Looking for some advice

Dsharp909
Dsharp909 Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
Hello,

My name is Dustin, I am 31 and have been overweight since the third grade. Long story short, a year ago I weighed 279, that was my weight when I had the nerve to check it on a scale. With 300lb in sight I got motivated enough to finally do something about it. I went on the HCG diet, and lost 33lbs with that. Since then I ate whatever I wanted and walked 30 minutes a day on a treadmill(though I got myself off of Coke and got used to Coke Zero), using intervals. I was able to maintain weight that way, around 245.

In the last two months I've been on the 1st step of the "caveman power diet". Which is basically just eating nuts and fruit during the day as I get hungry, and then whatever I want for dinner, burgers, pizza, Chipotle, anything, just no snacking after dinner at all. Supposed to be water only, but that gets old real quick, so I have Coke Zero with dinner. The next step is supposed to switch to just chicken or beef for dinner with vegetables, as they claim the cravings for bad food goes away, which is of course not true. I've been losing weight steadily, and I'm not miserable, so I'm just sticking to step one. Actually I now eat very little during the day, a handful of nuts, and a little beef jerky. If I'm up late and start starving I'll have a piece of jerky, and I'm good.

Since I started, I'm down to 228 from 250 that I was back up to, as exercise had fallen off. It was 223, but my old scale got wonky, bought a newer more accurate one and now I'm 228 lol. Now that I'm in spitting distance of my ideal weight, I've had the urge to start toning up. I bought a Total Gym on Craigslist and started working out on it.

I feel good, however since the day I started working out on it, my weight loss has halted, going up a pound, then dropping back down. What gives? I know muscle weights more than fat, but from what I've read, I can't be putting it on as fast as my weight was dropping off. Should I ignore my weight and keep working out on it, or lay off the lifting until I've reached my ideal weight?

Replies

  • kimberlyblindsey
    kimberlyblindsey Posts: 266 Member
    I'm not a doctor, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I would look at a couple things as to why you are not loosing. A). You are either eating too few calories and you're body is now going into starvation mode, which will alter your metabolism or b). You are maybe doing some binging and not counting your calories going in which could exceed your daily burn. I would calculate how many calories your body naturally burns then cut it by about 20% if you can and you should be getting a balance of macros coming from many sources, particularly if you're lifting you should be eating enough protein and lots of veggies and a little fruit, and maybe some grains if you're not cutting that out. It sounds like your body is not being nourished properly.
    Also to kick start your weight loss back up I'd integrate a few HIIT workouts in a week, to get your metabolism going again, going anaerobic has proven to have an afterburner that lasts all day. Again just my thoughts, based on my own experiences.
  • Dsharp909
    Dsharp909 Posts: 3
    I've wondered if it might be because I'm eating too little, my appetite just keeps shrinking, but I don't feel tired, even after working out. I remember trying to work out on the HCG diet, which was only 500 calories a day, it would make me a basket case for 2 days and violently hungry lol. I hate the idea of counting calories, no idea how to even figure it really.
  • Annesoucy1957
    Annesoucy1957 Posts: 125
    when you start doing exercises, your muscles will retain water to allow repair, this water retention will go away by itself eventually.
  • ADMcNaul
    ADMcNaul Posts: 55
    If you're developing muscle, then I'd ignore what the scales say. It can be too easy to get hung up on what they display, if you feel like your body is changing in a positive way, then keep doing what you're doing.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    This is not at all meant to be snarky but instead is serious. Take this moment to stop with the HCG, Caveman or whatever artificial eating pattern and start training your body for a regular, well-balanced diet with controlled portions. That way you will establishing a lifestyle you can keep instead of going on and off different named diets that require you to do odd things. There are lots of folks on here who can help you with that or message me if you want some specifics to link to.
  • Dsharp909
    Dsharp909 Posts: 3
    I don't take it that way at all, and I get it completely. The HCG thing was just a way to jump start things, and get me from that extreme weight. I wouldn't go through that misery again. Actually the caveman thing did start as a diet, but I could see this being my new eating pattern. I'm comfortable during the day, no hunger, rare cravings; It simplifies a work day in a big way, no worrying about where to go for lunch, just have a bag with nuts and an apple, done. And it's perfect for hiking which I plan to do a lot of this summer. Weird thing is, I didn't like nuts before this diet, now I'm nu.. crazy about them.

    I decided shortly after I started this path that once I get to my ideal weight, I'd need to work out regularly, so I can eat what I want. I'm 31 and like food, I don't want to live on leafs and protein for the next 50 years.

    I'm leaning toward taking the advice mentioned earlier, keep working out and ignoring the scale. Though I probably should indeed up my protein.

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