Started going to the gym, stopped losing weight

kares74400

Hi everyone,

I'm sort of at a loss as to what to do. I'm a 32 year old female, 5'2". 11 months ago, I weighed 264 pounds. I started eating roughly 1000-1200 calories a day and lost 77 pounds in 10 months. I keep track of everything I eat and don't eat anything unless I know the nutrition info on it. I never eat out. I can't even remember the last time I ate out (maybe September?). Anyway, I started going to the gym a month ago. I lost 4 pounds in the first 2 weeks and for the past 2 weeks, I've lost absolutely nothing. I'm exactly the same every single morning. I'm doind an hour of cardio 6 nights a week and sometimes I do 2 hours. I started eating about 1300-1400 calories a day because I'm burning 400-500/night. My question is, what's going on with my body? Am I just building muscle and that's why I'm not losing weight? I don't know what to do. I'm almost at th point where I just want to stop going because i feel like I'm working so hard and its for nothing. I hope to get some helpful feedback. Thank you!

MaraDiaz

It's not muscle, not if you're in a calorie deficit. Or at least that's what I read on here. But when you work out your body will hold on to more water weight.

Meggles63

If you're burning 400-500, you need to eat at least 1600-1700 cals. Try upping them and see how it goes.

elysecea

If you're burning 400-500, you need to eat at least 1600-1700 cals. Try upping them and see how it goes.

I would suggest this as well as doing some strength training 2 to 3 times a week. Try taking some fun classes at the gym. looks to me like you arent eating enough so you need to do that! Try measuring yourself as well. I havent lost anything but inches since november!

Dave198lbs

wow...thats alot of cardio. congrats on all the weight loss.

cardio will not build muscle so cardio isnt the reason your losing has slowed.

I would break up all that cardio into two sessions (morn and night) OR add some weight training and cut some of the cardio

good luck

pullipgirl

The more you workout the more you have to eat to fuel your body.

kares74400

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll try eating more and doing some weight training. Unfortunately, my gym doesn't. Have classes :-(. I've just been so scared to eat more because I'm afraid of gaining weight. I need to sit down and figure out a healthy way to add some calories.

Tree0014

I agree that you are probably not eating enough. But I think you should defiantely add some strength training. Muscle does weigh more than fat but it also burns more calories than fat so I wouldn't be worried about that. I am just starting over after having a baby but I will tell you in my past experiance I would plateau for a couple of weeks and then I would wake up one morning and have lost 5 pounds!!! Don't get discouraged keep it up cardio is great for your body and your heart don't obsess over the dreaded scale!!! GOOD LUCK you've got this and congrats on your success this far!!

tdrinkard85

They are very right about eating more. I weight 125 and I eat about 2000 calories everyday because of my workouts. If I can eat that many you can surely eat more than that. MFP is great for logging your food, but the way it calculates how much are you supposed to eat is a little dated.

ClarkAddison

wow...thats alot of cardio. congrats on all the weight loss.

cardio will not build muscle so cardio isnt the reason your losing has slowed.

I would break up all that cardio into two sessions (morn and night) OR add some weight training and cut some of the cardio

good luck

This

mollifindlay

Im exactly the same!Been doing boot camp for 5 months..I workout 3 times a week 60 mins..Not a single pound has come off my body!But im alot fitter and hopefully soon ill see the benefits!I think the key is to eat more to loose weight!

Abbie_Thompson

I'm going through the same thing right now. I lost about 25lbs last year by changing my diet. On Jan 3rd I started going to the gym every morning before work and working out on the weekends some too. I have yet to miss a work out. Since I started I have only lost 2lbs! I was starting to get discouraged as well but then I started checking other indicators. I'm getting more flexible. I have a very physical job where I'm up and down a lot. I've noticed I don't make the old lady noises when I stand up after kneeling on the floor. I'm sleeping better. I feel better. I've even started to take measurements (just started so no results yet, but I do notice my clothes are fitting better).
What I'm trying to say is don't pay so much attention to the scale, find some other indicators that show your getting healthy. You're working out now and your body is going to change and the scale is not the only way to track those changes.
Good luck and Happy Cardio!!!!

xsmilexforxmex

Sometimes adding a workout will make your body need more food than what you were previously eating.. give yourself about a few weeks with about 1600 calories and see if that makes a difference.. Also make sure to do some lifting or resistance training as well, not just cardio so you can keep muscle tone. As you build muscle you may gain weight and a few inches but it will progress to burn more fat.

Ahluvly

Hi everyone,

I'm sort of at a loss as to what to do. I'm a 32 year old female, 5'2". 11 months ago, I weighed 264 pounds. I started eating roughly 1000-1200 calories a day and lost 77 pounds in 10 months. I keep track of everything I eat and don't eat anything unless I know the nutrition info on it. I never eat out. I can't even remember the last time I ate out (maybe September?). Anyway, I started going to the gym a month ago. I lost 4 pounds in the first 2 weeks and for the past 2 weeks, I've lost absolutely nothing. I'm exactly the same every single morning. I'm doind an hour of cardio 6 nights a week and sometimes I do 2 hours. I started eating about 1300-1400 calories a day because I'm burning 400-500/night. My question is, what's going on with my body? Am I just building muscle and that's why I'm not losing weight? I don't know what to do. I'm almost at th point where I just want to stop going because i feel like I'm working so hard and its for nothing. I hope to get some helpful feedback. Thank you!

Hi there,

Why are you doing 2 hours of cardio? You really don't need to be doing that much because it can negatively affect you - your body can then start turning on itself and go into a catabolic state. 60mins is enough flower.

You're working out 6 days a week, you need to be upping your cals for a start, looking at the types of foods you are consuming and also, whether you are going longer than 3/4 hours without food. Check your nutritents - what are your macro levels like?! How's your sodium and fibre levels too? Hydration is so important! My rule of thumb with this is I'll have 8-10 glasses normally, 10-14 if I'm working out. I would say based on what you've said, that you need to accept your internal structure will be changing due to the exercise and it does take your body time to adapt to a change - you'll be building more muscle, your body will be working more efficently but only if you are eating and drinking enough, therefore you will need to eat more food to cover this!

Why are you/were you eating under 1200 cals a day? Purely to get the weight off as quick as possible?

Nuts and bolts of my advice:

Look at what your maintenance cals are and reduce them by 20% and stick to netting that figure by diet or diet and exercise each day. I know most people are in a rush to "just get the weight off" but it doesn't go on overnight, it's going to take time for it to come off too. I can totally relate to this but I think once we stop losing at the rate we are, and we're working our behinds off via diet/exercise control, the frustration is a killer to be honest!

I would recommend you planning in a "chill week" say every 8/9 weeks to give your body a rest. Helps you not get sick of the gym or whatever sports you're doing.

Enjoy your food, eat as good as you can, nutrition wise and...enjoy the exercise!

P.s. Eat out, go out with your partner/friends and enjoy yourself - don't be afraid to try new things and have a treat now and again!

supergirl6

Don't be afraid of eating a little more. I found that adding in cardio and weight lifting meant I had to do some trial and error on how much of what I needed to eat. It's good to figure our what your body needs. There are lots of generalized advice for when you start working out, but every body is different and you'll need to figure out what YOUR body is trying to ask for.

Most likely you're going to need more calories. Don't be afraid of healthy calories, especially when you're working out! I found that when I upped my protein, things started moving on the scale a lot better. I slip in snacks of string cheese, organic skim milk, cottage cheese, and nuts on my work out days to get in those extra calories. I found I need to eat a protein based snack about a half hour after a good workout or my body feels sluggish and yucky and I notice the scale moves better when I remember to do that. Sometimes I have a piece of whole grain toast with a little jam. The scale moves AND I feel fantastic.

It sounds a little backwards that you need to eat more to get your body to burn more, but it's true. Give it a week and you'll see! Good luck. You'll find what works for you.

gleechick609

Hi everyone,

I'm sort of at a loss as to what to do. I'm a 32 year old female, 5'2". 11 months ago, I weighed 264 pounds. I started eating roughly 1000-1200 calories a day and lost 77 pounds in 10 months. I keep track of everything I eat and don't eat anything unless I know the nutrition info on it. I never eat out. I can't even remember the last time I ate out (maybe September?). Anyway, I started going to the gym a month ago. I lost 4 pounds in the first 2 weeks and for the past 2 weeks, I've lost absolutely nothing. I'm exactly the same every single morning. I'm doind an hour of cardio 6 nights a week and sometimes I do 2 hours. I started eating about 1300-1400 calories a day because I'm burning 400-500/night. My question is, what's going on with my body? Am I just building muscle and that's why I'm not losing weight? I don't know what to do. I'm almost at th point where I just want to stop going because i feel like I'm working so hard and its for nothing. I hope to get some helpful feedback. Thank you!

You should be eating 20% under you TDEE (TDEE=BMR x Activity Level) to lose weight and inches at a healthy pace. You aren't fueling your body (aka eating enough) to LOSE.

Google Fat to Fit Radio Tools
Military Body Fat Calculator
BMR Calculator
You will see a chart that will give you the number of calories you should be eating based on your activity level.
Change your goals in MFP (Change your macros- carbs to 40%, protein and fat to 30%) Make sure you hit or come close to your macro's every day
Give yourself a month. Measure and weigh yourself again in March. You will see results.

And Sarah (Ahluvly) is correct. You do not need to do that much cardio. At most you should be doing 20-30 minutes of cardio 2-3 times a week and heavy lifting or resistance training 3 times a week. You seriously only need to burn 200-400 calories for fat burning. Give yourself 2 days to rest. If you eat under your TDEE, you will not gain

sonjaken

Keep up the good work! The real "truth" about why you have lost only a couple of pounds (deficit vs. building muscle) will be found out when you apply the measuring tape.

Ahluvly

Good points Gleechick!!!!!!

I've used the Fit Radio caculator, it's really helpful as you'll no doubt be shocked at how much you should be eating!

It's amazing when you get on talking to people on here how much they are actually eating or, how much they THINK they should eat. Hopefully, we can help each other and share the experiences

gleechick609

Good points Gleechick!!!!!!

I've used the Fit Radio caculator, it's really helpful as you'll no doubt be shocked at how much you should be eating!

It's amazing when you get on talking to people on here how much they are actually eating or, how much they THINK they should eat. Hopefully, we can help each other and share the experiences

And who showed Sarah the lovely "light" of eating more??

kares74400

Thanks again everyone. I didn't expect so much helpful feedback!

Ahluvly

Good points Gleechick!!!!!!

I've used the Fit Radio caculator, it's really helpful as you'll no doubt be shocked at how much you should be eating!

It's amazing when you get on talking to people on here how much they are actually eating or, how much they THINK they should eat. Hopefully, we can help each other and share the experiences

And who showed Sarah the lovely "light" of eating more??

That was THEEEEEE lol

Richie117

Think i'll do the same! I've come to a stand still after all my loss since December, now it's stopped !! so i might have to up my cal's too as im burning 300-400 cal on the treadmill a day.

Richie117

i upped my cal intake and dropped 3lb in two days!!! i didn't know that the app tells you how many cal a day to eat and if you excircise you must eat the cal you burnt off so if i'm to eat 1320 cal a day and burned 300 cal i need to eat 300 more cal to stop my body going into starvation mode!!!