Ask Katie - For Lindsey

Katie, Can you give me some advise/hope?

Hi Lindsey. How are you? Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Been working extra hard on my figure since 21/1. Started at 65.9 kilos at 174 cm. I have been working out cardio 5-6 days a week, burning 500-600 cals a session, plus heavy weight training (hitting each body part to exhaustion). I am sore always.

I only burn 500-600 a session that includes weights and cardio. If I do any more than that, my appetite gets out of control. I believe that training to exhaustion puts your body into stress and it shuts down. Maybe take it a bit easier??

Eating-wise I am eating between 80-100 grams lean protein a day (up from 30-40 grams a day) usually keep calories under 1400 a day. There have been maybe 4-5 days I have gone a bit over that.

You might do better with more protein. I eat at least my body weight in pounds (multiply kilos x 2.2) in grams a day. I am 60 odd kilos which is 132 pounds so I make sure I get in 132 grams of protein a day.

Maybe your calories are a little low. I eat 1400 for three days and then 1800 on the fourth. This averages out to 1500 calories a day and I am smaller than you. I would suggest having a high calorie day to rev up your metabolism and let your body know that you are not starving. You might find that your weight loss speeds up too. It certainly makes dieting more enjoyable knowing you only have to be hungry for 3 short days at a time and then you get to eat healthy filling portions and the odd treat.

The problem is I seem to be a bit tighter and pants a bit looser, but have only lost about 1 kilo and maybe a quarter inch off my hips, a quarter inch off arms, and a quarter inch off thighs. I got down to 64.3 kilo for a day or two and then back up to 64.9. My goal is 61 kilos.

The scale is evil and tells lies. If you look tighter and your pants are looser then forget the stupid scales. They will catch up eventually. I know it is hard but consistency will eventually conquer all!

Could I just be gaining muscle and losing at a pretty even weight? Should I push cardio longer and cut more cals?

No, no, no, no, no - more cardio and less food will just make your body shut down or send you off in search of your favourite unhealthy food. If you must make changes try swapping a long steady state cardio session for an interval session (or vice versa), 6 tapered meals instead of 5 (I do a calorie split 300-200-300-300-200-100), and increase your real protein by having more eggs or meat (for me this means chicken and salad for a snack rather than a protein bar or yogurt and protein crunch)

Is this typical? I know how to work out, and have been 16% bf about 8 years ago and around 56 kilos, and I know my weight training. I am just losing hope that my current results are soooo slow and seem so minimal (even though I know it is only about 3.5-4 weeks.)

On the 21/1 I weighed 61.4 kg and today I weigh 60.1kg which in only just over a kilo and I've had a big abnormal drop in the last week. You are losing at the same rate as me which may be slow by some standards but is just perfect. It means you are losing fat and retaining your lean body mass which is a good thing. Give it 8 weeks - that's the magic time when the scales reflect your changing shape in the mirror.

Thanks for any advise you can provide!!!!!

You are doing so well, don't give up now. In the end slow and steady is the best way to do things. It allows your body to adjust to being leaner and it means that any accidental weight gain should be at the same pace. Imagine losing 2 kilos a week to get to your goal and then taking a week off for a holiday or as a reward. Your body would be conditioned to immediately gain back 2 kilos. If you only lose 250-500g a week, that is the same rate at which you will regain. I know which I would prefer!

Believe me I do know what you are going through and how frustrating it is not see results on the scales. But you just have to have faith in the indisputable fact that you have a solid nutrition plan and you are smashing it in the gym so you MUST be losing fat every single day. Your pants are looser so you are leaner. You are doing something right. Good luck and keep in touch.