Dear Pamela – 

 

I can hardly stand to write this, but yesterday my doctor told me I have “Normal Weight Obesity”.

I am 55 years old, 3 years post-menopausal, and I have spent the last two years exercising six days a week and tracking every calorie. 

I am now the same weight I was when I graduated high school.  How could I be obese?

I walked out in a fog, sat in my car, and cried.  Even worse, my Dexa scan shows I have borderline osteopenia.

My weight is 137

My body fat is 31%

I seriously do not know what to do. I can’t workout any more or eat any less.  I am already low-grade hangry most afternoons.  

 

Sincerely, 

Skinny-Fat and Frustrated

 

Dear Frustrated,

 

First, respect. 

You didn’t Hulk an examination stool out the window of the doc’s examination room or set a waiting room ficus tree on fire, both of which would have better reflected your inner-angst. Impressive control.

Your New Goal: Bones and Muscle

This is your “check yourself before you wreck yourself” moment (Thanks, Ice Cube). 

It is time to take care of things before you become the size 2 chick with chalk-dust bones, stringy muscles, and is one fall away from a nursing home.

We want a peek under our lycra to reveal steel-reinforced beams of a skeleton and living, breathing, pumping muscle that can full-sprint up the side of a mountain or a complete a trip to Costco with a really full cart.

Over-Restricting Costs Lean Tissue

Let’s address what is really confusing and unfair.  In a calorie deficit, we lose some combination of fat and lean tissue (bone and muscle).

Picture your metabolism being run by a frazzled forewoman in a messy bun.  

“You want me to do a HIIT class, run around all day…and use your brain? Have you seen the hormones I’m dealing with?!  Where is the fooooood!!”

To make it happen, she will: break down healthy muscle and bone to make repairs, crank metabolism into low gear, stockpile some fat. Clearly there is a battle and famine out there. She will be ready.

Do you feel extra frustrated and confused now? Sorry. Understand that your body is made of greedy cells seeking homeostasis.

Fortunately you are a Goddess of Fortitude with a proven record of hard lifestyle changes, you can course correct.

Take a Muscle-Centric Approach

#1:  Do 2-4 workouts per week that work your muscles HARD. 

Use weights that cause fatigue after 8-10 reps without losing form and hit all of your biggest, baddest muscles. Muscles will get bigger, burning fat to make it happen.

#2:  Eat some protein + whole-food carbohydrate before and after the workout.

With energy in our blood, we use fat for fuel in the workout and perform at a higher level. 

Protein after tells the frazzled foreman, slow down and get to repairing the damage.

#3. Stomp out HANGER.

When you feel a vision-blurring level of hunger, think, “My muscles are screaming. If I don’t feed them, they are going to eat each other.”   Answer the call with protein-forward, unprocessed foods.  

What About the Fat?

If you focus on the muscle, the fat will take care of itself.

Your body is the ultimate feedback mechanism.  Focus on the above list and watch what happens. You have nothing to lose and lean tissue to gain. 

 

Wishing you strength and gains,

Coach Pamela