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"Nuts" are great in moderation but it's super-easy to overindulge. Are you eating a lot of them? They're calorie-dense and yummy. I have a handful in my oatmeal every day, but that's it.
Your diet looks very calorie-dense to me. Lots of animal products. Are you scrutinizing the ingredients of everything? E.g., does the hummus have oil in it?
I would strip out animal products and added oil, and up the starch (potatoes, rice, lentils), beans, and veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower. That worked for me.
I make most of what I eat, including the hummus, and I don't add oil to it. Now I don't make the pretzels so I'll just cut those out. The peanut butter is just the natural peanut butter from whole foods...I'll have to look at the label again but I am pretty sure it was just peanuts and salt. As for the nuts, I usually just eat an ounce (weighed). Those are just an occasional snack though, not everyday.
My struggle with cutting out animal products is the lack of protein in my diet. I had actually just increased the animal protein per the dietitian's recommendation. I'll be honest though, I have no idea how much protein/carbs/fat I need. If anyone can guide me on approximately how much I should be consuming that it would be great
I agree with Aneye4detail, it's time for a new trainer.
Reading your post, the likely problem was immediately clear. You are running a very substantial calorie deficit while doing incredible amounts of exercise including high intensity work, and it's far, far too much. You can read more about this phenomenon here and here, but the executive summary is that when you increase energy expenditure while decreasing caloric intake past a certain threshold, you body tends to freak out and start doing all sorts of things to prevent you from losing weight. It's one of those evolutionary things that are kind of a pain in the ass now.
So here is what you do, though this will sound counter-intuitive at the moment: Take two weeks off and eat at maintenance levels (roughly 2000-2100 calories for you) while dropping the exercise. If you want to do some low intensity cardio (elliptical/treadmill for instance) for 20-30 minutes a few times a week during this period, that's fine, but no more. This two weeks at maintenance levels is important because it will allow your hormone levels to normalize. After that two weeks, we can figure out a reasonable approach with the calorie levels and exercise volume and go from there.
And one more thing, in regards to age. I'm 47 and have lost 25 lbs. in one year, by counting calories alone.
I'm sure you've heard if you have skimmed through the Internets, that weight loss happens in the kitchen and exercise is mainly for fitness and mayyyybe if you want to be able to eat a couple extra hundred calories in a day. (and you'd have to exercise hard for that)
I agree with Aneye4detail, it's time for a new trainer.
Reading your post, the likely problem was immediately clear. You are running a very substantial calorie deficit while doing incredible amounts of exercise including high intensity work, and it's far, far too much. You can read more about this phenomenon here and here, but the executive summary is that when you increase energy expenditure while decreasing caloric intake past a certain threshold, you body tends to freak out and start doing all sorts of things to prevent you from losing weight. It's one of those evolutionary things that are kind of a pain in the ass now.
Well that might explain the really late period.
And I should be transparent and say that my trainer was not aware of my personal diet when he made that comment. It was more or less a discussion a few folks and I were having at the gym and that's how I translated it to my own situation...he and I were not speaking one-on-one though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by McBain II
So here is what you do, though this will sound counter-intuitive at the moment: Take two weeks off and eat at maintenance levels (roughly 2000-2100 calories for you) while dropping the exercise. If you want to do some low intensity cardio (elliptical/treadmill for instance) for 20-30 minutes a few times a week during this period, that's fine, but no more. This two weeks at maintenance levels is important because it will allow your hormone levels to normalize. After that two weeks, we can figure out a reasonable approach with the calorie levels and exercise volume and go from there.
What about just using lighter weights and go 3-4 days a week instead of 5-6 and cut out the running? I was eating about 1800-2000 calories and doing nothing except light cardio and I was starting to gain weight...that's why I made those changes. Maybe too many changes at once though?
I get the whole calories in/calories out concept to lose weight. How do you know how many calories you put out? I know my metabolism is pretty slow so I don't think my BMR is all that high, but I don't have actual numbers so I've just been trying to do trial and error until I figure it out. I can tell you what I burn approximately during a workout and a run because I wear a heart rate monitor, but those are just estimates if I'm understanding correctly.
And one more thing, in regards to age. I'm 47 and have lost 25 lbs. in one year, by counting calories alone.
I'm sure you've heard if you have skimmed through the Internets, that weight loss happens in the kitchen and exercise is mainly for fitness and mayyyybe if you want to be able to eat a couple extra hundred calories in a day. (and you'd have to exercise hard for that)
Oh, yes the working out is for fitness ...well, maybe for vanity too...I'd like to tighten everything up and not run at a snails pace...lol.
I may have cut too many calories though. I'm pretty sated at my current level though...I don't really go looking for food and sometimes at the end of the night I've got 100-200 calories left that I need to do something with.
Yeah, if it's got to that point, you definitely want to take a couple weeks, throttle back, and let your body chill out. The late period is probably a sign that your body was damn near shutting down non-essential systems because of the intense workload and calorie deficit. This happens to men too as decreased libido and performance issues can happen.
Quote:
And I should be transparent and say that my trainer was not aware of my personal diet when he made that comment. It was more or less a discussion a few folks and I were having at the gym and that's how I translated it to my own situation...he and I were not speaking one-on-one though.
Ok, that's not a big deal then.
Quote:
What about just using lighter weights and go 3-4 days a week instead of 5-6 and cut out the running?
That would probably work, depending on the actual lifting done. There are several ways it could be done, conceivably. You could run a smaller deficit and do more exercise, or a bigger deficit with less exercise. It's mostly a matter of preference at this point.
Quote:
I was eating about 1800-2000 calories and doing nothing except light cardio and I was starting to gain weight...that's why I made those changes. Maybe too many changes at once though?
I get the whole calories in/calories out concept to lose weight. How do you know how many calories you put out? I know my metabolism is pretty slow so I don't think my BMR is all that high, but I don't have actual numbers so I've just been trying to do trial and error until I figure it out. I can tell you what I burn approximately during a workout and a run because I wear a heart rate monitor, but those are just estimates if I'm understanding correctly.
14/16 calories multiplied by body weight is generally accepted as a rough estimate of maintenance calories. So 14*150=2100 calories for maintenance, roughly. Beyond that, it would just take a little trial and error. If the weight gain at the 1800-2000 level was slow, I would probably stick to that range for the two weeks. My personal feeling is that normalizing your hormones is more important at this point than whatever minimal weight gain you might see over the two weeks.
Yeah, if it's got to that point, you definitely want to take a couple weeks, throttle back, and let your body chill out. The late period is probably a sign that your body was damn near shutting down non-essential systems because of the intense workload and calorie deficit. This happens to men too as decreased libido and performance issues can happen.
I did notice that I was pretty tired (as in needing a nap) after the gym workout, so you are probably onto something there. I was desperate and I think I made too many changes in a short time without seeing the impact of small changes over time. I've been really fat before...kind of panicked that I was heading in that direction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by McBain II
That would probably work, depending on the actual lifting done. There are several ways it could be done, conceivably. You could run a smaller deficit and do more exercise, or a bigger deficit with less exercise. It's mostly a matter of preference at this point.
I'll try that. Plus we are headed on vacation the 2nd week in August and I don't plan on doing any weights there, just cardio...and the week after that I am back at school and didn't plan on any weights that week as I'd be getting plenty of activity moving furniture and running up and down the stairs...it's kind of a hell week for teachers...lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by McBain II
14/16 calories multiplied by body weight is generally accepted as a rough estimate of maintenance calories. So 14*150=2100 calories for maintenance, roughly. Beyond that, it would just take a little trial and error. If the weight gain at the 1800-2000 level was slow, I would probably stick to that range for the two weeks. My personal feeling is that normalizing your hormones is more important at this point than whatever minimal weight gain you might see over the two weeks.
I never knew this! Thank you for sharing. I suppose I could have done some research myself but there's a lot of information out there and I didn't really have a starting point to get weeding through it.
When I have problems ditching fat, it 100% goes back to my diet every time.
Cut out any and all refined carbs immediately.
It is amazing how I will be like you - only water, lots of exercise, not too many calories... but let a refined card in the door and blam. Fergeddaboot it.
Not sleeping enough makes it easy for sugar to get in my head, too.
You should also explore why you're only getting 5.5-6 hours of sleep every night. At your age, 6 hours should be the minimum, with 7 being "average" and 8 an unexpected bonus. Some reasons why some people wake up before the "magic" hour:
Drinking too much caffeine.
Having caffeine after 2pm.
Eating too close to bedtime.
Not eating enough after waking up and before lunch.
Hormones.
Medications.
Some other illness.
Uncomfortable pillow/mattress/bed.
Too warm.
Drinking *anything* too close to bedtime (bladders hate that, especially at 2 in the morning)
So - if you're drinking a whole cup of tea in the evening, you might want to drink it an hour earlier, and make sure it's herbal and not an actual tea - which is a natural diuretic.
If it's very warm in your bed, you could try buying a new set of sheets with a very tight weave - the crisper the cooler.
A good night's sleep is important for your entire body - including fitness.
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