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cazlar 03-18-2011 11:57 PM

Help! Opinions please.... :)
 
Hi everyone! I wondered if you had any advice for me in losing a few pounds!

I'm a 22 year old female, 5'5, medium frame, and my weight tends to hover around 140lbs. I've been going to the gym 5-7 times a week, burning off around 750 calories each session (according to machines) with an hour of cardio followed by weights. I also do a keiser cycle class and body pump once a week with others thrown in occasionally. Using the 'fitday.com' calorie and activity tracker i am currently getting a calorie deficit of 1000kcals per day, (eating 1800, burning off 2800 for example). I feel like I am following all the fitness advice I can find online but don't seem to be losing much weight. I measure myself with a tape measure and weigh myself regularly and the losses im experiencing are not very impressive (I have been following this routine for a month now, where previously i went to the gym 4-5 times a week and didn't count calories, and would estimate that i've only lost around 2lbs in total, and 0-2cm in measurements). Occasionally I have a weekend off (visiting friends etc) where i dont go to the gym or watch what i eat for a couple of days and drink alcohol. Could this be what is setting my weightloss back? I only want to lose around 5-7 for the time being, do I need to lower my calorie intake further? Or am I just being too impatient?!
Thanks :)
Caroline

mecompco 03-19-2011 12:37 AM

Do you honestly track every single thing you eat and drink, including the "occasional" day off? Do you weigh and measure portions, or "eye ball" them? Are you sure the calorie burn shown on the machines are accurate? Do you add sleep to your "lifestyle" in the calorie burn calculator?

At 260 pounds, with daily exercise and being male, my daily burn comes out to around 2800 cals. I run around a 1200 cal per day deficit, monthly "day off" included and average from 2.5 to 3lbs per week loss (which is right in line with what the "math" predicts).

I just have to think that you may be overestimating your burn, underestimating your calorie intake, or both.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Michael

PS How is your water intake and your calorie mix?

cjohnson728 03-19-2011 12:54 AM

I've heard others say that the machines at the gym overestimate the calorie burn. If you could get or borrow a heart rate monitor that calculates calories for you, that might be a way to check up on it.

I know that my treadmill at home usually tells me double the calories my HRM does...but then again, it's so old I can't input my age/height/weight, and I'm kind of an outlier, being short.

cazlar 03-19-2011 12:59 AM

thanks!
 
Thanks for your response guys.
I do track everything i eat and drink, and i weigh everything aswell, so think my calorie intake is generally accurate. I don't however track the days that i have 'off' so perhaps that is the problem (on these days I am usually away from a computer and probably don't track them subconsciously to make myself feel less guilty haha!).
Im only going by what fitday says is my basal metabolic rate (mostly seated, correct for my height etc.). The machines at my gym measure heart rate and allow you to input height and age, but obviously i can not say if they are totally accurate.
As for water, i try to drink around 2.5l a day and on average my calories mix is 17% protein, 53% carb, 30% fat, although this doesn't include the days that i haven't tracked.
Perhaps it would be worth me getting a HRM, thanks for the advice!

mecompco 03-19-2011 01:24 AM


Originally Posted by cazlar (Post 40330)
Thanks for your response guys.
I do track everything i eat and drink, and i weigh everything aswell, so think my calorie intake is generally accurate. I don't however track the days that i have 'off' so perhaps that is the problem (on these days I am usually away from a computer and probably don't track them subconsciously to make myself feel less guilty haha!).
Im only going by what fitday says is my basal metabolic rate (mostly seated, correct for my height etc.). The machines at my gym measure heart rate and allow you to input height and age, but obviously i can not say if they are totally accurate.
As for water, i try to drink around 2.5l a day and on average my calories mix is 17% protein, 53% carb, 30% fat, although this doesn't include the days that i haven't tracked.
Perhaps it would be worth me getting a HRM, thanks for the advice!

Well, many of us add 8 hours of sleep to our daily activities (though the programmers say it's included in the lifestyle calculation)--you might try that.

You MUST track those "days off". My days off are pretty ugly (generally due to a fairly large quantity of beer) but I track them. If you're away from a computer, write down what you eat/drink on paper and enter it later. Do your best estimating the portions.

Have you considered upping your protein? 17% seems mighty low--I try to keep a 40/30/30 carb/protein/fat mix on average. Some recommend even more protein than that.

2.5l seems like a good start, but more (within reason) wouldn't hurt.

That's my .02 :)

Regards,
Michael

taubele 03-19-2011 02:06 AM

I have to agree on the upping your protein :) I find that it helps me a lot. Try to get it up over 25% at first and ekeing it towards thirty, if you can. Also, get a HRM - I too use the machines at the gym for "calorie burn" estimates, but I think they're probably off (I enter my age and weight, but it doesn't ask for height, for example) and I will be getting a HRM at my next paycheck :)

Also, when are you weighing yourself? I often find that if I weigh myself the day after a lot of weight lifting, I'm mysteriously up a pound from fluid retention. Try to figure out a day when you might be retaining less fluid, perhaps?

I'm also giving a thumbs up for logging sleep - I was frustrated before because I thought my "burn" was around 1200-1500 daily (and thus I should have been losing 2-3 lbs. per week) before I started logging sleep - now it's averaging more like 750, and that's way more accurate for the amount of weight I'm actually losing (averaging a pound and a half per week).

cjohnson728 03-19-2011 02:20 AM

I agree with Mike and Terri 100%. I log sleep and the calorie balance is dead on for me.

More protein helps. Logging even when it's an ugly day helps. Everyone's body is different, but if you experiment with different ratios, you will find the one that leads to better losses for you. Hang in there!!

cazlar 03-19-2011 05:00 AM

Great advice, thanks guys!
I will definitely start logging my sleep! I'll try upping my protein aswell, but i'm on a student budget so that can be expensive!
same with the heart rate monitor, is it worth getting a cheap one or should i weight and save for a higher tech one?
I'm definitely building muscle and probably am burning fat but as you have said, i need to face up to my bad days and log them, otherwise my calorie deficites will be way out and my weight loss won't be as i expect it to be.
Thanks again :).

cjohnson728 03-19-2011 09:07 AM

Tuna is cheap protein, and you may want to see if you can borrow a HRM. Once you've done your routine with it once, you know about how many calories, so you don't need to keep using it. If you have access, as a student, to a phys ed department or something, they might have one you could use. Generally, the cheaper ones don't measure calories, just heart rate. I think I paid about $100 for mine and it was pretty middle of the road.

lastri 03-19-2011 02:12 PM

I didn't know that you should log your sleep. I try to log my sleep today but not quit under stand what it said. This is my log, can you help me to understand it? How much should I eat, according to this?

Activity Specific Activity Time (hh:mm) Calories Burned Distance Units Delete
Calories Burned Today 24:00 2,066
sleeping 404
jogging, general 261 milekmmyrdft
Lifestyle Seated, Some Movement(Customize) 15:19 1,401
Calories Burned Today 24:00 2,066

cjohnson728 03-19-2011 02:33 PM

Mai, this means that you burned 2066 calories total today. 1401 of those were from just going about your day (whatever lifestyle you selected when you set up your account). 404 of those calories were burned while you slept, and 261 were burned from jogging.

How many calories you can eat depends on how quickly you want to lose. A pound is approximately 3500 calories. So, to lose a pound a week, eat 500 fewer calories per day than you burn (500 times 7 days a week = 3500). To lose two pounds a week, you would have to eat 1000 calories less per day than your activity log tells you you burned.

lastri 03-20-2011 10:52 AM

Ok, I get it. When I log in sleep. It bring the cals burn about 400 less. Ok, Thanks, Mai

stamatiaa 03-25-2011 03:22 AM

Another issue, if you're not preparing your own meals, is that even if you log everything, your calorie intake won’t be more then an estimate.

You're clearly putting in a lot of effort at the gym and by logging on fitday, can you try to make more of your meals at home or at least switch to simpler foods that don’t have all the added stuff that contribute to an inaccurate calorie read? If you commit to that for a few weeks, I’d expect you to start being more successful at losing the weight.

pbarneveld 03-25-2011 07:08 AM


Originally Posted by cazlar (Post 40321)
Hi everyone! I wondered if you had any advice for me in losing a few pounds!

I'm a 22 year old female, 5'5, medium frame, and my weight tends to hover around 140lbs. I've been going to the gym 5-7 times a week, burning off around 750 calories each session (according to machines) with an hour of cardio followed by weights. I also do a keiser cycle class and body pump once a week with others thrown in occasionally. Using the 'fitday.com' calorie and activity tracker i am currently getting a calorie deficit of 1000kcals per day, (eating 1800, burning off 2800 for example). I feel like I am following all the fitness advice I can find online but don't seem to be losing much weight. I measure myself with a tape measure and weigh myself regularly and the losses im experiencing are not very impressive (I have been following this routine for a month now, where previously i went to the gym 4-5 times a week and didn't count calories, and would estimate that i've only lost around 2lbs in total, and 0-2cm in measurements). Occasionally I have a weekend off (visiting friends etc) where i dont go to the gym or watch what i eat for a couple of days and drink alcohol. Could this be what is setting my weightloss back? I only want to lose around 5-7 for the time being, do I need to lower my calorie intake further? Or am I just being too impatient?!
Thanks :)
Caroline

Hi Caroline!

Just a few suggestions / comments:

- Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so while you may be getting rid of that adipose tissue you are also building muscle, and that won't make a big difference on the scales.

- I agree with upping the protein. I estimate about 1 gram per kilo of body weight at least- 1 kilo is 2.2 lbs. You may even want to increase that if you are working out hard - protein is the building block for the body. All forms of fish are great sources of protein, and so are eggs. Eggs are packed full of goodness, despite the bad publicity they get from the cholesterol they carry, but we all need some cholesterol, and it's your overall diet and genetics that determine your cholesterol level.

- Have you tried interval training? It's a form of exercise where you do short bursts at full speed on any cardio workout, followed by short rest periods. Better than just plodding along, interval training gives your heart a good workout and rises your metabolism for the rest of the day, thus burning more calories! Interval training is great for getting rid of those stubborn last pounds towards your weight goal. Google it, I'm sure you'll find plenty of suggestions. With working out, quality is often better than quantity, and remember to allow your body enough rest days to allow it to recover (you don't want to run yourself into the ground). Also, try varying your workouts every week - it keeps you in better shape by keeping your muscles on their toes rather than lulled into a false sense of security.

- For weight training, also vary your workouts, that create more efficient muscles. If you want to increase muscle, do heavier weights and shorter sets, like three sets of four. To increase stamina, do lighter weights and longer sets, like three sets of twenty. I tend to stay in the middle, doing three sets of ten or twelve, to tone my muscles without overbulking. Free weights help build more equal strength on both sides of your body, and give your muscles a better rounded workout. Try to work large muscle groups, and work ALL muscle groups, eg. if you work the biceps you must work the triceps to maintain a healthy balance, and go through a full range of motion when weight lifting. Keep a note of your progress, and always try to push yourself. Don't be afraid that you will get all muscly - you're not a guy :-)

- I also agree with tracking those days off - you may have worked hard all week just to lose it all on those "days off". Remember that alcohol are empty calories. I'm not saying don't have fun or take a break: maybe just moderate food and alcohol intake, and keep your goal in mind.

- Finally, be patient. Sometimes it is harder to lose a couple of pounds than many. Have fun losing weight, but maintain your discipline. Remember that you are already within a healthy weight. Perhaps turning fat into muscle and changing your body's shape could be an alternative goal.

Good luck, and have fun being healthy and fit! :)
Pets

cazlar 03-25-2011 11:04 AM


Originally Posted by pbarneveld (Post 41162)
Hi Caroline!

Just a few suggestions / comments:

- Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so while you may be getting rid of that adipose tissue you are also building muscle, and that won't make a big difference on the scales......
Pets

Hi Pets, thanks for the great advice! I have seen a bit more of a difference in my measurements recently, as the advice given above seems to be helping! Perhaps the tape is a better indicator for me than the scales! I am trying to up my protein but finding it hard to get it to the levels you have suggested, but I guess it's just trial and error! I do try to mix my workouts up and sometimes try with interval training, and do a spinning class once a week, but could probably do better if i did intervals every workout. On the weight machines i tend to do 2-4 sets of 12-15 reps on a variety of machines, and take a bodypump class (which is strength training class) once a week. I can tell my muscles are alot more toned but there's still the stubborn layer of fat on top that seems to want to stay there!! I think you're right with the patience thing, even if im not losing as fast as i think i should be, i still enjoy working out and eating healthily so might as well hang on in there :). I haven't had a day off in a while but next time ill be sure to track what i eat/drink and try not to go too crazy.

To stamatiaa - yes i do cook and prepare all of my meals from scratch myself and track all the ingredients. when i eat lunch out i make sure to note down the nutritional info from the pack so that i can enter it on fit day.

What do you guys think about lowering carb intake? should i also be looking to limit myself to a certain amount of grams of fat per day? I never go above the standard recommendation of 70g a day and often eat much less, but what is the level you would suggest for weight loss?
Thanks :)


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