I have been walking on a treadmill for an hour a day on incline at about 2.5 mph. for about a month. I have been watching my diet eating about 1500 calories a day. I have gained about 4 lbs. I am so discouraged. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Muscle = heavier than fat. You've almost certainly lost fat and gained muscle, hence the slight gain in overall weight.

If you're looking to tone up through exercise, I would favour a mirror and/or people's opinion of how you look, rather than weighing yourself as this - as you've discovered - doesn't always give the result you expect.

Hi Jillybird ,

The only things I can think off are :

1. Your calorie requirments are not being met ,do you do other sport in addition to the daily treadmill or lead a very busy life ? Maybe you have caused your body to hang on to those calories my eating too little for your frame or size .

2. Your diet is junk food based .

3. You could have an underactive thyroid , a simple blood test can tell you this .

4. The hormones in your body are going haywire ( I don't know your age )if you are at that age ,or maybe you changed contraceptive ?)

Sorry I have no answers , just some things to ponder on .
Miri

Jillybird ,

Of coursde if you are weight liftling too you might have gained muscle so check your statistics or how your clothes fit rather than the numbers on a scale !

Miri

I am in menepause and have had my thyroid checked 6 mts ago. I try and stay away from junk food. I do not indulge often. I want to start weight training but do not know where to begin. I carry 1 lb weights when I am walking, but my arms are flabby and very unattractive.

I sure hope this is not another symptom of the dreaded menepause.

Hi again Jilly ,

I hope for you not too , I am going to be soon going down that path myself !

Adding weights will be great for you as we lose muscle mass and bone density as we age we gain weight even though our calorie count may stay the same . The way to slow or stop this process is to build a muscle . Walking with hand weights won't do anything for flabby arms ,you might burn a few more calories ,nothing more . You need a routine ,the triceps are problem area and there are many simple exercises that you can do with hand weights or bands ( remember to warm up first . )
You can to press ups with the hands closer together to challenge the triceps more ( it is primarily a chest workout ) , also triceps dips using a chair .
I would get hold of a good exercise tape or magazine ,there is loads of information that can help you build a plan that will fit in with your life style .

Good luck ! Miri

I just had my progesterone and other hormones checked and the progesterone was way low. It''s a wopping -0.2 when for the week that I tested it should have been between 3.3-25.6 Last week I had it tested an my progesterone was 0.4 with in one week it went to the negative numbers. My estrogene was 3 points lower that the normal.

When I looked up the lack of progesterone side effects it said if estrogen is not balanced by progesterone, it can produce weight gain, headaches, bad temper, chronic fatigue and loss of interest in sex. I sooooo have the chronic fatigue and 22lbs of weight gain. My thyroid was fine.

I too ate between 1200-1500cal a day 1 1/2 -2 hr cardio a day plus weights and not one blasted pound has come off in 7 months. I have been given new hormones and I pray that fixes it. I'll find out in a few months. Maybe checking your hormones would help you out.