Not looking for a miracle...just a little motivation :)

jonesin_am

A little history...I started off at 220 pounds about 7 months ago. I started going to a high intensity boot camp three days a week. During my first three months or so I lost 20 pounds and almost 50 inches. When the weight and fat loss stopped I started running...sporadically (one or two times a week). Starting almost three months ago I started running very regularly 2-3 times per week - about 4-6 miles each time. About two months ago I started using MFP to log my food.

Okay, since July I have lost 5 pounds and no inches. I don't understand how it is possible to be working as hard as I am without much weight loss. For the most part I focus on being healthier and am trying not to pay attention to the scale. But after months of hard work and dedication I am getting extremely frustrated! I finally determined that it must be my food intake that is slowing me down so that is why I signed up for MFP. But even since then...I haven't had any luck. I have tried eating more, eating less, eating less carbs and more protein and none of it seems to help.

I'm not complaining, not looking for a miracle. But am just curious if there is anyone else out there that has experienced this? Everyone tells me that I am losing fat and building muscle which is offsetting itself on the scale. I have noticed a little change in how clothing fits but nothing huge. I still have about 60 pounds to lose so it's not like I'm close to goal.

I have my bad days when it comes to eating. Not very often but sometimes. But I don't let that sabotage me. I get back on track right away. I eat clean, whole foods for the most part; fresh/frozen fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meats. I never miss a workout (no excuses) and always give it 110%.

Does anyone have any advice or have you experienced this yourself? I feel like I am missing something and just don't understand why my body won't let go of the fat!

Krys801

Hi I am Krystal and I have had these similar problems. I hope I can help. I do weekly challenges and I try to be as helpful as I can. I will try to help out the best I can. For your not losing much weight it can be due to the same work outs done every day. Keep running. If anything it will help your heart more than anything but also try to use diffrent work outs so the muscles do not get used to the same work outs and it wont help you to lose the weight. Shock them with work outs never done and super intense. you could switch on and off from intense to light work outs. Eating healthy is a very important factor. You need the body to have all the right nutriants to keep burning calotis and last is your streangth training. You have to build muscle to burn even more calories. :happy:

fnm101

My fat can be very stubborn, too. Most people would think I'm lying about how much I actually eat and workout; things just don't add up...If they did, I'd be at least 165 right now (I'm closer to 185).

I started CrossFit training today, which is circuit training with weight lifting. This style of training tends to work for my body, and I'd advocate for interval/circuit training for people with similar issues. The weight won't "fall off," but it'll get moving eventually, whereas if I stuck with cardio only---I'd be in the same place months from now.

There are many people who will say "calories in, calories out" and assume that you're not being accurate about your food intake and/or your workout time. I disagree with that; while it's true for most, I think the body is a lot more complex than that (with it's many hormones, tissue types, and other factors)...

Best wishes! Feel free to add me as a friend.

WarriorReady

Maybe you are working too hard and not eating enough? Are you eating high protein foods? Are you doing anything other than cardio/running now? If you are able strength training will help. Sometimes we have to change things up in order to kick our bodies back into gear. Do you do interval runs or just straight runs? Can you reduce some of your runs or add a conditioning action between miles or 1/2 miles? Just some food for thought. Feel free to friend me or msg me if you like. :happy:

nonstopper

Hi. I have came very far from where I was a few years ago. Now I am setting INSANE goals for myself. Really i come up with some unbelievable stuff haha. Im 5`4 and I used to weigh 184 now I have hit down to 141 im a steady 143 but more or less.

The hard part is staying motivated. Well I am now able to stay motivated and want to try harder!

jonesin_am

As far as working too hard and not eating enough...I have tried eating more and found that I do better with about 1700 calories a day. At this caloric intake I am able to lose about a pound a month which is more than I was previously. I still go to boot camp three days a week which is always different. There's always a little cardio to keep the heart pumping, a little strength training with kettlebells, and a lot of exercises that work all the muscles such as bear crawls, burpees, etc. When I run, I just run straight runs. I am a slow runner and have been focusing on distance rather than speed. Usually takes me about an hour to run 5 miles. The last month I have added a long run on the weekend in addition to the two shorter runs during the week. I have heard that this is where you will burn the fat and build endurance. Last weekend I competed in a 5k obstacle course race to change things up a bit but the weekend before I ran my first 13 miles!!

TheMolloy

Hi I am Krystal and I have had these similar problems. I hope I can help. I do weekly challenges and I try to be as helpful as I can. I will try to help out the best I can. For your not losing much weight it can be due to the same work outs done every day. Keep running. If anything it will help your heart more than anything but also try to use diffrent work outs so the muscles do not get used to the same work outs and it wont help you to lose the weight. Shock them with work outs never done and super intense. you could switch on and off from intense to light work outs. Eating healthy is a very important factor. You need the body to have all the right nutriants to keep burning calotis and last is your streangth training. You have to build muscle to burn even more calories. :happy:

This is fantastic advice !!! It really is ... she obviously knows what she is talking about ...

dav1djsm1th

Hi, it sounds like you are doing everything right but have hit one of those dreaded plateaus !! It is quite common. Initially there is rapid weight loss as the body loses water along with fat, then it continues to decrease steadily as the calorie deficit continues to result in weight loss but there comes a point where the body balances the calories it uses with what it takes in and the graph goes flat. Partly this is because you are not carrying around so much weight and being fitter means the body works more efficiently, so the body isn't working so hard to just move you around.
Unfortunately there is no easy remedy other than to re-double your efforts and kick start your body back in to fat burning mode. Variety is vitally important as the body is programmed to be efficient (or even lazy) and it will find ways to make the exercise less arduous. Intensity is the next most important aspect. Although steady state cardio is excellent for the heart and general fitness it is not the best for fat loss. As soon as you stop, the calorie burning stops too. What you need to find is something that will give you the 'after-burn', where the body burns extra calories for as much as 48 hours as it repairs muscle. Strength training is the best for this, really aiming to lift heavy (don't worry it won't make you bulk up like Arnie !), kettlebell routines and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are all better than steady state cardio.
So mix it about a bit, use this plateau as an opportunity to change your routine, keep the intensity high and keep enjoying what you are doing. I hope it helps.

kerrylks

I am in a similar situation. Although I have gained and lost weight in the past, and it has always been fairly easy, now that I'm 47 and starting to try and take it off, it's not that easy! About 2 weeks ago, I decided to get serious. I have cut out all the pop, and beer. (I still have a small glass of wine occaisionally.) I'm keeping track of my calories, and eating a healthy diet. I am speed walking an hour or more a day. ( I can't do impact) and I'm not seeing any weight come off, or inches. Staying motivated is very hard right now, but I feel better, so I'll keep at it. I wish you success in your endeavors, too!!

darlilama

Your diary isn't open, so no one is able to see your daily goals and progress that way. I can tell you that often times people using MFP do not "reset" their daily goals often enough. You should go through the process every 10lbs or so. Your daily caloric needs drop as you lose weight, so you will see your daily goals decrease, but MFP will never let it go under 1200 as a precaution. Some poo-poo this, but I think if you think you need to eat less than 1200 calories a day, then you should do so as a doctor supervised diet.

Second, have you gone to the doctor for a complete physical? It's not uncommon for women your age to have thyroid problems (often runs in families ... my neices have problems from their father's side). That can play havoc with weight loss and you may need a doctor/nutritionists advice. There can be other reasons as well. I say it would be a good idea to rule any of that out.

Best of luck to you! :flowerforyou: The journey to a healthy body is so individually driven. But, in general, if you are truly eating healthy within your daily goals and accurately/honestly logging, then you really should be seeing some progress.

californiagirl2012

A little history...I started off at 220 pounds about 7 months ago. I started going to a high intensity boot camp three days a week. During my first three months or so I lost 20 pounds and almost 50 inches. When the weight and fat loss stopped I started running...sporadically (one or two times a week). Starting almost three months ago I started running very regularly 2-3 times per week - about 4-6 miles each time. About two months ago I started using MFP to log my food.

Okay, since July I have lost 5 pounds and no inches. I don't understand how it is possible to be working as hard as I am without much weight loss. For the most part I focus on being healthier and am trying not to pay attention to the scale. But after months of hard work and dedication I am getting extremely frustrated! I finally determined that it must be my food intake that is slowing me down so that is why I signed up for MFP. But even since then...I haven't had any luck. I have tried eating more, eating less, eating less carbs and more protein and none of it seems to help.

I'm not complaining, not looking for a miracle. But am just curious if there is anyone else out there that has experienced this? Everyone tells me that I am losing fat and building muscle which is offsetting itself on the scale. I have noticed a little change in how clothing fits but nothing huge. I still have about 60 pounds to lose so it's not like I'm close to goal.

I have my bad days when it comes to eating. Not very often but sometimes. But I don't let that sabotage me. I get back on track right away. I eat clean, whole foods for the most part; fresh/frozen fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meats. I never miss a workout (no excuses) and always give it 110%.

Does anyone have any advice or have you experienced this yourself? I feel like I am missing something and just don't understand why my body won't let go of the fat!

Hi there, most of us experience that in our journey. It all depends on how much of a calorie deficit you are on and if you really are eating at a deficit. If you go for longer than a month then you probably need to notch it down a little. When ever in doubt talk to your doctor. No one here can tell you what or how much to eat. It really depends on what your RMR actually is. Most people have a lower RMR and the only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. I have never done that but the workout I've followed had a more accurate estimate than most any other place and then I had a hydrostatic body fat test done last year and a DXA scan this year and both showed that the estimate I was given was accurate. Even if you don't have an accurate BMR, the estimate is close enough and you can notch around the calories by 100 until you find a sweet place that makes you more consistent progress.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss.

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

BootcampJunkie

For a boost in motivation I went to www.bodybook.com I signed up for a bunch of the challenges and every week try to complete atleast 3 of them. you can repeat a challenge after completing it to try to beat your previous record.
Also I agreee 100% with Krystal. And keep in mind exercise only accounts for about 20% of your weight loss the remaining 80% is diet. A healthy well balanced diet will show the best results. I also recommend buying Jackie Warners book "This is Why You're Fat" she explains in there how much and when to eat certain foods and why. I've read it and have found that her comment about not eating any bad carbs (Bread, Pasta or Rice) after 12pm really has been helping not only in weight loss but even just on my digestive system, and it forces me to eat more veggies as fillers not bread. Good luck on your journey.

peptoblue

We are all different and lose weight differently, so here are some tips that I have learned :

1. If at all possible, I would look into joining a gym and discussing this with a personal trainer. It's not about working your body hard, it's about working it efficiently to achieve your goals. I am part of a weight loss program at our local gym that focuses on zone training mixed with interval training and recovery. Also, the workouts are varied for every class, so they are never exactly the same. It honestly works wonders. Apparently, there is an entire science to exercising for specific goals. If you are unable to get a personal trainer, then I would recommend reading the following: http://www.howtobefit.com/five-heart-rate-zones.htm
This gives a nice foundational overview of the science behind it.

Following this science, you should try a short 20 minutes routine. Warm-up first then sprint anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes at a time, alternating this with a brisk walk at a steady pace to bring your heart rate down. Basically, alternate between sprinting and walking a steady quick pace. I have seen this burns more calories then just running for 30 min to an hour.

2. Consuming protein (ex. protein shake) within 30 minutes after your workout also helps to build & maintain lean muscle and recover from your workout quicker. I recommend Herbalife, they have amazing tasting protein shakes!

3. Be sure to take your vitamins and Omega-3's.

4. Don't forget to eat fresh fruits & veggies and stick to overall healthy eating. Just remember anytime you want those french fries or that chocolate cake... ask yourself, how long will I have to exercise just to burn that off.

5. You may also want to be checked out by a medical doctor to see if you have a thyroid issue. That would make it difficult to lose weight.

Good Luck to you and keep up the good work !!! :flowerforyou: