gain muscle, it increases how many calories you need in the day, so you lose weight faster
You are doing great, you just need to give it time. Keep your motivation and do not focus on losing weight. Instead, focus on being healthy and improving your overall well-being. If too much focus is placed on the numbers on your scale, you will get nowhere. Please take this advice from experience--obsessing over your weight won t do anything besides make you more depressed and stressed. You need the right mindset for reaching optimum health. That is, focus on what feels good to you. If you have eaten something unhealthy, such as pizza or chocolate cake, in excess, you feel bloated, tired, and hopeless, no?After you eat an apple or run for and hour, however, you feel empowered. Yes, that is what you will be going for. Talk to your doctor about what exactly you can do in terms of exercise that will not cause you pain or cause you to injure yourself. I suggest (with your doctor s guidance) taking a strong pain reliever for your arthritis, as this will decrease your motivation if you are in severe pain. There s a machine call the Treadmaster , it looks like this, (http://www.exercise-equipment-review.com/images/bowflex_treadclimber.jpg), that you can find at most gyms. It is a runner s workout, but a walker s pace and very low impact for your knees. Swimming also is great (you can burn up to 600 calories an hour and reduce bloating). Also, you MUST weight train in order to build muscle, which will increase you metabolism and fat-burning power.I suggest NOT dieting because this will throw off the mindset that is so important when going for optimum health. Instead, think of it as changing your lifestyle, improving your well-being. That being said, you absolutely must eat correctly. Don t obsess over calories or fat content, although do take them into consideration. There are healthy fats out there, in avocados, salmon, and almonds. These are called amino acids, and they will contribute to fat loss around your stomach area. What has worked for me is completely going cold-turkey with sugar. No sugar--and no sugar substitutes. Yes, I eat fruit, but I don t drink diet soda, chew gum (which contains sugar alcohol and causes stomach fat). My cravings were completely gone after a month of this. If you don t have a sugar problem or you can eat in moderation, you don t have to do this, but if you eat a piece of candy, and can t stop, this will work for you. If not, eat a very small piece of 70-80% cacao dark chocolate, and you will have a healthy dessert.Eat more vegetables, as these will fill you up and keep you satisfied. Also, drinking at least 8 glasses of water is vital for digestive health. Try Fiber1 cereal. Only 1/2 cup has 57% of your daily value for fiber, also very important for reducing bloating and improving digestive health. Work with a nutritionist if you have to and possibly a trainer, since you do have a drawback with your thyroid condition. Protein supplements will benefit you greatly if you are working out intensively several times a week (don t forget: you must do resistance training! And try interval training with your cardio--your heart and your belly will thank you...).Best of luck to you... and remember... we all have drawbacks, but anyone can be fit and anyone can have a great body... you just need to have the right mindset. I m a teenaged girl living in the US, surrounded by media and TV, and magazines, but my mindset keeps me focused. I feel and look great, and you will too, in time. DO NOT give up. Keep focused on your health and remember that you will get there. GOOD LUCK!
