Can't seem to lose weight

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regal8r
regal8r Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a male, 5'11", 233lbs, 30+ percent body fat. Been going at it for almost 2 months. Went from eating whatever I wanted (rarely ate breakfast, when i did it was fast food), 3-5 sodas a day and little to no physical activity while maintaining my weight. Now, I'm going to the gym religously 3 days a week (10 min warmup and cooldown on the bike or elliptical) and ~40 mins of weight/resistance training, along with a 2100cal diet (drinking only water now). Lost about 5lbs, but they came back. My muscles are getting bigger and more defined, and have noticed that my metabolism has sped up, but my waist hasnt shrunk, and the scale keeps bringing me down everytime. Is it possible I'm just losing fat and gaining the same weight in muscle week after week? What am I doing wrong? Do I need to be doing something on days I'm not at the gym?
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Replies

  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    Please invest some time and read this link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
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    drop your cal intake some.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    It is extremely hard to gain muscle while eating in a calorie deficit.

    Are you weighing your food? If not, you're probably eating more than you think and therefor blowing your deficit.

    Weigh your food, log consistently. If you're in a true deficit, you will lose weight.
  • regal8r
    regal8r Posts: 10
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    I had 1 free PT session at the gym I signed up for and they actually recommended a 2500cal diet, but MFP suggests 2100, and even then I find it difficult to hit 2100cal, as I just don't/can't eat that much.
  • s2konstantine
    s2konstantine Posts: 12 Member
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    yes. If you are untrained you can add muscle at a caloric deficit. Your bf% is probably going down. Either get a bio impedance scale or get your bf tested at something like fitnesswave at regular intervals.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    Especially at the beginning, you'll have some time when you lose inches and not pounds, and vice versa, so make sure you are taking measurements as well as weighing in. When you first start lifting, you can see some minor newbie muscle gain, but not enough to cancel out any fat you might be losing.

    After two months, you should be seeing some solid losses, so barring any significant medical issues, you're not in a deficit. Can you open your diary?

    You absolutely can eat 2100 calories consistently. It doesn't all have to be chicken, egg whites, spinach, etc. ("healthy" stuff). Nobody can eat 2100 calories of that, day in and day out, without going insane. It's fine to incorporate fun, yummy foods. Take a peek at my diary if you'd like. I'm averaging about 2150 daily. (I'm bulking, so there's a lot of protein powder, but I get most of my calories from "real" foods).
  • regal8r
    regal8r Posts: 10
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    I've monitored it weekly with an Omron body fat meter they have at the gym and it hasnt budged. At all. After 2 months. Everybody says that men lose weight easier than women, but it seems I'm having a harder time than my girlfriend, and shes got a thyroid condition.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Are you short? Are you eating exercise calories back?
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    Body fat meters can be a little unreliable and can be affected by a lot of variables, including your level of hydration, but they'll give you a good ballpark. I wouldn't trust one to say that you're exactly 25% body fat and not 26% (or whatever, just making up numbers), but if your weight hasn't changed and the meter is giving you the same reading, you're not losing fat while gaining muscle.

    Have you gotten a check-up to rule out any medical issues that would prevent you losing weight?

    The most likely answer is that you're underestimating your intake or overestimating your burns. The good news is that if that's the answer, it's the easiest thing to fix. How many calories are you averaging? What's your workout routine like?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I had 1 free PT session at the gym I signed up for and they actually recommended a 2500cal diet, but MFP suggests 2100, and even then I find it difficult to hit 2100cal, as I just don't/can't eat that much.

    Keep in mind that MFP expects you to log exercise and eat those calories back. It is likely the gym used a different method where exercise is already accounted for.

    Are you logging exercise and eating those calories back or do you just eat 2100?
    Will you open your diary?
    How do you measure your food?
    Do you log everything?
  • regal8r
    regal8r Posts: 10
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    Here's an example of a typical day for me. I haven't eaten supper yet but its pretty similar to my lunch.

    http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k240/Joshua_Hafner/dailyfood_zpseb998c97.jpg
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Here's an example of a typical day for me. I haven't eaten supper yet but its pretty similar to my lunch.

    http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k240/Joshua_Hafner/dailyfood_zpseb998c97.jpg

    It's not really what you eat typically that's important, its just really helps to see the whole picture over days and weeks.

    But still need to know -
    Are you logging exercise and eating those calories back or do you just eat 2100? (could be seen in diary)
    How do you measure your food?
    Do you log everything?
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    It's not really what you eat typically that's important, its just really helps to see the whole picture over days and weeks.

    But still need to know -
    Are you logging exercise and eating those calories back or do you just eat 2100? (could be seen in diary)
    How do you measure your food?
    Do you log everything?

    All those are good questions (especially how you measure your food and whether you log everything). A couple of extra thoughts:

    1. Did you use MFP's default macro setup? Your protein goal seems low. The baseline recommendation is 0.8 to 1 g per pound of LBM, so if you're 233 and 30% BF, you have 163 pounds of LBM. That would give you a goal of 130-163 g of protein per day. I would up my protein goal to at least 130. Throw in some cottage cheese or an apple with peanut butter as a snack and you'll get a ton of protein and that would help you feel full longer.

    2. If dinner is similar to lunch, your sodium will end up being on the high side. Not outrageously high (unless you have high blood pressure or some other medical issue), but some people are just more sensitive to sodium than others. That could be contributing to some water retention if you're sensitive to sodium.
  • ReikiLove
    ReikiLove Posts: 26 Member
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    It takes time. I gained weight at the beginning too. You need to be patient, watch your calorie intake, and exercise. It took a long time to put all that weight on, and it's going to take time to lose it. Be honest with yourself about what you eat and make healthy choices. Listen to your body. Try not to get discouraged because you will reach your goal if you work hard. You need and will complete this your goals - you just have to stay on the path and keep going. Drink a lot of water. If you're hungry, drink a cold glass of water slowly. The water will fill you up, satisfying your craving for a while. When you get hungry after that, eat just enough so your basic hunger is satiated. Write down EVERYTHING. Being honest with yourself will really help.

    I had some weight gain after I started in September because I kept eating the way I did before I started this program. I started to strictly analyze what I ate and how little I exercised and figured out a way to figure out my diet, which encouraged me to exercise. My first exercise was 30 minutes on the treadmill. After I started feeling stronger, I would increase the incline, or pick a program that had different inclines. It really made my legs gain strength in about 2 weeks, and that inspired me to go up to an hour. After doing that, I used the recumbent bicycle for 15 minutes, which would take me a total of 2.5 miles. I did this program until I gained more strength and started to lose a little weight. I would then increase my time on the bike, going all the way up to an hour. I worked hard, beyond what was comfortable for me, but not to the point of pain. Now, I ride between 30 and 32 miles every ride, many times a week. Sometimes I'm completely thrashed, sometimes I'm not.

    Try to stay focused and see your goals in front of you. Don't think about your future self, after you've lost all the weight you want to lose. This program takes a lot of work, attention, and concentration. It's not easy, but you can do it. Maybe develop a mantra that you say to yourself when you exercise. What I do is find a really heart pumping song and just play it on repeat while I ride. For some reason, it focuses and energizes me. It might not work for you, but try to find your own mantra. You'll reach your goals and you celebrate your victories, no matter how small they seem to be. After a few months like this, you'll be amazed by how much you can do.

    Rome wasn't built in a day. You'll get there. Just keep the faith. :happy:
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    I had 1 free PT session at the gym I signed up for and they actually recommended a 2500cal diet, but MFP suggests 2100, and even then I find it difficult to hit 2100cal, as I just don't/can't eat that much.

    This seems more in line with your stats, if you don't eat back your exercise calories (with a fairly substantial deficit). Or 2100 plus exercise. Should work out to the same.

    Increasing your protein and fats will enable you to hit your calorie goals more easily. MFP sets these way too low, IMO.
  • regal8r
    regal8r Posts: 10
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    As far as my gym days, I have/had NO idea what I am/was doing, so I just decided to split each day up into focusing on one area (arms/back, legs, abs. 1 day will be legs where I will do squats, single leg lunges, glute machine, seated leg press/extension and linear leg press. arm day is fly, tri pushdown, curl machine, tri extension, rows, chest press. ab day is abdominal crunch and the exercise where your body is at an angle, you bend down and come back up (not sure what its called). arm and leg days are 3 sets/15 reps or until my form degrades. ab exercises are 6 sets/15 reps.
  • regal8r
    regal8r Posts: 10
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    Here's an example of a typical day for me. I haven't eaten supper yet but its pretty similar to my lunch.

    http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k240/Joshua_Hafner/dailyfood_zpseb998c97.jpg

    It's not really what you eat typically that's important, its just really helps to see the whole picture over days and weeks.

    But still need to know -
    Are you logging exercise and eating those calories back or do you just eat 2100? (could be seen in diary)
    How do you measure your food?
    Do you log everything?
    I'm not eating the calories I burn, i'm not measuring food (yet), and I try and log everything as accurately as possible
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Here's an example of a typical day for me. I haven't eaten supper yet but its pretty similar to my lunch.

    http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k240/Joshua_Hafner/dailyfood_zpseb998c97.jpg

    It's not really what you eat typically that's important, its just really helps to see the whole picture over days and weeks.

    But still need to know -
    Are you logging exercise and eating those calories back or do you just eat 2100? (could be seen in diary)
    How do you measure your food?
    Do you log everything?
    I'm not eating the calories I burn, i'm not measuring food (yet), and I try and log everything as accurately as possible

    Step #1 - start measuring food. A scale is best and fairly cheap, measure the rest. Without measuring your food you really have no idea how much you are really taking in. If you aren't losing weight, you are likely eating more than you think.

    I do agree with above posts about changing macros, but the most important thing is creating a calorie deficit.
  • Fit2Skinnyme33
    Fit2Skinnyme33 Posts: 127 Member
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    Reduce your carbs (or watch your carb intake). Its not just about calories you really have to be mindful of what kind of food your are eating and when. If you can't get to 2100 cals its because you are likely eating too much carbs, realize everything has a carbohydrate in it. If you did it mathmatically and you stuck to more proteins you would find getting that digit is easier to hit. So determine what percent of Protein, Carbs and Fat you should be eating and it will help. Its really not just about the Calories. I could eat 1200 every day and GAIN weight.

    If you eat high amount of carbs your body isn't going to process them as energy but just store as fat. So in turn you will see the scale not move even though you are working out gaining muscle, but your measurements will likely be changing and your BF % might slightly change.

    Logging everything is important. I mean every nibble. Its a calorie. Also I find "slow" digesting protein before bed, help from waking up starving and actually I lose some lbs quicker (example cottage cheese, Low fat).

    But honestly. I just did my hubs macros. He is 6'0 and about 250lbs right now, and probably close to 35ish+ BF%. His macro break down starting out, then adjusting, will be 2500 calories, 250g Protein 187.5g carbs and 82.5g fat. Then we will be aiming for the gym 5x a week mostly lifting and some cardio. 100 of those carbs will likely come from fruit and veggies, the other 87 will be your brown rice, sweet potatoes, etc.

    The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest. Reason why lifting is very important. EVEN FOR WOMAN!!!

    Also, READ. Check out www.Bodybuilding.com The more you read about nutrition the better off you are. I have read sooooo many articles etc. on clean eating, macros, when to eat certain proteins/carbs in the day etc. Its over whelming but just take one step at a time and make small changes and keep with it. I know thats hard but just keep it up. No one did it over night or in 2 months. Most people who have REALLY changed their body took them AT LEAST 9 -12 months. So don't give up!!!!
  • Fit2Skinnyme33
    Fit2Skinnyme33 Posts: 127 Member
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    Looking at your screen shot, notice the "recommended" setting has your carbs 2x higher than your protein. That's sooooooo off. I would try reversing it and adjust from there.

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