Weightloss problem

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bandchick
bandchick Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
I workout 5 to 7 days a week. my caloric intake is to be 1200 a day before exercise. I stay under the 1200 and will exercise 400-800 calories at the gym using my polar F6 watch and heart monitor. The first two weeks I lost a pound. The third week I only lost..2. This is really frustrating me because the program stated that if i had under 1200 calories a day that I would lose. 1.5 lbs a week and I'm now barely losing a pound. Any advice on what I could be doing wrong?

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  • Red13
    Red13 Posts: 287 Member
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    if you don't have that much to lose to being with, 1 lb a week is a good goal and you've been accomplishing that. If you're worried about that extra 1/2 a pound you could be losing I wouldn't stress about it. You're probably gaining muscle or retaining water.
  • nikkijennings
    nikkijennings Posts: 130 Member
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    I workout 5 to 7 days a week. my caloric intake is to be 1200 a day before exercise. I stay under the 1200 and will exercise 400-800 calories at the gym using my polar F6 watch and heart monitor. The first two weeks I lost a pound. The third week I only lost..2. This is really frustrating me because the program stated that if i had under 1200 calories a day that I would lose. 1.5 lbs a week and I'm now barely losing a pound. Any advice on what I could be doing wrong?

    I have learnt very quickly from here that you need to eat at LEAST 1200 calories a day else your body will go into starvation mode.... I am eating more, yet losing more.... it's great!!!!!
  • dreamm
    dreamm Posts: 23 Member
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    You are probably changing body fat to muscle which weighs much more. Think you are also way below your calories with the excercise. Too little can have the opposite effect, thus body will hold as it thinks it's being starved.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I have the same problem. I am promised a 1lb or more loss by my goal setter but don't lose anything. The common reasons are:

    1. Overestimating calorie burn, you have a heart rate monitor, but maybe your activity level is off
    2. Underestimating calories - usually due to portion size issues, consider using a scale or other measuring tool
    3. Not eating enough is popular, ie you should eat most of your exercise calories
    4. Water retention from too much sodium or carbs is tricking you, drink more water
    5. Muscle gains offsetting fat loss, usually people don't gain enough muscle in a calorie deficit to affect weight, though

    That being said, I'm in the same boat when it comes to trying to lose my last 2 "safety pounds". Getting very frustrated, I hope we both find a solution soon :flowerforyou:
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
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    fat to muscle could the the one reason, or your body is just staying in starvation mode and trying to hang on to as much fat as possible.
  • nikkijennings
    nikkijennings Posts: 130 Member
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    Oh yes!!! Just wanted to add that my 11lbs is in 3 weeks...... which is fab from eating more!!!! Also that Red13 is right, if you don't have a great deal to lose then that is completely normal.... I am trying to lose circa 80 lbs! :explode:

    Red is also right about the muscle/water too :smile:

    I have also exercised very little in that three weeks through illness and hospital. :sad:
  • valmaebel
    valmaebel Posts: 1,045 Member
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    Nikki is correct about making sure you should eat back any calories you burn from exercise. Otherwise your body starts to create large amounts of a stress hormone that causes your body to conserve fat at all costs. Make sure the calories you're eating are high in fiber. This keeps your body running, and you feel full longer. Also, make sure you take at least 2 days off a week for your body to rest from your workouts. Otherwise your body becomes stressed. Your body needs time to recover so it is possible to workout too much if you aren't giving it the time to rest and recover each week. The same goes with making sure you get enough sleep at night, etc. Drink plenty of water!
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
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    I'd also like to add that you need to make sure you do a good mix of high/low intensity cardio and strength training at the gym too.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Sometimes a combination of high volume/high intensity exercise plus low calorie intake ends up working against you rather than for you.

    You might find this interesting:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • spaniel
    spaniel Posts: 468
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    Azdak: Thank you so much for suggesting the website. The premise makes so much sense. This may be why after 8 months on MFP, exercising like crazy, etc. I have not lost even 1/2 pound.
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
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    I think that you are probably way under on your caloric intake. If you are exercising that much, but eating less than 1200 calories a day, your body may be using up your body's supply of protein (i.e. your muscles) as fuel. This will slow your weight loss progress even more, as your resting metabolism will be greatly decreased. This is in addition to the "starvation mode" that your body will regress to when your calorie intake is too low. Try eating back some of those calories that you are burning for exercise, with an emphasis on lean protein and healthy carbs.
  • tiffaniball06
    tiffaniball06 Posts: 20
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    i try to eat half of my workout calories back and i have been losin about a pound and a half a week.
  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
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    You dont seem to have very much to lose so 0.5-1 lbs a week average is a fine safe pace. Try to lose more than that and you'll start burning much more muscle than you'd like to (you'll likely do anyway but the idea in exercise and optimal diet is to minimize that). The higher deficits are for people with a lot to lose. Also remember to eat back all your exercise calories to keep the optimal deficit.
  • nikkijennings
    nikkijennings Posts: 130 Member
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    Sometimes a combination of high volume/high intensity exercise plus low calorie intake ends up working against you rather than for you.

    You might find this interesting:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    LOVE the link!!! I can see sooo much of myself in that.... and also explains why I am losing without exercising very much at the moment..... Loved it, loved it, loved it!! (and for those who bother to read it.... this is my personality type!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Ha ha ha :laugh:
  • bandchick
    bandchick Posts: 22
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    Thanks everyone. I will have to keep that in mind. Its been a while since I lost weight. I was 180 and got down to 127 but I went back up to 140 over the past year so I want 125 this time. My bf is doing it with me. Guess I am spazing cause he barely worksout and eats fastfood but loses weight eatting on less item. One thing for sure is my stomach shrank

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