not losing weight :(

ninav1980

Here is my story

In the past I have lost weight with simply running and limiting my caloric intake to 1200 a day. No dietary restrictions, just calorie counting and running 3 miles 5 times a week. I gained some weight back after I stopped running/limiting calories for many many months so I joined a new gym hired a PT and decided to try weight training instead of running. To my dismy, I have not lost any weight. I have followed the same caloric restrictions Ive been successful with in the past but no change in the scale this time. I know building muscle adds lbs, but I should still lose weight, right? I am getting discouraged with the results I am having weight training and think I should switch back to the proven method that works for me, cardio/running.
My question is, since I am no longer doing much cardio, should I be eating different? Why wouldnt a calorie deficit be enough to lose weight? Seems like simple math answers my question, but it doesnt appear to work like it did when I was running.
The whole reason I got in to weight training was to transform my body. So far, nothing is being transformed

BTW, I want to add that I have only been training with weights for 2 months. Am I being unrealistic with my expectations. Should I not expect results this soon? I am a novice when it comes to weight training, so not sure how long it takes to make a difference. By difference, I dont mean an awesome JLo body, but, you know, a little change to keep me motivated. If I was running, 2 months would have been plenty of time to drop 10 lbs easy.

Any guidance and/or support is appreciated!


Thanks

ElvisBaby88

Have you researched In Place of A Road Map?! It helps you understand your TDEE...and what calorie goals you should be eating at!
Try looking at this and see if it helps you.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

See sticky on spreadsheet description.

For another group doing current weight TDEE with deficit method, which the spreadsheet handles by default, suggest you join
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map

ninav1980

whoah
that spreadsheet looks intense, lol
but thanks!

looks interesting!

ElvisBaby88

If you have any questions just search for In Place of A Road Map on MFP...good good info!!!

ninav1980

thanks, will do

h7463

Hi! I'm lifting, too. And I actually hate running... Don't give up just yet. Your body needs at least 2 months to respond and adjust to your new training before you can see results. Take some private pictures of yourself, preferably in bikini or shorts and sports bra as a reference every week from all sides. You will notice how your body changes over time. With lifting, it is difficult to wrap your mind around and away from what your bathroom scale is saying. Muscles seem to grow much faster than fat will melt. You might see your body get a bit more volume, and then the new muscles will start burning more calories. Some gyms will give fitness assessments, which may include an evaluation of your body composition, measurements and body fat. Repeat this every couple of weeks. If you stick with your training and nutrition, you will see the fat go down, and lean muscle mass go up.
DO NOT FREAK OUT ABOUT IT! Women don't have the hormones to makes them look like bulky bodybuilders! It will only leave you nicely toned all over with a firm behind.
Good luck!

KMasz

I'm not expert but from what I've learned is if you are eating at a deficit (which you are if you are really only eating 1200 calories) you cannot gain muscle mass. Your body is MAINTAINING more of your lean muscle mass when you are weight training while trying to lose weight, making more of your weight loss to come off as body fat. When you are only doing cardio for exercise, you are losing both body fat and lean muscle mass. You will lose weight more slowly when weight training, and with only 30 lbs to lose, I think about 1-1.5 lb/week is a reasonable goal. I don't know any more stats about you, age/weight/height, but I'm sure you could eat more than 1200 calories and still lose. I recommend figuring your tdee and follow that. I would read up on New Rules of Lifting for Women or Starting strength to get more info.

Also, make sure you are measuring ALL of your food, with a food scale. If you are not doing this, you are probably eating a lot more than you think.

feel free to add me if you'd like

ninav1980

@h7463
thank you for telling me this! I needed to hear that today
Going to keep going strong and hope for the best. I will not give up because I am tired of starting over. I really want a nice toned body this summer!!!!!

1princesswarrior

Your trainer may be able to help you with how much/what to eat. When I was working with a trainer he was awesome with helping me with food as well.

ninav1980

I'm a shorty 5'1 and weight about 142ish. 34 years old.
I would be happy losing 20lbs 30 lbs may be stretching it, but I will see how I look at 20lbs and then move forward if needed. I dont want to look like a stick. I'm hispanic, so there are some curves that will never go away (in the rear if you know what i mean) so that always adds to the weight.

RGv2

@h7463
thank you for telling me this! I needed to hear that today
Going to keep going strong and hope for the best. I will not give up because I am tired of starting over. I really want a nice toned body this summer!!!!!

Um.... @h7463 is pretty much 100% wrong when it comes to muscle mass. You're not gaining muscle. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, takes hours and hours and hours of training, and a caloric surplus.....for guys. Gaining muscle is EXPONENTIALLY harder for women. It especially doesn't grow faster than fat is lost. That is absolutely preposterous.

If you truly are only eating 1200 calories plus working out, you're not gaining muscle.

KMasz's post is pretty much spot on.

What I do agree with is pictures and tape measures better log progress than the scale does when you're lifting.

ninav1980

Yeah, when I signed up he offered a nutrition plan but I declined since I have always had previous success on my own eating right. I generaly dont do well with structured eating. I know myself and I dont mind only eating 1200 cals, but I DO mind not being able to eat a cookie here and there (so long as it doesnt take it over my 1200)
But since this method is no longer working, I may have to talk to him about it and rethink my strategy

ninav1980

I can tell you for certain I am eating 1200 cals. Its frustrating because this is the same "diet" I used before while doing the running. I literally lost lbs weekly. Just a little discouraging

ninav1980

@h7463
thank you for telling me this! I needed to hear that today
Going to keep going strong and hope for the best. I will not give up because I am tired of starting over. I really want a nice toned body this summer!!!!!

Um.... @h7463 is pretty much 100% wrong when it comes to muscle mass. You're not gaining muscle. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, takes hours and hours and hours of training, and a caloric surplus.....for guys. Gaining muscle is EXPONENTIALLY harder for women. It especially doesn't grow faster than fat is lost. That is absolutely preposterous.

If you truly are only eating 1200 calories plus working out, you're not gaining muscle.

KMasz's post is pretty much spot on.

What I do agree with is pictures and tape measures better log progress than the scale does when you're lifting.

So should I just quit and resume my cardio?

AliceDark

Um.... @h7463 is pretty much 100% wrong when it comes to muscle mass. You're not gaining muscle. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, takes hours and hours and hours of training, and a caloric surplus.....for guys. Gaining muscle is EXPONENTIALLY harder for women. It especially doesn't grow faster than fat is lost. That is absolutely preposterous.

If you truly are only eating 1200 calories plus working out, you're not gaining muscle.

KMasz's post is pretty much spot on.

What I do agree with is pictures and tape measures better log progress than the scale does when you're lifting.

THIS. Women have to eat at a surplus and lift like a beast to gain muscle. It's ridiculously difficult for us to put on muscle. When you first start lifting you usually get some water retention, but that would be gone after two months.

Why not lift AND run? The lifting will help you hold on to the muscle you already have, and the running will help you lose fat. I don't understand why you think you have to do just one or the other.

kittykarin

Congrats on starting to weight train! I definitely believe that a calorie isn't just a calorie. Your body processes different types of food in different ways and has different nutritional needs. If you are strength training, there are certain types of food that are best for repairing your muscles. Google around and find a food plan that might work better for you. I am on a lower carb diet but I don't cut at all carbs. I eat nuts, berries, dairy and veggies with some complex carbs on days that I run and lift. I have completely cut out processed sugar and that has helped so much.

Hope that helps! Good luck!! :-)

RGv2

@h7463
thank you for telling me this! I needed to hear that today
Going to keep going strong and hope for the best. I will not give up because I am tired of starting over. I really want a nice toned body this summer!!!!!

Um.... @h7463 is pretty much 100% wrong when it comes to muscle mass. You're not gaining muscle. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, takes hours and hours and hours of training, and a caloric surplus.....for guys. Gaining muscle is EXPONENTIALLY harder for women. It especially doesn't grow faster than fat is lost. That is absolutely preposterous.

If you truly are only eating 1200 calories plus working out, you're not gaining muscle.

KMasz's post is pretty much spot on.

What I do agree with is pictures and tape measures better log progress than the scale does when you're lifting.

So should I just quit and resume my cardio?

Why?

A) 1200 calories isn't enough for you if you're exercising on top of it.

If you're eating at a deficit you lose water, fat, and MUSCLE. If you only do steady state cardio in that deficit you will still lose muscle. That is why the scale moves so fast.

C) If you weight train in a deficit you work to maintain that muscle, so your loses are mostly just fat and water. That is why the scale moves so much slower (or not at all), but the inches drop off. This is where you will get definition across your body.

D) Why does it have to be strength training OR cardio?

E) If you truly only care about the number on the scale, then weight training probably isn't for you. If you can get past the scale, get your diet in check (more than 1200, you're probably netting more like 900) so you're properly fueling your body, and use the mirror or tape measure for progress, then lifting is for you.

Hendrixsgrandma

Soooo easy to get discouraged when really putting in the effort and not seeing the benefits. Hang in there, it seems common for visual results to be delayed from what is actually happening to your body. Wonder if you have considered crossfit? Crossfit would give you cardio and strength training. This could be a step to actually sculpting your body with weight training?

RGv2

I'm going to guess you're working out 3-5 hrs per week.

2159 = TDEE (what you need to maintain your weight)

1393 = BMR (what would sustain you in a coma)

1727 = TDEE -20% (what is normally accepted as a level for safe sustained weight loss).

EDIT: From here I'd recommend opening your diary to get more help from us. As you can see, if were eating 1200 calories a day you'd be losing weight.

fisherj1126

I am so glad you posted all of this. I recently started running (I am training for a half marathon at the end of May) and I've started to do some strength training.....mostly just abs and arms about 3 days a week. I do use weights (8-10 pounds) when doing my arm exercises. When I started this I had about 5-10 pounds to lose and figured it would just drop off (I'm also counting calories...1200 on days I don't workout, about 1500 on days I do). I wasn't overly concerned with it because I figured the weight would just come off while I was training.

No luck.

I've now been on this program for nearly 12 weeks and haven't lost a pound. I do see some changes to my physique....but it's so frustrating to not see the scale move at all.

I've read through this entire post and will keep following it looking for any answers people share with you!!

One question, what is tdee???? I'm still learning!

fisherj1126

Ummmmm.....you've totally lost me, but I may need your help in figuring out that for myself. :-)