not losing fat...

Ashmee · 01-16-2008, 09:56 AM

Hi my name is Ashley, I am 23 years old. I am 5'4 and i weigh 146 pounds. I have always struggled with losing weight. I have tried crash diets my whole life, but about 3 years ago I started learning about eating properly. I wasn't exercising enough, yet, I did eat pretty well. before the first of the year i got my diet back in check, as well as my routine. however, for some reason i have been gaining weight! my body type is large, and i would like to cut down to around 125+/-. here is my current routine and diet:

monday, wednesday, friday:
10 min warm-up
chest, abs, arms, legs
30 minutes of cardio

tuesday, thursday:
60 minutes of cardio

I eat about 6 small meals a day, here is a typical day for me:
9am - 4 egg whites/1/2 cup of steel cut oats (sometimes w/raisins or berries)
11am - 1 medium banana and 3 slices of turkey
1pm - tuna over salad with lots of veges and lite lime vinaigrette dressing
3pm - protein shake w/ banana
5pm - 4-6 oz piece of salmon and half sweet potato or yam dry (sometimes w/very little lite butter and splenda brown sugar)
7pm - 1/2 cup nf yogurt with berries and high protein granola

I also drink at least 1 gallon of water daily!!

supplements:
I have been using an EC stack since the first of the year to aid me with fat loss...first week I take one of each 1/2 hr to hour before breakfast, second week take one of each 1/2 hr to hour before breakfast and lunch (2 times daily), third week (currently) take one of each 1/2 hr to hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner (3 time daily), and fourth week I will not take any, then start over at the end of the week.
1 multivitamin daily
4800 mg fish oil daily
1260 mg of green tea daily

Since i have started this routine, or lifestyle, I continue to gain weight. I am pretty fit, but just need to lose fat around my muscle. I am getting very discouraged and need advice. I would appreciate ANY opinions that you may have! PLEASE HELP!

jazztrumpet · 01-16-2008, 10:19 AM

Use bodypart measurements and bodyfat testing as a more reliable gauge of how you are doing. You also could just be retaining some water at this time. Weight can naturally fluctuate up to 5lbs I think.

MommaJo · 01-16-2008, 10:21 AM

Have you tried adding up the macronutrients in this? The food looks pretty good, so maybe it's just a matter of you being either at maintenance or slightly above calorie-wise, which leads you to gain more muscle (= more scale weight), while your amount of fat remains the same. While eating clean is important, in the end, the # of calories you are taking in vs. expending is what will make the most difference in weight loss.

Ashmee · 01-16-2008, 10:30 AM

I do count my calorie intake and it is about 750-1000 calories less than my recommended daily amount for my body fat percentage...

swaptrex · 01-16-2008, 11:49 AM

great post!! good luck and i am sure you will do great.

Ashmee · 01-16-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swaptrex

great post!! good luck and i am sure you will do great.

Thanks swaptrex i need all of the encouragment i can get!!!

Ashmee · 01-16-2008, 11:59 AM

any other ideas on what i could do/change to start seeing results?

IronCamp · 01-16-2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashmee

I do count my calorie intake and it is about 750-1000 calories less than my recommended daily amount for my body fat percentage...

This may be too low and why you are not seeing results. If you decrease your calories too much, your body goes into starvation mode and hangs onto every calorie you eat, rather than efficiently burning it.

I would suggest not going any lower than 500 less than your maintenance level.

Ashmee · 01-16-2008, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcampana

This may be too low and why you are not seeing results. If you decrease your calories too much, your body goes into starvation mode and hangs onto every calorie you eat, rather than efficiently burning it.

I would suggest not going any lower than 500 less than your maintenance level.

thanks alot for your suggestion, i will definately take that into consideration!

Lckymii · 01-16-2008, 03:20 PM

I definitely agree, being too aggressive right off in cutting calories is only going to hurt your efforts. You may see some results right off (which it doesn't look like you are) then things will just get worse from there as your metabolism suffers and your body wears down. You need to fuel your activities and your body. Don't abuse your body by not feeding it just to get to a certain number on the scale.
Modest weight lost over time = lasting weight loss, less muscle loss, and a healthy happy body.
Remember doing this right may take a while ( and the scale may not move or budge for weeks) but you will be so happy with the end results that it is worth it.

michellejenkins · 01-22-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashmee

I do count my calorie intake and it is about 750-1000 calories less than my recommended daily amount for my body fat percentage...

I agree. this is too low. I was just like you but it wasn't until I upped my calories that I BOOM! Started losing weight.

And also... if you keep this up, what will happen when you do hit your goal weight? You'll have to eat 500 cal a day to ensure that you don't gain it. Up your calories before you wipe yourself out

AltarsofMadness · 01-19-2008, 07:30 PM

scale doesn't matter too much, a lot of newbies will stay at around the same weight but will gain muscle and lose fat at the same time

look in the mirror for progress over scale IMO

S7R31F · 01-20-2008, 07:00 PM

If you want to see improved gains you should really be sticking to compound movements...arms for example...what are you doing for those? let a back workour take care of biceps..if you have want to tighten up the back of the arms you can do some extra isolation tricep work but you should be sticking to compound movements to burn more calories and hit more body parts. Also, what rep range are you using?

swaptrex · 01-20-2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S7R31F

If you want to see improved gains you should really be sticking to compound movements...arms for example...what are you doing for those? let a back workour take care of biceps..if you have want to tighten up the back of the arms you can do some extra isolation tricep work but you should be sticking to compound movements to burn more calories and hit more body parts. Also, what rep range are you using?

why would she want to see improved gains? her title is "not losing fat" if she wanted to gain mass her title would be "not gaining mass." compound movements(squats, dl's, bench) can be beneficial but when toning other movements can and should be used as well as higher reps.

S7R31F · 01-21-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swaptrex

why would she want to see improved gains? her title is "not losing fat" if she wanted to gain mass her title would be "not gaining mass." compound movements(squats, dl's, bench) can be beneficial but when toning other movements can and should be used as well as higher reps.

She will burn alot more calories doing compound movements...Trust me, I have experience in stripping weight off women...Get your head around the fact that compound movements are not just for putting on size..and anyway, any increase in muscle mass would increase her metabolic rate

S7R31F · 01-21-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swaptrex

why would she want to see improved gains?

Thats true...she really should start eating more chocolate bars and drinking more coca-cola

negged- your post was uninformative and critical

swaptrex · 01-22-2008, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S7R31F

Thats true...she really should start eating more chocolate bars and drinking more coca-cola

negged- your post was uninformative and critical

yep

Pinky001 · 01-26-2008, 11:24 AM

try fat burners they work i have only had fat burners for 1 week and i have lost 1 kg

ceekaye1 · 01-28-2008, 12:48 PM

Hi Ashlee,

Especially for someone whose primary goal is fat loss...consuming sugar at practically every meal is a sure fire way to keep your body the perfect fat storage machine!!! Sugar spikes your insulin...insulin is also known as the fat storage hormone. If you avoid sugar, you blood sugar levels will become stable, thus promoting a friendly atmosphere for the fat RELEASE hormone glucagon. It is then possible to create conditions in your body such that your muscles turn to the stored fat for fuel after glycogen levels have been depleted.

Bananas, especially ripe ones, are especially sugary. Now i know fruit is healthy... but agian, i say to someone whose primary goal is fat loss: Fructose is, yep sugar...check the label on that yogurt - it may be lowfat, but look what's in its place...SUGAR!!

Next - Make your meals a bit more thermic: be sure to consume equal amounts of a starchy carb, a fibrous carb and a lean protein at every meal. I mean, the chicken breast should be visually about the same size as your potato, and the broccoli should be visually about the same portion size. Eat until you aren't hungry, wait 3 hours and do it again.

If you attempt to do those things, eat thremic meals, avoid sugar like the plague and avoid saturated fats, you may have an easier time meeting your fat loss goals.

Exercising: Remember that your body responds to challenge; perhaps it is used to your routine? I would say you need to do a workout 'reset'. Cut to a routine that is ridiculously easy and then, over the course of 3 weeks, gradually increase the challenge to your muscles. Last but not least (just in case you weren't aware...) ALWAYS do weight training before cardio.

I hope that helps you at least a little...

Ashmee · 01-31-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceekaye1

Hi Ashlee,

Especially for someone whose primary goal is fat loss...consuming sugar at practically every meal is a sure fire way to keep your body the perfect fat storage machine!!! Sugar spikes your insulin...insulin is also known as the fat storage hormone. If you avoid sugar, you blood sugar levels will become stable, thus promoting a friendly atmosphere for the fat RELEASE hormone glucagon. It is then possible to create conditions in your body such that your muscles turn to the stored fat for fuel after glycogen levels have been depleted.

Bananas, especially ripe ones, are especially sugary. Now i know fruit is healthy... but agian, i say to someone whose primary goal is fat loss: Fructose is, yep sugar...check the label on that yogurt - it may be lowfat, but look what's in its place...SUGAR!!

Next - Make your meals a bit more thermic: be sure to consume equal amounts of a starchy carb, a fibrous carb and a lean protein at every meal. I mean, the chicken breast should be visually about the same size as your potato, and the broccoli should be visually about the same portion size. Eat until you aren't hungry, wait 3 hours and do it again.

If you attempt to do those things, eat thremic meals, avoid sugar like the plague and avoid saturated fats, you may have an easier time meeting your fat loss goals.

Exercising: Remember that your body responds to challenge; perhaps it is used to your routine? I would say you need to do a workout 'reset'. Cut to a routine that is ridiculously easy and then, over the course of 3 weeks, gradually increase the challenge to your muscles. Last but not least (just in case you weren't aware...) ALWAYS do weight training before cardio.

I hope that helps you at least a little...

Thanks a lot for your advice, it has definitely been a help!

ceekaye1 · 02-01-2008, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashmee

Thanks a lot for your advice, it has definitely been a help!

sweet! let me know how you do in the next few weeks....!

ciao

LionChick · 02-03-2008, 01:37 AM

good info is in here...

i agree, too many carbs isn't going to help you to reach your goal of losing fat.

your body will be easily able to mobilze these carbs for fuel, and what you don't use, you will store.

try to get in some healthy fats at each meal to keep the insulin from spiking. even adding some extra CLA after your protein shake or something will make a big difference.

as far as sugars go, go pick up a copy of the glycemic load table. it is very helpful, as it shows how quickly a normal portion of a food will spike your blood sugar, and this in turn translates to how full the food will keep you and how much of it is easiy stored as fat.

measuring is important too. you don't have to be "right on" all the time, but if you buy a pound of meat and divide it into 1/4's, then you know you are going to get roughly 4 oz. portions.
tuna in a can (if you get the no sodium kind) is another well portioned item. and you can even get organic turkey breast and organic chicken breasts that have no added sodium and are portioned ot about 8 oz. each. divide in half (if that is what you need macro wise) and you've got some nice 4 oz. portions.

one thing that has helped me has been living around a type 1 diabetic. she's able to show me how she eats in order to balance her blood glucose levels, and this method of eating, when i am disciplined enough to follow it, really does produce results. you can do it!