Despite Working Out and Exercising I Still Can't Lose Weight

annshh

I'm a 5'9 female with a thick build- wide shoulders/hips and slender neck. I would consider myself to have an athletic body type for the most part but I am not stick thin or muscular. For the past 1.5 years I have weighed about 164lbs consistently. I am in ROTC and I work out 5-6 days a week, sometimes twice a day. Workouts vary, but usually consist of 1 day of sprints, 1 day of other cardio (long run, stair running, etc.), 1 day of upper body, 1 day of circuit type workouts (a little bit of everything... upper body, abs, stairs, running), and 1 day of another misc workout, such as cross fit type stuff, but usually with an emphasis on upper body. On my own at the gym I don't tend to do a lot of weights but tend to focus on the basics of cardio, pushups, and abs. As far as eating, I try to limit carbs as much as I can because that seems to make me gain weight the easiest but it is hard considering how many things have a lot of carbs in them. I feel like I eat pretty healthy- breakfast is always eggs, turkey saussage, and an apple or banana. Lunch is usually a sandwich of some sort, and dinner is usually salad with grilled chicken, a grilled chicken wrap, some sort of egg dish, or occasionally (if I have a PT test the next day and want the carbs) a pasta dish with grilled chicken and vegetables. I don't eat junk food or drink soda. I drink gatorade right after PT and then tons of water the rest of the day.

About a month ago I noticed that I was starting to gain weight. I gained a total of about 6 lbs and now weigh about 170 consistently. I NEED to get back down, at least below 168 but preferably back down to 164 as I have weigh-in's for ROTC about once a month and am currently above my max weight by a couple lbs. Nothing has changed in my diet or exercise routine. I don't look like I weigh that much and have not noticed my clothes fitting any differently (infact, my jeans may be fitting looser than they used to.) I could however stand to be more toned (I do not feel like I look good enough at this point to wear a bikini, for example). Pic so that you can see my body type: http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s176/milocalwinnings/P1010002.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s176/milocalwinnings/Me1.jpg

I have been using the calorie counter but I am not a huge fan of it because the "recommended calories" per day seems low. 1200 calories for my level of activity? I followed it for 2 weeks before my most recent weigh-in and saw no results. The ONLY reason why I was within my allowable weight range was because I chugged lots of water, ate really lite, and did 2 hours of an Insanity workout in sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and a jacket in order to sweat some weight off and I managed to get down to 168, but I went back up to around 170 the next day. I know that is not healthy and I am not willing to do that every time I have a weigh in- I should be able to lose at least a few pounds without going to drastic measures.

Any tips/suggestions? I have a weigh in coming up in 2 weeks and am starting to panic as I have been trying for weeks to lose even a few pounds and nothing is working.

jogglesngoggles

The thing that comes to mind after reading your post is are you eating your exercise calories? For how active you are 1200 calories is not enough and your body thinks it's starving and holding onto the weight. If you are then I've got nothing other than you said you eat a sandwich for lunch, do you eat white bread? That could be another reason.

KareninCanada

For how active you are 1200 calories is not enough and your body thinks it's starving and holding onto the weight.

^^^ this. Do you have access to a base nutritionist/dietitian/fitness professional who could advise you?

Your BMR is definitely no lower than 1500/day, which is the number you never want to drop below. But based on your being working out every day, and having seen some of those military workouts, you should probably be closer to 2500/day (after exercise).

annshh

As I said in my OP, I KNOW that 1200 was too low. That's why I stopped using the calorie counter after 2 weeks because it was telling me that I should be eating 1200 calories and I did not think that was accurate. Although I will say I am probably not getting enough calories even after stopping the calorie counter. Something interesting- although I don't eat junk food and try to stick to healthy meals, I usually end up stopping for quick fast food on Thursday night because after lunch at 12, I don't have another chance to eat until sometimes 7 or later and I need a quick meal... it is what it is. But what is interesting is that I tend to weigh LESS the next morning after I've eaten the junk food. It's not a one time event- this happens every Thursday. I don't get it.

When I have a sandwich it's usually on wheat bread, a whole wheat english muffin, or a pita shell.

I will try upping my calories and see if that helps. Right now I am maybe getting 1600 cal/day. That's mostly because while I try to eat several smaller meals a day, with classes and labs it is difficult so I usually end up eating 3 or 4 times a day. It doesn't take a lot for me to fill up so I probably am not getting enough calories. I guess I will try to fit in a couple more smaller meals to try and up the calorie intake.

graysmom2005

At 5ft 9 your body is in a good comfy range so it's going to hang on to all the weight....I'm going through the same thing right now. I'd suggest putting your goal at 1/2 a pound a week and eating back most of your exercise cals. It will be slow, but you're so active that it may help. Good luck! I'm in the same boat. :-)

2BFIFTYFABULOUS

Are you entering your excercise? When I enter my excercise the calorie counter automatically accounts for the excercise and raises your calorie intake. I was having the same problem, I wasnt eating enough,the calorie counter with the exercise counter will give the amount of calories you are to try to achieve a day and it is a significant difference in calories.

jogglesngoggles

Definitely don't stop logging. Mine tells me 1200 a day also, but then I enter whatever workout I did that day and it automatically adjusts to the 1800-2000 (sometimes more based on how active I am that day) calories that my body needs to lose weight and not think it's starving. I know it's time consuming and frustrating but make yourself do it religiously for a week and see if you notice a difference. Good luck! I too am 5'9" and am currently at 166, the second I stop logging and paying attention is the very second my body comes to a screetching halt and asks me what the heck i'm doing to it.

annshh

I will try the calorie counter again. I did enter my workouts but the problem is it only tells you "calories burned" and adjusts calories for cardio workouts, and it didn't know how many calories I was burning from most of my workouts (or sometimes even recognize them). If I did an hour of upper body I could log it in as best I could with what exercises it does recognize but it wouldn't adjust calories.

This is just frustrating because I need to be down at least 2 lbs in 2 weeks from today... Starting to get nervous.

grinch031

As I said in my OP, I KNOW that 1200 was too low. That's why I stopped using the calorie counter after 2 weeks because it was telling me that I should be eating 1200 calories and I did not think that was accurate. Although I will say I am probably not getting enough calories even after stopping the calorie counter.

So does this mean you're not counting calories at all right now? People tend to underestimate their calories consumed if they aren't rigorously counting, so this could actually be the case as well.

marquesajen

If you search for "strength training" in the cardio category it will adjust your calories that way. It is weird, but it works. You can still track what workouts you did in strength training, but if it isn't in the cardio section it won't count it.

so yea, keep logging. Eat your calories back and maybe switch up your workout routine if you haven't already. good luck!

petuniah

If you search for "strength training" in the cardio category it will adjust your calories that way. It is weird, but it works. You can still track what workouts you did in strength training, but if it isn't in the cardio section it won't count it.

so yea, keep logging. Eat your calories back and maybe switch up your workout routine if you haven't already. good luck!

Thanks for the heads up! The "strength training" thing has been driving me crazy!

annshh

As I said in my OP, I KNOW that 1200 was too low. That's why I stopped using the calorie counter after 2 weeks because it was telling me that I should be eating 1200 calories and I did not think that was accurate. Although I will say I am probably not getting enough calories even after stopping the calorie counter.

So does this mean you're not counting calories at all right now? People tend to underestimate their calories consumed if they aren't rigorously counting, so this could actually be the case as well.

I am not counting right now but I have not changed my diet any since I stopped counting.

jogglesngoggles

Are all of your workouts ROTC led? I don't know what the rules are, but could you wear a heart rate monitor? I had the same problem when I started doing weight training. I now wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (I think it was like $30 on amazon) and it is wonderful, I wear it for cardio, weights, everything...It's a science, but once you get used to it, it's an easy science. And yes like she said above, on the tracker, enter it as cardio, then enter weight training, then you can manually add your calories to it. If you're really strict on what you eat ie: no fast food late at night, lol you will get your 2 lbs in 2 weeks for sure. Good luck!

I will try the calorie counter again. I did enter my workouts but the problem is it only tells you "calories burned" and adjusts calories for cardio workouts, and it didn't know how many calories I was burning from most of my workouts (or sometimes even recognize them). If I did an hour of upper body I could log it in as best I could with what exercises it does recognize but it wouldn't adjust calories.

This is just frustrating because I need to be down at least 2 lbs in 2 weeks from today... Starting to get nervous.