To ask why I’m not loosing weight with all the excercise I’m doing?!

[Endorphins]

So I excercise 6 days per week and eat healthy 5 days per week!

I do 3 days of weight and strength training
2 days of running, generally about 7k each time
1 day of yoga for 60 minutes

I track via MFP and generally have about between 1300 and 1500 cals per day

On the weekend I relax the cal counting but don’t binge

I am still breast feeding my 2 year old and she feeds multiple times per day and throughout the night

I weigh 9 and a half stone

You’re not in a calorie deficit overall.

That’s the only reason to not lose weight.

If you’re not tracking your cals on a weekend then you will 100% eating more than you think. It’s incredibly easy to under estimate your calories.

Track everything for one week honestly including the weekend and see where you are.

Calorie deficit is everything. Exercise is great for you but it is not the tool to fat loss.

You can outrun your fork.

You just have to accurately calculate the forking damage that's been done, and then run the appropriate amount of calories off.

There's so many myths, but it's really just maths.

Oh and building muscle from weight lifting That would make a significant difference to your weight takes years of dedication and it wouldn’t make a huge amount of difference unless you were a power lifter. Lifting weights - the best exercise for losing weight but CALORIE DEFICIT!!!!

physiqonomics.com/eating-too-much/

I shared this on a weight loss thread I’m on on here because I found it really interesting.

@Eckhart True! But the problem tends to be that people over estimate their exercise and under estimate their consumption. IF you are experienced and have good tools and know your BMR and all that jazz then course you can.
Most people can’t though bc they think a 5k run covers a takeaway pizza and bottle of wine (me)

It’s relevant with respect to the debate about whether or not OP “needs” to lose weight.

Clear from BMI that OP doesn’t “need” to lose weight from a health point of view. She wishes to do so, and can do so and remain in the BMI 20+ range.

You shouldn't be trying to lose a lot really when breastfeeding.

Also. If your daily calories are 1300

But your exercise adds in 700. Which your would easily do

Then are you saying by eating your exercise calories. You're eating 2000 calories. (Based on above)?

Don't know why so many people are telling the OP she doesn't need to lose weight. Perhaps there is no urgent need, but you should be monitoring your weight generally as part of your overall healthcare (this doesn't mean obsessing over it and weighing yourself every day, for be record) and if it starts to creep up it's easier to nip it in the bud then and there. Especially if you're not happy with it.

It's easier to lose a few lbs than it is to lose a few stone.

You don't need to wait until your BMI is over 25 (or whatever threshold you set for being overweight) before thinking "whoops, I should do something about that".

Slim people can diet too. I'm slim having lost weight in the past, and I notice if I start to carry a little extra weight on my hips and stomach. Am I overweight? No. Does it mean I should ignore the extra lbs? Also no.

Obviously the OP doesn't need to lose weight but she can still want to. I'm 5'8 and 9 stone 7, I'm in no way 'stick thin' not do I have a problem with eating. I am currently trying to lose the last 7lb to get back to my pre (third) baby weight, but she's only 6 months old so I know it can take time.

The thing is when you aren't overweight it's harder to lose weight and takes longer. You might be seeing gains in size though so try measuring yourself OP. And try not to be too hard on yourself about your belly, mine isn't great after 3 babies but it gave me my children so I'm learning to love it.

Wowfudge
Speak for yourself AwwDontGo. If the OP wants to lose weight then that's her choice. I posted that she's right in the middle of the healthy BMI range because I think it's not something she needs to stress about or beat herself up over

Not sure what your point is. The OP has said she want to lose weight and I pointed out that because she is in the middle of her healthy BMI there is nothing wrong with her wanting to lose a few pounds IF SHE WANTS TO.

@Lockheart I've been told so often 'Why aren't you having any cake?! You don't need to watch your waistline!', when the obvious fact is, the only reason I don't need to watch my waistline is because I often don't have cake.

I honestly think we've got the whole thing back to front. The way to tell if you're eating too many calories is to observe whether or not you're looking toned/how much fat you are visibly carrying. You don't have to know the number of calories. The whole diet industry and all our inner turmoils can be silenced by the phrase 'Eat less and move more'. If it doesn't work, do it harder.

You can't walk 50 miles a day, only eat an apple a day, and stay overweight. You can't sit still every day, eat 7 pizzas with a cheese loaded crust every day, and stay underweight. Adjust accordingly.

When you say you are eating your exercise cals does that mean that the 1300 cals is the result of subtracting calories burnt via exercise from your actual calories consumed?

For me, I do eat only 1200-300 per day (without any subtraction) and do 9 hours per week over 7 days which includes 2 hours of pilates but the rest is 30 mins in the cross trainer every morning and 45 mins aerobics also every morning. On Saturday and Sunday I eat about 1,800 calories. Prior to lockdown I was doing a similar amount but on 4 days rather than daily. Over 2 years I have lost just over a stone and it is fucking demoralising 😭😭😭

You need to be in a calorie deficit. Don't eat your exercise calories, that is the problem!!

I’m 5,5 when I’m 9.5 stone I’m stick thin!you don’t need to lose weight

I'm 5' 7" and 8st 10lbs. I have muscles like Arnie and nobody in their right mind would call me 'stick thin'.

We're all different, innit?

I had 3 kids, and for each my body held onto nearly 10lbs until I stopped breastfeeding (average age 2.5 years old). When I stopped the weight fell off (those were great weeks). I know some people get very skinny breastfeeding, but my body was the equivalent of a pandemic prepper. I kept reserves in stock.

This was EXACTLY my experience.

I couldn’t lose it when bfing. If didn't matter what I did. At one point, I severely restricted calories and I dropped a few pounds only to put them right back on again at a day or two of eating sensibly (nowhere near bingeing, just sensible healthy eating).

It fell off when I stopped. I wasn’t even trying. It was like magic.

Sometimes it’s just hormonal. Just accept that now’s not the time.

Anecdotally 10lbs seems to be what the body holds on to if it’s holding reserves when bfing. I’ve heard similar stories from lots of people.

I love reading threads like this, really backs up my opinion that the majority of women have messed up relationships with their bodies and food.

There is no need for anyone to make their life miserable by calorie counting. You do plenty of exercise, you seem to have a good grasp on how much you should be eating. You're also already a healthy weight, you just have an area you're not happy with.

Eat a bit more protein, make sure the strength training is good (heavy) strength training, stop stressing about it. Stress = cortisol = fat around your middle.

FWIW I didn't lose all my baby weight until I stopped BF both times.

Not specifically in reference to the OP but it's just not that easy for the majority of women, as NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace said, it takes a long time (potentially years) to build siginifcant muscle from heavy weight lifting, specifically you'd have to be focusing on hypertrophy training. You need to be very focused and be deliberately trying to build muscle, including eating enough calories with an adequate amount of protein. Basically not the common cry on Mumsnet of "I'm using 2kg dumbells and my arms are getting huge". It's probably just water retention!

Thank you @Outofdodge You've said it much more completely, and eloquently than I could

I'm training for a competition at the minute and ..... it's brutal. I lift heavy weights (under proper instruction) and eat chicken, eggs, porridge, brown rice, vegetables and a little protein powder on repeat. Every. Single. Day. No treats. No exceptions

Before the competition training kicked in, I was lifting heavy weights and eating a fairly healthy diet but it's taken a revamp of my training schedule (to split training) and the introduction of the strictest diet to have any impact on my muscles development.

So for any women out there worrying that you'll get bulky if you lift weights, you really won't unless you're actively looking to do so. It's great exercise. Get stuck in

OP what is the goal ?
To be sub 9.5 stone or to improve a certain area?
But the maths are simple, consume less than you burn.
Have a look at 'tablespoon' of peanut butter comparison to give you an idea of why MFP might say your are on 1200 when the reality might be different.
The first time I dropped from 27% to 22% body fat the weight on the scales was 400g.
Don't be hard on yourself tho

I love reading threads like this, really backs up my opinion that the majority of women have messed up relationships with their bodies and food.

I definitely haven't (got a messed up relationship with either my body or food). I just want to be on stage and understand the sacrifices that I need to make to get there

I love reading threads like this, really backs up my opinion that the majority of women have messed up relationships with their bodies and food.

Seriously. Adults with BMI bordering on underweight, running miles upon miles each week, claiming that they have "huge" tummies and "muscles like Arnie" 🙄 Sure they do...

Seriously. Adults with BMI bordering on underweight, running miles upon miles each week, claiming that they have "huge" tummies and "muscles like Arnie" 🙄 Sure they do...

OK, not like Arnie: twas poetic licence, I'll admit . But I have really good muscle definition. What would I have to gain by saying so, were it not true? I may seem like I'm 'bordering on underweight' but that's only because my body fat is so low. I'm not in the slightest bit skinny and I'm really not quite sure what your snide comment is intended to achieve.

Seriously. Adults with BMI bordering on underweight, running miles upon miles each week, claiming that they have "huge" tummies and "muscles like Arnie" 🙄 Sure they do

Or perhaps it’s just that society now perceives a healthy weight as “underweight”.

At 9.5 stone and 5ft 8 height I am very comfortably in the healthy Weight range according to the NHS BMI calculator. A stone heavier and I carry the whole stone on my stomach. The reason there is a range is to account for different body shapes/types.

@fungster Not sure if you're agreeing or disagreeing with me but yes, I do think a very high proportion of women do have very odd relationships with food. Not everyone, os if you're the exception you don't need to tell me!

It shouldn't be beyond our capabilities to eat enough to sustain us, move in a way that we enjoy (be it running, weightlifting etc..) without counting every calorie that goes in or out. Such a massive amount of women hate their bodies and we need to look at the route cause of that before prescribing them a diet of 1200 calories a day or telling them that their tablespoon of peanut butter is too large.

I have a long history of disordered eating, and the only thing that helped me overcome them was giving up diets and learning how to eat in a sustainable way. I'm a healthy weight, I look ok, I feel healthy. I'm also a Power Lifter, although I haven't competed since having my youngest 2 years ago as she doesn't sleep which has a massive effect on my fitness unfortunately. I don't do it to look a specific way though, I do it because I love it. Being in fitness, and working in a mainly female environment I am exposed to a lot of women's talk of what they eat, how they feel about their body and how much exercise they do and the whole situation makes me very sad.

I like being thin, it's not complicated, I just think it looks better (on me) and I feel better when I'm a bit thinner. Sometimes I feel like it's not ok to say that without people thinking there's something wrong with you or that you have an issue with yourself or with food. I never count anything or restrict anything food-wise, I do run a lot but that's because I like running and it keeps me mentally healthy, I don't do it to lose weight.

Some people feel their best at a size 12 and others at a size 8. You are allowed to choose and there is nothing wrong with just liking being slimmer and it being as simple as that. Maybe that's how the OP feels?