Working out, counting cals and completely perplexed!!

kelidz

Hi everyone. I just wanted to get some input, and see if anyone else can see a solution that I may be missing. I'll start by explaining that I had lost around 10 pounds this past summer just doing the old weight watchers plan and not exercising at all... and these were consistent 1-2 pound weekly losses. I dropped at least one size during that time span. I managed to gain that weight back plus some after eating my way through a trip to Italy in September and starting a new (desk) job. I have been actively trying to lose weight since before Christmas with absolutely NO results (via scale or measurements). I started off counting calories but allowing myself more (~1400-1500 calories/day) in addition to doing the new weight watchers program. I also starting taking bootcamp and kickboxing classes, totaling 3 times weekly. My weigh ins were showing no loss, not even a single ounce and my clothes fit the same. I then decided to cut my calories down to 1200, and ditched the new weight watchers program in favor of the old one that had worked for me previously. I also added a strength training regimen (The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women) three times weekly, in addition to the kickboxing and bootcamp classes. I continue to step on the scale every week and see the exact same number...154.8...over and over gain. Sometimes it goes up a pound or two, but it NEVER goes below that point. When I started losing weight initially last summer I started at 150, so I'm even over where my body had naturally stabilized itself. My clothes are still fitting the same, and I notice no differences in my body composition beyond some newly defined calf muscles :grumble: oh boy...just what I was hoping for...

Anyway, to answer some of the questions that are sure to follow...no, I am not perfect every day with counting. On the weekends, I may have between one to three cheat meals, but I try to be reasonable even while "cheating". When I lost this weight last summer, I was most definitely not following the diet to the letter and had a few slip ups a week...more than now at least. My food diary is private, but I can tell you that I have completely changed the types of foods I eat. Previously, I ate more "low cal" convenience foods and less produce. I now focus all of my meals and snacks on whole grains, proteins and fruits/veggies. I eat very few processed foods, and most days have none at all. I drink about 3 liters of water a day. I try not to eat late (past 7 or so). Oh, and I'm about 5'5.5", since that may come up at some point too.

This is turning into a novel, so I'll just open it up for any thoughts and help that you have to offer. I'm so frustrated!! :frown: Thanks for reading!

larisadixon

i would stay doing what you are doing, however adding a high calorie major spike meal every 7 or 8 days to trick your metabolism. its worth a try, good luck!

rydn4h2o

Bump - I'd love to see some responses to this one!

Arynamber

haha are you my twin? Im 5'5 and can not get out of the 150's for the life of me!! Grrrr... sometimes I feel like my body just likes this number.

tracybarnes1

I am kindof in the same boat...however, how is your salt intake? With all the water maybe you are like me and the salt (I really didnt have over what anyone normal would have) holds the water on the new muscles. Not sure its just what I tell myself.

censu67

I am curious, how many whole grains are you consuming each day? Keep it to a max of 2 if you can. Also, how much caffeine, any form, again keep it to 2 a day. Last but not least, take 2-3 days every other week and change it up. Do something radically different to what you are doing. Maybe stop your classes for 3 days and go swimming or rock climbing, really confuse the body.

Oh, one other thing, are you on any meds that could be hindering you?

kacarter1017

Point of clarification: Are you eating 1200-1400 calories NET or TOTAL? If you're eating that as a total, you may not be eating enough. Seems that your NET needs to be over 1200 or your body goes into starvation mode. That's the piece I'm seeing. If you weren't exercising with your first venture through WW, then that total calories intake is appropriate. Now with exercise, you may need to increase your caloric intake. And you new choice of foods is terrific! Don't change a thing there.

And your cheat meals, are you still entering those so you can see how "good" or "bad" your cheat meals are?

kelidz

After reading your post I went ahead and added sodium to my diary, I didn't have it for some reason. I went back through the last couple of weeks, and with the preset sodium goal, I was under every day except for one. I'm not sure how accurate that level is though...maybe I should shoot lower? I dunno. I try to eat fresh, so sodium isn't really much of an issue...only when I eat canned beans and things like that.

Thanks to everyone for the interest so far in my post! Good to know that others feel the same way I do.

bbhe

The only way I ever lost weight on purpose was to keep my calories low and NOT take cheat meals. Now, I can't live that way, but I do think the cheat meals could be the issue. I might suggest counting during your cheat meals. Also, zigzagging really helped me drop weight where I would go super low one day a week, then back to normal, then low, then normal, then more calories than usual. Unfortunately, it also made me cranky and get a lot of colds. I looked fabulous, but I had a runny nose all the time!

kelidz

Limit my grains?! Whaaaaat?!! I love my carbs, I have a hard time cutting back there, and I know it would help but I would be miserable and unable to maintain it. I stick with small portions of brown rice/pasta and almost no bread (I don't actually care for bread). Usually cereal for breakfast (Kashi). Every once in awhile I'll have a potato. I also try to eat grains early in the day. That being said, I will try to cut back more days of the week at least.

The exercise routine mixup is something I'll certainly try. That'll be easier as it gets warmer too.

To answer your question, I'm not on any meds that should effect weight loss.

Thanks for the input!!!

kelidz

I don't usually have a hard time eating at least a portion of my exercise calories back, so I guess it would be the total number of calories consumed. That's the good thing about this site resetting my daily goal for me on days that I workout...I won't forget to eat them. I definitely don't think I'm eating too little.

I do log my cheat meals most of the time. But sometimes my meals consist of things that I simply cannot find counts for...this past weekend for example, I had a middle eastern meal that was undoubtedly calorie sabotage. I couldn't find the info for the items I ate anywhere. I like to get creative when I blow my diet haha!

Thanks for writing!!

kelidz

I was thinking about doing this too. I think I start to do it for a few days then end up leveling back out because, like you said, it's hard to maintain! Something to think about though, I should at least do some form of calorie cycling to mix it up.

caesar85

Have you ever tried HIIT (High Intensity Interval) Training. I've had a lot of luck adding that with normal cardio routines. You can find a lot of good articles on different ideas on bodybuilding.com. Good Luck!

get_it_gone2012

Look at body fat %, that may be going down while the scale isn't.

kelidz

I'm going to check this out for sure! I do cardio on my own (besides just the classes) on the days that I lift, and I do intervals then...but I'd love to learn the right way to do it. Thanks!!