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Archive for the ‘Ask Tanja’ Category
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
 Q: Dear Tanja, I am 40 years old, 5’8″ tall and I weigh 143 lbs. For the last 20 years I have been fighting with my weight.
My first problem is I cannot do cardio training anymore as I have extreme pain in my knees and hips. The doctors told me I should quit or take it easy, but I cannot afford that. Secondly, I cannot train in the evenings because than I stay awake all night. I am bipolar and maybe because of that when I overtrain my body I cannot sleep.
What I do now is one hour of fat burning yoga every morning, but that is not enough. I am thinking of plastic surgery, but I know even if I do liposuction, I will still need some effective sport in order to maintain the weight and my body shape. Do you have any idea what can I do? Thank you! –Irina
A: Hi Irina, I react the same way when I train in the evenings, so I always try to schedule my workouts before 5 pm if possible! It’s not clear what is going on with your hips and knees, but there are a few things I can recommend for someone in your situation. Yoga, pilates, and swimming are things that are in combination highly effective and keep you fit and healthy, when you do them on a regular basis. Swimming is great because it takes the pressure off joints and since you have so much help from the water, which keeps you buoyant, you can move in different ways and not only have to swim. I’m confident that this can be a great option for you!
The other part of maintaining weight is diet. Your diet needs to be tailored to your needs, and there is no space for emotional eating, which can be a problem if you have a bipolar diagnosis. The quality of the food is highly important here, too, as it really affects your overall experience of health, and all functions in your brain and body! There might be some tips for you in my book Your Life Force about eating and how to find a good balance.
Lastly, I want to say that liposuction brings a whole other set of problems or risks with it, but if that is your last resort, and you have really tried everything, you would definitely want to spend time researching and interviewing several doctors to find a GREAT one.
Tanja
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Tags: emotional eating, swimming, weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness | No Comments »
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
Q: Hi Tanja, I’m a Swedish mum soon turning 41. I’ve been working out for about 5 years now and I love it. My exercise is mostly running; I run 5-6 times a week and most of the times I run 5 km (3 mi), but sometimes more. When I finish my running I continue my workout with kettlebells. My body is quite ok and well toned. My stomach is good looking with muscles and a good tone when standing.
My problem is that I feel that although I train a lot, my body is still not fit enough. For example, my stomach, when I bend down to do the plank, I still have this loose skin hanging down (it’s still there since my pregnancies and losing 16 kg some years ago) and it never goes away no matter how hard I workout and diet. I’m 1,60 m (5’3″) and weigh around 50-51 kg (110-112 lbs). What can I do to get rid of this ugly loose skin? Would appreciate your professional opinion a lot. Best regards, Linda
A: Hi Linda, Thanks for reaching out! First I have to congratulate you on all the hard work you are doing. It seems to me like you are in pretty good shape, and you seem happy about that.
There are a few things to say about your concern:
1. If you don’t feel fit enough, is it a matter of reality or the picture you have of your body in your head? One of the reasons CAN be that you are NOT weightlifting enough, as at our age we really need to build muscles to feel firm, to increase and maintain our metabolism, which naturally slows down as we get older. If you are concerned that it might be your mind playing a trick on you, take pictures, measure your body fat and compare. Also, how do your clothes fit?
2. Skin after babies is tricky. Some women I work with go back to what they had before, and many women just have the skin on the stomach stretched out. When the fat deposit underneath is gone, and the only thing left is the skin, re-asses if the skin bothers you so much. Your beautiful body brought you your children! If it still really bothers you, there are tummy tucks you can do with a plastic surgeon. I’m sure that it is very costly in Sweden, as it is here, but it might be worth exploring if you feel there is no other road to take.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Tanja
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Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Q: Hi, I suffer from depression and panic disorder, and I have developed social anxiety disorder and obesity due to medications, diet, and no activity. About a year ago I tried working with a personal trainer 3 times per week and had a healthy diet. It lasted for 5 weeks and then I didn’t have the money to continue. In the 5 weeks I also didn’t lose any weight.
Now I’m trying again, training 5 times a week with the PT and have a good rhythm of eating healthily and regularly, but I have only lost 6.5 pounds in 8 weeks. My motivation is low. Sure, I feel better when I’m active but I had been more motivated to lose weight. Is it possible that I have a block in my body? I am about 50 pounds overweight. Please, what can I do?
A: Hello … it sounds like you have had it really tough. In my experience, I have noticed that the common drugs for anxiety and depression can slow down the metabolism. In your case, 6.5 pounds in 8 weeks sounds good. It might feel slow, especially because we always hear claims about how fast people lose weight in advertisements, but it is important to focus on your own reality, your circumstances, and your effort. You are making progress!
Since I am not a doctor, I cannot address your medication questions and what your options are. The only thing I can advise you is to give yourself time and patience. Being healthy takes time and I often say that it’s as much an exercise in patience as physical exercise.
I also think working with a personal trainer is a great option, and a good investment. Maybe you can find someone who has some more experience when it comes to what you are going through? Another good investment for you may be a really good nutritionist. But as I said, I cannot emphasize enough: give yourself time, love, and patience – that’s what you might need!
Tanja
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Tags: weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
Q: Hi, Tanja. I am a 44-year old single mother of two children who loves to train. I weight train and run on the treadmill 3 times a week, 4.5 miles each time. I also swim if time permits. I weigh 112 pounds and am 5’1″ tall. My problem is that I stress eat every time I get restless. I wonder if you have any advice for me! — Nikita
A: Hello, Nikita! In my book Your Life Force there is a whole chapter with tips and tricks on how to stop emotional eating. It requires focus and a real resolve, as stress is so common and we need to eat every day. But there is hope if you really want to stop!
My advice is to work with the different methods in the book, and if it still feels like you are not getting anywhere, you have to call in the Army! There are support groups for overeating, and there are cognitive psychologists who can help you change your behavior around food. Do not give up and do everything wholeheartedly!
Tanja
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Tags: emotional eating
Posted in Ask Tanja, Body-Mind Health, Nutrition | No Comments »
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Q: Hi, Tanja. I have a problem. I tell myself that I have to start moving more and exercising but when it comes down to it, i just don’t have any energy. I quit! What should I do about it?
A: Hello! Yes, exercise sounds very boring. Yes, it doesn’t seem like too much fun. Have you ever been a person who likes to move around? Are you trying to start a new healthy life all by yourself? Feeling better, happy, and motivated requires a catalyst. It is not something that comes in just a few weeks!
Usually it doesn’t help at all that OTHER people are giving you reasons why you need to do this or that… You need to ask yourself and create your own reasons! Sit yourself down and answer these questions about yourself and your life:
- Why do you need to start working out?
- How do you want your life and your health to look in 5, 10, 15 years?
- Are there activities that you would like to do with others, but you’re just too tired and feel inadequate?
How does this sound: join a group that works together to become healthier! Not an online group, but a physical group with real people?
With programs like Weight Watchers and Biggest Loser Club, you can find a few friends who feel the same way. It is easier to do this in a group, and it does not necessarily mean you should go to the gym right away, which can be a bit uncomfortable at first.
If you feel that there are other things that are preventing you from working out, such as depression or other issues, seek out a skilled life coach or psychologist who can help.
Good Luck! 
Tanja
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Tags: motivation
Posted in Ask Tanja, Body-Mind Health | No Comments »
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