Why can't she lose weight?

Question

My Mother-in-law has been on a diet and exercise program for over a month and hasn't lost a single pound or inch! She goes to the gym for 45 minutes a day, 5 days per week. She eats only low-fat, low-cal. stuff, and has cut out carbs. What could be the reason for this? Her Dr. was a jerk to her when she asked him. He said she just wasn't trying hard enough., but noone works harder than she does!

Answer 1

I bet you if you look under her bed you'll find a can opener, and some food.

Answer 2

You say she eats only low-cal, low-fat foods. Americans gained more weight after the introduction of low fat foods. Are you sure she is not taking in more calories because she thinks she can overeat low-cal, low-fat foods? (For example, my mom once told me she was on a diet so was only having a can of soup for lunch. The portion size on the can was 2 servings per can, but she was eating the whole can and the calories for the whole can were 500. I told her she could have had a sandwich for less calories than that and have been more full. She thought she was doing it right because soup was liquid and she was hungry after, so she must be eating fewer calories.)

Also, low-fat foods are very HIGH in carbohydrates. They add starches and sugars to improve the flavor after they remove the fat - look into that possibility also if she is trying to keep low carb.

Lastly, I dropped 25 pounds in my late twenties after visiting a nutrionist who told me to eat more snacks and, it turned out, more foods during the day. It was a carb controlled diet (I am a Type I diabetic), but I ate brownies, cookies, toast with real butter, etc. What I paid strict attention to was the total intake of carbs, proteins, and fats during the day. I have been on that diet ever since and I have kept the weight off, even after 2 kids. So, if all else fails, have her go see a nutritionist. They cost about $100 for 1 session (most people need only 1 or 2 to get a good diet plan they like) and then use the diet plan for a life full of healthy food choices NOT just a weight drop.

Answer 3

Perhaps she should request some blood work from her dr, or even a different one since he is being a jerk. She could have a thyroid problem..There is also the possibility that she is not doing it right. Low fat low cal foods only work if she is eating in moderation(3000 calories of "healthy" foods is just as bad as 3000 calories of junk food) and she may be at the gym 5 days a week, but what is she doing while she is there? You can walk on a treadmill forever, but if you dont break a sweat and get your heart rate up it is time wasted. Bottom line-you have to burn more calories than you are taking in. Eat no more than 1200 calories a day, no sugar, no white processed flour products, lots of fiber...

Answer 4

some peoples bodies are different. Tell her to change up her routine every day. Start out with 20-30 min on cardio, and not the same one every day. Then go to a muscle group on the machines. One day do legs, the next do back and shoulders, the next do arms. Every day is ok to do abs, or she can do abs every other day.
One reason she might not be loosing anything is because she doesn't know what she is doing yet! If you use the machines wrong or are not fully exerting yourself on them they don't really work! Tell her to buy a couple of days with a personal trainer, and tell her to have them show her a workout she can use to loose the fat and gain muscle where she wants it.

Seriously, if you go into the gym and don't really know what you are doing it is hard to get the results you want.

Answer 5

It is possible that your m-i-l is 'cheating' on the side. But if she isn't, she may need to have her thyroid tested if it hasn't been already. Also, beware the allure of low-fat, low-calorie products. They often use high amounts of sugar to pump up the taste. If you eat low-fat stuff in abundance, you can literally get fatter off of it. Those products also lead us to believe we can eat more than we would a normal product. Portion control is an essential part of weight loss. If your m-i-l is struggling, she may also enjoy the support of WeightWatchers meetings or even the resources of their online program. At least 30 minutes of her workout should be devoted to cardio. Machines and weightlifting do not burn fat, they tone muscle. She will not see results until she is burning fat. As for her doctor, I suggest she look for another one.

Answer 6

There are different kinds of diseases that cause people to not be able to loose weight. My sister is over 200 lbs and no matter what she does she cannot loose it. She has a carb resistance. So any amount of carbs will cause her to blow up. She has to keep her intake under 30 g per meal. But you still need to eat carbs to live and be healthy.

Other people have thyroid problems. She may want to get checked out for different diseases to see if maybe that is what is causing her problems. They are usually few and rare but you never know and it's better to check and find out than to let it go for too long!

Answer 7

well some doctors can be pretty mean they all say the same thing and it either not what you want to hear or something you already know. you need some carbs there are good carbs and bad carbs but i dont recomend that atkins diet it sucks and it will kill you faster than any other diet you do need some carbs. i know this becasue i have done a tone of reasearch and i am training to be a fitness model. i know this one thing that i have that worked for me it gave me a jump start on losing my weight. it gave me all the energy i needed. and the best thing i liked about it is that it was cheap and easy to use becasue it was a patch. for more info
http://www.applepatchdiet.com/tw2380
good luck

Answer 8

Sometimes when you eat low fat or low cal foods you end up eating more because you're cravings weren't curbed so you end up consuming more calories. She should stop drinking soda (even diet- the carbonation tends to make you retain water) and replace it with only water (and lots of it) and increase the intensity of her exercise. Also, tell her to keep track of her measurements-- sometimes the scale doesn't always reflect the work that you've done because of increased muscle mass. Good luck to her-- it's very hard to lose weight but well worth it!

Answer 9

man sounds like her doctor is a jerk for sure, did he even check to see that her thyroid is working properly? theres alot of medical causes that can contribute to weight gain or just trouble losing weight , its worth looking into, if she is realy working at it as hard as you say then she should see some results already, it does take some time though for fat to really start burning and its nessisary to get ones heart rate up for at least 15 minutes a day,proper diet and just moving around like walking and whatever will not burn off fat, you HAVE to get the heart rate up.
ALSO i tried writing you back about your other answer when you emailed, it wont let me! gives me an error message and says your e-mail is not confirmed? dont know what that means lol anyhoo i have plenty to say about your situation and i MIGHT be able to help a little so if youd still like to hear from me just wright me at [e-mail] and leave me your regular e-mail, yahoo answers limits e-mails severely anyway.
-Richard

Answer 10

our bodies are not the same..plus when u get older it's harder for u to lose weight..it's a fact..i would advise ur mother-in-law to continue what she's doing..she should not give up..it's only been over a month..u should be by her side and support her..don't let her give up..tell her to continue what she's doing..by 3 months or so she'll see results..i wish the best of luck to ur mother-in-law =)

Answer 11

Cutting carbs entirely out of your diet throws your body into starvation mode. Carbohydrates are your bodies preferred form of fuel. Not only this, but when you cut carbs, you cut out fiber. The results from that not only tend to be gross, but increases risk of certian other problems.