Well, I’ve been overweight since childhood. I used to be 65 kg, but in due course of time I managed to cut down to 54 kg for a height of 5 ft. I do loads of cardio — 1 hour of walking followed by 2V2 hours of jogging, then weight training, then 1 hour of walk in the evening. I eat very little — loads of fruit in the morning for breakfast, a light dinner including lots of veggies. Still I’m unable to shed the last extra pounds which are really stubborn. Now when I get back to normal eating or stop exercising for 10 days I put on drastically. Why are my upper thighs so bulky and awful? I do lots of running, still why don’t I get muscle tone? Kindly guide as to where I’m going wrong.

AIf your numbers are correct it would seem like you are exercising for nearly 5 hours every day — and eating too little! Overtraining can also result in mental and physical burn-out. which is why you stop exercising completely for prolonged periods. The other very real danger you’re courting is injury, given the orthopaedic stress you are subjecting your body to.
A gruelling exercise regimen coupled with an overly stringent diet plan is impractical, as it is hard to maintain. The resulting weight gain on cessation of exercise and resumption of ‘normal’ eating habits is your body’s way of rebelling. iorn extra pounds can be shed without punishing yourself. A weight loss of a pound a week is advisable, by creating a calorie deficit of 500 every day. This deficit can be created through a combination of diet and exercise.
Work out for no more than 1 to 1Vfe hours daily, focussing on all the different components of fitness, viz cardiovascular, strength and flexibility. Increase the intensity rather than the duration of your workout. In other words, do a mile in 10 minutes rather than 12 or 13 when you jog; do a speedwalk instead of brisk walking; lift weights to failure, i.e. higher weights with fewer reps. This will also give you the muscle tone you desire, while shaving off the fat. Intersperse weightlifting with short (45-second) sprints to blast calories.
Cross train (jog. swim, bicycle) to avoid injury and protect your joints. Eat wisely — about five to six 300-400 calorie meals that are protein rich (beans, lean meat, lowfat milk, eggs) but also feature complex carbs and fibre (wholegrains, fruit and veggies).
Finally, don’t lose hope. Stay focussed and don’t forget your achievements — remember, you dropped 11 kg! That shows you have what it takes — the determination and discipline to achieve your fitness goals.

After the THR operation, the doctor advised me not to take up heavy work, running, etc. and so my weight has increased from 58 kg to 85 kg. And my waistline has gone up from 28″ to 36″. Doctor advised me to reduce weight to avoid wear and tear between the ball and socket.
Your overweight appears to be due to steroid intake, hence it will be difficult to shed it as long as you’re taking the medication. Exercise alone will not help. What’s more, strenuous activities will loosen the hip replacement, and in the event of a revision, it can be done only once. I feel you should see a dietician and a physician to counteract the effects of steroids with anti drugs. In any case, once you stop using the drugs the weight will go down gradually. Make the following changes in your diet:
1. Have 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning.
2. Have pulses or a cup of curd (prepared from skimmed milk) at breakfast.
3. You must have a snack at 11,00 a.m. may be a fruit.
4. Have 2 glasses of buttermilk before your lunch.
5. Instead of rice, have bread, which are easier to keep track of.
6. Do not have fried fish on a daily basis.
7. Avoid coconut in all your curries including fish curry. Have a mid evening snack like greeen salad or orange juice.
8. Start dinner with a large bowl of thick soup filled with veggies, a little chicken/fish and rice/ noodles.
9. Restrict the intake of potatoes and tubers such as sweet potatoes and yam.
10. Make sure you have 10-12 glasses of water in a day.
11. Continue with your cardiovascular exercise of 1 hour daily. With these measures, I would expect your weight to go down gradually.