[Christen]

I started training to run a 5K with my oldest daughter in March 2011...I went from not working out at all and never being a runner to being in LOVE with running. Since March I am down 18 pounds and have leveled out...didn't surprise me cuz I was still eating however and whenever I wanted. SO...for the last 2 weeks I have been writing everything I put in my body and keeping it under 1800 calories a day and NOTHING! STILL at 170...my goal is 135 and I just want to see a little bit of change...am I asking too much...I cannot live under 1800 calories or my family pays dearly for it trust me. Is that really too many calories...I feel starved if I go under that!!! HELP! Oh yeah...I am working out 5 days a week: 3 minute warm up and stretches...20 minutes running intense...5 minutes walking intense on a steep incline followed by 5 min. cool down and doing weight training 3-4 days a week also...TIA!

[DietVet]

How are you allocating your calories? 1800 can be quite a lot of food if you get heaps of vegetables, a good amount of protein and some healthy fats. You might need to adjust your foods and lower your calories to keep losing.

[lin43]

I don't know what your age is, and age is a factor in how many calories you eat. Have you tried using one of the online calorie calculators to figure out an estimate of how many calories you should be eating? I like this one:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Just for curiosity, I put in the stats you presented in your post---i.e., 170 lbs., 5 ft. 5, and exercising 5 days a week (although in my own case, I always prefer being conservative with figuring exercise, so I choose the lower option). I arbitrarily put in age 35 for you. It indicates that you need 2148 to maintain the weight of 170. To lose a pound a week, you would have to subtract 500 from that number (so, 1648 calories per day). This is just an estimate, though, and your actual calorie needs may be lower than that. And, again, it depends on your age.

So, the upshot is that 1800 may be too high for you to lose weight in a way that you would notice. Also, perhaps you're losing, but at a very slow rate (1/4 lb. per week) and if you don't have a digital scale, you may not see that loss.

Also, are you weighing and measuring your food? If you estimate calories, you can often be off by hundreds of calories a day and that will definitely stall your weight loss.

I've found that exercise helps with fitness, toning, and muscle mass---all very important. But IMHO, its effect on weight loss is overrated. I used to think if I exercised, that that gave me license to eat more, but it doesn't. Somehow it just doesn't work out that way. (There are studies and theories as to why, which I won't get into here).

I know it's discouraging to think about eating fewer calories than you're currently eating. Believe me, when I put in my stats for how many calories I will be able to eat when I reach my maintenance level, it turns out that I will only be able to eat 1600 - 1700 calories TO MAINTAIN. That sucks, and I threw an inner tantrum ("That's not fair!!") when I first realized it. But it is what it is, and I'm trying to learn to deal with it. (It's either that or stay at my current weight, which I don't want to do).

[luckymommy]

I can understand your frustration. However, do you know how many calories you were consuming before? If you really don't want to cut your calories, how about calorie cycling? You would still end up with a total of the same calories, but you'd mix things up and sometimes that shakes things up quite nicely.

Are you eating more sodium by any chance? That could change the numbers on the scale.

Finally, if nothing else, I would increase the workouts. I'd highly recommend adding strength training to the mix...using heavy weights. I would also try HIIT (high intensity interval training). That also tends to shake things up.

Good luck!

[Christen]

Thanks for all the suggestions...have not tried calorie cycling but am thinking about that for starters. I have acutally used that exact calculator and I am coming up with about 2000 calories a day to maintain my goal weight with my workouts...and for fat loss at my current weight/activity I am getting right over 1800...I eat TONS of veggies which account for my calories/day hence my frustration...I do weight training as well as my running so I am just not understanding my leveling off? I feel like I'm doing all the right things with no results I would like to try interval training within my running and see if I notice a change. I estimate that I was taking in towards the 3000 calorie a day mark before starting counting calories...YIKES...again cause for my frustration! Thanks for all the advice!!!!

[Snoofie]

I'd really suggest calorie cycling if you're concerned about the rate of your weight loss. I tried it after a few weeks of having (to my mind) subpar losses, and it definitely works for me. Good luck!

[ncuneo]

Often times people over compensate for exercise and eat more than they need to. Your body will adjust to less cals you just have to give it time. If your hungry isn't clawing the walls, irritability, feel like your gonna pass out you might have to just stick it out for a while.

In all honesty, 1800 is pretty high for your stats and your exercise is excellent, however IMO I don't think it's enough to justify 1800. For what it's worth, I am training for a half marathon right now and I can't even eat 1800 and lose. If you really want the higher calorie allowance you may need to kick up the exercise to the next level.

[kimmieval]

Hi at 5ft 4" and 172 lbs I started off eating 1800 calories and even without exercise at that time, I still lost between 1/4 to 1/2 lb per week. The weight loss is lower but it is probably happening. One day I woke up and realized I had lost 5lbs while for weeks I did not notice the loss becuz it was not obvious. If you want to lose faster then I would suggest you try for 1600 calories, however if you are exercising really hard, then maybe you might actually need to up your calories. I found that using about 4 or 5 calculators gave me a better idea of what I should be eating. some calculators are too high while others are too low. I find the calculator on WebMD to be a good one. I LOVE my food and do not do too well on too low a colorie but I did find that calorie cycling for a while and really helped me over a plateau during my weight loss journey.

Good luck

[JohnP]

Two weeks is not enough data.

You could be losing fat and retaining water.

As mentioned you also want to be weighing and not measuring your food to get accurate intake data.

[fight2winthis]

Originally Posted by JohnP

Two weeks is not enough data.

You could be losing fat and retaining water.

I like. that may be what's happening to me too. But there's also no change in my tape measuremunts...

[Christen]

Thanks for all the input...changing up my workouts to confuse my body/muscles and gonna try calorie cycling...forgot to mention that most days I wasn't even coming close to consuming all 1800 calories...more like 1600...didn't think about water retention at all...I am PMSin' right now so that has a huge impact for me...thanks again for all the suggestions!!!

[JohnP]

Originally Posted by Christen

Thanks for all the input...changing up my workouts to confuse my body/muscles and gonna try calorie cycling...

Just FYI there is no such thing as muscle confusion. That is a complete bunch of BeachBody marketing at work. Granted, it is genius marketing, but it is only marketing. Muscles don't get confused. They respond to training stimulus.

[Christen]

Well all I know is that changing up my workouts has got me bustin' butt and keeping me a "healthy" sore afterward if you know what I mean...so it may not be confusing my muscles but my overall feeling after working out is AWESOME so I'm gonna keep mixing it up

[luckymommy]

Here is one study that shows what interval training can do:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0311123639.htm

Here is more info.....

http://www.oprah.com/health/Lose-Wei...tense-Workouts

I have found that whenever I do interval training, I get better results with my weight loss. Just my own opinion.

[aidensmamma]

yea i have the same problem