A few questions

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avalanches1
avalanches1 Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there :)

I'm a 5'11 male who is now at 160lbs (was about 178 at the New Year) and has a goal of 155lbs I have a few questions...

1. Over the last 3 months I have only lost 6lbs despite cycling between 1200-1500 calories a day to try and change things up a bit. I usually do around 1000 calories worth of exercise every day as well and save up my calories so that I can eat more at the weekends. However I would still make sure that this levelled out at 8400/10500 calories a week. Even if there have been occasionaly overeats it can't have been the extra 7000/5500 calories to prevent weightloss? Why are these last pounds not shifting?

2. Im concerned that when I hit my weightloss target and go back to eating maintenance calories (2200 a day). Is there a way to manage this to make sure the weight won't fly back on? Is it true you will essentially gain 5lbs as when you go back to eating at maintenance as water/sodium will come back on?

3. Basically will the fact I've been eating at 1200 calories per day mean it's impossible for me to eat at maintenance and maintain the goal weight I've worked for?

Any help would be great :)

Replies

  • avalanches1
    avalanches1 Posts: 14 Member
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    Bump
  • oksanatkachuk
    oksanatkachuk Posts: 149 Member
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    Awful a lot of cardio and severe deficit of calories. How is ur body looks like? I suspect u lost tons of muscle.
    My advise will be eat a little deficit, ditch cardio and lift weight.
    Protein is very important, make 1 g per lb .
  • Lelah77
    Lelah77 Posts: 177 Member
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    Ok, I am not a male, so I know our physiques are different, but I am similar in size to you at 5'10 and 175, so I figured I could add my two cents...

    1. Perhaps you are shifting your routine too much and not realizing that you are not as careful about your tracking/weighing/measuring, etc. The best way to see if something is working is to give it a chance to work. I know you're struggling with a few pounds, but a loss is a loss. Give yourself a little routine for a couple weeks and crack down on your tracking. If you are a weekend calorie crusher, you might be dropping a few (hundred) calories as you log.

    2. Most people are proponents of adding in about 100 calories to their daily intake until they stop losing. You can add 100 cals every two weeks, every month, or whatever until you find a stable weight consistency. Maintenance is defined as keeping the same weight over 6-8 weeks, so "hitting" maintenance might take you a couple months of playing with your intake.

    3. You are currently eating at a deficit. That is what causes weight loss. You MUST increase your intake in order to stop losing. Getting to your goal weight doesn't mean the game is over - - it is a new period in the healthy lifestyle Olympics. Maintenance is filled with learning curves, successes & failures just like weight loss - but you'll get it right. It just takes establishing the habits.
    Many people still track in maintenance. It helps them be aware.

    Also, why oh why are you only eating 1200 calories? This seems low for someone our size.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Ok, I'm female, but that seem really light to me - maybe that is why the weight goes back on.

    Climb up to maintainence gradually, then hit the weights. That way if you put weight on (by accidentally or purposely eating at surplus) you'll build some muscle and be happier with the results.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Before I tackle all the rest of your questions, the main one I have for you is why are you trying to lose weight at 5'11 160? What are your long term goals?
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
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    Before I tackle all the rest of your questions, the main one I have for you is why are you trying to lose weight at 5'11 160? What are your long term goals?

    ^^ THIS

    I think you are looking at more of bulking than losing weight. I bet you have a low body fat % and need more of a muscle definition than losing weight. I'd really research IIFYM and go from there!
  • avalanches1
    avalanches1 Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm not quite sure to be honest. 160 was the original target (followed by maintaining this weight but getting more ripped as opposed to larger) but after reading that going back to maintenance would put on 5lbs of sodium etc. I figured it would be easier to lose another 5lbs so that when it came back on it would be fine.

    I just can't quite get my head around how I won't gain weight by going back up to maintenance (which for me seems to be 2200 a day (without exercise) 1000 more a day than I'm currently eating and not losing weight on?
  • avalanches1
    avalanches1 Posts: 14 Member
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    I just don't quite understand either how eating 1200/1500 calories a day can't result in weightloss but eating 2200 will not result in weight gain?

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