Why am I not losing weight like i used too??

shawn1112
shawn1112 Posts: 94 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so here is my issue. I started My Fitness Pal about 7 months ago with a goal of losing 65lbs. Well I achieved that goal about 4-6 weeks ago, and decided at that time I wanted to lose another 25-35 lbs. I lost an average. between 2.5-4 lbs a week. While losing the first 65 lbs I would walk a few miles every other day at first then started walking 5 times a week. End of August I decided to start running, so i would run 2-3 times a week and walk on the days I didnt run. Well I quit smoking cold turkey 8 weeks ago and have really increased my running since then. I usually run 3-4 miles a day 5-6 times a week and sometimes will run 4-5 miles if I'm feeling good that day. I burn as little as 500 calories per day and as much as 1000-1200 per day with my running, this includes walking to warm up and cool down before and after my runs. As of now cardio is the only form of exercise I do, i plan on hitting the gym and lifting once I get down another 25 lbs or so. So after averaging 2.5-4.0 lbs a week, at first, since i stopped smoking and running more I'm losing 1-2 lb a week if I'm lucky, and have actually gained a few weeks. Gains have been anywhere from 1-3lbs, which is becoming very frustrating for the amount of work I'm putting in. This past week I have ran all 7 days and burned 800-1200 calories per day, and ate rite around 1500 calories per day. My eating habits have not changed in the 7 months I have been using MFP. When I started MFP I gave up pop (used to drink 2-3 cans a day), milk (used to drink a gallon every 3 days), all fried foods and fast food. Replaced snacks with fruit vs chips and candy, started buying leaner meats, eating more chicken and fish once a week, sorry not a big fish fan, have a salad for dinner once a week also. I wouldnt say I'm eating clean, but eating a lot better than i used too. I have always stayed at my calorie goal per MFP, except Saturday's. Saturday is my cheat day and i eat and drink whatever I want. Sorry for the long rant just wanted to try and include everything.

So do you think me quitting smoking has affected my weight loss and will this eventually balance out?

Am I not eating enough? A few people including my wife think I should be eating more due to me burning more. If so what do you recommend protein shakes?
I'm 38yrs old male 6'-0" and currently weigh 222.6 lbs

Replies

  • shaw131
    shaw131 Posts: 4 Member
    Congrats on the weight loss and cutting out the smoking!!

    Do you know your body fat percentage?

    How much protein, carbohydrates and fat are you currently aiming to consume per day?
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    So your a guy 6 ft tall eating 1500 calories and doing all cardio.. man your lean muscle is probably taking a hit.. I think you should eat more.. and You are probably overestimating your calorie burn as well.. Just guessing but 800-1200 calories for a run (steady state cardio I am guessing) would be well over 1 hour or 2 hours for it to get that high.

    The days of losing 4 lbs a week are gone.. your not really big anymore to lose that much.. the goal for you should be 1 lb a week and sometimes you won't see that, but eating 1500 any increase in scale weight is all water weight probably from a high sodium meal. I would definitely look into switching to weights and losing the cardio, and probably start eating more.. maybe 2100 calories (Increase slowly to reach it).
  • jmreich30
    jmreich30 Posts: 23 Member
    1500 calories seems kind of low to me on days where you are working out hard (running). I had the same issue I lost 80 pounds in 6 months from February to mid August and then stayed the same for about a month and a half after. I was lifting 2 times a week, cardio 2-3 times a week, and walking a couple of miles every day. MFP set me to about 1520 for calories and I had a hard time trying to stick to it and not eat into my excercise calories.

    In October I started an extreme fitness course, 5 days a week, lots of cardio involved, as well as weight lifting and kickboxing. I'm burning on average 1200-1700 calories on top of my Basal Metabolic Rate a day. I use a Bodymedia Fit Link to track how much I'm burning everyday. Working with the trainers there they suggested eating between 1800-2000 calories and increase my protein from 90 to 150g per day. In the 4.5 weeks I've been doing it I've dropped 14 pounds so its helped. To help get my protein I use EAS 100% Whey Protein, 26g for 2 scoops plus 8oz of fat free milk up it to 34g of protein. I do one of those for breakfast and one after working out while cooking dinner.

    I would try changing it up a bit. Your calorie intake is one of those trial and error type things that you need to dial in to see what your body needs especially after it has changed so much. I definitely know the frustration I 'plateaued' for a month and a half and it took some trials of higher calories and more protein and a change in workout to get through it.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    My eating habits have not changed in the 7 months I have been using MFP.
    I'm 38yrs old male 6'-0" and currently weigh 222.6 lbs
    .
    .
    .
    Saturday is my cheat day and i eat and drink whatever I want.

    You need to track EVERYTHING because if you are gaining your 'cheat day' probably is killing any deficit you may have. Your diary is closed so it's impossible to say but I had a very similar thing happen.

    If you have been eating way too little you have likely gone through some metabolic adaptation and now your metabolism is suffering. The only way to fix this is going to be to slowly add more calories until you are eating a reasonable intake for your height/weight. You will probably see a short term gain while your body replenishes but it's either that or you have to eat less and keep eating less (which is not a very smart thing to do) and eventually you will lose your weight and have the metabolism of a 12 yr old girl.

    May want to read:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077746-starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss
  • shawn1112
    shawn1112 Posts: 94 Member
    So increasing my calorie intake slowly is what a couple of you recommend. Do you recommend doing that with protein shakes? If not what do you recommend I should eat, more fruit, more meals per day?? Sorry for the questions but I am a newb at this.
    Listing what a normal day consists of for me., for the last 7 months

    6am yogurt and green tea for breakfast

    8-9am eat 2 snacks any of the following, granola bar, protein bar, fruit, or string cheese

    12pm lunch, ham or turkey sandwich on wheat 1/2 slice of cheese, with a bowl of fruit, sometimes left over from dinner the night before

    3pm snack on fruit

    5pm dinner varies from fish once a week, lots of chicken, vegetable, salad once a week or lean meat
  • shawn1112
    shawn1112 Posts: 94 Member
    So just a little update from original post. I weigh in every Wed and yesterday I came in 1lb heavier than the prior week and that was with running 7 days in a row. Yesterday I ate about 200 calories over my daily calorie count per MFP and did absolutely nothing cardio at all yesterday. Got on the scale this morning for ****s and giggles and i was 1 1/2lbs lighter than yesterday???
    Cant figure that out for the life of me, but anyway I bought some EAS Whey Protein today and I'm going to give that a try. I plan on having 1 shake with my breakfast and i will have 1 after my running and see if that helps out.
  • BillRicks1
    BillRicks1 Posts: 473 Member
    Sounds like you're lean muscle mass may be taking a beating. Your RMR is about 2210 with a protein factor of 160. To be sure your burning fat and not muscle, you'll need to get about 2000 kcal a day with 160grams of that as lean protein. Not easy but doable. After your run, drink a recovery type shake. I use Herbalife (no haters, please) Rebuild Endurance after prolonged cardio like running.
  • odddrums
    odddrums Posts: 342 Member
    You're about where I was last year, same weight and height. I started eating 2000 cals a day and was losing about 1 lb a week. You definitely lose faster when you start, and the last 30, then 20, then 10, then 5 take WAY more effort because your body adapts and you just get healthier.

    I'd suggest you redo your goals setting using your current weight and exercise levels, then keep logging religiously. If you want to get more into it start weighing/measuring your food and get a heart rate monitor for your jogs, MFP tends to overestimate your calories burned on that kind of thing. Also water is HUGE. Drink a ton and it will keep your muscles from depleting so fast.

    I'd also give weightlifting a try. All that cardio is hard on your joints and won't help you gain or maintain your current muscle, but a simple weightlifting routine, or even bodyweight stuff, will help a ton. Check out nerdfitness.com he's got some great bodyweight workouts, and it's a lot cheaper than going to a gym.

    You can do it, just keep at it!

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