New and not losing! :-(

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red8586
red8586 Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
I have been tracking my food and I work out usually 5-6 hours a week. My average calories per day is 1200-1300 a day. I guess I need to cut more to lose. It's a bit sad, I do not eat more that I did in my 30's and I work out much more and still gaining. Trying to stay positive. :ohwell:

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  • amaried621
    amaried621 Posts: 260 Member
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    How long have you been working out and not losing? Have you already lost weight already and are stuck in a rut?
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    If you're exercising 5-6 hrs/week, you probably need to eat MORE than 1200-1300 cal/day.
  • terimabry
    terimabry Posts: 1
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    Me too. I have actually gained two pounds.:frown:
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    It sounds like you might need more calories, but also depending on what you are eating as well. I heard changing your foods up a bit and also eating more one day than the next can shake things up. Your body might be getting use to the same routine with foods and excercise. Try something new and go from there.
  • watchmelose2
    watchmelose2 Posts: 77 Member
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    You need to make your food and exercise diary public! So we can better assist you! You may not be eating enough? If you are doing a lot of exercise! You have to use some of those extra calories you earned! Just remember, It took a long time to put it on, and it is not going to come off fast! You have got to work very hard to lose weight! If you watch biggest loser you will understand this! Those guys work out about 6 or 8 hours a day hard! And sometimes only lose 2 lbs in a week! So we have to remember We are what we eat! And to lose weight, we have to want it bad enough to work hard for it! Hope this helps!:drinker:
  • mariexlb
    mariexlb Posts: 1 Member
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    I was slightly disheatened when I started going to the gym and put on weight. But I have to say that after doing this diet for a few weeks the weight has started to slide. One of the easiest diets I have ever done and doesnt cost you anything.
  • Alison_84
    Alison_84 Posts: 86
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    I wasn't losing anything when I first started either. I was set on 1350 calories a day. I have since upped my calories to 1470 per day, and I have lost 3 pounds in the last 2 weeks (I set MFP to 1 pound per week, so this is perfect for me!).

    I would guess you definitely need to be eating more, especially with working out so often. Also make sure you eat your exercise calories (or at least most of them). Food can be your friend!

    Best of luck :)
  • Evasher
    Evasher Posts: 20
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    Be patient. A dietician told me my calorie limit should be increased which is the advice two people have given you. Everyone is different. The important thing I have to keep reminding myself is to stick with the winners. Weight has a way of melting off when we least expect it. Try not to be obsessed with the scale. i weigh once a week and remember times I weighed only once a month. You are beautiful.
  • lerchfighter
    lerchfighter Posts: 19
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    Give yourself 7-8 weeks and don't worry about pounds lost/gained. Uncle Ted is a mid-lifer and for us older folks, the metabolism isn't a switch you just turn on and off. Keep with it, put the scale away for two months and see what happens. Your body will adjust to your program and you'll start being unable to keep pounds on to the point where you'll have to up your calorie count to where it doesn't feel like a sacrifice.

    You'll get there.
  • sellingsworth
    sellingsworth Posts: 27
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    Hi... this happened to me - I am 57 years old - and I worked out, changed my diet, and according to the scale - didn't lose anything for 3 weeks - now I did lose inches and my clothes started to fit better and my skin got clearer - but the scale did not show any lose - I kept at it and quit eating bread, potatoes and pasta - and then I lost 3 lbs - I started 11/3/2010 and so far have only lost 19 lbs -BUT my clothes are now way too big. Forget the scale - how do you feel and how do your clothes fit?
  • cnietfeldt
    cnietfeldt Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm not losing anything either. I am in my late 20s, so my metabolism shouldn't be slowing down that much. I did a cleanse in December and I have kept the 17 lbs. that I lost off. I just can't seem to lose any more. All I want to lose is 10 more lbs. I am watching what I eat and working out 4-5 times a week. I know that I have gained muscle and that is some of it, but it is disheartening to not see the scale move down. It is hard to NOT be so focused on the scale because it is so ingrained in my head. What do I do? I eat around 1200-1400 calories a day. I try to eat most of the calories that I lose during exercise. Any ideas? I am not sure where to go next.
  • lipsticknlattes
    lipsticknlattes Posts: 49 Member
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    Hello there :) It looks like we are the same weight and have the same goals. I just finished taking a class about the science of nutrition and exercise. I learned A LOT! And the pounds are finally coming off again. I have lost 12 pounds since January. I am currently doing Turbofire *which is awesome!!* Okay, I will explain how to figure out the amount of calories you should be eating. You need to recalculate every 2 weeks or so to stay on track with your changing body and lastly, remember that the more weight you lose, the more calories your body is going to need because you will have burned off all of the fat on your body that it was using for fuel. So instead of having that fat as fuel to get through your workouts, your body will need it from the food you are eating. Okay, here goes the math:

    First, calculate your Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories your body burns on a daily basis, not counting exercise. To calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate):

    For Men: (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.76 x age) + 66 = BMR

    For Women: (9.56 x weight in kg) + (1.85 x height in cm) - (4.68 x age) + 655 = BMR

    I will use myself as an example, I am 27 years old, 154 pounds, and 5'5. To get kg, divide pounds by 2.205.

    (9.56 x 69.8) + (1.85 x 165) - (4.68 x 27) + 655= 1501.178

    So, my body burns 1501 calories naturally, if I just layed in bed all day.
    Now, we determine what my calorie requirements are for my activity level.
    So, for a sedentary lifestyle, multiply BMR x 1.2
    For lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
    For moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) BMR x 1.55
    For very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week) BMR x 1.725
    For extra active BMR x 1.9

    I exercise 6 days per week, so I will go with moderately active, because most days are HIIT training, but not all of those days. So, I take 1501 x 1.55 = 2326.55

    So, I would need 2326.55 calories per day to MAINTAIN my current weight. However, I want to create a deficit. One pound of body fat is roughly 3500 calories. So, we want to create at least a 3500 weekly deficit through diet and exercise. So, you should reduce your daily calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 calories to lose 1-2 pounds of body fat per week. I started off by eating 1200 calories and lost 5 pounds in 5 days for a cleanse. Then I upped my calories to 1500 per day so that I have enough energy to power through my workouts and I am seeing consistent weight loss. :D

    Hope I could help!!
  • red8586
    red8586 Posts: 2
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    Thanks for all the encouragement and advise. What is hardest is that I have never been a "Scale" girl I have always gone by how I feel. Problem is while I was not paying attention the pound slid on. Even though the scale is not very positive I know that my body is looking better and I have lost inches. I do think I will increase my calories and see what happens.
    Thanks again,
    :smile:

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