Struggling.. need help

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gracielou9876
gracielou9876 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

So I have a few troubles and wondering if the wonderful MFP community can help.

I am a group exercise instructor I teach a minimum of 9hours med-high impact exercise per week.

I also like to hit the gym 3-5 times a week for an hour or so.. My trouble is my weight does not change no matter what I do.

I obviously can't stop doing as much as I do (its work for me!) and I don't feel I am over-doing it as I have taught this much for 2 years.

Because I teach I also feel some pressure to look good - how can I be trying to make others be fitness buffs if i'm out of shape myself!?

Recently I have felt so pressured that I am resorting to purging - because of desperation. I wasn't bothered about my weight for a while but now i'm back on it again, so stopped the bingeing and started to eat better again. My weight hasn't changed this time round - I'm consuming 1200-1500 calories per day (roughly) what else can I do!? If I eat less then I will be hungry and will start to binge again. My friends tell me I already do too much and I can 'get away' with eating as much as I like as I exercise as much as I do - but I'm not happy with how I look in the mirror - there must be more I can do!! Although another friend told me it is genetics, i need to just except myself - is that really it!? There is nothing I can do to look and feel better about myself.

Any advice would be greatly welcomed, please be understanding and sensitive of this subject as it is frustrating for me and wanting some general help.. thank you.

Replies

  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
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    Well your diary is closed, so cant be much specific help.

    If what youre doing doesnt change your body then your body has adapted to what youre doing.

    Whenever I would plateau I had success in changing things up. And eating less or exercising more was rarely the solution. I did different workouts, changed the foods I ate, when I ate, etc.

    Once I bumped up my calorie intake and ate every calorie I burned. Did that for two weeks. Then slowly cut back, letting the deficit grow each week.

    Strength training has also had a big impact. For me it was just a few compound exercises but adding weight each time. Others have found success in crossfit or something similar. However constant progression seems key.

    I change my aerobic exercise from time to time as well. High Intensity Intervals, Spinning, Swimming, Step Aerobics, etc.

    Good luck.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    With how active you are it seems to me you're not eating anywhere enough. I'd be surprised if you had to eat less than 2000 calories a day to lose weight.
  • Workit23
    Workit23 Posts: 5
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    Well your diary is closed, so cant be much specific help.

    If what youre doing doesnt change your body then your body has adapted to what youre doing.

    Whenever I would plateau I had success in changing things up. And eating less or exercising more was rarely the solution. I did different workouts, changed the foods I ate, when I ate, etc.

    Once I bumped up my calorie intake and ate every calorie I burned. Did that for two weeks. Then slowly cut back, letting the deficit grow each week.

    Strength training has also had a big impact. For me it was just a few compound exercises but adding weight each time. Others have found success in crossfit or something similar. However constant progression seems key.

    I change my aerobic exercise from time to time as well. High Intensity Intervals, Spinning, Swimming, Step Aerobics, etc.

    Good luck.

    Great advice!
  • brazillover
    brazillover Posts: 15 Member
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    I think you're in starvation mode. You should up your calories. Good luck!
  • HawtSauce09
    HawtSauce09 Posts: 5 Member
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    Totally Boss advice!!

    Im a tiny tot and I hit the gym like a mega machine because i am in love with it. I am not totally consistent with entering my food in my diary but i usually push around 2000 a day minimum. Being as active as you are you need to get over being scared of gaining weight from eating food. if you eat healthy and steer away from sugar and booze on a consitant basis.. you wont gain weight from eating the right macros....with your calories so low you are probably burning precious muscle you work so hard for because your body isnt being fueled for how active you are. google calorie intake calculators on other sites like http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/bmr/ would maybe help to get a better idea?

    im currently tweaking my macros and do more of a high protein high fat, low carb scenario... but even an up in calories of a balanced approach of healthy carbs, fats and proteins will make a difference. and then like vorgas suggested slowly cut back or start on a carb cycle program.

    make may booze and any artifical sugar free! i noticed the biggest changes when i stopped drinking entirely for two months....hope that helps! and good luck.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
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    Are you weighing and logging everything you eat? I ask this because prior to starting MFP I thought I wasn't eating that much, but I was very wrong. People in general are terrible at estimating how much they're eating. You've got to write it down to really know.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    I agree with hot sauce. You should be able to eat more.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    You say that you teach high impact exercises, that's cardio right? When you go back to the gym again are you still doing cardio?? Should be weights if you're not.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Most of the time people binge because something is lacking. How are your fats? Fats keep you full. You should add some healthy fats like olive oil, salmon, almonds, etc..

    Also, I agree it sounds like you are not eating enough to sustain the amount of exercise you do. Up your calories to 1500 without exercise, and add in the exercise you do on top of that (depending on the day). Try that for a month and see what happens.

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