Nutritionist suggests I don't exercise?!
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looney9708
Posts: 174 Member
I've been doing a specified program with a nutritionist and lost the first 19 lbs. but I've been stalled the last few weeks-about 5 at this point. I've always done crossfit and hiit and love my workouts. It had been working to do my exercise while doing a low carb calorie restricted diet and still losing fat. But since I've been stalled she suggests hanging low on the high Intestity workouts and see if we can't get my body to respond. Im terrified the opposite will happen. Does laying low on workouts make sense to anyone else? Help me mentally get through this so I can get the last 10 lbs off!
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Replies
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I'd ask her for those details. Or did you and what did she say? Did she adjust your diet at all? How much of a calorie restriction are you talking?0
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There have been studies of folks training for marathons who have trouble losing weight, but in this case, I suspect it is the nutrition advice or its implementation.
Five weeks isn't that bad as far as plateaus go: really just time to start playing with the factors. Usually the first place to start is to verify that you aren't doing something unusual with your calorie intake. Did you decide you know how much is 4oz of meat and stop weighing? Did you start drinking something you thought was free of calories, but it might not be?
Are you overfocused on a weight goal, rather than seeing the results from you wonderful workout? Does that "last ten pounds" put you into a healthy weight range or are you already there and trying to get lower in the range?
Finally, if your goal is to be healthy, why would you give up workouts you enjoy for a number on the scale?0 -
It sounds like bizarre advice to me, but without more details it's hard to say.0
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Do you exercise every day? Sometimes the muscles swell in response to added activity and a rest day can help them recover (and you miraculously lose some water weight).0
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The only thing I can think of is if you weren't taking a rest day. I always, always have my best scale losses after my rest day. If you're doing exercise 7 days a week, then I don't see why you can't at least dial it back for 1 or 2 of those. Rather than HIIT, just go for a nice medium-paced walk, or something. If you already incorporated rest days, then I'm not sure why anyone would give that advice, unless they're just at a loss as to what the "real issue" might be.0
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They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week0
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concordancia wrote: »There have been studies of folks training for marathons who have trouble losing weight, but in this case, I suspect it is the nutrition advice or its implementation.
Five weeks isn't that bad as far as plateaus go: really just time to start playing with the factors. Usually the first place to start is to verify that you aren't doing something unusual with your calorie intake. Did you decide you know how much is 4oz of meat and stop weighing? Did you start drinking something you thought was free of calories, but it might not be?
Are you overfocused on a weight goal, rather than seeing the results from you wonderful workout? Does that "last ten pounds" put you into a healthy weight range or are you already there and trying to get lower in the range?
Finally, if your goal is to be healthy, why would you give up workouts you enjoy for a number on the scale?
I'm on a very specified plan and everything is weighted and measured and nothing extra. We will see how this week goes I guess0 -
I can't see how that would actually cause fat GAIN. Sometimes taking a break from intense workouts is good just for your body to recover but I don't know what they mean by what you are doing now would cause you to gain weight. Perhaps I misunderstood something.0
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I weigh on a body fat comp machine weekly and they swear too low intake and too much out your body saves fat. Makes no sense to me but they asked me to trust them. So here goes nothing0
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looney9708 wrote: »I weigh on a body fat comp machine weekly and they swear too low intake and too much out your body saves fat. Makes no sense to me but they asked me to trust them. So here goes nothing
If they are saying that explicitly then they are wrong. Also, the %BF measurements made on a scale or handheld device are notoriously inaccurate.
Now, too low an intake can lead to reduced energy and reduced TDEE, and a low intake over a long period can lead to adaptive thermogenesis. But if they are making the old-fashioned "starvation mode" claim I would question their credentials.0 -
looney9708 wrote: »They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week
If you are eating 1200 calories (as in you weigh everything and log accurately) you are not gaining fat. Your exercise is not making you gain fat. Your nutritionist is full of crap and has no idea how the body works. If you pay them stop immediately because they are ripping you off. If anything they may have set your calories too low and that much exercise is causing you to burn through lean mass. That's their fault for not making sure you fuel your body appropriately.0 -
looney9708 wrote: »They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week
If you are eating 1200 calories (as in you weigh everything and log accurately) you are not gaining fat. Your exercise is not making you gain fat. Your nutritionist is full of crap and has no idea how the body works. If you pay them stop immediately because they are ripping you off. If anything they may have set your calories too low and that much exercise is causing you to burn through lean mass. That's their fault for not making sure you fuel your body appropriately.
Agreed. Also BF measurements on those scales are really inaccurate. Maybe consider getting a DEXA scan.0 -
Nutritionist is a term with no standardized set of qualifications.0
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This. Glycogen has to come from somewhere and if your nutrition isn't supporting it and you're on low carb, it's not uncommon to start catabolizing some lean muscle. It's easier for to that than lipolysis.looney9708 wrote: »They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week
If you are eating 1200 calories (as in you weigh everything and log accurately) you are not gaining fat. Your exercise is not making you gain fat. Your nutritionist is full of crap and has no idea how the body works. If you pay them stop immediately because they are ripping you off. If anything they may have set your calories too low and that much exercise is causing you to burn through lean mass. That's their fault for not making sure you fuel your body appropriately.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Thank you. This makes sense now. I appreciate the factual information and not making me feel like an idiot like so many people. I obviously don't fully understand and am trying to get a grasp on proper nutrition and exercise. If I knew it then I wouldn't need them or mfp. So many times people are just rude. Thanks again. I will research more.
This. Glycogen has to come from somewhere and if your nutrition isn't supporting it and you're on low carb, it's not uncommon to start catabolizing some lean muscle. It's easier for to that than lipolysis.looney9708 wrote: »They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week
If you are eating 1200 calories (as in you weigh everything and log accurately) you are not gaining fat. Your exercise is not making you gain fat. Your nutritionist is full of crap and has no idea how the body works. If you pay them stop immediately because they are ripping you off. If anything they may have set your calories too low and that much exercise is causing you to burn through lean mass. That's their fault for not making sure you fuel your body appropriately.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I can't see how that would actually cause fat GAIN. Sometimes taking a break from intense workouts is good just for your body to recover but I don't know what they mean by what you are doing now would cause you to gain weight. Perhaps I misunderstood something.
I should have said that differently. Keeps the fat and loses muscle. To me that is a fat gain but I realize that I worded it incorrectly0 -
oh_happy_day wrote: »looney9708 wrote: »They believe that the calorie restriction I am on -roughly 1200 cals a day with low car high protein and moderate fat, and exercising at the intensity I'm working out on causes fat gain. It sounds so backward but am living it when it comes to weekly workouts and then my weigh in. So they want me briskly walking but not breaking into a full sweat. See if backing off workouts will mean more fat loss this week
If you are eating 1200 calories (as in you weigh everything and log accurately) you are not gaining fat. Your exercise is not making you gain fat. Your nutritionist is full of crap and has no idea how the body works. If you pay them stop immediately because they are ripping you off. If anything they may have set your calories too low and that much exercise is causing you to burn through lean mass. That's their fault for not making sure you fuel your body appropriately.
Agreed. Also BF measurements on those scales are really inaccurate. Maybe consider getting a DEXA scan.
I do both inbody scan and water submersion for testing. Both always agree with each other so I assume the accuracy is pretty high. I'm not talking an everyday calibration scale0 -
"Excess exercise can cause health problems, as well, especially if the diet is lacking in proper nutrition. Overtraining can signal the body to start burning muscle for fuel and store more fat, resulting in some weight gain." Found on a few medical/fitness sites. This is from livestrong.com. Quite interesting and will do more reading. Thanks for your help. We will see how this weeks test goes
http://www.livestrong.com/article/456348-over-exercising-weight-gain/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mobile-sharing
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At 1200, you are not eating enough to sustain your workout routine, that is for sure.
Personally, I would adjust the diet and keep the workouts, albeit with a rest day.0 -
looney9708 wrote: »"Excess exercise can cause health problems, as well, especially if the diet is lacking in proper nutrition. Overtraining can signal the body to start burning muscle for fuel and store more fat, resulting in some weight gain." Found on a few medical/fitness sites. This is from livestrong.com. Quite interesting and will do more reading. Thanks for your help. We will see how this weeks test goes
http://www.livestrong.com/article/456348-over-exercising-weight-gain/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mobile-sharing
Livestrong is not a reliable source. They will even often post contradictory articles on the same topic.
You WILL NOT store more fat while eating at a deficit.
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