Exercising too much with not enough calories so can't lose weight?

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I just finished week 4 of a 1500 a day calorie diet and I lost a total of .1 lb!! The previous three weeks I dropped a little over 12 lbs but this past week really sucked. Trying like heck to lose weight but maybe I am not eating enough or getting enough protein? For the week I do about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. a day cardio. 1/2 hr Elliptical followed by 1/2 hour Treadmill and then later on in the day I will do another 1/2 hr Treadmill and also a 38 minute good walk outdoors when nice. Every other day I have a multi gym multi weight stacks where I work out most muscle groups for an hour. What say you?
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  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    It seems a lot of people missed the bit where OP lost 12.1 lbs.in four weeks!
    Most of us commented on it, even stating that (depending) the quick loss may be water weight, that weight loss isn't linear, etc.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
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    It would help to know your current body weight and goal weight.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    That is not to answer your question because the others have already answered but how much do you weigh?
    12lbs in 3 weeks.... Well even if I assume that 4 of these were the extra water in the first week, still 8lbs x 3500cal/lbs = 28000cal. 28000cal / 21 days = 1350cal per day average deficit for 21 consecutive days. This is a huge deficit and you should not be losing at this rate, it isn't safe.

  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    gebeziseva wrote: »
    That is not to answer your question because the others have already answered but how much do you weigh?
    12lbs in 3 weeks.... Well even if I assume that 4 of these were the extra water in the first week, still 8lbs x 3500cal/lbs = 28000cal. 28000cal / 21 days = 1350cal per day average deficit for 21 consecutive days. This is a huge deficit and you should not be losing at this rate, it isn't safe.

    I lost about the same when I first started losing weight (5'2", ~200lbs) - the amount of water weight on me was ridic. It did stable out immediately after that.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
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    Initial weight loss in the beginning of a diet can look dramatic due to water loss, less food in stomach, etc.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
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    wfmiller13 wrote: »
    I just finished week 4 of a 1500 a day calorie diet and I lost a total of .1 lb!! The previous three weeks I dropped a little over 12 lbs but this past week really sucked. Trying like heck to lose weight but maybe I am not eating enough or getting enough protein? For the week I do about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. a day cardio. 1/2 hr Elliptical followed by 1/2 hour Treadmill and then later on in the day I will do another 1/2 hr Treadmill and also a 38 minute good walk outdoors when nice. Every other day I have a multi gym multi weight stacks where I work out most muscle groups for an hour. What say you?

    Based on the massive amount of cardio you are doing, you probably aren't eating enough at 1500 calories, though.
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    wfmiller13 wrote: »
    I just finished week 4 of a 1500 a day calorie diet and I lost a total of .1 lb!! The previous three weeks I dropped a little over 12 lbs but this past week really sucked. Trying like heck to lose weight but maybe I am not eating enough or getting enough protein? For the week I do about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. a day cardio. 1/2 hr Elliptical followed by 1/2 hour Treadmill and then later on in the day I will do another 1/2 hr Treadmill and also a 38 minute good walk outdoors when nice. Every other day I have a multi gym multi weight stacks where I work out most muscle groups for an hour. What say you?

    Based on the massive amount of cardio you are doing, you probably aren't eating enough at 1500 calories, though.

    We need to know if they count that number as eating back a portion of their exercise calories. Example, Eat 1800, burn extra 300 for cardio, 1500 in post. Yadda yadda.

    And eating too little doesn't stall weight-loss anyway. See above.
  • LeighMcG90
    LeighMcG90 Posts: 16 Member
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    I'm in a similar situation. I've just levelled out to a steady weight loss after I lost 11.5lbs in my first 3 weeks of dieting/exercise. I have eaten all my daily calories and some of those back from exercise. So I reckon it has slowed down because of water loss and it could be that with you too. As long as it keeps going in the right direction, although at a slower pace, it can't be bad! :smile:
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    edited March 2018
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    PixelPuff wrote: »
    wfmiller13 wrote: »
    I just finished week 4 of a 1500 a day calorie diet and I lost a total of .1 lb!! The previous three weeks I dropped a little over 12 lbs but this past week really sucked. Trying like heck to lose weight but maybe I am not eating enough or getting enough protein? For the week I do about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. a day cardio. 1/2 hr Elliptical followed by 1/2 hour Treadmill and then later on in the day I will do another 1/2 hr Treadmill and also a 38 minute good walk outdoors when nice. Every other day I have a multi gym multi weight stacks where I work out most muscle groups for an hour. What say you?

    Based on the massive amount of cardio you are doing, you probably aren't eating enough at 1500 calories, though.

    We need to know if they count that number as eating back a portion of their exercise calories. Example, Eat 1800, burn extra 300 for cardio, 1500 in post. Yadda yadda.

    And eating too little doesn't stall weight-loss anyway. See above.

    I wasn't saying eating too little was the cause of him not losing weight in week four. His post seemed to suggest that he was adhering to a 1,500 a day calorie diet, then doing 1.5 to 2 hours of cardio daily. He asks if he is eating enough. He made no mention of eating back calories, and if that is the case, he is not eating enough for what he is doing.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    edited March 2018
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    And besides, even if he was netting to 1,500 after eating back exercise calories, that's the bare minimum, and so he still probably isn't eating enough.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
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    It seems a lot of people missed the bit where OP lost 12.1 lbs.in four weeks!

    Yes, depending on his starting weight, that is probably too rapid a loss.