Eating and Training

dmkoenig wrote: »

You may also want to introduce some variation into your workout regimen. Over time your body will adapt and get more efficient. For cardio, I'd recommend varying intensity, especially if you are working at a L2 level (where you can easily carry on a conversation). Or try spin bikes, jogging, etc. For weights, make sure your large muscle groups are getting hit, try new exercises, TRX bands, etc. The thing about exercise is it will often help tone but is usually not the main driver in weight loss so you'll probably need to tweak your diet in some fashion, not always in calories but other ways (like avoiding eating late in the evening, being careful about low glycemic carbs etc.).

None of these things cause or hinder fat loss. Fat loss is 100% about consistently eating fewer calories than one burns.

JMR010805 wrote: »

I have been eating 1,200 calories per day. I do allow a small increase but no more than 1,500 on some days. I'm not weighing my food, I am just using the calorie count on the labels or the ones on this app. I haven't increased what I am eating so I don't understand how I can not be in a deficit but maybe I am eating more and don't realize it. I usually don't eat past 8 pm, though sometimes I will have a few tiny m&m's if I am craving something sweet. Yes, I am going off of the calorie counter on the machine; this is a new gym and all new machines so I was hoping they were accurate. Guess I need to look into something else to count calorie burn. I do understand the net calories and eating the exercise calories back but I don't always do that. The elliptical is the only thing I can use due to some knee issues. My Dr told me not to bend them and to only use the elliptical. I start on a level 2 and work up to a level 16-17 by the end of my workout. My body fat % is also decreasing so I am just really confused. Thank you all!

1. Use a food scale to weigh ALL of your food. No measuring cups or spoons, no estimates. With only 10-15 pounds to lose, your deficit is very small and it would take only a few errors here and there to wipe it out.
2. Your exercise calories might be inflated. Try eating half of what the machine tells you, see what your weight does, and adjust from there.
3. Make sure you have set a reasonable pace of loss, and then consistently eat that number of calories without going over. With 10-15 pounds to lose, set MFP for a 0.5 lb/week loss and eat that number of calories, plus half the exercise calories.
4. After you make these changes, give it 4-6 weeks. With very little to lose, weight loss happens slowly and it is common to see the scale go down once every 4-6 weeks. This is especially true if you have a menstrual cycle and experience hormonal water fluctuations.

You don't need to do different exercise or more intense exercise unless you want to. You DO need to consistently and accurately track your food, staying within your calorie goal.