So frustrated I'm crying?

Voca_Star

Welp the title says it all folks. Early last May I was 134 pounds, then some events came up (birthdays, holidays, etc) and I ended up indulging and gaining a bit from it. I now fluctuate between 138 - 140 pounds and I haven't lost any in over two months. I'm not only going by the scale either. I'm going by how my clothes fit and my measurements, which are exactly the same. My goal is to get down to 118 - 124 pounds, but if I'm heavier from muscle, that's alright, too. I want to be lean! I have an event next summer I want to look good for and not losing weight won't help.

For the last few months I had been doing 45 - 60 minutes of cardio, no strength training, and eating between 1200 - 1600 calories. Last week I started strength training, too so now I do a circuit routine 2 - 3 days a week, of strength and cardio. I know I haven't gained muscle weight in only two weeks.

MFP says I should eat 1500 calories without exercise, and with between 1800 - 1900 (depending on how much my workout burns, which is between 250 - 400 calories, depending on the exercises). I tried to eat about 1800 this week but only got to 1600 maybe 1700. Should I try eating 1800 for a few more weeks to see how that does? I used this site http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to figure calories and it says to eat between 1800 - 1900.

Any advice is appreciated. If it helps, I'm 18 years old, 138 - 140 pounds and about 5'3" and a half I think.
SORRY for posting this again, I didn't get a lot of advice last time...
;(

I've tried eating anywhere between 800 - 1600 calories for weeks at a time (like 800 for a few weeks, then 1000 for a few, etc) and none have worked for me.

Oh yeah, last December I was 151 pounds. So yeah I've lost 10 pounds in about....8 months.....

MissAlyGator

I would stick with the strength training for sure. It seems to be huge for me. Also, what sort of food makes up your calories?

caraiselite

more protien! more veggies! less carbs.

Voca_Star

Lots of chicken, salads, nut butters, eggs, whole grains, uhm, that's about it.

Bigjayinga

What's up, it will be ok. Try doing cardio when you first wake up before you eat. Try to eat 40 percent protein and 40 percent carbs and 20 percent fats. Drink a gallon of water a day, maybe half a gallon because your small. Don't eat carbs late in the day. This is not advice, this is just what I do. Hope it helps.

denysebur

I would agree stick with the traing maybe re evaluate your diet no carbs after 3 worked for me and reduce your salt :-) but good luck stay strong

katrinkap

oh sweetie!!!!! i understand!!! with all the food and calories and such, STRESS can keep weight on...

this may sound like the stupidest thing you have ever heard from an old gal like me, but be present NOW. accept yourself NOW, look in the mirror and be happy with where you are now...

weight will come off! I promise! add me and i will help!

jillebean60

Read: LINKS in MFP you want to read again (and again) --- At the top of the General Board you posted on. I think you should aim for eating all recommended cals, making sure you get enough protein, fat and good carbs. One other thing that I've noticed is working to burn the fat (I can tell by feeling bones, not so much on the scale): Working out first thing in the a.m. before any cals consumed. Studies suggest 67% increase in fat burning.

Mellie289

I looked at a few days of your diary and on two of them. you didn't eat a single vegetable and the only fruit you had was a banana. My advice is to ditch some of peanut butter and cheese you are eating (also high fat) and eat some fruits and vegetables. I can't imagine how little fiber you are ingesting. You seem to be over on fat a few times as well If I recall correctly, each gram of fat has something like 10 more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrate (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) - not that you're going over, but you are missing a lot of healthy carbs (again, fresh fruits and vegetables),

Edit to add: looked at a couple more days after I saw you post that you are eating lots of salads. I would hardly call something with 3 lettuce leaves a couple days a week lots of salads. Try switching out your multigrain bread products for large salads.

FatgutBgone

I watch my fat intake, I eat lean protein like chicken, turkey, fish, and lean beef. I also watch carbs. I eat mainly high fiber carbs. Fiber counteracts the sugar. I also have been having trouble moving the scale. I have been lifting heavy weights and gained about 1 1/2 inches on my arms. I read in an old muscle magazine I have, that for every 1 inch on your arms, you gain about 10 lbs. of muscle. I figure that I have lost about 15 lbs. of fat even though the scale hasn't moved. You will find that weight training may slow the scale down but you will have more strength and energy. I am going to try and get at least 20 minutes of riding the stationary bike in 3 times a week. I hope to lose more fat and keep the muscle I have gained. If you do aerobic type exercise after weight lifting or on days you don't lift for 20 minutes or less, you don't burn off muscle, just fat. I do interval training, sprinting as fast as I can for about 1/2 minute then about 1 1/2 minutes at a slower pace then back to the fast one. You can message me if you want.

Cjones1721

if you really want to lose the weight, you need to not be afraid to lift heavy weights, alot of women believe the misconception that if you lift heavy weights you'll turn out looking like a man but you won't in fact you'll lean out a lot more. I would suggest doing strength training first and then cardio, but when you do strength training you could do monday-back/arms, tuesday-legs/abs, wednesday-chest/shoulders, thursday-cardio, friday-back/arms, and then saturday-legs/abs. And do 3 sets of 12 reps, it will help you out alot. I flucuate with my weight right now so don't worry I'm positive that if you just keep working hard and keep a clean diet you'll lose those extra pounds, trust me i'm in the same boat as you right now, i'm trying to lose my last 20 and it seems as if its taking forever. You just need to stay positive.

kiminikimkim

I am 5'3" and I weighed roughly 135-140lbs last December.

Starting Jan 2012:
Ate 1200 calories per day (80% healthy, 20% indulgence like chocolate)
2 bootcamp workouts per week. Ate 50% of my burned calories.
Walked 3 times a day (I have 2 dogs). I didn't eat my burned calories those days I didn't have bootcamp.
My BMR 1191
TDEE is 1515

Reached my goal of 112lbs in July. Now maintaining.

My bootcamp has cardio AND strength training. Try workouts that are more physically demanding than just cardio. Your body becomes too efficient at exercise, so whatever you were doing 3 months ago, your body will burn less calories today doing the same workout over and over.