why am I losing so slow?

mindycrls2

I have been busting butt at the gym going every day and burning about 500 cals at a time. Also doing the weight machines. I eat about 1400 cals but my net always is low, like 500 or around there. Ive been told im not eating enough! that seems crazy to me. Ive lost 15 pounds but it has been about 1 per week or less...

Fozzi43

You're not eating nearly enough. You got to eat more if you are netting that low. You're lucky to be losing a pound a week as very soon your body will stop shedding weight because it'll be hanging on to every calorie you eat.

Eat more.

iwillbetinytea

I eat 1200 and burn at the gym, I'm losing 1lb a week - that's enough for me.

iwillbetinytea

I've never had a problem with my body 'hanging' onto fat.

heykristie

i burn about 500 calories at the gym most of the times and i don't eat back all the calories. yesterday my net was 700 something and before, it was 400 something :S but i ate mor today. The thing is, sometimes i don't even get hungry! Is it wrong?

bsmith404

1lb a week is not slow. That's actually good. You need to eat more.

unFATuated

Eat back your exercise calories. MFP creates a deficit for you, so you need to keep your cals up around the 1400 mark (if that's what your daily amount is). Eating less calories doesn't equal faster weight loss, in fact, it can be the opposite. Your body will hang onto weight as it thinks it's starving. Try adding an extra snack or two (high protein, nutrient dense) and see how you go.

Although it's great that you're losing. A consistent 1lb per week is still good

mindycrls2

I feel like im force feeding myself after about 1000 cals, Trying to add more fiber full fruits but the cals seem hard to eat!! im going to up my cals and see what happens.

StArBeLLa87

I eat pretty healthy I went from eating 350 calories a day struggling with a eat disorder exercising 4hrs a day plus to gradually upping my calories finally making my calorie intake in the 1000 and nearly burning all I eat for the most part and I consistently lose weight! I really feel when you do eat a little the food you do need eat make sure it's healthy lean meats veggies and fruits but I don't recommend eating low calories! I'm averaging 3lbs a week give or take! :ohwell: I'm proud of myself regardless and I think even if you lose half a pound a week it's a half of pound less!

Don't give up you can do this!

I'm actually forcing myself to eat as much as I do there are still days I only eat 900 calories! And burn 700 netting 200ish

Joehenny

Here's a better question: Why are you trying to lose so fast?

Photo shoot? Runway? Competing in a show?

If you're not getting paid for your physique why try to lose as much as possible as fast as possible and risk hating the whole process? Reassess your goals and why you're doing this in the first place.

JakeBrownVB

Make sure that your are not getting dehydrated from all that gym workout, if you are then you will be holding alot of water weight right now. I also suspect that with so much time being put into the gym you are making some real muscle gains. My advice is to keep going and ignore the people who keep waffling on about "starvation mode" and "crashed metabolism".. they really dont understand what they are talking about to be honest...

I highly recommend you switch from normal cardio to HIIT training and review your weight lifting program, as I see so many people, women especially, using the cardio machines wrong. For example 90% of people using the cross trainers bounce on their toes and that is completely wrong and inefficient. So looking into those kinds of things is my best advice.

Sarauk2sf

If you open your diary you will get better (and worse to be honest) responses.

Sarauk2sf

Make sure that your are not getting dehydrated from all that gym workout, if you are then you will be holding alot of water weight right now. I also suspect that with so much time being put into the gym you are making some real muscle gains. My advice is to keep going and ignore the people who keep waffling on about "starvation mode" and "crashed metabolism".. they really dont understand what they are talking about to be honest...

I highly recommend you switch from normal cardio to HIIT training and review your weight lifting program, as I see so many people, women especially, using the cardio machines wrong. For example 90% of people using the cross trainers bounce on their toes and that is completely wrong and inefficient. So looking into those kinds of things is my best advice.

Real muscle gains? I realize that she has a bit of weight to lose, but even obese females cannot make significant muscle gains, especially on low calories. How do you know she is even doing a progressive loading strength training routine?

JakeBrownVB

Because I strongly believe that anyone who suddnenly starts hitting the gym "everyday", even with bad form and low calorie intake would gain muscle. I am well under my "recommended" calories as a male, yet I am seeing considerable muscle gains. The science of low calorie diets preventing muscle gain really does not match reality, just like this starvation mode malarchy everyone is throwing around on these forums.

Sarauk2sf

Because I strongly believe that anyone who suddnenly starts hitting the gym "everyday", even with bad form and low calorie intake would gain muscle. I am well under my "recommended" calories as a male, yet I am seeing considerable muscle gains. The science of low calorie diets preventing muscle gain really does not match reality, just like this starvation mode malarchy everyone is throwing around on these forums.

Orly?

and...you seem to have overlooked the fact that the OP is female.

mindycrls2

I have been doing the active trax program at the Y where they show me how to use the select machines, then do my cardio. My weight loss goal is 2 lbs a week and its been less than 1 a week. prior to that i was just doing cardio 60 min per day at a medium intensity. I am going to try more water and keeping my post workout total to at least 1400. Cant tell you how glad i am for all the input. Thanks

JakeBrownVB

No I recognise that she is female and still firmly believe that she has gained a significant "weight" of muscle from going to the gym every single day. Every single day for either male or female is more than going to cause muscle gain in my opinion. The fact is that the OP is on a very low calorie and high exercise lifestyle and is wondering why she is seeing slow results. These two options I have put forward as to why this is are much more realistic then the possibility that her body is managing to store fat because she is eating "too low" calories. Unless she is superhuman and her body has found some magic way to store fat from thin air I highly disregard that option.

Keep pushing through the slow frustration and make sure you keep hydrated and maximise your workout as best you can, that is all you can do. And as much as people will hate me saying this.. stick to your calories.. if you are not feeling starving and your still are mangaging enough energy to hit the gym each day.. you are eating fine.

mindycrls2

Thanks

Sarauk2sf

No I recognise that she is female and still firmly believe that she has gained a significant "weight" of muscle from going to the gym every single day. Every single day for either male or female is more than going to cause muscle gain in my opinion. The fact is that the OP is on a very low calorie and high exercise lifestyle and is wondering why she is seeing slow results. These two options I have put forward as to why this is are much more realistic then the possibility that her body is managing to store fat because she is eating "too low" calories. Unless she is superhuman and her body has found some magic way to store fat from thin air I highly disregard that option.

Keep pushing through the slow frustration and make sure you keep hydrated and maximise your workout as best you can, that is all you can do. And as much as people will hate me saying this.. stick to your calories.. if you are not feeling starving and your still are mangaging enough energy to hit the gym each day.. you are eating fine.

How do you know she is eating fine? Have you seen her diary? And where did I say anything about storing fat? If she is in a caloric deficit, I agree with you, she will not be. More likely she is seeing a gain in LBM from increased gycogen/water in her muscles due to the exercise, with some possible amount of relatively small muscle gains.

Also, the studies would indicate otherwise re gaining any significant muscle, even assuming she is actually doing strength training rather than endurance on the machines. I am not arguing that there may be some muscle gains - but they will not be significant because she is female. All of the studies that show any appreciable muscle gains in a deficit are on untrained men who are overweight/obese.

OP: are you logging all your food and weighing and measuring everything? Are you taking measurements?

sexymuffintop

I've never had a problem with my body 'hanging' onto fat.

It doesn't mean you won't in the future though. At some point eating at that kind of deficit your fat loss will probably slow to a halt. Plus you are very likely to start eating into your muscle if you carry on doing what you are doing. This is not good. It will only get you into the pattern of yo yo weight gain/loss and eating VLCD for the rest of your life.

StArBeLLa87

I have been doing the active trax program at the Y where they show me how to use the select machines, then do my cardio. My weight loss goal is 2 lbs a week and its been less than 1 a week. prior to that i was just doing cardio 60 min per day at a medium intensity. I am going to try more water and keeping my post workout total to at least 1400. Cant tell you how glad i am for all the input. Thanks

I will be honest your sodium levels are super high you may be retaining water!

mindycrls2

logging all my food, getting measured every month, next is this friday. Also use bodymedia band. my calorie deficit has been about 2000 a day.

mindycrls2

They were today thats for sure! subway was high!

Sarauk2sf

logging all my food, getting measured every month, next is this friday. Also use bodymedia band. my calorie deficit has been about 2000 a day.

When did you start doing cardio and when did you start using the machines?

mindycrls2

cardio about 2 months, machines about 3 weeks, this is my fourth week this week

JakeBrownVB

Honest story here. My sodium levels are really low and have been for weeks and I drink about 8 pints a day of water. I know my water weight is extremely low right now but a few weeks ago I had quite a salty meal and didnt drink much after it, I was really thirsty all night and I honestly gained like 6lbs after it all.

I didnt panic as I knew that it was water weight I had gaind that week and not "real fat". Checking your sodium levels and water intake is always great.

What kind of times do you eat on a regular basis? I became quite overweight not because of what I was eating really but the way I was eating. I used to skip breakfast every morning and sometimes even lunch and binge at like midnight.

sexymuffintop

Honest story here. My sodium levels are really low and have been for weeks and I drink about 8 pints a day of water. I know my water weight is extremely low right now but a few weeks ago I had quite a salty meal and didnt drink much after it, I was really thirsty all night and I honestly gained like 6lbs after it all.

I didnt panic as I knew that it was water weight I had gaind that week and not "real fat". Checking your sodium levels and water intake is always great.

What kind of times do you eat on a regular basis? I became quite overweight not because of what I was eating really but the way I was eating. I used to skip breakfast every morning and sometimes even lunch and binge at like midnight.

I don't think meal timings have any effect on weight loss. I think this is a myth.

Sarauk2sf

cardio about 2 months, machines about 3 weeks, this is my fourth week this week

You may well be retaining more water than usual then which is masking 'real' weight loss. When you start strength training, your muscles gain glycogen and water to repair them (it normal and part of the process) - this can be quite a few pounds and can take a few weeks to even out. This, as well as sodium intake as well as our cycles can overshadow 'real weight loss. Give it another week and see how you are doing as you will have had 4 weeks by then since you started strength training so your water weight should be settling down.

Is the 1,400 you eat gross or do you also 'eat your exercise calories back'?

JakeBrownVB

I agree to a certain extent, but I was honestly eating abut 700-1000 calories before bed. Now although I am not a massive follower of "meal timings" I believe that what I was consuming just before bed had to cause weight gain. In fact im almost certain of it because as soon as I switched to eating breakfasts and never past 6, even though the food was the same, I began loosing weight immediatly. That was a long time ago anyway, I am now on quite a tight diet. I raise this point as the OP may be doing something similar

mindycrls2

i havent been eating exercise cals back, It wouldnt hurt to try to eat before 6.

jdad1

i havent been eating exercise cals back

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