Um, hi?

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Hi there. I'm a total noob at this weight loss thingy so I have a few questions. Any answers would be totally appreciated! Thank you! Oh, first I guess you need my stats.....Well, I'm about 5"2 - 5"4" and I'm 19 years old. I weigh about 137 - 139 pounds. I have a slightly "curvy" build, if you will....ya know, big butt, thicker thighs and wide hips. I have a decent amount of muscle in my calves, they're very tight, and I can see my hamstrings a bit, but I have some fat to burn, too. Oh, and I used an online BF calculator, and my body fat is right in the middle of average. If that helps any!

First question! For the last month or so I've been eating about 1400 - 1500 calories and I haven't lost a pound. My MFP tells me to eat 1500 calories. So when I exercise, burning about 300 calories (sometimes more, sometimes less) my calories go up to about 1800. Should I try eating 1800? I have eaten anywhere between 1200 - 1400 and haven't lost anything, this is the first time I've tried with eating more than 1500 calories.

Second question! My main goal is fat loss vs. weight loss (the scale isn't my biggest concern). I do a circuit routine with strength and cardio exercises 2 - 3 times a week, and the other 3 days of the week I exercise (I exercise 6 days a week!!) is strictly cardio, which I change up a lot. Is this a good way to help lose fat? I change it up, increasing reps, doing different exercises, etc.

Any advice on how to lose some fat? Next year is my sister's 18th birthday, and we're having a beach/summer party and I want to look good in a bikini! I eat a really clean diet, high in protein, with lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and some fat-free dairy. I've stopped having treats every week. Now it's only if I'm really really craving them! I don't drink soda, only green tea and water!

Please don't suggest HIIT. HIIT isn't for me. At least not right now ^^;

Thank you! You guys are all awesome! Please forgive me for posting this again, but my topic got passed last time, or so it seems. I'd like some answers as soon as possible so if I know how to plan my day tomorrow :)

Replies

  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    I'm not a professional by any stretch... I wing it. Before you started a month ago, did you take any measurements? You're not concerned with the scale, so don't use that as your yardstick.
    instead. Focus on keeping at what you are doing and take measurements.

    You will find a lot of debate on here about the whole 1200 calorie deal, but I wouldn't recommend being consistently 500 calories under the amount mfp recommends. If you are pushing the cardio, your body needs good fuel to keep burning fat and growing muscle.

    Give it time. I know you want to see results quickly, we all do, but I'm a firm believer that the faster you lose them, the faster you gain them. You need to set a new lifestyle, and train your body into believing this is here to stay.

    I was running 3x a week, for four months before I saw any changes on the scale. I gained weight for a while. I'm now right about whereby wanna be and am working at bulking up now. Feel free to scope my profile pics. :-)

    So I'd leave off with this. Keep Doing what you're doing. I'd say to eat at least what is recommended before exercising, and if your body is hungry, feed it.

    Good luck, and feel free to add me.