Exercising and dieting is not working?

[thisisme123]

i've been on a diet for almost a year and exercising my whole life. This year only I started exercising much more and signing up at the gym including doing track at school. Every day I have track at school running from 1 to 2 miles which is not a lot which is why I go to the gym every day after that . I exercise for more than 1 hour and a half after running 5 miles or more or taking classes. I love exercising its a big part of my lifestyle. I am also on a diet I eat about 1000 calories a day which is not a lot for me I've been doing this for a year and only lost about 12 pounds in a year. I do so much and my friend started exercising very little and eating a little less and lost 5 pounds in a week. I don't know what to do I've tried everything and I am almost 17 years old being 5"7 and 145 pounds

[BeowulfNode]

according to this link for your height, 145lb is pretty much exactly normal. At your height and weight that link says that 48% girls your age and height are heavier than you.

Also in your daily life you'll probably find your weight goes up and down by a few lb due to the physical weight of food and going to the bathroom and that they don't happen at the same time. I seem to recall from school that a full bladder holds about 1lb on average.

If you still want to lose a pound or 2 listen to Zirdz. Message him if you have questions. You may also need to incorporate more stretching in to your exercise to help elongate your muscles to lessen the look of their bulky size. Perhaps yoga or pilates instead of some of the miles you run. Bulky muscles under a layer of fat, even a thin layer, just looks like all fat when that muscle is not working really hard. The stretching in yoga and pilates helps stretch out your muscles so that while they have the same strength and volume they appear smaller.

Your body needs balance to be healthy. It sounds like Zirds is on to something with your body going in to famine mode

Also drinking lots of water will allow your body plenty of fluid to wash away used energy/fat. If your pee is dark, drink more water. Or when you do drink you find that all of a sudden your body starts sweating this is because your body had gone in to drought mode and was not releasing water or used energy/fat through sweat to conserve water. This is a very strong sign you are not drinking enough water.

[Zirdz]

Cardio is a myth. Pick a place to gain muscle. If you're a girl, likely legs. Then do some strength training there. Muscle burns fat even when it is not being used. Also, stay away from fast food but DO NOT DIET! Diets cause your body to go into famine mode where you will virtually stop burning calories. Instead, eat negative calorie foods. Aka colorful veggies and fruits, which cause your body to use more energy digesting than what the food provides yet your body does see it as a famine since you are eating. Eat meat and dairy as you will but stay away from fatty meats. As for breads, bread is new to humans, in relative terms. We have problems digesting it. So although it is heathy, don't eat a ton of it.

[thisisme123]

i eat healthy I never eat out at fast foods I hate it! I don't eat any porc shrimp or anything like that. I also strength training 4 times a week! but thanks :)

[Zirdz]

Okay, could you tell me your workout schedule, including track, cardio and strength training? I believe I see a problem.

[thisisme123]

i usually run 5-6 miles then do some weight lifts or abs that's like 3-4 times a week. Sometimes I do boxing cardio including running 1 mile and then I also do cardio and muscle trainign classes twice a week

[Zirdz]

You're overworking yourself. For one thing, workout only a max of five times a week with min 24hrs in-between as well as taking two days in a row off. What you are doing is sending your body into famine mode again. However, now that you are overworked the only way to really get out of it is to stop working out for at least a week. And I mean completely.

[thisisme123]

How iss stopping working out for a week going to make me skinnier ?

[Zirdz]

Okay so right now your body assumes you are in a famine. It goes back to like caveman times and evolution etc. In a famine your body will burn maybe 2000-2200 calories while you could be burning up to 2600 or more if your body assumes everything is normal. But your body understands famines don't go away in a day, it needs a week to adjust. So I would suggest stopping workingout for a week then condensing your workouts to five days a week. Which may mean shortening your workout, but it is worthit

[madmisskelly]

Dieting and watching your calories itself does not cause your body to go into starvation mode. Eating too few calories does. Watching what you eat will help you lose weight if you have significant weight to lose. However, if you are plateauing or not losing any more, calorie counting, which includes watching carbs, fats and proteins to make sure you don't get too many, but also not too few.

[madmisskelly]

Hiking is less general muscle, and more cardiovascular strength and how quickly you get out of breath and tired. Both of which are helped when you train via running and cardio. Cardio is not a myth, which is why boxers train so heavily with cardio and why runners need to continually train. I am getting a bachelors in dietary, and will be an RD. I know this stuff.

[Zirdz]

I speak from experience and I personally only trust people who also speak from experience but you are entitled to your own opinion. I have never had success with diets, nor ever seen someone have success with them. However, in all my sports cardio is a myth. I find I can outlast anyone if I have the stronger drive.

[madmisskelly]

My guess is you are not eating the right amount of carbs, fat, or protein.

If you do not get enough of these, your body will tend to store whatever you take in, for fear that you will starve it, it will go without, and therefore, it needs to save it.

I would start by logging your calories. www.caloriecount.com is my favorite. It makes sure you are losing weight the healthy way, eating the right amounts of nutrients and calories. You could stand to eat a little bit more, at least 1200. However, you could eat more than that even. As someone who is only 5'1, that's my minimum, 1200.

Thats great with all the cardio, but you should add in weights. Weight training is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It will speed up your metabolism so you will burn more calories throughout the day and when you do cardio. Plus, you will be toned, which looks a lot better than just plain skinny.

[thisisme123]

thank you for the help but I do weight training about 5 times a week too! I feel my muscles but also some fat that's my problem

[madmisskelly]

You need to change up your routine. Use heavier weights, use different and new exercises and new lifting techniques. Your weight is fine for your height. Keep in mind you can still be losing inches and not pounds.

I still vote for calorie counting. I think you will notice a pretty good difference.

[Zirdz]

I for one am against calorie counting. Maybe fat counting with transfats worth double a regular gram of fat and saturated worth one and a half times.

Overall I would suggest measuring measurements and not weight. Nobody on the street is going to come put a scale under you and say 'ew, 145, fat' they will look at you and decide by that.

[Anonymous]

So I’m an athlete and have a sports nutritionist. When you’re exercising that much your body holds onto weight so desperately that you’ll stop getting your period and lose muscle protein before you actually burn fat. Also I’m pretty sure regularly eating less than 1200 a day is a diagnostic criteria for anorexia so that’s probably going to make it harder for you to lose weight or keep off weight in the long run.

My advice: Don’t diet in season and eat at least 1200 cal every day.

[Roraq8]

thats because your not fat..

[Roraq8]

or in need to lose any..

[Roraq8]

actually it could be you getting muscle weight instead of fat weight, are you more toned than before?

[Roraq8]

and your still growing, the places that go curvier are getting fatter anyway

[thisisme123]

I'm obviously more toned but I don't want any fat like I want to drop a pants size at least

[Roraq8]

thats great :D but don't go further than dropping one size

[MrLi0n]

exercising is jus too easy