Need Advice??

Okay, so I haven't lost anything in atleast three weeks and last week I gained 5lbs, lost 5lbs ... vicious little circle. I'm stuck at 215lbs and want to be atleast 200lbs by April. I did start exercising 3-4 times a week - 2.5 to 3 miles on treadmill and 100 crunches and 60 reps of arm and leg exercises. Eating between 900-1,200 calories (maybe once every other week eat 1,500 calories), 64oz of water, 95g protein and trying to stay under 100g of carbs - good or bad). Should I lower my calories or what ... I'm just not loosing fast enough and up to 12 months we are still supposed to loose 8-12 lbs a month. Can cardio build muscle? Could it be that? I was hoping with actually exercising I will loose 2-3lbs a week, but that isn't happening!!

It sounds to me like you need to "shock" your system into losing again. You should be exercising everyday, not just 3-4 times a week. 3-4 times a week is good for maintanance and good for weight training (weight lifting), but for the losing stage....6-7 days a week is really better. 1200 calories is the high-end of where you should be. Your protein is high too. Women only need 65-70 grams of protein. And the carbs should be in the 60 range as well. If you cut back on these two things, your calories will drop into the 900-1000 range. Remember, the farther you have to go and the more you have to lose, the harder you have to "hit it" in the first year. No, cardio doesn't build muscle. Well...that's not entirely true. If you repeat the same type of cardio, you will build some muscle. For instance, my running have given my great thigh muscles. Each type of cardio...swimming, aerobics, bycycling, etc.....will develop a different set of muscles, but if you are looking to build muscle, you need some sort of resistance training...period. Remember the formula: It takes 3500 calories to gain or lose a pound. If your not completely sure about your intake then be sure to track your calories in and calories burned on fitday.com You might be surprised......either way! Loves to ya babe, C

Okay, so the plan as of right now: Calories: 800 to 1000 - will achieve this if eating less protein and carbs Exercise: 5 times a week (I'll build up to 7) Protein: 65g - only 1 protein shake a day and get the rest from food Carbs: Under 60g - gonna have to refigure what I eat to keep under that I do track on Fitday.com, but you are right, I need to shock my body because it's too used to eating what it is right now and I just read another post about the protein ... I'm eating way too much!! Thanks girl!!

Sounds perfect babe! Good luck! I'm glad you didn't take this as a lecture! C

Hey chica- What are you doing for exercise. I think switching what you do will sometimes help. So if you are a runner, through in a spinning class, or swim. hang in there sweetie! love ya, Andrea

2.5 to 3 miles on the treadmill, 100 crunches and 60 reps each of arm and leg exercises and I do this 3-4 times a week. I've been doing this for the past couple of weeks, gonna do this for 2 more and then add some dvd's in like pilates and Denise Austin. I'm gonna try and up my exercising, and work on my eating ... although I wish I was like Channon cuz I'm hungry all the time and always think about what's next on the menu!! Thank girl!! M.

C, I found this which is kind interesting ... How to Calculate Your Protein Needs: 1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg 2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm. Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary. Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training. OR Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day. First, find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is by using this BMR calculator. Using the activity calculator located on the same page, you can then calculate the number of calories you need each day to maintain where you are. After you've figured out your maintenance calories, next figure out what percentage of your diet will come from protein. The percentage you choose will be based on your goals, fitness level, age, body type and metabolic rate. Most experts recommend that your protein intake be somewhere between 15 and 30%. When you've determined your desired percentage of protein, multiply that percentage by the total number of calories for the day. Example: For a 140lb female, calorie intake=1800 calories, protein=20%: 1800 x .20 = 360 calories from protein. Since 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, divide protein calories by four: 360/4 = 90 grams of protein per day. .

Marlize First I would like to say You are doing awesome !!! Secondly I think around this time we all tend to have these stalls. Being I am the stall queen I know how my body loves to just sit at one weight or fluctuate 5 lbs up and down. It is nerve racking. I think staying between 800 to 1000 cals a day is a good number. You need protein and carbs. When you excercise I think 5 days plus a week is a good goal. It does not have to be hitting the gym for 1 hour everyday but something at least a 1/2 hour or more everyday. I believe you need to change something. It might be the excercise routine. It might be the fat intake. Or the carb intake. I try not to eat more than 50 carbs a day. I do not count good carbs however. Fruits and veges. I also upded my water to 120 to 200 ozs a day. I changed my excercise routine. I go to Curves every day. I drink 3 to 4 protein shakes a day. I am eating as balanced as possible. Mostly fish,fruits and veges. I cut out anything higher than 2 gr. of fat per serving.(that is saturated fat).Finally after being the same weight for 6weeks the scale is going down. That is what worked for me. Hope this helps. Hugs Pam

Thanks for the advice Pam!! I actually started the platau buster diet today and hoping it will kick-start my weightloss again. I'm also planning on drinking as much water as you cuz I have to admit I've been lacking in that department, only getting in 64oz whi*****ludes taking my protein shakes. I'm also gonna exercise 4-5 times a week, and instead of waiting to add in exercise dvd's I'm gonna start that this week to change my workout routine. That's all I can think of to do right now ... Sounds like you are doing wonderful and I'm so happy the scale is moving for you again!!! Thanks again, what would I do without you wonderful gals!!

The only thing that I will add is watch lowering your protein intake. I am not loosing as fast as I had been but my protein levels were in the toliet on my last blood test. When did you last have blood taken? Use that as a guide to how much protein you need. I had been getting at least 70 grams in a day and my protein levels were at about half of what they need to be healthy. My doctor told me to up my protein to at least 100 if not even higher. Not giving you advice, just telling you to let your blood work talk. Nancy