Expert: Joanne - 11/29/2008

Question
I had to go with my dad to another country for 2 months(he was doing research) and while the local food there was really good, it was also fattening. I didn't want to go back home and have my friends laugh at me for gaining weight - and we didn't have a kitchen - so I went on a crash diet(granola and soy milk for breakfast; nothing but lettuce, baked beans and canned tuna in water on wheat bread for lunch/dinner; fruits and yogurt for snacks) for about 3 or 4 weeks (with 50 minutes of exercise everyday) until I started feeling dizzy and I found out I was eating less than I should be. So I looked up my BMR and supposed calorie intake, and I've been eating healthy (with 20 minutes of exercise) during the last two weeks of my stay in that country. I recieved a LOT of compliments about my weight loss when I returned home. I continued eating healthy and exercising since last week but now, I've noticed my arms have become a bit fatter and the lower part of my tummy is definitely chubbier. I guess it's because I've increased my calorie intake and decreased exercise, but does that mean I'll continue to gain weight now that I'm eating right? Should I go back to my old ways? A friend of mine suggested I do weight training to build muscle. What do you think?

(also, I'm a bit depressed because the very people who were complimenting me about losing weight are now LAUGHING at me for gaining it back. any advice?)

Answer
Yuki

You need to try and forget what other people are thinking about you at the moment and focus on yourself!

I think that you should listen to your friend that has suggested exercise.  If you were to go back to eating your old diet, to make sure that you never gained any weight, you would have to eat like that indefinitely?  Do you WANT to do that?  You also run the risk of becoming quite underweight and therefore quite ill?  Again do you WANT that?  Its time to forget about what you think you SHOULD do in order to keep other people happy and quiet, and think about what you actually want.  Living on a severely restricted diet is not only a risk to your health physically, but has been proven to affect you mentally, meaning that you risk becoming very pre-occupied with food and weight, and risk depression.  I don't think that is any sort of life!

Weight training will help you burn calories (you don't want to burn excessive amounts of calories though!) and tone up.  I would still recommend doing your 20mins of cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times a week or so, but add in the weight training.  Anything that creates a lot of resistance, such as weights, helps you build muscle, this in turn will help you look toned and 'lean', but not skinny and sick!  After a few weeks, your arms should not be 'flabby' and you could have a tight stomach!  Just be careful - do not do any of this if you are feeling ill, or you have an injury and only lift weights that you can do so without really having to strain as you risk serious injury.  If you cut down on calories, cut down on exercise!  Basically you can cause a lot of damage if you do a lot of exercise while not fueling your body appropriately!  In fact, once you are weight training, you may even find that you need to slightly increase your calorie intake, as your basal metabolic rate should increase, meaning that you are increasing your metabolism and burning more calories.  This does not mean that you are free to eat whatever you want all the time in huge quantities, just a slight increase in calories.  Just eat things in moderation, and make sure you have enough fruit,veg and fibre in your diet!  

Lastly, do not allow people to control your weight and how you feel about it!  All that matters is that you are happy, and you are able to have a good time!  Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about eating things that you want to eat, and do not allow anyone to make you feel pressured into losing weight!

Joanne