Hello all,
This is desperate call for help from this community regarding an issue that my wife is having. You have probably seen my first post about the great success we had using HGH and cleaning our diet. Each one of us lost 40lb, where 90% plus of the lose was body fat (subcutaneous and visceral).
Recently I've become interested in metabolism subject in general and made a terrifying conclusion - my wife (50 years old, 5'4", 136lb, ~20%BF) have damaged her metabolism throughout last 4-5 years.
Here is the time line for reference - early 2013 here weight started claiming without change in lifestyle/stress level. In few months, went from 125 to 140. She started gym visits, weight stalled for a while, then began going up again. At 150lb signed for gym classes. Another 6 months and weight went to 160lb. Got personal trainer - 165lb. Pre-menopausal symptoms went full swing. All this was recently reversed once we started eating clean and raised IFG-1 to 220-240 range.
Up until recently I did not realized she, in particular, was reducing her caloric intake (while her weight was going up) in attempt to stop or slow the gain. Once i started paying attention (secretly
) when she eat, and how much she eat, I found she does not exceeds 700-800 calories a day!!! As strange this might sound to you, it is the truth. And... she was maintaining 130lb for an year already on that (calories).
There is no doubt in my mind her metabolism is slowed down and she is in "survival" mode. As I have become concerned from my findings, we sat and discuss the topic in great details. At this point I am not concerned about physical appearance, but rather health aspects...
My plan (and she agrees with it... for now) is to gradually (per week) increase here caloric intake. Beginning this past Monday, she does five meals per day, total of 1000 calories where macros are 50/30/20). All comes from clean protein (Chechen, turkey, lean beef, srimp etc.), carbs from oats, sweet potato, brow rice etc), fats from almonds, walnuts, peanut butter. Next week will up to 1100 calories, and introduce "loading day" 1350-1400 calories. Week after that - 1200 base and 1500 loading. This, until she reaches TDEE, or slight deficit (10-15%).
After only 4 days she gained 2.5lb. I an not concerned at all, but she is! This is why I am asking for your valuable input - who than bodybuilders knows how to eat and eat right!
My question is what if any we can improve in terms of planning how to "restart" her metabolism and bring it to normal, healthy level? While weight gain, in my mind, is expected in early stages, at what point she might expect this gain to stall and start gong down (if at all)?
This is desperate call for help from this community regarding an issue that my wife is having. You have probably seen my first post about the great success we had using HGH and cleaning our diet. Each one of us lost 40lb, where 90% plus of the lose was body fat (subcutaneous and visceral).
Recently I've become interested in metabolism subject in general and made a terrifying conclusion - my wife (50 years old, 5'4", 136lb, ~20%BF) have damaged her metabolism throughout last 4-5 years.
Here is the time line for reference - early 2013 here weight started claiming without change in lifestyle/stress level. In few months, went from 125 to 140. She started gym visits, weight stalled for a while, then began going up again. At 150lb signed for gym classes. Another 6 months and weight went to 160lb. Got personal trainer - 165lb. Pre-menopausal symptoms went full swing. All this was recently reversed once we started eating clean and raised IFG-1 to 220-240 range.
Up until recently I did not realized she, in particular, was reducing her caloric intake (while her weight was going up) in attempt to stop or slow the gain. Once i started paying attention (secretly
) when she eat, and how much she eat, I found she does not exceeds 700-800 calories a day!!! As strange this might sound to you, it is the truth. And... she was maintaining 130lb for an year already on that (calories).There is no doubt in my mind her metabolism is slowed down and she is in "survival" mode. As I have become concerned from my findings, we sat and discuss the topic in great details. At this point I am not concerned about physical appearance, but rather health aspects...
My plan (and she agrees with it... for now) is to gradually (per week) increase here caloric intake. Beginning this past Monday, she does five meals per day, total of 1000 calories where macros are 50/30/20). All comes from clean protein (Chechen, turkey, lean beef, srimp etc.), carbs from oats, sweet potato, brow rice etc), fats from almonds, walnuts, peanut butter. Next week will up to 1100 calories, and introduce "loading day" 1350-1400 calories. Week after that - 1200 base and 1500 loading. This, until she reaches TDEE, or slight deficit (10-15%).
After only 4 days she gained 2.5lb. I an not concerned at all, but she is! This is why I am asking for your valuable input - who than bodybuilders knows how to eat and eat right!
My question is what if any we can improve in terms of planning how to "restart" her metabolism and bring it to normal, healthy level? While weight gain, in my mind, is expected in early stages, at what point she might expect this gain to stall and start gong down (if at all)?
