Why am I Gaining Weight Despite Diet and Exercise? │ QA
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
I have a goal of losing weight from 135 lbs. to 120 lbs. I am 17 years old and I go to LA Fitness every day. According to my calorie tracker, I eat 1,200 calories every day and burn 450. Can you please give me some healthy tips so I can lose weight faster? Because I am not seeing the changes I want to see.
– Rimsha M.
At 17 years of age, you need plenty of energy (even if you’re done growing in height). Your tracked 1,200 calories simply are NOT enough for most boys or girls of your age, who should consume at least 1,800 calories. If you are truly overweight, meaning your height is 5’1” or less, then your high level of physical activity should create enough of a deficit for weight loss. Bravo for hitting the gym for daily exercise! Nutritionally, you can make sure your calories are spread out in at least 3 meals comprised of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy and healthy plant fats. Without its snacks or desserts, the 2-week sample weight loss menu from ChooseMyPlate.gov should give you an idea of what to eat. Get plenty of water and sleep, too! Focus on the health habits you are improving, and the scale will eventually follow.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Blood sugar control isn’t easy. These are Debbie’s top recommendations for how to address weight control with Type II Diabetes.
It's easier to work hard when you’ve got a game plan. Here are some options to help keep you moving until the last second of your workout!
What are some foods that help keep the skin looking more hydrated and glowing?
It takes the entire physiological nutrition process for ingested food to affect the exterior of your body from the inside. A proper diet and good skin care should keep your dermal layers in top shape.
The first step is not surprising – stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Next, choose foods high in unsaturated fats, like nuts, avocado, and salmon. The omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon reduce inflammation and keep skin healthy and bright.1 Avocado also contains biotin which combats dry skin.1 Finally, include sources of supportive nutrients. Cantaloupe melon and sweet potato contain vitamin A which helps maintain epidermal glow.2 Turmeric spice is full of antioxidants, making it great to nourish skin and promote elasticity.2 Higher intake of vitamin C rich foods (citrus, strawberries, broccoli) is associated with less age-related dryness.3
In addition to eating your way to better skin, you can apply good nutrition directly to your derma! Topical food picks for the surface of your face include:
References:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Blood sugar control isn’t easy. These are Debbie’s top recommendations for how to address weight control with Type II Diabetes.
It's easier to work hard when you’ve got a game plan. Here are some options to help keep you moving until the last second of your workout!
While no one likes to be in pain, the slight aches are a good indication that your body is benefiting from the new workout routine. When your body adjusts to the exercise, you’ll experience less pain, but this may be a sign it’s time to switch to a new exercise routine in order to keep your muscles guessing and not getting used to doing the same movements. A shock to the system will help increase muscle awareness and help contribute to continued muscle growth.
Minor discomfort is considered normal, but if your aches and pains are preventing you from doing everyday tasks, this could be an indicator that you’ve strained a muscle too far. In that case, focus on another muscle group in order to give your sore muscles enough time to heal. A good way to help prevent muscle soreness (or at least minimize it) is to properly stretch after each workout session. Some articles on the benefits of stretching can be found here and here.
Additional ways to help the body recover from DOMS is ice, rest, pain medication, massage, heat, and of course, stretching.1 Some people may even benefit from a post-workout cooldown, which would be about 10 minutes of light cardio, followed by stretching. This works because “when muscle temperature is increased, blood flow increases, bringing fresh oxygen and healing nutrients to the injured site.”2 It’s also important that you switch up the muscle groups you’re targeting at the gym, in order to build overall muscle and avoid over trained muscles. This is where injury can occur.
What if you don’t experience soreness after a workout? Well, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not working out hard enough. Different body types handle pain and exercise differently. It could just mean that you’re one of the lucky ones not experiencing as much inflammation as others might. Another way to help decrease DOMS is staying properly hydrated.3 Drinking enough water helps prevent dehydration and assists with circulation.
Sources:
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Blood sugar control isn’t easy. These are Debbie’s top recommendations for how to address weight control with Type II Diabetes.
It's easier to work hard when you’ve got a game plan. Here are some options to help keep you moving until the last second of your workout!
I just started participating in no-meat-Mondays. What are some well-balanced vegetarian based meals I can eat (breakfast, lunch, dinner)?
What a fun step toward a healthy-for-you and better-for-the-planet diet!
Here is a month’s worth of options for your Meatless Mondays:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Choices inspired by PETA vegan recipes.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Blood sugar control isn’t easy. These are Debbie’s top recommendations for how to address weight control with Type II Diabetes.
It's easier to work hard when you’ve got a game plan. Here are some options to help keep you moving until the last second of your workout!
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on which exercises help strengthen the back.
**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Blood sugar control isn’t easy. These are Debbie’s top recommendations for how to address weight control with Type II Diabetes.
It's easier to work hard when you’ve got a game plan. Here are some options to help keep you moving until the last second of your workout!
Be the first to know about exclusive
content, deals and promotions