My wife can't lose fat: result of Miscarriage?

[jakkejakkejakke]

Hi all,

My wife has a fat losing problem.
Past year she adjusted her week plan to more powerlifting and cardio oriented since we read a lot about the benefits of lifting and eating protein rich food for fat-loss.
But this hasn't resulted in any fat-loss whatsoever.

But Sally can't seem to lose her belly/hip-fat, whatever sport or diet she's doing.
We tried Paleo, Crossfit, lifting, no sugars, ... for periods of 3 months each. Without any result.
This all began after her miscarriage + surgery to her ovaries 4 years ago.

Let me give you some background:

Body:
Sally
Female
28 years old
155cm height (5 feet 1 inches)
54kg (124 pounds)
Brown hair
Small feet

Relevant history:
Had an eating disorder when she was 20-22 which damaged her intestines during that time
Is gluten intolerant (she can eat gluten but when overdoing she feels really constipated)
Had surgery to her uterus/oviduct after a miscarriage resulting in increase in menstruation problems (more headaches, more cramps, ...). This could have messed up her hormones?

Current lifestyle (for past 1,5 year):
wakes up at around 6:30am
Go's to work by bicycle (10-20min ride)
Office job for 8 hours a day
Smokes quit smoking and starting vaping with nicotine)
Goes to bed at around 22:30-23:30
Enjoys reading Harry Potter books (like the whole series each year!)

Food-Drinks 2 years:
Breakfast: yoghurt, blueberries, nuts (cashew, hazelnuts, Brazilian, ..)
Lunch:
Salad = cucumber, paprika, spinach, cherry tomatoes, beans/chickpeas/rice/..., sausage/ham/salmon/Mozzarella/...
Leftover from diner day before (see below)
Snack:
smoothie = avocado, spinach, banana, ...
Banana pancakes
Diner = Paleo
Chicken, pork, beef, salmon, ...
Lot's of veggies (paprika, tomatoes, zucchini, egg plant, ...)
Rice/potatoes/ or no carbs
1 plate of 500-600gram


Exercise 6 months:
Monday-Wednesday-Friday = Powerlifting
Tuesday-Thursday = Running
Saturday/Sunday = Crossfit or Swimming

Results after 2 years of mixture of crossfit, lifting, running, cycling, swimming, ...
She gains muscles (as her weights during Powerlifting increase)
She gains overall fitness (her WOD times decrease)
Her weight (54kg) is an all time high (probably due to muscle increase)
She doesn't lose fat (+- 22-25% body fat)


Goal:
Be happy
Working out
Eat healthy
Lose body fat
Increase strength (she loves the looks of Crossfit athlete Lauren Fisher)


Thank you for your feedback and sorry for the long post

[jakkejakkejakke]

Hi all,

My wife has a fat losing problem.
Past year she adjusted her week plan to more powerlifting and cardio oriented since we read a lot about the benefits of lifting and eating protein rich food for fat-loss.
But this hasn't resulted in any fat-loss whatsoever.

But Sally can't seem to lose her belly/hip-fat, whatever sport or diet she's doing.
We tried Paleo, Crossfit, lifting, no sugars, ... for periods of 3 months each. Without any result.
This all began after her miscarriage + surgery to her ovaries 4 years ago.

Let me give you some background:

Body:
Sally
Female
28 years old
155cm height (5 feet 1 inches)
54kg (124 pounds)
Brown hair
Small feet

Relevant history:
Had an eating disorder when she was 20-22 which damaged her intestines during that time
Is gluten intolerant (she can eat gluten but when overdoing she feels really constipated)
Had surgery to her uterus/oviduct after a miscarriage resulting in increase in menstruation problems (more headaches, more cramps, ...). This could have messed up her hormones?

Current lifestyle (for past 1,5 year):
wakes up at around 6:30am
Go's to work by bicycle (10-20min ride)
Office job for 8 hours a day
Smokes quit smoking and starting vaping with nicotine)
Goes to bed at around 22:30-23:30
Enjoys reading Harry Potter books (like the whole series each year!)

Food-Drinks 2 years:
Breakfast: yoghurt, blueberries, nuts (cashew, hazelnuts, Brazilian, ..)
Lunch:
Salad = cucumber, paprika, spinach, cherry tomatoes, beans/chickpeas/rice/..., sausage/ham/salmon/Mozzarella/...
Leftover from diner day before (see below)
Snack:
smoothie = avocado, spinach, banana, ...
Banana pancakes
Diner = Paleo
Chicken, pork, beef, salmon, ...
Lot's of veggies (paprika, tomatoes, zucchini, egg plant, ...)
Rice/potatoes/ or no carbs
1 plate of 500-600gram


Exercise 6 months:
Monday-Wednesday-Friday = Powerlifting
Tuesday-Thursday = Running
Saturday/Sunday = Crossfit or Swimming

Results after 2 years of mixture of crossfit, lifting, running, cycling, swimming, ...
She gains muscles (as her weights during Powerlifting increase)
She gains overall fitness (her WOD times decrease)
Her weight (54kg) is an all time high (probably due to muscle increase)
She doesn't lose fat (+- 22-25% body fat)


Goal:
Be happy
Working out
Eat healthy
Lose body fat
Increase strength (she loves the looks of Crossfit athlete Lauren Fisher)


Thank you for your feedback and sorry for the long post

[Partyrocking]

Too many calories.

[M16X]

She is either not in a caloric deficit or you need to contact medical professionals IMHO.
Good luck.

[kitpapa]

For fat loss the main issue is calories in vs calories out
You do not mention this at all.

She has to take in less calories than she burns. It will require weighing and measuring food and tracking intake of every thing that goes in her mouth.

That being said, she's not hugely overweight by any means however if she would like to lose weight than the above is what it will take
Read the stickies in nutrition section on calories and macros

[bayrider]

She is eating to much. Increases in performance, weight lifted is increasing, gaining weight and fat not coming off points to eating too much. Excluding some early newbie gains when in a calorie deficit fat will be reduced and the ability to lift more will not increase.
Looking at the stated diet without knowing quantity not much can be understood but there are some hints. Salads can be loaded with calories with those listed items and nuts while healthy are also calorie dense.

[doctoremma]

She is eating to much

Seconded.

And repeat.

She is eating too much.

I am approximately the same size (a bit taller, a bit lighter) and an avocado, a handful of nuts, a banana, some mozzarella - these would take a significant chunk of my calorie allowance, let alone including the rest of it.

And perhaps it's just me but is there any reason why you are posting for your wife, using the pronoun "we"? That starts some alarm bells for me.

[megdaig]

You mention a lot of stuff but not once did you mention how many calories she is eating.

You think you know how much she is eating...when you are around her...but may not know of all the extra snacks or bites she may have at work.