another dreaded inches vs. lbs post

I know. I know. So it with this hyper focus on weight. You/your friend/*insert person here* looks skinner at 130 than she did at 100. I get that.

I eat disgustingly clean. My cardio is hiit. My weight lifting... well the men at the gym stop to watch me lift heavy. And the scale increases.

That might sound okay, until you realize the scale is increasing to 253 lbs, not 153, on a 5 ft frame.

Let's be real. I'm not going to be fit, no matter how many inches I lose, unless the weight--the pounds of fat--come off.

So how do you stay motivated because I'm almost 1-1.5 years in and really frustrated. 90% of my initial weight loss was from that first 3-6 month stretch. I've been on like a year plateau.

Raaawr. [/b*tching]
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Replies

  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    edited October 2014
    I eat disgustingly clean.

    Excluding foods from your diet that are on the naughty list doesn't put you an an energy deficit.

  • Yeah my diet is not simply excluding foods from the naughty list, as you so eloquently put. That's also a horrid assumption to make of people. My diet is actually done by a registered nutritionist. It's very high protein and low sugar with complex carbs.
  • JonathanLepoff
    JonathanLepoff Posts: 46 Member
    "clean" means different things to different people. Count calories in and calories out. That's where the problem is
  • Again. By clean I mean that every calorie, every macro is planned and mapped. Every drop of water, every grain, every bit of seasoning.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Yeah my diet is not simply excluding foods from the naughty list, as you so eloquently put. That's also a horrid assumption to make of people. My diet is actually done by a registered nutritionist. It's very high protein and low sugar with complex carbs.

    Eating a high protein, low sugar diet with complex carbs recommended by a registered nutritionist doesn't put you in an energy deficit.

  • radario
    radario Posts: 59 Member
    edited October 2014
    Too much food is too much food even if it's all wholesome food. Try lowering your calories a bit more and tightening up your logging so that every single thing you eat or drink is accurately weighed/ measured and logged. Don't exclude foods you love just because they're on some forbidden list you have. Just eat them in smaller amounts so that they fit your calorie budget and nutrition goals.
    Do this consistently for a month and I think you will start seeing movement again and start seeing some of that lovely muscle you've been working on. You're already on the right track to a healthy lifestyle in a great new body, just tweak things and don't ever give up :)
  • I am at an energy deficit. I like the assumption that I have no clue what I'm doing and haven't sought professional help for my diet when I simply asked how you get through a plateau, not to have my diet scrutinized and assumptions being made.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    does anyone have that great link, about eating clean vs. flexible dieting? It was posted yesterday on one of these threads....

    Anyways, the jist, with pics, was all these folks who switched from eating clean to counting calories/IIFYM and had dramatic weight loss,really good muscle gains.

    Im a skinny lady now, and I eat peanut butter/drink wine/go out to restaurants/have an enjoyable life.
  • xerothermic
    xerothermic Posts: 80
    edited October 2014
    How many times do I have to reiterate that I count calories. I count macros. I log everything. I have the ability to eat "cheat" items. I weigh everything.

    Since when are scrutiny and assumptions motivation and support?
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    I am at an energy deficit. I like the assumption that I have no clue what I'm doing and haven't sought professional help for my diet when I simply asked how you get through a plateau, not to have my diet scrutinized and assumptions being made.

    You first thread didn't say you hit a plateau, you said the scale was increasing. You can't gain weight in an energy deficit.

  • What feedback have you had from your nutritionist regarding your weight?
    From what it sounds like, your nutrition sounds great, your lifting heavy and are strong.
    Do you include cardio in your routine?
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    edited October 2014
    it did say they hit a plateau. Just sayin....

    OP-its obvious what you are doing isn't working how you would like it to, perhaps you need to tweek things a bit, change up your workout routine. Our bodies adapt easily, shock it with something new.
    Good luck
  • You can when you're gaining muscle. I've lost a ton of body fat, down about 8%, but the muscle growth is ridiculous for my body size. My bicep alone is larger than my bodybuilding boyfriend and I'm now leg pressing 540 as a woeking weight with a 5 set, 10 rep.
  • onionparsleysage
    onionparsleysage Posts: 103 Member
    Have you considered meeting with the nutritionist again?
    I couldn't tell from your post if she just gave you a plan to execute or if you're routinely meeting for feedback.

    Has your doctor run bloodwork somewhat recently checking your hormones are doing what they should? Women with PCOS, hypothyroid, hyperadrenocorticism, etc. experience what you're feeling. They're eating "right" but the pounds aren't shedding.

    Do you have time to add some power walking to your day? It sounds like you've got the intense exercise covered, but I find that moderate intensity cardio can be a helpful addition. It won't stress your body, just burns calories, and I find, personally, that it helps my muscles recover from the harder workouts.
  • A plateau simply means the weight number had not shifted within +/- 10 lbs. The inches are shifting, but can you imagine how shehulky I would be if the damn scale stays the same and I continue to lose body fat?!
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    You can when you're gaining muscle.

    You're wrong. The human body can't create new tissue out of nothing.

  • You can when you're gaining muscle.

    You're wrong. The human body can't create new tissue out of nothing.

    No. You're wrong.Your body will gain muscle on a caloric deficit up to a certain point when you first start out. But you will see the gains level out eventually. At that point it becomes all about maintaining the muscle you have while you burn fat.

    This is why most people advocate cycling between bulking and cutting in order to avoid gaining fat and keeping it on.

    Considering I started at nearly 300 lbs, my body has plenty of fat to burn while gaining muscle while in a deficit.
  • zichab
    zichab Posts: 1,491 Member
    edited October 2014
    How many times do I have to reiterate that I count calories. I count macros. I log everything. I have the ability to eat "cheat" items. I weigh everything.

    Since when are scrutiny and assumptions motivation and support?

    I am going to go in another direction here. Your profile says you are a Phd Student. Since they can be out of date, are you still a PhD student chained to a desk most hours of the day? I know that I gained almost all my weight in grad school and eating at a deficit, but sitting for hours at a time, even with structured exercise, does not get weight off, at least not off me. I am a college Professor now and have the same problem.

    What has helped me immensely is to set the timer on my iPad for 1 hour. I work for 1 hour at my desk and when that timer goes off, I get up and do something active, like run downstairs and throw in a load of wash, walk out to the mailbox and get the mail, or if I have nothing like that to do, I walk around the block. At college, I walk around our building or take a trip up and down the 6 flights of stairs. For some reason, these hourly bursts of activity seem to get the pounds to drop off. Lately, I have also focused on protein and I make sure I get over 100 gms a day (my LBM is 103) and that has also seemed to ignite my weight loss again.

    If you are sure you are at a deficit, then try upping your protein (and because you lift, you may already have done this one) and moving regularly and see what happens. Grad school is the devil for weight gain! :bigsmile:

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  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    You can when you're gaining muscle.

    You're wrong. The human body can't create new tissue out of nothing.

    No. You're wrong.Your body will gain muscle on a caloric deficit up to a certain point when you first start out. But you will see the gains level out eventually. At that point it becomes all about maintaining the muscle you have while you burn fat.

    That's not a case of the body creating new tissue out of nothing. In overfat beginners energy from fat burning can be used to build muscle, but that's over once their in better shape and the insulin resistance is gone. And the ability to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously for a while doesn't mean a person will gain weight in the absence of a calorie surplus.
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    So why did you post if you're shooting down everybody's advice? I have no advice for you, but I thought I would get some advice here by reading what people wrote when I saw the title of this post... cuz even tho I'm losing inches and not losing pounds, I don't feel like I'm progressing. I'm pretty sure it's cuz we're always told lose weight, so I'm expecting to lose pounds... sorry, I guess that's not the point of this post. Carry on shooting down everybody's advice. :flowerforyou:
  • fastmomonthego158
    fastmomonthego158 Posts: 26 Member
    Honestly if you do not want bulky muscles I would stop lifting so much. High reps low weights makes lean muscles and cardio will also help with the fat burning.
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    Honestly if you do not want bulky muscles I would stop lifting so much. High reps low weights makes lean muscles and cardio will also help with the fat burning.

    No. High reps low weight does not create lean muscle. Muscle is always lean.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    you came here for help, and you're making it sound like any advice that has been posted, isn't good enough for you. your diary isn't even public, so what exactly can one do for you ?
  • bdenitto
    bdenitto Posts: 210 Member
    I change up my exercise routine when my weight hits a plateau. I also found that I lose weight quicker when I do more cardio than weights. You are exercising and eating at a deficit. Could something else be going on?
  • thatsillyshana23
    thatsillyshana23 Posts: 106 Member
    Ug, people are all up in the op's face just because she's had to state a billion times that she's at a deficit and has a nutritionist. Honestly, I would try switching things up with exercise or challenge myself to push as hard as I can for a few months. I'm not sure what to do about the food though. Ask that nutritionist and maybe they can change your plan a little. Do you have a HRM or a way to more accurately track calories in/out? Are you drinking enough water? How about sleep? Stress? Health?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    I had a client last year who was an actual bulky female with the same issue. She hired me for 5 sessions. In those 5 weeks she lost 14lbs. Problem....................she was eating too much for her goal. From the last time I saw her, she's now down 54lbs. Walking billboard for me in the gym.
    At your frame and weight, you can EASILY eat 1000 calories less a day from your TDEE. Now if you're already doing this, then the next issue I'd check is for hormone balance.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    Honestly if you do not want bulky muscles I would stop lifting so much. High reps low weights makes lean muscles and cardio will also help with the fat burning.
    High reps low weights build muscle endurance. It has nothing to do with making muscle leaner. Cardio helps with heart health and calorie expenditure. Fat burning is actually happening more efficiently at rest (sitting, sleeping) than exercising it off.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    I know you said you've seen a nutritionist, but do you weigh everything you eat? If you are gaining or maintaining weight then you are not on a deficit. CICO. You don't need to switch up and shock your body with different exercise. It seems you've found what your maintenance level is for your body. You should reevaluate how much you eat every 20# or so.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    Are you possibly lifting too much? Maybe you could scale that back a little and/or reevaluate things with your nutritionist. Something isn't right if you've been plateauing for a year. Hopefully you get things sorted out soon!