What Could I Be Doing Wrong?

This is my first post here, but I am posting because I am so frustrated.  My boyfriend is getting tired of talking about it with me and I think he is about to throw away the scale!

Anyway here is my deal.  I am 28, 5'3", and 169.5 pounds.  I am aiming for 152 by June 15th (trip to Florida planned).  I have been counting calories and exercising for about 4 weeks now.  I aim for between 1300 and 1400 calories a day and do cardio for about 35 minutes a day 6 days a week.  I would like to do more and physicaly could, but I injured my achilles tendons about 2 weeks ago and since have had to cut back on the exercise a bit (especially the running on an incline).

I really haven't lost any weight and though that by 4 weeks in I would start to see some differences.

Do any of you experts have any advice?

Thanks!

Consider changing up your cardio routine -- it looks like you'd be better suited to rowing right now than incline treadmill. 

How's your overall lifestyle for activity?  Just try and slip in a little more "on your feet" time in a day, even if it's not strenuous exercise. Every little bit makes a difference.

Now, for not losing weight... it seems as though you are doing everything right in terms of calories and exercise, so I can only conclude that either:

1) You're not logging truthfully, or

2)Your diet is unsuited to you (please post a sample day and the % breakdown of fat, protein and carbs and I can help you more.)

Post back.

In 4 weeks you could have lost 2.8kg (based on a loss of 100g/day, which is what I achieve).  My advice - and you may not like this, is to reduce your intake and weigh daily until you see your weight reducing about to what I can achieve.  From there weigh every 3-4 days unless you don't mind daily weighings.

I'm not a big fan of exercise, if you do have any, find out how much energy you are using, many people lose at most 1/3 of their weight through exercise.

Original Post by james_64:

In 4 weeks you could have lost 2.8kg (based on a loss of 100g/day, which is what I achieve).  My advice - and you may not like this, is to reduce your intake and weigh daily until you see your weight reducing about to what I can achieve.  From there weigh every 3-4 days unless you don't mind daily weighings.

I'm not a big fan of exercise, if you do have any, find out how much energy you are using, many people lose at most 1/3 of their weight through exercise.

 This is not very good advice.  You actually should do the opposite.  Your BMR at your current weight is approximately 1453 and with cardio six days per week you are burning close to 2200 cals per day.  If you are only eating 1300 cals, you have a deficit of 900 cals, which may be too harsh for your body.  My BMR is 1400 and if i eat below 1300 continuously for more than a few weeks my body shuts down and sometimes even gains weight. 

if you do not fuel your body properly, it will hold on to every last calorie it can.  Your body is an amazing machine and will do everything it can to prepare and stay away from starvation.

EAT MORE!!!

You should also limit your cardio and start hitting the weights!  Right now your body is most likely using your muscle to make up for your low eating.  The more muscle you lose, the lower your metabolism gets.  Lifting weights while in a deficit will allow your body to maintain your muscles (for the most part) and burn more calories in the long run.  You will avoid that "skinny fat" look that you are destined for if you don't GET OFF THAT DAMN TREADMILL!

Amethystgirl I need your backup!

Instead of focusing on the number on the scale you could try what I do.  I weight daily, but also take inch measurements once a week (I do mine on Monday's).  You may not be losing pounds but you are probably losing inches and your body fat % is probably going down.  Find one website (and stick to tha one) to calculate your body fat percentage each week.  Chances are, you'll see this number go down even if you don't see the number on the scales going down.

Good luck!

I'd double check the portion sizes, unless you've beem measuring an oz or a cup of lots of things for while you can easily acidentaly eat double what you mean to.

It could be that you are not eating enough as you have stated that you are exercising 6 times a week for 35 minutes. From the stats you have given, your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is 1471 (or 1551 using the older Harris-Benedict Formula). This is the amount your body burns doing absolutely nothing, energy required by your organs etc.

I tried the calculations with your activity level set to moderate. It states that you are burning around 2280 kcals a day on average probably more.

btw, I agree with lizshuler. You do need to eat more.

Another possibility is that your muscle mass may have increased, take measurements regularly.

I plugged in your details here on this calculator.

I don't think you need to reduce your intake. You are already eating on the low side for an individual with your stats and activity level. When I enter your stats into the calculator at http://www.phord.com/cc/ (a little more detailed than the Calorie Count calculator), it tells me that your BMR is around 1500 calories/day. If you are eating less than that, you run the risk of messing with your rate of metabolism.

You may want to consider adding weight training to your exercise routine.

Definitely do post your sample diet with macronutrient breakdown.

Here is a pretty standard day for me as done by CC:

Fat - 31.4% (49 grams)
Protein - 24.3% (85 grams)
Carbohydrates - 44.3% (155 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,790 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 44 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 194 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 19 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 10 grams

I would guess I am getting too much sodium and not enough fiber to start with. 

I am a elementary school teacher and am on my feet for a good part of the day also,  but I would still call my "lifestyle" sedentary.  I am afraid to eat more and then gain back or continue to not lose.  It seems to contradict everything you think of when you "diet."

If you decide to increase your intake (which I think you should) you may notice an initial gain of a few pounds, however those will go away once your body adjusts to the correct caloric intake.  In addition if you start a weight routine (again, this is something I think you should do) you would probably experience an initial muscle gain (2-4lbs)... but that is a good thing, because the weight will then come down and keep going down

If you are an elementary school teacher who exercises for 35 minutes 6 days/week, you are far from sedentary! Even if you do nothing but sit on your bum when you aren't at work or exercising, just being a teacher qualifies you as "lightly active," and with your exercise you are at least "moderately active."

Don't be afraid to eat more. It can't hurt - what you are doing now is not working for you, so why not try something else? Best of luck!

Edit: You may also want to check out this article for a good technical explanation: Obesity on 700 Calories

I would definitely try bumping up your calories, maybe to 1600 or 1800. I agree with the others who said you are not sedentary - I have a desk job at an elemenatry school, so I'm definitely sedentary, but I watch the teachers who work here, and most of the time they are up and moving around.  Even just standing burns more calories than sitting.

You will notice a slight increase in weight at first - please stick it out until your weight starts to drop.  I've recently increased my calorie intake by about 300 calories a day, without adding in exercise, and I'm losing more weight than I was when I was restricting more.

A bit more fiber wouldn't hurt, either - Fiber One products make that really easy.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes, if you decide to increase!

So, if I was going to increase the calories I eat what is a good deficeit between calories burned and calories eaten?

Original Post by oprastr:

Here is a pretty standard day for me as done by CC:

Fat - 31.4% (49 grams)
Protein - 24.3% (85 grams)
Carbohydrates - 44.3% (155 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,790 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 44 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 194 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 19 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 10 grams

I would guess I am getting too much sodium and not enough fiber to start with. 

I am a elementary school teacher and am on my feet for a good part of the day also,  but I would still call my "lifestyle" sedentary.  I am afraid to eat more and then gain back or continue to not lose.  It seems to contradict everything you think of when you "diet."

 Sodium and fiber are important but they're not a major issue for you.

I agree that you should eat a little more -- follow the caloric advice of the other posters, they seem mostly correct.  Try to get some more protein in.

Oprastr,

Don't get discouraged!    I've been religiously counting calories (between 1300-1500) and exercising 6 days a week (mostly on the treadmill) for 7 weeks now.  And I've lost a whopping total of 2 lbs.  I've wondered lately if my metabolism has been non-existent...  I was SOOO proud of myself the day that I burned 724 calories on the treadmill!  But, of course, I paid for it for the next few days.  I'd wake up in the middle of the night with leg aches.  I kept telling myself... "No Pain, No Gain" and kept trying to match that day's workout.  After reading through the replies you received, I wonder if I have been doing too much on the treadmill, and not enough with the bowflew, and maybe cutting my calories too much.  My original goal was to work up to running a 5k by Memorial Day.  This coming Memorial Day...LOL

I have been really good about logging EVERY little thing that passes my lips; even going as far as buying a new digital measuring scale (which was really a good $20 investment).  CalorieCount.com had it one just like it advertised on the banner on the right side the other day.  But, I got mine off of Ebay over a month ago. 

My point is...  Keep it up!  This morning I took my measurements (week 8), and I had lost a full 2" off of my waist and I'd lost another 2lbs.  (Grand total of 4lbs now) Who knows it might be water weight, BUT I DON"T CARE!  I'm 43, now at 177lbs, and my goal is 140lbs, only 37lbs left to go. 

I haven't gotten around to really participating in this 'community thing', mostly because it just seemed like everybody else was losing weight, and I wasn't.  Some of your replies implied that you were 'cheating'.  I know that it is possible to not cheat and still not lose weight.  Your situation just sounded so similar to mine that I really felt like I wanted to touch base with you. 

Original Post by oprastr:

So, if I was going to increase the calories I eat what is a good deficeit between calories burned and calories eaten?

For myself, my body functions best on a 500-800 calorie deficit.

I have decided to up my calories.  I am going to try to hit around 1500 a day and burn around 2000 so I will have a 500 calorie deficit.  I am also going to go to a once a week weigh in.  I am going to shoot for Friday's since I know weighing after a weekend will always be discouraging.  Thanks for all your help!