There are so many factors that come into play when it comes to losing weight : hormones, water retention, digestion capacity, insulin levels, sleep, age, stress, etc. Muscle mass - which you want - weighs more than fat. True change is difficult to judge until it's been at least 3 months.
I command you for all the activities you are doing - and doing with dh, bravo!
WORKING OUT TOO MUCH? TOO LITTLE?
As for how much, my motto is to listen to my body (after years and years of frustration imposing what I wanted on it). Well if my body tells me it's too much, it probably is.
How do I recognize it's too much physical activity:
- a general sense of fatigue
- or feeling sleepy during the day
- ache all over
- bad mood
- naps that last too long
- cramps start happening while exercising
- starting to cry for no reason while/after training
Any two of the above symptoms together, and I know for sure I should slack.
Exercising and training should be refreshing, not draining. You want to do it less, more often. Sometimes a good sweat, sometimes a good stretch, sometimes a good muscle contraction.
EATING: WHAT?
As for eating: watch out for sugar, especially hidden sugars. Sugar + fat is the worse possible combination. So stay away from those. Look at the products you consume daily, check out for sugar content. You may have some surprises.
Add green veggies to your diet (without cutting back on other good things). Start by adding the veggies, then see how you naturally adjust. Sometimes it's all it takes.
EATING: HOW MUCH?
"Cutting back", "starving", "going hungry", "skipping a meal", in any form will lead to weight loss where you don't want it to go (cheeks, breast, butt), which will also make the spots that bother you bulge out. A double whammy. Plus it will affect your mood and skin, and may create permanent wrinkles.
Again, trust your body. Feel like more? OK but also have more veggies with it. I cook a pot of steamed green veggies with every meal and we just dig in. Leaks, broccoli, green beans, spinach, zuccinis... So for every spoon of extra helping, one or two spoonfuls of veggies.
A bowl of green veggies is too dry, too bitter, too boring? Try adding avocado cut in cubes and / or lemon juice, or a bit of olive oil.
These are my very personal tricks, and I'm sure that they are incomplete as absolute advice but I hop can contribute to your success.
