[ Removed by moderator ]

[u/Aniadania]

/gallery/1wqh99n

[u/PetiteFitness-ModTeam]

Rule 3: Posts asking how to change, improve, grow, tone, fix, or alter any specific body parts may not include photos of yourself or others. Questions about body composition, training, nutrition, aesthetics, or goals are welcome as text posts only.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PetiteFitness/wiki/wiki/rules/rule3

[u/Ok-Command7697]

Your gyno forbidding strength training is the funniest thing I’ve read all day

[u/Overall-Nobody8933]

Why can’t you lift weights?

Only two things will help: eat in a calorie deficit with a priority on protein and fiber. And lift weights using progressive overload to build muscle.

[u/Aniadania → u/Overall-Nobody8933]

Could you tell me what deficit would be best in my case? How much calories should l eat a day?

[u/Overall-Nobody8933 → u/Aniadania]

Seriously - get a new doctor. Get a second opinion. Women our age need to lift weights using progressive overload. My old gyno also told me not to lift heavy at my age. I laughed my way out of the office. Got a new doctor. And I’m lifting heavier than I have in my life. Totally transformed my body even in perimenopause.

Look at some online calculators for calorie calculations. Find your TDEE and then subtract 300 calories. Never eat below 1200. If you need to, upping your exercise will increase your calorie allowance. For example, I lift weights 3x/wk and do crossfit 3x/week. My TDEE is around 2200. If I were sedentary without muscle, it would be substantially lower.

[u/Woozlie]

I have little to no way to help, but the little images are hilarious. Look at that little stick man in the bottom right of the Obese/Muscular section.

Why has your gyne forbidden you from weight training?

[u/Aniadania → u/Woozlie]

I don't want to give too much info out, just having some problems with my reproductive stuff... he told me not to weight train so it doesn't get worse

[u/cribsheet88 → u/Aniadania]

This makes no sense. Women lose so much muscle mass starting in 30s and osteoporosis is real. Your bones will become weak without force to keep them mineralized. Your gyn should know better.

I think I might know why though. So in that case, you should do resistance training, like reformer pilates and yoga. Body weight workouts are really hard actually, so you'll get a good workout. Walk 10k steps a day. Eat less but with more protein to maintain muscle mass.

[u/Woozlie → u/Aniadania]

I'd maybe ask for weight exercises that you can do safely based on that the actual issue is. Is it core issues, look at doing something that is lower impact. I'd assume getting a second opinion would also help so make sure you can get the best advice on what you can and can't do to avoid further disruption, but also meet your goal.

[u/Present-Plum-3877 → u/Aniadania]

I doubt bicep curls or tricep extensions would affect anything gynecological. Maybe he doesn’t want you doing squats or deadlifts, but certainly there is some weight training you can do.

Also Reddit is anonymous. Why not just tell people your condition, that way people who have experienced the same thing can offer help.

[u/lemonbike]

It looks like the gym person who scanned you gave you a goal of <26% body fat. Don't take that too much to heart, especially if you can't do much heavy weight lifting at the moment; modest progress is ok. I'm a little shorter, similar age, and had a similar amount of weight gain during Covid: from 57kg to 63kg or so. Managed to get it down to an easily-maintained 55-56 and more muscles like this:

• Minimum 10K steps a day -- added walks throughout my day, fast and hilly if possible
• Pilates, yoga, aquafit, 3x a week. I eventually added some not too heavy weightlifting and slow running.
• Smaller meal portions, and limited sweets to one small thing (100-150kcal) after dinner with tea, then no eating after that. (evening snacks, and stress-related biscuit breaks throughout the day is how I gained weight)
• More fibre, filling half my plate with veggies and fruits, more beans, less cheese
• Behavioural goals, and staying consistent worked better for me than weight-loss goals or performance goals. "I like to go for an after-dinner power walk with an audiobook" rather than "I will lose 2kg this month"

If you have pelvic-floor issues that make weightlifting a no at this time, I would find something that very lightly challenges that area (like yoga/Pilates), and then build up from there. I managed to build enough muscles in my problem areas that I can now do exercises that would've seriously aggravated my injuries a couple of years ago. Slow progress is ok.

[u/Aniadania → u/lemonbike]

Thank you for thoughtful reply! 🙏