Low Calorie intake and working out 5x week but no weight loss just muscle loss

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  • akf2000
    akf2000 Posts: 278 Member
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    My goal on MFP is to one day post The Chart, but today is not that day because I can not find The Chart.
  • trixiex
    trixiex Posts: 22 Member
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    Oh. I also started weighing food and was amazed at how much I was "under-logging" before.
    Also, so sorry for your loss, I truly hope you are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel x
  • lynnette1774
    lynnette1774 Posts: 6 Member
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    So, I wanted to update my status. I have lost 5 lbs since this post, while increasing my muscle weight. I thought it important to update because some of the information given did not fit my circumstances and others may find themselves in a similar situation. I actually continued my workouts without any change. My workouts are with a trainer and they are like boot camp on Crack. It is important to say this before my next comment. I INCREASED my calorie intake by 300 a day and the weight started falling off. I also increased my protein intake. I think a lot of us get fixated on the calories and forget all of us are a little different. The results of the change have been drastic. A 1200 calorie diet was way too restrictive and my metabolism slowed in response. It is important to note that the calories I added were not empty calories and I have spread them over 6 meals a day.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    Well done, good to hear you are having good results. 1200 does seem low considering the heavy exercise and I could not sustain that, personally. I hope it keeps working out.

    One question I didn't see asked or answered above is how many pounds a week you were aiming to lose in the first place? A lot of people run into trouble through trying to lose too fast, it becomes unsustainable and has bad side effects (like your concern that you were losing muscle). mfp default is 1lb a week, max 2lb a week, and I think those are good goals to stick to unless you are very obese (very obese people can often lose faster without bad side effects).
  • baciodolce18
    baciodolce18 Posts: 113 Member
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    lynnette1774 wrote: »
    So, I wanted to update my status. I have lost 5 lbs since this post, while increasing my muscle weight. I thought it important to update because some of the information given did not fit my circumstances and others may find themselves in a similar situation. I actually continued my workouts without any change. My workouts are with a trainer and they are like boot camp on Crack. It is important to say this before my next comment. I INCREASED my calorie intake by 300 a day and the weight started falling off. I also increased my protein intake. I think a lot of us get fixated on the calories and forget all of us are a little different. The results of the change have been drastic. A 1200 calorie diet was way too restrictive and my metabolism slowed in response. It is important to note that the calories I added were not empty calories and I have spread them over 6 meals a day.

    Glad it worked but your metabolism didn't slow. Starvation mode isn't a thing. Definitely not after a month of moderate restriction.

    You likely just had a woosh. But given your height and exercise routine, 1500 sounds more maintainable for the long term. Not sure what your goal weight is, but maybe reevaluate your calorie goal about every 10 pounds.

    Just keep in mind the closer you get to goal, the smaller your deficit becomes so weighing and accurately logging becomes super important.
  • lynnette1774
    lynnette1774 Posts: 6 Member
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    I am aiming for a 2 lb / week loss.
    baciodolce18 wrote: »
    lynnette1774 wrote: »
    So, I wanted to update my status. I have lost 5 lbs since this post, while increasing my muscle weight. I thought it important to update because some of the information given did not fit my circumstances and others may find themselves in a similar situation. I actually continued my workouts without any change. My workouts are with a trainer and they are like boot camp on Crack. It is important to say this before my next comment. I INCREASED my calorie intake by 300 a day and the weight started falling off. I also increased my protein intake. I think a lot of us get fixated on the calories and forget all of us are a little different. The results of the change have been drastic. A 1200 calorie diet was way too restrictive and my metabolism slowed in response. It is important to note that the calories I added were not empty calories and I have spread them over 6 meals a day.

    Glad it worked but your metabolism didn't slow. Starvation mode isn't a thing. Definitely not after a month of moderate restriction.

    You likely just had a woosh. But given your height and exercise routine, 1500 sounds more maintainable for the long term. Not sure what your goal weight is, but maybe reevaluate your calorie goal about every 10 pounds.

    Just keep in mind the closer you get to goal, the smaller your deficit becomes so weighing and accurately logging becomes super important.

    I have to, respectfully, disagree. Your body is made work efficiently. If you try to cut back too quickly your metabolism will adjust in response, naturally. I was not referring to "Starvation Mode". I don't believe I was in any kind of "Starvation Mode", rather my metabolism was not being fueled effectively to help it speed up. When you have had a sedentary lifestyle and your metabolism is slow to begin with you have work at getting it to speed up. I was eating less than my BMR and not enough to spread effectively over 6 meals in addition to strenuous exercise. Hence, I was losing weight but as not as quickly as I could have. There are lots of conflicting research and results in regards to this. I just want to share with others to try different things until your body responds.

    As a side note, about 5 years ago I lost 75 pounds in 6 months (after a high risk pregnancy led to bed rest) and had kept it off until my daughter passed. I lost weight quickly through diet and exercise. I have never weighed food and used this site as a guide and to hold me responsible. I also use a thermogenic to help give my metabolism a boost (for 6 weeks). When I reviewed my journals from that time, I realized I ate more calories and changed up my daily calorie intake. Loosing weight is not as simple as calories in - calories burned.. if you want to gain muscle and keep it off.

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