Fat in all the wrong places
Dear Donovan,My husband is telling me that I need to lose weight, but he needs me to keep my fat in all the right places — my butt and hips, and not my belly. But whenever I diet or skip meals I lose weight all over. What can I do to maintain the kind of body my husband wants? I am 5ft 4, and 180 pounds, with most of my fat now being in my stomach. I have tried dieting before and went down to 160 at my lowest, but I lost weight everywhere and my husband was not pleased. My daily diet is usually toast and jam for breakfast, with baked beans and sausages; for lunch it’s fried chicken or curry with pasta and rice; and for dinner, it’s usually another heavy meal. Please help!
I would definitely agree that you need to lose some weight — at 5ft 4 and weighing 180 pounds, this is too much weight. However, I must tell you that an even bigger issue is that you have gained most of the weight in the stomach region. A large stomach is a big risk factor for many lifestyle diseases/disorders like diabetes, heart problems and hypertension.
The fact that you always put on weight in your stomach whenever you gain weight makes me wonder if you have diabetes running in your family. Your husband is very keen on how you look and he definitely wants you to keep your butt and hips; however, I also hope that he understands that your health is most important. I also hope that he is not only taking an interest in how you look, but he is also taking an interest in how he looks as well as his health. It is much easier for you to lose weight and keep in shape if both partners are on the same page as far as food choices and exercise are concerned. I also hope that he is not the one that is providing you with all the nice, high calorie foods and at the same time wants you to lose weight and be hot.
Again, I would definitely suggest that you try to lose between 20 to 30 pounds. However, as you have found out, weight loss is not specific as you tend to lose weight all over when you lose weight. Also, you tend to lose weight in the way that you gain it. So you tend to gain most of the weight in the stomach and you will lose weight fastest in that area when you go on a diet. However, the problem is that you will also lose weight from the choice areas, such as the hips and butt. My suggestion to you is that you will have to lose the weight, then sculpt the butt and thighs with exercise.
In order for you to lose weight, again you will have to cut your calorie intake which you have done before and got some good results. Cutting calories will allow the body to use up some of its reserved fat. However, it is important to take the opportunity to eat in a healthy way. Foods like toast, fried chicken and pasta are not necessarily the best choices. Also, eating such a heavy dinner is not good. This might also be part of the reason why your tummy is large. It would be better for you to consume more fruits, vegetables, vegetable juices, salads, soups, meal replacement shakes, whole grains, etc.
It is good to lose weight, but it is even better to be healthy. I would also suggest that you do a four to seven days detox programme. This will also help the tummy to go down and clean the bowel.
In addition, as a part of your weight loss programme, you could incorporate some exercise, preferably cardio type exercises.
What I want for you is that you develop a healthy lifestyle over time. Doing exercise will help to burn more calories, make you feel good, as well as improve your overall health. Generally, the only way to lose and keep your weight off is to adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising.
We will answer your weight-related questions
Are 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, 39 Lady Musgrave Road. Call him at 876-286-1363. E-mail questions to clarkep@jamaicaobserver.com.
