Struggling!

It’s a horrible feeling when you feel as though you are getting nowhere! I would advice you to reduce to carbs to around 20% of your diet, and allow fats and proteins to make up the rest. I would increase exercise and throw in some resistant training, do an hour cycle on a high incline, run for 30 mins but then follow up with 30 mins of weight training, yoga is great but aim to do some more cardio either side of your class. I would also suggest drinking lots of green tea as this is a natural fat burner

Every body is different and you need to figure out how your body works. Its a process, but worth it!!

Some people are highly sensitive to carbs, I am one of them. Just a semi-educated guess here, but it sounds like you are too. I calculate macros in somewhat of an odd way. Most important is protein. Studies have shown you need 1g/pound of lean muscle mass to prevent muscle loss during body fat reduction. Muscle burns more calories so maintaining or growing muscle is off primary importance. I need 200 grams a day and that is 50% of the 1620 calories I eat. Our bodies need GOOD fats for proper function. Too low and it will impede your fat reduction journey. I set my fat to 30%. Whatever is left over (20%) is what I allow in carbs. For me this is 81g per day.

Not all carbs are created equal and carb sensitive people really need to watch what kind of carbs they beat. Sugar is the devil to me. Sugar is sugar and fruits are loaded with sugar. Fruit is an occasional treat for me. Grains are a huge no-no for me too, but I have them at breakfast. Its boring, but every morning I start with 3 eggs and a half serving of Kodiak Power Cakes with 1/4 cup sugar free syrup.

It is tough to eat 200 grams of protein so I eat 6-7 times a day to get it in. The rest of my carbs for the day come from above ground growing fruits, yogurt, and protein shakes. Occasionally I eat 2 tablespoons peanut butter at night.

Do you want to look like a marathon runner, I call them skinny fat, or a sprinter who is lean, strong, and athletic? You are training and eating like a marathon runner and a portion of any weight you lose is going to be lean muscle. Remember, muscle burns more calories so it makes sense to maintain or grow muscle to lower body fat percentage.

I would keep the yoga, but bag your cardio regimen. The only way that I have found to lose weight and maintain muscle, thus transforming my body, is HITT and strength training. I have lots of lean muscle from my construction days and I have to work really hard in the gym. I lift 6 days a week for 1.5 hours per session. I walk to the gym and back home (2.5 miles) 3 times a week. I run sprints 3 days a week and go for a hike on Sunday (my "off" day).

I would suggest strength training 45 minutes to an hour per day 4 days a week. "Leg days" suck.....but it is where fat loss and muscle gain happens the most so go hard!! Find a beginner program or hire a trainer to get you going on a program. Perform a 20 minute HITT workout 3 times a week and walk/hike 2 miles the other 3 days.

Oh yeah.....most important of all for me....make sure you are drinking a gallon of water every day.

@liseymoo1972 If you end up not wanting to post any more specific info, some general recommendations:

1. Use a food scale for all solids. Measuring and eyeballing can cause you to underestimate calories. Weigh everything, at least in the beginning until you get some experience.
2. Double check that the entries you are using in the database are accurate. Many have been entered incorrectly by other users.
3. Do a quick gut check and make sure you are logging everything: condiments, cooking oils, beverages, nibbles, cheat meals, bad days, every single thing.
4. People will throw all the typical diet industry woo at you, but all of the other stuff is noise - calories determine whether you lose weight or not. What you eat and when you eat it can help with compliance or satiety, but calories are king.
5. Read the Most Helpful Posts pinned to the top of each forum - lots of great info in there.
6. Personally, I spun my wheels for years trying to follow specific diets and eat the right foods. I found success (and am now in maintenance) when I tightened up my logging and committed to using the food scale. I didn't low carb, I didn't stop eating the foods I loved, I didn't track my water, I didn't focus on exercise (though I certainly did some). Just got my calories in line, once and for all.

Good luck :drinker:

I feel if you are using 2,400 cal per day you are doing to many. My wife's goal is 1200 to lose 2 lbs. a week - she started at 238 lb. MFP has me at 1910 per day and I started at 212 to go down 1lb a week for a slightly active setting. I do lifting 2 days a week and heavy cardio 3 days a week so my daily intake can be anywhere from 2,500 - 3,500 as per MFP. I just go under 190lb this week, I weight once a week (Saturday) and that is also my "cheat" day so I don't get hungry for junk during the week.

I don't worry about the macro-nutrients splits as it didn't seem to make any difference with me, everyone is different on that so you want to go that way, you have to try different plans, etc.

Might try to mix up your workout routine some. Do weights a couple of times a week for 30-45 mins per session - more muscle will burn more calories and tone you out - two sessions a week will not make you "bulky". Cardio do something more demanding if you are able for like 30 minutes - row for 30 minutes, battle ropes 15 minutes, etc. some excellent battle row workouts on youtube - Adrian Bryant puts out some really good beginner, intermadite and advance workouts.

Last resort, and some will say no way, if your body thinks it is being starved it will hold onto weight (fat) to keep you going. When I get stuck at a weight for a few weeks, I eat more and down it goes - but eat clean when you do.

Hope this helps a little, just some of my thoughts. - Matt