Cannot lose weight for the life of me
shannon2469
Posts: 11
I started eating clean and exercising about a year ago. The first 22lbs came off pretty quickly within the first 5 months by doing light cardio, weight lifting and eating 1200-1400 calories a day. Then I got stuck for about 8 months. I've tried everything! Upping my calories, changing my routines, upping my cardio, changing my diet several times and NOTHING is working. In the past two months I have gained back about 5lbs with no explanation. I rarely ever cheat and am within my calorie limit 95% of the time. I try to eat a minimum of 100g of protein a day, I've cut out complex carbs, lowered my sugar intake, eat lean meats and healthy fats and barely ever eat any dairy products (other than Greek yogurt and dark chocolate), as I have a dairy allergy.
Currently I am weighing in at 158 and I am 5'4. I checked out my TDEE and BMR and I should be consuming between 1500-2000 calories per day. BMR is 1450 and TDEE is 2000. I set my calorie goal for 1650. I workout 4-5 times per week doing various things such as: jogging, HIIT workouts, strength training, treadmill, etc. I have a hear rate monitor and I burn anywhere between 300-750 calories per workout, which averages anywhere between 30min- 1 1/2 hrs.
So what gives? I am wondering if this could be a medical issue? I cannot figure out what the issue is?
Any suggestions or similar stories would be greatly appreciated!
Currently I am weighing in at 158 and I am 5'4. I checked out my TDEE and BMR and I should be consuming between 1500-2000 calories per day. BMR is 1450 and TDEE is 2000. I set my calorie goal for 1650. I workout 4-5 times per week doing various things such as: jogging, HIIT workouts, strength training, treadmill, etc. I have a hear rate monitor and I burn anywhere between 300-750 calories per workout, which averages anywhere between 30min- 1 1/2 hrs.
So what gives? I am wondering if this could be a medical issue? I cannot figure out what the issue is?
Any suggestions or similar stories would be greatly appreciated!
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Replies
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So how long have you been stuck with NO weight movement at all? And how often are you changing your diet?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
About 8 months now I have been stuck. Originally I eliminated most carbs, red meats and the majority of processed foods. Then about 5 months ago I added good carbs back in (whole grains, oatmeal, flax seed wraps, etc). Recently my friend gave me a plan she got from her nutritionist which required one serving of carbs and one serving of protein with every meal/snack. This plan also limits you to two servings of fruits a day. This is when I started to see a weight gain. So I just discontinued this plan.
An example of what I eat in a day is as follows:
Breaky: 1/3 cup steel cut whole grain oats with 1tbsp peanut butter
Snack: 3/4-1cup fat free Greek yogurt with honey and cinnamon
Lunch: 1/2-1 can tuna, 2 cups spinach with balsamic dressing, sunflower seeds, goat cheese and strawberries
Or the same salad with a 150g chicken breast
Snack: Fruit (usually banana) or kashi bar
Dinner: 200g chicken breast, roasted veggies or sweet potato
OR
120g lean ground turkey with black beans and salsa in a whole wheat flax wrap
Snack: 1/3 cup peanuts with 1/4 cup rasins, OR a kashi bar, OR veggie straws, OR dark chocolate
Just some examples of my usual meals and snacks. This isn't always consistent but meals are close to the same.0 -
You only have two days of logging in. How are you logging your calories???0
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All it takes is a calorie deficit. You haven't been in one for 8 months now, that's your problem.0
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Do you weigh your food? All of it? Do you log everything. Everyday? (I realize you may have been logging somewhere other than MFP.) Track condiments, drinks, oils?0
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Weight gain happened with fruits because you were low carb for so long. Low carb depletes glycogen storage and adding carbs back in replenishes them. Which is why lots of people who stop low carbing gain weight. Having glycogen storage isn't a bad thing though.
But to me it sounds more like you don't really accurately track what you're eating. And eating too little will lower your metabolic rate more one thinks.
My suggestion: be more accurate on your intake. Stick with one program for at least 1 month. Don't try to lose more than 1% of your body weight per week.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I'm confused. If I burn over 2000 calories per day and I only eat 1650, how is that not a deficit?0
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I had no WIFI for a week that's why there are no posts. Before then I religiously logged in everyday.0
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I'm confused. If I burn over 2000 calories per day and I only eat 1650, how is that not a deficit?
Because it sounds like you're actually eating 2000 a day and not 1650. How do you determine how many calories are in the foods you eat?0 -
My only comment is that if you're using the TDEE method to determine your calories, you should not be eating back any exercise calories. Those are accounted for in the TDEE number.0
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Congrats on the initial weight loss!
I am in the same boat as you. I am a small woman (5'1") and lost alot in the beginning -- it was mostly baby fat. But I have more or less plateaued over the last few months, despite dedicated exercise.
I hate to break it to you -- but the reason is the same for you and me. You are simply not creating a calorie deficit. I am not creating a calorie deficit. If our weight is maintaining, it means that both of us are eating what we are "spending." Never mind complex equations like TDEE or exercise calorie counts (which are largely inaccurate). We both have to do the same thing - just eat fewer calories.
My advice? Cut out the peanut butter and peanuts. A spoonful of PNB + a small handful of nuts = 300-400 calories a day.
Over a week, that's 2,000+ calories -- and that's alot for petite women like ourselves w/ a small margin of error.0 -
Get your thyroid levels checked...0
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Why not go to the same nutritionist that your friend went to?
Using someone else's plan isn't a good idea - they tend to be personalized. Also - your nutritionist will be able to give you a lot of sound medical advice rather than fads and hear-say type of stuff.0 -
I thought I was trying everything, too, and went in for several medical tests thinking that was my issue. My real issue? I was logging, but not weighing my food. I didn't see anywhere if you said you did that. Measuring cups and eyeballing don't work the same. Food scale is the only way to go. Also, you mentioned about 5 different things you tried to do over 8 months. How long did you give each one to work? Sometimes a few weeks isn't enough time to see if that change works. And then if you don't see results, don't totally abandon that change, but tweek it a little and continue to try. Don't give up!0
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I'm confused. If I burn over 2000 calories per day and I only eat 1650, how is that not a deficit?
Over estimating burn and under estimating intake.
As mentioned, if you are using a TDEE method, you don't eat back calories.
If your weekly average exercise is consistent I'd pick a calorie intake goal and stick to it for a few weeks. See what your weight does. Weigh daily and look at weekly average.0 -
I would say go to a doctor and get a blood test.....could be thyrod or you could have adrenal gland problems which could affect your cortisol levels and make it harder for wieght loss. Have you been tested for diabites....you could be prediabitic and that would also lead to weight loss problems. It may be none of the above but however I know someone who was having trouble lossing weight and these are the things the doctor tested them for.0
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I'm confused. If I burn over 2000 calories per day and I only eat 1650, how is that not a deficit?
Simple. You're eating more than you think you are.0 -
I do weigh my foods with a scale. I guess I didn't mention that. So I really don't think I'm over eating. Grrrrrr.... I'm so confused! I don't know how many calories to eat or to burn.0
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Is your weekly workout schedule consistent? If so, eat a few hundered calories a day less than you have been eating and don't worry about what your exercise "burn" is.0
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When you gave us a list of what you normally eat, you had it listed in cups for some things and grams for others. Are you measuring everything in grams? TBSP and cups are used for liquids, not solids. There is a youtube video that explains how you can accurately measure something in a cup or a tablespoon and still go over by grams adding anywhere from 100-200 calories per ITEM measured.1
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When a couple of you have said "if you are using a TDEE method, you don't eat back calories." Not sure I completely understand this ... so for example, if my TDEE is say 2800 and I don't work out at all, if I only consumed 1800 per day I would have a 1000 per day calorie deficit, right ? If however my TDEE was 2800 and then I worked out and burned another 500 calories, wouldn't that mean I could consume 2300 calories per day and still achieve my 1000 calorie deficit ?0
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If you eat 1650, you should definitely be losing. I'd go see a doctor and check your thyroid.0
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Currently I am weighing in at 158 and I am 5'4. I checked out my TDEE and BMR and I should be consuming between 1500-2000 calories per day. BMR is 1450 and TDEE is 2000. I set my calorie goal for 1650. I workout 4-5 times per week doing various things such as: jogging, HIIT workouts, strength training, treadmill, etc. I have a hear rate monitor and I burn anywhere between 300-750 calories per workout, which averages anywhere between 30min- 1 1/2 hrs.
So what gives? I am wondering if this could be a medical issue? I cannot figure out what the issue is?
Any suggestions or similar stories would be greatly appreciated!
I am 5"8" and 146 lbs. I started out (this time around) at 160 lbs. I exercise aprox. 7-10 hours per week, and I cannot lose weight at 1650 calories. I average around 1400. Also, I do not trust any "workout calories burned" reports. They are all inflated.
Also, I had to cut back on my exercise so that I could lose weight. I was running 25-30 miles per week, but that made me starving all the time - no matter how many calories I ate. So, try cutting back both calories and exercise and see if that works.
Also, I've found in the past that switching up your exercise (doing something different) or your diet (such as using intermittent fasting or calorie cycling) can really help get me over a plateau. hth0 -
TDEE includes your exercise calories and calculates based on a weekly average.
Example using rough #s for me:
BMR is 1350 x 7 = 9450
Activity is 405 x 7 = 2835
Exercise is 300 x 5 = 1500
Total for week: 13785
Divide by 7: 1969 TDEE
TDEE if done correctly knows you exercise some days but not all. If I'm aiming for 500 deficit a day, I'd eat about 1469 everyday. Days with exercise I burn ~2055, and days without 1755.
If you are thinking of daily calorie burn based on whether or not you've exercised, that is not what TDEE means.When a couple of you have said "if you are using a TDEE method, you don't eat back calories." Not sure I completely understand this ... so for example, if my TDEE is say 2800 and I don't work out at all, if I only consumed 1800 per day I would have a 1000 per day calorie deficit, right ? If however my TDEE was 2800 and then I worked out and burned another 500 calories, wouldn't that mean I could consume 2300 calories per day and still achieve my 1000 calorie deficit ?0 -
Ok - but that assumes that when you do your TDEE calculation you don't select "Sedentary" - correct? That's what I do when I use a TDEE calculator even though I work out for a minimum of 30-40 minutes per day, 6 times per week. Then I eat back my 'burn'....0
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Too many double doubles ... :flowerforyou:0
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get your thyroid levels checked if that's the case.They shouldnt be any reason why you can't lose weight if you are in calorie deficit. Good luck0
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Ok - but that assumes that when you do your TDEE calculation you don't select "Sedentary" - correct? That's what I do when I use a TDEE calculator even though I work out for a minimum of 30-40 minutes per day, 6 times per week. Then I eat back my 'burn'....
That's not how TDEE is meant to be used. If it works for you, that's fine, but people with a set exercise schedule should put accurate information into the TDEE calculator and not eat back exercise calories. If you work out for 3 hours per week and put that you get little to no exercise, you're not going to get an accurate number.
It also depends on how you're calculating your burned calories. HRMs are only accurate for steady-rate cardio and do not work for strength training or interval training. If you're estimating burns by using MFP entries, you're probably overestimating.0 -
Activity. Body adapts to activity to perform it a efficiently as possible. Employ the Overload Principle.That means that you have increase intensity every so often:
Go Longer or
Go Faster or
Go More Frequently
EXAMPLE: For me, cycling 125-150 miles a week and running 20 is barely enough for maintenance at this point. If I add 5 -8 miles of running, I'll start losing.0 -
I agree Lyndsey, I don't use the TDEE, I use the calculations on MFP to get to my goal ..and yes, I use a HRM monitor to determine calories burned, that seems to be the most accurate ...0
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