Hi, It's been a while since I posted here. I was able to lose about 12 pounds since January and I've maintained that weight. I cut out fast food mostly, and safely lost a pound a week, cutting out 3500 calories a week. I also started lifting weights 2 to 3X weekly. I walk and do yoga and stretching throughout the week.
My question is about my older sister. She is roughly 5'3" and weighs in the 160s. She is the one who wants to lose weight. She believes that if she lifts weights she will lose weight without worrying about calories and nutrition. She's been doing this for years and complaining about her weight. Finally, I told her what worked for me, that to lose a pound a week, she needs to somehow create a 3500 calorie per week deficit. She's convinced that she is burning 500 calories per workout. I know what her issues are. Her husband works nights, and so her schedule is unusual. He is a large man over 6' tall and eats a lot. She also has a problem with portion control. She eats three times what I eat, even when we eat the same food. She likes working out with weights because it's easy for her, but she doesn't like cardio or cutting back on calories. She doesn't ever see results, even though she believes she is working out and working hard at it.
I have never been on a diet, owned a scale, etc. until January. I heard over and over again how difficult it was to lose weight. Since I was able to do it, I get very frustrated with my sister that she complains about not losing weight but won't consider it's because she eats a lot. She's over 40 and thinks that she's now in the 160s (gained about 30 pounds in the last decade) because it's all muscle. It's not. The next time she complains, should I just listen and be quiet, or should I try again to explain about calories when she asks? The other problem is, she doesn't want to hear it coming from me, even though I can provide other sources, articles, calorie counters, etc. about this concept of 1 lb = 3500 calories. I don't know what to say.