Strange, but can a lot of exercise slow down weight loss?
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rayrayfitz
Posts: 80 Member
Is it worth it?
Since Jan I've been breaking a ball trying to swim 5x a week. I've swam for at least 6 hours a week. I also have recently started strength training. I try to walk and remain active. I swim for a minimum of 6 hours a week, sometimes much more.
I in theory burn more cals swimming than other forms of cardio, example walking, per hour.
MFP is set at a deficit so I should lose 2lb a week anyway. I have it set on lightly active.
I weigh EVERYTHING that goes past my lips, I don't cheat, I don't even usually eat back any exercise calories. Though I have occasionally ate back 100-300 . I have 1370 cals daily.
Since Jan 1st I've lost just 3lb.
Nothing for 2 weeks now.
How is it even possible? I know weight loss isn't linear but I just feel it's taking the piss now.
I've lost 3stone 9lbs (14lbs to a stone if you're US) and I probably still have 5 stone to lose.
When I first started I did no exercise just diet and lost weight. I see people who exercise far less than me, eat more and lose weight.
So why can't I lose weight faster than the rate I'm going? It's really frustrating and disheartening. I feel like what's the point using all my spare time bloody swimming each day if I'm not losing weight anyway? I may as well not bother.
It seems like the more exercise I do, the slower my weight loss. :-/
Since Jan I've been breaking a ball trying to swim 5x a week. I've swam for at least 6 hours a week. I also have recently started strength training. I try to walk and remain active. I swim for a minimum of 6 hours a week, sometimes much more.
I in theory burn more cals swimming than other forms of cardio, example walking, per hour.
MFP is set at a deficit so I should lose 2lb a week anyway. I have it set on lightly active.
I weigh EVERYTHING that goes past my lips, I don't cheat, I don't even usually eat back any exercise calories. Though I have occasionally ate back 100-300 . I have 1370 cals daily.
Since Jan 1st I've lost just 3lb.
Nothing for 2 weeks now.
How is it even possible? I know weight loss isn't linear but I just feel it's taking the piss now.
I've lost 3stone 9lbs (14lbs to a stone if you're US) and I probably still have 5 stone to lose.
When I first started I did no exercise just diet and lost weight. I see people who exercise far less than me, eat more and lose weight.
So why can't I lose weight faster than the rate I'm going? It's really frustrating and disheartening. I feel like what's the point using all my spare time bloody swimming each day if I'm not losing weight anyway? I may as well not bother.
It seems like the more exercise I do, the slower my weight loss. :-/
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Replies
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Swimming is hard to track accurately.
How far do you swim in an hour?0 -
its so frustrating I do between 6-8 exercise classes a week always work my hardest,i walk everywhere, track all my food, have made major lifestyle changes (quit drinking) and the weight just wont shift, don't know what else I can do.0
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it's probably just a little plateau. you're not going to lose weight consistently every week but it will catch up to you. it's totally normal and happens to the majority of us. stay away from the scale if you're getting frustrated. also remember that you've already lost A LOT of weight as it is and at some point it's going to slow down.0
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I had a similar exercise regime to you when I was in weight loss mode, swimming 6+ hours a week, walking a lot and the odd gym visit. I ate back about 50% of my calories most days and managed to hit my loss target for about 60% of the time. The other 40% was split between long periods of the scales not moving and weeks where 4lbs came off rather than the expected
Changing routine usually helped get over the plateaus, switching from swimming to treadmill for a few weeks, changing the cardio/strength training ratio for a while, so change the signals the body was getting seemed to be the key.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »Swimming is hard to track accurately.
How far do you swim in an hour?
It's a 35m swimming pool, I think I average about 65 lengths an hour so about 2,275 m. I usually swim for an hour 15/30 mins. Now I sometimes do 2 hours too. Same pace.
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But do your clothes fit differently, have your measurements changed?0
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BeTheChange352 wrote: »it's probably just a little plateau. you're not going to lose weight consistently every week but it will catch up to you. it's totally normal and happens to the majority of us. stay away from the scale if you're getting frustrated. also remember that you've already lost A LOT of weight as it is and at some point it's going to slow down.
Thanks. I'm so frustrated though. I started last Feb and had lost 3 stone by July, then just to-tied between then and Decemebr, mostly my own doing, I'd diet a week, not for a week by Dec I'd put 9lb back on, which I lost over Dec, but since Jan 1st it's been just 3lb and I'm trying so hard. I've been there and done all the 'why am I not losing' when not being entirely honest, odd cheat, not weighing food etc so only have myself to blame for that, but when I do everything by the book and still don't lose or do but very slowly, it's so annoying.0 -
rayrayfitz wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »Swimming is hard to track accurately.
How far do you swim in an hour?
It's a 35m swimming pool, I think I average about 65 lengths an hour so about 2,275 m. I usually swim for an hour 15/30 mins. Now I sometimes do 2 hours too. Same pace.
And MFP a calculated my burn at 700cals an hour swimming. I only eat exercise cals back if I'm really hungry and have swam for 2 hours, or say swam for an hour but had a 12km walk, and then don't even eat half of them back. It's not usual to eat them back though.0 -
rayrayfitz wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »Swimming is hard to track accurately.
How far do you swim in an hour?
It's a 35m swimming pool, I think I average about 65 lengths an hour so about 2,275 m. I usually swim for an hour 15/30 mins. Now I sometimes do 2 hours too. Same pace.
Are you swimming for 15, 30, 60 or 120 minutes? Sorry, I am not following this.
In an hour, you average just a little over a mile? Sorry, in my country pools are either 25 or 50 and I'm not finding any quick conversions online for 35m pools.
If you are swimming slightly over a mile in a hour, that's slow.0 -
I wouldn't go by the calories burned on MFP hun, they are well over what you do actually burn! Get a good HRM and calories burning monitor - something like Fitbit or Polar if you want to know exactly! Maybe you should try to mix things up a little bit! Swim twice/three times a week if you enjoy it and do a different workout for the other 2? Something which will make you really sweat and you enjoy! Hope you get over the non budging scales! xx0
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Yes it can! I was loosing steadily with 1200 cals and interval training 3 times a week then tried the 30 day shred dvd and just stopped loosing throughout the 3 weeks I did it for. I know people say don't get hung up on the scale and its inches that count but I'm afraid I do and I was actually putting on whilst killing myself with the workout. I git so disillusioned I slipped back in to bad habits. I could understand it if I only had a stone to go but with 4.5 stone still to go I also accused my scales of taking the piss :-) xx0
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I think you need to eat more for all that swimming-1
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Have u checked ur measurements? Maybe ur losing inches rught now instead of weight.
quote="rayrayfitz;10089155"]Is it worth it?
Since Jan I've been breaking a ball trying to swim 5x a week. I've swam for at least 6 hours a week. I also have recently started strength training. I try to walk and remain active. I swim for a minimum of 6 hours a week, sometimes much more.
I in theory burn more cals swimming than other forms of cardio, example walking, per hour.
MFP is set at a deficit so I should lose 2lb a week anyway. I have it set on lightly active.
I weigh EVERYTHING that goes past my lips, I don't cheat, I don't even usually eat back any exercise calories. Though I have occasionally ate back 100-300 . I have 1370 cals daily.
Since Jan 1st I've lost just 3lb.
Nothing for 2 weeks now.
How is it even possible? I know weight loss isn't linear but I just feel it's taking the piss now.
I've lost 3stone 9lbs (14lbs to a stone if you're US) and I probably still have 5 stone to lose.
When I first started I did no exercise just diet and lost weight. I see people who exercise far less than me, eat more and lose weight.
So why can't I lose weight faster than the rate I'm going? It's really frustrating and disheartening. I feel like what's the point using all my spare time bloody swimming each day if I'm not losing weight anyway? I may as well not bother.
It seems like the more exercise I do, the slower my weight loss. :-/[/quote]
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I'll throw out here that if you've recently started strength training, as well as increasing your swimming, that could be masking fat loss. The reason is that when you begin a new exercise plan, or increase difficulty in a current one (and increasing your amount of swimming time would count here), for most people their muscles will retain water to cushion them and to aid in muscle repair. It's EXTREMELY common. As your body adjusts to the new routines it will not be as much of an issue. This is why taking measurements can be so helpful - that and not being stuck on a scale number. That way when your scale seems stuck because you're retaining water in your muscles, you can still know you're making progress - " I've lost 3 inches from my waist so clearly I'm still going in the right direction!"0
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »rayrayfitz wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »Swimming is hard to track accurately.
How far do you swim in an hour?
It's a 35m swimming pool, I think I average about 65 lengths an hour so about 2,275 m. I usually swim for an hour 15/30 mins. Now I sometimes do 2 hours too. Same pace.
Are you swimming for 15, 30, 60 or 120 minutes? Sorry, I am not following this.
In an hour, you average just a little over a mile? Sorry, in my country pools are either 25 or 50 and I'm not finding any quick conversions online for 35m pools.
If you are swimming slightly over a mile in a hour, that's slow.
I'm in the UK and we have 35m pools. I put in slow and easy effort when calculating calories.
I swim for a minimum of one hour 15 mins, I'd say I do 11/2 hours every other day and then 2 hours alternating.0 -
I wouldn't go by the calories burned on MFP hun, they are well over what you do actually burn! Get a good HRM and calories burning monitor - something like Fitbit or Polar if you want to know exactly! Maybe you should try to mix things up a little bit! Swim twice/three times a week if you enjoy it and do a different workout for the other 2? Something which will make you really sweat and you enjoy! Hope you get over the non budging scales! xx
I always think MFP over estimate swimming, I have a fitness tracker but it isn't waterproof.
But i still don't don't eat the exercise cals back, so any exercise calories is cals in the bank, so if I stick to my calorie goal, you'd still expect a loss?
I've just started strength training, aerobics once a week and a class each of Pilates and yoga, I also play badminton once a week... Let's hope these new classes get something shifting somewhere. X
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I'll throw out here that if you've recently started strength training, as well as increasing your swimming, that could be masking fat loss. The reason is that when you begin a new exercise plan, or increase difficulty in a current one (and increasing your amount of swimming time would count here), for most people their muscles will retain water to cushion them and to aid in muscle repair. It's EXTREMELY common. As your body adjusts to the new routines it will not be as much of an issue. This is why taking measurements can be so helpful - that and not being stuck on a scale number. That way when your scale seems stuck because you're retaining water in your muscles, you can still know you're making progress - " I've lost 3 inches from my waist so clearly I'm still going in the right direction!"
THIS^^ When I first start working out I usually GAIN 1-3 lbs, and it takes a couple weeks before it drops off again. But it does, plus more. Also, if I take a few days off from working out, I get the "whoosh" of water weight loss.0 -
My weighing and logging is very strict. Once I started exercising I didn't lose anything, on the scale, for a month. I did lose inches, though. Tighten up your eating/logging and keep going. The scale is a poor measurement device when exercise is incorporated, it doesn't tell you the whole story.0
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Can you open your diary?0
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