Workout, eat right, still can't lose weight...
mrund11
Posts: 3
I'm here to finally lose weight! I workout 5 days a week and have participated in 6 5K's so far this year... I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight! I have actually went up a size in jean because my quads have gotten larger... Don't get me wrong, being fit and STRONG is great, especially with the recent Warrior Dash I just finished! ... I just want to lean out a bit and keep my muscle tone...
My new plan of attack is to increasse my cardio and decrease my weights... Is anyone with me to get the cardio in for 30 hour a day, 5 days a week?
My new plan of attack is to increasse my cardio and decrease my weights... Is anyone with me to get the cardio in for 30 hour a day, 5 days a week?
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Replies
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I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight
Thats the problem! You need to eat more. Your already in a calorie difficet. Your excerising alot , you need to feed your body.0 -
you aren't losing weight because you're not eating enough. You said it yourself, you eat "way under" the amount you're supposed to. Athletes eat. Athletes eat a lot because their metabolism is burning, burning, burning, and you have to give your body the fuel it needs to burn. So, eat your calories, eat every 2-3 hours, be reasonable, and you'll see some changes. Otherwise, your body will go into starvation mode, and store everything you eat because you don't give it enough, and it will break down because it will start consuming your muscle to replace the protein you're not eating.0
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I eat way under my alloted calories however, I still can't lose weight
Thats the problem! You need to eat more. Your already in a calorie difficet. Your excerising alot , you need to feed your body.
This is it! Nearly everyone who has their calories set at 1200 has this issue. =] Eat more!0 -
I hope you mean 30 mins, 5 days a week!
Yes I find I lose more when I concentrate more on cardio, and just do weights 2-3 x a week.
I'd try for 40-60 mins cardio 5 days a week.
weights 2-3 x a week
and try to supplement with walking
Also have you spoken to the fitness advisors at the gym, what kind of workout are you doing, if you haven't changed your routine in a while this will not be challenging your body much - change your routine every six weeks.
Also recommend zig zagging - its not good to always eat way under, but sometimes you could, like two days eat under the third eat at least your allotted.
Keep your body guessing.
I notice you are on the short side (no offence I am too!). There are a few threads which seem to support the theory that us shorties really need to go under to lose weight. I don't buy this eat more to lose weight thing for me it just does not work .0 -
Increasing your cardio really isn't the answer. I can tell you from experience, that you can NOT out exercise a poor diet. I can't see your diary, but I can tell you that getting fit/healthy is AT LEAST 80% diet/nutrition, not exercise.
If you eat cleanly, and watch your macros, you will be surprised with how easy it is to get lean. Add some weight training (instead of even MORE cardio), and you will add muscle. Adding muscle will not only make you look leaner, but it will burn more calories over the day than if you're just thin.0 -
too little food+alot of exercise=starvation mode. Whatever your daily goal is on here after you log your exercise ... subtract it by 500 and eat that.
So, if your daily goal was 2300-500(for a defecit)= 1800 calories/day .. you need to eat to lose weight..0 -
I'm in the same sinking raft!! I totally watch what i eat and exercise like a crazy person at least 6 days a week - all of which is intense cardio AND strength training. I feel your frustration since I can't seem to lose an ounce. I think my body is completely and utterly happy at 150 lbs. Me - not so much. Gonna start trimming my diet way down w/in the next week - super clean. I refuse to put in any more time than I already to working out.0
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I totally agree, you are not eating enough calories. That happened to me, i was working out heavely, eating way below my calories thinking I should lose 4 lbs a week. The scale did not move at all. I started to eat more, at least 1200 calories a day, never less and the scale is moving again. I will not able to do the 4lbs a week, but I will take any loss I can get.0
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I know that 500 calories a day deficit equals one pound a week (3500 cal). So since my basic metabolic rate was computed to be 1700, the 1200 NET calories each day should represent a one pound a week weight loss, right? I'm barely making half a pound a week right now, but have vowed to keep doing it exactly for six weeks and then see if it ends up being an average pound a week.0
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Im exactly the same doesnt matter how much I exercise I tend to stay at the same weight which is fine, but the minute I do start eating more I tend to put a few pounds on around my tummy???? I find it hard to eat my daily intake of calories when eating healthy, have started eating a sandwich at dinner instead of just fruit just to eat a few more calories, and agree have more energy for my run but am still under my daily amount especially if I exercise0
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You should also take a look at the types of foods you are eating also - I find 90% of the time when people say they are not losing weight even though they "are doing everything right" in their own words they are actually eating a lot of high sugar or high salt processed food, and too little fruit, veggies, and lean protein. The wrong types of foods will also cause you to stop losing weight. Also, make sure you are doing cardio for 45 - 60 min most days of the week. 30 min a day is good for maintenance but really won't help weight loss. I run and train for 5Ks, and my 5K training alone won't cut it.0
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Muscles, muscles, muscles!!
Weights (heavy for you) with good form: quality over quantity.
Clean, clean food, lots of it !
Lotsa water too !
Lots of everything good basically !
NO sugars, NO salt
I know it's easier said than done but at least think about it so you can start living it !
Have you tried ?
3 X weight trainig/wk 30 min. == arms, legs, shoulders
2 X week == crazy cardio session at least 1 hour == kick-boxing, running, rowing
:flowerforyou:0 -
Wow... Thank ALL of you for your great words of advice! I had NO idea so many people would TALK to me... I appreciate you ALL!
My Current schedule:
My workouts:
MWF -1 hour of free weights each day - PUMP UP class
TH - 1 hour of intense cardio each day - DRUMS ALIVE class followed by 1/2 hour of core...
My work day:
I sit at my computer ALL day, 8 hours a day, M-F
My weekend:
I have two kids, so it's go, go, go...
I was recommended to eat 1800 calories a day, I get between 1300 and 1500 a day. (That to me is under, but I didn't think I was starving myself... maybe I'm wrong?) I don't allow myself to eat anything that isn't healthy, so instead of eat it I'll walk away from it and that's my problem I think???
I try to eat whole foods, limit my sugar intake and don't eat out more than once a month...
I come from a family of very musclular people... we all weigh MUCH more then we look like we weigh... I was intaking alot of protein, but have now cut that back by 50%...Thanks to my husbands words of advice...
Again, thank you guys for you're help... I'm new to myfitnesspal... I used to use a different calorie counter... but I think I like this one much more!0 -
Exactly tshahady... I burn between 650 to 1100 calories a day in my workout... I eat healthy but I think it's that FOOD thing... I won't eat it unless it's healthy ... I too refuse to do more exercise.. I wish I had a personal chef... that would make life a bit easier!0
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I'm having the same issue? Were you able to turn it around? I've been exercising 30 minutes a day since 1/1/12. Only eat about 1000 calories a day. Haven't had any fast food...nothing fried since 1/1/12. No pop since 1/1/12. Drink 8 glasses of water per day. The weight should be falling off, shouldn't it? I wanted to drop 30 pounds and have only managed 9!!! I'm getting frustrated. I feel like I would weigh the same if I still had all my bad habits. I never exercised before this year and now I do it every day. I'm waiting for something to just click and it doesn't. GRRrrrr.0
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I agree with the others
stick to your calorie range. Increase your cardio. fill up with proteins after a workout. water water water... got to flush it all away. Remember sweat is fat crying!! good luck and keep us update0 -
With the amount of calories you burn in one day, you need to eat more.0
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Read up on starvation mode.0
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To large of a deficit can cause you to stall out and stop losing.
Try eating a bit more. You say you're set for 1800 cal's but then burn 1000 cal's, that leaves you with your initial deficit set by MFP PLUS 1000 cal deficit more! That's too large of a deficit. Try to maintain a deficit of around 500 calories a day, which will probably require you to eat some of your exercise cal's back and I bet you'll start to lose again.0 -
My advice to you would to consult your doctor and see what he/she advises you to do. Yes you do need to fuel your body if you are working out and eating more may be the key but a quick consult with the doc may give you some insight on how much you should be eating to lose weight adn what is recommended for you.0
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I'm eating more and exercising less, almost a perfect split with carbs protein and fats...All of a sudden I'm stuck.
I'm thinking it's because I don't want to have to go shopping, like losing one more pound I won't have any more choice but to go shopping. UGH...
I'm staying off the scales this week, eating my 1200, exercising my 400, eating half...and by Saturday morning, this will all be behind me.......maybe it will twist to the back then I won't see it...there's a thought.0 -
I've been exercising 30 minutes a day since 1/1/12. Only eat about 1000 calories a day. ... The weight should be falling off, shouldn't it?
Nope. Same advice given to the original poster also applies to you.
There are lots of BMR calculators out there. Use one to calculate your BMR. That's the amount of calories your body burns per day just by existing, as if you had laid in bed all day every day.
Let's assume your BMR is 1400 or so (impossible to say since I don't know your height/weight, but should be a close estimate). That means that you must eat 1400 calories per day just for your organs to properly function. Add to that the fact that it takes energy to get out of bed, to get dressed, to go to work, even to sit on the couch. You're eating less than that. Your body is not getting what it needs and thinks that it is starving. It goes into a low energy calorie conservation mode so that you don't die. You therefore have to work considerably harder just to burn off any calories to lose weight. Your body is holding onto every spare calorie it can get right now.
MFP should have all the numbers for you. Stick to them and you will lose weight. Your "Remaining calories" should be as close to zero as possible.0 -
1000 calories is not enough food,you're body is in starvation mode,and is hannging on to fat,take calories up to at least 1500
and one day splurge on a favorite food.0 -
Just read this and felt compelled to reply as I have EXACTLY the same problem. I exercise pretty hard (running every day and burning between 300-500cals) and also do some weights exercises 2-3 times a week. I stick to 1200 net calories a day (so if I burn off 300 calories my total calories for the day would be 1500), and I have actually gained 2lbs in the last weeks. I haven't upped my exercise habits much (I run every day anyway usually) in fact I have actually reduced the running and just walked briskly for double the time during a lot of my work outs - due to feeling too worn out from lack of food. So I don't really how I can be losing fat and gaining lean muscle? I am 5'7 (169cm) and weigh 139lbs - so not overweight, but I'd like to be thin rather than just average. My diet is low fat and probably slightly high sugar, I eat A LOT of fruit and lots of veg as well. (like between 7-10 of the recommended 5 a day)
Can anyone advise?!! Feeling like my hard work has been pointless
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I have my whole family on what I have told them is a lifestyle change. Look up the following and decide for yourself if you think the doctors are giving advice you can accept: "The 6 week cure for the middle age middle" - (You do not have to be middle aged to benefit from losing the abdominal fat you may not even know or think you have); "Protein Power" - kind of older book, some items are updated if you use the first book along with the 2nd. Both are written by a duo of bariatric doctors named Michael and Mary Eades. The books are on Amazon, on their website: www.proteinpower.com - I have children from 11 to 19, as well as my husband and I all changing the way we eat for good...and so far amazing benefits have arisen and we are all happier and healthier after only 4 weeks, with much more to come, I am sure.
Also, with the insane amount of exercise you are doing, where do you find the time to have a life?! All that cardio will NOT get you lean - especially for women. We do not have the testosterone men have, therefore, the weight lifting will not bulk us up, but will pump up our lean muscle...if you cut out the carbs and ramp up the protein. We are doing this and it is working. But it's not a diet, it's a way of life...Best of Luck, whichever direction you take.0 -
Everyone always talks about starvation mode despite the fact that there is not one piece of scientific evidence to support it. It is fictional. Eat too few calories and you'll get fat? Lol did you ever see a fat anorexic? Ever see a fat person from a starving country like Ethiopia? Don't eat carbs they'll say next, despite the fact that there are billions of skinny Asians who eat rice 3 times a day and millions of skinny Italians who eat pasta and bread every day. Then they'll tell you you'll lose muscle if you don't take protein shakes every 3 hours. The only animals on the planet that eat all day long are the domesticated pet and humans, both of which are overweight. An animal in the wild is lucky to get a good meal once a week and so were we when we were hunters and gatherers. Do you know there isn't a single fitness model or bodybuilder who cuts out carbs or relies on protein shakes to get ready for a competition? The truth is they eat very little before a competition. And guess what? They don't gain weight. Here's my advice. First track every calorie you take in. You may be eating more calories than you think. And pay special attention to what you drink. Many people ignore those calories. Second, try eating very few calories once or twice a week and not eating anything but water after 6:00. Eat good foods, skip any protein shakes or processed foods and cut out as much saturated fat and simple sugars you can. Eat chicken, fish, rice, oatmeal, egg whites, cereal with skim milk, veggies and limited fruit. Drink water and unsweetened tea or coffee only. As far as cutting out weights and doing more cardio - that will get you skinny but you're going to lose a lot of the muscle you worked so hard to get. Muscle boosts your resting metabolism so you should want muscle. Swap your long cardio sessions for 5 or 6 minutes of sprint intervals after your weight sessions. One more thing you may want to do is rest more. You may be training too often, which causes your cortisol levels to get out of whack and causes your body to retain water. Your muscles heal and recover when you rest them so when you feel run down and start to hold water, try taking a few days off from anything.0
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Everyone always talks about starvation mode despite the fact that there is not one piece of scientific evidence to support it. It is fictional. Eat too few calories and you'll get fat? Lol did you ever see a fat anorexic? Ever see a fat person from a starving country like Ethiopia? Don't eat carbs they'll say next, despite the fact that there are billions of skinny Asians who eat rice 3 times a day and millions of skinny Italians who eat pasta and bread every day. Then they'll tell you you'll lose muscle if you don't take protein shakes every 3 hours. The only animals on the planet that eat all day long are the domesticated pet and humans, both of which are overweight. An animal in the wild is lucky to get a good meal once a week and so were we when we were hunters and gatherers. Do you know there isn't a single fitness model or bodybuilder who cuts out carbs or relies on protein shakes to get ready for a competition? The truth is they eat very little before a competition. And guess what? They don't gain weight. Here's my advice. First track every calorie you take in. You may be eating more calories than you think. And pay special attention to what you drink. Many people ignore those calories. Second, try eating very few calories once or twice a week and not eating anything but water after 6:00. Eat good foods, skip any protein shakes or processed foods and cut out as much saturated fat and simple sugars you can. Eat chicken, fish, rice, oatmeal, egg whites, cereal with skim milk, veggies and limited fruit. Drink water and unsweetened tea or coffee only. As far as cutting out weights and doing more cardio - that will get you skinny but you're going to lose a lot of the muscle you worked so hard to get. Muscle boosts your resting metabolism so you should want muscle. Swap your long cardio sessions for 5 or 6 minutes of sprint intervals after your weight sessions. One more thing you may want to do is rest more. You may be training too often, which causes your cortisol levels to get out of whack and causes your body to retain water. Your muscles heal and recover when you rest them so when you feel run down and start to hold water, try taking a few days off from anything.
Strong first post. I mean that. *brofist*0 -
Thanks for posting this. The idiocy in this thread had it coming, but I see you covered it nicely.
"eat too few calories and you will gain weight!!" -- lol really? remember the concentration camps? there is far too much bad information passed around these forums.0 -
Just read this and felt compelled to reply as I have EXACTLY the same problem. I exercise pretty hard (running every day and burning between 300-500cals) and also do some weights exercises 2-3 times a week. I stick to 1200 net calories a day (so if I burn off 300 calories my total calories for the day would be 1500), and I have actually gained 2lbs in the last weeks. I haven't upped my exercise habits much (I run every day anyway usually) in fact I have actually reduced the running and just walked briskly for double the time during a lot of my work outs - due to feeling too worn out from lack of food. So I don't really how I can be losing fat and gaining lean muscle? I am 5'7 (169cm) and weigh 139lbs - so not overweight, but I'd like to be thin rather than just average. My diet is low fat and probably slightly high sugar, I eat A LOT of fruit and lots of veg as well. (like between 7-10 of the recommended 5 a day)
Can anyone advise?!! Feeling like my hard work has been pointless
If you weigh only 139 lbs. at 5'7", why do you need to lose more weight? In your photo, you look very thin.
Also, while there a few folks denying "starvation mode", there is no denying that OP and some other posters on this thread are eating at very severe deficits that are going to have some negative long-term results.0 -
I agree, eat more and watch your macros. Also make sure you either do carb cycling or a cheat meal once a week. If you eat too little and is perfectly constant your body will adapt to burning less to use less. You have to quick start your metabolism once a week, increase insulin and so forth.
Being too good sometimes means being bad :-)
Also, try getting out of your pump class. I liked it in the beginning but if you use that as your strenght exercise then you are really limiting yourself. I remember my teacher and one of her students who had been going to her class in forever look more than just a bit heavy. They were strong, don't get me wrong, had muscle but also had quite a bit of fat. I decided to branch out and move to free weights on my own and what a difference. Get out, try something different.
Good luck0
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