getting very frustrated!

tressatnt

I recently had a baby in June. I started easing into running at 3 weeks post partum, now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week and going to the gym for strength training 2-3x/week and watching what I eat. MFP started me at 1200 (net), but I saw no results. I bumped it up to 1400 and still, 3 months later I've only lost 3lbs. And NO inches. I don't even care what the number on the scale says, I'm looking to shed inches and fit into my clothing again. I feel like I'm doing everything right, but getting nowhere. Well, I am in better shape and can now run 6 miles at a 9:56 pace when 3 months ago it took me almost 13 min to run 1 mile But I need to lose some inches here and I'm out of ideas. I read the info posted about TDEE and am still a bit confused. If I take my lightly active TDEE (1877) and subtract the 20%, I get 1500. So could 100 calories make that much of a difference? Should I try to net 1500 instead of 1400? It's very defeating to be in this position when you feel like you're doing all the right things. TIA

nxd10

Running is wonderful and I bet your thighs and bottom look better, even if your waist doesn't. And your lungs are getting back in shape.

In terms of inches, try some simple ab exercises like lying on the floor, pushing it all the way out, then pulling it all the way in, holding each time. It works ridiculously well. Then start some planks at home.

Then I would check your measuring. Are you sure you are logging everything and that you're measuring everything? It makes a huge difference.

Third, at least for me, it took a while for me to get back to pre-pregnancy shape. 6 months for the weight/size, and I was nursing. It felt like it would never happen and then around 4 months it just started to drop off. By the time my kids were 3, I was 15-20 pounds less than I was when I got pregnant. (I am hoping to get back to that now.)

You are probably not sleeping all that well yet and that interferes with weight loss. This too shall pass.

RandomMiranda

I can imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm sure hormones are a big part of it. If you are breastfeeding but eating at a deficit your body may be trying to hold on to everything it can. Even if you aren't breastfeeding, since you are only a few months post partum your body is still adjusting to not being pregnant and not biologically needing to hold on to all the nutrients and fat you take in. Maybe add a different kind of exercise to the running, in case your body has adjusted to that activity so doesn't burn or tone as effectively from it. Weights or other resistance training might get the inches moving.

vettle

I am 5'6" and went from 172 pounds to 130 pounds by eating 1600 cals a day. My BMR is 1400. I hope that helps.

joeandcarmen

If your doing all that running, eating that few calories........I'd go get my thyroid checked. Something isn't adding up. Go to the doctor and get checked out.

bpotts44

If you are using TDEE then I would recheck at lightly active then multiply by .80 and that should be your total calories consumed daily not your net calories like MFP utilizes. Then focus on your logging. It has to be accurate!!

tladame

Give yourself a break. Not sure if this is your first child, but it does take some time to get back to pre-pregnancy weight. My stomach stayed puffy for a while. I didn't start actively trying to lose the weight until my daughter was almost 2. Then it came off pretty quickly. I still have a little "baby blub" (stomach) that I need to work on, but it looks much better than it did.

So just give it some time. Our bodies go through all sorts of changes after having a baby. Even when I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight, my clothes still didn't fit right because of the way my body had changed. Good luck and hang in there!!

csplatt

Maybe your body is replacing fat with muscle?

billsica

Just june? I think it takes about a year to get back into shape, at least that's what it took my wife.

JPKemp

Please dont give up...I started running for the first time ever aug. 8..I am now up to 7 miles averaging 11 min/mile 3 x 4 week, I walk 3-5 miles the other days... I started off eating 1200 and gained 6 pounds and many inches in the first week. I took a chance and bumped my cal up to 2000 about 31/2 weeks ago. I have dropped 9 pounds since I upped my calories...did my measurements this am and I have dropped what I gained and then some...I know it is a scarey decision, but please try bumping up cals before you give up...What have you got to lose????

tressatnt

Well it looks like 1500 is the way to go by all calculations. That means I eat 1500 no matter what I burn/don't burn right? But I can still eat more if I burn a lot? Also, other than running, I have had a trainer at the gym put together 3 full-body workouts for me that utilize core muscles and weights/resistance. I'll do lunges with bicep curls, leg lifts, woodchops, planks with rows, squat lifts, dead lifts, etc. That's why I really feel like I'm doing everything I can and all the right things. I'll bump up my food intake to 1500 and see if that helps... Oh and I did recently have my thyroid checked...

Oh and to answer you about my legs, they look great from about mid-thigh down the muscle is slowly creeping up, but hasn't really reached my thighs or bottom yet.

steph1278

If you are exercising that much, then you aren't lightly active. You might need to bump up even more. I eat over 2000 calories and still lose 1-2 pounds per week on average.

tressatnt

Please dont give up...I started running for the first time ever aug. 8..I am now up to 7 miles averaging 11 min/mile 3 x 4 week, I walk 3-5 miles the other days... I started off eating 1200 and gained 6 pounds and many inches in the first week. I took a chance and bumped my cal up to 2000 about 31/2 weeks ago. I have dropped 9 pounds since I upped my calories...did my measurements this am and I have dropped what I gained and then some...I know it is a scarey decision, but please try bumping up cals before you give up...What have you got to lose????

LOL What I have to lose is the precious space I have got in the one pair of jeans that I am able to get on! LOL I am going to increase to 1500, maybe 1600 and see what happens. It is scary though, I'm finally able to wear non-pregnancy jeans, but they are snug.

Forgot to mention that I am not breastfeeding.

rboudiab

Great exercises to lose inches are
*Running up and down the stairs!!
*Jogging
*Dancing!

And try 1000 Calories a day. U'll eventually get there, post pregnancy weight loss is usually hard! ) Good Luck!

tressatnt

If you are exercising that much, then you aren't lightly active. You might need to bump up even more. I eat over 2000 calories and still lose 1-2 pounds per week on average.

I am 5'2", 35 years old, not sure if that makes a difference.

I'm really surprised at how fast I got some replies to this, I really appreciate it!! Thank you!

iWaffle

now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week

How many calories are you adding back in for these runs. If you're eating it all you might want to look into this being a problem. I don't know how you would eat 1500 and stay the same doing 4-6 miles 3x a week. I know you don't weigh as much as me but I'm burning around 800 calories on a 4 mile run. Yours is?


EDIT: I should add I'm 210 and doing about a 9:40 mile pace. (Need to go faster, faster)

nellyett

I did the 1200 cals a day when I started too. I do HIIT bootcamp training 3-4 days per week and run between 5 and 10 miles per week. I initially lost in the beginning but had plateaued for MONTHS! I was so frustrated! I tried eating back exercise calories, NOT eating back exercise calories, cheat days, Intermittent Fasting, and carb cycling!! LOL

Through reading all kinds of posts, I wasn't eating enough for MY body. I did a ton of research, gave myself a headache with all the numbers, but have finally figured it out and it's working for me now....btw I only have about 10 lbs to lose. I'm 5'5" and am 139 lbs.

What I'm doing, and what's working for ME is that I calculated my BMR and TDEE and am going from there. I'll adjust these numbers as my weight changes. I use the 'Sedentary TDEE' number and reduced it by 15%.

BMR = 1370

TDEE @ sedentary = 1645 (less 15%) = 1398

I have set MFP at 1400 cals per day. I use a HRM to track my exercise calories burned and I EAT THEM BACK.

So....If I have a rest day and don't workout, I eat 1400 cals for the day.

If I exercise and burn 400 cals I eat 1800 cals for the day. 1400 base cals + 400 exercise cals = 1800 cals but I NET 1400 cals for the day.

I've also reset my macros to 30% protein, 40% carbs, and 30% fat.

Seems so simple to me now, but I was completely confused as to how much I should be eating for weeks!!! It's working like a charm. I lost a full pound this last week, I feel better, sleep better, and have energy for my workouts.

DenyseMarieL

Don't give up. It took me 6 months to get back to pre-pregnancy weight with my first child, and a year with my second. I didn't think that was all that unreasonable. It's supposed to take twice as long to lose what you put on in pregnancy, at least, that's what my doctor told me. Your body didn't just put on weight, it went through SO many changes, and it will take some time to get it back.

tressatnt

now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week

How many calories are you adding back in for these runs. If you're eating it all you might want to look into this being a problem. I don't know how you would eat 1500 and stay the same doing 4-6 miles 3x a week. I know you don't weigh as much as me but I'm burning around 800 calories on a 4 mile run. Yours is?


EDIT: I should add I'm 210 and doing about a 9:40 mile pace. (Need to go faster, faster)

Yes, always faster, faster, I get you! I burn about 430ish in a 4 mile run, usually about 108 per mile. So depending on what I do, I usually burn between 400-600 a day and yes, I will eat more if I burn more, but not always and not all of it. I thought if you burn more, you earn more calories to eat? This is where I've gotten confused this morning. I've been reading info on this site for the last 3 hours!

hsmaldo

Try calculating all your numbers using ''modetately active". Your workouts sound more intense than just 'lightly active'

Helloitsdan

1500 seems low for a cut.

Are you still breastfeeding?
Need 250-500 extra cals per day for that.
As for your Very Active activity factor i'd guess you burn about 2600cals a day.
A moderate cut of 20% gives you about 2100cals to lose fat.
If you need help figuring numbers look at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

PM me any Qs.

I'm off today and would be more than happy to get you started.