First, let me just say that this is a complex question and should take a few discussions with your doctor to really pinpoint the problem. That said, here are a couple of my quick-start suggestions for tackling this problem. Consider starting a food journal. Not only will this help you with your diet compliance, but it will also help you identify any times when you might fall victim to “mindless snacking” (i.e., eating a few cookies after work and “forgetting about it”). Plus, you can also use the food journal to identify any of the foods that make you bloated. You can then cut those out to help you look and feel better.

Another suggestion is to replace heavy lifting with high-rep body-weight exercises. For example, instead of dumbbell chest presses, do push-ups or decline push-ups. Instead of barbell squats, try split squats on a bench. This is a great way to mix up your routine while maintaining your current muscle tone and not necessarily adding to it.

ANSWERED BY:
Craig Ballantyne, MS, CSCS,
CB Athletic Consulting