help weight not budging!

Emma1903

I was eating 1200 cals a day for about 6 weeks had no loss, then went to 1400 for a month had no loss now I'm on 1800 for about 3 weeks and still no loss.
I'm on 40 carbs 30 protein 30 fat,
I do resistance training 3 times a week, 30day shred 5 times a week and other cardio (swimming, squash, badminton) 3 times a week.
I don't know what to do now iv tried low cals, higher cals and still nothing, I am eating my exercise cals back too.
Any advice?
Typical days food
Breakfast - muesli, or oats or high fibre cereal with skimmed milk
Lunch - tuna sandwich or, salmon with stir fry veg, omelette
Dinner- chicken salad or, steak and mash, fish, varies but a lean meat/ fish with small carbs and veggies
Snacks - fat free yogurt, cheese stick, fruit,peanut butter, nuts

DBabbit

Eating your exercise calories back will make you maintain, not lose. Up your protein and drop your carbs. That helps too.

Naomi_84

Sounds like you're doing really brilliantly, please don't give up. Are you drinking enough water? How about your sodium intake? Keep at it, maybe a visit to your doctor if there's still no change to check if there are any underlying issues.

Also, maybe ditch the scales for a month and go to the tape measure instead, I'd be surprised if your body wasn't changing at all with all your amazing work.

Keep it up, you will get there eventually x

Emma1903

Everyone has told me to eat my exercise cals back so that's what I've been doing, since iv started the resistance training my legs and stomach has actually got bigger. Don't know what's going on really

skinnyinnotime

I've no idea as i seem to be putting the weight i lost back on despite watching calories and doing more exercise than ever

My husband tells me i look more toned, i do a little, but surely i should be losing some weight with all the cardio and healthy lowish cal eating.

agentblondie

Same problem here...
Very confused too about whether to eat back the excercised calories or not?

morganadk2_deleted

Hi i can't see your diary Are you eating to the right amount?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



Good luck on your journey

krevill

I have the same problem and becuase I do a lot of spinning my legs have got bigger at the front, when I asked my personal trainer about it she said that the muscle builds first then you burn the fat that is why your legs look bigger at the front becaust that is where the biggest muscle is.

Keep at it, I know how heart breaking it is not to loose on the scales but I am sure you are seeing other benefits from the excercise

Ilovedrinkingtea

I don't really have any helpful advice I'm afraid, except I find it hard too, so hang in there!xx

andyp10

Hi

My advise, Stop cereal in the mornings. Take something like special K, they say 35g as a portion. Have you ever weighted out 35g of special K. it wouldn't fill a big spoon! What happens is, if you take a bowl of cereal it is likely you are taking about 600+ cals. Plus you will be hungry.

Go for egg white omelet in the mornings. take 4 egg whites place them in the pan. You can buy a thing called one cal. its a spray for the pan. 5 sprays is plenty for your omelet not to stick. Add different veg, onion, pepers etc finely diced to add flavor (dont make lie a pizza!) then get low cal breat and a slice of this. it will be a perfect filling breakfast for 200 cals.!

Chicken fillets are great, only around 100 cals. boil these for sandwiches (makes the chicken perfect for sandwich!)

Dont eat pasta etc, too many cals, not enough filling!

Boiled potatos are a good filler and low cal.

But a set of scales and weigh everything to the portions stated in my fitness pal!

if you are taking 1200 cal's per day consistently over 2 weeks you will see the weight loss, no question!

Emma1903

I do weigh everything, I don't eat pasta. When I have an omelette I have 1 whole egg with 2 egg whites. I find portion sizes for cereals are enough for me especially if it's all bran or muesli or oats. So I have been doing all this and still no loss. I don't find sticking to calories a problem, it's just that the weight is not budging!

jfinnivan

1 cup of special K with berries is 110 calories. Half cup of 1% milk is 65 calories. Makes a good snack.

Emma1903

I don't like special k it has too much sugar in it, for what it is.

LeviFit

What about having your protein in the morning and see if that makes any difference?

cutmd

Are you gaining or just not losing? Maybe try eating at your BMR + exercise cals for a while? I can't help too much as I am also not moving much, my problem seems to be mainly water rentention, though. Good luck to you...

charlottehall24

Have you thought about getting you throids checked? If they're underactive you'll find it hard to lose weight because you're metabolism has been slowed down so you won't burn as many colories. well done for all your hard work. It sounds like you're determined.

atsteele

Sounds like you are doing really well with your program! Are you sure you're not at an ideal weight already? And if not, I would try adding in more exercise during your week, but not necessarily eating all the exercise calories back. I try to leave some calories to spare because in reality what we log in calories burned and eaten is only an estimate. Good luck!