Doing great, but haven't lost weight

rose313

Hi everyone

I joined in the beginning of August. I have been eating 1000 calories a day, sometimes I eat 1100 or 1200 but I always exercise the overage off. In fact, I run every day, as well as stretching, and a few times I week I add aerobics, kickboxing, and walking. I've always built muscle quickly, so I'm guessing the reason why I haven't lost any weight is because I've gained muscle over the past few weeks.

I am 5'3 and my BMI is 28.3. I'm 160 lbs. I have made improvements, I can now run for longer without getting tired, and my legs have gained muscle. I feel good, I sleep 8 hours a night, and I eat a lot healthier than I did before. So when is the weight going to start coming off? Will my body stop making muscle at some point and start losing fat? I've read all the sticky threads on here and done my research, but I'm still wondering.

leslturn8

eat more calories.

karamae

I don't think you're eating enough? Your body needs a minimum of 1200 calories/day. Up it a little and net 1200 and see if you start losing weight! Good luck! Sounds like you're doing everything else perfect.

leslielt

Have you checked to see if you've lost inches?

MarieNevada

eat way more calories and sorry but it's very very difficult to build significant amount of muscle so while you may be toning up, your non-weight loss is not because you are building that much muscle. even men have a hard time doing it and we dont have their hormones. at a minimum you need to eat at least 1200 cals. probably closer to 1400.

AngelaWeber

You defintely should be eating at least 1200 a day. If your satisfied at 1100, add somethings like olive oil when you cook. Also have you measured yourself? You may have lost an inch or two, sometimes we loose inches before pounds.

JatieKo621

Agreed with the other posts.


It sounds CRAZY, but totally makes a difference. I broke a plateau by eating more and it didn't make sense to me. I always thought eating less = faster weight loss, but it isn't true. Once you go into starvation mode you actually start storing all of the calories that you do eat, therefore it stalls loss and can actually lead to a small gain. I was getting more and more frustrated and upped my intake to 1200-or more, depending on my workout (usually eating around 1400 cal all day) and it works! Plus the weight stays off better than if you just eat a small amount and lose, you will gain it back QUICKLY, I promise.

pinksneakers

I have to agree with everyone who has posted 'eat more calories'. The normal mindset of dieters is to eat way less food. This puts your body into starvation mode, slows the metabolism and makes shedding pounds almost impossible. Increase your calorie intake with good healthy real foods, eat every few hours, along with metabolism-revving foods and you'll see weight loss!

CharlieBarleyMom

You have to eat more calories. 1000 calories is WAY not enough when you are exercising. Eat your exercise calories too. Eat to lose.

BunnyBearLove

Eat more calories, as previously suggested add in healthy fat such as olive oil! add in a multi-vitamin if not already taking, I was told this before sometimes your just don't get enough nutrients. good luck!

Jenscan

You have got to eat more than you are. Your body won't release weight until you do so. Eat at LEAST 1200 per day plus exercise calories.

rose313

ok, i will up my intake to 1200 and see how that goes with the combination of exercise. i dont have a big appetite so im going to be feeling very full though. i took my measurements for the first time a few days ago. also, i know i have built muscle, i can feel it in my legs and a little in my arms.

Rae6503

I would say MORE than 1200. I NET 1750 which means my goal is 1750 but when I exercise I burn 500 (for example) so then I eat 2250.

Saruman_w

Yes, like everyone else says, eat more. You don't lose weight by starving. That's not how it works.

rose313

also, thank you everyone for your answers. im okay with eating more calories, i just want to make sure they are healthy calories. is it okay to eat healthy all day, then have a snack, like a granola bar or something to fill up the rest of my calories? basically i eat salad, soup, and chicken salad on a whole wheat wrap, and drink coffee, water, and beer. or maybe one of those shakes that give you calories and nutrients and not all the bad stuff like sugars and sodium?

Rae6503

I've recently added protein shakes to my diet. Helps me get my protein up where I want it (1g from every pound of lean body weight, so about 130 for me) and it helps me from snacking all afternoon.

But I've read as long as you have your minimum protein and fat (which is like 57 grams or something for me) then it doesn't matter that much what else you eat.

robin52077

basically i eat salad, soup, and chicken salad on a whole wheat wrap, and drink coffee, water, and beer. or maybe one of those shakes that give you calories and nutrients and not all the bad stuff like sugars and sodium?

it's the soup (sodium) and beer that are causing you to not see a loss on the scale. You are most likely retaining water. Keep the sodium below 2500 a day.

And yes, eat more.

I am 5'2" 110 lbs and eat 2000 a day.

rose313

wow soup does have a lot of sodium! but i do keep my sodium way under 2500 a day, regardless of what i eat. once i start eating more ill probably need to start watching that though. i really like the soup and its my lunch at work, is it really going to be a big deal if i still eat it and just make sure i dont eat too much sodium in the rest of the days food?

robin52077

no it's not a big deal if one item in your day is high sodium, as long as the day is overall under 2500 and you drink your 8 cups of water. I can't see your diary because you have it private and I wasn't sure if your whole day was blown over by it or not.:flowerforyou:

But if you're under in general and hydrated it should be fine to have soup for lunch a couple of times a week.

SueInAz

I was also going to say "eat more" but you've been won over, I see. I've started eating back my exercise calories and I've busted a 6 week plateau, so it should help you, too.

One easy way to add some extra calories without eating more food is to skip the "lowfat" and "light" versions of anything you might be eating and eat the regular version. You're just substituting sugar and sodium for the fat, anyway.

rose313

Wow this is mind blowing lol. I think many people, including myself, have been brainwashed into thinking that you have to cut calories and eat "light" and "reduced fat" versions of food in order to lose weight. I thought about it and I will be able to eat 1200 a day, I usually eat a tiny lunch (like one cup of soup) so I'll eat a heavier one, and I usually only drink coffee for breakfast so I'll add fruit in, or a bagel. (Now that I think about it, I probably am starving myself.) When it comes to dinnertime, that's when I give myself a little extra leeway, because that's when I'm exercising so I feel okay having pizza, beer, apples and peanut butter, etc.

I think if I continue exercising when I get out of work, I'll be able to at least try and eat the exercise calories back. It's been 20 days and I've lost one pound, if I have to eat more then that's what I'll do!