So what am I doing wrong? Help and advice required please

[gilmoregirl]

So, I have always been fairly fit but now that I have hit 40 I felt I should step it up a notch. My current weekly exercise routine is: cycle to and from work (fairly hilly c 4 k round trip), run c10-20k per week (2x5k and a 10k), plus two 45 minute swims (15 mins breast stroke, 15 mins front crawl, 15 mins breaststroke).

So was feeling quite good about self then made mistake of a) stepping on scales and b) going clothes shopping :(

I am 175 cm (5'9") and usually weigh around 70 kg (11st 2) and am a generous size 12, however over last few months have managed to gain a whole stone!!!! And trying on clothes was not fun - my body does not look like I exercise at all.

What is going on? Do. I need to vary what. I do a bit more? I eat a fairly healthy diet but do like my wine (which I suspect may be the issue)

Any tips or advice much appreciated. I just want to be fit and healthy and to feel confident.

[Mellowdramatically]

Wow that sounds like a great exercise regime and I don't feel worthy to comment but fwiw...!

I put on a stone over a year, having hit 40. Having been a sceptic of "faddy diets" for years I tried low carb in desperation and it worked a treat. I started exercising having gone low carb, others would have advice about going low carb with the amount of exercise you already do.

But one tip - drink red wine not white - less calories carbs and better for you (and you don't tend to drink as much!)

[gilmoregirl]

Thanks mellow :) I am not keen on dieting either. I thought that it would be healthier to eat well and exercise but some how have ended up over weight so probably do need to diet as need to lose that stone!

Am considering low carb and cutting right back on wine. I drink v dry white and occasionally red but think need to try a dry month.... I did reads that anti histamines can make you gain weight but fear that may be me grasping at straws... Just don't get how I am now over weight :(

[LordEmsworth]

What do you mean by "eating well" though? Weight loss/gain is 80% about diet so you'd have to exercise a lot to overcome "eating well" in the sense of eating loads!

Have you got some intervals / hill sessions / speedwork in your running plan? They all boost your metabolism more than a long steady run does (so your body burns more calories, for longer). Could you swap a 5k for some speed/interval type training?

[gilmoregirl]

By eating well I mean eating a mainly healthy diet with lots of fruit and veg..... typical day:
Breakfast 2 x wholemeal toast with peanut butter, cup of tea with semi milk.
snack: nectarine
lunch: two hard boiled eggs, tomato, ryvita, greek yogurt and raspberries
snack: malt loaf
dinner: veg curry (carrots, onions peppers, spinach and chickpeas) with basmati rice.

I do some hills in my runs - sometimes do sprints so will try to do more of those.
Am going to give up the wine for a couple of weeks and see if that makes a difference.........

[nilbyname]

Your body gets use to things quickly so of you are always doing the same stuff your body needs to change things up.

HIIT training is the way to go.

[strongandlong]

Agree with nilby that your body has probably adapted to the exercise you're doing, so it uses less energy to do those things that it used to.

I'd recommend adding in strength training. Women lose muscle with age, and that reduces your calorie requirement. Strength training can halt (and hopefully reverse) that muscle loss, and so keep your calorie requirement nice and high. Otherwise you'll need to eat less and less (and or do more and more cardio) over time to avoid gaining fat.

[dizzyday07]

Not that I'm any expert but if you are doing that much training you are not eating enough and your diet seems very low in protein! You may well be building muscle (which is heavier than fat)

[notyummy]

You definitely need to be strength training- much better for boosting metabolism in long turn. Try swapping some of that cardio for circuits style training and really push yourself- mixture of plyo metrics and strength. If you are not a gym member then Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper do great (tough) DVDs. And swimming is probably the cardio that is hardest to use for weight control as it has been proven to make you feel afterwards whereas other forms of cardio suppress appetite.

[gilmoregirl]

Thank you all. I do occasionally do weights at gym and have the 30 shred DVD so will get on to that. Agree re weight training. Definitely need to build muscle as want to keep metabolism as high as poss or will be living off two lettuce leaves a day!