No matter what I do, I simply can't lose it
snufs
Posts: 78
I am going nuts right now. For the last 1½ years I've been working out 5 times a week, doing cardio and strength training, tried insanity, jm 30 day shred, been counting my calories etc. My belly and my thighs are still as big as they used to be. I'm not losing any inches and I can't understand why I don't. These last couple of months I've been doing the Les mills programmes, such as bodypump and bodycombat once a week each, and on the other days I've been doing some tabata-rounds and strength training om ny own. The only thing I notice is my arms, which are getting a bit more muscles. I've been eating SO healthy during this period of time, never a cheat meal and lots and lots of water. Still, nothing is happening. I just don't get it. What am I doing wrong? I'm 18 years old, 168 cm tall and weigh around 60 kg. There is nothing wrong with my weight, it's just the fat% that is bothering me. It's not going down.
What could it depend on? I've been trying for so long, doing so good yet not seeing any results at all. I'd love to hear from someone with similar experience, or just someone who thinks they know, Thanks in advance!
What could it depend on? I've been trying for so long, doing so good yet not seeing any results at all. I'd love to hear from someone with similar experience, or just someone who thinks they know, Thanks in advance!
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Replies
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I really don't see how that could happen...
How do you measure your bf%?0 -
been counting my calories etc.
Difficult to say anything meaningful as there is nothing in your food diary at the moment.
Has your weight come down? What about other measurements; waist, neck etc?0 -
You need information about your diet. You need to log ALL your food, you need to measure all your food (cups or a jug for liquids and a scale that can measure in grams for everything else) and log your exercise.
With all that exercise you should definitely be at a calorie deficit!
On the plus side, you MUST be fitter, stronger and healthier than before - that's a really important fact, it's not all about skinniness.0 -
Do you weigh all your food?0
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It's really easy to work out a lot, eat healthy and not lose. You have to count the calories diligently and most importantly, rack up a lot of deficits. That's really the only thing needed for weight loss, though the rest is terrific for your overall health.0
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Sounds like you got the exercise part down, too bad you can exercise until you pass out if your eating isn't right.. as other's have said that is more important.0
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I couldn't either until I figured out that my "healthy eating" was starving my body because I wasn't getting the good fats that it needed. I read and read and read and experimented with my body regarding fats versus carbs, and I have found that my body needs a high fat low carb diet. Google keto diet, ketogenesis, high fat low carb (hflc), grain free, sugar free, Maria Emmerich weight loss, etc and you might find some things that may be of help. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me.0
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I couldn't either until I figured out that my "healthy eating" was starving my body because I wasn't getting the good fats that it needed. I read and read and read and experimented with my body regarding fats versus carbs, and I have found that my body needs a high fat low carb diet. Google keto diet, ketogenesis, high fat low carb (hflc), grain free, sugar free, Maria Emmerich weight loss, etc and you might find some things that may be of help. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me.
Absolutely not necessary.0 -
I have just looked up height and appropriate weight which says at 61 kg someone of your height will have a bmi of 22 which is very good.
Where lies the problem. Were I in that range. Had I been able to be in that range. I would have been so very happy all my life. Am I missing something??0 -
If you do not eat enough calories then your body will store everything instead of letting it burn off. This is a huge reason for many people not losing weight. You must fuel your vehicle - and you are making it a high performance vehicle by exercising - you need to give it high performance fuel - which it sounds like you are doing, but you also MUST give it enough.
Good Luck0 -
If you do not eat enough calories then your body will store everything instead of letting it burn off. This is a huge reason for many people not losing weight.
You do not store fat from under eating. There are plenty of other reasons to not use extreme calorie deficits, but the idea that you store fat from not eating enough, is nonsense.0 -
I have just looked up height and appropriate weight which says at 61 kg someone of your height will have a bmi of 22 which is very good.
Where lies the problem. Were I in that range. Had I been able to be in that range. I would have been so very happy all my life. Am I missing something??
OP noted that there is no issue with weight, but trying to lose body fat % and lose inches. Can't really opine on solution without facts, such as food and exercise diary.0 -
I have just looked up height and appropriate weight which says at 61 kg someone of your height will have a bmi of 22 which is very good.
Where lies the problem. Were I in that range. Had I been able to be in that range. I would have been so very happy all my life. Am I missing something??
^^^ this
Looking at your profile, it appears that you consider yourself "a whale". You're not a whale.
I think that is more of a problem than your inability to lose weight.0 -
1.5 years. And you're 18 now.
Did you consider the fact that your body is still growing during that time, and THAT might be why you're not actually losing weight?0 -
That's 5'6", 132 lbs. And with the amount of exercise you do, you've probably got a fair amount of lean mass. What is the bodyfat percentage you're trying to reach? What is your percentage now? How was it measured? Or is it a number on the scale you're trying to reach? I ask because your stats sound quite healthy. But assuming you do want to lose weight...
You're in that range where losing fat means tightening up your diet up as much as possible. More than exercise, you just need to weigh and log absolutely everything you consume-- down to condiments and coffee creamer. And even then, your loss will probably (ideally) be slow.
An extra couple hundred calories each day-- two pieces of toast, for instance-- could sabotage you at this stage. You just need to figure out exactly where your maintenance level of calories is, and cut that down a tad. Like maybe 200/day. Then just keep it up and be patient.0 -
Could be a few reasons. muscle weighs more then fat. 18 you still may be growing. Water retention.
My wife is 168 cm and has a retarded metabolism. She walks around with about 10% body fat all year (wish I could). She works out all year and when she hits the gym hardcore she gains weight but loses body fat. Her genetics are exceptional and I am totally jealous.
Not sure your measurements are or bf%. Once you get down to a very low percentage it takes more then just calorie counting. You start to eat muscle and types of food play a big factor0 -
i totally understand. i was in the same boat until i joined my fitness pal. i have been losing since. well except this week due to the holidays. anyways i told my friend that i need to change something in my diet and she told me to start eating lettuce wraps. good idea. i did it before why not now. i love carbs but my body doesnt. substancing something will help0
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If you do not eat enough calories then your body will store everything instead of letting it burn off. This is a huge reason for many people not losing weight. You must fuel your vehicle - and you are making it a high performance vehicle by exercising - you need to give it high performance fuel - which it sounds like you are doing, but you also MUST give it enough.
Good Luck
Not true. If you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. End of story.0 -
If you do not eat enough calories then your body will store everything instead of letting it burn off. This is a huge reason for many people not losing weight. You must fuel your vehicle - and you are making it a high performance vehicle by exercising - you need to give it high performance fuel - which it sounds like you are doing, but you also MUST give it enough.
Good Luck
negative ghostrider....0 -
If you do not eat enough calories then your body will store everything instead of letting it burn off. This is a huge reason for many people not losing weight. You must fuel your vehicle - and you are making it a high performance vehicle by exercising - you need to give it high performance fuel - which it sounds like you are doing, but you also MUST give it enough.
Good Luck
:huh:
So what you're saying is, to lose weight the OP should add even more calories to a diet that is already, obviously, not in order for their goal???
Sound advice!!! Cause this is why there is an obesity problem in third world countries where people don't get enough to eat everyday.... :noway:0 -
I have just looked up height and appropriate weight which says at 61 kg someone of your height will have a bmi of 22 which is very good.
Where lies the problem. Were I in that range. Had I been able to be in that range. I would have been so very happy all my life. Am I missing something??
^^^ this
Looking at your profile, it appears that you consider yourself "a whale". You're not a whale.
I think that is more of a problem than your inability to lose weight.
^^^ this
FFS no way you are "a whale" at a BMI of 22. It's possible to have a high body fat percentage at this BMI, but only if you've been undereating a lot. (i.e. persistent under-eating for months or years) - this results in loss of lean mass while the body fat percentage stays quite high. If your body fat percentage is 35% or higher (at a "normal" BMI) then that's "normal weight obesity" - and the cure is to build up your lean body mass, i.e. by eating a lot more, lifting heavy weights and rebuilding the muscle that's been starved off. If you do have normal weight obesity, you'll be at risk of osteoporosis, and the weight training + eating properly will also increase your bone density, thus reducing your risk of osteoporosis.
Anyway, even if your body fat percentage is not that high, as your BMI is 22 if you really do have quite a lot of body fat still (i.e. it's not just in your imagination or you exaggerating in your mind some tiny little bits of fat to whale-like proportions) then eating less and doing more cardio isn't going to help. You need to gain lean mass (which means gaining weight) by eating well and lifting heavy weights. This should firm up your body and reduce your body fat percentage.
Have a look at this success story, if you don't believe me that people with lowish BMIs can end up looking a lot better by gaining lean mass, rather than trying to lose even more weight: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
Also, learn to love yourself and appreciate what you've got, and try to see the world as others see you, as in they don't see the tiny flaws that you see. They see a beautiful person. Don't take a magnifying glass to your flaws. Everyone has them. And no-one looks like an airbrushed magazine models, not even the actual models (because if they looked like that, no-one would airbrush out all their flaws... the models' bodies still have all the flaws they airbrushed out of the pictures......)0 -
Wow, I'm truly overwhelmed by all the answers! I'd never thought I'd get that many responses. I appreciate all your opinions, although I must admit I found myself getting a bit offended by some of them. But hey, that's how it works in the public. Anyway: some of you noticed that I don't keep a fooddiary, nor do I track my exercises on this page. I used to count my calories, weigh all of my food etc, but stopped when I didn't see results after a couple of months. I don't see how my diet isn't cutting it though - everything I ever eat is oatmeal, chicken, tuna, cottage cheese, avocado, nuts, quinoa, lots of veggies and salads etc. No sugar, no white bread, no potatoes or pasta, no read meat, yeah you get the picture. I thought of going back to counting calories, that's part of why I turned to you guys, wondering if that really is the only way since it's sometimes hard to do that because I have lunch in school (I live in Finland, free lunch you know, and I eat salad only, but still) and don't have access to a scale. How do you do with the counting part?
As for my weight, I am, like I said, quite satisfied with it. I know it's a good weight for my height. The thing is that I have too much fat. I want to slim down and tone my overall look, and that isn't going well. My measurements haven't gotten any shorter since I first measured myself many months ago.
And also, since I haven't been tracking my food on mfp I haven't checked my page either. I realize I have a few changes to do in the description .. my age is wrong as well!
Someone who feels they know what I should do next? Feel free to message me as well! I appreciate all of your support!0 -
Wow, I'm truly overwhelmed by all the answers! I'd never thought I'd get that many responses. I appreciate all your opinions, although I must admit I found myself getting a bit offended by some of them. But hey, that's how it works in the public. Anyway: some of you noticed that I don't keep a fooddiary, nor do I track my exercises on this page. I used to count my calories, weigh all of my food etc, but stopped when I didn't see results after a couple of months. I don't see how my diet isn't cutting it though - everything I ever eat is oatmeal, chicken, tuna, cottage cheese, avocado, nuts, quinoa, lots of veggies and salads etc. No sugar, no white bread, no potatoes or pasta, no read meat, yeah you get the picture. I thought of going back to counting calories, that's part of why I turned to you guys, wondering if that really is the only way since it's sometimes hard to do that because I have lunch in school (I live in Finland, free lunch you know, and I eat salad only, but still) and don't have access to a scale. How do you do with the counting part?
As for my weight, I am, like I said, quite satisfied with it. I know it's a good weight for my height. The thing is that I have too much fat. I want to slim down and tone my overall look, and that isn't going well. My measurements haven't gotten any shorter since I first measured myself many months ago.
And also, since I haven't been tracking my food on mfp I haven't checked my page either. I realize I have a few changes to do in the description .. my age is wrong as well!
Someone who feels they know what I should do next? Feel free to message me as well! I appreciate all of your support!
Lift heavy weights and eat more. You need to reduce your body fat percentage, and that's how you do that. i.e. what Staci did in the success story that I posted. Be prepared to get heavier, but to have a firmer, leaner more "toned" body. That's what you want, right? Well that's how you get it...0 -
you need to log and measure all your food0
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someone else who feels like they have something helpful to come up with?0
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You are over eating, you are not logging your food (I checked)
There you go, do those things.0 -
Could be a few reasons. muscle weighs more then fat. 18 you still may be growing. Water retention.
Muscle does not weigh more than fat. It's just more dense and takes up less space. I disagree with water retention because it sounds like she's maintaining but wants to lose some body fat and inches.0 -
You are over eating, you are not logging your food (I checked)
There you go, do those things.
This.0 -
You are an 18-year old with a healthy BMI who says she has never been comfortable with her body, considers herself "a whale," and wants to be "some sort of model" (which isn't necessarily an attainable goal for the vast majority of us no matter what we eat or how fit we get).
I think working on your body image issues, at this point, would be more beneficial than getting even more neurotic about calorie counting. What about taking a break from focusing just on aesthetics and setting some fitness goals, like increasing the number of pushups/pull-ups you can do or training for a a race, for a while? That may increase your overall level of self-esteem more than trying to perfect certain "problem areas," etc.0
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