Ready to give up

jelinzi
jelinzi Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Please help. I'm at my wits end.
I revamped my food and exercise beginning on November 1. I changed to mainly vegetarian diet (due to food allergies, intolerances, IBS) and began going to the gym every day at lunch alternating cardio and interval training with a personal trainer. I commute 2.5 hours each way to work, so excersing at home is not an option, only 30 minutes at lunch; my calorie goal is 1400 with a Protein/Fat/Carb ratio of 125/40/135 - but on average i hit 65/50/180, being right around 1400, and I do not eat my excerise calories back. I can't seem to get any more protein without going way over on carbs.
Anyways, I am a SEVERE pear shape, with saddlebags on my hips. (I'm a 5'6 27 year old female) I had been losing around my bust and waist (1 inch lost in each are over 6 months) but nothing changing on hips for the past 6 months. Three weeks ago I discovered the stairmill at the gym and my hips have slimmed slightly but i have GAINED AN INCH on my stomach.
BOOM six month of work gone.
I have not altered my diet. That is to say, if I eat one meal wrong, I gain a pound; if i miss one gym day, i gain a pound. Last week, due to work, I missed the gym four days in a row but kept my diet exactly the same and I gained four pounds. FOUR pounds in FOUR days.

I started at 150lbs, not eating great, and hating my body
Now i'm at 154 pounds, eating great, wasting my lunch hour at the gym, and HATING MY BODY.

I'm ready to give up.

Any help is appreciated.

Replies

  • jqh23
    jqh23 Posts: 311 Member
    Are you eating back your calories?

    Have you spoken with a doctor? Maybe something is preventing your weight loss?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Why don't you eat exercise calories?

    What are you eating that is high carb and high protein?

    Stuff like nuts, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, fish, prawns are all high protein and low carb?
  • jelinzi
    jelinzi Posts: 2 Member
    My personal training recommended that I do not eat my exercise calories, to create a deficit.
    I can't eat nuts because of allergies and intolerances (peanut butter is ok),
    i'm lactose intolerant so I have no dairy in my diet (soy milk occasionally) , and
    I don't eat meat (it happens occasionally if i'm eating someplace i have no control over)

    I eat poached eggs or egg whites for breakfast with soy sausage and roasted veggies
    salad with dark leafy greens and 1 tbsp dressing and soy milk w/ chia seeds for lunch
    smoothie with spinch, protien power, flax, cantelope and raspberry after work out
    some sort of homemade vegetarian chili, soup, quinoa stuffed pepper, etc for dinner.

    Not much variety from that other than the types of fruits and veggies.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You need a new PT!
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    u dont say how much u weigh 1400 calories is too few unles s u are 140 pounds
    if u eat to few calories u can go into starvation mode and gain or binge
  • oceanblue6
    oceanblue6 Posts: 76 Member
    i can see why you are frustrated. something is not adding up! one thought is that you should be eating your exercise calories to make sure you are not putting your body in starvation mode. additionally, i would definitely see your doctor, share this information, and have him/her run some tests. i wonder if your thyroid is out of whack or something. good luck and take care.
  • Mershon88
    Mershon88 Posts: 46 Member
    You seem to have a pretty healthy diet. Have you tried to lower your cals to 1200/day? Sometimes it helps give it a kick to drop it down for a week or two.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You seem to have a pretty healthy diet. Have you tried to lower your cals to 1200/day? Sometimes it helps give it a kick to drop it down for a week or two.

    You are kidding?
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    I'd say far too much carbs and no where near enough protein - try and stick to the macros ratio goals you have been set. Carbs easily get converted to glucose and that you don't use gets converted to fat. Protein takes much longer to digest and keeps you full. Combined with weight training you will tone muscle nicely as you lose fat. Eat more chicken breast and tuna (no sauces!)

    Also 30 mins exercise sessions probably isn't enough as you generally don't start burning fat until after 15 minutes when all the glycogen in your muscles had been used up.

    Try also doing some heavy weight training as the calorie burn lasts for much longer (about 36 hours) than doing cardio (HIITS is better than steady state cardio).

    To put it simply - more protein, less carbs, try and do 45-60 min exercise sessions and lift heavy weights along with HIITS

    I agree you need a new PT !
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
    My personal training recommended that I do not eat my exercise calories, to create a deficit.

    At 1400 calories, you are already at a 400 calorie per day deficit. The workout makes it about 650-700, I'd guess. You're netting 1100-1150 calories a day when your bmr (basal metabolic rate) is about 1500. So you are consistently eating less than what it takes just to run your organs and body systems at rest. This is all per the Scooby calculator. So I disagree with your trainer; you're already at a deficit and the deficit is reasonably deep already.

    I'm also thinking that the cortisol generated by 5 hours of commuting a day may be impacting you...
  • Anastacia1119
    Anastacia1119 Posts: 157 Member
    You need a new PT. Michelle is right, your BMR is around 1585, which puts your TDEE at 2457. In order to lose weight, you should be eating around 1960 a day in order to lose weight. NOT 1400. That is too severe of a deficit for you.
  • chuckd43
    chuckd43 Posts: 7 Member
    I personally do not eat my exercise calories. I work hard for them & want weight loss not more food. I would definitely see a doctor & get some blood work done, something is not adding up. & there is some great advice here so try some different things & see what happens.
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    just read this excellent article which is right on point for OP re carbs and protein. I also agree with other you need to up your cals (lucky you)

    http://www.thehealthygamer.com/2013/03/06/get-lean-for-the-summer-how-to-lose-belly-fat-fast-while-maintaining-muscle-mass/

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