Stalling in weight loss

bkozma
bkozma Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I have a few concerns about my weight loss. I'm 5'7" started at 157 and in 6 weeks I've lost 4.5 lbs. I am working out about 3x a week- spinning for an hour or doing zumba for an hour. I am eating the fitness pal recommendations for 1.5 lb lost a week and eating 1200 calories. I have cut alcohol out, I am trying to also put quality food in my body not just restricting calories. I cut all diet sweetners out and am drinking water. I am starting to think I put myself in starvation mode, especially since I am in general NOT eating back calories after working out. Before starting my fitness journey I have no idea how much I was eating. I know I was eating at outside places at least 5x a week, if not more. I do allow myself one cheat day now-and it isn't anything crazy it's usually a meal with friends out and a few drinks. I know I'm not doing horribly and this weight didn't come overnight but I am getting frustrated. It is seriously hard to eat only 1200 calories and work out for an hour at least 3x a week.

Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You are probably eating too little.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

    Check the link to get some good advice that is simple and easy to follow :)
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    You are probably eating too little.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

    Check the link to get some good advice that is simple and easy to follow :)

    QFT

    I was coming in here to post just that, same link and everything.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    MFP is set up that you are supposed to eat back those exercise cals. 1200 is considered the bare minimum for women, and when you exercise and burn off cals, MFP adds them back in expecting you to eat them - you should be NETTING at least 1200. You could also change your weekly loss goal to 1lb a week - that would give you a higher calorie goal, and be more sustainable.

    Either way, your goal has a daily deficit built in already - meaning if you did no exercise but ate to goal, you'd lose weight - so eat your exercise cals back or you risk creating too large a deficit, causing weight loss to stall. Eat too little and you're giving your body a reason to store fat rather than burn it.
  • lauramcconnell7535
    lauramcconnell7535 Posts: 33 Member
    check your activity levels too, if you have it set to low, it wont be giving you enough calories for your usual activities. You should also try to eat back some of the extra calories you are earning from your workouts. I stalled for a couple of weeks and looked back at my food diary and realized I was eating to little, when I started eating a little more, the scales started heading downward again.
    Best of luck reaching your goals!
  • bkozma
    bkozma Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks everyone. I've adjusted my goal loss to 1lb a week and that gets me 1390 but I'm going to look at the link that was posted for more information. I will definitely be adjusting my intake. I figured as much but it's hard to make yourself eat more when you think the goal is less.

    Wow so my TDEE- 20% with light exercise tells me 1640. Well that explains a lot. No wonder my body is holding on to everything it's got.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    i don't know your proportions but i'm not convinced that you're over weight.
  • bkozma
    bkozma Posts: 3 Member
    No I'm not overweight. But I am out of shape and have no tone. I want to weigh about 136 which still keeps some curves on me but makes me lean enough that I'm happy.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Have you thought about weight training? Honestly, from my own experience and many others here - that's the best thing.

    And instead of aiming for a scale # goal, maybe look at aiming for a body fat % goal.

    For lifting, check out Starting Strength (great for learning techniques), NROLFW (New Rules of Lifting for Women), and Stronglifts (very simple program to follow). Figure out which would best suit you and give it a go :)

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