Strength training but losing nothing! Help?

Safiyandi

I used to do cardio for about 50 minutes and now I'm at the gym for strength training for about 80 minutes (including warm up, a and cool down)

It still may be a negative balance - an hour of on the treadmill for me burns north of 600 calories, vs. about 150 for weightlifting. Sucks, I know! If you hate cardio (like I do), look up kettlebell and barbell complexes. It's weightlifting....but faster. It's tolerable cardio. XD

LSJC18

Exercise is not required to lose weight, even though it is an added plus.

If you are maintaining weight, you are eating about as many calories as your burn. If you are gaining weight, you are eating more calories than you are burning.

How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Open you diary and people will be able to give you specific feedback.

Like I said in my original post, I am 5'5" and I weight about 143lbs.

I don't track my calories on MFP because I eat pretty much the same things everyday (save a few things here and there every once in a while, but I always check the amount of calories) and so at this point I know how much calories I am taking in.

Also, I am not doing to stop exercising. I like exercising.

I'm sorry, I didn't see your weight and height in your original post.

I'm not saying to quit exercising, I'm pointing out that it's not required to lose weight and really not a factor in gaining and losing weight. The only thing required to lose weight is to eat less than you burn.

I exercise every day with a mixture of cardio and weight lifting. I love exercising.

If you are not losing weight, you are clearly eating more than you think you are. I suggest you get in the habit of logging both food and exercise. You will then see where your error is.

Thanks! Uhhh, I used to track my calories and I got sick of it when I realised I ate pretty much the same thing here and there every day... I still measure my meals the exact same way, so I'm 100% sure I haven't changed my diet.

I do think now, my problem lies with weight training not burning enough calories like my cardio used to...

uconnwinsnc

You should add cardio back into your workout but keep the weight training. :drinker:

Willbenchforcupcakes

<-- One year comparison. Not much cardio, 4 45-60 minute weight training sessions a week, same weight. And I'm only a couple pounds under the overweight line for my height.

LSJC18

All right, this thread is getting pretty messy! Haha.

So, I think I've come to a conclusion. Thank you so much everyone for all your help!

I gather that I should definitely add some cardio into my workout routine again (even if I hate it haha).

Sorry I'm so adamant about not reducing my calories though. It's just... I know myself and I know how much I'm eating. I know I won't be eating enough if I eat less (every time I try, I never have enough strength in the gym during weight lifting, etc etc).

Anyway... Thank you, thank you, thank you! (:

Cardio it is! Haha.

Nimblewhite

Sometimes it's not just the total calories but also when you eat them. If you eat a heavy dinner and backload your carbs in the latter part of the day (when your body is really getting ready to slow down your metabolism before sleep) that can slow down weight loss. Try having a heavier breakfast and lighter dinner.

SLLRunner

Never mind.

acogg

This is not an either/or question. Work out, lift seriously and you will get where you want. Lifting is great, so is cardio. MOVE and feel good!

LSJC18

<-- One year comparison. Not much cardio, 4 45-60 minute weight training sessions a week, same weight. And I'm only a couple pounds under the overweight line for my height.

Congratulations! You look wonderful and healthy! (:

QuietBloom

Sometimes it's not just the total calories but also when you eat them. If you eat a heavy dinner and backload your carbs in the latter part of the day (when your body is really getting ready to slow down your metabolism before sleep) that can slow down weight loss. Try having a heavier breakfast and lighter dinner.

It doesn't matter when you eat. Meal timing does not effect metabolism nor weight loss.

uconnwinsnc

Yeah, well, eating less has the same effect as doing more cardio. You really are just complicating things for yourself. Why do you refuse to lower your calorie intake by even just 50cals? Do you know that burning 50 more cals by running is the exactly same thing as just lowering your intake?

LSJC18

All right, this thread is getting pretty messy! Haha.

So, I think I've come to a conclusion. Thank you so much everyone for all your help!

I gather that I should definitely add some cardio into my workout routine again (even if I hate it haha).

Sorry I'm so adamant about not reducing my calories though. It's just... I know myself and I know how much I'm eating. I know I won't be eating enough if I eat less (every time I try, I never have enough strength in the gym during weight lifting, etc etc).

Anyway... Thank you, thank you, thank you! (:

Cardio it is! Haha.

This is silly. Lower your cals and you will lose. Keep doing the same thing, and nothing will happen. If you add cardio, you are increasing the calorie burn. If, at the same time, you continue eating the same, you will lose. You will falsely think it's the cardio, but it's not. It's the increased calorie deficit you've created. Rather than increasing your activity, you could just reduce your calories for the same effect.

I hope you read this and haven't blown this thread off because you're missing an important key factor. Your refusal to eat less is causing you to workout more, the net effect is the same. Why not just eat less? You don't have to eat a lot less, just a little less. Geez. Why is this so hard?

Uhm, because If I eat less, I'll be eating TOO LITTLE. Please try not to be so patronizing.

I have tried eating less, it didn't work for me personally. I don't eat 5000 calories a day or something. On my normal days I eat around 1400-1500. Some days I don't eat that much (like I miss a meal) and I get to around 1200. Some days I eat something extra (like at a birthday party I eat a slice of cake or something). And no, I don't go to birthday parties every week. It's very rare. Haha.

ANYWAY... I would rather do more exercise than eat less. Because if I eat too little, I feel tired.

Still, thanks for your input.

LSJC18

Yeah, well, eating less has the same effect as doing more cardio. You really are just complicating things for yourself. Why do you refuse to lower your calorie intake by even just 50cals? Do you know that burning 50 more cals by running is the exactly same thing as just lowering your intake?

Yeah, probably on weight loss it might have the same effect... but I dunno, I feel like on my fitness, I would do better by eating the same and exercising more. Like... if I burn 50 more calories running, I'm not just burning 50 calories, I'm also getting better at running... If this makes sense. Uhm, I could eat 50 calories less sure, that's not too bad. I'm not totally against this idea or anything. I just don't want to decrease my caloric intake by TOO much. That's all....

Thanks (:

EDIT: Sorry if I sound like I just wanna chomp down on all the food in the world or something... That's not true... Also, I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm not taking your advice seriously. I am, but I also have my own thoughts on it, I guess? Still, I really am appreciative for the responses. (:

Safiyandi

Oh goodness. If she wants to eat more and exercise more, that's just fine. There's no reason to give her advice to eat less. Being a super short female, I know what it's like to have to nickle-and-dime your calories to lose, and I'm not even trying to lose a full pound a week. Sheesh.

pinkiemarie252

I think you need to incorporate cardio but if you weren't enjoying it, do it a little less often and don't do 50 minutes anymore. Also, there are other forms of workouts out there that you might enjoy more. Kettlebells or something? Cardio & strength all in one so you can't go wrong.

uconnwinsnc

Yeah, well, eating less has the same effect as doing more cardio. You really are just complicating things for yourself. Why do you refuse to lower your calorie intake by even just 50cals? Do you know that burning 50 more cals by running is the exactly same thing as just lowering your intake?

Yeah, probably on weight loss it might have the same effect... but I dunno, I feel like on my fitness, I would do better by eating the same and exercising more. Like... if I burn 50 more calories running, I'm not just burning 50 calories, I'm also getting better at running... If this makes sense. Uhm, I could eat 50 calories less sure, that's not too bad. I'm not totally against this idea or anything. I just don't want to decrease my caloric intake by TOO much. That's all....

Thanks (:

EDIT: Sorry if I sound like I just wanna chomp down on all the food in the world or something... That's not true... Also, I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm not taking your advice seriously. I am, but I also have my own thoughts on it, I guess? Still, I really am appreciative for the responses. (:

Yeah, no problem. Just tossing some ideas out there. We are, in the end, all in this together to be the best we can be! Good luck, I hope you figure everything out.

QuietBloom

Why all the butthurt? People are giving good advice here. I am 5'6" and have to eat a net of about 1400 calories to lose weight. If I were considerably shorter, I would understand that I might have to eat even less.

meshashesha2012

OP, is the amount of weight you'd like to lose based on the amount of additional fat you need to lose (say if you want to get down to 20% bodyfat) or is it just based on something else?

i ask because depending on your frame and shape, 143 pounds might be very close to your actual goal weight. the only reason im throwing that out is that i'm also 5'5 and the last time i was 143 i was in between a size 4 and size 6 and was 19% bodyfat

in any case.. if you're not losing fat under your current conditions then yeah your choices are either to eat less, move more or a combination of the two