What am I doing wrong? Need help from the smart ones out there

[Bumblebee4]

Ok here we are almost at the end of my first 6 week challenge and I'm feeling like I haven't made much progress in the fitness/weight loss area. About a week or so before the challenge started I had just found NF and started cutting out grains in general. And I lost just shy of 3 lbs that first week. Then it was my birthday weekend and I was out of town with my best friend. I knew I was about to get really strict during the challenge so I ate anything and everything I wanted to that 4 day weekend. I averaged about 3000 calories every day and gained 9 lbs in those 4 days. I realize I probably really gained 1-2 lbs of fat and the other 7 or so pounds was water weight from a lot of carbs and lots of alcohol. So I started the challenge and lost exactly 7 lbs the first week. Since that weigh in at the end of week one I have gone up and down a pound and weighed in this Monday at exactly the same weight as that first week weigh in. 153.6

I am doing the Beginner Bodyweight routine 3 times a week and I have added dumbbells and increased the weight regularly. I'm still tired and sweaty at the end of it. I'm doing cardio 2-3 times a week and often going swing dancing one night a week for several hours. All of my food and exercise diary can be seen here but I'll write a summary here and hopefully I'll include most of the info that is needed to tell me why I'm not losing weight or seeing any improvement. Thanks in advance for any and all help!!!

Stats

Female

Weight the day I left for bday weekend 151.4

Beginning weight 160.0

Current weight 153.6

BF% by calipers 34.5% (at beginning of challenge)

I currently have my daily calorie goal set at 1500 calories. According the the Harris-Benedict formula my BMR is 1457 and at a moderately active level my calories should be at 2204 if I've used the calculator correctly. So I figured a 500 calorie deficit puts me around 1700 so I set mine at 1500 so I wouldn't feel guilty on the days I go a little over.

Weekly summary of macronutrients and calorie overage or deficit for weekly goal.

Week of Carb/Fat/Protein Calories

2/20/12 38/30/32 +593

2/27/12 42/34/24 +4865 (bday weekend)

3/5/12 27/39/34 +693

3/12/12 26/45/29 +1665

3/19/12 26/43/31 +469

3/26/12 26/45/29 +1207

4/2/12 29/41/30 +1103

Biggest reason I'm frustrated... I used to hit a drive thru window a minimum of once a day. Ate sweets on a regular basis and did just a little working out here and there. Sometimes several times a week and sometimes not for weeks but even then I maintained 158 lbs without thinking much about it. 158 is heavier than I want to be but for God's sake I was barely having to work at it then. I know I'm eating a lot healthier now and that my body is probably working much better having more real food and less crap but it seems like a lot of work and all I'm doing is maintaining. I know there's a lot of really smart members here that understand diet and exercise way better than I do so I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Thanks so much!

[HorrorGeek]

Newb here, but just a thought - are you perhaps trading your fat for muscle?

[So Late So Soon]

I can't really speak to the science of it but Losing weight gets harder the farther along you are into your weight-loss. Also in the begging of weight-loss people tend to put on more lean muscle which can be deceiving on the scales since you don't seem to be losing "weight" but you are losing fat.

Another thing that i noticed was your caloric intake for each day is fluctuating a lot which could be confusing your body. So for example say you want to eat 2000 cals a day try to reach just that goal and not worry about your weekly total, but again I don't have anything to back it up so take it as you will.

[Bumblebee4]

I wish I could thinkg that but I don't think so. I'll get the caliper measurement done next week at the end of the challenge but I really don't feel like there has been much fat loss. I took pics the first week and I have compared. Measurements around the waist did have a little decrease but my first measurements were right after my bday weekend when I was the most bloated and heaviest I've been in over 6 months so there had to be some decrease in the waist after the bloating went down.

[katscratch]

Do you feel any different? I started from a completely different place, but I know it took a while for my body just to re-regulate enough to notice that I felt better in terms of overall health/sleeping/energy etc.

As far as my body composition, I still don't have any change in pounds OR measurements- I was pretty surprised by the latter, because I can FEEL my arm muscles and my thighs are visibly shaped more like thighs should be! It's subtle, I can't really tell the difference in pics even, but the muscles are definitely firmer and stronger. FWIW, I'm pretty severely underweight and trying to gain overall mass, so my muscle changes are really obvious to me, but I think if I had an appropriate amount of body fat I wouldn't be able to tell yet, so don't give up yet

I don't really have any specific ideas for you, other than playing with diet, but it definitely sounds like you're getting stronger. That's pretty awesome even if it's only a piece of your goal pie.

[Guest Tigger]

I might be in the same boat with you on this. I also haven't seen any progress on my photos even though I go to the gym and lift heavy every other day! But I'm hoping that it's only because I'm stuck on the college meal plan until mid-May (yay carbs! #fail). But I've been lifting progressively heavier weights without seeing the scale move much either.

(Examples)

Squats 45#-->105#

Deadlifts 45#-->110#

Maybe you're building more muscle than you think!

[Corbab]

Do you feel any different? I started from a completely different place, but I know it took a while for my body just to re-regulate enough to notice that I felt better in terms of overall health/sleeping/energy etc.

I'm stealing from Steve here, but throw away the scale (or at least tape over it). Weight (especially if measured regularly) is misleading as an indicator of success. What you've eaten, how much water you've had, when you weigh in -- all this effects the number on the scale. If you're exercising regularly, you'll be adding muscle as well as losing fat, and that will mess up the numbers further. If you want to measure your progress, keep track of your workouts and take progress pictures every couple of weeks. Keep hitting your calorie deficit, keep working out, and you'll see results!

[joeyb]

My weight has fluctuated quite a bit over the last week and a half, but is essentially hovering right around the same weight. However, I've dropped about half an inch off my weight during that time, which equates to about 3lbs of body fat. I'd bet money that you've lost an inch on your waist and you don't even realize it.

[Guest Tigger]

I'd bet money that you've lost an inch on your waist and you don't even realize it.

Yes, this too!

Especially around the middle because we're used to looking down at our bellies (and seeing a BELLY! in my case), but other people have noticed that I've gotten slimmer around the middle, even though it doesn't look like an inch to me.

So keep at it

[Bumblebee4]

Unfortunately I have to say that I've remeasured my waist and it is the same and possibly a half inch bigger. And I really don't feel that much different. Still wearing the same clothes, don't feel like they are getting way looser. I appreciate all the replies and suggestions.

[Bumblebee4]

I'm stealing from Steve here, but throw away the scale (or at least tape over it). Weight (especially if measured regularly) is misleading as an indicator of success. What you've eaten, how much water you've had, when you weigh in -- all this effects the number on the scale. If you're exercising regularly, you'll be adding muscle as well as losing fat, and that will mess up the numbers further. If you want to measure your progress, keep track of your workouts and take progress pictures every couple of weeks. Keep hitting your calorie deficit, keep working out, and you'll see results!

I use the scale like it's one piece of the puzzle. There are days I've stepped on it and gained 4 pounds but that doesn't bother me as I know it's a fluctuation. I use it to see if the trend is going in the right direction because if just left to my perception I can be totally off. I can have a day that I wake up feeling skinny and for no apparent reason feel fat and ugly by days end. So for me the scale just helps me know if it's going in the right direction in general and then if I feel fat then I know my thinking is off and I'm just having a bad day. Make sense?

[Wicked Pixie]

there is a slight possibility that you are under eating. I found myself in the same boat about 8 weeks ago. I started dieting and severely restricting my calories. I lost 16 pounds in about 2.5 weeks then started gaining- I was working out and still restricting calories. My body had gone into starvation mode.

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong, I'm just giving an alternative to think about.

My BMR is about 2300-2400. I call that "coma calories"

so given my activity level I need to consume around 1900 calories to lose a pound a week. When I began I was barely making 1000 calories.

But as stated earlier- I've given up on the scale. I eat when I'm hungry, I workout and I'm seeing small, slow but steady progress. Last measurement was an inch off my waist and an inch off my thighs and the muscles are definitely showing more and nothing is quite as jiggly!

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Newb here, but just a thought - are you perhaps trading your fat for muscle?

i'm sort of a newb 6 months in....and this is EXACTLY what i was thinking. some things to think about...

1) trading mucle for fat. You are getting stronger right? adding weight to exercises right? this is not possible without muscle growth. So if you are staying at the same weight and you are getting stronger...well i've got news for you, bub. That is muscle replacing fat. It just has to be. I am pretty sure that scientifically there is no way for it not to be.

2) it took how many years to put this weight on? It may take a lot longer than you originally thought for it to go away. You probably know that already but this is something I had to consider (not with weight loss but with strength gain) when i started.

3) when you list your carbs numbers there...what kind of carbs? veggies? potatoes? grains? This seems...i dunno this seems like your protein numbers should be higher and carbs lower. but note please i am NOT a dietician and cannot speak for sure. but as i understand if you want to burn fat you need HIGH protein and LOW carb. i think your ratio is a bit off. Maybe ask some others for advice on the nutrition side but that is what I am seeing. I really think that might be the issue but again I'm not the biggest food nut i just do my best. Also not sure if you're drinking milk but maybe stop it has a lot of fat in it. lose dairy and see what happens.

4) do you intake sugars? fruits? those things add up. little snacks do too. soundsl ike you're being pretty strict so i imagine this isn't even a possibility but i'm mentioning it just in case.

5) keep at it. your hard work WILL pay off. It's a journey and sometimes we have to manipulate what we do as we go to find the results we need.

[Waldo]

i understand if you want to burn fat you need HIGH protein and LOW carb.

This is incorrect, macronutrient ratio is largely irrelevant. I've lost close to 70 lbs, and am nearing 10% BF, and if anything I tend toward low fat/high carb more than anything. High protein is necessary for exercise recovery especially if you strength train.

[Guest Snake McClain]

This is incorrect, macronutrient ratio is largely irrelevant. I've lost close to 70 lbs, and am nearing 10% BF, and if anything I tend toward low fat/high carb more than anything. High protein is necessary for exercise recovery especially if you strength train.

i stand corrected. The proof is in the pudding and waldo's pudding is the best!

[ETFnerd]

5) keep at it. your hard work WILL pay off. It's a journey and sometimes we have to manipulate what we do as we go to find the results we need.

I was going to post, but then i did a double take b/c you called on the smart ones, but you'll have to do with the following comment from me, one of the stupid ones...

I think Snake hits it with #5. It is a process. It doesn't seem like you're overweight at 5'10". There is a period where you just have to walk through the process and just collect data and evaluate.

From the looks of it, you are using every tool at your disposal and being very diligent. But from what you posted, the uncertainty in your tone reveals that you aren't in tune with how your body works yet. It will come, you just need to pay attention through the process and you are doing this better than most.

Don't look for a fix. It's not about that. It is about a deeper connection with and understanding of your body.

The way I like to approach it, after you have all the fundamentals in place, is this. You are at a point where a book or article or forum isn't going to give you a lot of additional helpful information, because the information you need lies within you.

Ask yourself: "what do I want to achieve specifically?"

Is it thin and wispy, athletic, svelte, whatever... there is no wrong answer, it's what you want. Put together a program that gets you there. Tweak the program to right-size it to your current fitness level. Execute it with the best intensity that you can muster every day. Track, not to see if you are cheating, but to check whether you have done everything you could have done to get the best result that you can achieve. Frankly I work hard, and sometimes I make choices to forego thinks i'd like to eat sometimes, but it's only worth the sacrifice to me if i get the results i want.

Try to do your best to be the best each day for 1 week, then 1 month, then 3 months, then 6 months, then 1 year. After 3 years, assess the road you've traveled. I assure you that 3 years from now, if you apply diligently the discipline and fundamental knowledge you already have, you will be more than you thought you could be on day one.

The first step is to BELIEVE in yourself and have the courage to get out there and achieve every f***ing thing you want out of life... this just being one of them...

[ETFnerd]

hey, is that you Bruce... as Snake now...? lol...

[Bumblebee4]

This is incorrect, macronutrient ratio is largely irrelevant. I've lost close to 70 lbs, and am nearing 10% BF, and if anything I tend toward low fat/high carb more than anything. High protein is necessary for exercise recovery especially if you strength train.

I'm usually hitting about 140-150 grams of protein a day. My carbs are usually just below 100 grams and mostly from fruit, veggies and occasional sweet potato.

I was going to post, but then i did a double take b/c you called on the smart ones, but you'll have to do with the following comment from me, one of the stupid ones...

I think Snake hits it with #5. It is a process. It doesn't seem like you're overweight at 5'10". There is a period where you just have to walk through the process and just collect data and evaluate.

From the looks of it, you are using every tool at your disposal and being very diligent. But from what you posted, the uncertainty in your tone reveals that you aren't in tune with how your body works yet. It will come, you just need to pay attention through the process and you are doing this better than most.

Don't look for a fix. It's not about that. It is about a deeper connection with and understanding of your body.

The way I like to approach it, after you have all the fundamentals in place, is this. You are at a point where a book or article or forum isn't going to give you a lot of additional helpful information, because the information you need lies within you.

Ask yourself: "what do I want to achieve specifically?"

Is it thin and wispy, athletic, svelte, whatever... there is no wrong answer, it's what you want. Put together a program that gets you there. Tweak the program to right-size it to your current fitness level. Execute it with the best intensity that you can muster every day. Track, not to see if you are cheating, but to check whether you have done everything you could have done to get the best result that you can achieve. Frankly I work hard, and sometimes I make choices to forego thinks i'd like to eat sometimes, but it's only worth the sacrifice to me if i get the results i want.

Try to do your best to be the best each day for 1 week, then 1 month, then 3 months, then 6 months, then 1 year. After 3 years, assess the road you've traveled. I assure you that 3 years from now, if you apply diligently the discipline and fundamental knowledge you already have, you will be more than you thought you could be on day one.

The first step is to BELIEVE in yourself and have the courage to get out there and achieve every f***ing thing you want out of life... this just being one of them...

ETF I consider you smarter than I, so you can comment away!

And I do realize this is a journey to finding the best way to treat me. It takes time and changes with time. What used to work for me might not work now so I'm not really upset that I have't seen the changes I'd expected during this 6 week challenge, I'd say I'm more upset that what I thought would work and has before didn't work so well this time. I've done low carb/high protein before and in 6 weeks I've seen some real definition showing in my body in past experiences. This time not so much. That's why I'm looking for advice on changing something. I'll try to look at this as learning one way that didn't work for me.

Catspaw and I chatted here in the chat room last night so for the next couple weeks I'm going to really be pushing myself to lift heavier and eat about 10% more than I am currently. Also dropping cardio for a while to let my body recover on the off days. I'll let everyone know how it's going. Woohoo!