Thought I was working past that plateau, but...

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dotseurat

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So frustrated! I feel like I am busting my butt and nothing is working! I started training about 3 years ago. Over the last year & a half, I've slowly gained about 8 lbs. Not that it's truly a bad thing...some people say when I was 125 I was too skinny (I'm 5'5" and 30 yrs old). But I want to look more toned and lean. So I thought in order to work past this I'd work harder at the gym. This is my schedule:

Monday - Total Body Conditioning class (weights, very high intensity, with some short bursts of cardio), 45 min's
Tuesday - Cardio kickboxing class, 45 min's
Wednesday - Club Strength class (weights), 45 min's during lunchtime and Cylcing (or as some call it, spinning) 45 min's after work.
Thursday - cycling, 45 min's
Friday - Club Strength, 45 min's during lunchtime and cycling 45 min's after work.
Saturday - used to take an hour long kickboxing class but my schedule is not allowing it so I'll work in some kind of cardio for the day doing something else- cycling or elliptical

Originally I did my own workout, didn't take classes. I did weights three times a week, cardio 6 times a week. I figured I wasn't pushing myself hard enough on my own, so the classes I'm taking now are really pushing me alot harder and I'm getting a much more varied workout. I feel like I LIVE at the gym.

Now what is wrong?!!! I'm not losing weight...not sure if I see any difference. I feel a difference- I feel truly strong and I'm thrilled with how dedicated I am, and the motivation these classes have given me really keep me going.

So now I wonder...is it my diet? But I don't think it's so bad! Could I be one of those cases that I'm not consuming enough calories and I'm burning too much? I dunno...here's an idea of what I eat

Breakfast - Kashi cereal (high in fiber), skim milk
snack - fat free yogurt
Lunch - peanut butter & jelly on wheat, a pear
(sometimes an all natural fruit shake with protein powder after I go to gym during lunch)
snack- luna bar if I am going to cycling after work
Dinner- this is where I might be in trouble. Maybe it's portion sizes? I usually make those frozen stir fry meals with chicken. I'll cut the white rice from now on.

I'm a compulsive snacker, and I'm usually starved at night- so I go for one of those 98% fat free ice cream sandwiches and maybe a few pretzels. I know, I know. Have an apple! Have cottage cheese!

So based on the info I've given you...what could it be? Do I just need more time to see results? I think I've been on this kind of schedule for at least 2 months now. Is my body just not going to respond to the change in workout because I've been training for 3 years?

I'm also considering working in protein shakes into my diet. My boyfriend tells me usually when you work out hard, you're even more hungry and that could be working against me...so maybe protein shakes could curb the hunger?

Thanks for all your help and thanks for getting through this novel!
 
Your diet looks great, the problem may lie somewhere else. 125 for your height is ideal healthy weight.

Your dedication is a credit to you, it may just be time to change up a bit.

Have you ever heard of High Intensity Interval Training?

It involves a period of near maximal effort followed by a rest period (1 minute running, 1 minute walking). The theory behind it is your cardiovascular system is pushed to its limit, then rested in the same workout. It challenges your body in a new way and forces it to change. Maybe it would be something that you would like to try. Search this forum (or google for that matter) for High intensity interval training.
 
Yeah actually I think in my cycling classes we do that kind of technique...it's great and it's a killer.

I'm actually not 125 now...want to be 125 again. I'm more in the 134 range. What's sad is ages ago I said to myself, if I hit 130 I will die. Now I'm saying if I go past 135 I will TOTALLY DIE ha ha. I worked so hard to get to that point...and it just makes me sad.

Some backstory...I was once 180 lbs. No joke. That was over 10 years ago though, thank God. Went down gradually to 140, 130's and stayed there until I started weight training, and then it all came off. So I'm pretty determined to keep it off and not let it come back!
 
over 3 years, for a female, 8 lbs gain is a respectable muscle gain. (please don't take this the wrong way, Im not trying to insult your intelligence) Is the weight your gaining fat or muscle? If its muscle , great ! I wouldn't be too concerned with that, It can even help you get lean. You also said youve worked out for 3 years? Have you cycled all 3 of those years? Maybe its time to switch your cardio exercise of choice. Your body gets used to it, and it becomes less effective. Try an elliptical trainer or ol fashioned running.
 
Cycling is pretty new to me- only been going for about a month and a half. Basically my entire workout is new since I started it back in Dec/Jan. That's why I thought I'd see a difference!

The 8 lb weight gain is actually most likely over a year & a half, 2 years.
 
What's from inactivity? No, I've been working out steadily for 3 years...I just decided to kickstart it a bit by changing routine, by taking classes and such. Before I did weights 3 days a week, cardio 6 days a week (elliptical). I've always been a faithful gym-goer. Maybe it's just age? ha ha
 
I'm trying to pinpoint the weight gain. It sounds like its muscle gain, which can work in your favor. If your starved at night though, maybe your right and not getting enough calories throughout the day. Maybe keep a 3 day journal of what you eat so we can determine exactly how many calories your taking in.
 
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