Weight Loss

Nards1873
Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I am looking for some advice. I am currently 46 years old, large frame and 6ft tall weighing in at around 90kg. I weight train for one hour 5 x days per week followed immediately by 30 mins of cardio.

I am trying to lose fat and not so much muscle mass although I know it is difficult to maintain muscle while dieting. I am trying to keep my ratio to 50% Protein / 30% Carbs and 20% Fats. I was sitting on 1800 calories nett per day without doing cardio and not losing weight. I dropped to 1300 calories nett per day and no cardio and still only maintained. I have now been doing cardio for the last two months and netting anywhere from 900-1100 calories per day and slowly dropping the weight but fluctuating. I know this is a low calorie intake for my size and I am not sure what to do. I am sure I have lost some muscle and strength but I was working on the theory that I should go a little harder now and sacrifice some muscle and build the muscle back after I get to me goal weight. I have tried upping my calorie intake a little but I stop losing again. I am a little lost what direction to take. I have lost about 7 kg in the last two months but I am looking to lose another 5kg to get to a goal of around 85kg. I still have around 20-25% bodyfat.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Why are you netting so few calories? That's just going to increase the amount of muscle that you lose.

    I understand you want to lose weight, but you want to lose as much of that weight as *fat*.

  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    20-25% body fat is actually pretty healthy for a woman. If you are a male, then you are eating WAY fewer calories than is healthy. You weight loss rate should not be to high. Try weighing and logging more accurately and see if this affects things.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If you have trouble losing on 900-1100 calories, it's time to seek professional help, not Internet help.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Netting 900-1100 calories per day is insane.

    Please open your diary so that we can see what you are eating and logging (for both exercise and food.)
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You should be netting no fewer than 1500 calories, and even that will be low for your size. If you aren't losing now, then you're eating more than you think.
  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    Male. Accurately logging diet and sticking with it pretty easily. Not sure how to share my food diary but typically as follows:

    Breakfast -
    30g Oats / 50g forzen Blueberries / 40g WPC Protein Shake = Approx 300 cals

    Mid Morning - 40g WPC Protein Shake

    Lunch - Meat/Fish - 150g / Salad or Veg = Approx 300 cals

    Snacks and Post workout - 50g WPI Protein shake + 1 x banana / 2-3 cups of coffee or tea per day which I allow 1/2 cup of milk for = 400-500 cals

    Dinner - Meat / Fish = I work on 400-500 calories with approx 30-50g of Protein / 30-50g of carbs / balance = fat.

    That is it - sticking with it every day - one cheat day per week where I may splurge a little for a meal but I can honestly say I am sticking with and following it pretty honestly. No sneaky little uncounted additions anywhere.

  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    Exercise -

    60 mins hard weight training 5 days per week followed by 30 mins on the stationary bike pedaling at a solid 26km per hour.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    How many calories are you logging for the exercise?
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    I am the same height. Lost 40 pounds eating around 1800-1900 calories at a rate of 1.5-1.8 pounds per week doing less cardio and less weight lifting. You're simply not eating enough or you're eating way more than you think.

    Can you open your diary?
  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    450 cals for cardio which I am netting off the total food calories to leave me at around the 900-1100 mark- Not sure and I have not allowed for weights but I expect around 250 calories - I use this as a buffer in case my dinner meal servings are slightly more than expected. I will usually cook for a family of four and divide into four servings so there is some room for error here.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    The above meal plan you posted is 1700 calories.

    How do you cook your meat / fish? in oil? Are you counting oil, salad dressing, marinades, condiments (bbq sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise)? are you drinking anything besides water and coffee?

    To open your diary on the PC go to:

    My Home > Settings > Diary Settings

    Under Diary Sharing select Public
  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    Done! While there are some long period where I did not log, it was just because it was very routine and i have always been sticking to the macros. just started again in the past few days. February was the last run of logging and late last year for a while. I have been on higher calories back in Feb and not doing the cardio but was struggling to make any weight reduction. Always have done the weight training. reduced calories and added cardio about 8 weeks ago. What I am logging now is fairly representative of my diet for the past two months and I have lost 6kg in that time but now have stalled asI have tried adding a few more cals in the past day or two as I thought I may be too low. Based on past experience I am sure I will not lose with the extra 200 calories added.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    From what I can tell, you're eating more calories than you think. You have generic entries like:

    Thai red noodle soup, 1 serving(s)
    French beef and bacon mash, 1 serving(s)


    Were these weighed? Were they homeade, from a box with nutrition information?

    Not logging every single day and not weight everything that you eat is the problem. Do that consistently, put your calories at a realistic number and you'll lose weight just fine.
  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    That is because they are Recipe Meals imported from online websites. they are all between 400-500 calories with 30-50g of protein / 30-50g of carbs and the balance is fat as previously explained. I take a lot recipes from healthyfoodguide.com.au or taste.com.au and if protein is lower than I want i will add more protein and recalculate the total calories accordingly.

    It is accurate!
  • Nards1873
    Nards1873 Posts: 7 Member
    I weigh and cook everything myself and I account for everything including any oil or salad dressing if used. I only use fresh ingredients and never pre-packaged meals. 1700 calories in total food -450 cardio =1250 nett calories.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    But you're not logging every day, so there is a major guess factor. Log every day, and stay consistent for another month, then I'm sure we can help further if there's a problem.
  • Btbeam
    Btbeam Posts: 252 Member
    I think that you have created metabolic damage by eating so little calories. Your body thinks it starving. You need to be eating more and your metabolism will kick back up. When we work at such a caloric deficit your metabolism actually slows down.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    Btbeam wrote: »
    I think that you have created metabolic damage by eating so little calories. Your body thinks it starving. You need to be eating more and your metabolism will kick back up. When we work at such a caloric deficit your metabolism actually slows down.

    That's not how this works. Starvation mode is a myth. There is no "kick back up" to metabolism.
  • loulamb7
    loulamb7 Posts: 801 Member
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    But you're not logging every day, so there is a major guess factor. Log every day, and stay consistent for another month, then I'm sure we can help further if there's a problem.

    This is solid advice. The only thing I would add is get your calories up. 900-1100 calories for you is way to low (assuming your logging is good).

This discussion has been closed.

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