How long did it take?

onehicchic · January 2011

I've been keeping to my diet. I'm eating 1200 calories (healthy foods) and working out 3 times a week. I have not lost one pound yet. I'm going on 3 weeks. How long did it take for you to start dropping weight? I know it differs from body types and how much weight you have to lose. I'm 5'2 and weigh 155 pounds. My goal is 130. My friends who weigh more than me and same height have already dropped 4 pounds in the past couple of weeks.

MissAnjy · January 2011

everyone is going to ask you if you've been eating back your exercise calories

alphasigalum · January 2011

Have you thought about maybe you are not eating enough? I know that may be hard to believe, but you may not be eating enough. Also, what do your 1200 calories consist of? Also, are you eating your calories you earn when working out? You should eat some of them, at least.

eheinze12 · January 2011

well they do weigh more than you but same height so that could make a difference. After about 4 weeks your body gets used to your activity, so you'll have to change it up soon. What is the length of your workouts? I know I have heard if you are not hitting at least 30 minutes with your heart rate elevated, it doesn't do much for you. I am not if that is correct or not but. I actually heard your supposed to do about an hour 3x a week at least.

Let us know. I'm sure it will be asked.

theatr3geek · January 2011

I was similar to your body type. I was 5'3'' and 160. I am now 118 and shrinking by the day

But I did have to eat a little under 1200 =/ It stinks, but being petite means adjusting what you eat to that. Don't go too far under 1200 though. I ate around 1000 for a while. Keep your body guessing though! Eat 1200 one day, 1000 the next, 900 the next, 1400 the next. Never eat EXACTLY the same amount or your body will get stuck in a rut.

You also may need to exercise more. I exercise every single day for at least 45 minutes. It's tedious, but it really does work.

Duganhorse · January 2011

Hmmm. Generally you should see some weight loss within the first week or so. Perhaps you should check into the types of foods you are eating. Also if you are burning alot of calories during exercise you want to make sure you are eating more that the 1200 calories. You will lose weight faster if your body has enough calories to function properly. You might also ask your doctor in case you have a medical reason. Best of luck.

mariasheehan · January 2011

hi there,

I started losing straight away, (first week). But I was eating a lot more than 1200 calories a day, is that the recommended amount suggested by MFP for you? it just sounds very low. On the days you are exercising are you eating your exercise calories as well?? How is your sodium intake? are you drinking enough water????

I decided to do this very slowly as I wanted it to be a way of life. My start weight was 172 and it really has come off slowly but consistently. I've lost 22lbs in a total of 5 months.

MissAnjy · January 2011

I was similar to your body type. I was 5'3'' and 160. I am now 118 and shrinking by the day But I did have to eat a little under 1200 =/ It stinks, but being petite means adjusting what you eat to that. Don't go too far under 1200 though. I ate around 1000 for a while. Keep your body guessing though! Eat 1200 one day, 1000 the next, 900 the next, 1400 the next. Never eat EXACTLY the same amount or your body will get stuck in a rut.

You also may need to exercise more. I exercise every single day for at least 45 minutes. It's tedious, but it really does work.

I don't recommend this AT ALL. My mother is a petite woman and she still needs 1200 to survive normally. Never go below 1200. You're probably not eating enough if you're working out that much. Do not put yourself into starvation mode, that's NOT the way to lose weight in a healthy way.

k4evans1 · January 2011

I am in the same situation so I can't be of too much help however, I did hear something online today. Someone said that having too much protein and drinking too much water can cause you to not loose weight. In an effort to be healthier I was consuming more of both. I might try to reduce these a bit and see if it helps me...

roylawrence87 · January 2011

I lost 12 pounds in the first week. But then again, I was at 270. I also ate like no ones business. But I also became a vegan overnight. That really propelled my weight loss.

onehicchic · January 2011

Nope, I have not. I don't log my exercise in daily. So I am going strictly by the 1200 calories I am supposed to eat.

Dakota1235 · January 2011

I wouldn't go under 1200, but I'd switch it up, one day eat 1200 and then have a day where you eat 1400. ALSO try doing measurement, sometimes you won't see a difference on the scale but you'll be dropping inches. What type of exercise are you doing? You could be dropping fat and gaining mucscle. The composition of your body might be changing, but not the weight, yet. Also are you being honest on your diary? Are you recording everything that goes in your mouth and measuring everything? I use measuring cups and a food scale for everything I eat. It's easy to underestimate the size of things, and once you make measuring a part of your routine it gets pretty easy.

missindepndnt86 · January 2011

Have you noticed a difference in the way your clothes are fitting? You may be building more muscle if your clothes are fitting differently but the number of pounds aren't changing. It's been 2 weeks for me and I've lost 4lbs. Although we have completely different body types... Just a thought though.

onehicchic · January 2011

well they do weigh more than you but same height so that could make a difference. After about 4 weeks your body gets used to your activity, so you'll have to change it up soon. What is the length of your workouts? I know I have heard if you are not hitting at least 30 minutes with your heart rate elevated, it doesn't do much for you. I am not if that is correct or not but. I actually heard your supposed to do about an hour 3x a week at least. Let us know. I'm sure it will be asked.

I was working out for 1 hour, this week I have to cut it back to walking for 30 minutes only. I'm working my way up to walking longer.

lacharp · January 2011

I would think you should be seeing something come off by now... I've been in your shoes before though where I was dieting and exercising and the scale wasn't budging, and some things that helped were first making sure I was reading all the labels. I was bringing a lot of frozen meals to work for lunch b/c they were convenient but then I realized that even though they were low cal/low fat they were packed with sodium. Once I switched off those I started to see the weight come off. Second, adjust the amount of carbs and proteins you're getting until you find the right balance for you. I found that upping the amount of protein I was eating made a big difference for me, but for you it might be having more carbs. It all depends on your body.

Lastly, for me, when the scale wasn't budging it led me to discover that my thyroid was actually sluggish. I was frustrated because I was working out almost daily and keeping to 1200-1500 calories daily. I was at a routine check up when I mentioned this frustration to my doctor. He immediately ran bloodwork to check my thyroid and found out it was underactive. If you continue to not see results I would strongly recommend seeing your doctor to find out of there isn't something going on that's keeping you from losing the weight.

Good luck!

onehicchic · January 2011

Thanks everyone for your replies. YES I am be honest on my diary. I record everything! I eat fruits and veggies. Lean meats, I don't use measuring cups. But i worked in a kitchen, i know about what a cup of something looks like. I do drink lots of water. close to 2 liters a day. That is something I have always done. I was wondering if I am not taking in enough calories. This thing tells me to eat 1200 a day. I feel like I am starving half the time. maybe my body is freaking out about the new eating habits and its storing fat? HAHA I've been working out 3 days a week for an hour each day, walking for 20 minutes and the rest of the time on weights. I kind of hurt myself. SO for now I am only walking. I upped my time to 30 minutes walking, eventually I will walk longer and faster. Maybe I will change it up, walk one day and do the elliptical another day.
I guess I need to learn patience. lol

onehicchic · January 2011

I would think you should be seeing something come off by now... I've been in your shoes before though where I was dieting and exercising and the scale wasn't budging, and some things that helped were first making sure I was reading all the labels. I was bringing a lot of frozen meals to work for lunch b/c they were convenient but then I realized that even though they were low cal/low fat they were packed with sodium. Once I switched off those I started to see the weight come off. Second, adjust the amount of carbs and proteins you're getting until you find the right balance for you. I found that upping the amount of protein I was eating made a big difference for me, but for you it might be having more carbs. It all depends on your body.

Lastly, for me, when the scale wasn't budging it led me to discover that my thyroid was actually sluggish. I was frustrated because I was working out almost daily and keeping to 1200-1500 calories daily. I was at a routine check up when I mentioned this frustration to my doctor. He immediately ran bloodwork to check my thyroid and found out it was underactive. If you continue to not see results I would strongly recommend seeing your doctor to find out of there isn't something going on that's keeping you from losing the weight.

Good luck!

I didn't think about the sodium and carbs. If i eat frozen dinners, its the lean cuisines or healthy choice. I've had blood work done. Its all good.

krubinic57 · January 2011

January 2010 I started going to a personal trainer. It took every bit of 6 weeks to get my metabolism to kick in at a higher speed. I had great success with him and lost 25 lbs. and 11% body fat in 12 weeks. I started out on 1200 calories to create my deficit, then increased to 1400 as I progressed. But then I needed to be placed on hormone therapy which is equivalent to steroids and gained 1/2 my loss back. However, I am picking myself up from the downfall and fighting back. I am 5 ft. 4 1/2 in. and am 53 years old and if ANYONE has a sluggish metabolism, it would be ME!

Here is the plan my personal trainer developed for me.......he told me no excuses, no I can'ts, just do it because this is what you HAVE to do to get the metabolism rolling: (I am healthy and have no medical issues holding me back)

Cardio - preferably in the a.m. for no less than 30 minutes 5 to 6 times per week. If cardio cannot be done in the a.m. then do it 5 to 6 times per week when you can for at least 30 minutes. However, weights HAVE to be incorporated into the weekly routine 4 times per week (it burns fat!) and it must be done BEFORE cardio. Days that you do cardio & weights, your cardio should be a higher intensity because the weights kick your fat burning capabilities into a higher gear, so you need to take advantage of that and do high intensity. Days that you don't do weights and just cardio are the days you need to do resistance cardio training (e.g. I did the treadmill on higher inclines at a slower speed). When I did my weights, I did two body parts each time and did it at least every other day, not back to back, you need recovery time. So I did Chest/Triceps, Back/Biceps, Legs/Shoulders. You do the larger body parts first then your smaller ones. I did not do high intensity cardio on leg days though because I have knee issues.

Sounds tough, because it is! But it worked for me and I hope if you give it a try, it works for you too! (Sorry for the long post, but I really know what stuck is like and really want to help you because I am THE poster child for SLOW METABOLISM!!!)

baconnelly · January 2011

Even if you walk at a moderate speed for 45 minutes it burns around 250 calories so if you should be eating 1200 you need to adjust up for that......concentrate on Protien and yes drink lots of water......

Jartexas · January 2011

January 2010 I started going to a personal trainer. It took every bit of 6 weeks to get my metabolism to kick in at a higher speed. I had great success with him and lost 25 lbs. and 11% body fat in 12 weeks. I started out on 1200 calories to create my deficit, then increased to 1400 as I progressed. But then I needed to be placed on hormone therapy which is equivalent to steroids and gained 1/2 my loss back. However, I am picking myself up from the downfall and fighting back. I am 5 ft. 4 1/2 in. and am 53 years old and if ANYONE has a sluggish metabolism, it would be ME!

Here is the plan my personal trainer developed for me.......he told me no excuses, no I can'ts, just do it because this is what you HAVE to do to get the metabolism rolling: (I am healthy and have no medical issues holding me back)

Cardio - preferably in the a.m. for no less than 30 minutes 5 to 6 times per week. If cardio cannot be done in the a.m. then do it 5 to 6 times per week when you can for at least 30 minutes. However, weights HAVE to be incorporated into the weekly routine 4 times per week (it burns fat!) and it must be done BEFORE cardio. Days that you do cardio & weights, your cardio should be a higher intensity because the weights kick your fat burning capabilities into a higher gear, so you need to take advantage of that and do high intensity. Days that you don't do weights and just cardio are the days you need to do resistance cardio training (e.g. I did the treadmill on higher inclines at a slower speed). When I did my weights, I did two body parts each time and did it at least every other day, not back to back, you need recovery time. So I did Chest/Triceps, Back/Biceps, Legs/Shoulders. You do the larger body parts first then your smaller ones. I did not do high intensity cardio on leg days though because I have knee issues.

Sounds tough, because it is! But it worked for me and I hope if you give it a try, it works for you too! (Sorry for the long post, but I really know what stuck is like and really want to help you because I am THE poster child for SLOW METABOLISM!!!)

This is a by the book start up plan. listen to her. Cardio 3 times a week is not enough. you need to get your heart rate at between 65 - 75. % of your max rate and keep it there for 20-30 mins at least 5-6 times a week. write to me and i will help you set up something that makes sense for you. I am a AFAA CPT.

onehicchic · January 2011

January 2010 I started going to a personal trainer. It took every bit of 6 weeks to get my metabolism to kick in at a higher speed. I had great success with him and lost 25 lbs. and 11% body fat in 12 weeks. I started out on 1200 calories to create my deficit, then increased to 1400 as I progressed. But then I needed to be placed on hormone therapy which is equivalent to steroids and gained 1/2 my loss back. However, I am picking myself up from the downfall and fighting back. I am 5 ft. 4 1/2 in. and am 53 years old and if ANYONE has a sluggish metabolism, it would be ME!

Here is the plan my personal trainer developed for me.......he told me no excuses, no I can'ts, just do it because this is what you HAVE to do to get the metabolism rolling: (I am healthy and have no medical issues holding me back)

Cardio - preferably in the a.m. for no less than 30 minutes 5 to 6 times per week. If cardio cannot be done in the a.m. then do it 5 to 6 times per week when you can for at least 30 minutes. However, weights HAVE to be incorporated into the weekly routine 4 times per week (it burns fat!) and it must be done BEFORE cardio. Days that you do cardio & weights, your cardio should be a higher intensity because the weights kick your fat burning capabilities into a higher gear, so you need to take advantage of that and do high intensity. Days that you don't do weights and just cardio are the days you need to do resistance cardio training (e.g. I did the treadmill on higher inclines at a slower speed). When I did my weights, I did two body parts each time and did it at least every other day, not back to back, you need recovery time. So I did Chest/Triceps, Back/Biceps, Legs/Shoulders. You do the larger body parts first then your smaller ones. I did not do high intensity cardio on leg days though because I have knee issues.

Sounds tough, because it is! But it worked for me and I hope if you give it a try, it works for you too! (Sorry for the long post, but I really know what stuck is like and really want to help you because I am THE poster child for SLOW METABOLISM!!!)

I plan on increasing my workout eventually. I didn't want to jump in feet first and hurt myself and end up quitting. That is usually what happens. I have some weak areas I want to strengthen before I really get into it.

krubinic57 · January 2011

I wish you all the luck in the world.....you will get there........slow and steady wins the race. Once you get past the "fragile" point you start gaining confidence, then strength, then endurance which leads to feeling great. If it were just possible to fast forward people to their goal and see how wonderful it feels to be there, I think more people would be inclined to try harder at sticking with it knowing that feeling. I KNOW how great it feels, but like I said I got had sidetracked by the adverse effects of my medication. But like I said before, I am picking myself up and fighting back because I want to feel that great again!!!!

How long did it take?

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