New to this board...problem/question

Hi, I have never posted on this board before, but I read it a lot. I typically stay on the Lightweight board. Anyway, I work out 4 days a week, pretty hard core. I used to do 5-6 days a week, but I'm having a hip problem, and I can't quit losing weight. I run outside when it's nice, run on my treadmill when it's cold, some light weights, crunches, push-ups, several core exercises, etc.

How many calories do you all eat? I have upped my calories to 1500-1800 a day, I eat extremely healthy and balanced. I started eating the recommended percentages of carbs/protein/fat instead of low-carb high-protein. I keep losing and don't want to. I'm still in the healthy BMI range, but just barely. Two more pounds and I'm in the underweight range.

Since I assume someone will want to know my exact workout:
The bulk of my work out is cardio...I'm kind of addicted to running. I do 60-100 minutes of intervals running/walking fast and adjust the incline up and down.
I do 30-45 push-ups (boy push-ups, not girl push-ups)
200 crunches, a couple of 1 minute planks
When I do weights, it's low weight, 8 pounds, 3 sets of 12 for each exercise.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Not sure but I would say that you need to try adding some healthy fats. Maybe some additional snacks of cheese and fruit? Are you doing any shakes? You can get some added calories in via drinks, maybe you could try adding a couple of shakes with milk, peanut butter and banana. Working out the way you do you really are just going to have to up the calories so your body has more fuel in order to stop the weight loss. Hope this helps some and I'm sure some of the more experienced folks will have some better suggestions.

I do 2-3 shakes a day, but I could try adding banana or peanut butter, that's a good idea.

My first suggestion would be to sit down with a nutritionist but I know that doesn't always work. You are still in your honeymoon phase so you probably just need to give it more time and your body will adjust. If you want to stop the loss I would stay with the same diet but throw in a few hand fulls of almonds throughout the day or add in a few spoonfulls of a nut butter. This is an easy way to add in a lot of extra cals without adding a lot of food volume which will make it easier to take back out later when your body adjusts. I get in around 3000 to 3500 cals a day but I am trying to build muscle and I train very hard. I am probably not eating enough for my goals.

I just met with the bariatric dietician and she told me to be at 1200-1400 calories a day. I don't think she understands the level of exercise that I do. Every inch of me is drenched and I am weak when I am done. I run fast on a high incline. I know the calorie burn on the treadmill is not accurate, especially at my weight, but I use it to compare how hard I am working to other days. Usually it says I burn around 2000 calories. When I first started out, it said about 350.

1200-1400 is too low if you work out hard.

If you like running, why not sign up for a race and then do a typical runner's week of one long, steady workout, one tempo run and one interval run? That might actually lower your calorie burn since you do the LSD workout at below race pace. (But, even if it doesn't, it's fun.)

How are you calculating your calories in? Is it possible you are being too conservative there (i.e., over-estimating portion sizes or how many calories a serving has)? It's possible you may not be eating as much as you think you are.

You also might want to do more strength and less cardio. Strength training will actually help you run faster and building up some muscles should make then number on the scale go up.

I have noticed that I don't always finish my dinner, etc, so that is probably part of it. I weigh and measure all my food according to what I plan ahead of time. I also eat lots of raw veggies, which fill me up, but don't have much for calories, and I know our bodies use a lot of energy to process them.

I did a couple of 5ks this year, but I wasn't planning on running outside again until Spring. I really have a problem with the cold (lack of natural insulation), but maybe I should bundle up and get back out there.

I will definitely try concentrating more on the strength training, rather than the long cardio work outs. I just happen to enjoy the cardio more (which is the complete opposite of most people I know).