Competitive Athlete and can't drop weight, why!?

shannonbrewelch

Hey guys,

I am having an issue with the fact that I am still dancing around the 155lbs that I am now. I will range from 156-154lbs any given week for the past two months or so. I am a competitive swimmer and because I am in-season, I work out six days a week in the water of two and a half hours of intense in water training. Then 4 days a week I am doing an hour of weights and strength training.

My effort and time in the water has done nothing but pick-up, and I still am not losing the weight I want. I want to get down to 145lbs, but I do not know why it is so hard for me. I am eating well, and eating far less then recommended calories, because some days it is almost impossible to eat as many as I have lost through exercise.

How am I suppose to lose these extra pounds, I feel like I am doing everything right.

Thank you!

queenliz99

Are you using a food scale?

shannonbrewelch

I am not using a food scale because the foods I usually eat, even when they are fruits, I measure by cups or per fruit.

ana3067

Why are you eating less than recommended? It's recommended for a reason.

Chances are you're eating more than you realize, though. especially since you are working out SO much. If you were really eating very little you'd not have the energy to do any of what you are doing unless you are also taking drugs.

ana3067

shannonbrewelch wrote: »

I am not using a food scale because the foods I usually eat, even when they are fruits, I measure by cups or per fruit.

EAsy to underestimate intake this way. With little to lose, if this is very important to you then you either need to lower your goal even more to account for underestimated logging, or start weighing so you can be more accurate. Open up your diary if you'd like feedback from others.

queenliz99

But fruits can be wildly off in the database. I know for a fact that when I started weighing my oatmeal I was using a 1/3 cup measure. I filled it to the top but when I measured it on my scale it was off by 50 calories. I eat that every morning and at the end of the week I was over by 350 calories. Multiply that by everything I ate my calorie logging was way off. It was know wonder I wasn't losing any weight.

shannonbrewelch

That is a good idea, I will have to invest in a food scale.

I was eating less than recommended because it is very difficult for me to be eating all the food that is recommended. When you are in the water from 2.5-4 hours a day, plus weights, it is difficult to make up all those calories, especially when you are burning an upwards of almost 3000 on very active days (at least according to the fitness apps). On a normal day I am burning about 2000, add that to another 1900, it is hard to eat 3900 calories a day in a healthy manner, even as a swimmer when I am always hungry, I have to eat around 8 small meals a day and I become full quickly.

queenliz99

I don't know to make a correct link to this you tube video but check this out about weighing your food. It blew my mind and I was convinced to get a food scale.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

AglaeaC

Have you tried eating fewer meals, in other words more calorie-dense foods but in a smaller total volume compared to the eight small meals you're eating now?

What's a small meal? Snack? Or proper meal?

I would have a hard time eating a majority of green stuff and fruits if my daily amount was 3900 kcal.

HealthyVitamins

Have you got a heart rate monitor? maybe you are really overestimating your calorie burn and also eating more than you think due to not having a food scale? could be balancing out to eating at maintenance.

Sued0nim

You will need to be extremely careful to be able to balance your desired weight on the scale with your ability to perform

You are seeing performance gains, without adequate fuel this can drop

Just take care and consider whether or why that 10lbs matters

kdeaux1959

It is conceivable that, being an athlete, that you have become so efficient in your energy expenditure that you are actually not expending energy as strongly as you once did. Also, there is a tendency to gain weight in the early college years. This is (I believe) partially due to the fact that our bodies are no longer growing taller...