Exercise but no weight loss

pbkfit70
pbkfit70 Posts: 38
edited September 18 in Fitness and Exercise
What am I doing wrong?

I've been logging on to myfitness for about a month now. I'm entering all my food etc (as best I can) and logging my exercise... which though it seems oodles less than what lots of you seem to be doing averages at least an hour a day.

I've seen changes in my thigh, hip and upper arm measurements, but nothing from my weight!

What can I do??????

:cry:

Replies

  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    What am I doing wrong?

    I've been logging on to myfitness for about a month now. I'm entering all my food etc (as best I can) and logging my exercise... which though it seems oodles less than what lots of you seem to be doing averages at least an hour a day.

    I've seen changes in my thigh, hip and upper arm measurements, but nothing from my weight!

    What can I do??????

    :cry:
  • fibi3
    fibi3 Posts: 10
    your probably just loosing fat and gaining muscle if you are working out quite hardcore for an hour a day.

    do you drink enough water??? that really helps get the metabolism going
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    I drink a fair amount of water. I don't drink tea or coffee, mostly water or vimto (a blackcurrant/raspberry squash), with 1 diet coke a day... I limit myself or I'd drink 2 litres a day!

    What difference does it make if you drink squash rather than straight water?
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    please read these posts. Then if you still have questions, feel free to ask away.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    OK read Topic: 700 calories a day and not losing (yet to read the others, )

    I understand the principle. I'm a teacher, so much of my day is wandering around a classroom on my feet. Though when I am at home, i spend a lot of time sat down in front of a computer. I go to the gym 3 times a week and walk for an hour or so on the other days.

    I rarely buy preprepared meals, as in a handful of times a year. I eat the same main meals as my family, who if anything are underweight! (not fair). I don't binge and generally only drink alcohol at the weekend, maybe 1/2 glasses of wine.

    OK I'll go and read the next article, I'll be back
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    Next topic: Eating the calories

    Yes, generally I'm eating the 1700 it tells me to. When I exercise, I do eat more, but what should I eat extra? Should I be concentrating on say more protein if I've exercised a lot - like yesterday when I was in the gym, then went for a walk with friends in the afternoon?

    I must admit when I've exercised I don't increase my calorie intake purposely, just if I happen to fancy something extra I know I'm OK and still within my limit.
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    Next: Expectations

    I'm on a long term view. I would be happy to lose 500g (1lb) a week.

    But I've been going about a month now. I am eating less chocolate bars etc. I've increased my exercise from a leisurely gym and swim to a concentrated effort with extra walking in between. My legs are aching from a new routine and I have changed shape a little. But that's it.

    In general, my life and diet before wasn't too bad and I'm not missing anything as in cravings. I eat sensibly with lots of fruit and vegetables and have always done so. Yes, I might of had a mars bar in the evening where I'm now eating an apple and my instinct to grab a can of coke (diet) and a biscuit as I return from school isn't happening, though it may when I return to teaching next week, but appart from that, what I eat hasn't changed that much.
  • localisap
    localisap Posts: 20
    I would not up your caloric intake just because you exercised (no matter what the computer says). I'm not sure if that's what your doing but that will cause you to not lose weight. :ohwell: It took me about 1 1/2 months to begin to lose weight but the key was to exercise and exercise often. At first you do feel more hungry but gradually that feeling will subside and you will see the pounds melt away. Also what I found was when I would take a 'break' from dieting, like on the weekends, I would not lose any weight. So you have to find what works for you. You may need to drink more water to help you feel full, etc. Keep on keeping on because as soon as the weight begins to drop you will be so excited and motivated to keep going! Good job!:wink:
    PS: I've lost 30 lbs so far and loving it!:happy:
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    it won't caus eyou to "not lose weight" as the calorie deficit will still be the same as if you had not excercised. There is a reason why you need to up your caloric intake and you need to read the above posts if you don't know the reason.

    Sorry if that came out grouchy, lol, I'm having a bad week! :laugh:
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    Metabolism :tongue:

    OK Looks like I've somehow got to get my body thinking it needs to access those fatty deposits for fuel. But this is where I get confused. I need to raise my metabolic rate???? So that it starts to use some of those extra pounds??? So I increase my exercise .... but then I eat more???? HELP!

    :flowerforyou:
  • arejay
    arejay Posts: 4
    I haven't read all the posts here or the article link posted but from what I'm hearing everyone is telling you to drink water and keep your metabolism going.

    That's excellent advice definitely drink plenty of water and also maybe instead of eat 3 meals a day break that down into about 5 smaller meals throughout your day. This will keep your metabolism working constantly. Also if you're doing some kind of training, try and do it right after your wake up in the morning. If your schedule permits.

    Exercising right after you wake up burns more fat calories than if you exercise later in the day. The reason is that because you've been sleeping the whole time you're body has used up all of its' stored up glycogen energy therefore when you exercise in the morning your body automatically starts burning fat for energy. As opposed to exercising later in the day when your body has stored glycogen energy from eating.

    Hope this helps
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    Exercising right after you wake up burns more fat calories than if you exercise later in the day. The reason is that because you've been sleeping the whole time you're body has used up all of its' stored up glycogen energy therefore when you exercise in the morning your body automatically starts burning fat for energy. As opposed to exercising later in the day when your body has stored glycogen energy from eating.

    Hope this helps

    I'm sorry to contradict you arejay but, this is, for all intents and purposes a myth. I have done copious amounts of research on this, asked my doctor, and also asked my trainer, gone to webMD and checked, gone to mayoclinic.com and checked, and looked it up on New England Journal of Medicine and checked, all say the same thing. There is a very slight difference in metabolism in the morning, and throughout the day the metabolism waxes and wans, but only by 1 or 2 percent. Not enough to realistically increase your caloric burn. If you enjoy working out in the morning, then that is when you should do it. But if the afternoon or night is easier for you, then that's when you should.
    NOW, that being said, you should always eat in the morning, because if you unbalance your food intake, your body chemistry will suffer. The biggest enemy of weight loss is an out of whack body chemistry. Keeping your body fed by eating lots of small meals that have all the daily nutritional needs is important for keeping your body on an even keel, that means your metabolism won't try to do any odd things to compensate for, say, a day with lean periods and periods that you gorge yourself.

    here is a good article on how to get your metabolism ramped up and keep it that way.
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/best-new-ways-boost-metabolism
  • localisap
    localisap Posts: 20
    Dear kerryluko and all others, I'm just giving advise on information that works for me. Everyone is different. Everyone has to find out what exercise plan and schedule works for them and what diet/eating habits work for them and that might take some time. Hope this is helpful.
  • dragonscapes24
    dragonscapes24 Posts: 114
    darlin.. don't worry if you are not seeing the scale move... you are loosing inches... your cloths are fitting better... you can exercise longer... you don't feel winded going up the stairs at the office... you can keep up with your kids... these are the things that make you a success not the numbers on the scale... if you are working out then you are building muscle... muscle burns fat... muscles is more dense than fat and therefore takes up less space... if you have more muscle and your cloths are loose then you are a success... in the end how much we weigh is just a number but how we look and feel is what counts...

    I wish you luck and suggest that you try banks one month scale challenge... it helps if you stop looking at that darn thing all the time...

    Jenn
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    :smile:
    Thanks for the encouragement, Dragon. Yeah I do feel fitter, but it would be nice to lose that tyre as well! :sad:

    I have joined Banks one week challenge, but then I went to the gym and lo and behold, there's this huge, big set of scales right by the entrance! Keep walking!!!

    :explode:
  • dragonscapes24
    dragonscapes24 Posts: 114
    LOL...:tongue: I totally understand.. I have put my scale away so I don't have to see it... I went to a friends the other night and she had three... uugghh:noway:

    Jenn
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    Thanks for the website Banks

    I've just checked it out. The very first paragraph hit home

    "The next time you run, swim, or even walk, ramp up the intensity for 30-second intervals, returning to your normal speed afterward. Using this strategy will help you consume more oxygen and make your cell powerhouses, the mitochondria, work harder to burn energy"

    My gym program has just been revamped and that its precisely what the guy told me to do on the rower! It's a killer but if it pays dividends it's worth it.

    I've tried the fish oil supplements before and didn't like the aftertaste so maybe I'll try an alternative. I don't know about them.

    Sorry, what's green tea? I don't drink ordinary tea!

    I eat breakfast everyday, but are there better foods to eat that help boost the metabolism? What are protein bars like are they any good?
  • dragonscapes24
    dragonscapes24 Posts: 114
    I used to have that problem with the fish oil tasting bad... I found out that they have to be refrigerated or they go rancid and have the bad taste... they also have a fairly short shelf life so you have to watch for the expiration date...
    Green tea is awesome... it tastes great and has lots of antioxidants too... you can find it in the tea section at your grocery store... try traditional medicinals... it's kinda expensive but really tastes good and has a more natural source than some of the bigger brands...
    As for protein bars you have to be careful what you choose because some of them are loaded with sugar and calories... oatmeal is a great breakfast... also you might try protein shakes... all you do is add the following ingredients into a blender...put 1cup of yogurt... one banana... 1cup frozen fruit... and a scoop of protein powder... (I like chocolate myself)... it fills you up and is great for on the go... I drink mine while I get ready for work...you can find protein powder in the pharmacy section...
    If you have anymore questions let us know... Hope this was helpful
    Jenn
  • bunnyr
    bunnyr Posts: 275 Member
    can put fish oil capsules in the freezer. I used to have trouble with tasting them all day but after taking them frozen I have had better luck. My neurologist gave me this point. I drink green tea from starbucks - Their china green tea. It is expensive but really good.

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • michaelabney
    michaelabney Posts: 1
    find out if there is a david lloyd's exercise fitness club in your local area.
  • pbkfit70
    pbkfit70 Posts: 38
    Yeah there is a David Lloyds about 10 miles away, but very costly!

    I belong to local council gym, much cheaper, can also swim, racquet sports and do exercise classes. I tend to stick to the gym and the swimming.

    Thanks for the tips about green tea, problem is because I don't drink anything hot, I kind of blank anything like these.

    I've heard about the protein drinks, do you just add it to whatever you are drinking? And what 's the theory on them helping you slim?
  • mkeithley
    mkeithley Posts: 399
    You can drink green tea cold. I gave up caffiene, before I did I use to mix green tea and orange pekoe (regular tea) together,again I drank it cold.
    IMO The thing with protein shakes and bars is you need to pay attention to the calories and the sugar content.
    Another reason to take fish oil-After I started taking Fish Oil, people started asking me all the time what I used on my face because it looked so much better, people have even told me I "glowed". It improved my skin all over., less lotion to use and I'm a lizard woman:happy:
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