Frustrated: I'm having problems losing weight!

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♥Lexi♥
♥Lexi♥ Posts: 126
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,
I've been trying to lose weight for quiet some time now but I've been having problems doing so.

Last summer, I went on vacation and lost 15 pounds quiet quickly (approximatly 3-4 weeks). It wasn't intentional, but only because I wasn't feeling well during the majority of my 6 week trip. I felt nausious and had a loss of appetite the majority of the time - this is what I believe lead to the weight loss.

Once I came back, I decided that I wanted to lose more weight and have been going to the gym and eating healthy. I've kept track of my food and excersie and have on average kept my calorie consumption at 1200 cals a day and would work off 600-800 calories at the gym. It's been just over eight months, and I've only been able to lose about 5 lbs. I've been at a hault and can't seem to loose any more weight regardless of how hard I try. A friend suggested that perhaps I've been the same weight is because I have built muscle. But I have also been taking mesaurments of my bust, hips and waist, and no change. I've then concluded that I may have hit a plateau. I looked up ways to break the plateau but still no luck. My main concern is not my weight, but actually trimming down my midsection. I am at a healthy weight range and have a BMI of 22. No matter how hard I try, I still have a bad midsection.

Start Weight: 167lbs/76 kg
Current Weight 147lbs/66kg
Height: 5'9"

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Replies

  • Lauriek70
    Lauriek70 Posts: 2,087 Member
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    According to this website- you need to eat back the calories you burn while exercising. Otherwise your body goes into starvation mode and it will store the fats, calories etc. You might try eating more calories to replace the ones you are burning.
  • Windi38
    Windi38 Posts: 164 Member
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    average kept my calorie consumption at 1200 cals a day and would work off 600-800 calories at the gym.

    that might be your problem. I just started my weight loss journey, and I work off about 6-800 calories a day, but I eat anywhere from 1500-1900 calories a day. The body needs about 1200 calories a day just to 'survive'. If you are eating only that and then burning half of it off, your body is probably in 'protection' mode or something like that. I've read a bunch of posts on here about 'eating back your calories'. Most people on here say you should, some say you shouldn't. I'd never heard of it before getting on this site. But it makes sense. Professional athletes/body builders/etc eat a TON of food (not junk food, but a lot of calories) to maintain their strength and endurance and muscle mass.

    anyway, I've lost 8 pounds in 4 weeks since working out 6X a week, and not changing my eating habits at all. I've got over 50 pounds to lose in all, so It'll be a long journey, but I want to do it right so it doesn't come back!!! :)

    Good luck!
  • geetarGayle
    geetarGayle Posts: 15
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    you are eating too little on the gym days. You are in concentration camp starvation mode !
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    Once I came back, I decided that I wanted to lose more weight and have been going to the gym and eating healthy. I've kept track of my food and excersie and have on average kept my calorie consumption at 1200 cals a day and would work off 600-800 calories at the gym. Start Weight: 167lbs/76 kg

    eat more.

    1200 calories - 600 burned calories = 600 calories net

    this is not enough - your body is going to be holding on to energy for dear life! your metabolism is like a fire - if you give it too much fuel, you'll smother it, and if you give it too little fuel, it will sputter out.

    that might be a big part of the problem. it's different for everyone, but i would speak to a nutritionist about such a low calorie intake. this is most likely not good for your body.

    best of luck.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,220 Member
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    We really don't have much to go on. What sort of exercise are you doing? What are you eating? How long has it been since you lost any weight? How much weight do you need to lose? All of these are important in terms of helping you.

    Opening your food diary to us would help a great deal to answer those.

    My first thought is you may need to eat more, but not knowing more I can't say. You want a sensible calorie deficit, if you are not eating your calories back you have a crazy big one assuming you are very careful about measuring your food and log everything you eat.
  • ♥Lexi♥
    ♥Lexi♥ Posts: 126
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    Thanks everyone for the replies.
    I have changed my Food Diary setting visible to MyFitnessPal members. FYI: this week, I added "Quick add calories." For more detailed and specific enteries, go to the ones before that. Thanks!
  • ♥Lexi♥
    ♥Lexi♥ Posts: 126
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    Thanks for the info!
    You're doing great!
    Good Luck!
  • noltes2
    noltes2 Posts: 202 Member
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    Eat back your exercise calories, you aren't fueling your body enough!
  • AMBlass
    AMBlass Posts: 161
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    I don't agree with eating back your calories, but I do agree that you are probably burning too many calories for the food that you're eating. I have been recommended to eat 1200-1400 calories, and burn about 300 calories. But if you're burning that many calories (what are you doing btw - that is A LOT!) then you are probably not fueling your body properly. Try upping your calorie intake a little. I don't think you need to consume all 600-800 calories you burn off, but you might want to increase just a little...
  • ♥Lexi♥
    ♥Lexi♥ Posts: 126
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    Hello AMBlass,
    As for my excersizes...I work out for an hour doing fitness classes or I go on the treadmill for 60 minutes on the highest incline and fast pace.
    Cheers!
  • ♥Lexi♥
    ♥Lexi♥ Posts: 126
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    Thanks for the feeback everyone!
    Greatly appreciate it! I had no clue that I had to eat back my excersize calories. I always thought that not doing that, was what I needed to do to lose the weight. I'll give it a try this week and keep you posted!
    Everyone is doing great! All the best with your diets!!
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    Lets all be honest.

    If you have been netting 600 calories per day for the past 8 months, you would have lost A TON MORE THAN 5 LBS before adaptive thermogenesis set in.


    You are eating WAY more than 1200 calories per day

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