Arg....

Mallory0418

So a while back I posted a topic about how I've been in a stand off with this friggin scale for the past few months. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/366029-wish-i-didn-t-have-to-ask (Here's my original post from a month ago)

Basically, I was eating between 1200 - 1400 cals a day and burning about 600 - 800 cals a day in my workouts, and hadn't lost (or gained) a pound or an inch in MONTHS. I decided to change my food intake to get my NET calories as close 1200 a day as possible. While this gave me a lot more energy, it also increased my drive to work out harder. So now I burn an average 800 - 1100 calories when I work out (5-6 days a week) and feeling great! So that's got me actually EATING over 2000 calories a day to get my NET calories to at least 1200. I realize that it was going to take my body a couple of weeks to get used to this, but it's been over a month and still nothing. I want to lose another 25ish lbs and I realize those are usually the hardest but this is getting ridiculous. How can I be working out this hard and not losing for so long? I'm insanley frustrated!!

***I am in no way trying to stir up a ruckus, I know this is a rough topic to debate about, but I REALLY need some help with this. I've been researching forever and everything I find is telling me to do what I was doing before...which didn't work.

StrengthIsBeautiful

An open diary would help people give a better response!

dad106

The last 20 are the hardest.. and your workouts sound intense.

With as much as your working out(and i'm assuming your doing cardio and strength.. correct me if I'm wrong) your muscles are prob. holding on to a lot of water.

I'd personally take 2 rest days instead of one, and see if that makes any difference.

I'd also try to go over 1200 net and get as close to your calorie goal as possible.. that may be part of the problem.

Mallory0418

The last 20 are the hardest.. and your workouts sound intense.

With as much as your working out(and i'm assuming your doing cardio and strength.. correct me if I'm wrong) your muscles are prob. holding on to a lot of water.

I'd personally take 2 rest days instead of one, and see if that makes any difference.

I'd also try to go over 1200 net and get as close to your calorie goal as possible.. that may be part of the problem.

Yes I'm doing cardio and strength. Primarily cardio. Do you think I should be eating more than? With my work outs the way they are, I have to eat around 2300 cals just to get my net cals close to 1200! It already makes me parnoid because I feel like I'm eating a ton!

I'll open up my diary to public right now.

poppadop89

"I decided to change my food intake to get my NET calories as close 1200 a day as possible. While this gave me a lot more energy, it also increased my drive to work out harder. So now I burn an average 800 - 1100 calories when I work out (5-6 days a week) and feeling great! So that's got me actually EATING over 2000 calories a day to get my NET calories to at least 1200."

Just to be sure i know what you're talking about, is this what you're saying you're doing: 2000(ish) calories consumed - 800(ish) calories burned = NET calories for the day?

Seems like you're putting back what you burned off. If your goal is 1200, only eat 1200. At the end of the day, the macros are more important than calories. They're just a measure of energy.

After looking at your diary, you have plenty of carbs to fuel you for your workouts, so there's no need for added calories.

Otherwise, try carb cycling. It works wonders

psych101

Just to be sure i know what you're talking about, is this what you're saying you're doing: 2000(ish) calories consumed - 800(ish) calories burned = NET calories for the day?

Seems like you're putting back what you burned off. If your goal is 1200, only eat 1200. At the end of the day, the macros are more important than calories. They're just a measure of energy.

Um, no

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

psych101

So a while back I posted a topic about how I've been in a stand off with this friggin scale for the past few months. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/366029-wish-i-didn-t-have-to-ask (Here's my original post from a month ago)

Basically, I was eating between 1200 - 1400 cals a day and burning about 600 - 800 cals a day in my workouts, and hadn't lost (or gained) a pound or an inch in MONTHS. I decided to change my food intake to get my NET calories as close 1200 a day as possible. While this gave me a lot more energy, it also increased my drive to work out harder. So now I burn an average 800 - 1100 calories when I work out (5-6 days a week) and feeling great! So that's got me actually EATING over 2000 calories a day to get my NET calories to at least 1200. I realize that it was going to take my body a couple of weeks to get used to this, but it's been over a month and still nothing. I want to lose another 25ish lbs and I realize those are usually the hardest but this is getting ridiculous. How can I be working out this hard and not losing for so long? I'm insanley frustrated!!

***I am in no way trying to stir up a ruckus, I know this is a rough topic to debate about, but I REALLY need some help with this. I've been researching forever and everything I find is telling me to do what I was doing before...which didn't work.

I don't have any real advice, other than - how cool is it that you can eat MORE than 1200 calories and still maintain your weight....nice

xx

rainbowbow

Please keep in mind you may be changing your body composition without seeing the scale move. Check your body fat percentage and track it that way!

dad106

The last 20 are the hardest.. and your workouts sound intense.

With as much as your working out(and i'm assuming your doing cardio and strength.. correct me if I'm wrong) your muscles are prob. holding on to a lot of water.

I'd personally take 2 rest days instead of one, and see if that makes any difference.

I'd also try to go over 1200 net and get as close to your calorie goal as possible.. that may be part of the problem.

Yes I'm doing cardio and strength. Primarily cardio. Do you think I should be eating more than? With my work outs the way they are, I have to eat around 2300 cals just to get my net cals close to 1200! It already makes me parnoid because I feel like I'm eating a ton!

I'll open up my diary to public right now.

Your diary looks ok actually...but I'd start tracking sodium. I'd also up your protein a bit.. MFP is really low with their protein recommendations, and most people(esp if strength training) need more then what they recommend.

I'd also switch the focus from primarily cardio, and start focusing on more strength. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn without even doing anything extra.

I'd also consider eating more.. with all that your burning, and depending on how active your lifestyle is, you may need more calories anyway.

I'm currently eating at least 1790 a day.. if not more with exercise. It's TOM right now, so I can't attest to the loss rate, but I will be able to in the next week

Finally bust out that tape measure.. the scale isn't everything. You may be losing inches and not even knowing it.

poppadop89

Just to be sure i know what you're talking about, is this what you're saying you're doing: 2000(ish) calories consumed - 800(ish) calories burned = NET calories for the day?

Seems like you're putting back what you burned off. If your goal is 1200, only eat 1200. At the end of the day, the macros are more important than calories. They're just a measure of energy.

Um, no

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

She mentioned her NET is supposed to be 1200. But because she burns off a lot she eats more to equal 1200. That's why I mentioned it

dad106

Just to be sure i know what you're talking about, is this what you're saying you're doing: 2000(ish) calories consumed - 800(ish) calories burned = NET calories for the day?

Seems like you're putting back what you burned off. If your goal is 1200, only eat 1200. At the end of the day, the macros are more important than calories. They're just a measure of energy.

Um, no

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

She mentioned her NET is supposed to be 1200. But because she burns off a lot she eats more to equal 1200. That's why I mentioned it

If she only eats 1200 calories and burns off 800, that would leave her with 200 calories for the day.... which is nothing. She then eats back that 800 to bring her back to 1200 Net.

I get what your saying about the 2000-800 being 1200 net but if she burns more then that, she needs to eat more to get back to the 1200 or a little bit higher if thats what her body needs.

hottottie11

What are you using to measure calories burned? You may be over estimating the calories burned. I suggest investing in the Polar brand HRM with a chest strap.

hooah_mj

The last 20 are the hardest.. and your workouts sound intense.

With as much as your working out(and i'm assuming your doing cardio and strength.. correct me if I'm wrong) your muscles are prob. holding on to a lot of water.

I'd personally take 2 rest days instead of one, and see if that makes any difference.

I'd also try to go over 1200 net and get as close to your calorie goal as possible.. that may be part of the problem.

Yes I'm doing cardio and strength. Primarily cardio. Do you think I should be eating more than? With my work outs the way they are, I have to eat around 2300 cals just to get my net cals close to 1200! It already makes me parnoid because I feel like I'm eating a ton!

I'll open up my diary to public right now.

Mallory0418
I also hit that wall, it was a solid two month stand still UNTIL I started lifting significant weights...really. BodyPump changed everything and 10 pound just melted off...the cardio just wasn't enough any longer. check with a trainer for proper technique. It's worth the switch...good luck (not that I believe in luck).

dewgirl321

Your exercise calories seem really large - where are you getting the numbers? If it is from the machines or MFP, they are probably inflated.

bikermike5094

Instead of focusing on a number, focus on a fitness level. Keep your calories in check but add weights to your workout, musle burns fat.

dewgirl321

I would suggest trading some carbs for protein as well. 1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass is a good rule of thumb. This is especially important if you increase your strength training.

Congrats on your success so far! I'm sure you will get past this plateau in no time!

poppadop89

Just to be sure i know what you're talking about, is this what you're saying you're doing: 2000(ish) calories consumed - 800(ish) calories burned = NET calories for the day?

Seems like you're putting back what you burned off. If your goal is 1200, only eat 1200. At the end of the day, the macros are more important than calories. They're just a measure of energy.

Um, no

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

She mentioned her NET is supposed to be 1200. But because she burns off a lot she eats more to equal 1200. That's why I mentioned it

If she only eats 1200 calories and burns off 800, that would leave her with 200 calories for the day.... which is nothing. She then eats back that 800 to bring her back to 1200 Net.

I get what your saying about the 2000-800 being 1200 net but if she burns more then that, she needs to eat more to get back to the 1200 or a little bit higher if thats what her body needs.

I understand what you're saying too, but like I said, the macros are more important. Counting calories alone won't do any good. Healthy fat, Protein, and Carbs determine fat loss and muscle gain/ recovery. If, for example, 60% of your calories is coming from carbs and still not seeing results, maybe one would need to lower it to 30% and bump up the protein to see fat loss.

Clearly, if the OP is eating more to get back to 1200 and not seeing the scale move, something has to be tweaked. Although if you see results in the mirror, then it shouldn't matter

jecka31

Have you tried switching up your workouts? I've found that when I hit a plateau, if I change my workouts I start to see results again. For example, if you have been running, try adding in some biking or swimming. If you weight train and have been doing full-body workouts, trying doing splits (i.e. M/H Upper Body, T/F Lower Body).

UsedToBeHusky

I have a couple of suggestions:

1. Change your workouts. Maybe some new exercises will make a difference.
2. Rather than sticking to the same calorie intake every single day, try zigzagging calories. Do 1200 net one day, 1500 net another day, maybe 800 net another day. You have to keep your metabolism guessing.
3. Just take a break for a day or two. Don't log calories, don't exercise, don't stress yourself about it.

These techniques have worked for me when my weight loss has begun to slow down. I have never been on a plateau.

Mallory0418

What are you using to measure calories burned? You may be over estimating the calories burned. I suggest investing in the Polar brand HRM with a chest strap.

That is exactly what I use. I think it's a F7 or something but it's a polar HRM with the chest strap and wrist watch.

sofaking6

I'll just echo what some others have suggested...switch your focus from cardio to strength training and really train. Up your protein to build lean muscle. And maybe switch up your diet? If you've been eating the same things for awhile maybe a change would help shock your metabolism?

But really I would say, if you have been burning 800 calories a day with exercise and have not lost weight in months and you are 25 pounds overweight, then it might be time to see a doctor. That seems a little beyond what a normal plateau would be and I'd hate to see you go to extremes with your diet/exercise to try to break the plateau if something else is underlying it. Good luck to you!!!

taeliesyn

Have you been measuring yourself? Or have your clothes gotten looser?

Laceylala

I would start eating 100 calories more per week until you see the scale move. And I would also start doing more heavy weight lifting to max out reps and less cardio. Build muscle to burn fat, more protein in your diet and one protein shake or something after you work out to repair the muscle. You are probably burning way more overall calories than you think and aren't eating enough to cover your burn.

If you haven;t lost weight in months then you are most likely not eating enough. I had to eat what I wanted for two motnhs (around 2200ish cals per day) with little to no working out..and then start reducing calories nominally and finally I am back to losing weight. I think I messed up my body eating too little for too long and then overtraining and not eating enough. Increase those cals!

kristidem

In addition to tracking sodium, take a look at sugur intake. A friend of mine needs to limit her sugar and carb intake, and can do lots of protien. I find if I eat too much fruit I get stuck. Everyone's different, so you need to figure out where your stuck. Good luck!

nz_deevaa

If you are burning 1,000 cals a day, you must be doing A LOT of cardio work.

I'll echo a few of the other posters. Start lifting heavy. Lift heavy 3 days a week. I'd suggest you read 'The New Rules of Lifting for Women - Lift like a man, look like a Goddess'.

Mallory0418

Thanks everyone. I do mostly do a lot of cardio and I've been trying to incorporate more strength lately but I think I'll be kicking it up even more. I work out the way I do because I honestly just really enjoy doing it this way! I LOVE going to the gym for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and just sweating out my frustrations or whatever the case may be. Which is why my calorie burns are so high. I can't really bring myself to change that. It already feels like I'm eating a crazy amount but I guess it's just not enough. I'm going to be playing around with it for the next few weeks until I get this thing figured out.

Thanks again for all of your advice!

jecka31

Thanks everyone. I do mostly do a lot of cardio and I've been trying to incorporate more strength lately but I think I'll be kicking it up even more. I work out the way I do because I honestly just really enjoy doing it this way! I LOVE going to the gym for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and just sweating out my frustrations or whatever the case may be. Which is why my calorie burns are so high. I can't really bring myself to change that. It already feels like I'm eating a crazy amount but I guess it's just not enough. I'm going to be playing around with it for the next few weeks until I get this thing figured out.

Thanks again for all of your advice!

That's great that you have found something that you enjoy doing! That's usually the hardest thing. You could try taking one day off from your normal routine and doing something else instead of changing the whole deal. I run most days but on the weekends I like to through in some mountain biking as well.

twinmom01

since you asked...

your diet needs to be overhauled ( I only went back a few days)

1 it doesnt' show sodium - I am betting with the processed and homemade food you are eating your sodium is quite high which can inhibit weight loss

2 - get rid of a good portion of your carbs....a lot of your processed foods - the kellogs protien shake, the breakfast cereal are high in carbs...switch to a more whole food diet to lessen processed carbs

3- strength training is key - you want to start sculpting your body you need to burn the fat from your body and start really working your muscles = strength training

crkc2Blean140

In talking with a Dr about a similar situation for myself, I was told our "bodies get used to routines" then we stop losing, so we must always "fool" our bodies, shake up your routine, or our bodies come to think its "simply brushing teeth."

Also, you might change what you eat as well, perhaps try 2-3 servings of white fish for a week, along with lots and lots of water to flush away the toxins and fat cells. Again, our bodies become accustomed to routines.

I agree, I feel really engergetic after sweating like a pig after a hard workout.

Good luck!

Mallory0418

since you asked...

your diet needs to be overhauled ( I only went back a few days)

1 it doesnt' show sodium - I am betting with the processed and homemade food you are eating your sodium is quite high which can inhibit weight loss

2 - get rid of a good portion of your carbs....a lot of your processed foods - the kellogs protien shake, the breakfast cereal are high in carbs...switch to a more whole food diet to lessen processed carbs

3- strength training is key - you want to start sculpting your body you need to burn the fat from your body and start really working your muscles = strength training

Oh my lanta you are so right! I just changed it so I'm now tracking sodium and sugar along with my original stuff and it's crazy! I don't know why I didn't think to track those anyway. I'm going try to clean this mess up as best as I can from now on. Thanks!

dad106

Thanks everyone. I do mostly do a lot of cardio and I've been trying to incorporate more strength lately but I think I'll be kicking it up even more. I work out the way I do because I honestly just really enjoy doing it this way! I LOVE going to the gym for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and just sweating out my frustrations or whatever the case may be. Which is why my calorie burns are so high. I can't really bring myself to change that. It already feels like I'm eating a crazy amount but I guess it's just not enough. I'm going to be playing around with it for the next few weeks until I get this thing figured out.

Thanks again for all of your advice!

I'm with ya on sweating out frustrations, but that 1 1/2-2 hrs of cardio has to get boring.

Lift heavy and you'll be sweating like none other.. plus you'll look amazing.

Plus I find weight lifting better for stress... Don't know what it is, but when I'm stressed that is the first thing I go do.