Making Progress But Weight Loss Minimal

chriscrosse

Okay, so I've read the many threads, bought a scale, measuring even the baby carrot I eat when packing the kids lunch. I am eating around 1000 calories a day, I know seems low but I figured if I am underestimating anywhere, I've got a little padding. I am 5'1 at 168 right now, with a 140 goal(I'm 40). I am working out 6 days a week, averaging 45 minutes cardio minimum and planks, squats, lunges, crunches, etc. Felt super stalled with weight so just started alternating run/walk with hope of adding a few runs a week. I am not eating my exercise calories because MFP is way over what machine tells me. I am eating mostly lean protein, veg, brown rice like 2x per week. I can't eat gluten but have also stopped eating GF bread and most processed food. I'm not specifically eating low carb but am and most coming from veg and a little fruit. I think I am eating a good variety lean beef, chick, pork, yogurt every few days...

Here's the thing, I know I look better and my size 12s fit me again, and really fit, not squeezed in:) but I have lost like 1.5# i like 6 weeks and while I won't let it get the best of me, it's kind of demotivating. I keep telling myself to keep at it, that exercise and conscious eating will be something I do for the rest of my life. But what can I do to get the weight to start coming off? I can't eat less or it will jack my workouts and I am already getting quite a bit of exercise, yesterday I did 30 elliptical, 20 treadmill 2 min. walk/2 min run alternating, 20 min recumbent bike and then 15 min walk later in the day plus 15 min of body weight exercises????

Help please:) Ideas for how I can tweak things to work better for me or ways to stay motivated while I keep truckin along?

miss_phat_booty

I'm no expert but I would suggest eating a bit more than 1000 cals a day. Maybe eating half of your exercise calories back for a start.

LaneB89

If everything you said is true and you are logging calories with even 80% accuracy, weight would be falling off you. Possibilities are A) You're eating way more than you think, or You have a medical condition impacting weight loss. Option A is far more likely.

chriscrosse

I am measuring everything, I even got a scale to measure meat and berries rather than eyeball because I read a lot of people underestimate and figured it was likely I was.

I also read elsewhere that maybe calories too low and you'd thinkI'd be glad to add 200-400 but it scares me because I'm not losing so adding seems counterintuitive.

I never took measurements(just did today) but I know I've lost inches because I've dropped a size but no weight, gah.

And when I was in my 30s, if I ate like this, I did lose 1-2# a week and maintained 130-140# for seven years before kids...

spoketry

You need more calories with the amount that you eat being so low and your exercise level being so high you put your body into starvation mode. Not only is it not going to want to break down fat for fuel you're making it very difficult for your body to build the muscle that will burn more calories.

If you speak to a nutritionist they would tell you to add calories. You are already eating the 'right' kind of calories but your body needs more.

daynerz

You have gone at such a deficet, this problem is common with bodybuilders prepping for a show.

your metabolism is shot for a while

ASAP, You need to youtube Layne Norton - Metabolic Damage and watch his 1-3 Videos.
Layne is a bodybuilder and a doctor.

Go watch now.

Gl.

chriscrosse

Thanks for the info, I will check it out.

mebepiglet123

please eat more ASAP

glasshalffull713

You are doing everything right, but you need to eat more. try 1200-1400 a day. You need fuel for those workouts! And as mentioned, your metabolism may take a while to go back to normal before you see the difference. 1000 calories is not enough, and it sounds like you are being pretty thorough with your tracking, so I wouldn't worry too much about inaccuracy. Give your body the nourishment it needs!

chriscrosse

I opened my food diary, I ate a little more today and there are days when I am hungry so I have a few good snacks I will add in when I actually FEEL hungry. I'm going to try for 1200 and add more weight training. Hubs and I did some tonight so I can get more comfortable with weights at gym and not just stick to cardio. Thanks for the input, still open if people have more ideas.

CMB1979

Don't listen to anybody who uses the term "starvation mode." It doesn't exist. You are eating more than you think or burning less than you think or both.

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

davis978

I understand it's not what you want to hear, but you need to eat more and accept slower weight loss.

Go here (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/), figure out your TDEE at your goal weight (be honest about how much you are exercising) and start eating that number of calories today. Log your exercise if you want to, but don't eat back the calories.

Yes, you might gain a little in the short term. But you must let your metabolism right itself. Right now you are not eating enough and whatever weight you are losing is at least partially muscle, which is only going to make it harder in the long run.

The truth is that you don't have that much to lose, relatively speaking, (I know it feels like a lot to you!) and it's going to be slow. I know that's not what you want to hear, but few things in life worth having are easy and fast.

chriscrosse

Don't listen to anybody who uses the term "starvation mode." It doesn't exist. You are eating more than you think or burning less than you think or both.

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

How would that be possible when I am meticulously measuring/weighing/logging everything I eat and I am not eating back my exercise calories? I even marked myself at light active when in reality, I am likely more in active category. My calories are set at 1000 and I usually range between 900-1100?

And here's the thing, I've dropped a pant size and clothes fit better, smoother, tshirts that used to make me feel squishy look fine. So my body looks different but I've lost less than 2#. How could I change a whole size but not lose weight?

mebepiglet123

its called newbie gains.... muscle weigh heavier than fat.

janupshaw

Think of it this way, you're not losing much weight now, so go ahead and up your calories and see what happens. The worst that will happen is,,,you don't lose weight.

CMB1979

Don't listen to anybody who uses the term "starvation mode." It doesn't exist. You are eating more than you think or burning less than you think or both.

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

How would that be possible when I am meticulously measuring/weighing/logging everything I eat and I am not eating back my exercise calories? I even marked myself at light active when in reality, I am likely more in active category. My calories are set at 1000 and I usually range between 900-1100?

And here's the thing, I've dropped a pant size and clothes fit better, smoother, tshirts that used to make me feel squishy look fine. So my body looks different but I've lost less than 2#. How could I change a whole size but not lose weight?

In the short term - water weight / fluid shifting around your body. etc. There are too many reasons. People also lose weight at different speeds and from different places - fat around organs before under skin, etc etc. If you are eating at a deficit, you are NOT storing fat unless you have serious thyroid/hormonal problems.

CMB1979

Don't listen to anybody who uses the term "starvation mode." It doesn't exist. You are eating more than you think or burning less than you think or both.

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

How would that be possible when I am meticulously measuring/weighing/logging everything I eat and I am not eating back my exercise calories? I even marked myself at light active when in reality, I am likely more in active category. My calories are set at 1000 and I usually range between 900-1100?

And here's the thing, I've dropped a pant size and clothes fit better, smoother, tshirts that used to make me feel squishy look fine. So my body looks different but I've lost less than 2#. How could I change a whole size but not lose weight?

Also, get a food scale and weigh your food in grams/oz and don't ever use cups, tbs, etc since those are volume and not weight measurements. For an experiment, buy a digital food scale (not pointy arrow type) put what you already measured as 1/2 cup or 1 cup flour/veggies/whatever into a bowl and then weight it after to see what the exact grams/oz are. Then compare calorie counts between what you saw as 1/2 cup and what the scale reads in grams/oz. Are your cup/tablespoon measurements generally over or under in calories vs the weight measurements?

Don't cheat. Put in a cup what you think is a cup/half cup and write down the calorie count. Then weight the same amount and write down the calorie count.

Sites like this may help. http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/

OliviaCeed

Hi. Here's a website that makes some sense with respect to metabolism:

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/how-can-i-speed-up-my-metabolism.aspx

I watched a documentary on a study that was done in regards to metabolism, types of meals, exercise and weight loss. Here's something that caught my attention in regards to "how much" we eat. There's two considerations, there's "how much" BULK we eat and "how much" CALORIC density is packed in the amount we eat.

An overweight woman said she didn't eat as much as her skinnier friend. That fact was true in that she didn't eat the same BULK of food. However, in closer examination of caloric intake, despite 'eating less', in bulk, she was 'eating more' in calories. It's not easy to lose weight eating less in bulk but more in calories. I'm not suggesting that's what's happening to you. I'm suggesting to look very closely and modify your accounting by careful measurement.

In regards to 'starvation mode', well, look up the link above.

I also found interesting reading on the Mayo Clinic website - so much so I strongly suggest you go see for yourself. It's largely targeted at ppl with heart conditions and diabetes but it's also aimed at ppl who are overweight.

All my best in your continuing journey to maintaining good health! I'm learning with you!

I think that you do need to increase your caloric intake. It seems low to me.

cincysweetheart

If you are losing inches, without losing pounds, you are probably gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. That's a good thing. And since you don't really have a lot to lose (relatively speaking)… my guess that's what's happening. Pay attention to eating healthy… and eating "real food." And don't be in too big of a hurry.

Aaron_K123

You need more calories with the amount that you eat being so low and your exercise level being so high you put your body into starvation mode. Not only is it not going to want to break down fat for fuel you're making it very difficult for your body to build the muscle that will burn more calories.

If you speak to a nutritionist they would tell you to add calories. You are already eating the 'right' kind of calories but your body needs more.

You should eat more OP but not for the reason given here as this is not true at all. Your body does not attemp to "hold on" to its primary backup energy stores when you are at a large deficit that is just ridiculous. You wont build muscle period at caloric deficit so you shouldn't be expecting that either.

PinkyPan1

My guess is that your metabolism is still very low. The good news is that you are losing inches. I was the same way when I started. It took 5.5 weeks before I dropped a pound and by then my metabolism kicked in and I have successfully lost weight each week. I was afraid to eat back my exercise calories but slowly did. Make sure you are eating enough and do not skip meals. Drink lots of water. Adding hot spices and jalapenos to my meals helped with my metabolism too. My diary is open. I am on maintenance now and still losing. Good luck.

leeanneowens

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but when I was trying to lose weight on MFP I never ate under 1200 calories and I always ate back my exercise calories. Some months I lost quickly and some months I lost almost nothing but after a little over a year I was down to where I wanted to be.

foxgl0ve

I don't have any advice to offer, but I am very much in the same boat. We have similar goals, and are similarly stuck - Please feel free to add me as a friend if you just need a little encouragement to stick to it even when the scale doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

chriscrosse

So I took measurements, I think the day I first posted this so that I had another method to try to numerically measure success besides the scale. I took them and forgot them. Then I saw the US Navy chart for determining body fat and I took my measurements again, six days later to have the numbers to input into the body fat% calculator. Remembering I had already taken them, I looked back at the first measurement and holy moly, I lost 1/2" from my neck, 2 inches from my waist and two from my hips, in six days! I so wish I had taken measurement in May when I really started in earnest. If I had to guess, I can't really judge my hips or neck but I have probably lost at least 6 inches off my waist with 2# on the scale loss.

I have been trying to bump my calories up a little, just to 1200-1400 rather than 900-1100 and I feel like I have a bit more energy and the scale isn't moving either way but I bought a new pair of pants and my usual 12 was loose and roomy the first time I put them on, in fact, I could have squeezed in the tens but in a white jean, I figure looser looks better:)

I read a bunch of personal trainer websites/discussions and it would seem that I am recompositioning at an even rate. A woman there had pictures of 140# fat or fit and the weight was the same but her shape totally different. I have cut back a little on aerobic from always an hour to 30 minutes on weight days and added 4 more weight training sessions a week. I still want to hit my goal weight but at least in the short term I am going to continue to measure food carefully, exercise, work towards overall increased activity, take measurements and trust the process.

CMB1979

If you are losing inches, without losing pounds, you are probably gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. That's a good thing. And since you don't really have a lot to lose (relatively speaking)… my guess that's what's happening. Pay attention to eating healthy… and eating "real food." And don't be in too big of a hurry.

This is not what's happening. It can't happen. If you're truly eating at a deficit, then you CAN'T put on muscle. Your body needs a surplus of energy (calories) and an ever increasing amount of stress (heavy weight lifting) to push it to make additional tissue to compensate for the additional stress.

If you're eating a little surplus and lifting heavy, you might be gaining muscle and retaining water in your muscles as they repair and grow. The scale is a liar. Always remember that.

JassiBear

I wouldn't eat low carb. Just eliminate refined carbs....... carbs are fuel for the extensive workouts you are doing, easily burned and easily accessible for your body to use as energy. Also.... are you sure you are..... this is embarrassing.... not holding onto a lot of waste product in your body. Are you properly eliminating and do you drink enough water combined with 25-30 grams of fiber everyday.... preferably vegetable/fruit fiber but whole grain fiber works too.