New, frustrated and looking for Weight Loss Advice!

brinkley89
brinkley89 Posts: 9
edited September 27 in Introduce Yourself
I'm looking to get into shape for health reasons and with summer coming on it's a good motivation for me to start. However, I find myself getting very frustrated. I'm 5' 7" and my starting weight was 150 about 3 weeks ago and now I'm down to 143/142. I feel like I'm exercising a good amount, but maybe I'm not or I'm doing something wrong with my routine. I workout 5-6 days a week on a treadmill for 50 min and burn about an average of 600 calories, I log my calories daily, watch everything I eat and never eat back all my calories I earn from exercise; just not hungry enough to eat. My goal weight is 125. The only thing I've noticed is some fat loss around my mid-section (aka love-handles) and little bit of toning in my legs and that's IT! I can't seem to get past this 143/142 mark and I don't get it...what else should I be doing or am I doing something wrong? Please share any advice, it would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you, Christina

Replies

  • mrsbeau
    mrsbeau Posts: 6
    You have lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks! What are you frustrated about? You are doing great!
  • Msaip
    Msaip Posts: 482 Member
    That's a normal SAFE loss .....why are you not happy with that?! You should really be eating back your calories....are you sure you aren't putting your body into starvation mode? 7 pounds in less than a month is quick!
  • afteil
    afteil Posts: 162 Member
    I agree with the above person, plus (unless you have a really small frame), your weight is really good for your height- try focusing on toning your body to get the look you want instead of just focusing on pounds:) your weight might just be coming off slower since you are at a healthy weight for your height.
  • kathyhull
    kathyhull Posts: 327 Member
    well that certainly seems to be a respectable weight loss for only 3 weeks! I think you're on the right track. Rome wasn't built in a day! Slow and steady wins the race. I always lose 3 or 4 pounds the first week I really start in on a diet (probably mostly water weight) and then drop back to 1 or 2 a week - some weeks you don't lose pounds but you feel like your pants fit better. Just keep drinking as much water as you can, eating healthy small meals - 5 or 6 a day, try to get some protein at every meal (I think we need more than this site does) and eat lots and lots of fresh vegies! The key is to burn more than you take in but also make sure your body has the right nutrition that it doesn't start turning on itself - eating too little is counter productive. Hang in there as it sounds as if you're on the right track!
  • lexrobin2
    lexrobin2 Posts: 33
    hi christina, i feel your pain sista! although, i am no health professional, here's things i would do: switch up your workout routine, drastically cut back on sugar, increase water intake, increase protein intake, make sure to do breakfast (allowing most of your calories then). food log, food log, food log (i see you already do this, so just keep on with that, making sure to calculate EVERYTHING-- sauces, dressings, portion size)

    i was also advised by a gym owner once that i was doing too much cardio and not enough strength training. they go hand in hand and are way more effective together. just remember to do light weights, high reps to create lean, defined muscles. too high of weights will just build more mass.

    good luck girl. hope it helps
  • capricorn144
    capricorn144 Posts: 335 Member
    We want to be at goal so badly it only seems long...you want to really lose the weight in the way your body can handle with you having enough time to change your habits so that THIS time it will last. And you can be on a maintenance diet forever...one you can live with.

    that takes time I think in my humble opinion.
    Keep up doing all the good you are doing think of the long run. :smile:
  • whiskeyblood
    whiskeyblood Posts: 3
    To start with I believe the others are correct in saying you are losing at a very acceptable rate. It simply comes off slower than goes on but your loss isn't all that slow.
    I'm relatively new to all of this myself and I don't know exactly what you are eating. One thing I recently learned is making certain I eat some good protein and carbs within 1/2 hour of waking up. This revs up your metabolism and gives you solid energy right out of the gate. If your hunger has been reduced you need to really make certain every bite you have isn't just healthy but also charges up your metabolism. A good example of the brkfst item I'm referring to is peanut butter toast or an apple with a good spoon of peanut butter. Something along these lines.
    I'm no nutritionist there may be other or different suggestions for you that will help you better. I know its frustrating especially when you are really working hard to stay fit. I wish you the best. Don't give up. You know that will certainly be a waste of all of your efforts and create a MUCH worse problem than you have now. Keep up the good work and hopefully you'll get through this slow patch soon. All the best.
  • candycaronlee
    candycaronlee Posts: 8 Member
    You are doing great!! I agree with the starvation mode part, make sure your eating enough. Also, changing up
    your exercise routine maybe. Not sure that matters, just a thought. :happy:
  • Akiyah
    Akiyah Posts: 57
    Hi hon, keep in mind that too little calories will keep your weight at the level it's at...trick your body into letting it go, if you don't take in enough calories your body will cling to the fat thinking no more is going in. Doctors have always told me to eat 6 well proportioned meals a day. Food doesn't have to be your enemy. I think you're doing great by the way. Best of luck to you!
  • megabux
    megabux Posts: 179 Member
    You must be careful about how much your body needs to function a regular basis (BMR), make sure you drink plenty of water. Since you are closer to your goal weight I would suggest mixing up your cardio. If your body gets used the the same ole thing thing is will get into a rut and just expect what you are doing to happen, I would try maybe kickboxing or Zumba thrown into the mix to confuse your muscles a bit. I think you are at a good pace though, the amount youre losing is normal and there is a higher chance that you will keep it off if it comes off gradually. Good Luck! I hope you find a routine that works well for you! :)
  • Kristin111365
    Kristin111365 Posts: 77
    I think you are doing great. 7-8 pound loss in three weeks is great and a healthy way to lose weight. Just remember it is all about the calories in and the calories burned. I would be careful about how many of the workout calories you use. To lose a pound you have to have a deficit of 3500 calories. in a week that is 500 calories less a day to loose a pound in a week. it took time to put on the weight it is going to take a little time to take it off. To maintain a weight of 125 you can only take in 1250 calories a day. Just stick with what you are doing and keep up the good work.
  • jkatelyns
    jkatelyns Posts: 3
    I think you are losing as a healthy pace hun! Don't get discouraged, sometimes we all hit a plateau in our weightloss and it takes some adjustments to get through it and beyond it.

    I am proud of you for what you've done so far. I am 5'7 as well and yet I started out at 167lbs! Thankfully I gain weight proportionately all over my body, so it wasn't too bad, but still bad! In high school I was always 135 and that was a healthy weight for me to be at because I was muscular. I am sure you are more petite than I am... but none the less, I just wanted to give you some perspective so you don't get too discouraged.

    One thing I have learned is that I feel better because I am eating better. Part of eating better is watching not just the calories, but also the carbs, fats, sodium, sugars, and proteins. Carbs and fats can be bad, sodium can cause excess water weight and sugars aren't good for your insulin levels. But proteins, good proteins can be good in excess if you are working out enough. Also, by loading up on proteins in your foods you can maintain muscle mass easier, which is weight you want to keep on. Muscle is the best way to burn more calories and it helps your metablism, if you eat more protein, you can keep those muscles healthy and targeted weight loss will be towards fats. The hard part is, if we dont focus on protein, your body can start losing both fat and muscle and then you can struggle more losing the fat because you lost the one component that makes you metabolism better, the muscle.

    Maybe you already knew this stuff, but I hope it helps none the less! Keep up the hard work, you're doing great!
  • karenpsal
    karenpsal Posts: 30
    You are doing great for 3 weeks! I agree with some of the others that you should switch up your workout routine every once in a while as well as do some strength training along with the cardio. I also think you should be eating some of those calories you're burning to avoid going into starvation mode. It also helps to eat smaller meals and have a healthy snack in between meals so you are only going 3-4 hours between meals/snacks. For example:

    7am - breakfast
    9:30 am - morning snack
    12:00 pm - lunch
    3:30 - afternoon snack
    6:00 dinner
    8:00 - evening snack

    Snacks of course should be healthy and light such as an apple, banana or granola bar.

    I found this article online: "Extending the time between meals makes your body go into "starvation mode," which decreases your metabolism as a means to conserve energy and prevent starvation. Skipping meals does not help you cut calories or lose weight; in fact, people generally eat less overall when they eat small, frequent meals. In addition to having four to six small meals per day[6], eating healthy snacks will also increase metabolism."
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    People, she's lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks - I don't think starvation mode is an issue.
  • brinkley89
    brinkley89 Posts: 9
    Wow!! Everyone's comments/suggestions are GREAT! Thank you! I constantly have to be reminded (which my husband does this all the time) "that it's only been 3 weeks" and I tend to want immediate results (so I can be little impatient.) I definitely haven't done enough strength training so maybe that's what I should start incorporating. Fat and sugar are the two calorie busters I watch the most because I know my body responds to those the worst. I never thought I would have SO many replies in such a short amount of time. Thanks again for the great support and the reality check of "this won't happen over night!" :smile:
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