Not looking for a miracle...just a little motivation :)

My fat can be very stubborn, too. Most people would think I'm lying about how much I actually eat and workout; things just don't add up...If they did, I'd be at least 165 right now (I'm closer to 185).

I started CrossFit training today, which is circuit training with weight lifting. This style of training tends to work for my body, and I'd advocate for interval/circuit training for people with similar issues. The weight won't "fall off," but it'll get moving eventually, whereas if I stuck with cardio only---I'd be in the same place months from now.

There are many people who will say "calories in, calories out" and assume that you're not being accurate about your food intake and/or your workout time. I disagree with that; while it's true for most, I think the body is a lot more complex than that (with it's many hormones, tissue types, and other factors)...

Best wishes! Feel free to add me as a friend.

Hi. I have came very far from where I was a few years ago. Now I am setting INSANE goals for myself. Really i come up with some unbelievable stuff haha. Im 5`4 and I used to weigh 184 now I have hit down to 141 im a steady 143 but more or less.

The hard part is staying motivated. Well I am now able to stay motivated and want to try harder!

Hi I am Krystal and I have had these similar problems. I hope I can help. I do weekly challenges and I try to be as helpful as I can. I will try to help out the best I can. For your not losing much weight it can be due to the same work outs done every day. Keep running. If anything it will help your heart more than anything but also try to use diffrent work outs so the muscles do not get used to the same work outs and it wont help you to lose the weight. Shock them with work outs never done and super intense. you could switch on and off from intense to light work outs. Eating healthy is a very important factor. You need the body to have all the right nutriants to keep burning calotis and last is your streangth training. You have to build muscle to burn even more calories. :happy:

This is fantastic advice !!! It really is ... she obviously knows what she is talking about ...

I am in a similar situation. Although I have gained and lost weight in the past, and it has always been fairly easy, now that I'm 47 and starting to try and take it off, it's not that easy! About 2 weeks ago, I decided to get serious. I have cut out all the pop, and beer. (I still have a small glass of wine occaisionally.) I'm keeping track of my calories, and eating a healthy diet. I am speed walking an hour or more a day. ( I can't do impact) and I'm not seeing any weight come off, or inches. Staying motivated is very hard right now, but I feel better, so I'll keep at it. I wish you success in your endeavors, too!!

A little history...I started off at 220 pounds about 7 months ago. I started going to a high intensity boot camp three days a week. During my first three months or so I lost 20 pounds and almost 50 inches. When the weight and fat loss stopped I started running...sporadically (one or two times a week). Starting almost three months ago I started running very regularly 2-3 times per week - about 4-6 miles each time. About two months ago I started using MFP to log my food.

Okay, since July I have lost 5 pounds and no inches. I don't understand how it is possible to be working as hard as I am without much weight loss. For the most part I focus on being healthier and am trying not to pay attention to the scale. But after months of hard work and dedication I am getting extremely frustrated! I finally determined that it must be my food intake that is slowing me down so that is why I signed up for MFP. But even since then...I haven't had any luck. I have tried eating more, eating less, eating less carbs and more protein and none of it seems to help.

I'm not complaining, not looking for a miracle. But am just curious if there is anyone else out there that has experienced this? Everyone tells me that I am losing fat and building muscle which is offsetting itself on the scale. I have noticed a little change in how clothing fits but nothing huge. I still have about 60 pounds to lose so it's not like I'm close to goal.

I have my bad days when it comes to eating. Not very often but sometimes. But I don't let that sabotage me. I get back on track right away. I eat clean, whole foods for the most part; fresh/frozen fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meats. I never miss a workout (no excuses) and always give it 110%.

Does anyone have any advice or have you experienced this yourself? I feel like I am missing something and just don't understand why my body won't let go of the fat!

Hi there, most of us experience that in our journey. It all depends on how much of a calorie deficit you are on and if you really are eating at a deficit. If you go for longer than a month then you probably need to notch it down a little. When ever in doubt talk to your doctor. No one here can tell you what or how much to eat. It really depends on what your RMR actually is. Most people have a lower RMR and the only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. I have never done that but the workout I've followed had a more accurate estimate than most any other place and then I had a hydrostatic body fat test done last year and a DXA scan this year and both showed that the estimate I was given was accurate. Even if you don't have an accurate BMR, the estimate is close enough and you can notch around the calories by 100 until you find a sweet place that makes you more consistent progress.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss.

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

We are all different and lose weight differently, so here are some tips that I have learned :

1. If at all possible, I would look into joining a gym and discussing this with a personal trainer. It's not about working your body hard, it's about working it efficiently to achieve your goals. I am part of a weight loss program at our local gym that focuses on zone training mixed with interval training and recovery. Also, the workouts are varied for every class, so they are never exactly the same. It honestly works wonders. Apparently, there is an entire science to exercising for specific goals. If you are unable to get a personal trainer, then I would recommend reading the following: http://www.howtobefit.com/five-heart-rate-zones.htm
This gives a nice foundational overview of the science behind it.

Following this science, you should try a short 20 minutes routine. Warm-up first then sprint anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes at a time, alternating this with a brisk walk at a steady pace to bring your heart rate down. Basically, alternate between sprinting and walking a steady quick pace. I have seen this burns more calories then just running for 30 min to an hour.

2. Consuming protein (ex. protein shake) within 30 minutes after your workout also helps to build & maintain lean muscle and recover from your workout quicker. I recommend Herbalife, they have amazing tasting protein shakes!

3. Be sure to take your vitamins and Omega-3's.

4. Don't forget to eat fresh fruits & veggies and stick to overall healthy eating. Just remember anytime you want those french fries or that chocolate cake... ask yourself, how long will I have to exercise just to burn that off.

5. You may also want to be checked out by a medical doctor to see if you have a thyroid issue. That would make it difficult to lose weight.

Good Luck to you and keep up the good work !!! :flowerforyou: