Opinions Please :)

deo422
deo422 Posts: 37 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm a 33yo female 5'4 weighing about 139. I'd like to lose about the last ten pounds. I have a trainer 3x/week. We do abs, strength training, lifting etc for 60 - 75 min each time. Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph. I'd like to lose a pound a week. My calories are set to 1200. I usually eat more than that. Scale hasn't moved in a while. What do you think? I'm frustrated :/

Replies

  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Are u weighing ur food? How long is awhile?
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    Your TDEE is about 1800 cal/day. I would definitely up your calories to a smaller deficit. I don't think you need to be as low as 1200. It could be preventing you from seeing the progress you desire.
  • Justygirl77
    Justygirl77 Posts: 385 Member
    Measure yourself with a tape measure, and chart that progress.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    1. 1200 cals per day/1 lb loss per week seems to be pretty aggressive for such a small amount to lose. Personally, I would go with a smaller deficit and slower goal, as that is usually more sustainable and has less chance of negatively impacting your metabolism.

    2. Make sure you are weighing your food and not just using measuring cups or, worse, eyeballing. You'd be shocked at the difference between a serving of cereal in grams and a serving in a measuring cup.

    3. Use other forms of charting your progress besides just the scale. Measuring tapes are great, and progress photos are even better. Take one from the front, back and side with arms up and arms down. Do this every 2 weeks or so, and compare the pics side by side on your computer. Try to wear something tight-ish or skimpy-ish (swimsuit, underwear, workout gear, etc.) and wear the same thing each time, and stand in the same place with the same lighting, so that the differences will be clearer. These will show your progress much more clearly than the scale. Also, pay attention to how your clothes fit.

  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know

    hehe aawwwwww, sorry this made me chuckle :wink: :flowerforyou:

  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know

    hehe aawwwwww, sorry this made me chuckle :wink: :flowerforyou:
    lol np my dream is to run at 5mph! Probably feel like im flying

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know

    hehe aawwwwww, sorry this made me chuckle :wink: :flowerforyou:
    lol np my dream is to run at 5mph! Probably feel like im flying

    LMAO Thanks for making me smile today :heart: xx

  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know

    hehe aawwwwww, sorry this made me chuckle :wink: :flowerforyou:

    Need some stilts or those upside down buckets on ropes kids have.

    You would be zooming along with those.

    Is there much of a difference in stride between someone who is 5'4 and 5'9 or what ever 182 cm is in Ye olde measurement.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    Are u weighing ur food? How long is awhile?

    I could definitely be better at weighing all my food. A while = 1 month
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    hncary wrote: »
    Your TDEE is about 1800 cal/day. I would definitely up your calories to a smaller deficit. I don't think you need to be as low as 1200. It could be preventing you from seeing the progress you desire.

    Holy cow, that's scary for me to think about.
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    Then I walk once a week as well about 3mph.

    Only thing I can think to add.

    Don't you find that an unbearably slow speed to walk at?
    Im also 5'4 and well 3mph is fast enough for me. My jog speed is 4mph! Short legs here ya know

    Lol exactly!!!
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    Measure yourself with a tape measure, and chart that progress.

    Great suggestion!!!!!
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    1. 1200 cals per day/1 lb loss per week seems to be pretty aggressive for such a small amount to lose. Personally, I would go with a smaller deficit and slower goal, as that is usually more sustainable and has less chance of negatively impacting your metabolism.

    2. Make sure you are weighing your food and not just using measuring cups or, worse, eyeballing. You'd be shocked at the difference between a serving of cereal in grams and a serving in a measuring cup.

    3. Use other forms of charting your progress besides just the scale. Measuring tapes are great, and progress photos are even better. Take one from the front, back and side with arms up and arms down. Do this every 2 weeks or so, and compare the pics side by side on your computer. Try to wear something tight-ish or skimpy-ish (swimsuit, underwear, workout gear, etc.) and wear the same thing each time, and stand in the same place with the same lighting, so that the differences will be clearer. These will show your progress much more clearly than the scale. Also, pay attention to how your clothes fit.

    These are awesome and encouraging ideas. I've thought of the pic thing and my trainer suggested it but I haven't done it. I'm so conditioned to relying on the scale to face my progress. Clothes definitely fit different but not like I'm in a smaller size or anything. I've gotten twice now to weigh my food so I will start doing that and maybe up my calories but that does really scare me.
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    HumerusFitness on Youtube just posted a video about why people can plateau from eating too few calories that might explain it all better to you and not make it seem so scary. I do think that the tape measurer and weighing your food is a good idea as well though.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?

    I'm 133 now. When I hit 139 I was eating about 1400 calories, then I upped to 1650, now I'm back down a bit low because it's getting very hard now. I eat 1400 calories a couple days a week, then eat back my exercise calories, and then eat like 2500 calories one day a week which gets me an average daily net calories of between 1550-1650 daily...Sad thing is, now that I'm 133, I won't lose .5 lbs a week at 1650 anymore :(
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?

    I'm 133 now. When I hit 139 I was eating about 1400 calories, then I upped to 1650, now I'm back down a bit low because it's getting very hard now. I eat 1400 calories a couple days a week, then eat back my exercise calories, and then eat like 2500 calories one day a week which gets me an average daily net calories of between 1550-1650 daily...Sad thing is, now that I'm 133, I won't lose .5 lbs a week at 1650 anymore :(

    You won't lose at 1650? Like, you basically have to lower it again to lose at that rate again? 133 is awesome!!! I sware I'll be so stoked to pass 135 Id be doing the happy dance!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?

    I'm 133 now. When I hit 139 I was eating about 1400 calories, then I upped to 1650, now I'm back down a bit low because it's getting very hard now. I eat 1400 calories a couple days a week, then eat back my exercise calories, and then eat like 2500 calories one day a week which gets me an average daily net calories of between 1550-1650 daily...Sad thing is, now that I'm 133, I won't lose .5 lbs a week at 1650 anymore :(

    You won't lose at 1650? Like, you basically have to lower it again to lose at that rate again? 133 is awesome!!! I sware I'll be so stoked to pass 135 Id be doing the happy dance!

    Now that I'm 133, my .5 lb pound weekly weight loss would be 1590 per day.

    Honestly, 139 to 135 was the hardest part of my weight loss. Very strange period. Lots of adjustments. Plus I lift heavy and I remember being super hungry.
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    hncary wrote: »
    HumerusFitness on Youtube just posted a video about why people can plateau from eating too few calories that might explain it all better to you and not make it seem so scary. I do think that the tape measurer and weighing your food is a good idea as well though.

    I'm trying to find it on there. Do you know the name of it?
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    deo422 wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    HumerusFitness on Youtube just posted a video about why people can plateau from eating too few calories that might explain it all better to you and not make it seem so scary. I do think that the tape measurer and weighing your food is a good idea as well though.

    I'm trying to find it on there. Do you know the name of it?

    The name of the video is Break Your Fat Loss Plateau! and the channel is HumerusFitness
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?
    deo422 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    5'4" as well. When I hit 139 I think I had to officially drop my goal to .5 lbs per week. It's slow, really slow. But it'll come.

    Really? Ok, I could try that. It'll give me some more calories ... What are you at now?

    I'm 133 now. When I hit 139 I was eating about 1400 calories, then I upped to 1650, now I'm back down a bit low because it's getting very hard now. I eat 1400 calories a couple days a week, then eat back my exercise calories, and then eat like 2500 calories one day a week which gets me an average daily net calories of between 1550-1650 daily...Sad thing is, now that I'm 133, I won't lose .5 lbs a week at 1650 anymore :(

    You won't lose at 1650? Like, you basically have to lower it again to lose at that rate again? 133 is awesome!!! I sware I'll be so stoked to pass 135 Id be doing the happy dance!

    Now that I'm 133, my .5 lb pound weekly weight loss would be 1590 per day.

    Honestly, 139 to 135 was the hardest part of my weight loss. Very strange period. Lots of adjustments. Plus I lift heavy and I remember being super hungry.

    Thank you for all this. You've made me feel more normal! I started lifting about 2 weeks ago... And yes, I'm hungry . ALOT. I changed my goal to .5lb/week and MFP upped me to 1380
  • deo422
    deo422 Posts: 37 Member
    hncary wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    HumerusFitness on Youtube just posted a video about why people can plateau from eating too few calories that might explain it all better to you and not make it seem so scary. I do think that the tape measurer and weighing your food is a good idea as well though.

    I'm trying to find it on there. Do you know the name of it?

    The name of the video is Break Your Fat Loss Plateau! and the channel is HumerusFitness

    Perfect!!! Thank you :smiley:
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    deo422 wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    deo422 wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    HumerusFitness on Youtube just posted a video about why people can plateau from eating too few calories that might explain it all better to you and not make it seem so scary. I do think that the tape measurer and weighing your food is a good idea as well though.

    I'm trying to find it on there. Do you know the name of it?

    The name of the video is Break Your Fat Loss Plateau! and the channel is HumerusFitness

    Perfect!!! Thank you :smiley:

    No problem! I hope the way he explains everything helps. Sometimes its easier to hear someone talking than to try to read/explain it by typing it all out :)
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