Working out everyday, eating right, NOT losing weight??

13

Replies

  • Posts: 398 Member
    OP as people have already commented your logging and exercise burns must be inaccurate. But I just wanted to point out that once you get that corrected then you shouldn't need to only eat 1200 cals. I eat around 1500, am an inch shorter and 8lbs lighter than you, and am losing, albeit slowly.

    Also while you're not technically overweight, if you want to lose a few vanity lbs then that's ok, but you could also start recomping by lifting heavy and eating at maintenance.
  • Posts: 14,776 Member

    I have a low BMR so I'm very aware of all my calories because if I end up with maybe 1200 after exercise (which would be normal for someone else and would be a good deficit) i would only have a deficit of 100-200 cals and hardly lose.

    It sounds like you're confusing BMR and TDEE. Your BMR is roughly the number of calories your body would burn in a coma. Your TDEE is the number of calories your body burns in a day, including going to work/school, exercise, brushing your teeth, etc. This is the number of calories you could eat to maintain your current weight.

    You need to take your deficit from your TDEE, not your BMR.

    There are a lot of calculators online to get an estimate of your TDEE: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

  • It sounds like you're confusing BMR and TDEE. Your BMR is roughly the number of calories your body would burn in a coma. Your TDEE is the number of calories your body burns in a day, including going to work/school, exercise, brushing your teeth, etc. This is the number of calories you could eat to maintain your current weight.

    You need to take your deficit from your TDEE, not your BMR.

    There are a lot of calculators online to get an estimate of your TDEE: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm quite sedentary during the day, I'm normally confined to a desk and don't move around much until I go and workout. I know it's because I'm naturally inactive through my work and stuff, therefore I just don't burn many calories during the day (not including my workout)
  • Posts: 7,237 Member
    You are in a healthy weight range, therefore any weight loss will be VERY SLOW. Set a reasonable calorie goal and be patient.
  • Posts: 112 Member
    [/quote]

    "I plug in my weight in workout machines and I really get in a good hard workout everyday. And I really don't eat much which is why I don't understand how I'm not losing. 130 calories of cheerios is enough for me, it's a one cup serving (100cal) and my almond milk is unsweetened and only 30 calories per cup. I measure it all out. I cut out regular peanut butter because of the high calorie amounts. I am sitting most of the day except for my workouts so I have to maintain a relatively low calorie intake so I'm not gaining."
    [/quote]

    Sounds to me like you are not getting ENOUGH food. And you also may be adding some muscle which weighs more than fat. Try playing around with your calories and try to get MORE calories per day and see if that helps.
  • Posts: 7,237 Member
    No, there is no muscle being added. You need to eat at a surplus and lift heavy in order to do that.
  • Posts: 386 Member
    You eat a lot of wheat like in your cereal. Cut that out and the pounds will drop.
  • Posts: 2,640 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ^has this happened yet, because it should. .Wtf is going on in this thread
  • Posts: 358 Member

    I'm quite sedentary during the day, I'm normally confined to a desk and don't move around much until I go and workout. I know it's because I'm naturally inactive through my work and stuff, therefore I just don't burn many calories during the day (not including my workout)
    You still are missing the point of her post. You are sedentary most of the day, I get that. So your TDEE is low. You keep saying your BMR and that you are eating at a deficit from that.

    NO! You want to figure out your TDEE and eat at a deficit from that staying ABOVE your BMR.
    Here is a good link that will break it all down for you. Please read it.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13
  • Posts: 1,319 Member
    If you truly eat that much and truly burn that much, you're leaving your body to have zero extra, and therefore it's going to hold onto every bit of body insulation you have because it needs to fuel it's basic functions no matter what. A month is definitely long enough to impact that survival tactic.

    No matter how many times you keep repeating this, its not going to come true. The body doesn't start to begin burn muscle as its primary fuel source until youre nearly dead.
  • Posts: 478 Member

    I do log and before exercise I'm always at 1200 or a bit under. My cereal is 130 exactly measured. I measure all my portions

    Measured how? If you used a measuring cup for your cereal, then you are not doing it correctly. You need a scale for solid foods and those measuring cups/spoons for liquids only. You'd be very surprised by how much that measuring cup will vary on a daily basis based on how it settles in the cup. As a result, it's very easy to go over your calorie goal.

    As someone else mentioned, I think your issue is more one of body comp than weight loss. You can lose another 20 lbs but if your not doing the right exercises to maintain lean muscle then you'll still think you have fat thighs, etc. I would suggest you look up Starting Strength, Strong Lifts 5x5 and/or The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Those will get you where you want to be.
  • Posts: 1,676 Member
    I've been trying to lose weight for some time, and relatively recently I've kicked it into high gear and really cleaned out my eating and started working out everyday.

    I really struggle with losing weight.

    For the past four weeks, I've been working out every single day, and as far as I know my diet is good. I cut out fatty foods and processed things, really overhauling from how I used to eat.
    The first week I really started I lost one pound. And then all I have done is gain from there.

    ( I know it's not much, but I'm tiny and also don't want to build much muscle in my arms; just tone) and I'll do 50 calf raises with 5 pound weights in each hand.
    This routine normally has me burning 450-500 calories and I do this at least 6 days a week.

    I really feel so badly because I look the same as I did over a month ago, and I know it's not a long time for me to be doing this but I expect SOME sort of result after all my hard work :( it makes me feel like giving up when I don't see any sort of result. Why aren't I losing weight?

    First what is some time? 4 weeks, a year, 2 years??? Because honestly some time says nothing.

    Second, you have only been doing this for 4 weeks. That's a month not everyone see drastic changes in a month. I have changed everything in 2 months and I have lost roughly 2 pounds. Don't panic things don't happen over night.

    Third being short doesn't matter you are I am assuming a female and you won't just get bulky that happens because people want it to happen. For real.

    Do you wear an HRM to get that calorie burn or are you just guessing at that?

    Do you weight and measure everything (sorry I didn't read all the responses), but your original post sounds like you are guestimating - that could be your problem.

    Stop rushing things and go with it, you will get there eventually but you can't expect things to just change over night you didn't get where you are over night you aren't going to change over night.
  • Posts: 716 Member
    I'm 5'1" and stalled out at 120 for a long time. Nothing changed until I started lifting HEAVY weights along with occasional cardio (now I'm around 107). I deadlift more than my bodyweight but believe me I don't have bulky arms. Don't be scared to increase weight in your workouts. (I also eat around 1500 cal/day and haven't gained in at least 6 months). Good luck!
  • Posts: 5,789 Member
    Where do I begin?

    One, toning IS adding muscle. What you are doing when you are toning is you ARE building muscle, and burning fat. You're adding definition. I just wanted to clear that up for you.

    Agree to disagree?
  • Posts: 3,731 Member

    OMG - STOP with the muscle is heavier than fat! Muscle is DENSER than fat, a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same. I really hope that is what you meant to say.....

    I realize that this is a bit off topic, but it always baffles me when comparing the weight of muscle to the weight of fat, why people would measure the initial amount by weight instead of mass or volume. Why would you measure out a pound of anything and a pound of something else, and then compare their weights? Why wouldn't you measure out a cubic inch, or foot, or whatever, of each and then weight the two? It's so completely illogical to assume that when a person says muscle is heavier than fat, that they mean a pound of muscle vs. a pound of fat, that it just flummoxes me every time I see someone make such a profoundly illogical leap.

    Muscle is heavier than fat. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. It's a fact. Stop railing against some imaginary inconsistency that is caused only by your own illogical assumptions.
  • Posts: 3
    Don't starve your body like that....It causes your metabolism to stop because it thinks you are literally starving...also, remember, muscle weighs more than fat! If you are working out, you may be replacing fat with muscle...Have you seen results in your measurments?
  • Posts: 58 Member
    OMG - STOP with the muscle is heavier than fat! Muscle is DENSER than fat, a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same. I really hope that is what you meant to say.....

    Since when did this become such a cool know-it-all thing to point out? Of course a pound of anything weighs the same as a pound of anything else. That doesn't mean muscle is "not heavier" than fat. Of course it is. It is heavier than fat by volume because it is denser. To simplify this to "muscle is heavier than fat" is as true as saying "stone is heavier than marshmallow." A person making this statement isn't contemplating pallets of marshmallow, but is implying the weight difference between similar volumes of each material.

    The point of using the "muscle is heavier than fat" conversational shorthand is to reassure people who are trying to "lose weight" (when really they want to lose body fat %) that if they put on muscle mass, they might actually see scale weight increase even though they have not accumulated additional body fat.
  • Posts: 1,319 Member
    Don't starve your body like that....It causes your metabolism to stop because it thinks you are literally starving...also, remember, muscle weighs more than fat! If you are working out, you may be replacing fat with muscle...Have you seen results in your measurments?

    Wow so much fail contained in a single post.
  • Posts: 10,161 Member
    I have a low BMR

    How did you determine that?

    Also, why is your diary not open?
  • Posts: 8,680 Member
    I'm 5'1" and stalled out at 120 for a long time. Nothing changed until I started lifting HEAVY weights along with occasional cardio (now I'm around 107). I deadlift more than my bodyweight but believe me I don't have bulky arms. Don't be scared to increase weight in your workouts. (I also eat around 1500 cal/day and haven't gained in at least 6 months). Good luck!

    The benefits of weight training. Good job a girl deadlift more than bodyweight= nice hamstrings.
  • Posts: 7,963 Member
    Your diet contains almost no fat. Continue and you will get sick.
  • Posts: 1,067 Member
    Check this young lady out and how she transformed her body weight training! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1281688-from-skinny-fat-to-fit-and-muscular

    Weights can seem scary but it real does change your body in a great way. I enjoy being in a room with all these men staring at me...*VAIN* LOL
  • Posts: 852 Member

    I realize that this is a bit off topic, but it always baffles me when comparing the weight of muscle to the weight of fat, why people would measure the initial amount by weight instead of mass or volume. Why would you measure out a pound of anything and a pound of something else, and then compare their weights? Why wouldn't you measure out a cubic inch, or foot, or whatever, of each and then weight the two? It's so completely illogical to assume that when a person says muscle is heavier than fat, that they mean a pound of muscle vs. a pound of fat, that it just flummoxes me every time I see someone make such a profoundly illogical leap.

    Muscle is heavier than fat. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. It's a fact. Stop railing against some imaginary inconsistency that is caused only by your own illogical assumptions.

    Read the last part of what I said before you get up in my business.
  • Posts: 852 Member

    Since when did this become such a cool know-it-all thing to point out? Of course a pound of anything weighs the same as a pound of anything else. That doesn't mean muscle is "not heavier" than fat. Of course it is. It is heavier than fat by volume because it is denser. To simplify this to "muscle is heavier than fat" is as true as saying "stone is heavier than marshmallow." A person making this statement isn't contemplating pallets of marshmallow, but is implying the weight difference between similar volumes of each material.

    The point of using the "muscle is heavier than fat" conversational shorthand is to reassure people who are trying to "lose weight" (when really they want to lose body fat %) that if they put on muscle mass, they might actually see scale weight increase even though they have not accumulated additional body fat.

    The post I was referring to was full of mis-information, and you should really pay attention to the last part of what I said in my response.

  • Measured how? If you used a measuring cup for your cereal, then you are not doing it correctly. You need a scale for solid foods and those measuring cups/spoons for liquids only. You'd be very surprised by how much that measuring cup will vary on a daily basis based on how it settles in the cup. As a result, it's very easy to go over your calorie goal.

    As someone else mentioned, I think your issue is more one of body comp than weight loss. You can lose another 20 lbs but if your not doing the right exercises to maintain lean muscle then you'll still think you have fat thighs, etc. I would suggest you look up Starting Strength, Strong Lifts 5x5 and/or The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Those will get you where you want to be.


    I use a food scale in addition to the cup measurements to make sure it's accurate. I can't measure every exact piece of cereal I eat, but by using both I'm pretty sure it's as close as it can get to 100% accurate
  • Posts: 1,530 Member

    No matter how many times you keep repeating this, its not going to come true. The body doesn't start to begin burn muscle as its primary fuel source until youre nearly dead.

    I fail to see anywhere that I said that the body would burn muscle. I said it would hold onto insulation aka body fat. This is a proven fact. The only time I've ever spoken about muscle breakdown is during VLCD and extreme crash dieting discussions so I don't know what you're referring to here?

    Edited to add: Oh, is this because I referred to a survival tactic? Seriously? There are several stages of body preservation that occur. There's adaptive thermogenesis that decreases your basic function calorie needs, increasing "efficiency" of the body, enabling it to support basic life functions on a lower amount of calories. There's the tipping point where body functions switch to a preservation mode, after continued low to no calorie reserves from intake, where the body basically says "Well, we're not getting food so we have to store as much as possible to survive the longest." The body will eventually breakdown muscle tissues before gnawing away the entirety of body fat, as some of said fat is used to protect and insulate internal organs and vital processes (including the brain tissues). The last step before starvation is the breakdown of internal organs leading to systemic failure and death.

    A person does not have to be nearly dead to breakdown their muscle tissues though. Anorexia nervosa patients are a prime example. They are not "nearly dead" when they begin to experience this process... Neither are people with hyperthyroidism or diabetes. However, all of these cases and more can result in protein breakdown on a systemic level, which is pretty well the opposite of the goal for anyone trying to tone or build muscle mass.
  • Posts: 1,530 Member

    Agree to disagree?

    Agree RG... Toning does not mean mass is being added, but rather existing mass is being conditioned. Granted, most people on a toning regimen that are started from nil will build a very modest amount of muscle mass solely due to the fact that they are likely putting enough extra strain on their muscle groups to cause compensatory growth... However, the whole point of toning is to make existing muscle mass more pliable and stable.

    All in all though, coming back to this thread after several hours, it doesn't seem like it really matters truth or not. Just another pick and choose situation.
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  • Posts: 8,680 Member
    And this is why I always say it's a bad idea to announce you are a trainer. Because when you give out terrible advice like the above you look worse than you normally word. Worst advice ITT. So much broscience it's not even funny.
    Wheat is stopping her from losing weight? No, just no.

    No she is not. Not at all.
    And if someone's metabolism stopped, they be dead.

    LOL we actually agree on something.
  • Posts: 1,319 Member

    I fail to see anywhere that I said that the body would burn muscle. I said it would hold onto insulation aka body fat. This is a proven fact. The only time I've ever spoken about muscle breakdown is during VLCD and extreme crash dieting discussions so I don't know what you're referring to here?

    Edited to add: Oh, is this because I referred to a survival tactic? Seriously? There are several stages of body preservation that occur. There's adaptive thermogenesis that decreases your basic function calorie needs, increasing "efficiency" of the body, enabling it to support basic life functions on a lower amount of calories. There's the tipping point where body functions switch to a preservation mode, after continued low to no calorie reserves from intake, where the body basically says "Well, we're not getting food so we have to store as much as possible to survive the longest." The body will eventually breakdown muscle tissues before gnawing away the entirety of body fat, as some of said fat is used to protect and insulate internal organs and vital processes (including the brain tissues). The last step before starvation is the breakdown of internal organs leading to systemic failure and death.

    A person does not have to be nearly dead to breakdown their muscle tissues though. Anorexia nervosa patients are a prime example. They are not "nearly dead" when they begin to experience this process... Neither are people with hyperthyroidism or diabetes. However, all of these cases and more can result in protein breakdown on a systemic level, which is pretty well the opposite of the goal for anyone trying to tone or build muscle mass.

    It's too late and I'm too worn out to even begin to argue your nonsense today so let me just direct you back to the thread where you were called out by other posters (which coincidentally you never bothered to respond to):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1279532-starvation-mode-is-a-myth?page=5

    Aside from that, you're someone who believes you can eat under your BMR and gain weight, effectively violating the the law of conservation of matter --ie creating something out of nothing.

    Your credibility speaks for itself.

    ETA: She didn't really say those other things, it was another person.
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