sooooo tired and frustrated and ready to cry

[dick0375]

I am just frustrated. I have not solved the fat loss puzzle yet. I don't see changes in the way my clothes look. It seems like my upper body has made changes, but my lower half is still HUGE!!!

I have been dieting for over 8 weeks - the first 7 weeks on one diet and the last week on a new diet I found on the website posted by red. Here are the vitals

160 lb., bf% estimated at 20-23%
1 hr. cardio 6x a week (sometimes 7)
weights for 20-30 min. moderate weight after each cardio session
diet: around 1500 cals, about 230 g protein (15 oz. chicken breast, 12 egg whites + 1 yolk, mrp's, about 35 g carb (broccoli and grapefruit - how many carbs in grapefruit?) - use no cal butter spray
no dairy
flax and fish oils
at least 3.5-4 quarts of water (do use crystal light to mix it up)


Please tell me I'm doing everything right and that it just takes time!! Or help me correct what is wrong. I really am looking for a sign that this is all working.

[Puddles]

Awww, hun, we'll get it figured out somehow! It sure does suck when you're trying so hard and you don't see results.

Let me ask you this...is the diet you just listed what you've been doing for the last week or for the 7 weeks prior?

Please provide say 2 or 3 days worth of meal plans (both what you were doing a month ago and what you're doing now). I know that's gonna be a pain in the ass to type out, but do it anyway. Include what time of the day you're eating plus when in the day you're doing your training.

Hang in there girl. Something's gotta give and we'll figure out what it is! :)

How old are you too?

I know for me, at 1500 cal's I will not loose bf. no matter how heavy I train or how much cardio I do. I have a very slow metabolism and I'm 38 y.o. at 5'3" around 13% bf. I just slipped below the 150 mark at 149...been workin on it for months. I'm finally getting my diet tweaked to what my body works well with.

[dick0375]

I'm 24 and below is the diet I started this past week:

M1 (7 or 7:30 am): 5 egg whites, 1 whole egg
1/2 grapefruit
3 oz. chicken or turkey
1 fish oil cap
M2 (9:30 or 10): Shake w/ strawberries, 1 tsp of flax oil
M3 (12 or 12:30): 6oz. chicken, turkey or fish
2c. green veggies
1 fish oil cap
M4 (3:00): Same as 2
M5 (5:00): Same as 3
M6 (7:00): 6 egg white omelet

I try to have (2) 30 min. workouts - one in the morning around 9:30 and one in the evening.

This is the type of meal I was eating for the first 7 weeks. I would also vary it up by substituting mrp's at 2 meals on alternative weeks and for a change of snack sometimes, I would make a whey protein shake.

Meal 1: 1/2 cup (dry) oatmeal, cooked with 2 scoops whey protein

Meal 2: 6 egg whites, scrambled with broccoli and Pam-saut‚ed onions

Meal 3: 6 oz. chicken breast; 4 oz. yam; 1 cup steamed cauliflower

Snack: 6 oz. turkey breast; 1/2 cup fresh red pepper slices

Meal 4: 6 oz. cod, simmered in pan with 2 Tbsp. salsa; 8 asparagus spears; 1 small salad with Dijon-balsamic vinegar dressing

I was doing cardio on this diet around 90-110 minutes (now I think, way too much!), but that was what the diet specified in order to loose the fat in 12 weeks.

My metabolism has been beaten up. First I lost weight, then I gained it back, then I lost the weight again and got down to 130lb, but I pretty much did not provide my system with protein and I lost muscle mass. I was unhealthy. Now, I've gained it all back during the past year. I'm ready to cry. Even my "fat jeans" the ones I wore over 3 years ago are starting to get tight. There's nothing worse than that. I just want to slim down the right way and keep my sanity in the process. I'm willing to work hard and keep my diet clean to see fast results. I need my self esteem back.

Thank you so much for responding Puddles!

[Mr I]

Your diet looks pretty good.

Your training looks toooo much. 6 x 1 hr cardio per week is gonna suck all your energy, and if your gonna do both cardio and weights on the same day then do the weights first.

you should keep that protien level but vary your carbohydrate intake, up for a couple of days (e.g. weekend) and down to what your intake is above for 4-5 days.

I think that your progress will slow if you keep hammering yourself the way you seem to be. Regular cardio sessions are good but shouldn't be too intense, I think 30-40 minutes at a hr of above 125bpm but below 160 is enough if done say 3 time per week. In terms of weights train your whole body over 3-4 workouts (i.e. split up the body parts).

It sounds as if your doing too much cardio and as a result your burning away chances of improved muscle tone. If you don't rest up and sleep enough in between workouts or overtrain by doing too regular workouts or too much cardio then you wont recouperate in time for your next workout and you won't improve your athletic performance, fitness and muscle tone.

More muscle equates a faster metabolic rate, your not gonna achieve that by overtraining, and you may make your self run down and susceptable to illness as well as depression through glycogen (energy) depletion, not to mention supress your endocrine (hormone) system and slow down your metabolic rate.

Take a step back, moderate your cardio regime, keep eating healthy, get your vitamins B's and C's and get pleanty of rest between workouts. Think beyond how many calories you have burned and think more about improving your athleticism and well being.

Rome wasn't built in a day and drastically loosing weight isn't good for anybody.

good luck

[lordikon]

Re: sooooo tired and frustrated and ready to cry

Originally posted by dick0375
I am just frustrated. I have not solved the fat loss puzzle yet. I don't see changes in the way my clothes look. It seems like my upper body has made changes, but my lower half is still HUGE!!!

I have been dieting for over 8 weeks - the first 7 weeks on one diet and the last week on a new diet I found on the website posted by red. Here are the vitals

160 lb., bf% estimated at 20-23%
1 hr. cardio 6x a week (sometimes 7)
weights for 20-30 min. moderate weight after each cardio session
diet: around 1500 cals, about 230 g protein (15 oz. chicken breast, 12 egg whites + 1 yolk, mrp's, about 35 g carb (broccoli and grapefruit - how many carbs in grapefruit?) - use no cal butter spray
no dairy
flax and fish oils
at least 3.5-4 quarts of water (do use crystal light to mix it up)


Please tell me I'm doing everything right and that it just takes time!! Or help me correct what is wrong. I really am looking for a sign that this is all working.

Take measurements. When I first started working out I gained 18 lbs before I even noticed a slight change. Even with my before/after pictures it was hard to see. But my measurements told me I'd gained 3/4" on the biceps, and various other gains....etc.

If you're weight lifting you could be gaining muscle and losing fat, so a scale might not help you. You just need some more time, that diet sounds good for your size. Maybe put on some more muscle and with that alone you'll burn a little more fat each day.

[cowgirl]

I agree with both of the above posts.

First lets talk about the amount of cardio you are doing. I've done what you are doing cardio wise & could never lose anything. And I was always hungry from the cardio. Last year I took off more than 25 lbs of fat & did no cardio in the process. It can be done! It took alot of reading & research to convience me. I also started out at 1600cals per day & by the end of the 3rd month I was eating 2000 cals a day. I found if I hit 2100, I would start to gain.

I started to stall in my weight loss & added in cycling my carbs. It was just what I needed & the weight loss started up again. I was lifting heavy so my body needed more calories.

Cardio is a catch 22.

The more you do the more muscle you burn,
The more muscle you burn, the less calories you need.
The less calories you eat, the less your muscles will grow.
and then you need even less calories per day.

Make sense?

Second point, measurements not the scale. You dramatically change you bodies composition with excersize.

[dick0375]

Thank you for all of your advice and words of encouragement. I truly appreciate it.

So, from what I understand... I am to continue with red's diet of 230 g protein, etc. and cut down the cardio ot 30-40 minutes 4/5 days per week and continue with light weight high rep weight training (I am not trying to bulk up - I want to be lean ). I am naturally muscular and I want my body to be tight and toned.

Sound good?

Thanks everyone

[GearTripper]

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[dick0375]

You are the first person to say that my protein consumption is too much and I COMPLETELY AGREE. I have noticed since starting the diet, that I HAVE GAINED weight. That is what has gotten me so upset. That did not seem right to me if the goal was actually to loose weight. I did not like the way that after eating I was always soooo full and I do not like eating all those eggs.

I am actually only consuming 2 shakes per day - 2 scoops per shake. I don't have the bottle in front of me now, but I do know that each scoop is 130 calories, 40 g of protein and 4 g of carbs. I purchased it at GNC.

Thank you so much for confirming my reservations. The diet your girlfriend follows would be applicable to my scenario, but I should not drink any of the shakes?

Knowing my stats, what should be a healthy caloric intake for me to loose body fat? (160lb, 5'6", bf of 20-23%)

So you agree with the 40 min. cardio sessions 3/4 times per week and moderate weight lifting at high reps? Should I do more cardio?

[GearTripper]

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[GearTripper]

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[cowgirl]

Yeah............Gear & you are right. If you don't want to build nuscle cut ot the protein & keep doing all that cardio! Those high reps with moderate weights will also help insure you don't gain any unsightly muscle.

[Pumpdogg]

I agree with geartripper, I think you posted another thread a few weeks back and I had intended to post a reply but my wife had some major surgery and I have not been on the board really at all. I think with Trippers adjustments you will see a difference. Dont beleive the hype that you can not eat to much protein or that it will not make you fat, that is just not true, and try changing up your cardio.
What I mean by that, is get on an exercise bike that you can stand up on or a treadmill and run or pedal at 85% max for 20 seconds then slow down to 60% 30 seconds repeat this cycle for 20 minutes. Next day you do carido try 10 second sprint at 85% and 15 seconds at 60 %. This is a far better way to burn bodyfat than standard long distance cardio.
Keep your head up it is a slow process for allot of us, like I have been on a diet for 7 weeks and have lost only 9 pounds, but everyweek my lifts continue to increase and my body comp continually changes, if I relyed on the scale I would be freaking out by now. YOU CAN DO IT, say that when you feel like gowing home and not finishing a workout. Im 30 now and most of the people I went to high shcool with look terrible and here I look better. We are always more critical of ourselves than other people which can sometimes be a bad trait. YOu can do it

PD

[dick0375]

Hi GearTripper,

Once again, thanks for all the help. Here are the stats on the protein powder. I purchased it at GNC and its name is AMPLIFY by RELEASE (Dietary Supplement, Advanced amino acid blend).

Serving: 1 scoop
130 cals (18 cals from fat)
Total fat: 2 g
Sodium: 50mg
Total Carb: 4g
Protein: 20g

[GearTripper]

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