Slow progress - what should I change?
Maria_FFM
Posts: 25 Member
Hello there,
Looking forward to some expert feedback..
Context: June 12th I reached my heaviest weight in life - 75kgs / I'm 1.70 / 38 years old.
June 13th (2019) I said enough and started counting calories. No major exercise.
By August I was 5 kgs down = 70 kgs.
In August I decided to start exercising more and asked a trainer for a specific programme.
I started training around 4 times a week. Usually 2 HIIT classes and 2 days of some HITT with mild weight training, around 1H30.
By the end of August I was very happy. Lost weight and my Body Composition improved immensily!
I now measured myself again, end of September, and was shocked to see so little progress!! I lost weight, but also lost a bit of muscle and gain a tiny bit of fat!! Im so disapointed with the results.
This month I had to travel for work, so for 9-10 days my calorie and exercise was heavily compromised. Could that be the cause of such non existent progress?
The evening before my body scan, I had a pack of popocorn at the cinema (waited all week for that sweet moment). Could it be that it messed up my results?
(
On Wednesday I have my review with the trainer to do a new programme, Im temtpted to ask to go for more heavy weight training, more lifting instead of so much HITT. From what I read seems like the best to loose fat. Im also thinking if I should try to eat even more protein...but Im already faithful to the eggs, salmon, tuna, chicken, skyr...
Any advice? Im a bit sad that Im still very disciplined but didnt see much progress this month...Maybe Im not that disciplined after all. What would you change, if you were me?
Below my body composition from 3 different dates:
August 6th / Sep 1st / Sep 28th
Weight
69,5Kgs - 68kgs - 66kgs
%Fat Mass
34,4% - 29,6% - 30,2%
BMI
24,2 - 23,8 - 22,8
BMR
1,329 - 1,447 - 1393
Body Fat Mass
24,1 - 20,4 - 20,1
Bone Mass
2,3kg - 2,5kg - 2,4kg
Fat Free Mass
45,9kg - 48,5kg - 46,5kg
Muscle Mass
43,6kg - 46kg - 44,1kg
Total Body Water
32,8kg - 34,7kg - 33,2kg
Total Body Water %
46,9% - 50,4% - 49,8%
Visceral Fat Level
5 - 4 - 4
Looking forward to some expert feedback..
Context: June 12th I reached my heaviest weight in life - 75kgs / I'm 1.70 / 38 years old.
June 13th (2019) I said enough and started counting calories. No major exercise.
By August I was 5 kgs down = 70 kgs.
In August I decided to start exercising more and asked a trainer for a specific programme.
I started training around 4 times a week. Usually 2 HIIT classes and 2 days of some HITT with mild weight training, around 1H30.
By the end of August I was very happy. Lost weight and my Body Composition improved immensily!
I now measured myself again, end of September, and was shocked to see so little progress!! I lost weight, but also lost a bit of muscle and gain a tiny bit of fat!! Im so disapointed with the results.
This month I had to travel for work, so for 9-10 days my calorie and exercise was heavily compromised. Could that be the cause of such non existent progress?
The evening before my body scan, I had a pack of popocorn at the cinema (waited all week for that sweet moment). Could it be that it messed up my results?
(On Wednesday I have my review with the trainer to do a new programme, Im temtpted to ask to go for more heavy weight training, more lifting instead of so much HITT. From what I read seems like the best to loose fat. Im also thinking if I should try to eat even more protein...but Im already faithful to the eggs, salmon, tuna, chicken, skyr...
Any advice? Im a bit sad that Im still very disciplined but didnt see much progress this month...Maybe Im not that disciplined after all. What would you change, if you were me?
Below my body composition from 3 different dates:
August 6th / Sep 1st / Sep 28th
Weight
69,5Kgs - 68kgs - 66kgs
%Fat Mass
34,4% - 29,6% - 30,2%
BMI
24,2 - 23,8 - 22,8
BMR
1,329 - 1,447 - 1393
Body Fat Mass
24,1 - 20,4 - 20,1
Bone Mass
2,3kg - 2,5kg - 2,4kg
Fat Free Mass
45,9kg - 48,5kg - 46,5kg
Muscle Mass
43,6kg - 46kg - 44,1kg
Total Body Water
32,8kg - 34,7kg - 33,2kg
Total Body Water %
46,9% - 50,4% - 49,8%
Visceral Fat Level
5 - 4 - 4
0
Replies
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It sounds like you'd like to do more lifting, so definitely look into that. HIIT will compromise your recovery, so you might try some less intense cardio that you enjoy. Stick with it and progress with your lifting and you should get results.3
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In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.15 -
Get yourself on an established lifting programme if you like weight training and want to do more. You’ve made good progress in a short time.
There are some good programmes listed in the gaining weight and bodybuilding forum. Good luck3 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »HIIT will compromise your recovery, so you might try some less intense cardio that you enjoy.
Instead of a mix between HITT and weight training, is it more efficient to do just weights?
My goal is to loose another 5kgs or so, to loose fat specially around the belly..thighs..
0 -
In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.
Thank you so much! So you confirm what I have been reading online: to loose fat it is better do more weights. Im definitely going to ask him for a new routine tomorrow.
I know my BMI is ok, but Im enjoying seeing my body change and looking better, specially the muscle definition and so now I want more. And I still have a lot of fat as you also saw.
Im on around 1200 calories day..maybe 1300. I know it sounds crazy...ive been reading that too, but my body doesnt resond otherwise..i will not loose weight if I eat more.
Do you think I still should do some cardio in between lifting? For example 3 days a week weights and one day a HITT class? Or just stick to a new weight programme?0 -
cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »Get yourself on an established lifting programme if you like weight training and want to do more. You’ve made good progress in a short time.
There are some good programmes listed in the gaining weight and bodybuilding forum. Good luck
It is not so much that I like it..I hope I do
it is more because I think it will help me burn fat faster. I dont want to gain weight either...still would like to shed another 5kgs 🤞🤞 0 -
In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.
Im on around 1200 calories day..maybe 1300. I know it sounds crazy...ive been reading that too, but my body doesnt resond otherwise..i will not loose weight if I eat more.
I think, as with your original post, you are saying your body doesn't respond as fast as you'd like, which is entirely different.9 -
In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.
Im on around 1200 calories day..maybe 1300. I know it sounds crazy...ive been reading that too, but my body doesnt resond otherwise..i will not loose weight if I eat more.
I think, as with your original post, you are saying your body doesn't respond as fast as you'd like, which is entirely different.
Is 9kgs in 3.5 months that extreme!?0 -
In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.
Im on around 1200 calories day..maybe 1300. I know it sounds crazy...ive been reading that too, but my body doesnt resond otherwise..i will not loose weight if I eat more.
I think, as with your original post, you are saying your body doesn't respond as fast as you'd like, which is entirely different.
Is 9kgs in 3.5 months that extreme!?
That's almost 1.5 pounds per week, which is too fast at this point.
With only 11 more pounds to go, do slow your rate of loss to a half pound per week.
Or, as other posters have mentioned, look into recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss.12 -
In terms of weight loss, your progress is definitely not too slow. If anything, you are losing too fast for your size and weight, not too slow. That may sound crazy to you, but you have been losing 0.5kg per week, and it is usually recommended to limit your weight loss to 0.25kg per week when you are within a normal BMI, which you are at 22.8. If you are looking to still lose a little more weight, I would actually recommend slowing your progress. As far as the body fat measurements, I wouldn't put too muhh stock in it, as these scans are notoriously unrealiable, especially if you do it later in the day. Your food and hydration levels will affect it immensely.
If we do take the three scans as a general approximation of your body fat level then you do appear to have a bit higher than I would expect at your weight. If you want to change that, it's not so much about losing weight, but rather recompositioning and working on muscle development and fat loss. I would certainly change up your exercise routing and focus more on lifting vs whatever it is your trainer has you doing (if it is being done for an hour and a half, it is definitely not HIIT). It seems like it is heavy cardio base, which will help you lose weight but not develop your muscles the same way as lifting will. It's also possible that your calorie deficit is too large, which could lead you to still losing but burning more muscle than desired as part of your loss.
Im on around 1200 calories day..maybe 1300. I know it sounds crazy...ive been reading that too, but my body doesnt resond otherwise..i will not loose weight if I eat more.
I think, as with your original post, you are saying your body doesn't respond as fast as you'd like, which is entirely different.
Is 9kgs in 3.5 months that extreme!?
Yes. It is. You are risking muscle mass and health issues by such an aggressive approach. You are already at a healthy weight. Work on body composition. HIIT will not help you with that. Weight training and LISS as well as eating enough. What you really need to change is your attitude and impatience before you damage your health.11 -
1200 calories a day seems too low. I'm assuming you set MFP to lose 2lb a week, which is definitely too fast given how little you have to lose.6
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Here is a question for you....
What are your goals? Well actually two questions. Could it be that it's not about weight, but shape (composition)?
You will find, if you don't know this already, that for the same weight, muscle takes up less space (i.e. it's more dense). You may be smaller and in better shape while actually weighing more when all is said and done.
You will also find, if you don't know this already, that burning fat with a deficit is not especially efficient. When you are in a deficit, you will lose both fat and muscle. The extent of fat versus muscle loss is a function of the efficiency of fat burning, which in turn depends on the body's access to fat.
The body will access the energy it needs by first going to the energy used in the digestion process, then to body tissue. Once it gets into body tissue, fat is the easiest source, however it's not the only source. The body will burn both fat and lean tissue at whatever rate it can access each. That's why if you don't have a lot of fat to burn, you will burn more lean tissue for the same deficit as somebody who has a lot of fat to lose.
That's a complicated way to say that it's very important not to have too large of deficit - if you want to keep or improve your shape.
5 -
Hopefully this doesn't come across as facetious but I think the biggest change that's required is your expectations.11
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OP I see all the advice here is sound.
Lifting weights isn’t a quick fix it will take years to get that ‘fit toned’ body I think you may be aiming for.
Lifting burns a few calories but not tons. Yr diet is key to weight loss and as others have said generally a modest loss is better when you are approaching or within a normal bmi.
Nobody is saying you can’t or shouldn’t do cardio. It’s a higher calorie burn than lifting depending on what you do and it’s good for yr overall health. It’s just if cardio is the majority of your exercise, it won’t get you a toned body.
Because building a decent muscle base takes time and patience, it’s important to find a lifting programme you enjoy so take a little time to research this.3 -
Thanks everyone for the input; I read everything.
But bear with me...Im new to this.
Sports have always been a part of my life, but I never dieted. This is the first time I am having a strategic approach towards my body / eating.
As everyone that does something for the first time, some errors are to be expected. And when you out effort in something it is normal to have expectations..
I see I have to increase my calorie intake. It will require for me to honestly believe will work and break the habit of thinking less is more.6 -
Cardio is important for your overall health, so don't drop that entirely. It burns calories, yes, but it also keeps your heart and lungs healthy.2
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You are slightly shorter than me (by about an inch), weigh just slightly less than I currently do (2 pound difference), and are slightly younger (3 years) - but for the most part, our numbers are pretty similar.
I agree with the others that you should probably slow down on the scale expectations, and increase the weight lifting and fueling that (so making sure you get enough protein), while slowly losing. There are plenty of workout programs out there to fit what you'd be seeking and your schedule/available equipment, a little google searching finds plenty of ideas.
My fitness is priority #1, weight loss is secondary, so I've taken a slower approach, but still want the weight gone - but bodies can't lose quickly and build better shape/stronger muscles at the same time. Because I've been more focused on my fitness and lifting, I've also had to accept that my original weight goal (what I weighed most of my younger adult life into my early-mid 30's) may actually be a bit low. I still have plenty of fat to lose on my frame, but I'm down to the last 15-20 pounds (at most).
Focus on your fitness and nutrition - the weight will come off, but try not to lose it too quickly or there won't be much of a shape underneath when you're done losing. Honestly, where you are at, I'd suggest shooting for losing 1/2 pound/week - you will have weeks where you'll lose more, and some where you will lose less (or the scale may really be a pain and go up), but average it out. Yes, it's slow, yes, it's long, but you'll be far more likely to keep it off once you get there since you will have adjusted to what it takes to keep your body where you would like it to be.2
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