What am I doing wrong?

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dabears6352
dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have always struggled with my weight and have tried just about every diet known to man. I recently decided it was time to just eat less and exercise more. (I know, what a novel concept...LOL)

I have been doing 90 minutes of Zumba 3 times a week and a 2 hour Boot Camp class once a week for 7 weeks now. I'm eating no more than 1200 calories per day, even on my workpout days. I was really hoping to see at least a small difference, but so far I have only lost 8 pounds, which I'm sure is mostly water weight. I haven't lost any inches and I'm starting to feel discouraged. I have another 40 pounds to go and at this rate I may never reach my goal.

I don't have unrealistic expectations, as I know I didn't gain all this weight overnight and will not lose it overnight either. But I do feel that it's taking much more work and time than I thought it would.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
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Replies

  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
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    I rarely say this, but you probably need to eat more.
  • freckles465
    freckles465 Posts: 17
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    8 lbs in 7 weeks is how much you should be losing. That's a little more than a pound a week. You're definitely doing great
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    Shouldn't I be seeing inches come off as well? My clothes look and feel the same as well. I just don't get it. I realize I'm building muscle, which weights more than fat, but I would think my pants would fit differently.
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
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    You either didn't log for 4 days last week or you didn't eat...both would be an issue.
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
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    Muscle takes up less space than fat, so yes, if you were gaining muscle and losing fat your pants would be looser.
  • hanna6774
    hanna6774 Posts: 225
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    You should eat more with the amount exercise you are doing.
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    That's what I thought. No change in how my clothes fit. I knew it would be a slow process, but if it takes months to see a small change, I will be discouraged soon.
  • jplucheck
    jplucheck Posts: 275 Member
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    With the amount of exercise you are doing you need more than 1200 calories, the more you work out the more you should eat to refuel your body. Your muscles need the added calories to repair. Common sense wants to tell you that eating more would defeat the purpose of weight loss really it should speed up the process right? Think of this way if you only consume 1200 calories a day but your body needs 1450 (guess) just to stay alive even if you laid in bed all day then you burned an additional 500, you body doesn't have enough fuel.
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    It sure seems that if I eat more on the days I workout, I will never lose. How many calories should I be eating on an exercise day? Any ideas?
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
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    Are the days where it shows like 300-700 calories on your log accurate or did you stop inputting your food that day at some point?
  • sarahdee2007
    sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
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    With the amount of exercise you are doing you need more than 1200 calories, the more you work out the more you should eat to refuel your body. Your muscles need the added calories to repair. Common sense wants to tell you that eating more would defeat the purpose of weight loss really it should speed up the process right? Think of this way if you only consume 1200 calories a day but your body needs 1450 (guess) just to stay alive even if you laid in bed all day then you burned an additional 500, you body doesn't have enough fuel.

    I never understood this, but I listened to what everyone said and ate back most of my exercise calories and it really has worked for me. Make sure you are NETTING 1200
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    Those days are accurate. I don't eat more than 1200 per day, so if I burn a lot of calories during exercise, I don't eat more. It seems I will never lose if I do that.
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    That seems like so much food!! I may give it a try though. Seems odd that it would work like that, but you look great and have taken just a few months to lose it. Congrats!

    Thanks for the advice.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    MFP calculates a calorie deficit for you even if you never exercise. If you exercise, and eat back those calories you've burned, you'll still have the same deficit MFP calculated for you, and you will still lose! Keep eating until at the bottom of your diary, where it says "Remaining" the number is 0, or very close. On your home page, at the end of the day, it should say net=1200.

    If you don't like the idea of eating back exercise calories (a lot of people feel like it's cheating somehow) then you can work out a higher calorie goal based on your BMR and TDEE, and not log your extra exercise. If you want to do something like that, reading http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map would be a start.
  • ghsamia
    ghsamia Posts: 18 Member
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    You are on target with your weight loss. Losing about a pound per week is the healthiest way to go. You do not want to restrict your calories below 1200. Is 1200 what MFP recommended? Without knowing your whole story, it is even possible that you are not eating enough.
  • Mgrogers09
    Mgrogers09 Posts: 61 Member
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    its not the amount of food your taking in...its pure science that if you eat more your going to lose weight even slower...even with metabolism relativity and all that junk. I do 800- 1000 calorie work outs 5 times a week and eat around 1200 and I am losing weight pretty consistantly. I think you need to give your body some time to adapt to the new input and it'll come off.
  • KathyChampi
    KathyChampi Posts: 66 Member
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    Hey congrats on the 8 lb lost. Are you eating back the calories that your allotted from exercising. If you are, that will cause weight loss to be at a slower pace. I try not to go above 1,200. It can be fustrating not to see the scale go down as quickly as we like, but hang in there. Don't give up.
  • dabears6352
    dabears6352 Posts: 34 Member
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    Yes, 1200 is what MFP reommended. Maybe it will take a little more time. I know it's harder as you get older, and I'm not a young kid anymore.....I'm 40.
  • jplucheck
    jplucheck Posts: 275 Member
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    Those days are accurate. I don't eat more than 1200 per day, so if I burn a lot of calories during exercise, I don't eat more. It seems I will never lose if I do that.

    I know you feel like this doesn't make sense but what could it hurt to try, you obviously are looking for advice. I didn't believe these suggestions either but thought it was worth a try. Usually takes a few weeks to make a difference but you will feel better as body starts getting the proper fuel it needs. If after a month you don't feel better and your still not losing weight and/or inches try something else.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
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    The MFP diary is a tool, use it to help acheive a healthy diet. Set a goal calorie and try to acheive it with nutrious foods, and if you exercise eat a bit more, preferrable with some protien and healthy fats in it. You say you feel like you eat more on exercise days, but that is because you eat soooo little on non-exercise days that its scary. I'm not a big you MUST EAT A NET OF 1200 calories kind of girl (see my diary), but I can't believe you feel good on days where you eat less that 1200 total and exercise. Being so restrictive totally sabotages your effort, it is not sustainable or healthy. Less is more only works to a point, then it back fires. I suggest consulting with a nutritionist and setting up a plan that is sustainable. Good Luck.

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