why i cant lose weight with diet and exercise
azjlmar123
Posts: 39 Member
Can somebody please tell me what in the heck i am dong wrong? I exercise a lot 45-60 minutes 5-6 times a week - i mean like Turbo fire, insanity - hard core workout plans. I am eating very good and documenting everything that i eat. I dont understand how i can weight 145 pounds before christmas with zero exercise (from october to jan 1) and eating all the holiday food in the world. I have weighed 145 consistently through all the bad eating. Okay Jan 3rd comes around. I start heavy duty workout plan (as written above) and watch every little nibble of food that i eat and document it. How is it, day 19 now of my plan, and i have not lost an OUNCE or an INCH!!! In fact, i was up an pound today to 146. go figure. I had all my blood work done in December. My doctor said everything was perfect. She said for me to move to eating 3 meals a day and 2-3 snacks (total of 5-6 small meals) and stayng around 1200 calories which is what i am doing - attempting (some days i fall below, some days a little over). I have a low resting heart rate of 50-55. When i work out, my heart rate is 160 consistently or higher throughout the workout. I seriously dont understand. My husband is baffled - watching me work my behind off and getting nowhere. I did this plan last March and went throughout the summer and still weighed 145 (i just felt healthier with all the exercising so kept it up even without any results). I really dont want to do this again with ZERO results. I am getting discouraged. Any help would be beneficial. Oh- and i cannot do thermogenics or metabolism boosting pills or Monster/energy drinks as i have a bad reaction to caffiene - stimulants of just about any kind. so please do not respond if offering that as a suggestion as it cannot be done.
thanks!
thanks!
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Replies
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i would say if youre doing exercises like insanity and tubro fire, and only eating 1200 calories, then you arent eating enough.
do you have your loss-per-week goal set to 2 lbs? that setting is really best for people with 75+ pounds to lose. i would suggest setting it lower (0.5 or maybe 1 lb) and eating those calories + exercise and see how you do.0 -
(i just felt healthier with all the exercising so kept it up even without any results). I really dont want to do this again with ZERO results.
One of these things is not like the other. Scale weight and inches lost are not the only way to measure results.
How tall are you? Are you overweight by your current standards?
Do you eat back your exercise calories? Because if you don't and you're exercising that much and only eating 1200 calories you're under eating.0 -
Are you eating your exercise calories? Do you mind opening your diary?0
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That happened to me, the only way to track the real fat loss is with pictures, because you are building more muscle while losing fat, pictures no lie, you see the results, a photo each week and ask friends opinions about results, you will see a difference0
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Try bumping up your calories to around 1600 every 4th day. Your body has gotten use to the 1200 calories that you currently consume, so by increasing your caloric intake every few days (make it clean foods) then you'll stand a good chance of bumping up your metabolism and blasting through your plateau!
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I'm guessing you aren't eating enough. It doesn't sounds like you are even eating your exercise calories, which you probably should be doing at only 1200 net calories per day. From my experience, Turbo Fire and Insanity burn a ton of calories, and intense cardio programs like those really do require more fuel. I would set your MFP goal to lose no more than 1 lb per week, and eat all of your exercise calories.
Here are some helpful links:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/439140-refeed-diet-break-or-cut-calories-lower-a-plateau-discussi
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/403565-research-behind-eating-more-to-lose-more
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results
And, the most awesome group on MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17-women-eating-2-000-calories-per-day0 -
If your Dr did a TSH test, and that came back normal, you need to have him/her look deeper into doing more testing. It could very well be your thyroid even though the TSH is norm.0
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as many others have said eat more... Your body is saying conserve conserve and not lose lose... Eat atleast 1400 a day atleast half your exercise calories... No exceptions0
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19 days isn't that long. You may not be seeing weight loss because it is lost in the usual daily fluid shifts.
Also, if you are exercising like that, you should be building muscle. Muscle weighs more than the fat you are losing, but looks much better. It's all good. Follow your waist circumference.
Make sure you are using a diet scale to measure portions. Grams don't lie.
Make sure your 1200 calories includes adequate protein, vitamins, iron, calcium, etc. Otherwise there's nothing your body can use the calories for except fat.0 -
That happened to me, the only way to track the real fat loss is with pictures, because you are building more muscle while losing fat, pictures no lie, you see the results, a photo each week and ask friends opinions about results, you will see a difference
It won't be muscle gain. It is practically impossible to build muscle whils on a calorie deficit diet. Any weight gain whilst eating below maintainable level of calories is almost certainly due to fluid retention, due to exercise, temperature, or (for women) TOTM.0 -
hi hun
sorry to hear you are at a loss, but small changes will defo see you results.
take pictures - easier to se changes in your body than on the scales
increase your calorie intake
eat lots of lean ptotein as your body may be breaking dwn ur muscle instead to get the extra energy it needs
6 small 250-300 meals a day with abit of protein & complex carbs in each one
good luck n dont get discouraged
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If you are going to try something,, try it for WEEKSssssssss.
I'd recommend trying to increase your calories to a daily amount of 1400 for 3 weeks.
If that doesn't work, I'd recommend not eating your exercise calories for 3 weeks.
If that doesn't work, try eating your exercise calories?
Get my point, you have to try different things. You have to try them for you and you have to give them time. Everyone is different. Good Luck.
Also, if you are going to ask for help, you really should open your diary. Al lot of your weight loss will be determined from what you eat, not necessarily what you do... seriously! Are you drinking at least 8 glasses of water? Are you logging absolutely everything that goes in your mouth? Are you eating quality calories? Are you eating more salt than you should-which may retain water and not let the scale move? Are your measurements incorrect? Do you weight, measure EVERYTHING you eat that isn't prepackaged? Do you use oil that is loaded with calories and forget to log it? 1 tablespoon of oil is aprox 140 -and NO it doesn't matter if it's olive oil. It's still calories! People are being tricked into thinking if it is good for you then it's ok for weightloss.. nope, it isn't. Good Luck 0 -
I'm going through a stall in weight loss myself, however the best advice I have read on this thread so far is
1. Review your diet and replace any bad/poor food choices
2. Increase your calories slightly to support your exercise schedule
3. Increase your protein intake to a minimum of 30% of total daily calories.
Good luck and don't give in! Reflect on the positives - you're not going backwards and by the sounds of it you have an energetic and healthy lifestyle - endorsed by your Doctor! 0 -
I personally have found (with doing the same programs) that I have to eat a MINIMUM of 2000 calories....... I know it sounds like a TON of darn food..... I still have trouble reaching my goals to intake that much food while doing those types of programs. With Insanity i lost 5% body fat..... my weight didnt really fluctuate much because i lost fat and gained the same weight in muscle! I suggest you up your calories because most likely, with the intense workouts, your body is thinking its starving (even if it isnt).0
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Many times people underestimate their eating calories and overestimate their calories burned.
How are you measuring your calories burned? Also, can't see your food diary to comment :flowerforyou:0 -
I don't have any new advice to add - but I would like to say well done for keeping going with what sounds like a tough plan! Hopefully some of the advice here will help you get the results you're looking for. 0
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No new advice here but an observation:
I think you look GREAT just the way you are! I think your body is happy where it is right now and is holding on for dear life to every ounce it can get.
STAY OFF THAT FREAKIN' SCALE! It is NOT giving you an accurate and overall picture of how you are REALLY doing in your effort and it seems to be only getting you down.
Go by how you FEEL, how you LOOK in your clothes and how you are able to DO your workouts!!
Just something to think about that may make you feel positive instead of negative!!!0 -
Hiya
I can sympathise a little with you, I am working out 5-6 days per week and also getting nowhere :>(
Think the idea of taking regular photos is really good, think I'll start doing that myself. I actually take my measurements every week as that will show progress even in the scales don't.
When I was losing weight I was eating more protein too so I think I'll have to go back to that.
Good luck and I hope things start to shift for you soon0 -
i also understand also how you feel and how frustrating it is!! i think your not giving it enough time. I started out working Oct 22 and after a month not a inch or ounce either... i was doing 5 days a 45 min each day of cardio. So month 2 i incorporated 30ds, lost 2 lbs and 1 inch off my waist, hips and tummy, that was it. so 2 months only 2 lbs! then christmas and a 10 day trip happened, no gain but no loss and i was working out 7 days a week for 47 min a day... Since Jan i haven't done any exercises as i was sick, etc and i have stuck to my 1200-1300 calories a day and NOW i have lost 4 lbs in a 2 week span! not sure what was the secret to start seeing it come off, maybe just focusing on the calories and not exercising? maybe i was working out too much for a beginner? too much stress trying so hard to achieve results fast? not sure but i went from 140 to 133 as of this am.... so i hope it keeps falling off and i am keeping what i am doing right now since it seems t be working, no exercising for now just working on my calories and making right / better choices in food...0
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More foooooood! I eat 1800-2000 @ 5'2 to lose.0
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Open your diary.0
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Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.(i just felt healthier with all the exercising so kept it up even without any results). I really dont want to do this again with ZERO results.
One of these things is not like the other. Scale weight and inches lost are not the only way to measure results.
How tall are you? Are you overweight by your current standards?
Do you eat back your exercise calories? Because if you don't and you're exercising that much and only eating 1200 calories you're under eating.
That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
of weight each week.
Be efficient.
Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.0 -
I would get an HRM and see how many calories your burning and then eating them back to 1200 net per day and see how that goes.0
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a) you're not logging accurately enough
b) you're underestimating calories in, or overestimating calories out or both.
It's that simple. Nothing to do with eating back exercise calories or anything else.
You need to work out harder and eat less. That is it.0 -
How are you measuring the food you're eating?
It's okay to estimate stuff like lettuce and cucumber, but if you're not weighing everything with a substantial amount of calories you're probably underestimating. Also, are you logging absolutely everything you eat? Those small things (eg the piece of cheese that falls off the block as you cut it) really do add up.0 -
I second the HRM suggestion, MFP - tends to way overestimate number of calories burned- in some cases at least - so I always type mine in from my HRM.
Dont get discouraged- Rome wasnt built in a day- just stay the course and treat each day as a new challenge and you will get there. Also it helps tons if you have friends who actually look at your diary and give you feedback - Shout out to SassyCalli : )0 -
You should use online calculators to calculate how many calories you should be eating depending on your gaol. There are many online but I find http://www.fatcuda.com to be the most accurate as it is highly customizable.0
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I'm not a fan of http://www.fatcuda.com ... for me it's telling me to eat almost 3000 cals a day to lose weight... I'm 5' 6" and weigh 195 at the moment0
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im 5'6 and weigh about 243, its telling me to eat 2206. with my activity setting as lightly active (since it says to not include exercise in daily activity). thats pretty close to what i eat on exercise days after i eat my exercise calories.I'm not a fan of http://www.fatcuda.com ... for me it's telling me to eat almost 3000 cals a day to lose weight... I'm 5' 6" and weigh 195 at the moment0 -
Beachbody recommends at least 1800-2000 calories on these programs, usually more. Lets put in some perspective.
My wife is 5'2" and 145. if she did turbo fire or insanity, here is her caloric requirements based on Katch McArdle
BMR = 1336
TDEE = 1336 * 1.725 = 2304
Caloric needs = 2304 *.8 = 1843
That means, my wife should be eating 1850 calories a day, even if she doesn't exercise. As I factored exercising into the equation. So eat up!!! Food is fuel.0
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