Group: Women's Club

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 525, Messages: 10844

A place for women to gather and share experiences, advice and information amongst themselves.

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Another one of the frustrated

msmogreen
msmogreen
Posts: 717
Joined: 2006/04/22
United States
2006/05/28, 12:51 PM
I'm relatively new to freetrainers--signed up in mid April. I was working out prior but when a coworker started seeing a personal trainer I got motivated to step things up. For a few weeks before I found freetrainers I was using another online fitness program and really started putting in the effort with my diet and workouts. I religiously followed my freetrainers program until my boss bought me 10 free training sessions with a 24 Hr Fitness trainer--now I still incorporate my freetrainer workouts in between workouts with the trainer. When I'm done with the 10 sessions, I'll be back to full trainers. Sorry for the lengthy background.

In any case, I have always had a decent diet...but I had gained 10 lbs since Christmas (from eating too much sushi, I think). I don't have a big problem with junk food, so haven't had trouble with what I eat. Over the past two months I have been very religiously recording every morsel and keeping within my limits with average calories around 1600. I am working out 4 to 5 days a week with an average of three days of cardio (20 to 30 minutes) and one hour of weights/machines. After about 5 weeks, my weight dropped from 147 to to 141.5. I was happy...I thought, this is working! Well, since then my weight has dramatically fluctuated and I am sitting right now at 145.5 lbs. Okay, so don't go by the scale, right? I pull out the tape measure and changes are minimal...down an inch here, up a half inch there. Okay, I do look better naked (although no real loosening up in my clothes--the jeans that stopped fitting a few months ago still don't fit). I pulled out my calipers...possibly I've gone down .5% in body fat.

I am frustrated to tears--intellectually I tell myself to keep doing what I'm doing--it will happen. But this is a very scary process. I guess I'm more of less just venting. I tell my boyfriend who has a bodybuilding background and he is sick of hearing it--says I'm either gaining muscle or I need to cut my calories more. I don't mind cutting my calories, but not sure if that is the way to go.

I am sorry my post is so long! I don't seem to know how to be brief (and say all I want to say). Anyway, thanks for listening. I've read posts where others have had similar concerns, tried to take solace, but it really is discouraging nonetheless.
Mojo_67
Mojo_67
Posts: 1,299
Joined: 2003/09/23
United States
2006/05/28, 06:19 PM
I would cut back on the cardio believe it or not, if not cut it out all together for now. Save it for when you need it most, later on as an added calorie deficit when you can no longer safely cut more food calories to achieve a deficit. I would also focus on working out with mostly freeweights. Being at 1600 calories a day is close to as low as you want to go food intake wise. Your maintenance is surely a little higher than that. If you've been at this for a couple a months and doing the cardio in addition...your more than likely in a stalled state. bb1 has a thread titled "diet thread" in the specific diet and nutrition forum that is intended for those who eed to kick start their diet. Check it out. Good luck and welcome to FT!

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Days go by and life drags on.....
msmogreen
msmogreen
Posts: 717
Joined: 2006/04/22
United States
2006/05/28, 08:34 PM
Wow...I wouldn't have thought to cut the cardio. I will check out the diet thread you recommended. Thanks!