exercising with little results

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sjwhite7
sjwhite7 Posts: 86 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So yesterday I went to the gym and spoke to my trainer and had my weight and measurements taken. I have lost in inches but not so much in weight. As I was talking to her about why my scale isn't moving she tells me that I'm exercising wrong. I have been doing HIIT 3 days a week keeping my HR at 152 for my mild and 171 for my intense. I do light cardio the other 2 days. I do resistance 3 days a week as well. From what she tells me, I have been doing cardio for conditioning and not for weight loss because I have my heart rate too high doing my HIIT. She told me to do a 10min. light cardio warmup followed by a circuit all body workout keeping my heart rate at about 120 or so. I am 31 yrs old. I weight 176lbs and I am 5'5. My resting heart rate is 80. I guess what I'm trying to find out is if this has really been my downfall? What is everyone else's take on this to help me put it in perspective. I am very disappointed as I feel like I've been doing all this hard work for little results. I posted this in the general forum with no response so I thought maybe I should try here.
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Replies

  • tlhorsley
    tlhorsley Posts: 141 Member
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    I am really interested in seeing what others have to say about this. I find what your trainer said to be very interesting.

    For the past 2 weeks I have exercised my butt off -lifted and done intense cardios. I have burned a tone of calories because heart rate is high so much of the time but the scale hasn't moved at all.

    Maybe what your trainer said is true and that is my issue too!
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    I doubt that it's the exercise doing it. The "fat burning" cardio zone has largely been dispelled as a myth.

    Your problem is much more likely to lie in the kitchen... open your food diary and we'll be able to help.
  • sjwhite7
    sjwhite7 Posts: 86 Member
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    It blew my mind away as well. But she said that the fat burning zone requires a lower heart rate. I am really eager to get some feedback on this also.
  • Helice
    Helice Posts: 1,075 Member
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    bump
  • DanceMamaE
    DanceMamaE Posts: 3
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    Well, I am unsure about all the parameters - but it is said that keeping your heart rate at a lower sustained rate helps burn more fat. A longer workout at a less intense level burns stubborn fat (from what I have heard from PTs, read in various health magazines) Also, if you are losing INCHES - even if the scale isn't moving - you ARE making a difference. Do remember, as you gain muscle (which weighs more than fat) the scale may not move as quickly as you would like for all your effort. Congrats on keeping at it and losing those inches! I hope that you are feeling healthier too. Do not give up! Good luck!
  • Bighank7752
    Bighank7752 Posts: 47
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    I agree that the issue probably resides in the kitchen. I exercise much like you and I lost 300 lbs. I maintain my weight by controlling my diet as well as my intense exercise. Look very closely at your diet. Exercise alone, like diet alone can do only so much.
  • MissSpuggz
    MissSpuggz Posts: 155 Member
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    I'd take into account what she says, after all you'd assume she knows what she's talking about if she's a qualified trainer.

    How often do you weigh in and how small is your weight loss? If you're losing inches then you're definitely going the right way. I assume you're eating right and drinking enough water at the same time so it could be your body retaining water that makes your weight seem higher than what it is.

    Your heart rate definitely doesn't seem too high, I'd have thought that was in the perfect fat burning range for someone like yourself. I'll try to find a site that can figure those numbers out though.

    This might sound stupid but do you get enough sleep at night?
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    You haven't really said anything about what you are eating.

    70% of what we look like stems from what we eat... Focus on your eating habits...eat a little less, or make sure you are eating right...and I am positive you will see more results.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
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    You're losing inches, so that means you're losing bodyfat, as long as you're eating (assuming you're not losing muscle). How's your food intake? If you're eating too little, that might stop the scale from moving, and likewise, too much the same result.

    But if you're losing inches, that's a good sign.

    A few years ago, I hit the gym 5 days a week and worked very hard with a trainer. I lost some weight, and was in great shape. But the scale didn't move all that much.

    There's a saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen." At the time, I sort of watched my food, but not all that much. In fact, I was really hungry because I exercised maybe too much (for my purposes at the time).

    So, it's a balance. You have to find what works for you. A trainer will want you to tweak the training routine. The nutritionist, your food. You need to find what works best. To try to "fix" food and exercise at the same time is a tall order.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    This is why I'm so skeptical of personal trainers. "HIIT is bad for fat loss." :laugh:
  • jeninne
    jeninne Posts: 412 Member
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    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=80256 please read. I found this article interesting as i am going through the same thing (for me stagnant weight loss). I believe for me it is diet and I am going to try Spiking. good luck
  • sjwhite7
    sjwhite7 Posts: 86 Member
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    I'm on a 1200 calorie diet. I drink about 70oz. of water a day. I usually eat 75% -90% of my calories back. I try to eat mostly today or chicken for meat. I might eat 80/20 ground chuck maybe once or twice a week. Sometime I have to eat out but I still stay under my calories. I know that I need to put a and to that but if I'm staying within my calories and working out shouldn't I still see a loss? My diary is public so you should be able to see it.
  • jaguar101570
    jaguar101570 Posts: 82
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    I see a number of issues with your diet. 1- many days your fat intake is higher than mine and I am 6' 267 lbs with 8.8% body fat. 2- some days you only eat twice a day, you need to eat 5-6 times a day. 3- your protein intake should always be higher than your carb intake. 4 I didn't see what your size was but your carbs should be around .6-.8 grams per lb of body weight. Your protein should be 1 gram per pound of body weight. As far as eating 5-6 times per day , a protein shake can be considered a meal. You have to get your metabolism up. It is probably like molasses right now. I hope this helps. If you have any questions just message me. Have a good day.
  • nutandbutter
    nutandbutter Posts: 447
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    I doubt that it's the exercise doing it. The "fat burning" cardio zone has largely been dispelled as a myth.

    Your problem is much more likely to lie in the kitchen... open your food diary and we'll be able to help.

    ^ this. That's one myth even Jillian Michaels doesn't follow. This explains it:

    The fat-burning zone. Yes, it exists, but it has been misinterpreted. The fat-burning zone is a concept that the body burns a greater amount of fat at lower-intensity aerobic exercise than it does at higher intensities. Actually, the body burns a greater percentage of fat at lower intensities than at higher intensities. At lower intensities the body may burn 50 percent of the calories from fat, while at higher intensities it may only burn 35 percent. But at higher intensities you burn way more total calories—and more fat calories overall—than you do at lower intensities.
    This is why I'm so skeptical of personal trainers. "HIIT is bad for fat loss."

    ^ me too. OP, your trainer is giving you outdated information. I would be really skeptical of anything they say at this point.
    snip...2- some days you only eat twice a day, you need to eat 5-6 times a day.

    ^ also a myth.

    www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
  • sjwhite7
    sjwhite7 Posts: 86 Member
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    I eat more than that but somedays I don't enter what I eat but I know the calories as I write it down as well. I guess I'm unsure how to do the calories then. Most of my fat content comes from nuts and fish usually. Does anyone know of any articles I read to help me balance my meals better. I was losing by doing what I'm doing now so I thought I was doing good. I guess I need a little more knowledge. I've come to far to give up now especially due to lack of knowledge.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    Cardio is not an effective form of weight loss if you don't use it to create a large caloric deficit. Here at MFP people are encouraged to eat back the calories, so the fat loss comes from dietary restriction not from the exercise. It does have some great health benefits though that can help you during your journey.

    If you are eating right and active enough, then you could be holding water. When fat loss occurs, there is a possibility that it could fill up with water temporarily. Also your carb coupled with sodium intake can cause fluctuations in water weight.

    Consider this. If you are losing 1 lb a week and retaining water, you could see no results for 4 weeks, and then drop 4 lbs seemingly overnight. This type of thing is very common. People think they can drop a pound or two of fat in a day and its normal, but its not fat, its water unless you are working out for 6 hours a day.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,190 Member
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    I doubt that it's the exercise doing it. The "fat burning" cardio zone has largely been dispelled as a myth.

    Your problem is much more likely to lie in the kitchen... open your food diary and we'll be able to help.

    This. The point of HIIT is to be HIGH intensity. Long boring 120bpm cardio is not going to be any more effect than what you are doing.

    Also, if you measurements are changing but your weight isn't, that is a good thing. A very good thing in fact since if means you are losing fat, no question about it. Don't get so hung up on the scale. It is only one number, and a not very helpful one at that. Bodyfat % is much more useful, for that matter body measurements are much more valuable than weight. My advice is check out what you are eating, how carefully you are measuring it, and the like.
  • nutandbutter
    nutandbutter Posts: 447
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    Unless you're accurately tracking your food every day (includes weighing and measuring it), you're not going to see results from exercise. You can't "estimate". Are you actually measuring out your food?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,190 Member
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    I see a number of issues with your diet. 1- many days your fat intake is higher than mine and I am 6' 267 lbs with 8.8% body fat. 2- some days you only eat twice a day, you need to eat 5-6 times a day. 3- your protein intake should always be higher than your carb intake. 4 I didn't see what your size was but your carbs should be around .6-.8 grams per lb of body weight. Your protein should be 1 gram per pound of body weight. As far as eating 5-6 times per day , a protein shake can be considered a meal. You have to get your metabolism up. It is probably like molasses right now. I hope this helps. If you have any questions just message me. Have a good day.

    Meal timing/frequency has zero effect on metabolism. The 5-6 meal a day thing has been dis-proven again and again. If it helps a person stay within their calories, it has some value for that person, but it will not increase metabolism or fat loss.
  • sjwhite7
    sjwhite7 Posts: 86 Member
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    Yes I do weight my foods using measuring cups, spoon measure, and scales. I drink water all day also. I do have coffee in the am but other than that it's strickly water.

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