I am trying to lose some weight so that I will be carrying less weight during training etc. However, I am not losing anything and it's very frustrating. I use to be so much lighter so I know that I can get smaller but for some reason no matter what I eat, don't eat or how hard I train I can't lose the pounds.

My question then becomes what is an ideal weight for a female triathlete? I am 5'10" and weigh about 150 lbs. I use to weigh about 130-135 and perferred that weight. I can't seem to get there now.

Any suggestions?

Amanda:confused:

Don't forget that muscle is heavier than fat! As you continue to train, your body is going to slowly adapt to this new 'lifestyle'. It'll happen, and your body will find its ideal training and racing weight. No doubt you will be heavier than your original ideal weight, but you'll be looking great in the process.

Keep at it!

I find that its so difficult to lose weight while training. I weigh more than I weighed a few years ago and would like to get back down to that weight. But just like you, it seems like no matter what i eat i stay the same. And i dont want to start eating a lot less b/c then it will sacrifice my training. Plus when i reduce my calories too much, then I end up binging a few days later. I rea lly dont understand the whole weight loss thing at all. I lose weight sometimes but i never know how/why.

It's not the number on the scale that matters, ladies, it's your body composition! At 5'10" tall, 150 pounds is a VERY healthy weight. And it's likely that while you train, you're building nice, heavy, USEFUL muscle, which is what you want to do!

That said, if you're like me and need to lose weight, what you really need to do is lose *fat,* which is not necessarily going to make the number on the scale drop all that much. I've dropped roughly 25 pounds since January, but my body composition shows a 10 pound INCREASE in muscle mass. So does that mean I should really be down 35 pounds instead? No, it means I have more nice useful metabolically efficient muscle tissue to carry around, instead of all the fat!

Watch the whole picture, not just the scale, and you'll be happier...

I would consider myself an expert on this subject... I lost 60 lbs (have the extra skin to prove it!!! YUCK!!!). Loosing weight while training IS going to be difficult. There is no magic answer. One thing I would recommend is getting rid of the scale at this point and rely more on body fat comp. You can get one done for free usually at your gym if you belong to one. Tri training is intense - you are working a well rounded group of muscles all over the body. That adds up to a lot of muscle. As Train said muscle weighs more than fat.
I have to count my points (weight watchers) and I also keep track of my USDA requirements as well. EVERY SINGLE DAY. As long as I stay in those margins I can say that I am satisfied with the results.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised with a body fat composition.
On a different note - are you still in Kuwait?? How are you doing there? Spirits high for you? Chins up...you'll be back in Montana in no time. Take care...

I feel your pain, I have been really researching diet lately to lose that little extra. The thing that I found to be useful is get a BFA (Body Fat Analsys). Most of the sports centers should be able to do that for you. This will tell you your body fat mass, which is what you should be worries about not the scale. We have been drilled since youth to watch our weight. When my brother was joining the Coast Guard, they orignally turned him down saying he was over weight. Well he went in and got a BFA and showed it to the recruter and with a percentage of 7.4 they made an exception and let him in.

What is considered a good body fat percentage for a woman?

For men, a healthy fat percentage is much lower than for women... we need to be able to turn on the milk and baby feeding machines and not have them turn off. So a healthy fat percentage for a woman is roughly 18-23%. Below 18% is too lean, women will stop menstruating and generally not be very healthy.

Muscle tissue has a higher metabolic rate than fat, too. I forget the exact numbers, but I think muscle burns about four or five times as many calories per pound (at rest) as fatty tissue does. So the more muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolism and the more Oreos you can eat... no wait, scratch that last part...

Very good advise and I really like the part about the oreo's. I'd do anything for more oreo's.:D

I was the same, Couldn't shift any weight and was introduced to Herbalife protien and meal replacement. they worked for me. for more info visit www.sportznutrition.org.uk

I'm not sure what's up but I can't get to the website you posted.

Not sure about fday - we may have a post spammer?

That could be true. There was another post somewhere giving the same website.

Originally posted by trimedic
I'm not sure what's up but I can't get to the website you posted.

My thoughts exactly. Funny how he only registered a few days before the post, with no personal info....

annoying.

Let me start off by saying I'm a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and could tell you a zillion things I've learned from them that helped me lose 32 pounds if you want to hear about it.

But one thing I want to add to this thread is that it's great to take measurements of your body and use that as a measure of success rather than just a number on a scale. Case in point, I'm currently 5 pounds heavier than I'd ideally like to see register on the scale but I'm able to fit into a particular skirt and pair of jeans that I can only fit into when I'm at my weight goal.

It sounds like you are well within a healthy range. I'd also say try not to get too attached to some number you saw when you were much younger. If your BMI (body mass index) is good, you feel healthy, you fit into your clothes, and you're reaching your training goals, that's more important than a particular number.

yep i agree....i wasn't overweight but still felt i should lose a bit of weight.....i lost approx 7 pounds bringin me down to 100lbs.....bear in mind im only 5"2' however in doing this i reduced my fat to just over 12 and completely screwed up my periods...which have been screwed up even though i brought my weight back up to 106 to try and sort them.

though i wouldnt ever say i was unhealthy.i just overtrain but i do find i get injured more nowadays.....

im getting pissed off at the same problems mentioned in this post-- losing weight/fat, while trying to maintain a good diet. It seems like they're diametrically opposed. on the one hand im trying to buildup my body and give it enough nutrients to train, but then i find im not getting any leaner if i dont restrict my diet.

i look at other 'normal' non-athlete girls, and even though im leaner than most, i find that irrelevant when it comes to racing and there's lean, ripped awesome athletes strutting their stuff in lycra. basically im a fat triathlete!

how long do you think it takes to look like a machine? This is probably the wrong attitude to take, but im feeling a lot of pressure to meet the image for a sport i love. i bet you and i arent anywhere near 'fat', but we're mean to ourselves and in our own mind we believe we're obese. well it feels that way for me at least. for the person who cited 18-23% body fat for women-- i totally agree. im21%, but in my opinion that's not good enough! elite men are about 3-8% body fat, and women are like 11-17% fat.

I think that some one needs say that "looks" isn’t what is important here. It is however how you feel and what you are capable of. I think that one should worry maybe when they say I bet you and i arent anywhere near 'fat', but we're mean to ourselves and in our own mind we believe we're obese. If a friend of mine said something like that to me I would be VERY concerned
About three months ago I ran my first 1/2 marathon. I trained like an animal for this race I really wanted to do well. I felt great I "looked� great (I guess) but the funny thing that happened on the run was, as I was running a saw the guy that must of weighted 250 pds he was probably 4'5" or maybe 5 feet tall. He was ahead of me and his form was bad. So I picked him as a goal to pass. As I got up behind him he saw me almost pass him and he kicked it in to high gear. So, I did too. I wasn't about to let a fat guy out run me. But I swear to you I could NOT catch him. AND OHH HOW I TRIED!!!!! I eventually just eased up a little and I have a whole new respect for that guy. Here I am somewhat lean and a guy that I “thought� was out of shape crushes me in a run. But I still had fun!!
This isn't about looks; it is about health and having fun. How many of those "normal" girls do you know that are running Triathlons. Just look at what you are accomplishing and that should be enough to make you feel good about yourself. I didn't win that marathon (I never caught that fat guy ether) but I felt so good that I didn't stop and walk. I RAN 13.1 Miles every time I think about it, it makes me smile :D
Just remember that we do this to have fun not necessarily to look good while doing it.
Keep Smiling

>>elite men are about 3-8% body fat, and women are like 11-17% fat.

I will say this again: women who allow their body fat to drop too low are putting themselves at risk for permanent disability. Reproductive systems shut down, bone density drops and osteoporosis can start, and certain cancer risks go up dramatically. If you are looking at yourself at 21% body fat and seeing "obese" you need to check yourself out for a possible eating disorder. Not every good, fast triathlete is going to appear "ripped" in their Spandex.

If you're going to work the bod, you've got to FEED the bod. How long would you expect your car to run on empty?

Hey there all check out the post I did this morning titled size doesn't matter.
I have been doing these races for two years now and I have learned my lesson. The fat chicks pass me - and I am workin it hard. The fat guys outswim me - and I go as fast I as I train. I train HARD - sometimes up to 4 hours out of a day on my longer days. I have 14% body fat. I do what everyone here must do at the beginning of a race (but no one admits to it) you see a larger person in the first wave of swimmers and think no way - I can beat that one - no way they'll beat me - I am in way better shape. But guess what?? They are the ones that you chase and chase but can't ever catch. I can't explain it - it makes no sense to my scientific mind. Shape doesn't mean squat. Just do your best - feed your body with a healthy future in mind. Don't worry so much about your body and just enjoy yourself.

I think bigger swimmers almost have an advantage b/c they float more easily. I know elite cyclist are very thin, but there are many larger cyclists that can go quite fast. However, when it comes to the run I feel that size does matter. If you are overweight, this is the part that will hurt you most. The run is when I pass the 30lb overweight chicks that dominated the swim.

I agree with you on that one Dee. I read that 10 pounds of extra weight adds 20 seconds onto your 5K overall time. So for someone that is say 40 pounds overweight - you do the math I'm blonde - that is an extra 80 seconds I have to catch em and pass em by!!!!!!