Busting my butt but the scales not moving

13

Replies

  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Just to clarify. No eating disorder.

    I'm not trying to be mean or rude but this type of behaviour can start a disorder. Exercising everyday burning off more than you consume is a disorder.
    I know I am building muscle.

    Muscle is built in a calorie SURPLUS situation. Not such an extreme calorie deficit situation. Such an extreme deficit causes muscle LOSS, no growth. Losing muscle will cause your metabolism to slow making it that much harder to lose weight and that much easier to gain. Losing muscle means possibly damaging your heart and other organs.

    You need to be eating more, much more. You are not eating enough to properly fuel your body. Best bet would be to figure out your TDEE and take a cut off of that. Either lay off the exercise or eat more... much more. Even at 1200 you are most likely eating far too little.

    You are pretty much telling your body to give you the results you want without providing it any fuel. Eating only 1200 is low, and most likely already a few hundred under your BMR... exercising off 2000 cals on top of that putting you at negative net calories is a dangerous thing. You risk injury, burn out, and a large amount of muscle loss (your heart is a muscle as well). You need to think about properly fueling your body. Your heart, lungs, and all your other organs need calories to function. You cannot expect to see results when you are treating your body so badly.
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
    You're eating way too little. Seriously. Eat more. Your body will thank you. And, FWIW, eating more will help fuel you through your seemingly intense workouts. When I *finally* realized that eating more worked, I was happily surprised to see that I didn't drag through my workouts - instead I was actually able to work harder.

    Listen to lacurandera1, she's provided some useful info for you. DO IT.
  • LPJackson76
    LPJackson76 Posts: 67 Member
    My god. I bet your period is seriously messed up as a result of this. With that type of retarded deficit, you're going to gain all that weight back if you try to eat a normal amount of calories, but end up with far more fat mass. I am sure that sounds promising.

    ^^ That ^^

    And incredibly impressed to have that particular piece of insight from a guy...

    Bravo to you GeekyJock!

    cartoon-network-gif-bravo-day_large.gif
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    OP, you DID mention ">1200"... my first thought is more along the lines of "How much above 1200?," particularly when you said you go out to Chinese weekly.

    I understand you said you needed to vent, but you DID propose a problem, and we as a supportive forum want to help you with solutions. Would you open your diary so we can view your calories in vs. calories out to help you figure out why the scale isn't moving?

    Otherwise, if you are truly only eating around 1200 calories, and truly exercising around 2000 everyday, your scale stopped moving because your body's trying to hold on to what it can. You cannot sustain a healthy body like that. I did **** like that for years and was a horribly weak, muscleless, always sick, hair falling out mess. I'm also a recovering anorexic.

    I'd hate to see that happen to a mother who wants to be a healthy inspiration to her kids.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    And yeah, if I were a muscle I would have no interest in growing on your body right now. So no, you are not gaining muscle.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    If you won't listen to them, please read these:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
  • Maddalen101
    Maddalen101 Posts: 307 Member
    you're not eating enough.
    your body thinks your starving.
  • StaceySuperfly
    StaceySuperfly Posts: 101 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I am 29. 5'2" and 157 lbs. I eat >1200 calories a day and exercise three times a day burning approx 3000 calories but the scale has only moved three pounds since 1/17. I have lost approx 11 inches over all ( thrilled!!) but why isnt the number on the scale dropping?

    Somebody may have said this already, but that's more than a pound a week. Great job on your loss!
  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
    I wrote my original post without considering your calorie intake. And yes, I agree with most people. You need to eat more!

    Step 1: Focus on eating enough calories to break even with what MFP tells you. This includes eating back all your exercise cals

    3000 calories of exercise a day is insane! You would be doing the exercise of a world class athlete if that is true!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

    People say it because it's true. It's more accurately stated as muscle is denser than fat, but it's taken as read that it's referring to the same volume of each. One cubic inch of muscle weighs more than one cubic inch of fat.

    I'm assuming you are coming from the one pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle, perspective? Which is, of course, completely correct. But one pound of fat will also take up significantly more volume, and hence look worse on your body, than one pound of muscle.
  • tylerjay7897
    tylerjay7897 Posts: 2 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

    Thank you for saying muscle and fat weight the same. 1 lb = 1lb, no matter what the product is. Muscle is just leaner, which means it takes up less space. Less space = inches lost!!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

    Thank you for saying muscle and fat weight the same. 1 lb = 1lb, no matter what the product is. Muscle is just leaner, which means it takes up less space. Less space = inches lost!!

    Can people really not figure out that when someone says "muscle weighs more than fat" they mean for the same volume of each? Must everything really be spelled out?
  • Gerald_King
    Gerald_King Posts: 2,031 Member
    Maybe you've added a lot of muscle mass.

    NO. You will only gain significant amounts of muscle eating at surplus. Which clearly you are NOT. Am I correct in understand that you are netting in the negative everyday? You are not eating enough. That's why you haven't lost much weight. Your body isn't going to shed pounds if it's afraid it may not get to eat tomorrow, or all week, or goodness knows when.

    I suggest you ALWAYS net at 1200 or above. Prepare for possible health issues and an almost certain protein deficiency if you don't (splitting/cracking/peeling fingernails, bad hair and skin)

    PS. Eating at such a large deficit plus your steep exercise deficit is actually going to cause you to LOSE lean body mass.


    ^^^^^^^^this you are not eating enough
  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

    No!!!! Muscle has a higher density than fat! Therefore if you put fat in a 1 liter bottle and muscle in a different 1 liter bottle the muscle one would weigh more. This is science. It's irrefutable.

    Honest to God. This forum drives me crazy!
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    I am 29. 5'2" and 157 lbs. I eat >1200 calories a day and exercise three times a day burning approx 2000 calories but the scale has only moved three pounds since 1/17. I have lost approx 11 inches over all ( thrilled!!) but why isnt the number on the scale dropping?

    Three pounds in 2 weeks is an amazing weight loss for a woman your weight! And congrats on the inches lost as well. You're well on your way to your goal.

    Now, as to your numbers. You should maintain a calorie deficit of ~400 calories a day. That's not quite a pound a week of weight loss, but trying to lose weight more aggressively than that will likely damage your metabolism.

    Secondly, you should eat your exercise, but I don't believe you can be burning 2000 calories a day. I'm close to your weight, and it would take me about 5 hours of all-out cardio to burn 2000 calories. Where are you getting your numbers for how much you're burning?

    I am with this reply
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

    No!!!! Muscle has a higher density than fat! Therefore if you put fat in a 1 liter bottle and muscle in a different 1 liter bottle the muscle one would weigh more. This is science. It's irrefutable.

    Honest to God. This forum drives me crazy!

    People like to believe that other people are stupid, and so when someone says "muscle weighs more than fat" they hear "one pound of muscle weighs more than one pound of fat", instead of "muscle weighs more than an equal volume of fat".

    I don't think there is a single person on MFP that would believe that one pound of anything would weight more than one pound of anything else. But people don't like to let that get in the way of a good nitpick.
  • run2bfree
    run2bfree Posts: 108 Member
    Amen, your measurements are way way way more important than the number on the scale!!!!
  • eAddict
    eAddict Posts: 212 Member
    I don't think there is a single person on MFP that would believe that one pound of anything would weight more than one pound of anything else. But people don't like to let that get in the way of a good nitpick.

    Unless the weight itself is changing! Ahh! Run away! :tongue:

    http://mentalfloss.com/article/31122/not-so-perfect-kilogram-and-why-metric-system-might-be-screwed
  • marsha3x
    marsha3x Posts: 8 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat. As long as you're loosing inches in the waist line, don't sweat what the scale says! Perhaps if you feel like you're building too much muscle, focus on "toning" exercises rather than "muscle building" exercises. - If you still feel that you're not loosing enough inches in the waist line, and start gaining weight despite your diet and workout plan, consult a doctor - it might be a hormonal or thyroid issue.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    If OP has found a way to build muscle on negative 800 calories a day, I know a lot of body builders that will pay good money for her system. Just imagine the money saved on protein powders, chicken, tuna and eggs alone! :laugh:
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?

    Everyone on both sides of the 'debate' understands the difference. It's just that people on one side choose to believe that the people on the other side are idiots, instead of taking the logical leap and appending "for an equal volume of each" to the statement.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    To the OP..in my opinion, if you are eating at 1200 cals a day and you are exercising and burning 2000 cals a day then you are eating at an 800 calorie a day deficit?

    Correct me if I am wrong in these figures please?

    In which case, I really think you are under eating, and if you carried on at these figures then you would die?

    No one could fuel their body/brain/skin/hair at minus 800 cals a day.

    I applaud you for wanting to lose weight and be the person you want to be...but what works for me is eating at 1200 cals a day and adding some if not all of my exercise cals for extra fuel. This way I can lose weight in a structured way and I also add vitamin/calcium etc. supplements as it is hard to get it all on such a low calorie diet.

    I wish you well and hope you take on board some of the replies that you have had x
  • shellbatronic
    shellbatronic Posts: 193
    Can you make your exercise diary public? Maybe we can help figure out where the numbers are coming from.
  • marsha3x
    marsha3x Posts: 8 Member
    I'm 5'2" and 154 and 44. it's not going to be a quick process. for women our size its much slower....a pound a week (or even .5) is the recommendation and should be your goal. I suggest you dont weigh yourself every day - just once a week (same time and same day). did i mention it is a ssss llll oooo wwww process? Believe me, I get it.

    And remember, all things in moderation.



    Agreed! I usually do a weight measurement once a month, around the same time, every month!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    To the OP..in my opinion, if you are eating at 1200 cals a day and you are exercising and burning 2000 cals a day then you are eating at an 800 calorie a day deficit?

    Correct me if I am wrong in these figures please?

    In which case, I really think you are under eating, and if you carried on at these figures then you would die?

    No one could fuel their body/brain/skin/hair at minus 800 cals a day.

    I applaud you for wanting to lose weight and be the person you want to be...but what works for me is eating at 1200 cals a day and adding some if not all of my exercise cals for extra fuel. This way I can lose weight in a structured way and I also add vitamin/calcium etc. supplements as it is hard to get it all on such a low calorie diet.

    I wish you well and hope you take on board some of the replies that you have had x

    Deficits are measured from your TDEE, not zero, so assuming she has a fairly average daily burn of 2000 calories, and is then doing the reported 2000 calories of exercise on top, she is running a massive 4,800 calorie deficit. In theory, if the body were able to support it, she'd be losing a pound and a half a day. Of course, in reality there is no way the human body could withstand that, unless perhaps you were 400+ pounds. So instead, if the reported numbers are correct, which I doubt, her metabolism has probably completely shut down and is jealously hoarding every last ounce of stored energy against an assumed famine.
  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
    I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?

    Well as someone who has a degree in engineering it is pretty much second nature to me. I guess if you really break the English down then the saying "muscle weighs more than fat" is poorly worded. Unless there is a context around that saying such as when talking about weight loss. People want to lose weight not because they want write a smaller number on their medical forms, but because they want to look skinnier (aka take up less volume). The context is built in. In fact if you really want to nitpick, the correct verbiage should be: "1 cubic inch of muscle weighs more than one cubic inch of fat at sea level elevation, at the equator of the planet earth, during a full moon during the summer solstice as the Hale-Bopp comet passes by earth at a range of 123,485,333 miles."
  • acurington
    acurington Posts: 5 Member
    Ok I'm confused, if we eat 1200 a day then workout it gives us more calories remaining but if we choose not to eat more we will lose weight? I pretty much avg 1200 or a little less and then workout so I always have remaining calories but I've only lost 8lbs since Jan 3rd. Should I exercise more? And sometimes I find myself hungry should I increase my cal as long as I workout?
  • marsha3x
    marsha3x Posts: 8 Member
    By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!


    I think you're confused... yes, 1lb of muscle weighs the same as 1lb of fat or feathers because the measurements are based on...wait for it... WEIGHT!

    But no, muscle and fat are not the same. Muscle has more density than fat. You can fit more muscle into a gallon bucket than fat - that's why muscle weighs more. Your body measurements for clothing are based on VOLUME, therefore when you add fat, your waist line expands = bigger size clothing, but when you add muscle (muscle burns body fat) you start to slim down. - This is the difference between being 150lbs and a size 18 and 150lbs and a size 6.

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