Why is my plan not working?

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kuroboxx
kuroboxx Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Although I have been semi-going to the gym since late november....I didnt actually get serious about it till late jan.

Around jan 20th....i began only eating about 1300 calories per day (veggies, lean meats, the whole 9 yards) and excersizing more frequently ( almost everyday) burning about 200-350 each session (cardio) and some strength training for legs. Although I ate those calories back so my body would not go into starvation mode and hold on to any weight.

At first it was working...I lost about 5 lbs in 2 weeks....but then on my 'free day'...i ate more than 1300 calories (but still under 2000) and literally gained back all the weight i had worked off in that one day ( i dont know how). But ever since then...I havent been able to loose anything anymore....

what is wrong with this plan??...please heeeeeeelp!

UPDATE:
age-23
weight- 158 (got it down to 153 at some point in my dieting)
height- 5'6''

and yes...free day as in i ate around 1800 calories or so. (although i didn't excersize on that free day....I did walk around for a couple hours at a comfortable walking pace...about 2.5 mph)

yes my clothes do fit better and a bit looser actually.... but it hasnt really changed much with anything else. :(

I just measure the calories burned by what is says on the machine and also i enter all the food on here that i eat very precisely.
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    by "free day" you mean a day on which you didn't exercise and should have eaten 1300 but ate 1949 or something ?

    How are you measuring the cardio - you could try eating back half of the alleged calorie burn in case it or your BMR is overestimated.

    Any other info like your height / weight / age and an Open diary might bring further advice
  • GiddyNZ
    GiddyNZ Posts: 136 Member
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    You are still in the early stages of becoming a gym bunny so it could be that your muscle mass has started to increase (an indication of this is that many exercises slowly start getting easier), this could result in your weight staying the same.. THIS IS A GOOD THING!

    Have you noticed that your clothes are fitting differently?

    As for the calories, we are all different so I don't know enough to comment on that :)
  • kuroboxx
    kuroboxx Posts: 13
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    age-23
    weight- 158 (got it down to 153 at some point in my dieting)
    height- 5'6''

    and yes...free day as in i ate around 1800 calories or so. (although i didn't excersize on that free day....I did walk around for a couple hours at a comfortable walking pace...about 2.5 mph)

    yes my clothes do fit better and a bit looser actually.... but it hasnt really changed much with anything else. :(

    I just measure the calories burned by what is says on the machine and also i enter all the food on here that i eat very precisely.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    Do you actually weigh your food to measure? or do you estimate?
  • kuroboxx
    kuroboxx Posts: 13
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    what do you mean weigh food? o.O

    i measure it on how many calories it is
    ex.:
    1 shrimp= 7 calories
    1 cup of salad=20 calories
    2 tbs peanut dressing = 70 calories.....

    I do measure all my food like that
  • GiddyNZ
    GiddyNZ Posts: 136 Member
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    Sounds like the extra weight could be muscle related.. if this is the case, the more you use them the faster they will help you lose weight.

    Make sure you change up your exercise every now and again, try new things, don't let things get easy :)
  • timrpm
    timrpm Posts: 57 Member
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    Vary the cardio intensity. The body gets used to even longish periods of low-intensity cardio quite quickly. You need to change the activities - run 30 mins one day [moderate one time, intervals another time, hill repeats another time, tempo run another time, etc.], do steep incline fast walking another, spin bike another day, swim moderately hard another day, do an all-over body weights program, etc.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Sounds like the extra weight could be muscle related.. if this is the case, the more you use them the faster they will help you lose weight.

    Make sure you change up your exercise every now and again, try new things, don't let things get easy :)

    Lol no.

    OP, get a food scale and accurately log your food.

    That 1 shrimp probably isn't 7 calories. There's many dofferent sizes for shrimp.

    And why are you only weight training legs?
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
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    what do you mean weigh food? o.O

    i measure it on how many calories it is
    ex.:
    1 shrimp= 7 calories
    1 cup of salad=20 calories
    2 tbs peanut dressing = 70 calories.....

    I do measure all my food like that

    Weigh as in with a food scale - 1tbs could be 15g or 30g depending on the product/person and that could be a massive difference in calories depending on food. Cups/spoons are not an accurate way of measuring your food.

    You could be massively underestimating your food intake. And if you are using the calories the machines give you then you are almost definitely overestimating calorie burn.

    Buy a food scale, weigh everything - you will be amazed, shocked and appalled at how many calories are actually in your food.

    Either buy a Heart Rate Monitor so you can estimate your calorie burn for cardio more accurately or don't eat all of your calories back (try just eating 50% back).

    PS To the person saying its muscle, it isn't - it MIGHT be water retention from an increased level of exercise but its not muscle. You can't gain muscle while eating at deficit, you need to eat at a surplus for a long time and try very hard to 'gain' muscle.
  • keyer23
    keyer23 Posts: 114 Member
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    I have hit a plateau as well. I have been eating very clean at 1200 to a max of 1500 calories per day. (In eat back 300 exercise calories a day). I work strength with a kick-*kitten* workout 3 times a week with a personal trainer and do other strength and cardio a minimum of 6 days per week. I am taking part in 2 "Fit" challenges right now. Both weigh-ins this week showed me gaining a few ounces, not LOSING a thing. If I eat anything off of my plan I put on a couple of pounds. Seriously. I know they say a pound is 1350 calories, but I don't need to eat an extra 2700 to put on weight.

    I am also looking to find ways to kick-start my weight/body fat loss. I'll be watching the suggestions that you get in hopes that I can also reap some benefits. Best wishes as you move ahead on your health and fitness journey!
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I have hit a plateau as well. I have been eating very clean at 1200 to a max of 1500 calories per day. (In eat back 300 exercise calories a day). I work strength with a kick-*kitten* workout 3 times a week with a personal trainer and do other strength and cardio a minimum of 6 days per week. I am taking part in 2 "Fit" challenges right now. Both weigh-ins this week showed me gaining a few ounces, not LOSING a thing. If I eat anything off of my plan I put on a couple of pounds. Seriously. I know they say a pound is 1350 calories, but I don't need to eat an extra 2700 to put on weight.

    I am also looking to find ways to kick-start my weight/body fat loss. I'll be watching the suggestions that you get in hopes that I can also reap some benefits. Best wishes as you move ahead on your health and fitness journey!


    A pound is 3500 calories not 1350.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Open your diary.
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    I think you are probably gaining muscle, as you said your clothes are feeling looser. I personally would not go down the route of weighing and measuring every bit of food I put in my mouth as I think it leads to obsessiveness (but each to their own, whatever works of you). Sounds to me like you are doing fine and just need to give it a bit more time. I am only 5' 2" and I eat 1600 and still manage to lose weight (I don't tend to eat back exercise cals, except maybe at weekends lol). I have just started upping my exercise and doing more strength work so fully expect to either stay the same or maybe even put some on but I am not going to stress about it as long as my measurements are getting smaller. Have you measured yourself, I think that is the best indication of how you are doing. Those scales lie big time lol.
  • joeherbert48
    joeherbert48 Posts: 47 Member
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    Generally you need to FOOL the body into thinking your metobalism has increased. This by eating lots of carbohydrates, For 3 days eat more carbohydrates exceeding your 1300 calorie limit if you have to. Anywhere from 180 to 225 carbs per day is good for those 3 days of carbohydrates eating. Keep the pattern constant don't think the 7th day is a day of rest and free day. Continue to eat 3 carb days and 3 fatty/protein days each week.

    Then for 3 days eat more fat and protein foods and hardly any carbohydrates (if you can) That means bacon, chicken, steak, pork, whatever meats you like but for 3 days not going over a 65 fat 16 saturated fat limit though if you can. A point here and there isn't going to matter much. Usually 4oz of any type of meats that are lean to very lean work great for this. Keep your carbs under 150 lower if you can. Work into eating less carbs if you can.

    What this does is makes for a metabolism roller coaster for your body. As the carbohydrates increase it won't store as much fat and on the days you eat proportionately fatty high protein foods it won't store as much fat and you'll begin to see weight loss.

    Don't expect 5lbs in a day as all this takes time once the water weight has been lost. Losing a single pound takes time even with a 3500 calorie a week cut down on calories. Drink lots of water and water type products (tea and such). Water flushes out more than you think and it's one of the things dieters don't do often enough.

    Also, remember waste adds weight inside your body, so if you're weighing after that meal of pizza and bread sticks sure your weight is going to go up. Best time to weigh is after going to the toilet and a good colon cleanser helps also. You can cut your weight down around 2lbs to 35 lbs (depending on your size) by cleaning your colon tube. They are just like pipes in a sink. They get clogged and stuff sticks to them also over time building up and of course adding weight. When John Wayne died they found 35lbs of waste inside of him. That's a lot of clogging and unnecessary weight.
  • torichantel2005
    torichantel2005 Posts: 42 Member
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    I just measure the calories burned by what is says on the machine and also i enter all the food on here that i eat very precisely.

    This is part of your problem. The machine doesn't know what your heart rate is or what your height and weight are. When I wear my heart rate tracker and compare it to what it says on the treadmill, the treadmill always says at least 100 calories more than the heart rate tracker which is customized to me. Invest in a heart rate tracker, not only for better work outs, but for more accurate calorie burn stats.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
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    Vary the cardio intensity. The body gets used to even longish periods of low-intensity cardio quite quickly. You need to change the activities - run 30 mins one day [moderate one time, intervals another time, hill repeats another time, tempo run another time, etc.], do steep incline fast walking another, spin bike another day, swim moderately hard another day, do an all-over body weights program, etc.

    This is what I need to do when I get back from holiday!!!!!!!!!

    I need to vary my diet, and vary my exercise - Shock this body!!!!!!!!!
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Generally you need to FOOL the body into thinking your metobalism has increased. This by eating lots of carbohydrates, For 3 days eat more carbohydrates exceeding your 1300 calorie limit if you have to. Anywhere from 180 to 225 carbs per day is good for those 3 days of carbohydrates eating. Keep the pattern constant don't think the 7th day is a day of rest and free day. Continue to eat 3 carb days and 3 fatty/protein days each week.

    Then for 3 days eat more fat and protein foods and hardly any carbohydrates (if you can) That means bacon, chicken, steak, pork, whatever meats you like but for 3 days not going over a 65 fat 16 saturated fat limit though if you can. A point here and there isn't going to matter much. Usually 4oz of any type of meats that are lean to very lean work great for this. Keep your carbs under 150 lower if you can. Work into eating less carbs if you can.

    What this does is makes for a metabolism roller coaster for your body. As the carbohydrates increase it won't store as much fat and on the days you eat proportionately fatty high protein foods it won't store as much fat and you'll begin to see weight loss.

    Don't expect 5lbs in a day as all this takes time once the water weight has been lost. Losing a single pound takes time even with a 3500 calorie a week cut down on calories. Drink lots of water and water type products (tea and such). Water flushes out more than you think and it's one of the things dieters don't do often enough.

    Also, remember waste adds weight inside your body, so if you're weighing after that meal of pizza and bread sticks sure your weight is going to go up. Best time to weigh is after going to the toilet and a good colon cleanser helps also. You can cut your weight down around 2lbs to 35 lbs (depending on your size) by cleaning your colon tube. They are just like pipes in a sink. They get clogged and stuff sticks to them also over time building up and of course adding weight. When John Wayne died they found 35lbs of waste inside of him. That's a lot of clogging and unnecessary weight.


    Ah ha ha ha ha NO :noway:

    35lbs of waste. Sigh.

    So much derp on this thread.

    Op buy food scales and weight your food. A tsp of peanut butter can vary wildly in weight -enough to make you stall.

    Weight your food for 4 weeks then reasses.

    Ps you're not gaining muscle on a calorie deficit but you may retain extra water. Which can mask weight loss for several weeks after starting a new exercise routine.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    OP is not gaining muscle on low calorie intake, whilst doing mainly cardio.
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
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    OP is not gaining muscle on low calorie intake, whilst doing mainly cardio.

    ^this.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    so much wrong in the responses here wow...muscle gain...tricking metabolism...cleanses...no Just no

    weigh your food and log accurately..., start picking up some weights eat back a portion of your burns as the marchines and MFP over estimate them.

    and be patient.

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