[sammijean]

I've been trying to lose weight. I'm currently 5'5", 158lbs, 27% body fat. I've started working out at a gym - doing 45 min of cardio 5 days a week & lifting for another 45 minutes. I signed up for the myfitnesspal app on my phone and log in around 1500 calories a day (give or take a hundred...depending on the food I eat for the day).... and I have not lost anything! At all.

The foods I eat for a day:
Breakfast : protein shake (anywhere from 300-400 calories)
Snack : a low fat muffin, string cheese, a banana, grapes, etc.
Lunch : normally dinner leftovers.. I like to keep my dinner meals around 400 calories... so an example "crock pot pork with mushrooms and brown rice" 434 calories
Snack : I'm usually driving home from work at this time, so I bring 100 calorie snack packs in the car so I can eat them so I don't gorge once I get home
Dinner : If I ate something large for lunch, I'll make a sandwich, quesadilla, salad, etc. So lets say "ham and cheese quesadilla with red pepper hummus" 366 calories

If I have a sweet tooth I'll eat a piece or two of dark chocolate or I'll make a chai tea with sugar free vanilla syrup or I'll eat a sugar free ice pop.


I don't understand why I can't lose weight. I did a workout consultation with a fitness instructor, and I scored pretty high, because I'm pretty physically active.... but for some reason - the weight won't budge. It's not like I'm gaining muscle and losing weight, because my clothes aren't fitting any looser. I've been doing this for a month now. I was hoping to be around 5 pounds lighter... but nothing has happened.

Any ideas, or any tips??

[inglesita64]

As far as I know, exercise will make you fit but will not make you lose weight. An appropriate diet will make you lose weight. As to the food program you describe, it does not sound bad. I would avoid the muffin, the rice the banana or the grapes if you are finding it difficult to lose weight, until you start to do it. If I were in your shoes, I would go low-carb for some days so as to give your diet a jump start, and then go for fiber and lots of water and patience... Don't expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week. And remember: if you want to be fit, you exercise; if you want to lose weight, you design and good food plan and stick to it for ever. If you still make no progress, consider that you may have to see a doctor or that maybe your portions are oversized...
Don't give up! Good luck!

[Queen Sarah]

45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week -- I don't know how intense the cardio activity is, but it sounds to me like enough activity that you might actually need to be *adding* calories (a carb and a protein serving) in addition to what you are eating. Especially if you are also doing the strength training.

That was my experience -- I was losing weight on 1400-1500 calories. Then I decided to resume my running, and train for a half marathon. By the time I got up to 6 or 7 miles, plus strength training, I'd have to add some fuel, at least on those days and the day after, or I would get depleted. And I only did that about 3 days a week. (I also did a lot of walking). With the added calories, I continued to lose weight at the same rate.

[josey]

I agree you probably don't eat enough. Do you log your workouts on myfitnesspal? Eat back your calories!

[ncuneo]

You're not eating enough. Without know exactly how much you're burning from exercise I can't say by exactly how much, but when I was exercising more moderatly (I'm training now so it's different) I was eating between 1700-1900 a day and losing at your weight.

I always fight the extra cals when I plateau but I tell you every.single.time I up them I lose weight. Also making sure my calories are a clean as possible helps a ton. Good luck!

[josey]

ncuneo - Love your signature: "There is nothing you can't have tomorrow so there is no reason to eat it all today."
Great quote!!!