Clean eating and strength training but not seeing changes

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  • paige_moy
    paige_moy Posts: 15
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    Right now I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm trying to lose fat and everyone keeps telling me to be in a calorie deficit for that. I had my child 10 months ago (yes I just turned 20) and I did notice I had diastasis recti. It was originally 2 fingers wide and I did alot of core compressions and worked on my posture and such and I believe it has mostly healed but I haven't gone to the dr to actually get it checked. I still don't do any crunches because of that but have incorporated more ab exercises, mainly lower abs, and do a set of core compressions or one of the exercises i did to close the gap between each "new" ab exercise.

    I understand that I'm underweight/ almost underweight but that's why I'm trying to build muscle. I didn't know how to do any strength training before so I was a cardio bunny and I think that's also why I'm underweight. And because of all the cardio I don't have alot of muscle left, so I am trying to lift heavy but it's still mostly considered light weight. The weights for my arm exercises are around 10-20 lbs and my legs are around 30-40 lbs with my highest on the leg press at 90 lbs.

    I don't have alot of money so hiring a trainer is out of the question, but does anyone have a good website I could use to sort of build a plan? ( I workout at planet fitness, which just has basic machines, if that helps with how much stuff I would be able to do gym-wise, I know it's not the best, but it's all I can afford)
  • paige_moy
    paige_moy Posts: 15
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    Sorry, I should have clarified more, my BMR is around 1310 but to lose weight MFP sets it to 1200, everythiing that I've read said to lose belly fat I need to lose fat all around so that's why I've set it to lose weight

    How much did you tell MFP you want to lose per week? I have a hard time believing a 20 year old working out that much has a TDEE that is lower than mine.

    None of my calorie numbers that I've posted include the calories I eat back from working out, so I actually end up eating around 2100 but with the exercise deficit MFP says 1800
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    You are 10 months post partum, still breastfeeding, and feel like your stomach is always bloated? Is there any chance you could be pregnant again? It happens, fairly often. Breastfeeding suppresses menstruation, so people don't realize they have skipped a period because they aren't having them currently. Also if you are on a mini-pill for birth control, that is a low dose hormone, which an be less effective than regular birth control pills which is why they recommend taking them at the same time each day.

    If not, I did want to point out that if you are breastfeeding you are supposed to eat an additional 300 cals/day above your normal intake, so while it does seem like you are netting a good amount of food, given that you are at such a low weight to begin with and still nursing, you may want to up your intake even more and focus on building strength.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Sorry, I should have clarified more, my BMR is around 1310 but to lose weight MFP sets it to 1200, everythiing that I've read said to lose belly fat I need to lose fat all around so that's why I've set it to lose weight

    How much did you tell MFP you want to lose per week? I have a hard time believing a 20 year old working out that much has a TDEE that is lower than mine.

    None of my calorie numbers that I've posted include the calories I eat back from working out, so I actually end up eating around 2100 but with the exercise deficit MFP says 1800

    I'm guessing you don't have much fat to lose on your stomach. Since you are already underweight, I'd suggest eating at maintenance and attempting a "body recomposition" where you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Set your MFP goal to maintenance. You will not gain muscle eating at a deficit like you are now.
  • paige_moy
    paige_moy Posts: 15
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    You are 10 months post partum, still breastfeeding, and feel like your stomach is always bloated? Is there any chance you could be pregnant again? It happens, fairly often. Breastfeeding suppresses menstruation, so people don't realize they have skipped a period because they aren't having them currently. Also if you are on a mini-pill for birth control, that is a low dose hormone, which an be less effective than regular birth control pills which is why they recommend taking them at the same time each day.

    If not, I did want to point out that if you are breastfeeding you are supposed to eat an additional 300 cals/day above your normal intake, so while it does seem like you are netting a good amount of food, given that you are at such a low weight to begin with and still nursing, you may want to up your intake even more and focus on building strength.

    I have a birth control implant and I actually just checked about a month and a half ago because I was have "morning sickness" like symptoms, but I'm not pregnant (I live in TX and my husband is stationed in Cali so I haven't gotten pregnant since I checked). I also add 500-600 calories to my calorie goal for breastfeeding
  • paige_moy
    paige_moy Posts: 15
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    To clear up the confusion:
    My BMR is 1310
    To lose "weight" MFP sets my calories to 1200 (I'm trying to lose fat, not weight though)
    I automatically add 500-600 calories because I breastfeed, sometimes more If my son is going through a growth spurt
    I add back calories that I lose from working out which is usually between 200-300

    So I actually end up eating 1900-2100 calories a day
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    lol @ clean Just make sure you don't eat over your allocated calories and try and keep your macros in line. If you're not losing weight you need to reduce calories further and / or add additional cardio.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    lol @ clean Just make sure you don't eat over your allocated calories and try and keep your macros in line. If you're not losing weight you need to reduce calories further and / or add additional cardio.
    Did you READ the post? Seems not.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    To clear up the confusion:
    My BMR is 1310
    To lose "weight" MFP sets my calories to 1200 (I'm trying to lose fat, not weight though)
    I automatically add 500-600 calories because I breastfeed, sometimes more If my son is going through a growth spurt
    I add back calories that I lose from working out which is usually between 200-300

    So I actually end up eating 1900-2100 calories a day

    It's really hard to lose fat as you gain muscle unless you're just starting out lifting. When you eat at a deficit you lose fat as well as some muscle, though lifting at the same time can help retain the muscle you have. If you're concerned about your stomach area I'd check with your doctor just to be sure there isn't something else going on causing it to look so bloated. But to gain muscle in any significant amount you'll have to eat at a surplus.
  • paige_moy
    paige_moy Posts: 15
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    For everyone hating on my "clean eating" comment:
    I eat clean because I find that I can eat a larger volume of food for the same amount of calories vs the calorie dense junk food that I see many IIFYM people eat. This ensures that I'm not constantly feeling hungry, which happens easily since I breastfeed. I also started eating clean when I found out I was pregnant so that my child received the required nutrients and have continued to eat clean so that my breastmilk still has the nutrients and is full of the "good stuff".
    I don't go all out crazy and make stuff such as almond flour flax egg and cacao nib cookies, my version of clean eating is simply making all of my meals from scratch using single ingredients and eating mostly fresh food.
    I don't eat dairy because I'm intolerant and try to eat mainly good carbs (except for my corn tortillas)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i havent read all the replies but at 5'6 and 114, OP is probably more interested in Body recompthan weight loss.

    OP eat at maintenance and get on a program that has you do compound movements. learn the correct form increase your weights and you will see changes. check out strong lifts, strong curves, new rules of lifting for women or starting strength
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    To clear up the confusion:
    My BMR is 1310
    To lose "weight" MFP sets my calories to 1200 (I'm trying to lose fat, not weight though)
    I automatically add 500-600 calories because I breastfeed, sometimes more If my son is going through a growth spurt
    I add back calories that I lose from working out which is usually between 200-300

    So I actually end up eating 1900-2100 calories a day

    But if you are adding 500-600 because of breastfeeding, that means if you weren't nursing, you would only be eating 1300-1600. That does not seem like enough if you are trying not to lose weight, rather gain muscle.

    Your BMR is 1310 but what is your TDEE?

    I would not set MFP to lose weight at all. I would set it to maintain, and potentially even add more onto that since you are nursing (don't think MFP has a setting for that I think you have to do it manually) and focus on, as others have said, body recomposition.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    lol @ clean Just make sure you don't eat over your allocated calories and try and keep your macros in line. If you're not losing weight you need to reduce calories further and / or add additional cardio.
    Did you READ the post? Seems not.
    Initially no. Just read it and my response basically the same. I'll add that if one is not retaining or gaining muscle it's lack of real strength training coupled with diet issues.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    lol @ clean Just make sure you don't eat over your allocated calories and try and keep your macros in line. If you're not losing weight you need to reduce calories further and / or add additional cardio.
    Did you READ the post? Seems not.
    Initially no. Just read it and my response basically the same. I'll add that if one is not retaining or gaining muscle it's lack of real strength training coupled with diet issues.
    Yeah, not the same response. But glad you read it. thanks
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    For everyone hating on my "clean eating" comment:
    I eat clean because I find that I can eat a larger volume of food for the same amount of calories vs the calorie dense junk food that I see many IIFYM people eat. This ensures that I'm not constantly feeling hungry, which happens easily since I breastfeed. I also started eating clean when I found out I was pregnant so that my child received the required nutrients and have continued to eat clean so that my breastmilk still has the nutrients and is full of the "good stuff".
    I don't go all out crazy and make stuff such as almond flour flax egg and cacao nib cookies, my version of clean eating is simply making all of my meals from scratch using single ingredients and eating mostly fresh food.
    I don't eat dairy because I'm intolerant and try to eat mainly good carbs (except for my corn tortillas)
    Ignore the folks who get apoplectic over the phrase "clean eating". That happens often here. Good for you for fueling your body with nutritious foods for you AND the baby. But please, do eat more.

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