Exercise/reduce calorie intake, no loss. Vacation, pig out = weight loss??
I'm 26 years old, I was 123lbs, 5'4.5, I exercised (elliptical, 50 minutes EVERY day. Every calorie counter online estimated I was burning about 400-500 calories)... I reduced my calorie intake to under 1000 a day. In 7 weeks, I lost two pounds. TWO POUNDS. I also work retail, so I move around a decent amount... carry boxes, etc.
Two days prior to week-long cruise vacation, I stopped exercising. I slept a lot more, and I did some shopping. I lost two pounds, in two days. Somehow, even though I wasn't exercising or working. I was 119.0 now.
I went on vacation... I ate SO MUCH food. I was NEVER hungry... my boyfriend wanted to eat a lot more often than I even cared to... I ate breakfast, which I never did before. Not healthy. Pancakes with brown sugar and syrup and cream cheese (yes, cream cheese. haha), bananas with peanut butter... I had dessert at least once a day, often twice. Ice cream, pizza, and then a few sodas and a few alcoholic drinks (which I didn't drink in the weeks prior at all) ... I didn't feel like I was more active; in fact, I felt less active than when I was working+exercising at home, and I was eating probably 3 or 4x the amount I did at home. I also slept about 3 or 4 more hours a night, on average.
When I got back and weighed myself the next morning, I weighed 118.8. HOW???? It makes no sense to me. My boyfriend put on like 3lbs. Plus, that day, I had two chocolate chip cookies with milk, a 400 calorie chilli bowl, a generous bowl of cereal, a hand full of cheese Ritz Bits, and a half a piece of pie with home made whipped cream. No exercise, barely did anything that day (drove around, went to Walmart for an hour), the next morning, I weighed 118.0. Almost a pound lighter.
I DID NOT eat more because I was sleeping less. I'd eat the same things most days, so tracking amounts was easy. The frequency/amount was the same.
I thought that burn more calories than intake = weight loss. Plain and simple. The "starvation mode" theory didn't really make sense. I should have been losing at least 2lbs a week, but the scale didn't budge.
Why?? Can anyone explain this?? I have no idea how to continue to lose weight at this point. When I reduced calories and exercised, nothing happened. I'd like to be probably around 110, but it's hard to say. Depends on how I look. I also don't want to start gaining weight back, by eating too much. I'm so confused.
Also, about two years ago I lost about 45lbs. I was around 170. I did many of the same things, and it seemed to work back then, but obviously it didn't work this time. Except I used a rowing machine instead of an elliptical, but I think an elliptical burns more.
Similar things have happened to me as well. The only explanation I have is that it kick-started your metabolism in a way. Changing up your routine and having a "cheat week" confused the system and made you burn more calories.
Another explanation could be water loss. Were you in a tropical area, sweating a lot? Either way, don't fret and change up your routine often! At your weight, it will be tougher and tougher to lose a pound.
It sounds to me like you were unhealthily obsessed before. 50 minutes of exercise a day, every day? With no day off for rest? On top of work? And on under 1000 calories a day? Geez, your poor body was probably dying for a break! I'd think it finally being fed and getting some rest was a nice change.
Maybe... But even when I started 6 weeks prior, I never saw a weight drop. It took forever! If it was too extreme, I should have probably seen an initial pound or two, and then a standstill, but nothing changed. I don't know how to go about losing weight anymore. If diet and exercise didn't work whatsoever, what should I try?
Maybe... But even when I started 6 weeks prior, I never saw a weight drop. It took forever! If it was too extreme, I should have probably seen an initial pound or two, and then a standstill, but nothing changed. I don't know how to go about losing weight anymore. If diet and exercise didn't work whatsoever, what should I try?
First of all, why at 118 and your height are you trying to lose weight?
Instead of trying to lose weight, how about building muscle? Get off the eliptical machine and start lifting some weights - that will give you the tone and shape you want.
Also, your body wasn't in a starvation mode, but it also didn't want to give up weight, so while it was in fact losing weight (fat or muscle - probably both), you were adding water weight. When you finally got enough sleep and got enough food, your body released the water that it was holding as it now felt nourished.
So yes, your exercising was doing something, but.... your habits were not sound. You were doing too much on too little fuel (sleep and food). Don't drop your calories below 1200 (and really for as active as you are and as young as you are - probably nothing below 1400-1500 is plenty) and add in weight training. You will see better results and will be less frustrated. If you exercise every day, you might even be able to eat even more.
Exercise/reduce calorie intake, no loss. Vacation, pig out = weight loss??
