Need help, Been so discouraged
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shae68143
Posts: 422 Member
Okay, so I have done weekly measurements for the last 4 weeks during Live Fit, and I must say I'm actually a little disappointed - I was hoping to see some downward trend/movement (even if only slightly) but it seems I'm staying the same or even going up in some. I don't do supplements due to IBS issues and I can throw my whole system out of whack with one wrong drink, pill, etc.
Per Scooby (height is 5'4, weight is 260, 33 yr old female doing live fit so work outs are minimum 4x a week about to move to 6x which put me at moderate activity at first) - TDEE is 2904, BMR is 1873 and suggested Macros are set as 40 % Protein, 40% Car, 20%.
Daily, I consume anywhere from 2000-2300 calories a day, and net anywhere from 1500-1900 post work out (no I don't always eat them all back, unless I"m below my BMR # because I honestly put on a ton of weight (more then 15lbs and no, it wasn't muscle) over the course of 4-6 MONTHS by eating back all my workout calories, and/or trying to follow the EM2LW, IPOARM motto/creed) I do not eat processed, pre-packaged food, I'm 99% of the time eating a vegetarian diet (will occassionally allow for Chicken/Fish) due to IBS issues, that I cook at home myself so I know what is really going into said foods. Sooooo, I don't understand what is "wrong" here? Your thoughts?? Is this normal? Is it from lifting that I'm going up? Please help me dissect MY INFO not the masses info.
(****Please note, rude comments not needed - I've gone thru all the sticky's, all the notes, all the help I could find about this from EM2LW, IPOARM, and so on, so forth - done all the things suggested including a reset previously and such, I'm just honestly stumped here as this stagnant trend of going no where that has been on going for 245 days here on MFP. Am I just destined to not lose fat?!?! LOL***)
Date
1/13 ---- 1/21
1/27
2/3
Bust
42 1/2 ---- 43
42
43
R Arm
16 1/2 ---- 16 1/2
16
16 1/4
L Arm
16 1/2 ---- 16 1/4
16 1/4 ---16 1/2
Belly
45
44 3/4
44 3/4 ---- 45
Hips
52 ---- ---- 51 1/4
51 1/4 ---- 52
R Thigh ---- 26 1/2
26
26
26
L Thigh ---- 26 1/2
26
26
26
R Calf
16 1/2
16 3/4
17
17
L Calf
16 1/2
16 3/4
17
17
Weight
264.4
259
261.2 ---- 260
(**Edited to try and reallign the numbers under each date, but it's not working exacly as I would like to**)
Per Scooby (height is 5'4, weight is 260, 33 yr old female doing live fit so work outs are minimum 4x a week about to move to 6x which put me at moderate activity at first) - TDEE is 2904, BMR is 1873 and suggested Macros are set as 40 % Protein, 40% Car, 20%.
Daily, I consume anywhere from 2000-2300 calories a day, and net anywhere from 1500-1900 post work out (no I don't always eat them all back, unless I"m below my BMR # because I honestly put on a ton of weight (more then 15lbs and no, it wasn't muscle) over the course of 4-6 MONTHS by eating back all my workout calories, and/or trying to follow the EM2LW, IPOARM motto/creed) I do not eat processed, pre-packaged food, I'm 99% of the time eating a vegetarian diet (will occassionally allow for Chicken/Fish) due to IBS issues, that I cook at home myself so I know what is really going into said foods. Sooooo, I don't understand what is "wrong" here? Your thoughts?? Is this normal? Is it from lifting that I'm going up? Please help me dissect MY INFO not the masses info.
(****Please note, rude comments not needed - I've gone thru all the sticky's, all the notes, all the help I could find about this from EM2LW, IPOARM, and so on, so forth - done all the things suggested including a reset previously and such, I'm just honestly stumped here as this stagnant trend of going no where that has been on going for 245 days here on MFP. Am I just destined to not lose fat?!?! LOL***)
Date
1/13 ---- 1/21
1/27
2/3
Bust
42 1/2 ---- 43
42
43
R Arm
16 1/2 ---- 16 1/2
16
16 1/4
L Arm
16 1/2 ---- 16 1/4
16 1/4 ---16 1/2
Belly
45
44 3/4
44 3/4 ---- 45
Hips
52 ---- ---- 51 1/4
51 1/4 ---- 52
R Thigh ---- 26 1/2
26
26
26
L Thigh ---- 26 1/2
26
26
26
R Calf
16 1/2
16 3/4
17
17
L Calf
16 1/2
16 3/4
17
17
Weight
264.4
259
261.2 ---- 260
(**Edited to try and reallign the numbers under each date, but it's not working exacly as I would like to**)
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Replies
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I don't know if it helps, but I can at least offer you my own experience with Live Fit. I started it on one very long plateau, back from Feb 2012, and am currently on week 9. I did not lose any weight in the first four weeks of the program despite eating at a calorie deficit and being very strict about sticking to the recommended diet. When the cardio added back in in week 5 I started losing and have lost some each week since. The entire time I was eating my TDEE-20% so why I wasn't losing initially is a mystery to me as much as it is to you, but it started to happen eventually. Oh, and I only just dropped some inches in my measurements this week. Personally, I know I hold a lot of water weight from lifting so I attribute some of it to that. Are you in the bodygroup for the program? You may want to ask for people's experiences in there to get more ideas of how it progressed for different folks. Good luck with it!0
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I don't know if it helps, but I can at least offer you my own experience with Live Fit. I started it on one very long plateau, back from Feb 2012, and am currently on week 9. I did not lose any weight in the first four weeks of the program despite eating at a calorie deficit and being very strict about sticking to the recommended diet. When the cardio added back in in week 5 I started losing and have lost some each week since. The entire time I was eating my TDEE-20% so why I wasn't losing initially is a mystery to me as much as it is to you, but it started to happen eventually. Oh, and I only just dropped some inches in my measurements this week. Personally, I know I hold a lot of water weight from lifting so I attribute some of it to that. Are you in the bodygroup for the program? You may want to ask for people's experiences in there to get more ideas of how it progressed for different folks. Good luck with it!
Thank you for the insight in your journey. I am part of the group here that started up a few weeks back, I'm a week behind them all, but still doing it. I posted this same plight in that group but haven't received feedback from the group (1 reply there in the thread). I did "cheat" slightly with phase 1 by walking for 30 minutes a day, but it was not a power walk, my HR never got elevated above what would be considered a "work out" - and it was for mobility in my hip (prior surgery), so I'm hoping that it didn't derail my progress (from all I've read it wouldn't).0 -
Really, no one can help me out (besides the one response)?0
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you are only 4 weeks in to looking at your measurements. I know we would all love to see huge drops in that time frame, but 4 weeks is not a lot for "most" people to see any change.
It makes a HUGE difference WHEN you take measurements..
So did you take measurements 7 days after the last one only? What were you doing the day before those measurements? Were you lifting heavy? Hard cardio? High salt intake? TOM during any of those?
These can all factor in to the supposed gains or losses in inches on our body. During TOM we can experience a huge change in Inches all over. Same with bloat from salt or workouts. Never take measurements when any of these things are occurring.
Best time to take measurements is first thing in the morning, after at least 2 days of rest from working out, salt intake is low, no TOM approaching or leaving...
Im sorry, I dont know about the Live Fit program so Im not sure what the requirements are for working out...but what are you doing for workouts?
Looking at your stats, you did lose a few pounds over 4 weeks, which is nice. Yes the inches appear to be up, but depending on what I said above, if any of those are factors, then that is likely the reason why.. The other thing is just good old fashioned patience:) Ive been at this for 9 months now and we are still tweaking and trying to figure out why my inches and weight are not moving in a nice trend down yet. Now it looks like we *might* have an answer and hopefully it will be enough to finally let me progress through..
HTH0 -
I don't know. But I read your post and really feel for you.
Perhaps email some members who you personally admire, group leaders for example and ask for advice.
No, you (nor I) am destined to be fat. You can do this. It might just need a bit of tweaking.
Good luck XO0 -
you are only 4 weeks in to looking at your measurements. I know we would all love to see huge drops in that time frame, but 4 weeks is not a lot for "most" people to see any change.
It makes a HUGE difference WHEN you take measurements..
So did you take measurements 7 days after the last one only? What were you doing the day before those measurements? Were you lifting heavy? Hard cardio? High salt intake? TOM during any of those?
These can all factor in to the supposed gains or losses in inches on our body. During TOM we can experience a huge change in Inches all over. Same with bloat from salt or workouts. Never take measurements when any of these things are occurring.
Best time to take measurements is first thing in the morning, after at least 2 days of rest from working out, salt intake is low, no TOM approaching or leaving...
Im sorry, I dont know about the Live Fit program so Im not sure what the requirements are for working out...but what are you doing for workouts?
Looking at your stats, you did lose a few pounds over 4 weeks, which is nice. Yes the inches appear to be up, but depending on what I said above, if any of those are factors, then that is likely the reason why.. The other thing is just good old fashioned patience:) Ive been at this for 9 months now and we are still tweaking and trying to figure out why my inches and weight are not moving in a nice trend down yet. Now it looks like we *might* have an answer and hopefully it will be enough to finally let me progress through..
HTH
T hanks for the input - to clarify (I guess I should have included all this originally - sorry about that) -- I weigh and measure in on Sunday mornngs - which is at least 24 hours after my last work out and it's "lucky" for me as TOM is Wed-Sat like clockwork - so those rarely factor in as a negative (but I get where you are coming from in that aspect).
LiveFit - in summary, is a weight lifting program. first 4 weeks is supposed to be non cardio, just pure strength training, however I walked at least 30 minutes at a low rate (I wear an HRM so I made sure not to elevate the heart rate) simply b/c I have had hip surgery in the past and the daily walk helps keep the mobility up.
I've been at this (with daily logging) now for 250 days already. Yes granted it wasn't always perfect (I mean who is) but I have not been so slack that any one day would derail me (meaning I may not get to log everything on a given weekend day here and there).
It's just frustrating because I have been doing this as recommended and have not seen any results thus far (albeit the minor ones I posted originally) that are sticking around. I am the same size I was this time last year, even actually a little heavier. I feel like I am honestly at a breaking point b/c nothing thus far has worked for me. I don't know whether I need my #'s reongfigured or what; it's why I posted here.0 -
Welcome to the club honey:)... I just hit 330 days today and I am 3 pounds heavier than I was when i began, and my measurements have barely changed. However my pictures tell a different story. There have been body comp changes happening that took 6 months for someone to be able to point out to me and for me to visually see it myself. Even though the tape measure still says different. I am still trying to figure out why after 9 months of heavy lifting, eating more and doing everything "right", I am basically still the same as I was a year ago..
I wish I could tell you its as easy as eating more and lifting heavy for everyone, but as you can see, people like you and me have to work harder and differently to get an answer. Im still trying to find mine.
First, your TOM ends on a Sat? But you weigh in on Sun? That can still cause bloat. For most women it can take up to a week AFTER the last day of TOM before bloat vanishes completely.
Have you taken a rest week at all? Usually its recommended every 4-8 weeks (I think) to take a complete week off from weights. Allow the muscles to repair and heal and for the retention to vanish.
Have you eaten at TDEE for a week or two? Might help to put the metabolism into high gear...
What are your cals at? BMR, TDEE etc??
One of the biggest things I have been concentrating on is the macros and making sure I hit the 40/30/30 ratio. Its been a work in progress, but definitely helped to clean up my eating..0 -
Maybe your activity level is set too high. I am exactly where you are and I think that I had my TDEE incorrect by thinking my activity was higher than what it really is. I just used Heybales spreadsheet and I now have a new calorie goal.0
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Hi, you seem to have gone down 4 pounds, is this right? If it is, this is a good loss for only 4 weeks0
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Agree with above and exactly the same thing for me and just recently I have had several people ask me if I have lost weight but yet my measurements and weight has been pretty much the same for what feels like forever! I think body composition changes happen but we don't notice it except in pictures and from what other people say. Hang in there and I would recommend having heybales provide input as he has great information and is very helpful and I learn something from his posts on others forums all the time. He is on my friends list if you want to message him! Good luck, I think there are lots of us in the same place and can feel your frustration!!0
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I meant to quote Rayann but did reply instead, sorry... :-)0
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Mifflin BMR you used as foundation to build on sounds like what you used with Scooby, because I saw no reference to BF%.
But Katch BMR based on BF% I've seen 200-400 lower, and when you multiply by 1.55 for Mod Active, even a 20% deficit actually has you eating at or barely below, sometimes above, best estimated TDEE.
If focus is lifting heavy that will make for great changes, fat loss and LBM gains, probably some muscle too, slowly. But so close to TDEE, little weight loss.
Also, notice you are kind of following the program, you are eating way less than 20% deficit, but eating back exercise calories.
Exercise calories based on what?
I see all kinds of places for estimates to be off, and you could still be suppressing yourself. Just depends on if all the errors are in 1 direction, or balancing each other out.
Start here to get best estimates and see if that suggested amount was anywhere near where you have been eating in total with your partial exercise eat back.
Then if you don't yet, spend a week weighing food servings of everything to see how far off you've been. Combined with other bad or poor estimates, you may have had no deficit, or a whole lot more undereating than you are aware.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones0 -
Preliminary running of the #'s thru your spreadsheet Heybales has me at 500 calories less than what I am now based on both the Scooby website (EM2WL theory) and Fat2Fit website (IPOARM theory) (both 2300 or more). I'm at work and cannot go thru the whole thing right now, but I will def check it out a little more tonight when I get home.
I have adjusted the macros you suggested though for the remainder of my day today and will adjust the other things after going thru the sheet a little more closely. I will report back
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