Big ol cup of coffee before your workout, always did the trick for me.
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Peanut butter or almond butter with apple might be a good snack before whatever you have to do. Or 28 grams hard cheese with a piece of fruit.
Iâm trying to eat a bit of protein any time I have something with refined or complex carbs.
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I wouldnât take those measurements too serious. Those instruments are known to be quite inaccurate (we also were considering buying such instruments but the more we read the more doubts we had how useful they are) - here is just one example
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My trainer at the hospital cardiac rehab told me that the only accurate body composition measurements had to be done in a total submersion tank. Mine came back from my PCP as being obese, even though my weight was very low for my height. Meh.
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The problem isnât you.
Itâs your trainer.
You need to find a new one.
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Strength/resistance training 2x a week plus 2.5 hours moderate cardio (walking counts) is what I feel like is the current recommendation. Itâs hard to dedicate your time, and trainers can be expensive, so do what you can. Iâm terrible about cardio in the winter bc I work a lot and the weather sucks but other times I keep a tally on my calendar, aiming for 40 x 15 minute increments or 10 hours/mo. Try to stay ahead of the date and get at least 30 
Thatâs not a lot of fuel for a body. Try something a little more substantial 2 hours before, so itâs settled but not already spent.
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Thanks for linking to this paper. I was aware of the limitations of using a home monitor when I bought it. But it was more to establish a trend rather than accurate readings. My teenage son uses it alongside me and you can tell from the differences in our readings that it should be possible to see some change if it is significant. We only use it every 6-8 weeks.
My main goal is to avoid becoming like my mother - I am built very much in the mould of her (tiny Asian lady, strong family history of Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease). From her 50s onwards, she has been on a stack of meds, has zero exercise tolerance and has broken a bone with minor falls several times. I want to have some strength and endurance and adequate bone density. Thatâs the only reason Iâve taken up my fitness program - I donât need to look good, I just donât want to be saddled with avoidable health problems.
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In all fairness I think the real problem is my job.
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Thanks @Babette and everyone else for the advice and support! Iâll have some time to rethink and reset in June and July, to figure out what I can manage consistently around the constraints of my working pattern. When you work in the NHS, there is no light at the end of the tunnel - things just seem to be getting darker and darker as time goes on!
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Thank you for what you do 
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Perhaps, and if itâs your job, then your trainer needs to take that into account.
A personal trainer needs to tailor their program to the individual client they are working with at that moment.
There is no one size fits all program.
If you are clinically obese you will require a program that is very different from someone who is 60 years old and trying to maintain mobility and strength.
A client who works 80 hours will require a very different program than a full time student.
Again, your job isnât the problem. The problem is that your trainer is not taking into account your job.
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Bingo.
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Tools in that tool belt.
Today I weigh 209 poundsâdown from 270. Iâve got another 10 or so pounds to go. This has been since the first of the year. The needle stuck at 214 pounds for quite a while.
This time, I am trying to maintain what (little) muscle mass I have. Iâm in the gym for weights MWF, and on the treadmill for 45 minutes TTh.
You can do it.
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Suggest you ask your trainer what she recommends for a pre- and post-snack, since youâre paying for her expertise anyway.
There are things you can eat if you plan ahead, but also things you can eat if you didnât (eg: banana). But she can give you more specific advice for the kinds of workouts sheâs doing with you.
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Bravo!
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That is outstanding, both for the determination and for the achievement! Congratulations!
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They always say, âcheck with your physicianâŚâ, you donât want to ignore something you have no idea that may be creeping up. Be safe!
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After losing my morning coffee today pretty much immediately after our first legit workout since arriving in Berlin, I think it might be a good idea to have a teaspoon of honey or some fruit before the next one 
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Oh dear. As in, you threw up? I hope youâre feeling ok now. My next workout is next week 
I am hoping to fit in several sessions of yonga in between but I donât eat anything at least 6 hours before yoga ,- too many postures involving squeezing the gastrointestinal system!
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