Stuck on those last 2 inches! Help!

melissadsims

I have stayed just about the same weight (give or take .5 lbs) for a month now. My inches are still slimming down, but slower now. I've gained muscle for sure as I can see it in my arms and feel a lot stronger. I have improved in leaps and bounds for my timed planks etc. but I feel like I've hit a plateau as far as fat going away! I have like 1-2 more inches to go and it's killing me!!! I put my info in to the BMI calculator, TDEE etc and it says I'm still overweight but I am stuck! I'm taking a daily vitamin, and a CLA.

I look on here and it seems like everyone has lost 20-40lbs but I have barely lost any! You can see in my profile pic the left is before and the right was this Tuesday. I'm frustrated! I work out 5 days a week with cardio and strength training all days but varying the motions/techniques/machines. I have a coach who teaches my core strengthening class and gives me my other weight routines.

What do I do?? I'm considering cutting out carbs for 2 weeks to see what happens. But I LOVE carbs. And I need this whole ordeal to be a lifestyle change not a temporary thing.

Any advice?

paintlisapurple

Bumping to read replies. Sorry I couldn't be of any help. Good luck!

melissadsims

Out of curiosity I did the calorie counter and it says for fat loss I should eat 1583 calories, and extreme fat loss eat 1187
Is that right? I try and eat 1200 (after burning and eating back) but it varies.

suppakana

How much are you eating? Usually the biggest reason that weight loss plans don't work as planned is that the diet isn't following the workouts. You say that you've been building up muscle... Have you been eating enough?

Oh. I just saw that you're eating 1100-1200 a day!?!? NO. NO NO NO NO NO. The more muscle you have, the more you should be eating! If you eat less than your body needs, it goes into "starvation mode" and clings onto every tiny single thing that you eat.

My suggestion? Even if you just do it for a week, make it a goal to eat about 1800-2000 calories a day. After eating 1200 a day, it'll be tough... But after a week, you should start to feel, and look, different.

melissadsims

I've read that but I don't feel hungry because I eat throughout the day, and only feel legitimately hungry after a good workout. Which I fuel up with protein and a bit of carbs. I'm not sure i could even eat 1800 unless I was eating lots of carbs. Some days I can consume 1400 but I feel like I ate a lot and usually really full.
Though I will say my green smoothies at lunch get hard to do daily. Sometimes I just want to eat my lunch not drink it.

I have definitely been gaining muscle for SURE. I've always only been squishy with no muscle. My arms are solid and much bigger muscle. But still have a good pinch full of fat to lose.

suppakana

Well, the biggest thing to think about is this: Muscles eat more than fat.

For example, if somebody who weighs 200 lbs and has minimal muscle (they're mostly fat) and lives a sedentary lifestyle eats 2000 calories in a day, it would be sufficient for their body to get by on, because their teeny muscles don't require as much fuel as, say...

Somebody who weighs 200 lbs and has substantial muscle mass, who exercises and lives an active lifestyle. For them, 2000 calorie would probably not be enough, and would send their body into "starvation mode," which would cause plateaus and maybe even muscle LOSS.

The thing about starvation mode, though, is that eventually your body gets used to it, and just gets used to eating less and having to be extra careful about how it uses all of its energy.

You could always try to increase it in smaller increments? This week make it your goal to eat 1300 every day, next week 1400, then 1500, etc... And if, during that process, you don't see any improvements or progress you can readjust or revert.

Either way, suddenly changing the amount of calories you eat usually gives your body a "shock" and kind of resets it. For instance, I usually eat between 1300-1500 a day. If I suddenly went on a rampage and ate 2000 a day, my body would be like "wtf?" and then it would adjust, and get used to eating 2000 a day... And then I would flip the switch and go back to 1300-1500, which would cause my body [which was now accustomed to being given 2000 a day] to give up 500-700 calories of fat from somewhere in my body to supplement the difference.

However, I might just be bad at explaining this. Articles like this: <http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Eat-More-to-Lose-Weight&gt; are helpful, as are google searches on "eat more to lose weight"

melissadsims

So I read the article and I could add 230 more calories to eat my resting rate. But as far as eating...I already do those things. I have an egg and whole wheat English muffin for breakfast 5-6 days a week, fruits and veggies as snacks, nuts as snacks, Greek yogurt, fruit and kale with lunch and protein rich dinner. And I LOVE avocado.

Just wish someone could tell me how many to eat and what percentage of each category per day. And if my workout routine is good enough. Am I burning enough calories in a workout? Is it intense enough. (Mind you my back is literally drenched by the time I'm done with each work out) ughhh

sewingdiscontent

Are you saying you didn't lose weight between left and right pics? Bc you clearly lost a whole bunch, right?

melissadsims

The scale in the pic on the left was 147 l s. this week on the right it is at 143. It has been at 143 for 4-5 weeks now. I have been on this full blown health kick for 11 weeks. I've definitely lost inches for sure, but not as drastically lately. I have gained muscle, and can see small difference in pictures week to week but it has slowed down a LOT

sewingdiscontent

The scale in the pic on the left was 147 l s. this week on the right it is at 143. It has been at 143 for 4-5 weeks now. I have been on this full blown health kick for 11 weeks. I've definitely lost inches for sure, but not as drastically lately. I have gained muscle, and can see small difference in pictures week to week but it has slowed down a LOT

Dude, I would have guessed a 20-25 lb diff in those pictures.

I would say stop eating back the exercise calories, but that's just me. Or try going to a Zone type macro plan- 40/30/30
I can't say I know much about it, since I just started looking into it out of a desire to cut carbs, and to build muscle. It seems to be what most weight lifters follow.

melissadsims

The pictures are what keeps me inspired! The scale has been a let down but taking a picture every Tuesday morning and comparing one week to the next, before and then, and before/mid way/then really really helps! I thought the scale would change more than it has. So I try to think inches not lbs, but I overall didn't have a TON to lose, I just was not exercising at all and only moderately watching what I ate. Our eating hasn't changed all that much, just I snack more throughout the day and changed my lunches to kale smoothies to try and cut carbs and increase veggies.

I know carbs are my weakness. I'm curious if I could even go 2 weeks with just my carbs at breakfast....I don't know how people can be paleo!

I've never heard of a zone type macro plan. I love the muscle I've gained, but I need to keep losing that last bit of fat so you can really start seeing all of my hard work.

I'm really curious if 1) I will drop a pant size....so far haven't. 2) my boobs will shrink.....that would be a dream come true! Here's to hoping!

sewingdiscontent

This is a good article that explains 40/30/30 and also, carb cycling: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wescott4.htm
Carb cycling might work better for you bc it gives you days where you can eat pretty many.

I'd love to eat paleo, but can't quite figure out how to do so as a vegetarian. It would pretty much be what I eat now, plus protein shakes. Idk if whey protein is even paleo, lol.