my muffintop :(

[EmGee]

Im almost 45 now. I work out regularly, eat fairly clean, do yoga a couple of times a week and smoked. Yup, for almost 25 years I was a smoker. So I finally smartened up and decided to quit. Its been 2 weeks and I've gained 5 pounds and now have a muffintop. Im still working out but ya, I have been eating more. I swear ALL of that 5 pounds ended up around my middle. This is soooooooooooooo frustrating. Im terrified of gaining back the weight I lost last year and do not want to have to dig out my fat clothes again lol and I do not want to smoke.
Id love to do more personal training but I cant afford to.
Any suggestions on what I can do to trim this extra weight? Im guessing I need to start doing something different at the gym?

Based on your other pics, I really doubt that 5lbs has given you a muffin top. So if you are eating more, just start smoking again. jk...

Just up your cardio to one additional session per week. Or do HIIT style cardio to increase fat burning. Perhaps adjust your diet a little to add more fat to help feel more satiated so that you aren't hungry as often? Watch those comfort foods. They are generally carb laden and not good carbs either.

Good luck to ya.

[LiftsW8]

Hi, EmGee,

You say your diet is pretty clean, but I'm wondering what your sugar intake is. I am about 56 and was plagued with a "muffin top" for about two years or so, and when I recently cut sweets from my diet, I lost an entire pants size and dropped an amazing amount of that muffin top in 6 weeks. By sweets, I mean I totally gave up cake, candies, cookies, pies, muffins, frozen yogurt and ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped topping, etc.

I got the sugar my body needed from fruit and occasionally some sweetened ice tea.

Give it a try; you may find you don't miss all that stuff (if you are, in fact, eating it now), and you may be so happy with the results that you won't want to go back to eating all the non-natural sugar.

Cig replacement with food ? Be aware that yr eating more and cut back or pay that price of the middle spare tyre

[EmGee]

Originally Posted by LiftsW8

Hi, EmGee,

You say your diet is pretty clean, but I'm wondering what your sugar intake is. I am about 56 and was plagued with a "muffin top" for about two years or so, and when I recently cut sweets from my diet, I lost an entire pants size and dropped an amazing amount of that muffin top in 6 weeks. By sweets, I mean I totally gave up cake, candies, cookies, pies, muffins, frozen yogurt and ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped topping, etc.

I got the sugar my body needed from fruit and occasionally some sweetened ice tea.

Give it a try; you may find you don't miss all that stuff (if you are, in fact, eating it now), and you may be so happy with the results that you won't want to go back to eating all the non-natural sugar.

Yes I must admit Ive been a bit of a sugar addict the past couple of months actually. My hormones are all over the place which isnt helping. But Im really working on changing that because Im pretty sure that's what's caused my weight gain. I get wicked sugar cravings after dinner and was caving into those craves (even before I quit smoking). Now rather than go to the gym right after work, come home and eat, Im eating first, then going to the gym, so by the time I get home Im not really hungry and if i do want that sweetness I have a yogurt.

And yup, Ive changed up my routine, again, and Im going to try HIIT cardio. Gotta kick things up a notch. and with the nice weather I'll be dusting off the mountain bike soon too.

[LINDA]

I'll throw in my 2 cents here. If you are like me and and find that those sugar and sweets cravings are secretly taking over your food intake, be sure if nothing else that you get adequate high quality protein in your diet before worrying about any other nutrient (fish, eggs, meat- red and white).

Adequate does not mean "high" amounts. .5 minimum to 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight should be adequate and more might make you feel even better. Meat is so important for women, especially when hormones go awry because we need the iron (heme) in our diet.

If you can't manage your sweets, then get your protein in order everyday then try to battle the other stuff.

[pikeman]

My suggestion is to begin using a StairMaster. It's the most awful thing I do. I HATE it! But it's also the most effective thing I've ever done. Your muffin will go bye-bye.
I could hardly do 3 minutes at first but stuck with it. I'm up to 20min at L16 now on a 4600PT. There are imitations of this machine, but I think the original is the best. IMO the 4200PT is the "pick of the litter".