The battle with the Scale

MellisaCruz

Im at war with my scale. I work out 2x a day, I have reduced my caloric intake, and have cut out soda and carbs. At the end of the day, the program tells me I am not taking in enough calories. I eat! I eat egg whites, and proteins, lots of fruits and salads. My total calorie intake is usually around 800 calories a day. Fruits and proteins have less calories for their nutritional value. I have reduced my carb to fruits and veggies.

I'm not overweight....
5'7" -147lbs.

I usually weigh around 130, which is where I want to be again. I understand that the low end of the spectrum for my height but I am comfortable at that weight and have a wardrobe I can not afford to grow out of. Yes, my clothes are fitting better but not like they used to.

I always thought plenty of exercise and dieting will getthe weight off....so what am I doing wrong? What can I do to get the poundage off. Protein bars? Oh, and you can add me if you like, I am strict with my diaries.

morganadk2_deleted

please eat more 1200 is for a small sedentry woman and your not sedentry !

For most people that are on 1200 cals, it is not the best intake for them, most chose a weekly weight loss goal that is too aggressive. Here is a guide for setting weekly deficits, and on top of this when you workout you should eat those calories back. So if you are on 1200 cals and burn 300, you should eat 1500 for the day.

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


or to put it another way!

are you eating your exercise calories? are you drinking enough water?


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 building, and reducing fat. This means it 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).

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

TeresaC79

eat more

sandown12

Tape Measure it wont always show on scales if your exercising hard it will show on the measure x

MellisaCruz

I dont mind eating more, but what? I'm overdosing on fruits and veggies, and am going to start incorporating whole grain breads, but I need some other suggestions.

I do about 90-120 minutes of cardio a day = 700 calories a day. Plus strength train 2-4 times a week.

Dont get me wrong, I feel fantastic on the inside but am getting discouraged with the lack of scale movement.

morganadk2_deleted

I dont mind eating more, but what? I'm overdosing on fruits and veggies, and am going to start incorporating whole grain breads, but I need some other suggestions.

I do about 90-120 minutes of cardio a day = 700 calories a day. Plus strength train 2-4 times a week.

Dont get me wrong, I feel fantastic on the inside but am getting discouraged with the lack of scale movement.

Nuts,seeds , olive oil, avocado , peanut butter full cream milk instead of skimmed

2bFitNTrim

I dont mind eating more, but what? I'm overdosing on fruits and veggies, and am going to start incorporating whole grain breads, but I need some other suggestions.

I do about 90-120 minutes of cardio a day = 700 calories a day. Plus strength train 2-4 times a week.

Dont get me wrong, I feel fantastic on the inside but am getting discouraged with the lack of scale movement.

I agree with the others that you need to eat more. Just my suggestion: stop eating like you are on a diet. Yes, lean protein and fruits & vegetables are wonderful, and most of us don't eat enough of them. But try incorporating wheat bread, eggs, yogurt,, peanut butter, almonds, etc AND some of your favorites treats in there too. Think pasta, pizza...whatever you enjoy , BUT watch the portion sizes.

You work out a lot. That's fine if you really enjoy it & aren't hurting yourself, but you need to eat to fuel that. A lot of folks here drink protein shakes or eat protein bars. Might be something you want to check into.

Again, just my 2 cents worth. I'm 50 years old, 5 ft tall, work out 2-3 times per week on average, and eat approx 1400-1600 per day. You don't have to starve to lose the weight. I made that mistake early on.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

MellisaCruz

Thanks Ladies, Im going to add

Avocado...I love avocado and my mom has a tree in her back yard!
Nuts....I love almonds and Pistacios...I really love sunflower seeds but the sodium...
yogurts
and crunchy peanut butter.

I hope some of you add me, you have great suggestions!

maryjay51

when you eat little like that your body holds on to it knowing it isnt going to have enough for the day. please eat more food.. and dont be afraid to eat fat ..there are good fats out there that actually help you lose weight -- omega 3s .. almonds, fish, coconut oil, olive oil and almond butter to name a few . few calories does not constitute a healthy diet. two hours of worjking out a day do not necessarily mean you are going to lose weight especially if you do not feed your body right. i work out alot because i am getting ready for a 8k run.. and you need to do weight workouts too not just cardios .. hopefully this helps

also im not one to lecture about one's weight goals but 130 is low for your height. perhaps if you go in to a core body, functional training routine you will get more firm and it will then look like you are 130. when i tell people what i weight they cant believe it .you should find out what your body fat % is and your body composition % .. you really might only need to ramp up the diet and type of exercise you do

morkiemama

Thanks Ladies, Im going to add

Avocado...I love avocado and my mom has a tree in her back yard!
Nuts....I love almonds and Pistacios...I really love sunflower seeds but the sodium...
yogurts
and crunchy peanut butter.

I hope some of you add me, you have great suggestions!

These are all great suggestions! I'll just add the generic higher calorie dairies (e.g. full calorie cheese, milk, etc.) It'll go a long way and be in line with your protein goals.