Suggestions for losing weight

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scross94
scross94 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys! I'm new on here, so I apologize if this kind of thing gets asked all the time (please be nice if it does! (: ) but I'm having a hard time losing weight, and no matter how much I've experimented, I either stay the same or lose a pound and then gain it back (and sometimes a little more) the next week. A little info: I'm 19, 5'6" tall, and weigh 158 lbs (my goal weight is 135-140 lbs). I work out 5-6 days a week-- run 6 miles one day, run/walk 4 miles one day, and a long run one day (I'm training for a marathon so my long run is currently 15 miles and increases a mile every week), and then I do 2-3 days of an hour of pilates/weight training every week. I eat b/w 1200-1600 calories a day and then on Saturday (my long run day) I have a cheat day and Sundays I allow my cals to be a bit higher than usual (maybe around 2000 though I don't always count them). During the week, I don't eat anything with sugar, anything processed, or drink anything other than water. (though I will allow myself to on Sats to keep my sanity (: ) Any suggestions to what I could be doing differently to start to see the pounds begin to come off again? (I've lost 8 lbs since the beginning of June but have plateaued for the past month or so). Am I eating enough? Should I drop the cheat days? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance! I'm glad to be able to have a place to go for some weight loss support! (ETA I have been to the doctor and I have been on medicine for hypothyroidism for about 6 months now)

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    See the doctor, follow the advice.

    It's easy and it's smart. :)
  • Chrisparadise579
    Chrisparadise579 Posts: 411 Member
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    Usually when it comes to diet doctors wont be able to tell you what to do, if you need to see someone I would recommend a nutritionist. BUT i think I can help you, I really think you arent eating enough, 1200-1600 calories for what seems like a very high activity level is not enough 1600-1800 would be better and the more consistent the better, so try sticking with 1 calorie limit, as far as cheat days go I typically dont recommend them because they set you back on average 3 days per cheat day, my philosophy is there should be no need for them because even though it is best to eat healthy about 80-90% of the time, if you feel like eating something that day go ahead and eat it, just make sure it fits into your calories and macros.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Do you use a food scale? Can you open your food diary? Generally accuracy and consistency are the biggest cause of people not losing.

    I would think that for a very young person who is training for a marathon that 1200-1600 isn't a lot. But would also question how many calories you eat on your cheat day.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    See the doctor, follow the advice.

    It's easy and it's smart. :)

    Oh you
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    ...as far as cheat days go I typically dont recommend them because they set you back on average 3 days per cheat day, my philosophy is there should be no need for them because even though it is best to eat healthy about 80-90% of the time, if you feel like eating something that day go ahead and eat it, just make sure it fits into your calories and macros.

    Cheat days don't work for me either, but I'm not training for a marathon with long runs once a week. That 2000 cheat day (only 600kcal above normal) is less than half the kcal most people would burn in a 15-20 mile run. Coordinating the cheat day with the long run might be a perfectly logical way to fuel the long run. Plateaus=eating at maintenance, so greater accuracy counting may help you. Ditto on the food scale. It's really helpful. And log the cheat day.

    Good luck with the marathon!
  • krystalrhillage
    krystalrhillage Posts: 5 Member
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    Oh sweethear I am in the same boat!!! I eat pretty good 6 out of 7 days a week and stay at or gain weight. I am going to go have my thyroid checked because it has been an uphill battle the last 2 years (and I'm 26). Make sure you're eating 5-6 small meals a day, the dietician at my work recommends getting in all the fruit before noon and having little-no carbs at night. I wouldn't say that is what you need to do since you're training for a marathon (ummm can we say amazing?!) Maybe go to a doctor or a nutritionist and see if they can offer you some insight. Anyways, keep up the good work love!!! Not many people can say they're training for a marathon. That's amazing...and just know that you're healthy.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
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    I would suggest that you train for your marathon first- then when you have finished your marathon start your weight loss. It will be very hard to train with long runs if you are in a calorie deficit. If your long run is 15 miles I am guessing your marathon is only 4 to 6 weeks away so not that long to wait. Good luck with your marathon.
  • scross94
    scross94 Posts: 3
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    Thank you for all of the advice (and nice comments) so far! I will try increasing my daily calorie totals and see if that helps and keep a better track of my calories on the days of my long runs… How many calories should I be aiming for on those long run days? (I know a mile burns about 100 calories, so should I be aiming to eat those back plus 1300-1500? Should I eat more? less?)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Thank you for all of the advice (and nice comments) so far! I will try increasing my daily calorie totals and see if that helps and keep a better track of my calories on the days of my long runs… How many calories should I be aiming for on those long run days? (I know a mile burns about 100 calories, so should I be aiming to eat those back plus 1300-1500? Should I eat more? less?)

    Before you increase calories, do you use a food scale and can you open your food diary?
  • scross94
    scross94 Posts: 3
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    I don't weigh, but I do measure (with a measuring cup, etc) everything I eat, and unfortunately, I don't really track my calories on here, I actually do it in a journal (I like to be able to write it down), but I can post an average day if that helps!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I don't weigh, but I do measure (with a measuring cup, etc) everything I eat, and unfortunately, I don't really track my calories on here, I actually do it in a journal (I like to be able to write it down), but I can post an average day if that helps!

    Since you don't weigh and don't log, you are probably eating more than you think. Logging accuracy and consistency are the only true way of knowing how many calories you are eating. And since the average person under reports intake by as much as 400 calories and over reports exercise calories burned, you are probably eating a lot more than you think. Personally, I would pick up a scale (about ~$20) and log for one month. Otherwise the rest of our suggestions are fairly meaningless until we address the baseline problem.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    I don't weigh, but I do measure (with a measuring cup, etc) everything I eat, and unfortunately, I don't really track my calories on here, I actually do it in a journal (I like to be able to write it down), but I can post an average day if that helps!

    Since you don't weigh and don't log, you are probably eating more than you think. Logging accuracy and consistency are the only true way of knowing how many calories you are eating. And since the average person under reports intake by as much as 400 calories and over reports exercise calories burned, you are probably eating a lot more than you think. Personally, I would pick up a scale (about ~$20) and log for one month. Otherwise the rest of our suggestions are fairly meaningless until we address the baseline problem.
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  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    Measuring cups are NOT accurate. Get a food scale. Tablespoons either.

    Try logging each and every bite, I bet you'll be surprised!!
  • joanna_82
    joanna_82 Posts: 151 Member
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    Be careful with your cheat day on the long run day. I used to do that but now thinking about it I was probably eating more calories on that day in extra junk food than the calories I burnt off on the run!

    I don't do cheat days, just have treats as and when I feel like them. You will need to fuel your runs properly and it may not be possible to do this and still lose weight. You don't want to lose muscle.

    I would suggest just sticking to a balanced, healthy regime and having a good pre run breakfast- whatever suits you, and then a protein/carb snack like chocolate milk or greek yoghurt and a banana following the run. Be wary of too much junk food while marathon training.

    once the marathon is over, you can concentrate on weight loss a bit more.

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