How to boost metabolism when you’re in your mid-twenties

[michaellin]

Help! I’ve tried a lot of methods to lose weight: low carb, calorie deficit, strength training, and cardio. But nothing worked.

I (F25) started focusing on my weight loss journey when I reached 75 kg. For context: my height is 5’4. I also have a regular period and don’t have any other health conditions (AFAIK) other than occasional heartburn.

Ang workout split ko naman: Monday- Quads and Glutes, Tuesday- Cardio, Chest and triceps, Wednesday- Hams and Glutes, Thursday- Cardio, Back and biceps, Friday- Cardio, and Saturday- Whole body

For my diet: 1,200-1,500 calories per day.

Four months have passed, and I still haven’t lost any weight. What should I do? I feel desperate since it’s expensive to buy new clothes because almost nothing fits me, and I’m starting to have insecurities about my body, especially my large belly.

Please, don’t bash or body shame me.

(EDIT: I just remembered. I was diagnosed late last year with a fatty liver. Not sure if isa siya sa factor kung bat nahihirapan din akong magpapayat)

 

[tony2468]

@michaellin If you're not losing weight then your calorie tracking is severely off or your technical execution might be wrong.

How do you exactly make sure that you're eating what you say you are.

If you have enough energy to do those workouts I can almost guarantee you're eating more than you think. Eating 1200 cals a day(a legitimate 1200) means you won't have energy to do anything else.

 

[michaellin]

@tony2468 I’m using myfitnesspal app to track my calorie intake. And I usually skip breakfast and eat at lunch, pre-workout and post-workout.

For my workout, I would do 4-5 exercises.

But you might also be right, I might be counting my calorie intake wrong.

 

[tony2468]

@michaellin Do you subtract your activity or calories burned?

You didn't show what a full day of eating looks like.

 

[michaellin]

@tony2468 I don’t. I’m sorry but I don’t know how to subtract my activity or the calories burned.

If I’m having breakfast, I eat rice thrice a day. If not, twice a day. Viand is usually home cooked. But for my snacks or pre-workout, I’d opt for street food such as kwek-kwek, cheese sticks, and the like.

 

[tony2468]

@michaellin Good. You're not supposed to subtract.

Still trying to see where you're possibly making a wrong step

Do you weigh your food? My fitness pal is horrible with tracking Filipino food.

This is what 1500 calories look like for some people

Breakfast
2 boiled eggs
50g kimchi

Snack
Medium banana

Lunch
80g lean meat
90g cooked rice
50-80g vegetables

Snack
Whey 25g

Intra workout
Carb powder 40g

Dinner
100g lean meat
90g cooked rice
59-80g Vegetables

 

[michaellin]

@tony2468 Yes, I also weigh my food. Thank you for the example on what a 1500 calorie looks like. I will start on the example you provided. Thank you!

 

[leonine5]

@michaellin Rice 3x a day (180g ea) 700 cals
Ulam assuming 250 cals per day 750 cals
Snacks lets say 300

Total 1750

1 egg + 2pcs of regular TJ hotdog is already 270cals. Without oil. 400 if may mantika assuming its 1tbsp

Sooooo if 400 cals mo per ulam, its 1200cals

2100 total calories

Hirap talaga bawasan kain lalo na kung 1500 per day ka.

I'd suggest just keep on doing your workouts. Hit your protein. Eventually mas tataas calorie requirement mo if youre building muscle and getting active.

Its a slow process, but if there is no way of changing lifestyle choices, this is the way.

Kung gusto mo tlga bumilis progress mo, ayan ideas how many cals you might be consuming. Based on your example, i think you can hit 1500 if u remove snacking.

 

[michaellin]

@leonine5 Thank you for this. Sa rice intake ko naman, I make sure na 100g lang kinakain ko per meal. Yung rice ko ay yung jaguar na meron ng nutrition facts sa likod.

I’ll take note sa pag keep ng workout ko and pagtaas ng protein intake ko. I noticed kasi na di ako naglolose ng weight pero yung muscles ko is nagiging visible and nagpprogressive overload din ako.

 

[jannacks]

@michaellin As a female, caloric deficit will not 100% work because female hormones are fluctuating, compared sa males na “mas steady” ang hormones. (I know this is not the best explanation or comparison, but this is the easiest way to describe things).

Hormonal response affects how metabolism works - kahit 1000 calories ka pa, the hormones in the female body will find a way to store fat and not let it go no weight changes or more difficult pag lose ng fat. Also, some females don’t respond well to long term caloric deficit. (Edit: long term caloric deficit heightens up certain hormones like cortisol makes weight and fat loss more challenging).

Some female workout trainers tend to schedule their workouts based on their cycles - if menstruating, they tend to do lighter workouts, mga ganun. You can google further on how this works.

Edit: these female workout trainers do this because they work with their hormones, instead of working against it.

There are also supplements (more on minerals like magnesium, arginine, inositol etc) that aid the body in metabolism issues, pero not one size fits all and depends on what specific issue ang iaddress.

Edit 2: fat gain in the belly usually is related to cortisol - the stress hormone. There might be other factors in your lifestyle that might be stressful, so you might need to address that as well.

 

[applei]

@jannacks omg this. when nearing periods, my hormones get out of whack and I gain weight 100% of the time.

Pero, you should also look into the body fat % among other things and not just the scale. Kasi recently I felt bad that the scale moves so slow pero bumaba na pala ng 6% body fat ko. I have a long way to go still, pero may progress pala kahit di ko outright nakikita.

 

[michaellin]

@applei Hello, may I know kung pano mo nalalaman if bumababa na body fat mo? Is it when clothes are starting to fit better na rin?

 

[applei]

@michaellin Clothes fit better, something actually moves when I flex, tapos I used inbody before then took it again after a few months.

 

[michaellin]

@applei Yung naexperience ko lang po dito is yung may muscles na nagshoshow pag nagfflex. Pero yung clothes parang mas sumisikip at yung weight ko ganon parin

 

[applei]

@michaellin i'll take that as a win! siguro calorie counting sis haha pero personally, mas gusto ko measurable, if may AF ka mag-inbody ka na lang sa branch mo. Pero, ang focus mo is yung trend (hindi yung value by itself, i think di sya ganun ka-accurate).

EDIT: Also add ko lang sa muscles na nagsshow, dati kahit anong flex ko walang gumagalaw. For the first time in my life pag nagfflex ako may gumagalaw na huhuhuh I'm just so happy

 

[michaellin]

@applei So proud of you!

 

[michaellin]

@jannacks Thank you for this explanation! I haven’t looked on my female hormones. Will research more on this and will also try to look on other factors sa lifestyle ko.

Thank you, really!

(edit: would have been helpful din kung merong female trainer here in Leyte na nagfofocus sa ganito. But I noticed na yung programs ng female trainers here are somewhat the same sa program ng male trainers)

 

[jannacks]

@michaellin Female fat and weight loss is more challenging and most weight loss studies are conducted on males, so some common principles of weight loss will need to be adjusted.

My doctor explained to me that since I have obstructive sleep apnea, I struggle in weight loss kasi I have shit sleep waaack af hormones shit metabolism and weight gain despite caloric deficit (I was doing IF) and exercise.

My sleep apnea has now been addressed, so some things are now easier for me.

 

[michaellin]

@jannacks May I ask on how you addressed your sleep apnea? And sa anong doctor po kayo nagpaconsult?

 

[jannacks]

@michaellin The main cause of my sleep apnea was anatomical - oversized tonsils + adenoids (an organ similar sa tonsils, located sa likod ng ilong), so I have them removed. ENT ako nagpa tingin.