Frustrated...it won't come off!

jjcoop2003

I am so frustrated. I just started my 13th week of my better body plan..haha! Anyway....I go to the gym 6-7 days per week and i am keeping below 2000 calories prob 95 % of the time. I have lost 15 lbs which I am happy with but for the last 2 & 1/2 weeks my scale won't budge! Mind you, i am still at least 25 -30 lbs overweight Any ideas?? Any motivation?? Thanks for your ideas in advance.

Frustrated in TN (aka Jeremy)

jjcoop2003

I am so frustrated. I just started my 13th week of my better body plan..haha! Anyway....I go to the gym 6-7 days per week and i am keeping below 2000 calories prob 95 % of the time. I have lost 15 lbs which I am happy with but for the last 2 & 1/2 weeks my scale won't budge! Mind you, i am still at least 25 -30 lbs overweight Any ideas?? Any motivation?? Thanks for your ideas in advance.

Frustrated in TN (aka Jeremy)

Tartrazine

Hey there, I am no expert by any means.... but if you are doing strength training you could be losing fat and adding muscle..... Also there is always a point where your body plateaus... ( hope I spelt that right)..

Anyways thats when you body slows down the weight loss dramatically so you have to change things up for your body to be able to lose weight again..

Like I said before not an expert but thats what I personally have had to do..... back in the day when I was in shape heh.

Hope that helps.

~ EDIT: Also forgot to add that muscle weights alot more then fat, so even a little muscle gain can throw things off if your just looking at numbers...

tekrueger

I hear ya! I too am in the gym and pool 6 days a week and that alone isn't a guarantee to keep losing weight, I'm losing weight REALLY slowly!
Yes, I agree, you've got to change things up: change what you eat, change your strength and cardio regimes, whatever.
Be careful not to burn yourself out or get depressed as you are really pushing yourself, don't "punish yourself" either by just eating less of the same food in the same way as always. Do something different to keep yourself going towards your goal.
Best,
Thomas

Clun1990

hi there you are all right your body is just taking a rest ,just try eating a little less or more and see what happens also may be change your exercise see if they help take care and keep up the good work

k9powerlifter

If you're getting depressed about the weight then set yourself another goal to motivate you in the gym.

For instance; if you're currently running a 10 minute mile for a 5K, shoot for a 9 minute mile. This way your always pushing yourself and burning those calories w/o just focusing on weight loss.

I'm currently training for a hiking trip in the Grand Canyon in March. So I'm pushing myself to get stronger in cardio.....stronger in cardio means burning more calories in the gym.

GinaB30

Hmm...I don't claim to be any expert, but maybe you should drop down to around 1700 calories per day, or 1800...just a small change to see if that helps and gets things moving again. Good luck! You should be proud of yourself, you're doing good!

zenmama

I have to agree with everyone above....make a change and remember that you are gaining muscle....and it is how you feel:happy:
and go by the way your clothes fit as well...

dd

Razboo

"They" say you'll hit plateaus adn eventually start losing again. Changing routines will help. 2000 calories does seem like a lot, yet you have lost more than a pound per week according to what you say. I guess I would also advise maybe dropping a couple of hundred calories as well as changing your routines up.

I agree with the muscle weight vs. fat business. It has been described as 1 pound of fat being as much volume as a grapefruit, while 1 pound of muscle is the size of an orange. I don't how precise that is, but I can say that my own scale has been holding steady for a couple of weeks now, yet my appearance is improving.

I'm about 20 from my target weight, and I am doing strength training pretty intensly plus some cardio. I figure almost 3 months of that must be adding some muscle weight. It is probably the same for you.

amandastamey

Just be patient, hey, its better to keep up the good work than get upset and give up! Maybe you just need some extra rest, take a day or two off and then get back on track, a rest might just give you the boost you need to keep going! Good Luck!:bigsmile:

rheston

Are you by any chancing eating to the bonus points level earned through your workouts? For example, I am supposed to consume no more than 1570 calories to achieve my weekly weight loss goals. If I work out I get to eat anywhere from 300 - 500 extra calories. I've chosen to stick to my originally calculated calorie intake instead of eating to my "bonus" level. If I feel a little hungry during the day I'll add a fruit bonus to carry me through -- apple or an orange.

Hang in there and keep it simple.

icandoit

Shock your body. If you are doing the same thing day in and day out, make a change. Speed things up. If you are doing weights, keep a quick rotation with a few seconds in between each rep. Work 2 machines and keep it moving.
Don't get frustrated. It will come off.

Anna_Banana

Shock your body. If you are doing the same thing day in and day out, make a change. Speed things up. If you are doing weights, keep a quick rotation with a few seconds in between each rep. Work 2 machines and keep it moving.
Don't get frustrated. It will come off.

This is my thought also. If your body is use to doing the same thing day after day it will eventually adjust to be more efficient and burn less calories doing the same thing. If you are lifting weights one example of something you could do is 1 or 2 min of jumping rope in between sets. I also recommend the book "Body for Life" for any body doing weight training. The guy has some good ideas and does a great job explaining your body's needs when transforming your body.

Nich0le

INCREASE YOUR EXERCISE BY 20%

its easy, increase your weights if you are a huge strength training person or increase your cardio by 20%.

Simple...if you do 30 minutes of cardio you need to do 36 minutes, it also helps to switch up your exercise routine by changing what you are doing. If you like the elliptical switch to the bikes, if swimming is your game, switch to the treadmill.

You have simply hit a plateau, and they are frustrating and this is a critical point for your goals. Don't give in to your stubborn body show it that you and your mind and will are in control!

jjcoop2003

Thanks guys!!! You have provided me with some great input and helped me stay motivated Last week I started a whole new strength training routine and I have switched from the elliptical to the Arc trainer (it's kind of like a gazelle I guess??). Anyway I am going to do this for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I am afraid to drop my calories too much since i am working out so much, you know? I don't want to burn off any new muscle I am building. But you guys are right....I tried on some old jeans last night to help me realize that I am doing some good work. Several pairs fit again!!!! I was excited.

Thanks for all the great ideas!!!! You guys are great!

laurenwatts

You need to get your metabolism up.

You have burned all the easy fat now its the hard stuff you have to get off.

Somethings i have found that help are green tea (upto 5 glasses today), there are metabolism pills out there which are healthy you get them from the chemist!!

Thats all i can think oif right now but if i think of more i will let you know