welcome to my pitty party

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Ok, so....I've been on this site since June. I've worked out 6 times a week, ate all my exercise calories, watched my salt, drank tons of water, and watched my carbs. I've lost 3 lbs. I only have 10 to loose, but I really want to loose inches. My inches have been the same. So, then I mixed my worksouts up a bit. I've ton more cardio, less weights and vice versa. Nothing. Then I increased my calorie intake up to 1350. NOTHING!!!! I then hired a persoanl trainer. Working out with her 2 days a week and working out the other 2 days on my own since December 18th. Well today was my 1 month check with my personal trainer. Not only have I GAINED 1 pound, but I've only lost 2 inches in my bust, 1/4 inch in my waist, nothing in hips or arms. So I guess that's something but I'm so fricked fustrated right now. My trainer said that I need to up my calories to 1700 WITHOUT working out. And she wants me to eat all my exercises calories back. I'm just going to keep at it, but I really need some movtivation/help. I feel like a lost cause and down in the dumps.
:(

Replies

  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Listen to your trainer - she probably knows what she's talking about (or he and he's!). Also, read some of SHBoss' posts and his former posts under Banks somethingoranother. Those last pounds are difficult, but you will find what works for your body! Someday, I'm sure I'll be moaning about how long it's taking to lose those last 10!
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
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    What do you have to lose? If you aren't getting anywhere doing what you've been doing (which sounds right) then why not try eating more? It sure sounds like your body is in starvation mode!

    Stick with it and you'll make your goals - just remember that your body didn't read the diet books and might need to be treated differently! Maybe it needs 2000 calories plus exercise calories to lose!?!

    Life is an adventure!
  • lenmana
    lenmana Posts: 171
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    You could have gained weight for a million reasons! Water retention, building up muscle, who knows. The good things is your keeping your body healthy! I'm sure your trainer can help you get where you'd like to be.
  • Stepadoodle
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    I'm sure I am missing something because I am no trainer, but I'm not seeing the sense in eating 1700 calories and not working out...sounds like that would just make you gain?!? How many calories are you supposed to eat in a day? I weigh more than you and only are supposed to have 1200 per day (1500 if you added in the excerise calories). I have been doing my diet and workouts for two weeks, and it seems to be doing great so far. I am using this site to track my calories, etc and sort of doing Weight Watcher s to help me stay in the limits. I am also working out (at home) 6 times a week to Beachbody (Slim in 6) and can tell a difference already! Has your trainer explained why he/she wants you to eat that many calories?

    Don't be discouraged that you have lost inches more in your bust than in other places at first because you mentioned you have a 13 month old...and, that happens. They seem to grow as you are pregnant (and while nursing, if you did that) and then they slowly get a little smaller. I've had two children (4yrs and 8 yrs). If you are losing some inches in other places, it'll come. Don't give up!!!
  • jenzimmer
    jenzimmer Posts: 300 Member
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    I'm sure I am missing something because I am no trainer, but I'm not seeing the sense in eating 1700 calories and not working out...sounds like that would just make you gain?!? How many calories are you supposed to eat in a day? I weigh more than you and only are supposed to have 1200 per day (1500 if you added in the excerise calories). I have been doing my diet and workouts for two weeks, and it seems to be doing great so far. I am using this site to track my calories, etc and sort of doing Weight Watcher s to help me stay in the limits. I am also working out (at home) 6 times a week to Beachbody (Slim in 6) and can tell a difference already! Has your trainer explained why he/she wants you to eat that many calories?

    Don't be discouraged that you have lost inches more in your bust than in other places at first because you mentioned you have a 13 month old...and, that happens. They seem to grow as you are pregnant (and while nursing, if you did that) and then they slowly get a little smaller. I've had two children (4yrs and 8 yrs). If you are losing some inches in other places, it'll come. Don't give up!!!

    What she explained to me was for someone who is technically at a healthy weight (I'm 5'6 and 140) 1200 calories is not enough to loose that last 10. She said that my body is in starvation mode. She wants me to eat 1600-1700 calories AND eat all of calories back from working out (burn 500 calories so 1600+500=2100). I thought that was crazy! I've been eating 1350 + my work out calories, but that is not working. So I'm going to give it a try. What's the worst that could happen? I mean, 1200-1350 is not working. Oh and I asked then why did this site say 1200?! Her thought was that is what someone should be eating that has more to loose than me or that is not at a healthy weight already? Thanks for all the advice and listening! :)
  • anticaptcha
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    Your trainer is quite correct.

    Your 1350 a day might be enough if you weren't doing workouts, but with those workouts factored in, you're probably in starvation mode. This means that your body (thanks to a formerly handy trait) will do everything it can to conserve fat stores when you're not getting enough food. Your metabolism (the rate at which your body can burn calories) will slow, and your body could even turn to eating muscle instead of fat.

    As a note, you may very briefly gain some weight when you start re-eating what you haven't been eating up till now. This is normal and will come off once your metabolism has recovered. Don't give up when it happens.

    As for that weight gain, it sounds like you didn't gain *fat* at all. It sounds like you may have gained some muscle, which is heavier than fat. When one gains muscle, they will put numbers on the scale while simultaneously losing inches. This is a good thing. The more muscle you have, the faster you can naturally burn calories. You could also have been retaining water. You lost in your bust because your breasts are mostly fatty tissue. It's normal to see a reduction in breast size with weight loss.

    Your trainer sounds like they know what they're talking about.

    As a note, I'm going to suggest something for future reference. You're, of course, free to disregard everything below this line and ignore me.

    Your trainer is a trained professional, by the sounds of it. They work in the fitness industry and are trained to be aware of the body's various functions and responses. If your doctor told you that you had a kidney stone, would you come on an internet forum and ask a bunch of non-medical personnel (as well as a doctor or two who do not have your history available to them) if you really do have one, and what you should do about it? Getting support here and asking questions is fantastic and cool, but you might want to consider putting a little trust in a trained professional over the opinions of random people who might sometimes lack a fitness education.

    Also, because I'd want someone to tell me if I were making this kind of mistake on a regular basis, the word you're after is lose. You're accidentally using loose. Lose means to misplace or get rid of. Loose means not tight, fastened or restrained. As in, after you lose the weight, your clothes may be loose.
  • jenzimmer
    jenzimmer Posts: 300 Member
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    "Also, because I'd want someone to tell me if I were making this kind of mistake on a regular basis, the word you're after is lose. You're accidentally using loose. Lose means to misplace or get rid of. Loose means not tight, fastened or restrained. As in, after you lose the weight, your clothes may be loose. "

    LOL! Sorry! Ha, I'm stressed and also not a great speller as you can see! Thank you, I'll double check my spelling from now on. Also thanks. You are 100% right. I'm going to listen to her. I just wanted to vent. I was having a very bad day. I'm leaving for Mexico at 6 am on Thur and the thought of me in a bikini on a beach is really making me crabby! :p
  • emmy133
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    I went through the same thing when I started working with a trainer a year and a half ago. She was also a nutritionist and she told me it's not just about counting the calories or even the fat. You have to find a balance with the other things, too. She told me to cut the suger and find more protein and that's what did it for me. Then I started to see results. Even though my calorie intake was regulated, my sugars were way out there. Mainly because I was drinking smoothies and fruit juices that I thought were "healthy" and gave me energy. They were loaded with more sugar in one serving than I should even be having in a day. Once I cut those out and got my energy from protein like lean cold cut meats and nuts and Power Bars (which also have a lot of sugar, so be careful), then I started to get results. So if you do decide to increase your calories, I would suggest you do it with protein-rich foods, and not carbs/sugars. Good luck.
  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Keep us posted - I want to see how this works out for you! Finding the right combination is always exciting - I hope this is it for you. There are sooooo many posts in MFP about people who stalled losing weight, starting uping their calories and/or eating exercise calories and they started losing weight again. You will rock that bikini!