Husband is getting frustrated, looking for advice!

uptonia · February 2011

So my husband and I have been on MFP for about a month now, give or take for each of us. We both had been to the site before and know the drill, and we both have very different eating styles. I've lost about 10 lbs, and he's lost approx 10 lbs until the last 3 weeks when he started P90X.

So he's been doing P90X very faithfully for almost 3 weeks, and that's when the weight loss stopped. We haven't taken measurements yet (lost my measuring tape, getting another) so I know that's the best way to tell, but the lack of weight loss has him frustrated.

He is vegan, and pretty much eats 100% clean except for protein shakes he drinks 2x a day. He's eating roughly 2000 calories a day, which is 1800 from what MFP says he should eat and then 200 of the exercise calories he gets. He usually burns around 600 calories daily from P90X. When I look at his food diary and see what he's eating, he eats a lot during the day and it's not like he's eating empty calories or bad fats. He says he feels pretty satisfied with eating the 2000 calories, and doesn't feel the need to eat more to reach the additional 400 he gets from exercise.

Anyway, just looking for ideas and opinions on what it may be. Burning muscle? Starvation mode? There's been 0 weight loss for him in the past 2 weeks, and I don't want him to give up.

anolan807 · February 2011

Since he is doing P90X he is most likely gaining muscle so its not going to show on the scales.. He might start seeing it go up as he gains more muscle. The best way to see what he is really doing is by measurements..

outersoul · February 2011

Get out the measuring tape. He may be building muscle but losing fat.

NoAdditives · February 2011

Since he's eating a calorie deficit and is vegan it's not likely that he's building muscle. (It takes a lot of extra calories and high amounts of protein, from meat, to build muscle quickly). He probably needs to eat more calories. Men need more to begin with and anyone who exercises a lot and/or does high intensity workouts needs even more. Have him try eating 100-200 more calories per day for a week or so to see if things change.

Smokechic · February 2011

I did p90x for a while....a great program. He is definitely building muscles. He will soon see results if he hasn't already and will then realize the changes that are happening. I would definitely measure.

xabbix · February 2011

sounds like hes definatley gaining muscle. Well done to him for eating so well and keeping up the exercise

and well done to you aswell hun. xx

jrueckert · February 2011

P90X is all about building muscle. He should do more cardio if he wants to lose weight.

Lyadeia · February 2011

Get out the measuring tape!!! I've done P90X multiple times, and in the first month I never lost much of anything on the scale. The inches were dropping like flies, though.

Even right now. I just started month 2 of P90X again. In January, I only lost a whopping 4 pounds. But, I lost nearly 2 inches from my waist alone! Who cares about the scale when everything fits better and I can do push-ups better than my fiance???

tltincher · February 2011

I am so all about measurements. My bet is that he is losing quite a few inches. Since you don't have a tape measure use anything that you can wrap around your waist and mark on. Then the next week measure again and mark the new point. You could even lay this out on a meter stick or something to see the actual measurements. As well, you could keep the "measurement marker" as a keepsake to your transformation! Good luck

Laceylala · February 2011

I'd say he is building muscle. Also, something to think about? Does he use a heart rate monitor? Because most of the people I see use P90X burn WAY more cals than that per hour...

mrmarius · February 2011

tell him to keep pressing through. my first month of p90x i only lost a pound, i took the day one and day 30 pics and saw minimal changes, but as i continued i began to see these changes i have 4 days left and so far have lost 23 lbs and can now see a difference

vero_1 · February 2011

Did you take before and after pictures? Sometimes the weight does not go down but you SEE the difference!

dhutt2011 · February 2011

As everyone stated definitely measure and take pictures. That will help him see the changes that don't occur on the scale. I also have a link to a blog that I think will be very insightful for your husband.

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3926473&SPShared=TRUE

This gal took many pictures of herself over time because the scale wasn't moving much at all, but she was toning and building muscle. The pictures really tell the story.

I hope this helps.

alazanowski · February 2011

Besides the potential chance hes gaining muscle weight (muscle does weigh more than fat), there are some other potential aids to get him over the hump.

First, if hes been doing rigorous workouts, make sure hes drinking a significant amount of water. If you are dehydrated, your kidneys stop being able to do what they normally do and the liver has to take over. If the liver is busy doing the kidney's job, it cannot rid the body of fat. Thus you can hit a hump.

Second, if hes eating a large portion in one particular meal, he would probably be better off splitting his calorie intake across 5 meals. You burn 30% of your calories from your metabolism, so you can reduce your total overall consumption.

All this from military.com

uptonia · February 2011

Thanks for all the great responses, especially from those who have done P90X and saw minimal weight loss at first too. I will get some string and start a benchmark for measurements, because I think that'd be great for both of us. We're not going to see a dramatic change at 10 lbs if you know what I mean

He does spread his calories throughout the day very well, and said he's going to try to eat more calories to get closer to the MFP recommendations. He does have a Heart rate monitor, and makes a point to stay within the target heart rate for aerobics while doing the videos.

bubbaduts · February 2011

Since he's eating a calorie deficit and is vegan it's not likely that he's building muscle. (It takes a lot of extra calories and high amounts of protein, from meat, to build muscle quickly). He probably needs to eat more calories. Men need more to begin with and anyone who exercises a lot and/or does high intensity workouts needs even more. Have him try eating 100-200 more calories per day for a week or so to see if things change.

This is just ignorant meat is not the only place you get protein. Vegans in particular are very careful with making sure they are eating protein in their diet. of course he's building muscle

kimwig · February 2011

Since he's eating a calorie deficit and is vegan it's not likely that he's building muscle. (It takes a lot of extra calories and high amounts of protein, from meat, to build muscle quickly). He probably needs to eat more calories. Men need more to begin with and anyone who exercises a lot and/or does high intensity workouts needs even more. Have him try eating 100-200 more calories per day for a week or so to see if things change.

Just because he is a vegan does not mean that he can not build muscle - you do not have to get your protein from meat.

I and my other half are vegan, he does a lot of weights work (and is on a calorie deficit, having now lost over 110 lb to reach his goal weight and mid point BMI), and is building muscle / changing his shape.

Muscle does not build quickly (you have to do a lot if weights work to build it), and you can get all the protein you need (male or female) from a wide range of plants, legumes etc.

LindieAndie · February 2011

We haven't taken measurements yet (lost my measuring tape, getting another) so I know that's the best way to tell, but the lack of weight loss has him frustrated.

OP - you answered your own question. He's building muscle. Go and grab that measuring tape from the shop now!

Husband is getting frustrated, looking for advice!

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