Almost 2 months and no weight loss!
#1
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Crystal Lake, IL
Posts: 22
Almost 2 months and no weight loss!
I am 23, 5'9", and 168 pounds. I work out 5-6 days a week (2 days of Total Conditioning, 2 days of Cardio Kickboxing, 1 day of Barbell Strength, and 1-2 days of Pilates), my daily calorie intake is between 1300-1500, and it's been almost 2 months and I haven't lost a pound. I know I have decreased my fat percentage by 4 but I'm not winning my battle on the scale. Does anyone have any advice? Should I be adding something to my workouts? Is anyone else having the same issue, or has had the same issue? Any help I can get is much appreciated!
#2
It sounds like you have your answer...you are losing fat but gaining muscle. Try keeping track with a tape measure instead of the scale for a while and see if your results are more visible. Are you noticing your clothes fitting any looser?
#4
FitDay Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 97
I think you may need to increase your calories. When I entered your stats in a calorie calculator, it showed you need 1852 calories for fat loss, and 2315 to maintain your current weight. I'd try increasing calories slightly and see what happens!
#5
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 8
That was exactly my thought, as well. Exercising that much and eating that little will force your body into starvation mode.
#6
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Crystal Lake, IL
Posts: 22
Turns out you are right! I just had a CardioPoint Assessment done at my gym on Friday and it turns out that I am NOT getting enough calories. I should be getting 2134 per day!! So, I'm trying to increase my calories this week, but I'm already struggling to get them that high. I eat constantly and am always full, but barely hit 1600. This will be a challenge. But it's totally worth it :-)
#7
Glad you solved your mystery, Kristin. One way to rack up the calories without a lot of bulk is to eat nuts...healthy fat, good for your heart...just be sure to eat them raw if you can, as opposed to roasted, salted, honey roasted, candied, etc.! Also, maybe a month or two ago, someone started a thread asking for suggestions as to how to get more calories. I don't recall where it was but if you have the time, look around for it; there were lots of good ideas in there!
#8
You're workouts sound pretty intense, so I'm thinking that is not the problem. You might want to take a look at your calorie pie chart as well as your calories. It really doesn't matter how many or how few calories I eat; if not enough of them are protein I won't lose an ounce. I try and keep my carbs below 50%, protein slightly more than 30% and not more than 20% fats. When I hit a plateau and 2 months is definitely a plateau, then I try and go a couple of days where I push the proteins even higher, to maybe 40% (if I can manage it). To get it that high I have to resort to water packed tuna, fat free Greek yogurt, egg whites, and possibly even some whey powder. I'm not really into the whey powder, but for a hard plateau you gotta pull out the big guns.
#9
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Crystal Lake, IL
Posts: 22
Glad you solved your mystery, Kristin. One way to rack up the calories without a lot of bulk is to eat nuts...healthy fat, good for your heart...just be sure to eat them raw if you can, as opposed to roasted, salted, honey roasted, candied, etc.! Also, maybe a month or two ago, someone started a thread asking for suggestions as to how to get more calories. I don't recall where it was but if you have the time, look around for it; there were lots of good ideas in there!
#10
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Crystal Lake, IL
Posts: 22
You're workouts sound pretty intense, so I'm thinking that is not the problem. You might want to take a look at your calorie pie chart as well as your calories. It really doesn't matter how many or how few calories I eat; if not enough of them are protein I won't lose an ounce. I try and keep my carbs below 50%, protein slightly more than 30% and not more than 20% fats. When I hit a plateau and 2 months is definitely a plateau, then I try and go a couple of days where I push the proteins even higher, to maybe 40% (if I can manage it). To get it that high I have to resort to water packed tuna, fat free Greek yogurt, egg whites, and possibly even some whey powder. I'm not really into the whey powder, but for a hard plateau you gotta pull out the big guns.