Hi Ladies! I'm new to the diet board so I wanted to say hello and ask your advice. I'm 5'5" and I weigh about 150lbs, I'd really like to lose about 30 but I don't know if that will ever really happen, I'd probably be happy losing 20. I have been going to the gym for about 6 months now and have actually gained 5lbs since I started. I know muscle weighs more than fat, but isn't it supposed to burn more calories after you build it up?

I must confess I didn't make any real changes to my diet when I joined the gym, I figured I would have to lose weight sooner or later if I was eating the same but exercising more, but apparently that isnt the case.

I'm vegan so I have a pretty healthy diet being that I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables by necessity, I try not to eat too much stuff like bread, but thats really my weakness... and I make sure that I get enough protein, vitamins, etc etc

So basically I'm wondering why, if I eat a pretty good low fat balanced diet and excercise 3-5 times a week I'm not losing weight? Any ideas...?

Also, Does anyone have an opinion on the elyptical machines versus treadmills for cardio? According to the elyptical machine I burn off more calories per hour, but I feel like I work up more of a sweat and get my heart pumping much faster on the treadmill...

the downside of working out is it makes you hungry.  as long as you eat sensebly then you should be fine.

Yes muscle DOES weigh more then fat, but if your doing cardio then you shouldnt be building up muscle like that, as cardio is pretty much a fat burner.  Yes you'll gain SOME, but not like if you used weights.  And I dont recommend a heavy weight lifting regimen untill after youve burned the fat, or else you'll just bulk up.

You would probably be best off paying for a personal trainer for a few sessions, they can get you started on whats best for your body and help you with nutrition.  Yes its a little more money up front, but its better in the long run.

Thats a good idea, they do offer that at my gym but I was unsure of whether I wanted to put up the money for it. But seeing as I'm doing everything I can think of and not seeing results maybe that would help me out....

Thanks for the tip on burning fat first... i was thinking of adding more weights to my regime, but I'll hold off and stick with the cardio!

Make sure you're getting enough calories.  If you don't eat at least 1,000 calories per day, your body goes into starvation mode and stores fat.  If you eat more than you can burn, your body stores the excess.  It's hard to find the balance of what to eat, so just experiment and note what happens.

Another thing is to make sure you're doing enough exercise.  If you're doing 30 per day, maybe try 45.  If you're doing 45, try an hour.  Just keep going up in exercise until you start to see weight coming off.  Then stick with it, and it should help.

I'm doing 60 mins 3 to 4 times a week. Maybe thats not enough... It would be really hard for me to get any more time to spend at the gym though...

I am definately getting enough calories though, that much I know! ha. I am probably eating more than I think calorie wise. I do try and keep a food diary, but some days I just forget it or I'm rushing around so I don't have time to jot everything down and I try to keep tabs in my head which isnt as effective. I try and stick to around 1200-1300 though.