Help! Not loosing any more weight!

happy_heather121

Hi everyone.

I have been working really hard to lose weight and in the first 2 months I lost 10 lbs. I increased my workouts A LOT and can't budge the scale, not even a pound. I am discouraged because I still have a TON of fat to lose around my hips and stomach. Below is a summary of an average weeks workouts.

1st ten lbs:
I walked 6 miles a day

No more lbs lost:

Walk once a week: 6miles
Bike 3xs a week: 13 miles
Run/walk interval 2xs a week: 6 miles

and I just started swimming 3 nights a week.

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong here!

I know it seems excessive but I am trying to train for a triathalon for next year. I though that the weight loss would be crazy because of all the different things I do.

Has anyone had this problem? It's going on 2 months and I haven't lost a pound. Also, three years ago I weighed 15 lbs less than I do now so i know that my body can stand to lose the weight.

pniana

Are you eating all of your calories for the day, including your exercise calories?

happy_heather121

I am not eating my exercise calories. I was seeing a personal trainer for a while and she told me not to do that because it defeated the purpose of working out. Also, Jillian from Biggest Loser says not too either. That confuses me I guess so I just don't log my exercise

Maybe I will start another thread on that?

SusieSonshine

The scale is not the best measurement of fitness. Muscle weighs more than fat, ergo, if you're upping your exercise, you are most likely gaining muscle and losing fat. A better measurement of your progress would be to check your bodyfat% (pinch test isn't the most accurate, but better than the scale) and measuring your body for inches lost.

Don't be frustrated. You KNOW that what you're doing is good for you! So keep up the good work!!!

:flowerforyou:

margaretthedevil

I am not eating my exercise calories. I was seeing a personal trainer for a while and she told me not to do that because it defeated the purpose of working out. Also, Jillian from Biggest Loser says not too either. That confuses me I guess so I just don't log my exercise

Maybe I will start another thread on that?

The calories that MFP set for you to eat already includes a calorie deficit (how large or small that deficit is depends on what you set your weekly goal as). That's why it's encouraged for people to eat all/some of their exercise calories as not to starve your body. Did you explain to your personal trainer that you were already eating less than maintenance? I think your personal trainer did not know that you are already on a calorie deficit. Of course, if you were eating your maintenance calories and exercising that would be a different story. Eat your exercise calories or your metabolism will slow down and your progress will come to a screeching halt!

happy_heather121

Yes. I have come to a screeching halt. And come to think of it. She DID tell me I was eating too little. She told be to up to 1400 (MFP says 1200) and not to eat more than that.

Hmmmm.... That may be the problem then. Thanks!

margaretthedevil

Yes. I have come to a screeching halt. And come to think of it. She DID tell me I was eating too little. She told be to up to 1400 (MFP says 1200) and not to eat more than that.

Hmmmm.... That may be the problem then. Thanks!

How did you get set so low? O.o 1200 calories is the least a woman can eat without sending your body into starvation mode (and this does not include your activities or your exercise!) I think you should to change your activity setting if it's on sedentary. There's no way your activity level is sedentary. Also I wouldn't recommend trying to lose one pound per week if you don't have a lot of fat to lose as you will lose muscle this way. This will up your calories a bit. But prevent starvation mode.

mskellyw

I know that for me, my body responds to walking much better to walking than to biking. I know that seems weird, but when you think about it walking is weight bearing and engages many more muscles. When you're biking you're essentially sitting down and only using your legs to propel you.

I know a lot of bicyclists who would disagree, but I have also had a couple friends who were runners and then starting training for triathalons and actually GAINED weight. It could be that your body isn't burning as many calories on the bike as you were walking. Combine that with the fact that after a few months your body has become more efficient overall and that you're now carrying around twenty less pounds while working out and it doesn't seem that surprising to me that you've stalled. Have you thought about adding some strength training in to your routine? Also, I'm not a militant advocate of eating every single exercise calorie, but you might want to play with your calorie intake a bit and just see what happens.

happy_heather121

Yes. I have come to a screeching halt. And come to think of it. She DID tell me I was eating too little. She told be to up to 1400 (MFP says 1200) and not to eat more than that.

Hmmmm.... That may be the problem then. Thanks!

How did you get set so low? O.o 1200 calories is the least a woman can eat without sending your body into starvation mode (and this does not include your activities or your exercise!) I think you should to change your activity setting if it's on sedentary. There's no way your activity level is sedentary. Also I wouldn't recommend trying to lose one pound per week if you don't have a lot of fat to lose as you will lose muscle this way. This will up your calories a bit. But prevent starvation mode.

I will have to take a look at my settings. I am certainly WAY more active than I have been when I first started MFP so I'll have to check it out.

Everyone has such great advice, thank you!

happy_heather121

I know that for me, my body responds to walking much better to walking than to biking. I know that seems weird, but when you think about it walking is weight bearing and engages many more muscles. When you're biking you're essentially sitting down and only using your legs to propel you.

I did see that my overall body looked more toned when I was just walking. Now, with biking, I just have really muscular legs.

happy_heather121

Yes. I have come to a screeching halt. And come to think of it. She DID tell me I was eating too little. She told be to up to 1400 (MFP says 1200) and not to eat more than that.

Hmmmm.... That may be the problem then. Thanks!

How did you get set so low? O.o 1200 calories is the least a woman can eat without sending your body into starvation mode (and this does not include your activities or your exercise!) I think you should to change your activity setting if it's on sedentary. There's no way your activity level is sedentary. Also I wouldn't recommend trying to lose one pound per week if you don't have a lot of fat to lose as you will lose muscle this way. This will up your calories a bit. But prevent starvation mode.

I actually changed my activity level to very active and it still has me at 1200. That is weird.

April0815

I actually changed my activity level to very active and it still has me at 1200. That is weird.
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That is very weird. When I started doing cardio and strength training I changed my activity level because I was doing so much more. My calories went up over 100 calories.

keiko

Yes. I have come to a screeching halt. And come to think of it. She DID tell me I was eating too little. She told be to up to 1400 (MFP says 1200) and not to eat more than that.

Hmmmm.... That may be the problem then. Thanks!

How did you get set so low? O.o 1200 calories is the least a woman can eat without sending your body into starvation mode (and this does not include your activities or your exercise!) I think you should to change your activity setting if it's on sedentary. There's no way your activity level is sedentary. Also I wouldn't recommend trying to lose one pound per week if you don't have a lot of fat to lose as you will lose muscle this way. This will up your calories a bit. But prevent starvation mode.

I actually changed my activity level to very active and it still has me at 1200. That is weird.

How many pounds do you have it set to lose in a week? Plus remember when you add in your exercise then you will get extra calories. Like others have said. MFP already has you at a deficit and expects you to eat the exercise calories.

happy_heather121

I think I figured it out. I have my lbs lost per week at 2. I changed it to 1 (recommended) and my calories went way up!) Thanks everyone. I think i'm going to try it this way for a while and log my exercises and see what happens!

Thanks again. i love this site because everyone is so helpful and supportive!

keiko

I'm glad you changed it. When you don't have much to lose it's better to set the pounds per week lower. As you lose more you might even have to set it to .5 lbs/week.

RecliningFigure

You might also consider changing or intensifying your exercises.