Working out, limiting calories, but can't lose a pound!

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Replies

  • WilhelmCF
    WilhelmCF Posts: 96 Member
    Not eating some of your exercise credits will slow your metabolism. Treat yourself to a few extra calories or your body goes into starvation mode. You earned the extra credit through dilligent exercise. Give yourself a treat. Best of luck.
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  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    I've been working out for years, but got super serious in September. I go to the gym about six days a week, do at least 30 minutes of cardio and then 20 minutes of weight work. I'm staying to the suggested 1200 calories (not eating back my exercise calories). Still...this past week I actually gained two pound! Sooooo frustrated. Oh...and my measurements are not changing either. Any suggestions??

    Everyone's said it, but I'll say it too - eat. You're not sticking to MFP's recommended calorie intake if you're not eating exercise calories. Change your goal to a 1lb/wk loss (if you have it set for more) since it looks like you only have 28 lbs to lose, and eat at least 50% of your exercise calories, if not more.
  • Racer669
    Racer669 Posts: 5
    OMG! I have been trying to take off about 10 lbs before the holidays and my weight has been bouncing up and down like a basketball and it has been driving me crazy. This post has been a definite eye opener. If I am lucky I break the 1000 calories a day and never even get close to 1200 plus I do anywheres from 1/2 hr to an 1 hr on the treadmill everynight gaining calories back which I never eat.

    Reading through everyone's comments......I am not eating enough to loose weight?????
  • loveskinny27
    loveskinny27 Posts: 94 Member
    You are not eating enough. 1200 calories is what you should have on your REST day ONLY.

    You need to NET 1200 calories. Eat back *most* of your exercise calories. You are working out like a madman and not giving your body the fuel it needs to function properly. You won't lose weight doing that.


    ^^^^^^^^^^

    this and drink plenty of water reduce salt & sugar
  • IronDame
    IronDame Posts: 275
    What MFP recommends for the majority of people is wrong. I'm 5'4 weighing about 130 and I intake 1570 cals a day plus what I earn back from my work outs. I would suggest going here: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm and figuring out how many cals you should be intaking daily. Also I would recommend you doing weights before cardio. You really give the weights your all when you do it before cardio. Good luck!
  • sabinavaughan
    sabinavaughan Posts: 109 Member
    You are not eating enough. 1200 calories is what you should have on your REST day ONLY.

    You need to NET 1200 calories. Eat back *most* of your exercise calories. You are working out like a madman and not giving your body the fuel it needs to function properly. You won't lose weight doing that.

    Agreed..you've put your body in starvation mode! Its trying to gain weight to keep itself fueled.
  • tiffanylacourse
    tiffanylacourse Posts: 2,986 Member
    I suggest:

    - Upping your calories to AT LEAST 1400 on days you work out. Keep the 1200 for your rest day ONLY.
    - Do your weight lifting BEFORE your cardio. It has been clinically shown to provide a 19% increase in fat loss - according to my Women's Health Big Book of Exercise.
    - Drink more water!
  • konswela
    konswela Posts: 137 Member
    I've been working out for years, but got super serious in September. I go to the gym about six days a week, do at least 30 minutes of cardio and then 20 minutes of weight work. I'm staying to the suggested 1200 calories (not eating back my exercise calories). Still...this past week I actually gained two pound! Sooooo frustrated. Oh...and my measurements are not changing either. Any suggestions??

    1200 Calories is too low., Do not follow what MFP says. Figure out how many calories you need to maintain and to lose. Use 40/40/20 ratios for your macros. (40 carbs/40protein/20fat). Dont track your workout in MFP. track it either in the notes section or on a seperate spreadsheet.

    Give me one minute and I will give you the website that I use so it will include your approx calories burned that way it will make it easier for you.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I am almost 70 and very tiny. My TDEE less 20% is 1056 calories a day. If I go over this, I gain weight.

    I hear you. My MBR is 1056 and my fitbit is telling me that I burn about 1400 calories a day total. 1200 calories is plenty of nutrition for me and I probably do fine and get good nutrition at 1100. Age is factored in as well, and since I'm 57, all the numbers are lower.
  • Revcminor
    Revcminor Posts: 42
    Okay. I'll try to eat more. I will also try to eliminate my little sugary treats (I love those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches), and my glass of white wine. I'll let everyone know if I see good results so everyone can learn! Thanks to all who posted!
  • Revcminor
    Revcminor Posts: 42
    Weights before. Willing to try anything!
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    What everyone else said.... eat more, weights first and lots of water.... also be patient, it can take some time so watch what you are eating, esp carbs and sodium.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    I've been working out for years, but got super serious in September. I go to the gym about six days a week, do at least 30 minutes of cardio and then 20 minutes of weight work. I'm staying to the suggested 1200 calories (not eating back my exercise calories). Still...this past week I actually gained two pound! Sooooo frustrated. Oh...and my measurements are not changing either. Any suggestions??

    are you on any steroid medications, or anti-depressents? Those tend to make you gain weight. Also, i agree with someone else who commented --- you should probably get your thyroid checked.
  • Racer669
    Racer669 Posts: 5
    I too am going to try to eat more.......sound crazy when the goal is too loose weight but will definitely give it a try! I am already drinking plenty of water (8-11 cups per day) and faithfully using the treadmill.

    I checked out http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm and that site states I should be at around 1300 calories with everyday excercise.......and I am way under that.

    Will keep you all posted on how it works out. Thank you for posting your comments.
  • Leamac83
    Leamac83 Posts: 99 Member
    Another thing ive been told by a nutritionist is all calories are equal (opposite of what someone else on this just said)

    She told me a calorie is a calorie, it doesnt know if it has come from avocado or a snickers bar all it knows is its a calorie and it will be processed by the body the same way as all calories. The difference between a snickers bar and an avocado is nutrition. They may both have the same calroies but one will give you more beneficial stuff that will in turn help you burn off the calories where as the other will give you nothing. Leaving it down to you to shift those calories.

    So i guess by eating more of the good stuff you are assisting your body in weight loss. It definatley makes me think twice when i reach for a snack.
  • Brian_VA
    Brian_VA Posts: 125
    Eating enough is important to keep the body healthy, so not disagreeing with advice to eat more if the deficit is too large and putting the body in a starvation state. This may or may not be the case here.

    And I want to caution about eating back exercise calories. The number of calories reported by exercise equipment can be grossly inflated. Also, the more you do an exercise the less calories it burns to repeat it. So a 30 minute walk from a person that has been very sedentary will burn many more calories than a 30 minute walk from someone that does it every day.

    For me, I find shaking things up was helpful to get past a plateau. Taking a night off and get some pizza (not too crazy but a splurge). Then going back to my normal eating. Or doing a particularly intense exercise first thing on the morning before eating. Intense exercise will force the body to burn calories, and if the stomach is empty they have to come from fat. Also try not to go to bed with a full stomach. I feel like anything in my stomach when I go to sleep goes to fat. Eat your carby foods early in the day and avoid eating a lot when you know your energy output is going to be minimal until bedtime. Or do an after dinner workout and don't eat afterwards.

    Not recommending it, but I have experimented with a personal form of intermittent fasting. I will eat 2-3 days normally or even above normal, getting body well out of any starvation effect, and then eating very lean (skipping dinner once or twice) and upping my exercise for 2-3 days. After i return to normal eating and exercise. My body has responded positively and dropped some stubborn lbs that weren't coming off with a constant calorie/exercise plan. I only started this recently as I saw my weight loss stop as I approached my goal weight. But read about intermittent fasting (IF) if this kind of thing sounds appealing, as what I described is not the mainstream IF plan.

    Good luck!
  • lauraatkinson85
    lauraatkinson85 Posts: 84 Member
    Okay. I'll try to eat more. I will also try to eliminate my little sugary treats (I love those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches), and my glass of white wine. I'll let everyone know if I see good results so everyone can learn! Thanks to all who posted!

    don't deny yourself the things that you enjoy, and that keep you on the track to sticking with it.

    If I stopped myself from having a glass of wine or two (ahem) on a weekend, then I would be miserable and have nothing to look forward to.

    x
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I am almost 70 and very tiny. My TDEE less 20% is 1056 calories a day. If I go over this, I gain weight.

    Strength training will increase your metabolism and your lean body mass. You are never too old to gain strength! :flowerforyou:
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    Bump!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Okay. I'll try to eat more. I will also try to eliminate my little sugary treats (I love those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches), and my glass of white wine. I'll let everyone know if I see good results so everyone can learn! Thanks to all who posted!

    I highly recommend these two threads:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics

    The first one helped me calculate my BMR, TDEE, calorie goals and all that, and the second one is just dang inspiring! The poster lifts heavy, runs and eats A LOT - and she looks fantastic - lots of pictures in the thread to prove it. Check it out!

    I agree with everyone who says you need to eat more! Not eating enough sabotages your efforts to lsoe the fat and keep the lean body mass. You may lose weight, sure, but you will lose the good stuff (muscle) along with the fat. And not eating enough gives your body a reason to want to store fat rather than burn it, etc, etc. Read the first topic I linked - it makes sense!

    I was at the standard 1200 calories per day for awhile too. Lost some weight, even eating back my exercise cals. I'm 44 years old, 5'8", about 137lbs. I'm now set at 1800 calories a day, have been for months, and the fat is steadily coming off. :bigsmile: I work out 5 or 6 days a week, running 3 days a week, strength training stuff with 20 minutes of cardio on the other days.

    I still enjoy sweets, wine, pizza, burgers and other foods I love on a regular basis, just not in the mass quantities that I used to!

    The combination of weights and some cardio, along with enough food to fuel my workouts has been key for me, especially over the past year. I feel great and am in better shape now than I was all through my 30s. :drinker:

    One more link - great article on the troubles with over training and under eating: http://www.shapefit.com/overtraining-exercising-too-much.html

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