Last 10 pounds help

taylormoooon

So since January I had lost about 5 pounds going from 136 to 131 (down from an initial 20 pound loss over the past few years). I started strictly calculating my food again and also a lifting routine which has been very successful in terms of strength gains. For the entire month of march however I was stuck at 130/131. Then it finally dropped to 129 halfway through this month and now it's fluctuating between that and 130. I know that the last 10 are supposed to be harder to lose. I eat about 1400/1500 calories a day.

Now according to iifym, I should be getting 130g protein, 115-137g carbs and 51g fat. The protein has actually been really difficult to reach. I always end up only getting to about 100g with mostly natural sources and about 1 or 2 scoops of whey and the fat is always in the 30s but I know I can easily up that with olive oil or another good source of fat. Then the carbs I try to keep low but they always creep up at 130-150g. I'm wondering if the reason I'm losing so slowly is because of not sticking completely to the macros or do you guys think that I should start doing some cardio, or am I just being impatient?

Any advice appreciated!

FitnessLover001

You want to hit your macros, or get as close to them as possible, but as long as you are in your calorie goal, you're good to go. Your body doesn't really recognize food as "Oh this is protein, these are carbs, and these are fats." It sees food as fuel for your body and so if you stick to your calorie goal, you're fine even if you go over in macros.

I had the same problem as you. The scale was not budging at all and would fluctuate 1 to 2 pounds but I wasn't losing anything, even though I was lifting weights and doing cardio. It all depends on the body and person, but I was told that maybe I was doing too much weights and trying to hit too many muscle groups at one time. SO I cut back on the weight resistance machines and stick to squats and dead lifts and the leg press machine, but that's all the weights I do now. I do a lot of cardio, and I have seen the pounds start dropping because of it.

Doing more cardio than weights is what works for me to reach my goals of losing weight, a lot of people on here may tell you "stick to weights because you will eventually lose weight, but your body is changing and that's why it's taking a longer time to see results. If you want the same body you currently have but a smaller look to it, do more cardio."

If you're not doing any cardio at all, you should think about doing it, and if you do cardio, maybe bump up how long you do it. And make sure you are measuring your food correctly. Play around with it and you will eventually find what works for you!

taylormoooon

Hmm that could be a possibility since I'm doing full body lifting 3x a week. Do you have any idea why doing too many muscle groups would make a difference? It was funny because all summer I was doing just cardio and a lot of it but I saw nothing change but a combination is probably the right and obvious answer lol.

FitnessLover001

No i have no clue! Haha, last year, I was doing cardio cardio cardio (90 minutes worth and 30 minutes of weights) 5 times a week, and I was losing weight like crazy. Then my body plateaued and I gained weight back and so then I decided to cut back on cardio and do more weights because a lot of people said lifting weights will help with weight loss. So I did that and saw nothing. Then I asked a personal trainer and told him I wanted to lose weight and I was lifting weights and cardio and he said cut back on weight lifting if my ultimate goal is to lose weight. So if your ultimate goal is losing weight, try cutting back on weights and do more cardio. For weights now I do legs 3 days a week and 2 days a week I do lat pull down machine for my arms, but that's it. (It's what works for me).

I would also make sure you are counting all calories, and using a food scale. It may seem obsessive at first to measure every little thing, but it works! You can only do so much in the gym, you gotta make sure your food intake is accurate.

It's confusing, I know. You can friend me on here if you have any more questions!

SezxyStef

Hmm that could be a possibility since I'm doing full body lifting 3x a week. Do you have any idea why doing too many muscle groups would make a difference? It was funny because all summer I was doing just cardio and a lot of it but I saw nothing change but a combination is probably the right and obvious answer lol.

Doing full body routines is not the issue.

If you are fairly new to lifting you will have retained water and glycogen in the muscles for repair. HItting your macros are important when you are lifting (protien then fats) to help repair the muscle...

What you are experiencing is what a lot of women exp when lifting. Have you taken measurments?

As well do you weigh your food on a scale? and choose correct entries.

I lift 3x a week and try to do two HIIT routines as well, I eat 1700 calories a day and consistently lose about 3/4lb a week so it really isn't about the last 10 pounds being harder it's about the fact you need to be more diligent with your logging and be more patient esp when lifting.

Do you take at least one full day where you do no exercise??? if so weigh yourself after that day in the morning as soon as you can after going to the bathroom.

taylormoooon

Yes! I weigh everything religiously and I'll usually give myself some room for calories in case I ate something that's harder to log. The protein is just so hard to get because it fills me up so quickly every time I go to eat it but I'll definitely work on trying to hit the numbers more diligently. I do think I probably need to start doing HIIT, I've just been lazy when committing to it. Lifting is just so much more fun haha.

I've also taken measurements and pictures and I've only recorded a half inch loss in my waist since January though from looking at my pictures over time it seems the area right underneath my waist was losing. I do weigh almost everyday just to see how what I'm eating affects water retention and log the usual lowest day which is Sunday (since I workout MWF).