Am I doing something wrong?

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freakishdarling
freakishdarling Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm 28, I've been staying within my caloric goals (1380 a day, haven't had issues going over in any nutrients, even sugar!) I work out 3 times a week with cardio and weight training, burning about 3,000 calories a week and I work full time in a position that requires a lot of standing and lifting. But in 6 months I haven't lost more than 10lbs and no more than 2% body fat. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, I've nearly doubled the length of time I normally spend at the gym and I walk for about half an hour outside every night too.

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  • lizard380
    lizard380 Posts: 1 Member
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    You might be building muscle and becoming more compact. Muscle does weigh more than weight. Also, I don't know exactly what you currently weigh, but maybe the calorie consumption is too low for you and your body is trying to hold onto what it has. These are just a couple of thoughts
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    I think you really should have your calories higher with that amount of activity.

    Are you using a food scale for ALL solid and semi solid foods? Chances are you are over estimating.

    What are your goals? Mostly fat loss? Are you at a healthy weight? How did you know you lost 2% body fat? Are you taking body measurements​? Progress photos? Clothes fitting better?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories? How do you measure your food? With a food scale?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Do you use a food scale? Do you have a cheat day or cheat meal? Open your food diary.
  • freakishdarling
    freakishdarling Posts: 3 Member
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    I haven't been using a food scale, I cook a lot at home so I can portion out my food and import my recipes. I thought the calories were a little low but that's what the fitness pal app recommended for me.

    Currently I'm 165, down from 176. My goal weight is 135-145 (Im 5'5 if it helps), my gym has a body fat analyzer that I do once a month to check my progress. As for clothes fitting better, maybe a little? I buy all my clothes used so their usually​ pretty worn in at that point lol. I take body measurements too and they haven't​ changed at all in 6 months.

    But I am able to go higher in my weights, I can do twice as much as I could when I started, so I guess I am building muscle? I'm just worried that I'm not loosing anything else. I even tried a garcina supplement and I lost half of my 10lbs from that right there but I stopped it a few months ago.
  • freakishdarling
    freakishdarling Posts: 3 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale? Do you have a cheat day or cheat meal? Open your food diary.

    The only cheats I do is the occasion pop. I might have a can once a week.
  • FinFoxPT
    FinFoxPT Posts: 106 Member
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    How are your calorie burns measured? Unless you have a HRM the calories burn could be way out. Also depends what you eat. Eating under the calories is great but eating foods that actively help you to burn more calories works even better. Do you use your macros to your advantage? Do you choose foods to help your fat burn abilities?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    FinFoxPT wrote: »
    How are your calorie burns measured? Unless you have a HRM the calories burn could be way out. Also depends what you eat. Eating under the calories is great but eating foods that actively help you to burn more calories works even better. Do you use your macros to your advantage? Do you choose foods to help your fat burn abilities?

    depending on the activity, a HRM could be way out too. they should be used for steady state cardio, not weight lifting or HIIT

    can you give examples of foods that 'actively help you burn more calories' because apart from caffiene, they dont exist...
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    freakishdarling wrote: »
    I haven't been using a food scale, I cook a lot at home so I can portion out my food and import my recipes. I thought the calories were a little low but that's what the fitness pal app recommended for me.

    Currently I'm 165, down from 176. My goal weight is 135-145 (Im 5'5 if it helps), my gym has a body fat analyzer that I do once a month to check my progress. As for clothes fitting better, maybe a little? I buy all my clothes used so their usually​ pretty worn in at that point lol. I take body measurements too and they haven't​ changed at all in 6 months.

    But I am able to go higher in my weights, I can do twice as much as I could when I started, so I guess I am building muscle? I'm just worried that I'm not loosing anything else. I even tried a garcina supplement and I lost half of my 10lbs from that right there but I stopped it a few months ago.

    If you aren't using a food scale, you have no idea how much you're actually eating.... And if you're not losing as much as you think you should be, you're eating more than you should be.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    freakishdarling wrote: »
    I haven't been using a food scale, I cook a lot at home so I can portion out my food and import my recipes. I thought the calories were a little low but that's what the fitness pal app recommended for me.

    Currently I'm 165, down from 176. My goal weight is 135-145 (Im 5'5 if it helps), my gym has a body fat analyzer that I do once a month to check my progress. As for clothes fitting better, maybe a little? I buy all my clothes used so their usually​ pretty worn in at that point lol. I take body measurements too and they haven't​ changed at all in 6 months.

    But I am able to go higher in my weights, I can do twice as much as I could when I started, so I guess I am building muscle? I'm just worried that I'm not loosing anything else. I even tried a garcina supplement and I lost half of my 10lbs from that right there but I stopped it a few months ago.

    If you aren't using a food scale, you have no idea how much you're actually eating.... And if you're not losing as much as you think you should be, you're eating more than you should be.

    good catch!
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    freakishdarling wrote: »
    I haven't been using a food scale, I cook a lot at home so I can portion out my food and import my recipes. I thought the calories were a little low but that's what the fitness pal app recommended for me.

    Currently I'm 165, down from 176. My goal weight is 135-145 (Im 5'5 if it helps), my gym has a body fat analyzer that I do once a month to check my progress. As for clothes fitting better, maybe a little? I buy all my clothes used so their usually​ pretty worn in at that point lol. I take body measurements too and they haven't​ changed at all in 6 months.

    But I am able to go higher in my weights, I can do twice as much as I could when I started, so I guess I am building muscle? I'm just worried that I'm not loosing anything else. I even tried a garcina supplement and I lost half of my 10lbs from that right there but I stopped it a few months ago.

    If you aren't using a food scale, you have no idea how much you're actually eating.... And if you're not losing as much as you think you should be, you're eating more than you should be.

    good catch!

    Thanks! I'm usually pretty bad at ball sports :D I fail at tennis... Spend more time trying to kick the balls coming at me than hitting them. Haha
  • tammymccraw
    tammymccraw Posts: 5 Member
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    If you are 5'5 & weighing 165lbs, along with being moderately active, there is no way O can imagine that your caloric intake should be that low...

    Under 1400kcals, IMO, not only sounds look the iifym calculation is off, but too low to moderate healthy hormone function in a female (you are female, correct?).... I'm 5'1 and started at 143lbs and was initially only lightly active, and my calc has me close to 1700kcals... I'm thinking you're too low and thus your body is holding onto every lb for dear life. As well, try weighing your food carefully for the next seven full days without changing anything up, just to see how much you're taking in. Others mentioned taking too much in, but many people trying to lose weight who are not weighing their food tend to far UNDER EAT subconsciously restricting even further than the minuscule # of kcals you've been set at... look at everything. something is OFF, and your goals, happiness and time spent working hard are all too precious not to be got about this correctly. Best of luck to you, and may God bless you!!!
  • tanktopsandflipflops
    tanktopsandflipflops Posts: 5 Member
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    your calories seem really low for that amount of exercise. do you have a fitbit or something attached to it? if so are you eating back the adjustment calories to properly nourish your body after exercise? you could also be gaining lean body mass. do your clothes fit better, is your composite changing? also be careful with calories that sneak in with beverages.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Start with a food scale. Make sure you are truly eating the amount of calories you think you are. (Don't start eating MORE calories unless you've done this!) This video demonstrates why a food scale is such a valuable weight loss tool.

    https://youtu.be/XpHykP6e_Uk

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