Can't work out what I'm doing wrong (Have Read stickies too!!)

C

Cathodeflower

0
I'm a 34 year old female and I way 56 kilos. I'm 5"5. I have a little girl who is now 2 and 1/2. Before I was pregnant I weighed 53 kilos, did cardio (treadmill) for 50 minutes 4xper week and also weights 3 times a week.

I don't drink coffee, tea or any coca cola or touch sweeteners. I never eat packaged readymeals or processed foods and sugars and I weigh stuff when I cook (mostly organic) and write down all my calories. I usually have between 1000 and 1100 calories per day.

A typical day I'd get up and have some lemon in hot water or maybe green tea. For breakfast I'd have an apple and a 3 corn crackers and maybe some raisins. Then mid-morning probably 4 more corn crackers (have checked these no nasty stuff in them). For lunch usually homemade homous, raw carrots and seeds (pumkin, sesame etc). Then mid-afternoon I'd have more fruit and maybe another 2 corn crackers. For tea I have a big packet of prawns or tofu with peas and brown rice, bulgar wheat or lentil dahl etc. Always 1000-1100 calories. Nothing to eat before bed or after about 8pm. I drink about 5 glasses of water a day. I don't really have any cheat days.

I do 3 or 4x 30 minute runs per week and 3 weights sessions. My problem is in 2 months I haven't lost the flabbiness or toned up at all. I haven't lost a pound. I would say I'm slim but rather flabby. I want to get toned again. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. Not to see any progress or any change on the scales over 2 months is depressing. I can't understand what I'm doing wrong when I'm exercising and eating healthy and the right calories. Is it too much carb or something?

Thanks in advance :)
 
Your meals are horrible.

To lose weight you should be eating 5-6 meals a day consisting of protein, carb and some good fats. You don't have enough protein in your diet.

Start lifting heavier weights to build muscle as muscle burns calories.

What does your strength training look like?
 
you're eating fewer calories than what they give coma patients through an IV.

seriously...you're starving yourself. the body won't try to burn fat right now...instead its burning muscle tissue.

Eat better, and eat more.

(also your post title makes no sense... "can't work out"...then you end the post with your workout routine?)
 
I second that... "natural" doesn't always mean "healthy".

I would suggest INCREASING your calories to a minimum of 1350 a day, and really try to get your calories from 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% fats. At first I assumed you were a vegetarian, based on your diet, but then I saw that you eat prawns... you can get some REALLY healthy proteins and fats from shellfish and seafood. Try adding salmon, tuna, and tilapia...

Also, as Waitwhat? mentioned... are you doing any weight training? In the most generic sense, cardio may "shrink" you - but you'll still lack the definition that most people look for. Try doing some heavy & full body weight sessions before your cardio.

Malkore... she meant she can't figure out what isn't working :)
 
Just a few more Q's

Thanks for the replies..I guess I worded that all wrong though with the title 'can't work out' work out as in understand. I actually thought I was eating pretty well and not particularly hungry to be honest. I'll definitely try to eat more especially fats and proteins and pop to the supermarket for fish, soya mince and stuff tommorow. Sounds all good. I just had an 'oh my' moment because I suddenly realise that 90% of my calories comes from carbs. I'm going to have to really change this then. Also do you think that things like fruit, raisins because of the natural sugars are not good for weight loss?

According to the tools on this site I need 1,335 calories a day (BMR). I read somewhere to lose weight you need 500 less per day. Am I wrong. So I should be doing 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% fats of 1,335? Should I carb cycle it where I eat more protein on a weights day and more carb on a cardio day?

I used to go to the gym to do my weights session and cardio at home on the treadmill. Now I have a little girl I have to do my cardio/weights in the evening? So, another question is does it make a big difference to toning/weight loss if you exercise morning rather than evening?

At the moment the strength stuff I'm doing is 3 sets (20 reps) of each muscle group - shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest/pecs, glutes, quads (although not much lat stuff at home). I tens to start with a lower weight and really push it on the last set until I get that muscle burn. I also do 3 sets on abs - obliques, upper, lower. I'm pretty sure that I'm doing the right thing since I learned it when I first used to go to the gym and pick up tips from guys there.

OK :- Some excellent advice thank you.
 
Diet suggestions:

I would add a cup of oatmeal to your breakfast, and at least some type of lean protein to your lunch. Eat the seeds and fruit as snacks in between your real meals, not as meals in themselves. Maybe between your last meal of the day and 10PM you could also have a slow burning protein and carb shake to carry you through the night, or a cup of low fat cottage cheese or something.

Consider having your largest meal around 2:30-3:00PM instead of in the evening as well, the switch made a difference for me.
 
Cathodeflower said:
According to the tools on this site I need 1,335 calories a day (BMR). I read somewhere to lose weight you need 500 less per day. Am I wrong. So I should be doing 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% fats of 1,335? Should I carb cycle it where I eat more protein on a weights day and more carb on a cardio day?
Click to expand...

BMR is a 'resting' metabolic need for calories. Coma calorie needs.

If you can move, you burn more calories, so you multiply the BMR by an activity multiplier, to get a ROUGH estimate of your calorie needs to maintain current weight. Probably 1.3 would be a good modifier, which puts you over 1700cals a day to maintain your weight.

And, '500' is often quoted but not a good number to use. 500 less calories is A LOT of calories for someone your size. 500 is not a lot for a 6'6" WNBA player.

better to go by 5-10% reduction based on your estimated 1736 calories. I would start with just a 5% calorie restriction, and make the rest of your deficit come from cardio.
 
Meal timing is the least of your concerns right now... you have to get protein and fat in your diet.

I wouldn't add any more carbs, anywhere. Fruits and raisins are okay in moderation, but they are a bit high in sugar - eat in moderation. Replace the corn crackers with eggs at breakfast. Add fish (or some other lean protein, preferably not soy) to your lunch and dinner.

I would look at meal timing if you're still struggling once your ratios are in check and you've added some some heavy weights into your training. Let me know if you have any questions...
 
Cathodeflower said:
Thanks for the replies..I guess I worded that all wrong though with the title 'can't work out' work out as in understand. I actually thought I was eating pretty well and not particularly hungry to be honest. I'll definitely try to eat more especially fats and proteins and pop to the supermarket for fish, soya mince and stuff tommorow. Sounds all good. I just had an 'oh my' moment because I suddenly realise that 90% of my calories comes from carbs. I'm going to have to really change this then. Also do you think that things like fruit, raisins because of the natural sugars are not good for weight loss?

According to the tools on this site I need 1,335 calories a day (BMR). I read somewhere to lose weight you need 500 less per day. Am I wrong. So I should be doing 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% fats of 1,335? Should I carb cycle it where I eat more protein on a weights day and more carb on a cardio day?

I used to go to the gym to do my weights session and cardio at home on the treadmill. Now I have a little girl I have to do my cardio/weights in the evening? So, another question is does it make a big difference to toning/weight loss if you exercise morning rather than evening?

At the moment the strength stuff I'm doing is 3 sets (20 reps) of each muscle group - shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest/pecs, glutes, quads (although not much lat stuff at home). I tens to start with a lower weight and really push it on the last set until I get that muscle burn. I also do 3 sets on abs - obliques, upper, lower. I'm pretty sure that I'm doing the right thing since I learned it when I first used to go to the gym and pick up tips from guys there.

OK :- Some excellent advice thank you.
Click to expand...

Everyone has given you really good advice. If I might add one more thing... by doing 3 sets of 20 reps of each muscle group that is great for endurance. But if you want to build muscle- go a little heavier on the weights so you can only do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
 
Just one more Question!

Ok I've just been to get loads of protein type things. I was just wondering though if I'm doing 30% carb/protein, 40% fat how ..ok I can work out in calories what that would be but is there some kind of tool to figure out what that would be in grams?

Thanks :)
 
If you do cardio 4x a week and weights 3x per week and eat 1300 calories a day you are basically working for nothing and are headed for some health issues. When you eat so little, you body does not have enough to fuel itself and slows down everything including metabolism. Metabolism is what causes change inside your body - if it is slow you won't lose or gain as fast you should. That's why it's better to go with smaller deficits then it is to go with bigger ones.

I did the calculations (keep in mind that this is always an approximation and never 100% accurate) and to lose weight in a healthy matter you should be getting 1500-1600 calories a day. To maintain your weight you would need about 2000ish calories.

You need to take the BMR and multiply it with an activity level. In your case I picked the one that says moderate exercises ie. 4 days a week.

If you really want results track your body fat with a body fat caliper, they are cheap and easy to use and it will give you IMMEDIATE feedback on your results.

I would use a 3:2:1 ratio, do what you feel is better for you but this is normally a good generalization.

Calories per gram:
(C) Carbs = 4 per g
(P) Prot. = 4 per g
(F) Fats = 9 per g

Calories you need to lose weight = 1550kcals

3:2:1 Ratio
Take 1550 divide by 6 = 258

(3x258) : (2x258) : (1x258)
774:516:258
C:p:F

774/4=193.5g of Carbs
516/4=129g of Prot.
258/9=29g of Fats (this is a little low, I usually take away some carbs and add more fats.)

-Why are you using 30%/30%/40%?

Hope I helped.

:action8:
 
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