Intro and request for HELP!

[tinkerbell317]

Hi Everyone,

I am really excited to have found this board and am reading absolutely as many threads as I can! I would love some advice on how to move past my current plateau and onto the next level.

I'm 5'7”and currently 170 lbs. My home scale measures me at 36% bodyfat, although I am unsure as to the accuracy of that. I obviously have a lot of body fat to lose, and would love to eventually have a lean cut look! I hit 240 after my pregnancy 3 years ago, and then settled out weight wise in the 180-190 range before I started really watching my diet and exercising last fall.

I'd been doing crossfit for several months (including olympic lifts & whatnot) but due to a small injury I stopped that about two months ago. My main source of exercise now is KettleBell training 4x per week. It is definitely “working” in that I see myself getting stronger and can visually see some of my muscles getting larger (biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats, etc). I work out with fairly heavy bells for a female and feel strong. However in the past 9 weeks of KB training I have lost NO weight and I am getting frustrated. My trainer seems to want me to continue to be patient, and advises against putting in too much more extra training, and gives me a hard time when he sees me on the elliptical machine.

I try to eat clean (following a paleo diet approach), and sometimes count calories, sometimes I don't. On the days I count calories I eat less because I am paying attention: ~1200-1400 per day and on the days I don't count I'd guess I eat more like 1800- 2000. I am very willing to get more conscientious about my diet, however I feel like I'm not even sure what to do. I don't have a lot of information on how I should change the timing of my food.

Here are some samples from my food log:

Sample 1( a day where I think I've been good)

8 AM protein shake with 100% whey, almond butter, coconut milk, blueberries & water: 250 kc
Noon: Spaghetti squash with homemade veggie filled meat sauce - ~430 kc
4:30 pm: finished the rest of the sauce from lunch & a grapefruit ~250 kc
7 pm: another protein shake like above but a little smaller: 210 kc
8 pm: pistachios 50kc

10 am – Kettlebell Training
midday – 20 minute walk with stroller
evening – salsa dancing

Comments: So total calories eaten were about 1220 and total calories burned (I wear a gowearfit armband) were over 3,000. In retrospect, I see how the calories might be a bit low for the amount of activity, but I was trying hard with my diet and figure I still have so much to lose....

Sample 2 (a good, but not as good day)

8 am protein shake 280kc
11:30 am – salmon (canned & mixed with mayo) and a tomato
(Don't have times written down for the rest)
larabar 190kc
a couple bites of the kids (homemade) pizza 100kc
pot roast 400kc (didn't measure so it is a guess)
pistachios 100kc
late night: a bunch of homemade popcorn with butter: ~300kc

no specific exercise, it was a rest day

Comments: Total calories is a little under 1700 – armband said I burned about 2000 that day (a rest day still isn't that much rest with two toddlers in the house) so I feel like with the continued calorie deficit even on non workout days I should see more weight loss....

I'm not taking any other supplements – just a multivitamin and some fish oil (some days)

I think one of the things that happens to me is I feel like I am trying so hard, then I don't see the weight loss, and then I fall off the wagon for a few days (and eat total no no's like the kids crackers). But even those days aren't crazy high calorie, and I am really consistent with the exercise, and the routines are constantly getting heavier and harder. What am I doing wrong? Open to all help!

Thanks,
Tink

 

[RottenWillow]

Hi Everyone,

I am really excited to have found this board and am reading absolutely as many threads as I can! I would love some advice on how to move past my current plateau and onto the next level.

Excellent! Sounds like you're motivated. If you've not done so already please check out the stickie near the top of this forum with the words "START HERE" in the title. It's basically a "best of the best" summary of the Women's Fitness Forum. It'll cut down on your searching guaranteed.

I'm 5'7”and currently 170 lbs. I hit 240 after my pregnancy 3 years ago, and then settled out weight wise in the 180-190 range before I started really watching my diet and exercising last fall.

So you've already lost a lot of bodyfat. Good work. However, as you get leaner it is entirely natural and totally predictable that continued fat loss will become more difficult. What you're experiencing is normal.

It is definitely “working” in that I see myself getting stronger and can visually see some of my muscles getting larger (biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats, etc). I work out with fairly heavy bells for a female and feel strong. However in the past 9 weeks of KB training I have lost NO weight and I am getting frustrated. My trainer seems to want me to continue to be patient, and advises against putting in too much more extra training, and gives me a hard time when he sees me on the elliptical machine.

I try to eat clean (following a paleo diet approach), and sometimes count calories, sometimes I don't. On the days I count calories I eat less because I am paying attention: ~1200-1400 per day and on the days I don't count I'd guess I eat more like 1800- 2000. I am very willing to get more conscientious about my diet, however I feel like I'm not even sure what to do. I don't have a lot of information on how I should change the timing of my food.

You have a good trainer.

I would suggest that you probably are continuing to lose some fat, as evidenced by your strength gains. Initial strength gains are more a function of improved neuromuscular coordination, but if your gains are pretty steady then there is likely to be some new muscular body weight as well. Check your hips and thighs for reduction in inches. You're probably getting harder despite a lack of change in the scale. Getting hard is what you want. The scale is not important.

Be careful of consuming too few calories. That will not encourage further fat loss. In fact it can absolutely encourage a metabolic retardation. Eating Paleo is potentially a very effective path to body recompostion, however you must eat sufficient calories!