Okay, so while I was browsing google for advice on what I'm doing wrong with my weight loss I came across this site and could not stop myself from joining. It's exactly what I need.
I have a ton of questions, and I'm hoping I can find people to answer some of them, and make new friends.
Alright, to my problems/questions.
I've been working out for two weeks now. I do an hour every day on an elliptical, and I have the "CalorieKing Nutrition" program that helps me track my calories.
In these two weeks.. I've made no progress, at all. I'm the exact same, if not a bit worse than when I started. After seeing another post I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough calories..
I intake anywhere from 800 to 1200, not counting the occasional 2000 day I might get once every month.
Also, if you intake 1500 calories, and then burn 600, should you eat more calories to get it back up higher?
Another question.. How long do your muscles retain water when starting out?
I've also been told that my "goal weight" isn't healthy from friends because of my height, but according to BMI calculators it's right where I should be. So which is correct?
That might be your problem. That was mine for the longest time, I wasn't getting enough calories. This is the site I use, but you might find another more comfortable:
The less I ate, the more my body would hold onto fat instead of burn it. So find out roughly how many calories you need, and try not to go over it in a day. If you ate 1500 calories and burned 600, that would put you at 900 calories which isn't anywhere near what you need in a single day, so yes, I'd get it back up.
Anyone willing to back me up? I'm still a newbie at this, but the other girls will give you great advice. Have fun, be safe.
Thanks so much for the reply! Yeah I always hear people talking about "calorie counting" which makes me think you shouldn't have a lot. If that's my problem I'll happily take in a few more!
Ok... I've been having the 800-1200 calorie problem as well. You should eat MORE. Especially at your height (near to mine). You should be eating more around 1400 to 1500.
If you burn off 600... then you aren't really supposed to eat it back.
I don't know about the water retention.
Your goal weight is actually a little higher than mine. I'm 5'11", and my goal weight is 140. I want to be on the slightly thinner side of healthy... not thin this (that would be 120-130), so I'd say your goal is just fine.
I don't know why you haven't made any progress. I've lost around 3-4 lbs so far (will check for real tomorrow) calorie counting and running... despite several days going way off track. Maybe it is water retention... but... I don't know.
Thanks so much for the reply! Yeah I always hear people talking about "calorie counting" which makes me think you shouldn't have a lot. If that's my problem I'll happily take in a few more!
I'm still new to the calorie counting thing, but I'm loving the results I see so far. It takes a little getting used to, and a little shifting things around, but when you get it worked out just right, you shouldn't ever be hungry. For example in order to lose 4lbs in 2 weeks, I need 1477 calories a day. I track mine and make sure I have an extra 100-200 for a snack at night, because I'm a big nighttime eater and a nightowl. It's pretty easy, but everyone has slip ups- (I just had one today actually lol, I lost track of what I'd eaten so I have no idea where I'm at.)
So I'd say definitely give it a try! It's nice because you can eat all day, every 4 or 5 hours, so you're never really hungry.
@Yhahmd:
It's not that I ever feel hungry, and I'm eating the right things, with the rare treat of ice cream, which I've started to replace with fiber bars. But it always fits in my calorie counter program. I just can't figure out what's going on.
Another one of my friends said that it might be because I have a slow metabolism, but wouldn't that be picking up from working out? I just don't know...
@Serbrider:
It's great to know that someone else doesn't think that my goal weight is too thin. I was really upset when they told me that, but I thought it was just right for me. It's also nice to hear that I'm not the only one struggling with this whole calorie thing, because it confuses the heck out of me. I'll try eating a few more calories and see if that helps.
And a new question.. How often should one weigh in? There seems to be a rather huge debate on that.. So how often do you guys check in?
I am just wondering - how accurately are you tracking your calories? Could your measurements/weights/amounts be off? Is there anyway that you're underestimating your calories? Those 2000 calorie days - is there any way that could be off too? How many of them have there been?
Though I think for certain you should be eating more than 800 - 1200 calories (1500 may be a good place to start experimenting) if you were only eating that amount, you should still be seeing some sort of loss - though of course you said it's only been two weeks. You just may have to give it more time.
As far as eating back your calories - no, no, no. You're looking to create more of a deficit, eating them back would be totally counter-productive.
You mentioned some cardio exercise. I highly recommend adding in some resistance training - the sooner the better. You want to lose fat, not muscle. And besides the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just standing still. It is the only proven, effect way to raise your metabolic rate.
I am just wondering - how accurately are you tracking your calories? Could your measurements/weights/amounts be off? Is there anyway that you're underestimating your calories? Those 2000 calorie days - is there any way that could be off too? How many of them have there been?
Though I think for certain you should be eating more than 800 - 1200 calories (1500 may be a good place to start experimenting) if you were only eating that amount, you should still be seeing some sort of loss - though of course you said it's only been two weeks. You just may have to give it more time.
As far as eating back your calories - no, no, no. You're looking to create more of a deficit, eating them back would be totally counter-productive.
You mentioned some cardio exercise. I highly recommend adding in some resistance training - the sooner the better. You want to lose fat, not muscle. And besides the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just standing still. It is the only proven, effect way to raise your metabolic rate.
How accurately I track my calories as if do I lie about it when I enter them into the program? Not usually. The 2000 calorie day has happened 5 times in the last three months (That's as far back as I have tracked). But on most of those days I burned around 650 calories. (Not that that makes it okay either..)
I am rather precise when it comes to calculating and entering them. I think a lot of the time I actually put in that I ate an extra serving just to know that I have covered what I ate. I'll try measuring it out to be exact from now on.
I'll also take your advice and add in resistance training along with eating about 1500 calories.
Would trying that out for two weeks be a good enough time to determine if it works, or should I go for longer?
How accurately I track my calories as if do I lie about it when I enter them into the program? Not usually. The 2000 calorie day has happened 5 times in the last three months (That's as far back as I have tracked). But on most of those days I burned around 650 calories. (Not that that makes it okay either..)
I am rather precise when it comes to calculating and entering them. I think a lot of the time I actually put in that I ate an extra serving just to know that I have covered what I ate. I'll try measuring it out to be exact from now on.
I'll also take your advice and add in resistance training along with eating about 1500 calories.
Would trying that out for two weeks be a good enough time to determine if it works, or should I go for longer?
No, no, no, I didn't mean that you were lying, but perhaps MISTAKEN.
I also urge you to keep your calories burned totally and completely separate from your calories consumed. In fact, there's really no reason to track your calories burned. Anything you burn should be a bonus. Besides it would be next to impossible to accurately track what you are burning. There is no way to figure this out. Any thing you would be doing would be a very rough estimate and should not change the fact of the calories you consume.
I'm also kinda confused. You said you haven't lost in a couple of weeks, yet you say you've been tracking for months. Have you lost any weight during those months????
Sure, try accurately tracking for the two weeks. Every bite, taste, lick, morsel and crumb. See what happens and you can re-asses. Hopefully you'll see a loss and you'll be able to continue on with what you've been doing.
No, no, no, I didn't mean that you were lying, but perhaps MISTAKEN.
I also urge you to keep your calories burned totally and completely separate from your calories consumed. In fact, there's really no reason to track your calories burned. Anything you burn should be a bonus. Besides it would be next to impossible to accurately track what you are burning. There is no way to figure this out. Any thing you would be doing would be a very rough estimate and should not change the fact of the calories you consume.
I'm also kinda confused. You said you haven't lost in a couple of weeks, yet you say you've been tracking for months. Have you lost any weight during those months????
Sure, try accurately tracking for the two weeks. Every bite, taste, lick, morsel and crumb. See what happens and you can re-asses. Hopefully you'll see a loss and you'll be able to continue on with what you've been doing.
I was tracking what I was eating just to attempt to be more cautious and aware of what I was eating. I lost maybe 2lbs from back then, if that. I just have a hard time suddenly jumping into change so I was trying to make it a bit easier by taking it slowly. I've only been paying attention strongly for the last two weeks because of the exercise I added in.
You are completely right on not knowing how much I am burning, so I'll start keeping track of that separately.
As far as the being mistaken, I noticed before that I would make up excuses about not adding something in because I only had "one bite" or whatnot, but I haven't been doing that this time around. I definitely will try a lot harder to keep everything tracked to a T.
Thank you so much for the advice. It was extremely helpful.
I have questions..
I'm 5'11", and my goal weight is 140. I want to be on the slightly thinner side of healthy... not thin this (that would be 120-130), so I'd say your goal is just fine. 
