Expert: Gerri Helms - 10/16/2009

Question
Hi Gerri,I have always  been very athletic and since being out of high school I became obsessed with working out, later, I struggled with an eating disorder for around 5 years. I still workout  a lot, harder than before and eat extremely clean diet with lots of fresh produce, whole grains, and protein, I have some how gained an extra 25lbs some how. I allow myself to eat sweets in moderation and my weight was around 125 for about years (w/o the disorder) but now I have gained an extra 25 in the past few months and cant stop gaining weight. what is going on? the last time I had my thyroid checked it was normal. I am 5'3 and at 145lbs. i have tried changing up my workout routine but my muscle definition has gone away no matter what I do

Answer
there can be many reasons why you are gaining weight. If you are exercising a lot, you could be developing muscle which weighs more than fat. If you could send me an idea of what you are eating - portions, I might be able to see something but with such little information, it is difficult to determine the cause.

You might check with a personal trainer about the weight gain too. He/she may have some suggestions about your exercise plan and/or your food plan.

Watch out for excess exercise - it is a form of bulimia also.
Sincerely,
Gerri Helms
Life and Health Coach
www.lifecoachgerri.com