Don't know what to do!! Help!

tackemar

Hey guys!
So I've been dieting and exercising for awhile now and am happy to say that I've lost 30 lbs! I've made a lot of improvements, but now I'm stuck. It's been a month since I've lost ANY weight (I still have 20-30 lbs to go). I'm not sure what to do. In this last month, I've been able to increase my daily milage from 3 miles to 6. I've also been able to shave off 2 minutes per mile and can now run each mile at about 10 mins (I started at 15min/mile). This past month, I've also decreased my calorie intake, hoping to lose at least one pound in the past 4 weeks. I've also added strengthening exercises to the end of my runs. I run at least 5 days per week and for at least an hour each day and spend about 15-20 extra minutes on strengthening exercises. I'm also eating around 1100-1300 calories per day. What am I doing wrong? Help please!

IsaackGMOON

Open your diary so we can see your logging.

slowrollem

Have you been taking your measurements as well? You may be losing inches but not weight. Especially if you've added strength training, your muscles could be holding on to water in order to repair themselves, thus the stall in your loss.

With that much activity your calories sound kind of low. Are you eating back at least half of your excercise calories?

nordlead2005

If you are eating 1300 calories/day and running 6 miles/day then you are losing weight.

So, either you are eating more than you think, or you are fluctuating up in water weight.

Water weight can go up 5lb easy. If you were losing 1lb/week it could mask it for a month.

Double check that you are weighing and logging your food correctly and keep on going.

Bshmerlie

You are eating at maintenance. Lower your calories by 250 and you will start to lose again.

snowflakesav

since you have a history of consistent weight loss it might not be a tracking issue.

Running 25 miles a week on that kind of deficit has got to feel like crud. That is so stressful on your body. More calories, less stress, run happy and fueled. The weight will go. You have this.

daniwilford

I have some questions/suggestions. 1. How accurate is your logging? Weigh everything solid on a digital scale in grams. Choose the most accurate entry from the data base, those that you verified by USDA or label. Count everything that goes into your mouth including cooking oils and condiments. 2. Is 1100-1200 net calories? If no go back to no. 1. If yes. 3. How are you calculating the calories you burn? Enter only those calories you burn through aerobic exercise, and eat only a portion of those. Start eating only 50 to 75% of those. If you begin to lose more than .5 to 1 lb a week increase to a higher percentage if you still are not losing after four more weeks eat back even less.

BWBTrish

daniwilford wrote: »

I have some questions/suggestions. 1. How accurate is your logging? Weigh everything solid on a digital scale in grams. Choose the most accurate entry from the data base, those that you verified by USDA or label. Count everything that goes into your mouth including cooking oils and condiments. 2. Is 1100-1200 net calories? If no go back to no. 1. If yes. 3. How are you calculating the calories you burn? Enter only those calories you burn through aerobic exercise, and eat only a portion of those. Start eating only 50 to 75% of those. If you begin to lose more than .5 to 1 lb a week increase to a higher percentage if you still are not losing after four more weeks eat back even less.

This

tackemar

I don't weigh everything out on a scale. When I purchase meats, I check to see the actual weight on the package and I usually Barcode my foods, as well. For things that have serving sizes in cups, I really do take the time out to measure them. The only things that I'm not sure about are the things when I eat out, but I try to find something similar. I track my runs through runtastic, which uses GPS, weight, and age to determine calories burned. It could be that I'm not tracking things adequately, but I feel like I am getting pretty close

BWBTrish

well apparently you are not in a deficit or you would lose weight...so you have to tighten it up.

BWBTrish

Here a short video what the difference can be between cups and spoons and really weighing your food

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

tackemar

Even if I was consuming 500 extra calories each day, it would bring me up to 1800, which is still less than my daily allowance when I run for an hour (2100)

BWBTrish

Most of the time calorie burns are over estimated and calories intake under estimated...which can wipe out your deficit..

But for everybody counts weight gain or stalls/plateaus is eating too much calories

Bhlinebee

Lots of thoughts shared above, which is good - gives you different things to consider, I would say you need a rest. When running /excercising as much as your doing occasionally it's good to give your body a couple or even a few days for rest. Do some relaxing yoga, go for walks, drink lots of water and tea, etc. give your body some love!

jrschultz83

For calorie burn, you've got to be careful. Most apps wildly over-estimate; you need to wear a heart-rate monitor to be more accurate.

I'm a 5'8" male who is about 20 lbs over-weight - my runs with a heart rate monitor show that I burn about 100 calories per mile @ a 10:30 pace. However, I haven't got a good habit formed yet, and run twice a week at most.

If you're running that much, there's a good chance that your body has tuned itself for efficiency and you're burning a lot less than you think. Last summer when I was in much better shape and into cycling/races, I was riding 6 days per week and ended up hitting a plateau. I thought it was due to my food intake, but after paying attention to my cycling computer/heart rate monitor, it turns out that my body was getting ridiculously efficient - as in a pace that had some of my more casual cycling friends at 130 bpm had me at 99 or so.

Just something to consider! GL!

lynn_glenmont

Bhlinebee wrote: »

Lots of thoughts shared above, which is good - gives you different things to consider, I would say you need a rest. When running /excercising as much as your doing occasionally it's good to give your body a couple or even a few days for rest. Do some relaxing yoga, go for walks, drink lots of water and tea, etc. give your body some love!

+1, more or less
Given that you were losing weight before, and what has changed is more exercise (both in distance and intensity, as well as new strength training routine) and less food, I'm going to vote for the loss of fat and LBM being masked by water retention related to muscle repair and possibly stress hormones (cortisol). Also, any possibility that the latter part of the month could include water retention from your monthly reproductive cycle?

lynn_glenmont

Oh, one other thing to think about, although I don't think it could be a significant factor: Have you recalculated your calorie needs since you lost the 30 pounds?

SLLRunner

tackemar wrote: »

Hey guys!
So I've been dieting and exercising for awhile now and am happy to say that I've lost 30 lbs! I've made a lot of improvements, but now I'm stuck. It's been a month since I've lost ANY weight (I still have 20-30 lbs to go). I'm not sure what to do. In this last month, I've been able to increase my daily milage from 3 miles to 6. I've also been able to shave off 2 minutes per mile and can now run each mile at about 10 mins (I started at 15min/mile). This past month, I've also decreased my calorie intake, hoping to lose at least one pound in the past 4 weeks. I've also added strengthening exercises to the end of my runs. I run at least 5 days per week and for at least an hour each day and spend about 15-20 extra minutes on strengthening exercises. I'm also eating around 1100-1300 calories per day. What am I doing wrong? Help please!

Good job so far!

Have you allowed MFP to adjust your calorie intake for each ten pounds lost? If not, you need to do that.

If you were truly eating 1100-1300 calories and doing all that exercise you would be losing weight. Therefore, my guess is your eating more than you realize either through underestimating food intake and/or overestimating calories burned. It's a pretty common thing.

Do you weigh your food and log everything your eat? If you count cardio calories, do you eat them back? How much?

Please also open your diary if you want more concrete feedback.

SLLRunner

tackemar wrote: »

Even if I was consuming 500 extra calories each day, it would bring me up to 1800, which is still less than my daily allowance when I run for an hour (2100)

What does the 2100 stand for? Surely it is not your calorie burn for an hour of running?

If you're not losing weight, you are eating too much.

SLLRunner

tackemar wrote: »

I don't weigh everything out on a scale. When I purchase meats, I check to see the actual weight on the package and I usually Barcode my foods, as well. For things that have serving sizes in cups, I really do take the time out to measure them. The only things that I'm not sure about are the things when I eat out, but I try to find something similar. I track my runs through runtastic, which uses GPS, weight, and age to determine calories burned. It could be that I'm not tracking things adequately, but I feel like I am getting pretty close

Runtastic is notorious for overestimating calorie burns. I used that app before I got a heart rate monitor, and there is a big difference between the numbers.

Keep working on the tracking, you'll get there if you try.

lseed87

Have you been tracking by taking pictures or measurements?

PinkPixiexox

Just my two cents (it may differ from the advice already been given - i'm no expert but I've been in your position) I would eat the calories you were eating previously to lose weight. As long as you have a big enough deficit, you'll lose. What I would suggest for you from now onwards - pay less attention to the scale and track by measurements. You may be building lean muscle which means you're losing inches. The scale isn't always an accurate way to measure your achievements. Personally, I'd throw some strength exercises into your work-out routine, don't overdo the cardio. Take measurements now and again in a months time. Weigh once a month. You'll surprise yourself.

Well done on the 30lbs loss so far, that's brilliant.

Orphia

SLLRunner wrote: »

Have you allowed MFP to adjust your calorie intake for each ten pounds lost? If not, you need to do that.

This is what I was wondering.

MFP is supposed to recalculate your daily limit every 5 or 10 lbs lost, but it's never done that for me except when I go into my goals settings and change my weight there. It doesn't seem to recalculate if you just record your weight through "add weight".

It's important for your limit to lower in concert with your weight lowering. What worked at the start soon doesn't work.