Trouble keeping my weight down.

Question
Hi Crystal,  I recently turned 30. I'm 4'11 and about 135 lbs. I have a job in the performing arts so my image has always been an issue as well as my health.  I've always been pretty average to slightly above average weight even as a kid. There were about 3-4 years in my early twenties when I was down to about 110-115 I looked great but I know I wasn't eating enough and I was sick all the time.  Over the last 5 years I've slowly been gaining weight.  Lately, it's been really frustrating and I've been going through the "I work so hard and can't loose weight" issue.

About 3 months ago, I started a job that's a lot more active then any other job I've had;  I do a high energy children's show for about 45 minutes a day (sometimes twice a day) including dances and running all over the set, and about 1 1/2 hours of loading and unloading heaving set pieces up and down a ramp into our truck.  At first, my exercise program was a little show because the show made me so tired!  Now I've built up a lot more strength and I'm in the gym about 4-5 days a week with a combination of cardio and weight training.

My appetite has gone up a bit but I haven't changed what I eat, I just eat a little more and more often. I've been a vegetarian for about 17 years.  I try to keep my protein up with beans, legumes and dairy products and I try to eat veggies all the time.

Over the last 3 months with the job, I've actually gained about 8 pounds and it doesn't appear to be a "toned" 8 lbs.  It's been mostly in my hips, stomach and arms.  The other people in my show have actually quite or cut down their work out routines, eat a lot more and have lost weight.

I'd really like to loose about 15 - 20 lbs but I want to do it without sacrificing my health and energy.  Is it possible that this is just my age and metabolism slowing down?  Could it be something else? Is there anything you recommend.

Thank you so much!

Answer
Hi Natalie,
After reading your question a few times, there are really only a few reasons why you have gained weight over the past 3 months instead of losing weight.   First of all, you have started a weight training program 4-5x week, and that means that you are building muscle!   Kudos to you, and don't stop that!  That is also why your appetite has increased, and thus you are eating more.   I think that you are doing pretty good so far, but you did mention that the weight doesn't seem "lean" to you.   Well, that can easily be taken care of with more attention to your workout schedule and your diet.   I hope that you are lifting heavy enough weights, at least 30 minutes--45 min to 1 hour will give optimal results, but if you only have 30, then that is fine.  As far as cardio, you should be doing 40-60 minutes of medium to high intensity 5 days a week if you want to achieve weight loss.   Just doing 30 minutes a day at medium speed 4x a week will only maintain current weight and prevent weight gain.   But to go that extra mile and shed fat, you need to kick it into high gear!
Now as far as your diet, you may be a vegetarian, but that doesn't mean that you are healthy (as many people assume).    Are you consuming alot of sugars in the form of excess fruits and juices?   Sweets?   Too much fat?  Even if the fat is olive oil or walnut oil, good fat still has the same amt of calories as bad fat, so as far as weight management goes, you still have to watch the total amt of fat that you consume.   Yes, please continue to consume healthy fats, but that doesn't give someone an unlimited intake either (which is a common misperception of good fats).    You should only be eating 1 tbsp a day of good fat, so if you are cooking in olive oil and drizzling it all over your salads and veggies, it's time to drastically cut down on this.     You meals should all have a protein source, lots of veggies and some complex carbs (potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, etc).   You can eat 4-5 carb servings per day, 25-35g of carbs per serving.
This should help get you lean, and try this out for the next 4-6 weeks.   If you do not lean out, then I recommend that you get your thyroid tested to make sure you don't have hypothyroidism.   However, I don't really suspect that you do, since you never complained of any other symptoms of hypothyroidism.   I really suspect that you diet is not as clean as it can be, and you probably just aren't doing intense enough workouts (or long enough cardio sessions!)
Try this and see how it works!
You'll be amazed at how a few tweaks here and there can make some dramatic differences in your physique.  Good luck!

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