Overweight and depressed
Dear Donovan,
I have been trying to lose weight by walking with sprints of jogging and mixing it with squats and crunches. I have a low-caloric intake of food, but nothing is working. I feel like I am still gaining weight. I am 13 weeks post-C-section and totally depressed about my weight and nothing is changing. Please point me in the right direction.
— Overweight and depressed.
I am concerned that you are not losing any weight post-pregnancy and that you are also feeling depressed. I must tell you that it is quite common for many women to feel depressed after giving birth.
With your routine exercise and reduction of calories, you should have been losing weight. However, I wish you had given me some more information on what exactly you are eating on your low-calorie diet. In addition, I would have also liked to know if you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should help to get your weight down. This is one of the benefits of breastfeeding.
If you are up for it, you could also try two days (not consecutive) of weight loss activities. During this time, you can reduce your caloric intake much lower, and note what happens with your weight. For example, you could do two days where you just have fruits, vegetables, and vegetable juices. In addition, you could also do more cardio exercises. If there is still no change in weight, then it is possible that other factors are at play.
As far as weight loss is concerned, I would suggest that you do a thyroid test to find out if your thyroid gland is functioning properly. If the thyroid gland is not functioning properly this could affect your weight loss. In addition, the fact that you are in a depressed state could also affect your weight loss results. But clearly if you have cut your calories and you are exercising and still not getting any results, then it is time to get checked out by a doctor. There might be other underlying problems which might be affecting your weight loss programme.
Good luck.
We will answer your weight-related questionsAre you struggling to lose weight or just need some advice on living a healthier life? Tell us about your health issues and we’ll have nutritionist and wellness coach Donovan Grant answer them for you. Grant has over 12 years’ experience in the fitness industry and is the owner of DG’s Nutrition and Wellness Centre, Suite 16, 39 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5. Send your questions to clarkep@ jamaicaobserver.com.
We will answer your weight-related questions
