Lost 46 lbs 15 more to go but it's not happening! Please advice

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karenkasbi
karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, in the past five months I've lost a total of 46 pounds. I cut off all the junk food and alcohol and started eating 1200 calories a day.

2.5 weeks ago I measured my body fat and it's at 26%. I weigh 58 kgs/128 lbs and I'm 165 cm/5'5". I've also been wanting to get in shape and have a toned body so I started a new training program called Focus T25 which is intense cardio/strength training for 25 minutes, five days a week.

My weight has remained the same for the past month, even with exercise. I eat healthy, exercise and sleep well but the numbers on the scale just won't budge. I'm waiting to measure my body fat in 1.5 weeks (when I complete the 1st phase of training) to see if my BF% is decreasing with the exercise. But still I'm desperate to lose these last 15 pounds, I don't know what else I should do. I've been trying to hard.

Help is appreciated! Please advice!
Thanks so much

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Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Congrats on your success so far! Set your profile to lose half a pound a week. Eat the amount it gives you, plus log your exercise and eat half of the extra calories it gives you. Be aware that when you start a new exercise program your muscles will retain water for repair so if you have lost a few pounds, it could be masked by this water retention.
  • Ludka13
    Ludka13 Posts: 136 Member
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    Have you updated your weight in MFP? As you lose weight you will need to cut more calories.
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    deksgrl wrote: »
    Congrats on your success so far! Set your profile to lose half a pound a week. Eat the amount it gives you, plus log your exercise and eat half of the extra calories it gives you. Be aware that when you start a new exercise program your muscles will retain water for repair so if you have lost a few pounds, it could be masked by this water retention.

    Thanks so much! well I hope it's just water retention. But isn't that too much calories? I don't know if I can eat more than 1200 calories a day, I just got so used to eating little.
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    Ludka13 wrote: »
    Have you updated your weight in MFP? As you lose weight you will need to cut more calories.

    yes, I just did. it still says 1200 calories. I don't think I should eat less than that though.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    karenkasbi wrote: »
    deksgrl wrote: »
    Congrats on your success so far! Set your profile to lose half a pound a week. Eat the amount it gives you, plus log your exercise and eat half of the extra calories it gives you. Be aware that when you start a new exercise program your muscles will retain water for repair so if you have lost a few pounds, it could be masked by this water retention.

    Thanks so much! well I hope it's just water retention. But isn't that too much calories? I don't know if I can eat more than 1200 calories a day, I just got so used to eating little.

    The amount that MFP gives you does not include exercise. When you are exercising, you need more fuel for that. However, the estimates on the calorie burn are generally high, so most people don't eat ALL of the calories it gives.

    Also, be sure you weigh and measure all of your food and log accurately. Most people underestimate how many calories they are actually eating.


  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    deksgrl wrote: »
    karenkasbi wrote: »
    deksgrl wrote: »
    Congrats on your success so far! Set your profile to lose half a pound a week. Eat the amount it gives you, plus log your exercise and eat half of the extra calories it gives you. Be aware that when you start a new exercise program your muscles will retain water for repair so if you have lost a few pounds, it could be masked by this water retention.

    Thanks so much! well I hope it's just water retention. But isn't that too much calories? I don't know if I can eat more than 1200 calories a day, I just got so used to eating little.

    The amount that MFP gives you does not include exercise. When you are exercising, you need more fuel for that. However, the estimates on the calorie burn are generally high, so most people don't eat ALL of the calories it gives.

    Also, be sure you weigh and measure all of your food and log accurately. Most people underestimate how many calories they are actually eating.


    Thanks! I just started to log today. It's under 1200 calories and I still have 300 calories to eat from exercise! Which I don't even need. I'm just hoping I'll see results.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    It probably is just water retention. Also, your body may be reluctant to lose much more as, depending on your frame, your goal weight is pretty low.
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    Oishii wrote: »
    It probably is just water retention. Also, your body may be reluctant to lose much more as, depending on your frame, your goal weight is pretty low.

    yeah, hopefully. I'm a size 6, I used to be 8 and I'm trying to fit in my size 4 dress which is the source of my motivation. I don't know how to trick my body to reach my goal.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Might want to try tracking arm and waist measurements -- if you were a couch potato before, T25 is going to put a bit of muscle on your bones, so you'll be gaining weight (or flatlining) while your measurements shrink. 26% is already a pretty reasonable BF% for a non-athletic woman -- getting below that is going to require adding muscle mass more than losing fat.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    karenkasbi wrote: »
    Oishii wrote: »
    It probably is just water retention. Also, your body may be reluctant to lose much more as, depending on your frame, your goal weight is pretty low.

    yeah, hopefully. I'm a size 6, I used to be 8 and I'm trying to fit in my size 4 dress which is the source of my motivation. I don't know how to trick my body to reach my goal.

    It takes longer to lose those last pounds. Trying to hurry it is just counter-productive.

  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    hill8570 wrote: »
    Might want to try tracking arm and waist measurements -- if you were a couch potato before, T25 is going to put a bit of muscle on your bones, so you'll be gaining weight (or flatlining) while your measurements shrink. 26% is already a pretty reasonable BF% for a non-athletic woman -- getting below that is going to require adding muscle mass more than losing fat.

    well, I don't really like to call myself a couch potato but I have a desk job and I worked out on and off in the recent two years. I measured myself before starting T25, I just have to wait until the program is over I guess. I was just shocked by 26% BF I believed I was healthier than that. How long do you think it'll take for me to see difference in my measurements?
  • katherinemab
    katherinemab Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm also doing T25 and have noticed a lot of body recomposition happening! Take and track your measurements as T25 recommends. Results are happening. Be patient, Rome wasn't built in a day.
  • zumbamomma2
    zumbamomma2 Posts: 5
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    I understand your frustration. I have struggled to take off my last 8 pounds. One thing I have learned is that there is such a thing as not eating enough calories and your body goes into "retaining mode" (don't know all the technical terms). I have noticed when I eat all my calories I am more likely to lose than if I don't eat all my calories for the week. So like others have said, measure and log everything. Eat all your calories not less, hard to grasp that idea. Hope it helps! Keep up the good work and remember most important is that you are feeling better and getting healthier every day.
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    katherinemab wrote: »
    I'm also doing T25 and have noticed a lot of body recomposition happening! Take and track your measurements as T25 recommends. Results are happening. Be patient, Rome wasn't built in a day.

    thanks, you give me hope!
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    zumbamomma2 wrote: »
    I understand your frustration. I have struggled to take off my last 8 pounds. One thing I have learned is that there is such a thing as not eating enough calories and your body goes into "retaining mode" (don't know all the technical terms). I have noticed when I eat all my calories I am more likely to lose than if I don't eat all my calories for the week. So like others have said, measure and log everything. Eat all your calories not less, hard to grasp that idea. Hope it helps! Keep up the good work and remember most important is that you are feeling better and getting healthier every day.

    yeah, I guess I can give it a try. I'm just horrified of the idea :)
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    update! my BF is down to 22% (-4%) in seven weeks of doing of FocusT25 and my weight is 56 kgs. I guess it's possible, it's just a really slow process.
  • karenkasbi
    karenkasbi Posts: 216 Member
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    Can someone tell me at what BF percentage my muscles will start showing? Possibly at 15%?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    karenkasbi wrote: »
    hill8570 wrote: »
    Might want to try tracking arm and waist measurements -- if you were a couch potato before, T25 is going to put a bit of muscle on your bones, so you'll be gaining weight (or flatlining) while your measurements shrink. 26% is already a pretty reasonable BF% for a non-athletic woman -- getting below that is going to require adding muscle mass more than losing fat.

    well, I don't really like to call myself a couch potato but I have a desk job and I worked out on and off in the recent two years. I measured myself before starting T25, I just have to wait until the program is over I guess. I was just shocked by 26% BF I believed I was healthier than that. How long do you think it'll take for me to see difference in my measurements?

    BF measurements are completely inaccurate so you look at the trend not the absolute figure

    That said 26% bf for a woman is completely acceptable

    Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg
  • Mudler
    Mudler Posts: 45 Member
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    Same happened to me. I lost plenty, 2lbs a week, no problem. Then i had the idea, eat a little less and eat more healthy. For a Month, I couldn't seem to lose any weight at all. My weigh fluctuated +- 4lbs. It stayed that way for over a month, not really moving significantly either up or down.

    So i kinda gave up, chilled out, relaxed, ate a bit more than I maybe should, changed my goals to fit better, so i could eat more without being told off by MFP and now 2 weeks later, it's all working again, back to losing 2lbs a week!

    Very happy about it as well but could do with Christmas being a Month later really :)
  • Tattedupmommy5
    Tattedupmommy5 Posts: 991 Member
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    Hi. I completed the entire T25 program and lost 40 pounds and 39 inches. I also added Shakeology to my diet. I ate between 1300-1450 calories a day, never plateaued and I finished the entire program, including the Gamma phase. I did T25 twice. The second time around, I did hit a plateau so I bought Insanity and did that.. Now, with Insanity, the second month is extremely hard. I did the whole program and stopped 2 weeks before I would have completed the program. I'm thinking about doing it again. I just have to find the time to do it now since it's a 45-60 minute workout.
    Definitely eat more than 1200 calories, even if it's 1250.. You burn a lot and build muscle with T25... So you wanna make sure you're getting enough nutrition/calories so you can lose weight.
    Congrats on the weight loss!
    Great job!

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