Advice greatly appreciated!!!!

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chanell84
chanell84 Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Over the last 12 months I have lost 73 lbs with eating in a calorie deficit and managed to maintain that weight loss over the last 3 months. I managed to maintain my current weight of 160 (I'm 5' 6") by eating maintenance calories and I have started going to the gym. I go to the gym 3 days a week and with the help of a trainer do strength training for 30 minutes and then do 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill for some cardio. My problem is I'm ready to start losing more weight so I started eating in a calorie deficit again. I started eating between 1200-1300 calories a day for the last 4 days and I'm still maintaining my weight of 160 and even went up a little. I know it's only been 4 days but in the beginning when I started I lost weight like crazy so I assumed having taken the last 3 months off from cutting that I would lose weight rapidly in the beginning again. My husband thinks it's because I go to the gym and maybe I'm building muscle but I don't think that's the problem and I can't eat any lower calories than I am without it being unhealthy. So I guess my question is should I just continue to eat at the same amount of calories (1200-1300) and keep doing what I am at the gym and give it more time? My goal at this point is 150 but 140 would be awesome. It depends on how I feel at 150. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    Do you weigh all your food?

    Because there's no way you're eating that little and not losing weight.

    Also, it's only been 4 days.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Give it a couple of weeks before you change anything. You're not going to gain enough muscle to mask the weight lost in a week, but you could be retaining some fluid to help cushion and repair sore muscles after the gym. Either way, give your body some time to catch up.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    First, congrats on the loss. That's huge. So unfortunately, You can't gain muscle that quickly. Give it time.
    Question: are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    It's been 4 days
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    It's only been 4 days. It's too soon to start worrying about potential no-losses.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Its only been 4 days...

    You need to keep doing what you are doing and give yourself a weight range instead a "spot on scale weight". Use the scale to keep those fluctuations in water weight at bay.. Drink a lot of water during this time...

    Again its been 4 days. :):)

    PS, if you eat your exercise calories back (no matter how you calculate them) make sure you do not overestimate them cause you can end up eating back too many.

    Also you are not going to gain any muscle in a deficit.. You might get some newbie gains if this is your first time strength training, but loosing weight and gaining muscle at the same time takes precision and a really small deficit.

  • chanell84
    chanell84 Posts: 41 Member
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    I weigh everything I eat and I never eat exercise calories back. I've only been going to the gym for 3 months but it's the first time that I've ever gone to the gym in my life so I'm starting from the absolute bottom. I know it's only been 4 days and I shouldn't panic but I'm so afraid I won't make my ultimate goal of 150 and I'm so close! I guess I just needed reassurance that I'll be ok.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    It's only been 4 days. I also think that is too few calories for your new routine. It's a good time to recheck your BMI and re-set your macros accordingly.
    If you're strength training properly, you may not see a weight loss but a loss in inches and body fat. Ditch the scale and use the tape measure and the feel of how your clothes are fitting.
    Try a couple of these links to help you sort it out
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    And finally, Don't Quit
  • chanell84
    chanell84 Posts: 41 Member
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    How many calories a day would u suggest?
  • chanell84
    chanell84 Posts: 41 Member
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    In maintenance mode I ate around 1800. I am losing inches because even though the scale hasn't moved my pants are all getting too big.

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