Workout, eat right, still can't lose weight...

Options
mrund11
mrund11 Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
I'm here to finally lose weight! I workout 5 days a week and have participated in 6 5K's so far this year... I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight! I have actually went up a size in jean because my quads have gotten larger... Don't get me wrong, being fit and STRONG is great, especially with the recent Warrior Dash I just finished! ... I just want to lean out a bit and keep my muscle tone...

My new plan of attack is to increasse my cardio and decrease my weights... Is anyone with me to get the cardio in for 30 hour a day, 5 days a week?
«13

Replies

  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
    Options
    I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight

    Thats the problem! You need to eat more. Your already in a calorie difficet. Your excerising alot , you need to feed your body.
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    Options
    you aren't losing weight because you're not eating enough. You said it yourself, you eat "way under" the amount you're supposed to. Athletes eat. Athletes eat a lot because their metabolism is burning, burning, burning, and you have to give your body the fuel it needs to burn. So, eat your calories, eat every 2-3 hours, be reasonable, and you'll see some changes. Otherwise, your body will go into starvation mode, and store everything you eat because you don't give it enough, and it will break down because it will start consuming your muscle to replace the protein you're not eating.
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    Options
    I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight

    Thats the problem! You need to eat more. Your already in a calorie difficet. Your excerising alot , you need to feed your body.

    This is it! Nearly everyone who has their calories set at 1200 has this issue. =] Eat more!
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
    Options
    I hope you mean 30 mins, 5 days a week!
    Yes I find I lose more when I concentrate more on cardio, and just do weights 2-3 x a week.
    I'd try for 40-60 mins cardio 5 days a week.
    weights 2-3 x a week
    and try to supplement with walking
    Also have you spoken to the fitness advisors at the gym, what kind of workout are you doing, if you haven't changed your routine in a while this will not be challenging your body much - change your routine every six weeks.
    Also recommend zig zagging - its not good to always eat way under, but sometimes you could, like two days eat under the third eat at least your allotted.
    Keep your body guessing.
    I notice you are on the short side (no offence I am too!). There are a few threads which seem to support the theory that us shorties really need to go under to lose weight. I don't buy this eat more to lose weight thing for me it just does not work .
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    Increasing your cardio really isn't the answer. I can tell you from experience, that you can NOT out exercise a poor diet. I can't see your diary, but I can tell you that getting fit/healthy is AT LEAST 80% diet/nutrition, not exercise.

    If you eat cleanly, and watch your macros, you will be surprised with how easy it is to get lean. Add some weight training (instead of even MORE cardio), and you will add muscle. Adding muscle will not only make you look leaner, but it will burn more calories over the day than if you're just thin.
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
    Options
    too little food+alot of exercise=starvation mode. Whatever your daily goal is on here after you log your exercise ... subtract it by 500 and eat that.
    So, if your daily goal was 2300-500(for a defecit)= 1800 calories/day .. you need to eat to lose weight..
  • tshahady
    tshahady Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    I'm in the same sinking raft!! I totally watch what i eat and exercise like a crazy person at least 6 days a week - all of which is intense cardio AND strength training. I feel your frustration since I can't seem to lose an ounce. I think my body is completely and utterly happy at 150 lbs. Me - not so much. Gonna start trimming my diet way down w/in the next week - super clean. I refuse to put in any more time than I already to working out.
  • sundancer1966
    sundancer1966 Posts: 478 Member
    Options
    I totally agree, you are not eating enough calories. That happened to me, i was working out heavely, eating way below my calories thinking I should lose 4 lbs a week. The scale did not move at all. I started to eat more, at least 1200 calories a day, never less and the scale is moving again. I will not able to do the 4lbs a week, but I will take any loss I can get.
  • Tracysteele
    Tracysteele Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    I know that 500 calories a day deficit equals one pound a week (3500 cal). So since my basic metabolic rate was computed to be 1700, the 1200 NET calories each day should represent a one pound a week weight loss, right? I'm barely making half a pound a week right now, but have vowed to keep doing it exactly for six weeks and then see if it ends up being an average pound a week.
  • Tinks2007
    Tinks2007 Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Im exactly the same doesnt matter how much I exercise I tend to stay at the same weight which is fine, but the minute I do start eating more I tend to put a few pounds on around my tummy???? I find it hard to eat my daily intake of calories when eating healthy, have started eating a sandwich at dinner instead of just fruit just to eat a few more calories, and agree have more energy for my run but am still under my daily amount especially if I exercise
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Options
    You should also take a look at the types of foods you are eating also - I find 90% of the time when people say they are not losing weight even though they "are doing everything right" in their own words they are actually eating a lot of high sugar or high salt processed food, and too little fruit, veggies, and lean protein. The wrong types of foods will also cause you to stop losing weight. Also, make sure you are doing cardio for 45 - 60 min most days of the week. 30 min a day is good for maintenance but really won't help weight loss. I run and train for 5Ks, and my 5K training alone won't cut it.
  • Atthea
    Atthea Posts: 53
    Options
    Muscles, muscles, muscles!!
    Weights (heavy for you) with good form: quality over quantity.
    Clean, clean food, lots of it !
    Lotsa water too !

    Lots of everything good basically !
    NO sugars, NO salt

    :wink:

    I know it's easier said than done but at least think about it so you can start living it !

    Have you tried ?
    3 X weight trainig/wk 30 min. == arms, legs, shoulders
    2 X week == crazy cardio session at least 1 hour == kick-boxing, running, rowing

    :flowerforyou:
  • mrund11
    mrund11 Posts: 3
    Options
    Wow... Thank ALL of you for your great words of advice! I had NO idea so many people would TALK to me... I appreciate you ALL!

    My Current schedule:

    My workouts:
    MWF -1 hour of free weights each day - PUMP UP class
    TH - 1 hour of intense cardio each day - DRUMS ALIVE class followed by 1/2 hour of core...

    My work day:
    I sit at my computer ALL day, 8 hours a day, M-F

    My weekend:
    I have two kids, so it's go, go, go...

    I was recommended to eat 1800 calories a day, I get between 1300 and 1500 a day. (That to me is under, but I didn't think I was starving myself... maybe I'm wrong?) I don't allow myself to eat anything that isn't healthy, so instead of eat it I'll walk away from it and that's my problem I think???

    I try to eat whole foods, limit my sugar intake and don't eat out more than once a month...

    I come from a family of very musclular people... we all weigh MUCH more then we look like we weigh... I was intaking alot of protein, but have now cut that back by 50%...Thanks to my husbands words of advice...

    Again, thank you guys for you're help... I'm new to myfitnesspal... I used to use a different calorie counter... but I think I like this one much more!
  • mrund11
    mrund11 Posts: 3
    Options
    Exactly tshahady... I burn between 650 to 1100 calories a day in my workout... I eat healthy but I think it's that FOOD thing... I won't eat it unless it's healthy ... I too refuse to do more exercise.. I wish I had a personal chef... that would make life a bit easier!
  • TammiLouCindi
    TammiLouCindi Posts: 1
    Options
    I'm having the same issue? Were you able to turn it around? I've been exercising 30 minutes a day since 1/1/12. Only eat about 1000 calories a day. Haven't had any fast food...nothing fried since 1/1/12. No pop since 1/1/12. Drink 8 glasses of water per day. The weight should be falling off, shouldn't it? I wanted to drop 30 pounds and have only managed 9!!! I'm getting frustrated. I feel like I would weigh the same if I still had all my bad habits. I never exercised before this year and now I do it every day. I'm waiting for something to just click and it doesn't. GRRrrrr.
  • TTcarey
    TTcarey Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    I agree with the others
    stick to your calorie range. Increase your cardio. fill up with proteins after a workout. water water water... got to flush it all away. Remember sweat is fat crying!! good luck and keep us update
  • trish462
    trish462 Posts: 12
    Options
    With the amount of calories you burn in one day, you need to eat more.
  • Crying_In_Color
    Crying_In_Color Posts: 246 Member
    Options
    Read up on starvation mode.
  • petreebird
    petreebird Posts: 344 Member
    Options
    To large of a deficit can cause you to stall out and stop losing.

    Try eating a bit more. You say you're set for 1800 cal's but then burn 1000 cal's, that leaves you with your initial deficit set by MFP PLUS 1000 cal deficit more! That's too large of a deficit. Try to maintain a deficit of around 500 calories a day, which will probably require you to eat some of your exercise cal's back and I bet you'll start to lose again.
  • sparkly96
    sparkly96 Posts: 120
    Options
    My advice to you would to consult your doctor and see what he/she advises you to do. Yes you do need to fuel your body if you are working out and eating more may be the key but a quick consult with the doc may give you some insight on how much you should be eating to lose weight adn what is recommended for you.

Categories