Please take a look

I have been on a steady workout schedule for the past 2 months, I have begun circuit training since the beginning of this month. However, I am building muscle and NOT burning any fat, my measurements are increasing because the fat is still just sitting there on top. I weigh 207 pounds so i have plenty of fat to lose. If it helps to take a look at my diary, please do so. I drink around 120 oz of water each day. No soda, no juice, I watch my starches and my workout is typically 45 minutes per day and it kicks my *kitten*. My circuit consists of:
pushups
tricep dips
mountain climbers
lunges
squats - some with weights
arm circles
deadlifts
leg lifts
donkey kicks
side planks with dips
hip twist planks
basic planks
light dumbbell lifting

HELP! PLEASE HELP!
Thanks
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Replies

  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
    I don't see anything in your post about eating less calories.
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
    I think you should be eating at least 1200 calories per day after exercise is counted, your body needs that much for basic maintenance. You would probably lose more if you ate more.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
    Your diary screams inaccuracy.

    You have something called a burrito scramble with egg every morning. Exactly the same portion, exactly the same amount of calories. Do you weigh out exactly how much of each ingredient goes into this every morning, or do you just throw it together and assume it's close to your usual portion? You'd be better off individually weighing each ingredient you put into this. The recipe builder is useful for when you're making a batch of something for more than one person, but even then, you should weigh out exactly 1/3 or whatever of the whole thing. Your breakfast is not exactly 181 calories every morning without being precise about it.

    "Homemade stew" - did you make this, or choose a random homemade thing in the database?

    0.25 cup steamed broccoli. I don't know anyone that would eat 1/4 cup of steamed broccoli at once. It's like...two pieces.

    "Homemade maple almond butter" - 1 serving, always. How are you measuring this serving?

    You did not get to be 64 lb overweight and maintain being 64 lb overweight by eating 800-1400 calories a day. It isn't happening. Get back to the basics, log everything you eat, weigh everything, be precise. Every gram of food that enters your mouth goes in the log. No measuring cups, no eyeballing, no random database entries.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    I don't see anything in your post about eating less calories.

    I agree with this person, you can work out all you want but if you are not creating a calorie deficit you will not lose weight.

    If you are in fact gaining muscle mass that means you are definitely on a calorie surplus as you cannot build muscle mass while eating a calorie deficit. By the way, building muscle isn't a bad thing, definitely a good thing but it's time to refocus your efforts to accomplsih your goal.

    First of all, keep lifting. While eating at a calorie deficit you cannot build muscle, however, you can improve strength in existing muscle mass and mitigate muscle loss. Also, aim for a small calorie deficit that will help you lose 1 lb per week.

    Lifting is excellent and so is exercise in general but weight loss is achieved in the kitchen. One could totally lose weight without working out at all.
  • Selena125t
    Selena125t Posts: 41 Member
    Your diary screams inaccuracy.

    You have something called a burrito scramble with egg every morning. Exactly the same portion, exactly the same amount of calories. Do you weigh out exactly how much of each ingredient goes into this every morning, or do you just throw it together and assume it's close to your usual portion? You'd be better off individually weighing each ingredient you put into this. The recipe builder is useful for when you're making a batch of something for more than one person, but even then, you should weigh out exactly 1/3 or whatever of the whole thing. Your breakfast is not exactly 181 calories every morning without being precise about it.

    "Homemade stew" - did you make this, or choose a random homemade thing in the database?

    0.25 cup steamed broccoli. I don't know anyone that would eat 1/4 cup of steamed broccoli at once. It's like...two pieces.

    "Homemade maple almond butter" - 1 serving, always. How are you measuring this serving?

    You did not get to be 64 lb overweight and maintain being 64 lb overweight by eating 800-1400 calories a day. It isn't happening. Get back to the basics, log everything you eat, weigh everything, be precise. Every gram of food that enters your mouth goes in the log. No measuring cups, no eyeballing, no random database entries.

    I do in fact measure my breakfast every morning. I use the recipe builder in order to save time on meals I know will be repeated.
    And i did eat only 2 pieces of broccoli because I had a serving of steamed carrots as well - I was full.
  • Selena125t
    Selena125t Posts: 41 Member
    I don't see anything in your post about eating less calories.

    I agree with this person, you can work out all you want but if you are not creating a calorie deficit you will not lose weight.

    If you are in fact gaining muscle mass that means you are definitely on a calorie surplus as you cannot build muscle mass while eating a calorie deficit. By the way, building muscle isn't a bad thing, definitely a good thing but it's time to refocus your efforts to accomplsih your goal.

    First of all, keep lifting. While eating at a calorie deficit you cannot build muscle, however, you can improve strength in existing muscle mass and mitigate muscle loss. Also, aim for a small calorie deficit that will help you lose 1 lb per week.

    Lifting is excellent and so is exercise in general but weight loss is achieved in the kitchen. One could totally lose weight without working out at all.

    I assumed that you would see I have a calorie deficit when you looked at my diary. Yes i don't eat more than 1300 sometimes 1400 calories a day. Some days much less than that because I'm not hungry.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    If you want to build muscle, you have to eat at a caloric surplus with .8 - 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass.

    If you want to lose fat, you need to eat at a modest caloric deficit.

    Do one or the other but be accurate in your logging (weigh and measure for greatest accuracy) and don't overestimate your burns from exercise.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    I've not looked at your diary, but you're doing awesome on the anaerobic exercise (weight lifting and such), it seems that you may want to balance that with some cardio. Its great that you're building muscle, the cardio will help you burn the fat, as well as help create a calorie deficit to lose weight.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    I don't see anything in your post about eating less calories.

    I agree with this person, you can work out all you want but if you are not creating a calorie deficit you will not lose weight.

    If you are in fact gaining muscle mass that means you are definitely on a calorie surplus as you cannot build muscle mass while eating a calorie deficit. By the way, building muscle isn't a bad thing, definitely a good thing but it's time to refocus your efforts to accomplsih your goal.

    First of all, keep lifting. While eating at a calorie deficit you cannot build muscle, however, you can improve strength in existing muscle mass and mitigate muscle loss. Also, aim for a small calorie deficit that will help you lose 1 lb per week.

    Lifting is excellent and so is exercise in general but weight loss is achieved in the kitchen. One could totally lose weight without working out at all.

    I assumed that you would see I have a calorie deficit when you looked at my diary. Yes i don't eat more than 1300 sometimes 1400 calories a day. Some days much less than that because I'm not hungry.

    Sorry I didn't check your diary.

    I recommend double checking your portions sizes, makes sure you are weighing everything properly. Solids (including peanut butter) with scale in grams, liquids in a measuring cup. When recording exercise, make sure your estimates are reasonable, MFP tends to over estimate.

    You goda make sure you're actually eating at a calorie deficit or you won't lose weight. This takes some trial and error but you'll get it down.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Can you clarify you've not lost any weight in two months? I wasn't clear from your description of measurements increasing. Read this, it'll probably just irritate you, but if you've not lost weight in two months you *may* be eating at a surplus and tips on where you could be eating too much could be helpful

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1296011-calorie-counting-101
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Items like black eyed peas, NY strip steak, salads, etc, did you cook or eat these with any other ingredients like oil or dressings? I think you may have mentioned using the recipe builder for a lot of your entries because I'm seeing a few items like 1 cup or .5 serving, just making sure these are your own recipes that you added up and not generic entries from the database? Like the .25 cobbler, were the calories added up in a recipe or read from a label, etc

    Also have you logged everything over these two months. Splurges, parties, restaurants, vacations, etc.

    All my comments are assuming you're not losing weight, btw.
  • Selena125t
    Selena125t Posts: 41 Member
    Items like black eyed peas, NY strip steak, salads, etc, did you cook or eat these with any other ingredients like oil or dressings? I think you may have mentioned using the recipe builder for a lot of your entries because I'm seeing a few items like 1 cup or .5 serving, just making sure these are your own recipes that you added up and not generic entries from the database? Like the .25 cobbler, were the calories added up in a recipe or read from a label, etc

    Also have you logged everything over these two months. Splurges, parties, restaurants, vacations, etc.

    All my comments are assuming you're not losing weight, btw.

    Yes, these are items I am cooking myself...I don't tend to use dressings to season, however, I get on the scale and I weigh exactly the same every single time. Now, a few, very few, items of clothing fit a bit different, however I am seeing an increase in inches on my thighs, arms, and hips. Which leads me to believe that the muscle is building but the fat on top is not being burned, how else to explain it?
  • Selena125t
    Selena125t Posts: 41 Member
    I've not looked at your diary, but you're doing awesome on the anaerobic exercise (weight lifting and such), it seems that you may want to balance that with some cardio. Its great that you're building muscle, the cardio will help you burn the fat, as well as help create a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    Thank you! It's nice to hear that I'm doing at least something right...I get a pretty good boost of cardio from the mountain climbers, but I suppose you're right - I need to start walking or something (running is out, my body is still too heavy). Honestly I just want to know if I am at a true plateau or if I need to give my workout routine a little more time - they say it takes 4 weeks to see your body change, so I am now right at 4 weeks of circuit training. I just wanted to either drop a size or see a difference on the scale, but my arms, thighs, and hips are keeping any results at zero.
  • Selena125t
    Selena125t Posts: 41 Member
    I have been thinking that I need more protein, but if protein makes you gain weight, then I guess not. If I can increase my protein and cut down the carbs then maybe not. I do eat my share of fruit and I'd like not to have to give it up...if you looked at my diary, I don't eat very much junk or treats and when I do, the portions are very limited.

    Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Your diary screams inaccuracy.

    You have something called a burrito scramble with egg every morning. Exactly the same portion, exactly the same amount of calories. Do you weigh out exactly how much of each ingredient goes into this every morning, or do you just throw it together and assume it's close to your usual portion? You'd be better off individually weighing each ingredient you put into this. The recipe builder is useful for when you're making a batch of something for more than one person, but even then, you should weigh out exactly 1/3 or whatever of the whole thing. Your breakfast is not exactly 181 calories every morning without being precise about it.

    "Homemade stew" - did you make this, or choose a random homemade thing in the database?

    0.25 cup steamed broccoli. I don't know anyone that would eat 1/4 cup of steamed broccoli at once. It's like...two pieces.

    "Homemade maple almond butter" - 1 serving, always. How are you measuring this serving?

    You did not get to be 64 lb overweight and maintain being 64 lb overweight by eating 800-1400 calories a day. It isn't happening. Get back to the basics, log everything you eat, weigh everything, be precise. Every gram of food that enters your mouth goes in the log. No measuring cups, no eyeballing, no random database entries.

    I do in fact measure my breakfast every morning. I use the recipe builder in order to save time on meals I know will be repeated.
    And i did eat only 2 pieces of broccoli because I had a serving of steamed carrots as well - I was full.
    You are underestimating your calorie for foods. I'll bet if you weighed everything that went into that homemade beef stew, 2 cups would be more more than 256 calories. Beef is high in calories anyway, as are the potatoes. Also 7.5 ounces of chicken for 200 calories or thereabouts? I don't think so. It could be that you are choosing incorrect entries as well.

    Your exercise routine has nothing to do with losing weight, but it does help burn calories. The only requirement to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn.

    Also, nobody burns 450 calories in 60 minutes of circuit training. How in did you come up with that number? My guess is you used the MFP database, which has overly exaggerated burn numbers. You can't even use a heart rate monitor to measure weight lifting/circuit training/high intensity interval training because what you're doing is not steady state.

    So, at 207 pounds, are you trying to lose weight or maintain or gain?

    Oh, protein does not make you gain weight, just as carbs, sugars, and fats don't. It's all in the calories, though nutrition is important for overall health.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Items like black eyed peas, NY strip steak, salads, etc, did you cook or eat these with any other ingredients like oil or dressings? I think you may have mentioned using the recipe builder for a lot of your entries because I'm seeing a few items like 1 cup or .5 serving, just making sure these are your own recipes that you added up and not generic entries from the database? Like the .25 cobbler, were the calories added up in a recipe or read from a label, etc

    Also have you logged everything over these two months. Splurges, parties, restaurants, vacations, etc.

    All my comments are assuming you're not losing weight, btw.
    I am seeing an increase in inches on my thighs, arms, and hips. Which leads me to believe that the muscle is building but the fat on top is not being burned, how else to explain it?
    No, women don't bulk up/increase in inches when doing weight lifting or circuit training. You could be building muscle, since it seems to me you are not eating at a deficit, but it still won't bulk you.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,181 Member
    If I add my two cents, it would be this.
    Don't worry about loosing weight.. but make sure of two things.
    #1 Your calorie intake stays the same.
    #2 Your strength goes up.

    Here's why.
    As long as your strength goes up, I would assume, you would be increasing your muscles
    Muscles requires food.
    The more muscles you have the more food it will require.
    but as long as you don't increase your calorie intake the food will come internally.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    what are you doing for cardio?
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    I've not looked at your diary, but you're doing awesome on the anaerobic exercise (weight lifting and such), it seems that you may want to balance that with some cardio. Its great that you're building muscle, the cardio will help you burn the fat, as well as help create a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    Thank you! It's nice to hear that I'm doing at least something right...I get a pretty good boost of cardio from the mountain climbers, but I suppose you're right - I need to start walking or something (running is out, my body is still too heavy). Honestly I just want to know if I am at a true plateau or if I need to give my workout routine a little more time - they say it takes 4 weeks to see your body change, so I am now right at 4 weeks of circuit training. I just wanted to either drop a size or see a difference on the scale, but my arms, thighs, and hips are keeping any results at zero.

    use the elliptical for 30 mins with a resistance of at least 8 before every strength training and I promise you will drop weight. you must use a challenging resistance tho.
  • dmg8500
    dmg8500 Posts: 31 Member
    I know most people say you can start lifting weights right away but I wouldn't do that. I can tell you from my recent experience after trying to lose weight for the past 6 six years. My advice is to cut the weight first and then focus on building muscle. I have spent hours online researching and it is debated on many fitness sites. Some say its almost impossible to lose weight and build muscle at the same time. Catabolic vs. anabolic state. I haven't been doing anything but running since I started on this site. I have lost 22 pounds in 42 days. Once I lose about 10 more pounds I will start heavy lifting and focus on building muscle. The problem with choosing to lift first is that while you'll gain muscle is will be hidden and not defined. Then once you start cutting weight you will lose some of the muscle you'll worked so hard to build. You can't tell your body just take the fat and keep the muscle. That's why I choose to focus on weight loss first. You can lose weight faster than it takes to build muscle. I was 206 forty two days ago. I now weight 183 and I all I have done is run and follow my diet plan on mfp.