I've gone backwards - Advice please.

[theshrew]

I'm feeling gutted tonight. Need some advice on what I'm doing wrong.

Over the past month or so I've really changed my diet for a more healthy one I think. After reading some stuff on here I also have started to use myfitnesspal app to keep a eye on my intake. My target is 1400 calories per day and have gone below the target every day apart from 1 when I was only 12 over.

I've also been out on my bike a couple of nights a week doing at least 7 miles
Have got a membership for the swimming baths which I've been going twice a week for the first 2 weeks but I'm going to go 3 times starting this week ( I didn't want to jump right in at 3 ) swimming for about 40-45 min depending on traffic as I go I'm my dinner hour.

I'm very temped to join the gym as its only a few quid more a month than the swimming but bit put off going on my own tbh

2 weeks ago I weighed myself at my parents house and was 14.11 I decided to get some scales of my own today and I've put on 1 lb I'm gutted. Obv there might be a slight diff in the scales but can't be that much.

I'm a bit confused as you see people on here say when you first start off you probably will loose more than a couple of pounds a week and after all my hard work i can see no Benifit at all.

So what am I doing wrong ? What can I do better ?

[theshrew]

MentalSarcasm said:

If you are giving yourself 1400 AND burning off more by exercising then your body is probably going in to "starvation mode", it thinks it's being robbed of necessary energy, so it stops burning fat and starts saving every little calorie it can get.

Make sure you're getting properly balanced meals and that you're including the calories you've burned into your calculations.

Oh and make sure you're drinking your 2 litres of water a day, you'd be amazed at how much water your body needs and after 2 weeks of peeing constantly your blassed will get used to it.

This might be it then tbh I have no idea about how many I should have or what is good to eat or not I'm just going off what the app says.

On average It says I've been having around a 1000 per day ish but I'm entering into it when ive been on my bike or swimming etc. The thing is I have been having 3 meals a day and I feel full up don't really want to eat anymore.

This is where I get confused i feel I'm eating enough but how do I get more calories in without not eating healthy ?

[theshrew]

Ok thanks.

So on the training side of things whats best to do for loosing weight and getting fitter ?

Swim 3 x per week
Bike x 2

Or should i chuck in gym sessions ? If so what sort of things should i do when im there. Never been a gym before so not got a clue what im doing.

Im not bothered about getting huge muscles im fairly big built anyway but suppose it would be nice to just tone up a bit.

[theshrew]

I do a bit of mtb anyway so its not like im starting from scratch with that i just do more of it now. I time myself on the route and try to beat my previous times.

As for the swimming i understand what your saying i did try to count the lenghs in the aim to try and beat what id done but every time i go i loose count lol

I never drink any fizzy drinks or eat choc or anything like that and have stopped drinking in the week and leaving it to a Fri and Sat night only now. ( i was drinking every night )

Thanks for the advice.

[theshrew]

Well out of interest i jumped on the scales last night just to see what they would say 14st5 so a days diff i lost 7 ! Seems the weight goes up and dow a hell of a lot then.

Thanks for the advice

[theshrew]

Liquid Tuna said:

Weighing yourself daily is a bad idea I think. Do it once a week at the most, using the same scales, at the same time of day - eg every Saturday morning when you get up. You should be looking at progressive changes over weeks and months, not days IMHO.

I think the thing about this "starvation mode" is a bit overhyped. If you drop cals too low it will inhibit slightly but won't STOP weight loss - your body still needs a certain amount of energy to complete the tasks you give it, so if you're very low, you might find cardio more difficult, simply because your energy levels are lower. In addition, you'll have difficulty putting any muscle on as this is an energy intensive task for the body. By upping the calories slightly you'll make things easier on yourself and over the course of say a year, the difference it makes to your weight loss (ie how much longer it takes) will be hardly anything.

Most people who set a target of a six pack in 5 weeks are setting themselves up for demotivation. It takes time, trial and error and adjustment along the way. Just my opinion of course.

Im going to have to say i do think ive lost weight it might not show on the scales but i think i have ( just not a lot )

So this is what ive been eating or something like this and feel this is where i can improve. I want to learn more about carbs, protien etc as at the moment i dont no a great deal.

So this is a typical day ( apart from a Sat when i get a take away or go out for a meal )

Breakfast 9.30

Bowl of Wheatabix x2 bricks or Special K one of the small individual packs.
Cup of Coffee either black or with Semi Skimmed milk and 1 sugar

Dinner 1-2pm ish

Can of tuna and maybe a small bit of salad
Cup of Coffee

Tea 5-6pm

1 meat Chicken, Pork or Turkey with fresh broccoli x2 fresh Coliflour x2, either frozen peas or mixed veg and some gravy.
Or the meat with a salad.

7pm

Cup of Coffie

If i want it maybe i will have another small drink of orange juice later on.