NOT LOSING!!!

Same here, I've been trying everything, to get past this plateau, I'm beginning to wonder, maybe our bodies go in hibernate mode because of winter and try to hold onto all the fat, maybe we'll all get a burst and lose some weight as soon as spring hits!

are you measuring yourself and not just weighing in? if you haven't really ever worked out before you are probably gaining quite a bit of muscle which can affect your overall weight gain/loss. Try measuring and always make sure you eat at least 1200 calories!

I know how you're feeling, ladies! I'm not loosing either! I started at MyfitnessPal yesterday. Although, have been dieting since Jan. 25th and working out six days a week burning around 450 calories each day! I have only lost about 2.5 pounds and I'm frustrated! I haven't been measuring my bod- I hope I'm loosing inches without knowing it~! Good luck!

I am 5'4" 162.5 pounds and 22 years old. I'm measuring my calories by using the food calculator on this site but I just started that yesterday. I've been on and off dieting for a year. When I began dieting I lost 30 pounds in about 5 months. I dropped this weight by walking for 20 mins everyday, using a stationary bike for20 mins and doing about 300 sit-ups a day, eating mostly salads and cutting out sweet stuff. I kept off the weight for the fallowing six months but I was rarely exercising and was not closely monitoring my food intake.

Today I am using the elliptical machine for 40 mins a day with intervals of strength. I find it very challenging and I feel like I'm working a lot harder than I was during my last weight loss success. This week I started doing about 150 sit-ups a day hoping that will help my jiggly tummy! Oh and yoga a couple times a week!

I eat a large breakfast. I'm attempting to get in a couple servings of fruit and at least one or two veggie servings but I struggle with that! I worry that the food calculator on this site will allow me to eat too much! It suggests that I have an intake of 1200 daily and with working out it adds an additional 550 calories to eat. I have no problem eating that much but if I do I won't feel like I'm dieting well.

Thanks for your advise stroutman! You seem very knowledgeable (saw your response on the green tea post!)

Thanks for the advise! I'm trying to do a lot of cardio for that overall body fat. I don't really desire to see definition any time soon at all. My tummy is a big round ball of fat! (sorry if that is gross and too graphic!) I can't easily do that many sit-ups and I know I'm cheating at them but my stomach muscles burn the next day so I thought doing them was still helping. I am VERY large chested and my upper body is very difficult to lift. I find the sit-ups that are most successful for me are called "muscle confusion sit ups" I wish I could explain how I do them but I'd have to show ya! I'll try squats tonight! What are deadlifts?

I am 5'4" 162.5 pounds and 22 years old.

Thanks.

To be honest, if I were working with you, I'd start you at about 18-1900 calories. The goal with my clients who are interested in fat loss is *always* to eat as much as possible without hindering consistent fat loss.

Starting caloric intakes matter little though. They're based on estimates, unless you're having your metabolism tested via direct or indirect calorimetry. It's what you do in response to your body that matters. By that, I mean you have to set up some sort of method to monitor progress. If you don't have this in place, you're never going to know what is and isn't working and it can lead to a lot of wheel spinning.

Unfortunately, the scale, alone, is not a very good metric for determing "success." Remember, you're interested in fat loss. The scale measure fat - but it also measures muscle, connective tissue, water, bowel matter, etc. While fat can be going down, other things, especially water, can be going up masking true fat loss. And if you're using this as your sole metric, you're more than likely going to be frustrated.

My suggestion would be to track your progress every 2-4 weeks by using a soft tape measure to meaure your arms, chest, navel, wasit, hips, and thighs. I'd also highly suggest taking pictures wearing the same clothes in the same lighting and the same distance from the cam at each of your "assessments." These variables will paint a much clearer picture and hopefully minimize some of the frustration.

I'm measuring my calories by using the food calculator on this site

I mean, how are you specifically measuring them? Are you using a food scale?

A lot of people underestimate their true portion sizes. A food scale will minimize the error.

but I just started that yesterday.

This could be the main "problem." Give it time. More than likely, even though you've been eating more healthily, you've been consuming too many calories for consistent fat loss to take place. Now that you're tracking it, you'll be able to identify your problems more easily.

I've been on and off dieting for a year. When I began dieting I lost 30 pounds in about 5 months. I dropped this weight by walking for 20 mins everyday, using a stationary bike for20 mins and doing about 300 sit-ups a day, eating mostly salads and cutting out sweet stuff. I kept off the weight for the fallowing six months but I was rarely exercising and was not closely monitoring my food intake.

Today I am using the elliptical machine for 40 mins a day with intervals of strength. I find it very challenging and I feel like I'm working a lot harder than I was during my last weight loss success. This week I started doing about 150 sit-ups a day hoping that will help my jiggly tummy! Oh and yoga a couple times a week!

I'd back off of the situps. You can't selectively lose fat in specific areas of the human body. Fat comes off in a pattern that's predetermined by our genetics. That many situps can actually be bad for your spine. I'd be much more inclined to recommend you do a balanced exercise plan entailing some cardio and some balanced, whole-body resistance training.

I eat a large breakfast. I'm attempting to get in a couple servings of fruit and at least one or two veggie servings but I struggle with that! I worry that the food calculator on this site will allow me to eat too much! It suggests that I have an intake of 1200 daily and with working out it adds an additional 550 calories to eat. I have no problem eating that much but if I do I won't feel like I'm dieting well.

In truth, my opinion is you don't want to feel like you're dieting. Dieting involves a temporary mindset. If a mindset backing your current decisions is temporary, so too will be your results. This is about finding things that you can comfortably tolerate including in your life forever. I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who wants to "fee like" they're dieting forever.

Also, while calories are very important (And I'd agree with this sites recommendations as you can tell from my first sentence to you above), the foods that comprise said calories is also vitally important. Especially protein. Getting adequate protein does a bunch of good stuff - namely; it's the most satiating nutrient, it has the highest thermic effect meaning it bumps metabolism up the most during digestion and utilization, and eating adequate amounts of it goes a long way towards helping preserve muscle while you lose fat.

Threw a lot at you and the last thing I want to do is overwhelm you. Paralysis by analysis gets you nowhere. Feel free to ask questions.

One more question! This may be silly... but, I'm trying!...

If I'm working out at the end of the day does that mean I shouldn't eat my "work out calories" until AFTER I've worked out?

Thanks~!!!!!!

Do you have any meal recommendations?

Frankly I'm not a fan of throwing out specific meal recommendations. For one, I'm a boring eater. For two, I find that people who try and follow someone else's meal plans never stick with it. Tastes/preferences, metabolic tolerances, etc are so individual that you need to find what works for you. I can give you some very general recommendations for the macronutrients: protein, fats and carbs:

Protein - Fish, as you mentioned... but also, chicken/turkey breast, lean ground beef, eggs, top round or flank steaks, pork tenderloin, low/no fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, etc), protein powder supplements, etc.

Fats - Fish, fish oil pills (I think most people should take these - they're health benefits are very heavily supported in the scientifc literature), flax, olives, oils, nuts, natural peanut butter, avacados, etc.

Carbs - Lots of veggies, fruit, whole wheat bread and pastas, rice, oats

This is a decent foundation. Start building meal plans and don't feel the need to stick solely to these foods. Be creative. This isn't a science and the last thing you want to do is become overwhelmed by rigidity.

I am not using a food scale and not measuring my food THAT closely. I guess I'm looking for an easier way to reach the correct amounts of foods. I met the 1700 calories that were suggested to me yesterday and honestly, I felt like I ate too much! I felt like I was eating more than I typically would.

Well play it be ear. I'd take your initial assessment tomorrow morning. If, after a handful of weeks you're showing no signs of improvement... you might consider using a food scale. I'm not suggesting it's required forever - but it is a tool that can help acclimate people to the correct portion sizes.

Like I said above, this is a touch & feel process where you have to continually monitor your progress and adjust based on feedback/results. Of course over time you'll become more comfortable and familiar with your body and then you might not need such "hands on" attention. But I think it's important for someone that's at your stage.

With regards too eating too much, I can assure you, unless you have something going on medically, 1700 calories is not too much food for someone of your stats.

Sweets are my largest struggle. I work in an office full of people that can not resist temptation and are constantly encouraging a lifestyle I'm trying to get away from. As we speak there are hershey kisses on the table and a box of doughnuts just walked in. (and I've resisted it all!)

Yea, that's tough.

My suggestion would be to go into the office with all your food prepared in advance so you know what and when you'll eat throughout the day. If you ensure satiety thoughout the day, those sweets will be a whole lot less tempting. I'd also make sure you keep them beyond arm's reach. That goes for your desk as well as your walking path to the copy machine, bathroom, etc. Simply take the initiative to move them.

Research clearly shows that the less accessible you make treats, the less likely you are to overconsume them.

Can you give me an example of a balanced, whole-body resistance training exercise?

Do you workout in a gym? If not, what sort of equipment, if any, do you have available?

Yes, I belong to a ladies gym, Body Boutique. I started at the end of January but I'm not getting all of the benefits of the gym because I don't know what equipment to use! and too broke to hire a trainer!

I am taking fish oil and a multi vitamin. Thanks for the food ideas- I think I'm off to a good start. I eat a lot of chicken and turkey. Nuts & dried fruit are a regular snack. I have oatmeal for breakfast every morning w/ some type of fruit. Gotta work on the veggies though! I don't think my portions are too large... although, I probably have too much dairy- too little protein, ect. I use some rules of thumb like 2 tablespoons should be about the size of a ping-pong ball.

Katwood- Great suggestion! Eating those work out calories will definitely motivate me to get my work out in.

lvfunandfit- Thanks for suggesting the protein drinks for after working out! Is there a certain brand you like?

What do you all think about saunas? Sweating helps you loose weight, right?

Try adding a protein to your breakfast. Egg whites scrambled with veggies, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.

For protein powder, I prefer the Muscle Milk (130 cals and 26 grams of protein) or EAS Myoplex brands. I know that WOW protein is good too!

Sweating is a temporary weight loss. When you rehydrate you drink back the water you lose. It's not healthy for you to use that as a form of losing weight. you'd have to sit in the sauna for hours and you'd become dehydrated.

This link has lots of great exercises
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/workouts
Weight training exercises
http://www.shapefit.com/training.html
(scroll down that page and there are links to hundreds of exercises you can do at the gym)

I do Back and Bis, Chest, shoulders and Tri's, legs
I add abs to every workout and 20-40 minutes of cardio (my time at the gym is limited)

Yes, I belong to a ladies gym, Body Boutique. I started at the end of January but I'm not getting all of the benefits of the gym because I don't know what equipment to use! and too broke to hire a trainer!

Does the gym have a website where I could view their various options in terms of equipment? Or do they have machines only? Or are free weights available for use, too?

I am taking fish oil and a multi vitamin. Thanks for the food ideas- I think I'm off to a good start. I eat a lot of chicken and turkey. Nuts & dried fruit are a regular snack. I have oatmeal for breakfast every morning w/ some type of fruit. Gotta work on the veggies though! I don't think my portions are too large... although, I probably have too much dairy- too little protein, ect. I use some rules of thumb like 2 tablespoons should be about the size of a ping-pong ball.

Sounds like you're off to a great start. Keep in mind I think a lot of people get hung up on the idea of getting this "perfect." There's some problems with that mindset - like there really isn't one perfect way of eating. Match your calories to your goals (less in than out for fat loss, more in than out for muscle gain, same in as out for maintenance) and make sure you're getting a balanced selection of nutrients. There are literally hundreds or thousands of ways of meeting this goal which is evidenced by the many, many diets that are available to follow.

If I were to stress one nutrient, besides the wide array of micronutrients veggies provide, it'd be protein. People typically don't get adequate amounts of protein in which, among other things, goes against the preservation of muscle while dieting. A pool of aminos (protein) in the bloodstream will be preferentially used over your "stored protein," which is muscle.

That's an important concept. A lot of people focus so much on losing weight and never stop to consider that it's really fat loss that they're concerned with. I don't know anyone who's interested in being a smaller/lighter, yet still soft version of their former selves. Follow me?

To acheive a lean look, it requires fat loss AND muscle development/preservation.

What do you all think about saunas? Sweating helps you loose weight, right?

Weight? Sure. Fat? Not so much. See the distinction above. I train some athletes who compete in sports that have weight classes. In order to compete, they need to weigh under a certain weight. We can get their weight down to what it needs to be by dehydrating them and sweating water weight out. But who cares about that? That's temporary and doesn't mean anything in terms of body composition. Like I said above, you need to be concerned with muscle and fat mass. Not water weight.

Granted, saunas will slightly bump up your metabolic rate but you're talking about very miniscule numbers.

http://www.bodybofitness.com/ that's their website but I don't see where it lists their equipment. There are weights available. The muscle development thing kind of concerns me-- but I understand that a desirable body should be lean and fit. I guess that just seems like a big goal for me. I don't see myself with defined ab muscles. I don't see myself in a bikini. I just hope to comfortably wear a one piece! I have always been a bigger girl. Outside of childhood- I'm the smallest I've ever been. This is the lifestyle I know. Honestly my biggest goal is to weigh less than my boyfriend! Maybe once I reach that goal I'll be more driven to work on muscles.

Just to be clear, you won't be building muscle while dieting. The goal is to maintain it.

Women are not hormonally dispositioned to build significant muscle when the "environment" is right. When you're dieting, the environment is far from right. Muscle building is a very energy intensive process. Calories are energy. If you're not consuming enough energy to maintain the tissue you currently have (calore deficit), your body isn't going to make matters worse by adding a bunch of metabolically costly tissue, such as muscle.

Like I said, it wouldn't do that even if conditions were primed for it.

So resistance training is important for many, many reasons. But in terms of physique, in your situation it's not about building muscles. It's about optimizing the ratio of fat to muscle loss. We all lose fat AND muscle on a diet. The secret to looking and feeling good is swaying that ratio as far on the sides of fat as we possibly can.

And the only power we really have over this is eating adequate amounts of protein and providing our body with a reason to hold onto as much muscle as possible... and that's resistance training.

lvfunandfit - Thanks for the websites! I need to get some weights to do exercises at home too. How many pounds would be advised? I will be checking out the protein shakes soon! By the way.. your little ones are adorable!

If you're going to pick up some weights for home, be sure they're in a form that you can vary. A lot of people run out and buy, say, 5 lbs dumbbells. Well weights are effective when they stress your body above and beyond what it's accustomed to. That forces your body to change positively.

If you have a static weight that you can't change, your body will adapt to it and it'll be tricky to "milk" any further adaptation using the same weight.

I like to recommend people buy adjustable weights if they're going to go the in-home route.

And let's not forget, especially in the case of novices, your body can act as a form of resistance via calisthenics. Things like bodyweight squats, lunges, step-ups, pushups, assisted pullups, etc. are all great exercises that don't require weight. Obviously once your body acclimates to your bodyweight, it's important to add external resistance (via dumbbells, bands, etc) to ellicit further adaptation.

Make sense?

That is awesome darman! I'm sure that's what my problem has been!

stroutman81- That does make since! I'm going to make squats and lunges part of my work out starting this evening! Then work up to adding weights into my work out. I have the opportunity to take a lot of classes at they gym I've joined that should help! Hopefully my fat to muscle ratio will be in my favor! You have taught me a lot today!

http://www.bodybofitness.com/ that's their website but I don't see where it lists their equipment. There are weights available. The muscle development thing kind of concerns me-- but I understand that a desirable body should be lean and fit. I guess that just seems like a big goal for me. I don't see myself with defined ab muscles. I don't see myself in a bikini. I just hope to comfortably wear a one piece! I have always been a bigger girl. Outside of childhood- I'm the smallest I've ever been. This is the lifestyle I know. Honestly my biggest goal is to weigh less than my boyfriend! Maybe once I reach that goal I'll be more driven to work on muscles.

lvfunandfit - Thanks for the websites! I need to get some weights to do exercises at home too. How many pounds would be advised? I will be checking out the protein shakes soon! By the way.. your little ones are adorable!

I'm glad I asked about the saunas! It was too hot to hang out in there anyway!

You guys are amazing!

Awww.. thank you! I think they are adorable also!

stroutman81 answered the question about weights perfectly. At home, I'd go with adjustable weights.

Bump so I don't lose this tread. Great information!