Why can't I lose??

nancyz7981

I am 30 years old and about 5'4. I weigh about 220 on average. Every day I either gain about 4 pounds or lose 4 pounds. It just keeps bouncing back and forth. I'm a vegetarian and I always make sure to consume about 1200 calories a day. I also exercise frequently. I exercise at least an hour a day and often more. I don't drink sodas or juices or anything like that. I drink water only and one cup of black coffee every morning. I have a polar ft 60 and I do a variety of exercises.
For the past 5 months I have been trying to lose weight but aside from the occasional up and down I don't actually lose any weight. I have run a 5k already and next week will be running a 5k obstacle course. The week after that I am running 10 miles. I take hot yoga classes and zumba. I do strength and circuit training about 3 or 4 times a week. I also see a personal trainer every week.
I don't understand what I am doing wrong. Despite all of this I have only lost about 1% body fat and gained 1 pound of muscle. I am tired all the time though. I have zero energy, especially after exercise. If I exercise in the morning I spend the rest of the day downing coffee just to stay awake so I have to exercise in the evening.
I tried to talk to my doctor about it and she just said eat less and exercise more. She didn't even listen to me. Needless to say I walked out because I wasn't wasting my time. I just don't know what to do. It's very frustrating to work so hard and carefully monitor everything you put in your mouth and know that it seems to be for nothing. Any ideas??

melaniecheeks

Hi Nancy, and welcome.

It can be very frustrating not to see results of your hard work.


Could you set your diary to public so that we can offer some advice on what changes you might consider?

sweebum

Ok first thing- you can't gain or lose 4lbs in a day (or a week). So it's likely some water retention- probably from overdoing the exercise.

If you are truly eating 1200 a day and an hour of exercise, it's no surprise you're not losing, you're not eating enough to support your exercise. If you want to eat 1200 (which is silly at your weight) make sure to do it on non exercise days. On exercise days you should eat more.

I weigh slightly less than you, and I eat 1500 a day with no exercise other than increasing my walking a bit, I lose 1/5-2 lbs a week after a 9 month plateau eating 1300 calories plus exercise. I found an easier way was to calculate my TDEE (calories needed including exercise) and subtract 500-750 calories a day off of that for a 1-1.5 lb a week loss.

Good luck

dany_m

You are not losing because you are not eating enough. Your BMR is around 1,700 based on the information you provided (as per http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/). You need to eat at least that number on non-workout days, or 1,700 plus your exercise calories on workout days.
Check out http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less for more information.

Good luck

psuLemon

So if your bmr is 1700 and you exercise 5 days a week, it would make you moderately active.

So tdee = 1700 *1.55= 2635.
Caloric needs = 2635*.8= 2108.

So you pretty much should be eating 2100 calories a day.

714rah714

Instead of telling us what you eat and drink you can just open up your diary so we all can take a look.

Helloitsdan

Ok first thing- you can't gain or lose 4lbs in a day (or a week). So it's likely some water retention- probably from overdoing the exercise.

If you are truly eating 1200 a day and an hour of exercise, it's no surprise you're not losing, you're not eating enough to support your exercise. If you want to eat 1200 (which is silly at your weight) make sure to do it on non exercise days. On exercise days you should eat more.

I weigh slightly less than you, and I eat 1500 a day with no exercise other than increasing my walking a bit, I lose 1/5-2 lbs a week after a 9 month plateau eating 1300 calories plus exercise. I found an easier way was to calculate my TDEE (calories needed including exercise) and subtract 500-750 calories a day off of that for a 1-1.5 lb a week loss.

Good luck

Congrats on breaking that plateau!

If only it were just a simple 500-750 type number.
This prescription works for a while but....hormones and stuff...

Check the quote below....

So if your bmr is 1700 and you exercise 5 days a week, it would make you moderately active.

So tdee = 1700 *1.55= 2635.
Caloric needs = 2635*.8= 2108.

So you pretty much should be eating 2100 calories a day.

This is the way to go.

Mornin PSU!

AMHouse85

Just a though, is there any chance you have a thyroid issue. My sister was recently diagnosed with an under active thyroid and she was tired all the time, chugging coffee to try to keep awake and going. She got on medication and said how much more energy she has now. I know the thyroid can go over or under active and they both can have drastic effects from tiredness, weight gain and irritability to weight loss, hair loss and restlessness.

jldvb

I am fairly new to clean eating/regular exercise. I started at 215. I have set 1600 calories (often falling 100-200cal under). My breakdown is 40% carb 40% protein and 20% fat. It took WELL over a week to lose my first lb. I DO NOT eat back my exercise calories.

I was fortunate to have help in setting up my food diary based on my build/bodyfat etc... then I was eating the correct calories but feeling crappy. Now I am focused on healthy, simple foods. It seems to be coming together.

anitas4512

Not eating enough. If you are exercising that much, which is great, you need to fuel your body. I did the same thing as you for a year! Personal trainer, days and days at the gym, and only lost 5 pounds and .5% body fat. I was frustrated to say the least! If you are only eating 1200 calories a day, then burning 600 calories, you are only leaving your body with 600 calories for fuel for its normal processes. That is NOT enough. Follow this from the other replies:

QUOTE:

So if your bmr is 1700 and you exercise 5 days a week, it would make you moderately active.

So tdee = 1700 *1.55= 2635.
Caloric needs = 2635*.8= 2108.

So you pretty much should be eating 2100 calories a day.

psuLemon

BTW, the approach I posted, Dan and I have been using and combined have helped well over 500+ people with huge success rates. If you mix a proper amount of calories to fuel your metabolism, it's other functions and still give it calories to repair lean muscle mass, then it will thank you and drop the weight.

EAVA

try again talk to your doctor,
could be hormonal or adrenals glands fatigue or kidney not working properly
or could be something more there....
I explained this to my doctor and she is sending me to a specialist endocrinologist
I did like you did
was under calories intake 1200, exercising,
did everything right and not loosing,
first time she said just eat less and exercise more
only I started having rash on my body
I stopped exercising and rash slowly dissapear
looks like my sweat gland not working properly
for me eating more or eating exercise calories =gain weight
yesterday morning I woke up like a balloon
I gained 6 pounds just over night and it was kidney related
I was drinking too much water and not enough water was coming out

Helloitsdan

try again talk to your doctor,
could be hormonal or adrenals glands fatigue or kidney not working properly
or could be something more there....
I explained this to my doctor and she is sending me to a specialist endocrinologist
I did like you did
was under calories intake 1200, exercising,
did everything right and not loosing,
first time she said just eat less and exercise more
only I started having rash on my body
I stopped exercising and rash slowly dissapear
looks like my sweat gland not working properly
for me eating more or eating exercise calories =gain weight
yesterday morning I woke up like a balloon
I gained 6 pounds just over night and it was kidney related
I was drinking too much water and not enough water was coming out

OP has pretty much the same thing everyone on this site has.
You could talk to the docs but they are probably going to say shes overweight and what shes experiencing is the physiological result of working out and depleting water and glycogen from her system, resulting in a loss of about 4lbs, then eating and drinking thus replenishing the water and glycogen.

My body fluctuates up to 5lbs a day depending on time of day and if i worked out in the morning or its a rest day.
I'm only 136lbs and 5'5".

OP send me or PSU a PM and we can straighten this weight loss/Fat loss out for you.

psuLemon

^exactly.


Also keep in mind to gain 4 lbs, you need to eat 14000 calories about your TDEE.

falyn237

You might want to have your thyroid checked. It regulates your body and if something is wrong with it that can affect your weight. Also like everyone else said... eat more.

At your weight, height and amount of exercising you do you should be consuming much more than you are.

Good luck!