not all blk and wht.
I've been reading this thread for a while now and it's driving me crazy. RickSantos has latched onto Dr. Leibel and a couple of other prominent researchers with a ferocity that is hard to be believed. Yes Rick, they are prominent names in the obesity research. But they are still not the be all and end all of the matter. For every one of their research findings you cite, I can come up with another (if not two or three) peer reviewed research articles that find a positive correlation between exercise and weight loss. Particularly when it comes to long term maintenance of weight loss. In fact, While you come back to the same argument over and over, suzy_Q and anonchick have done just that already.
Since I know I'll be accused of ignorance, I'll give my background: BA in Exercise Physiology, MS in Public Health Ed. Doesn't make me more ignorant or smarter than anyone else. But is does suggest that it is my business to look at ALL the available research on the topic.
My biggest problem with your opinion espoused here is that it makes it far too easy for the overweight or obese person to give up and think their is nothing they can do about their situation. You more accurately quoted Dr Leibel's finding in one of your last posts when referencing that he believes 15% of the morbidly obese to be associated with the "fat gene". To say that 90% of our weight is genetic and we can only control 10% of our weight is a gross over-generalization. On top of this, you say nothing of the positive correlation between exercise and reduced diabetes, hypertension, and CHD. Blood lipid profiles can be improved significantly as a result of execise. But to read your post, I'd think you'd rather tell people give up than get exercise and experience these benefits. While I've never asked him, I sincerely doubt Dr Leibel would tell someone NOT to exercise, or that it is devoid of benefit.
Dr. Leibel, along with many other researchers, also talks about the body's reaction to caloric restriction. Caloric restriction makes the body enter into a starvation mode, where muscle is metabolized before fat. This in turn leads to even lower metabolic set points, as lean body tissue is what burns calories (fat tissue literally just sits there). This is why people who rely on diet alone never experience long term success. Every diet they go on reduces their metabolic set point, so when they go off the diet (even though their caloric intake is still lower than pre-diet levels) they invariably gain the weight back. Strength based training builds muscle and can prevent this reduction in the metabolic set point and increase the likelihood of long term maintenance of weight loss.
Yes, you feel strongly about the work of a few prominent researchers, but it doesn't mean you should ignore all other research on the topic. Remember, most of his research has been on mice/rats. Most of the research others on this forum have cited have been clinical studies in human populations.
From my own experience. I am the youngest of six children. My oldest brother and I are the only extremely active and fit ones in the family. One sibling is overweight and the remaining three are obese with severe health issues. Same genetics, the only difference is the activity level. According to your argument IO should be condemned to a life on the far side of 200lbs and not have a prayer of weighing my current 167. Yes, I made it to 205 several years ago WHEN I STOPPED BEING ACTIVE for a few years, but I successfully lost that weight more through exercise than diet and have maintained it for years. My body's current metabolic set point is around 165-170. I maintain that weight without any conscious caloric restriction. I train several clients who are similar in that regard. Some who have lost over 100lbs. One lady has lost over 200lbs.
Your attitude makes it easy for people to give up. My attitude give people hope and has led to successful weight loss.
If you read the thread you would see that my whole point with my post was to point out that not all fat people are over eating. But too,many people refuse to understand that. My situation is different. I dont want to explain it all here. All i want is peoples views to be less ignorant. Like i said, it is not all blk and wht.
Fair enough. For the record, I DO agree with you. Just from my own metabolism changing dramatically in my 45 years.
But despite metabolism changes, hormone changes, and prescription meds that cause weight gain, it still comes down to eat less, and move more.
I've been reading this thread for a while now and it's driving me crazy. RickSantos has latched onto Dr. Leibel and a couple of other prominent researchers with a ferocity that is hard to be believed. Yes Rick, they are prominent names in the obesity research. But they are still not the be all and end all of the matter. For every one of their research findings you cite, I can come up with another (if not two or three) peer reviewed research articles that find a positive correlation between exercise and weight loss. Particularly when it comes to long term maintenance of weight loss. In fact, While you come back to the same argument over and over, suzy_Q and anonchick have done just that already.
Since I know I'll be accused of ignorance, I'll give my background: BA in Exercise Physiology, MS in Public Health Ed. Doesn't make me more ignorant or smarter than anyone else. But is does suggest that it is my business to look at ALL the available research on the topic.
My biggest problem with your opinion espoused here is that it makes it far too easy for the overweight or obese person to give up and think their is nothing they can do about their situation. You more accurately quoted Dr Leibel's finding in one of your last posts when referencing that he believes 15% of the morbidly obese to be associated with the "fat gene". To say that 90% of our weight is genetic and we can only control 10% of our weight is a gross over-generalization. On top of this, you say nothing of the positive correlation between exercise and reduced diabetes, hypertension, and CHD. Blood lipid profiles can be improved significantly as a result of execise. But to read your post, I'd think you'd rather tell people give up than get exercise and experience these benefits. While I've never asked him, I sincerely doubt Dr Leibel would tell someone NOT to exercise, or that it is devoid of benefit.
Dr. Leibel, along with many other researchers, also talks about the body's reaction to caloric restriction. Caloric restriction makes the body enter into a starvation mode, where muscle is metabolized before fat. This in turn leads to even lower metabolic set points, as lean body tissue is what burns calories (fat tissue literally just sits there). This is why people who rely on diet alone never experience long term success. Every diet they go on reduces their metabolic set point, so when they go off the diet (even though their caloric intake is still lower than pre-diet levels) they invariably gain the weight back. Strength based training builds muscle and can prevent this reduction in the metabolic set point and increase the likelihood of long term maintenance of weight loss.
Yes, you feel strongly about the work of a few prominent researchers, but it doesn't mean you should ignore all other research on the topic. Remember, most of his research has been on mice/rats. Most of the research others on this forum have cited have been clinical studies in human populations.
From my own experience. I am the youngest of six children. My oldest brother and I are the only extremely active and fit ones in the family. One sibling is overweight and the remaining three are obese with severe health issues. Same genetics, the only difference is the activity level. According to your argument IO should be condemned to a life on the far side of 200lbs and not have a prayer of weighing my current 167. Yes, I made it to 205 several years ago WHEN I STOPPED BEING ACTIVE for a few years, but I successfully lost that weight more through exercise than diet and have maintained it for years. My body's current metabolic set point is around 165-170. I maintain that weight without any conscious caloric restriction. I train several clients who are similar in that regard. Some who have lost over 100lbs. One lady has lost over 200lbs.
Your attitude makes it easy for people to give up. My attitude give people hope and has led to successful weight loss.
THE STUDIES I CITE ( as well as Dr; LInda bacon) ON EXERCISE ARE RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS SHOWING IT TO BE NEXT TO WORTHLESS FOR WEIGHT LOSS.
They are NOT correlation. HUGE DIFFERENCE.
Personal trainers ahve NO BUSINESS commenting on obesity. They are full of DOGMA discredited by Dr, Dougklas COleman
MY reseacrhers are PIONEERS who EDUCATE OTHER SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS.
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