Why? Why? Why? No progress makes no sense!

Options
ilovefitness36
ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to figure out WHY I haven't made ANY progress in losing INCHES and I've constantly worked out for over a year with my new trainer doing sled training, HIIT, and now circuit training. I'd like to think my diet is 80-20.

I am 36 y/o, I work out 4 times per week, I currently weigh 129 (from 127 when I first started MFP), and my waist has ALWAYS been 27" and my hips 39".

I have fluctuated my caloric intake between 1200-1500. Sometimes I am under my cals and sometimes I am over, and I try not to eat too many of my cals back after exercise. BUT EVEN WITH THAT BEING SAID - even if I am NOT EATING enough or whatever the case may be. NOTHING IS BUDGING. How is that even possible??

I'm having a hard time believing "you aren't eating enough". Because regardless if I was or wasn't - MY INCHES ARE NOT BUDGING. **AT ALL*** and it's been like this for over a year! You would think that with even the slightest amount of cheat treats and all the good stuff that I eat, and the weight training that I would even see an INCH or even 2 INCHES!! BUT NOTHING?!?!!? I don't understand. It seems physiologically impossible.

Someone else on here one time said that perhaps my fat is being replaced by muscle, but is taking up the space. But what they failed to remember is that MUSCLE is more DENSE than fat, and takes up LESS SPACE!

So not the case for me. My clothes still fit the same. My upper body looks slightly different (improvement?) but my waist size is ALWAYS the same. My weight goes UP! But my measurements do not go down.

Am i doing something wrong here?
«1

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    Options
    No advice but I have the same issue. I'd really love to buy some new clothes. My weight is going down, but not my size. :frown:
  • ilovefitness36
    ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
    Options
    It's so frustrating isn't it?? I *WISH* my weight was going down. Instead its creeping up, but my inches are not moving.

    Makes no sense at all. I would figure if my weight was creeping up, that my inches would be too!

    I measure myself correctly. I measure my waist above the belly button (to do this I 'bend' sideways to find the natural bend in my waist and measure from there). And much to my chagrin - NO change.

    Things that make me go "Hmmmmmm...."
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    When I was working my butt off and staying within 1200-1400 calories a day I stalled out for two months. What finally broke my plateau was eating more. Eat back more of your exercise calories or lookup your TDEE and take a moderate cut from that (about 20%). And give it time to work.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    Am i doing something wrong here?

    Yes...9 times out of 10 this is due to estimation error. You're either underestimating your intake and/or overestimating your burn. Probably both. Do you use a food scale? How do you estimate caloric output? Do you make adjustments for estimation error? Do you have "cheat days" or whatever? Do you drink alcohol?

    What I'm getting at is there is an estimation error in there somewhere and you are consuming basically maintenance level if everything is staying the same. If yo're spot on with everything then you need to go see a doctor. It could be serious or it could be something as simple as vitamin D deficiency.
  • sunlover89
    sunlover89 Posts: 436 Member
    Options
    What exercise do you do? Have you been doing the same thing for the last year?
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Options
    Looking back in your diary, I'm seeing a lot of quick add calories labeled things like "Binge Eating/Drinking", as well as days where it looks like you might not have logged everything. Forget the quick add calories, and do an honest accounting of what you're eating and drinking. Then you can get a better idea of what's really going on. (Not judging, just speaking from experience.)
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Options

    I have fluctuated my caloric intake between 1200-1500. Sometimes I am under my cals and sometimes I am over, and I try not to eat too many of my cals back after exercise. BUT EVEN WITH THAT BEING SAID - even if I am NOT EATING enough or whatever the case may be. NOTHING IS BUDGING. How is that even possible??

    Sounds like your doing alot, your probably not eating enough.. You say how is it possible your body isn't doing anything.. cause it adapts to what you give it.. you give it 1200 calories, you better believe its not giving anything up. Figure out your TDEE with a correct activity level, reduce by a percentage and eat that everyday.. I am sure your BMR is probably over 1300 with your exercise you should be higher. Or you could just try eating all of your exercise calories too.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    Options
    Google "adaptive thermogenesis", or if you're up to a tough slog through some technical reading, try this link:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673773/
  • Vivian06703188
    Vivian06703188 Posts: 310 Member
    Options
    What the cat said. You also might want to cut down on the processed foods. You never know what is added to them. You do need to start adding what you are actually eating.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    If you're eating at too much of a deficit, you won't gain muscle, ie, won't lose inches.
  • christinefaith104
    christinefaith104 Posts: 1
    Options
    My waist and stomach WILL NOT budge if I am eating sugar, grains, drinking alcohol, or caffeine - even if my calories are where they should be. Basically now I just eat Paleo, and that shrinks the belly and waist. For me it's not just the number of calories, but the kind of calories. Read Wheat Belly for an interesting take on this.
  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
    Options
    I hate this answer and you're going to hate it too, but maybe you are just at the right weight for you? I think you look fantastic in your pics.

    That said, log like it's your job. No excuses.
  • ilovefitness36
    ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
    Options
    What the cat said. You also might want to cut down on the processed foods. You never know what is added to them. You do need to start adding what you are actually eating.

    I try not to eat processed foods too often. If by processed you mean "Healthy Choices frozen meals", they've never been a problem for me, and they are within the recommended daily sodium intake. I mainly eat really well during the day, complex carbs, protein etc. I have a nut allergy so I'm very limited to the amount of foods I can eat for protein. So, I often eat eggs for breakfast (i've changed it up over the last two weeks and started eating some mixed berries and yogurt for brekkie).

    I allow my self a cheat day (or two), because if I don't I will binge. My boyfriend is a hefty man so he eats a lot of junk and I've discussed with him to NEVER OFFER ME any because I will cave. I actually have to leave the room when he eats junk food!
    He LOVES ordering out. I will order out on a weekend, but nothing too terrible. I like more of a sit down meal at a nice restaurant rather than McDonalds, or BK etc.

    I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH EVEN ALL THE WORKING OUT I'VE DONE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BUDGED. It just seems like I am working hard for nothing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH EVEN ALL THE WORKING OUT I'VE DONE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BUDGED. It just seems like I am working hard for nothing.

    Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Just because you're working out doesn't mean you have a solid deficit of calories. Exercise is actually a very inefficient way of creating a calorie deficit. Working out is great for maintenance and will generally keep people from gaining, even if they're over consuming a little...but it's a really ****ty way to create a calorie deficit.

    You need to get your **** together in RE to diet...like I said before, you're most likely underestimating your intake. Looking through your diary it is easy to see how...lots of quick adds, etc. As others have stated...start logging accurately. Go out and get a food scale and start weighing your food and ingredients. Make sure you're getting your proper nutrition...try to get as much in the way of vitamins and minerals as you can through food...get 1 gram of protein per Lb of LBM or 0.80 grams of protein per Lb of total body weight...make sure 20-30% of your diet is good, healthy fat. Dietary fat is essential for shedding body fat and of course, serves much more important purposes than that.

    Once again...diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.
  • ilovefitness36
    ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
    Options


    You need to get your **** together in RE to diet...like I said before, you're most likely underestimating your intake. Looking through your diary it is easy to see how...lots of quick adds, etc. As others have stated...start logging accurately. Go out and get a food scale and start weighing your food and ingredients. Make sure you're getting your proper nutrition...try to get as much in the way of vitamins and minerals as you can through food...get 1 gram of protein per Lb of LBM or 0.80 grams of protein per Lb of total body weight...make sure 20-30% of your diet is good, healthy fat. Dietary fat is essential for shedding body fat and of course, serves much more important purposes than that.

    Once again...diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.

    SOMETIMES I JUST NEED TO BE TOLD :) *licks my whip wounds* :)
  • Jetta1492
    Jetta1492 Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH EVEN ALL THE WORKING OUT I'VE DONE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BUDGED. It just seems like I am working hard for nothing.

    Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Just because you're working out doesn't mean you have a solid deficit of calories. Exercise is actually a very inefficient way of creating a calorie deficit. Working out is great for maintenance and will generally keep people from gaining, even if they're over consuming a little...but it's a really ****ty way to create a calorie deficit.

    You need to get your **** together in RE to diet...like I said before, you're most likely underestimating your intake. Looking through your diary it is easy to see how...lots of quick adds, etc. As others have stated...start logging accurately. Go out and get a food scale and start weighing your food and ingredients. Make sure you're getting your proper nutrition...try to get as much in the way of vitamins and minerals as you can through food...get 1 gram of protein per Lb of LBM or 0.80 grams of protein per Lb of total body weight...make sure 20-30% of your diet is good, healthy fat. Dietary fat is essential for shedding body fat and of course, serves much more important purposes than that.

    Once again...diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.

    ^This
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Options
    How tall are you?


    Also, lift heavy. See results.
  • Jessandhannahsmom
    Jessandhannahsmom Posts: 6
    Options
    Try giving up all grains and legumes for 3 weeks and eating more good fats.if you keep your carb levels low, you will start to see results. I am about your same body size and had not been below 127 in years UNTIL I got off grains. Check out 'The Practical Paleo
    Book by Diane Sanfilippo, or www.perfecthealthdiet.com if paleo is too intense for you.
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    Options
    If you eat too many calories and exercise, you will still gain muscle but it will be hidden under your fat.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
    Options
    Eat 25% less. Exercise 25% more. Watch your sodium intake.

Categories