Why am I not losing weight? (Macros included)

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nikkibay8
nikkibay8 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For the past 6 weeks, I have been eating 1400 calories (1550 on workout days).
5'4.5"
136lbs
25.5% Body Fat
Workout 5-6 days/week
-60min heavy lifting and 30 min cardio every time
140g protein per day
140 carbs
30g fat

All protein comes from chicken breast 96/4% lean GB, fat free cottage cheese, and plain Greek yogurt.
Carbs mostly from fruit and oats.
Fat from cashews, avocado, and peanut butter.

I have gained 3 lbs, increased .2% in BF, and my body measurements have increased (less than an inch).

Am I eating too much protein? Someone help! I can't find an answer anywhere. Clothes are fitting the same, cellulite has reduced, same person measured me.
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Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    How are you measuring your intake?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    nikkibay8 wrote: »
    For the past 6 weeks, I have been eating 1400 calories (1550 on workout days).
    5'4.5"
    136lbs
    25.5% Body Fat
    Workout 5-6 days/week
    -60min heavy lifting and 30 min cardio every time
    140g protein per day
    140 carbs
    30g fat

    All protein comes from chicken breast 96/4% lean GB, fat free cottage cheese, and plain Greek yogurt.
    Carbs mostly from fruit and oats.
    Fat from cashews, avocado, and peanut butter.

    I have gained 3 lbs, increased .2% in BF, and my body measurements have increased (less than an inch).

    Am I eating too much protein? Someone help! I can't find an answer anywhere. Clothes are fitting the same, cellulite has reduced, same person measured me.

    it's not about macros it's about calories...

    How are you logging and measuring your food?
  • TheCupcakeCounter
    TheCupcakeCounter Posts: 606 Member
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    Are the workouts new? If so the lbs could be water weight (which would also account for the increased inches)

    Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids properly? If not you could be eating a lot more than 1400 calories especially as cashews are notoriously bad for 1/4 cup being WAY MORE than 28g (I measured 5 different 1/4 cup scoops and the lightest one was over 40g which is 1.5 servings)

    Are you close to TOM for the second measurement?

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    In addition to the above, how are you measuring your bf%?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    You should consider setting your food diary to "open" or "public" (I forget which they call it).

    This will allow some people to take a look at specifics that may be highly relevant.
  • Geekinn
    Geekinn Posts: 2 Member
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    I didn't read all the responses, but this will happen when you lift and transform fat into muscle which is what I'm assuming is taking place. Happened to me a few summers back when I got ripped than lost it all and now working back towards where I was.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Geekinn wrote: »
    I didn't read all the responses, but this will happen when you lift and transform fat into muscle which is what I'm assuming is taking place. Happened to me a few summers back when I got ripped than lost it all and now working back towards where I was.

    Fat does not transform into muscle.

    *nods*
    Agreed!
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Always the same answer: you're either undestimating your food or overestimating your needs.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Always the same answer: you're either undestimating your food or overestimating your needs.

    Yep, this has ALWAYS been the case for me. If i ever stopped losing, or God forbid started gaining, i was able to trace it back to sloppy or incomplete logging, every single time!

    I also definitely recommend downloading a weight tracker app, I use Trendweight.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    elleaitch11 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Geekinn wrote: »
    I didn't read all the responses, but this will happen when you lift and transform fat into muscle which is what I'm assuming is taking place. Happened to me a few summers back when I got ripped than lost it all and now working back towards where I was.

    Fat does not transform into muscle.

    Thankfully most of us know what she means - losing weight and gaining muscle - not a magical transformation of fat into muscle. It's short hand like "muscle weighs more than fat" - we could be pedantic and explain how that's wrong, or recognize its a short way of comparing the density of each.

    you dont lose weight and gain muscle. its very hard to build muscle in a surplus let alone a deficit. which is why many do a recomp or bulk and cut cycles.
  • jenboop20
    jenboop20 Posts: 4 Member
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    Switch the cashews and peanut butter for canned tuna.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    elleaitch11 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Geekinn wrote: »
    I didn't read all the responses, but this will happen when you lift and transform fat into muscle which is what I'm assuming is taking place. Happened to me a few summers back when I got ripped than lost it all and now working back towards where I was.

    Fat does not transform into muscle.

    Thankfully most of us know what she means - losing weight and gaining muscle - not a magical transformation of fat into muscle. It's short hand like "muscle weighs more than fat" - we could be pedantic and explain how that's wrong, or recognize its a short way of comparing the density of each.

    With all due respect, while I agree with you that the argument about "muscle weighs more than fat" is largely a matter of semantics, I don't think that is the case for people talking about turning fat into muscle.

    I've encountered people both in person and on the forum who believe that fat turns into muscle and so my intention was not to start some sort of a debate about language to use or what people say versus what they mean.

    I took the statement at face value because in my experience it is usually meant that way.

    And often when people say muscle weighs more than fat it is not applicable to the situation at hand either. Aside from recomp which is a long slow process with tiny gains and losses, nobody, not even men, can gain muscle at the same rate as losing fat. And that's in ideal conditions. It's said on threads when the OP is only doing cardio.

    So it's rare the whole you're gaining muscle replies apply if ever.

    It really just comes down to being as accurate as possible with logging and monitoring results over time to nail your numbers.
  • nikkibay8
    nikkibay8 Posts: 23 Member
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    I am weighing *every single* thing with a scale. I don't drink liquids other than plain water.

    BF measurements are taken with a skin fold caliper, and electronic caliper, and physical measurements with a BF equation. Then taken the average.

    My diary is set to 'public.'

    Thank you for the diagram. I have a doctor's appt scheduled next week to check my hormones regarding this issue.
  • nikkibay8
    nikkibay8 Posts: 23 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »

    it's not about macros it's about calories...

    How are you logging and measuring your food?

    I included macros in my question to see if I was eating too much protein and gaining muscle/increasing physical measurements. I log and measure everything with a scale.
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
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    a surplus of any one macro will not cause you to gain wieght. Your not in an overall caloric deficit is all it comes down to. How did you pick 1400 and 1550?

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