No weight loss, no inch loss!

[SuziQ9977]

Up until Christmas 2010 I didn't do any excercise so I decided 2011 was the year to get back in shape after my 3rd child (now 2.5).   I don't have a lot of weight to lose I'm 9st 12lb (5ft 4ins) and would like to get back to my pre-baby weight of 9st.  I go to the gym 4-6 times a week doing circuits, kettlercise, cardio and weights, but I haven't lost an ounce of weight or any inches and I don't understand why.  I don't drink alcohol or smoke and I eat a healthly diet and drink plenty of water.  I do feel fitter, but in the four months I've been doing this I haven't seen any results.  In 2007 I used to work out 3-4 times a week doing cardio and swimming and although I didn't lose weight I lost a dress sizes and I wasn't even trying!  I know that I may not lose weight exercising (muscle weighs more than fat and all that), but I had hoped my shape would change.  I have suffered with PCOS and I wondered if this may be the problem.  Any advice would be really appreciated as I'm so frustrated with it all.

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

Intensify your cardio by doing it for 1 hour every day. Try running, jogging, swimming, treadmill, elliptical, skipping and you will lose weight. You have to remember that you have to fix your input. Plan and prepare a diet chart for around 1800 calories / day with the help of a dietician.

If you follow this plan for a period of 3-6 months rigorously you will see changes.

It is good to know that you eat healthy but still take the help of a nutritionist or a dietician. Get your blood sugar tested regularly as with PCOS there is always a reason to worry about Diabetes. Talk with your gynecologist and take your medications and hormones if required.

Take care!

[gymdandee]

You have to go back to school and learn about weights and measures!!

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Like a lot of people, you might think that muscle weighs more than fat.
“When I hear this statement, I always think of the old riddle: Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks?” says Laura Stusek, MS, fitness coordinator for Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. “A pound is a pound!”
P.S. DON'T CALL ME DUDE! IT'S GYMDANDEE!

[CuteNsweeT]

Dude, stop telling everyone that muscle doesn't weigh more than fat -- it does. It's referred to by size, i.e. a cubic inch of fat vs a cubic inch of muscle. The muscle is heavier.  It's like giving you two bags the same size and filling one with bricks and one with cotton candy and asking you which weighs more? Of course you don't answer with "well, they both weigh the same. A pound of each is a pound of each" No, you automatically say the bricks. It's common sense. It's not a riddle. And it will discourage people if you tell them fat weighs the same as muscle, so stop doing it please.

@SuziQ9977: Yes, weight loss with PCOS is notoriously harder. All the advice given above by gymandee should help though, and if not, talk to your GP about it.

[gymdandee]

losing weight when you have PCOS can be difficult!
A few medications are used specifically to promote weight loss in women with PCOS
Eat a high-fiber, low-sugar diet. Load up on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and avoid processed and fatty foods to keep your blood sugar levels in check. If you’re having trouble eating healthy on your own, talk to your doctor or a dietitian.
Eat four to six small meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals. This will help control your blood sugar levels.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day on most, if not all, days of the week.
Work with your doctor to track your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
"muscle weighs more than fat" NO IT DOESN'T!!
A POUND OF STEEL WEIGHS THE SAME AS A POUND OF FEATHERS
AND A POUND OF FAT WEIGHS THE SAME AS A POUND OF MUSCLE!!!!