Am I really being healthy?

P

prfitness

Cathlete
I have always been a lurker but this discussion forum is so great that I just had join in. I have been exercising for four months now. I do five days of cardio (approx. 50 minutes per day) including interval, step, circuit, kickboxing and hi/lo. I also strength train twice a week and make it a point to do abs every weekday.

I am fairly overweight for my height (5 ft 3" and 130 lbs). So I decided to cut down on the calories about a couple of months ago (about time too!!) But now I am beginning to wonder whether I eat enough to sustain my exercise regime. I used fitday.com to calculate my calorie intake and was surprised to find out that I ate only 1,000 calories per day. I eat 3 meals a day and 2 pieces of fruit. I am vegetarian (though I eat eggs and diary) and drink loads of water. Although I do not seem to be losing too much weight, I have noticed that my energy levels are beginning to affect my workouts. I also find that I do not want to increase my calorie intake as I am not really hungry on my current diet. I don't snack coz I hate the thought of getting cavities. I also tend to tank up on lots of veggies (absolutely love them) and whole grain cereals that leave me feeling full quite quickly.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong and why the weighing scale will not budge from 130?
 
Just a question....
Does your clothing fit or feel any different?
 
Donna

That is a really good question. Funnily enough my jeans became baggy just a month after I started exercising sending me straight to cloud nine. In fact it was that heady feeling of success that motivated me to control my caloric intake which I was not doing at that point. But ever since I have gone on the 'healthy diet' the progress has not been so promising. I thought I would definitely be in a size 8 by Spring by combining the exercising with a diet but I am not so sure anymore.
 
RE: What have you changed....

Your situation is frustrating, I know. :-mad Think about: Have you changed anything at all besides adding exercise and lowering your calories? Are you eating more of something maybe that you didn't before? Have you been at it for at least 8 weeks now?
Also, how long have you weighed 130? If it's been for years, that may be your body's comfort zone. Getting below that may require extreme measures that just aren't worth it, ya know?
All I can say is sometimes "healthy" diets aren't good for a specific person. Besided foods allergies, I CANNOT use dairy as a staple. It just flat out makes me bloated. Period.
You sound very healthy and active. It may be you aren't designed to be a size 8 without starving yourself. Also, are you large or small framed? I mean, is it muscle that is bulking you up (not fat or bloat)? Think about having your body fat tested (someplace reliable, not a gym trying to sell you a membership, lol) That should give you an accurate picture.
I know you really want that size 8 and I am certainly not discouraging you. Your question is a very common one for all of us here...figuring out what makes our own individual bodies tick. Sometimes you have to "shock your system" and try something totally new...to jump start that metabolism.
Good luck!
 
I hear you PRFIT! Scale vs clothing fit...I once tossed a scale out the back door. I think if your jeans are baggin' a bit is a perfectly acceptable gauge for success. You should be proud of the things you have changed and try not to be discouraged by a number on a machine. I know, easier said than done. I'm going through the same process as you right now - I can see my springtime goal in my sites now. Let's just both hand in there and keep moving forward.

Your healthy new habits are inspiring all by themselves.

DM
 
I am certainly not an authority on your question, but since I have a similar weight/height to you I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

I am 5'2 about 123lbs. I have a medium frame. I am short but not petite or dainty. I feel like I'm in pretty good shape but I would be very happy to lose 5 lbs. If you are 5'3 130 you are not "fairly" overweight, maybe a little but not fairly. If you only started working out 4 months ago, give yourself some time. If you've already seen some improvement like your pants got a little baggier, you're on the right track. One thing that you might want to consider doing is measuring your body, like the size of your hips, arms, thighs etc and check back in 2 or 3 months to see what the changes are. I know you'd rather rely on the scale, but try the measuring. Also the body fat measuring is an excellent idea too. I bet you'll see results either way.

My experience has been that when I only need to lose 5 to 10 pounds it takes a LONG time to see results (like 6 months to 1 year).

Also if you are weight training you may be losing fat and gaining muscle but not seeing the scale budge because, from what I hear, muscle weighs more than fat.

I can't speak to the diet question, but it sounds like you eat very well. Maybe you don't have much energy because you're working out a little too much. If you get tired just take a day off here or there. Keep up what you are doing work-out wise and I bet in the next few months you'll really start seeing some results.

Good luck!
Kristie S
 
Thanks a tonne U guys for the encouraging words. I'm gonna keep at it simply coz I love exercising and I care about what I put into my body. Might measure my body fat though as I have never done that.
 
I just don't think you're eating enough! 5 days of intense cardio & 2 days of weights on 1000 calories? Your metabolism is going into starvation mode! A normal healthy active woman needs at least 1600 calories - at least! If you're doing 5 days of cathe cardio (esp. interval!) and 2 days of her weight training tapes, than you need to up those calories to at least 1800! I know it's only been a few months, but maybe seeing a nutritionist would help. I just don't think 1000 calories is enough for anyone, let alone those of us who workout with cathe!

just my two cents... :)

marnie
 
Good post Marnie

I agree with you. 1000 calories??? AND you work out that much, give me a break! . Increase your caloric intake, and see what happens. My two cents is take Marnie's advice and see a nutritionist.
 
There it is! The last two posts have confirmed my nagging doubts. I have never ever counted calories before and nor have I adopted such a rigorous fitness regime before. I do not think I ever had unhealthy eating habits but was simply heavier because of an acute lack of exercise (that probably explains why I had such good results while I was eating normally and started working out regularly).

Me-thinks calorie counting disagrees with me and can be a bit of a science. I also feel it was making me a bit obssesive about weight loss. I really have not been feeling right for the last 4 weeks. But I kept going because people said that I did not seem to be eating too little. But none of these people have even seen BodyMax or Interval Max before, let alone attempting to do it. Also a veggie diet combined with my own peculiar habits (no sweets or snacking coz of a dentist phobia) can be a bit different from the average diet. I think I am going to go back to my original portions and consult a personal trainer about a more 'educated' and less drastic path to weight loss.

All I would like to say is 'thank you' to the "What do you eat?" discussion strand as I would never have gone to fitday.com to get a scientific gestimate of my caloric intake. What you actually eat and what you think you are eating can be quite different.
 
I am fairly overweight for my
>height (5 ft 3" and
>130 lbs).

I am 5'3", 130 pounds. I do not consider myself fairly overweight. I AM FIT! I AM NOT SKINNY, I AM NOT FAT!

Why am I telling you this? I think you are being too hard on yourself. 1000 calories per day is DANGEROUSLY LOW. Face it, you are a fit chick if you can do Cathe, and your body needs more calories because of it.

Somewhere there is a formula that lets you figure out how many calories per day you can eat and lose weight. It has to do with you age and your activity levels as well.

For me it is around 1,500 to 1,800 per day to lose weight.

Anyways I hope this helps!

http://www.debsgifs.com/random1/gifs2/runner1.gif
 
RE: Calorie Counting

I had to jump back in and say that I highly encourage anyone who is having trouble loosing to see a nutritionist, doctor, or certified trainer before adding calories. I only say this because all my friends hound me about my calories...which is around 1000...because I work out hard: 5-6 days a week, 4-5 cardio, 2-3 weights, and 3 yoga. Every few months I take 1 week off. However, I eat 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks a day...and my doctor tested my blood and determined I have the metabolism of a very obese person. SO does my sister (who is 25) and my mom. When I was in my 20s, I had to maintain 1400 to loose..now in my 30s, its 1000. My mother, who is a nurse with 30 yrs plus experience, saw a weight management doctor who put her on 600-800 a day and she is in her 50s. Any more than that, and she gains and gains. My body is simply used to a high level of physical activity on a certain amount of calories. There are lots of factors to consider when determining how many, and what type, of calories you consume. For me, what I eat is just as important as amount of calories. For someone else, that may not be the case. It is so darned hard to figure out. What works for one, doesn't for another. That is so not helpful, I know, but anyway I got it out there for consideration. IMHO
 
Yep, me too. 5'3" and 127. Not fat, not skinny, but in shape ;-). And that might look different on someone else, of course, but I certainly agree that 130 is not "fairly overweight!"
Wendy
 
RE: Calorie Counting

Keep in mind that you need to aim for 60-100 grams of protein a day if you're trying to build muscle, too. But don't go too high on the protein or it will interfere with calcium absorption and you need calcium not only for bone development but also for the fat burning process to work. You might take a look at your diet and make sure you're getting enough.

Another thing to remember is that not all protein is created equal and while veg. foods like nuts and beans may have protein, the percentage of that protein that your body can actually use, is less than say a piece of meat or some eggwhites.

I read that you shouldn't go under 1500 calories a day while losing.

I hope you find what works for you. It's a never ending process tweaking the diet and exercise!
 
RE: Calorie Counting

I know that eating less than 1200 calories per day to lose weight is not considered safe because it then becomes difficult to get the proper nutrients into your diet. How do you feel? Are you hungry? Are you obsessed with food? There's a great calcultor for figuring out a caloric intake. Let me locate it and I'll post it. Remember that taking in too few calories taxes your body and ultimately might effect your fitness level adversely. We work out hard. We deserve to fuel our bodies well!


B http://www.plaudersmilies.de/natur/petals.gif obbi
 
RE: Calorie Counting

Thanks Bobbi

I will check it our right now. I have been wondering if I am slightly anorexic (if that is possible). But in the past few days I have managed to eat more and have decided to take time off from my exercise routine. Also I have tucked the weighing scale away. I have to say I already feel a lot better. I think my caloric intake (which was barely even thousand) was beginning to cloud my brain and affect my emotions. Today I ate pizza and did not feel as guilty as I thought I would, so I guess I'm gonna be OK. I will be seeing a nutritionist and a personal trainer next week as I have access to them through my company gym (should have done it a lot sooner). Take care.
 
RE: Calorie Counting

Seeing a nutritionist and a trainer is the great idea! It can be hard to know what's right for each of us. The healthy range for me is 122 to 149. That makes it seem as if someone who starts out at 122 may be safe gaining close to 25 pounds over the years but it's well know maintaining a weight is the way to go. Find the right formula and let those pounds come off slowly the way they go on! Keep us posted and know that there's a lot of support here!

B http://www.plaudersmilies.de/natur/twinkle.gif obbi
 
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