Worked out hard 5x a week for two weeks... nothing.

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kebcakes
kebcakes Posts: 10 Member
in Motivation and Support
Can someone please tell me what's going on?! I have been burning over 250 cals in 30 minutes five times a week for the last two weeks. I'm not seeing any results. The scale has not budged. Not even ONE pound. I come in under my calories (1200) most days. Some days I go a little over, but not by a ton. Maybe 100 cals give or take. I don't eat a lot of carbs, some, but not every meal. I eat small meals throughout the day, too.

Anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong? Having similar issues? Maybe it's because I'm 40?? I know your metabolism goes way down, but seriously, to not lose one single pound in two weeks? I also take Celexa, an anti anxiety med... could that be it? Anyone else have issues with not being able to lose weight on meds?

Replies

  • RaineyLaney
    RaineyLaney Posts: 605 Member
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    Your food diary is closed, so not really able to see what kinds of foods your eating. Sodium could be an issue. or too high carbs? Hard to say with out seeing the food diary.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    It takes time, young grasshopper. Try netting at least 1200 calories a day, and don't eat a ton of sodium the day before you weigh in. If you aren't seeing any changes after a month, try switching it up.
  • kew1952
    kew1952 Posts: 52 Member
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    It could also be that you're not eating enough calories, especially if you are working out as you have posted. Plus, don't live or die by the numbers on the scale...as already posted, sodium can make them read higher. Good luck.
  • apexgtp
    apexgtp Posts: 64 Member
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    Not saying its your fault, but honestly when I come across friends that are in the rut its because they arent counting all calories. Not only that but the treadmill at the gym will say they burnt 250 calories but they go at such a slow pace they might as well not be in the gym. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Hit the gym again and rethink what you're doing. You'll nail it!
  • SoonerVet
    SoonerVet Posts: 65
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    Can you give your stats (weight, height, goal weight, etc.)? I didn't start losing weight until I upped my calories a little bit from 1200 to between 1400-1500 . I am 5'6" and started at 138 and now weight 124. I wouldn't recommend 1200 unless you're really short/already tiny. And I definitely would eat back enough exercise calories so you are at least netting 1200. Many people on here have similar stories where they didn't start losing weight until they increased their calories.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Are you counting everything? Are you weighing and measuring or just guestimating? Also, if you're netting below 1,200 calories (i.e. you're not eating back your exercise calories and regularly consuming below 1,200 calories your body is going to slow it's metabolism and start storing, not burning in an effort to protect itself from starvation. There is already a considerable caloric deficit from your maintenance level of calories in the 1,200 calorie goal...you should not be trying to be under that goal, you should be trying to meet it, net of exercise...that means when you burn a bunch of calories working out you should eat them back...or at least a good portion of them. It only takes about 72 hours of not getting enough calories for you body to stall metabolism.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    It's been two weeks and you only have 20 pounds to lose.

    Shoot for half a pound a week or less, and eat back exercise calories(if your goals are set up that way) and do things besides cardio.

    You need to preserve as much muscle mass as possible.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
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    Ok, what weight loss per week do you have yourself set to? 2 pounds? 1 pound? Stick to 1 pound or 0.5 pound per week.

    And the calories MFP gives you, you are *supposed* to eat back most or all of your exercise calories.

    Put it this way, if you're not even hitting 1200 calories a day in food intake, and you're burning 250 calories a day at exercise, you're only NETTING 1050 calories a day.....too little. Let's say you're not losing the weight (and it only has been two weeks...weight loss is not linear)......what are you going to be able to do? Further cut calories? To what? 1000 calories....then burn more at the gym? You'd have no where to go....what do you want to do....get to your goal weight and then have to live off of 500 calories a day?

    Eat the proper number of calories a day to fuel your body.....it will come off.

    Find the 'In Place of a Roadmap' post here....it gives an excellent example of how to calculate your BMR and TDEE....and what those acronyms stand for.
  • Honeybah
    Honeybah Posts: 12
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    I bet you see results this week. For some reason I see the results a few days after I give exercise a rest
  • kebcakes
    kebcakes Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks all. I honestly do record everything I eat. Even if it's a handful of almonds or the occasional piece of candy. I do watch my sodium intake, but maybe not closely enough? I've lost weight before... 15 pounds over a five month period... so I know I can do it. The only thing that's changed since losing that weight is my age and the fact that I now take anxiety meds. I certainly don't want to blame it on the meds and not take responsibility, but I really am doing everything I did before... to no avail. I'm not giving up, though! I'm just really frustrated about it lately.
  • kebcakes
    kebcakes Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm 40 and 5' 2", currently weighing 147 pounds. My goal weight is 125 pounds. I don't my BMI, though. I had heard of people not losing weight because they weren't eating enough calories. I guess I didn't realize that your metabolism goes down if you don't eat enough calories. I want to lose the right way... this girl is not into starvation! I'm currently set at 1.5 pounds per week. I'm going to try upping my calories. How much higher should I go? 1400? 1500?
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    If you have changed your exercise habits, either by starting a new exercise, or increasing the amount, your muscles will hold on to extra water to heal. That might be why you aren't seeing the scale move.

    Also, you should probably be eating more. Calculate your BMR, which is the number of calories you would need each day if you were in a coma (there's a nice little tool in the apps section). You should not be eating under that number on a regular basis because that is the minimum you need to stay healthy.
  • kebcakes
    kebcakes Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks, Jaulen. I'll look for the post!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Congratulations on making a commitment. As you've probably heard, there could be a number of factors at work,such as:

    --You're not working out as hard as you think (and btw, for weight loss, usually 60 minutes a day is recommended)

    --You're eating more than you think; go back and recheck, weigh and measure everything,. You also may not be in a position where you can afford to go over.

    --Weight loss is not always linear.

    --Two weeks is not a sufficient time in which to see results for everyone.


    Get a heart rate monitor; work out in your aerobic zone 90% of the time for an hour 5 to 6 times a week. Introduce some strength training. Review your diet.
  • kebcakes
    kebcakes Posts: 10 Member
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    I calculated my BMR like Bathsheba suggested... it's 1290 cals per day. So maybe I will not try to come in under any more. I honestly thought that was the idea. Thank you everyone for setting me straight! Perhaps I will up my intake to 1300 cals and see what happens.

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