Dreaded post...weight not going down with diet/exercise

twinmom_112002

Hi all....

I have used MFP in the past with good results but now I am struggling. It doesn't help that my husband is doing it too and has lost 10lbs in the same period that I have lost 1 even though he does no cardio (he just had an MRI on his knee so he is sidelined).

I am currently 125 and my goal is 118 (have been there before and like the results). I am currently training for a half marathon and upping my running distance. I started relgiously running 3X a week and tracking my calories on MFP on December 26th. I started at 126.8 as far as weight and I am 5'5".

My diary is open (note: the morning bagel this week is my way of trying to up my carbs this week as I get ready for a Sunday 1/2 marathon). I am eating around 1200 calories a day and do not generally eat back my exercise calories. I am drinking at least 2 liters of water a day and 2 diet cokes (my addiction).

Be brutally honest.....I have my big girl panties on.

ejwme

Found the problem, didn't even need to look at your diary:

I am eating around 1200 calories a day and do not generally eat back my exercise calories....

Eat more. Seriously. Your body needs fuel to do the distances you're asking of it. I made the same mistake when I was training for a half last year, I stagnated as my mileage increased. When I upped my calories, my weight started dropping. Another thing to make sure - do intervals. You can do intervals running to prep for races, just do hill repeats, sprints, fartleks, etc. I hate intervals, and had to join a training group to learn to do them properly, but that was the final missing piece for me, at least.

twinmom_112002

But shouldn't exercise plus calorie deficet equal weightloss?

skydiveD30571

In general yes. But too large of a deficit (already a calorie deficit plus the deficit from not eating back exercise calories) can slow and ultimately stunt weight loss. This can produce a slowing metabolism and hormonal changes which can make you hold on to fat stores.

RunDoozer

But shouldn't exercise plus calorie deficet equal weightloss?

Not if the deficit is too great. 1200 already has your deficit built in. By not eating your calories back youre creating an unhealthy and really unsustainable deficit. You need to be at a minimum Netting 1200 calories a day for basic body function. Also you only have 7 pounds to lose so your expectation of loss should be no more than a 1/2 pound per week.

Also, dont compare yourself to husband kinda like comparing apples to oranges. Too many different factors going on to compare logically

sbjmorgan

Yeah, eat back those exercise calories at the least and drink more water. You could easily be sweating out over a liter of water if you're running upwards of 10 miles... Aim for 3 liters on days you run.

RunDoozer

My diary is open (note: the morning bagel this week is my way of trying to up my carbs this week as I get ready for a Sunday 1/2 marathon).

I just re read you post and missed this part. 1200 and trying to run a half marathon? Thats like trying to drive cross country on a 1/4 tank of gas. You need to look up appropriate calorie amounts for marathon runners and stick closely to them or you WILL hurt yourself. Just eating more carbs wont come close to saving you.

Mokey41

All of the above plus I always gain weight when I'm running a lot. Not sure if it's water for muscle recovery but my weight almost always goes up a bit. You'll bonk in your training if you eat at too big of a deficit. You're asking your body to perform like an athlete and feeding it like a pauper.

ejwme

not necessarily - the body is never a simple math equation, especially when you're ALREADY active, like you. If someone were just starting out, maybe the easy math would apply.

You cannot simply workout more and lose more weight at the same weight loss - there's a sweet spot. Otherwise, all you'd have to do is run for 8 hours a day, and not eat for a few days, and you'd be a whole dress size smaller! Just like if you consistently perform the same exact exercises and activities, and eat exactly the same thing day in and day out, you won't see consistent results either - your body will learn to be more efficient and you'll stagnate or gain, depending on the quantities.

Especially when you run the distances required of a real half marathon training program (6-10 miles, running 4-6 days a week), you need to fuel those activities. Otherwise your body is going to burn through muscle and hoard calories, because you're starving, and your body is trying to help you survive the famine (remember, we are descended from a long line of humans who have survived famines, generation after generation - we're REALLY good at hoarding calories).

Try eating back your calories for a week. Do it in healthy, unprocessed foods, and see what happens. I'd put money on you losing or maintaining the same weight (depending on how your running performance improves).

After the half marathon, you'll need to revisit your diet as you go into recovery mode and your activity levels change again. You don't have to believe me, though, a trip to a certified nutritionist will net you the same advice (that's where I got mine), plus more information than you knew existed. Mine seriously rocked my world, so I visit before every training season to make sure I've got a food plan to match my mile and speed plans.

kristen6022

Set your profile to .5lbs/a day and eat those calories, plus exercise. 1200 calories is probably too low and when you are already in "normal range" it's easy for your body to refuse to give up the weight...

blanhe2

Eat your exercise calories. I don't think you are eating enough. Also given you do not have a great deal to lose, it is going to go very slow!

ninerbuff

But shouldn't exercise plus calorie deficet equal weightloss?

Not if the deficit is too high. Your body is telling you that it doesn't want to lose because it's lacking intake. Think of it in terms of how a dam works. If there's a drought, a dams valves are closed off to reserve water. Body is the same, to much energy and no intake and the body will resist to get rid of reserves.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

twinmom_112002

Thanks...

My half this week is one I am not fully trained for due to finishing my master's - who knew how crazy those last months would be. I am going to take a week of recovery and then continue to train with a goal half marathon in the beginning of March. I feel strong when I run and am getting ready to add in a 4th day of running. (right now its two 5 milers and 1 long run a week using HH novice).

I have mfp set a losing a half a lb a week. I will give eating back my exercise calories a try but should I also up my calories on MFP?

twinmom_112002

Ninerbuff...love the dam imagery!

AmyRhubarb

Wow, training for a 1/2 on less than 1200 a day? :sick: Tried to check your diary - it's still not public. I agree with the others that you need to eat more. Probably quite a bit more.

I'm not training for a 1/2, average run is 3-6 miles, three days a week, and strength training the other days, and I'm eating 1800+ a day - and losing fat.

MFP is set up that your daily goal before exercise already has a deficit (especially at the standard 1200), so even if you don't workout and eat to goal, you'll lose weight. When you log exercise, MFP expects you to eat those calories back or you risk too large a deficit, which can cause all sorts of problems over an extended period of time.

Great info in these topics:

On over training and under eating: http://www.shapefit.com/overtraining-exercising-too-much.html
And figuring how much you should be eating for fat loss: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

jlapey

But shouldn't exercise plus calorie deficet equal weightloss?

I highly recommend you read "The New Rules of Lifting For Woman" for the nutrition information if nothing else. Also, since you are so close to your goal, I think this program (lifting) could be exactly what you need. I just started yesterday, so I can't give you any personal success stories, but the book makes a lot of sense.

eyeshuh

Either try TDEE -20% or just up your activity level on MFP to "lightly active" and still eat back your exercise calories.

I eat A LOT on running days and try not to net below 1300 (I am a couple inches shorter than you). When you're running your body will destroy carbs. Don't be afraid to eat! Also, you may want to grab a gel or two for your half marathon. Some people don't need them for the 13 miles, but I know a couple people who have told me it helps to down one in the middle.

twinmom_112002

Sorry...my diary should now be open. Guess it was set to be open to friends only.

eyeshuh....no gels for me. My stomach is very sensitive. I have to eat at least an hour before I run or I suffer wet burps (TMI).

I am afraid to eat. I will forever be the fat girl I was in high school and college in my mind. Doesn't help that my best friend is tiny and I live outside the gates of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

irishgal44

I will probably get bashed for saying this, but I wouldn't go ahead and start with eating all the calories back. Your body will need to adjust. IF it were me, I would start week 1 with eating 1/2 of them back and see how your body adjusts to that. And if it responds well, I would then go to eating 3/4 of them back, and so on and so forth until you see how your body responds. Going from 1200 calories a week to eating them all back the next may make you gain because your body didn't have any adjustment. Your metabolism will need to adjust. I'm not an expert, but it is just something I have learned from when I went from 1200 calories and not eating my exercise calories to suddenly eating all my exercise calories back. Just a thought. :drinker: And drink more water (which is something I also need to start doing).

kdiamond

Skimmed through what others wrote but I agree - you aren't eating enough to support half marathon training.

I'm going to suggest you eat 3-400 calories more on the days you run, and 1300-1400 on the days you rest. At your already small size you cannot have such a large deficit, it just doesn't work.

eyeshuh

Sorry...my diary should now be open. Guess it was set to be open to friends only.

eyeshuh....no gels for me. My stomach is very sensitive. I have to eat at least an hour before I run or I suffer wet burps (TMI).

I am afraid to eat. I will forever be the fat girl I was in high school and college in my mind. Doesn't help that my best friend is tiny and I live outside the gates of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

Ahhh gotcha. Also, OUCH definitely eat more on your running days!! Your body needs fuel for running! If your tummy is sensitive try eating a big ol' peanutbutter sammich 45 mins - an hour before your run!

Also, I hear you. I spent my entire teenage to adult life in the "overweight" category. I use to get made fun of in high school a lot for being a geek in general, but of course the weight only compounded on that and by the time I made it to college I was just stuffing my face constantly.

To be honest, what worked for me was a leap of faith. I trusted that my body needed to fuel and that I could give it that fuel without over eating. There is a certain power and control in compartmentalizing your exercise and eating. I don't even consider my exercise calories as calories I'm eating. If I burn 500 cals running, then my body wants 500 calories. To lose weight I need to eat under 1450. So, I eat 1450 or under to lose weight, after I'm done giving my body exercise fuel. To me they are two completely separate things. One is eating and one is fueling. Does that make any sense? lol