A lot of cardio and no results :(

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Ive been trying to diet myself away since the start of June. I could say that Im doing things right, with the constant visit at the gym (taking classes or what not), making sure that my time at the gym is worth it by doing as much as I can in a day. Ive also been going to bikram classes since June - but my problem is, I still haven't seen anything going down the scale!! With regards to my diet - Ive also lessen my food intake and have been conscious with the kinds of foods I have been eating.

Help! Its getting frustrating! :((

Replies

  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    can`t see your diary but are you eatting enough? also are you drinking enough water ?
  • fitnessgogetta
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    You may not be eating enough and you are putting your body in starvation mode. Make sure you drink plenty of water.
  • udallmom101
    udallmom101 Posts: 564 Member
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    Take measurements!!! I dropped a lot of weight at first, but then it slacked off. At the 30 lb. mark I decided measurements were better than weighing. I also found that when I slack on my strength training my weight doesn't budge. Patience and time. It will happen for you!
  • teamnevergoingback
    teamnevergoingback Posts: 368 Member
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    My scale isn't changing either. How many calories are you getting? MFP put me on 1340 a day, but I always eat more because of exercise.
  • lynnieking
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    hi, i found the same, but you've got to remember that you may be burning fat, but also toning muscle, so you may have lost inches rather than weight ;) and muscle is heavier....
    another thing is that when you gain extra calorie points for your excersize, rember to eat that amount to keep your metabolism going.

    hope this helps, keep going :)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Do not go below 1200 calories NET. On your homepage, at the top, it says "NET" and that number should be 1200 or higher. So if you're working out, you need to eat enough back that you rnet says 1200. Also... quality of calories makes a big difference. Eating 1200 calories worth of donuts & big macs is not going to make your body want to lose weight. However, 1200 calories of lean protein (think turkey, white meat chicken, fish), veggies (think green - broccoli, spinach, kale, green beans) and healthy fats (nuts, seeds - not sweetened or salted, extra virgin olive oil, NATURAL peanut butter) and healthy carbs (whole oats, whole wheat, brown rice, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, etc.)
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Ive been trying to diet myself away since the start of June. I could say that Im doing things right, with the constant visit at the gym (taking classes or what not), making sure that my time at the gym is worth it by doing as much as I can in a day. Ive also been going to bikram classes since June - but my problem is, I still haven't seen anything going down the scale!! With regards to my diet - Ive also lessen my food intake and have been conscious with the kinds of foods I have been eating.

    Help! Its getting frustrating! :((

    From my own personal experience, the main reason for no weight loss was my food choices. I'm not able to view your food diary, buy my first suggestion would be to really be honest with yourself about your intake. Have you cut out most of the processed foods? Have you added many fruits and vegetables to your day? Are you keeping your sodium level in check? Are you preparing your meals or selecting "healthier" pre-packaged meals? Those aren't as healthy as one would be led to believe. Are you having fresh or frozen fruits and veggies? Canned items are not good. Take a good look at your food diary with a critical eye. I can almost guarantee that your answer lies in there. Good luck to you!
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
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    There are several potential things that could be stalling you out on the scale -

    1) Make sure you're eating enough - if your body is in starvation mode then it's going to hoard your calories instead of burning them.
    2) Do you get sore after your workouts? If so, your muscles are busy repairing themselves, and when they do that they retain water.
    3) You're also probably building muscle, which weighs more than fat.
    4) Make sure you're drinking plenty of water, especially with the bikram (heated room) workouts. Water retention is an easy way to artificially gain weight.

    Some other things you might consider doing, apart from drinking water and eating enough:
    1) Measure yourself in inches - you may be losing inches instead of weight right now, but as long as you're creating a calorie deficit then the weight WILL come off eventually. Don't forget - just because the scale isn't moving doesn't mean you aren't getting smaller!
    2) Measure your workout progress in terms of how long it takes to get back to your basal heart rate, or how much farther you can run, or how much more you can lift. You're still making progress when you work out - try not to let the scale be your bottom line!
  • steve4580
    steve4580 Posts: 32
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    There is a lot more to focusing on diet than just lessening your intake and making better choices. This sounds extremely vague to me. If you are not already doing so, I would suggest tracking your calories on here religiously. This includes weighing and measuring portions exactly. I heard a doctor say once that "you can't outrun your mouth". You can exercise like crazy, but if you are still eating too much you are not going to see any progress. For that matter you can eat too little as well, so this is why you have to track your food and stick to your plan. Good luck!
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
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    Cardio is great to help lose weight but you have to remember that 80% of losing weight is diet. So eating all the right foods in moderation is what will help you lose.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    Cardio doesn't help with weight loss if your diet is not in check.

    1. Find out BMR and Activity level based on a 24 hour period, not just in gym.

    2. Eat a 500-1000 calorie (20-40%) deficit under your caloric maintenance level. (BMR + Activity)

    3. Make sure you are hitting your macronutrients each and every day that coincide with your intake level that should be in a deficit.

    4. Let 2-4 weeks pass by while doing steps 1, 2 and 3.

    5. Smile when you step on the scale or look in the mirror.

    The end.
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    As stated above make sure you are eating enough! If you are only eating 1000 calories, and working off 400 calories, then your only have 600 calories left over, which would probably put you in starvation mode.
  • bnelso72
    bnelso72 Posts: 1 Member
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    I don't know when during the day you go to the gym, but for what it is worth, I've found that I get the best results when I do my exercise first thing in the morning, before I eat breakfast. If I have to do it in the evening to not eat or drink any thing besides sugar and sugar-substitute free beverages (water is the best, but black tea or coffee for instance) for 4 hours before my workout. So if I am going to the gym at 6 pm my cutoff is 2pm. Also drinking plenty of water and focusing on eating low-fat proteins and high fiber foods also helps. The proteins help you build muscle which will assist you in burning calories, and the fiber will help you feel full and have a low calorie impact on your day. Good luck and stick with it! The results will come.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    As stated, without being able to see your diary it is impossible to really help. Often the is eating more calories than you think you are. If you are not measuring your portions carefully and just estimating portion size you may be estimating incorrectly. Use a scale and other measuring devices. Also any prepackaged food make sure on the serving size. Sometimes a container that you would think would be one serving is really more than one. Lastly, make sure you log everything. I remember a person struggling with the same sort of problem, but they were not including the hard candies they would suck on through the day. Those sort of "small" things can really add up the calories quickly.

    My other suggestion would be add strength training to your exercise. Cardio is at best only part of what you need to do.
  • notmeanymore29
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    Wow!!! Thanks guys!! Im much overwhelmed with your replies - your support here is incredible!

    Ive just opened my food diary for view, but thought first to start with MFP friends. Im currently intaking 1200 cal a day, with most of the calories coming from protein (which Id like to believe are good sources)

    Currently, Im also doing the following:

    1. 1 or 2 classes of aerobic exercises at the gym (zumba, body blast, step classes) for 3 to 4 times a week
    2. Treadmill and/or elliptical - 4 to 5 times a week
    3. Bikram yoga (which I go for at least 3 or 4 times a week)
    4. Hiking (every wednesday)

    With regards to strength training, Im just beginning with it and have started with the gym's machines.

    My frustration comes with the thought that Ive been doing so much in a day, but I can't seem to lose even a pound a week for the past 4 weeks :( Im in the brink of giving up, but I think with your support and uplifts I would still try to continue.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    Based on your diary you may need to eat more based on how much exercise you are doing. MFP assumes you will eat the calories you burn though exercise. Eventually doing what you are doing you will lose weight, but it will not be a good loss. You need to fuel your body and 1200 calories minus the calories you burn is simply not enough. Here is an excellent post by a friend of mine here about that very thing http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/196502-for-the-people-who-work-out-like-crazy-and-are-not-losing
  • JustMichelleB
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    Sounds like you are working out "Too much". At lesat 2hours a day, and only taking in 1200 calories? You aren't fueling your body right for that type of workout regimen, imo.
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    I took a peek at your diary. Here are a few suggestions:

    1. Log everything. The good, the bad and the really ugly. That is the only way to really see what is going in each day. It is really eye-opening to see everything once it is laid out in front of you. Add everything like butter, oil, seasoning, etc. These little things will all add up at the end of the day. After logging for a full week, go back and take a look at how you did overall for that week.

    2. Go to your Settings and then Diary Settings. Add Sodium and Sugar to your list of Nutrients Tracked. You may not know how much sodium you are actually having each day. I watch that number like a hawk because it bloats me up every single time I go over. My Sugar level is always high because I eat a lot of fruit. MFP doesn't differentiate between simple and complex sugars. Natural sugars are okay but should still be kept to a minimum. I just broke through a plateau by cutting back on some of the fruit and adding more vegetables to my day. Worked like a charm and now here I am at my goal!

    3. Add fruits and vegetables. From what you have logged so far, I am not seeing any. These will help keep you regular as well. All the protein may be having a hard time breaking down and getting digested. If you are not having a regular BM once or twice a day, your digestive system needs a little help.

    4. Don't skip meals. Have 3 meals and 3 snacks each day. Some people like to break their day in to 6 smaller meals. This will help keep you full to make smart food choices and it will keep your body fueled up for any activity you have going on.

    Good luck!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Also trying to cram as much workout as you can into one day could be detrimental. I recently had to consult a female who would work out 3 hours in one day just to say she got in 3 hours a week of exercise.
  • notmeanymore29
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    Thanks guys again for the comments! Im really happy to see a lot of you respond, I feel that I have hope in this with all your support. I have already opened up my diary for public view, as I see it fit to be commentaried on.

    Feel free to message me or continue on this thread should you wish to comment further.