Weight lifting and STILL not losing weight. HELP!
tailikeswaffles
Posts: 35 Member
Hey guys!
So background. At my heaviest in 2015 I was 215-220lbs. I’m 5’7 and 23 years old. In 2015 I managed to drop about 45lbs or so. Then i yoyo’d from 170-175 ever since. This summer, i started a low-carb/keto diet and managed to drop to my lowest weight ever which was 168 from about 176. Then...I moved in with my partner and my weight shot up to 180 in a REALLY short amount of time. I was so devastated. So since october 1st, I’ve been lifting weights more seriously and heavier and REALLY watching my calorie intake. I went back to low carb and Ive been eating like 1200 calories a day. Guess what I weight today, December 4? 179.8
So background. At my heaviest in 2015 I was 215-220lbs. I’m 5’7 and 23 years old. In 2015 I managed to drop about 45lbs or so. Then i yoyo’d from 170-175 ever since. This summer, i started a low-carb/keto diet and managed to drop to my lowest weight ever which was 168 from about 176. Then...I moved in with my partner and my weight shot up to 180 in a REALLY short amount of time. I was so devastated. So since october 1st, I’ve been lifting weights more seriously and heavier and REALLY watching my calorie intake. I went back to low carb and Ive been eating like 1200 calories a day. Guess what I weight today, December 4? 179.8
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Replies
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Sounds frustrating! When you say you've really been watching your calorie intake, what does that mean? Do you weigh solids and measure liquids? Do you eyeball portions? Do you log absolutely everything (drinks, cooking oil etc)? Do you have days of not logging?6
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I log absolutely everything. Even the oils/sauces/etc so I don’t accidentally eat too many carbs. I log eveyday.2
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If you're eating 1200 calories a day it doesn't matter if you're sedentary....you will lose weight unless you're already underweight which you are not. There is either a large error in food measurement or you are cheating on your diet. Even if you have hypothyroidism or insulin resistance, you're eating far under your TDEE/BMR. It's a harsh reality but you have to go back and see what you're miscalculating or slipping up on an off day.1
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tailikeswaffles wrote: »I log absolutely everything. Even the oils/sauces/etc so I don’t accidentally eat too many carbs. I log eveyday.
But how do you determine how much to log? Weighing solids and measuring liquids? Or using measuring cups? Or guesstimating?6 -
I use measuring cups. Solids, especially meats, i try to get already prepackaged in the serving size (turkey burger, chicken, fish, etc)
I hate counting calories as it’s extremely stressful for me but I know I need to to keep track of what I eat.7 -
This is calculated assuming 8 hours sleep and absolutely no activity with your stats. Hypothyroidism will slow things down by maybe 100-200 calories max but you are still in a deficit and if you have been eating that little for more than a month and seeing no change in weight regardless of weight lifting, I will state again there is an error in intake..has nothing to do with output.1 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »I use measuring cups. Solids, especially meats, i try to get already prepackaged in the serving size (turkey burger, chicken, fish, etc)
I hate counting calories as it’s extremely stressful for me but I know I need to to keep track of what I eat.
You need a food scale for accuracy. Cups and spoons are not accurate forms of measurement when it comes to weight management. Packaged weight is not always what it seems. You still need to weigh it out.8 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »I use measuring cups. Solids, especially meats, i try to get already prepackaged in the serving size (turkey burger, chicken, fish, etc)
I hate counting calories as it’s extremely stressful for me but I know I need to to keep track of what I eat.
Have you considered using a food scale to improve the accuracy of your logging? It made a big difference for me.8 -
Weightlifting is done for improving body composition-not weight loss. You want to lose fat, right? Not just “weight”. So, following a progressive lifting program + a reasonable deficit for your goals will help you have better body comp while you lose fat.
It sounds like you are in a big hurry. Was low carb/Keto something you can see yourself doing long term? I was following Paleo when I first came to MFP and had just started lifting. I felt crappy. I needed carbs. It’s an important macro and our bodies love carbs for energy.
All diets that restrict calories work. Low carb/Keto, paleo, etc. but, if it sets you up to binge because it’s not a long term solution you are going to only get short term results.
Better to set up your macros to support your workouts & lifestyle. 1200 seems low for your stats. I’m in my 40s & 5’2” and only lightly active and I lost at 1350 calories.
Slower weight loss is better. Wouldn’t you rather get to eat more and still lose fat?12 -
Here’s a typical day of eating for me:
Breakfast:
Two eggs, eggwhites(YES I measure the eggwhites out)
Spinach, onions, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese
Two slices of turkey bacon
About an 8th (sometime a 4th) of an avocado
Lunch:
Protein shake with protein powder, flax seeds, peanut butter powder,very little fruit, cinnamon and either erythritol or no calorie syrup to sweeten.
Dinner:
About 4 oz of protein
LOTS of veggies
Snacks:
Yogurt
String cheese
Sometimes a Quest protein bar
I dont drink juice. I dont drink soda. I RARELY drink tea or coffee. By rarely I mean once or twice a month. I dont even drink alcohol!!4 -
I have thought of investing in a food scale I just haven't gotten around to it yet because money. I’m worried about eating more carbs because my body did do well this summer without then and once I started eating them again was when I jumped back up to 180. I feel like my body doesn’t do well with carbs.3
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And you have not cheated or deviated once from this since you began this Oct 1st?1
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I want to lose fat but the scale hasn’t budged in over two months and it’s super discouraging0
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I lift weights as my primary exercise. I make sure I eat enough protein-I shoot for 1g protein per lb of lean body mass. That’s 90-92g, for me. My deficit is .5/lb per week, when I’m cutting.
What do you have your deficit set to to have such a low calorie goal? What are you doing as far as weight training?2 -
charlenekapf wrote: »And you have not cheated or deviated once from this since you began this Oct 1st?
Of course ive cheated I’m human but its not full on out binges nor have I eaten over 1500 calories when I do cheat. My cheats usually involve eating something carby but like...good carbs. Like oops ate some brown rice.
Oops ate a sweet potato.
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You need a good scale to be accurate. Cups don’t work. I weigh my egg whites so I know it’s accurate. I’d say logging inaccuracy is largely to blame, plus deficit is too large to stick with. Do exercise you enjoy.6
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I would definitely invest in a food scale if you can. When I did, I found cheese and peanut butter were a huge culprit for me and my eyeballing them (even with a measuring cup) was completely over what I was logging. You can get pretty cheap scales at Walmart.2
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Carbs aren't your problem, especially if you are weight training and only eating 1200 calories a day. I do moderate/intense cardio for maybe 40 minutes and eat 2000-2300 calories a day from all food groups and am losing 1-2 lbs a week with hypothyroidism.
I went from 190-164 doing this consistenly and still losing steadily, although plateau around my cycle, with a "whoosh" immediately after. The cardio only burns 450-550 calories at most and even then, I am net intaking more calories than you daily. I do use a food scale, log everything, and could not subsist on the diet you posted even without any exercise. Maybe consult with a dietitian as your plan does not sound sustainable and clearly, you're not getting results from it.5 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »Here’s a typical day of eating for me:
...cheddar cheese
...
About an 8th (sometime a 4th) of an avocado
...
Protein shake with protein powder, flax seeds, peanut butter powder,...
About 4 oz of protein
LOTS of veggies
...
String cheese
...
All of these things can have quite a high Calorie count - the veggies, depending on which exact veggies, especially if you eat LOTS of them - and really ought to be weighed. I can easily see estimation being incorrect and you adding on a few hundred more Calories than you think.
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I lift weights as my primary exercise. I make sure I eat enough protein-I shoot for 1g protein per lb of lean body mass. That’s 90-92g, for me. My deficit is .5/lb per week, when I’m cutting.
What do you have your deficit set to to have such a low calorie goal? What are you doing as far as weight training?
My deficit on MFP is set to the highest so 2lbs a week. I lift 4 times a week. Alternating which area I work on. So I’ll do my cardio first then try to do at least 5 different workout doing 3 sets of 10-15 depending on how difficult the workout is for me. I lift as heavy as I can without completely over doing it or else I’ll be WAY too sore to even move for a couple of days and it throws me off. Since im low carb i try to eat at least 100gs of protein a day and then healthy fats since again...low carb/keto3 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »I have thought of investing in a food scale I just haven't gotten around to it yet because money. I’m worried about eating more carbs because my body did do well this summer without then and once I started eating them again was when I jumped back up to 180. I feel like my body doesn’t do well with carbs.
Scales are pretty cheap. It will be eye opening. I weigh my sliced bread and it rarely is what it’s supposed to be.
Weight gain from eating more carbs after restricting is water weight and glycogen replenishment. It doesn’t keep going up and up. Also, if new to weight training, you will gain water weight due to muscle repair if you are lifting heavy. This is all normal body function and not something to shy away from or double down on restriction.8 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »Hey guys!
So background. At my heaviest in 2015 I was 215-220lbs. I’m 5’7 and 23 years old. In 2015 I managed to drop about 45lbs or so. Then i yoyo’d from 170-175 ever since. This summer, i started a low-carb/keto diet and managed to drop to my lowest weight ever which was 168 from about 176. Then...I moved in with my partner and my weight shot up to 180 in a REALLY short amount of time. I was so devastated. So since october 1st, I’ve been lifting weights more seriously and heavier and REALLY watching my calorie intake. I went back to low carb and Ive been eating like 1200 calories a day. Guess what I weight today, December 4? 179.8
Weight loss is 90% diet. Be sure you are as sure as you can be on your intake. Using a scale and measuring cups will help. Also, 1200 is too low IMO. If you eat that few calories long term your metabolism will slow.2 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »I have thought of investing in a food scale I just haven't gotten around to it yet because money. I’m worried about eating more carbs because my body did do well this summer without then and once I started eating them again was when I jumped back up to 180. I feel like my body doesn’t do well with carbs.
Scales are pretty cheap. It will be eye opening. I weigh my sliced bread and it rarely is what it’s supposed to be.
Weight gain from eating more carbs after restricting is water weight and glycogen replenishment. It doesn’t keep going up and up. Also, if new to weight training, you will gain water weight due to muscle repair if you are lifting heavy. This is all normal body function and not something to shy away from or double down on restriction.
Am I still holding on to water weight though even after two months? When does the fat loss start. I’ll try to get a scale soon to measure out my food but I’m already exhausted and stressed counting calories all the time. Even if my measurements aren’t as accurate as I thought, are they that off that the weight doesnt come off?!!
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tailikeswaffles wrote: »Hey guys!
So background. At my heaviest in 2015 I was 215-220lbs. I’m 5’7 and 23 years old. In 2015 I managed to drop about 45lbs or so. Then i yoyo’d from 170-175 ever since. This summer, i started a low-carb/keto diet and managed to drop to my lowest weight ever which was 168 from about 176. Then...I moved in with my partner and my weight shot up to 180 in a REALLY short amount of time. I was so devastated. So since october 1st, I’ve been lifting weights more seriously and heavier and REALLY watching my calorie intake. I went back to low carb and Ive been eating like 1200 calories a day. Guess what I weight today, December 4? 179.8
There lies the problem with low carb/keto, results typically rebound for people once they go off of it. Wouldn't it be better to just drop calories, keep the carbs for energy, and crush your workouts? Go find a macro calculator like iifym.com or something similar and adjust your macros so that you're getting plenty of protein, carbs, and fats, and keep your calories around 1lb per week of loss or a hair less. Eat your exercise calories back (but be accurate, some of those can be over inflated) but keep your macros steady. Just my .02. Accuracy of calorie counting is the biggest reason people don't lose weight, that's where I'd look if I were you for problems.
For me, I keep these general rules in mind:
Lifting/lifting heavy = gaining muscle = gaining weight, not a good idea if you want to rely on it solely for losing weight. Too many people think that's all they need to do, and that accurate calorie counting is silly if they are lifting tons of weight. Just remember, fat/obese people can be strong too. Some of the strongest people in the world carry around a ton of fat too.
Cardio = burning calories = losing weight (as long as you don't eat them all back)
So a good mix of those two things along with a controlled light calorie deficit is likely what you need. Skip the low carb/keto and all other fad diets and practice iifym (If it fits your macros) as long as you stay at or a hair under your calorie goal.2 -
Hi! A scale would make a huge difference, especially with calorie-dense foods such as peanut butter and oil. A tiny bit of underestimation here and there can really throw things off. It's impossible to accurately measure them with spoons or cups. It helps with measuring vegetables, as well...you can't accurately measure spinach, carrots, onions, etc, without a scale.
Also, take into account that starting a new workout program will cause some initial water weight gain and stall any losses.2 -
tailikeswaffles wrote: »tailikeswaffles wrote: »I have thought of investing in a food scale I just haven't gotten around to it yet because money. I’m worried about eating more carbs because my body did do well this summer without then and once I started eating them again was when I jumped back up to 180. I feel like my body doesn’t do well with carbs.
Scales are pretty cheap. It will be eye opening. I weigh my sliced bread and it rarely is what it’s supposed to be.
Weight gain from eating more carbs after restricting is water weight and glycogen replenishment. It doesn’t keep going up and up. Also, if new to weight training, you will gain water weight due to muscle repair if you are lifting heavy. This is all normal body function and not something to shy away from or double down on restriction.
Am I still holding on to water weight though even after two months? When does the fat loss start. I’ll try to get a scale soon to measure out my food but I’m already exhausted and stressed counting calories all the time. Even if my measurements aren’t as accurate as I thought, are they that off that the weight doesnt come off?!!
*Something* is off if you aren't seeing the results that you expect. What the food scale will do will allow you to figure out if it is your measurement of calories in that is off. Once you get more information about what you're actually consuming, it will be easier to adjust from there.5 -
I have stated and posted pics of what Quaker oats looks like measured out both ways. It states on the box 40 grams or 1/2 cup. when you use 1/2 cup I got 51grams and of course when I weighed it out I got 40 grams. That is a difference of 41.25 calories. Add that up over the meals during the day and you might be eating more then 1200 calories.
If you are seriously lifting weights 1200 calories is not alot for someone trying to lift. You might be putting your body into starvation mode. Thats my opinion of course.9 -
No need for 2lbs a week deficit. Get a cheap scale-you are definitely eating more than you think. Follow a progressive lifting program.2
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tailikeswaffles wrote: »Here’s a typical day of eating for me:
Breakfast:
Two eggs, eggwhites(YES I measure the eggwhites out)
Spinach, onions, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese
Two slices of turkey bacon
About an 8th (sometime a 4th) of an avocado
Lunch:
Protein shake with protein powder, flax seeds, peanut butter powder,very little fruit, cinnamon and either erythritol or no calorie syrup to sweeten.
Dinner:
About 4 oz of protein
LOTS of veggies
Snacks:
Yogurt
String cheese
Sometimes a Quest protein bar
I dont drink juice. I dont drink soda. I RARELY drink tea or coffee. By rarely I mean once or twice a month. I dont even drink alcohol!!
If you can afford protein powders and bars you can afford a food scale. They are less than $20 and are the best bang for your buck when it comes to weight management. Saying "about" is useless. If you aren't losing you are consuming maintenance calories. It doesn't matter what your diet is (low carb, keto, paleo, etc.). Calories are king and you need to know exactly what you are consuming if you want results.
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