So I know this is going to be a bit of a rant and I apologize in advance!

My story in a nutshell is this.. I got the diet and exercise bug back in May of this year and me and the bf were exercising every day - some walking/jogging/hiking etc and I had just joined WW - all was well. Then, an unfortunate accident that involved sneaking over the fence of my community pool put me on crutches and couch rest until August or so...(yeah I'm smooth like that). Once my ankle was feeling a bit better I started walking/running again, but ankle pain and horrendous shin splints kept getting worse and then I was at a standstill on the weight loss front.

Anywho.. I figured I needed some professional guidance so I sold one of my kidneys on the black market (kidding!) and hired a tough, but awesome personal trainer two days a week. For 4 of the other 5 days I do some type of vigorous cardio. All has been going well as far as weight loss and diet, but for the last 2-3 weeks I am so tired all of the time and I have hit a wall - my weight has been hovering around the same mark with no change. What am I doing wrong?? My trainer suggested that I may not be eating enough (and yes I have heard of this before), but I seriously never thought not eating enough would be a problem I had.

My menu typically looks like this:

Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2 pieces of thin center cut bacon & coffee
Snack: Light Yoplait yogurt
Snack: 1/2 Luna Bar
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich (smoked turkey breast on light honey wheat bread with mustard)
Snack: 1/2 Luna Bar
Snack: Banana
Dinner: chicken breast, broccoli and cottage cheese

Okay.. now that I have written that out - it doesn't seem like much...? Advice? I did some research on the internets yesterday and found that my BMR with a 1000 calorie deficit for weight loss I should be eating around 1859...that seems like A LOT!

I could really benefit from hearing everyone else's experiences! Do share!

Edit - Oh and I have been taking measurements too.. not losing inches either

I'll go back to biting my tongue after I say this, but make sure you're not pregnant.

Well, you're right, it's not much. I think it's below 1200 calories. That could be why you're feeling tired.

You seem to be getting enough protein--but just not enough of everything else, especially if you're working out that much.

I'd go up to at least 1600 and see how that goes...

I'd also suggest eating more bulky snacks, like vegetables and fruits, rather than the Luna bars and yogurt all the time. That's just an idea for feeling fuller.

Jay

I feel like a broken record the last couple of days (so those of you who have seen me type this many times, I'm really not crazy nor am I working for fitday.com) BUT, I LOVE FITDAY.com !

I just could not figure out why I was not loosing weight. I was keeping track and thought I knew what I was taking in....then I started using fitday.com and came to realize that I've been having WAY MORE calories then I should be having. If I were you I would check out the free calorie sites, one being fitday.com. I know there are others that people really like but so far so good with this page for myself. You can track your activity, see how many calories you should be eating, etc. It's VERY helpful and I'm glad I found it!

Oh, and it also keeps track of everything like how much carbs, protein, and everything that you are putting into your body...

JulieJ08 - Funny that you say that because I was kind of suspecting that myself, but I took a test last Sunday and it said no...

JayEll - I think thats what I am going to do.. at least for a week or so. Eating more is scary! I feel like if I start doing that it's a slippery slide to junk food city, lol.

JamieJo - I love FitDay too and I've used it off and on for a few years. The problem I have is that I tend to get slightly obsessed when I use it to the point and that reach this level of craziness and then I just stop everything. I'm trying to avoid that this time around if I can, but it's hard trying to make sure I am getting the right amount of nutrition...ugh!

Yeah, it is crazy how sometimes you need to eat MORE to LOSE weight. But if you think about it, it does make some sense. You're working out a lot, and your body needs fuel to function well. When it gets enough (but not too much) then it can lose weight. Try counting your calories for a few days, and make sure you are getting at least 1400 a day, if not 1500.

Your trainer is right - you're not eating enough.

When I first started working out with my trainer, I had the same issue. Honestly my mindset was that I just wanted someone to help me get in shape, not someone to lecture me about my food. I didn't realize how important eating ENOUGH food - and the right KIND of food - was as a part of "getting in shape".

It took me a little while to realize that I was sabotaging myself by trying to separate my eating and my exercise that way. They're all linked ... and when you're putting in that much exertion and effort, you MUST fuel those muscles. It seems counter productive, but it really does work.

.

You need more food!!! **** yes, more food!!!!! Just eating more does not mean you have to go hog wild...er...bad choice of words? You also need A LOT more veggies in your life. How about throwing some veggies into those egg whites at breakfast...and I know it seems excessive, but maybe try eating the WHOLE Luna Bar in one sitting? Oh, and throw in a salad with a little basalmic and olive oil on it...to get the healthy fats bulked up as well. You will feel a lot better...and you will begin to lose again. However, since your body is now in "panic mode" you may have to feed it maintenance level calories for a week or more, and then drop back because your metabolism is now out of whack and may take a while to "trust" you again. At your height and weight, you definitely should be eating at least 1600 calories a day or so...and probably more like 1800.

You can get things back on track, but it may take a little work...so go eat something.

Crabbycakes,

I still find myself anxious as I eat more, but I'm also losing much more and more steadily! If you had told me previously that more calories was the way to go I would have laughed, but I average about 1800 and am losing slowly but steadily. (I "cycle" my calories a bit, so have some lower days and some higher days.)

I really focus on healthy, mindful eating. I try to stay away from formally counting calories, I do so periodically when I am worried that I am overdoing.

The key is to be as planful about eating more as you have been about eating less. Don't add chips, sweets, or highly processed foods. Add veggies, fruits and complex carbs.

The other positive is that you may find that it is a wonderful way to eat long term!

Okay, okay.. I'm gonna take a deep breath and find some more healthy foods to toss in my diet. I know I am not eating enough veggies, but I swear sometimes I would rather not eat than have to go through the stress of finding something that won't ruin my diet - terrible mind set to have, I know!

Something has to give though because I almost fainted 45 minutes into training on Tuesday and my trainer had that you're-not-going-to-puke-on-me-are-you? look on his face...that was a HUGE wake-up call. I tossed a tuna sandwich into my lunch bag today so hopefully that will do until I can make it to the grocery store and re-vamp my routine.

Okay.. off to get my butt kicked and NOT pass out!

Edit - Sometimes I think faster than I type.. I certainly didn't mean that veggies would ruin my diet. I was just saying that I don't often think about changing my diet therefore I don't always realize when I am messing up

I definitely agree you need to eat more. You could also try some of this. It does actually help. And hey, if you are pregnant (somebody asked), it has folic acid. B Vitamins

Wow, according to your menu you are only eating 1 serving of fruit/veggies per day. You need to be eating at least 5. Trust me, you will not sabotage your diet by eating fruit and veggies, your bowels will LOVE you,

What Schumeany said.
Incorporate a big salad into your daily diet and you can top it with sliced chicken breast or canned tuna or something like that. Personally, I am not a big friend of sandwiches, I would much rather have a small but warm meal than a sandwich, but perhaps that's just me.
Also, how about drinking a protein shake at least once a day to get more protein? Your body is in starvation mode, that's why you are not losing any weight.