Haven’t lost any inches despite 5-6 days of exercise for 6-7 weeks
- Thread starter athleteto
- Start date
tudorgothicserpent
New member
@athleteto At the end of the day calories is what allows you to lose. Check you r/CICO
If you choose to start tracking calories you should use a scale and make sure to track everything - oils and butters can add a ton of extra calories without realizing it, as can an extra large helping of ketchup or salad dressing.
Exercise is great for health and for toning up, which is a huge part of what you’re looking for I think. But you can have the biggest muscles around and not see it if your diet isn’t in check (ie I have decent abs and great biceps but a little too much fat still which hides a lot of the work I’ve put in)
If you choose to start tracking calories you should use a scale and make sure to track everything - oils and butters can add a ton of extra calories without realizing it, as can an extra large helping of ketchup or salad dressing.
Exercise is great for health and for toning up, which is a huge part of what you’re looking for I think. But you can have the biggest muscles around and not see it if your diet isn’t in check (ie I have decent abs and great biceps but a little too much fat still which hides a lot of the work I’ve put in)
@athleteto Have you ever considered weight lifting? You’d also be able to eat a bit more and you would be recomping in the process, not just trying to burn fat. Your calories seem quite low to me — I eat 2,000 calories (maintenance) at 5’0” and 107lbs and lift weights 4-5 times a week.
About weighing and measuring yourself on your period… just don’t bother. Your stomach can go up in inches around your period (and of course after food) and I personally can gain 3-5kgs at this time of the month. Take progress photos, weigh and measure yourself off your period and first things in the morning once a month at the same time to improve accuracy in what you’re doing. Try not to get too bothered about it either, it’s a learning curve for you to figure out what will work for your body
What your eating is also important — make sure you’re getting sufficient protein and healthy carbs and fats.
About weighing and measuring yourself on your period… just don’t bother. Your stomach can go up in inches around your period (and of course after food) and I personally can gain 3-5kgs at this time of the month. Take progress photos, weigh and measure yourself off your period and first things in the morning once a month at the same time to improve accuracy in what you’re doing. Try not to get too bothered about it either, it’s a learning curve for you to figure out what will work for your body
What your eating is also important — make sure you’re getting sufficient protein and healthy carbs and fats.
kimerella2
New member
@pete71 I'm the same height but 125. I'm trying to get down to 110ish but idk if I should eat more or less. I eat an average of 1350 cals a day, workout at least three times a week with light cardio and mostly weightlifting. Can't seem to be losing weight though. How did you get down to/maintain 107 while weight lifting?
@kimerella2 Hey. When I was 140-50lbs, I did full body weight routine 3 times a week with focus on high reps and keeping heart rate up, followed by 20-30mins of cardio at the end (or during), and then did cardio (stepper) 2-3 times a week on my rest days. I also did a mix of yoga and hot yoga a couple of times a week at that point but I'm not sure that had much impact ha. I followed a super low carb (think swapping out rice and making cauliflower rice instead, bleugh) and high protein diet in a deficit of around what you're on now. A PT advised me these calories, but it was only for a short period of time of around 8-12 weeks (I cannot remember the exact time it took). My focus here wasn't actually to build muscle, but lose weight and recomp, so getting sweaty through intense cardio was a huge factor.
I then increased my calories to around 1,500 over a period of weeks, before the pandemic hit and everything went into shut down. I started back at the gym properly in March this year, with a new PT and a more challenging routine where I am focused on increasing weights (rather than just focusing on high reps and low weights) so my calories first went up to 1,750 (4 x week) and they are now sat at 2,000 (4-5 x week). My goal today is building muscle, so I will be increasing this number soon (bulk).
I know a lot of people try to do both at the same time (losing fat and building muscle) and this mindset is great (more sustainable and more mentally healthy) but it is a lot slower than focusing on one primary goal of losing weight or building muscle. As far as based on my experience anyway. I think if I was restarting this journey I would go slow and healthy over fast and furious.
How do you feel day to day on 1,350? Are you eating the right kinds of foods to nourish yourself well and give yourself enough energy? Honestly, I would advise getting a PT if you can. This is how I've seen the best results in the quickest time. Sorry that's not much help lol.
Edit: Because you're quite close to your goal weight anyway, it's gonna be a slower process to shed off that final stone. It deffo got more challenging for me the closer I got to 110lbs (my fasted weight now fluctuates between 106-110 depending on hormones, 107 wasn't really a goal or anything). Patience is key
I then increased my calories to around 1,500 over a period of weeks, before the pandemic hit and everything went into shut down. I started back at the gym properly in March this year, with a new PT and a more challenging routine where I am focused on increasing weights (rather than just focusing on high reps and low weights) so my calories first went up to 1,750 (4 x week) and they are now sat at 2,000 (4-5 x week). My goal today is building muscle, so I will be increasing this number soon (bulk).
I know a lot of people try to do both at the same time (losing fat and building muscle) and this mindset is great (more sustainable and more mentally healthy) but it is a lot slower than focusing on one primary goal of losing weight or building muscle. As far as based on my experience anyway. I think if I was restarting this journey I would go slow and healthy over fast and furious.
How do you feel day to day on 1,350? Are you eating the right kinds of foods to nourish yourself well and give yourself enough energy? Honestly, I would advise getting a PT if you can. This is how I've seen the best results in the quickest time. Sorry that's not much help lol.
Edit: Because you're quite close to your goal weight anyway, it's gonna be a slower process to shed off that final stone. It deffo got more challenging for me the closer I got to 110lbs (my fasted weight now fluctuates between 106-110 depending on hormones, 107 wasn't really a goal or anything). Patience is key
kimerella2
New member
@pete71 Ahh thank you so much for this answer, super helpful!! Our journeys seem really similar, with the stair stepper days and hot yoga haha. I actually feel OK on 1350 a day. Some days I struggle to eat that much, and others I eat around 1700, so it's an average (I use an Excel sheet, Cronometer, and a kitchen scale). I mostly just do CICO, but I prioritize voluminous foods.
I used to be 140 last October, but after adding lots of veggies and fruits to my diet, I went down to 135-133 ish. After starting to go to the gym regularly and eating 1500-1700, my weight went down to around 128-129 in several weeks. After reducing my cals, my weight went down a little more to 125-126ish, but I've stagnated. Based on your advice, I think I'm going to implement some more cardio and focus mainly on weight loss and muscle retention, since I already have a fair bit of muscle on me.
I used to be 140 last October, but after adding lots of veggies and fruits to my diet, I went down to 135-133 ish. After starting to go to the gym regularly and eating 1500-1700, my weight went down to around 128-129 in several weeks. After reducing my cals, my weight went down a little more to 125-126ish, but I've stagnated. Based on your advice, I think I'm going to implement some more cardio and focus mainly on weight loss and muscle retention, since I already have a fair bit of muscle on me.
blingey123
New member
@athleteto To start losing weight you need to understand that a difference of just 200 calories a day can make a huge difference. If your calorie counting is currently at the point where you eat “around” 1400-1600 calories a day on “some days”, it means that you don’t actually know your weekly calorie intake. Once you start counting every calorie you eat every day without cheating you’ll see the difference for sure.
lovelygirl2132
New member
@athleteto I was 5’4 and 118 for a long ass time. Had a kid, did cardio, lost the weight. Those last few pounds are hard, and when we’re really lean/thin, it’s even harder.
There is a correlation with running/steady state cardio and increased hunger. I moved from all cardio after my first kid to weight lifting after my 2nd and I wore a size smaller 5 lb heavier. I also was less starving bc I wasn’t doing excess cardio. (I gained pandemic weight though so I’m back to losing again.) A/W, weigh and measure your food, consider moving to slow steady state cardio (like walking) or couple hiit sessions a week, keep Pilates if you like it but add in 3-4 days of lifting. The benefits are outstanding and you won’t get bulky unless you’re doing roids.
There is a correlation with running/steady state cardio and increased hunger. I moved from all cardio after my first kid to weight lifting after my 2nd and I wore a size smaller 5 lb heavier. I also was less starving bc I wasn’t doing excess cardio. (I gained pandemic weight though so I’m back to losing again.) A/W, weigh and measure your food, consider moving to slow steady state cardio (like walking) or couple hiit sessions a week, keep Pilates if you like it but add in 3-4 days of lifting. The benefits are outstanding and you won’t get bulky unless you’re doing roids.
@lovelygirl2132 I do Reformer Pilates which uses the spring weights - does that count as weight training? It’s so intense I’m drenched by the end of my sessions! I do that 3 times a week and have seen a lot of improvement in terms of the springs I use. For cardio - so far i am only running 30 min 2 times a week. I’ve heard a lot about how walking helps more than running - is this what you mean essentially? Also for HIIT - for me it’s usually a last resort because I dislike HIIT a lot. Also I’ll only do max 20 min of it.
I counted calories and it’s not that bad at all. I’m trying out 1550 cals a day which feels doable as long as you eat protein to keep you full/satiated.
I counted calories and it’s not that bad at all. I’m trying out 1550 cals a day which feels doable as long as you eat protein to keep you full/satiated.
lovelygirl2132
New member
@athleteto First of all, you can do whatever you want. keep doing what you are doing if you’re enjoying it. You could have different results with tweaks in your workouts, but more importantly, consistency and enjoyment first.
If you’re doing “real hiit” you can’t do more than 10 or so min total (of the actual work time) bc you’ve used up the ATP and glycogen stored in your muscles. It’s technically anaerobic. So you’re probably right if you hate it. Your HR should be at max, or near max. It’s hellacious. If you can do more, you’ve moved into intervals and it’s still a fantastic workout, but but totally not HIIT. https://barbell-logic.com/h-i-i-t-explained-how-to-maximize-fat-loss/
As far as running/cardio, a PT/physical therapist says it better than me. “If you are exclusively doing steady-state cardio, (aka running) you will lose muscle mass, which will decrease your basal metabolic rate even more. Interestingly, as you participate in more steady-state cardio, your body gets more efficient at it, and you burn fewer calories than you did initially.”
https://www.evlo-fitness.com/blog/steady-state-cardio
The reason why strength training is superior is progressive overload (adding weight, reps, or sets). It makes your muscles grow. You won’t have the same results in Pilates as in strength straining, due to the way you work the muscle fibers, but it’s a great workout. This Physical therapist and trainer is great at breaking it down as to why:
https://www.evlo-fitness.com/blog/how-different-workouts-affect-your-body
Edited: grammar
keep doing what you are doing if you’re enjoying it. You could have different results with tweaks in your workouts, but more importantly, consistency and enjoyment first. If you’re doing “real hiit” you can’t do more than 10 or so min total (of the actual work time) bc you’ve used up the ATP and glycogen stored in your muscles. It’s technically anaerobic. So you’re probably right if you hate it. Your HR should be at max, or near max. It’s hellacious. If you can do more, you’ve moved into intervals and it’s still a fantastic workout, but but totally not HIIT. https://barbell-logic.com/h-i-i-t-explained-how-to-maximize-fat-loss/
As far as running/cardio, a PT/physical therapist says it better than me. “If you are exclusively doing steady-state cardio, (aka running) you will lose muscle mass, which will decrease your basal metabolic rate even more. Interestingly, as you participate in more steady-state cardio, your body gets more efficient at it, and you burn fewer calories than you did initially.”
https://www.evlo-fitness.com/blog/steady-state-cardio
The reason why strength training is superior is progressive overload (adding weight, reps, or sets). It makes your muscles grow. You won’t have the same results in Pilates as in strength straining, due to the way you work the muscle fibers, but it’s a great workout. This Physical therapist and trainer is great at breaking it down as to why:
https://www.evlo-fitness.com/blog/how-different-workouts-affect-your-body
Edited: grammar
lovelygirl2132
New member
@athleteto So, in 2012, this was all cardio and body weight exercise. Some weights interspersed. Especially in 2013-14 when I had access to a gym at work.
I gained until 2016, so really, I worked on leaning out for 2 years. In 2018, I hit the “leaner at a heavier weight” in the bottom middle pic. The bottom right, in blue, was mid-bulk that fall. I’ll take new pics once I lose the pandemic weight but I think the difference in tone is pretty cool. And - no cardio, only weights 3-4 days a week and walks.
I gained until 2016, so really, I worked on leaning out for 2 years. In 2018, I hit the “leaner at a heavier weight” in the bottom middle pic. The bottom right, in blue, was mid-bulk that fall. I’ll take new pics once I lose the pandemic weight but I think the difference in tone is pretty cool. And - no cardio, only weights 3-4 days a week and walks.