Yep, its been 2 months and I haven't lost any weight. I still look the same (although I believe my arms are starting to get in shape). I thought I did everything right. I ate 5 times a day (every 3 hours) and worked out daily. I did weight lifting 3 times a week and did cardio everyday (about 22 mins each session).

This is what I ate everyday:
Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: protein bar (about 290 cals)
Meal 3: chicken breast, 1 cup of brown rice and 1 cup of broccoli
Meal 4: fruits (2 oranges and 1 apple) or I sometimes ate 1 boiled egg and 1 apple
Meal 5: chicken breast, 1 cup of broccoli and an apple or orange

I did minor changes to my diet during the 2 months. For example, sometimes I ate 2 or 4 cups of broccoli on a single meal, sometimes I didn't eat brown rice. Other times I ate 2 chicken breast units per meal and later on I switched it to just 1 chicken breast a day (but I went back to 2).

I don't get it. I thought I was eating enough calories in order to lose weight. I don't know what I did wrong. Maybe the chicken breast has more calories than I though? I calculated about 200 cals per unit but I am most likely wrong because I don't have a scale. I also think I need to eat more protein; I think I'm fine with the carbs I'm eating. The last couple of weeks I've done less excercise than I used to do and the last couple of days I haven't eaten well (due to my defeat and lost most of my hope).

Any suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated. I know I was defeated but I'm not going to give up yet. Theres a saying (from a song) that goes "You've got to lose to know how to win" and I'm sticking with that.

But I would like to stick with basic foods (like the ones I am eating) and foods that are easy to calculate (how many calories they have).

Thanks in advance. Oh and here are some of my stats: 5'4", 190 lbs., 19 years old. I checked how many calories I need to consume in order to lose weight and its about 1650 per day. I calculated about 300 cals per meal I ate but I guess I was wrong.

EDIT: My Lifting Program is listed below. Also added my goal.

BB Curls
BB Bent Over Row
Stiff-Legged
Bench Press
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell One Arm (shoulder)

I do HIIT but unfortunately I don't have enough weights to increase (for stiff legged, bench press and bent over row). I do 2 sets of each and I do 3 full body workouts a week.

I should also mention that I want to lose weight. I read that you can build muscle and burn fat at the same time. But now I am not sure. But I'd like to concentrate on losing weight first and then building muscle because I'm just tired of being fat.

Oh and here are some of my stats: 5'4", 190 lbs., 19 years old. I checked how many calories I need to consume in order to lose weight and its about 1650 per day. I calculated about 300 cals per meal I ate but I guess I was wrong.

I'm think you might not be eating enough.

And since you're 19 years old and male, I think you might be better off aiming at recomposition as opposed to directly cutting. Cutting at your time of life is like a waste of testosterone.

You better explain what sort of lifting program you have. When you say:

although I believe my arms are starting to get in shape

I wonder whether your lifting program is all it could be.

I added my lifting program zenpharaohs. :)

Wow.

Tough luck....I've been gaining like crazy at 19 years old.

;)

I have to ask how certain you are of your adherance to the diet you listed. It could use some improvement for sure -- too little food, not enough (any) specific healthy fat sources -- but there should probably be some level of weight loss regardless with your stats and stated activity.

Are there liquid calories you're not factoring in, alcohol, cheat meals on the weekend -- anything like that?

What were you eating like before you started two months ago? I seem to be able to find a lot of threads in the past where you've been on again / off again on a low calorie fitness plan. The state of your metabolism could be paying the price as a result.

Any changes in body measurements?

I'd also like to see the lifting program. Are you just "working out", or are you training with intensity and a system of progression? Are you getting considerably stronger? Do you have your lower body considerably involved for the metabolic impact?

Why only 22 minutes of cardio? Are these really intense sessions?


Put away the calorie calculators and start using your results to gauge the effectiveness of your nutritional approach. You can't go and "check" how much food you should be eating in some manual like you're a fixed state machine; the human body doesn't work that way.

EDIT: My Lifting Program is listed below. Also added my goal.

BB Curls
BB Bent Over Row
Stiff-Legged
Bench Press
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell One Arm (shoulder)

I do HIIT but unfortunately I don't have enough weights to increase (for stiff legged, bench press and bent over row). I do 2 sets of each and I do 3 full body workouts a week.

Scale of 1-10, what level of exertion do you feel on a routine like this? Dripping with sweat or are you just going through the motions?

Not having enough weight doesn't sound good at all if you're not getting creative and doing what it takes to make the exercise(s) challenging.

You don't need real heavy weights for fat loss, but you do need a high level of intensity in the context of perceived effort and progressive challenges to the body as a whole. If you're doing traditional body builder exercises with straight sets and normal rest parameters with a level of resistance your body is well adapted to, that's not going to do much for your results.

I added my lifting program zenpharaohs. :)

You said in one of your post that you only had 35lb dumbbells. What does your BB weights look like? are you doing one set of each exercise or more. What are the reps? Tell what you are doing?

I like low calories but I think you are eating some more food somewhere.
Where did you get the 1650?

Your BMR is 1933, I give you a liberal 1.55 activity rate because I have no idea what you are doing. That = 2996 calories to maintain your present overweight condition. Now if you subtract 1000 calories to get 2 lbs loss a week, that is 1996 calories. What are you drinking with meals? water only? Check your calories, keep a journal. If you were taking 1650, you would lose weight. Something don't add up.:cool:

Well one of my friends says that I've lost some weight but I don't believe her. She's the only person that knows I'm on a diet and workout daily.

I don't add liquid calories because I only drink diet coke. I drink tons of diet coke and very little water. I only drink about 2 bottles of water a day.

2 months ago I just ate whatever when I was hungry. I ate fast food once or twice a week. At home I ate big bowls of cereal for breakfast, pancakes, about 5 scrambled eggs. The rest of the day I ate big portions of steak, chicken breast (fried), white rice, white bread, and things like that. And other traditional food from my country.
But I've been on and off on very low carb diets before.

I added my lifting program in my first post. I rest about 3 minutes in between sets. I believe I am getting stronger because I lift more weight now. I was struggling a bit at first.

I wouldn't call my cardio intense. I switch between walking and running every 4 minutes. I run at 5.3 on the treadmill.
I don't count how many calories I eat every day or anything like that. I estimated about 1600 cals with my diet and 300 cals per meal. It was the only way I can keep track of what I eat I guess.
I feel like a failure now.

Scale of 1-10, what level of exertion do you feel on a routine like this? Dripping with sweat or are you just going through the motions?

Not having enough weight doesn't sound good at all if you're not getting creative and doing what it takes to make the exercise(s) challenging.

You don't need real heavy weights for fat loss, but you do need a high level of intensity in the context of perceived effort and progressive challenges to the body as a whole. If you're doing traditional body builder exercises with straight sets and normal rest parameters with a level of resistance your body is well adapted to, that's not going to do much for your results.

I like the routine. I'd rate mine about 8. I feel like I'm really putting my body to the test. Sometimes I just want to get it over with because it's tough. But I do need more weight on the exercises I mentioned. I do way more reps than I'm suppose to do.

You said in one of your post that you only had 35lb dumbbells. What does your BB weights look like? are you doing one set of each exercise or more. What are the reps? Tell what you are doing?

I like low calories but I think you are eating some more food somewhere.
Where did you get the 1650?

Your BMR is 1933, I give you a liberal 1.55 activity rate because I have no idea what you are doing. That = 2996 calories to maintain your present overweight condition. Now if you subtract 1000 calories to get 2 lbs loss a week, that is 1996 calories. What are you drinking with meals? water only? Check your calories, keep a journal. If you were taking 1650, you would lose weight. Something don't add up.:cool:

I have a total of 96 lbs. on my barbell (not counting the bar itself). I do 2 sets of each exercise. I do about 15 to 20 reps on some of the exercises I mentioned that needed more weight. I'm doing fine on BB Curls: latest was at 70 lbs, 10 reps on the first set and 8 reps on the second set. I rest about 3 to 4 minutes each set. After I'm done with an exercise I rest about 5 to 6 minutes.

And I got 1650 on a calculator. I just listed my stats. But I put I was sedentary even though I am not. But I still consider myself to be sedentary despite working out daily because I sit around all day.

Oh! I forgot to mention that I wasn't on my diet for 1 day during the two months. That's when I ate pizza.

I added my lifting program in my first post. I rest about 3 minutes in between sets. I believe I am getting stronger because I lift more weight now. I was struggling a bit at first.

I wouldn't call my cardio intense. I switch between walking and running every 4 minutes. I run at 5.3 on the treadmill.

I don't count how many calories I eat every day or anything like that. I estimated about 1600 cals with my diet and 300 cals per meal. It was the only way I can keep track of what I eat I guess.
I feel like a failure now.


No sense in feeling like a failure. Just get intense. This is the time to change for a lifetime. cut your rest to 30-60 sec. Your arms are one of the smallest muscles on your body. Change your routine to work largest muscles first. What exercises are you doing for 20 reps? your bar might weight 15 or 20 lbs. I bet it is 110lbs total, you lift bar - count it. You could be doing squats, deadlifts, bent over rows, bench press with 110lbs for 3 sets

BB Squats 3 sets of 12-15
BB SL Deadlift 3 sets of 8-12 reps
BB bent over row 3 sets of 8-12 reps
BB Shoulder press 3 sets of 8-12 reps
BB bench Press 3 sets of 8-12 reps
BB curls 2 sets of 8-12 reps

Weigh weekly, Measure waist and chest. Buy more weights. do cardio after workout.

Do all exercises slow and controlled. If you aren't breathing heavy and heart rate up, your workout isn't intense.

A cup of broccoli is 30-40 calories. Start using the net to get a good idea of what you are eating. Start counting what you eat? Water is cheap, it doesn't excite your taste buds and etc. like diet coke. Drink it cold. Brush your teeth alot. :tucool:

thanks your advice rtestes. I'll probably buy more weight next week when I have the chance.

My own experience, being three months into my program, is that you should aim for body recomposition. I've decided to go all out and bulk, which also means eating a lot (clean, though), and I'm not going to cut until sometime in the spring of 2009.

Now, it might just be a newbie phenomen, but I have had great results adding muscle and at the same time reducing my fat percentage. I'm very close to my goal of a flat stomach! I have also realised how much of my body before was fat, and how much new muscle I'm building - and in places I didn't even know there was supposed to be muscle. :lol:

So, bulk, bulk, bulk would be my advice. It's working out great for me. Eat (clean) and lift. :eat::bb:

I should add that I also do cardio of 30 minutes spinning two times a week.

:gl:

Doesn't matter how you slice it.....if you are trying to lose weight and you are not losing any it's because you're "calories in" is in the wrong ratio to "calories out".

By your own admission you are not monitoring the calory total daily.

In essence you are "winging" it.

Join FitDay or NutriDiary.....

Although a lot of people espouse intensity for lifting (nothing wrong with that) IMO some good volume work can do wonders too for weight loss.

On my lowest rep day for Squats I've never gone below 40 reps total (adding up sets). On other days I'm up over 110 reps total. On the other hand I don't do Squats 3 times aweek.

Bodyweight squats, you're not squatting if you can't get over 100 reps total for added-up sets.

And I'm not even lifting for weight loss.

LISS can be good. But personally I wouldn't use LISS exclusively.

Mix it up with some good HIIT.

Come on people....you think if you sit on your duff for 16 hours day that 2 sets of 8 reps twice a week is going to miraculously transform you?

(Not trying to be sarcastic here....I'm never trying to be sarcastic:)

(Edit:-)...and this is not to knock HIT programs BTW. I think that HIT ,properly applied, can do really good things. But from what I read here, not too many people seem to really understand it or apply it properly. A lot of weight-loss "posters' seem to think that 75 hours a week on the eliptical at just past walking speed is all they need to lose weight. And that they can continue eating exactly as they have been....the 75 hours LISS will take care of everything.
Wrong.......it won't. Your body will quickly and efficiently adapt to such a routine and with no diet change it will quickly and efficiently figure out how to use those plentiful calories and the result will be no weight loss. Same-old same-old = same-old same-old.)

just wanted to bump this topic.

it's been a month and a couple of weeks and I still haven't started working out or my diet. I'm going to start soon. It's just pretty hard to start all over again when you know you haven't seen any progress.

Keep at it, it's a continuing process. At least get one aspect down soon, be it diet or your lifting routine.

just wanted to bump this topic.

it's been a month and a couple of weeks and I still haven't started working out or my diet. I'm going to start soon. It's just pretty hard to start all over again when you know you haven't seen any progress.

If you want it, you must act. You didn't see progress because you didn't work at it. Do it right and you can see progress each day.:tucool:

I wouldn't call my cardio intense. I switch between walking and running every 4 minutes. I run at 5.3 on the treadmill.


I think your cardio is what's really going to make the difference for you during cutting. After your warmup, try 2 minutes at 6 and then 1 minute at 9. do sets of 3+3

I have 4 more weeks of cutting and this HIIT workout has what's really given me results so far. good luck :tu:

just wanted to bump this topic.

it's been a month and a couple of weeks and I still haven't started working out or my diet. I'm going to start soon. It's just pretty hard to start all over again when you know you haven't seen any progress.

Don't start "soon", start today. Get some activity into your day that has been absent for the past month. Go do something outdoors for an hour; it doesn't matter at all what that "something" is.

It appears you're making things more difficult than they need to be by failing to adapt a lifestyle approach to your fitness goals. You don't need a bulletproof plan for positive body recomposition at 190 lbs on a 5'4 frame. You need to get active, stay active, and make sure your overall nutrtional habits are progressively moving away from the behaviors that contributed to your current situation. The exact "how/what/when/why" is not a critical component at the moment.

Building a mental connection that it needs to be hard, extreme, or something you have to grind your way through is in no way benefitial. Find a way to truly enjoy fitness, and positive results will follow.