plateaued ?weight gain? confused.

cinnnylooohoo
cinnnylooohoo Posts: 7 Member
edited December 2024 in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone!! Im in need of advice... let me fill you in. I started working out about 2 years ago, running with my now husband. I had never ran or done much exercise,i could hardly run 1/4 without. stopping for air. I kept at it and eventually 6 months later i would do 3/4 mile without dieing. early 2017 I had to stop because of many stressfull things and ended up gaining my weight back. (I was 178 when i stopped). later that year in September or October i started working out at home (all cardio). then i got a gym membership and kept at cardio.
I hit a plateaue at 175.. and then i found fasting. I decided to fast because I munch uncontrollably. and working at a restaurant dosnt help at all. I broke my plateaue and went down to 171 AND even hit 169 but only once.
I wanted to gain muscle and get toned and I still have lots of lower stomach fat that dosent want to melt off.. I started weight lifting about 1 month ago and im up to 175 again.... im tired of only cardio and I feel like i hit a plateaue when i continue with only cardio.
iv been doing 2 -3 weight days about one hour each time and on the days i dont lift i will do 30 to 45 mins of cardio. 3-5 workout days depending on how many days i have to work. when i first started i was a size 14 in pants and im a 10/11 now. Its clear that iv lost weight but 2ish years and only 15lbs? this has made me want to tear my hair out.. I havea day at least once a month where i ball my eyes out because I just dont see much of a difference, to me my stomach looks exactly the same as when i first started.
I feel stronger and my pants are not getting tighter, i eat at home and pretty healthy. SO whats with the weight gain and that pot belly that wont go away??

more info: i fast 14 to 17 hrs 4 to 5 time a week but not on weekend because i need energy for work. I usually break my fast at work with something i feel is not super un healthy, usually an omelette . then I go to the gym I try for a minimum of 3 days of work out and a max of 5. then i go home eat and re start my fast at about 6 or 7 pm.

Thank you for looking at my mess of a post. lol if you have any advice or see what im doing wrong PLEASE! help me out.

Replies

  • maronesax1972
    maronesax1972 Posts: 274 Member
    Exercise is great, but diet is priority. You need to know your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). If you have a fit bit, you can look at average calories burned per day. You should do a week or two with minimal activity. Let’s say it comes back and says average calories burned is 2,100 / day. You will need to set a daily calorie intake of 1,500. A 700 calorie deficit per day will target 1lb per week lost. That’s a good pace and will aid in not being too hungry and/or also helps with skin elasticity once you start to lose consistently. If you add cardio, you will grow the deficit as your TDEE will increase. However, you may have to add calories as your body will want more fuel.

    Once you get this right, you should look at macro’s. If you stay with a normal diet plan, carbs should be about 50% of your calories. Protein and fat can be adjusted based on diet and exercise plans. Hope this helps. You have to get that 700 calorie deficit per day. That’s priority!
  • MichaelK1007
    MichaelK1007 Posts: 136 Member
    Can I ask why you are choosing to fast. Many people like the intermittent fasting with a feeding window where you consume all your food for the day. While this can be an effective option it can also be hindering your progress. Are you tracking everything you eat post fast or are you just guessing. Its helpful to consume several small meals per day that are higher in proteins and complex carbs such as brown rice and sweet potatoes. I’d also suggest a good program. Also keep in mind that while a deficit is essential to lose weight, as you continue to lose your TDEE will decrease as well so you will need to adjust your diet as you continue to lose.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 849 Member
    Do you have any idea how many calories per day on average you are consuming? First go to MFP and enter your age, height and weight. Then you will be asked how active you are. As well how much weight you want to lose per week. It varies from .25 of a pound to 2 lbs. But it is very much based on what your end goal weight is.

    For example those who have more than 75 pounds to lose, it is acceptable to lose 2 lbs per week. If someone is down to say the last 20 or less often times the suggestion is .25 to .50 of a pound to lose per week. And remember losing weight is not linear. So there will be ups and downs, do not let it get you sidetracked. There are tons of sticky notes that explain all of this in detail. I really think before you decide TDEE or going with the calories that MFP will show you when you enter information. You need to do some reading so you understand both and can make a solid decision for what will work best for you.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    As your weight goes down the weight loss rate slows. It took me a year to lose my last 20 lbs. Be sure you have recalculated the calories you require to lose since you have lost some. You need to reenter those numbers from time to time as your weight drops.

    Be sure you are weighing and measuring your food. I have been in maintenance for a year and was frustrated that I was below my calories but my weight was creeping up. Finally I decided to log every single bite even 6 cashews the other day. First thing I learned was my favorite snack (popcorn) which I had been measuring as on the package 3.5 cups turned out to weigh almost twice what they said it did which meant I was ingesting more than 50% more calories on each serving than I thought I was. Also I was adding alot of small bits here and there that added up to at least 100 or more calories per day. Now that I'm really logging absolutely everything I'm back down to my maintenance range but it just goes to show that after 3 years on this I still make mistakes. Tighten up your logging and be sure you aren't overestimating your burns for exercise.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    These posts may help, hang in there!

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • cinnnylooohoo
    cinnnylooohoo Posts: 7 Member
    mkgoodson1007 wrote: »
    .
    I fast because im a stress eater. when i first started my current job people felt the need to point out how i was "always hunry" or how i ate a lot. and to top that off I start very early in the morning (5:20 am to 6:00am) so breakfast is not a thing for me. having a goal has helped me stop eating everything.
  • cinnnylooohoo
    cinnnylooohoo Posts: 7 Member
    maronesax1972 wrote: »
    l!
    maureenkhilde wrote: »
    .

    yes i do have a fit bit. and the last time i logged my cal. in take was about a week ago. I had about 1368 cals for that day.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories