Eating right, Working out but NOT losing weight

[little1sk]

I was wondering if ANYONE has any advice for me.  I have been trying to lose about 5-10lbs over the last year. I am 31 years old , 4'8" and weigh 101 lbs. I used to weight between 89 and 94lbs at the most!
I am pretty atheltic. I ran a marathon a few years ago and shortly after that is when I gained the weight. I have been training for half marathons (I ran one in April 2006) so I have been keeping the cardio up with running 3-4 days during the week and then 5-10 miles on the weekends.  
Recently I got so frustrated that I went to a dietitican. She claimed that I needed to rev up my workouts by doing interval training and then eating more protein and more times of the day.

For the last two months, I have been eating 5 times a day (about 1000-1200 calories) Each meal has protein and carbs and I get my 5 a day fruits and veggies.
I do cardio 5 days a week (3 days are interval training for 45 min--60 seconds at 65% target heart rate and 60 second 85% target heeart rate) The other 2 days of cardio are a 45 minute dance class and then a weekend long distance run that lasts between 1-2 hours. I also weight train 3 days a week. 1 days lower body and two days upper body.

My body fat has increased and my pants size has increased. Why can't I lose the weight or at least the body fat? Does anyone have advice for me?

[FergalEmmanuel]

You have to work hard if you want to change the shape of your body. That means a balance of medium-high intensity cardio exercise along with challenging strength training workouts.

[rlxk]

Hi, I'm 32 5 ft tall and weigh 145.  Last year I weighed 128 and started to gain weight.  4 months ago, I increased my workouts to 5-6x a wk 60 min of cardio and 30 min of weight training alternating muscle groups daily as well as zumba and swimming 2x a week.  I eat an average 1400 carlories a day and I'm still progressively gaining weight.  I've had my thyroid tested and it came back normal.  Any suggestions?

[Finn_4444]

This is bloomin mad! WHY is this so difficult?

Obviously, I'm in a similar boat. 19 years old, 5ft 10, 155lbs, trying to lose 10lbs. I hit the gym 3-4 times a week and I'm eating around 1300 calories a day. I either do 40 mins swimming or 30 mins on the elliptical trainer with 15 mins doing sit ups, mat work, etc. Last summer I tried a personal trainer but all that came from that was some SERIOUS muscle build. Not cool.

5 weeks later, and I'm still 155lbs. WHAT.

Seriously, I'm no scientist. How can eating more and exercising less possibly be a route to weight loss?

I'm completely lost and confused now, I don't know what I supposed to be eating and what I'm supposed to cut out or how much and what type of exercise I need to be doing.

Am I doomed to a life where my fairly toned bod is covered in a layer of fat? Because I am fairly toned underneath it all. Heeeeeelp?

[tennisforjesus]

Hi thanks for helping me, I guess you're right that 125 would be a little underweight.  I guess some of it is muscle but I still feel like I should lose a bit.  I had never lifted weights before my first year of college.  But I would think by eating healthy and working out a lot this summer I would lose some weight, I don't understand why I haven't lost any.  I haven't done my BMI, I want to do one of those bod pod things but it costs.  I'm guessing it would probably be like 22 or 23 I don't know though.  But thanks for taking the time to encourage me, I appreciate it!

[fatrunnerchick]

i run a minimum of 90 minutes a day, 7 days a week.  i have been doing this for years--i would have a perfect running streak from 1988 until today if i hadn't torn my acl in 2001 and had to take two or three days off.  in addition, i lift weights regularly and do situps and push ups 5 days/ week, i bike at least once a week, walk daily, and have a job where i'm not sedentary.  i've tried eating 900 calories a day, 1200 calories a day, 1800 calories a day, etc. for periods of time in order to lose weight.  instead of losing, i GAIN!  it's soooo incredibly frustrating.

i had an eating disorder in college (bulimia), but that was many years ago.  back then i weighed around 110 (i'm 5'4"), and now i'm almost at 140.  i'm a vegetarian, and i try to watch what i eat.  i saw a nutritionist for a while, and i'm hypothyroid.  my thyroid condition is under control with meds, but i still cannot controll my weight.  any ideas?????

[laurad8911]

Hi,

I'm doing a 1400 calorie a day diet and I go to the gym 5 days a week burning at least 300 calories in cardio each time (minimum 30 minutes cardio, kickboxing class 2 days a week for 45 mins). I also do some strength training 2-3 times a week and abdominal work (planks, crunches, etc) the same mount. I weighed around 151 before this but I have recently packed on two lbs and i cannot figure it out because Ive been sticking to the calorie plan or even eating under it (yesterday I ate about 1100 calories). So now I am 21, 5'6", and 152 lbs. I feel like I have gotten much more toned in the last month or so from the gym but I feel fatter (and obviously, have not only not been able to lose weight but have gained it). I would like to get to around 140 lbs. I also bike everywhere at my university (to work, class, etc).

I definitely was eating more before I started tracking my calories (I was already working out then too) and maintaining was not a problem,  it was even easier to lose than it is now. This past weekend I went to the beach with my family and ate pretty healthily but definitely more than I had been and I couldnt track it (well, at least) because we had no internet and I lost 1 or 2 lbs with no working out!

I checked out some other calorie calculator sites that said I should be eating more like 1700-1800 calories a day with my goals and activity level, but Im scared to eat mroe and end up gaining more!

Am I not eating enough at 1400?

Thanks!