I still havent lost weight

Question
For the past month and a half, I've been on a 1,500 calorie diet. My diet has consisted of alot of vegetables, fruits, lean meat and some carbs. I've also been working out 4 times a week by doing some tae bo and weight training. So far, I have lost close to 5 pounds. I don't understand why I am losing weight at such a slow rate. One thing I've noticed is my clothes are fitting alot better than they used to. Could I just be imagining that my clothes are fitting better. I mean, 5 pounds isn't really going to make a huge difference. Also, what else can I do to speed up my weight loss. I am 5'11, 220 pounds.

Answer
Hello Darren,

Thank you for writing. What kind of carbs are you eating? You should be eating closer to 1800 calories, possibly 2000 if you want to bulk up. Make sure your exercise output is 'intense'- give it everything you have.

Eating to little can cause slower weight loss, even weight gain over the long run. You need to eat healthy, low-glycemic foods and enough of them to build lean mass (muscle) and keep your metabolism strong. Consider that at your current weight you need almost 2300 calories to maintain, 800 less is a big difference!

You will also have to adjust calorie intake as you go depending on your goals. For simple weight loss and maintenance 1800-2000 will be good, if you begin to tone up and want to gain more muscle then you will have to increase calories- down the road.

Do not be discouraged by the slow weight loss. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say. This is especially true of weight loss. The standard is 2 pounds per week. You are just starting out, let your body and metabolism adjust, it will happen.

Let me know if I can help more!

Good luck,

Dan Haley, CNC

www.marketamerica.com/alkalinenutrition

1. Prev:apples
2. Next:Food/Weightloss