should I just be using MFP for weight loss??

petecat_1999
petecat_1999 Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all, I've had some posts in regards to insanity, I finished day 11 in month 2 with no movement but up on the scale. Wondering if maybe to get to my goal number I should simply follow my MFP guidelines then get back into exercise, cause the combo isn't getting me the results I'm looking for. Its not like this is my first time at the rodeo, tried p90x, brazil butt lift, treadmill, weights, now its insanity...can't eat as much as they want me to, always seem to be under my calorie goal, maybe if I just do it thru food I'll see some resutls, just frustrated:ohwell:

Replies

  • snowchj
    snowchj Posts: 45 Member
    To lose weight you need to exercise more, or eat less. You're already exercising plenty, so....
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    that's the dilemma, doing both getting nothing...now what? I always thought is was one as well as the other but with this long strech of no reult, maybe its do one OR the other, not both?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    To lose weight you need to exercise more, or eat less. You're already exercising plenty, so....

    At the same time, you need to fuel your body so it doesn't convserve.


    OP, how many calories are you eating? With a program like that, you need to fuel your body so it doesn't feel its going into famine. I did p90x with 90 days and ate 1800 calories and didn't lose anything. I did 90 days of CLX and ate 2600 calories and lost 11 lbs 6" and 3% body fat with semi crappy eating.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Are you at a healthy BMI already?

    What does "I finished day 11 in month 2" mean? How long have you been trying and had no weight loss? Are you logging food? How much are you taking in?

    Is your body changing at all?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Are you at a healthy BMI already?

    What does "I finished day 11 in month 2" mean? How long have you been trying and had no weight loss? Are you logging food? How much are you taking in?

    Is your body changing at all?

    There are multiple phases of programs like insanity. It means, she is around week 6 of the workout program.
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    it means I am on the 11th day of the second phase of the program, my BMI is 25, I'm 5'4", 143 now, start MFP at 140 and have done nothing but climb, was 145,147,142....all over the place. I've been active one way or another since I was 17-jogging, weights and machines at the gym, I'm not a big meat eater, love veggies, love fruits, always have, I pretty much eat everything on MICHI's ladder, never been a big eater, you know the kid at the table who had to stay for hours to finish her meal.... I've done mutliple beachbody programs and same thing over and over, punch in how much to see my calorie limit, do the work, and nothing, scale doesn't wanna move, With some of this I feel like I'm force feeding myself in order to get close to my calorie goal, I could try resetting my activity level and that would bring down calories, but according to INSANITY's guide, I shouldn't.......................................................So now what??? and yes I drink 2-3 32oz bottles of water every day.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    This might not be popular but you might consider taking a break from the tough workouts and focusing on fat loss. Then after you've gotten the scale down a little, focus on strength training.

    I've heard a lot of stories about tough cardio being a deal-killer for weight loss. I don't know why. Fitness author Covert Bailey said he thought distance runners' bodies cannibalized their upper body LBM to support their lower body muscles and high burn levels. I have no idea what it is. I think bodybuilders cycle a fat loss phase with a lean-gaining phase. Maybe we just try to do two things at once and wind up doing neither well because they're at cross purposes.
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
    Bump
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    This might not be popular but you might consider taking a break from the tough workouts and focusing on fat loss. Then after you've gotten the scale down a little, focus on strength training.

    I've heard a lot of stories about tough cardio being a deal-killer for weight loss. I don't know why. Fitness author Covert Bailey said he thought distance runners' bodies cannibalized their upper body LBM to support their lower body muscles and high burn levels. I have no idea what it is. I think bodybuilders cycle a fat loss phase with a lean-gaining phase. Maybe we just try to do two things at once and wind up doing neither well because they're at cross purposes.

    Taking a break from exercise is a great way to break some plateau's. For those having a huge problem, I generally suggest 1-2 weeks off of exercise and eating at maintenance to refeed their systems and full repair. In fact, many beachbody programs suggest the same thing between rounds.

    Also, runners tend to catabolize (not cannabolize) lean body mass. Essentially, its your bodies ability to covert the amino acids in lean body mass to create energy. This is common for long distance runners due to the higher calorie deficits created by long distance runners. Such calorie deficits can lead to an ammonia smell, which is caused by this process.

    Now if the OP is really trying to push fat loss, then I would agree that taking a break from insanity would be the approach. Cardio programs don't cut fat as well as resistance programs (such as CLX and P90X(2) ). Resistance programs are much better at cutting fat. But if she loves cardio, then you could do the P90X/Insanity hybrid.

    Either way, the key is nutrition. These are intense programs and require sufficient nutrition (at least 1800 calories) in order to push your body to the extreme. Additionally, you have to push to eat clean, lots of veggies, non processed foods and a good macro breakout; healthy fats, sufficient proteins and complex carbs.
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    Thanks for the input, I've was considering a second round of insanity, but maybe p90x would be the better choice for the weight loss I'm looking for, I have started to see some changes, but not nearly what I've been hoping and working for-greater fat loss, more muscle tone, healthy and stronger... I'm just gonna keep trying till something works!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    BTW, if you want to use the BB approach to calories, you would be level 1 at 1800 calories.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Listen to Psulemon.

    you can't do that much activity with a high calorie deficit. you either need to cut down on the activity, or increase the food.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    Very interesting article, lots of info thats been consistant with what many have been saying on this site. I feel sooo guilty if I don't do the six days a week, sometimes I'll rationalize it over and over, worked today, "on my feet all day, so that should count" maybe I wasn't being "bad" after all. I'm sure I'm not alone with that feeling of guilt. It seems to contradict everything we hear-eat less, exercise more=less weight!!!!
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    its 1800 to maintain, not lose...right?
  • Boomer1946
    Boomer1946 Posts: 124
    Hello all, I've had some posts in regards to insanity, I finished day 11 in month 2 with no movement but up on the scale. Wondering if maybe to get to my goal number I should simply follow my MFP guidelines then get back into exercise, cause the combo isn't getting me the results I'm looking for. Its not like this is my first time at the rodeo, tried p90x, brazil butt lift, treadmill, weights, now its insanity...can't eat as much as they want me to, always seem to be under my calorie goal, maybe if I just do it thru food I'll see some resutls, just frustrated:ohwell:

    PM me and I will share another site with you.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    its 1800 to maintain, not lose...right?
    1800 is to lose. Thosr are total calories not net. But yea you should eat 1800 calories. More if you are very active throughout the day.
  • wabisabi
    wabisabi Posts: 6
    Are you losing fat, but gaining muscle?
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Very interesting article, lots of info thats been consistant with what many have been saying on this site. I feel sooo guilty if I don't do the six days a week, sometimes I'll rationalize it over and over, worked today, "on my feet all day, so that should count" maybe I wasn't being "bad" after all. I'm sure I'm not alone with that feeling of guilt. It seems to contradict everything we hear-eat less, exercise more=less weight!!!!

    If you change that last sentence to

    eat a bit less than you were
    exercise a bit more than you were

    you'd be on the right track.

    Too much of either doesn't seem to have the results, that the maths say it should.
  • petecat_1999
    petecat_1999 Posts: 24
    Are you losing fat, but gaining muscle?
    don't seem to be doing either, and this has been going on for 5 months now..
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Are you losing fat, but gaining muscle?

    It isn't possible to cut fat and gain muscle. Both are different approaches to nutrition. Fat loss requires a calorie deficit, and gaining muscle requires a surplus of calories, because you can't create something out of nothing.

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