I am doing the Body for Life 12 week program. For those not familiar, you exercise to your max 6 days/week (strengthening 3 days and cardio 3 days). You eat a portion of protein and carb every 3 hours, adding veggies in twice a day. Some of those meals can be protein powder shakes. I started 23 days ago weighing 188- 5'5" female age 43. Today I weigh 186.2. I am exercising hard (sweating, heart pounding) and even can jog a half mile. I couldn't really jog at all before I started. I have increased my cardio time from 20 minutes of high intensity intervals to that plus extra 5 minutes at the start and end at a steady pace. I even do cardio on my day of rest. I have increased my weights nearly every week to keep them at the max of my ability. Most days I follow the eating plan perfectly. A few times I have had some foods not on the plan but that shouldn't totally derail my efforts. The plan is not about calorie counting, but I did for the first week just to see the range. I was anywhere from 1100-1400 calories a day. So I am getting stronger and better at jogging. Clothes still fit the same. Body measures the same. Scale basically the same. What gives????? My husband lost 100# over the last year and a half, losing a few pounds each week. He is baffled as to why I am not losing any weight. He can see me exercising very hard.
I would agree with the "muscle is more dense" idea if my measurements were going down or clothes fit better. But they are not. Any help here???
I agree with John. You may be retaining quite a bit of water, particularly if all this physical activity is new-ish to your body.
If you go a few more weeks without movement on the scale and no noticeable change in your measurements, I'd recheck your calorie intake and make sure you really are consistently eating in the range you think you are.
I've managed to gain weight while training for long races, it doesn't take that many small indulgences to kill a 10-mile run calorie deficit. Sad, but true.
Patience. If I could see some progress from the beginning, it would help to press on through the hard parts, but basically no progress right from the get go. I cut out most all processed foods many months ago and eat out less than once a week. So my eating was pretty healthy to start with. My exercise was leisurely walks on treadmill while reading with some light weights once in awhile. So I decided to try this pretty intense program for some "quick "results.
OK I will keep on . . . It is frustrating though when most people lose a lot in the beginning and I see nearly nothing.
I am doing the Body for Life 12 week program. For those not familiar, you exercise to your max 6 days/week (strengthening 3 days and cardio 3 days). You eat a portion of protein and carb every 3 hours, adding veggies in twice a day. Some of those meals can be protein powder shakes. I started 23 days ago weighing 188- 5'5" female age 43. Today I weigh 186.2. I am exercising hard (sweating, heart pounding) and even can jog a half mile. I couldn't really jog at all before I started. I have increased my cardio time from 20 minutes of high intensity intervals to that plus extra 5 minutes at the start and end at a steady pace. I even do cardio on my day of rest. I have increased my weights nearly every week to keep them at the max of my ability. Most days I follow the eating plan perfectly. A few times I have had some foods not on the plan but that shouldn't totally derail my efforts. The plan is not about calorie counting, but I did for the first week just to see the range. I was anywhere from 1100-1400 calories a day. So I am getting stronger and better at jogging. Clothes still fit the same. Body measures the same. Scale basically the same. What gives????? My husband lost 100# over the last year and a half, losing a few pounds each week. He is baffled as to why I am not losing any weight. He can see me exercising very hard.
I would agree with the "muscle is more dense" idea if my measurements were going down or clothes fit better. But they are not. Any help here???
Sounds like you are obtaining fantastic results!!! GREAT JOB!!! That's all you can control. The weight loss WILL happen. I agree with others that fat loss probably already has. Keep going and you'll see some significant changes! I promise you aren't an anomaly of science. (As others suggested, you might try a strict food journal as well but keep your calories closer to that 1400 mark especially if you are exercising like that.)
I don't want to derail you, as I do think the others may be right that results are right around the corner for you. But I have found that exercise slows my weight loss a lot. I didn't start exercising until I had already lost quite a bit of weight, probably close to 50 pounds. But as soon as I started my losses slowed to a crawl. If I had it to do over again, I would have waited maybe another 15 pounds or so before starting. On the other hand, I am in great shape now that I'm at goal and I can't believe how muscular and fit I am. I get distracted by my own abs all the time, as I just never seemed to have them before! lol So, the exercise has really transformed my body.
I know it's frustrating, though. I had tried lots of different plans before I hit on one that worked for me. The plan I follow horrifies almost everyone I tell, and is completely counter to all conventional wisdom, but it works for me. So, just keep trying till you find what works for you.
Body for Life 3.5 weeks in
