Why is my body so stubborn?? No fat loss and need help

Jess830409 wrote: »

Here is a question - how do you figure out TDEE when you are unsure of your metabolic rate due to one reason or another. I mean, I can plug in my stats and get that I should be eating anywhere from 1,200-1,800 calories. There is a huge margin for error in information out there.
Other than trial and error I wonder what is the most accurate way to get information

I've read that a sedentary lifestyle is a factor in determining your TDEE, would low blood pressure also factor into the equation?

astrampe wrote: »

No.....just no.....The OP is 31 - and although she has hormone issues, her joints, muscles and body is that of a fit 31 year old..... "Older women" is anyways relative - I know 63 year olds that still do HIIT, and definitely don't have to go do water aerobics or pilatus because they "should do lower impact stuff"......

Except that cortisol becomes elevated when hormonal issues are at play.

BFDeal wrote: »

So what about if you were heavy and lost weight but can't lose more? Any idea? I'd like to be 200lbs. I was 365lbs. I'm 230lbs now. I've always gotten stuck at this number. I lost the initial weight barely counting calories. Got stuck at 225. Gained some back after going off the plan I was doing (basically meat and veggie low carb, occasional cheat days). I counted calories to lose weight. Again, stuck at 230lbs. Lowered them more. Got to 222lbs eating 1800 calories a day. Took one week off for vacation and boom. 230lbs again. It's like my body just won't go lower. It makes no sense and people have yet to logically explain why I can't lose weight but they can. If it's this metabolic damage thing how long will it take to actually fix? Common sense says someone who's over 30lbs overweight should easily be able to lose but I can't. So why?

Without working with you, monitoring the bio feedback and having a clear picture of what's going on it's difficult and would be remiss of me to say it's A, B & C.

It's sounds like the 8lb gain was simply typical vacation behavior gain. You have already moved past your usual sticking point of 230lbs by getting to 222lbs so I'm sure with small weekly adjustments (if needed) then you could happily reach your goal weight over time.

BFDeal wrote: »

Ironmaiden4life wrote: »

The time it takes is takes to repair metabolic damage is dependent on the cause, the length of time involved that led to the damage, genetic response and the protocol used to correct it. I wish I could give you a better answer than that.

Metabolic damage has recently become a very hot topic in the bodybuilding community (and no it doesn;t just effect body builders) with people falling into 2 camps, 'yes it does exist' and 'no it doesn't it's just a myth invented by people who can't hack contest prep'. Does it happen to everyone... absoultely not but science has proven that it does happen to some people and to varying degrees.

I've seen competitors come off crappy dieting regimes with full blown adrenal failure and a host of other metabolic issues. Repair takes time but is achievable and yes in extreme cases may take a year or longer.

Answering your question BFDeal is it better to suck it up and starve on brutally low calories... Heck NO!!!! That is absoultely the WORST thing you could possibly do You will only compound the problem and initiate more, and subject yourself to massive rebound problems.

Our bodies give us very distinct and sometimes very loud cues. By not listening to them you will not only move further away from your goals you will set yourself on a potential road to disaster.

So what about if you were heavy and lost weight but can't lose more? Any idea? I'd like to be 200lbs. I was 365lbs. I'm 230lbs now. I've always gotten stuck at this number. I lost the initial weight barely counting calories. Got stuck at 225. Gained some back after going off the plan I was doing (basically meat and veggie low carb, occasional cheat days). I counted calories to lose weight. Again, stuck at 230lbs. Lowered them more. Got to 222lbs eating 1800 calories a day. Took one week off for vacation and boom. 230lbs again. It's like my body just won't go lower. It makes no sense and people have yet to logically explain why I can't lose weight but they can. If it's this metabolic damage thing how long will it take to actually fix? Common sense says someone who's over 30lbs overweight should easily be able to lose but I can't. So why?

Start by making your own thread. Then answer the question I ask you on another thread that I tag you on.

Jess830409, Ninerbuff makes a great point to try and reduce your running to 2-3 miles a day or maybe even thinking about doing short distances or sprints to just switch up your regime. The love for running is one thing, I would never suggest stopping that as my wife works for the company that puts on the Rock and Roll Marathons and is an avid runner herself. One thing you may try and do is try and keep it to 10 miles a week and that can be spread out however you'd like. For example, on your 'lifting days' if you change it to approximately 4 days a week, you can change up your jogging routine to interval sprints for 1 mile giving you a total of 4 miles on your training days and split the remaining 6 miles on a Friday/Saturday with 3/3 or Friday Off and Saturday run for 6 with Sunday off to get you ready for your next week. But as a reminder, as you workout and lose weight and gain weight your caloric need changes. When you lose 5 pounds you need to readjust your calories as your body will not need as much as it did 5 lbs ago. Here is an example of what you can do:

Monday: Legs followed by interval sprints for 1 mi.

Tuesday: Back/Tri's (superset a back movement with a tri movement and rest intervals at 30 sec)-sprint intervals for 1 mi.

Wednesday: Chest/Bi's (same as above)-sprint intervals for 1 mi.

Thursday: Shoulders/ABS- sprint intervals for 1 mi.

Friday: OFF or 3 mi run

Saturday: 3 mi or 6 mi run to make up for the miles needed to hit your 10 a week

Sunday: OFF

I am currently in the same boat as most here which is dropping weight putting it back on dropping weight, etc. etc. I was at 295 about a year ago, just got home from playing college football and dropped down to 235. I started coaching and it took up workout time and I wasn't as serious in what I ate and slowly after two years put the weight back on and am now back, ironically, at 295.3. I am finding ways in which to get the most out of my meals and my workouts. One of the things that I have done to help me in terms of calories on MFP is changed my setting to losing 1lb a week, setting my 'activity level' to sedentary, and putting my carbohydrate percentage to 30%, Protein to 50%, and fat to 20%. So far so good. I feel much better and it is much easier to reach my goals once you fix your macro percentages and change your activity level so MFP can't 'adjust' and tell you what to eat. In changing my activity level it drastically changed my calories needed and much closer matched my BMR of 2,800. I have subtracted 500 from that to get my at the necessary deficit for fat loss. With my fitbit charge HR I essentially just use it as an exercise tracker and adjust my calories accordingly with the 2,500 allotted to me. So if I burn 500 during a workout I will eat another 500 calories to make sure I am not at a 1,000 calorie deficit and keep my body from storing fat as it thinks I am starving. I will keep you posted if you'd like.

BFDeal wrote: »

No one really outlines any sort of specifics. It's mostly vague stuff. "You'll get there over time. Take some time off. Then adjust." Huh? I'm asking for help. If I could figure it out on my own I'd of done it already.

Unless someone knows the exact plan you're working too and is monitoring the biofeedback week to week there's no way to give specific answers/solutions. People can offer suggestions or outline things that worked for them but they can't give you an exact answer.

If you feel that you are floundering then look into hiring a dietician/nutritionist or a qualified coach. They will be able to give you a plan of action so you can reach your goal.