New to Myfitnesspal questions on loosing weight and exercise

kemi0203

I am new here and have been running on an elliptical Machine for about 5 and half weeks running for 60 minutes 6 days a week. It usually burns off around 750 calories a day and I'm on the 1,200 calorie diet and still find my self not that hungry with 300 or 400 short of my goal after exercise. I dont seem to be loosing many pounds even though im running like I am. Is it that im not eating enough calories to loose weight? Or is it that im just staying the same weight and gaining more muscle in my legs? Any opinions on what to do whould help so much. I weigh 155 and would like to get to around 135 by August. A plan or strategy would help thanks.

guppygirl322

It is helpful to make sure you at least come close to the amount of calories you're supposed to have. I can't see your diary, so I can't comment on what you're eating. Make sure to avoid the processed things (anything in a box or can or frozen) and stick to fresh fruits and veggies as well as lean proteins.

SheilaSisco

You need to be at or over 1200 net calories a day or your body will hold onto all of it's fat and you won't lose. Eat your 1200 net and your weight should start dropping.

CommandaPanda

Your goals are doable! I lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks last summer from good nutrition and consistent exercise.

I'm trying to do what you are doing, except with more weight training than cardio. Today I ran for 62 minutes because the gym was so packed I couldn't get a workout in. make sure you eat a lot of the right things and you may want to look into multi-vitamins to ensure you're receiving all of the proper daily nutrients (this will help you out in many ways that I'm not going to bother listing).

You can look at my diary, but I wouldn't really follow it since I'm still testing out this whole "eat all day everyday" thing. how about you try HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training).

I would couple your cardio with some other form of exercise as it takes your body 20 minutes to enter "fat burning mode."

.... actually about that "fat burning mode," I just found this highly interesting write-up that I think would benefit the both of us:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/busting-the-great-myths-of-fat-burning.html

The 3rd myth down (I didn't read the first two)

ak_in_ak

You may not be burning as much as you think you are. I just recently bought a HRM and found out I burn about half of what the machine says.

kemi0203

Thank you I have been on this for one week and have felt like I have been loosing weight or at least a pound in the past week but I dont weigh my self every week. I have noticed that I have cut the fat off a little in the 5 weeks in my face. face seems to be leaner. I think I may start running on the elliptical every day for 60 minutes then in the evening run a mile or so on foot outside. 3 years ago I ran 3 miles everyday 5 days a week and played basketball for about 2 hours maybe 1 or 2 times a week and cut about 20 pounds in 3 or 4 months. I think the Elliptical machine is the problem. I may need to kick the resistence up a little next week. I think your right about the Multivitamin also.

gymshoe42

dude I don't thin you're getting enough calories for your body's basic functions. In essence your body thinks its semi-starving so it will hang on to every calorie it can and shed muscle which is expensive for the body to maintain. Pull up an RMR calculator online and put in your numbers. RMR (resting metabolic rate) gives you an idea of what your body needs to maintain basic functions like breathing, digesting, brain function, etc. I pulled up one and put in the data that's in your profile and used the average american male height (5'10") and it gave me an RMR of 1700 calories. So even if you got your minimum 1200 calories, your body is still gonna likely try to hold on to every calorie ..and any weight you lose right now is muscle.