getting very frustrated!
tressatnt
Posts: 77
I recently had a baby in June. I started easing into running at 3 weeks post partum, now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week and going to the gym for strength training 2-3x/week and watching what I eat. MFP started me at 1200 (net), but I saw no results. I bumped it up to 1400 and still, 3 months later I've only lost 3lbs. And NO inches. I don't even care what the number on the scale says, I'm looking to shed inches and fit into my clothing again. I feel like I'm doing everything right, but getting nowhere. Well, I am in better shape and can now run 6 miles at a 9:56 pace when 3 months ago it took me almost 13 min to run 1 mile 
But I need to lose some inches here and I'm out of ideas. I read the info posted about TDEE and am still a bit confused. If I take my lightly active TDEE (1877) and subtract the 20%, I get 1500. So could 100 calories make that much of a difference? Should I try to net 1500 instead of 1400? It's very defeating to be in this position when you feel like you're doing all the right things. TIA
But I need to lose some inches here and I'm out of ideas. I read the info posted about TDEE and am still a bit confused. If I take my lightly active TDEE (1877) and subtract the 20%, I get 1500. So could 100 calories make that much of a difference? Should I try to net 1500 instead of 1400? It's very defeating to be in this position when you feel like you're doing all the right things. TIA 0
Replies
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Running is wonderful and I bet your thighs and bottom look better, even if your waist doesn't. And your lungs are getting back in shape.
In terms of inches, try some simple ab exercises like lying on the floor, pushing it all the way out, then pulling it all the way in, holding each time. It works ridiculously well. Then start some planks at home.
Then I would check your measuring. Are you sure you are logging everything and that you're measuring everything? It makes a huge difference.
Third, at least for me, it took a while for me to get back to pre-pregnancy shape. 6 months for the weight/size, and I was nursing. It felt like it would never happen and then around 4 months it just started to drop off. By the time my kids were 3, I was 15-20 pounds less than I was when I got pregnant. (I am hoping to get back to that now.)
You are probably not sleeping all that well yet and that interferes with weight loss. This too shall pass.0 -
I can imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm sure hormones are a big part of it. If you are breastfeeding but eating at a deficit your body may be trying to hold on to everything it can. Even if you aren't breastfeeding, since you are only a few months post partum your body is still adjusting to not being pregnant and not biologically needing to hold on to all the nutrients and fat you take in. Maybe add a different kind of exercise to the running, in case your body has adjusted to that activity so doesn't burn or tone as effectively from it. Weights or other resistance training might get the inches moving.0
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I am 5'6" and went from 172 pounds to 130 pounds by eating 1600 cals a day. My BMR is 1400. I hope that helps.0
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If your doing all that running, eating that few calories........I'd go get my thyroid checked. Something isn't adding up. Go to the doctor and get checked out.0
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If you are using TDEE then I would recheck at lightly active then multiply by .80 and that should be your total calories consumed daily not your net calories like MFP utilizes. Then focus on your logging. It has to be accurate!!0
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Give yourself a break. Not sure if this is your first child, but it does take some time to get back to pre-pregnancy weight. My stomach stayed puffy for a while. I didn't start actively trying to lose the weight until my daughter was almost 2. Then it came off pretty quickly. I still have a little "baby blub" (stomach) that I need to work on, but it looks much better than it did.
So just give it some time. Our bodies go through all sorts of changes after having a baby. Even when I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight, my clothes still didn't fit right because of the way my body had changed. Good luck and hang in there!!0 -
Maybe your body is replacing fat with muscle?0
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Just june? I think it takes about a year to get back into shape, at least that's what it took my wife.0
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Please dont give up...I started running for the first time ever aug. 8..I am now up to 7 miles averaging 11 min/mile 3 x 4 week, I walk 3-5 miles the other days... I started off eating 1200 and gained 6 pounds and many inches in the first week. I took a chance and bumped my cal up to 2000 about 31/2 weeks ago. I have dropped 9 pounds since I upped my calories...did my measurements this am and I have dropped what I gained and then some...I know it is a scarey decision, but please try bumping up cals before you give up...What have you got to lose????0
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Well it looks like 1500 is the way to go by all calculations. That means I eat 1500 no matter what I burn/don't burn right? But I can still eat more if I burn a lot? Also, other than running, I have had a trainer at the gym put together 3 full-body workouts for me that utilize core muscles and weights/resistance. I'll do lunges with bicep curls, leg lifts, woodchops, planks with rows, squat lifts, dead lifts, etc. That's why I really feel like I'm doing everything I can and all the right things. I'll bump up my food intake to 1500 and see if that helps... Oh and I did recently have my thyroid checked...
Oh and to answer you about my legs, they look great from about mid-thigh down the muscle is slowly creeping up, but hasn't really reached my thighs or bottom yet. 0 -
If you are exercising that much, then you aren't lightly active. You might need to bump up even more. I eat over 2000 calories and still lose 1-2 pounds per week on average.0
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Please dont give up...I started running for the first time ever aug. 8..I am now up to 7 miles averaging 11 min/mile 3 x 4 week, I walk 3-5 miles the other days... I started off eating 1200 and gained 6 pounds and many inches in the first week. I took a chance and bumped my cal up to 2000 about 31/2 weeks ago. I have dropped 9 pounds since I upped my calories...did my measurements this am and I have dropped what I gained and then some...I know it is a scarey decision, but please try bumping up cals before you give up...What have you got to lose????
LOL What I have to lose is the precious space I have got in the one pair of jeans that I am able to get on! LOL I am going to increase to 1500, maybe 1600 and see what happens. It is scary though, I'm finally able to wear non-pregnancy jeans, but they are snug.
Forgot to mention that I am not breastfeeding.0 -
Great exercises to lose inches are
*Running up and down the stairs!!
*Jogging
*Dancing!
And try 1000 Calories a day. U'll eventually get there, post pregnancy weight loss is usually hard!) Good Luck! 0 -
If you are exercising that much, then you aren't lightly active. You might need to bump up even more. I eat over 2000 calories and still lose 1-2 pounds per week on average.
I am 5'2", 35 years old, not sure if that makes a difference.
I'm really surprised at how fast I got some replies to this, I really appreciate it!! Thank you!0 -
now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week
How many calories are you adding back in for these runs. If you're eating it all you might want to look into this being a problem. I don't know how you would eat 1500 and stay the same doing 4-6 miles 3x a week. I know you don't weigh as much as me but I'm burning around 800 calories on a 4 mile run. Yours is?
EDIT: I should add I'm 210 and doing about a 9:40 mile pace. (Need to go faster, faster)0 -
I did the 1200 cals a day when I started too. I do HIIT bootcamp training 3-4 days per week and run between 5 and 10 miles per week. I initially lost in the beginning but had plateaued for MONTHS! I was so frustrated! I tried eating back exercise calories, NOT eating back exercise calories, cheat days, Intermittent Fasting, and carb cycling!! LOL
Through reading all kinds of posts, I wasn't eating enough for MY body. I did a ton of research, gave myself a headache with all the numbers, but have finally figured it out and it's working for me now....btw I only have about 10 lbs to lose. I'm 5'5" and am 139 lbs.
What I'm doing, and what's working for ME is that I calculated my BMR and TDEE and am going from there. I'll adjust these numbers as my weight changes. I use the 'Sedentary TDEE' number and reduced it by 15%.
BMR = 1370
TDEE @ sedentary = 1645 (less 15%) = 1398
I have set MFP at 1400 cals per day. I use a HRM to track my exercise calories burned and I EAT THEM BACK.
So....If I have a rest day and don't workout, I eat 1400 cals for the day.
If I exercise and burn 400 cals I eat 1800 cals for the day. 1400 base cals + 400 exercise cals = 1800 cals but I NET 1400 cals for the day.
I've also reset my macros to 30% protein, 40% carbs, and 30% fat.
Seems so simple to me now, but I was completely confused as to how much I should be eating for weeks!!! It's working like a charm. I lost a full pound this last week, I feel better, sleep better, and have energy for my workouts.0 -
Don't give up. It took me 6 months to get back to pre-pregnancy weight with my first child, and a year with my second. I didn't think that was all that unreasonable. It's supposed to take twice as long to lose what you put on in pregnancy, at least, that's what my doctor told me. Your body didn't just put on weight, it went through SO many changes, and it will take some time to get it back.0
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now 3 months later I am running 4-6 miles 3x/week
How many calories are you adding back in for these runs. If you're eating it all you might want to look into this being a problem. I don't know how you would eat 1500 and stay the same doing 4-6 miles 3x a week. I know you don't weigh as much as me but I'm burning around 800 calories on a 4 mile run. Yours is?
EDIT: I should add I'm 210 and doing about a 9:40 mile pace. (Need to go faster, faster)
Yes, always faster, faster, I get you!
I burn about 430ish in a 4 mile run, usually about 108 per mile. So depending on what I do, I usually burn between 400-600 a day and yes, I will eat more if I burn more, but not always and not all of it. I thought if you burn more, you earn more calories to eat? This is where I've gotten confused this morning. I've been reading info on this site for the last 3 hours! 0 -
Try calculating all your numbers using ''modetately active". Your workouts sound more intense than just 'lightly active'0
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1500 seems low for a cut.
Are you still breastfeeding?
Need 250-500 extra cals per day for that.
As for your Very Active activity factor i'd guess you burn about 2600cals a day.
A moderate cut of 20% gives you about 2100cals to lose fat.
If you need help figuring numbers look at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
PM me any Qs.
I'm off today and would be more than happy to get you started.0 -
I did the 1200 cals a day when I started too. I do HIIT bootcamp training 3-4 days per week and run between 5 and 10 miles per week. I initially lost in the beginning but had plateaued for MONTHS! I was so frustrated! I tried eating back exercise calories, NOT eating back exercise calories, cheat days, Intermittent Fasting, and carb cycling!! LOL
Through reading all kinds of posts, I wasn't eating enough for MY body. I did a ton of research, gave myself a headache with all the numbers, but have finally figured it out and it's working for me now....btw I only have about 10 lbs to lose. I'm 5'5" and am 139 lbs.
What I'm doing, and what's working for ME is that I calculated my BMR and TDEE and am going from there. I'll adjust these numbers as my weight changes. I use the 'Sedentary TDEE' number and reduced it by 15%.
BMR = 1370
TDEE @ sedentary = 1645 (less 15%) = 1398
I have set MFP at 1400 cals per day. I use a HRM to track my exercise calories burned and I EAT THEM BACK.
So....If I have a rest day and don't workout, I eat 1400 cals for the day.
If I exercise and burn 400 cals I eat 1800 cals for the day. 1400 base cals + 400 exercise cals = 1800 cals but I NET 1400 cals for the day.
I've also reset my macros to 30% protein, 40% carbs, and 30% fat.
Seems so simple to me now, but I was completely confused as to how much I should be eating for weeks!!! It's working like a charm. I lost a full pound this last week, I feel better, sleep better, and have energy for my workouts.
That's basically what I have been doing. If I don't exercise (on the rare occasion), I don't eat more than 1400, if I do exercise, yippee! I get to eat more! So is that right/wrong? I wonder if I am way overestimating how much I'm burning. I use a Garmin Forerunner for running and it tells me how much I burn. When I go to the gym, though, it's kind of a guess...0 -
I burn about 430ish in a 4 mile run, usually about 108 per mile. So depending on what I do, I usually burn between 400-600 a day and yes, I will eat more if I burn more, but not always and not all of it. I thought if you burn more, you earn more calories to eat? This is where I've gotten confused this morning. I've been reading info on this site for the last 3 hours!
No, you're doing it right and that sounds about right for calories. I was just wondering if you had some astronomical number you were trying to eat back that was hurting your progress. The only thing I can think of off-hand would be to cut back on the calories you eat back and see what happens. It's not going to kill you to try. I did the same just to be sure my HRM wasn't lying to me and if I don't eat back all 800 calories I drop weight fast when I run so I'm confident that it's accurate.
Try just eating back half those calories one or two times and see if that moves the scale. I'm not trying to lose weight right now but when I was and I was stuck I would pick a day I didn't feel that hungry and just not try to eat it all back. That normally did the job. I'm not saying to starve yourself. By all means eat if you're hungry but if you burned an extra 400 running and you don't feel hungry enough to eat it all back, then don't force yourself to eat it just for the sake of eating it.0 -
Hi
You've done well so far. Did you take body fat, pictures and measurements? Sometimes just the scale can be deciding and we need a few more elements to give us feedback when we get discouraged.
An easy one i recommend to my over achievers and stubborn believers...is get a pair of pre baby jeans that are tight. Like so tight yo have to lay on the floor and use a pair of vise grips on the zipper to pull them up. But be able to get in them.:)
Then hang them somewhere for easy access to compare bi monthly. Easy self test.
For the prior tests of body fat I recommend a Tanita scale to my online clients to self check body weight and body fat bi-monthly
I really hope this help...keep going!
For more info contact us me here or:
Emile Jarreau,aka, Mr. Fat Loss
Bea Fox Fox Elite
M2 Fitness Pros,LBC
562.435.4639
M2Fitness@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/emile.jarreau0 -
If you are exercising that much, then you aren't lightly active. You might need to bump up even more. I eat over 2000 calories and still lose 1-2 pounds per week on average.
I am 5'2", 35 years old, not sure if that makes a difference.
I'm really surprised at how fast I got some replies to this, I really appreciate it!! Thank you!
That does make a difference petite people just need less and burn less. You didn't specify how much you are trying to lose...if it's uner 15 pounds it's going to take some time.
I'm 5'1"and 35 also but I don't run. I've been netting around 1300 and doing intense workouts 2 times a week and cardio (elliptical or a long walk and a kettlebell video) 3 days a week and after 6 weeks plus I have fially lost 5 pounds. I takes time....and if you're burning more you'll need to eat more than I do.
Have you tried changing your macros to higher protein lower carbs? It's might be coincidence but I did that 2 weeks ago (and started taking clacium supplements) and that's about when I started to notice a difference.0 -
Have you had your thyroid checked? After my first son, I did all the right things as far as excercising and my diet, but couldn't drop a pound! Turns out the pregnancy killed my thyroid, once I started on the meds, the pounds started coming off. Good luck, I know it's frustrating.0
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Try calculating all your numbers using ''modetately active". Your workouts sound more intense than just 'lightly active'
She's eating back all her calories from the workouts so there's no need to adjust her base level. I do the same thing. I have mine set at sedentary and make up for calories burned during exercise. If she ups her base level then she'll be overeating on days she doesn't run or workout.0 -
That's basically what I have been doing. If I don't exercise (on the rare occasion), I don't eat more than 1400, if I do exercise, yippee! I get to eat more! So is that right/wrong? I wonder if I am way overestimating how much I'm burning. I use a Garmin Forerunner for running and it tells me how much I burn. When I go to the gym, though, it's kind of a guess...
The main focus I have right now is to ensure that I never NET below my BMR, and keep my protein up. So, depending on what your BMR is, maybe try resetting MFP for at least that? I literally saw results right away! After upping my calories, I lost a full pound 2-3 days into it. I've been NETTING closer to 1500 per day for the last 5 days and have lost 1.5 lbs.:)
Edit: I also forgot to mention that I do it this way so it motivates me to exercise so I can keep my evening snack in!! After eating 900-1200 cals per day, 1400 seems low to me now!! LOL0 -
It took 9 months to for your body to change to support carrying that child and continue to care for it after it is born... it will take more than 2 months for your body to get back to the way it was. People who drop all the weight and get their body back "immediately" are genetically lucky. Famous folks have personal trainers and chefs. Keep working at it.0
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Hi
You've done well so far. Did you take body fat, pictures and measurements? Sometimes just the scale can be deciding and we need a few more elements to give us feedback when we get discouraged.
An easy one i recommend to my over achievers and stubborn believers...is get a pair of pre baby jeans that are tight. Like so tight yo have to lay on the floor and use a pair of vise grips on the zipper to pull them up. But be able to get in them.:)
Then hang them somewhere for easy access to compare bi monthly. Easy self test.
Already done I bought a pair of "motivation" jeans right when I got the all clear to run again and they've been hanging up there for 3 months lol I *can* just get them on with a nice ole muffin top! Not sure if I could sit in them though. I'm anxiously waiting for my current jeans that are 1 size up to get loose on me so I can move on to the next size! 0 -
With the training you're doing, my trainer said to lose weight you need to forget all the measurements and eat at least 1700 calories to lose weight. Doesn't matter what your BMI is or anything else - to lose weight, your body needs 1700 calories at least in order to get your metabolic rate up - which is what will burn off fat. Sounds strange that eating more helps you lose weight, but it really does. Also depends on what you're eating and when you're training. For optimum metabolic rate, exercise before breakfast - try and eat most of your carbs between 12pm and 6pm and don't eat after 6-7pm. Comments on here are right that your body takes time to adjust after birth. Very little shifted on me until 10 months afterwards and then started to drop off quickly. Hope this helps.0
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