Discouraged, not sure what I'm doing wrong

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mzrousseau
mzrousseau Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all, first time posting on here, long time lurker though. Like my profile says, 20 year old female, 5'10" and 244 as of today. I just finished my second week of insanity and I've only lost ~1.5lbs so far. I've been doing all 6 workouts each week and I'm trying to keep my calories between 1600-1800 each day with a 40% protein, 40% carb and 20% fat balance.

I'm working ridiculously hard with insanity to the point where I'm dripping sweat throughout each video. It's discouraging working so hard and being so controlling about my food to only see 1.5lbs after two weeks. Can anyone give me some advice about anything I might need to change? Or is it just a matter of sticking with this insanity stuff and the benefits start up more in the second month? Anything you guys can offer would really be appreciated, having a tough time right now :(

Replies

  • GeekyKellie
    GeekyKellie Posts: 21
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    You should take your measurements soon and see if maybe you've lost inches and gained muscle. I just finished my second week of working out for the first time, and I gained weight this week...but my clothes are looser.

    Don't give up!
  • nebulala
    nebulala Posts: 5 Member
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    Based on the advice I've seen around here (and others should correct me if I'm wrong), if you're starting a new exercise regiment where you're encouraging muscle growth, you can get swelling/water retention as a result. This can cause a stall on the scale. So even if you are eating at a deficit you will not necessarily see the pounds melt off really quickly, early in the program. It shouldn't last too much longer--I think you should try to stick with it for at least a month; if you don't see improvements at that point, re-assess your situation. Are you 100% sure that your calorie count is correct (weighing food, recording everything, etc?)? Are you drinking enough water? Etc.

    Weight change is a slow thing. I know two weeks seems like a really long time. Good for you on sticking it out this far, and best of luck!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    ...I'm trying to keep my calories between 1600-1800 each day...

    Not sure what "trying to" means. It would be helpful if you opened up your diary so we could see how much you are *actually* eating.

    Keep in mind that at your height/weight, you're about 45% body fat, so your BMR is likely lower than you expect.
  • 007hammers
    007hammers Posts: 2
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    Keep it up, don't give up. You will see results
    Make sure you drink enough water as well

    Slow on, slow off
  • mzrousseau
    mzrousseau Posts: 3
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    I didn't realize my food diary was on private, I just opened it up, sorry. I used the bmr calculator on bmi-calculator.net and it says my bmr is 1951.4. I figure I'm burning at least 300 calories doing insanity and my day to day tasks. So I thought eating at most 1800 calories a day and burning approx 300 leaves me at ~1500 total for the day which is about a 450 deficit.

    I'm first to admit that any knowledge I have is just off the internet though, so if my plan is off I'd appreciate any input to help fix it. Thanks again guys!
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Weight loss (pounds on the scale) is not a linear process. I tend to maintain scale weight for several weeks and then drop 3-4 pounds in a week. Intense exercise causes fluid retention, and the increased water weight may be masking your fat loss. My monthly hormone cycle also affects my scale numbers -- one week a month I'll be up 3-4 pounds. I track my daily weight on a calendar so I can compare month to month (and now year to year) weights so I don't panic when the scale doesn't cooperate.

    Stick with your plan for another month before you decide to make changes.

    My only other advice is to make sure you are weighing and measuring your portions and tracking stray calories from condiments and coffee creamers, etc. Sometimes those can add up.
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    Looked at your diary. I may be wrong but it seems you don't own a digital scale. Measuring in cups, spoons etc. is wildly inaccurate and you could be eating more than you think, therefore making your deficit smaller. digital scale is $20 well spent!

    Also
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804333-still-mad-that-you-only-lost-one-pound
  • mimieon
    mimieon Posts: 182 Member
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    I didn't realize my food diary was on private, I just opened it up, sorry. I used the bmr calculator on bmi-calculator.net and it says my bmr is 1951.4. I figure I'm burning at least 300 calories doing insanity and my day to day tasks. So I thought eating at most 1800 calories a day and burning approx 300 leaves me at ~1500 total for the day which is about a 450 deficit.

    I'm first to admit that any knowledge I have is just off the internet though, so if my plan is off I'd appreciate any input to help fix it. Thanks again guys!

    You should be basing your deficit on your TDEE, not your BMR. If you want a deficit of 450, subtract 450 from your TDEE.

    Anyway, are you weighing all your food and drinks?
  • djflowerz
    djflowerz Posts: 23 Member
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    I would increase your fat % - going for healthy fats of course such as olive oil, nuts, fish, avocado. I find that 50% carbs, 20% protein, 30% fat works fine for me. If I get more than 20% protein it's a really good day but I can't always make it happen. I would also make sure you are getting enough fiber and enough vegetables. At least half your plate at lunch and dinner should be veggies. That's what works for me. I also drink lots of water, green tea, and puerh tea. (Also coffee, I admit, with half and half - no sugar or artificial sweetener). Any exercise that makes you sweat and builds muscle is good (I think Insanity covers that) but I would also include activities that you truly enjoy and exercises that don't feel like a chore. For me that's dancing, walking, hiking, yoga, etc. Those activities alone are not enough for me to lose weight - I have to run and do weight-bearing exercises too, but if I tried to exercise hard core everyday I would get burned out. As others have said, be patient. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for the scale to show your progress.
  • djflowerz
    djflowerz Posts: 23 Member
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    Just looked at your diary. You must, must, must eat vegetables. You are currently on what I call "the beige diet" - this diet never works. You want your diet to be GREEN, orange, red, yellow, purple - you get the picture. You need to raid the produce section and visit your local farmer's market. I eat a ton of raw veggies but cooked/steamed is OK too, preferably cooked from fresh but frozen is OK. Also, at 244 lbs you are probably burning more like 500 calories per 30 mins of an Insanity workout, not 300. But you must start eating vegetables.
  • mzrousseau
    mzrousseau Posts: 3
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    I do have a digital scale and I am measuring everything. There are usually weights on the serving size on packages so I measure by that then just use the fractions to match it on the app despite it showing cups on the app itself. I definitely need to work on my vegetables, I've never liked them so it's always been a struggle to eat even close to the minimum amount.

    For TDEE how much of a deficit should I be aiming for? I used an online calculator and said my exercise was moderate (3-5 times a week) even though I do 6 a week because my job involves a lot of sitting so I'm not very active outside of insanity. It says my TDEE is 3016. How much of a deficit should I be doing for this then? Would I be better off eating 1500-1600 a day instead?
  • mimieon
    mimieon Posts: 182 Member
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    I do have a digital scale and I am measuring everything. There are usually weights on the serving size on packages so I measure by that then just use the fractions to match it on the app despite it showing cups on the app itself. I definitely need to work on my vegetables, I've never liked them so it's always been a struggle to eat even close to the minimum amount.

    For TDEE how much of a deficit should I be aiming for? I used an online calculator and said my exercise was moderate (3-5 times a week) even though I do 6 a week because my job involves a lot of sitting so I'm not very active outside of insanity. It says my TDEE is 3016. How much of a deficit should I be doing for this then? Would I be better off eating 1500-1600 a day instead?

    Well, usually people say take a deficit of about 10-15% or 20% if you have A LOT to lose (if you are obese). If you are very inconsistent in how much activity you have in your days, what you can do is use the NEAT-method (like the mfp method): calculate your TDEE based on your activity excluding any exercise, and then log your exercise and eat those calories back.


    Choose your calories, see what happens: how much do you lose over a period of time, is that more or less then you projected, how are you feeling health-wise. Then you can adjust your plan based on that.


    Note that generally you don't want to eat below your BMR, so as you lose more and more weight, your deficit will eventually have to become smaller (and you lose weight more slowly).

    Here is an ocean of information:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • mimieon
    mimieon Posts: 182 Member
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    About eating vegetables: maybe you can introduce some extra vegetables by sneaking them in your diets. For instance, add some spinach (or whatever) to a smoothie, it will taste a bit more planty and fresh, but it is still nice. What also works is chop loads of them them up small and add them to stuff, for instance in your ground beef if you're making burgers or meatballs, or add them in your pasta-sauce. Also, soup. Just keep adding a variety of more and more vegetables and you'll get used to the taste and perhaps even like it.
  • majowie
    majowie Posts: 30 Member
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    I know how you feel ! When i started working out and eating well, it took me 1 month to lose something. But i took my measurements and i was losing inches every week. So take your measurements, it will give you a boost :) After the first month, i started to lose weight, now i'm at 14 lbs lost. So don't give up =)
  • Csmcnevin
    Csmcnevin Posts: 29 Member
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    I did insanity, the full nine wks, didnt lose a SINGLE pound, but I swear by wk nine coworkers who I barely knew were approaching me and asking me what i was doing cos i looked like i lost 20lbs. I felt GREAT and my clothes were hanging off me. Fat takes up FOUR TIMES as much as muscle. Your losing the fat and gaining muscle. I promise if you stick with it you will see results. Just keep pressing play :)
  • sandrarella
    sandrarella Posts: 3
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    Hello, I am new to myfitnesspal. And i am feeling discouraged too, I am 5'6-5'7'' and i am 163 pounds. My weight these past two weeks have been fluctuating +2 and -2 pounds. I'm on week two of insanity, and this is my second time re-starting insanity since 6-7 months ago. After my insanity workouts i feel the burn and the muscle building, but I am not getting under 160 on the scale. I've been eating 100-120 calories every two hours, and tracking my calorie count, I'm trying to eat under 1200 calories a day. But why am i not losing the weight the first time I started insanity? Any ideas?

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