Not Seeing the Results I Want

[MandyMac]

I'm Female, 17, approximately 140lbs, 5'6'' with a BMI of about 22.
Pretty average, if an average BMI is about 21.

I used to weigh around 150lbs, and my Junior year of HS in the fall I lost 15lbs in the fall during my swim season; going down to 135lbs.

I went from a size 12, to an 8.
I was on an extremely strict swim diet at the time, so that, and burning as much as 3,000 calories in a 2hr practice, is what did it.

This season however, I didn't lose any weight again. Given, I wasn't as strict with my diet- but still.

I'm done with swim now... forever ... I probably won't ever be burning that many calories in that amount of time again.

I'm on week 2, month 2, of INSANITY. The first month, I didn't lose any weight or drop any inches-- I just kept assuming it'd happen in month two. But so far, nothing still.

I've been following a good diet, according do my FitBit account I should eat about 1700 calories a day, with the exercise I do, to lose 10lbs by next month. And according to livestrong I should eat 1200 calories: with 0 exercise, and about 1900 with the exercise I do; to lose 2lbs a week. I tried the INSANITY diet plan, of 5 200ish calorie meals, and I felt like I was eating too often, and I felt too full all the time. So I went back to my normal diet of a decent breakfast, spreading lunch out over a few hours, then a normal sized dinner after I exercise, with a snack somewhere.

They're both basically telling me the same thing.
There are some days that I go over a little bit, and some days that I'm under, so on a weekly basis- I'm always on track.

However, I'm still not losing any weight.
I'm not gaining either.
I'm not losing/gaining inches.

The only results I'm seeing is that I've got more endurance from Insanity.

But that's not the only thing I want.

I only want to lose 5-6lbs, on my stomach and "muffin top" area. My thighs, butt, hips, arms, etc, are fine to me.

What am I doing wrong?
What else should I be doing, or not doing?

Thanks

[SunsetRunner]

First of all bmi doesn't account for muscle mass. In the eyes of bmi, the rock dwayne johnson is morbidly obese.

I would go with waist to hip ratio. More accurate of your fitness level

[SunsetRunner]

It doesnt sound like youre doing anything wrong. For weight loss, i recommend upping your cardio. Cardio is the best for weight loss..

[MandyMac]

I believe my Body Fat % is 24%? I used one of those machines in September, and that's the number that's sticking in my head.

But why am I not losing any weight then? It's becoming frustrating and puts me in a pretty bad mood when I take my measurements each week, and see no difference.

[MandyMac]

24% is in the average range.

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

I hear ya. I would recommend upping your protein intake and cutting back on carbs.
Increasing your cardio like walking or running on a treadmill should help with the loss.

But really its a numbers game. You need to burn or not take in 3000 calories for every lbs u want to burn.

Ive lost and gained 150 lbs twice. Im on my third go at losing 130. Im down 80 and have another 50 to go. I did it by upping my protein and increasing cardio

[MandyMac]

I'm a vegetarian, so when I don't have access to good meals with no meat-- I usually have to turn to starchy foods.

For instance, when we go out to eat at a seafood or a steak house, I wind up getting fries or nachos or something gross for me.

So, it could easily be lack of protein and too many carbs.

We'll see...

[SunsetRunner]

Hmm well i think we found the culprit
Have u tried the soy burgers?
Soy protein is not as good as meat protein but its something.

[SunsetRunner]

Question
Are u a vegetarian because of your feelings for bambi or do u feel being a vegetarian is good for your health?

I'm just curious

[MandyMac]

I eat boca burgers occassionally, but not often- they can get boring and they're usually breaded.

I'm a vegetarian for all of the above basically.
It's weird though, because I used to eat TONS of meat. I was one of those people that praised bacon left and right. But I learned stuff, and I slowly fazed meat out-- That's actually around the time I lost all the weight the first time.

I'm studying environmental conservation and restoration, and I learned how bad meat production in America is for the environment.
 And yes, the animals are treated pretty poorly-- but what a lot of people don't realize is that the farmers are also treated **ahem**ty. They're blackmailed by the companies they sell to, and they're forced into eternal debt.

It's really only America that has such a disgusting food system though. I think if I grew up in another country, I'd probably not be vegetarian. Who knows.

[SunsetRunner]

Thank u for sharing... you're explanation and reasoning are well founded and yes i fully agree that our industrial food complex is pretty horrific. I work one summer in a slaughter house. I hate red meat but that 3 month stint cemented my beliefs that red meat should be avoided at all cost...

🙂

[Caramammal]

I'm also vegetarian (mostly Vegan actually), and find that the closer i am to my goal, the more strict i need to be with exact calories in and out in order to see results. Are you weighing all your food or just eye-balling it? A food scale can make all the difference. Also, i once dieted and saw zero results for 5 weeks, i was about to give up and bam, 7lbs loss on week 6. No idea what that was about but whatever i was doing eventually worked. Stay dilligent, keep going and be positive, you're doing the right things, it wil happen.

[MandyMac]

Yeah, I just eyeball it. I try and pick loggable foods that go by cups, or serving sizes rather than grams.

[bmquinn]

Hello! 

I agree that cardio does help.  However, I also want to add weight training into the mix.  I am 5'5", 35 years old and weigh 143.  I am a size 6 or 8 depending on the cut of the pants and have some dresses that are a size 4. 

I am a cardio fiend.  I love it.  I run and run and run.  However, I did not notice true changes in my body until I started lifting weights-and going as heavy  as I can.  It changes your body.  You may not lose pounds on the scale, but if you went down a dress size would you be ok with that?  🙂 

I love weights now because of the definition I see in my body.

[SunsetRunner]

Post pics or it never happened 😛

[MandyMac]

I guess it's not about pounds, and dress sizes don't mean much to me. I just know exactly what areas I want to slim down.

These girls "muffin tops" are pretty similar to mine. That's mainly what I want to get rid of, and the fat on my stomach. I know I have abs, you can kind of see them, but the fat on my stomach covers them up- and I want to get rid of all of this to show off the fit body I actually have!

Haha, fitness programs always talk about gettingripped abs- but what do you do when you already have abs, but can't show them?

This is my dilemma.

[bmquinn]

not sure if the post pics was to me or someone else but here is before weights and after I started weight training.  I am back to being a bit more committed to the process and hope to be more "cut" this coming summer.  I was 30 in the first pic and 35 in the second-I have avoided the weight gain that comes from getting older with weight training.

[bmquinn]

I think a lot of the problem with the pics you posted were the cut of clothes the girls chose.  I don't think either of them "need" to lose weight 🙂  Don't be so hard on yourself 🙂

[MandyMac]

Those are amazing results! I'm jealous, hahha.

I'm just saying in terms of the amount of fat in that area I've got. Anybody can look good or bad, depending on their clothes. But that's just imagery of what I could look like with a poor clothing choice I guess. 🙂

These women have similar stomach fat to what I've got, (the before picture of the left, of course).

And I believe he was speakingto you about the pics 🙂

That was just an odd coincidence that I posted pics right after he requested some.

[bmquinn]

I don't know why, but I am drawn to you being so hard on yourself-probably because I was the EXACT same way when I was growing up.  Even when looking at those pictures I don't see anything wrong with those girls 🙂

However, I can understand wanting to see abs-I am obsessed with them too.  Here are my suggestions and what works for me.  I drink a LOT of water.  I start drinking water the minute I get out of bed.  My abs are more visible when I stay away from diet coke or any caffeine.  I think you are 17 so I think the alcohol goes without saying (that stuff is horrible if you want to see your abs).  I do a lot of planks and core work but not a lot of crunches or sit ups.  

Keep in mind, a lot of it could be genetics.  You may have killer legs that I would die for where I tend to be smaller up top 🙂