Nearly two months of working out, zero results. Help!

lionrevolt
lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Let me give you some background about my body. I’m 5’6 and I have a relatively okay metabolism. I say this because from ages 14-26 I remained around the same weight: 132-135 pounds. So, I know my body sits at a comfortable weight, but I’m definitely flabby and not thin.

I gained weight because of anti depressants, and I am now stuck at 143-145 pounds. I am no longer on any medication.

This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever regularly worked out. I work out 5 days a week and I do Jillian Michaels level one of her 30 day shred + Chloe Ting’s ab workout. Combined, it’s a 50 minute workout that has me exhausted and drenched in sweat by the end of it. The workout is weight training + cardio.

I varied workouts in the beginning, but for the past month I’ve done the aforementioned workout and while it has gotten easier...it’s still pretty hard for me some days which is why I don’t change it up.

I count my calories, eat pretty healthy, and I feel like I work really hard ...but am seeing no results. I haven’t lost weight or any inches off my body.

And I’m even more confused by my numbers below:
BMI: 23.6
Body Fat: 18.4%
Subcutaneous Fat: 16.6%
Visceral Fat: 5

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    You might be working out too hard without enough recovery. You may just be recomping so changes will come more slowly
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
    Where did you get those numbers?

    I have a scale that is connected to an app! FITINDEX.

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  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
    What is your current calorie goal?

    Do you use a digital food scale?
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member

    errollmaclean wrote: »
    What is your current calorie goal?

    Do you use a digital food scale?

    I do use a digital food scale but not as much as I probably should. I’m set to 1450 calories a day. Is this too much?

    I also fast. Not sure if this is relevant. I typically only eat between the hours of 11-7.

    I don’t eat a lot of processed foods. I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit, and I don’t eat meat other than chicken. I routinely check my nutrient intake and try to make sure I’m getting everything I need for the day.

    My body doesn’t seem to be toning as fast as I would like.
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    You should vary your workout a little. Working the same muscles every day gives them no time for recovery. So I'm wondering if you are having a lot of water retention because of this. If your bf% is really 18-19, that is low enough to not be "flabby" at your bmi. That's why it's probably not correct. Your calories are already low, so I would not suggest going lower. Just make sure you are logging accurately.

    I didnt know that could cause water retention! Thanks for the info. I should mention that I am bloated 80% of the time — now and even before I was working out regularly. I think I do retain a lot of water generally and I definitely have a very, very sensitive stomach.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Those are likely your base eating goal calories from MFP, right?

    That means from your selected Activity level, and no exercise being accounted for - you'd eat that 1450.

    But that should not be your eating goal doing the workouts. Your goal should have gone up if using MFP the way it's designed.

    I'm going out on a limb here from your comments and others - your recovery and workouts are probably no where near as good as they could be. They may be just stress at this point on your body, not good stress though.
    And your daily activity has probably dropped because of this same reason.

    You aren't eating enough for your hopeful level of activity. Your body adapted at some point to deal with it.

    If you aren't feeding those workouts - they will suck in terms of making changes to your body - which you aren't seeing. They still feel just as hard after a month.
    If your body feels threatened about the eating level matching attempted activity level - it'll slow you down, usually more tired and moving less - you'll end up eating at maintenance.

    Now - even if your logging is inaccurate and your are actually eating some amount above, say 1600 daily on average, that may still not be enough.

    And recomp comes when you are still burning fat because the workouts are correct enough to ask body to change, requiring more of the nutrients.
    If you are really eating close to 1450 - I bet the workouts are not.

    I'll ditto what several said - get accurate with logging while still eating the same amount so you really know.
    Back off the workouts a tad and really recover - side benefit you'll be burning less, making the deficit less, perhaps allow body to make changes.
  • cIeis
    cIeis Posts: 1 Member
    lionrevolt wrote: »
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    You should vary your workout a little. Working the same muscles every day gives them no time for recovery. So I'm wondering if you are having a lot of water retention because of this. If your bf% is really 18-19, that is low enough to not be "flabby" at your bmi. That's why it's probably not correct. Your calories are already low, so I would not suggest going lower. Just make sure you are logging accurately.

    I didnt know that could cause water retention! Thanks for the info. I should mention that I am bloated 80% of the time — now and even before I was working out regularly. I think I do retain a lot of water generally and I definitely have a very, very sensitive stomach.

    So wild reading this - we have almost EXACTLY same weight/height proportions (5'6" & 135-140) and I feel this in my soul about being bloated most of the time. I run and lift weights every day and am noticing some strength progress but am wondering now if I just need to mix it up to look toned!!

    I read that I should aim for a calorie deficit of 3500/week to lose a pound a week (a deficit of 500 calories a day). That puts me at about 1200 calories since I sit for work most of the day. Felt a little low at first but I've been under that for two weeks now and am still able to get through an hour workout daily. I have also been eating a little less than one gram of protein per pound (like 120 grams a day) which is SUPPOSED to help burn fat and build muscle simultaneously?? Idk I don't know anything about this stuff I'm just following the internet. G O O D L U C K ! !
  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

    These should also help. They cover all the basics and are super informative about clearing up all the bad information that people hear about health and fitness all the time.
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Those are likely your base eating goal calories from MFP, right?

    That means from your selected Activity level, and no exercise being accounted for - you'd eat that 1450.

    But that should not be your eating goal doing the workouts. Your goal should have gone up if using MFP the way it's designed.

    I'm going out on a limb here from your comments and others - your recovery and workouts are probably no where near as good as they could be. They may be just stress at this point on your body, not good stress though.
    And your daily activity has probably dropped because of this same reason.

    You aren't eating enough for your hopeful level of activity. Your body adapted at some point to deal with it.

    If you aren't feeding those workouts - they will suck in terms of making changes to your body - which you aren't seeing. They still feel just as hard after a month.
    If your body feels threatened about the eating level matching attempted activity level - it'll slow you down, usually more tired and moving less - you'll end up eating at maintenance.

    Now - even if your logging is inaccurate and your are actually eating some amount above, say 1600 daily on average, that may still not be enough.

    And recomp comes when you are still burning fat because the workouts are correct enough to ask body to change, requiring more of the nutrients.
    If you are really eating close to 1450 - I bet the workouts are not.

    I'll ditto what several said - get accurate with logging while still eating the same amount so you really know.
    Back off the workouts a tad and really recover - side benefit you'll be burning less, making the deficit less, perhaps allow body to make changes.

    This is all super helpful information, thank you. I’m always confused because if I read one piece of information somewhere, someone somewhere else will say the complete opposite and I don’t know *what* to believe, and I’m desperate to find out what’s right for my body.

    I will say this: right before I started working out consistently, I was seeing a physical therapist who was teaching me exercises for back pain that is related to having absolutely ZERO core and lower body strength. I didn’t (and sometimes still don’t) know how to breathe through my stomach and not through my chest. The first two weeks of this wrecked my body. Incredibly sore, massive headaches, just muscle anarchy. I’m essentially a walking wet noodle.

    When I first started consistently working out two months ago (every other day) same thing. Felt like I got hit by a truck, I couldn’t sleep through the night because I was so sore — though that’s since subsided and I feel much stronger now. Every now and again however, I get insane anxiety about an hour after a workout which is apparently a real thing after some internet research.

    Is it possible I’m not seeing results because my body is unhappy with the stress I’m putting on it?

    If so, what is the solution? How can I see results fast without my body hating me? How often should I be working out and for how long?


  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I just want to add, because most of us are recommending strength training and gyms are closed...I'm following Sydney Cummings on YouTube and she just started a 30 day May challenge yesterday. Her workouts are very balanced and include stretching. You only need minimal equipment and she even suggests finding heavy objects around the house(like water bottles or kitty litter) if you don't have dumbbells.
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    I just want to add, because most of us are recommending strength training and gyms are closed...I'm following Sydney Cummings on YouTube and she just started a 30 day May challenge yesterday. Her workouts are very balanced and include stretching. You only need minimal equipment and she even suggests finding heavy objects around the house(like water bottles or kitty litter) if you don't have dumbbells.

    I was doing her workouts the first month and I enjoyed them but it was pretty hit or miss. Some workouts I felt challenged, others I felt like I didn’t really feel any kind of burn on my body. Maybe I’ll try her out again though, thanks!
  • lionrevolt
    lionrevolt Posts: 9 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    I think part if it is that she has recovery built into the week. That's why the intensity, time, and muscle groups vary from day to day. If it is an easy day, you can always add a little more light cardio. I would hesitate to add more strength, because you might do something she duplicates the next day and then you would not get the muscle recovery that you are needing.

    Great advice! I didn’t know her workouts were set up as a 7 day package. I thought she just uploaded a shitload of videos. That makes much more sense now. Thanks!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    It's actually a 30 day challenge for May. She uploads the next workout every morning at 5am. If you go to her website, you can buy the calendar, and then you could see how all of the workouts are planned out. But I don't want to pay, so I just wait to see what comes each morning.
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
    Add some fun to your workout. Take up shadow boxing or swimming. I like jump rope. It gives you a day of training rest and variety of muscles used.

    I'm a big fan of calisthenics for core toning. Worth the research if your flabby but not needing to lose fat.

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