The scale won't budge - need some help

Pty109

Hi
I started MFP about 2.5 months ago and as much as it’s helped me to keep track of how I eat and calorie intake I have not seen any weight loss. I’m 5’2, 126 pounds and work out 3-5 times a week (kettle bell training, barre class, shred, biking, jump rope, calisthenics (moderate to vigorous effort). On average I burn from 600-1000 calories. I generally don’t eat back my workout calories and tend to stick to my 1200 per day. The exception is if I have had an intense workout, then I listen to my body and eat some more.

I’m at a plateau. How do I kick my body into fat burning mode. Would like to get down to 120 lbs in 4-6 weeks. Any ideas esp for someone that only has a few pounds to loose but can't would be appreciated! THANKS!

JossFit

You aren't eating enough to support all of that vigorous activity. Eat more, and you'll start to lose some of that fat.

PepperWorm

Eat more.

Done.

jackpotclown

Eat more.

Done.

\m/

laserturkey

So you're netting between 200-600 calories a day?! There's your problem! EAT!

michellechawner

Agree, you're not eating nearly enough - i'm 127 pounds, 5'5 and eating 1450 a day (and I eat back exercise calories)...working up to 1800 to stay on maintenance.

Eat. And eat a lot.

herblackwings39

You're burning a lot of calories that you aren't replacing. Your body needs those calories to function. Try eating back exercise calories for a month or two.

SteveStedge

Wow you are an animal. You must be hungry all day! EAATT!! That and have you gotten your bodyfat tested? Often people think of "pounds" as how healthy you are, but bodyfat is the real number of concern. You may have very low bodyfat and the fact you cant lose weight is your body going into preservation/starvation mode.

Bekahmardis

I know it's hard to believe, but what everyone else is saying about eating more is absolutely spot on the truth. Your body won't LET you lose any more because it's hoarding it's precious calories to keep your body from failing. Happened to me, too. I was 130 pounds at 5'3". I started eating back all of my exercise calories and netting around 1300 calories a day (usually eating about 1600), and then the weight started to melt off.

I'm now 109 and happy as a clam.

HannahJDiaz25

I workout hard, but I believe in fueling my body so can meet my expectations.
I eat about 1800- 2000 calories a day (Sometimes 2300-2500 If I am working out extra hard!)
When I was eating 1200 calories a day I was weak and tired and my body clung to fat like it was a lifeline.
As soon as I upped to 1600 I started losing weight and felt hungry again. I went up to 1800 and I have lowerd my body fat from 23 percent to 21 and still dropping. (Weight is staying the same but that's muscle...inches are leaving and jiggly spots are getting less and less...jiggly. :happy: )
I am 5'9 and weigh 1335. Right now I am "bulking" Later I might try to cut and get down to 128, but not at the expense of my hard earned muscle!

katezx

Hi, don't want to seem silly but I don't get the whole eating back calories burnt (whats the point in exercising if you going to eat calories back) - I've read through loads of forums re: this but I still don't get it! lol
Please someone explain in simple form xxxxx

Pty109

Ok, so I need to increase my calories. got it. I'm going up to 1450 per day and more on the intense days.

for the record I don't do all that excercise everyday! lol. just the stuff i tend to do throughout the week.

thanks everyone for you input

SteveStedge

Hi, don't want to seem silly but I don't get the whole eating back calories burnt (whats the point in exercising if you going to eat calories back) - I've read through loads of forums re: this but I still don't get it! lol
Please someone explain in simple form xxxxx

Well....lets say you need 2000 calories to keep your weight steady. You intake 1500 calories (500 calorie loss, about 1 lb a week loss) and you workout and burn 1000 calories. Now you've only (effectively) consumed 500 calories today and youre WAYY below your 1500 goal. Your body starts using your precious muscle for calories instead of fat, and you feel like and look like crap.

Plus after you workout you need protein right away to build muscle.

AdamBrown1974

I've been having a similar issue.

I tend to eat 1250-1500 calories a day and exercise about 580 off via moderate cardio. I'm currently 193 lbs, looking to drop about 25 lbs.

I've been doing this to a lesser or greater degree for a month and a half (I've only been doing MFP for a week) but I haven't been able to lose much. -_-

The funny thing was, a couple of years ago, I lost about 50 lbs doing this same routine, and now no results.

vladamisa

your one lucky girl if i was 126 pounds i would just try to stay there heck im 5'2 and i will be lucky to get that i understand you want to loose more, but be happy with what you got some of us will probably never get there. I hate to be a downer but one person dream body doesnt fit for another person... dont push yourself too hard and some of the weight may be stress weight. Good luck in getting to 120 ik you can do it you seem like a very strong person

KBreeding74

Eating back the calories is true. But be health conscious. Don't go and eat a fast food meal. Have some fruit, veggies and grains. Replenishing the burned calories will help your body continue through the day. 8 glasses of water a day is for everyone. When you start exercising you need to increase your water intake as well.

silmarilliane

i know most people have said to eat more, so i won't repeat. have you also been measuring yourself as well as weighing? you can put measurements on mfp, plus i added a load more like belly, upper arm, thigh etc.
have you noticed any difference in clothes fitting?

katezx

thank you I understand now!! xxxx

krithsai

Eating back the calories is true. But be health conscious. Don't go and eat a fast food meal. Have some fruit, veggies and grains. Replenishing the burned calories will help your body continue through the day. 8 glasses of water a day is for everyone. When you start exercising you need to increase your water intake as well.

Yes. Eat nutritious, calorie-dense foods. That way you'll feel full and more energetic. I can attest to the fact that when you don't have a lot of weight to lose, you need to be careful about eating too little because you'll plateau.

da_bears10089

Hi, don't want to seem silly but I don't get the whole eating back calories burnt (whats the point in exercising if you going to eat calories back) - I've read through loads of forums re: this but I still don't get it! lol
Please someone explain in simple form xxxxx

Well....lets say you need 2000 calories to keep your weight steady. You intake 1500 calories (500 calorie loss, about 1 lb a week loss) and you workout and burn 1000 calories. Now you've only (effectively) consumed 500 calories today and youre WAYY below your 1500 goal. Your body starts using your precious muscle for calories instead of fat, and you feel like and look like crap.

Plus after you workout you need protein right away to build muscle.

while i agree with a majority of this.. i don't believe the timing of protein makes a big enough difference to be too concerned with it.

thesophierose

Eat more to lose more. Simple.

kill3rtofu

Ok, so I need to increase my calories. got it. I'm going up to 1450 per day and more on the intense days.

for the record I don't do all that excercise everyday! lol. just the stuff i tend to do throughout the week.

thanks everyone for you input

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but try to meet your daily caloric goal everyday. If you feel too full, try to get the calories back tomorrow or later in the week. You'll see results in no time!

nikilis

Eat more.

Done.

great advice, looks like your new here. you could try actually helping the girl.

nikilis

Eat more to lose more. Simple.

again, are you going of offer advice with that? june 2013. mmmmmm.

thesophierose

Eat more to lose more. Simple.

again, are you going of offer advice with that? june 2013. mmmmmm.

Yes. It's like this.

When you set yourself at a calorie goal like let's say 1200 calories a day. You eat that. That's great. But our bodies are adaptable machines and they learn routines rather quickly so this would pull weight loss to a massive halt. Its because our metabolisms are working around what our intake has been.

So most people go and lower their intake more than this to resume scale digits going down but that kinda messes up metabolism and muscles and brain tissue even more. So by eating more... you refuel your body and your metabolism has a happy dance and in return revs up and kill weight.

So when your scale does the halt up your calories. Work with your body. Your body will love it.

nikilis

Eat more to lose more. Simple.

again, are you going of offer advice with that? june 2013. mmmmmm.

Yes. It's like this.

When you set yourself at a calorie goal like let's say 1200 calories a day. You eat that. That's great. But our bodies are adaptable machines and they learn routines rather quickly so this would pull weight loss to a massive halt. Its because our metabolisms are working around what our intake has been.

So most people go and lower their intake more than this to resume scale digits going down but that kinda messes up metabolism and muscles and brain tissue even more. So by eating more... you refuel your body and your metabolism has a happy dance and in return revs up and kill weight.

So when your scale does the halt up your calories. Work with your body. Your body will love it.

yeh, thats some good info there. so why didn't you offer that in the first place? she asked for advice, shes trying to do everything right.

how is "eat more" helping. its not an answer. how much more? you want to know how much more? ok here we go.

for a 36 year old woman weighing 126lb at a height of 5'2" at sedentary activity level, the BMR estimate is 1372 and the TDEE estimate is 1646. so

for a 25% 1lb estimate loss would be 1200-1300cal goal

most people recommend 20% tho, which is around 1300 - 1400cals.

so she could up her sedentary calories a bit if she felt like it.

now the real mistake here is she's not eating back her exercise, which is the real problem.

so logging those cals, and eating back 1/2 to 2/3 of those would be the best plan going forward.


you know how I know this? cause spent the time, did the numbers and sent it to her, to help her, cause this forum is full of people who think comments like "eat more" are helpful.

its great that you have some knowledge in your head, and you could help people with it, if you actually shared it.

you cant decipher the 2 paragraphs you wrote after it was requested from "Eat more to lose more. Simple." can you?

can you see what I'm getting at?

Ophidion

Eat more to lose more. Simple.

again, are you going of offer advice with that? june 2013. mmmmmm.

Yes. It's like this.

When you set yourself at a calorie goal like let's say 1200 calories a day. You eat that. That's great. But our bodies are adaptable machines and they learn routines rather quickly so this would pull weight loss to a massive halt. Its because our metabolisms are working around what our intake has been.

So most people go and lower their intake more than this to resume scale digits going down but that kinda messes up metabolism and muscles and brain tissue even more. So by eating more... you refuel your body and your metabolism has a happy dance and in return revs up and kill weight.

So when your scale does the halt up your calories. Work with your body. Your body will love it.

yeh, thats some good info there. so why didn't you offer that in the first place? she asked for advice, shes trying to do everything right.

how is "eat more" helping. its not an answer. how much more? you want to know how much more? ok here we go.

for a 36 year old woman weighing 126lb at a height of 5'2" at sedentary activity level, the BMR estimate is 1372 and the TDEE estimate is 1646. so

for a 25% 1lb estimate loss would be 1200-1300cal goal

most people recommend 20% tho, which is around 1300 - 1400cals.

so she could up her sedentary calories a bit if she felt like it.

now the real mistake here is she's not eating back her exercise, which is the real problem.

so logging those cals, and eating back 1/2 to 2/3 of those would be the best plan going forward.


you know how I know this? cause spent the time, did the numbers and sent it to her, to help her, cause this forum is full of people who think comments like "eat more" are helpful.

its great that you have some knowledge in your head, and you could help people with it, if you actually shared it.

you cant decipher the 2 paragraphs you wrote after it was requested from "Eat more to lose more. Simple." can you?

can you see what I'm getting at?