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Need advice - help. Please.

caarsen
caarsen Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 57, I weigh 155.4 as of this morning. Sigh. For the past month I've been logging my food intake reasonably carefully (missed a few days). At the same time I started Jillian MIchaels online program which is very similar to her 30 Day Shred (strength mixed with cardio 2/1) which is about 35 - 40 minutes of exercise and going for a walk most every day (new puppy I'm trying to train).

I upped my calorie intake for about a week, upped the weights I've been lifting and I gained back the pound I lost. I've lost half an inch of my thighs. and that's it!!! I would have been happy with a couple of pounds over the month but I'm back to where I started. I'm drinking lots of water, exercising in the morning. Reading way to much!

But I'm stuck and I don't know what to do. I thought that changing this would at least get me some results. I'm in good health. Got my thyroid checked. Cholesterol, blood pressure. Everything is tip top. I know I should be happy I'm healthy, but I would also love to lose some.

I wear a Fitbit and according to it I burn about 2000 a day. I'm eating 1,500 so I should be losing. Technically. Can anyone help me here?

Replies

  • SisterSinBin
    SisterSinBin Posts: 26
    Don't give up! Remember that muscle is heavier than fat. I know it is hard. I have been in a plateau for about 3 months. Just remember, it takes time for flowers to grow too. The wait, and patience will be worth it.

    Keep up with your food intake and Exercise output! What goes in HAS TO BE LESS than What is worked out!

    You can do it! :)
  • tonyrocks922
    tonyrocks922 Posts: 172 Member
    are you measuring and weighing everything you eat? guestimating can be the difference between 1500 and 2000 calories easily.
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
    If not already, weigh and measure what you're eating so you're getting an accurate calorie count.

    Since you've started an exercise program, most likely you're retaining water and glycogen to repair your muscles that aren't used to working out. It's usually referred to "newbie gains" and can last a couple to several weeks. The fact that you are losing inches means you're doing something right. The scale is only one tool to measure progress. You're using another one by taking measurements. Also take progress pics and pay attention to how your clothes are fitting and how you're feeling. So many factors can influce the scale it's rediculous. I "gained" 2.4lbs one week but the jeans that were a tad tight the week before fit perfectly the day I logged my gain. Go figure.

    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. It has a higher desnity therefore the same weight of muscle and fat take up two very different spaces. Additionally, you cannot gain appreciable muscle while eating at a deficit and women are not geneticallty engineered to gain muscle quickly, even while eating at a surplus.
  • caarsen
    caarsen Posts: 31 Member
    I am measuring. I have a scale and weigh pretty much everything I eat. I'm pretty consistent about it too. Thanks.
  • caarsen
    caarsen Posts: 31 Member
    See, ChangingAmand, That's the struggle. I'm not really losing inches. .5 off my thighs in a month doesn't seem like much for such intentional work.
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
    Looking at your food diary I would suggest you add and then look at your sugar and sodium intake. You're eating a lot of fruit - good, but they have a lot of sugars in them. Also, and maybe you're not tracking it on here, but I'm not seeing a lot of water. Even when I keep within my calories, when I eat a lot of sugar, natural or not, I don't lose. Change your diet up a bit too. Like me it looks like you have a set few meals and stick to them. Your body will get used to that and accommodate for it. I like having my standard meals, but I remember to change them up a bit. I am on a veggie and hummus for lunch kick that is tasty, but I need to change soon.

    Just my two bits....
  • caarsen
    caarsen Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks so much for the help. Appreciate it. Yes, I do eat a lot of fruit. Not much of a veggie person. And I do drink a lot of water. I work at home and am always running to the bathroom <g>. I'll look into mixing up the food part. I guess I like to eat the same thing every day because that way I don't have to think about it. As soon as the brain gets involved, it comes up with ALL kinds of other alternatives - cookies! Cake! Pie! Oh, well. Like I said, I have to keep going because if I'm not losing weight doing all this, I'll definitely put it on doing nothing.

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