Ready to throw in the towel

canuck222
canuck222 Posts: 7
in Introduce Yourself
I've been trying to lose the dreaded 'last 10-15lbs' for the last 2 years. I've tried everything under the sun it seems. My latest venture is intermittent fasting and macros counting and I'm not seeing any change. I work out 5-6 times a week with running and high intensity intervals with occasional workouts on my bow flex. I'm 39, 5'1" and weigh 134lbs, with approx 32% body fat. I'd really like to get down to 125 or even 120 but I can't ever seem to get below 130. Any tips on breaking this plateau? I can feel the muscle under the fat but just can't seem to get rid of that layer!! I'm so frustrated and ready to give up. It's so hard to stick with the exercise and diet when you don't see any results. Of course I've fallen off the bandwagon a few times in the past couple of years but for the most part have watched what I ate and stayed active. Looking for some tips from anyone who's been here...

Replies

  • November_Fire
    November_Fire Posts: 165 Member
    How many calories do you eat?
    How many do you burn?

    And on both questions: are you sure? Are your measurements of calorie intake accurate or estimated? Ditto your burns.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Its frustrating isn't it?!! Here is the deal, do you have any underlying medical conditions? Yes? Go see your doc. No?, You have to eat less than you burn. For overall weight loss its just about calories. However, you can usually have more volume of food (STAY FULLER LONGER) with less calorie dense foods. First, you have to log everything that goes into your mouth.....everything. You have to weigh, with a food scale all solids and measure all liquids. You MUST have an accurate number for what you are eating.

    Now, don't change anything you are doing except log accurately for a couple of weeks, see what happens to your weight. Going down? Good. Staying the same? Congratulations, you found your maintenance calories, lower by about 10-15% and go another couple of weeks and re-evaluate. Going up? Lower your calories by about 300-500 per week for a couple of weeks. Re-evaluate. Rinse and repeat until you get it heading down. VIOLA!!
  • canuck222
    canuck222 Posts: 7
    I aim for around 1350 cals per day and I do track that pretty closely. Not as sure on the burns. I just work out. My treadmill 'says' I'm burning 250-300 cals but I'm not sure how accurate that is. I have no idea what I'm burning when I do my HIIT workouts...
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I just did a quick run of your numbers......BMR is around 1325. I would call you moderately active so you should maintain on around 2000. If I were you...(weird, I would be a woman...ewww...) I would set my calories at 1500, log everything like a maniac, not eat back exercise calories and evaluate in two weeks. THEN, start from my above post. Clear as mud?
  • canuck222
    canuck222 Posts: 7
    So you think I'm not eating enough calories, prattiger65? I'm terrified to eat too many cals and start gaining!! I have been tracking everything I'm eating. Weighing and measuring everything, trying to eat higher protein and healthy fat and lower carbs.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    So you think I'm not eating enough calories, prattiger65? I'm terrified to eat too many cals and start gaining!! I have been tracking everything I'm eating. Weighing and measuring everything, trying to eat higher protein and healthy fat and lower carbs.

    No, I don't really buy in to the logic of eating too little making weight loss slower. Honestly.....I think you are probably eating more than you think. Also, it has been my experience when in a severe calorie restriction ( I think 1350 is close to severe for you) adherence is usually the problem. Here is what I mean. Last year around Sept-Oct, I was logging faithfully.....I would argue with anyone who said otherwise, But I was really cheating quite a bit and sometimes I would have a blowout meal and just not log it at all. I stalled and had to have a heart to heart with myself to get back on track. I ate at maintenance for a while to "regroup". Looking back, my problem was I was just tired of dieting and I was willing to lie to myself. Not calling you out at all, but that is my experience.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    double post
  • canuck222
    canuck222 Posts: 7
    So you think I'm not eating enough calories, prattiger65? I'm terrified to eat too many cals and start gaining!! I have been tracking everything I'm eating. Weighing and measuring everything, trying to eat higher protein and healthy fat and lower carbs.

    No, I don't really buy in to the logic of eating too little making weight loss slower. Honestly.....I think you are probably eating more than you think. Also, it has been my experience when in a severe calorie restriction ( I think 1350 is close to severe for you) adherence is usually the problem. Here is what I mean. Last year around Sept-Oct, I was logging faithfully.....I would argue with anyone who said otherwise, But I was really cheating quite a bit and sometimes I would have a blowout meal and just not log it at all. I stalled and had to have a heart to heart with myself to get back on track. I ate at maintenance for a while to "regroup". Looking back, my problem was I was just tired of dieting and I was willing to lie to myself. Not calling you out at all, but that is my experience.




    Thanks for your suggestions. I'll try upping to 1500 and making sure I'm tracking faithfully for a couple of weeks and see what happens!!
  • canuck222
    canuck222 Posts: 7
    If you would like to set up a nutrition plan, I can help you do that. I can help anyone set up a nutrition plan to reach his or her goal, no matter what goal it is. Don't give up just yet. Instead, message me for more information, and I'll be glad to help you.

    ignore this!!!!!!!

    Thanks, I will!!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    If you would like to set up a nutrition plan, I can help you do that. I can help anyone set up a nutrition plan to reach his or her goal, no matter what goal it is. Don't give up just yet. Instead, message me for more information, and I'll be glad to help you.



    Stop spamming the forums.

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